The Everlasting Rest

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 23, 1861

The Everlasting Rest.

IT is rest from toilsome exertions. Here there is much to be done, something presses every moment. Not one power of our being can be at ease. We have no time for leisure. To be idle is to sin; is to rob body and soul, mankind and God. No one is at liberty to be a mere looker on here. Call labor, if you will, a curse; it cannot be shunned without incurring a direr curse. Exertion is essential to execution, and even to existence. To take one's ease is to take one's life. Necessity is laid upon us to

"Cease at once to labor and to live."

But the rest above brings peace to the wrestler; victory to the soldier.

There is rest from anxious cares, whether relating to self, to friends, to public interest, or to the cause of Christ. The people of God must inevitably have cares so long as they have "a charge to keep." Carefulness is forbidden—not cares. The same Apostle who said "Be careful for nothing," said also that on himself rested "the care of all the churches;" and he felt this care's weight.

And Christ, although he offers to heavy laden sinners rest, lays on His disciples the charge—"Watch and pray!" Cares belong to the Christian life. They grow out of duties—dangers—difficulties. Relations to others in jeopardy involve cares. Interest in the prosperity of Zion implies care. Who does not say of the Church of God—

"For her my tears shall fall. For her my prayers ascend; To her my cares and toils be given, Till toils and cares shall end."

Toils are arduous, but cares are grievous. They wear out the body; they banish sleep from the eyelids; they cause the cheeks to grow pale, as if grief preyed on the breast. No situation that a Christian can consistently occupy is without cares; we cannot flee from them, and we would not if we could. From all these godly cares we shall be free at last; we shall lay them down at the door of the everlasting rest.

We shall also be free from fears, from the sense of insecurity, from alarms of every kind. There is a fear that is sinful, and there is a fear that is filial and becoming in this state of being; but no fear is blissful. The bravest have their fears. It is the language of hyperbole when we say of any one, "He is a stranger to fear;" and the presence of fear shows the absence of rest. Accordingly, when the everlasting rest begins, all fears shall end.

Freedom from all pain and suffering is implied in the rest that remaineth. Religion does not remedy "the ills that flesh is heir to;" afflictions are needful; our Father uses the rod, he chasteneth every son whom he receiveth. But there is no pain where the everlasting rest is; there is no rod in the Father's house.

But the rest that remaineth is not merely a deliverance from the evils of this state of unrest. It is an inheritance also; it is as full of good things as it is free from evil things.

What is the endless rest? Not endless inaction, certainly; neither is it perpetual permanence, precluding advancement; but it is complete frui

tion, the fullness of the soul; capaciousness; the sole condition of attaining more, capacity to hold more. If we can conceive of God's rest, we may form an idea of the rest that remaineth to his people. They shall be heirs of his rest. What fullness of rest! They shall enter into his joys; they shall be with him, and be like him. Then shall they be satisfied, and rest in his bosom.