Genesis 37

No part of the Bible probably has so fastened itself upon the imagination of the young as the history of Joseph; many would account it almost the most interesting part of Scripture. But I do not believe that the history of Joseph was given to us as an interesting story, but because Joseph serves to set forth the truth concerning Christ; he comes before us as a figure of Christ as connected with Israel. Now it is in that way that I take up his history, not at all with the idea of expatiating on the history, save as in some way presenting to us the truth as to Christ. And I am justified in using the history in this way, from the allusion made to Joseph by Stephen in Acts 7; the latter there shows that those raised up of God for the deliverance of His people had always been first rejected, whoever it might be -- Joseph, or Moses, or even Christ. This was just the perversity of the people against the sovereignty of God. That is the principle against which man constantly rebels, and such rebellion is the spring and source of infidelity in the present day. I think that it is intelligible, that if man has a will of his own, he is pretty certain to rebel against a will stronger than his. It is not only that God has a will, but God's will is sovereign, and God will work out His own will; and it is against the sovereignty of God's will that man kicks. Now that was illustrated in Israel; they invariably rejected and refused the vessel raised up of God before the deliverance came. It is in that sense I take up a few incidents in the history of Joseph in our particular chapter, bearing in mind that the history is a setting forth, figuratively, of what comes out in Christ, almost in every part of it, though I could not say in every detail.

Now in Israel the birthright is connected with Joseph. Birthright is looked at in Scripture as a privilege from God, and in old times it was customary to attach a good deal of importance to birthright. Esau despised his birthright, and though afterwards he sought the blessing carefully with tears, he found no place of repentance. As I said, the birthright in Israel is connected with Joseph, though lineally Christ was descended from Judah; the genealogy is Judah's. We do not find in Scripture Judah ever looked at as a type of Christ; on the other hand, Joseph is a striking type of Christ, and it is the more interesting because of the birthright being connected with Joseph. It will not be very difficult hereafter for Israel to trace their genealogy, for they will trace it through Christ, and in Christ the birthright of Israel is secured. When Christ was born into this world He was the security to Israel of their birthright, and He had a due sense of the importance of the birthright of Israel, of what pertained to them according to God. But we see how the Jews despised their birthright; they said, "We have no king but Caesar"; but the birthright is maintained for them in Christ.

Now the first point of moment is the testimony of Joseph, a testimony which excited the dislike and envy of his brethren; the more he testified the greater was the dislike, until at last it became boundless. What Joseph bore testimony to, as I understand it, was the sovereignty of God; that was the point of his testimony. It was not a question of himself, but God had communicated His mind to him in dreams; and what God had communicated to him was the burden of his testimony, it expressed the sovereign will of God. His father, his mother, and his brethren were all to do obeisance to him. This was the sovereign will of God. And man's will rebels against it, but God will do according to His own good will and pleasure. Christ in coming into the world says, "Lo, I come ... to do thy will, O God"; and He taught His disciples to pray, "Thy will be done in earth,

as it is in heaven". The will of God is to rule.

The testimony of Joseph is remarkable; but I want to pass on to the testimony of the great anti-type, Christ Himself, and would also like to say a word with regard to the church.

It appears to me that before God gives exaltation He gives the testimony of exaltation. I see that principle running through Scripture. God does nothing until He has first given a testimony of it. He exalts whom He will, but before the exaltation is the testimony. That is seen here in regard to Joseph. Even the sun and the moon and the eleven stars were to do obeisance to him, but Joseph has first to be the vessel of God's testimony. It is not, I am sure, a question of honour and dignity put upon Joseph, but of the sovereign will of God. He chose that Joseph should be exalted. But Joseph had to be humbled before he could be exalted. If he had been taken just as he was, and exalted, it might have been, morally, a poor look-out for him. He had to be passed through the discipline of God to be fitted for the exaltation that God intended to give him. In his exaltation he was to be the preserver of his brethren. God knew that they were to go down into Egypt, and Joseph was raised up of God for the preservation of his kindred. Joseph had to bear testimony to what was in the mind of God, but I do not think that Joseph was himself yet morally suitable for the exaltation. But any way Joseph had no part in the evil doings of his brethren. He was separate from them, and could bear testimony against them, because he was not partaker of their evil deeds.

Now Christ, when here, bore witness to the sovereign will of God. He bore witness, too, to the grace of God and to the condition of the people; but the great point in His testimony was the sovereign will of God, and, in connection with it, His own exaltation. I refer to an instance: in the parable of the marriage supper He says, "A certain king ... made a marriage for his son". The

marriage was for the king's son. Then He told His disciples continually what would happen to Himself; He bore witness, too, to the place He would have at the right hand of God. He witnessed a good confession. The people were running after evil deeds, but Christ bore testimony to His own exaltation.

But there is one point to be mentioned in regard to the Lord, that if He bore witness to His exaltation He was morally suitable to it. Joseph was but a weak man. We do not find anything as to his moral suitability to be exalted. There is just one thing about him, and that is he was the object of his father's special affection. But moral suitability for exaltation is seen in Christ all the way through this world. He could not stop short of any place but the right hand of God. I think we can see that from Psalm 16, "In thy presence is fulness of joy". He could not find that down here. He might say, "The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage"; but it is "in thy presence is fulness of joy". It is interesting to contrast in that psalm what the Lord could enter into down here, and what He looked for at the right hand of God. But, whether one or the other, there was moral suitability. Christ is in the highest place of exaltation as Man, and is perfectly at home there; He came from there, and He is gone back there, and He bore witness to this continually while down here. "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand". The Lord bore witness to that.

I pass on now to speak of the church. The church is in the place of Christ's rejection, but is going to share His exaltation. That is the purpose of God in regard to the church, and it is left down here in testimony to that. The proper testimony of the church is that it does not belong to this scene at all, but to Heaven. But such testimony comes out very much more in what people are than in what they say, and the church has been left here that, in the power of the Holy Spirit, witness might be borne to its own proper place in heaven. You get this

in Ephesians 2, Jew and Gentile are quickened together with Christ, and raised up together, and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ. God has raised them up together, and given them a place in heaven in Christ. But at the end of the epistle you find that the people who have been seated in heaven are left here to meet the power of evil, to stand against Satan, in the consciousness of their place in the heavenlies. I cannot say why God should have seen fit to give that place to the church, but it is given in the sovereignty of His will. Now we are in the light of that -- made to sit in the heavenly places for His pleasure. But while that is so, we are left down here to be in moral suitability to it. We give no place to the enemy, but stand apart from the influences of the god of this world; we put on the "whole armour of God", and withstand; we do not give in an inch to anything here, but stand in the truth of the sovereignty of God's will. That is a difficult thing to do today. If Scripture were simply a book of ethics there would not be antagonism to it, but because it expresses the will of God -- and man hates the idea of the sovereignty of God's will -- there is the effort to set aside the testimony of Scripture.

Now security for future blessing is on the ground of the will of God; everything has failed on the ground of creature responsibility, all is now bound up with the accomplishment of God's own will; and everything must be consistent, too, with His nature, and that is love. But at the same time that everything is consistent with love, there is in all the expression of divine perfectness, righteousness, and holiness, and truth -- every attribute of God is maintained, that all should be to the praise of His glory.

Joseph bore witness, perhaps in a feeble way, to his exaltation, according to the sovereign will of God. Christ, too, bore abundant witness to His exaltation; He accepted death and rejection down here, but, at the same time, bore witness to exaltation, and He is

exalted! God has "highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name" -- a name according to the sovereignty of His own purpose, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow". In truth, His brethren and His kindred and all will have to do obeisance to Him!

The same principle holds good in the church. The church shares the rejection of Christ down here, it is identified with Him, as seen in that which He says to Saul, "Why persecutest thou me?" The church's place is in separation from the world, waiting for Him from heaven: "From whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself".

Now the next point I notice is the effect that Joseph's testimony had upon his brethren. In Acts 7:9 we read, "And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him". The motive that actuated them is thus plain enough, "they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him", their hatred intensified. Now the truth is this, their ways were evil, and Joseph had told their father of their evil deeds, and they hated him. Their ways were evil; there is the secret of man's perversity, he will not come to the light because his deeds are evil. There was light with Joseph, and they cast him out, but it was God's way for their preservation. Joseph was to be their preserver, if they had only known it. No one can suppose that envy and hatred spring from good works. But Joseph's brethren were short-sighted in what they did to Joseph, for previous to their selling Joseph they were strong and united, but now they lost what I might, in a sense, call divine strength; they were strong before, but not after. It is remarkable to see this in those twelve brethren, but we find the same principle true in the Jews in connection with Christ. Why did not the Jews receive the testimony of God? Why did they not welcome the light?

The Lord gave abundant proof that He came from God; there was the most complete presentation of God to man: "in him all the fulness ... was pleased to dwell". The presentation was complete; the Lord could say, "They have both seen and hated both me and my Father", the Father dwelt in Him, and He did the works. He was a Man, it is true, but He had become a Man that God might come near to man in goodness. It was God presenting Himself to man in perfect, divine goodness. All the works of Christ were expressive of divine goodness, of perfect grace; the only miracle which had any other character was the cursing of the fig-tree, and that had of necessity to come to pass, but other miracles were for the relieving of man from the pressure which rested upon him down here. "Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?" and they say, "For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy"! He said that He was the Son of God, but had He not given evidence of it? There was most abundant testimony that He was the Son of God, but in spite of the testimony of His works, and of the Father's testimony to Him, they saw and hated both Him and His Father. Why did they hate Him? Because their own deeds were evil. Men will justify envy, but do you think that envy ever springs from good? Could there be such a thing as envy with God or with Christ? It is totally impossible. Envy is a work of evil; if evil were not existing there would be no such thing as envy in this world. A holy angel does not envy, simply because it is a holy angel.

But as was the case with the brethren of Joseph, the Jews paved the way for their own weakness; Christ was their strength, if they had only known it. He had become identified with them in being born among them, "of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came"; He was their strength, but they did not know it, and the consequence was that when they cast Him out they had to prove their own weakness; they fell to pieces. It is

remarkable with regard to the disciples, that when a traitor came to light among them they became weak, they "all forsook him and fled", they proved their weakness. I refer to it because it shows that this principle runs through Scripture, and things repeat themselves remarkably.

But in the latter part of verse 9 we have the significant clause, "but God was with him"; in all the discipline through which Joseph went God was with him. He had to be humbled, and a man must be humbled, that is certain. We are told that Joseph was apart from the evil of his brethren, but if Joseph is to be exalted, it is needful that he should be passed through exercise. Very often we do not know our own motives: even in condemning evil it is difficult to distinguish our motives; we have to be taught the difference between good and evil; many things pass muster as good, but one is not so sure about the motives in them. But the object of discipline is that we may discern between good and evil. We see this in the case of Job. It is great grace on the part of God that He should see fit to pass His people through exercise with this object. In any study in this world, whether it be art, or literature, or anything else, a man must be trained. Supposing I am taken to a gallery where there are many wonderful pictures, but among them some that are mere daubs, if I have not my senses exercised I may make great mistakes in my judgment of them: so we must have our moral senses exercised, we must be critics, and criticism must begin with myself; you will never be a good judge of good and evil in others except as you are a good judge of them in yourself. I am exercised so as to be able to discriminate between the varied motives by which a man may be actuated down here.

Now Joseph has to learn a very bitter lesson with his brethren, and it must have taught Joseph complete distrust of himself, but Joseph is not soured; when God is dealing with a man in discipline, and the man

accepts it, that man is not soured. I do not know anything that has a worse effect on people than trials in which God is not with them; but on the other hand, if God is with them they are great gainers, and they have their senses exercised. Why should anything down here sour a christian? Supposing I am soured by the treatment of my kindred, or of fellow-christians. Who is soured? What is soured? It proves that there is something in me that may be soured; but we are exhorted, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good"; and the end of discipline is that we may overcome in the power of good. While trials have the effect that God intends them to have, God sustains the man; as it was with Joseph, so it may be with me. And God gave Joseph deliverance; it was not, perhaps, the deliverance that Joseph would have chosen, but it was the deliverance that God intended for him. Reuben and Judah would have liked to bring him back to their father again -- they were more tender than their brethren -- but God's way was otherwise.

What I see as a principle in the ways of God is, that if God is going to give deliverance, it must begin from Egypt. It was so with Israel, and it is so with us; that is the starting-point of every man. We have to realise that we are in Egypt, where God first begins to deal with man. Israel had to go down into Egypt, and it was there that they began to multiply; and it is from Egypt that God delivered them.

God delivers Joseph, and puts him out of reach of the machinations of his brethren. So God has set Christ in a place outside of all the hatred and malignity of men. God raised Him from the dead, and in resurrection He was set in a wealthy place. God has set Him in a place where man cannot come. The brethren of Joseph could do no more against him when he went down into Egypt. In the case of the Lord, the Jews were restrained for a long time, until the close of His pathway; then certain things were allowed, but God delivers Him.

You read in Psalm 22 the list of enemies, but He is "heard ... from the horns of the unicorns". God delivered Christ, and set Him in a wealthy place, as I understand it, in resurrection.

Then there is another thing which could not be typified in Joseph, that, as being set in that wealthy place, Christ has power to subdue all things to Himself; one Man in resurrection is better than a world of men under death. Christ in resurrection is not only superior to all as being there, but exercises the power that has been exercised towards Him. He is vested with the very power that raised Him again from the dead. So we look for the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven "... according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself" -- that is, according to what He is as raised again from the dead. And what of the Jews? They have become disunited and scattered. It was an evil day for Joseph's brethren when they sold their brother into Egypt; it was an evil day for the Jews when they refused Christ, when they said, "This is the heir, come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance". They never did seize on His inheritance; they were scattered abroad, and are suffering under the penalty of their rejection of Christ to this day. They will come eventually into their blessing on the ground of the sovereignty of God's mercy, but they will have to recognise Him in resurrection whom they pierced. The important thing for us is that our souls might be in the light of the glory of the Lord, that we should appreciate the greatness of the place in which God has set Him. The right hand of God is far above all things; and that is where we are privileged to know Christ. All the gifts have come down from Christ, at the right hand of God, and we are in the light of Christ there. He is set down "far above all heavens, that he might fill all things". It is a great place where Christ is set, where what is of sin, and of the flesh, and of Satan's power cannot come; they cannot touch what is of resurrection.

And we have had good experience of His power, it has acted upon us morally; the thing is that He should subdue us to Himself. That is the power that Christ exercises in the place and scene where God has put Him.

I have taken up these few points in the chapter that we may see in them a portraiture of Christ, and I do not think that I have strained the truth at all, for Scripture has given us evidence that Joseph is presented to us as a striking type of Christ Himself, especially in His relations to Israel.

May God grant that we may have a true and right apprehension of Christ in the wealthy place in which He now is, and of the power with which He is vested, and by which He will subdue all things to Himself. As to His people, they are scattered over the face of the earth, having neither true God nor false god. And why? Because they were moved with envy, and rejected and refused their Deliverer. Yet, according to the Scripture, the "Deliverer will come out of Zion and turn away ungodliness from Jacob: ... this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins".

JOSEPH'S SATISFACTION AND FRUITFULNESS IN A STRANGE LAND

Genesis 41; Psalm 105:16 - 22

There are few histories or accounts of individuals which are of greater interest than that of Joseph. But it is not for its intrinsic interest that the Spirit of God records the history, but because it delineates in a remarkable way the truth with regard to Christ. The passage in Psalm 105 gives us the Spirit's commentary upon the history of Joseph. The psalm itself is a summing up of the history of Israel, of the goodness of God to them, a goodness that they will recognise in a coming day; at the same time you get the commentary of the Holy Spirit upon the course of certain individuals, and especially of Joseph, for the course of Joseph serves to portray the connection of Christ with Israel. I purpose, if God will, taking that up further on, more especially in connection with Joseph in the land of Egypt, and with the characteristic names which he gives his children. I think there is interest even in a detail of that kind. The names of his children are characteristic of his experience in the land of Egypt.

We saw in Genesis the circumstances which brought Joseph into Egypt, but in the commentary in the Psalms we find that he was sent down into Egypt of God. In the history in Genesis he was sold by his brethren to the Ishmaelites, and they brought him into Egypt; but the fact was God sent him thither. God had regard to the seed of Abraham, and sent Joseph down into Egypt that he might preserve their life in famine.

Now we see that Joseph passes through the experience of death to his brethren. His feet were hurt with fetters, the iron entered into his soul; that is experimental. He went through the painful experience of death to his kindred. But he comes out in Egypt in another character,

no longer as the dreamer, but as an interpreter of dreams. In the time of his dreams, though he relates them he does not interpret them. His brethren and his father are quick enough to give them their interpretation, but he did not himself interpret them. Now we do not get any record of dreams given to him in Egypt, but he is an interpreter, and what occurred in Egypt was in accordance with his interpretation. "The word of the Lord tried him"; it had to be seen whether his interpretation would hold, whether he had the word of the Lord, and that was the beginning and source of his exaltation. The circumstances are well known: he interpreted the dreams of the chief butler and of the chief baker, and though he is long forgotten, he is eventually remembered and brought to the king. The word of the Lord tried him; then the king sent and loosed him. It appears to me that an interpreter is greater than a dreamer. A dreamer speaks of dark communications, but an interpreter makes communications plain. Joseph is no longer a dreamer, but an interpreter.

Now we come to his exaltation. All is step by step (verses 20, 21); "he made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance", etc. In the land of Canaan he had been one of twelve brethren, not at all a man of distinction, but God meant to give him distinction in Egypt, so the king exalted him; he was to be second to the king; there was to be no one greater than Joseph in the kingdom. Authority was conferred upon him; Pharaoh gave him a name, and power to "bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his senators wisdom". All were to bow the knee to Joseph; he was to have unlimited authority.

Then in Egypt Joseph forms a new link, and that is a most important point in his history. A wife was given to him in the land of his stranger-hood, and children are born to him, and the names given them record the experience of Joseph in Egypt. One name expressed that "God ... hath made me forget all my toil, and all

my father's house", and the other indicated that he was fruitful in the time of his affliction.

I drop now the history of Joseph. I took it up only because it portrays the history of Christ in connection with Israel, and I think too with the church. You will find the history in detail fulfilled in Christ. God sent Him, so to speak, before His brethren. He came after the flesh, but it was God who sent Him. And what would be the hope of Israel in the future if God had not sent a Man before them? Christ did not come as of His own will, but as divinely sent, and in the interests of God's people; and God has now exalted Him "with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins", to turn away "ungodliness from Jacob". God well knew the moral famine that would come to pass in regard to Israel, and sent a Man before them. He had to taste, as a servant, the bitterness of man's rejection of Him; if I might use the expression, 'the iron entered into his soul'. Every class of people is viewed as responsible for the death of Christ; the Jew, of course, first, but in measure also the gentile. You find that in the beginning of Acts, in Peter's quotation from Psalm 2. All agreed in the death of Christ; but the peculiar bitterness was that He was rejected of His own people: "He came to his own, and his own received him not". He had ministered to them in the name of Jehovah, but He was rejected, and it was to Him a bitter experience. When the Lord entered Jerusalem for the last time He wept over it, and said, "If thou hadst known, ... at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes". Jeremiah, Paul, and many another servant of God, felt their rejection by the people of God, and many an expression found in such a book as the Lamentations of Jeremiah could be taken up by the Lord.

But all this was up to a point. "Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him". Christ

had ever borne testimony to that which man could not accept, but would deride; He bore testimony to who He was; He witnessed a good confession; it was His unvarying testimony not only that He was going to suffer, but that He would rise again. He said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up", and again, "Before Abraham was, I AM". He bore testimony to the truth, according to the will of God, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. He spoke that which He heard from the Father, and the word of the Lord tried Him, until His word came. Well, I believe that "His word" was resurrection -- resurrection was the great sign. He had to stand by the word He spoke; and He was raised up. Then in the beginning of the Acts the witness was, "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death". That was the burden of the testimony there; and the gifts and powers of the Holy Spirit were testimony to the exaltation of Christ. The apostles were witnesses and the Holy Spirit; and the raising up of the lame man at the beautiful gate of the temple attested the word of Christ. All His word was fulfilled; He had borne witness that He would sit at the right hand of God, and Stephen looks up into heaven and sees the Son of man at the right hand of God. The word of the Lord tried Him, but His word came. We, too, are tested by the word of the Lord, but we have assurance that it is the word of God. "All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth for ever". We are tested by the word of God, but if we stand to the word it will vindicate us; you see this in the case of Joseph and in the Lord Himself: "Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him".

But Christ was not simply set at liberty in resurrection. If you turn to Philippians 2:9 - 11, you find three great

points: first, exaltation; secondly, that a name is given to Him; and thirdly, authority is conferred on Him -- universal authority. This recalls to us the history of Joseph. Joseph was highly exalted in Egypt, he is second to none, except the king himself, and he gets a name. Now a name is given to Jesus -- and name expresses renown -- authority and renown are given to Christ, and the word is, as in the case of Joseph, "bow the knee"; "That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father". You may trace the history of Christ in that of Joseph. He went into death, but He is set free; He is brought out into a large place, and set "far above all heavens" -- all heavens cannot reach up to the right hand of God, and Christ is set there. We are in the light of the exaltation of Christ; grace has taught us to bow the knee to Jesus; we believe in Him, and confess and rejoice in Him as Lord. But then every knee is to bow to Him, and every tongue to confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. I believe it is most important to apprehend that every soul has got to do with Christ as Lord. God has been pleased to cause light to shine into this world, and the light has its bearing on everybody; I do not know of a person in all the world who is not entitled to enjoy the light of the sun, and that is the only adequate figure of the wideness of God's testimony at the present time; "there is nothing hid from the heat thereof" -- that is, of the gospel. The testimony of God in this world is of the glory of Christ; He is Lord of all on the ground of redemption, and every knee has to bow to Him. Exercise in regard to the gospel is not limited to those who accept it; there are many who tremble at the word, and take up christianity for a time, and yet do not come to the reality of faith; and what is the reason? Does God hinder them? Why, God would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth; there is nothing in the heart of God against any soul believing. I believe that thousands

are exercised about the gospel who never come to believe it. They prefer to hold to something here -- it may be some affection in this world, or to their own will -- and never really come into the light. But that does not alter the fact, the great fact, that the light which has come into the world is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ -- Christ is Lord of all.

But I pass on to speak of the links which are formed in this present time, in which Christ is hidden from His kindred after the flesh. In Joseph's case his kindred had no knowledge of him; as far as they were concerned he might have been torn in pieces by wild beasts; he was hidden from them for the time being. That figures the position of Christ with regard to Israel at the present time. Christ is dead as to them, they know nothing about Him but His crucifixion; they know that they crucified Him, but they know nothing of Him in resurrection. Now I want to speak a little of links that are formed in that time. In Genesis 41:45, we see that Pharaoh gave to Joseph a name -- and a name that was symbolic in a way. He also obtains a wife. What I understand a wife often to represent in Scripture is a covenant, or system, or order of things. Sarah, as we see in the epistle to the Galatians, is used to set forth a covenant or order of things come in; and Hagar to show the legal covenant; and in the case of Joseph we see him identified with what was entirely outside of all that was natural to him; it would have been more natural to him to have married a wife from the land of his fathers.

Now the principle holds good in regard to Christ. He is identified in heaven with another order of things, represented by the wife of Joseph. A verse from Hebrews 7 will make that plain; the law which "made nothing perfect" is set aside -- that is one order of things; but there is "the bringing in of a better hope, ... by the which we draw nigh to God" -- that is the order of

things with which Christ is identified at the present time. The love of God has opened heaven to us -- that is the better hope. We have come unto "mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, the general assembly; and to the church of the firstborn which are written in heaven"; -- that is the order of things with which Christ has become identified during the time of His decease as regards Israel, His people down here. It is wonderful to think that God should open heaven to the Jews; everything was closed to them down here, but when that was so God, in His infinite mercy, opened to them the door of heaven, where Christ has entered as Forerunner, and it is with the better hope that He has identified Himself now. When the soul understands that, it is beautiful to think of Christ being identified with the better hope: we see the answer of God's grace to the wickedness of the Jews. Now, if they would reach Christ, they must go forth to Him "without the camp", but the door of heaven has been opened to them. The death of Christ speaks not simply of the perverseness of the Jews, but of God's glory; and on the ground of that the door of heaven has been opened, and souls have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.

But further, a generation has sprung from that link which Christ has formed -- from the system and order of things with which He is identified. Our souls identify Him with the better hope. He is the priest of that order of things, and the effect upon us is that we are a new generation, "the children of God, without rebuke". Was there ever that generation before Christ was here? There were the children of Abraham, and men of faith, but there was not a generation, before Christ, that understood anything about the Father's love. Such a generation could not come to light until Christ had been down here. Christ brought into the world the love of the

Father. He did not take it away with Him, but left here objects of that love, that, as you get in John 17 "the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them". Jesus did not leave the world as He found it. In one sense He left it darker than He found it; but He left here those who were the objects of the Father's love; to "as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the children of God". They were not here before; but now they are here, a generation of a wholly new order, "blameless and harmless, the children of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world". That is the character of the generation. How much do we answer to it? how much are we instructed in the love of the Father?

I will tell you the true stature of the christian. It is the measure in which he enjoys the love of the Father; he is not measured in Scripture by his faith, but by his love, and his love is dependent upon his appreciation of the Father's love. I love only as I am conscious of the Father's love -- and that is our stature as children of God. Thus we are "without rebuke". The world itself has not improved morally; it is a crooked and perverse nation still; the pulpits of this country are largely used to disseminate error. But we are in the light; for you could not shine as lights in the world except as being in the light; you shine as reflecting light from Christ; in the light of His love we shine, and we hold forth the testimony of life; light marks this generation, and it comes forth in life.

The satisfaction which Joseph had in the soul, given him in Egypt, is illustrative of the satisfaction which Christ has in the generation of which I have spoken, so that Christ can say, "God ... hath made me forget all my toil, and all my Father's house". He will rejoin His kindred, as did Joseph, but in the meantime God has made Him to forget His toil in His satisfaction in the generation which has been begotten to Him, in the time

of His separation, in the children of God, who are in the enjoyment of the love of the Father. He is fruitful in the time of His affliction; He "shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied". We are all begotten in the time of Christ's rejection by His own people; we are in the light of His glory, but at the same time we have to remember that He is disallowed of men. Man's disallowance of Christ was expressed in death; but the One disallowed is chosen of God, and precious -- that is shown in resurrection. If you accept the disallowance, we too are disallowed, and have to "work out" our "own salvation with fear and trembling"; but in apprehending Christ, as "chosen of God and precious", we are loved of the Father, are the elect of God, holy and beloved. We are partners with Christ in His rejection, but shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life. We look for the Bridegroom; the Spirit and the bride say "Come"; and then there is the appeal, "Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" -- the word of life is held forth in the generation which is the satisfaction of Christ in the time of His rejection. That is what marks the present time, and I think you can thus trace in Christ the history of Joseph.

There is one forcible expression in Psalm 105 "Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him". You need to stand firm to the word of the Lord in the midst of a great deal that is contrary to it; the Lord was it, and stood to it amid opposition and ridicule, until His word came. And by the grace of God we must stand to it.

When the world has passed away the word of the Lord endureth for ever. Joseph stood to his word, and got the answer in liberty, exaltation, a new name, and authority; but there is a much greater satisfaction than all this. May God lead us into the sense of it, the satisfaction to the heart of Christ, so that He can say, "God ... hath made me forget all my toil, and all my

Father's house", and He is fruitful in a strange land.

May God give us to see the reality of this, and the marks of that generation which has, if I may use the expression, sprung from Christ in the time of His decease from His own people. He will be the Saviour to the latter eventually, to give them remission of sins.

JOSEPH AS A MAN OF FAITH

Hebrews 11:17 - 23, 27

I desire, in speaking a little more about Joseph, to pass on to what is more personal, to look at Joseph as a man of faith; it is that which is before me at this time. We have had Joseph before us on previous occasions in different lights: we began with him as a dreamer, then we saw him as an interpreter of dreams, then as the saviour of his brethren; but there was something greater than all that in Joseph, and far more interesting to us. The truth of this is recorded in the Old Testament, but in Hebrews 11 we get the Spirit's note of Joseph's faith. I would rather see him as a man of faith than in any other light. His early conduct showed him to be a God-fearing man, but there was not much evidence of faith; it is another thing later on to see him as a man of faith.

All that was connected with his advancement in Egypt was of the providence of God. God cared, in His providence, for the preservation of His people, the household of Jacob, and what happened in the history of Joseph was really for the preservation of the sons of Jacob. These dealings were providential; no one could think that the sons of Jacob were in the light of God -- the only one we could speak of, with any kind of certainty, as in the light, was Joseph. But God has everything at His disposal, and He can use all for the benefit of His people. He has done that for Israel, and at the present moment you can see how He causes things to work for His people. The family of Jacob was cared for in the famine; Joseph was the instrument of their preservation; but his own greatness was not in connection with the light but with the providence of God. Egypt was idolatrous and obnoxious to God, but Joseph was a great man in Egypt, and God was with

him. It was God's will that Joseph should have exaltation in Egypt, and all that may have a typical teaching; but after all the state of things was allowed in the providence of God, and in it Joseph was permitted to become great and to form certain links.

In contrast to that I want to bring Joseph before you in the light and line of God's testimony. This is of the deepest interest; there is nothing that interests me more than the line of God's testimony running through scripture. I have likened it to the building of an arch -- the arch is built up bit by bit, until at last the keystone is put in place; now we have come to the keystone, to the arch of testimony which God was building up in the souls of men, and we see what particular place each person occupies in that line of testimony. Joseph has his place there, and as a man of faith he was greater than in his greatness in Egypt. It is remarkable that it is in dying he comes out as the man of faith. You get the same thing in the case of Jacob. "By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff". And so Joseph in dying spoke concerning the departure of the children of Israel, and gave commandment concerning his bones.

I will take up the subject of God's testimony in a little larger way than in connection with Joseph. I dare say you have noticed, in reading the scripture, the persons in whom faith is illustrated; the line of testimony extends in a special way from Abraham to David. The links are maintained in certain persons -- Joseph is one of them; after Joseph no other person is mentioned until Moses. As to place, it begins with Canaan and ends with Canaan. God calls Abraham out into a country which he should after receive for an inheritance, and the climax of faith as given in Hebrews 11 is that the walls of Jericho fall down; the Israelites are in the land. This is the sphere and extent of God's testimony.

The point in God's dealings with these men was to

make known to them that the ground on which He was acting was that of resurrection. I think that is a point of great moment to us, as to them; it is specially marked in Abraham; he received Isaac again from the dead in figure. It was at the end of God's dealings with him. Everything that comes out to others afterwards is upon that ground. These illustrations of faith follow one upon another. I will make that plain presently. Isaac follows upon Abraham, and Joseph follows upon Jacob, and Moses follows upon Joseph; there is a moral sequence.

The principle of resurrection is elaborated in connection with God's dealings with Abraham in Romans 4. It recalls Abraham. "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness", and it says that he believed in God who quickens the dead; and as to us, it says, "who believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification". God presents Himself to us in His testimony, on the ground and basis of resurrection, and in regard of this Abraham is our father. To get a clear thought as to that is important; I do not think you will be able otherwise to understand the ways of God. God has acted in regard of men in the person of His Son outside of sin and law and flesh, as known in the world, that is the import of resurrection, as the basis of God's ways. Death has terminated man, but vicariously in the death of Christ; the blood is the witness of death. "Christ ... hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God", and God presents Himself to man as acting outside of sin and the law and the flesh; He presents Himself to man in the One who has been raised again from the dead. God has set forth Jesus as a mercy-seat, through faith in His blood. God has spoken to us "in his Son", sin, the law, and the flesh, all having for Him come to an end in death -- death is their termination. And so, too, in application to us, the truth is that "he that is dead is justified from sin", death is the end of the captivity of

sin; then as to law, we are "dead to the law by the body of the Christ", the death of Christ is the end of that bond; and as regards the flesh, how could flesh pass death? It may take a long time before I get practically free, but God in His testimony presents Himself in Christ entirely outside of all these questions. He has nothing at this time to say to man on that ground. The One in whom God presents Himself to man is a life-giving Spirit. There is but one Man before God in resurrection, and that is Christ. He has anticipated Adam in that respect; you have to learn that lesson, and that the one Man before God in resurrection is a life-giving Spirit. Then Christ has gone to the right hand of God, and has sent down the Holy Spirit. When you apprehend the light of God, there are two things for you -- Christ and the Holy Spirit. Christ as the object of faith, raised from the dead -- there is thus life out of death; and the gift of the Holy Spirit; and there is now nothing else. If you could put sin and flesh and the law out of account entirely, what is left to you and to me? Nothing in that sense. God has had to say to us in Christ in grace, and there is left to us simply Christ risen, and the Holy Spirit. It is in the apprehension of Christ risen that a man is justified; you apprehend that it is the mind of God to justify. If God presents Himself to me without raising any of the questions I have referred to, it tells me that His mind is to justify, and God does not raise any of the questions connected with responsibility, but shows us a way of deliverance from all. And then I partake of the life of that Man; I am on the ground of resurrection. I want you to apprehend that the ground on which God addresses Himself to man is that of resurrection -- life out of death in Christ. All God's testimony is in Christ, and He presents Himself in Christ of necessity as the Victor, and there is nothing left to us or for us but Christ. The world is left an absolute waste, there is nothing in it of life: "We ... judge, that if one died for all, then were all

dead". There is but one Man before God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He has given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the point for christians is to hasten to get deliverance from sin and the flesh, to be practically apart from them for God.

Now, as we have seen, God began to teach this principle of resurrection to Abraham, and the great lesson that he had to learn was the closing lesson with him. Abraham had had to cast Ishmael out of his house, but the most severe discipline he had to be passed through was the offering up of Isaac. If we knew Christ after the flesh now, there would be no present salvation for man. I can understand Ishmael being cast out, but it is much deeper that in the ways of God Isaac must be offered. Christ in all His perfection as after the flesh must die; all after the flesh must go, even in its perfection, as we see it in Christ down here. But Abraham received Isaac again, in figure raised from the dead, when typically all after the flesh had gone. God made plain to Abraham the foundation of His dealings in grace with man in the death and resurrection of Christ. Abraham, perhaps, did not understand it fully; he had not the light of Romans, but I am sure Abraham was a long way on, for he believed in God "who quickens the dead" -- he apprehended that God would act outside of man in the flesh, and God has acted in that way.

When we come to Isaac we see in him a type of the heavenly Man; Isaac brings out the truth that the church must come in before Israel; Rebecca comes in before Jacob; that is taught in figure in the Old Testament. Isaac gets the church -- Rebecca; and this anticipates Israel, the head of the earthly family. Christ is to sit on the throne of David and to rule over the house of Jacob for ever; but in figure the risen man Isaac comes in between Abraham and Jacob. Isaac blesses both his sons, Jacob and Esau; God could not in blessing be limited to the family after the flesh, and I think Isaac, in a way, learnt that lesson; the line of promise was in

Jacob, but in dying Isaac blesses both Esau and Jacob, I almost think that God uses men sometimes in faith beyond their intelligence; perhaps that is too much to say, but they have the light for the moment, and they act in that light. But it is not the same thing with us as with them. We are in the light as God is in the light; the history of Old Testament saints shows that they acted in the light of the moment.

Then Jacob blesses both the sons of Joseph -- that is remarkable; Joseph had the birthright: he was not the firstborn, but he got the portion of the firstborn -- a double portion. Elisha desired a double portion of Elijah's spirit, a firstborn's portion. Here both the sons of Joseph were blessed by Jacob. This had the effect of making thirteen tribes, thus going beyond the limits of administrative order. You cannot limit the God of resurrection by administrative order; there are the saints risen together with Christ outside of administration on the earth, they belong to heaven.

As far as I understand the church, it was set up here entirely in the power of the Holy Spirit, I do not think the apostles had anything much of administration before them. They have a place in administration -- they are to sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. But there is something greater than administration, and that is the church's relation to the Father; the identification with Christ of the many sons that God is bringing to glory. The church is the seat of perfect administration as the assembly of the living God; but it is the assembly of the firstborn which are written in heaven, and that is morally a greater thought. If you apprehend the God of resurrection, you cannot limit God to administration, any more than you can limit God's blessing to the line of the flesh, and it is in that way that I understand that Jacob blessed both the sons of Joseph. That is what he did when this world was fading out of view; and he worshipped, leaning on the top of his staff.

There are two things that mark Joseph at the end: he made mention of the departing of the children of Israel, and gave commandment concerning his bones. Resurrection is the ground upon which God delivered His people out of Egypt; and the fact is this, except God acted on the ground of resurrection, there are questions which God would have to raise with men. But the blood was the witness of death; God's righteousness had been vindicated, and in the Red Sea God had, as we have seen, acted on the ground of resurrection, apart from the question of sin, or the law, or flesh, to bring His people into His light. The brightest moment of Jacob's life, if I might say so, was his death; the fathers died in faith, and Jacob's brightest moment was perhaps when he died. So with Joseph: all his greatness in Egypt was gone, everything had faded from view, and what comes before him was that his brethren were in Egypt, and he makes mention of their departing; God would interfere for them, and deliver them out of the land of Egypt. And yet Egypt had been the scene of his glory; his children were born there, his links were there, but in the hour of his dying Egypt was gone from him. My conviction is that if Joseph had lived in the time of Moses, Joseph would have done what Moses did, for Moses carried out that of which Joseph spoke. Joseph had light to speak about it, but the time was not yet come for action; still, it formed part of the testimony of the God of resurrection, and all of that testimony will be made good in the power of resurrection. God does not deliver Israel out of Egypt again; it was the God of resurrection who brought them out. They never understood that, but, nevertheless, He was in that light, delivering His people out of the bondage of Egypt.

Joseph had not only light in that way, but he "gave commandment concerning his bones"; he would not leave any memorial in Egypt, and yet Egypt was the land of his greatness. After the flesh he might have

looked to have a statue in Egypt, but he would not leave even his bones there. That is where Joseph shines out as a man of faith, and, as I said, had he lived in the time of Moses he would have been the instrument of God's deliverance from Egypt. The strength and ability of Moses after the flesh could not deliver the people of God, only God could do this; faith brought in the light and the power of God, and therefore had Joseph lived in the time of Moses he would have been the deliverer of Israel. Joseph and Moses are brought together in Acts 7, both as being in the first instance rejected of the people, and yet ultimately the instruments of God to deliver them.

Joseph lived in his own day, and had to enjoy the light that God gave him; and a man can never go beyond his faith, he can act only on the light he has from God. But if Joseph had lived in our day, he would have understood that he was risen with Christ! I gather that from the fact that he would not leave a memorial in Egypt. Most of us have some kind of a name there, and I believe that until a person has entered into the mind of God for him by faith, until he sees that God's mind toward him is that he is risen with Christ, he will not be willing to give up his name in the world. It is just as much the mind of God for us that we are risen with Christ, as that we are justified, and until it can be said of us that we are risen with Christ, I do not think we are clear of the reproach of Egypt. Joseph did not desire a memento in Egypt; in death his name died out with him, and his bones were not to be left there; not even would he be buried out of sight there -- the break with Egypt in that sense was complete. Egypt had gone from view; Joseph would have been delighted to enter into the blessed truth of resurrection with Christ. It was when the children of Israel reached Gilgal that the reproach of Egypt was rolled away. People are not cleared of the reproach of Egypt when they are justified. It is a blessed thing to enter into deliverance from sin

and the flesh and law; but it is a greater thing to be in spirit outside of all that is national and religious, where there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, but where Christ is all and in all, where everything is pervaded and regulated by the affections of Christ. If Christ is all and in all, He is in all in the sense of divine affections, and that is the scene which God has for His people. We do not find people always prepared to give up the Jew and the Greek; they cling a good bit to distinctions after the flesh, but these things have no place in God's mind for us; it is just as much His mind for us to know our place in the christian circle as that we are justified. You would be wise to accept the thought of God about you. Joseph and Moses would have done so had they lived in our day.

Now, beloved, we accept the mind of God, and this is by faith; but then, if you enter into the mind of God, the work of God is corresponding to it. He has "quickened" you "together with Christ", so that you can be with Christ without hindrance. It is not faith that brings you into conscious association with Christ, but God's work, so that you may be qualified for the greatness of the position which God has for you.

But to be quickened with Christ means to be rejected in the world, and perhaps, too, not to have a very great place in the providence of God -- you may not be favoured in that way. His providence is a veil behind which God hides Himself. But if you are sharing Christ's rejection you will certainly get glory with Him. If you suffer with Him now, you will be associated with Him in the day of His glory; you form part of the heavenly city which has the glory of God, and in which God will Himself be in connection with the whole universe of bliss.

The men of whom we have spoken acted up to the light which God gave them. It was limited, and in a sense their faith came out when they were dying; but I think you will accept what I have said, that they

would have thankfully accepted the light of God, that they were "risen with Christ", and the reproach of Egypt rolled away, where the "body of the flesh" is put off not only for God, but for you too.

May God give us to enter into His mind, so that we may be prepared for the refusal of any name, or renown, or repute in the world.

JOSEPH'S WORD OF HIS GLORY IN EGYPT

Genesis 45:1 - 15; John 16:7 - 15

Taking up this scripture may have the appearance of going back, since last time we had before us the close of Joseph's career. But it struck me that there was a point which it was of some moment to see. I do not look upon Joseph as being at all times typical of Christ. I doubt if here he is typical. I use the history of Joseph only in the way of an analogy, and you do get striking analogies in Scripture. The analogy in Joseph is to what Christ is doing at the present moment, to the position and action of Christ; and that is a very important point.

The first time we were together the point before us was the beginning of Joseph's history. He had the testimony of God. We do not see him at the beginning as the man of faith, but as having a testimony from God. That testimony was to his own exaltation; his brethren and his father and mother were all to bow down to him. Now before anybody is exalted according to God, testimony must be borne to it; we see this principle in the case of the Lord. He bore testimony to His exaltation when He rode into Jerusalem on an ass; He claimed what was His in the way of testimony. The church, too, is here in witness to its own place in association with Christ -- its moral exaltation. It is in that way that I understand the epistle to the Ephesians; the church stands to its place of union with Christ, and that testimony precedes the actual exaltation. You first get moral exaltation, for that is the great thing with God.

Now, Joseph reached in due course the glory of which he had testified; he may have been the greatest man of his time; he was in a peculiar position, second to none but Pharaoh; he had everything at his disposal; the administration of Egypt was committed to him, and his

brethren had to come down and bow themselves to him. They did not at first know him, but eventually he makes himself known to them, and he sends by them to his father the tidings of his glory in Egypt. That is now my point. Then his father was to come to him in Egypt, for that was the object of Joseph sending; and if Jacob had not come down to Joseph in Egypt, he would have come to want (verse 11). Joseph was urgent in the matter; he lays stress upon his glory in the land of Egypt, and desires his father Jacob to come down with all his household into Egypt. Now, as I said, I am not taking this up as typical, but only by way of analogy.

Joseph is no doubt, in a great deal of his history, figurative of Christ; he is spoken of in that way in Acts 7. We see him there as the deliverer of his brethren, though first rejected of them; he is, like Moses, a figure of the Deliverer of God's people. But I do not see in what is before us that Joseph was quite a figure of Christ, though you get certain points which illustrate the position and activity of Christ at the present moment. In John 16 Christ speaks of going to the greatest place -- the place of supreme honour and glory; and He would send down here a testimony to His glory; when He goes His way to Him that sent Him, He sends down the Holy Spirit. The Lord says to them, "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send him to you". He speaks of the coming of the Comforter, and of what the Comforter will do: "He shall take of mine, and shall show it to you" -- He was to bear witness to the disciples of the glory of Christ, so that their hearts might be attracted to Him. They were to reach Him in that sense; if they did not act on the testimony that came to them, the effect would be that they would come to spiritual poverty. So in regard to the present day: if christians do not act on the testimony that has come down to them, they come to spiritual poverty. Probably the bulk of christians in the present day are

suffering from spiritual poverty. They hardly fulfil the functions of priests, to which God has called them. I see in the epistle to the Romans the idea of a good christian in the wilderness, and in a sense you cannot go beyond that; but I do not see much about the priest there. You have the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit but after all the fringe of God's purpose is hardly touched. We have to go to other scriptures to find all that the Holy Spirit has come down to testify of the glory of Christ. All this is much like Joseph in the land of Egypt, hidden from his brethren, in a position of great honour and glory. And what led Joseph to send word of his glory to his father was that he had strong affection for his father. I think he had affection too for his brethren, badly as they had treated him; but he had been the favourite son of his father, and loved his father. I do not think Joseph sent to his father simply to preserve his life from famine and death, but he had pleasure in the thought of the company of the one he loved; and that is the difference between love and philanthropy. A philanthropist does not necessarily care for the company of those he ministers to; a millionaire may give much to benefit man, but the evidence of love is that it delights in the company of those upon whom it showers favour.

So, though one object with Joseph was that his father and his household might escape famine, yet one can see a deeper motive -- the promptings of real affection. And if we love one another, what we desire is the company of one another. Do you think that I could believe that a person really loved me, if he did not desire my company? If I have real affection for christians I shall desire their company.

Now I leave Joseph and come to John 16. The Lord was going to the Father, and that was the greatest possible place. The Lord Himself had said, "My Father is greater than I"; He came forth from the Father, and He was now going back to the Father.

The ground on which He was going to His Father was that the Father's will had been completely accomplished; everything that stood in the way of divine counsels had been removed. Jesus said, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work", and now He goes back to the Father. It is brought out prominently in the gospel of John that "all things that the Father hath are mine". This came out first by His own testimony, and then in the testimony of the Holy Spirit: "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand". Everything is centred in the Son, so the Lord says, "He shall glorify me; for ... he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you". I will endeavour to make it plain to you that the Holy Spirit was sent down here in testimony to what was Christ's. If you read John 16 you can see that verses 8 to 11 are, in a sense, parenthetical; the direct line of the Lord's communications goes on from verse 7 to verse 12. The Spirit, when He came, would convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that is to say, incidental to His presence here. In view of the rejection of Christ, everything was brought to an issue; sin and righteousness had come into conflict, and the result was judgment -- the "prince of this world is judged". The whole world-system is judged in the presence of the Holy Spirit; it is not a question of judging persons, but the system is laid bare and judged. Sin and righteousness never came perfectly to an issue until Christ was here, but now all is judged for God and for the christian who has the light of the Holy Spirit.

But the point was that the Holy Spirit, when He came, was to bring into view another system -- a system of things that lay in the Father's counsels. There is nothing more important for us to apprehend than that God is sovereign in what He creates; it was so in regard to the first creation. If God sees fit to create millions of suns, He does so according to the sovereignty of His will. And if He sees fit to display His love, He is

sovereign in the display of His love. God has His own plans and purposes, but the Object in all -- the One who was to be displayed in them -- was the Son. "All ... that the Father hath are mine" -- all that system of things that lies in the Father's counsel is centred in the Son; it is the glory of the Son. The glory of the Son is this, that having become man to give effect to divine counsels, He becomes the Head and Centre of those counsels. He has power to give "eternal life to as many" as the Father had given to Him; the Father's counsels all have the Son for their Object and Centre.

In Ephesians 3 the apostle prays to "the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom every family in heaven and earth is named". I cannot tell you what those families are, but they are named of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Every family is named according to the place in which the Father is pleased to set it. In Psalm 45 you can see earthly families; or you can turn to the Book of the Revelation, and try to make out the different families mentioned there. All those families centre in Christ, who is the Head of every family. I would like to see more clearly the relation in which Christ stands to every family. I can in measure see in what relation He stands to the patriarchs and to Israel, and in some sort the way in which He stands to the church; but there are evidently other families referred to in Scripture. It would be a great study to find the light in which Christ stands to every family in heaven and on earth, all of which have their names from the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we apprehend the greatness of the Father's purposes, we get enlargement of heart; you cannot know anything of the testimony of the Holy Spirit without getting enlargement of heart. But one finds that the hearts of people are so engaged with the things of this world, and they will not get enlargement of heart from these. What brings enlargement is the testimony of the Holy Spirit to the glory of Christ.

Now the effect of this was to lead the hearts of the

disciples to the place where Christ was; it could not have any other effect. The Holy Spirit did not come to leave people down here, but to conduct their souls to Christ where He is. Like the servant of Abraham, who was sent to conduct Rebecca to Isaac, so the Holy Spirit conducts us to Christ where He is. The testimony to the glory of Christ could not have any other effect. What led to the Lord's sending this testimony was affection towards the disciples. It is a difficult thing to take in the thought that the Lord loves us; we may challenge ourselves as to how much we love Christ, but your love to Christ will not be greater than your appreciation of the love of Christ to you. "We love him because he first loved us". Now if Christ loves the church, He has pleasure in the company of the church; and this must be so, because company is what I would call the exigency of love. Love will have company; so Christ will present the church "to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing".

So if Christ sent down the Holy Spirit to make known His glory to the disciples, the object of the Holy Spirit was to lead them to where Christ is with the Father. If you read the latter part of John 16 you will see how the Lord brings out the liberty that they would have with the Father. He says: "The Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me". The Holy Spirit has come down to conduct us to where Christ is; but if you do not give the Holy Spirit His place, you will undoubtedly suffer from spiritual famine. You can see people all round suffering from spiritual poverty because they do not apprehend the glory of Christ, and therefore do not see their place in connection with that glory. The church is a most important item in the glory of Christ; there is no company in heaven or on earth so intimately bound up with the glory of Christ; and as you understand your proper place in connection with the glory of Christ, you will get more and more insight into that glory. The church is that which is given of the Father

to Christ in the day of His rejection by Israel; and the Holy Spirit has come down to show His glory, and thus to conduct the church to where Christ is in glory. And if you do not give the Holy Spirit His proper place, you will surely suffer spiritual loss.

Now the prayer in Ephesians 3 brings out the state in the christian which enables him to enter into John 16. You see all the divine Persons in activity here, or two of them, at all events -- that is, the Father and the Spirit; and this, I think, makes it run pretty much with John 16. The apostle bows his knees to the "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"; the movement springs from the Father, it is effectuated by the Holy Spirit. Saints are to be "strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man", and the object is that the "Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith". So the source is the Father, the energy is the Spirit, and the end that the Christ dwells in your hearts by faith. In order that this state may be produced two things are necessary -- one is love, and the other the knowledge of love. These are the two things that the Spirit produces; you are rooted and grounded in love, that is the effect of the Holy Spirit in dwelling. The love of God is shed abroad in the heart; the Holy Spirit is here in testimony to the love of God, and the object of that testimony is that we may be formed in love. It is a good way on when we are rooted and grounded in love. The love presented to you has had effect. Then you begin to comprehend with all saints what is the length and breadth, and depth and height. I connect that with John 16 with all that is connected with the glory of Christ. We come to comprehend the whole range of divine counsel, and to see how God has effected it all; we see not only what God effects, but His wisdom is displayed in the way in which He has effected it. All is by Christ; of course, it is in the immediate power of the Holy Spirit, but Christ is the wisdom of God, and all God's ways are carried through in Christ. It is of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that every family in

heaven and earth is named, and they get their character from Christ. Christ is the second Man as well as the last Adam, and every family must take its character from Him.

The company in the Revelation that stands before the throne without guile, where do they get that from? Why, from Christ. And those who love God with all their heart, and their neighbour as themselves, they get that from Christ. And the church "rooted and grounded in love" has that from Christ; everything is from Christ -- takes its character from Him. The Holy Spirit has come down here in testimony of the love of God, but where do we see the love of God displayed? In the death of Christ -- "God commendeth his love to us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us". Now, being rooted and grounded in love, you are able to comprehend the whole range of wisdom and glory. And then you come to another thing, you "know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge", you get exceeding power in being "rooted and grounded in love" -- that is the work of the Holy Spirit. I feel we are not simple enough, or contented to leave ourselves in the hand of the Spirit; but it is when we are rooted and grounded in love that we comprehend with all saints -- it is then that we get intelligence and wisdom. A man of the world cannot touch divine things, for he has not got the capacity. Rooted and grounded in love is the capacity; acquaintance with Scripture in the letter of it will not enable one to enter into God's wisdom. For that you must have a man of another order, the man rooted and grounded in love by the work of the Holy Spirit. Then you can comprehend what is the breadth and length, and depth and height, and know the love of Christ, that passeth knowledge. The Holy Spirit exercises a wonderful power down here, shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts, that He may form us according to that love; and then making known to us the glory of Christ, so that we might know what is the

length and breadth, and depth and height, and then that we may know the love of Christ, that passeth knowledge, "that ye may be filled ... unto all the fulness of God".

It is that which I wanted to bring before you. I took up Joseph on account of the analogy he presented. But the Holy Spirit is come in testimony to Christ, sent from the Father -- from the very source from which Christ Himself came, everything having been accomplished for God. Now, if you have only the state for it, you may know the love of Christ, that passeth knowledge, the practical effect of which is that in the church there is that which is adequate for the full expression of God. God has introduced a man of a new order, a man of completely new powers, rooted and grounded in love. Man of every order after the flesh, whether philosophic or scientific, or of great powers of assimilation, cannot comprehend God's wisdom. What could Christ have thought of the cobwebs that men spin down here? What would philosophy have seemed to Christ? He had all the light of God, saw through all the theories and systems of men. "He taketh the wise in their own craftiness". And if we are rooted and grounded in love, we can comprehend the breadth and length, and depth and height, and know the love of Christ.

May God give to us to know these two great principles -- the love of God and the glory of Christ, that which is the fruit and expression of the Father's counsel. I have thought much of the importance of our hearts being kept continually in the light of God's testimony, and that is by the Holy Spirit; it cannot but have the greatest effect upon us, for we are formed in that way in the divine nature.

THE SPIRIT CHARACTERISTIC, AND AS WITNESS

1 John 4:7 - 15; 1 John 5:18 - 21

I think there is not any truth much more practically important than that of the setting aside of the first man, and I fear it is comparatively poorly understood. It does not mean simply the introduction of another Man, but what is even morally above that: the introduction of all that is of God. That is to my mind the great importance of it. I do not think that any one can understand christianity or scripture unless they accept the truth of what has been effected for God. We continually and habitually look at things as under our own eyes, but we should view them not so much from our side but as they are under the eye of God. Nothing can be plainer to any reasonable person than that the introduction of another, a second Man, involves that the first man is set aside. He has disappeared to God's glory in the death of God's own Son, and God has brought in another Man. The first man's death was not for God's pleasure, but faith apprehends that in the death of Christ he has been removed to the glory of God, in order that the second Man might fill the scene. The second Man is presented in a remarkable way at the present time as the Head of every man. It does not say that He is to be Head, but "the head of every man is Christ". Nothing could make more plain than does that passage that there is but one Man before God, and that is the second Man.

There is another point consequent on this, namely, that everything is to be taken up under that Man. I do not care what it is, human life and relationships are all under Him. The true character of everything is expressed in Him. Even as to marriage, the pattern is Christ and the church. Everything for God is now

expressed in that Man, and all is to be taken up in Him. I can conceive nothing of more importance than this for the right understanding of christianity. When God again takes up the earth, all will be carried out according to the second Man, not according to the first man. Hence you can understand the great importance of the church coming out as the bride, the Lamb's wife. The nations walk in the light of that, and everything is brought into accord with the second Man. The second Man will give order and character to everything here, and if we are in the light of the Lord, that is what is true now to us in christianity. I do not believe the eye of God rests with satisfaction on anything down here, save that which is of the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit is come down representatively, in that sense, of the Man in heaven. He did not come till Jesus was glorified. What we have to judge of is how far things down here have their source in the Spirit of God. Take what you like down here, everything morally, even the way we carry out natural obligations, all is to have its source in the Spirit of God. In that way, as I understand Romans 8, the Spirit is everything. The Spirit is life in view of righteousness.

I read these passages only to make two or three remarks upon them. In chapter 4 you have the Spirit of God as characteristic. In chapter 5 the Spirit is seen in another light, not as characteristic, but as witness; witnessing to One who is absent. Chapter 4 connects itself with the testimony of saints; hence the Spirit is characteristic. On the other hand, when the question is of privilege, the Spirit is witness -- He represents here the Son of God. We first need to learn the Spirit as characteristic, for when you learn the Holy Spirit in that light you see that He gives a divine character morally to all here. That is the point in chapter 4: it stands quite distinct in that way from chapter 5.

No one preaches the gospel as knowing it doctrinally, but because he is in the secret and spring of the gospel,

that is what comes out in chapter 4. I doubt if any one could preach the gospel effectively otherwise. We need to be in the source of it; that is where we get the good of it. We read in verse 9: "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world". Now we have the thought of testimony in that verse manifestly. But there is a very important statement before that. "If we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us". That statement is conditional. And then afterwards, "we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world". The gospel comes out with power when the saints love one another. When they are abiding in unity, and the love of God is perfected in them, then they bear witness that "the Father sent the Son", &c.

I feel pretty confident that we are defective in that respect. I doubt if the spoken testimony is not thus much marred and hindered. I take it to be the reason of the little apparent result in connection with the gospel in the present day. The testimony of God was in the saints collectively. The church was to be the perfect expression down here of the love of God in Christ, the only-begotten Son. God's love was perfect in the One the Father sent, and saints were to be here the expression of that love in Him. It is vain to say we love God if we do not love one another; but in loving one another God's love is perfected in us in the way of expression or witness down here; and this points on to what is to come out in

the heavenly city. The city comes out having the glory of God, her light like unto a stone most precious. It is the expression and witness of the nature of God, not simply of His attributes, and that is what the church is left for down here. The Lord prays for this in John 17"That 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;" that there might be a witness thus in the world that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. You get the statement "because he has given us of his Spirit", and thus the Spirit is characteristic. If saints are in the reality of God's love, they are a powerful witness of that love. I suppose that if we love one another as saints, it is because we are in the love of God. I can understand natural affection, that exists even in the brute creation. But the love of saints is divine affection, pure, fervent, holy love; if there be anything of that, the secret and spring of it must surely be God Himself, and we abide in God in the sense of His love. His love is enlarged upon very greatly in this chapter; hence it is that we love one another. The secret is that we are in the spring of love -- we abide in the love of God. And then it is we "have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world", for this is the expression of divine love. Divine love came into activity when the Father sent the Son, and that testimony is now on the part of those whose hearts are abiding in the spring of love, and that is God's nature. And we love one another -- that is our witness -- because our hearts are abiding in the spring of love. God has given to us of His Spirit, that there should be an expression of Himself in this world. We are made partakers of the divine nature that God may be characteristically expressed in the saints down here. It is not a mere question of profession (that we avow or profess to know God), but that we are maintained in holy affections one toward another. There is an expression of love. His love is perfected in us. He

has given to us of His Spirit. We speak of the Spirit, and rightly, as a divine Person; but I think I see the Spirit characteristically, the bringing in of what is morally of God. And now we are made to live in the Spirit, to partake in the character of God, that God, in what He is morally, may be expressed in the saints. We are together in holy love, and this is testimony that "the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world". It is important to bear in mind that our testimony here is more in what we are than in what we say. God intended to have a testimony of saints in unity. The unity of the saints will never be restored here, but I am sure that it will come out in the heavenly city by and by, and in that sense we have it now as heavenly light. But we need to go back to divine principles, and a first principle is fervent love one to another. If we are burning with this, the effect will be increased activity in the testimony which is the outcome of divine love. We participate in God's Spirit.

Now if you turn to chapter 5, there we have the Spirit, not characteristic but witnessing. See verses 10 and 11, "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son". And verse 20, "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life".

Now it is said there are three that bear witness. In this we are coming to privilege. The epistle closes with this: God has brought us to the furthest point to which He could bring us on earth. John is not here carrying us into heavenly places. The apostle Paul does that, but John brings us to the furthest point to which we can come on earth, as things are, and that is to eternal life.

We are in Him that is true, and He is the true God, and eternal life; that I understand to be connected with the witness of the Spirit. The Spirit is the witness of the Son of God now at God's right hand. The Son of God is not here, but the Spirit is here to witness to Him. There are two other witnesses spoken of, but the Spirit is evidently the witness of the Son of God. If the Son of God were here, we should not want a witness, but the Son not being here, we have the Spirit to witness of Him. What that brings us to is this -- we can be brought to the Son of God here, the Witness brings us to Him. The two other witnesses -- the water and the blood, are necessary, for we are actually down here in responsible life; and the blood is witness that we are free from imputation that we may be perfect as to conscience. The water speaks of cleansing from pollution. You have the witness and you know its virtue. It would be no gain to you if you did not know its virtue. The virtue of the blood is that by the one offering Christ has perfected for ever them that are sanctified. No question can be raised on that score; we are perfected as to conscience, and washed as to our bodies with pure water. You are washed that you may be before God clear in regard to all connected with responsibility, but the positive witness is the Spirit to the Son of God. That brings us to verse 20. He "hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true". Saints are now capable by the understanding given them. They are not actually quickened yet, but they are quickened in point of affections; they are capable of knowing Him that is true. "This is the eternal life, that they should know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent". Thus we are capable in point of divine affections. The secret of understanding lies in affection. There is no real knowledge of divine things apart from affection. The apostle Paul prayed for the Colossians, "That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding".

You will not get understanding of divine Persons or divine things apart from the presence of affection. Christ has made us capable in that respect, He "hath given us an understanding", &c. You will not know divine Persons simply through the study of scripture, but you have an unction from the Holy One, and know all things. He has given us too an understanding. How many of us have set out to get at the knowledge of God by the study of scripture! But true knowledge is from within, the understanding which Christ has given, and that is "that we may know him that is true".

Then there is another point, "We are in him that is true". You belong to that circle of which He is the centre. This brings in the blessed thought of association with Christ, we are in Him that is true, and know what He is -- "the true God, and eternal life". God has brought us there in His Son. It is the place of privilege, and I think the furthest point to which God could bring us down here. We are risen with Christ, and quickened together with Him. That is how Paul expresses it. John expresses the same thing, but in different terms from Paul. The great point is our being brought into association with Christ risen, and John brings us to this when he says, He "hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ". I think everybody would be prepared to admit that if Christ is eternal life, there can be no eternal life where Christ is not. It is brought in at the present time by the Witness; there is One here, representative of the Son of God, and it is in our place of association with the Son of God, in the power of the Holy Spirit, that we touch the reality of eternal life. The Spirit is here as witness of the Son of God in glory, and the witness is efficient; the witness is competent, and equivalent to the One He is witness of. We never could come up to the One witnessed of else. He has given us an understanding. I think it is a wonderful thing to see that the saints are competent in

point of affection, though not yet quickened actually.

Just another word I would say. The testimony of God is seen in His own character, and I do not think anything has the true character and ring of testimony but what is of God; no mere human utterance. The true testimony of God down here is really after God Himself, the new man's testimony. The new man is created after God -- in righteousness and holiness.

Saints are to abide in divine love, their hearts imbued with love, and they will then manifest what is characteristic of God. Thus you get the testimony -- the Father sent the Son, the Saviour of the world.

On the other hand you get the Spirit, the witness, in connection with which the saints are in association with the Son of God in divine love in a scene where divine love can rest in eternal and perfect complacency.

There are many things which apply to us down here besides this, discipline and purging and such like, which are also expressions of divine love; but there is a spot where divine love rests, and we are brought to that spot in connection with the witness to the One who is "the true God, and eternal life;" and love rests there. It is not purging or discipline there, but love in perfect rest and complacency.

CHILDREN AND SONS

Luke 12:22 - 32; John 3:1 - 3; Ephesians 1:3 - 6; Ephesians 2:18

Rem. The name of Father in the gospels hardly goes so far as in John's epistle. There are three leading thoughts in it -- care, love, and glory.

F.E.R. What difference do you make in the thought of Father in the gospels and in the epistle?

Rem. The name is opened out more fully in the epistle as to what is involved in it.

F.E.R. What is the moral idea connected with the name Father?

Rem. Care and love.

F.E.R. That is the application of it to children, but the thought is not large enough. I understand by it the revelation of God in the activities of His love.

Ques. Would that apply in each case?

F.E.R. I fancy pretty much so.

Ques. Is the Father more fully revealed in Luke 12 than in John 3?

F.E.R. Luke 12 is different from John as to the Father. John speaks much more of the Father, but not so much in relation to our place and need down here. We see in Luke 12 what the Father is towards us. We are to seek His kingdom, and all things necessary will be added unto us.

Ques. Is that care part of the sway of the kingdom?

F.E.R. I think it is connected with the kingdom. We are in the kingdom, but there not simply as subjects but as children. The children of the queen are subjects in her kingdom, but they are her children. So we come to our Father, but we are none the less in the kingdom -- subject in that way to the ordering of the kingdom.

Rem. There is not so much difference between the kingdom of the future and the kingdom now, except that it will be displayed.

F.E.R. All the moral features of the kingdom now, will be displayed in the future.

Ques. "Thy kingdom come" -- when is that?

F.E.R. Its display is future, but as a moral thing it is to rule in our hearts now. The kingdom is set up in our hearts. It is established in heaven for God, and maintained in the hearts of His people here by the Holy Spirit.

Rem. In Luke the real reading is, "Seek his kingdom". The antecedent to this is "Father". In the prayer it is the Father's kingdom. All the principles of heaven which the name Father brings out, of grace and love, we are to obtain in the kingdom.

F.E.R. I think so. The point of that part of Luke is that the Lord is detaching the hearts of the disciples from earth, and leading them to heaven. He assures them of God's care on earth, but He is leading them to the Father's things -- the heavenly things.

Ques. You say, we are children in the kingdom?

F.E.R. Yes, as in human things the children of the sovereign are subjects of the kingdom, but none the less children.

Rem. I do not know your thought as to the difference between John 3 and Luke as to the Father.

F.E.R. You must see the difference between the Lord's position here on earth before His rejection and after it. The name of God as Father was revealed in connection with the Son here on earth, but when rejected He took the path which led to a heavenly position. Then He could bring out the full revelation of the Father in heavenly purpose. In Luke He is leading them to know the Father's name according to heavenly counsel and purpose. You can understand in the sermon on the mount that the Lord speaks of the Father as here upon earth, Himself the object of the Father's love, and putting His Jewish brethren in association with Himself in the Father's care. But the moment came when He was rejected, and then He says

to His disciples, I send you forth as lambs among wolves; they would have to buy a sword, for things were all altered. They would find this earth a totally different place when Christ was no longer here. Then the great point was where He was leading them to, associating their hearts with the heavenly place where He was going.

Ques. The first aspect of the kingdom has passed away?

F.E.R. No; it will be good for the Jew by and by, but we have to take the place of Christ's rejection here. I do not think they had to take that at the beginning; but when He is rejected as in Matthew 11, then the position of the disciples was altered, as was the Lord's position here. It is a remarkable thing as to the sermon on the mount, that where we have the Father's name in Matthew, in Luke it is changed to God with regard to present things. (Compare Matthew 6:26 with Luke 12:24.) But then the christian is always entitled to remember that God is his Father. Jesus brought the grace connected with the Father's name unto His own from the first, but after His rejection He took another way. The world is left as it is; God's grace may interfere, but then, as a matter of fact, the earth is left as it is, though all is providentially governed in a way. We come into all the providential dealings of God, are fed and cared for, and can connect every mercy every day with the Father's care of us and love to us.

Rem. We have nothing but the Father's care.

F.E.R. But the question is, are we satisfied with what is necessary for us to carry us through? Do people accept this? The Lord is applying the wisdom of One greater than Solomon to the things down here, to the difficulties of the disciples in the place of His rejection, and shews how they would be kept, and the folly of seeking this world, and laying up in it. The rejection of Christ altered the position of the disciples in the world entirely. It put them in touch with heaven. In the sermon on the mount He says, speaking of prayer,

"How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" My impression is that is what you may call the idea of the millennium. But here it is giving the Holy Spirit out of heaven. It is heavenly giving now.

Ques. What did you mean by the wisdom of Solomon in connection with these things?

F.E.R. His wisdom the queen came to hear, as to her own things, but he led her beyond to his things. So we see the Lord's wisdom with His disciples, He shews them His way through the world, but He is the way to the Father.

Ques. Why is it the Father sends the Son?

F.E.R. I think the thought of the Father brings in the idea of the activities of God's love. That is the general idea connected with the Father.

Rem. Generally it is the Father sends and the Father gives.

F.E.R. Through John's gospel J.N.D. used to say, when it is a question of God's nature it is "God" -- "God is a spirit;" but when it is the activities of His love, it is "Father" -- "The Father seeketh such to worship him". So in chapter 6, "my Father giveth you the true bread", &c. I think the Father's name is in that way connected with the activities of divine love.

Ques. Are we regarded in John's gospel in the light of children?

F.E.R. Believers are regarded as children from the outset, but the Lord all through John's gospel is working in the direction of sonship, that is, to bring us to perfection and glory.

Ques. Will you say a word as to the difference between children and sons?

F.E.R. Sons are connected with glory, children more with the care and discipline of love. In the one, love is at rest; in the other, love is in vigilance and activity.

Ques. Love in rest you connect with sonship?

F.E.R. Yes.

Ques. Would it be right to say as in the position of children we are as Christ was down here, but as sons as He is in resurrection and glory?

F.E.R. I think so. The Son is revealed, and the Spirit of sonship given, that we may be brought into association with God's Son. We are to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect; but the thought of perfectness there is in connection with conduct as children, as far as I know.

Ques. "The world knew him not" -- is that rejection?

F.E.R. That is not exactly the idea, but that in the very nature of things the world is morally incapable of knowing Him. Perfectness is connected with us as sons rather than as children. The passage in the beginning of Ephesians 1 gives the true idea of sonship. The great point is, that all is before God according to the glory. It is evident the love of God would then find perfect rest. You could not then have activity in the sense of discipline and the like.

Rem. Love is at rest. It is the rest of love. Love in activity has done its work, and now love is in rest; the thought connected with sonship is glory.

F.E.R. I think that whatever you may be subjected to in the way of discipline and purging is in view of the day of judgment. This does not affect the fact that, as Christ is the object of the Father's love, so you are in this world. There was an interesting remark made this morning to the effect that you do not get into privilege until you are past the judgment-seat. I think that is connected with all that has been before us this afternoon. It is as to our conduct as children that we come before the judgment-seat. It is the termination of discipline, purging, fruit-bearing, &c., in connection with the saints. In what we have in John's epistle, Christ gives the character to everything. I could not get the idea of righteousness but as in Him. Thus the hope of seeing Him as He is has a purifying effect. No one would look to have a less measure than Christ. You get the climax

in the verse quoted, "As he is, so are we in this world". You come to the point where everything is excluded in your mind but Christ, but you are in the sense of the Father's love.

Rem. In connection with love we are made perfect, "as he is"; loved as He is loved.

Ques. What do you mean by being past the judgment-seat now?

F.E.R. There is such a thing as coming to the judgment-seat now in our souls, and when you have the sense how completely everything is dealt with in the cross, and that nothing but Christ is before God, then you have come to the judgment-seat and passed it, and you enter into privilege. Paul kept it up in his own soul, hence he says, "we are made manifest to God".

Ques. Is that your authority, 2 Corinthians 5, that what is to take place has taken place?

F.E.R. Yes, in verse 16. So in 1 John 4, "As he is, so are we in this world". You cannot separate it from John's epistle.

Ques. Does the effect of discipline come out in the heavenly city?

F.E.R. Yes, there you get it perfectly. All comes out in the city. Everything answers to the measurement, and the administration in the city is righteousness. We get that distinction in scripture, that whenever it is a question of what we are to God the prominent idea is holiness; when of testimony to man, the prominent idea is righteousness. In Ephesians 1 we are "holy and without blame before him in love". In Colossians we are to be presented "holy, and unblameable, and unreproveable in his sight". On the other hand the new man is created "after God ... in righteousness". The new man is for the setting forth of God here. In John you have not got holiness, but the two proofs of children are righteousness and love. The result of God's ways with us comes out at the judgment-seat. You cannot connect the thought of judgment with sons. Sons

implies association with Christ in a scene where the love of God rests. Everything there is according to His glory, and God rests there in perfect present complacency.

Ques. Can we reach that spot now?

F.E.R. Yes -- in our souls.

THE HOLIEST

Hebrews 9:1 - 6

I should like to say a word or two in regard to the ark of the covenant. It is a great point for christians to see what they come into the presence of in the holiest of all. I strongly suspect that the thoughts of many are very indefinite in this respect. Though we speak of boldness to enter the holiest, and sing about it pretty frequently, I doubt if many of us could give much account of what is there. I am sure I cannot say much, for I know very little about it.

I only desire to say a word or two in regard to what we get in this passage. We do not come into the holy place. If we did, we should come into view of the table of shewbread and the candlestick, &c. They have no place now that the first tabernacle is done away. They represented certain things connected with Israel, and do not belong to us. In entering the holiest it is a great point to remember that we do not come into the first order of things at all.

It has been said (very ignorantly, I think) that Adam entered the holiest in coming into the holy presence of God. Adam came certainly into the presence of God, but that does not convey to me the idea of the holiest. One point is very plain, if you come into the holiest you do not come into the first order of things at all. What was divinely connected with the first order of things is hidden there. You come into presence of another order of things. When I speak of the first order I refer to the two tables of the covenant -- they were there, but hidden; there was also the golden pot that had manna, that was hidden; there was Aaron's rod, too, that budded, that was not seen. These all belong to the first order of things. They are typical of principles hidden, so to speak, in Christ, and which are the means by which God

is pleased to accomplish the purposes of His grace. They are connected with man in his position of profession and responsibility.

Sin came into the world. The way in which God met it was by declaring His law. I think many do not see the importance and bearing of what God did in that way. Sin wrought in the world with all its terrible fruits of dishonour to and alienation from God, and death was in its train. But on the tables of stone God declared His mind as to what man should be, in spite of all that is here and all that sin has done. It was not exactly a new revelation, not an unfolding of God's particular mind as to that moment, but the setting forth of the great principles of what was proper in man down here. It put things in their right place morally. God saw fit to enunciate what was right for man with regard to God and to his neighbour. God did not write that at the beginning. It was long after sin had come into the world. Sin, the world and the devil had power over man. God said, as it were, I will write on tables of stone what man should be in the presence of God and his neighbour. I think in that way God vindicated His glory in regard of the evil here. In the Old Testament you frequently find God vindicated in some way. You get a striking instance of this in what took place on mount Carmel when Elijah erected an altar of twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of Israel. God was glorified in it in regard to the twelve tribes of Israel. And the writing of the law was of this character. God saw fit to vindicate Himself thus in view of the terrible contrariety and self-will of man. He declared man's duty to God and to his neighbour.

But God had further thoughts: He intended to carry out His purposes of grace in sinful, weak man, and the means by which He would effect this were declared in priesthood on the one hand, and the manna on the other. A ministry of grace to man down here, and intercession on man's behalf with God above. These were the two

great principles on which God was able to carry out His way. These principles held good in the past; they hold good for us now, and will hold good in the future in regard to Israel. When God takes up His dealings with Israel in the future it will be on the one hand in connection with priestly intercession, and, on the other, with a ministration of grace here, so that they will be enabled to hold fast their profession until Christ appears for them. As regards ourselves, Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us, and we have the manna, 'daily grace for daily need', as has often been said, so that we too are enabled to hold fast our profession.

In the holiest all these things are hidden; they are out of view. The fact is, that God has been perfectly glorified in all this in Christ. It was not a vain thing for God to make known His mind on two tables of stone; He was going to be perfectly vindicated in regard to the expression of His will; and He has been vindicated. That is one of the wonderful things of the ark of the covenant. God has been glorified in Christ. It is said, "Thy law is within my heart". He suffered that He might vindicate God, not only in regard to His ways with Israel, but in regard to man. And now, because of that, we find in Christ the power of intercession -- the antitype of Aaron's rod that budded, as well as of the manna. They are hidden in the ark in the holiest of all. We are conscious that all is there. Every one of us knows it in our own experience. You have no right to be there if you do not know these things in experience; they are the principles and means of God's ways with us in grace down here. If you do not understand them, you have no business in the holiest. We are, in thought, in accord with all that is in the ark of the covenant, because we have the gain of it experimentally. In Christ God has been glorified, and Christ is the intercessor, and the manna. But what do you see when you enter the holiest? The mercy-seat. The mercy-seat was the lid of the ark. That is the first thing in connection with the

holiest. It was founded on the ark. Glory is there; nothing there but glory. God's glory at rest in all before Him. Rest is there; love is there. All is rest in the One in whom God has been completely glorified in regard to all His ways down here. From beginning to end Christ was in view. We come into the holiest, not ignorant of God's ways, but in the knowledge of His ways, and that those ways have been declared in Christ. We have rest there in the presence of the One with whom we are associated in priestly service. Infinite, supreme love is there, and we are privileged to be there in association with that Man in whom God has been glorified, The Firstborn among many brethren. Our thoughts are perfectly in accord with all that is within the ark. It is not seen, but what is seen is the glorified Man, in whom; God's glory rests in infinite and eternal satisfaction.

'Glory supreme is there,
Glory that shines through all;
More precious still that love to share
As those that love did call'.

We share in the love -- that is where we come in. We are brought into the presence of love with Him in whom God has been glorified in respect of His ways down here. That is the new order of things. We are conscious of the old order, and of what has enabled God to go on with the old order; but in the holiest we are brought into that which is of the new order. We are come to the church of the firstborn ones, whose names are written in heaven. We are brought to a scene where there is nothing to disturb and all is according to God's glory.

God could not display His glory except where everything is according to that glory. You can see at once that it would be ruin and an end to everything not according to it. In the holiest everything is according to glory, and there is love in perfect rest. The love of God in Christ is what we come into presence of.

It is manifestly important to be in accord with what is

contained in the ark. We have acquaintance with it experimentally, and know the way that God has taken to glorify Himself, and to accomplish His purposes in the midst of a scene of sin and rebellion and self-will.

DIVINE TEACHING AND THE SERVICE OF GOD

Hebrews 8:1 - 13

I think there is an interesting and important connection between that which Christ effects, or carries out, now from heaven, from the right hand of God, and that which was effected in His work down here. You will find this presented in a great many ways in scripture. For instance, in Luke 24, "It behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name". Remission had been secured by His death, but was to be ministered in His name, and that marks the present time. It behoved Christ not only to die, but to rise. The same thing holds good in regard to peace. Christ made peace by the blood of His cross, and now He preaches it. Further, in regard to the communication of the Spirit. It is the One in whom sin was condemned in the flesh who ministers the Spirit; He who takes away the sin of the world is the One who baptises with the Holy Spirit.

Now it is the same in principle as to the new covenant: it was established in the death of Christ. The death of Christ was, so to speak, the declaration of God's disposition towards us. And now Christ is livingly the Mediator of the new covenant. We are said to have come to the Mediator of the new covenant; and He is also the Minister of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man. It is well the connection should exist in our minds between that which Christ secured by His work and that which He now ministers in power from the right hand of God. And one can see the suitability of it. He is the living minister of that which He secured by His work. I suppose it is true that there is no consequence of His death but what He ministers

now in living power; that is how we know Christ at the right hand of God. We know Him as the Mediator of the new covenant, and that undoubtedly introduces us to the line of priestly work. It is curious that often the Old Testament types fail you; when you have the truth of the New Testament you see that types do not come up to the antitype, they are not the image; when you get into the realities you get beyond the type. Now in regard to priestly work the first great service of Christ was building the house of God; but in the type of the tabernacle this was the work of Moses. (Hebrews 3.) He was faithful in God's house as a servant. It appears to me that in setting up the tabernacle Moses was doing, in a sense, priestly work; Aaron was not consecrated until the tabernacle was set up. But there was a kind of priestly work carried out by Moses previous to the installation of Aaron as high priest. I gather that from the Antitype. According to Psalm 68, when Christ went up on high, He "led captivity captive", and "received gifts for men". This is really in character and principle priestly work. I fancy we see here the real beginning of priestly work in connection with the Lord Jesus. He goes up on high, and, having received from the Father the promise of the Spirit, "He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear". (Acts 2.) And the apostle in connection with this quotes from Psalm 110, where Christ is spoken of as a "Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec". Thus the beginning of priestly work was in the formation of the house of God, the communication of the Holy Spirit to the saints gathered down here.

There is another character of priestly work, when the house has been formed, which has to do with sympathy with our infirmities; and in that connection is priestly intercession, and the activities of Christ in regard to the saints down here. He succours the tempted, and that is made effectual down here in the power of the Holy Spirit. Until the Holy Spirit was come you could hardly conceive of that being carried out. It gives us an idea of

the activity of Christ's love with regard to His saints.

There is a great deal of priestly service that we have not been accustomed to connect with priesthood. I fancy all the little service we can render to one another in the way of sympathy and succour is the fruit of the activities of Christ as high priest above; Christ sets all in motion. When saints are under trial and pressure of various kinds they get a great deal of sympathy on the part of one and another, but all is set in movement by Christ at the right hand of God.

There is also the element of intercession, illustrated in the case of Peter. The Lord, in view of his fall, says, "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not". And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, and that is where the power of the Spirit comes in. Christ intercedes for us in heaven, but there is activity on the part of the Spirit down here that calls to mind the word of the Lord. So Peter, instead of being driven to despair is brought to repentance; grace works in him, repentance is the result, and he is restored.

Now in chapter 8 we have a further idea in connection with the priesthood of Christ. He is "minister of the holy places and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord ... pitched, and not man". That thought I should connect with Psalm 118. The Jews are to be blessed in the future, and will say, "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord". That refers, I judge, to Christ coming out in the power of the Melchisedec priesthood. The Lord said to the Jews in the past, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord". That is not quite the thought of Jehovah coming to reign. That comes out in the fourth book of Psalms. When you come to the fifth book, it is "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord". That is Christ coming in on man's side, and fulfilling the desires of His people down here on earth. They say, "We have blessed you out of the house

of the Lord". Christ comes, and is welcomed in the very place from which He had been rejected. He comes in, in priestly grace, to His people as Melchisedec, and in that character will be welcomed by Israel, He will indeed establish Jehovah's throne. He will be the Jehovah that reigneth, but at the same time He comes in as the priest after the order of Melchisedec, welcomed in the name of the Lord. But until then their house is left to them desolate.

Now, we get Christ as the Minister of the holy places; He is welcomed there and we welcome Him. He is the Leader in all that is connected with the service of God.

The point in this chapter is not the service of man; there is that, but that is not the character of the service that is spoken of here; it is the service of God; and in this Christ is the Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

What I wanted to touch on particularly for a moment is a subject familiar to many, and that is the connection between the Minister of the sanctuary and the Mediator of the covenant. The suitability of the Minister is dependent on His being the Mediator. The Mediator is the One in whom the disposition of God towards us is declared. He is thus suitable to lead us in the praises of God. These two things are bound to go together. You see here how the type is defective. Aaron was not the mediator of the covenant. He was the minister of the sanctuary and might not be always in accord with the mediator of the covenant. But in the antitype Christ is the Minister of the sanctuary. "By how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant". We need, as I understand it, to know the Mediator of the covenant before we get any true worship of God. You get the new covenant in the Lord's supper. In the Supper the Lord is distinctly presented as the Mediator of the new covenant. It is stated, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood". You must touch the Mediator of the covenant before you can appreciate the Minister of the

sanctuary. And I think I can understand the working of that morally. I do not believe that any one not established in the knowledge of God's disposition towards us is competent or ready for the service of the sanctuary. But the wonderful thing is that the One who in death has been pleased to declare the disposition of God towards us is the One who leads us in the service of the living God. The new covenant is a great lesson to learn, it is where divine teaching comes in. The teaching of the new covenant is not what man can do for you; the ministry of the new covenant makes us acquainted with the disposition of God towards us as set forth in the death of Christ. That is, we apprehend the death of Christ in its teaching, which in a sense is distinct from the thought of its efficacy. Many have learned the death of Christ in its efficacy, who have not learned the divine teaching in it, founded on the death of the Testator. For Christ is looked at in that light, and in the death of the Testator we have the declaration of the disposition of God towards us. That is a wonderful thing, and in it Christ is the Teacher. We have to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His, word; He is the Teacher by the Spirit. We have to learn the meaning of Christ's death from Himself. His death is the great lesson-book to us. We have to learn the meaning of His death in the ways of divine love. What it means is that love never ceases to act on behalf of God's people, and the end which the love of God towards us has in view is to have us with Himself in His own habitation. I do not think people weigh that enough; they think they go to heaven as a matter of course, but as I understand it they go to heaven to satisfy the love of God. God will have His people in His own habitation. By and by He will have Israel in the mountain of His inheritance. I think we learn two great lessons in the death of Christ, one is His great mercy towards us, He "is rich in mercy", and the other that which is the spring of His mercy, His great love wherewith He loved us. It would be a great lesson

for every one here to learn. If our hearts were instructed in the great love expressed in Christ towards us, in His going down on the cross into all that great distance, we should understand that it must be that God will have us with Himself in the nearness of heaven. Our place in heaven is the answer to the place of distance which Christ took in His love toward us on the cross. He went into the distance that we might be brought to God's habitation, and in going to heaven we shall receive a warm welcome there. We are not to be carried to heaven by angels, but by the One who gave Himself for us. And you may be sure we shall be welcomed, seeing that we go there as the fruit of the great love wherewith He loved us.

That is the effect of the teaching of the new covenant. It may take a somewhat different form with Israel. We have the spirit of it; they are more in the terms of it. They will be acquainted with the mercy of God, will have the law written on the heart, and thus be made acquainted with the goodness of God. But the instruction it conveys to us is the disposition of God toward us; and His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us. Now the One who has declared to us the love of God, is the One who leads us in the service of God; and we have to learn in connection with the ministry of the sanctuary that it is impossible there should be any complacency of God in us as men; we have to accept that by the death of Christ the flesh is wholly and entirely excluded. There is complacency in man on the part of God, but the man in whom is the complacency of God is the Man that is now before God.

In our own experience Adam has to be set aside and Christ to have his place. It has been said sometimes Ishmael had to be cast out of the house, when Isaac had his place in the house, and so it is in regard of the christian; that is the qualification for the service of God. I do not think we could apprehend the service of God if we did not understand the completeness of God's complacency

in those who serve Him. He could not be served otherwise. We could not serve Him according to His pleasure if He were not completely complacent in those who serve Him. The way it works in regard to us is this; when we are instructed in the love of God, then we are prepared for the displacement of self; when Christ gets His own place in us, then we enter into the holy places, and come under the eye of God for God's complete complacency. We are before God in His complacency in Christ, and the eye of God rests on that which He Himself has formed in us, and there is that which is according to Himself on the part of those who approach Him.⁺ There all is of God. Christ is the Minister of the sanctuary, and we enter like Aaron's sons, as sons of God, we go in in the company of Christ; but the complacency is really in the true Aaron, in the Son of God. Christ has been pleased to take the position of man in relation to God, and He has the place of the Minister of the sanctuary. There could be no meaning in this if others were not there. And the ministry is equivalent to the grace of "the new covenant", which is established upon "better promises". He is the Minister of the holy places by as much as He is the Mediator of the better covenant; and that is a great lesson to learn.

God will be sanctified in those who approach Him, but the idea I want to convey is that there is complete complacency in those who approach. We stand in connection with the true Minister of the sanctuary, having learned effectually in the death of Christ, through His ministry, what God's mind and disposition is in regard to His people down here.

It is often a long time before that lesson is learned, before we are prepared for complete displacement. But we have to be displaced. In the eye of God we were displaced in the death of Christ, but it is often long before

⁺Like the prodigal in the best robe. The Father's eye could rest with complacency on him. Reconciliation has come in and Christ is Head.

we learn it and come to practical displacement in regard to ourselves. How could we understand complete displacement in regard to God without displacement in our own eyes in regard to man?

It is a blessed thought that, after all, God can look upon His people apart from all that is unsuitable to Himself. It is in the power of God to look upon His people and to see only that which He has formed in them, apart from all that is not according to Himself. But then when it is a question of the service of God, you want the other side too. The worshippers should be conscious of the complacency of God in those who approach Him. I desired to shew the connection of the two things. I think we have to learn the lesson of the death of Christ, and then, having learned that, we are prepared to accept our own displacement, and learn that God's complacency is in His work. If God can look on those who approach Him with entire complacency, we see it is on account of His own blessed work in us. He has quickened us together with Christ, but I do not think the complacency can go beyond the limit of His work in us.

CHRIST AS HEAD TO THE CHURCH

Ephesians 1:19 - 23; Colossians 2:15 - 19; Ephesians 4:15, 16

Ques. Did you use the expression, 'service of the Head' -- if so, what do you mean by it?

F.E.R. I suppose the idea is found in Colossians 2:19: "And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God".

Ques. Are there not two things, the ministering to the body, and the uniting together?

F.E.R. The body is ministered to by the joints and bands, the Head being looked at as the source of supply.

Rem. So, as to impulse, the movements are the movements of life; the ordinary, and not the extraordinary movements.

F.E.R. In both Colossians and Ephesians we get, "From whom the whole body", &c., both speak in that way of ministration from the Head to the body.

Ques. To what purpose was Colossians 2:19 brought in? Was it corrective; the Head being let go, all was disjointed?

F.E.R. There was grave danger then from those not holding the Head. Now if you look at the professing church you get what comes of failing in this. Bethesda is an illustration of not holding the Head -- there is looseness.

Ques. How does losing sight of the Head lead to open ground?

F.E.R. If you hold the Head, you must hold the truth of the one body, which stands in relation to the Head; and in fact the truth of the body was taught in scripture before the truth of the Head.

Ques. Did not Mr. Darby receive the truth of the Head first?

F.E.R. Yes, but in scripture the truth of the body was taught first.

Ques. Have not most of us got the truth of the body before we got the truth of the Head?

Rem. We want to see how scripture presents the matter.

F.E.R. We see in Romans and still more in Corinthians, that one Spirit makes one body. "For by one Spirit" have we all been "baptised into one body". That shews that the truth of the body is the first taught. If you do not accept the truth of the one body, I do not see how you can well apprehend the Head.

Ques. Yesterday we were speaking of Christ as Head and Christ as Lord. What is the distinction?

F.E.R. Christ is Lord to the individual, and in connection with individual responsibility. Then He is High Priest in service to us individually, not collectively. But if you follow the idea to the Minister of the sanctuary, you come near to the Head.

Ques. But then He is Priest there?

F.E.R. Yes; but there you are near the Head.

Rem. You must see that Aaron was head to his sons.

Ques. What is implied in "not holding the Head"?

F.E.R. It comes out manifestly in the present day in Bethesda. They are an example of the form and order without divine teaching, without the Spirit, in a way. Their meetings are simply believers' meetings.

Ques. Can we have the truth of the body rightly without the Head?

F.E.R. The truth of the body connects itself with the presence of the Spirit; you must accept the truth of the body. Then there is another thing to be learnt, that Christ is Head to the body.

Rem. So the better we know the Head, the better we know the body.

Ques. Was not the thing put forward to the Corinthians, but when the apostle spoke of one Spirit and one body, it was not as a mere fact?

F.E.R. It was not presented as a mere fact, but as corrective, because they were rallying round leaders. In the same way you get the clergy now as official leaders. The apostle brings in the truth of one body, one Spirit, as corrective.

Ques. Properly speaking, I suppose all movement in the body originates with the Head?

F.E.R. I think so. The husband, as head, gives impulse properly to the wife, not the wife to the husband.

Ques. With regard to priesthood, as the great Priest over the house of God, is Christ known in any individual service He renders us?

F.E.R. I do not think so. Great Priest is a very large and deep thought. The house of God represents the universe.

Ques. Does it speak of the service of Christ to the individual in chapter 4?

F.E.R. Yes, I think so.

Rem. It has always interested me to see that the tabernacle was anointed first, for the tabernacle is a figure of the universe, and the priest was anointed after as the one who sustains it and ministers in it.

F.E.R. There is nothing more interesting than the anointing. The tabernacle which was anointed was a pattern of all things, and "He who built all things is God".

Rem. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness for entering" the holiest ... and "a great priest over the house of God", &c.

F.E.R. Christ is a great Priest over the house of God, but the application of headship at the present moment cannot go beyond christianity. We have to accept Him in that way as the great Priest over the house of God. The church is the first circle. In Psalm 22 we see how the influence of Christ widens out from the church, first to the great congregation, and then to the ends of the earth. In Colossians 1 we have first the Head, then reconciliation, then the body. The body is the first

thing brought into reconciliation.

Ques. Is not the Head a great thing to us, so that whatever is set up by and by we can be in touch with it now?

F.E.R. Yes.

Ques. You distinguish between the great high Priest of chapter 4 and the great Priest in chapter 10?

F.E.R. Yes; the idea of High Priest is taken from Aaron. You do not get the term High Priest in Psalm 110. There Christ is said to be Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Great Priest is, I suppose, in contrast to Aaron.

Rem. Everything is great in the Hebrews -- the Majesty on high, the word really means the greatness, in contrast with the littleness of Judaism.

Rem. Then a great deal of the service of the High Priest is seen in connection with the weakness and wilderness experience of the people to lead them to the other side.

F.E.R. Yes.

Ques. Is not the difference between the Priest and the Head set forth in some way in Ephesians?

F.E.R. Yes. Christ ascended up on high, and led captivity captive, and received gifts for men. This is in a sense priestly, though hardly connected with the thought of Head of the body.

Ques. As the exalted Man?

F.E.R. Yes; and passes on from that to the thought of the Head.

Ques. Is there not more the thought of drawing from the Head?

F.E.R. The impulse of life is from the Head. When the body is brought in in relation to the Head, it is always looked at as a distinct entity. In Corinthians you do not get this idea, it is said, "Ye are Christ's body;" He is the spirit and living principle of that body. But when, as in Ephesians and Colossians, you have the Head and the body, the Head is looked at as distinct

from the body, though related to it, and this may lead on to the truth of the bride.

Rem. In Ephesians 1 He is not the Head of the body, but He is Head to the church, which is His body.

F.E.R. A man is not only husband of his wife, but husband to his wife; so Christ is Head of the body, and Head to the body, but the Head is an entity distinct from the body.

Rem. In Ephesians 4 we have the organisation, the whole body.

F.E.R. There we have the whole body, rounded off, as it were.

Ques. Does the thought of union come in as connected with the body?

F.E.R. The thought of union is not in connection with the Head and the body. It is not in that sense the word is generally used. Union is of two entities, just as man and woman are two. We see it in Isaac and Rebekah. They became one by union, and Christ and the church are one by union. At the same time there is the truth that the church is His body, and He is the spirit of the body. I can conceive of my body as in a sense distinct from myself. It is my body, and I am the spirit of my body. So the church is to Christ as His body.

Rem. We see what you are through your body.

F.E.R. Yes.

Ques. Are both these thoughts applicable at the present time?

F.E.R. I should say both are applicable to the present.

Ques. We are His body now?

F.E.R. Yes.

Ques. You would say that the thought in Ephesians 1 is future?

F.E.R. Christ as the Head of all principality and power is future, but He has this in title and place as Man now. You could scarcely, however, speak of Christ as

being in fact the Head of all now. You do not see all things put under Him yet.

Ques. Did you say the body is not united to the Head?

F.E.R. I do not think I said so. I said union is of two entities.

Rem. In Ephesians 1 you get the Head in two positions: Head over all things, and Head to the church.

F.E.R. Exactly so, you get the same in Colossians. He is the Head of all principality and power, and then He is Head to the church, which is His body, and that brings in two entities. Christ is Head of the church, as the husband is head of the wife. They are two. It is the same idea as that Adam was head to Eve. Eve was of his body, and at the same time his wife; they were two, but now one in the eye of God, yet none the less Adam was head to her. Her sin was that she acted from her own impulse instead of that of Adam.

Ques. Is not that what the church has done?

F.E.R. I think so.

Ques. Do we not get another analogy besides husband and wife, I mean, the human body?

F.E.R. I do not think the analogy of the human body ever goes beyond the saints down here. My head is part of my body, just as my ears and my eyes are parts of my body.

Rem. It is every part in Ephesians, "From whom the whole body", &c. That idea includes every part of the body. All christians are embraced in that sense.

Ques. Is not the other figure very conclusive, "The husband is head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church"?

F.E.R. Yes, it is to me. In both epistles, Ephesians and Colossians, He is Head over all things, Head of all principality and power to the church, but the church has a place which other things have not; that is, it is His body.

Rem. Adam was really head over all things before he

was head to his wife.

F.E.R. Yes, he was united to her afterwards, and became her head.

Ques. Is not Christ Head to His body in a far more intimate way than husband to wife?

F.E.R. The apostle says in 2 Corinthians 5, "If our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved", we know that "we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens". In a way he distinguishes himself from his body, but he is the spirit of his body. A man is not head of his body.

Ques. Do not you think there is a good deal of confusion through a human application of the word "Head" in 1 Corinthians 12?

F.E.R. The mistake is in bringing Christ as Head into that chapter. I quite admit that in the revival of the truth it pleased God to give Mr. Darby an idea of the Head first, but the truth of the body was made known before the truth of the Head was known. It was known first on the day of Pentecost, but not until Paul was called out was the Head known.

Ques. Was not this truth given him in a way at his conversion?

F.E.R. Yes, but it came out a long time after in testimony. In Romans, "we, being many, are one body in Christ". So in Corinthians, "By one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, ... and have been ... made to drink into one Spirit". I have thought that this latter clause had reference to Christ rather than the Holy Spirit. One spirit characterised them.

Ques. Why had they not the Head at Pentecost -- and yet there was the body?

F.E.R. They had not the truth of Christ as the Son of God. You do not get that testimony until it was brought out by Paul, and therefore you could not have the truth of the Head. The testimony of Peter was to an exalted Christ. They had known Him after the flesh, and now He was the exalted One at the right hand of

God. But the coming of the Holy Spirit constituted one body, and if the saints were not in the intelligence of it, they were in the instinct of it. The movements came from the Head.

Ques. How were they maintained in it then?

F.E.R. By the Holy Spirit and by gifts, but they had not understood the relation of Christ as Head. He must be known as Son of God. You could not understand our relation to Christ as Head unless you saw the truth of sonship, so that He is the Firstborn among many brethren.

Ques. With regard to that, what would you say about Peter's confession of the Lord in Matthew 16?

F.E.R. I think it was a revelation given to Peter personally, but not for testimony. The grace of the Father gave it to him.

Rem. It was not effective until long after.

F.E.R. It was given to him personally by the Father, and it made him a sample stone. The confession really formed the spiritual material for Christ's assembly.

Ques. Revealing His Son in me in Galatians 1. What is that?

F.E.R. That was for testimony, "that I might preach him".

Ques. What is the force of "holding fast the Head"?

F.E.R. It works in this way, that you hold to the truth of the one body. You will not suffer disintegration.

Ques. Was it not corrective; they were letting go the idea that all was in Christ, and from Him?

F.E.R. Yes, He must be the source of supply.

Ques. Is not the case of Eve an illustration of not holding the Head?

F.E.R. She acted on her own wisdom.

Ques. And is not that the danger with every one of us.

F.E.R. If you hold the Head you get intelligence by the expansion of affection, and God does not intend us to

get intelligence in any other way. He would enlighten the eyes of our hearts.

Rem. We get the "Son of his love" in Colossians 1.

F.E.R. Yes, and you find out that Christ is everything.

Ques. Is that holding the Head?

F.E.R. Not holding the Head is characteristic of the seducers. We drop in that way into individuality. People try by their own effort and power to acquire wisdom. Intelligence hangs on the expansion of affection, being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding. If you are after wisdom, you want to grow bigger. Are you big enough to hold it?

Rem. When you get bigger you really get smaller. "Be ye also enlarged".

F.E.R. Yes, enlarged in affection, and then you are greater in intelligence. Many men are clever enough, but do not hold a great place in the affections of others.

Ques. You would say the holding the Head is shewn in keeping the unity of the Spirit?

F.E.R. It is a great thing to recognise the unity of the body, so as not to get narrowed up in mind. You think then aright of the church.

Rem. Was it not God's intention originally that the joints and bands should do more for the edification of the church than even gifts, every part of it to contribute to the well-being of the whole?

F.E.R. In early days joints and bands had much more place than they have now. Nourishment was thus ministered.

Ques. Do not we lose much from the broken state of things?

F.E.R. Yes, but the joints and bands are to hold things together.

Ques. But for this you must have affection?

F.E.R. What you want is to keep the whole thing together, and things would be kept together if everybody

were seeking it. But even earnest men work in such a way as to break up. Peculiar ideas all tend to break up things.

Rem. Joints and bands are a great thing where there is no gift.

Ques. "The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another", &c. Is not that the effect of the activity of the joints and bands? Is not that the movements of life more than gift?

F.E.R. There is evidently something besides ministry. It is a curious thing that the gifts are not said to come from the Head but from the exalted Man. I think the working of the Head goes on by the joints and bands, and keeps things together. If you get ministry without that you may form a clique by it. The Corinthians wanted the joints and bands.

Rem. You may get a meeting regulated outwardly by ministry, but the movements of life are the great thing after all; like a family growing up together in affection, nothing official.

Rem. There is more need of family affection than of gifts.

Rem. The impulse of life comes from the Head and not from ministry.

F.E.R. Yes, and that is an important point in this connection.

Rem. Ministry gives form and shape to things.

F.E.R. Exactly.

Ques. In Colossians: "Increaseth with the increase of God". What is that?

F.E.R. In what is of God. In Colossians we have everything divine in contrast to philosophy and all that sort of thing. It is all Christ. "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily".

Ques. What is the course of an evangelist -- outside and beyond?

F.E.R. An evangelist stands in relation to the body.

Ques. Could a man call himself an evangelist?

F.E.R. Scripture might call him so, but it would be assumption for him to do so.

Ques. In Ephesians 4:3 we get an exhortation to diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit, is that diligence in the things spoken of in the first two verses?

F.E.R. I do not know that is using diligence. I think it is the purpose which is before the soul. What I judge is that unless it were so there would not be the diligence to keep the unity. Lowliness and meekness are suitable for those in the presence of God. It is a recognised truth that the Spirit has a dwelling-place here, but the truth is that God is dwelling here by the Spirit. I am not sure people sufficiently recognise that. It is not simply a doctrine that the Spirit is here; but a reality that God is dwelling. We are builded together for a habitation of God by the Spirit.

Ques. Is not 1 Timothy on this line?

F.E.R. Yes, we have there the house of God. Hence the effect of belonging to God's house is to come out in the detail of daily life. The place of men and women and deportment, demeanour and dress are taken account of. It is a question in my mind whether we have not taken up the doctrine of the presence of the Spirit without recognising the moral effect of the dwelling of God.

Ques. Does not the presence of God always subdue?

F.E.R. Yes; hence we have endeavouring "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace".

Rem. Really a man is known by his household, and God's character in the world ought to be known by His household.

F.E.R. The heathen would judge of God by His household. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth.

PROGRESS IN APPREHENSION OF CHRIST

John 10:1 - 30

My object in selecting this chapter is to bring before you the various lights in which Christ is presented in it, and to shew that there is the idea of progress in us by the apprehension of those lights. This is marked through the chapter in the way in which the Lord speaks of Himself; and the apprehension of each step has a distinct effect upon us.

He presents Himself first as the Shepherd, having title to lead out the sheep; then as the door, connected with which is the idea of entrance; then as the Good Shepherd, giving confidence to the sheep; and lastly, as the One Shepherd, which brings in the thought of unity. The chapter begins with exit and ends with eternal life: these are the extreme points, and each step from the start to the finish is the result in the soul of a certain presentation of Christ, and of its apprehension. Each presentation has reference to the saints down here, and the last one manifestly brings in the thought of the gentile, "other sheep I have, which are not of this fold". Finally Christ says that He gives His sheep eternal life. He, so to say, puts the sheep into the hand of the Father, and no one is able to pluck them out of His hand. "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no one is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand;" and His testimony closes with the remarkable statement, "I and my Father are one". (Verses 29, 30.)

He is the Shepherd of the sheep, and in connection with Him as such there is a going out, that is, the sheep had to apprehend the direction in which He was leading. Though He speaks of leading out of the fold here, I do not think that this is looked at in this chapter simply as a consequence of His being rejected. In chapters 8 - 9 He is seen as rejected; but in chapter 10 He is seen as

having come into the fold and shewing His sheep the direction in which He is leading. Christ did not come into the world to connect Himself with the world system as it was; there was no hope of recovery on the part of the world, though the Lord's presence was a test, but He was in truth the beginning of a new world. He is the beginning, the true bread from heaven, and our path is to go forth unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach. The suffering without the gate in Hebrews 13:12 - 14 is looked at as morally suitable. It was that He might sanctify the people with His own blood. Outside the gate was not His position, but He identified Himself with man's moral position of distance that He might sanctify the people with His own blood; and the injunction connected with that is, "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach". We have to separate ourselves from ecclesiastical order after the flesh. In christianity around us things are set up on a certain established order, and we have to go outside that order unto Him, bearing His reproach. As Shepherd, Christ came into the fold in order to lead out of it. No one can make spiritual advance till he has accepted the fact that Christ has gone without the camp, and closed for ever that order of things. It is a great thing when one can say, "I am crucified with Christ". I accept the reproach of the cross. The reproach is, that you are not good enough for earthly religion, and it is a great moment when God gives a saint grace to accept that, and to go outside the camp to Christ, bearing His reproach. We are called to follow Christ, and it is a solemn thing to realise that Christ has left the whole religious order of things in the world, and our path is to go outside unto Him. That is the first step. Christ is first seen as the Shepherd of the sheep.

The position He next takes is that of the Door. Now in the thought of the door there is an entering in. (Verse 9.) I understand Christ as the door, in view of the giving of the Spirit; where there is a lack of apprehension

of the presence of the Spirit, and of the house of God, it indicates that there is little sense of Christ as the door. You must enter by the appointed way, by the door -- the appointed way is by baptism, and you are baptised to Jesus Christ. The idea in connection with baptism is that you leave other associations to find a place in the house of God, the region of the Spirit.

In the Acts those converted by the apostles' preaching accepted Christ as the door, and they came into the house of God. (Look at 1 Peter 3:20, 22.) I understand the house of God to be a kind of moral correspondence to that which has taken place in heaven. Christ has gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him. There has been a celebration in heaven consequent on Christ's being received there as man. It was "peace in heaven, and glory in the highest". The acclamation on Christ's entering Jerusalem pointed on to that moment, and the celebration in heaven is recorded here in Peter. Now how do we know that He is gone into heaven? By report. We could not know it otherwise, nor did the disciples, though they saw Him ascend; but that He is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to Him, is known by report. The Holy Spirit has come down to report this, and it is known in the house of God. There is thus a correspondence to heaven in the house of God. The festivity on earth is seen in the great supper of Luke 14. The answer of a good conscience in 1 Peter is through the accepting of the testimony of the resurrection; but the Holy Spirit has brought down the report of what has taken place in heaven, and in the supper we have the good of this.

Verse 10. Life more abundantly or very abundantly is, I imagine, life in the Spirit. We enter into the power of the Spirit through the door, and are saved, and go in and out and find pasture -- salvation, liberty and food. All this is found in the power of the Spirit; but until we have taken the first step we cannot go further. Till we

leave systematic religion, we do not understand what it is to be saved and to have liberty and to find pasture.

Christendom soon lost all sense of the presence of the Spirit because it refused the first condition, that is, the reproach of Christ. It is held now that He is in honour here. In losing the sense of the Spirit's presence they have lost the true idea of the house of God. The Spirit has brought in the light of what has taken place in heaven, the celebration of righteousness. And hence grace is commensurate with glory! The greater the sense you have of the glory of the Lord, the more conscious you are of being a subject of grace. The second point is the Door, and by Christ, as that, you enter into all that is connected with the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Now the third point is the Good Shepherd, and the Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. Divine love expressed itself in Christ in death, and this love has had effect in the sheep. "The love of Christ constraineth us ... that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them, and rose again". These verses illustrate the effect of what we get here in John 10:11 - 14. "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep". And again, "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine", "as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep". We have in this the strongest expression of love; but where is love going to find satisfaction? In those who have accepted the testimony of that love; in these the love of Christ has had effect. The position of the world has been greatly changed by the testimony of the love of God. Christ's death was the testimony of divine love, and the testimony of it has made two classes of men in the world, one of which is particularly obnoxious to God, that is, the class that rejects Christ. On the other hand, there is a class composed of those who have accepted the testimony of the love of God, and in them love has found its satisfaction. Christ knows

His sheep and is known of His sheep, there is the reciprocity of affection. He loved them, and they love Him, and they live unto Him who died for them and rose again. As the Good Shepherd, Christ has given His life for the sheep, and it is His death that affects the soul, and the soul answers to it; and this is what is set forth in the Lord's supper, for His death has expressed His love. Our response to the love of Christ is when we have apprehended Him as the Good Shepherd, and the knowledge that subsists is that of reciprocal affection. The apprehension of the love of Christ, as expressed in His death has a very profound effect on the soul. Many of us are but poorly prepared to part with country, friends and religion for the love of Christ, and yet He will not be content with less than the supreme place in the affections of His people. The character of love into which we are brought is wonderful. It is not exactly as the Shepherd, nor as the door, but as the Good Shepherd that He has given His life for the sheep; the soul has come by divine teaching into the apprehension of the love which was expressed in His death. Jesus says in verse 15, "I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one flock, and one shepherd".

Now this brings in another point, namely, that of unity, and the secret of this lies in the apprehension of the one Shepherd. We are exhorted to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; but in order to do this we need to leave human order. The Lord attached great importance to unity, and was going to send another Comforter to bring it about. You cannot get the unity of the Spirit unless by leaving human order. In recognising Christ as one Shepherd and His sheep as one flock you come into the unity of the Spirit, and the obligation to keep the unity of the Spirit is recognised. The idea that the one flock was to be hidden in a great mass of profession was never in the mind of God. The

Lord's prayer is, "That 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". The unity of the saints was the testimony to the world that the Father sent the Son. The one flock, one Shepherd, in John, answers to the thought of the one Head, one body, in Paul. Every one should be prepared to accept the obligation to unity, which brings us to the true idea of the assembly. How we keep the unity of the Spirit is by practically discountenancing everything that is a denial of that unity.

We come to a further point in verses 27 - 30. Christ is going to lead His sheep, not to heaven, but to the land of promise. He says, "I give unto" My sheep "eternal life; and they shall never perish". Eternal life is found in the land of promise, that is, in conscious association with Christ Himself. He is it, and you are risen and quickened with Him. And you will never perish, that is, never apostatise, for you are in the hand both of the Father and of the Son, and this is emphasized by the statement, "I and my Father are one". Christ leads His sheep into eternal life, that is, into the consciousness that they are in Him outside the wilderness and all that is connected with the individual path, and are secure in the hand of the Father, and in His own hand. "We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we might know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ". "He is the true God, and eternal life". He brings us into the circle of which He is the centre, in the land of promise.

There is in the various presentations which Christ makes of Himself in this chapter, a progress, and we have to apprehend Christ in increasing light. He presents Himself in many lights to us and we apprehend Him as He is pleased to present Himself; and as each is entered into by the soul, it is prepared for the next, for there is advance in each step. And it is a curious fact that in this chapter the Lord was really speaking to His enemies,

but shewing the course which divine grace was taking in the world.

The Lord give us to increase in our knowledge and apprehension of Himself in all these various presentations which He has been pleased to bring before us.

THE PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT HERE

John 14:15 - 31

F.E.R. Everything hangs upon the presence of the Spirit here -- that is, on the truth that God is dwelling here. The Romanist makes everything hang upon the Church, and the Protestant hangs everything upon the letter of Scripture, but neither one nor the other is really the truth; neither the idea of the Romanist nor of the Protestant, but the truth really is that everything hangs upon the presence of the Spirit. "The Spirit is the truth" that is what it says; and what we want to be conscious of is the presence of the Spirit down here, that all the light of God -- the light of the Father and the Son, really lies for us in the work of the Spirit. It is there that you get the truth. Of course we have in the Scriptures a great safeguard, it is the letter and form of the truth, but the Spirit is the truth.

D.L.H. When the apostle speaks to Timothy of the "Outline of sound words" -- does he refer do you think, to the general outline of the Scriptures?

F.E.R. Well it took that shape eventually. I think God has given that protection to us, when things fell into decay in the church, then He saw fit to give His people the protection of the Scriptures. He put things into that shape.

D.L.H. So that we have them to fall back upon when things are put to the test?

F.E.R. Exactly; Scripture is the great safeguard. And they carry authority too. But then when you see the use that has been made of them -- you can see it pretty much in the Protestantism of the present day -- they boast of having the Word of God, and all that, and yet the way such are described in Scripture is that they have "a name that thou livest, and art dead".

I think what you get in all these chapters is the Spirit's

coming to the saints in the interests of Christ. But the special point here, or a very important point in the chapter is that the presence of the Spirit connects itself with the saints. It is not the idea of the Spirit dwelling here independently of the saints, but in connection with them. Christ had paved the way for the Spirit to dwell, and He says to them "He shall be in you".

D.L.H. It is of immense importance that we should bear in mind that there is a divine Person on the earth just as truly now, as when the Lord Jesus was here?

F.E.R. I think so, and that just as everything centred in Him when He was here, now everything centres in the Spirit; and there is nothing for God now, that is outside of the Spirit. It is perfectly certain that a vast deal of christendom, that takes the name of Christ, is entirely outside of the Spirit.

F.S. You said just now that the truth was a protection -- in what way did you mean?

F.E.R. The Scriptures are a protection; you see the Spirit of God cannot go against the Scriptures, and so you have in them a test of everything. If you find the Scriptures contravened, you may be pretty sure that that is not of the Spirit of God.

Rem. "The Scripture cannot be broken".

F.E.R. Yes, that is the principle. We have to depend on the Spirit of truth, that is the great point that comes out in this chapter. I think Popery has put the church in the place of the Spirit, but Protestantism ignores the presence of the Spirit entirely, but where we get back to what was from the beginning, everything hangs upon the presence of the Spirit.

D.L.H. I suppose there is nothing in us, that is of any account whatever but what is of the Spirit.

F.E.R. I don't think so.

D.L.H. And if everything was eliminated from us but what is of the Spirit there would not be much left?

F.E.R. Well perhaps not -- but it is an immense comfort to think that there is the work of the Spirit here.

And what He has wrought is the substance of the truth ...

S.H. Is that the way in which He is the Comforter?

F.E.R. Yes, I think so; He is the Patron.

I think the Lord counted upon their affection; He counted upon what had really been wrought in them, because undoubtedly they had affection for Him, whatever else they lacked.

H.C.A. Was the affection the fruit of His own work, it was before the Spirit was given?

F.E.R. It has very often been said that while the Lord was here, He did a great deal which is now the work of the Spirit.

D.L.H. Though it would appear that the disciples were unable to understand it until in resurrection it says, "Then opened He their understanding".

F.E.R. Yes, but what A -- was referring to, was that when He was here He maintained them in a certain amount of affection.

H.C.A. I was thinking you get the love here before you get the Spirit.

F.E.R. Yes; and so in this same gospel the Lord can say, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken to you".

G.B. It is by the Spirit that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts now?

F.E.R. Yes, but Christ was the living expression in the world of the love of God.

G.B. And there was a divine work in their souls which made them appreciate it?

F.E.R. Yes, He came out to reveal the love of God, and undoubtedly the hearts of men were touched by it.

G.B. And everything is built upon that, as it was in the case of Peter when he said, "Thou art ... the Son of the living God"?

F.E.R. Yes, Peter was touched, the Father had drawn him to Christ.

G.B. Though Peter might not have been able to

explain in the least what he meant?

F.E.R. No, but one could not doubt for a moment the real affection which the disciples had for the Lord. I do not think even Peter's denial of the Lord would gainsay that; he came under very great pressure, and he was unequal to it, and he fell.

S.H. None but a divine Person could maintain, or beget love.

F.E.R. No, quite so.

D.L.H. Well that is one great point in connection with the Spirit, that He is the truth.

F.E.R. Quite so. Now if you were asked where the truth is at this moment what answer would you give?

D.L.H. I should say in the Spirit.

F.E.R. But I would go further than that, I would say in the Spirit and in the body.

D.L.H. Because the Spirit dwells in the body?

F.E.R. Quite so; and you cannot separate entirely from the Spirit, what the Spirit has wrought. It would be very hard for us to distinguish. God can distinguish of course, but for us it would be extremely difficult. You get such an expression as this for instance, "If Christ is in you, ... the Spirit is life", that shows you how intimate the connection is between the Spirit and what the Spirit has wrought.

G.B. Would you say with regard to those drawn to the Lord that it was the work of the Spirit, or of the Lord?

F.E.R. Well the Father was active in it; and Christ was the point of attraction, the point to which the Father drew. I think you may get light in a kind of way, and yet for all that be outside the work of the Spirit. There may be a kind of work, but it is not quite what I should speak of as the work of the Spirit of God. The work of the Spirit comes in to make us in accord with the light, to form us according to the light. I think there is a very great deal of light and intelligence which is quite beyond the work of the Spirit, it is a long way beyond

the real work of the Spirit I should say.

H.C.A. And yet the individual is only in the good of the light in as far as it is made good in him?

F.E.R. Yes, that is all. Now what do you minister? Do you minister your knowledge of Scripture, or what you KNOW.

K. A man cannot minister more than he knows.

F.E.R. Well I think I have often ministered my knowledge of the Scriptures, and I suspect I am not very different to other people; but now I am much more disposed to limit my ministry to what I know. I do not think I am at all perfect in that way now, but that is the line I have more before me, in any little ministry I may do. Not simply to minister from one's knowledge of Scripture, but from what I really know.

Ques. What do you mean by "know"?

F.E.R. What I know by the Spirit of God. I think there is a long gap between what I know from Scripture, as to the form of the truth and so on, and what I really know, by the Spirit's work -- as divinely taught.

Ques. Is not that what we are conscious of by the Spirit?

F.E.R. Yes, it is yourself, in a certain sense.

K. It is what "a man hath".

F.E.R. Quite so. You see all the latter part of this chapter gives you really the reality of christianity; in connection with the Comforter you get the whole light of divine revelation, the Father and the Son. It is a wonderful chapter; I am sure one sees how precious it is -- as to the statements in the latter part of the chapter; all that is in the world and the power of the world, is as nothing compared to what you get in the end of this chapter. The Lord says even as to the individual, "I will manifest myself to him", then again later on, "My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him".

Rem. And that is individual?

F.E.R. Well those particular statements are individual.

D.L.H. So that the saints are rendered independent of the world through which they are passing.

F.E.R. Yes, quite so.

G.B. And that is the idea isn't it, in chapter 14?

F.E.R. Yes I think so. And that all hangs on the presence of the Spirit. Christ manifests Himself to one, and the Father and the Son making Their continuance with him -- you could never get that except by the Spirit. The letter will never give that to you. That just brings us back to the very great importance of recognising the presence of God by the Spirit. God is dwelling here by the Spirit, and we have to see to it that our ways are in accordance with that, that our ways are ordered according to the presence of God. Then there is another thing connected with it, and that is "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace;" the first thing is accepting the presence of the Spirit here; and the next thing is you are endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit, and no one will touch the truth of the assembly if they are not endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit.

G.B. And is not the presence of the Spirit a fundamental part of the gospel as bringing in the kingdom? Have we not been weak in preaching the kingdom?

F.E.R. Well, if God is here, you have got the house. If He dwells here it must be in the house. It is not like Christ being incarnate here, if God dwells now, it is in the house.

I have been much interested with what comes out in Luke 13 and the few following chapters as to the house. In chapter 13 you have their house is left unto them desolate, and in the few succeeding chapters you find Christ outside Jerusalem. But then in chapter 14 you have a house, and chapter 15 also, brings in a house; and in chapter 16 you get "everlasting habitations". In chapter 14 it is said "Compel them to come in that my house may be filled;" and in chapter 15 the elder brother drawing nigh to the house hears the sound of

music and dancing; then in chapter 16 it is, that ye may be received "into everlasting habitations". The idea of the house really runs through all those chapters.

D.L.H. The temple and Jerusalem was "Your house", but God's house was continued in another way.

F.E.R. Yes, the everlasting habitations may refer to what is beyond, but the house in the fourteenth and fifteenth chapters refers to what is down here now.

J.J. Does not the thought of the house involve intimacy?

F.E.R. I think so; the house is the scene of love -- that is the idea to me -- the scene of love into which Christ has been received, and in which Christ is. It is a moral idea to me.

G.B. If you speak of my house, or of your house, it conveys more than the idea of the mere shell.

F.E.R. Yes, quite so. You see in chapter 14 God will have people compelled to come into the scene of holy love, and into all that prevails there.

G.B. Where the Father's joys are in exhibition.

F.E.R. Yes, you get the celebration of righteousness in the scene of love.

H.C.A. The coming of the Holy Spirit was God taking possession of His house?

F.E.R. Yes, the work of Christ had been preparatory; He had prepared the company to which the Spirit would come.

Ques. Is "endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit" the house aspect?

F.E.R. Yes, and if you fail in that obligation, depend upon it you will not get beyond. No one will really touch the truth of the assembly, if they disregard the obligation to keep the unity of the Spirit.

G.B. How would that come out practically, in refusing to sanction flesh?

F.E.R. Yes, or any links at all after the flesh. You see if a man sanctions any working of will, or lust, and fails to walk in self-judgment, he is not endeavouring to keep

the unity of the Spirit. People come and bring in disturbing elements, even on the plea of service, but that is not endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace! Suppose a man comes along sowing discord and disturbance in every place he comes to, how has that man got his feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace? It is a mockery of it. You have to begin with what comes out in the earlier part of Ephesians 4, with "lowliness and meekness", I have no doubt at all that that is what we want, lowliness and meekness.

Rem. Not conforming others to our will?

F.E.R. No, but learning of Christ, coming to Christ to learn of Him, as He says for "I am meek and lowly in heart", you take up the service of love.

H.C.A. I suppose in that way the disciples were prepared for the coming of the Holy Spirit?

F.E.R. Yes; they had learned of Christ. Now as to that in Matthew 11, I think that Christ relieves you of one burden, but then He puts another upon you; He relieves you of the burden of legality, and He puts upon you, the burden of love -- the yoke of love. It is "bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ".

G.B. And you need moral likeness to Him, to do it?

F.E.R. I think so. You have got to learn of Him -- "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart". I think we have all got to accept that our pathway down here is to be the service of love. Christ has made the love of God a reality to us, and now what we are to be taken up with is the service of love.

H.C.A. The Spirit helps us on these lines.

F.E.R. Yes, and the effect of that is that you avoid anything that tends to bring discord in. A man who is seeking to serve in love will be very careful not to bring anything in that will tend to discord.

That, I think is the first obligation that follows on the

acceptance of the presence of the Spirit; you are endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit, and then you really come to the truth of the assembly; you begin to apprehend the truth of the body.

D.L.H. So that the fact is that the love which was brought down here by the Lord Jesus Christ into this world, was not taken away, but left here?

F.E.R. Yes. The end of Matthew 11 is extremely beautiful in that way, it all follows on the revelation of the Father -- "Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him", then He says, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" -- I will take your burden from off you, and I will put you in the presence of the Father's love. Then the next verse is, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, ... and ye shall find rest unto your souls", -- that is the service of love.

Rem. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another".

F.E.R. Yes, you bear one another's burdens, and in that way fulfil the law of Christ.

D.L.H. Do you connect the service of love with endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit?

F.E.R. Well I take it up with the expression "lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love", -- that is the service of love pretty much. The apostle says, "By love serve one another", Now suppose we are all bent upon doing that, do you think we should get all sorts of discord coming in? Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit would come as natural as possible.

H.C.A. And the Spirit is the power which continues the work here?

F.E.R. Yes, I think so. The beginning of it is the love of God shed abroad in the heart, because it is the purpose and intention of Christ to bring our hearts into the knowledge of the love of God. Then when we

accept the presence of the spirit, we recognise our obligation to keep the unity of the Spirit; and then He leads us into the truth of the worshipping company -- the truth of the assembly. People think, I do believe, that because they come together on the Lord's day morning, that they are in the truth of the assembly; but it is quite possible for them to be there, and yet not in the truth of the assembly one single bit. Of course when I speak of the assembly, I speak of it in its own proper character, as for God. As risen together with Christ, and quickened, you are in the condition for priestly service, as led by Christ. It is not simply a meeting of believers, but that which the Holy Spirit has wrought to be in accordance with Christ, so that there may be the service of God according to His mind. I think it is as evident as possible that if God is to be worshipped, He must be worshipped according to His own mind -- according to the order which He Himself has laid down. If you think of the way in which services are carried out in cathedrals and those places today, it is man worshipping God as he thinks best, but it is not according to the order of God. Man thinks he will devote his best to God, but that is like Cain. It is a curious thing that before the fall, you do not find that man worshipped God. There is no record of it at all; you nowhere read of man approaching God before the fall came in. Well now that man is fallen, it is a clear case that if he desires to approach God, it must be according to the order which God Himself lays down. To approach God according to man's own will, is the most wicked thing that can be. God must be worshipped as He Himself sees fit to order, nothing can be more certain than that. I should think that one of the most offensive things that can he conceived in the presence of God, is the way in which things are done in some of the cathedrals, where the mass of people are perfectly delighted! It is just about as offensive in the eye of God as anything could be.

D.L.H. I think there is a good deal of danger among

ourselves too, of a kind of imitation of what is of God, coming in. There is an imitation of worship, of which we are in a good bit of danger I fancy.

F.E.R. Well I like people to be simple in that way, and to express what they can express; but at the same time, I should like them to go on and to get an idea of the assembly. But I would never wish to see them go beyond what they really know; I would like them to be simple in the part they take.

D.L.H. Well but there is that danger.

F.E.R. Yes, perhaps, but I would like to hear people take any simple part in the meeting, rather than attempt what is entirely beyond them.

H.C.A. Does not this take up the three circles which follow upon endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit?

F.E.R. Well I think they come in to accentuate the unity of the Spirit; they are not the ground of it, but brought in to accentuate it. If we entered into the reality of these things they would be very great incentives to us to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace.

H.C.A. People say a great deal about the Spirit in the assembly, but probably it is a little forgotten that the Spirit has His place in a man's own house, and in his associations in the world.

F.E.R. Yes. In this chapter the great point in connection with the presence of the Spirit is comfort; the Lord looks upon them as about to be bereaved of His own presence, and the great point that comes out in the chapter is comfort; and the comfort that we have here is the great point for us now. My own impression is that there is the greatest comfort possible in this chapter. Things do go so dreadfully crooked down here in the world -- christendom and all that, the state of things is appalling; but the great comfort for our hearts is that God is dwelling here by the Spirit -- the Comforter is here. And then too you get the presence here of the

Father and the Son, you get all the good of the divine revelation; it is all comfort, there is nothing crooked there!

Ques. How is that connected with "I will come to you"?

F.E.R. I think it is the presence of the Comforter that enables Christ to come -- I think it is that that makes it possible for Christ to come to us. He distinguishes between the saints and the world, and because they have the presence of the Comforter, He can come to them.

H.C.A. He comes where the Spirit has His way?

F.E.R. I think so. But the whole point of the chapter is comfort in a scene of mourning. It is a scene of mourning to us, as the Lord said, "Then shall they fast in those days" -- it is a time of fasting to us, but here in this chapter you get the comfort amid the fasting and the mourning.

Rem. Christ Himself had been their Comforter.

F.E.R. Yes. People take account of us as fasting pretty much, because we do not enter into many things which we might consider ourselves entitled to enter into. But we have a good bit of comfort in it for all that!

D.L.H. How the apostle entered into it when he says, "As sorrowful yet alway rejoicing". It seems a kind of paradox.

F.E.R. Yes. I think that the bread and wine in the Supper is an allusion to the bread of comfort and the cup of consolation in the midst of their mourning, as you get it in Jeremiah.

A HABITATION FOR GOD, AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

Psalms 132; Psalms 133; Exodus 15:1 - 2

It has been pointed out that the psalms, properly speaking, close with Psalm 119, those that follow being in a sense supplementary. They form a kind of recapitulation. The Songs of Degrees are moral steps; they show the progress from distance into the sense of nearness. The last of them is remarkable in that way. In Psalm 134 we have, "Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion". We are brought to the sanctuary, and the blessing of Jehovah issues out of Zion.

The two psalms that I have now read have a moral connection, which I wish to point out.

What is remarkable in Scripture is the perfect unity of principle which prevails in spite of a great deal of diversity of detail. The ways of God with Israel are in principle the ways of God with the church. That is not at all difficult to demonstrate.

There are two striking points in Psalm 132. David is bent on finding a habitation for Jehovah, and Jehovah on the establishment of the throne of David. David sware, "I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, until I find out a place for Jehovah, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob". When Israel was brought out of Egypt we get the thought, "I will prepare him an habitation". The answer to David's desire is found in the latter part of the psalm, "Jehovah hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation". Then follow the blessings consequent on Jehovah's dwelling, "I will abundantly bless her provision: I will

satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy". There is a further point, "There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed". Jehovah will establish the throne of David. It is interesting to see the mind of David is that God must dwell. And when God dwells all kinds of blessing must follow. There is abundance of grace, her priests clothed with salvation, and her saints shouting aloud for joy. All these things are consequences of God's dwelling.

In the next psalm we see that very momentous consequences follow. Under David you get the unity of Israel and Judah, the ten tribes and the two. They were parted in self-will; now in Psalm 133 they are brought together in the unity, so to speak, of the Spirit, and they get one head. They have David for head. They have surrendered their self-will, as witnessed by unity, and then you get the blessing, "There the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore".

When self-will on the part of man is surrendered, then it is possible for God to make manifest the removal of the judgment of death that lies on man; then will be brought to pass eternal life. Sin must be removed in the world before God can come in and remove His righteous judgment, so that blessing may be established. Such are the ways of God in regard to the earth. Everything depends on the fact of God dwelling. David's thought was to prepare a habitation for Jehovah, then David's throne is established. Israel is brought together under the true head, and the blessing is commanded. I have said so much as to the literal force of the psalms. Everyone is probably aware of what great confusion has been brought into the Old Testament scriptures by attempting to introduce the church into them. Still, Scripture presents to us the great principles from which God never departs. The principles of divine dealings in the church are also the principles of divine

dealings in regard to Israel. The true David is Christ, and the thought of the true David has been to provide a habitation for God. Christ has undertaken that. I do not believe that anyone could have provided a habitation for God except Christ. The work of Christ was in view of preparing a habitation for God. He gathered a company together here, to which, when redemption was accomplished, God could come. This was the great work of the Lord Jesus. It may be said that, as regards Israel, He spent His strength for naught, and in vain; but at the same time He accomplished that which He came to accomplish. He prepared a habitation for God. He glorified God in regard of righteousness, sin was put away by the sacrifice of Himself, and a company gathered to which God could come. In the beginning of the Acts we see the company ready. It was a small and insignificant company -- in the eyes of the world of no importance -- but a company to which the Holy Spirit came; and in the descent of the Holy Spirit the house of God was formed. It was the crown of the work of the Lord Jesus.

Christ came in the line of David. He was of the house and lineage of David, but was in fact the true David, who came to provide a house for the mighty God of Jacob, a dwelling-place for God down here. From that day to this God has been dwelling here. The habitation of God began with that little company gathered together by the resurrection of Christ, and there it was that God saw fit to dwell. They had been dispersed by Christ's death, but were gathered by the testimony of His resurrection, and the house of God was formed.

But God would establish the throne of David. The time has not come for the throne of David to be established literally, but David's Son is exalted in glory. We have in the Person of Christ in heaven the establishment of the kingdom of God. The throne of David on earth is as yet unoccupied, the rights of Christ in this respect are in abeyance. The true Son of David sits at the

right hand of God. It says, "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return". I take it that Christ has received the kingdom, but He has not yet returned. "Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him". The kingdom of heaven exists for faith, and this is what the Lord brings out all through the gospel of Matthew. The secret of the kingdom of heaven is the Son of David at the right hand of God. He will come again hereafter for the re-establishment of His earthly people; Zion will be established, and the true seed of David will sit on David's throne, according to the word of the angel to Mary in Luke 1, "The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end". I have brought this forward to show that the concern of Christ has been to establish a dwelling-place for God, and that God will establish the throne of David. Christ is the true David.

I want to show you the bearing of this with regard to things down here. If you look at Matthew 16:13 - 19, you get there in principle a dwelling-place for God and a throne for David. You cannot see any evidence of this in the world, but if you do not accept the truth of it you can have nothing according to God. God is dwelling here by the Spirit, and Christ is at the right hand of God; the kingdom is established. I would liken the kingdom to the sun, which is in heaven, and we in the light of it here. The sun is set in the heaven to give light on earth, to rule the day.

Now I come to the question of how unity is to be brought about. The unity of Israel will be brought about by the pervading power of the Spirit of God, the tribes being brought together under one head. It is what the twelve sons of Jacob were in result brought to; they had hated one another, there was no unity among them, though there were combinations. They sold

Joseph, who was to be their deliverer, into Egypt; but they had eventually to be formed in unity, and among them Joseph was pre-eminent, as his dreams set forth. They were formed in unity on their deliverer. They say to him, "Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man". But their distrust of Joseph was not completely eradicated until after the death of Jacob, and then unity was found under Joseph -- they had one head. That great lesson is to be verified hereafter in the history of Israel. They rejected Christ as the patriarchs rejected Joseph, but the twelve tribes are to be formed in unity on the true Joseph. Christ will be the gathering point.

In regard to the church, the Holy Spirit has come down to establish unity, and unity is established by the introduction of the Head. Joseph was the head of his brethren; the Head of the twelve tribes hereafter will be Christ. Now Christ is the Head of the church. Saints are bound together in the Spirit, but you never get unity except as under one Head. Though it is said in 1 Corinthians 12, "By one Spirit are we all baptised into one body", yet there was very little unity prevailing at Corinth; they had a number of heads. "Every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ". There was not unity, but differences were there; and why? They were not holding the Head. The true secret of unity is in holding the Head. The world has all gone wrong because it has lost a head. Now Christ is the Head of every man, when He is recognised and admitted as such, things will go right on earth, and never until then. The divine way of putting things right here is by bringing in the Head. It is among christians that Christ is known as Head. "Not holding the Head" was what marked the seducing teachers at Colosse.

Christ said, "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". What was the idea of His assembly? It was of a company in

which there would be no mind except the mind of Christ. If that were true of all saints, if everybody were governed by the law of Christ, then you would have unity. There would be no sin, there can be no sin in the law of Christ. In Christ is no sin; and if all were abiding in Christ there would be no sin, no self-will of man, but the mind of the Head governing each one completely; thus there would be unity.

Why is there discord among nations? Because there are so many wills at work. The only real cure is that God should introduce in power a Head to all. Meanwhile there is unity in the church, as has been said, You give up your own head, and hold the Head. The point is, to be ruled by the law of Christ. This was realised in measure at the beginning -- love prevailed, they bore one another's burdens. The mind of Christ is to rule in His assembly. You get the idea of this in Ephesians 3, "That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height", etc. Saints are to be full of intelligence in the mind of Christ, and governed by the law of Christ. That is holding the Head. What brings trouble into meetings is usually self-will. In every church difficulty that has arisen men have been giving way to their own heads, and not holding the Head. There can be no discord where there is the holding of the Head. Neither the Corinthians nor the Galatians were holding the Head, they were biting and devouring one another. It is a great thing to see how unity is brought about. It is the sign that the power of sin has been broken, for the will of man is contrary to God, and must bring in discord among men. When God brings about unity on earth, it is the evidence that the will of man has been broken. The church is the first-fruits of reconciliation, the first company of which Christ is actually Head. Hereafter headship will be very much wider, for "Head of every man" goes beyond the church. This will break the power of sin in the world,

and unity will result when the mind of Christ governs. In the millennium, when Christ is recognised as Head, everything will take its character from Christ. Fashions will not prevail in that day. "The fashion of this world passeth away"; "he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever". Christ takes away the sin of the world and baptises with the Holy Spirit.

In confirmation of what I have been saying, I will read a verse or two, John 17:11, "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are". The apostles were to be one, as were the Father and the Son. Then verse 20, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:" -- mark the object -- "that the world may believe that thou hast sent me". In the church, as the first-fruits of reconciliation, there was to be this testimony that the power of sin was broken -- Jew and Gentile were one. Unity was the testimony to the world that the Father sent the Son. Then further, "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I 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". In that day the church will, so to speak, give the law to the world -- the law of unity, consequent on, and the witness and proof of, the power of sin having been broken. Then God dispossesses death, His righteous judgment on sin; and then is fulfilled, "There Jehovah commanded the blessing, even life for evermore".

Our obligation is to keep the unity of the Spirit. How are we going to do that? There is one way, by holding the Head. In the sects and systems around saints do not hold the Head, they justify division. Schism is sin, it is of the will of man. It is said, "The mystery of lawlessness doth already work". It works in disunion

and the assertion of the will of man. It is a great thing to be ruled by the Spirit of Christ, to fulfil the law of Christ.

What follows is that you will be taught by the Spirit of God, who will bring you to know that you are risen together with Christ, that this is God's pleasure, and by His mighty power you are quickened. No one can learn this who fails to hold the Head. Till people accept the obligation to hold the Head, I do not think they are taught by the Spirit of God. As risen together with Christ, you are the other side of Jordan, in the land of promise; you are quickened together with Christ, you have anticipated the coming day when you will be actually quickened. As quickened together with Christ, you have reached eternal life; death is for you dispossessed, you pass beyond its domain. Risen with Christ is evidently beyond the domain of death; it is in anticipation of the coming of the Lord. God's ways and principles are always consistent; His ways with Israel are His ways with regard to the church.

We have been looking at the house of God and the kingdom. Christ has the place of Head -- Head of every man, Head of all principality and power, but now Head to the church. What is to characterise the body is holding the Head. In Colossians 3 it speaks of the peace of Christ and the word of Christ; all that is of Christ is to rule in the hearts of the saints, hence you get unity really brought about. You are brought by the Spirit into God's mind; and as risen together with Christ, you are brought into things the other side of Jordan, which in nature are eternal, and cannot be touched by death. All that is of the wilderness death will bring to an end; all that is the other side of Jordan, all that belongs to the knowledge of the Father and the Son, death cannot touch.

It is a great thing to recognise the fact that God is dwelling here. Christ was diligent and faithful to prepare a dwelling-place for God, and our part is to

endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Then you are led on into the consciousness of a scene where the power of death is broken. "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent". It is association that cannot be touched by death. "There Jehovah commanded the blessing, even life for evermore".

THE HEAVENLY COLOUR

Colossians 2:13 - 19; Numbers 15:22 - 41

I desire, in the first instance, to say a word in regard to the books of the Old Testament. I do not think that we get in them the revelation of what is purely heavenly, and yet "they are written for our admonition"; they are written, one might say, with a heavenly people in view.

It is one thing to see the revelation of what is in nature and privilege purely heavenly, and another to see the walk of a heavenly people through the wilderness. For instance, in the prophecies of Balaam referred to yesterday, the people of God are contemplated in the wilderness. Balaam looked upon them from above, from God; he saw them with the eye of the Spirit, but he looked upon them in the wilderness.

Just refer for an instant to the book of Leviticus. The subject treated there is that of approach to God; and that which comes out in the early part of the book is of the greatest importance, namely, the offering of Christ, in its various aspects, which is laid as the foundation in the soul of the believer. That is the great idea in the beginning: but you do not get the revelation of purely heavenly privilege; so far from it, the testimony of the Holy Spirit is that "The way into the holiest ... was not yet made manifest". Yet we have Aaron and his sons, and the whole question of approach to God; the death of Christ in its various aspects laid as foundation in the soul of the one that approaches. For acceptance, fellowship and every blessing, I begin with the offering of Christ. That offering is the foundation of every blessing one experiences down here, whether it be acceptance or anything else. I quite admit we get the day of atonement; the great day of reconciliation comes out, but with the testimony -- "that the way into the holiest ... was not yet made manifest".

I come to another point in Numbers. Numbers is the walk of a heavenly people through the wilderness, and God's provision for it. Many things are found there which are not in Leviticus: for instance, the numbering of the people; the people are taken account of; the rod of priesthood, the water of separation, and so on; God's provision for a heavenly people where they need to be supported by priesthood, and are in danger of contracting defilement.

But for the exposition of heavenly blessing I must go to where the heavenly things are revealed; and before speaking of things connected with the walk of a heavenly people, I first have to make out what is heavenly. That has led me to the chapter in Colossians.

The principles that come out in Numbers 15 are most important in this day. We get two things brought into juxtaposition -- the worst and the best; and the worst has to be met by the best. Nothing short of the best will meet the worst. I often think the millennium will not present the same contrast as now; evil will be repressed and its power set aside; there will not be the same character of things as now. This is a very great day, the day of the Holy Spirit. Nothing can transcend the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is here, so we get the principle with regard to believers, that the good figs are very good and the bad very bad. If the flesh comes out in the believer it comes out in a way worse than anywhere. I do not think the flesh comes out in its naked, terrible character anywhere as it does in the saints. The good figs are indeed very good, the bad very bad. These two things are brought into contrast in this chapter in Numbers. The spirit of lawlessness on the one hand, the very worst thing in the world, which puts aside everything of God; and, on the other hand, what I may call the heavenly colour. In order to steer clear of the principle of lawlessness, what one needs to bring down into the details of life, and those nearest the earth, is the heavenly colour. The Israelites were to stone the

man who gathered sticks on the sabbath day. It was lawlessness. It is brought in as an example of presumptuous sin. If they sinned through ignorance the trespass might be met, whether as to the nation or the individual; but in regard to high-handed sin, there was no offering at all. It was impossible for God to go on with it. This man who gathered sticks was to be stoned; he had made light of the sign of the covenant between God and His people in careless self-will. It is just the lawless will of man at work; it does not come out here in anything very flagrant or immoral, but in putting aside the ordinance of God, the sign of the covenant. Then comes the direction that they were to wear a fringe in the borders of their garment, and in the fringe a riband of blue. The heavenly colour was to come down with them, a heavenly people (of which, of course, we have here only the figure) going through the wilderness, to the details that come nearest the earth, the borders of their garments.

I will first say a word about what is heavenly, and then as to the application of the heavenly principle to the details of life down here; for I do not think we can apprehend the latter unless we are clear in our minds as to what is heavenly. What is heavenly is, as to us, new creation -- God's workmanship. It is not a patch up of what man is down here; it is not simply a man going to heaven when he dies. The heavenly is the new thing that is come in. That is what led me to Colossians 2:13. It is a wonderful passage. It is the part of the epistle in which the truth of Ephesians is brought into Colossians; and we see it is all God's work and God's work in us -- what is wrought in the believer, looked at from that standpoint as wholly the work of God. We have been quickened, "quickened ... together with Christ", a truth peculiar to Paul. I would say a word about that, because I believe it to be a truth of the very highest moment for every one to understand. Every one accepts it, but there may be many who have not apprehended

the force of being "quickened ... together with Christ". It looks upon Christ in the place of death; Christ gone down into the place of death for the purposes of God. He is raised again from the dead, quickened in the power of the Spirit, quickened as Man into a new condition; the same divine Person, but quickened into a new condition; and the wonderful thing that comes Out is, we are quickened together with Him. I have a very poor idea of the force of it, but the thought is of the greatest moment. If quickened, we are quickened for God, so that in every way we may be agreeable to God; that we may be according to God in every sense, even as Christ is according to God. That is the idea to me of being quickened together with Christ; quickened for God by God's own work. It is not a question of how I reach it experimentally; that is not brought in; it is wholly and entirely the work of God which has fitted me for Himself made me as agreeable to Him as Christ is agreeable to Him.

Another thing comes out in the passage -- that every impediment that stood between God and the believer, or that could stand between God and the conscience of the believer, is removed. He has taken it all away -- trespasses, the handwriting of ordinances which was against us, principalities and powers, everything which might have a power over the spirit of the believer has been spoiled by the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, every obstacle completely removed. We are quickened together with Christ; we are before God now according to Christ -- "quickened ... together with Christ".

The next thing therefore that he brings out is "the body". Why? How could we be united to Christ, joined to Christ, if we were not quickened together with Christ? It is the character of God's work in regard to believers that He has quickened us together with Christ, that we might be associated in the pleasure of God with Christ. We are that purely and entirely by God's own work, without a single word brought in as to how the

soul reaches it in its history. It is all the work of God.

It is a blessed thing to think that we are here a company of believers, but how far do we enter into the truth that we are before God for His pleasure, according to His pleasure in Christ? There, by virtue of God's work, and nothing short of that: God's own power in raising Christ, quickening us, but in the power of the Holy Spirit, that we may be before God according to His mind. We get expressions analogous to it elsewhere. "As he is, so are we in this world". That is the way God looks upon us. Of course, what He looks upon is the result of His blessed work. It has not come out yet into display, because we are here in the wilderness still; but it is all involved in the thought of being quickened together with Christ. It must go on even to our bodies. Of course, it is only faith that realises it; it is all true and real before God, the fruit of His blessed work, and it involves likeness to Christ in glory. I refer to that to shew we are heavenly. We are heavenly. It is a great thing to get hold of that: "As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly". And we are heavenly by God's own work, taken out of death as Christ was raised, taken out of spiritual death to be before God in the life and liberty of Christ. To be before God agreeable to Him as Christ is agreeable to Him, "quickened ... together with Christ", quickened to be before Him in such sort as to be members of the body of Christ.

I now turn back to Numbers 15. The thought is brought out of provision for ignorant failure. No doubt it has reference to the future history of Israel; and in regard to presumptuous sin, sin done with a high hand, the people who do not accept the offering of Christ, wilful sin being imputed to them, they will be cut off. Our lot is cast in a day where we see the spirit of lawlessness rampant in the world. People calmly put aside all that is of God. It is not simply that they do not like it,

but a spirit of lawlessness is abroad which puts aside everything, one thing after another that used to be recognised, in this country at least, as of God. We are fast going on to the time of antichrist. Thank God, we shall never be here to see that time! But we see the spirit at work on every hand which will set aside every ordinance of God. This man who gathered sticks did not do anything outwardly very gross, but it was the will of man making light of the sign of the covenant between God and His people. The point for us is, how is this to be guarded against? If you live in the midst of evil you are in danger of being infected by it. See, for instance, the Cretans (as we read in Titus). At Corinth people lived in a state of luxury and self-indulgence. The believers there were in danger of being carried away with the same thing. If we see these principles at work we are in danger of being poisoned by them. What I would bring before you is the antidote, and I believe the first thing is to accept that I am heavenly, and heavenly by God's own work. Then what is the kind of thing that becomes me down here? I will tell you in a single word: God's will. What does not become me? My will. That is the thing most unbecoming in the saints of God.

I believe the very circumstances through which a christian is called to pass, and the relationships in which he is set, are all parts of God's discipline to make him practically pleasing to Himself. I am not sent here to be prosperous in the world. It is all a question of the will of God. I am here for that, and I recognise it. I would not care to lift my finger to gain a worldly advantage, simply because I know I am here for God's will. I would not employ a patron to gain an advantage for me, because I am here for God's will, and in the circumstances most suitable for it. I am here to yield my body an instrument for God's service, that in my body His will may be expressed. I bring His will into everything. I would not push my business. I am there,

and I fulfil it diligently; I bring God's will into it, and I am happy, and my spirit is quiet and at rest because I am conscious of being in the place of God's will. People fret against their circumstances sometimes, and wish to change them, and they do not better them. They do not find themselves in a better position for themselves or God's people. I do not think people ought to be in a hurry to change their circumstances, or to change their location. I am here, not to have any part in the lawlessness all around, but to bring the heavenly principle into every detail of life down here. Whether ye eat or drink, or "whatsoever ye do, ... do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him". The question with me is not -- Is there any harm in this or that? I am here in this world for the will of God; I take up even the relative duties of life in the same way. I bring the heavenly colour into all the details of life down here; but the one thing that enables me to do it is the consciousness by the Spirit of God that I am heavenly by the work of God. I realise that, in faith, and bring the colour of it into the things down here. I do the same things an unconverted man would do. He has his natural ties, so have I; he has his business; I have my business; but he acts on human principles of prudence; I bring the heavenly principle into the lowest details. I believe that is the antidote to what I may call the dreadful principle of lawlessness that is rampant in the world.

To begin with, we are heavenly by the work of God. He "has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light". He has made us suitable for Himself in association with Christ, by His work which raised Christ from the dead, and has quickened us together with Him.

"IN CHRIST"

2 Corinthians 5:14 - 21

Rem. Nothing could more clearly indicate the character of what it is to be "in Christ" than verse 17.

F.E.R. I think we must connect that with what precedes: "If one died for all, then were all dead", it is new creation.

Rem. That is to say, the old order has been closed up in death.

F.E.R. Yes; Christ is no longer known after the flesh, therefore the apostle says we know no one after the flesh.

Ques. That completely gets rid of the thought of being "in Christ" for security?

F.E.R. "In Christ" is properly outside of the thought of responsibility. The responsible man is seen as gone before you come to "in Christ".

Rem. Responsibility never enters into "in Christ".

F.E.R. How could it when the apostle in his own mind was so outside of the responsible man here that he does not know Christ after the flesh? Then he begins to speak of "in Christ", and he says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ".

Ques. "In Christ" would be in contrast to "in Adam"?

F.E.R. Every man in Adam is in God's eye dead. God now sees only one Man. I have been greatly struck with the passage quoted in Acts 8, "His life is taken from the earth". If so, then what life can there be here? All other life is forfeited; all is under the judgment of God, and when Christ's life was here that life was taken from the earth.

Ques. What is the difference between "in Christ" in Romans 8 and 2 Corinthians 5?

F.E.R. None I should say. "In Christ" is not the

subject of direct teaching in Romans. It shews in chapter 8: 1 the place of privilege of christians; but it is brought in as an abstract thought. No condemnation to them that "are in Christ Jesus". Here in 2 Corinthians 5 it is a positive state: "If any one be in Christ, there is a new creation". In Romans -- if there, there is "no condemnation". The statement is abstract, not put forth in direct application.

Rem. They are in a sphere where condemnation could never reach them.

F.E.R. Quite so.

Ques. Our being "in Christ" is not exactly the thought of security?

F.E.R. No; security is in being sealed with the Holy Spirit. The fact is that the Holy Spirit has brought about new creation, the Spirit quickens.

Ques. Does not the expression in Romans 6, "reckon ye also", go farther than that in Romans 8:3?

F.E.R. It is only a reckoning there. It is a moral necessity, you reckon yourself alive to God. If you do, it must be "in Christ". The reason of this is, that there being no life at all in the first Adam line, you must be alive "in Christ Jesus". There is no life left here -- life must be in the One who is out of death in a risen Man -- that Man is now in another sphere.

Rem. But in 2 Corinthians it speaks of the life of Jesus being manifest in our mortal flesh.

F.E.R. Yes, the life of Jesus is to be reproduced morally in us, the grace that came out in Him when on earth.

Ques. The apostle is speaking, is he not, from the standpoint of new creation when he says, "know we no man after the flesh"?

F.E.R. He is working up to it. It is only when your mind comes, in a sense, to that point that you enter into the reality of what it is to be "in Christ".

Ques. Is this what is spoken of in John 14. "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in

me, and I in you"?

F.E.R. Well, it runs with it; but here we have the character and order, "If any man be in Christ", "new creation". It is not reconstruction, nor rehabilitation of the old order; it is a new order of man altogether.

Ques. How is it arrived at? How did the apostle himself arrive at it?

F.E.R. I think the first step experimentally is for the mind to be altogether free from the other man.

Ques. Does it not depend on what the Spirit of God has wrought in your soul?

F.E.R. I think so.

Ques. But the teaching in Romans 5, 6, 7, 8, leads up to it -- that must come before?

F.E.R. It must -- but Romans hardly brings you to new creation. That is not a new remark.

Ques. It gives newness of life?

F.E.R. Yes; but that is moral; walking in newness of life.

Ques. What is the difference between "in Christ" and eternal life?

F.E.R. Eternal life in Christ is the privilege. "The gift of God", which is "eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord". In new creation you find eternal life, nothing short of that. You cannot find eternal life apart from being in Christ, else there would be no new creation. John goes as far as Paul in this. He says it is in His Son.

Ques. Is life in Christ necessary for being in Him -- must we have it first?

F.E.R. I think you are created in Christ, and the effect of being created in Christ is, that you have life in Christ. We are His workmanship, created in Him for good works.

Ques. Is it all the sovereign act of God?

F.E.R. New creation must be the sovereign act of God.

Ques. With regard to the expression "in Christ", is it always the same thing? For instance, Romans 16:7,

"in Christ before me"?

F.E.R. I think there it is simply that they were christians before Paul.

Ques. Do you attach it to profession?

F.E.R. I do not think "in Christ" is ever profession exactly.

Ques. "If any man be in Christ", why the "if"?

F.E.R. "If" always lays the ground for a necessary moral consequence. It implies a necessity, not a doubt.

Ques. Is it for exercise of soul?

F.E.R. It does exercise souls. When "if" is connected with a proposition laid down, some moral consequence necessarily follows. For instance, "If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself"; that is the necessary consequence.

Ques. You say "in Christ" is never profession; what is profession?

F.E.R. I understand profession is that you confess Christ as Lord.

Rem. Profession has to do with Christ in glory.

Rem. Profession is not a hollow thing in scripture. It has come to be such.

Rem. People are not responsible to profess anything as to new creation.

F.E.R. But people are responsible to recognise that God has exalted Christ, and made Him Lord of all; man is responsible to know this; God is not mocked; Christ has come out and accomplished redemption, and is exalted to the right hand of God, and every single person in the whole world should confess Him Lord. What we call christendom is where people professedly own Him as Lord.

Ques. Does it not simplify the subject if we look at Romans 6, 7, 8, as our side?

F.E.R. Exactly; it very greatly helps.

Ques. At what point in the soul's history is a person "in Christ"?

F.E.R. I think when the Spirit has quickened it,

"flesh profits nothing". The uselessness of the flesh is recognised. It is very interesting to see how the apostle arrives at this in his own mind here, how he refuses the flesh. I just point out the steps: 1, Christ dies; 2, That witnesses that all are dead; 3, The conclusion based on that is, we know no one after the flesh; 4, You come to new creation -- "If any man be in Christ, there is new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new". It is then that we enter upon things that are of God.

Ques. Is the new man a peculiarity of christianity?

F.E.R. The new man is a new creation, and always spoken of in connection with it. It is created "in truthful righteousness and holiness". The having put off the old man and put on the new are concurrent.

Ques. Is that the soul entering upon the truth before God?

F.E.R. Exactly. The end of man to His glory came before God at the cross, and the resurrection has brought in life out of death.

Ques. What is the meaning of the expression 'arriving at the fact'?

F.E.R. What is the good of the mere fact to you if you do not arrive at it? God arrived at it 1800 years ago, but it is not a bit of good in our experience until we have arrived at it.

Ques. Is the arriving at it illustrated by Elisha, when he rent his own clothes and took up the mantle of Elijah?

F.E.R. Yes; that is very much like putting off the old man. He rent his own clothes, and then put on the garment of Elijah, and that characterised him henceforth.

Ques. Is "old things ... passed away" true of any until they have arrived at it?

F.E.R. It would not be a bit of good to them till then. What is the use of it until made good in one's soul? nobody could predicate it of me until I have arrived at it.

It has been said that the best robe was in the Father's house, but the prodigal heard nothing about it until it was put on. God can see every person "in Christ" in purpose. He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, but we are not to lose sight of our own side on which it is made effectual.

Rem. I think the great difficulty and hindrance has been in looking at ourselves only as in the purpose of God, and resting there, and not entering into it practically for oneself.

Rem. It has been taught that "in Christ" is true of a soul from the first moment it has life.

F.E.R. I think the first breath of life is the proof that you are "in Christ" -- that you have arrived at it.

Ques. Do you mean by the first breath of life new birth?

F.E.R. No. There is no breath of life according to God, until Christ is formed in you -- then there is the putting off the old man, and the putting on of the new.

Ques. When Ishmael is cast out have you arrived at "in Christ" in the history of your soul?

F.E.R. Yes. But I think that is more the thought of liberty.

Ques. Do you connect that with John 20?

F.E.R. I think in John 20 the Lord communicated the power or spring, but it had to take effect. John 20 is the divine side, shewing the place which Christ has taken as the last Adam, the Quickener. The child is alive when born, but you get the expression of life afterwards. When you get the expression of life then you are proved to be living, you are "in Christ".

Ques. You get the sense in your soul that you have got the Holy Spirit, the power to live?

F.E.R. It is not that merely. People are content to have the Holy Spirit, but that is only the beginning. The Holy Spirit is a divine power, and out of all proportion to the man -- to the greatest man that ever was; the work of the Holy Spirit is not to display divine

power in a man. He forms you. He would rather see one single proof of life in you as the result of His formative work than any display of power.

Ques. You mean by display, power in performing miracles, &c.?

F.E.R. Yes. But the Spirit is forming me. It is not simply that the Spirit should cry, "Abba, Father", in me, but He would have me cry, "Abba, Father".

Ques. Do you mean the difference between the presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer, and what the Holy Spirit forms in a believer, what comes out in him?

F.E.R. Yes. The Holy Spirit forming the man is most important.

Ques. Is not the man full grown when he is new created?

F.E.R. All is so far perfect, but that is only the beginning. One has to grow. The man formed in the Holy Spirit is more to God than the greatest work of power -- and after all the greatest act of power is to form a man of God.

Ques. Would you say the Holy Spirit works in us that we may bear fruit for God?

F.E.R. Yes. You go back to the first part of Numbers and you take the wilderness according to God.

Ques. You say, you must be formed in Christ -- how does the Spirit produce it?

F.E.R. I believe the Spirit works in two ways. First, He gives you the right thought of what He is forming in you; and the second is, He brings you under the influence of what He is forming you in. First, He ministers objective truth; but that is very different from what some are so ready to insist on, in a kind of dogmatic way as to the standing of a christian -- that is not my thought of objective truth. What I understand by it is the presentation of God to a christian as revealed in Christ's death in such a way that the heart of the christian is brought under the influence of the love of God, and formed by that love. Then there is another

line of ministry, that is the testimony of God which has found its resting-place in Christ, and the sense of this brings you into liberty. The two lines work together.

In ministry you present Christ as the expression of God.

Ques. Will you repeat the distinction between these two ministries?

F.E.R. I think it is very beautiful to trace the various testimonies of God in scripture, and to see all finding their resting-place in Christ, the expression and witness of God's pleasure, and the effect of seeing it, is to bring the soul into liberty. Then there is the other line of which I spoke, shewing the nature of God, what He is, and the purpose of His love. And the effect of this is, that the christian is brought under the influence of God's love, and formed in His nature. One of the lines is the revelation of Himself, of His nature -- and the other of His ways. Every testimony of God converges and finds its resting-place in Christ, and that is the thought in the new Jerusalem.

Ques. Does the effect upon the hearers come before the mind of the one who wishes to set forth God as He is revealed?

F.E.R. The testimony comes to the hearers as light. I do not believe either teacher or evangelist can really effect anything in anybody. God alone can effect anything.

Rem. As regards the ministry of 2 Corinthians, the ministers are not sufficient of themselves -- but the apostle says, "our sufficiency is of God".

F.E.R. But the Lord is the quickening Spirit. God will not, I think, use us except to enlighten. You never get a soul born again but by the power of God, nor do you usually get a soul enlightened but by the agency of man.

Ques. How far can the individual saint help the Spirit of God in forming Christ in us?

F.E.R. There may be cleaving to the Lord with

purpose of heart. Many are wanting in purpose, and when they are tested they do not answer to the test. Every little bit of new light you get will test you. The great question is, will you answer to the test?

Rem. A very great deal as to that depends on whether you have the fear of God before you. That will make you careful, otherwise you may take yourself out of the line of God's teaching and leading.

Ques. Should you have before you the state of those you may be addressing?

F.E.R. We cannot ignore the state of people, but we know very little about it.

Ques. But if we were in the hands of the Lord, if dependent enough, would He not give the right word? J.N.D. used to say he found out the state of the meeting by the word which the Lord gave to him.

F.E.R. Possibly so, if a man were spiritual and sensitive enough. But you know ministry to a large extent is like an arrow shot at a venture. If dependent, the Lord gives help for the occasion, but you know little of the company you are addressing. I always feel a dread the first time I go to a place. But in going on one gets a little sensitive to the company and more in touch with them. That is a great reason for going on in places a little longer than we have been accustomed to.

Ques. Would you say that the presentation of the heart of God is in the gospel, and that the presentation of all He has effected is what brings to the assembly?

F.E.R. You could not draw a sharp line in that way and attribute certain results to certain lines of ministry. Persons sometimes come to things in a most remarkable way. You may preach a powerful sermon and it does not apparently produce the least effect. There must be the activity of the Spirit of God. You may see the two lines presented in scripture, but you have to present things according to your own apprehension of them. I am not simply an expositor of scripture, and I do not think any servant should be; we ought to be expositors

of what scripture has taught us. You can only help according to what God has taught you.

Rem. It is a terrible thing to take up other people's ideas and attempt an exposition of them.

F.E.R. I think so. Therefore you can effect no good unless in what has had an effect on yourself.

Ques. Will you explain what you mean by saying you get "in Christ" in real power only in Ephesians?

F.E.R. I think in Ephesians you get the full opening up of the counsel of God which is in Christ. There are two lines of truth in connection with "in Christ", one that in Christ is the revelation of divine counsel, not simply that He is the revelation of God, but the expression of divine counsels; on the other hand there is the formative side in us and the power that forms according to that revelation, that is according to divine counsel as revealed in Christ. For instance, you get such an idea as eternal life in Christ, and "he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will". All the revelation of divine counsel is in Christ. Christ Himself is the expression and revelation of divine purpose. Then there is the other side of the truth, namely, the forming us according to that purpose, and therefore according to Christ. That is chapter 3, the subjective side.

But the apostle opens from the divine height. "He has chosen us", &c., that is divine counsels. Ephesians gives us the thought of new creation in a more distinct and full way than we get it elsewhere. God sets to work to make His counsels operative in that way by the formative work of the Spirit in us.

Ques. What did you mean in speaking of God's ways?

F.E.R. In meeting the breakdown of the responsible man here Christ brings to pass the will of God. There

would have been no necessity for these ways of God if there had been no breakdown here. God's ways have reference to the breakdown and to the necessary solution of the question of good and evil.

The Old Testament wants the New to complete it. It is not complete in itself. It is perfect in itself, but you want the New to give the other side. You get the thought of access to God, and the ways of God in the wilderness, and the various testimonies of God, but you do not get God coming out. That we get in the New Testament.

Ques. What is quickened together with Him?

F.E.R. That brings you to the church. You can be a very good individual christian in the wilderness. I was greatly struck with the two psalms referred to yesterday, 135 and 136. They do not bring you to the land, they do not go beyond the heritage of the land of Og and Sihon. The two and a half tribes, though really enjoying land given them of God, did not abide over Jordan. They did not really enter into the height of God's purpose.

Ques. As to the formative power of the Spirit in the soul, is there such a thing as increase or progress in new creation?

F.E.R. I do not think you could speak of progress in new creation. When the apostle speaks of new creation in Ephesians he was speaking to saints who had really reached the truth of it in their souls; and when light is operative, you want to know something about what God has wrought. That want scripture meets. You cannot really understand any part of scripture unless you have it in your soul.

Ques. What is faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints?

F.E.R. I think they apprehended the glory of the Lord and were walking according to it.

Ques. I suppose Ephesians could not be entered upon without first entering upon Romans?

F.E.R. You cannot get into Ephesians until you get into liberty. You do not get light until you want it. People are often studious to keep light out. They know very well that if the light comes in they will have to drop something -- suppose they want to enjoy social life, or a pleasant place in the country, the light would break in upon all that. You are not here for your pleasure, but for Christ's pleasure. I am sure people do keep the light out because they know instinctively that the light will shake them up.

Ques. What would make people go on in the Lord's path?

F.E.R. If you are going to accept the path the Lord marks out for you it is death to things down here; all must go. It is the old story of Peter on the water. All the things I might be naturally entitled to and able to enjoy here must go. It is gain to take the Lord's path, it brings a great deal of exercise, but you get Christ for your gain.

When the church is in ruin, or indeed in the ruin of any dispensation, nothing but a Nazarite will meet the case. That is, a man prepared to surrender the proprieties and joys of life that he might be naturally entitled to.

Rem. Every bit of light that we receive we find something that opposes it.

F.E.R. Therefore we are told to "lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us". This is not done once for all, but there is continual surrender. It is interesting to trace the first separated man, Abraham -- in every little bit of light he got, as sure as possible he was tested. Sometimes he answered to the test, and sometimes he did not. If he failed, he brought trouble on himself, while if he answered to the test, he got more light. I think every one might study the history of Abraham with great profit and interest, and learn in him the ways of God with an individual saint.

Ques. As to individuals, will you explain how Caleb

and Joshua were kept out of the land though ready for it?

F.E.R. They formed the link between the responsible and the elect Israel; they had part in the two numberings, because they represented faith.

Ques. Would you say that in that way those who came out of Egypt entered the land?

F.E.R. Yes, individual faith maintained this. The children of Israel came out of Egypt, and represent one christian in a sense. But it is not the same man that comes out of Egypt who enters the land. The link is maintained in faith -- the link is between the man of responsibility and the man of God's purpose, and the link is faith.

BRIEF NOTES OF READINGS ON 1 PETER

1 Peter 1:22 - 2: 10

Down to verse 21 of chapter 1 the point is the relation into which we have been brought with Christ: from verse 22 it is more our relation with one another. The great principles by which the world has been corrupted are, (1) lawlessness in regard to God, and (2) hatred in regard to one another. Adam is the figure of the one and the other came in by Cain -- he hated his brother. Hence two great principles come out in the way of God's recovery. The first involves our being brought out of lawlessness into attachment -- and the second out of the world, its lust and hatred into the circle of divine affections. In virtue of redemption we are brought into attachment, i.e., "Who by him do believe on God etc" (verse 21) -- we come in other words into the kingdom. Verse 22 and what follows brings out the thought of a circle down here -- "Having purified etc.... to unfeigned brotherly love". You cannot get on in isolation and you can only escape the world by coming into the christian circle. What God provided from the very outset was a centre to which men could be attached and a circle by which men could escape the world and the gospel was never preached until both were provided. On the day of Pentecost three thousand souls were brought into attachment to the divinely appointed centre and they were brought into the christian circle. On the one hand they were delivered from lawlessness, and hatred on the other. The object of all preaching is to bring souls into attachment with Christ and if that is effected they are no longer lawless but righteous. But it would not do for them to stop there. They must be brought out of the world and that can only be by bringing them into the christian circle. "Given him glory" verse 21. What is His glory? I have no doubt it is that He is the

Sun and centre of the universe of bliss. He is the Sun of righteousness. "That your faith and hope should be in God". We come into attachment so that morally we should be in all the good of what will come out by and by.

Verse 22. Our affection for Christ is very much proved by the regard we have for one another. Love is not put as a test in regard of God but in our relationships with one another. It is of no use talking about loving Christ unless you love one another. Righteousness comes out in love one to another -- it is the necessary sequence. You have to recognise the brethren as kindred to Christ.

Verse 23. You are partakers of the divine nature. The issue of the word of God in a kind of way is the divine nature. It should read "being born again ... and abiding word of God". The word of God is the revelation of God. We are all begotten of God by the revelation of God in our hearts practically. Of course I am speaking morally not materially.

Chapter 2: 1. All these things belong to the world. Then verses 2 and 3, "As newborn babes, etc". You may depend upon it that where people are being led on the first step is that they are brought into attachment to Christ then into the christian circle the atmosphere of which is love. In the great systems which comprise christendom salvation cannot be known -- people never "grow up to salvation" there -- the things in which they are entangled prevent it. They are kept in great worldly systems which are a denial of the divine circle. Anything which keeps you attached to this world must be a denial of the divine circle. We have to look to it that we do not build up brethrenism -- we want to build up the circle of affections.

"The pure mental milk of the word" is what is fundamental. You will never get a constitution built up without good food. Children want healthy conditions and good food and you cannot dispense with either. We want these things just as much spiritually. The 'atmosphere'

furnishes the healthy conditions and good food is found in John 6. The 'atmosphere' you will find in the christian circle -- the atmosphere of divine affections; and the Lord says in John 6He is the bread that came down from heaven and you could not want better food. If you have both, persons' constitutions will be built up.

The great point is to testify that righteousness is there. God has provided righteousness in Christ, the Sun of righteousness. Now the thing is for man to come into righteousness. This he does by faith, and salvation comes in by the Spirit. You want to bring a person into the reality of the covenant. In other words you want to establish one, in the sense of what God is toward them. That is brought out in verse 3, because if I know what the Lord is I have a sense of what God is toward me, and in that we want to be established more and more.

The work of the Spirit of God in this sense is really to bring them into accord with Christ risen. It is a great thing to apprehend Christ as the living stone and we are led on into accord with Christ by the Spirit. He is "cast away indeed as worthless by men, but with God chosen, precious" and all our ability for spiritual sacrifices depends entirely on our being in accord. It is only as risen together with Christ that we can build priesthood up. Christ is presented here as the centre and foundation of a worshipping company. The apprehension of Christ as the living stone indicates that you have begun to have an apprehension of the purpose of God. Men cast Him away but then He is chosen of God. He is the centre and beginning and foundation of God's universe and He is precious to us. He is the great bond and all is unity -- a "spiritual house", a "holy priesthood" a "chosen race". Christians have come into the place which was foreshadowed in Israel. Israel was a chosen race and was to be in a kind of way a holy priesthood and God called them out of Egypt into His marvellous light. We have come into these things in a spiritual way. They will

come into them in a more literal way by and by.

Everybody ought to be a Jew -- "He is a Jew who is so inwardly". All ought to keep the commandments of God. We take up all Israel's privileges in a spiritual way. We cannot get into the pure heavenly things but God calls us to be faithful at the moment in the things which belong to earth, i.e., in a spiritual sense. They will qualify us for the time to come.

Chapter 2: 11 - 25; 3: 16, 17

The light we get in regard to Christ, tends to unity. The effect of the apprehension of Christ as the living Stone is that we are built up a "spiritual house, a holy priesthood" we are built up in unity.

The first great step is attachment then you get unity. The next step you get is the path of the individual christian in the world, of the one who is attached to Christ, has been brought into the christian circle in unity. You must understand your links and then you are ready for the individual path.

Verses 11 and 12. We have to go out into the world, and on the one hand are to abstain from fleshly lusts, on the other our conversation is to be honest among the Gentiles. We are not to go on in the way of the Gentiles but are to have our conversation honest among the Gentiles. If we were more in the reality of what comes out prior to this, there would be nothing congenial in the world and we should come out more as "strangers and sojourners". Whilst bound together in unity, when you come to our individual path in the world we are strangers and sojourners. The elements of the world are destructive to unity.

The first thing is very important, we are to abstain from fleshly lusts. They may come out in a great many ways, in dress, in your houses, in your tastes but they war against the soul even though they may be very refined. You may get a very great deal in the present day of sensuous religion, hence the need for constant exercise;

you do not want to encourage anything that wars against the soul. The effort amongst us is to sail as close to the wind as you can, consenting to the truth and getting as much of the world as possible in a quiet kind of way, especially with people who have most. One may go in for the lusts of the flesh and yet consent to the truth. In doing this no progress is made spiritually. You find young people running after this and that thing to gratify their tastes, things which please the eye and the taste -- pictures, etc. The question is not where is the harm? but they war against the soul and no spiritual progress is made in allowing them.

If we were really in the good of our proper link it would be an immense thing; Faith and hope in God (1: 21), Love to the brethren (verse 22). In these you have all the elements of christian life, faith, hope and love. We all of us ought to be patterns of good works among the Gentiles (verse 12). In verses 13 to 17 you get an idea of good works. It is rather remarkable "Be in subjection therefore to every human institution". We do not look at kings and governors as a divine appointment. We have to accept the institution of man. Jerusalem was the city of the great King and David and Solomon were appointed of Jehovah. You have not that in the present day. Kings and governors are really human but you are to submit to them. In Romans 13:1 "set up by God" really means that they are allowed of God, providentially and supported of God. You can just as easily accept a republic as anything else. It is a human ordinance. "For the Lord's sake" is with a conscience towards the Lord. It is a very important thing to see that at the present time government is maintained, God upholds it on account of the testimony. Everything is subservient to the testimony, therefore we make "supplications, prayers ... for kings and all that are in authority", etc. (1 Timothy 2:1 - 2) God would have all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth, and maintains government in the interests of the testimony. I am sure God is not

maintaining government for the glory of man, that is the mistake they are labouring under in the world. If we were in the realization of that we would become truly evangelical and prayer and supplication would be made for kings and all in authority.

It is remarkable that we get exhortations addressed to the servants, to the wives and to the husbands (2: 18; 3: 1, 7). He does not take other classes like the apostle does in the epistle to the Ephesians. The great principle in the church of God is subjection -- "Servants, be subject with all fear to your masters", then again "Likewise, wives, be subject". It is wilfulness and insubjection which bring in mischief. It is a wonderful testimony to the women of old (3: 5, 6) and things have not changed. I think adornment is important enough, only let it be moral, external beauty will not approve itself to God. What will commend a person is the adornment of a meek and quiet spirit in the hidden man of the heart. The wife is to be in subjection but on the other hand the husband is not to tyrannise over the wife (see verse 7). They are "fellow-heirs of the grace of life". There is no difference there. How perfect Scripture is in the way it takes things up. See the delicacy and propriety of these exhortations. It is a very remarkable fact that two of the most beautiful exhortations you get in Scripture are addressed to servants, viz, in Titus and here. In the one it is "that they may adorn the teaching which is of our Saviour God in all things" and here "for to this have ye been called; for Christ also has suffered for you, leaving you a model that ye should follow in his steps". Christ is all that man could be or should be for God -- He is the Ark of the Covenant.

Chapter 3: 8 - 4: 11

It is of help to see the natural division of the epistle, because the apostle presents things in a kind of moral sequence. In the first chapter down to verse 21 the point is we are brought in relation to God into attachment.

From the end of chapter 1 down to verse 10 of the next chapter what the apostle is enforcing is our relation to one another -- we are to love one another out of a pure heart fervently, then you get the thought of a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, which brings in the idea of unity. So too does "ye are a chosen race, etc". It all has reference to our relation to one another. To the 7th verse of the next chapter we get our individual path as pilgrims and strangers in the world. In the passage now under consideration we get a further point, our relation to the moral government of God. In the previous part it speaks very much of what is seen and manifest, but when you come to the moral government of God it is not seen; yet it is very important to remember that it has an issue. It is hidden now but it will not always be so. It will one day become manifest that "the face of the Lord is against them that do evil". The moral government of God goes on until everything becomes manifest. It is concealed now but the great point is that it is there and those who believe are the subjects of that moral government. If we take it into account, it is a real help to us now. Christianity in every way is a great gain, for it adjusts us now to the moral government of God. If you do right the moral government of God is in your favour; if you do wrong whether you are christians or not you will have the moral government against you. "The face of the Lord is against them that do evil".

Verse 9 -- "Blessing" is the sense of God's favour and nearness. In spite of everything that you see around you the moral government of God is in favour of those who do good. The great men of the world have no idea of the moral government of God, their idea is for a man to do the best he can for himself.

Ever since God retired from the world the moral government of God has been hid; it has all its force in the fact that the thing itself will become manifest in a future day, but there are fruits of it now coming out.

Verses 13 and 14 seem to contemplate suffering and opposition. The point is the moral government of God is there and you want to be in accord with it. There are plenty of people who have no idea of God's moral government, and you may have to suffer for righteousness sake; but it is better to suffer and not to be obnoxious to the moral government of God -- in the end you are better off. The 13th verse is the general principle; the 14th verse is the possible exemption. The moral government of God is not a new thing; the Psalms are full of it. God took account of the ways of the righteous and the principles never change.

Suffering for righteousness is really suffering for the recognition of Christ and the great point is to "sanctify the Lord the Christ in your hearts, and be always prepared, etc". verse 15. I cannot see how any righteousness can be without giving Christ His true place in your heart. Christianity has been brought down to the level of man but the great point in righteousness is really what is true of Christ and that has got to be maintained. Hence you may have to suffer for righteousness sake. Daniel and his fellows sanctified the Lord God in their hearts and they had to suffer for righteousness sake. In our case the truth of Christ has come in and Christ is the Sun of righteousness.

The question of giving an answer comes in because the suffering that is contemplated is really religious. People were put to the test religiously -- as to whether they would acknowledge idolatry and that kind of thing. It really means confessing Christ as Lord. "Sanctify the Lord the Christ in your hearts". At the same time you are to "be always prepared to give an answer to every one that asks you to give an account of the hope that is in you, but with meekness and fear". After all, Christ has reference to every man, not simply to believers.

We forget that sometimes. He is Mediator; He "gave himself a ransom for all". He bought the field for the sake of the treasure -- the field has a relation to Christ

and Christ has relation to the field. Therefore in giving your answer if challenged you would do so in such a way as to bring in His relation to all. Then if God has made Christ the test of every man He becomes the test of good and evil. In Noah (verse 20) you get God's moral government coming out, and it came to an issue. In a certain sense now it has come to an issue. If you get into the ark you come to the issue of His moral government and you get things entirely according to God. The house of God was the place where everything was really according to God, and there, properly speaking moral government was brought to an issue. In the house of God you are not only in the presence of God's government, you are in the presence of God Himself. The church of God in christendom is more like a great house and therefore you have to conceive of the house of God in a kind of abstract way, and there it is where all moral questions and considerations are brought to an issue. That is why He brings Noah, "which figure also, etc". verse 21. It is very interesting to see that there is a spot upon earth where the moral government of God has come to an issue. You could not conceive of God dwelling where things have not come to an issue. Therefore what a wonderful thing the house of God is, the true character of it. It is a great point to apprehend that there should be such a conception here upon earth.

Verse 21. By baptism people were separated from the delusions of the world and brought into the scene where God dwelt by the Spirit, where everything was according to Himself. People have only to be true to their baptism and there will be nothing obnoxious to the government of God. That is introduced in the next chapter -- i.e., what must follow the baptism and we must make up our minds to suffer. Still "he that has suffered in the flesh has done with sin". We can be in accord with Christ and suffer in the flesh, then it is we cease from sin. That is the force of the expression "Do ye also arm yourselves with the same mind", it is the same mind

which you see in Christ. There is not only the absence in our ways of what is contrary to God but there is the presence of that which is suitable to God (chapter 4: 2). Everyone who is not subject to the will of God is lawless and we could not conceive of anything like happiness for man, apart from the will of God. It is a great thing to be able to act in the light of God instead of in legality. The presence of divine goodness puts aside all legality. I think legality always indicates a disposition to secrete things from God. The real spring of all right and happy action is being in the presence of divine goodness -- "perfect love casts out fear", there is no torment and you get liberty.

Verse 5 applies to the Gentiles (chapter 4). It is important to see that the present moment is provisional. The house of God anticipates the world to come, and in connection with the house of God, God is favourable towards all men, but the present moment is only provisional and God is going to bring everything to a perfect issue, "the end of all things is drawn nigh" verse 7. Things are really waiting for the moment which will certainly take place when men will set up the man of sin. They will not have God at any price, then it is that God comes in as a judge. It is an absolute impossibility for judgment to come at the present time because it is an accepted time and day of salvation and judgment waits until man shews his hand in Antichrist. The mystery of lawlessness already works and will find expression in the man of sin; then God will come in in judgment. It is a great thing in the testimony that we do not falsify the character of the moment, we should not becloud the grace of God.

Chapter 4: 12 - 14

In this passage we get the fiery trial which was to try the saints. There is a sort of moral sequence all through the epistle. In chapters 1 and 2 they were taken out of the world, but then individually they had to come to

the world and had to be subject to every human ordinance for the Lord's sake and they had at the same time to take account of the moral government of God. It was in the world too that they might expect the fiery trial of which the apostle speaks. I take it that the fiery trial was that which was to test them and connect it with 1 Corinthians 3:12 - 15. There you get the thought of the fiery trial which was coming in to try them and to burn up that which would not stand the test. It refers to persecution. It appears necessary because things had dropped down in the house of God; it is akin to Smyrna in the way of recovery. The house of God is where the results of God's government become manifest and it is the place of salvation because it is the sphere of righteousness. When God makes known His government you are bound to get the two things, judgment and salvation. We get three instances in Scripture where God's moral government has come to an issue and in every instance you get judgment and salvation. So it will be yet. (1) The flood. There God made manifest His moral government and you get the two things; salvation in the ark and judgment on the ungodly. (2) Sodom and Gomorrah. There was salvation for Lot and judgment on the cities. (3) Israel -- God's judgment was brought to an issue and you get salvation for the Israelites and judgment for the Egyptians at the Red sea. It is a remarkable thing that water is used as the token of the two things, i.e., in the flood, water was the means of salvation and at the same time it was the instrument of judgment. So with the Israelites and the Egyptians. The water figuratively was the death of Christ.

The Lord takes the character of judge when evil comes in. If salvation is not maintained in the house of God then God comes in in judgment that it should not be completely lost. I am sure there has been no subject less understood than salvation. The house of God is the place of salvation and there is no salvation outside

of it. In Popery they have got the idea that there is no salvation outside the church and I quite believe it. Satan seems to have perceived the divine idea and prostituted it. Salvation is really to be in moral accord with God. In the ark typically we are in accord with God. In regard to the children of Israel too the only act of faith attributed to them was that they passed through the Red sea -- they were so far in accord with God. The same thing is true in regard to the house of God. What gave its proper character to it was that the Spirit of God was there, but those who composed the house of God were living stones -- they were in accord with God and therefore were in salvation. So "the Lord added ... daily those that were to be saved". Salvation is the beauty of the saints -- "He beautifieth the meek with salvation ... let them shout for joy". Salvation goes beyond righteousness in a sense. I think salvation indicates that what God saves is that which is in moral accord with Himself. The fact of judgment coming in indicates that the house of God had departed from moral accord with God. If people want salvation let them seek to be in moral accord with God and I have no doubt whatever they will find themselves clothed with salvation. People want it simply as a term but they will not get it that way. The point with the apostle in "work out your own salvation" was that they should work it out into result. You manifest yourselves as the children of God down here because you are in moral accord with God and so are in salvation. The word to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:16 applies too. The question is very often put to persons unadvisedly, 'Are you saved?' The danger is that they will say they are saved when they are not saved at all. Salvation has not come in a manifest way and therefore you can only come into it morally; and morally many persons know nothing about it. I do not think you could say the prodigal was saved until he had the best robe, etc., on. Then he was in moral accord with his father. Prior to that he was on

the road to it. There are people on the road to it. Things are absolute on God's side although we only get a little bit at a time on our side. No doubt when the father fell upon the prodigal's neck the robe was in his mind although the prodigal did not have it on.

Forgiveness even is not known except by the Spirit. You do not believe that you are forgiven. You are never taught to do so and whatever people may think they do not believe it. What they believe is what is set forth in the testimony, viz., that there is forgiveness of sins in Christ's name and that is universal -- it is God's mind in regard of any man. When forgiveness in Christ's name was preached and believed people got the Spirit and that brought them into the enjoyment of it. The great end and object in Christ is that you may get living water. The point all through the Acts of the Apostles was that people should get the gift of the Holy Spirit. A person comes to Christ as needy with a request in his heart on account of his need and God knows what will suit him exactly and he gets the Spirit. The Spirit brings you into a world of reality. Cornelius by the Holy Spirit got the knowledge or witness of forgiveness. We too receive forgiveness in the witness of the Spirit.

We have failed to give proper force to the Spirit in christianity. We receive the witness of the Spirit that we may have a purged conscience and have liberty of approach to God. There are two things necessary in approaching God -- one is the good of the covenant and the other is a purged conscience. Christ was the Covenant and the covenant was sealed in His blood. Therefore you get the two things in Christ -- you get the covenant and a purged conscience.

A man is saved really by being in moral accord with God. In the psalms salvation is for the righteous and judgment for the wicked. To get clear on salvation we need first to understand righteousness.

THE LESSONS WHICH GOD TEACHES

1 Corinthians 1:23 - 31; Genesis 2:18 - 25; Genesis 3:20, 21

I desire to bring before you the great importance to us of the present moment, and that, in connection with our place in the kingdom of God. We are put under the sway of grace that we may learn the truth, in order that thus we may know God. God has brought us into His kingdom, that we might learn His lessons. Many of us are too well content with the elements; milk is all we want. When we have come to full age and can judge between good and evil, then it is we want meat. Milk refers to that which is suitable to us -- how all on our side is met; while solid food refers to the side of God's counsel, and is for those whose senses are exercised to discern between good and evil. The Corinthians had not reached that; they had not their senses exercised to discern between good and evil. Had it been so they would have known that there was no good in the flesh, and that all good is in God; it must be, and is, entirely of God. In seeing this you get deliverance from self-occupation; if you would enjoy good, you must find it entirely in God. Christians are sometimes taunted with regarding themselves as better than others; the truth is that a christian has the idea that flesh is worse in him than in other people; but then it is that he can appreciate the good that is in God, and in God only. The Lord Jesus when on earth said there is none good but one, that is God. If Christ were not regarded as God He would not be called good, but He was God, and all the goodness of God was set forth in Him.

Now I wish to shew what God engages to teach you in His school. I beg of you to remember that you are not taught of man, you are taught of God. The anointing teaches you, "They shall be all taught of God". You have the great Teacher within you, the anointing.

You may get a great deal of ministry, but you need to apprehend that every lesson you really learn is taught you by the Holy Spirit. Now you are in God's school, and are taught as you are exercised. God does not occupy you much about yourself, but about Himself -- and He will impress His lessons upon you. My object is to present to you what there is to be learnt -- which God alone can teach you. I take up four thoughts in the last two verses of chapter 1: 30, 31. But I will first mention a principle which will help you, namely, that every lesson which God has to teach you, He has set forth in Christ; that is, Christ is the exemplification of it, in that sense He is the Word. It is set forth in Him, and this is of the grace of God to His people, that the truth might be apprehended by them. Every lesson is set forth in a Man, and that Man is Christ Jesus -- the Son of God. The expression in verse 30, "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus", gives the derivation and source of the christian: as Adam was the source from which Eve was derived. God has made the death of Christ to be the birth-place of His people. His death was the end of one generation, but the birth-place of a new generation. The death of Christ was the revelation of the love of God. There was in it the removal of man to God's glory; but the love revealed in that death became the formative principle of a new generation. We are of God in Christ. A new generation in a new Head.

Now the lessons that we are to learn are not learned in a moment. God does not occupy us with small things, but with great ones. The first thing mentioned here is wisdom -- "Christ Jesus" is "made unto us wisdom from God" -- Christ is Himself the wisdom of God. With the Corinthians there was the tendency to turn to human wisdom; but to know divine wisdom you must turn to Christ. I understand wisdom to mean resource. Any man may have a purpose, but the question is, has he resource enough to compass his purpose? You apprehend God's wisdom not only in conceiving but in carrying

out His purpose. In Genesis 2, we see that God purposed to provide a helpmate for the man that He had made. It was the purpose of His goodness to do so. Now the wisdom of God is seen in the way in which He carries out His purpose. The way He takes is His wisdom. He brings to Adam not what is foreign, but what is kindred to him -- suitable to the man, that thus she may be the object of his affection; she was derived from Adam, and he regarded her as of himself. Thus the wisdom of God provided for Adam a helpmate. She was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, and he was bound to love her. She was, too, the glory of the man, and I might, in a sense, say the fulness of the man. She was not man, and, in order, inferior to man; but she was the glory of the man. In scripture you see crises and difficulties arising from time to time, but you never find God baffled, either by the malice of Satan or the wickedness of man. God always has resource. Now Christ is the wisdom of God -- the setting forth of God's wisdom. The position of Christ now in regard of Israel is that of being deceased -- in a deep sleep as regards them -- and this by their own wickedness. But God takes occasion of it to form a bride for Christ. That very sleep has become the birth-place of the bride. You might have supposed that the death of Christ closed all as regards man. No; it has become the birth-place of the church. The great principle which came to light in the cross of Christ was love, and there is no real breathing of spiritual life in any of us till the love of God is made known to us by the death of Christ. The death of Christ is the perfect testimony of God's love, and every real christian begins his life for God there. The beginning of spiritual life, as such, is in apprehending the love of God. Whosoever "loveth is born of God and knoweth God". There is a generation here which has been called into existence by the love of God, the testimony of which we have in the death of Christ. This generation testifies to the Son of God. The palsied man

in John 5, became a testimony to the Son of God; and those who hear the voice of the Son of God, and live, are in the same way a witness to the Son of God. What I understand by the wisdom of God is that in the decease of Christ in regard of Israel God has brought about a generation born of Himself. And God will eventually make good all in regard to Israel. Now what Eve was to Adam the church is to Christ. The church is the glory of Christ. The church is not Christ, but it is the fulness of Christ, it is His body. Whatever you know of me is expressed through my body. The body of Christ is the vehicle and expression of the mind of Christ. The church is His fulness, for it is adequate for the setting forth of the Son of God. That testimony is in the generation which is born of God. God has sent the Bible into the world, but the proper answer to infidelity is the church. The witness to the Son of God is the church, and this is the wisdom of God. God has found for Christ what Rebecca was to Isaac, one who will share His inheritance in the day of His glory. We learn in Christ the wonderful resource which there is in God to give effect to all that is of His purpose.

Now I come to the next point -- righteousness. Christ Jesus has been made to us righteousness. If I take account of this company as forming part of a generation begotten of God, it is looking at them apart from what we are in flesh. The time will come when we shall pass out of the relationships which belong to us in flesh; but as born of God we are eternal. But we are all here in connection with life in flesh, and have all had to do with sin. If this be so, the first necessity for us according to God must be righteousness; so we read at the beginning that God made coats of skin to cover Adam and Eve. Christ is become our covering in the eye of God. Whatever you have done or will do, and whatever is in you, if you are a christian you are accepted of God in view of the world to come. Nothing affects the question of our righteousness, for Christ is our righteousness.

We have on the wedding garment. The wedding garment was provided -- the guest had to take it up. A man who comes in without the wedding garment will be cast out; he is bound to come in according to the order of the feast; and that is Christ for righteousness and that covers our nakedness.

But, further, Christ is made unto us sanctification. Christ is the expression of our sanctification. The Sanctifier and the sanctified are all of one. Our sanctification is perfectly set forth in Christ. If you can appreciate Christ as Man, raised from the dead, but not yet in possession of His rights, you will understand Christ as Sanctifier. We see Jesus in the place of man, taking the ground of praising God. Our sanctification consists in this, that we are the brethren of Christ and in association with Him. Go tell My brethren, "I ascend into my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God", that was their sanctification. The character of sanctification is set forth in Christ raised from the dead, living to God but not in possession of His rights, and there is a company in association with Him. It is a great thing to get an apprehension of Christ as our sanctification, expressing what man is now for God. The closer we get to Christ the more we appreciate that we are a holy priesthood, forming part of the priestly company which draw nigh to God. Sanctification, which is perfectly set forth in Christ, has its application to us, if we have faith in the operation of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Now one word as to redemption -- Christ is made unto us redemption. We see the thought of this in Philippians 3:20, 21. As christians we are brought within the range of the influence of Christ. "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me". It is a great thing to be within the range of His influence. It is very subduing. He will subdue all that is discordant to Himself. Adam loved his helpmate, and there was nothing discordant. The proper idea of husband and wife is

that the wife comes within the range of an influence which will not be content until all is according to the man himself Now that is what Christ is doing if you are near to Him. The subduing process will go on until you are completely like Himself. It is going on effectively now in a moral way, and it will go on even to the body, for He will have our bodies like unto His body of glory. Christ will have nothing which is discordant. What is true now morally will eventually be true in regard of your body. So we get here that Christ is redemption to us. We shall be like Him, for nothing will complete His satisfaction until we get deliverance from the poor weak body and are conformed to His image. Christ is made unto us wisdom from God -- also righteousness and sanctification and redemption; so that he that glories may glory in the Lord. All this is what God has provided; and He teaches us as to them that we may be satisfied with the goodness of His house. Christ is the great lesson book (I speak reverently) of His people. He is meek and lowly in heart, and if you come near to Him, you will prove His subduing power. There are great lessons to be learned in God's school and their effect will be for eternity. Now is the opportunity afforded us of becoming acquainted with them. These are not new thoughts, they were in the mind of God from the beginning, but have all come out in Christ. May we be more drawn to Christ, so that our hearts may come under the influence of all that Christ is.

RIGHTEOUSNESS

Romans 10

D.L.H. It has been thought well to take up a little further the subject of righteousness which we had last week.

F.E.R. This chapter throws additional light on righteousness; you get it illustrated in a way, in connection with the Jew. He did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is spoken of as our righteousness; He is made to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. It is important to see the contrast between our righteousness, and God's; and then to see that our righteousness is in the Head. God's righteousness is God's rights; our righteousness, is that our liabilities have been met.

D.L.H. When it says they went about to establish their own righteousness was the idea to get their liabilities met, or was it that they had not any?

F.E.R. They went in for character; in seeking to establish their own righteousness they sought to establish their character. Man could only seek to establish his own righteousness on the principle of works, I mean character in that sense.

J.Mc.K. Saul of Tarsus for instance.

G. Does the discharging of liabilities go as far as righteousness?

F.E.R. What else can it be?

G. I thought the discharging of liabilities is negative, and righteousness positive.

F.E.R. The moment you make it positive you come to conduct. It is not practical righteousness which is here referred to. "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness", that is not practical. When you come to what is positive you come to practical righteousness.

M. Where is the righteousness of God set forth that

they should have submitted to?

F.E.R. In Christ "Whom God has set forth a mercy-seat".

D.L.H. It is of the first importance that the rights of God should be maintained.

F.E.R. I look upon God's righteousness as His title to govern and control the affections of every intelligent being.

G. Is it His claims over man?

F.E.R. Over his affection. If you could get the affection right, all would be right.

H.C.A. How far do you think the righteousness in verse 5 goes?

F.E.R. It explains itself, "The man which doeth those things shall live by them", I think it is the same as Philippians 3.

W.J. "Live by them" is the title to life?

F.E.R. The man that doeth these things shall live by them, or in them.

Ques. That would be practical righteousness?

F.E.R. Yes.

H.C.A. What would there be for God in that?

F.E.R. It would be all right if man were not fallen. I think Mr. Darby has said that he did not doubt that with unfallen beings the abstract principles of the law were fulfilled in them. It is very possible that the holy angels love God with all their heart; such a thing is conceivable.

G. Was the law the measure of the righteousness of God as far as revealed?

F.E.R. The law would have been man's righteousness, but it was not the righteousness of God. In the light of christianity we can see that the love of God lay behind the law. I cannot see that the law had anything to do with the righteousness of God. One principle of law is, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God", it was really the expression of God's rights so far. The righteousness of God was witnessed to by the law and prophets.

G. What do you mean by the love of God lying behind the law?

F.E.R. If God were not love, how could He command to love?

D.L.H. So love is the fulfilling of the law.

F.E.R. If you get away from the mere letter of the law, you can see the love of God lay behind it.

D.L.H. Only love can produce love.

F.E.R. Only love can enter into the idea. The conception is only possible to love.

J.Mc.K. He must have valued man's love.

F.E.R. Exactly, it is the great proof of God's love. The terms of the law are really the proof of God's love. In the gospel God comes in to enforce His rights. The present is a time of reckoning, and God comes in in grace in order to enforce His rights.

Ques. How are His rights enforced?

F.E.R. The heart of man is subdued by grace. The Jew had not submitted to God's righteousness, and in the gospel God is approaching men in grace to enforce His righteousness.

D.L.H. If grace reigns through righteousness, there is the prevalence of grace.

T.H.B. How do you explain the righteousness of God upon all that believe?

F.E.R. It has taken effect in regard to all that believe, God gets His rights from all that believe.

J.Mc.K. What is the compelling power in the gospel?

F.E.R. Grace.

J.Mc.K. Not love?

F.E.R. Considering what man is, the first thing by which he must be affected is grace. The spring of grace in God is love, but grace touches man first on account of what he is.

H.C.A. Grace takes account of man's condition.

F.E.R. And approaches man in relation to that condition.

Ques. Is the spring of the gospel love?

F.E.R. I think so. "In this was manifested the love of God toward us". I think love carries with it, the thought of life and purpose. Grace brings salvation that man may be here for God's will. They run together, but that is the connection of things.

J.N. Is the righteousness of God -- Christ?

F.E.R. Yes, He is the expression of God's rights, His righteousness, and at the same time He is righteousness to us.

Ques. Is there any difference between righteousness and justification?

F.E.R. Not very much, He "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification", and He is "The end of law ... to every one that believes".

J.N. It has been said that God's righteousness is consistency with Himself.

F.E.R. God's righteousness was there, before ever sin came in. Sin did not call it into existence.

G. Sin denied His rights.

F.E.R. Exactly, it was lawlessness, it was opposed to the righteousness of God. There will be new heavens and a new earth, wherein righteousness dwells. In the universe of bliss everything speaks of God's righteousness, that is the idea to me; every intelligent being submits to God's righteousness.

A.E.W. That should be morally true in His people here.

F.E.R. It is what the Jew had not done.

D.L.H. In establishing their own righteousness they thought of themselves.

F.E.R. Exactly, Paul did it. There was not any recognition in his mind of God's rights. He had no idea of affection as connected with God, not the faintest idea of love.

Ques. Could there be submission apart from God's approach to man?

F.E.R. I think not. Grace bows a man's affection, and if his affection is bowed, his will is bowed.

D.L.H. Would you say a word as to our becoming God's righteousness in Him?

F.E.R. The church becomes the peculiar witness of His righteousness. I do not think the same brightness that comes out in the church will come out in anything else. The millennial state of things would not be displayed without the church. It is the time when God displays His glory, and if He displays His glory, what surrounds Him must be according to His glory, and it is on that condition that God can really establish the kingdom. There is a great deal in the kingdom which is not according to His glory, but what God is surrounded with -- the heavenly city -- is entirely according to His glory; and the church, the heavenly city, is an absolute necessity to the kingdom. God can take all up, because all is according to His glory, and the nations walk in the light of the heavenly city, not in the light of God, but of the city; and they bring their glory and honour to the city.

W.J. The church will be the medium, and therefore in reading the Psalms, you are made to feel there is something lacking.

F.E.R. Yes, I can believe that.

H.C.A. If God was to get the rest of His heart, as to man His righteousness must be displayed.

F.E.R. Righteousness is the first principle; nothing can be right morally without it. It is the law of the moral universe because man has gone off into sin, into lawlessness. God's judgment is not righteousness exactly; it is righteous, it is God's judgment dealing with lawlessness. He comes in to break down lawlessness.

W.J. What is the force of judging the world in righteousness?

F.E.R. It will be the character of His judgment in the millennium. He will have His own proper place, and lawlessness will not be tolerated. That is the point to which man must be brought in relation to God: he must submit to God's righteousness.

The next thing is, Christ is your righteousness; you have a living Head; one in whom every liability has been met, and that brings in the thought of redemption. Christ is our righteousness, and He is the end of the law for righteousness to the believer. It is not the same bearing as the righteousness of God towards all; Christ is righteousness to those who believe, it is more limited. It involves the sovereignty of God. We are justified in the Head. The fact of my having a Head, really involves my being attached to that Head, and that brings in the question of God's sovereignty. It is limited to those who believe.

Ques. When you speak of a Head, do you refer to Romans 5?

F.E.R. Yes, we are justified in a Head, in Christ, who is made unto us righteousness.

Rem. The place of the Head, marks the place of all that come to Him.

P.R.M. Why does it come in in chapter 3?

F.E.R. It connects itself with redemption which brings in God's sovereignty; that is the most important point in connection with redemption. God takes up His inheritance and meets all the liabilities under which it is. Redemption does not belong to the gospel. Anything that brings in the question of divine sovereignty does not belong to the gospel. It is a great mistake to introduce into the gospel matters which belong to God's sovereignty. It is a mistake to introduce the idea of hell into the gospel, because it belongs to the sovereignty of God, and such matters are not given to us to handle. I would warn men of judgment.

Ques. Why does hell belong to God's sovereignty?

F.E.R. Because He saves one from going there, and not another. In the passover God's dealings were in taking up His inheritance. His people were His inheritance, and He saw fit to take it up, at the same time meeting all the liabilities under which it was. The same thing is true in the church; He has taken it up, and met

the liabilities, but that is not the gospel. We want to keep the two things clear and distinct, so that in presenting the gospel we may be clear on the ground of man's responsibility, and not be bringing in matters with which we are not competent to deal.

D.L.H. The gospel is the presentation of God to man.

F.E.R. Yes, "The grace of God that bringeth salvation", the teaching of it does not go beyond this world. The grace of God brings salvation to man that he may be here for God's will, and every man should be here for God's will.

D.L.H. Supposing a man terrified with the thought of eternal judgment was to come to you with such a question?

F.E.R. I should try to meet it with the idea of present salvation. If a man comes into present salvation he will not come into eternal judgment.

D.L.H. You would present to him God's aspect towards all men.

F.E.R. Yes, the grace of God that brings it to all men. I would warn as far as death and judgment. Death lies upon all men, and God will judge every man according to his works. In connection with the lake of fire, scripture never speaks of those who are judged being sent into it, it says, "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire", that proves it is a matter of God's sovereignty.

J.McK. I have understood the end of the great white throne was the lake of fire.

F.E.R. It may be so, but it does not say so.

Ques. When you speak of judgment, do you not speak of hell in connection with it?

F.E.R. The question of man being saved from hell, brings in the sovereignty of God, and that is a matter which we have not got to deal with. In preaching the gospel, and dealing with men it is important to deal with them on the ground of their responsibility, to present the

gospel in that light and connection. I believe that to be the connection in which it stands, because the purpose and object of the gospel is that man should be here on earth for the will of God, and it meets man where he is.

J.McK. At the same time is it not necessary to tell them of hell, seeing it lies at the end of every Christless career?

F.E.R. You have quite enough to tell them in death and judgment. They are serious enough.

Ques. Does judgment involve hell?

F.E.R. I daresay it does, but you could not prove it.

D.L.H. You get the normal aspect in Romans, man as responsible bringing in guilt, and then God's righteousness introduced as the gospel.

F.E.R. The object of it is that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us; that men may come to practical righteousness on earth.

J.H.K. Would you preach the gospel of the glory of Christ?

F.E.R. Yes, why not? But you are not competent to handle the sovereignty of God.

D.L.H. Say a word upon, "Wrath of God is revealed from heaven"?

F.E.R. It is revealed, but that is not final, that is not hell. It is the wrath of God in the way of judgment upon the world, and what is going on down here. It is more like the vials in the Revelation.

Ques. What is judgment?

F.E.R. It is God calling man to account, "Every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess".

D.L.H. I thought wrath from heaven, was in contrast to wrath upon earth.

F.E.R. I think it is. The pouring out of the vials is in contrast to anything preceding.

D.L.H. It would not differ in kind?

F.E.R. I think it would.

G. Sodom and Gomorrah?

F.E.R. Yes, it is more universal.

Ques. Would you connect it with 1 Thessalonians 2?

F.E.R. Yes.

W.J. The mere fear of hell would not be repentance.

F.E.R. In presenting God's testimony you must not go upon the imagination of man; you have to enlighten, not to go upon man's sensibilities.

T.H.B. What is turning to light from darkness?

F.E.R. It is the revelation of God in grace.

J.N. Would you tell a man to love God?

F.E.R. I should say to him that God has loved the world. The gospel is the presentation of God in His attitude towards all men.

Ques. What is the thought in redemption?

F.E.R. Redemption is simply the taking up of a right. The end of Leviticus is full of it. A man takes up a right, and he can only do so by discharging the liabilities upon it.

D.L.H. Boaz is a good illustration.

F.E.R. And for that very reason it involves God's sovereignty. He does not take up the liabilities of every man. You could not get redemption without the acceptance of the liabilities. I do not think you can talk about universal redemption. Christ is a ransom for all, but that is not redemption. God has taken up the right in Christ, and has met the liabilities.

REDEMPTION CONNECTED WITH GOD'S PURPOSE

Titus 2:11 - 15

F.E.R. I suppose that the 12th and following verses are much more limited than verse 11.

D.L.H. Redemption seems to be confined to the people of God and salvation is towards all.

F.E.R. I think so. It is the grace of God which brings salvation to all men hath appeared and in verse 12 it is teaching us, etc.

E.D. What do you say as to "A ransom for all" (1 Timothy 2:6)?

F.E.R. He paid a price for all in death. He died for all, but at the same time in His death there was the idea of taking up a right. Redemption is the taking up of an encumbered right. You get the idea in Ephesians 1:14 "to the redemption of the acquired possession". It is purchased though not yet redeemed. The death of Christ is looked at in two ways -- (1) as the declaration of God's righteousness; (2) it is the basis of His purposes. Redemption connects itself with God's purpose; it is impossible to controvert that.

J.S.O. The manifestation of God's nature is in death.

F.E.R. And that is towards all. Christ's death is the foundation of divine counsels, like the sockets of the tabernacle, they were of silver. The house of God is really in redemption.

E.D. Does it only apply to the heavenly people?

F.E.R. I think not. It is applied to Israel in Exodus 15:13. As to Revelation 5:9, it is a very abstract idea, it does not look upon them as a resurrection company. It takes place before God takes up His dealings with the Jews. It is an activity of God which I do not think you can find in the Old Testament. The sealed book is

opened and the interest of heaven is really in what is going on upon earth. The people in heaven were not singing about themselves, their interest is in what God is doing. When God begins to interfere redemption is the starting point, and it has other things in view, viz., to lead forth the people and guide them to the abode of His holiness. You get it all brought out in Romans 5.

D.L.H. It connects itself with God's house.

F.E.R. God takes up a right to lead them out of the dominion of the enemy and bring them to the abode of His holiness. It is very important for us because much is said about holiness today and without very much intelligence.

J.S.O. You get it in principle in Colossians 1:13: "Who has delivered us from the authority of darkness, etc".

F.E.R. But then it at once adds (verse 14) "In whom we have redemption". You get no picture of the gospel in Exodus -- I cannot find any gospel in it.

W.B. Many have sought to preach it from Exodus.

F.E.R. It is as Mr. Darby said, they put it into it, but it is not a question of God's approach to man in Exodus, nor do you get there the grace of God bringing salvation to all men. Exodus is that God takes up a people who are His inheritance, redeems them and brings them out in order to set up His dwelling place among them.

J.S.O. It seemed good news to them that God intended to bring them out of the land of bondage to one of milk and honey.

F.E.R. But they are the people of purpose. They were the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and God saw fit to redeem them and bring them out, but that is not the gospel -- you must come to the New Testament for that.

J.McK. You don't mean to say that there is no gospel in the Old Testament?

F.E.R. You get glad tidings presented to Israel, but the glad tidings were the spies. Israel's guilt was that

they did not believe the spies. The fact is this -- our Bibles ought to be rebound and the New put before the Old Testament. I think all the dealings of God were there premonitory to His coming out to all men.

J.McK. We ought to read the Old in the light of the New.

F.E.R. And you must to understand it. In the Old Testament the church comes in in type in Aaron and his sons and you get God's dealings with the people of His purpose. The New brings in God's approach to all men, and we should keep that very clear. We cannot be too earnest in maintaining the proper application of the gospel. You do get hints of the gospel in the Old Testament but they were prophetic.

J.S.O. The Old can only be understood in the light of the New.

F.E.R. That is certain, and where people take their doctrine from the Old they are sure to make a mess of it.

W.D. Cannot we get doctrine from the types?

F.E.R. You learn a great deal from the types which could not be learned from the bare statements of facts. For instance the offering of Christ you would understand very little about from the statement of the fact, if you had not also the types. Redemption is not a universality but the redemption of a peculiar people zealous of good works. It shows what the saints are to be to Christ. It is all in connection with the possession of a peculiar people. It is not the same idea of universality that you get in, "For the grace of God which carries with it salvation for all men has appeared", Christ's death is the declaration of God's righteousness and love and that refers to all men, but that is not the idea of redemption.

D.L.H. In redemption you must bring in the thought of God's purpose.

F.E.R. Yes, that God has an inheritance.

D.L.H. Boaz is a good illustration. There was a near kinsman but he was not prepared to take up the responsibilities.

F.E.R. It is all a question of keeping the sovereignty and grace of God in their places instead of confounding the two. There are both things in scripture. I believe God's heart, His nature, is towards all men -- He would have all to be saved but, at the same time, I equally believe in the sovereignty of His purpose; He will have something for and according to Himself.

D.L.H. We may say that salvation lies on one plane and redemption on another.

J.S.O. The passover lamb would be the title to take the people out?

F.E.R. Yes, it met the liabilities so that God was free to take up the inheritance. God has taken up the liabilities but it is in order that He might take up His right and bring them into His holy habitation.

Ques. Is Luke 15 limited to that?

F.E.R. I think it is, because it is not universality there but grace. The Shepherd seeks the sheep, the woman seeks the lost piece of silver. The great point for us is to distinguish things in our minds and then you can bring out that which will establish saints on the one hand and that which God presents to the sinner on the other, and that is very valuable.

W.J. What is "Establish you, according to my glad tidings" (Romans 16:25) -- does that carry out your thought?

F.E.R. I think so. "Gospel" in scripture is a very wide term, and hence you find the mystery of the gospel.

H.C.A. Do you connect the sovereignty of God with salvation?

F.E.R. The grace of God brings salvation to all men, you get the application of it according to divine purpose.

H.C.A. Is not purpose limited to redemption?

F.E.R. Redemption is the basis of purpose, the carrying out of purpose is founded in redemption. Redemption as Mr. H. said lies on the other plane.

A.E.W. In redemption you have to take account of sins?

F.E.R. Yes, "In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins". (Colossians 1:14). In the grace of God and reconciliation, although it is a time of reckoning, God suspends imputation and that is based on the righteousness of the cross.

J.S.O. You don't mean by the forgiveness of sins, redemption?

F.E.R. If you take Exodus 15 as a guide it is, "Thou by thy mercy hast led forth the people that thou hast redeemed" (verse 13). The leading forth was another step, and then "Thou hast guided them by thy strength unto the abode of thy holiness". They are first redeemed and then led forth. What God does on the ground of redemption is to lead forth His people to His house; that is we are brought in that way to the abode of His holiness.

J.McK. At what moment in the history of Israel were they redeemed?

F.E.R. The moment the blood was there. It was the witness that their liabilities had been met and God had taken up the people, and then He led them forth and guided them to Himself, and that is what God does with us. You want to get to God's holiness -- you begin with righteousness to come to holiness according to God's thoughts of it.

W.B. What about the expression 'Safe but not saved'?

F.E.R. They were safe in Egypt but not led forth. They were not clear of the enemy's power though they were right enough with God, but they had to be saved from the enemy's power and dominion. They had to stand still and see the Lord's salvation and the effect of it was they believed the Lord and His servant Moses.

W.B. What about "... saved by him from wrath"? (Romans 5:9). Whose wrath?

F.E.R. God's wrath, but you cannot go and tell people they are saved from wrath.

W.B. I thought you limited salvation to freedom from

the enemy's power.

F.E.R. It was in Israel's case and that is a very good type.

D.L.H. People are saved from the adverse power they were beneath.

F.E.R. They are saved from the whole dominion in which the power of evil works. It is to get them out of the world, the enemy's territory. God is bent upon that and people do not see that the world is the dominion of Satan. Nothing in the world would convince me that a man who is making money in the world disliked it. God delivers from the power of the enemy and all the system of things in which his power works.

D.L.H. With regard to remission of sins, what is the bearing of Acts 13:38?

F.E.R. There is the general testimony of forgiveness according to the end of Luke's gospel. It is the testimony on God's part in Christ risen, His mind for man. In redemption you have the appropriation of it.

J.S.O. Redemption supposes people are lost.

F.E.R. They are looked at more as in bondage. They were lost so far as they were concerned. So it was with the sheep and lost piece of silver had not the shepherd and the woman interfered.

J.S.O. Does it suppose one with title over them?

F.E.R. That is the whole thing. The Israelites could not have got out of Egypt -- they were lost so far as that was concerned.

E.D. The wrath in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 is the wrath on this world. It is future and not eternal.

F.E.R. I think so. What we want is to see the purpose of redemption and the proper consequences of it. You are taken up for another according to eternal purpose -- we want to come to holiness.

D.L.H. What is the divine idea in the cry of the Philippian jailor?

F.E.R. He had the sense that everything was going from under his feet. That is the case with man when God

begins to work. There is a sort of moral earthquake and everything on which he stands and is accustomed to build upon seems to fail him; then he looks about to know what to do to be saved. The wonderful thing is that God would bring us to the abode of His holiness. He will have holiness and not be content with righteousness. People who talk about holiness by faith simply confound holiness with righteousness. God brings us to the abode of His holiness and that leaves its mark on us.

J.McK. If we preached verse 11, there would be more Philippian jailors.

F.E.R. Very likely, in a sense you have really to depend upon God for Philippian jailors on account of the hardness of man's heart. It is so insensible to the heart of God. We have not an idea of the utter insensibility of man to anything of God. We have to take people up on the emptiness of mere profession and people who have been educated and brought up in a country like this are harder than anybody else. It is a great mistake to think the house of God has become the great house. The effect of that is to neutralise the conduct and course which God has taken, because He has brought us to the abode of His holiness. Man has built up a great system upon the testimony and that has become the great house but the house of God maintains its own proper character. I believe that to be extremely important; you do not want to lose the house of God in its own character. It is a spiritual house. Holiness is that you are in accord with God's nature; you cannot touch holiness save as you are in the knowledge of divine love. Divine love is a holy love which is utterly intolerant to a breath of evil. Holiness is indispensable and God brings us to it that we may be partakers of His holiness. In the different conventions of today you never find holiness connected with God -- it is what will promote personal holiness that they seek.

W.D. Personal holiness is a great matter.

F.E.R. But you never get it except from God and as

you are affected by God.

E.D. It is not sinning really that is their idea.

F.E.R. Yes, "Do ye not know that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). It is the temple that is holy.

E.D. You could not get the standard of holiness without the love.

F.E.R. No you could not. Mr. Darby has a fine expression 'Thy holy love' is found in more than one of his hymns. When it is a question of what christians are here as God's testimony, the first point is righteousness; where it is our relation to God it is holiness. "Holy and blameless before him" (Ephesians 1:4). The new man is created in righteousness and holiness of truth.

Ques. What is yielding your members servants to righteousness and having fruit unto holiness?

F.E.R. Righteousness is the maintenance in integrity of every established relationship. If you are in that, walk in it, it leads to holiness. God is the only One who can establish any relationship because it must be established by adequate authority. Holiness is not a question of duty but being in accord with God's nature. It is repellent of all evil.

J.S.O. What is zealous of good works?

F.E.R. It is a continuation of the Lord Himself. He maintained good works in every way. He was the righteous One. Good works is faithfulness in every position and condition in which you are placed so as not to mar the testimony of the gospel. It is a good work to get an honest living, to do good and to communicate.

Ques. What is redemption in 1 Corinthians 1:30?

F.E.R. It is the right completely taken up -- we have redemption in a way spiritually now, but the right applies to your body, not only your soul. God claims your bodies, hence we have to glorify Him in our bodies.

A DWELLING-PLACE FOR GOD

Ephesians 2:19 - 22; Ephesians 4:1 - 16

F.E.R. I think we saw last time that redemption is connected with the sovereignty of God. God takes up a people for Himself, that He may dwell among them, in order that they may be instructed in the knowledge of God.

D.L.H. The idea of dwelling among them came up at once.

F.E.R. Yes, it would seem as if redemption had been accomplished to that end, that they might form a dwelling-place for God.

D.L.H. The thought is that God might have something for Himself.

F.E.R. I think so. I suppose redemption will eventuate in the filling of all things. Christ has ascended up far above all things, that He may fill all things. The universe will be for God; it will be God's house, and it will be filled by Christ.

E.D. What is the limit of the all things?

F.E.R. It takes up heaven and earth I think. I used the word universe, in that sense.

J.S.O. He immediately dwelt among them in Exodus, but it was in view of the mountain of His inheritance.

F.E.R. I think so. The tabernacle was the pattern of "all things". Christ will fill all things in result, things in heaven, and things on earth, but not things under the earth.

D.L.H. There is a sphere now, amid all the confusion that Satan has wrought, for God.

F.E.R. I think so, the household of God remains. "Ye are no longer strangers and foreigners, but ... fellow-citizens of the saints, and of the household of God". The Gentiles were of God's household and that remains.

D.L.H. The point for us is to get the spiritual idea,

and to leave out the material idea.

F.E.R. Yes, I am sure we are greatly hampered by material ideas.

J.B. Is the house of God, the sphere where God is pleased to make Himself known?

F.E.R. I think so, just as a man in his household. He dwells in his household. You know a man at home in his household, and learn his ordering there.

H.C.A. Hebrews 3, says "whose house are we".

F.E.R. If you could imagine a man simply dwelling in a material house, you would not know anything at all about him, as to knowing the man, everything depends upon his dwelling in his household. You see his influence and ordering in the midst of his household. In any moral sense a man dwells in his household.

D.L.H. Not in the bricks and mortar. God said of Abraham, He knew he would order his house after him.

F.E.R. It is in a man's household that he is seen, learned, and known. It was so in the case of Solomon, and the queen of Sheba; she saw the ordering of his house, and the sitting of his servants.

J.B. You do not get to know a man by seeing him abroad.

F.E.R. No, nor by seeing him dwelling in a house of bricks and mortar.

D.L.H. It becomes a very serious thing when the thought of that is transferred to God, and His house.

F.E.R. The apostle brings in the consequence of it in chapter 4. The conduct suited to the presence of God. That comes out consequent upon our recognition of God's dwelling. The vocation I connect with the end of chapter 2. The vocation -- our calling, is that we "are builded together for an habitation of God". That is the immediate basis of conduct down here.

H.C.A. There is nothing more wonderful than to be in association with Christ, with God, and His house.

F.E.R. And christendom has lost all sense of it, because they have dropped down into a systematic

christianity, and have given up all idea of God's house. Mr. Stoney used to illustrate it by a clock. "The body" is represented by the works, and "the house" by the dial. Neither is of use without the other.

T.H.B. Would you say "the body" is the real thing?

F.E.R. I think the house is the real thing, they both go together.

T.H.B. I thought that one who dwelt in the house was recognised in the household, that that was the same thing as the body.

F.E.R. The body is that which enables us to maintain unity. One Spirit and one body is really the power of unity.

J.S.O. In the body Christ is Head, it is not the thought of God dwelling.

F.E.R. The body is what the church is in relation to Christ; the house is in relation to God.

D.L.H. Is the body for the expression of Christ here?

F.E.R. I think it is that the body is more for God. There is that here which is for God, and which is really -- if you will allow the expression -- animated by the life of Christ. The body is of Christ.

D.L.H. They seem to run into one another a good deal.

F.E.R. Very much indeed. That which God recognises on earth is the house, but the truth of the body is essential to the house.

M.G. Is the body that which is necessary for the expression of the fulness of God?

F.E.R. That comes out in the house. The prominent thought in Ephesians is the house; in Colossians the body. Christ is prominent in Colossians; in Ephesians it is God.

E.R.B.R. What is the difference between the house and the temple?

F.E.R. I have no doubt there is a shade of difference, but it is not very great. The temple might take in the complete thought.

J.B. In the body the Head gives directions.

F.E.R. Everything is set in movement by the Head. All practical conduct is in connection with the house.

P.R.M. Is the thought of the temple more connected with the Spirit?

F.E.R. I should not think that here. It is so in Corinthians, here it is more privilege.

M. Is the thought of the temple in Ephesians connected with the future?

F.E.R. "In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord". The thought of the temple would connect itself with the kingdom.

M. Is Corinthians its present aspect, and Ephesians the future?

F.E.R. Ephesians shews the scope of it. The apostle could say to a local assembly, "Ye are the temple of God". It is a curious thing but you would never find the house of God spoken of in an epistle addressed to a local assembly. It is spoken of in epistles addressed to individuals, and in the catholic epistles: Timothy, Peter and Hebrews. God's building, in Corinthians is not the same idea. He says, "Ye are the temple of God", to the local assembly, but the house of God is a more general idea.

E.D. What do you deduce from that?

F.E.R. The temple of God was the height of it in a way. The apostle awakens them to that. The temple is in connection with God's holiness.

J.S.O. You could not predicate the house of God, to any single church.

E.D. 1 Peter 2 would bear that out.

F.E.R. I think so. He was writing to the Jews of the dispersion, and he says, "Ye ... are built up".

Ques. Have we not to express the unity of the body here?

F.E.R. I believe in the existence of the body, and if anything is to be expressed it must be expressed in the

body. We have to keep the unity of the Spirit, but I do not care for an expression of the body when the body is here. In a day of ruin you cannot imitate the real thing, you can only act in the light of the thing. It would be poor work to imitate. When the Lord came here, there were those looking for redemption in Israel. They did not attempt to imitate anything, or to make out that they were a little Israel. They simply waited for redemption in Israel.

J.S.O. I think there is a danger in the minds of some saints of limiting the breaking of bread to those who are at it.

F.E.R. Yes, and you would not care to be connected with any association which in principle and constitution was really short of the whole church. The house of God of necessity follows upon redemption. In redemption God takes up a right, and meets all that is upon it; the divine object being that He may dwell, and the dwelling has a very definite import in regard to us. It is in God's house that He is learned.

J.S.O. The Galatians could have known nothing of God.

F.E.R. Nothing, and if you take christians today there are plenty in system, but they have very little knowledge of God, because they do not recognise His house. They know certain creeds and truths and that kind of thing, but I very much doubt if they know God's house. If we do not recognise it we do not get the good of it. They are very limited and deficient who do not recognise it. The real thing in being brought to His house is to know Him. You get a wonderful idea of it in Psalm 132, "I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy". We have to learn that. Abundant satisfaction. Priests and saints, all is connected with the dwelling of God.

T.H.B. Why is dwelling brought in in Psalm 68, in connection with the bestowal of gifts?

F.E.R. It must be a kind of preparation. "For the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them". Christ has received gifts in man, and the first thing was to form the house of God. When Moses set up the tabernacle he was really doing priestly work. There was no one else to do it. Aaron was not consecrated, and could not do it. When you come to the anti-type, Christ goes up on high, and receives the Spirit in Man, to shed it forth. Christ forms the house of God; He is the antitype Himself and the work is priestly.

E.D. That is very beautiful.

M.G. Christ gathered the materials.

F.E.R. He went up on high, and received the Spirit in Man, and it is sent forth by Man. You could not have Aaron, and after all Moses was a priest.

E.D. I see that now, because teaching was a part of the priestly work, we get it in Leviticus 10.

F.E.R. We get two great effects in being brought to God's house; holiness and unity. Holiness excludes all activity of man's mind and lust. Unity excludes every will except God's.

J.S.O. You do not lose the benefit of God's house, by reason of the disorder that is around us.

F.E.R. That is the great point, the house of God has its own proper character. Men have organised and set up a great sacramental system, and they have to carry the responsibility of it. They have set it up in Christ's name, and assumed to come under His authority as His servants, and they must bear the brunt of it. People today have to go back to what was really set up at the beginning, and when they go back they get the gain of it, holiness on the part of God, and unity on our part.

B. Is that how you connect judgment with the house of God?

F.E.R. It is judgment in regard to saints, in the way of discipline now. God judges His house in a sense.

J.B. The sacramental system is the result of the vanity of man's mind.

F.E.R. Yes, but many of us are still in the sacramental system, though professedly amongst us. If you take the great mass of people, they come together on the Lord's day morning, but I do not think they come together in the fellowship of Christ's death, to reach Him outside the world. They come to the Supper as a kind of sacrament, that it is a sort of pledge of fidelity on their part to Christ, and they think they have done their duty, and never do they appear again till next Lord's day morning. The room is the table in the thoughts of many, and the Supper is a sacrament in their minds. They think they have escaped from one man ministry and so on, but when I see people coming out as I do, it seems to me it is only a sacrament to them. They do not come with the idea of meeting Christ. They have no idea of Christ leaving His place and of us leaving our place to meet Him. The meeting place is not heaven, and it is not earth and yet there is the place where Christ meets the saints. I speak now of the assembly. I see two things in Exodus 15, "Thou ... hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation", and "Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established". Holiness there is in the sanctuary. There is the abode of God's holiness, but there is also the sanctuary, and holiness is connected with it.

W.J. It would be the temple idea?

F.E.R. I think so. It seems to me God's house is where we learn God; the sanctuary where we worship.

D.L.H. We are always God's house?

F.E.R. You cannot help being that at any moment.

D.L.H. The sanctuary is another matter.

F.E.R. Entirely. People can only worship as they know God. They learn to worship by being in God's house. His house is the place of teaching. They are true worshippers who have the ability to worship, the

knowledge of God.

J.N. When do you get into the sanctuary?

F.E.R. When you are prepared for it. It contemplates the sanctified company, we go there as sanctified. It will not be the case when we get to heaven, all will go in then, but now it depends upon the sanctified company.

J.B. Do you link Hebrews 10 with that?

F.E.R. Yes, you have boldness to enter. The holiest is the sanctuary. There is no difference in the house in chapter 3 and in chapter 10. In chapter 3, Christ is builder, in chapter 10, it is His function as Priest.

H.C.A. The reason that God is not known is that people do not enter the sanctuary.

F.E.R. If we had more idea of the house, you would not have an unsatisfied person.

T.H.B. How do you connect the table with the house?

F.E.R. The table is connected with fellowship; I should not confound fellowship and the house. It has its place in the house of God. The house is connected with the Spirit and fellowship with the place we take.

J.S.O. Responsibility is connected with the table.

F.E.R. Exactly, you put a person out of fellowship, but not out of the house. If a man is proved, say to be a railer, he is unworthy of fellowship. I cannot say whether he is in the house or not, but he is in fellowship, and having been proved to be unworthy you must exclude him from fellowship. If he is in the house, you cannot put him out of it.

T.H.B. If you are at the table, you are in the place of abundance.

F.E.R. In the wilderness you may have abundance, but the table, or Supper understood, really brings you to the land, where Christ is, you are in the fellowship of His death, beyond Jordan, risen and quickened together with Him, and you have come into the place where Christ meets you, and that is altogether beyond the house. You get a beautiful picture in the Lord feeding the multitude; the ordering of the Lord, and He

abundantly supplies every need of man. It is an awfully poor thing where christians are disconnected; they do not know God's house. "I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy".

T.H.B. Do you get the sanctuary in Psalm 133?

F.E.R. You get Zion.

W.J. You get the sanctuary in Psalm 134.

F.E.R. People want to be clothed with salvation, else they are not fit for praise in the sanctuary. When clothed with salvation they shout for joy.

W.J. Salvation is the realisation of the knowledge of God.

F.E.R. A man may be a genuine christian, and know he is a priest, but not be able to exercise priestly function. Every christian is a priest in the mind of God, but a man wants attachment to be able to exercise priestly function. If you take meetings as a whole, the vitality is not very great; it really depresses one to see how little vitality there is.

J.S.O. There is too much looking to individuals to carry on the meetings.

F.E.R. We want to get back to the truth of God's house; the goodness, and fatness of it, and how God would make Himself known. His house must be good. And then follows conduct, holiness, meekness, etc. When the disciples realised the Lord's presence, they were extremely happy, John 20:20.

T.H.B. Do you get to unity without union?

F.E.R. You do not get to union without unity, it is the obligation consequent upon the Spirit being here. Being baptised into one body, there is unity, and that shuts out man's will. When you get holiness, you get lust gone, and in unity will is gone. The Spirit brings you to practical righteousness, which is really the will of God.

GOD'S WORD, THE PRINCIPLE OF LIFE IN THE SOUL

Hebrews 4:12 - 16; John 1:1 - 18

It may seem a strange thing to say, but my present feeling is that I would not spend time in being a mere expositor of scripture. I think what the servant of the Lord should seek to bring before others is that which is revealed in the scripture. I do not care to deal with anything but what ought profoundly to affect souls.

There are certain things not exactly discerned in the letter of scripture but which lie underneath the letter, that is, in the spirit of scripture, which are of such moment that one can hardly conceive of people having them brought before them without their being greatly affected. The study of scripture may be mental, but all that is mental will pass away. Whatever you are taught by the Spirit you never lose. In regard to lectures, I am content if a soul take in one point -- a point which comes in to supply a missing link in the chain.

There are three things specially before my mind to bring before you, and they are subjects very simple and elementary, but at the same time very profound. The first is this -- the revelation of God, in other words, the light of God; the second is, the love of Christ; and the third is, the power of the Spirit; and it is by each and all of these things that people are powerfully affected and by the knowledge of them they grow.

I take up now the revelation of God -- the form and manner of God's revelation of Himself in the gospel and the effect of that upon us, and with this thought I have read the passage in Hebrews. There you have three things spoken of, (1) the word of God in verse 12; (2) the great High Priest in verse 14; and (3) the throne of grace in verse 16. We have to take the points up in that order. People do not understand the great High

Priest until they know the word of God, nor will they know much about the throne of grace apart from the Priest. When you find out that the word of God is living, you then understand that there is a great High Priest who feels with us, and makes us conscious that He does so, and consequent upon that you come boldly to the throne of grace.

It says, "the word of God is living". Where is it living? I do not see that the word of God is living down here apart from the christian. It is living in me or in you. It is powerful in the way of bringing conviction, but it is the revelation of God, for "word" really means "expression"; God in the expression of Himself. We get the title "Word" applied to Christ -- He is the Word of God. "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us". "No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him". Christ came for the declaration of God, and the light of God is the living principle in the soul of the believer. Apart from this no man lives in regard to God. Some one might say, 'Does not a person live by the Spirit?' My answer is, that you cannot sever the Spirit from the revelation of God. The light which the revelation brings connects itself with the God it reveals.

The great need is for the word of God to be a really burning power in our souls, that we should be profoundly affected by it. If I hold up a Bible, I could hardly say that it is living, it is the letter. That is no doubt what the apostle meant in warning those that had the letter of the scriptures about "an evil heart of unbelief". What is presented as object for faith in the gospel becomes, when received in the christian, the power of life; I live by that which I have believed, "the just shall live on the principle of faith". My relations with God are formed by the light which God has been pleased to give of Himself. Scripture is not mere history, it is always intensely moral; the principle in it is

life, where God works, but the principle of life is the revelation of God.

The first thing that a person properly knows of God (I am supposing the gospel to have been heard and believed), is the truth that Christ has died, and been buried, and raised again the third day, according to the scriptures. I think the faith of the gospel is founded on what is given at the close of Luke's gospel. "Thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day". This was preached first among the Jews and afterwards among the gentiles. It was what we might call dogmatic, that is, the announcement of facts. It is important to preach facts, but what is behind these facts is the revelation of God. When once the facts are accepted, it is no longer simply the facts, but the light of God which these facts reveal. It is the power of God's revelation come into the soul.

It is in God's purpose not only to save man by the gospel, but that He should by it be known in the heart of man. God has laid Himself out in divine goodness to secure the affections of man, and the work of the gospel is not done in any one of us until one can say, "I love God".

The first light we get about God comes out in the death of Christ. His death is the revelation of the righteousness of God, and God means us to apprehend it in that way. Some one may say, 'But was not the blood for the forgiveness of my sins?' I admit that, but there was more than that in the death of Christ -- of which the blood is the witness -- God's righteousness is declared in it, that it may be known in my heart, and this is the moral foundation which God lays in the heart and upon which He can build.

God's thought is to deliver me from the power of sin; not only to cleanse me from its guilt, but to free me from its power. When once the truth of the righteousness of God has taken possession of the heart of man, the power of sin is broken. The righteousness of God is known in

the blood of Jesus, and the purpose of God in making known that righteousness is that I may be delivered from the bondage in which I was by nature. What a wonderful expression of grace! It is inconceivable that any one who has apprehended the way which God has taken to declare His righteousness should go on in sin.

But the next point is the resurrection of Christ, "He rose again the third day according to the scriptures". What does that fact convey? It is the display of the power of God, that is, the power of God in reference to man's weakness. Man is very weak; the real expression of the weakness of man is in death. Death is very terrible; I may be the centre of a whole circle of affections, with wife, children, and friends around, and if I die all are affected. I pass powerlessly out of it all, and nothing can really fill the gap. Death is the expression of man's utter weakness, but God has declared His mighty power in raising Christ from the dead. What is the moral purpose of that? That we may have that light of God in our hearts. I have hope in God that in my utter weakness His power is effectual to raise me up, not for judgment but for life, as in Christ. "For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God". My point is that you may apprehend the wonderful light in which God has made Himself known; in His righteousness in the blood of Jesus, and in His power in the resurrection of Christ, and that is exactly what we want, and we have the light of that in our souls.

The result of man's believing the facts of the gospel is that the Holy Spirit is communicated to the believer. Now, what does he gain? He begins to reason from the death of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, and sees that the death of Christ is not simply a witness of God's righteousness, but the expression of His love. No one can apprehend this but by the Holy Spirit, as we read, "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which is given unto us". The scripture

goes on to say, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us". The death of Christ is thus the blessed expression of God's love to us, even when sinners.

The word of God by the gospel has become a living power in our souls. All the light that has come to us has come through the gospel; it is a great thing that our hearts should be in the full light of God's blessed revelation.

Another thing you will find, and that is that when the word of God has become real in the soul, it is extremely analytical; you get everything dissected in the believer. I come to have a sense of everything that is in me. The word of God searches a man through and through, and finds out all the different elements that are at work in him. It is a painful experience, but very necessary to the christian. You may find spiritual dullness coming over you; and the light of God coming in, the will begins to be uncommonly active, for it rebels against the light of God. The principle of sin and unbelief is revealed. The word thus dissects. I can understand people being depressed by the discovery in them of these things. The fact is that you are finding out the terrible contrariety in yourself -- what the strength of will is, and the working of it is discovered by the light of God in you. The object is that in being alive to it all you may be maintained in deliverance from its power. But we have to find out our own weakness, that in our flesh dwells no good thing, that is, that death is in us. There is death upon me, that is terrible, but death is in me, in the sense of inability for the good that is known. The only answer to it all is in the heart being sensible of the love of Christ. Thus are laid bare the flesh and its tendencies; but the Spirit of God emancipates the soul from the control of the flesh.

It is my privilege to live in the full light of God's revelation of Himself in the gospel, and to be freed from the power of all that is contrary to it; to be free from sin

and legality, and to learn absolutely to distrust the flesh. I have nothing to expect from the flesh, but everything from the Spirit that dwells in me. The gospel is not simply a question of grace, in which God has shone forth to us, but the light of the gospel in which the grace has been made known, becomes the living principle in the believer's soul. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy [or undo] the works of the devil"; that is, that man might be released from the fearful bondage in which he was held, and know the God who has released him.

THE LAW OF GOD

Deuteronomy 10:1 - 15, 21, 22; Romans 12

I have referred to these scriptures as giving the two poles in regard to the will of God -- the principle in each passage is the same. In Deuteronomy it is the expression of that will, in Romans 12 it is our proving of it -- but a great deal comes in between. I want to take up both thoughts and to shew how we prove the will of God. It is extremely important to recognise that we are here for the will of God -- grace has wrought in us in that direction.

The first chapters in Deuteronomy are a recapitulation of what had taken place in the wilderness. The Spirit of God by Moses moralises on the wilderness and the dealings of God with the people there. Chapter 10 speaks of the tables of stone being put in the ark, and we get the divine principle underlying the commandments. Moses brings that out here to Israel. The declaration of God's will was a most important point in the history of the world. There was not the declaration of God's will to Adam save in that he was forbidden to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; but that was not exactly a moral law, it was in a sense arbitrary. Then God gave promises to Abraham, but that was not the declaration of His will in regard to man. When He had delivered a people out of Egypt we get a distinct declaration of God's will. God saw fit to give such a declaration, and that must stand; the writing was there, though it was put in the ark, but what God wrote must stand, because it is the declaration of His will. The law consisted in ten commandments for the most part prohibitory. You want to get under the letter of them, and then you find that love underlies them -- love does no ill to one's neighbour, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Man should love God with all his heart, and his

neighbour as himself. Those are the two principles of law, and underneath that there lay the love of God; the law of God is love. The Lord had loved their fathers, and this had been brought out in His ways with the people. God's law is to rule here on earth, The two tables written by God were put into the ark, but the will of God had been declared, man was himself to be ruled by the love of God, and, in response, to love God with all his heart and his neighbour as himself. You cannot understand the wisdom in the dealings of God unless you take into account the principle underneath them, and that was love. Love was to govern on the earth.

In Psalm 40:6 - 10 there are two great ideas -- one is the ministry of Christ on earth, and the other the work of Christ. He declared God's righteousness in the great congregation, but He also said, "Thy law is within my heart;" there was the doing of God's will in love, that which was to govern in the universe was hid in the heart of Christ. He suffered in order that the righteousness of God might be declared. In the death of Christ man was removed, all that man was morally. But the cross was the revelation of the love of God. It would not have been possible for the love of God to be revealed except in the removal of that which was offensive to God; this was removed in order that God's law might be declared. The law was the ruling principle of love, which came out in the sacrifice of Christ. In the doing of God's will Christ revealed what was in God's heart.

The cover of the ark was the mercy-seat. God speaks to man in Christ. God is to be all in all, for He has been vindicated in regard to all that is contrary to His will.

In the reference to Psalm 40 in Hebrews 10:1 - 10, we are told of the removal of a first thing to establish the second. The old man was removed, and with him the whole system of offerings that applied to him. The man offensive to God has been removed in the death of the righteous One, and Christ has presented in place of

that man the love of God. The Son of man must be lifted up because God so loved the world. Now by the will of God we are sanctified. The first thing that reaches us is the testimony of God's grace. God presents Himself to us, not imputing sins. God has set to work to save man, He has established His kingdom in the heart of man; the kingdom is established to this end, that man may be placed in security from the god and prince of this world. God's kingdom is opposed to the authority of darkness ("Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world"), it subsists that man may be practically delivered from the power of the enemy. God has His own end in that, and that is to bring the soul under divine teaching. When God has given the sense of security in the power of the Holy Spirit to the believer, He begins to instruct that soul, to impart the teaching of the new covenant. God makes that heart conscious of His love; it is a great thing for the heart to know that. That love is in increasing activity down here, and will never rest until it has us in God's glory and according to His glory. Your heart is brought under divine teaching in order that you may be sanctified. The knowledge of divine love is the practical power of sanctification down here -- no one is sanctified except in the knowledge of divine love. The knowledge of divine love makes you a son of God. We are thus set apart to God, and understand what the will of God is -- all that is contrary to Him has been removed in the death of Christ, and what has been commended in the death of Christ sets man apart to God for priestly service. We are sanctified to God while down here.

The two tables of the covenant were put into the ark for the time being. Christ comes out, in due time, and declares the law of God. We are sanctified by what has been declared in the death of Christ, set apart by the knowledge of His love. There are two classes of people in the world -- one acquainted with the love of God, and the other not knowing it, but walking in the line of their

own wicked will.

When we come to Romans 12:19, 21, we have the proving of God's will. The first thing is that you are transformed, you have got practical deliverance from the great world system, and your mind is conversant with the love of God. Love is now the ruling power of our life down here. The one who proves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is not conformed to the world. The next thing is that in the presence of divine love we get a true estimate of ourselves. No one ever gets a right measure of himself except in the presence of the love of God. We learn there our nothingness:

'O Keep us love divine, near Thee,
That we our nothingness may know,
And ever to Thy glory be
Walking in faith while here below'.

Then we come to be here for God's will, we become capable for it. That path has been introduced by Christ.

Effective service for Christ down here is as we learn our nothingness in the presence of love divine. The next thing is that you recognise the existence of one body in Christ, and that we are members one of another. Each member is to wait on his particular obligation to the body. Everything is new, we are put into that in which we had no place before. When I understand that, I begin to wait on my business -- that is, in regard to the body of Christ down here. The love of God regards the body of Christ, the eye of God rests on that, it is that which God has formed to His glory, and each of us has a place in that body. If you are a teacher you are to wait on your teaching. You will do a thing in the very best way, even if it be shewing mercy. You are to carry out in the best way the function which God has given you in the body of Christ down here, because you are governed by divine love. A teacher commands the love of the saints because he is governed himself by divine love.

Shewing mercy with cheerfulness is a great thing, you do everything in the best way in the light of divine love.

Christ could denounce the Pharisees, because He was the perfect expression of divine love and wisdom down here. I could not.

In verse 9 we have the admonition, "Let love be without dissimulation". While each one has to wait on his particular function in the body, we have here a general exhortation; love can be without dissimulation in the christian circle because everything there is governed by divine love. Love could not have come out in the death of Christ had not righteousness been vindicated, and now in the power of good we are to overcome evil. If we have to meet evil we are enabled to overcome it in the power of good, and not to meet evil by evil. It has been the divine principle all the way through, God overcomes evil with good.

I trust you will ponder what I have been saying and apprehend the course of God's will in the world, and how we come out here, transformed by the renewing of our mind, to prove that will. The work of the gospel is making men acquainted with the love of God so that they may be liberated from everything here to be here for the will of God.

THE WILL OF GOD⁺

1 Peter 3:17 - 22; 1 Peter 4:1 - 2

I think there is a certain progression of thought in this passage -- certain things standing in connection one with another. First, you get the thought on the part of God towards man in connection with salvation and the characteristics of salvation, and the purpose of it, viz., that we are not to be here for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. We get a similar line in Titus: "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ". I think it is impossible to be a recipient of the grace of God without looking for the glory, and on the other hand, you want to see the character of God coming out in believers "in this present world".

Here in Peter we see that the will of God stands in contrast with the lusts of men. There is the greatest possible irregularity in lusts, but, in the kingdom of God, we are morally under the rule of God, and in order to be here for the will of God we must not come under the moral irregularities of men.

I want to speak a few words, beloved friends, on the steps which lead up to chapter 4. You cannot take up the fourth chapter without the end of the third -- "the answer of a good conscience toward God", verse 21, "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ". A good conscience is the answer to every enemy, it is by the resurrection of

⁺Notes of Meetings at Stourbridge, October 23rd to 26th, 1899. (Carefully revised by a brother who was present at the meetings.)

Christ. We come into God's salvation that we may be here for God's will. It ought to be a question with us, if we are here for God's will. We must be here either for the lusts of men, or for the will of God. Either we are governed by the lusts of men -- "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" -- or we are here before God for the end God has in view. Grace has taken effect if we know the will of God -- "that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God". (Romans 12:2.)

This passage takes us back to the beginning of testimony on the part of God. Noah was a preacher of righteousness. We get a reference to Him who is the spring of all testimony -- the preacher was Christ. Noah was the vessel, he preached the righteousness of God and the judgment which was impending, but he was only the vessel, the real preacher was Christ. The testimony was really in the Spirit of resurrection -- it was on that ground that God saw fit to approach man. He could not approach man as living man, because death was upon all men, but He approached man by the Spirit of resurrection.

Let us look at the passage -- verses 17 to 19. The Preacher at the present time, even as in the days of Noah, is Christ; the testimony is God's, and the source is God. There are many vessels down here, but the preaching is in the power of the Spirit, and the Spirit is on the line of resurrection. The spring and secret of God's ways in regard to man has always been based on resurrection, it was foreshadowed in the testimony of Noah before the flood. What is very interesting to notice is the consistency and unity of God's ways from the beginning. Man came under the judgment of death, and when God approaches man, it is in the power of the Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead. We ourselves have the answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is not only the death of Christ, but His resurrection, that is important.

God, from the beginning, had His own way before Him, and knew how He would burst the bonds of death. The death of Christ was to be the proof that death was upon all men (2 Corinthians 5:14), and it was impossible for God to help man as he was, for He could not reverse his sentence, hence all blessing must be on the principle of resurrection. This testimony went out from the outset.

The apostle now passes on to the flood. The waters of death became salvation for Noah, and the apostle refers to baptism as a like figure. Baptism is the door of introduction into the house of God: the house of God is the dwelling-place of God, and the place of salvation. This afternoon it was pointed out that salvation, in a public way, comes in with the coming of the Lord. "As it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation". (Hebrews 9:27.) Here we see that salvation is bound up with the coming of the Lord; but salvation comes in, in the meantime, in connection with the house of God, which is the place of salvation because God is dwelling there. Its foundations were laid in redemption. Christ took up all that lay upon man -- the judgment, the curse. He took up our liabilities. It was not man, but Christ, who built the house of God -- no man had any hand in it. Then, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended, and in this way God took up His abode in the house which Christ had prepared. Every liability of man was taken up by Christ. He laid the foundations, and gathered the materials to form the house, and God is come to take up His abode there. It is not a material house -- not made of bricks and mortar -- it is composed of living stones -- souls -- and those who constituted the first presentation of the building were baptised by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The house of God was then, in a sense, perfect and entire in itself, and it has been pushing out in one direction and another ever since,

first in Judaea and Samaria, and afterwards amongst both Jews and Gentiles. It is the same house still, pushing out in all directions. It may be obscured in the present day by what has come round it, but it was built by Christ, and has continued to spread itself out from that day to this.

To me the point is this -- baptism by the Holy Spirit brings us into God's house, and God's house is the place of present salvation. I would like it to be impressed upon every one present. Where do you find the house of God? You find it wherever there is the truth and the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. It grows up in the world, I cannot point to it, but if God gives you any insight as to the working of the Holy Spirit, you will soon find it.

Now, as I was saying, Peter takes up baptism as analogous to what happened in the case of the ark, setting forth a salvation connected with and characterised by the power of resurrection -- "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ". That is what is characteristic of salvation, the answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have what God has been occupied with from Noah until now. Christ Himself was, of course, the actual testimony of resurrection. God's way in regard to man was to be set forth in Christ Himself, who died, and was buried, and rose the third day, that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached us his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem". The resurrection of Christ is God's great testimony to man. It means that God has come out in Christ in grace. In the case of Christ Himself, God has broken the bonds of death, and Christ has risen, and the acceptance of God's testimony is that which establishes a good conscience toward God. It is a great thing that it has been made possible for us to enjoy this, that we should be entitled to the possession of a good conscience,

and to have a place in God's house -- that into which baptism, as a figure, introduces us. A good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ is proper to the house of God.

Let us look a little at what we get in regard to Christ, who is gone into heaven. God has given wonderful expression to His appreciation of what was effected by Christ in regard to man. God has distinctly expressed divine appreciation of what Christ has done. One who was according to the will of God was made chargeable with what lay upon man. Where is He gone? Into heaven. Stephen saw Him there, standing at the right hand of God. He was received into heaven. Think of that! A man received with acclamation into heaven! It was the expression, on the part of God, of divine and infinite satisfaction. The great supper in Luke 14 is the answer to it down here, and the great supper comes to pass in the house of God, and in this house the witness is brought by the Holy Spirit that Christ "is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him".

As far as I understand it, salvation consists, in one sense, in a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The power of death is broken, and by the acceptance of God's testimony you have a good conscience. You are not entitled to a place in God's house unless you have a good conscience, and this practically involves salvation. I look up to heaven, and nothing stands between me and Christ, because I have a good conscience toward God. I am going in the direction that Christ went, and I am not afraid of any enemy down here. Salvation consists in being delivered from the fear of any enemy; it may be the devil, or man, or death, but if I have a good conscience toward God, I am not afraid of any enemy. They may come against me in deadly array, but I am not afraid of any evil. I look up to heaven, and I see the Man who met every liability of man down here. He is in heaven, on the

right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject to Him. A good conscience toward God has set me free from the influence and fear of any enemy.

It is wonderful to me to see how God's house was built by Christ, established on the foundation of redemption, and indwelt by the Spirit of God, and how it has pushed out from the beginning of christianity until now. The house is composed of those who have a good conscience toward God, and have no fear of any enemy. This is the sphere on earth where God dwells. If I am conscious of being brought into God's house, I have no fear of any enemy, and can dwell in peace where God dwells. I dwell where God dwells, and how could I do this if I had not a good conscience toward God? I can dwell in peace and security and salvation where God dwells.

You may say this is not at all profound. No, dear friends, it is very simple; what people want is to be established in first principles, and the recognition of being able to dwell in peace where God dwells is one of the most important of them. When Christ comes, everything here that man has built will go down like a house of cards -- every authority and power will come to nothing. In the meanwhile, what God is effecting for the present time is expressed in the words of Christ, "Compel them to come in, that my house may be filled".

I will say just a few words about the exhortation at the beginning of the next chapter. What I want you to remember is this, beloved friends, that Christ took flesh simply to suffer in; it was perfect in Him, untainted, holy, unlike any other man. He took part of flesh and blood, "that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death ... and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage". Therefore scripture is perfectly explicit that He took the flesh simply to suffer in it. His entire pathway in the flesh was suffering. He "endured" the "contradiction of

sinners against himself". We are to arm ourselves with the same mind, the flesh is to suffer, not to be gratified. Suffering is the opposite of self-gratification -- we are to suffer in the flesh, instead of to gratify it. "He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin".

Beloved friends, if I gratify the flesh, I go on in sin; if I suffer in the flesh, I cease from sin. Christ has suffered for me in the flesh, so now there is no room for me to gratify the flesh; I arm myself with the same mind to suffer in the flesh, and I cease from sin. I may say I would not like to gratify the flesh. I would not like to be a glutton, for instance, or to please the flesh in many other ways which might be mentioned, but, beloved friends, that is not enough. It is he who has suffered in the flesh who has ceased from sin. The connection between myself and the world is severed by suffering in the flesh. I might attempt to shut my eyes to the world, but that is no good; the only way is to arm myself with the same mind as Christ -- we suffer in the flesh, and cease from sin.

Beloved friends, there are two great principles presented to us in the world. First, there is the will of God, and we read of Christ, "Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God". Christ put the will of God into presence down here, and not all the forces of evil can rout or set aside the will of God here, it is established on foundations which are immovable. Man tried to build a tower whose top should reach to heaven, but it came to nothing; everything that God builds is built on stable and immutable foundations, and nothing can dislodge that which is established according to the will of God.

The lusts of men are also in the world on every hand. The system pervaded by them comes close home to you, you cannot get clear of it, you cannot shut your eyes to it. But, beloved friends, "He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but

to the will of God". It is wonderful to be in the line of Christ, "Lo, ... I come to do thy will, O God". Christ built the house of God, and nothing can dislodge it. We have got to live down here in relation to God's house -- we can enjoy the fatness of God's house. To be here for the will of God is bound up, I have no doubt whatever, with the house of God. No doubt every man upon earth ought to be here for the will of God, but, through grace, we are here on that line, and our wonderful privilege is to 'arm ourselves with the same mind as Christ', so that we should no longer live for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

In closing, I would just refer again to the beginning of God's testimony in the world. He testified through Noah. Christ is the testimony now, and Christ is also the preacher. Not only is Christ the preacher, but He is God's testimony to man, "To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins", and it is in view of that testimony that we have no more conscience of sins, but we have a good conscience toward God.

Now, dear friends, if Christ suffered for us in the flesh, it is only fitting that we should arm ourselves with the same mind. Is it not only just and right that as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, our part should be to suffer in the flesh also? We are here not for the lusts of men, but for the will of God, and it is a very great thing that God should have His place, and that His will should be the governing principle over my heart and life.

May God give us to understand that we have a good conscience toward Him by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that we are to be here, not for the lusts of men, but for the will of God!

GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM AND ITS EFFECTS⁺

Genesis 17

There are three names under which God has been pleased to make Himself known, first as "Almighty" to Abraham, then to Moses as "Jehovah", and now, sending forth His Son, He is, of necessity, revealed as "Father". The basis of Israel's relationship was "Jehovah", just as the basis of ours is the name of "Father".

As the names are successively presented, we never lose the value of those which precede. In "Jehovah" they had all the value of the name "Almighty", and, in regard to the basis of our relationship, we have the gain of the previous names, Almighty and Jehovah. We see this in scripture from a quotation in 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18. "I ... will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty". "Lord", in the New Testament, is generally equivalent to "Jehovah", so that, in such a passage as this, we see that, although the special name and foundation of our relationship is "Father", we get the value of each name previously given -- "Almighty" and "Jehovah".

We will just look at these names a little in detail. The significance of the name "Almighty" is, I do not doubt, the power of God to quicken out of death. There is no hope for man except in God, who quickens out of death into life. That is the real force of "Almighty". Abraham, to whom the name was given, thus becomes, as it were, the starting-point in the line of promise, i.e., he has to do with One "who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were". (Romans 4:17.)

⁺Extracts from an Address at Cheltenham, December, 1896.

The name "Jehovah" shews the eternal faithfulness of God. At the time it was revealed to Moses, God had not to deal with a man like Abraham, but with a people who had turned away from Him like a deceitful bow. What had to come out to them was God's eternal faithfulness to His promises. There was no future for the earth outside the promises of God, and the fulfilment of those promises depended upon the eternal faithfulness of God. "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance".

Now one word as to the name "Father". What I understand by it is that God gives a revelation of Himself in self-sacrificing love. It is really only by God coming out in that way that the names of "Almighty" and "Jehovah" could have effect, because God had to take up the liabilities of man, and this could only be brought about by the coming of His "only begotten Son" into the world.

In God's dealings with Abraham, we see the suitability of God's making Himself known as "The Almighty", who had the power of resurrection. (Hebrews 11:17 - 19.) "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac ... accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure".

The testing or trial of Abraham is a point of great importance and interest. If ever God gives a man light, that man is bound to be tried as to whether the light has been really received. Now God had given Abraham light, and God was going to test him to see how far that was effective. He was called upon to offer up Isaac, and to prove whether the name by which God had revealed Himself was effective or not. Abraham answered to the test, and shewed that he was really in the good of the name.

This really formed the end of God's ways with Abraham. He had achieved His purpose. God's end was accomplished in Abraham, in proving the power of "God Almighty". In John 8:56, the Lord says,

"Your father Abraham rejoiced" that he should "see my day, and he saw it and was glad". He will come out in the future as the great witness of the Almighty power of God bringing about the resurrection scene, of which Christ will be the central and glorious Object.

That which followed the revelation of God as "The Almighty" is that God gave Abraham a new name, which involved a secret between himself and God. What God intended to set forth was that Abraham was to be the father of many nations.

There is a very important point in connection with this, viz., that the fulfilment of the promise had to be delayed because of the fact that the seed of Abraham was not to be the seed after the flesh, but the 'true Seed', which was to be "according to promise", and that the children of God were to be the children of Abraham. This is effectuated in christianity. The place of the children of God is that we are counted as Christ's, and then Abraham's seed, and heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:29.)

To me it is very important to see what was in God's mind in connection with the name He saw fit to put upon Abraham. Abraham will have a place manifestly as the father of all them that believe, and all christians -- the children of God -- are children of Abraham. This is also quite clear from Romans 9. It is the real import of the name God gave to Abraham. The fatal mistake of the Jews was to arrogate to themselves the place of "children of God", "children of Abraham", and the Lord refuses it to them entirely. (John 8:38.)

That which follows the giving of the new name to Abraham in Genesis 17, is the covenant of circumcision. In this covenant is involved the complete setting aside of the flesh. Man after the flesh could have no part whatever in the purpose of God. If God revealed Himself in this way to Abraham, there must be the complete refusal of the flesh.

The flesh may have place in the wilderness, where it

will be tested, but it is allowed no place at all in the purpose of God. "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye can not do the things that ye would". (Galatians 5:17.) This is descriptive of a christian in the wilderness, but not of a christian in the land. I do not think the lusting of the flesh is the same as circumcision. The covenant of circumcision involves the removal of the flesh altogether, as before the eye of God, in the death of Christ. If, by grace, I take my stand on the ground of God's purpose, then the flesh is utterly disallowed. "Putting off the body ... of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ". (Colossians 2:11.) No doubt all this may be delayed, through our imperfect apprehension of the truth, before our mind is in accord with the death of Christ, but it still remains true, as far as the thought of God is concerned, that we have been crucified with Christ, i.e., that we have fellowship with His death. It all indicates the mind of the christian being, by the Spirit, in accord with the death of Christ, and it must be so when we take our stand on the ground of divine purpose.

Abraham had to be circumcised. It meant, morally, separation to God, a condition of things which undoubtedly was, in principle, realised in him, and is characteristic of the true christian position.

The value to us of the revelation of the name of "Father" is that we come into the relationship of children, but we have also the discipline. The purpose of God's discipline is that we might be partakers of His holiness, which is the real preparation for priestly service. This is the point of Hebrews 12. As to this, parents naturally are extremely defective. They exercise discipline in heat, but God never does this. It is always for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness, and be prepared for service in the sanctuary.

Another thing in connection with the effect of coming under discipline is to get the heart confirmed in divine

love, and to be established in confidence. Confidence can and does only spring from the knowledge of divine love. You have confidence in God just in proportion as you know the love of God. Nothing begets confidence but love.

In close analogy with the giving of a new name to Abraham, we have put upon us the name of Christ. "Ye are all one in Christ Jesus". (Galatians 3:28.) That is the name which God has put upon us. We are not regarded by God as so many units. In the light of divine love we are not units, we are all "baptised into one body". "As many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ". We are all one in Christ, and His name is put upon us. In Christ Jesus we are all one, although we may be a vast number of units, and we ought to be one in spiritual affection here. "That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us". (John 17:21.)

Abraham was called "the father of many nations", and this will come to light, and so the name which God has put upon us will come to light. The fact is that the unity, which, no doubt, has been greatly marred in the church, will certainly come out in the heavenly city. She will witness to the world, on the part of God, that He loved the church as He loved Christ, and instead of the failure, and the church proving herself an unfaithful witness, as here, it will there be displayed that the Father sent the Son, "That the world may know [not only believe] that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me". (John 17:23.)

The result of Abraham being called "The father of many nations" was that he had to repudiate all that was after the flesh. He made the feast for his son Isaac, and he had to reject the son who was after the flesh -- Ishmael -- and to make much of the child of promise.

We are left here in the world that we may make much of Christ, and be here as a perpetuation of His name, "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of

God, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life". (Philippians 2.) If we carried out that, we should be a kind of continuation of Christ. It is what the saints were at the beginning -- they were shining morally as lights in the midst of the darkness, the only people who really had light.

It is a great thing to see that the mind of God in regard to the saints has been realised, and that unity also has been shewn -- "They had all things common". The saints in that day were a continuation of Christ; they really justified the name which God had put upon them. Thus we enter upon the ground of purpose -- not merely as being 'saved sinners', that is grace -- but when you speak according to purpose, you look at the saints as the elect of God. You do not allow anything to obscure the name which God has been pleased to put upon us.

GRACE: IN ITS BEGINNING AND END

Luke 4:14 - 22; Luke 7:36 - 50; Luke 10:33 - 37; Luke 15:22 - 32

In Luke's gospel the grace of God is presented to men in a Man, anointed by the Holy Spirit. There was much more than this in the Lord Jesus Christ, for He is the Son of the Father. That we get in John's gospel, but in Luke there is in Him the full unfolding of God's grace to us.

Christianity in its full and proper character did not exist until Christ was exalted. There are in it two great fundamental truths, Christ gone up, and the Holy Spirit sent down. Yet we read in Hebrews 2 that the great salvation began to be spoken by the Lord. This is what we have in Luke, the presentation of grace to men.

The great practical difficulty with many is their lack of the knowledge of grace; they do not apprehend that they are not under law, but under grace. They appreciate the grace that saves, but that is only the beginning. Grace began in the case of the man that fell among thieves with the pouring in of the oil and wine, but it does not end there. The Samaritan put the man upon his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. For how long? As long as he needed it. We need the Lord's care as long as we are here, and so long we shall have it. There will be no need in heaven. A great deal is implied in those words, "Set him on his own beast ... and took care of him". He charges himself with the care of him so long as he is in the inn.

There are four points or landmarks of grace in this gospel. We have first the vessel of grace; secondly, the purpose of grace; thirdly, the administration of grace; and fourthly, the celebration of grace.

For the vessel of grace turn to chapter 4 and read

verses 14 - 22. Here it is seen that God would relieve us of every pressure that rests upon us. It is as Peter said, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him". (Acts 10:38). The Spirit of the Lord was upon Him; He was of the same Spirit as Jehovah. All the people wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of His mouth. It is said in the psalm "Grace is poured into thy lips". In John 5 we read, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work". Here the Spirit of Jehovah is upon Him. All the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in Him, and so all the good pleasure of God finds its manifestation, and is brought into effect. And what is that good pleasure? To heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them that are bruised. The first element in the gospel is relief, for it was God's good pleasure to relieve man. It was God who thus approached man, for man never could have been with God apart from this. In Eden God was with man, but that was soon spoiled; and now in order that man may be with Him on a new footing, God brings Himself close to him in this blessed Vessel of grace.

The next point we reach is the purpose or object of grace. Read chapter 7: 36 - 50. What is the purpose of the gospel? Some would say that it is the salvation of man, but I do not think so. The divine thought in the gospel is that God Himself should so be known by man that his heart should be completely won. Satan destroyed man's knowledge of God and alienated his heart. Before man was driven out of Eden his heart had turned away from God. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might undo the works of the devil. God makes Himself so fully known in the gospel that in this way He wins man's heart back to Himself.

This is shewn in the case of the woman who touched the hem of the Lord's garment in chapter 8: 43 - 48. She

was glad to get relief, and would have left Him, but He would not allow her to go thus, for it was His purpose that she should know Himself. It is a great thing to gain relief, but it is greater to know the heart of the One who relieves.

God makes known two things in the gospel, His righteousness and His power, and then His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us. He makes known His righteousness by the blood of Christ, which witnesses that sin is intolerable to God, but also that it has been removed. His love too is shewn, for it is He who has provided the sacrifice, His own Son. Then His power is set forth in resurrection, He has raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. (Romans 4). If one is raised from the dead God's power is as distinctly proved as if millions were raised, and His power is exercised on our behalf. It is a great comfort to see these qualities of God displayed, righteousness and power, not as against man but for him. We are sinful and weak, and God might have shewn Himself righteous and mighty in our condemnation, but instead of this He has shewn Himself to be such in our blessing. Then knowing God thus we also know His love by the Holy Spirit who is given to us. In Romans 3 the righteousness of God is witnessed by the blood; in chapter 4 His power is witnessed by the resurrection; and in chapter 5 the love of God is witnessed by the Spirit. Thus we have a complete presentation of God, and the result is that God is known and loved. "We love him because he first loved us". This great purpose of the gospel is reached in the woman of the city in Luke 7. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself. The Lord engaged this woman's affections; as forgiven much she loved much.

We next come to the administration of grace, which is found in chapter 10: 33 - 37. It is here shewn how the thought of grace is carried out by Him who became neighbour to man. The parable was spoken to a lawyer, and shews that there was taking place at that time a

transition from law to grace. The law is represented by the priest and Levite, who passed by on the other side.

Men are not sensible that the judgment of death is resting upon them. They achieve great works, but they have to go from their works. Nothing forms a greater testimony to the weakness of man than the solemn fact that though his works may abide he himself cannot. Men attribute death to natural causes, but it is as judgment that it rests upon them. Law did not bring death, for death was here before the law came, but the law ministers death. The law is powerless therefore to help man.

Now the good Samaritan comes upon the scene, and pours in the oil and wine, "Wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine". (Psalm 104:15). This is the effect of that which God brings out in the gospel. Are our hearts glad, and do our faces shine? If it is not so it is because we have not laid hold of God's object in the gospel. He makes Himself known to us that He may win our hearts, and then we find that we are not under law but under grace, that God is not trying to get something out of us, but He is lavishing everything upon us. As under grace we are indebted to God for everything. So in the parable the Samaritan not only pours in the oil and wine, but also sets him on his own beast, brings him to an inn, and takes care of him. This brings in the thought of the Holy Spirit and the priesthood of Christ, in the power of which we are carried all the way through. Do we believe that God is going to do everything for us? If so, we shall not struggle against our circumstances. We shall be cared for. For how long? Just so long as we are here and need caring for.

It is flesh that is the great practical difficulty, for flesh does not like being cared for, it would prefer looking after itself. The principle of flesh is self-will. We can only be free from it by the acceptance of death. No-one

likes to accept death; as it was said, "Skin for skin; yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life". Only in the death of Christ are we brought to the acceptance of death, and death becomes our way of deliverance. Having died to sin we no longer live in it, and thus are we freed from that which came in between God and ourselves.

The world is a terrible system. It is really man's hiding-place from God. Man has lost God, and perdition has consequently been here six thousand years; very soon the son of perdition will be here. Christ has been down to death for us, and therefore we can accept death, and so we get free from the system in which we are hid from God. We must die to sin in order to live to God. The flesh is the link between us and the world, for the world is the system in which flesh lives. Thus as we are clear of the flesh we become free from the world, and that is by the acceptance of death. We can accept death, because Christ has been into it for us. The tree caused the bitter waters of Marah to become sweet.

Then we find that the Lord cares for us. He is able to succour, to sympathise, and to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. He is not passive where He is. But the difficulty in counting upon His care continually lies in the flesh wanting this thing and the other, and if we give way to it we lose for the time the sense of the grace and care of Christ. Many bring themselves into painful circumstances because they do not accept grace. We should all be much happier if we realised more deeply that we are not under law, but under grace.

Now we come to the celebration of grace, in Luke 15:22 - 32. I speak of it thus because it is what God is pleased to shew forth. This is that which His grace has effected. It comes out in the best robe, which is something totally new. Clothes indicate character. If a

man is well dressed, he is supposed to be a gentleman; if in rags, he is supposed to be a beggar. In this parable the man bears the stamp and character of the best robe, which is Christ. This is the celebration of God's grace, as it is said in Ephesians 2:7, "That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus". It is as if the father of the parable would appeal to the man whom he has clothed, saying, 'Look at him'. In him is shewn forth the exceeding riches of His grace who has lavished everything upon him. He wears the best robe; he is characterised by Christ. Now this is God's part in grace; it is the display of it. He will have an eternal witness to it, and this is that which we shall be.

It is not exactly grace which gives us a place in heaven, but rather love. Because of the great love with which He loves us He will have us where He is. If I am devotedly attached to a person my great thought is to have that person with me. Thus is it with God; He will have us in His own habitation, and then He will make evident to the whole universe what He has done, shewing forth in us the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

If any one knows little of grace he proves thus that he knows little of God. He first approaches us in grace, that is, in a character suited to the state in which we are; then eventually He brings us to His own habitation that there He may shew forth in us what His grace has effected for us in Christ Jesus. The better we know the beginning of grace, and how in it God adapts Himself to the condition in which we were, the better shall we understand God. It is with this we must all begin. Grace acts with reference to our condition, but love acts to satisfy itself.

BORN OF GOD

1 John 2:29; 1 John 3:3

It was suggested that the subject of the work of God in the soul might be considered, with special reference to being "born of God", and the difference between what is received through faith and what is formed by the Spirit.

F.E.R. We get in this epistle the characteristics of those born of God. "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin" (3: 9); "Every one that loveth is born of God" (4: 7); "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (5: 1); "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world" (5: 4); "He that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (5: 18). It is important to apprehend that there is a generation in the world begotten of God; not merely a number of people who believe, but there is a generation who are "born of God". It is no longer a question of testing or improving man, but there is a generation born of God, and they carry the characteristics of those born of God. The two great characteristics of this generation are righteousness and love. With God the order is love and righteousness, but with the children of God it is righteousness and love. Man has departed from God and has got into lawlessness, and therefore to begin with God he must begin with righteousness. The law claimed righteousness from man but did not produce it; it had to be brought about by man being born again and submitting to the righteousness of God. We cannot practice righteousness until we have submitted to the righteousness of God.

The starting point of men being born of God was Christ coming into the world. The first allusion to it is in John 1:12: "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons (children) of God, even to

them that believe on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God". To be "born again" does not go so far as "born of God"; the Lord speaks of the former to Nicodemus in connection with the kingdom, but the latter connects itself not with the kingdom but with children. "Born of God" supposes full christianity; it applies to children in whom is expressed the nature of the One by whom they are begotten. Christ was begotten into the world -- "This day have I begotten thee" -- and in connection with Him there is a generation begotten of God. If we look at things in the light of "born of God" we look at them from God's side; on our side we begin by believing God's testimony, but in this epistle the Spirit of God presents things from the divine point of view, and we see that there is a generation whose practice proves that they are akin to God in nature -- in righteousness and love. In the sermon on the mount and in the Lord's teaching we get the idea of a generation -- of children. "Children" does not bring in the thought of association with Christ as He is now; sonship does that, but "children" refers to a generation in which there is a continuation of Christ here. The order began in Christ and is continued in christians. We are "called the sons (children) of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not" (1 John 3:1).

Born of God in John 1:13 brings in the thought of divine sovereignty. Man has no hand in it; it is not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. Man cannot compass the bringing forth of a generation characterised by righteousness and love, and it is such a generation which the epistle contemplates. "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil" (1 John 3:10). These last are never saved. There is salvation for man -- and that universal -- but there is a class (although we cannot point them out) to whom every testimony has been presented in vain, and they are here spoken of as the children of the devil. God's testimony

had been presented with force and validity, evidenced by works of power, to the Jews, and refused by them and then, seeing their character, the Lord said, "Ye are of your father the devil" (John 8:44). God gave testimony and man refused it, and this proved that he was of that wicked one. There is something similar in the expression "sons of Belial" in the Old Testament. It is very solemn to reject God's testimony.

We are not told the process by which people are born of God, but we are told the proofs and evidence of it. The process is not our side of it.

Rem. The epistle supposes that all done; there are those who are born of God.

Ques. What is righteousness?

It is the righteous requirement of the law; that is, loving God with all your heart, and your neighbour as yourself. When we come to practice, righteousness is love. If Israel had kept the law it would have been their righteousness, hence love is really righteousness. The first step in righteousness for man is to submit to the righteousness of God. We cannot get practical righteousness except by that. In believing the gospel we submit to the righteousness of God. God has come in by the gospel to enforce His righteousness in the way of grace. The righteousness of God is that on which God has a right to insist, and man has to bow to God's rights. God has approached man in the gospel, and insisted on His rights of mercy, and that is the proof that God is love. God has been pleased to approach man in grace, and when man submits to God's righteousness he is affected by that grace. There is power in what is morally right. The gospel may be preached in a dogmatic way; that on the ground of faith there is forgiveness; but what needs to be seen is that God has presented grace in the gospel in order that He may get His own proper place in the heart of man. God calls upon man to submit to what is proper on the part of man. With God everything begins in love; with us everything begins in righteousness.

God is entitled to the supreme place in the heart of every intelligent creature. When Israel keeps the law in the future, it will be love. Righteousness for man is to give God His rights, and to give his neighbour his rights; love is the fulfilling of the law. But if a man goes in for practical righteousness, be must begin by submitting to the righteousness of God; that is, bowing to the gospel.

The first mark of the generation born of God -- the children of God -- is that they practise righteousness, and they do not practise sin. Those born of God are the subjects of divine affections they are in the place of children, and so come under divine teaching. We are children by the acceptance of God's testimony, and then we come under divine teaching, and the result is that we know God, and then we love Him.

You never get the thought presented of being "born of God" save by those who wrote to Jews. Paul takes up things rather differently and speaks of the new man and new creation. In Ephesians there is a kind of correspondence to John; it looks at things from the divine side. It is only John who shows us the church actually in heaven, and that in order to come out of heaven. The church is to come down out of heaven from God; John sees it there, and then he sees it come down (Revelation 21:10).

The children of God come to light by the practice of righteousness; they escape from lawlessness by receiving the testimony of God's grace presented in the gospel; then they come under divine teaching, and then they know and love God. We could not love save as knowing God; love is a matter of divine teaching and is the result of it. Christ is God's testimony to man; God approaches man in Christ. Christ risen is the testimony, and it has a double character; He is the expression of God's righteousness and He is also righteousness for man because He has met man's liabilities. Christ expresses the moral rights of God, and He has also met the liabilities which lie on man. Christ came here to

express God's rights in regard of man, but man was under death and the curse of a broken law, and Christ took up man's liabilities and in that way has become righteousness for man. The death of Christ is the declaration of God's righteousness, but it also meets our liabilities, and this latter has to do with our righteousness. The way God has insisted on His rights is by coming in in grace; had He not done so it would have been a question of righteous judgement. It is important to see that Christ preached righteousness; He insisted on righteousness, and He was the expression of God's righteousness.

Another interesting point in connection with being born of God is that he who is born of God believes that Jesus is the Christ (1 John 5:1). It is genuine faith. A Gentile might believe that Jesus was the Christ; the Samaritans believed it.

If we recognise this generation -- that is, those born of God -- we shall not regard much else here. Natural feelings and distinctions have to go. "There is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3:11). Believing that Jesus is the Christ is connected with the testimony of the twelve; Paul's testimony was additional, that He was the Son of God. The faith that Jesus is the Christ is what brings the generation to light.

The righteousness of God was fully made good in the death of Christ, but the resurrection is the testimony to it. If we had not resurrection Christ would be still in death. The assertion of God's rights does not go beyond the measure of man's responsibility. The counsels of God are what set a man in heaven. The righteousness of God is connected with earth, and shows how God asserts His rights in regard to man's responsibility, and of meeting his liabilities in connection with that responsibility. The brazen altar is the place of man's acceptance according to God's glory in regard of the responsibility of man. The glory of God is the display of all that

God is -- His effulgence.

Ques. What is becoming God's righteousness in Him?

I connect it with the heavenly city which was measured by the reed of the angel (Revelation 21:15 - 17). All answered to the required measurement, and will be the expression of God's righteousness. It is wonderful to think -- sin having come in and man having departed from God -- that God should be able to have His place completely with man; that every liability on man should be cleared, so that God's righteousness might be set forth in man. It is not our righteousness, it is God's righteousness, and refers more to state than to liabilities being met. Christ is the testimony of God to man; He expressed the righteousness of God, and in Him all the liabilities of man were also met. God has come out in righteousness and love, and now He has a generation in accord with the way in which He has come out.

FAITH

Romans 3:21 - 31; Romans 4:16 - 25

Man is looked at in these scriptures in relation to the righteousness of God; that is, in connection with responsibility. If man is looked at in relation to the love of God, the thought of responsibility does not come in, for that is not a natural basis of responsibility. Romans 3 brings in the thought of God morally, and chapter 4 brings in the thought of God in power. What I mean by God morally is the setting forth of God's righteousness. In chapter 4 it is faith in the God who raises the dead, and calls things which be not as though they were. In that way we come into the line of Abraham; he believed in the God of resurrection, and so do we "if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead".

Faith precedes what is properly the work of God in the soul, though there is a divine preparation before a man believes the gospel. Faith precedes the work of God, and becomes operative by love. Faith brings the light of God into the soul, and God works on that. The result of the work of God is that one is formed in spiritual affections but light must be there first. Abraham got accession of light, and God wrought in him according to it; he had continual testings. If God gives you light, He will test you. It is this that makes Abraham's history of such interest to me; every test proved the work of God in him. The offering up of Isaac was an instance; it was faith operative by works.

Faith and light are synonymous; the light entering is faith. Light is the testimony of God; faith is that the light has entered into your heart. In the case of Cornelius and the Philippian jailer there was a preparation beforehand, and they received the light when it was presented to them. If God's testimony is accepted there is faith, and I should identify the light which enters with faith;

faith is the measure of a man's light from God. No one's faith can go beyond the testimony he has received; what I have accepted is my faith. A man's faith is his spiritual measure.

One great element of faith is that it is the acceptance of things which cannot be verified by the believer. If a historical fact were reported to me, and well substantiated, I should not doubt it, but I do not call that faith, for I could verify it if I wished to do so. Paley's 'Evidences' and Butler's 'Analogy' do not produce faith. Faith is the light of God entering into the heart; it is the acceptance of God's testimony. If God addresses a testimony to men, it carries its own credentials; because it is of God it carries conviction to man. God's testimony presents what a man cannot verify. For instance, you cannot verify the glory of the Lord, though by the Holy Spirit you may get the consciousness of it. We could not verify the resurrection of Christ. We have, of course, abundant testimony to the resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15), but still we could not verify it. Christianity is a standing witness to Christ's resurrection, and the dispersion of the Jews is also a witness to it.

I do not think that faith is viewed in Scripture as something to which substantive value is to be attached. When a testimony from God enters a man's heart, it becomes light there, and that is faith. Light is accepted mentally in christendom, but then it is dead; it produces no effect.