Ver. 8. “If thou know not, Ο thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents,” The Bridegroom’s answer is readily and distinctly given, but nothing more. No approbation is expressed as to the questions. And most important questions, surely, they are. Why is this? Is the Beloved not delighted in hearing such questions asked by His loved One? He does not say so, important though they be. He is delighted with herself, and assures her of His delight in the strongest terms. “Ο thou fairest among women.” His love is unchangeably the same. Happy thought! Nothing in her ways—nothing said of her by others—can ever alter the affections of His heart for His Bride, although, alas, there are many things said and done by her that He cannot approve of. The believer, personally, is perfect in Christ, and in His sight. He is “justified from all things,” but practically he is full of failure.
In the present instance, His address to herself, and His answer to her questions, breathe a different spirit. Why is this? again I ask. My soul would know the Master’s mind. Oh, for one bright gleam of the Holy Spirit’s light on the sacred page! Then should I know, not the letter of Scripture merely, but the thoughts and feelings of the mind from whence it flows. Learn, then, Ο my soul, that approval is never expressed in Scripture, save when consistent with truth and holiness. Oh! how often we pray for what we have! How often we ask for light and direction as to our path, when the light of a cloudless sky shines on the way in which we should go. Naturally, the sheep is the most wandering creature in the field.
Is there not something in that little word “if” which seems to imply that He expected she would have known the pathway of His flock? As if the Lord had said,—Surely thou knowest. My mind on all these questions, as the Shepherd of Israel, lies plainly before thee. Why not read, my love, and understand? He cannot upbraid, yet His love is faithful. As He said to Philip, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?” How gently He leads! How kindly, even the rebukes of His love!
Christian fellowship, as taught in the word, is often very little thought of by young converts. They follow, generally speaking, where it will be most convenient, or most agreeable to themselves, without any exercise of conscience, as to whether they are following in the footsteps of the flock. They may be right, or they may be wrong, as to their path, but they have never prayerfully examined the word of God to ascertain His mind on the subject. Had the Church continued undivided, as it was at Pentecost, there would have been no need for such exercise and examination; but seeing the professing Church is now broken up into so many sections, it becomes every child of God to search the Scriptures, that they may know and do His holy will.
It is sorrowful to find, however, that many of the Lord’s dear ones count this subject unimportant, non-essential. This thought, let me affectionately say to all such, never came from the Bible. It is most dishonoring to God and injurious to the soul. The trials through which we find the Bride passing in the different parts of this book, seem entirely owing to her neglect of the instructions here given. We feel assured, that next in importance to the soul’s salvation, is church communion. If the Christian be careless about this matter, and not exercised as to the Lord’s mind he will be sure to follow his own will. And then what must the consequences be? God is robbed of His glory; His word is set aside; the Master is not followed: the Spirit is grieved, and the soul loses its freshness. Under such circumstances, “first love” soon declines, and peace and joy give place to doubts and fears.
Comparatively few, we believe, long retain, in divine freshness, their first love. The lively sense of the Lord’s “great love” to us, and how He has met all our necessities, is soon but feebly remembered. This is falling from our first love. And why is this? In place of going on to know the Lord more fully, and seeking only to please Him, we choose our own way, follow our own will, and thereby grieve the Holy Spirit: hence, darkness creeps over the mind, the light is, as it were, shut out, and we become feeble and uncertain about everything.
The Lord speaks of two kinds of rest in Matt. 11, which may be well to notice here, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” This is the immediate gift of His love through faith in Himself. All who believe, without exception, have this rest. All our weary and fruitless efforts after salvation are brought to a close when we come to Jesus, and the heavy burden of sin under which we groaned is forever removed. But the Lord further says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls.” Rest of conscience he gives through the forgiveness of our sins, when first we believe in Him. Rest of heart we find in obedience and subjection to His will. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me and ye shall find rest—rest and peace in every circumstance however trying. This text explains why so many get into trouble of soul soon after the joys of conversion, and why, when difficulties appear, though they may know the forgiveness of sins, they are uneasy and restless. Subjection to Christ in the details of life, both socially and ecclesiastically, and learning of Him, are lost sight of. To be under the same yoke with Christ, is to walk side by side and step by step with Him. “Take my yoke upon you.” This would indeed be walking closely with the Lord, and thus would we surely “find rest,” for all our weakness would fall on Him. When two are yoked together, the strong one can help the weak one along; and surely, the most feeble Christian, when under the same yoke with Jesus, the Mighty One, need fear no difficulties. Nothing can be a difficulty to him. All needless fears would vanish from His presence, and our chariot wheels would move lightly through the deepest sand of the desert.
But it will be said by some, that all this is clear enough as to individual walk and holiness, but our ecclesiastical path and position are not so plainly revealed. Nothing would be more unseemly than for young Christians to be sitting in judgment on the different denominations of professing Christians. But all may, and it is incumbent on all, both old and young, to inquire into the Lord’s mind on this important matter. We have both individual and corporate responsibilities: and the word of the Lord tells us as plainly of the one as of the other. Nothing, surely, could be plainer, on the subject of Church-fellowship than Matt. 38. 20: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Here we have plainly laid down the true foundation of all christian communion—Christ the center, and believers gathered to Him by the Holy Spirit. It is not said, Observe, where two or three meet, or where two or three gather, but where two or three are gathered. Thus referring to a gathering power, and not to the mere choice or exercise of the human will. The Holy Spirit, we all know, is the power that gathers to the name of Jesus. (John 14; 16) Christ is God’s center—His Spirit, the power of gathering to that center—His children, those that are gathered.” This is the Church of God. And this is what we are to search for, not in word or in spirit merely, but in an embodied form.
“I will pray the Father,” said the blessed Lord, as He was about to leave His disciples, “and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:16, 1716And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:16‑17).) Here we have the gathering, forming, and sustaining power of the Church of God. All believers are gathered to Christ as their only center, formed into one body, and sustained in living unity by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost.
Observe, especially, three things with regard to the Holy Spirit’s presence in the Church:— 1St, “That He may abide with you forever.” Not for a limited time, as the Savior Himself had been, but forever. 2ndly, He dwelleth with you. As an assembly, He shall be “with you.” 3rdly, And shall be in you; indwelling each believer personally. These precious truths were afterward plainly taught by the apostle in the epistles. “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you.” (1 Cor. 6:1919What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19).) “In whom ye are also budded together for an habitation of God through the Spirits (Eph. 2:2222In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22).) Oh! wondrous, precious, blessed truth! The Spirit “in you,” “with you,” “forever.” Oh! how richly dowried is the Bride of the Lamb!
We will now look for a moment at a practical illustration of Matt. 18-20, “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.....And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” (John 20) Here we have a true and lovely picture of the assembly of God. Christ in the midst—the center—and the disciples gathered to the risen Jesus. Peace, worship, service, and the spirit of sonship characterize them.
An assembly gathered on this divine ground will not only acknowledge Christ in their midst, but the Holy Ghost as the Sovereign Ruler, and source of edification and comfort. Such, will wait on the Lord, that they may be guided by His Spirit, to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 12; 14.
With both precept and example so plainly before me, need I yet come to the Lord and ask Him where He feeds His flock? What more can He say than He has said? I may be quite unable to tell the difference between one section of the professing church and another, hut I need be at no loss to ascertain if either be according to the word of God so plainly revealed. Rather, then, let me ask Him to keep me from every bye-path—from following my own will; and that He would lead me by His Holy Spirit in the way of truth. But, Ο my soul! never forget that He has pledged Himself to be where disciples are gathered to His name. There they feed, and there they rest. His presence is enough to fill the soul to overflowing. “In thy presence is fullness of joy.” The most attractive ministry—the most fascinating observances—the most loved associations, are not Christ. They may, or they may not, have His sanction. What I desire, what I need, is to be where faith can say for certain, Christ Himself is there.
Fairer than ail the earth-born race, Perfect in comeliness thou art; Replenished are thy lips with grace, and full of love thy tender heart: God ever blest! we bow the knee, And own all fullness dwells in Thee.
“Feed thy kids beside the shepherd’s tents.” Having learned the true ground and character of christian communion from the word, we are responsible to guide the young amongst us into these paths—the footsteps of the flock of God Divine nourishment, suited both to old and young, will be found there. The lamb soon learns to follow in the footsteps of its mother, and feed on the same pasture. The Princely Shepherd of Israel cares for the lambs of His flock. “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the Iambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom; and shall gently lead those that are with young.” (Isa. 40:1111He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11).) The feeblest of the flock were cared for when He led forth His people Israel out of Egypt, and through the deep. “Not an hoof was left behind.” And food was found for all, around their tents in the morning, as they journeyed through the waste, howling wilderness.
The good Lord would have it to be so now, in the assemblies of His saints. And where the Holy Ghost is free and unhindered in His operations, He will surely provide milk for the babes, and strong meat for those who are of full age. The Church is spoken of as the “habitation,” tent, or tabernacle of God. (Eph. 2:2222In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22).) To this tent in the wilderness, where God Himself vouchsafes to dwell, we would earnestly and affectionately pray that all the lambs of Jesus may be gathered. Oh! that the presence of Jesus may have attractions for their hearts supreme to all others. Hear Him say, Ο my soul, “there am I in the midst of them.” Oh! then, be where Jesus is! Who else, what else, could make up for His absence? What would the finest assembly on earth be without Him? Yea, what would heaven itself be without His presence? A blank! What is the wilderness with His presence? The paradise of God. Anywhere, everywhere, His presence is the place of blessing, of joy, of happiness. Oh! may God gather the many precious lambs of Jesus in these last days, to the true fold of the Shepherd and Bishop of Souls.
“A little while” to tread the paths of sadness—
To toil with weary feet in miry ways:
Then to pour forth the fragrant oil of gladness,
And clasp the girdle round the robe of praise!