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I. THE BELIEVER HAS HIS REST. While trying to think how I should describe it, nothing seemed to strike me as a more full and accurate description of the believer's rest than the apostolic benediction with which we are accustomed to dismiss our assemblies. If you have these three things, — the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, — I am sure I need not stay to prove to you that, in your experience, you have realized what it is to enjoy rest for your soul.

II. SOMETIMES THE BELIEVER LEAVES THAT REST.

1. Through affliction.

2. Through a want of submission to the Divine will.

3. Through want of contentment.

4. Through the world's joys.

5. Through allowing some conscious sin.

III. THE BELIEVER, WHEN HE HAS GONE AWAY FROM HIS REST, SHOULD RETURN TO IT; and the sooner he does so, the better. As Noah's dove came back to him, so fly back to Christ, who is your Noah, your rest, for that is the meaning of the name.

1. It is quite certain that you can never rest anywhere else.

2. This unrest puts you out of order for everything.

3. Your want of rest is putting you into a state in which you are very liable to be tempted and overcome.

4. This unrest can do no possible good.

IV. THE BELIEVER HAS ONE EXCELLENT ENCOURAGEMENT TO RETURN: "Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee." The psalmist tells us in detail what the Lord had done for him; or, rather, he tells the Lord. "Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling." Now, believer, you ought to come back, and rest in God, because you hays received from Him these three marks of His Divine favour.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

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KJV: Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.

WEB: Return to your rest, my soul, for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you.