Entering into Rest

THE entrance of sin into the world broke the perfect harmony between man and his surroundings. It caused confusion in his understanding, and set him out on the vain quest of obtaining something to take the place of that which he had forsaken. This ceaseless restlessness of the spirit of man is one of the woful sorrows inherited from the Fall. The consciousness of its existence has made him a seeker of rest at a thousand sources. Physical weariness, as the outcome of muscular exertion, craves for rest and sleep, one of God’s most precious gifts, as the heaven-appointed means whereby that rest is obtained. But trying though that weariness be it is not to be compared to the weariness that the spirit of man feels in its persistent but vain search for rest from earthly sources. There is something truly pitiable in the sight of the sad condition of the teeming millions of this earth vexed in spirit, seeking but never finding that which they are seeking until their soul becomes weary and heavy-laden in the search. To those who have, like the woman who had spent her all on earthly physicians, in like manner spent all, how suitable and fitly spoken are the gracious words of the Redeemer: “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am weak and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” To the soul wearied with many burdens such doctrine would “drop as the rain,” and such speech would “distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass.” It was through His gracious intervention that any of the children of men had ever the prospect of entering into a true and lasting rest. That rest so graciously and freely given may be viewed from three stages in the spiritual history of God’s people—(1) At the beginning of their new life. (2) During their progress towards their eternal rest. (3) Their entrance into eternal rest.

(1) At the beginning of their new life.—The Spirit of God in convincing the sinner of his guilt has brought into his conscience a new element that makes him ill at ease. A guilty man brought face to face with the sin-hating and sin-avenging God has no rest. Something must be done in order that matters may be put right, but the greater the effort the more he sinks in the mire. While this struggle is going on in his soul until every refuge fails him, it is but natural that he should feel the discouraging weariness of unsuccessful and may be long-continued effort. For such an one to be told that there is a righteousness provided such as God requires for every one that believes on Jesus Christ is glad tidings—the gospel of his salvation. And the words, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” have a meaning they never had before. Such an entrance into rest is quite compatible with the believer’s lifelong struggle with sin within. It is also compatible with the non-enjoyment of a personal assurance of one’s salvation, as many of God’s true saints had this rest, but were without assurance that they had actually passed from death to life. Its grand secret lies in this, that the believer has his thoughts turned to an all-perfect work, finished for ever, and it is the soul’s contemplation of this work that gives that rest which has as its element complacency or delight in a work finished and giving infinite satisfaction.

(2) During their progress towards their eternal rest.—That God’s people have the rest promised them by Christ is quite compatible with the ceaseless warfare they are called upon to wage against sin and the many disturbing and distressing afflictions that may meet them on their way to their eternal rest. To many of them it has been a sore battle from beginning to end. Others, again, had days when eternal issues seemed to hang in the balance, and when their hope was almost gone. Still, as a deeply-experienced believer once remarked, “Many a time I shook on the Rock, but the Rock never shook beneath me.” And He who spoke to the troubled, tempest-tossed waters of Galilee has spoken to stormier and more turbulent seas than that of Galilee and there has been a great calm, and the agitated mind and heart has found true rest in Him. “Let not your hearts be troubled,” were the comforting words that soothed the hearts of His disciples agitated by strange forebodings of coming trial; and what numberless hearts He has spoken to giving them rest eternity will reveal. The contemplation of His finished work, the provision made in His salvation for the keeping of His people are all fitted to give that rest when the Holy Spirit gives entrance into the truth.

(3) Their entrance into eternal rest.—There remains a rest for the people of God above and beyond anything yet they have experienced. God had a purpose that His people should enter into His own rest. This was not fulfilled in Israel, argues the Apostle in writing to the Hebrews, for they came short, and perished in the wilderness. But this did not alter God’s gracious design that some should enter in, and this is indicated after the

lapse of a long time by the renewal of the promise, “To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Ps. xcv. 7).

Now, if Joshua had given them rest (Heb. iv. 8), then the Lord, through the Psalmist, would not have spoken of another day. “There remaineth, therefore, a rest* to the people of God” is the inspired inference. What, then, is the rest that remains for the people of God? Its nature is clearly indicated by two expressions, which are explanatory the one of the other, viz., God’s rest and “Sabbath-keeping.” That is, the rest that remains for God’s people is the kind of rest God Himself enjoyed when He rested from His work at the beginning. Such rest did not arise from any weariness after the completion of the stupendous work of creation, for He “fainteth not, neither is weary.” Neither was it cessation from all work, for we have the Lord’s words, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” But it was cessation from the work of creation, which was finished and perfect, and, added to this, as throwing light on the “rest of God,” is the deeply significant record, “God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Gen. i. 31). From this we may reverently infer that two elements, at any rate, enter into the idea of “God’s rest”—(1) It is cessation from work finished and perfect, and (2) there is the complacency and delight in this finished and perfect work—it was very good. What a wealth of meaning is in these simple words—it was very good—when we remember who saw these works to be very good! Now, says the Apostle, God had a gracious purpose that His people should enter into His rest, and how was this to be brought about. Simply by cessation from adding anything to a work that was finished and perfect, and if the believer could only for ever be done with his own works, and turn to contemplate that finished and perfect work of the Lord Jesus with delight and complacency, what rest he would enjoy. This is the rest that remains for the people of God. That it can be enjoyed here is evident from the Apostle’s exhortation:—”Let us labour to enter into that rest.” And God’s children can say that it is a blessed rest when the Spirit of God is leading them to contemplate the finished and perfect work of their Redeemer. But here they have only a foretaste of what is yet in store for them. It is when, no longer looking through a glass darkly, but seeing their Redeemer face to face, they shall realise more deeply than ever the perfection of His work. Then the joy of their hearts, in the contemplation of that work, will find expression in the adoring words—”Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Rev. v. 13). This is the rest of God into which they will enter, never to be interrupted in the ages to come.

* Greek, sabbatismos, rest, literally a Sabbath-keeping; it is the only place in the New Testament where this significant word is used. Dr. Owen, in his Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, has a long dissertation (Works, vol. xix., pp. 265-460) on the Name, Original Nature, Use, and Continuance of a Day of Sacred Rest founded on this word.

A Sermon.

BY THE REV. GEORGE HUTCHESON, M.A., of Edinburgh
and Irvine (1674).

(Fourteenth Sermon of Series on Psalm cxxx.)

(Continued from page 91.)

“But there is forgiveness with thee.”—PSALMS cxxx. 4.

1. And this is another benefit that results on justification, that not only hath the justified man a right to the fountain, but a promise of repentance, to fit and qualify him to go to the open fountain, and make use of it for cleansing (Zech. xii. 9, 10), that God will pour upon him the spirit of grace and supplication, and cause him to look unto Him whom he hath pierced by his sins, and mourn. He hath Christ an exalted prince and saviour to give him repentance and remission of sin. And that is another privilege of the justified man, that not only is he in favour with God and hath a right to pardon, but a right to the promise of repentance, that he may have access to the open fountain of pardon.

2. Yet we must add, that his sins to come are not actually pardoned till he actually come to the fountain and wash. It’s true (as the learned speak) justification is an indivisible instantaneous act without succession (as they call it) as to the state of the justified man’s person, but yet as to the pardon of daily sins, as it is said in the Confession of Faith, chap. ii. sect. 5, “God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified;” it’s a continued act, a frequently repeated act, as the justified man falls in new sins, humbles himself and confesses, begs pardon and renews his faith and repentance.

And to clear that it is so, I shall adduce two or three arguments briefly, which will also prove that sins are not forgiven from eternity; and passing that argument, Matt. vi. 12, where, because we are daily sinning, we are bidden seek daily pardon and forgiveness, as we forgive others, ye shall consider these three things to make it out, that sins to come are not actually pardoned in justification.

1. Consider that sin must be committed and be a crime before it be pardoned. Common sense says that before a pardon be, there must be a crime, and consequently sins to come are not pardoned, they not being as yet crimes. Hence when the Scripture speaks of pardon of sins, it speaks of these sins as committed, Ezek. xviii. 22, “All his transgressions that he hath done shall not be mentioned”: and Jer. xxxiii. 8, “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me, and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they

have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.” Nay, the very names given to the pardon of sin, as when it is called, the blotting out of sin, the putting of it out of His sight, the casting of it in the depth of the sea, the remembering of it no more, etc., all these and the like import an existence and being of sin, to be antecedent to the pardon of sin. What need is there of a pardon to that which is not a crime, is not existent, hath not a being? Nay, there is no prince nor supreme authority in the world that will give pardon at that rate; it’s fair enough if the delinquent get pardon when he hath committed a crime, and consequently, God pardons no sins, till they be committed, to justified persons.

1. A second argument that inclines me to think that all sins are not pardoned in justification is this, that there is no pardon of sin, but upon confession of sin, 1 John i. 9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There is no pardon of sin promised, but upon repentance, Acts v. 31, “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be prince and a saviour, for to give (first) repentance to Israel, and (then) remission of sins. Where God gives remission He gives first repentance. Now confession of sin and repentance for a sin hath no place where sin hath not a being; confession of sin and repentance for sin presupposes the being of sin, and the sinners reflecting on it and repenting of it.

2. And a third consideration or argument is, that when sins are actually pardoned, a man may rejoice, exult, and boast in God, upon the account of pardon. O how may the pardoned sinner exceedingly rejoice in God! But who dare say that a justified person, while reeking in his sin (to speak so) before he hath confessed it and repented for it, can, or dare, rejoice in God?

Shall he, while he is wallowing in his abominations, rejoice in God? That were abominable doctrine, and yet he might in that case rejoice, if these abominations were pardoned before they were committed. Nay more, it would confound all distinction to be put betwixt unrepented and repented guilt; if a man’s sins were pardoned before they were committed, his pardon would be as sure as if he had repented, by their doctrine. Therefore I conclude that sin cannot be actually pardoned before it be committed, repented, and Christ fled unto for pardon.*

And this hath a practical use (which I but touch upon because the great practical use of all is but coming). That justified folk that are at peace with God, as to the state of their persons, should not think light of their daily slips into faults. Thou art lying under thy daily failings, as a debt, till thou go to the open fountain and wash. It is true (as I said before) no sins thou fallest in shall

* It is but right to state, in view of Mr. Hutcheson’s views, that many of the best and most cautious of the Reformed divines hold that all sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven in justification.

eventually condemn thee, but thou art a guilty person so long as thou liest under unrepented guilt. Therefore look to it, and let your faith of pardon be seen in your tenderness under new guilt. O that the Gospel would take you off the law’s hand, and press you to this tenderness, that love to Christ, and the love of Christ might incite you in your actings, and when ye fall in sin, to run to the remedy, in the exercise of faith and repentance.

And to encourage you to this, another word results on this, that ye may help yourselves to repent for particular failings, ye should hold a fast grip of your reconciled state. Remember what I said in the morning, that new guilt makes not void former pardon; so I say now, that new guilt makes not void your reconciled state; ye may go to God, not as an enemy to his prince, but as a faulty child to his father for pardon; access ye have to the open fountain, ye coming humbled for sin, and making use of Christ for renewed pardon. And if ye do not improve this privilege, it will be a terrible ingredient in your dittay (bill of accusation) when God comes to deal with your conscience.

1. The third question is, how can pardon be said to be past within time, seeing (Acts iii. 19, 20) it is said, “Our sins are to be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord?” There will then be a blotting out and discharge of sins once for all, a discharge openly declared, accompanied with all the consequences of the discharge. Sins pardoned here, will then be openly declared to be pardoned. I find not only among the schoolmen, but our reformed divines, a question agitated, whether our sins will be ripped up in the day of judgment. A question needlessly stated; but what will not curiosity meddle with? But whether sins will be then ripped up to let it be seen what sort of persons He glorifies, or covered, certainly their sins shall not then put them to shame who are pardoned. Though they should everlastingly remember them, they shall also sing in the remembrance of pardon; and though they should be ripped up, yet not to their shame and confusion. The consolation of pardoning mercy, and all the effects of it, and the love of Christ will make them look upon their mercies, as upon the occasion of their being made everlastingly happy with Him. But the time being ended, I shall go no further. God bless His word to you, for Christ’s sake.

(To be continued.)

LORD, if I have done that for which Thou mayest damn me, Thou hast not lost that whereby Thou mayest save me. Remember not, sweet Jesus, Thy justice against the sinner, but Thy benignity towards Thy creature; remember not to proceed against a guilty soul, but remember Thy mercy towards a miserable wretch; forget the insolence of the provoker, and behold the misery of the invoker, for what is Jesus but a Saviour?—Augustine.

The late Miss Kate Calder, BEAULY.

MANY whose names are written in the “Lamb’s book of life” have never had their lives put down in the records of men in this world. But still, “the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.” To those who knew some of these now, however, gone to their eternal rest, it does not seem unfitting that some little memorial should be raised up over the places which once knew them, now cold and empty.

Catherine, or Kate Calder, as she was generally known, was born in Beauly, in 1831 or 1832, about twelve years before the Disruption. Her parents being of the hardworking, poor class, she had early to go out into the world to earn her bread, first to the fields when able, and latterly as dairymaid and housekeeper. In this capacity she served with many families of good quality, and in manses; but the first twenty years of her life almost, she lived a stranger to God and His Christ, and was truly a lover of pleasure. Her parents had brought her up at least to attend the outward means of grace at times, though of her mother (her father died when she was young) she spoke as one who had not the marks of a gracious person, until the illness which resulted in her death. She remembered to have gone to Redcastle in their company to hear the Rev. John Kennedy, that eminent servant of God, but was too young to remember what she heard. Being naturally gifted and having a measure of wit, she would be a leader in all frivolity, and among her fellow servants in all mischief and folly. A mistress once told her she always knew when she was among the servants by the laughter and merriment she heard.

But there were other uses for the faculties God gave her, and the Potter was to remould the vessel in His great mercy. She used to say when she would be happy, the change from darkness to light was so clear to her seeing she had been so wicked she wasn’t so often tempted on that score. Of a handsome bearing, finely dressed and to attract attention, she went one day to the church, where a godly minister preached. But the sermon was not far advanced before an arrow found a joint in her harness, and if her head was high before, it was low enough before the end of the service. From this day she turned her back on the world and began to traverse “a land not sown.” Losing taste of her worldly companions, she went from means to means trying to find peace for an awakened conscience, and endeavouring to work out a righteousness of her own, but in vain. She only became more and more miserable. In this state of almost despair she went one day after many months of distress to a place where the Communion was to be held, and while on the high road a wonderful light shone all around her and the Lord came with His presence and so overwhelmed her along with some precious words of the Truth (which we are sorry not to remember now) that she was forced to hide

her face; and the love of Christ so filled her soul that her heart melted like wax. She felt constrained to go into the woods near by, and there falling on her knees, enjoyed such communion with the Lord and such an outpouring of the Spirit, with full forgiveness of all her sins, as to make the place a Bethel.

And now the means of grace became sweet indeed, and out of the great Gospel provision she almost, literally, took her meat and drink. Certain it is in eagerness for food for her soul she forgot, to a great extent, concern for the natural bread. She used to say of this time that she felt, under the preaching of the Word, so melted and uplifted in soul, that it was as if heaven came down to her on earth. The Spirit, she said, seemed to be descending on her (and she thought on many others also in the congregations) like the dew and the silent rain on the mown grass; she felt it penetrated to her innermost soul. She would go in the strength of these diets back to her work in the fields, over the miles of country like an eagle on the wing; and would be so elevated in mind as to be quite dead to the vulgar, and at times profane, conversation of those around her. There were some very eminent men in Beauly and district in those days, as sweet and tender Simon Campbell; Angus MacDonald, Urray, whose presence would grace a congregation; faithful Thomas Fraser and others. At first she did not like to join herself to their company, feeling, probably like the Apostle himself, that it would not be a wonder though they could not believe her a genuine disciple, considering her former life. The farthest corner in the congregations, and at the meetings, oftentimes the back of the door would be her place, and her tears under the preaching would make often a large pool at her feet so profuse were their flow, so deep her repentance. A while after this she went to Strathconan, a strath in Ross-shire, to a situation as dairymaid. While here, she went through a very fiery trial of soul trouble or law work, and being accompanied by an attack of brain fever, brought her to death’s door. She gave us many particulars of all these periods of her spiritual life and of this sad time too, but, as they are similar to what many of the Lord’s people experience, we need not enumerate them here. While at her lowest in this furnace, she said she thought she could hear the rattle of the chains of those tied to the lowest hell, and felt herself every moment as if on the brink of this awful, everlasting place of woe. She said she could never doubt there was a hell after what she went through then. Her sense of the wrath of God against sin and her agony of soul was extremely great, which was much aggravated by the temptations of the Evil One.

The Free Church at Strathconan was vacant at this time since the Disruption, being supplied by godly laymen. The first minister settled there was our own worthy and aged minister, Rev. Donald M’Farlane, Dingwall, about 40 years ago now, we believe. The public means were, nevertheless, faithfully upheld by godly men and catechists appointed by the Church, as James Matheson

the catechist at Garve, of whom it was said that “he reflected so much of the image of the man of sorrows that no unsanctified conscience could hold up it’s head before him”; the eminent and famous Donald Duff; the much-esteemed Mr. Rose, teacher; Duncan MacIver; and Hector Jack; and many others who would give their help (though not catechists or speakers), as some of the Beauly men, Thomas Fraser, Simon Campbell, Alexander Fraser, and Roderick M’Lean, teacher, Brahan, who was such an unctious, meek, sweet, and able speaker. Being a regular attendant on these meetings, our friend was taken notice of and kindly treated by these eminent men at different times there, and while going through the furnace before mentioned, was not forgotten by them at a throne of grace. But, what was better still, the Lord Himself remembered her in her low estate and brought her out of the horrible pit. If her agony was great her deliverance was clear, certain and large, and her insight into the Gospel provision and mystery of redemption very deep. This trial was the means of grounding her very strongly on the “Rock,” Christ, and also made her very helpful and tender to others in like case. She also recovered strength of body and like Hezekiah was able to go up again to the house of God. She one day asked Donald Duff, who was catechist there, why he did not visit her in her trouble. He said he had done so but was refused admission, but said, “I could lay my hand on your head in every stage of your journey through the walks.” These godly men were very helpful to her in those days, Donald Duff being quite a spiritual nurse, and Angus M’Donald her warm friend and adviser. She often walked the twenty miles after this, between Beauly and Strathconan, to be present at Mr. Duff’s meetings and would be hard at work as usual next day. Dingwall, of course, was the great resort of the godly then, and the few miles intervening were not considered much by many others besides Kate; and during his lifetime, she had Angus M’Donald’s company, as a rule, going to hear Dr. Kennedy, as he lived not far from her, and took such an interest in her, he would ask her to call for him on her way to Dingwall. She got very much attached to him and would often unburden her mind to him in temporal as well as spiritual matters. About this time she took small-pox and was so ill she expected death, but he told her she would not go just then, but would live to see him buried, and she did. He also told her with her lively disposition and strong passions, combined with her great spiritual enjoyments, she would require crosses to keep her down, and that she would see them come out of unexpected quarters, which proved very true.

She had many crosses, some not pleasant, and very perplexing to see how they were consistent with love to her from her heavenly Father, and she was kept down with trials so as to remain very poor all her days. But she was of those who are rich in faith; and she could tell of many remarkable instances of the Lord’s merciful

help in straits. These things all went to further sanctification in her and fulfilled the Lord’s purpose of purifying her for her heavenly home. She nursed her mother through several years of severe trouble ending in death, and was a beautiful pattern of Christian humility to a mother who had been very hard on her because of her “good choice.” The mother, in her illness, used to tell this to others about Kate, and seemed to have a measure of contrition which Kate hoped worked for her good. She endeavoured to bring the godly men to read and pray with her, and latterly she seemed pleased to see them. She saw many others of her relations, brothers, etc., buried after her mother’s death, but nothing was so hard to her as seeing those laid in the grave who were united to her in the bonds of Christian love and in the truth. She felt herself being left in a bleak wilderness as one after another of her godly friends and favourite ministers were removed, and she lamented the sad change gradually appearing among the people and in the Churches.

Her hope, however, was in the Lord, who had so richly fed her all her days on the rich provision of Canaan. She lived mostly during the latter years of her life in the past, and would often say with Iain Tosach (John Mackintosh, of Farr), “My godliness is off the earth now, and it is before me in heaven.” She was drawing largely, having to the last a wonderful memory sanctified by the grace of God, on what she heard from eminent ministers and others of the marrow of the Gospel, and in our hearing on her deathbed she repeated a large portion of a sermon preached fifty years before on a subject suitable to her state of mind at the time, and encouraging herself therewith. One could see that she had, as Boston says, a “heart truly touched with the powerful sweetness of the truth, helping the memory to retain what it so relished.” She was richly endowed with spirituality of mind, which is true life and peace. Her last illness was short. She had had a strong frame and a tall upright carriage, but the pins of her tabernacle began to be loosened. She ailed but kept on her feet until within ten days of her end, and said that whenever she took to bed she felt such a holy, calm serenity and resignation to whatever would come, as made her sure it was death. One felt it very pleasant to be at her bedside. Latterly she became unconscious and spoke none, except once, to repeat some words of a chapter which a friend read beside her. She died about the age of eighty-six or eighty-seven, in May, 1919, and was buried in Redcastle churchyard, there to await the sounding of the last trumpet. “Blessed are they which are called into the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

C. C.

THE devil forced Him not; he touched Him not; only said, “Cast thyself down;” that we may know that whosoever obeyeth the devil casteth himself down; for the devil may suggest; compel he cannot.—Chrysostom.