of Montgomery we ask:

"Oh, where shall rest be found?
Rest for the weary soul:
'Twere vain the ocean's depth to sound;
Or pierce to either pole.
This world can never give
The rest for which we sigh."

Where may be found that favored spot in whose delightful shade the
soul may fold her wings and be at rest? I imagine that some of you are
now saying to yourselves, "_This rest is in heaven_." In this you are
right, in one sense. Heaven is a place of rest to those who are
prepared for it. But let me say to you in all candor and love that
_heaven_ is rest only to those who first find rest here in our Lord
Jesus Christ. He is now calling to every sin-burdened sinner: "Come
unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and _I will give you
rest_." The hardened unbeliever could no more be happy in heaven, even
if allowed to enter there, than a fish could be happy out of water.
Heaven is not the sinner's element. Besides, an unconverted sinner can
never get there.

"Those holy gates forever bar
Pollution, sin, and shame;
For none can find admittance there,
But followers of the Lamb."

Rest must first be found in Jesus by coming to him, accepting his
yoke, and working in his service. And to encourage all to do this he
himself says: "_My yoke is easy, and my burden is light_." If you want
to find out how easy his yoke is, and how light his burden, take it
upon you, and see if it does not give your soul rest.

I sincerely believe that Charles Wesley, long ago, gave expression to
feelings similar to those of some in this house, in the lines of a
beautiful hymn, a part of which I will repeat. See if it does not find
an echo in your soul:

"O, that my load of sin were gone!
O, that I could at last submit,
At Jesus' feet to lay it down!
To lay my soul at Jesus' feet!

"Rest for my soul, I long to find:
Savior of all, if mine thou art,
Give me thy meek and lowly mind;
And stamp thine image on my heart.

"Break off the yoke of inbred sin:
And fully set my spirit free:
_I cannot rest till pure within:_
Till I am wholly lost in thee."

You will realize the truthfulness of every one of these lines by
coming to Jesus and fully consecrating your life to him. But rest does
not necessarily imply _inactivity_. It means a heart and mind at
peace. It means a heart filled with love to God and his people. It
means a life of good works, wrought in righteousness,