It is far otherwise with the weary. They can scarcely
tell where they feel most. They cry, as in Psa. xxxi.
9, 10, "Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in
trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my
soul and my belly. For my life is spent with grief,
and my years with sighing; my strength faileth be-
cause of mine iniquity, and my bones are con-
sumed." In figurative language, should they attempt
to move and employ any member, they find them all
defective and diseased. Their hand is withered.
Their eye is blind from their birth. Their legs are
lame, and their loins filled with a loathsome disease.
They find in experience" that there is no soundness
in the flesh because of the Lord's anger: neither is
there any rest in their bones because of sin." They
are said to be rich, and increased in goods, and standing
in need of nothing. In direct opposition to this, the
weary know and feel that "they are wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Nay,
these are the very things which make them weary.
It is a great part of their distress that they are naked,
and have nothing to cover their shame, and defend
them from the storm; and that they are blind, and
neither see their danger nor deliverance. Extreme
poverty completes their misery, and makes them
weary, as they have nothing to buy food, medicine,
or raiment. If Job was weary when a wind from
every quarter blew down his son's house, and de-
stroyed his children; the weary find that all their
refuges were built on sand. The waves and winds
dashed against them with fury, and levelled them with
the ground. Finding themselves destitute of shelter,

and uncertain but the next surge may hurl them into
the ocean of destruction, they cannot but be weary.
In fine, these of an opposite character either think
little about eternity, or reckon themselves prepared for it.
They have established a righteousness of their own,
or trust to the general mercy of God. Having fasted
twice a week, they are disposed to say, with the Phari-
see, "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers; or even as this publi-
can:" or with the young man, "all these things have
I kept from my youth up." I pray to God, do good
to my neighbour, and injure no man; and I have no
doubt of future acceptance and eternal reward. Like
these, the weary in the text once thought themselves
possessed of a righteousness of their own, enough to
cover and cherish every part. Having wrought it
out, they tried it on as a robe; but to their sad disap-
pointment, instead of finding it like the clean garment
of salvation, or the seamless robe of righteousness,
sufficient to defend and adorn, they found it only
filthy rags. Viewing themselves in the mirror of the
law, covered with their own righteousness; instead
of easing the smart, the sight filled them with horror
and made them more weary. Though disappointed
when they tried it on in the day-time, they fondly
thought it might ease their pain in the darkness and
silence of the night. Here, too, they were sadly
deceived. Stretching themselves on it, they found it
too short; and from the crown of the head to the sole
of the foot it made every member awfully weary.
But, had their pain been tolerable, (as it was not)
their covering was unspeakably too narrow. Thus,

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neither day nor night, can they enjoy a moment's
ease; and how can they but be weary!

2. The weary may be known from other branches of the same character. As the careless and unconcerned are variously described, so are awakened sinners, and afflicted saints. These descriptions are characteristic of the weary. They labour and are heavy laden. Nothing is more calculated to make one weary than an insupportable load. They are sinners. They have got a discovery of their guilt, feel it a

burden too heavy, and are ready to sink under it.

蒋

They commonly have many other burdens. They
are loaded with affliction, and tossed with tempta-
tion. Their way, too, is difficult, and dangerous, and
this makes them weary. They are poor in spirit and
self-emptied. Formerly they trusted in themselves,
but "the commandment came, sin revived, and they
died." Now they see nothing about themselves that
can either afford them the least ease at present, or
ground to hope for it at any future period. Thus over-
whelmed and in perplexity, they cry, all refuge failed
me, and no man cared for my soul. They are hungry
and thirsty. These sensations in the extreme, must
make them weary. Hotly pursued by the law, and
the terrors of the Lord, they thirst for water, and
there is none.
Far off in a distant country, like the
prodigal, they hunger, and fain would eat; but they
can have no bread. In extreme want they would fill
their bellies with the husks that the swine did eat;
and no man gave unto them. But, should they re-
ceive the husks, like some roots they would neither
satisfy their hunger nor abate their pain; or rather.

and uncertain but the next surge may hurl them into
the ocean of destruction, they cannot but be weary.
In fine, these of an opposite character either think
little about eternity, or reckon themselves prepared for it.
They have established a righteousness of their own,
or trust to the general mercy of God. Having fasted
twice a week, they are disposed to say, with the Phari-
see, "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers; or even as this publi-
can:" or with the young man, "all these things have
I kept from my youth up."
my youth up." I pray to God, do good
to my neighbour, and injure no man; and I have no
doubt of future acceptance and eternal reward. Like
these, the weary in the text once thought themselves
possessed of a righteousness of their own, enough to
cover and cherish every part. Having wrought it
out, they tried it on as a robe; but to their sad disap-
pointment, instead of finding it like the clean garment
of salvation, or the seamless robe of righteousness,
sufficient to defend and adorn, they found it only
filthy rags. Viewing themsely the mirror of the
law, covered with their own
of easing the smart, the sight
and made them more weary.
when they tried it on in the
thought it might ease their pain
silence of the night. Here, too,
deceived. Stretching themselves o
too short; and from the crown of the
of the foot it made every member
But, had their pain been tolerable, (as
their covering was unspeakably too narr

sness; instead
with horror

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neither day nor night, can they enjoy a moment's ease; and how can they but be weary!

4

2. The weary may be known from other branches of the same character. As the careless and unconcerned are variously described, so are awakened sinners, and afflicted saints. These descriptions are characteristic of the weary. They labour and are heavy laden. Nothing is more calculated to make one weary than an insupportable load. They are sinners. They have got a discovery of their guilt, feel it a burden too heavy, and are ready to sink under it. They commonly have many other burdens. They are loaded with affliction, and tossed with temptation. Their way, too, is difficult, and dangerous, and this makes them weary. They are poor in spirit and self-emptied. Formerly they trusted in themselves, but the commandment came, sin revived, and they died." Now they see nothing about themselves that can either afford them the least ease at present, or ground to hope for it at any future period. Thus overwhelmed and in perplexity, they cry, all refuge failed me, and no man cared for my soul. They are hungry d thirsty. These sensations in the

extreme, must

them w

by the law, and

water, and ike the