XXIX.

Rest in the Grave.

"He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness." ISAIAH lvii. 2.

“FOR the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth."--JOHN v. 28

THEIR life-long battle with disease and pain,
And mortal weariness, is over now;

Youth, health, and comeliness return again,
The tear has left the cheek, the sweat the brow.

They are not tasting death, but taking rest,
On the same holy couch where Jesus lay,
Soon to awake all glorified and blest,

When day has broke and shadows fled away.

TWENTY-NINTH DAY.

THAT

The

HAT the river Jordan should be regarded by the Christian as a type of death, is only what might have been expected, after perusing the Scripture narrative. God's ancient people had to cross this river to enter their promised possessions. The dark stream of death has to be crossed to enter the eternal rest. Jordan rolls on constantly; its waters have never been known to stagnate, or become dry. So death moves on in his dread march unceasingly. One traveller remarks, "The Jordan is sluggish, reluctantly creeping to the Dead Sea; though sometimes it is very violent, turbid, and rapid-too rapid to be swam against." A very fitting figure to show us what is death. Death is too rapid to be swam against. Whether regarded as a friend or a foe, death makes no distinction, but levels all, destroys alike the lofty or the lowly, and brings

all down to their common dust; ever onward rushing with irresistible force, like the current of a mighty river. Jordan separates between the waste howling wilderness and Canaan; so death separates between earth and heaven. There is no other way of approach, but the soul need not shrink from this,

"For the grave is not its goal;"

and only once will it be necessary to cross this dark flood. Many whom we have known and loved are passed already. We saw them when they reached the brink of that river, and heard them singing as they passed over; and now we are also come to its margin. Here let us stand a moment, and ponder the view as far as the eye of faith can reach.

To

We shall rest in the grave. It will be a rest from weary toil and labour. the believer that rest will be welcome. There will his flesh slumber until the morning of the resurrection, awaiting the

coming of the Lord Jesus with power and great glory; for it will be a most joyous awaking, after a calm sleep of repose. "Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.” But during that soft rest, what will remain behind in this world? What! Why, of some a glad recollection of them, which will daily ascend like the smell of sweet perfume. "The memory of the just is blessed." The epitaph of the children of God is their character. That epitaph we are now writing for ourselves. That is the inscription on our tomb, which others will read when we are gone. Oh! how important it is that we leave that well written, which our children after us will be able to read more distinctly than any memorial tablet, though engraved in brass.

THERE is a calm for those who weep,
A rest for weary pilgrims found.
They softly lie, and sweetly sleep,

Low in the ground.

XXX.

Resting in Hope.

“THEREFORE my heart is glad, and my glory my flesh also shall rest in hope.”—

rejoiceth

PSALM XVI. 9.

"IN hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."— TITUS i. 2.

OH, weary hearts, that suffered long,

Be still and sigh no more;

The sorrow shall be over soon,

The home light shines before;
The lamps along the dusky road

Gleam in the darkening night,
And weary faces, sad with care,

Have the pilgrims of the light.