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Have we not all seen a Sunday which was a Sunday indeed — a day of calm and of cheerfulness, a day of thankful repose, a day of quiet devotion, a day in which God was present as the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort? Witness, you who have known such a day yourselves or seen it in another, what a look it wore I how bright it was with a light not of this world I how it seemed at once to refresh and to invigorate, to soothe without "relaxing" and to animate without exciting, every part of that complex being which man is! And then say to yourselves, Such, even such, only tenfold more perfect and more glorious, is the rest which remaineth in heaven for the people of God! " No day of wearisome forms, of gloomy bondage and austere observance, of lifeless monotonous worship, or listless irksome vacancy, but one instinct with peace, with life, and with happiness. There remaineth a rest — a rest like the most delightful of Sabbaths, even because it is long waited for, and because, when it comes, it is a day better than a thousand.

I. A rest FROM what?

I. From our own works. Ye who have known what it was to have reached the end of a six days' or a six months' toil, and to awaken the next morning to the rest of an earthly Sabbath, where there was no duty before you for twelve hours but that of thanking and praising God, and enjoying to the full His gifts and His revelations — judge ye what that morning will be when you awake in heaven, never again to toil unto weariness!

2. But who has not felt that there is a weariness far greater than that of simple work, and, by consequence, a rest far more desirable than that from mere labour? In heaven there will be rest from all anxiety and care.

3. And shall I mention yet another weariness of life, one which besets in these days some of every condition and every rank of men? I speak of doubt — of religious doubt — doubt as to the reality of truth, or doubt as to its application to ourselves. Of all the joys of the first morning of heaven, to many souls in our generation, surely this will be the greatest — that doubt is no more; that Christ Himself is there, seen face to face, and the truth which was dim upon earth is there irradiated by His presence.

4. Lastly, the rest which remaineth is a rest from sin. "Grieved and wearied with the burden of our sins:" that is the account which we all give of ourselves when we kneel at Christ's holy table. Wherever Christ is sought in humble faith, the pilgrim's burden unties itself at the sight of the Cross, and falls off from him, to his great comfort. But old infirmities continue, and lead to new transgressions. Only in heaven will the power of sin be ended.

II. Rest IN what?

1. In thankfulness. Dangers escaped — infirmities healed — sins forgiven — sorrows cheered on earth or explained in heaven — an arresting, controlling, guiding, and supporting hand, now believed and then seen to have been over us all our life long — the forbearance of God — the map of our pilgrimage, inward and outward, at last spread out before us, and the light of heaven thrown upon its windings and its wanderings; in all this there will be matter for an eternity of thankfulness.

2. In occupation.

3. In contemplation. The contemplation of God Himself. The understanding, as never before, of His works, of His ways, of His perfections.

4. In Christ's presence. This completes, this embraces all heaven.

(Dean Vaughan.)

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KJV: There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

WEB: There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.