We, are therefore not true to the ascension of our Head, if we do not look for His ascension-gifts in those who minister in His name. They constitute the handwriting of the Lord in the church's genealogies. The Jews were careful to put from the priesthood those whose genealogy could not be proved. They refused to register them (Ezra 2:6262These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. (Ezra 2:62); Nehemiah 7:6363And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name. (Nehemiah 7:63)). And this too in a day when all was feebleness in Israel. No cloudy pillar had led them on their way home from Babylon—no arm of the Lord had gloriously made a passage for them through the deserts—no rain of angels' food from heaven, nor ark of the covenant was with them. All this, and more than this, was gone. But did they plead their feebleness, and do nothing? Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah do what they can. They cannot recover everything, but they do what they can: and among other services, they read the genealogies, and do not allow the holy things to be eaten by unproved claimants of the priesthood. And ours, dear brethren, is a day of feebleness like theirs. Much of the former strength and beauty is gone, and we cannot recover everything. But it is not therefore to be a day of allowed evil; nor are we, in the spirit of slumber, to fold the arms, and say, “There is no hope.” We should do what we could, and among other services, we can study the genealogies, when any one seeks their register: and thus they run, “A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre” (1 Timothy 3).
Thus run the genealogies of the bishops of the flock of God; thus has the Spirit of the ascended Head of the church written in His word. The time for glorying only in the Lord, and in that authority, and in that only, which had been formed by the Holy Ghost had now fully come; and therefore the fact that the Lord had given Paul authority in the church, was shown by witnesses to the presence of the Spirit with him. The signs of an apostle were wrought by him. His authority stood approved by this, that he could “do nothing against the truth, but for the truth"; and because the power used by him was used “to edification, and not to destruction” (2 Corinthians 13:5-105Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. 7Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. 8For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. 10Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. (2 Corinthians 13:5‑10)). He claims no authority, save what was thus verified by the presence of the Spirit with him, and used by him for the furtherance of the truth, and the profit of the church. For the Holy Ghost had been publicly avouched to be sovereign in the church, as the Son had been proclaimed Head to the church.
The gifts of the Spirit may be among us in various measures of strength; but the Holy Ghost in us is the title of all present worship and service. Whatever worship is now to be had in “the temple of God” (1 Corinthians 3), is to be in the Spirit; for “we are the circumcision which worship by God's Spirit.” And the apostle, speaking of worship, says, “No man can say that Jesus is the Lord (that is, no man can call Jesus, Lord, or say, ‘Lord Jesus '), but by the Holy Ghost” (1 Corinthians 12:22Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. (1 Corinthians 12:2)). So whatever service is now to be rendered in the church is with this limitation, “according to the ability which God giveth “; it is by this rule, “the manifestation of the Spirit.” Paul might lay hands on Timothy, and Titus might appoint elders; but the presence of the Spirit was in measure according to the authority and service. Timothy was left in Ephesus; but the charge entrusted to him there was according to the gifts bestowed upon him (1 Timothy 1:18; 4:1418This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; (1 Timothy 1:18)
14Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. (1 Timothy 4:14); 2 Timothy 1:66Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. (2 Timothy 1:6)). To assume any ministry beyond this measure is to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think (Romans 12:33For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (Romans 12:3)). And as every individual saint has title through the indwelling Spirit to “prove all things” (with this condition doubtless, that he “hold fast that which is good”); so the congregations of the saints (or “God's temple” ), as spiritual, are to judge also (1 Corinthians 14:2929Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. (1 Corinthians 14:29)); and if the resources of the flesh, the name, the human advantages, or earthly distinctions of men be gloried in and trusted, the temple is defiled. And the temple of God at Corinth was thus defiled (1 Corinthians 3:16-2316Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. (1 Corinthians 3:16‑23)). Some had rested in Paul, some in Cephas, some in Apollos. But this was carnal. This was walking as men, and not in the presence and sufficiency of the Spirit, whose temple they were. They became untrue to the Spirit who dwelt in them.
And here let me say, that it is not so much right to minister which the New Testament speaks of, as obligation. If any man have the gift, he is debtor to exercise it, and to wait on his ministry. The habit of looking on ministry as a right, rather than as an obligation, has given the church its worldly aspect. The “great house” has forgotten that service on earth is glory. But our apostle did not forget it, and he never affected anything that might have its influence in the world, upon the world's principles. He was one whom the world would pass by. He labored with his own hands, followed his trade, and made tents, just at the time when in the authority of the Spirit he shook his raiment upon the unbelieving Jews. He was among the meanest of his company (mean in the world's judgment), gathering sticks for the fire when in the power of Christ he shook the viper from his hand. Beloved! this is unlike all that which corrupted Christendom has sanctioned in her ministers as their due and suitable dignities! But Paul was in his own esteem (and would have others esteem him by that rule also) just what the Lord made him. He would not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ had not wrought by him (Romans 15:1818For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, (Romans 15:18)). He measured himself only by that line which the Lord had distributed to him (2 Corinthians 10). What folly does he count all boasting in the flesh. He was compelled for a little moment thus to be a fool before the church at Corinth, but with what zeal, with what revenge, with what clearing of himself does he leave off this “folly” as he calls it (2 Corinthians 11)! Would that the same mind were in us all, the same zeal for the Lord, the same revenge upon the flesh which is fit, like the offal of a sacrifice, only for the burning outside the camp.
To me, brethren, I confess, these principles are very clear from the New Testament. The Lord knows that naturally I would rather have all continued and settled in the flesh, that we might the more securely hold on our quiet and even way. But I pray for more faith, for more living and powerful apprehension of this truth that the earth and its works are to be dissolved, and that Christ alone is to bear up its pillars. We need the faith that would root us out of that earth in which the cross of the Son of God was once planted, and in which the course of this world, continuing the same as it then was, has fixed that cross only more firmly. We want that faith that would call us to arise and depart from it, and to go forth and meet the Bridegroom.
But I would now hasten to a close, having extended my paper further than I would have chosen, and take a few short notices of our apostle in his person, ministry, and conduct; for in these he will be found to illustrate many features of the dispensation, as his apostleship was the general sign of it.
In his person we see much of the dispensation reflected. He could call himself the chief of sinners when he would magnify the grace of the dispensation, and show that it could reach over all the aboundings of sin. But he could also call himself blameless as touching the righteousness which is in the law, when he would make known the character of the righteousness of the dispensation, and show how it sets aside all other as loss and dung (1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15); Philippians 3:88Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (Philippians 3:8)). These things are wondrous and yet perfect. Saul of Tarsus is taken up by the Spirit, in order to present in him the grace and the righteousness that are now brought to us. Strange that we should find the first place in the first rank of sinners occupied by him who as touching the law was thus blameless. But so it was. A fair, bright, and full example of the workmanship of the dispensation is given to us in him who was made the representative minister of it. The grace of God and the righteousness of God are displayed in his person.
So in his person we see the “thorn in flesh.” And let this particularly be what it may, it was in the judgment of the world a blot. The comeliness that the world could estimate was tarnished by this. In the Spirit he had wondrous revelations, and the secret of God was blessedly with him; but before men there was a stain upon him. But all this is in character with the dispensation. The saints exalted in Christ, before men are to be humbled. The world is not to know them. The dispensation admits of no confidence in the flesh. In it God has set the flesh aside as profitless. The right eye is gone, and the right hand is gone; things after the external appearance are not to be looked after; there is to be no measuring or comparing of things by any such rule. And according to this, Paul had a temptation in the flesh. There was put upon him something that tempted the scorn of men. As when Jacob became Israel, he halted across the plain of Peniel. The flesh was marred, when before God he got a new and honorable name. But the shrinking of his thigh was in the same love as his victory over the divine stranger. And so the thorn in Paul's flesh was in the same love as his rapture into paradise. Hezekiah in the day when he was exalted, had been left alone, that God might prove him (2 Chronicles 32:3131Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. (2 Chronicles 32:31)). But the Lord was gracious to Paul, and would not leave him alone, but put a thorn in his flesh. And if he had stood in the full intelligence of the Spirit, he would not have prayed for its removal; for he had soon to recall his prayer, and to glory rather in his infirmities. Thus there is none perfect, dear brethren, but the Master Himself. Favored and honored as Paul and others may have been, there is none perfect but the Lord. This is comfort to our souls. God rests well pleased in Him forever, but in Him only. He never had a desire to recall, never a prayer to summon back from the Father's ear “He was heard.” But Paul had to learn that he had mistaken the rule of blessing and of glory; he had to learn, as every saint has, that when he was weak, then he was strong. And thus with the thorn in his flesh, but the power of Christ resting on him, he shows forth the saints in this dispensation.
(Continued from page 234)
(To be continued)
[J. L. H.]