I WAS resting the other day on a seat facing the sea, placed for the accommodation of visitors at a watering-place, and looking to the Lord to give me a word from Himself to someone whom He might send to sit by my side. I noticed a gentleman coming my way, but he passed by. Presently two women came up, one of whom was aged and very lame; she seemed as if she could walk no farther.
Accosting me, she said, "Please, sir, may I sit down and rest me on this seat?”
“My good woman," said I, “this seat is like salvation."
Looking at me with some surprise, she said, “Indeed! Why? "
“Why? Because it is a ready-made seat, and salvation is a ready-made salvation. And more, it is a “whosoever" seat, placed here for whosoever is weary. You could not make this seat—it is made. You could not make your own salvation, or make your own peace with God; no, if you tried ever so, you could not."
The aged woman seemed greatly astonished, and said, Say that again."
I then told her that just as that seat had been placed there—a ready-made seat—for whosoever might be weary, so the Lord Jesus had said, " Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." That He came down from heaven to die for sinners; that He had finished the work of redemption; that He had made peace by His blood on the cross, and that she was as welcome to come to Jesus as she was welcome to sit on that seat.
She seemed still more astonished, and did not clearly understand what I meant. I said, "Come, now, just sit down and rest you a bit; you are getting to be an aged woman; you are not well, and you may not live long. Now if you don't understand me, then tell me what is your way to heaven. How do you hope to get there?"
She said, "Well, really, I scarcely know, they tell us in the chapel here—I am in the convalescent home—that we must keep praying to God to have mercy upon us, and to forgive our sins; and if we keep praying, and keep praying, we may hope at last to get saved, and go to heaven."
“I should like you to try that way of praying with something else," said I. "Now, what time do you take tea?"
“Take tea!” she said, in an astonished tone; “why, what has that to do with it?” “Well, we will see. You might tell me." She said, "Half-past five."
" Very good; then this evening, when the tea is on the table, and all is ready, don't taste a drop of tea, or take a bit of bread and butter, but just get up and ring the bell. When the waitress comes to see what you want, say to her, Oh, I am a miserable, hungry woman, please to give me a cup of tea.'
"Though it is there on the table don't even taste it, but ring the bell forty times instead. Now, what would they think of you if you treated the waitress in this way? Would you not be fit for an asylum? It is very well for a person who is weary and hungry to ask for a cup of tea, but when the tea is there, ready-made, would it not be madness to keep asking for it?
“Do you remember what all the men had to do when Jesus made them a feast on the mountain?"
She said, "No, I don't exactly remember."
"They had to be made sit down. Now, what have you to do when the tea is ready but to sit down and receive it? Thus, you see, the way you are taught to get to heaven is like what your ringing the bell for tea and then refusing to take it would be.
“You keep praying for mercy and won't have it. The work is done. Jesus has died the atoning death on the cross. God has raised Him from the dead. Salvation is spread before you, and you won't receive it. You won't have it; but will keep praying for it. God says, Be it known unto you, therefore,... that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things.' Yes, God says, ` are justified from all things.'
“Whosoever sits down on this seat finds rest, does he not? Now God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life."
The aged woman was greatly impressed, as was also her companion, with the grace of God, as illustrated by the readymade seat.
Soon after this I was called to visit a poor drunkard's wife; suffering great agony of body, with eight children around her, in deep poverty. I had scarcely ever seen a human being in such wretched circumstances. I found her in great anxiety of soul, not knowing what to do, or how to find rest tor her guilty, troubled soul, soon to enter eternity. She knew there was no cure for her poor body.
I related to her the story of the ready-made seat, as nearly as I can remember, as it is written above. I shall never forget the calm peace of her countenance, as she lifted up her arms, and said, “What, have I nothing to do, has my precious Jesus done it all? What, done it all! and now I can come to Him and rest? "
That day she was brought to rest in the finished work of Christ. She had been deeply anxious for nearly two years; but had thought herself too great a sinner to be saved. She lived about two months after this, but never for a moment did she lose the certainty of the knowledge of her salvation. It was truly blessed to see her. She was sustained above all circumstances, longing to be with Him who had loved her and given Himself for her. As I parted with her for the last time on earth, I said, “You will soon be with the Lord." She replied, “Oh, that it may be this day I” After a few hours she departed, to be absent from the body, present with the Lord.
Beloved reader, what effect has this little story on you? That gentleman who passed by, might know that there was a seat for whosoever was weary. But he was not weary, he did not sit and rest upon it. You may have often heard of the gospel. But have you found rest in Jesus? Have you found Him to be the rest of your soul? Can you say, “What, have I nothing to do? My Jesus has done it all! “or are you deceived by the teachers who would tell you to keep praying for forgiveness, and never receiving? Jesus says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (or judgment); but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).)
The teacher at the hospital would tell you to keep praying for it. Jesus says if you believe God you have it. Which is true? Yea, though ten thousand teachers should tell you to keep praying, but never to know that you are saved, who would be true, God or them?
Oh, come to Jesus, come now, come whosoever will, and find rest unto your souls! All is done: it is finished. Jesus says, “Peace be unto you." You have not to do aught to obtain it: you have not to make it. Oh, come to Jesus just as you are! Sit down. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." C. S.