All that the mind of man naturally knows of the Gospel of the grace of God, it knows only to pervert from God's object in order to subserve its own interest. There are those who perceive in the Gospel a conservative principle and it becomes associated in their minds, with the preservation of the present order of things, and so far they will use it and uphold it. Others again perceive in it a destructive element, -one which levels the existing order of things, and they will also use it as an engine to promote the ends they have in view. Now both these elements are assuredly to be found in the truth as it is in Jesus, and it is the spiritual mind which alone knows them, not as conflicting elements, but one as introductory to the other.
The personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, was in many instances an inroad on all that was fair and orderly in the eyes of men. It was cast as a reproach upon Him that He associated with publicans and sinners, thus invading the social order which He found; and when He was in company with those who esteemed themselves wise and virtuous, by the neglect of some one of those conventional rules by which such society was upheld, He cast contempt upon it. "A certain Pharisee besought Him to dine with him, and He went and sat down to meat; and when the Pharisee saw it he marveled that He had not washed before dinner; and the Lord said unto him, now do ye Pharisees make clean the out-side of the cup and the platter, but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye Fools did not He that made that which is without, make that which is within also {XXX}?" The ties of natural relationship were so dealt with by our Lord, as to lead the thoughts to those of another kind, founded on that which would secure permanent blessedness by virtue of union with Himself. "Then one said unto Him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to speak with thee. But He answered and said unto him that told Him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? and He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! for whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother {XXX}."
The character also in which Christianity was presented to the minds of the heathen, was as that which subverted the present order of things. We can and do see that it so acted on Judaism as a social system, but we do not so readily acknowledge that it so acted as a general principle. When Paul and Silas were dragged before the magistrates at Philippi, the charge against them was, "These men being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive being Romans {XXX}." This is a valuable testimony from impartial witnesses of the uncompromising character of Christianity; it could not amalgamate with Romanism; it must subvert the order established by the masters of the world, that it might establish its own blessed order on the ruins of the other. The same testimony as to the light in which the Gospel as preached by the Apostles, was received by those who heard them, is again afforded at Thessalonica. It was not received merely as a scheme of future salvation, but as an innovation on existing things. "These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also, whom Jason halls received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying, that there is another King, one Jesus {XXX}." But then on the other hand there are most explicit directions given to Christians as to their conduct in the several relations of life; entering very minutely into the relative duties of husband and wife, parents and children, masters and servants. As subjects to earthly rulers, the directions are no less explicit, "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work; to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men {XXX}." "Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor {XXX};" these and similar directions abounding in the practical application of the Epistles, most clearly show that there was room for proud men to raise questions and strifes of words as to subsisting relations being so entirely subverted by Christianity, that the believer had nothing to do with them.
Surely the possibility of the thought that a Christian was free from the authorities of the world, must have led to the oft repeated precepts with regard to submission. The danger ever would have been to have used our liberty for a cloak of maliciousness. The assertion that "in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female, bond nor free {XXX}," would necessarily have led to the conclusion in the minds of those who savored the things that were of men and not the things of God, that the Gospel had so broken in upon the natural order of things, as to leave men to self-will, independence, and misrule. Hence we find in the Apostolic writings the most minute directions given for the sustainment of those relationships which only subsist while we are in the flesh, and have no place at all in the glory in heaven. There Christ is "all and in all" and every other relationship is swallowed up in the relationship to Him, and to all saints as one with Him. This is known to faith now, but the exhibition of the manifold grace of God comes in here, in meeting all these natural relationships so as to sustain them by grace, and to make them spheres of service to the Lord.
There is nothing which shows real present deliverance from the world, more than walking in grace in these relationships, while realizing our oneness in Christ. Many have even been deterred from following on into the unity of the Spirit, by seeing Christians so little able to walk in grace, as to make unity in their eyes to be nothing more than the depressing of others in order to exalt self. Now I believe there has been an impatience which has prevented our minds from searching into the real principle on which these relations stand to a Christian. There is a great depth of truth at the bottom of them, and it has been thought a readier way on the one hand to assert Christian union as equality in the flesh; and on the other to sustain the natural order by mere human arrangement or authority.
The whole natural order is disorganized by sin, and God must first separate from it to Himself, and then as He that hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. This was the principle of Judaism (Lev. 20:2626And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. (Leviticus 20:26)). This separation from existing things to Himself is the principle of the Church. But Christ is the power of separation as we see Luke 5:1111And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. (Luke 5:11). "They forsook all and followed Him." "And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother in a ship with Zebedee their Father, and he called them and they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him;" and then we have the general doctrine, "he that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me {XXX}," "and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me {XXX}."
The ruling principle of man's order was human convenience; and when that was interfered with, the relationship was sacrificed to it. The ruling principle of the new order, is subjection to God, and that brought about by the introduction of a new relationship paramount to all subsisting ones, even union to Christ; so that the sustainment of all natural ones becomes subordinate to this, and this subordination is their true preservation, in sustaining them, we are simply subject to Him. When the Lord was exercising His ministry here, He found how easily man had set aside the most solemn sanction of God, for the preservation of the natural order, thus showing the entire unsoundness of the principle of human convenience, or merely conventional righteousness. "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition, for God commanded saying, honor thy father and thy mother, and he that curseth father or mother, let him die the death; but ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, and honor not his father or mother. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition {XXX}." So again, we find "the Pharisees came unto Him tempting Him, and saying unto Him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? and He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning, made them (a) male and (a) female, and said for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh {XXX}." Now in both these instances, we find the law (weak through the flesh) utterly inefficient for the preservation of these relationships, beyond the claim of mere convenience and deference to the opinion of men.
Until therefore the principle of self-denial was introduced as flowing from union with Jesus {with Christ} risen, and of deference to His will in every respect, there would be no secure ground for the sustainment of even these relations.
Jesus in resurrection is set up as the Head of the new order of things, in which nothing below the righteousness of God is taken as a rule. As united with Him, we are made the righteousness of God, and therefore become fitly subject unto it. "Be ye holy, for I am holy." -"Be ye perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." It is introduction into this order which really delivers out of this present evil world-answering the thing for which Jesus gave Himself for the Church, according to the will of the Father. But having been taken out of the world, they are again sent into it. "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so also have I sent them into the world." It is therefore as risen that we are sent into the world, and even the natural relations which we are called upon to sustain, we are not to sustain as natural, but having been freed from all by union with Christ, to show our deliverance in those very things, by subjection in them as unto the Lord. The realizing the end of the flesh in the cross, and the glory to be manifested in the Church, will effectually hinder either assumption on the one hand, or insubjection on the other. And these very relationships become the very occasion of exhibiting the manifold grace of God. We are naturally born into the world. By regeneration we are taken out of it, and then sent into it, so that the world itself becomes an entirely new scene, and our end in it to show the exceeding value and blessedness of God's own order. For if knowing in its full extent its constitution, that it is the place of death, sorrow, crying, and pain, we are still able to triumph over it, and to pass harmlessly through it; surely men seeing our good works, will glorify our Father which is in heaven. In the world, not of the world. How hard indeed practically to exhibit this truth, and to show forth that while risen out of all fleshly distinctions, seeing their end in death, we yet do own them, not as those who are subject to them, but as those whose place is subjection to the Lord in everything.
It is in the Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians, that we find the relative duties most minutely laid down; and it is in these Epistles in which we find the glory of the Church, as associated with its risen Head, most minutely set before us. How suitable is this, for we should naturally have thought that there was something incongruous between such glory and things so homely. But it is in this that the power and wisdom of God are rendered so manifest. It is His ability alone to bring down the largest principles of His own blessed rule to the most minute circumstances. How marvelous that the same regulating power which is to introduce the ultimate blessing, and bring glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and God's complacency in men, is capable of adaptation to the ordering of a family. The realizing this would be the means of taking away that which is so constantly irritating the minds of Christians, and lead to much more of that which is ornamental in the sight of God, a meek and quiet spirit. It would greatly tend to distinguish between real spirituality, and the mere excitement of the flesh. In looking more particularly into these details, we shall find first, a general principle laid down; secondly, the party in subjection is first and most largely addressed with special suitable promises of reward; thirdly, that the party in authority is addressed, rather in the way of warning.
In Eph. 5 we have first some general rules, "as walk circumspectly" -"understanding what the will of the Lord is"-"be filled with the Spirit;" and all this brought practically out in the general principle, "submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." Christian circumspection is contained in understanding the will of the Lord, and acting not under any excitement, but by being filled with the Spirit. The place of submission is the place of blessing, because it is the place of the Church. "Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands, as unto the Lord," as the Church submits unto Christ (Eph. 5:2424Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. (Ephesians 5:24)). The natural order or rather disorder taught subjection, (for in the beginning it was not so) "unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception, in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband (subject to thy husband), and he shall rule over thee." And this order we see pervading, for it runs its course, a painful memento of sin; but in Christ Jesus, the authority is changed from rule to Headship; and subjection instead of being the memorial of sin, leading to fretfulness and impatience, becomes associated in the soul with redemption, and all the intimacy of union subsisting between Christ and the Church. He is Head to the Church, and associates the Church with Himself in rule, at the same time that it acknowledges Him as its Lord, and gives Him his rightful honor. Thy desire shall be subject unto the Lord, and thus to thy husband. As it is written, "Submit yourselves or be subject to your own husbands as unto the Lord." And how blessedly and in strict keeping with this is the exercise of the authority of the husband. Christ is the Savior of the body, unto which He is Head and over which He exercises authority; therefore it is,—"husbands love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it, so ought men to love their wives as their own bodies {XXX}." It is thus that both authority and subjection are placed on a new basis, even that of love and mutual interest; and the very nearest of earthly relationships made a school of Christ and an opportunity of serving Him. Thus it is said to husbands, "dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered {XXX}." The very basis of the direction is the knowledge of the love of Christ to the Church, the comeliness and honor which He puts upon it, the common inheritance of life and glory to the Church with Himself, "heirs together of the grace of life, heirs together with Christ."
With respect to the next relation of subjection, that of children to their parents, we have the direction "Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right {XXX}." Disobedience to parents is marked as one feature of Gentile corruption (Rom. 1:3030Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (Romans 1:30)), and also of Christian apostasy (2 Tim. 3:22For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (2 Timothy 3:2)). But how may we draw the line between disobedience to parents, and "whoso loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me," The acting on the latter injunction might appear to involve the sin specified. Here we immediately discover that we could not act on the natural order, which would make the obedience depend on convenience or interest, and so long as it was convenient, obedience would be rendered, but it would cease when it was attended with trouble or expense; this was the way it acted during the time of the Lord's personal ministry. "Ye say it is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, and honor not his father or mother {XXX}." The will of God being ascertained, is that which alone can guide us through the difficulty.
The obedience claimed from children to their parents is in the Lord, for this is right; here is both the sanction and the limit. It is not right (or righteous) for a child to render obedience to a parent in an act which would be sin against the Lord. In such a case father and mother must be forsaken for the Lord's sake; for the new relationship with Him, is both higher and nearer than any of these which we have as men. And God never requires obedience in the lower relationship, which would be disobedience to Himself; neither has He given authority to any relationship to be set up against His own. If subjection be not subjection to God, it must be either from interest or self-will, and both these are to be denied in order to follow Christ. But wherever obedience to a parent can be rendered by a child without involving disobedience to God, even though it be in that which is vexatious and capricious, there is the place of service for a child. "Children obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord." The one in this world who pleased God, was an obedient child -confidence in His love, wisdom and power, and unhesitating submission flowing from it. "He that sent me is with me, the Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please Him {XXX}." And how fully He maintained this relationship, even in its subordinate character was shown in His early life, as well as exhibiting the needful limit in every earthly relationship, that it must be subjection to the will of God. "His mother said unto Him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing, and He said unto them, how is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business. And they understood not the saying which He spake unto them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject unto them {XXX}." The value of that in the sight of God which was shown in the law, by having a special promise attached to it (Eph. 5:11Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (Ephesians 5:1)), was thus also shown in the example which Jesus has left us to follow, obedience to the will of God in everything. It is thus especially that these relationships become occasions of service to the Lord, there will be always perplexities in carrying them out, and cases of conscience arising, till we clearly recognize as the principle of action, "I must be about my (heavenly) {?} Father's business." The word to parents is that of admonition, "Ye parents, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord {XXX};" thus throwing them on the recognition of God's holy discipline with themselves as His children, as their only ability rightly to train their children. If the husband was to learn the exercise of authority from the manner of the exercise of authority by Christ towards the Church, the parents were to learn the exercise of their authority towards their children by the holy discipline of their heavenly Father towards themselves.
But the most difficult of all relations to sustain would be that of a slave to his earthly master, and especially to an ungodly one. It would, according to human judgment, appear to be a condition so irreconcileable with the liberty of God's children, that unless it were placed on an entirely new basis, either the occasion would be afforded for the most painful irritation, or Christianity would be taken hold of for its present advantage by those who supposed gain to be godliness. Hence it is that slaves are most largely addressed, and so addressed as to remove even the irksomeness of slavery, by showing it to be service to the Lord. In 1 Cor. 7:20, 2320Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. (1 Corinthians 7:20)
23Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. (1 Corinthians 7:23), we have the general statement. "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called; art thou. called being a servant, care not for it; but if thou mayest be free use it rather, for he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman; likewise also he that is called being free is the Lord's servant. Ye are bought with a price, be ye not the servants of men." Here the slave and the freeman meet on equal grounds, both bought with a price (the evident allusion to redemption from slavery), both equally servants, not of men, but of Christ. And henceforth, the slave unchanged in his condition, to the human eye, would, in the consciousness of his own soul, forget the irksomeness of his natural bondage in doing his service to his master as unto the Lord. It is in being the servants of men, that the degrading sense of inferiority comes in, and such a relation as that of master and slave, must have arisen out of the condition of man as a sinner. In the beginning it was not so. But there is not degradation, but real exaltation in being the servants of Christ, and our relative condition becomes only circumstantial as to the manner in which our service is to be performed. Brethren, "let every man wherein he is called, therein abide with God." And here again we find the slave in the discharge of his daily duties, entering on them in the blessed power of redemption, so that as in the case of the wife, even felt subjection was necessarily associated with feelings of blessing. "Ye are bought with a price." It is here that divine wisdom so conspicuously shines forth: men have been anxious to mitigate the rigor, or to do away with the degradation of slavery altogether, but how miserably short do their efforts stop of the reality of Christian liberty -"The Lord's freeman." Who so really free as that man who can use even the natural degradation of servitude as service to Christ -who can see by virtue of his real liberty, that all present circumstances are but temporal; and if our relation to them were to be altered, we should be only placed as servants to Christ in others. The details of direction to slaves and servants will, I think, fall under the preceding general principles. "Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart as unto Christ, not with eye service as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men {XXX};" (see also Col. 3:22-2422Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:22‑24)). But there are two things worthy of notice with respect to the detail of service in this relationship, and that is the occasion they furnish of bringing out in the strongest way, the service which Christ served (for He was the servant whom Jehovah upheld, as well as the elect in whom His soul delighted); by leading the soul to follow Him into patient suffering, unto the fullness of blessing resulting to us from His sufferings. And secondly, the special care taken to mark that common acceptance, and common brotherhood does not disannul the relationship of master and servant, but makes room for the exhibition of the manifold grace of God, that grace which brings salvation. Thus in 1 Peter 2, "servants (domestics), be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward, for this is thankworthy (grace) if a man for conscience towards God endure grief, suffering wrongfully; for what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if when ye do well and suffer, ye take it patiently this is acceptable (grace) with God, for even hereunto were ye called: because also Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow His steps: who did no sin neither was guile found in His mouth, who when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously. Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree; that we being dead to sins should live to righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed: for ye were as sheep going astray, but we are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." What a marvelous power of adaptation to circumstances is there in the saving grace of God; when the most injurious treatment was capable of being made the occasion of leading the soul into the most vivid perception of what the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ really is. We find a similar order in the Epistle to Titus, running on from the direction to the slave, into the fullest statement of the present blessing, and of the glorious hope of the Gospel. "Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters and to please them in all things, not answering again; not purloining, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things, for the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, (even to slaves,) teaching us, &c. (Titus 2:XXX}." Man would use even the truth of God to aid his own selfishness, but how loudly does it bespeak the wisdom and grace of God in being able thus to bring before man in His most degraded natural condition, that which can so bless and exalt him. The thoughts of human wisdom and the prospect of human glory have ever been for the few; but to the poor the Gospel is preached -and it meets them where they are, in the fullness of blessing without altering their present circumstances.
But secondly, the danger of acting on oneness in the Spirit, as if it were equality in the flesh, was provided against by the Apostle. Oneness in acceptance in the Beloved, equally washed in His blood, and receiving of the same Spirit through Him, is our blessed portion -"ye all are brethren." But herein is grace exhibited, that while asserting this, the distinct relations which subsist only here, but have no place in Heaven, are maintained inviolate, so that the occasion shall not arise for the thought, that "gain is Godliness" -and that the Gospel is made to serve present advantage, which is the characteristic of Apostasy -as we find in the second Epistle of Peter and the Epistle of Jude. In I Tim. 6 we have this very fully stated, and of all the relations to sustain in grace, this is the most difficult; and one in which we have seen Satan taking much advantage of the Saints. How often have we seen those who have tasted of the blessedness of the communion of Saints find themselves under painful restraint by being brought into the relation of servants, even to believers -a proof at once of the mistaken ground of communion (since it is only in the Spirit in Heavenly things that the Church is really one), and likewise of failure in grace, both in master and servant. "Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed; and those that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren, but rather do them service; (the expression is very strong in the original, the more be their slaves), because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort; if any man teach otherwise (see 2 Pet. XXX 18, 19; Jude 1616These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. (Jude 16)), and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to Godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions, and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is Godliness: from such withdraw thyself." It is in this relation that we see the party set in authority simply addressed in the way of warning and caution, "Ye masters do the same thing unto them, forbearing threatening, knowing that your master also is in heaven -neither is there respect of persons with Him {XXX}." "Masters give unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a master in Heaven {XXX}." The manner of thus addressing masters and servants shows the estimation of the Spirit of Christ as to the place of blessing being in subjection and not in authority; "I am among you as he that serveth."
Subjection to the civil powers, does not properly come in the place of relative duties, because the Ruler is not addressed as such, as being of the household of God, and no rule or warning is given to him for the exercise of his authority. But the obedience to the civil magistrate on the part of a Christian, is grounded on the same general principle as that of the wife to the husband, the child to the parent, the slave to the master, viz. subjection to the Lord. The power itself might own another source; but to the believer there is no source of power but God, and he must own God in everything, and this is the only limit to his subjection, no present interest must be allowed to interfere with obedience to the powers that be; but when obedience to them, would be disobedience to God, then God is owned by disobedience to them. "We ought to obey God rather than man." -"Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye {XXX}." But, in every question short of this, the rule is very simple, carrying us on still in that school into which we are brought, learning obedience by the things we suffer. "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well: for so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honor all men -love the brotherhood -fear God -honor the king {XXX}." I would only remark further on our condition as subjects, that it is made by the Apostle, the introduction to a statement of the fullness of the blessing of the gospel, leading from the thought of present subjection, to that of being heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3). "If we endure with Him, we shall also reign with Him."
There are directions given in the scriptures for another relative condition, which has no place in heavenly glory, that of rich and poor. But this does not stand on the same ground as those previously considered, neither indeed is it a necessary distinction even here; because we have seen the power of the resurrection operating so graciously on the rich in the Church of Jerusalem, as to cause the distinction to cease. They were led to view heavenly and earthly things in the light of God's truth, and to see their respective ends. But still the scriptures fully recognize tile distinction as existing, because its cessation must be the effect of personal grace and not of constraint. The rich, like those in authority, are addressed itt the tone of very solemn warning, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches." But in the household of faith, this relative condition may be happily sustained, when union with Jesus risen is fully realized. Taking our standing here, we can see through this medium, and from this eminence, the vanity and fleeting character of this distinction, which affords so large a field for pride or for fretfulness, when looked on merely through the flesh; but equally large a field for the display of the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord, when looked on as risen with Him. Viewed in the power of the coming glory, the poor brother would not be fretful under the sense of poverty, the rich would not be exalted by the possession of riches. The power of the glory would act on their respective circumstances: it would exalt where exaltation was needed; it would depress where bringing down was needed. And when once resurrection was realized as our portion, it would be equally of the flesh, not to endure that a brother should he richer than we are, as it would be for one to presume on that accidental superiority. "Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted; but the rich brother in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass, the shall pass away, for the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withered the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth; so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways (James 1:9-119Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. (James 1:9‑11))." It is thus that it has pleased our heavenly Father to show us all the relations on the earth which He can own in His household. He has in great mercy condescended to go as far as possible in acknowledging them, although they will have no place in the heavenly glory. But in those which he thus recognizes there is the full opportunity of confessing Christ, either in subjection, or even in authority (which after all must be subjection unto Him), or in poverty or riches. All is brought to the cross, and seen and exercised as associated with Him in the resurrection. Whenever therefore, authority cannot be exercised in association with Jesus risen, it cannot consistently be exercised by a believer. There will be no confession of Christ in its exercise. We could not take worldly authority to the cross, and then take it up again in resurrection -because Jesus has not yet taken His great power in order to reign, not according to the rule of human convenience, but according to the rule of God's holiness. But we do see Jesus in the relation of the Husband to the Church, seeing Him we see the Father, and therefore know Him in the exercise of that authority, and He too is our Master. But while He is long-suffering, the exercise of power must be shown forth in a manner correspondent to His condition -"strengthened with all might according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness {XXX}." May the saints adorn the doctrine of their Savior God in all things!
But let us take care how we give a place to these relationships which God has not given to them; they must ever be held as temporary and passing away with the world. The sustainment of them may hinder instead of help our service to the Lord, if they occupy the first place in our minds. The great object for all should be "to attend upon the Lord without distraction"; and this may be greatly frustrated even by the very charities of these relation-ships. The wife may care for the things of the world, how she may please her husband; or the husband for the things of the world, how he may please his wife; so also is it painfully seen how many parents are really acting as debtors to the flesh on the assumed ground of duty to their children -and it may be, even children hardening their consciences on the ground of duty to their parents. Flow blessedly then does the Spirit of wisdom in the Apostle burst forth when he saw the minds of Saints more occupied about the present relations than the resurrection of Christ. "But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none: and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though, they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed, not; and they that use this world, as though they used it not; for. the fashion of this world passeth away {XXX}."
The Christian Witness 5:242-258 (1838).