Or, the Responsibility of the True Church to Be Ready to Meet Her Lord
DEAR AND BELOVED BROTHER,
Many of the topics of our last conversation have recurred to me, and I have been pressed in spirit (since personal intercourse is at present impossible) to commune with you by letter. On one especially, and that of the deepest interest to us both— “The verity of the revival of the Apostolic Church in Newman-Street, and elsewhere”— I would now write. Two things tend to give liberty in this communication; first, the consciousness of an excellent gift of grace in you, that, while ready to hear every brother, you will receive nothing from any, howsoever dear, till you have compared it with the word and the testimony: and, secondly, your perception that God’s gift in me is that of a spiritual judgment, which, though weak, was given, not for my sake only, but chiefly for the glory of Jesus, in the service of His members.
If the Scriptures are to be our guide and standard of right and wrong, the principles and practice of the primitive Apostolic Church should surely be our pattern as to the fellowship of saints. There are indeed Churches many, and principles of Church constitution many and diverse, yet the Spirit has sanctioned but one:—to be again conformed to that, from which we ought never to have departed, should be our ambition and prayer. The only question preliminary to this is, that of individual salvation. Now if there is one single truth of which I can be confident, it is this, that I have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, the blessed Paraclete, for whose presence and sake it was even expedient (John 16:44But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. (John 16:4).) that Jesus should go away. The evidences of the possession of the Spirit are clear and unanswerable.
To my own self, there is, first, consciousness, in every sensibility and in every act of divine life, as satisfactory, to say the least, as consciousness of natural life is in any question raised concerning it: and, secondly, as the necessary result of the Spirit’s being present with a view to permanent blessing, there has been the communication from Him who has thus made me a temple for His residence, of moral principles, through faith in the truth as it is in Jesus.
To the world around, which can judge of that which is within, only by its results in action, there is also a double testimony: first, actions characteristic of these moral principles; and secondly, gifts not natural, and therefore, exhibitive of the presence of One who is above nature. Yes, beloved friend, I do know, blessed be God, the answer of the Apostle’s prayer, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Him; the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe; according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come; and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” This I do know; for I, who was dead in trespasses and sins, under the power of the spirit of disobedience, and was by nature a child of wrath, have been quickened together with Him, being raised up and made sit together in the heavenlies in Christ. Wondrous grace that I should thus be brought into living fellowship with the Father and with the Son—fellowship in nature and life [“partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:44Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4)); “Know ye not that Christ is in you?” (2 Cor. 13:55Examine 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? (2 Corinthians 13:5).) “He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:1717But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:17)), &c.]; fellowship in object and purpose; fellowship in power, and blessedness, and glory; and therefore, fellowship in the obedience and sufferings of the Man of sorrows, “filling up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for His body’s sake, which is the Church.”
This distinctive mark of the present dispensation, extending from the day of Pentecost to the day of our Lord’s appearing a second time, without sin unto salvation, has been too little thought of. It is one, however, which distinguishes the present from every former period, and is most marvelous. That we should now be able to sing, “Glory and dominion unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father;” that we should have the indwelling of the Holy Ghost making us now, even now, at this present time, sons of God, yea sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty, so that as Christ Is, so are we in this world; and if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if so be we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together; these are indeed privileges to marvel at and admire. I rest not here, longer that just to remark how generally the saints have forgotten this, and how, therefore, their services to the Lord are more like those of the Israelites when making bricks without straw, than those of the children of the Father’s love. Concerning graces and gifts testifying of the Spirit’s presence in blessing, I would remark briefly, first, as to the former, that of all the evidences of the truth of Christianity, I know none more remarkable than this, even the communication to me, in whatever feeble measure, of the character and works of God Himself. When I remember what I am by nature, and what the character of all my own works was in times past, and is still, whenever they appear, and then contemplate in me the works, graces, and fruits of the Holy Ghost, I quite wonder, and admire Christ in me;—I say admire, and surely I ought, for it is not myself, but Christ in me, in whom is seen love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, holiness, obedience, &c.;—to think that I, whose subjection to selfishness had filled me with hatred to both God and man, that I, even I, should love God, having confidence in His love; and for that love’s sake, should be dying daily for my brethren who are in the world, that they may also be saved. And this is our Lord’s witness in us to the world, for “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:3535By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:35), and 17:21-26). Secondly, As to gifts I should be a fool to boast to you, seeing how before my God I can boast in nothing save Christ crucified, risen, and soon to be openly glorified; yet there is a time to speak of these things, and to point out what He has given us, ascribing all the glory to His grace; and that time is now. But, first, let me say a few words on the sanability of the Church’s disease. That there has been, since the day of Pentecost, as complete an Apostasy (standing off or departure) from the principles of the dispensation, as there ever was at any former period, cannot, I think, be denied. I do not allude to the present state of things, but to the dark ages of the Church previous to the Reformation. Taken as a whole, the Church was then unquestionably apostate from the truth, execrating every doctrine of salvation, and even withholding the Scriptures. Placing myself at the commencement of Reformation, I would ask, how far is restoration from the present dominion of superstition and worldliness to the primitive glory of the Church possible? Can the whole outward and visible Church be brought back into a full exhibition of the truth as it is revealed in the word? Certainly not; for, first, it is contrary to the whole analogy of God’s dealing to restore a dispensation as a whole; for He displaces that which falls away by something better; secondly, the Scriptures are express, that the present Church, whose characteristics should have been those of election and suffering, is to be rejected in judgment (on account of sin) in order to make way for another, in which truth shall have universal sway throughout the earth, in the fullness of external glory. The Spirit of the Lord in the Apostles, continually predicts Apostasy and judgment; and never, even in one single passage, admits the possibility of a renewal of the whole. The 9th of Romans is most distinct on this point— “Continue in goodness, OR be cut of” Again, “Thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear,” &c.; the only alternative, “fall under judgment.” But while both analogy and express Scripture negative universal restoration, both suggest the hope and expectation of partial renewals; for though Apostasy, as was predicted, has fearfully prevailed, and the Holy Ghost has been grieved and quenched exceedingly, yet God has not forgotten the remnant according to the election of grace. Though the outward Church has, as a whole, proved a false witness, losing the truth and despising the Spirit; yet, in those that come unto Jesus, God’s grace shines forth. For now (as in every former and future dispensation) it must be seen, that, whilst man cannot stand, whatsoever be the fullness of the truth, privilege, and power of the Spirit dispensed, or the limitation put upon Satan, Jesus can, and will, keep the good gift in His members. In the midst of Apostasy, and even judgment following on it, we have seen in Daniel and his followers, how faith can immediately administer, to him that exercises it, all the blessing of the dispensation; and not to him only, but, in the appointed time, to a remnant of the nation also, If this was the case then, how much more so now? because then the blessing and privilege of the individual, as a believing, faithful servant of God, and of the outward Church, of which he was but a member, was not one and the same, but two distinct things, differing in their very nature; now they are one in nature and essence, the blessing and glory of the outward Church being nothing more than the concentration or accumulation of that of many individual members, the light and power of each of whom was increased by such association. To enlarge upon this:—under that dispensation, the blessedness of Daniel, as an individual servant of the Most High, was in the sweetness of repose in his God and Master; but the nation’s (Israel) blessing was in outward glory in the land. True, there was only one way in which the faithful servant could spend his strength, namely, in looking after that in which his Master’s glory was concerned; nevertheless, it is clear that Daniel might have known the: full blessedness of being God’s servant, yea, and even have realized to himself in Nebuchadnezzar’s court, earthly glory (which was part of the nation’s promise) without God’s returning the captivity in any measure. There was, therefore, then, a difference between the blessing of the individual and that of the outward Church—the nation Israel. But this is not so now; for each individual stands at the fountain head of the present Church’s glory, and has perfect right to it, even if the only Believer in the world—the testimony of the witness, as a whole, being nothing but the necessary result of many individuals standing in their full enjoyment of privilege. This is seen by a reference to John 17:20-2620Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. (John 17:20‑26), in connection with Acts 2:44-4744And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:44‑47): and 4:33-37. The Spirit is mine, and the glory is mine, and the name of God is mine, whether others possess them or possess them not; but when many are living in the enjoyment of these, then, and then only, is the object of these present revelations fully answered: “That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that the world might believe that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.” How beautifully is the result of this prayer on the part of Jesus, and of faith on the part of the saints, seen in the church at Jerusalem! and how clearly is its declension to be traced to the forgetfulness of these unities, the enjoyable common property of all believers (Acts 6:1-31And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. (Acts 6:1‑3))! Surely the possession and exhibition of such love (one heart and one mired, and all things in common) was the greatest glory the present witness ever knew, for herein she both resembled Him to whom she was espoused, and met the desires of His heart and mind for her. It has also often struck me, how much more she effected through this fellowship than through any endowment or gift of power. See for instance, in Acts 121Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) (Acts 12:1‑3) the deliverance of Peter from prison and death, in answer to the prayers of those who, though praying, had not faith to expect an answer. And so it must ever be; for when the saints are standing with one heart and one mind, desiring the glory of the holy child Jesus, the Father’s ear is open to them, and the Spirit’s power is unrestrained in such cases, then, there is no fixed limit to their power; for the question is not, “Has the Holy Ghost dispensed to any of us ability to do this or that particular thing, as in gifts of healing, miracles,” &c. but is our God able to do this, and is it His will to glorify His Son; and is union our right position before Him? The contrast, in quantum of power possessed, is as great as between one who has a right to draw a daily measure of water from a living spring, and the man to whom the living spring pertains. The progress of my mind in truth, though slow, has been in the course in which most are led. When at rest as to individual salvation, through faith in the blood and righteousness, and the resurrection of Immanuel, the Spirit pressed much upon me the glory of Jesus. To glorify Jesus is His peculiar office—the object and end of His presence and operations. And who can thus with faith draw near unto the Savior, without perceiving the answer in Him of every need and every necessity? Not one single thing that self can crave, left unsupplied. And with what object is all this superabundant profusion of grace displayed, but just that our minds and hearts might be won to seek. His glory, and His alone, above and around whose Person the bow of our glory is stretched. Within the veil I behold the Lamb that was slain, alive again for evermore: whilst waiting for His coming, to take unto Himself the kingdom and reign, how oft and pressing has been the question,—Are His saints ready to meet Him if He come now? Alas no; His people are in confusion, His disciples rent and divided—no unity, no love, no forbearance among them; but the carnal mind manifesting itself in “I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas,” &c. &c. It is lamentable to see how innumerable the sects are, and how there is not one single thing called a Church, such as God can recognize as His faithful witness, because not one built upon the principles laid down in the word for congregational association; consequently not one, from the Establishment down to the lowest sect, capable of receiving, out of each of the remaining sects, some who might love God, without a compromise of its peculiarities; none come together simply as saints, “after Apostolic order and precedent.” Alas! how seldom do the saints even perceive the importance of this. Their thoughts seem limited to themselves: for anything more than individual salvation, or at most, individual testimony, few have a thought; and the few who admit the necessity of visible unity, have still acted upon the principle of self; for they have formed “a Church” for themselves, instead of yielding themselves to the principles of “the Church,” as laid down in the word. The first and great Schismatic in England, has clearly been its Hierarchy, for it was first in point of time; and by not adopting the grounds and principles of the Church constitution found in the New Testament, it has sanctioned the flesh in separatists from it, yea, and forced the Holy Ghost, if indeed He would glorify Jesus by any full display of truth, to raise up other witnesses for the many parts of truth it despises. The Lord has revealed a basis for His Church, and principles for her organization and regulation, but they are not those of the Establishment or any of the other sects; so far from it, they are practically renounced by all of these parties. With divisions, also exist the liberty of the flesh, the love of the world, and of traditions: moreover, so artfully has Satan blended truth and falsehood, that sin, and worldliness, and subjection to Himself, are all sanctioned for religion’s sake. Who can perceive this, and be conscious that the Lord’s glory is concerned in it, yea, and that the sins and ignorances of brethren are our own (for we are one with them in Christ), but must anxiously seek to gather together the saints out of sin, and tradition, and folly, to meet Him who cometh quickly. Oh! He does come quickly, and His saints look not for Him, but are in the midst of worldliness, like Lot in Sodom. Unprepared for His coming, how can they meet His precursor Antichrist, who, with all the strength and artifices of Satan to sustain him, will soon appear, deceiving if it were possible, even the very elect? And why is it that the saints do not come together in love upon the principles and foundation of the primitive Church; “speaking the truth in love, growing up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love?” Do they not recognize the universal desolation around? Can they not perceive the beauty and comfort of such a position? Are they not ashamed to think of the Lord’s appearing while His people are in such confusion, lest both He and they should be ashamed at His coming? All these things are felt and freely confessed by many, both before the Lord and before man, and yet no deliverance wrought, by reason of despondent unbelief and disobedience. We wait, say they,—Wait! for what? Have we not everything as means which the primitive Church possessed? The Holy Ghost is not changed, either in nature or power; neither is He withdrawn, though sadly grieved; neither has the truth ceased to be truth, — “The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one.” These were the powers which, when known by faith, first modeled the Church; and they are sufficient to reproduce the same effects, at any time, according to the measure of faith, And if it be not disbelief of the continued grace of God, then can it only be disobedience which hinders; because, if the Spirit has been continued, we have still the power to return. The duty to do so is more imperative than may at first sight appear; for as the glory of the Church was but the concentration of that of many individuals, the full weight of guilt for the absence of it rests upon the individual whose position is such as would hinder its development. Again, the fullness of love incoming and outgoing, is the privilege and duty of the individual as such; and this can be found only when and where God’s object is answered, namely, among saints associated together in the Spirit. Let us beware, lest in unbelief we seek to clear ourselves of sin by taxing God with having been unfaithful to His promise of the continued presence of the Holy Ghost in the Church till the end: and again, lest, confessing that God must have been faithful to His promise, the spirit of disobedience should prefer a covering of hypocrisy in some system of man’s devising, in preference to bearing the shame of our weakness and shorn locks, by returning and renouncing every head save Jesus, and every principle of unity save that of fellowship in the Spirit. Surely it is nothing but unbelief and rebellion which hinder any from recognizing and submitting to the Spirit as the only authority and power among the saints when gathered together, if even but two or three, in the Lord’s name. And yet how few are there who do not seem resolved to deny the Holy Ghost His place and presence among the saints as the vicar of Christ, as well as the principle of fellowship, ‘Mutual dependence of the members on Him.’ This, moreover, is obvious, that if we cannot have fellowship in the way and mode God enjoined, then must we not attempt it; yea we cannot have it at all; but every member must be dissociated from the rest. But as many as are members of Christ’s body, of His flesh, and of His bones, are members one of another, associated by the common life of the Spirit; and this is all that is needful to fellowship. I bless God for His grace, that I know that His Son cometh quickly, and that it has pleased Him to enable me, in the hope of this, to have fellowship in His sufferings for the Church’s sake: yea, I count not my life dear to me, if so be that I can gather His saints together out of selfish worldliness and sectarianism, to be ready in the fellowship of the Spirit to meet my Lord and theirs.
But I digress; the gifts of the Spirit were my thesis. In 1 Cor. 12:8-118For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (1 Corinthians 12:8‑11), we have them declared to be diverse “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another, the word of knowledge; to another, faith; to another, the gifts of healing; to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, discerning of spirits; to another, divers kinds of tongues; to another, the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the self-same spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.” And as to offices in the Church, “He gave some, Apostles; some, Prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, Pastors and Teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11,1211And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11‑12). and 1 Cor. 12:2828And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:28)); first, Apostles; secondly, Prophets; thirdly, Teachers; after that, Miracles; then gifts of healing, helps, governments, &c.
Let the infidel unbeliever mock and scoff at these things, and let the hypocritical formalist deny our need of them; the truth of God remains undisturbed. If a man does not believe that there is such a person as the Holy Ghost, it is of course impossible for him to admit that certain powers and actions originate from Him.—And again, if a man admit His blessed existence, and the truth of God that He is to remain with the saints in His gifts of office (Eph. 4:1313Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:13)), and gifts of edification (1 Cor. 13:9,109For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. (1 Corinthians 13:9‑10)), yet cannot recognize His gifts in that which he thinks is the Apostolic Church, one of two things must be the cause—either He is not a Believer at all, not having as yet received the Spirit, and therefore of course he cannot discern; or, that which he reckons the Apostolic Church is no such thing: and till he leaves it and stands in a position in which the Spirit will be without constraint, though himself and others may as individuals possess the Spirit, His presence cannot be clearly seen among them collectively, as many members of the same body of which Christ is Head; for whatever energy there be of the Spirit allowed, it is attributed to a wrong origin. Blessed be God! we that believe, do know that it is a sin of AWFUL magnitude to tempt God like Israel of old, saying, “Is God among us?” The graces and gifts we have received, we dare neither deny nor attribute to any origin save the Spirit. I bless God I have received gifts both for edification and office; not that I boast therein; to me the gifts I have unquestionably received, are very small things indeed, when compared with the moral glory and personal presence of the Comforter. For the bestowal and possession of some of them, I am distinctly conscious of responsibility to Christ and His Church. On account especially of comparative misuse of the gifts of faith, and prophesying, and speaking forth under the power of the Spirit to exhortation, edification and comfort (1 Cor. 1410There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. (1 Corinthians 14:10)); of some gifts of office, and of dreams, I do feel deeply humbled before my God and Father. In another and more faithful brother, I see and have used the gift of the word of wisdom, of knowledge, and of one more rare still, the discerning of spirits; in another all the energy of the Spirit’s gift goes forth in faith. I do not remember ever yet to have met with any pretending to possess the gift of healing, such as that recorded in Acts 3:1-91Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God: (Acts 3:1‑9). and 14:8-11, &c. by which one man could bid another, in the name of Jesus, immediately to arise and be well; though immediate answer to the prayer of faith, I have frequently known and received. Well do I remember on a brother’s bursting a blood vessel, the second or third time it had occurred, our not rising from our knees till he was made well and whole, and he has been so from that time to this; and on another occasion, our continuing one day waiting beside the bed of a sick sister, till it pleased the Lord to raise her up, giving strength and causing to subdue a stiffness of the throat and neck from some rheumatic affection, which fixed the head in one position. The similar cases which occur to my mind while thus writing, are innumerable; but they are only proofs, either that the effectual fervent prayer of one righteous man availeth much, or, that whatsoever two or three shall agree to ask, they shall receive: they are therefore, no novelty to the Believer. I pass them by, because irrelevant; for they are so intimately and inseparably connected with the common principles of the every-day walk of faith, that no Believer can wonder at them; though had we time to open them, the grace of our common Father might be admired. The gift of miracles also I never saw in clear exercise, unless the subjection of evil spirits, of devils, and of maniacs to the name of Jesus be considered such; of which I have known frequent instances. Nor tongues have I ever met with; or, of course, if so, the power of interpreting them. The facility of acquiring languages given me in answer to prayer, has been remarkable; and if any of these gifts should at any time come upon me, I should not be the least surprised. How should I, dwelling in fellowship with the Father and with the Son, wonder at anything save His grace and love? Besides, possessing the originator of all these things in the person of the Holy Ghost, the less is included in the greater: all things are mine, not, blessed be God! according to my foolishness, but according to the purpose and counsel of love of Him, who, being mine own, is Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Any and every gift might come upon me at any moment: the Lord grant that I may use those I have, whether as yet I recognize them or not! and in such case, those that are added, to the edification of His body; and may I not prove in understanding a child, like some of old (1 Cor. 1410There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. (1 Corinthians 14:10)), carnally glorying in the gift, and insisting upon using it whether to edification or destruction of the Church! I confess, however, that in carefully examining the word, I have thought I could perceive that tongues and the working of miracles had specific objects; and that these being answered, they would not be restored. But I am not assured of this; I will not enlarge upon it, for I am quite prepared, if the Lord be pleased, to be His instrument in this as in every other way. Unto the Father of Jesus I stretch forth my hands without fear or doubting, for every good and perfect gift which His infinite love and wisdom may see fit to bestow upon the saints through me; yea, and the Spirit oft maketh intercession within me with groanings which cannot be uttered. As to requests for specific gifts, He regulates my mind, who dealeth of these things unto every man severally as He will; so that here also it is neither of him that willeth, nor of him that seeketh, but of God that showeth mercy.
As to the Spirit’s gifts in office, as some, Apostles; and some, Prophets; and some, Evangelists; and some, Pastors and Teachers; I would say two words: First, It is a matter of faith with every one that maketh not God a liar, that these things have continued, for they were given “for the edifying of the saints until we all come unto a perfect man.” Secondly, There have been in times past many, both among the Reformers and since, and there are many now fitted, some for exhortation, edifying and comforting, some for Pastorship, and some for Evangelizing; now to whom are these powers, howsoever weak in measure, to be ascribed? There is no good gift but what cometh down from God; our only alternative, if we will not ascribe them to the Spirit, is to deck ourselves with His glory. God has written, that these things shall continue, therefore they are certainly among us. To impute the works of God to ourselves, not only argues great self ignorance, but is a very near approach to the sin of the Jews, who attributed the Holy Ghost’s work to Satan: the difference is merely in degree, that we are not so completely enemies to God as is the devil; yet the principle of the two imputations is one and the same — the attributing the glory of God to an impure origin. But, beloved friend, we who have drawn near unto Him who discerneth the thoughts and intents of the heart, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, are not blinded as to the grace of our God in this respect. We possess and use many such excellent gifts, yea, all of them in the name of our Lord even Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers.
Thus then I see in myself and others around, the clear evidences of Christ’s resurrection. Say you, “these things are so indeed, yet are they in weakness?” True, dear friend; yet let us not despise the day of small things; let us rather remember why they are weak, even by the past and present Apostasy of the outward Church as a whole; and let us admire the goodness of our God, for except the Lord had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom and Gomorrah. If you deny that you can see them at all, I can only suppose that you are identified with some system whose principles are at variance with the Spirit’s order. All the sects of our day, from the Establishment downwards, are thus guilty; for they have terms of communion other than the simple one found in the word, even “the recognition, through the Spirit, of the Father, as set forth in the Son;” and all have systematically excluded the Spirit’s free energy in the Church meetings. To the members of any of these sects, of course the recognition of such energies and powers of the Spirit is difficult; for they are standing in places where these cannot and may not be freely exercised, into which they cannot fully come without disorder and confusion: and in fixing through whom the Spirit may speak among them, they have not only grieved Him, but blinded themselves as to their dependence upon Himself and His grace in that little energy he may still vouchsafe among them. Blessed be God though in weakness and in fear, and in much trembling, in leaving these things to return to “the Apostolic Church principles,” we have found that our God was still the same, and His gifts and calling without repentance. Many indeed underrate the comparative power of these things in our day, from want of observing the mode in which God works throughout redemption, hiding His power in the midst of weakness. Throughout the whole history of redemption, God, as though from consciousness that with Him is the residue of strength and power, is found under every circumstance to measure out His power in exact proportion to the exigency of the case; and moreover (to which I particularly refer), to hide His almighty power in the midst of weakness. I pray you to observe it; for it really manifests the perfection of His power and Godhead more than anything, and is most marvelous. A creature in all the wretchedness and infirmity of the fall is used by the Lord Almighty, infirmity being allowed to remain, but hindered working beyond a fixed limit, and yet the individual not conscious of constraint. The responsibility of the creature, or the perfect freedom of his will, never destroyed, never in the least interfered with; but the weak, and infirm, and responsible instrument made willing in the day of the Lord’s power. Moses affords a remarkable exemplification of this, on many and diverse occasions. Jehovah would use him, but not as a passive tool, impelled by constraint contrary to or without the exercise of judgment; but only made willing and left under responsibility. Thus we find him declining at first to undertake the mission, angering God by declaring his insufficiency, &c. and even when invested with power, and when being used to give the people water, refusing to do so in God’s way, and choosing one of his own. So Jeremiah determined that he would not speak; and so Jonah ran away from the work to which he was called, and in which he was being used. The increased power of the Spirit at the day of Pentecost, so far from changing or altering this great principle of action (which is one most intimately connected with the whole scheme of redemption), greatly confirms and establishes it. For we are told that the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets; and when one is prophesying in the Spirit, the rest are ordered to sit by and judge (or discern how far the matter spoken accords with the truth of God). What! judge a man’s words, he speaking by the Holy Ghost? Yes; and more than this, every energy of the Spirit which, from circumstances, would not be unto edification, is to be refused. A gift of tongues is not to be used in the Church, unless there be one that can interpret, present; and in the midst of prophesying, one may have to stop, a matter being revealed to another that sitteth by (1 Cor. 14:27-3227If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 29Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 31For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. 32And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. (1 Corinthians 14:27‑32)). Peter also had to satisfy the judgment of the Church on the subject of his obeying the Lord’s command, “Go ye unto all nations,” &c. when he had gone to the Gentiles (Acts 119But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. (Acts 11:9)). Paul had to travel all the weary way to Jerusalem, about the question of circumcision being binding on the Gentiles; and when there, the solution of the difficulty was by no oracular response, but by a deliberation in council. So we find him exhorting Timothy and Titus to remember their responsibility, and exercise a sound judgment as to the subjects they choose to ordain as Elders or Deacons; and submitting himself to his own converts “I write unto you as unto those that are spiritual, judge ye what I say.” The Apostle describes himself as having many tears and temptations, being in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling; in the midst of trial and sorrows, under deep consciousness of responsibility; as having to glory in infirmity, as in the thoughts of some weighty by letter, but in bodily presence weak, and in speech contemptible. Where then was that outward show of power and majesty, which you attach to the idea of the Holy Ghost’s presence, in him. who was not a whit behind the chiefest of the Apostles? And if it was not to be found in him, how comes it we are expecting it to be in us? Oh! my brother, it is because we are carnal, thinking that by fleshly power, and an exterior bearing of majesty, the Spirit’s presence is marked, instead of by a deep sense of weakness and dependence upon God. Above all, the evidence of my service to the Lord being by His Spirit, is this, the abiding consciousness of my weakness, foolishness, and insufficiency for any of them whatsoever; and this, oft whilst in apparent desertion of the Lord, conversion and establishment of the saints were following my ministry, which to myself has no power, so that all the glory and praise go to the Lord. And are we indeed so stupid as not to have observed this ourselves, or not to be able to remember it, as the remark of almost every preacher, that the time of the Spirit’s power through His servant, either in conversion or building up, is seldom the time of great sensible enjoyment, but often of embarrassment and straitness both in thought and expression; and again, that seldom when the speaker is greatly enlarged, is there any great blessing to the hearers? If Paul were to come among us, I verily believe the great difference between him and us would be his more perfect apprehension of weakness, feebleness, and insufficiency; and I am confirmed in this by such passages as these: “We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised—the offscouring of all things unto this day” (1 Cor. 4:9,10,139For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised. (1 Corinthians 4:9‑10)
13Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. (1 Corinthians 4:13)). “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection,—lest I be a cast-away” (9:27). “The sentence of death is in ourselves,” &c. (2 Cor. 1:9;49But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: (2 Corinthians 1:9)
9Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; (2 Corinthians 4:9)—vi. &c. &c.) The life of the Christian is dependence; the strength of that life, consciousness of dependence; and he who has most of these, approaches most nearly to the Lord Jesus in the day of His humiliation, and can therefore be most used by the Lord. Sure I am of this, that many, in the conceits of their own minds about what the Spirit’s presence must have been in that day, have now rejected many of His gifts, or imputed them to a wrong origin. Not that I say they are as clear now, or ever again will be, as in the primitive Church, WHEN THE Fullness OF THEIR POWER MARKED GOD’S SANCTION OF THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE. The proportion may be as that of the glory of Israel after its return, contrasted with that in the day of Solomon; or, alas! the union and love of the present day when compared with that recorded at the commencement of Acts. While the saints are standing, one for Paul, and another for Cephas, &c. it is love and mercy to withhold any great power of such things; for the fleshly mind, thus evinced, cannot use them save to individual exaltation and condemnation. If we would seek in love to one another more, greater favors might perchance be evinced. Howbeit, gifts we have, in what feebleness soever; and they cannot come save from the Spirit. But what is a stronger confirmation to a Believer than even experience itself, the continuance of the Holy Ghost with the saints is a matter of faith, for so it is written: “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:1616And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (John 14:16)). “Lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world,” &c. &c. “He gave some, Apostles, and Prophets, and Evangelists, and Pastors, and Teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 416From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:16)). “We know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (1 Cor. 169For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. (1 Corinthians 16:9)). The purpose of God is so plainly revealed that the Holy Ghost (His graces and gifts dispensed after the sovereignty of the divine will) should continue, that I will not listen to any argument which denies this; for He that advances it, has made God a liar.
But I fear you will think I wander sadly from the question; so I will at once proceed to it. The only feeling I can have, on hearing that any brother or brethren have received the Holy Ghost, is that of joy unfeigned and thankfulness to God. While Joshua, who had not these things, said; “My lord Moses, forbid,” he, who had partaken of them replied, “Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them.” Alas! my sorrow is quite on the other extreme; for the practice and feelings of the saints almost universally is, “We have not so much as heard if there be any Holy Ghost.” Oh no! for the seal of the Spirit, or for signs exhibitive of His presence, praise, honor, and glory be unto our Redeemer! The full possession of the Spirit by every saint on earth, would not detract from my enjoyment through Him, but rather confirm and strengthen it; yea, for this purpose it would be given. I know indeed no sign of the unbelief of these days more strong than the excessive disquietude occasioned among the saints by this report of an outpouring of the Spirit. At first one might suppose that it was an enemy who had appeared unexpectedly: sure I am that the hearts of many have been more shaken than a saint’s would be, if abiding in fellowship with the Father and with the Son, at the revelation either of Antichrist or Satan. From the wonder and amazement expressed, we might imagine that they knew not the Holy Ghost at all, and had not received of His graces and gifts. And what means all the questioning, ‘Yes, but if it be true?’ but just a denial that the Holy Ghost in the Believer is able to obey the written word, “Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.” All this argues, alas! sad unbelief and misapprehension of privilege; I speak of the saints themselves; for the conduct of the outward Church generally has been just that of open infidelity. Secure in the bosom of God my Father, and in fellowship with Jesus, Lord of all, I will now tell you what the Holy Ghost has enabled me to discern concerning this revival of the Apostolic Church. As a whole, I doubt not that this discernment is the Lord’s; though, doubtless, mingled with much of my infirmity. But first let me make a few remarks, independent of any judgment formed, concerning the spiritual manifestations. The testimony of the letters from Scotland recording its commencement, sent by one who took a lead in it there, as well as that of many with whom I have conversed, who have been subject to it, is, that the workings of the Spirit are by constraint on the bodily faculties; and this is evident in intercourse with them. The Lord, say they, speaks through us as a man speaks through a trumpet or other passive instrument. This is important, because, first, it seems contrary to Scripture; and secondly, it appears to make the Spirit responsible for every word, not leaving any possibility of mistake from the infirmity of the vessel, as is supposed in 1 Cor. 14. You are aware that Mr. Baxter has distinctly declared, that the Spirit among them predicted several gross falsehoods through himself, that the time is past, and the events not realized.—He adds, that the Spirit in other gifted persons pledged itself to the Spirit in Him as being one and the same. Mr. Mac Neile also has averred, that the Spirit uttered falsehood concerning himself, and misquoted Scripture in a remarkable way. Why when these statements were made in private no answer was returned, and still more why no public notice has been taken of them by the leaders of the work, now that they have been told unto the whole Church, remains to be seen. For myself I pronounce no verdict on the case. The mode of operation, I confess, pains me; it reminds me of the Pythoness, the Montanists, &c.; yet I read, “there are diversities of operations,” and so forbear, with this single observation, that granting it is “an operation” of the Spirit, it is clearly of the number of those not intended for Church edification, since the very constraint it brings with its exercise, would clearly and unquestionably exempt it from the regulations laid down by the Apostle for the Church meeting.
As to the nature, however, of the Spirit among them, I feel totally unable to form any judgment, because the very unrighteous way in which, by their walk, they set at naught Scripture, and thwart and quench that which I know to be the Holy Ghost’s energy, render it very difficult, if not altogether impossible, to divide in them between the flesh and Spirit. Conceding, however, that they had not the Spirit’s gifts previously, and that this is the gift to them of the same Holy Ghost which I have; nevertheless I altogether and entirely withstand them, and refuse to have any fellowship whatsoever with them, because they are to be blamed for withstanding the Holy Ghost in the very point of contest peculiar to our day. The day of the Lord is at hand, and the grace of the Lord is now striving to gather together the saints out of all the specious forms of Apostasy, and worldliness, and confederacies of the flesh, into readiness to meet their Lord, a witness and warning to the professing Church and world that judgment is at the door. Now it is in this very point that they are found hindering His energies, and withstanding both God and His saints. It is no unimportant work in Which they are engaged; for whilst many are lagging behind the Lord, content to be in the way, as they think, and are forgetting the necessity of steadfastly and incessantly gazing upon their guide, in pleasant enjoyment of fair scenes around, these have advanced before Him, and are found preventing and perverting the energy of the Spirit to make the Bride ready for her Lord’s return. They are right, perfectly right, as to their professed principle of Church union and Church order; it is the truth of God Himself. The Holy Ghost is the only energy in the Church of Christ, the only power and authority; and where the fellowship is not simply in Him, then there is no fair exhibition of the Apostolic Church at all, which is but one, even that over which Christ is the Head. These things they hold in principle distinctly, and the devil abhors and dreads the promulgation of them in righteousness and truth; it is Satan himself, and none other, who is trying, through the inconsistency of their practice and principles, and other means, to bring these most important truths into disrepute. They do hold these things in word, but in practice deny them; just like Peter, when Paul rebuked him, they would in practice support pure unmingled truth by principles of a carnal worldly nature, thus building again the things they have destroyed. And, therefore, if each of them was endowed as highly as Paul or Peter, yet would I not give place, by subjection, no not for an hour. What are they to me? from them I received nothing. The Lord has ordained me; and by Him alone have I been taught: yea, and in conference they have added nothing to me. I deliberately repeat it; if they had all the powers of the Pentecostal effusion, every one that led by the Spirit is bound by responsibility to Christ, and the desire to see the saints gathered back into the Apostolic order, that Christ may be glorified by the Spirit, to withstand them, because they use not whatsoever power they may have for the purpose for which alone it was given, but by it contend against and withstand the Holy Ghost’s gracious effort to glorify Jesus by associating the saints together again as saints. In this, though individually children of God, they are serving Satan and accomplishing his ends. I beg you to observe, that against the divine origin of the Spirit among them I here pronounce no thought, nor concerning the disorderliness in heresies, in women speaking in the Churches, in the use of tongues when no interpreter is present. The one first and great question is this, “Is the work of the Lord being carried on by them upon God’s revealed principles?” The answer is at once, The gathering of the saints in the fellowship of the Spirit, is altogether hindered and opposed. The Holy Ghost’s energy and purpose has now some time been too obvious to be longer unperceived—to gather the elect remnant in the Spirit out of the power of the world, the flesh, and the devil, to be ready to meet their Lord. For this purpose they profess to have been raised up: this is the purpose of God; and though the whole outward Church is in arms against it—it, as the counsel of the Lord (I believe), shall stand. In England they profess to stand as the representatives of it (blessed privilege if rightly used!); but, alas! through them Satan Ls bringing it into disrepute, for they hold it neither in righteousness nor truth. Not in righteousness; because heresy is unrebuked among them. I enter not into the specific forms of false statement among them, as to the humanity of our Lord, &c.—It is written, “No man knoweth the Son, but the Father only.” Any analytical investigation, therefore, of the mode of combination of the Godhead and manhood in one person, must be the working of the carnal reason; because that which is not revealed, cannot be the subject-matter of an exercise of faith; and by this alone, all their testimony is as much destroyed, perhaps more so, than if they had lived in open unholiness and sinfulness. Not in truth; because, if subject indeed to the Spirit, they would recognize, first, Christ’s power and authority, and it alone; and, secondly, the doctrine of the written Word. Now the test of Christ’s household is— “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God:” but the unity of the Spirit these practically deny, as I have found to my sorrow. They say, indeed, that the unity of the Church is in the Spirit alone: but on this they act not—recognition of their gifts being their terms to full communion. I speak advisedly—they are prepared even to say, and have said— “Dear brother, it grieves us that there should be these divisions among us,” to one with whom they had refused even to pray, and that in private, but five minutes before; “because he could not pronounce any judgment as to the origin of their gifts:” This is schism and sectarianism; and consciously to sanction it, is to be guilty of despising the unity of the Spirit. Again, as to the regulation of God’s family; so far are they from recognizing Christ’s ordination, that they deliberately reject those whom He has ordained, and sent with many seals to their Apostleship, casting them out thus did not the Church at Jerusalem towards Paul. And, to leave no doubt on the subject, what is their plea? You have not been ordained by us, nor by the Church of England! whilst, at the same time, they recognize, as authorized teachers, those whom it has ordained, but with whom the Holy Ghost never thought of working, because unordained by the great Head of the Church. More than once, also, have they rejected men sent of God, because not either sanctioned by themselves or the Church of England; and received others not sent of God, because so accredited. As to doctrine, their testimony is rarely that of joy and rejoicing, either in the full and perfect forgiveness of sin through the blood carried within the veil, or in the discriminating sovereignty of electing love. But that on which I chiefly rest here is on the doctrine of fellowship. In the first place, their doctrine of combination is not that of the primitive Church:— “The glory which thou gavest me I HAVE GIVEN them, that they may be one”—the lifting up of the Believer’s heart and mind out of time and its circumstances, into the presence of the Lord of glory: but, contrariwise, they maintain that it consists in that which is but the sign of this—viz. gifts or endowments of limited power. They teach also, that the present dispensation is partly of earthly things. In consistency with this, see the parade and show in Newman-Street. I need not wait, to prove that Infant baptism, as conducted in the Establishment, is wrong; that regeneration does not necessarily follow upon water baptism, as stated in that office; neither need I pause, to show how contrary to truth is that which necessarily flows out of this, namely, national religion, with all the false doctrines practically involved in it. Now they uphold both of these, especially the latter, with all its guilt of fornication; and require God’s children, for its sake, to prostitute themselves to the world. More than this, they condemn those who, for the sake of conscience and Jesus, have renounced it and the glory of this world, under whatsoever form.
I would enlarge upon this a little, retracing the means by which the present position has been assumed. Any one sufficiently acquainted with the history of the work, may recognize the following steps, and behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. It commenced in Scotland among a few obscure individuals, in whom false spirituality, or morbid excitement of affection and feeling, had destroyed all spiritual judgment. On their hearing of the primitive union of the Church and its then endowment of wisdom and power (conscious of the want among themselves of such union, as well as the absence of such gifts), they blended the two together as cause and effect, assuming that they had no union because no gifts; the reverse of which was probably the truth, for, even at Jerusalem, the gifts followed the being of one accord in one place. They then set themselves to pray for gifts. Now here it was that Satan snared them in their partial truth. The Holy Ghost was with them; and the truth given was not only sufficient, if faithfully acted upon, to have purged them from dead systems and brought them into fellowship one with another in the Spirit; but, moreover, made them responsible for being so. Then, in whatsoever weakness, they would have found the Spirit sufficient for love, and order, and mutual edification. But they knew not that the personal presence of the Spirit, and the gift of glory, and the declaration of the Father’s name, were the dynamics of union and power; and they made it to depend upon the presence of gifts of a certain class. Herein they committed three sins; first, they denied that God’s gifts and calling are without repentance; secondly, they contemned the Spirit still left them, and the truth; and thirdly, removed the responsibility of the Church which flowed out of the continuance of these things. The taxing God with unfaithfulness to His promise of the Spirit’s abiding, was folly; and see this in their argument, — “We must expect a return of the Spirit, and give God no rest till it is vouchsafed, because the expressed purpose of God is, that the Spirit should abide forever:” i.e. we are bound to look for a return of the Spirit, because He was never to go away. They have thus also set their own wisdom above God’s, giving preeminence to that which passeth away, over that which abideth forever; and setting the possession of limited gifts of power by man (a subject of wonder only in man’s day, and in a world of weakness) above the fullness of God’s love shed abroad by the Spirit in the hearts and minds of sinners: which will never cease to be a wonder and a praise, and this with the view of producing union! The Apostle’s “Doth not even nature?” might fairly be borrowed to show the folly of such a course for such an end. Hence also they have ordered so many to remain in evil, yea, in the worst streets of Babylon (as they say) till they have power!!! the veriest delusion Satan ever coined; for what is this practically, but just “Continue in sin (not that grace may abound, but) till you cease from sin?” The real question at issue between myself and them, is one of overwhelming moment, to wit, “whether or not the professing Church is responsible to God for their past and present abuse and neglect of the Spirit and His gifts?” And this, I believe, is God’s controversy with all the sects of our day, and with themselves among others. They maintain that we are only responsible for being without the originative energies of Church constitution through past sin, so making God’s promise of none effect, yea, declaring that His faithfulness has failed. I stand by God’s word; God has continued them, because He said He would, and that the Church will neither believe their presence, nor obey God in using them, and that therefore her guilt is that of continued, increasing, persevering obstinacy and self-willedness; taking to herself the glory of the Spirit, hiding His light in her, and declaring it is her own. In truth, the possession of the glory and the Spirit by the saints, brings with it a responsibility of no light character to all Believers. And if this were simultaneously recognized in every town throughout Christendom, then simultaneously and without concert would there be in every such town, a renewal at one and the same time, and without any greater subjection the one to the other, than is found imposed by the truth as it is in Jesus. But these judge their brethren, and do not fear to threaten those whom God has thus led, because “they follow not us.” The ground on which most of them maintain their position, also savors of the old principle—self. Instead of its being said, “This practice accords with the principles revealed in the word for Church association, and has therefore a claim upon every believer, independent of all practical abuses, which, however great, belong to the individual perpetrators,” what have we? but, “I heard the manifestations, and they searched my heart and mind, and led me to more individual devotedness, and therefore I counted them to be of God, and so joined it.” Another painful evil hence resulting, has been that attention has thus been fixed upon the form of the Church at the time it was perfect, instead of the principle which, when fully received, molded that form, and would now in measure, if believed, tend toward the same again. They despised the true sources of Church constitution for the form’s sake; and thus attributing its well-being to outward gifts, they have erred like all other sects, through abstract views of right and wrong, as to Church form. In this respect, the present dispensation differs widely from the last. In that, God molded the form of a kingdom, &c. sanctuary, &c. to embody a principle, and gave rules (distinct from the directions as to formation) for the administration and regulation of it, when thus brought into being. In this, He gave principles to organize a form, and which, because sufficient to organize, were sufficient to regulate. No outward conformity to an abstract form will now therefore suffice; for the only value of the form originally was, and still is, its being the result of the exercise of principles innate in the Church. What then have they done, but like so many children playing at Church, made one man a Pastor; and another, an Evangelist; and another, an Angel; totally independent, yea, and oft in direct contradiction to the Holy Ghost’s gifts in the respective individuals. This is a great moral mistake, far too common in our day, not to perceive that true spirituality consists in following after God in His thoughts, words, and ways; instead of preceding Him. A Pastor, for instance, is wanted, as it seems to man, in some place; one not the least fitted is made so, under the impression that God will follow our foolishness, and give gifts to adorn our systems; this has been frequently done by those who have drafted men out of places and offices, for which they have been remarkably fitted by the Spirit, into others for which they neither had nor haves one single requisite. The third step in the process, was, an appeal to the Spirit, instead of the mind of Christ—“as it is written;” and then (the mind being drawn off from the substances of faith to imagination) fourthly, easily have entered false doctrine, heresy, recognition of false systems, &c. &c.
In word, then, they recognize the right character of the present dispensation, as set forth in Eph. 1-3. and 1 Cor. 12 and 1 Cor. 14 inclusive, but in practice afterward deny it; first by denouncing and rejecting brethren who saw it before themselves, and are acting upon it more simply and truly than themselves, because both holding and practicing the unity and the authority of the Spirit, which they do not; and secondly, by conceding authority, during its absence, to a succession in the flesh, and a so called Church, which, on their own showing, is not the Apostolic Church at all. Christ, as the Lamb with the seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth, they refuse to acknowledge; for while in word they admit the perfect unadulterated administration of the Spirit (that the perfect complete order and government of the Church is by Christ through the Spirit alone), they denounce those who follow not us, and acknowledge that in which another rules besides the Lamb: declaring also that the Spirit is not sufficient, so making more to be needful for a revival of the Church than for its original constitution. They see, indeed, that ordinances will not do without spiritual power, nor spiritual power without ordinances; but that the two should and must be conjoined; but then, instead of having both ordinances and power from the Spirit, they maintain the Spirit’s power, but ordinances from and through, and in a fleshly carnal channel, speaking great swelling words against those who, in simplicity, adhere to the ordinances delivered to the saints in the written Word. In these things they refuse to recognize Christ as the alone and sole Head of the Church as to endowment of power, order, and grace. Whilst at the same time they commit the sin of Jeroboam, recognizing a worship and persons to conduct it, not only unsanctioned by God, but in direct contradiction to those which He has enjoined. This is their sin and guilt, and herein do they grieve and wound the Lord, casting out God’s Spirit, and recognizing that which is evil. They know it not indeed; but whilst professing to seek the unity of the Spirit, they are rending and tearing the saints one from another, by means of a question about the origin of certain gifts; and at the same time are driven to impute the energy and obedience of those who, led by the Spirit, contemn all tradition, and, adhering to what is written, are prepared to follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth, to Him who is the spirit of lawlessness and misrule. The spirit of disobedience among them is most fearful; in cases inumerable I have known them prohibit a man’s leasing circumstances under which neither the Spirit of God nor conscience could remain ungrieved, and throw the sin of disobedience upon the Spirit among them.
Yes, my dear friend, whilst professing to seek that which is the aim of the Lord the Spirit — viz. the gathering together of the saints in the fellowship of the Spirit in righteousness, truth, and practical separation from the world, the flesh, and the devil, to meet the Lord Jesus, they have brought in principles of the flesh as a new condition of communion, giving a place and preeminence (on pretexts derived from fleshly and carnal grounds) to many things prohibited and condemned by what is written, while at the same time they reject much which He has ordered, and wherein He is found; and therefore in fervency of desire that the gifts they have received may be effectually employed, we must resist the evil they have conjoined. The gifts of discernment and of a sound mind, they do not pretend to have received; nevertheless their babyhood of understanding is extraordinary. Between the possession of a gift, and its use to edification, they seem unable to divide; between conscience, which is of the first Adam, and an understanding enlightened through the Spirit, and between reason (which is of nature, with the carnal judgment thence flowing), and the Holy Ghost (with His gifts of spiritual understanding and judgment), they can discern no difference. This is evinced thus—the moment I (as one bound to obey my Lord, and judge all things, and try the spirits whether they are of God, not by the reason of the flesh, but by the Holy Ghost and the Word), directly I say I would do so, I am met with— “You must not reason, you must not carnally judge; this matter is to be received by conscience, and not by judgment.” Again, between the Headships of Jesus, Lord of all, as Head of the Church, and Head of Providence (and therefore of magistracy, kingly and military power, &c.), they cannot separate; and thus they claim, by allegiance to the Head of the Church, many in the pomp and pride of these offices, who, because disciples, ought to have nothing to do with them, save to obey. Anything like practical forgetfulness, or renunciation of the glory of the world, they term humility in the flesh, and say that it excludes the power of fellowship in heart and mind with the Lord.
God gives privilege to bring responsibility, and to give strength under it: Man would take the privilege either for personal aggrandizement, or to remove the responsibility. This has caused many to join this work. The proud heart loves the supposed infallibility here formed; and the timid heart the removal of the fear and trembling of duty and service to the Lord, in the midst of such awful alienation from God, and such individual weakness. Who can go forth in service to the Lord in this day, especially if independent of the systems of man’s raising, without feeling weak and feeble, and ready to perish in the toil. Oh it would be very sweet to the flesh to get rid of this sense of weakness; but, unhappily, to do that, we must get free from the Spirit of God, and from the work of God: for it is this very sense of weakness which is at once the proof of our fellowship with God in work, and of our strength in Him under it. The flesh loves it not, and lusts against it; but let us, who are spiritual, rather glory in our infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon us; for when we are weak, then are we strong in the Lord.
Yours, &c. &c.
P.S.— “The work,” as Mr. Irving called it, can only be looked upon in one of two ways, if true; either, first, it is something sui generis, entirely and altogether new and unprecedented; or, secondly, it is a revival of the primitive Apostolic Church. In the latter light they placed it at first, and fairly enough quoted the Scriptures, which describe the Church’s original constitution, to show the possibility of such a thing among a remnant now. Viewed in this light I have nothing more to say. To my surprise they have lately shifted their position, and declare that this is no revival at all, but a new thing; and either the ark of salvation for the remnant of the dispensation, or the restoration of the Apostasy. I do not mean that they profess to be ignorant which it is; but that, at different times, they assert and maintain different things. When they take the former ground, all that any man may ask them is, for the credential or mark that they are so: and this, inasmuch as if they be so indeed, all who are not found with them will be destroyed. Now, if they reply,— “Our return to the principles, constitution, order, and government of the primitive Church;” this, whether the pretensions were true or not to the full extent, would have weight, if they really were so doing. But this is not the case: they say and do not. The moral claim such a thing would have upon every beholder to join it, both through the judgment of the mind and the affections of the heart, would be quite sufficient. It is clear it would be folly to demand Scripture in proof that such a thing should be; for it would have an equal claim on the saint, whether it were the ark of dispensation or not; and every one led by the Spirit would join it. If, then, they rested upon its moral claim, I would say not one word; but when they consider this deficient (as indeed from inconsistency of practice and principle in their case it is), and attempt driving God’s children into it by terror, I dare not be silent. They boast great words about the day of judgment being actually come, and of Apostasy having come to its height, and the judgments actually commenced; talking about analogy, of which they know next to nothing. They tell me, for instance, that “the whole analogy of God’s dealings, and not analogy only, but example, the whole revealed character of God, shows that He never does come to judgment without providing for a remnant an ark, a Zoar, a pillar of cloud and smoke, a Pella, &c. and that it would be contrary, and in direct opposition, to the whole character of God, as given in a book written to describe His method of dealing with men through a course of six thousand years, not to find some place or other into which He does invite His people to retire.”
Now what is this but just sheer ignorance, quoting analogy just when analogy fails, and arriving thereby at a conclusion (not only without one single Scripture to support it, but) distinctly and unequivocally denied by the very letter of the Scripture. The conclusion is, that there must be a Pella, or such like refuge, provided on earth; now the Scriptures say No, it is to be in the heavens, a cloud of glory. Then, say they, analogy fails; yes, because the connection of this dispensation with the next is totally dissimilar from that of any two preceding; hitherto the remnant saved out of that which was destroyed, became the seed of the next; now all found in this, will rise into glory with Christ, the seed of the next being Jews, who have had no part in this. So far from judgment having already commenced, it can easily be shown that Apostasy has not come to its full; and that signs, not as yet seen, are to precede,—as a violent persecution, the revelation of the person of Antichrist, &c. &c.
The other position, that it is the restoration of the Gentile Apostasy, is still less tenable. They tell me, that “an Apostasy is the falling down from a certain standing, στάσις: we read but of three; first, Adam, and all men in him; secondly, the Jewish Church; thirdly, the Christian Church. God created Adam, and the Devil cast him down, and he has never been restored: God set up the Jewish Church, and the Devil cast it down, and it is yet in ruins: God then set up the Gentile Church, at Pentecost, and the Devil cast it down; turned the woman, the spotless bride of Christ, into the mother of abominations: thus far, then, the Devil appears stronger than God. But all these shall be restored, and God manifested to be, in flesh, stronger than Satan, yet in inverse order to that in which they fell: first, the Christian Church to be prepared to meet her Lord: secondly, the Jewish Church, after He is come; thirdly, all mankind, through the preaching of the Jews. Again, say they, the analogy of the Jews and the Gentiles is perfect; in both cases, Apostasy issuing in judgment; which, in both cases, leads to renewed mercy.” In the first of these assertions the only mistake is the forgetting into what place the return of the Apostasy casts the saints, even into the presence of the Lord Jesus in glory: in the second, besides other mistakes, there is the oversight of this, that judgment on the Gentiles has not yet been poured out.
Here we must demand Scripture basis; for the expectation is quite novel. On asking for Scripture, I have been told it is found throughout the whole word, from beginning to end, if men will but see it; this to me is just saying, that it is no where to be found save by a mind preoccupied with it; and, accordingly, not one single passage has been adduced which, in connection with its context, could mean any such thing.
Editor’s Note
The preceding Letter, which has been put into our hands, we consider of interest to our Christian friends, as containing much valuable argument, calculated to meet, in many points, the false ground on which numbers have fixed themselves in the present day. The deep importance of the principle which it upholds—the reality and abidingness of the presence of the Comforter—and the unchangeableness of the Gift of God, cannot be too strongly pressed at a moment when so many, who feel responsibility, do not realize their actual strength in God, and so many more are halting in faithfulness towards Christ, because they wait in the slothfulness of unbelief for something more than the means which God has given before they will obey. But, whilst we are fully aware of the value of the general argument, it appears to us, that the necessary distinction between the Spirit’s not being in power in the Church, and its still dwelling, the same promised Comforter, in the individual Believer, should have been more strongly pressed. With the latter, it is now as always, “He shall abide with you forever;” and in proportion to their faith, Christians feel the truth and comfort of this, and especially in these evil days, in connection with the promise of Jesus, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name,” &c. But not so with the former. As a collective body, the Church has not the Spirit in power, nor can we say with the writer, “the blessing and glory of the outward Church were nothing more than the concentration or accumulation of that of many individual members;” for neither is the simple gathering of all the separate units, supposing such a thing possible, all that is now lacking to us, since there would still be a decided loss of former glory, not merely in the felt weakness of present power of the Spirit, but in the absolute defect of many spiritual gifts which once existed.
It may appear also to the minds of some, that the writer, in speaking of himself, seems to assume individually too exalted a ground; and that it would have been better to assert universally and unrestrictedly, the full extent of the actual privilege and responsibilities of the household of God, from the first member to the last, as derived from the immutable principles of the dispensation, than to exemplify them by a particular instance. In reply to this supposed objection, the writer states, “I have found that general statements are often pointless, because they are thought to be indefinite instead of universal.” If I say “the saints are risen with Christ,” every body agrees, not understanding the nature of the necessary connection of saintship with resurrection in Christ, supposing it to mean, some are, and some are not. If I say “all saints,” &c. this is doubtingly acceded to by many; who then try to escape with the thought, “I may be saved without knowing I am a saint, perhaps.” But if I say “I, because a saint, am risen with Christ,” I find it instantly disputed, because somehow or other, it is an argumentum ad hominem. With regard to the individual application of expressions which were first used of themselves by the Apostles, it should be remembered that these were true as to them only because they were members of Christ’s body, in which I have as sure a place as they; and in which I have responsibilities and privileges as great, according to the proportion of my faith: I assume no authority herein, I only recognize privilege, and responsibility, and grace.—[Ed.]