DEAREST BRETHREN AND SISTERS [at Plymouth], -- Grace and peace be to you, and mercy from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot write to you altogether as I could wish, for though my heart should flow out towards you all as it does before God, I write with some restraint, for though but slightly ill in itself, yet constant walking on hot sunny flags in a town, relaxes and weakens my eye. I feel, brethren, deeply, all your love towards me, and rejoice to feel it, not for my own sake only, though it has been comfort and refreshment to me, and put thus something of a new feature on my christian life, nor yet for your sakes, dear brethren, only, though I rejoice in it yet more abundantly for that, but yet more because our common Master is honoured, and He rejoices in the prosperity of His people. He must delight in their love, for "he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God." He must delight in the manifestation of the Father, as He says, "that they may be one in us -- made perfect in one." And I beseech you, the rather, brethren, earnestly to maintain this spirit of love, which is the presence of God. I rejoice, exceedingly, that I have any fellowship with you in it. I know, brethren, that we all have it in great weakness, but though -- brethren, I have felt it the rather, because, though I have met with abundant individual kindness, and many dear children of God, yet I have not met the children of God dwelling together so much in unity, but have been a man of contentions rather. God is my witness whether I loved it or not. But it has made me the more anxious that you should bear witness to the power of the principle, yea, of the healing power of God -- I mean, in love. For the disease of sin is separating, and God is uniting, for He is love; and this will be the healing of all things, for they are to be gathered together into one in Christ. Some now of His sheep are scattered abroad. Walk then in love, dear brethren, and you will walk in power, and in the glory of God.
I did rejoice for your sakes, that you sent, as I learned, the money to poor Mrs. -- -- (and indeed, it was greatly needed, for he, having served the Lord in his generation, had left simply nothing, and a sickly family): as you had all known him, I meant to have mentioned him to you, but need I say how much happier I was that it came unmentioned? and it bore witness to your love here, and to the power of it amongst you, and as the blessed apostle says, did not make me ashamed in my boasting of you, so that I was the rather rejoiced. We have done what we could here also. And, dear brethren, how shall I thank you for all your kindness to me and care of me? I felt to the utmost some of your provision for me, that I might not destroy the memorials of your kindness, but I knew this would be hardly meeting it, and I bear witness to your kindness in it amongst our brethren here.
The brethren who meet in Aungier Street are going on in much unity and sweetness of spirit amongst each other. I should only fear their getting too comfortable amongst themselves, and sitting quietly down, but they all labour in the Lord as far as I know. In the Bridewell, where cholera broke out, and the first cases very virulent, the matron, a sister, sent for some of them to pray, and they did, and all, when I last heard, were recovering. Two out of them have died here of those attacked, though the number of these are comparatively, under God, few. A good spirit seems shewn about it, but the people are enraged, and the doctors are in consternation, as far as I see, as to their feeling about themselves. The hand of the Lord is manifest; there have, I find, been two cases of persons recovering under prayer here: in the second, the attending physician requested it might be done, in consequence of the former case, which he had been attending; and medicine was relinquished, and the person grew better -- as far as I collected, it was gradual.
Dear brethren, stand fast; and, I beseech you, to abound in the work of the Lord, and by well-doing, put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. I am persuaded, that what I have seen published about you, did not affect the weakest among you. Remember the word, "being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: being defamed we entreat; we are made as filth of the earth, as the offscouring of all things unto this day." If you are called Beelzebub, you well know why you should bear it, returning blessing for cursing. It is a privilege we have little of, to be like our Master. For the rest, brethren, be wise, be steady, and throwing everything upon the Lord, and the peace of God shall be with you, which is more, far more, than the reproach of the world. Try all things, and hold fast that which is good.
I am detained here awhile, hoping, if it may be, that something may be done, by which the Bible Society may be kept, or rather, the service of God kept up in it; if it be done, you shall hear all about it. Dear brethren, in the midst of abundant kindness here, often the countenances of many dear christian friends at Plymouth, shine across my path, with only increased feelings of kindness and pleasure. I do trust in the Lord, to see you again shortly; it will be a little longer than I hoped, partly from my eye, and partly because I cannot move others as fast as my wishes. But my heart is with you, dear brethren, and I long to see you all.
Forgive me my harassed letter, arising from over working, as usual a little beyond my strength. I probably, if the Lord will, shall get a week's rest of body on my way to the West, and after I have seen them there, my mind will begin to revert to Plymouth, though many have reproached me with deserting this country. I seek only the Lord's will in it. Grace be with you, dear brethren and sisters in the Lord.
Most affectionately yours in Him, with many prayers that you may prosper with simplicity in His ways.
P.S. -- I beseech you to let me hear of you, and that often, specially when anything occurs, even if I should not write, for I am a bad correspondent. I have received -- 's, and thank him for it. I have delayed this to make the inquiries, and answer them now in conclusion ... .
I think it possible she may have been led, though a child of God, to conceal part of her sin, and this always leads to more want of truth ... . Remember, as a child of God, one ought to be dealt kindly with, even if erring; if a sheep, to drive her into the world again would be dreadful. If you are not wise, Satan might drive you to this -- a sad position to be in.
I heard also, by the delay, from -- , whose account of all, though in a few words, rejoiced me exceedingly; he seemed to think you were growing only in unity and affection one towards another. My eye is all but well, and I hope to proceed very shortly on my journey; meanwhile, the Lord has been blessing me in some details, and I have written what I am about (with God's will) to have printed, about the Archbishop of Dublin.
A converted Jew (H -- ), a brother in the Lord, was desirous of proceeding to Plymouth, to see what he could do there: he has nothing of his own. I was sure you would have received him gladly, until, at any rate, it was found there was no place for him there; he wants, I am disposed to think, maturity, but is bold, of a good spirit and feeling, and of a mind by no means without flow of thought, and, I believe, a very true brother: you know I love a Jew (how rarely are they brought) when they love the Lord. But the church here thought he had better not go till your mind was known. I think you would do him good. Would you let me or them know your own wishes about it.
Peace and joy and strength be with you all from the Father, in the Lord Jesus, in one Spirit. Let me hear that you are all well.
Yours ever, even to better worlds, in the Lord.
Dublin, May, 1832
[to Plymouth from Ireland] Dear -- , I saw so little of you, from various circumstances, while I was at Plymouth, that I the rather take occasion to write to you, though I steal twenty minutes from the toil of one of our day's meetings. I am anxious, too, to say a few words about my most dear brethren at Plymouth, and to express my love to them. The Lord has been, I think very graciously with us here, not more gracious than He would ever be (but more than our hearts draw Him down, through our stupidness), for His presence is always blessing; but He has restrained, brought out unanimity, and shewn also a power of His Spirit, in bringing out our minds long apparently hedged in, which is to me quite marvellous. In fact, those things which I have been labouring for in sorrow (partly, I dare say, through my own fault) these years, are now bursting forth in this country, so that I would think that six years had passed since I was last here, so as to meet many from different parts. Though everything is comparatively to be done, it is turning perforce into a missionary country; the character of its state is quite different from in England.
It will be impossible to give you any sketch of the matter here,+ from the immense quantity -- not compared with scripture, for it indeed proved our ignorance, but with our individual thoughts: very much of most important matter as to the man of sin, his deceivableness and power, and the power and working of Satan, and of the Spirit, and the opposition of the two, and the Lord's judgments, and as associated with our present prospects, was drawn with the greatest profit. At least, I so felt it; this to me was the most interesting part, but what interested me was the way it was mixed with faith. There was also marked and universal (I may say almost) reference to the Spirit; it characterised in a peculiar way, I think, what was set forth, so as to shew the Lord's hand. We had (a few of us brethren, more immediately known and together) prayer together, morning and afternoon, which helped us much, at least, ourselves; and doubtless, the Lord accepted us; and I found it a great blessing to my own soul in the matter. God's presence and Spirit has, I think, been very graciously with us. I think also, light was thrown (not perhaps quite so bright, but I think there was) on Daniel and the Apocalypse, and other books of scripture. I do pray the Lord may be yet with us, and keep the flesh down. I wish you had been with us; I am sure you would have enjoyed it.
The Lord has been most abundantly gracious to you at Plymouth. I pray God to keep you from everything which will not stand the large, all-embracing love, and purity of His coming. I do feel exceedingly anxious as to this: I trust dear H. may be the means of keeping you, for I know it is near his heart, in all largeness of heart; and you, dear brother, as the rest, ought to know, with all that join and visit amongst you, and are in the habit of sitting down with you all, that no root of bitterness spring up among you, and that none in any wise fail of the grace of God. This is the true secret of a church well ordered, perfect largeness of heart, as large as Christ's even at His coming, and full consideration of one another to provoke to love and to good works, and that Satan get no entrance or defilement. I beseech you all to watch for this with all the love in which I mention it, that it may be so; surely it is your blessing and privilege. I do trust the young ones of the flock are going on well, and are cheered by every considerateness of their state, that nothing should stumble them (would the Lord own you all as a faithful and wise steward?), and that they in meekness and love are anxious and prompt to learn and to receive of the Lord what He may give. And, dear brother, are you working and watching after the poor souls in K. Street? I do feel very anxious about them, and walking in love with one another.
There were some questions in Miss -- 's letter which I anxiously looked concerning, but the Lord gave me no answer to give, and I thought I saw why: He was teaching in another way what I could not. The Lord sent us a blessing, and disposed the hearts of the saints much towards us at Bristol, and many also to hear. We preached in both chapels. The Lord is doing a very marked work there, in which I hope our dear brothers M. and C. may be abundantly blessed, but I should wish a little more principle of largeness of communion. I dread narrowness of heart more than anything for the church of Christ, especially now.
I was arrested in my progress, and now write from the end of Westmeath, being on an important preaching tour, in which we are seeking to bring missionary truth, and I hope more, to bear on a large surface of this country. It is important as introducing lay-preaching, and turning the country into a missionary country; indeed, the importance of watching this country is daily more pressed upon me, that the required service of the Lord, so far as may be, may be fulfilled. I lean upon the freeness and power of the Spirit of God. I shall be detained some time in this country I see, but I hope I shall be able to prove to you when I return to Plymouth, that I have not been idle.
My present tour embraces Meath, Enniskillen, Armagh, Trim (if you can find them), having two or three places per diem, to investigate or preach in, in the space of a fortnight. There are, of course, difficulties in the way, and I do not know that I have the onwardness of manner suited to it, but I shall be able to report for them who may follow. On the whole, I have reason to be thankful in this country.
I find it good for Plymouth, I should be a little from it, but I am anxious for every blessing about it. I shall not be happy at being away if I do not hear of Plymouth, I trust fully.
I beg my most affectionate love to all the dear brethren; they would not believe how much my heart is bound up in their prosperity before God. But God is their strength, and will be their strength.
Pray let me hear soon, and never mind hearing from me. Direct to Limerick. Remember me very kindly to all the brethren.
Ever, dear brother,
Yours affectionately in the Lord.
[Finished at] Granard, October 15th, 1832.
+It may be of interest to insert here the following account of the second meeting, for the consideration of subjects connected with Prophecy, held at Powerscourt House, from September 24th to 28th, 1832, at which this letter was commenced, with a list of the subjects. A comparison with the brief notice in the letter itself, suggests that it was from Mr. Darby's pen. It was addressed to the Editor of the Christian Herald, in which there is a Review of the Revelation W. Burgh's Lectures on the Second Advent, by Mr. Darby. (See Collected Writings, vol. 33, page 1.) (The first Powerscourt meeting was held on October 4th to 7th, 1831.) To the Editor of the Christian Herald. Dear Sir, -- If done with the delicacy due to a private house, the importance of the subject, and its association with that which so intimately affects the church, may justify some notice of the meeting held on the subject of Prophecy, and the truths connected with it, at Powerscourt. I shall venture, therefore, to send you some account of it, praying the Lord's blessing upon it; as, for my part, I feel very strongly its importance. It would be, of course, impossible to go at large into the several subjects which were handled there; I shall endeavour merely to convey to you some character of the meeting. There were a number of Clergy, and several of the Laity, whose minds had been exercised on these subjects; and the Revelation Robert Daly, Rector of Powerscourt, as on a former occasion, unless casually absent, presided. The subjects you will be enabled to state below, should you feel it an object to your readers. The solemnity which characterised the meeting was broken only in a single instance, which needs only to be mentioned for the sake of truth. There was, besides at the opening and closing of each morning and evening assembly, much prayer made elsewhere for the meeting, and this even in England; and the remarkable recognition of the Spirit, I mean practically, was very striking; and, it appears to the writer, met by a restraint on the thoughts and feelings of man, which, considering the variety of the subjects, was very remarkable -- more so even than the elucidation of scripture which was afforded. It appeared to the writer that the progress in knowledge and exposition of scripture was decided, but the practical apprehension of the subjects treated, yet more so. There was, of course, variety of view in so large an assemblage, but scarce anything which did not positively add to the information of all -- subject, of course, to the correction which interchange of views ever brings, where there is unity in the general scope. There was but one individual who introduced anything which could have given pain to any on these subjects; and that was a reference to the reception of "the gifts" and the principles connected with it. Little, however, was said upon it; and while the principles were calmly inquired into by a few, it did not, I think, affect the meeting, otherwise than to direct the earnest desires and prayers of many, for the more abundant presence of that Holy Ghost, by which alone, error can be brought to light, and the believer guided into all truth. On the whole, this part of the meeting was, perhaps, the most practically profitable, from the elucidation of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit casually drawn out by it; and the presiding presence of the Holy Spirit most marked, by a careful observer; and several defective and erroneous views prevalent (to the writer's knowledge) in England, met by what appeared to be scriptural light. The belief in the coming of a personal Antichrist was common, and that amongst many who, at a former meeting, had not received it at all; in this there was a very distinct and avowed change of opinion on the part of some. The discussion of the subject of Antichrist led to an extensive development of scripture, and to much very profitable detection of the spirit by which he might work in the nations; though no definite conclusion was come to upon this; while the recognition of his actings amongst the Jews, in Jerusalem, was more definitely recognised by those more conversant with the subject. On Daniel a good deal of light was thrown, and though there was some, I think not so much, perhaps, upon the Revelation; though particular parts of it were discussed with considerable accession of knowledge. There was some very interesting inquiry as to the quotation of the Old Testament in the New; particularly on the point, whether there was any "accommodation," or whether they were quoted according to the mind of the Spirit in the Old; this gave occasion to some very interesting development of scripture. The progress of the Antichristian powers was very fully discussed. This will give you, after all, but a very imperfect idea of the meeting. Even as to the extent of scriptural information brought forward, while it left the additional impression of how much yet remained to be understood of blessing and of truth, and left upon the minds of many a highly increased degree of value for the privilege of the word of God, many, I am sure, were humbled, and many refreshed; while light was afforded also to many, on points which are exercising the christian world so universally at the present day. That all was perfect there, Sir, I suppose none there would be disposed to think; but this certainly struck the writer, how remarkably, as he has stated, the Spirit restrained, while it left the strengthened consciousness of all the imperfection and weakness which exists among us; and I think those in the church, who are really in earnest, must most deeply feel, on the whole, that, spread as that assembly will be over the country, the meeting was one of deep interest to the church of God at large. In the discussion on so many subjects, and many relating so much to the practical position in which Christians are, it cannot be doubted that the views advanced by some may have given pain to a few; but the effect, on the whole, was to knit, in the deepest interests of the church of Christ, the affections of many believers, and to unite them in the surest tie with each other; while the sense of the difficulties in which the church is now placed, would lead them individually (under God) to more earnest seeking the guidance and presence of God's Spirit, and that blessing upon the church, and presence of God's power with it, by which alone it can be brought, in the honour of Christ, through the perilous times in which it is now placed. I remain, dear Sir, Subjects for Consideration at the Meeting above referred to. Monday Evening, Six o'clock, September 24th, 1832. -- An examination into the quotations given in the New Testament from the Old, with their connections and explanations, viz.: -- Matthew 1: 23, Is. 7: 14; Matthew 2: 15, Hosea 11: 1; Matthew 2: 18, Jeremiah 31: 15; Matthew 11: 10, 14, Malachi 3: 1, 4: 5; Matthew 21: 16, Hebrews 2: 6, Psalm 8: 2; Matthew 24: 15, Daniel 9: 27; Matthew 27: 9, Zechariah 11: 12, 13; Ephesians 4: 8, Psalm 68: 18; Hebrews 2: 13, Isaiah 8: 18; Hebrews 8: 8, Jeremiah 31: 31-34; Hebrews 10: 16, Jeremiah 31: 33; Luke 1: 73, Genesis 22: 16; John 10: 34, Psalm 82: 6; John 19: 37, Zechariah 12: 10; Acts 2: 17, Isaiah 44: 3, Joel 2: 25; Acts 15: 16, Amos 9: 11, 12; Romans 9: 25, Hosea 2: 23, 1: 10; Romans 10: 5, 6, Leviticus 18: 5, Deuteronomy 30: 13; 1 Corinthians 9: 9, 1 Timothy 5: 18, Deuteronomy 25: 4; 1 Corinthians 15: 55, Hosea 13: 14; Galatians 4: 27, Isaiah 54: 1; 2 Peter 3: 13, Isaiah 65: 17, 66: 22. Tuesday. -- The Prophetical character of each book in the Bible; including the three great feasts of the Jews, the blessings pronounced on Jacob's sons, the Parables in the Gospel, and the Epistles to the Seven Churches in Revelation. Wednesday. -- Should we expect a personal Antichrist? If so, to whom will he be revealed? Are there to be one or two great evil powers in the world at that time? Is there any uniform sense for the word Saint in the Prophetic, or New Testament scripture? By what covenant did the Jews, and shall the Jews, hold the land? Thursday. -- An inquiry into, and a connection between Daniel and the Apocalypse. Friday. -- What light does scripture throw on present events, and their moral character? What is next to be looked for and expected? Is there a prospect of a revival of Apostolic churches before the coming of Christ? What the duties arising out of present events? To what time, and to what class of persons do 1 Timothy 4; 2 Timothy 3; Jude; Matthew 24: 23, 24; and 2 Peter 3 refer?
DEAREST BROTHER, -- I meant to have written to you before; it is relief to me to write to you now, bearing as I do our dear brethren at Plymouth upon my heart, while I do so, for while I have been much blessed, yet I find incessant intercourse with men distracts me in my weakness of communion. I was very thankful to get your letter indeed, in the midst of many anxious services which every one working the Lord's work now must have. The order and peace of Plymouth is one of my comforts here; I do trust the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, my God, will keep them ever, and I am persuaded He will, walking in good works, and abounding therein with thanksgiving, in humbleness of heart that God thus undeservedly blesses us all. I do pray He may make them all a pattern of believers, yet growing themselves into deep and brighter conformity to Christ, having Him ever before their eyes, and [leading]+ also young and old in Christ into the depth of the riches of His grace. I do remember you -- in weakness in my prayer, yet in my measure of faith that it may be so, and trust it may be according to the measure of His goodness, and not any man's weakness -- that you grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and none fall in any wise from their own stedfastness. May the Lord keep you all. May the Lord give you peace, always, and by all means, from Himself.
I can tell you for watchfulness, dear brethren, as well as comfort, that your report, whether of weakness or strength, is gone out, so take heed that you walk very close with the Lord. The last place I heard of H -- was in the County Clare, in a newspaper ... with no great honour, but that, of course, we may all expect from the world. It assumes to my mind daily more importance, and that which therefore more immediately presses on my mind is, that they may be all kept in humbleness -- great humbleness, that they may walk in God's righteousness and true holiness by the power of the Spirit dwelling amongst them, granting too what He will so we honour Christ. Do not marvel if such things as -- 's impatience arise; Satan will try to trouble you by them. But if you walk in the communion of the Spirit in power in any measure, the Lord will help you through it, rebuking the flesh and the enemy in him, if indeed you be separated from it and sanctified; for then you will discern it to be of the flesh and the enemy, while you, being sanctified, will have power to repress it, giving all liberty to the Spirit, but rebuking all disorder. And it may be, some time there may be need to rebuke, as we learn from the blessed apostle by the Spirit. But the flesh cannot rebuke the flesh, nor will the flesh submit to it; but if you indeed walk in the Spirit, you have God's authority according to your measure, and Satan will yield to the Spirit, and the sanctioned witness of God's Spirit among you. Pray much for this Spirit; let your prayers abound for it, so shall you be able to discern all things, and the brethren shall grow up soon, unexpectedly, in all things, looking ever towards the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
My heart is with you, dear brethren, while you walk in order, and therefore was your letter such a comforter. You are my comfort and joy, and therefore it ought to be so with me; and, dear friends, I make my boast of you, so (as the apostle says) I hope I shall not be ashamed of the same confident boasting. Yea, I trust it may make you humble and ashamed of yourselves, that you are not more conformed to Christ, when men come to see your ways. The brethren who have met together in Clare, that is Ennis, have much followed your order at Plymouth. Some brethren have met here in weakness, but I trust the Lord will be with them. At Rathkeale they have met, and seem going on well, though in weakness. In Dublin, -- a brother I trust, whom you know, has troubled the body exceedingly, as he was about to do before. I pray God it may not produce evil, but it has thrown them into confusion: my God will bring them out of it into a brighter order and good, if they hear and learn of Him. I know not whether they will receive my word, but I have written -- perhaps he will think sharply and haughtily -- to B -- ; but I felt quite assured of what I was doing in love. Pray for them, that all may be well before God. Dear brethren, and you, dear brother, give no allowance to the flesh in any wise, but give all liberty to the Spirit, which is our blessing and power, as indwelling amongst us, and you shall be blest; and if you would be able to repress and rebuke the workings of Satan by it in others, give it no law in yourselves, but yield yourselves to God as those that are alive, yield yourselves to His Spirit, and seek it diligently.
I am refreshed in writing to you, dear brother, and I hope to see you all again shortly, though I have some service here first -- I mean, not only in this place, but in other parts, or all of this county. Let me hear from you all again, please; but I reckon on the continuance of blessing amongst you, and if so, I am happy. Remember me with all affection to dear -- , and all the brethren and sisters, one with another. I do trust you may be all kept positively and actually together, so that your faith may be spoken of, for it is not our going, but our faith travelling, that sends the testimony. The Lord especially lead: I am glad to hear that you think of reaching Sidmouth. It would be well if the Lord lead us there, that is all I look to. Pray for us all here, as I would for all of you, dearest brother. Grace be with you all. I got several of the pamphlets for you; they are of the old edition. There is one defect, the resurrection power is not duly stated in them. I see I shall have to be speedily in England, though my body might say rest somewhere. I dread the responsibility of a new pamphlet on it, not knowing the church to be prepared to receive it -- but you say it is. Dearest brother, walk close to the Lord, our witness in strength, and our help. My best christian affection to your wife and children. I am your debtor for much kindness. Grace be with you, dear brother.
Ever most affectionately
I should tell you this country is much blessed, by the expectation of the Lord's coming becoming a wonderfully practical thing in it. I long for the time of retirement, but it is not easy to make it with the work there is. Grace, mercy and peace, be with you. Tell Miss -- , that as I was writing to you I do not to her, but I will, please God, ere long. The Lord is wonderfully gracious to us in an evil world. I have written a paper on De Burgh on the Revelation.
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Dear Miss Kingdom, -- I was waiting to hear from Miss -- , or some of the letters you spoke of before I wrote; for you must remember that you are enjoying the rest and quiet of fellowship, and I am labouring, in whatever weakness, I may almost say, night and day, with almost all around, either opposing, or expecting to be sustained and fed, and one's judgment exercised at every step. So that I assure you, with the danger of being dragged into the world one is working in (which is more than you suppose), or the loss of communion, which success with men is always apt to produce -- while I have found my God most gracious -- the consciousness and enjoyment of communion with those who are within the reclaimed country is not only pleasant, but profitable, as keeping before one's mind what one is labouring for. They say that those who go as reclaimers into the backwoods, constantly fall into the mere backwoodsmen's life, instead of civilising them. I am much in the backwoods, not indeed as a settler, but leaving the tilled country much to other hands less hardened to suffer, while I could work till all the country be cleared; yet weeds will grow in fallow ground where all has been cleared, and Plymouth is much in my thoughts and prayers (however they may count me careless of them in my absence), that it should flourish as the garden of the Lord.
Indeed, if you would know the truth, what I dread, because of the blessing that is there, is too much concentration of my interest and my prayers where I have found so much christian happiness and kindness too, lest the Lord should say to me of this also, "Lovest thou me more than these?" But indeed, besides that which might be selfish, I am anxious enough about Plymouth to have longed to hear oftener than I have; and my dear brethren and sisters there must remember that my occupation is travelling and preaching two or three times a day, or as here, standing out on the question whether the gospel is to be preached, in spite of all the clergy, or not; and now that the Lord has opened the minds of the people, lecturing nightly, and expected to answer all the questions and hold every ground that anybody might question. Nevertheless, the Lord is wonderfully at work here, but this, of course, does not make the labour less. I suspect the real difficulty is hardly come yet, for the Lord has allowed no felt difficulty yet, but set the tide one way as regards those around me. In the meanwhile, the meeting at Powerscourt, as it has wrought conscious desires, and inquiry and prayer too, in the minds of many of the evangelical people in this place, there has been a considerable plunge made into the minds of this country by it, and this has partly exercised me, as interested in this country.
Aungier Street, too, as you know, through the captiousness of one person, has caused trouble. But the Lord worketh still His own way. There is a little church here which has caused in an idle town great trouble and confusion of thought, where the preaching of the gospel was made a crime before; yet I communicate there, preach the gospel, and none to hinder me. We have set up weekly scripture reading meetings, two of them at the two most worldly houses in Limerick. Our only present difficulty is to keep people out. Pray that the Lord may turn this to His own real blessing in truth. The Lord is working strangely; one's only part is to follow closely in the path of His will, and not be led in anything from the point of blessing.
Pray for me, dear brethren. I feed a little day by day upon scripture, and we shall find something to talk about, I dare say, when I meet you all. Meanwhile, I do commend you earnestly to God, and beg your prayers, that that Spirit, by which alone there can be profit or blessing, may descend, and be abundantly upon me -- yea, upon all the church: it is the church's great necessity. I preached a good deal upon it here. Is there much prayer for it at Plymouth? I do trust there is; nothing would I press more. Is there much real prayer there now? May I not be sure there is, and that you abound in reading and good works; your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Do not let even the enjoyment of your social meeting, pleasant and profitable as it is, trench upon your actual service among those without, specially the poor; as it is harder and less grateful, so when done in the Spirit, the Lord especially meets and blesses them. Be much among the poor, the Lord always owns it, it was always His way, and it has its peculiar importance in more ways than men suppose. It is His order and place of the church, for results are not always from apparent causes. Blessed is the man that considereth the poor.
You may be sure that when my spirit flags I think of Plymouth, as I do also ever, with earnest prayer for the Lord's sake. I have been detained here longer than I thought, which will be accounted for by what I have mentioned. The Lord's hand was remarkable. The bishop was removed. The Independent minister, a real Christian, and labouring, but confined and hindering in some things, away; and -- , the minister who is setting up the chapel away; and I brought here in an unlooked for way, and those most adverse turned to be the houses open for the truth. Were I to tell you the detail of these circumstances, you would see yet more the Lord's hand. All I pray is, that the depth of His purpose may not be hindered by our weakness. I have yet Clare to visit, and perhaps a day's run into Mayo, but that will be nothing; and then, please God, I shall turn my ways towards Plymouth. It may be, I may go through London and Oxford, or perhaps take it in my way there, and see you for three or four hours and then return there. Such is my purpose; we must think of Bristol also, but that would be at and with Plymouth. I will write to W., please God, speedily, but would yet rather he would write to me, so that I may hear of all (What of the Penitentiary?), though it is a comfort to me ever to write to Plymouth.
Ever, dear Miss -- ,
Your affectionate brother and servant,
I am very well, but a little overworked, as usual.
MY DEAR BROTHER [G V Wigram], -- I was minded to write to you a good while, and thought I might have heard from you for I was working and travelling, so as to make my writing a matter of daily postponement. I should not have had today probably to do it, but that I missed the coach, which was to be my first regular stage in my journey towards Plymouth. I dare say -- I may be sure it was all right, for indeed I was utterly knocked up; and it gave me an opportunity of visiting some here, whom I must otherwise have passed by. The Lord opened so unexpectedly a door, and gave me so far way here, as it made it difficult for me to leave it. However, I thought it best to postpone further work here till a subsequent opportunity, and I gave up Mayo for the present so as to be able to go to Plymouth. I shall start, please God, to-morrow morning on my way, though my way will be a little circuitous. I expect your happiness and state will give me great rest at Plymouth, for I do not doubt I shall be well glad of it by the time I reach there. I was fain to lie down on the rug today and go asleep, from mere fatigue.
The Lord has called several here, I think, to far more affectionate devotedness of heart than they were used to, and with this, blessing; we have had too, readings among the Roman Catholics, with very comfortable success, and some Protestants, who are working among the poor; but save this, generally the place was exceedingly dead. I trust many have been aroused since I have been here, and the Lord's coming looked for by many, and some brought to peace. We have also some very nice scripture reading meetings, to which any of the clergy who hold the truth, have fallen in, though quite mixed, and every one at liberty to speak. It is chiefly, of course, on what may be called first principles, but I trust thorough ones practically. It is a remarkable circumstance, that a dear young lady, who was instrumental in setting them afloat for me, and at several members of whose family they were held -- who had been only called about a year by the Lord, but was very decided ever since -- was suddenly called away the other day in the midst of it all. The people in Limerick felt it a good deal, and I trust it may be the instrument of good to many. The whole family, which was a principal one here, had been all thoroughly worldly a year ago, and herself and her sister at the head of all idleness. A little church has been formed, or rather, body, like the one at Plymouth, for communion, and I think, though in great weakness, much blessed. On the whole, there is much to be thankful for here, and I think the germ of much greater good.
I meant to have written to you at that Powerscourt meeting, which took a very marked and decided character, and where evil and good came into great conflict, the Lord holding the reins, but I suppose -- has told you all about it, and probably you have heard from Lady page I feel as if I had lived two years since I came to Ireland, in the development of the Lord's work, and seeing that there is nothing, nothing else to live for. The Lord always gave me different work to do from what I lay out for myself almost, and puts me into positions I little seek. This meeting has done so here. I am not surprised at that. So the Lord be with me, I care not where He lead me. The greater the difficulty, the greater the honour and blessing too. I thought to have looked for a few sheep here and there, ministering the love of Christ to them. Perhaps I was not counted worthy of this, for surely it is a pleasanter work than being a man of contentions, with all these useless [discussions]+ of truth; may others have a free course to run after -- that is all.
Grace be with you, my dear brother. I add the less, and make the less inquiry, because I hope to see you all soon face to face, to my great gain, and to know so all about you.
Believe me, ever, dear Brother,
Most affectionately yours in the Lord,
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BELOVED BROTHER AND BRETHREN, -- I waited awhile to write with an object which has partly indeed been attained, but not attained with the same comfort I might have desired, yet still, with the comfort of seeing one's way rather.
The Lord favoured me with a most quiet and easy passage for such a time of year. A poor soul died on board, and so unlooked for, that though I had intended to speak to him, hearing he was ill, he was gone before the opportunity came; it was a picture of sorrow and evil, but there is One who has remedied all. I do trust the church will feel my undiminished and anxious affection for them all, and as my mind draws nearer the Lord (for daily is our salvation nearer than when we believed), the more does it rest towards them in the brighter necessity of His love. This is the great secret, even His love towards them. I do trust they will walk all together in perfect love, even to the common cause of His love. I do feel that the Lord has been singularly gracious to you all there, in preserving you, and not allowing the enemy to set aside His love.
There is but one thing rests at all upon my mind now, and that has been brought to a mere question of individual profit, and need not, and does not, I trust, hinder the full unhindered flow of the Spirit of God and of love; in that I will employ your service, and I charge any upon whom there might rest any want of it for a moment, that they do not grieve the Spirit by the want of perfect charity toward all. Let me hear what you do about the services please, and how you all get on.
Here the Lord brought me most opportunely, and in a way of His own order, into intercourse with all those who were the links of my service here; one young clergyman from the north, who has formed a society precisely on the principle we recognise, only as a clergyman not having the Lord's supper, came to know how he would effect a correspondence between all the other like ones, in order to their mutual recognition as brethren for fellowship when they went into any such places and to get them visited for profit. I hear the north is dotted with little bodies, meeting as you do, though I do not know the places.
Dear H. stood up manfully in a large meeting of clergy, where the practical question was, should they stop when the bishop inhibited them from preaching, and declared his obedience to Christ, and strengthened many hands in it. The old evangelists, of course, thought they ought to stop. The brethren, two of them, had [been] inhibited the preaching in part of the northern mission. Everything is opening rapidly in this country, and the hierarchy, as an evil agency, will go. I am no enemy to episcopacy abstractedly, if it be real and done from the Lord; and I doubt that it will stand here in any other way.
What I pray, earnestly, truly pray is, that we may walk so near the Lord, that we may have all His mind, and then we shall indeed be sure of His peace, and keep up with the real exigencies, the happy exigencies of His service. I feel clear in judgment, but what I seek is that nearness to God and to Christ, which may make me act in the Spirit, and rectitude of heart, will, and character into which it forms, and in which that judgment is made effectual and representative of God.
I would I had you with me, but you are of more importance in England, and at Plymouth; there you should stay. I feel daily more the importance of the Christians at page, and I do trust that you will keep infinitely far from sectarianism. The great body of the Christians who are accustomed to religion, are scarce capable of understanding anything else, as the mind ever tends there. If they become so in their position before God, they would be utterly useless, and I am persuaded, immediately broken to pieces. You are nothing, nobody, but Christians, and the moment you cease to be an available mount for communion for any consistent Christian, you will go to pieces or help the evil. Pray much to God that you may be kept from concessions, acts, in which Satan may get an advantage over you in it. The church at Limerick have so multiplied, that they must seek some place of meeting, and one has offered, and the hour they talk of changing to twelve, the hour for other places -- previously it has been eight. This is a cause of anxiety to me, whilst I wait on the Lord's will, for I feel the importance of the moral character of the step, for unless called for, it would have the same tendency.
A dear brother, and one previously of most faithful conversation, has run into Manichaeism, and writes thus: "I have been fasting for nine days, save one cup of tea, and then walked ten miles into London, where I was desired to eat. My mouth and throat were dry and exhausted the whole time, but I was exceedingly jealous of taking anything to eat there, lest I should mar the work of destruction which was going on in my blood -- the work of cleansing my blood from the old reprobate life inherited from Adam, and substituting the Lord's. (See Leviticus 17. 11; Joel 3. 2.) This is what our Lord means when He says, the vessel must be made new before it is fit to receive the new wine of the kingdom." And I found a notion from the person who gave me this letter, in a paper I hindered, I hope, his publishing, "That the blood of Christ, His condemned life, was spilt upon the ground like water, and that His new resurrection life was what He carried within the veil"; and he I think a true-hearted saint, and his paper full, though this error, of most interesting matter. What a mercy it is to be kept from the vast and endless wanderings of thought with which Satan now seeks to bewilder saints, or else shut them up in systematic ignorance! May you, knowing what it is to be complete in Him, and in all the rich depths in Him, be kept from going out in the profitless mazes of Satan.
I do feel that the ignorance and narrowness of the Church of England will be what will be judged for all this, and the judgment is at hand, lingereth not. The Lord have mercy on many in it -- dear saints. I do not know so ignorant, and ill-formed a body as it is.
My truest love to -- , and all the brethren and my very dear sisters in the Lord. May God keep you continually by the very presence of His Spirit. Grace be with you all from the riches of His fulness. Amen.
Your faithful servant,
And affectionate brother in Christ.
[Received from Ireland] April 30th, 1833.
VERY DEAR BROTHER [J L Harris], -- You might think I was a very unfaithful fulfiller of my purpose of writing, but indeed it was much very anxious trouble that came upon me in service, besides my ordinary labour, that precluded me a good deal from carrying my intention into effect, in which I would I had you with me, though I do not know whether any but my hard heart would have set itself against it, as I felt was the only way. Heresy was infecting many places round, by a very subtle, clever person, who, though he had driven many away by his bitterness, had acquired great influence over the minds of those whom he had not -- of the worst character when it had avowed itself without fear, but assuming so subtle a form when attacked, that the poor people could scarce tell what it was about, while it went on in secret in his hands, infecting their minds, though not spoken of to them that had understanding. This was a great trial, for it looked often to others as if I was trying to prove the man wrong, when he was not holding anything particular, and his plausibility was extreme. Save as looking to the Lord the Spirit to secure His own, and walking therein in bounden faithfulness to Christ, I do not know what I should have done, but the Lord kept me through it. The extreme disingenuousness which was apparent to those who had interviews with the person and understood the matter, strengthened one's hand in the consciousness that it could not be of the Lord in its liability to bewilder the poor people. However, it was a great trial, but the Lord has turned it to good as I believe, though some are resting a little, as it were, under the effects of it, as he yet seeks to maintain a party; but it will do good to the others, I can see, and I thank God for all. It was a great mercy it was discovered: it was entirely through the Lord's hand, for he never openly preached it, though he disseminated it everywhere he could.
It is remarkable how the reasoning of man fails and comes to nothing in the pursuit of divine truth, but I have felt this a great trial to my spirit, that instead of drawing lovingly from the fresh springs that are in Christ, in whom all fulness dwells, one was discussing whether we were so or so. Now, except as recipients through the grace that is in Christ, we are utterly incompetent to deal with man, or to have anything to say to God, and the tendency of such service, though kept by grace, is to make God the subject -- which is impossible -- instead of us. This is the real difference between philosophy and religion, and which makes the one all false and the other all true. God cannot be God in discussion. He has lost His essentiality in our minds. He has ceased to be God to us. Hence there is no real philosophy but faith -- the realisation of what God is. I recollect being struck with this long ago, when I was a poor dark creature, reading the Offices, I think, at the expression, Subjecta veritas quasi materia. It makes the mind of God, which it is not, and God subject to its judgment, which is the worst lie about Him that can be told: in fact there is then no God: it is worse than Adam's, "Ye shall be as gods." It is destruction to the mind. Faith understands a great many things about God, but it sees God in them, and it has truth. Philosophy may talk, even with the same names, but there is no God in it, and hence, what it has is false. If I judge that God ought to love everybody by mere human feeling, I am not vindicating love, but denying supremacy, and its operation in detail, as the potter over the clay, to do all things after the counsel of His own will. The natural man may see no difference, but there is all moral difference if I am or am not associated with God, and this is the grand aim of Satan in all heresy, to take the mind off its state of recipiency into a state of judging of mere propositions; its strength is gone, and being incompetent to speak but from grace so as to confound error, the opportunity of falsehood, from which no grace can be drawn, is introduced; and while the sheep of Christ are starved, those who are not come in in apparent belief -- [cannot]+ be hindered -- the devil's children joining in a falsehood.
The state of recipient grace from the truth of God is the only guard against it, because the mind is conscious then of the communion that it has with God in the thing which it defends. The scripture is the guard against any delusion in this, which if [used] under the teaching of God's Spirit will answer everything; and it is alone to be relied on. It is God's representation of those things in which is the source of grace -- Christ the key to all. I have felt great occasion to guard against this latterly ... though it has strengthened me in all established truths, and the rather enabled me to see what they meant, when one would have thought of nothing wrong. This person would tell all the truths in scripture, passing by the one point, in which error, fatal error, ran: and hence the difficulty unless the power of God's Spirit was so upon the souls of all, as to make them practically feel the value and power of this; otherwise it seemed refuting one who held all the fundamentals of truth for the sake of some inaccuracy. I feel that the presence of God's Spirit can alone so bring out the bright value and lustre of the truth, as to detect heresy, and then that grace is not in the matter, and discover the flesh in it. There is the subtlety, and where Satan gets in. You never can wield the flesh against the flesh to any good, and the mere reasonings of our mind are nothing, and no stronger, but the same as the heresy. But the Spirit of God detects that there is no grace in it, and thus the saint is preserved.
Dear brother, I have just re-read your note on the Kingdom of Heaven, and I assure you it refreshed me. It drew me back to the pleasant scenes in which I, with you and other brethren, I mean, have fed together on the refreshing pastures of God's life-giving and heart-satisfying word. And, indeed, while I rejoice before God at the thought of your all walking in love, if you would strengthen me in many trials, and I know you would a poor weak brother, it is just by the love in which, as I trust, you are all walking together. I know, as you know, the trials and comparative difficulties that are amongst you: I feel in your weaknesses as bearing part of them, yet I do see a comfort of love and a blessing from it, which while I taste the Lord's goodness in many places, I do not find elsewhere, though I see much christian kindness. And it is not merely the happiness that is in it, but I see plainly that it is in this that the refreshings of God's grace and truth come, and are to be found. The Spirit can plant and water there. And while I know all our weakness, and mourn over it before God, as a part of the desolate, the poor -- as it were, as to her own state deserted -- church (yet not of God for blessing and inheritance), yet I find the joy of the Spirit and the comfort of the Spirit's teaching among you as my joy; and so I trust I may find you. It makes me feel what may be elsewhere -- what fruit the principles bear. Dear Lady page frightened me by the commendation she gave you, but I know you all better than she did. But I quite fell in with your exposition, and, as I said, feel refreshed by it.
My view of Matthew 13 (of which we may speak more, please God, when we meet -- I do not know exactly when that will be -- though it is in my hope), was of the results [or] of the principles on which those results were founded; and I feel it a very interesting connecting link of the two systems -- "things new and old." I say this, because Christ, who will sit on His own throne, sits now on His Father's throne, and therefore does not exercise that discriminating power in the world which He will when He assumes it, distributing in power, what we ought to be witnesses of, and of which the Spirit is witness in the church, righteousness -- but righteousness to suffering, for the truth of the moral glory is to give it the glory. "O righteous Father" -- and He went into the Father's glory. I speak of Him exalted as a Man, because He had borne witness of it faithfully on earth -- we into His, because we (oh, how weakly) have suffered first on earth, and get into the Father's house and kingdom because we have known it and done it as sons, for we could not be His disciples unless we glorified the Father; but our share in righteousness is to have the glory, "seeing it is a righteous thing with God." What we are witnesses of we shall be partakers of, so that we may be unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Hardman, a dear brother in the Lord, a clergyman, was here lately, and he was speaking at large on the Seven Churches. I was not here, but this ground I hear he took. Sardis, the Reformation, on which, "if therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know," etc. Philadelphia, the separation of little bodies of believers with a little strength (there is comfort in that), but the Lord on their side, "I will keep them from," etc. "Behold I come quickly, hold fast that which thou hast," etc. And then the church left in its Laodicean state, its state generally now, at which He stands at the door and knocks -- there being still some remaining perhaps amongst them, but He is at the door. What do you say to this? The result to the Laodicean church is to be spued out of His mouth. It is an important consideration in the present state of things. It commends itself morally to one's mind.
The trial -- met with, and the poor husband, is most grievous; as regards every human feeling, I do not know what I should have done had I been he, unless in deepest instruction the Lord had taught me to bow to His hand. The Lord is always good and righteous, specially to them that know Him.
What is poor -- doing at Oxford? I love that man, much erred as I think he has. Oh, how little have we of the Spirit, to baffle the plans and devices and snares of Satan! The church ought to be not only in possession of truth, but so possessed with the Spirit as, though tried, to baffle all his snares. This is what so humbles me; it is not that I am not ascertained of what is right as regards conscience, or that I and others are not seeking it in sincerity of heart and simplicity of purpose in God's sight, but no strength or adequate power to keep every saint by the presence of His Spirit out of his power. But the positive work of the enemy I do think most manifest at Irving's, but where was the energy to keep it out? But I must close, dear brother.
I am pressed here beyond my strength; a few like-minded now I find, of those who ought to follow out the Lord fully, though owning it in their own spirit. The Lord is very gracious, and is, in spite of our foolishness, working widely in the country. The clergy are in a position, I think, of great, very great guilt; but there is sufficient grace among them individually -- many of them -- to make many hold by them, though those that have it see plainly, and can testify of the breaking up of all around them. They are, I think, very guilty. But the Lord is working in another way. There is not enough energy of the Spirit outside them to absorb everything to itself, though there is a very extensive breaking loose; but there is a craving for scripture knowledge, and desire for communion, which they cannot meet in their present state; and by scripture-reading meetings, and by the clergy themselves in many instances making churches, not with communion, but admitting all Christians, and many little bodies springing up, things are assuming a new shape, though unformed, and there will be an entirely new state of things in a year or two. This country will, I doubt not, be practically separated from England, probably entirely. The attempt is making to reorganise the church, and with considerable present influence amongst the clergy who have risen, one may say, against the present state of things. The subordinate, or, as I should say, the insubordinate, clergy, are trying to get the matter into their own hands. I do not see righteousness in this. I am sure it will restrict them. They exclude laymen from the mission now, and, of course, I do not go on there. The principle of communion in which you meet in Plymouth seems to rejoice the hearts of those engaged in it wherever it has been practised, so that the Lord is manifestly working. He will surely draw substantially His saints together before the end come, though there may be some left in, like Lot. In the meantime, one has only to work on. Adieu, dear brother. My love, very deep and affectionate love, to all the brethren and sisters. Grace, mercy and peace be with you all. I assure you I have much comfort in you all in the midst of many trials. I hope, please God, to see you ere long. I wish I had some of you over here at Limerick, for instance, for a while, where there is much and nice work.
Ever, dear brother,
Yours most affectionately in the Lord.
I shall be rejoiced to stay awhile with you, when it pleases God to bring me back to Plymouth. I should probably go by London.
Limerick [received], August 19th, 1833.
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MY VERY DEAR BROTHER [Mr H Barleage? (H Borlase)], -- I received your letter with great comfort, both as witness of your kind remembrance, and as letting me know of my dear brethren and sisters at Plymouth; though now so much scattered, that I miss so many well-known names, I trust only for a while. How much I love them there they, I trust, in a measure, and my own heart, surely know! The Lord has shewn me many pleasant services; still, the opening out to so much brotherly kindness, and love, and fellowship was, I believe, first at page; and my heart continually turns there with the fondest recollection of it, though a better place is still before us. I do feel every day the infinite deficiency of one's labour, and do long for the abounding of this labour in myself, and to see the Lord's vineyard continuously dressed and cultivated, so that no need should appear, and labourers in it, whose hearts were in its ministrations. Oh, what wise hearts, what patient hearts, what large hearts, in the scope of all the necessities, and the infinite grace that suits them, ought those hearts to be! What a heart of prayer that ministers to, feeds, and cultivates the Lord's vineyard, and the hearts of the children of His saints, the plants of the Lord's planting; watching every noxious weed, seeing roots of bitterness before they spring up and claim their right by prescription to the soil! Indeed, the Lord has been very gracious to us at page, and I trust will continue to minister there amongst us; for surely He, however gently and lovingly in manner -- and how much is it so! -- is the great purger of the vine or its branches. I should regret indeed, much, the scattering of the brethren at page However, the Lord orders all things (and much better than we do), so that I feel disposed exceedingly to bow, sometimes I fear too listlessly -- which is not right -- to what arises.
It would appear that the thought has arisen in -- 's mind of settling at Limerick, but I have heard nothing from him; he is to be with us, as arranged, today. There might be good there: I dread transplanting a good deal; it is not raising up people in the place; however, you are an argument against that, though only sub modo; he would be hailed there I am sure. So much have I felt the necessity of letting the Spirit of God work in each place, I have sometimes hesitated in having been the instrument, much as it might have been my delight and my comfort, of bringing any of my dear brethren over here. Bellett has just returned from visiting the churches or little bodies, South-west, and came back very happy from them, refreshed by their zeal and grace, which has in no small way comforted me, as you may suppose; he reports much grace, not much gift. I like this; it is a good order, yet I believe that many of them there would be found better informed in most important points of Christianity than most of their neighbours; but their minds have been recently expanded, and want deepening and strengthening in what they have opened to. I have long been quite aware of what he speaks of, nor have I indeed regretted it particularly; it taught them wonderfully to lean upon the Lord, and look for grace, and for communion, and His teaching, more than mere leaning on ministry, yet He never left them actually destitute, even of this; and indeed, almost all the active exertion in their parts is in their hands.
As to work, I do trust the Lord is surely working there: as to the "Witness," I think we ought to have something more of direct testimony as to the Lord's coming, and its bearing also on the state of the church: ordinarily, it would not be well to have it so clear, as it frightens people. We must pursue it steadily; it works like leaven, and its fruit is by no means seen yet; I do not mean leaven as ill, but the thoughts are new, and people's minds work on them, and all the old habits are against their feelings -- all the gain of situation, and every worldly motive; we must not be surprised at its effect being slow on the mass, the ordinary instruments of acting upon others having been trained in most opposite habits. There is a great effort making in this country to keep the reformation within the church, and not let it go farther than they like; for they are very anxious, as always, to keep God within their own bounds: it will not do in the end, nor, if we are faithful, on the way. There is one advantage in sometimes scattering (not, however, counterbalancing the habit of communion bringing the Lord's presence), and that is the acquisition of the habit of work, a thing much individually blessed ever; but I do feel so utterly our need of leaning on the Lord for these things for the management of the church.
Dear brother, I speak not as though you did not, but for love's sake: seek singleness of eye to our blessed Master's glory above all things, and that that glory which shall be alone and above all in the Father's love in that day, may shine so ever in our hearts even now; we must be the Lord's ministers if we were to beg our daily bread; at least, I feel so, but I equally feel how constantly we must wholly depend upon God's Spirit, to guide and lead one in the path He has ordered for blessing, and the glory of truth in Christ Jesus, that one may meet Him with joy. Grace be with you, my dear brother ... . I suppose I may go to the north shortly. May the Lord be with me, and make me His wise servant. My kindest love to all my dear brethren and sisters (I suppose Wigram has left you), and also to the poor people in K. Street, and how I rejoice to hear they are going on comfortably; may the Lord keep and bless them abundantly. I rejoice that G. has been faithful; he may be assured the Lord will bless him, not but we all ought to do it, as a matter of course. The Lord bless you and keep you, dear brother, and make you to abound more and more in the only true riches.
Your very affectionate brother in Him.
Dear Mrs. Ord, -- With regard to the question of Mr. -- 's letter on 1 Corinthians 15: 28, I have not myself any difficulty. Any one acquainted with scripture must see that there is a kingdom given to Christ as Man, distinct from His personal glory as God. "And I saw one like unto the Son of man, and they brought him near before him, and there was given him a kingdom." This kingdom given Him as Son of man is clearly distinct from Godhead. But the place from which the passage quotes is Psalm 8. "What is man that thou art mindful of him," etc. "Thou hast put all things under his feet." This we see not yet, says the apostle. (Hebrews 2.) The church is united to Him in it, says Paul. (Ephesians 1, last verses.) Now this clearly given to man, put under Him as Man, and not yet put under Him, is a matter of dispensation, which does not affect any question of Godhead. This He gives up, and it does not more affect the question of His being God than of His being Man before He got it. He takes it, moreover, as acquired by obedience, though due to Him as Son. (See Colossians 1: 16. Compare Philippians 2.)
Now the dominion referred to in 1 Corinthians 15 is the dominion of Psalm 8, of the risen Man, which He has so taken that the church may have it with Him, as well as for His own and God's glory. "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father," that is, the kingdom which He has received as Man, of which the whole chapter treats -- the resurrection of the Man -- "that God [not the Father, for that is here left out; but God in contrast with man in the mediatorial kingdom; for "there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus"] may be all in all," not Christ as Mediator. Now Christ is all in all; but mediatorial rule shall be given up when its end is accomplished, "when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and all power, for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet: the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death:" then this will be given up, and the Son subject. This may create the difficulty, but in fact does not touch the great question of this giving up the kingdom, and subjection of the Son, for He had not taken the kingdom, and yet He was subject when He was upon earth. The exercise of the supreme jurisdiction and rule on the part of God as Man, adds nothing to His Godhead; His giving it up takes nothing from it. He was subject upon earth; there it was, I believe, I get, not the fact but, the main proof that He was God, by what He manifested as Man; His natural place of perfection was subjection, and so He was upon earth perfect.
The royal exaltation as Man was an extraordinary thing, due perhaps, but given on account of His humiliation, that all, even the wicked (who would not, when present in grace), should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father; but the Lord in His death, I believe, had His ear bored, and became a servant for ever, refusing to go out free because He loved His Master, His wife, His children. Now, whatever special exaltation may be the fruit of His travail as Man, His abiding glory is as Head of the new race, Man perfectly blessed in the place in which man ought to be, in the presence of the God of blessing. He could not in that perfect state go out of His place as Man, subjection, for all is perfect there. This alters nothing of His place as God, any more than it did when He was on earth, subject to all, but "the Son of man, oJ w]n in heaven," the Jehovah of His ancient people. To this state I should apply Revelation 21: 1-8; the Lamb is not mentioned there; what follows is descriptive, not continuous history. The subjection of the Son thus is to me a glorious filling up of the great scheme of perfection, and the endless fruit of that love in which, being "all of one," He is not ashamed, though source of all the blessings -- "He is not ashamed to call them brethren." "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things that he suffered." This, I trust, may answer your inquiry; if you have with any one any further difficulty, I shall be glad, as far as the Lord enables me, who alone can teach and convince us of the blessed truths of the glory of our Redeemer's Person, to communicate to you all that has been given me for good. Spiritual communion with the Lord makes these truths, not only proveable, but dear to us, for He who is our portion is unfolded to us in them, in all His unsearchable fulness. They acquire a power and force as a part of our intercourse with God, and as known in Him, which mere reasoning cannot give them, while they have to be simply received on the authority of the word. You will always find submission to the word in question in these cases, that is, of our mind to God, and this is the secret of the question.
The great truth of the divinity of Jesus, that He is God, is written all through scripture with a sunbeam, but written to faith. I cannot hesitate in seeing the Son, the Jehovah of the Old Testament, the First and the Last, Alpha and Omega, and thus it shines all through. But He fills all things, and His manhood, true, proper manhood, as true, proper Godhead, is as precious to me, and makes me know God, and so indeed only as the other, He is "the true God and eternal life." That there is a God, a heathen might, at least ought to, know: that He was here revealed to me in Jesus is my glory and joy, and eternal life as a Christian: that He who alone could do it and be uncontaminated, laid His cleansing and unsoiled hand on me as a leper, saying, "I will, be thou clean," is my salvation and my thankfulness for ever. May He, by the Holy Spirit, who gives us fellowship in union with Him and the Father, fill you with the holiness and joy in hope and comprehension which flow from Him, and our wondrous union with Him, setting us in Him above all principalities and powers; and make our union with Him, who fills all things, precious to your soul, and to abound in all your ways to His glory in simplicity of service, to whom alone service is due. Commending you to Him, who alone can keep, and give force and direct.
Believe me, dear Madam,
Your unfeigned and willing servant,
In that blessed One, the Lord Jesus.
G V Wigram -- With regard to speaking, I am quite clear those who speak error ought to be stopped, and those, I think, who speak merely from the suggestion of the flesh, ought to be first warned of it. Any one may do it in love, but those who guide may, if it be needed, take it up, and that for their own sakes who have done it; and if there were from this, habitual unprofitable speaking, I think it ought to be stopped. Those who are active in this, must carry the sense of the brethren, which if rightly ordered under the Spirit is a real test of unprofitableness, with them; for that is the ground of the act. I never could understand why the church of God is to be the only place where flesh is to have its way unrestrained. It is folly to suppose this. I desire the fullest liberty for the Spirit, but not the least for the flesh. The church, for God's glory, is as bound to stop it there (and more, for it is the place of holy order) as elsewhere, and the means are just the same, the grounds just the same, and it is written, "Let the others judge." Such, I think, is the very simple principle and rule of practice.
On the other hand. I am very jealous of meddling, merely because there is not the same refinement, or people being puffed up for one against another; that is just the flesh in another shape. The poor often get profit, where a refined ear would be offended. It is a holy loving wisdom which must order this. In [cases] of error, the act should be prompt, in cases of profit, patient. But I must say I have not the least idea of subjecting myself to the self-will of another's notion, that he is to speak when he cannot profit the church. I should take the liberty of going away in such an extreme case, and try the question summarily if driven to it. I never knew the Lord desert me, or rather the act of obedience to His own will. In such a case, I have no right to wrong the whole church of God, making them unhappy, and hindering the gathering of the saints, to humour the flesh of any.
But then, this must be clearly, and if needs be, patiently ascertained, acting in all quietness, though in all firmness; for the other extreme of stopping people unnecessarily, or merely because they do not please the ear as well, hinders the gathering to Christ equally on the other side.
I only await the signal to leave this, to be up in London. The Lord is working. I do not like leaving uncared for the sign of His hand; but I have learned enough of my own ways and to trust His, not to be anxious to anticipate His plans, nor to press beyond my measure; but I feel the need, and have been a good while myself anxious as to helping in London.
I have my "Revelation" ready too, if the printer could print from my writing, but it is of no consequence.
The great point, if a man were an apostle, as I see from the Corinthians, is to carry the mind of the great body of the people -- all, if possible, but the offender -- with you in every act of order. This was the first effect of the apostolic action, and when we act in the Spirit we shall ever do so with the spiritual; any for the moment merely led away, will see their folly and be profited.
Ever, dear -- ,
[To the same.] Dear G V Wigram, -- The Lord is sufficient for all things, and not only so, but, blessed be His faithful name, provides for and orders all things to the glory of Him whose interests are made the same as ours ... . As to your own work ... I think the visiting part myself, quite as important, if not the most important part of the work: it is said, "publicly, and from house to house." In these days, when there is a good deal of general testimony, though feeble and mixed perhaps, the latter assumes more than its primary relative importance. The clock, of course, strikes the hours, and avails to the passers by, but the works inside make the good clock, and make the striking and the hands right. I think it should be your substantive work, and take all else as it comes; indeed, I do not believe any can minister well without it. The springs of love, and the use and application of doctrine are fed there, minds are understood, the Spirit is led to apply truth to need spiritually understood and entered into; we are apt to get essays else, theories or thoughts. The Holy Ghost, I believe, teaches people while it teaches truth, and suits the truth to conscience and its known state; and it is good for our own souls besides. I dread much public testimony, and altogether so, if there be not private work.
Grace be with you, and kind love to all.
Ever affectionately yours in the Lord.
Edmondsbury, August 2nd. 1839.
[From the French.] VERY DEAR BROTHER [Mr Maylon], -- G., who told me that you are now settled in -- , begged me to write you a few lines, which I do very willingly: indeed, it was on my asking him for news of you that he spoke to me of you, and told me that you had some thought of applying yourself more directly to the work of the Lord. Nothing is more desirable, dear brother; there is the greatest need of labourers, and when our blessed Saviour raises them up, it is a sign that He would do a work Himself in this world of darkness. France presents a field at this moment, blessed in several ways by the Lord. For me, the near coming of the Saviour, the gathering together of His own, and the sanctification and joy of those who are manifested, are always the thoughts predominant in my soul. There is every appearance that the Lord is hastening the time; for the rest, our duty is certain.
It is for you, dear brother, before God, to determine whether the Lord calls you certainly to this work of faith. The more devotedness there is, the more trials there will be, but a hundred times more will there be of happiness and of joy, and when the Lord returns, the crown of glory that fadeth not away. From the circumstances in which you are placed, it is difficult for me to speak, and probably those in which you will be placed would occupy your thoughts. This is a matter of faith. G. committed himself to the Lord, and the Lord has sustained him, and he has always been maintained without difficulty, and has even provided for the wants of those who had trusted men. In any case such a step is always an act of faith, and one ought never to induce any one to follow it.
If, for example, it will be always my delight to help the brethren, whether in England or abroad, as our brethren do according to their power; but if I undertook to do such and such a thing, all that I have might fail me through the providence of God, or a more pressing need might present itself, and I, already bound, should fail, either as to the will of God or my engagements; and, further, I have a very strong objection -- I am, in fact, entirely opposed -- to sending any one into the Lord's field with a salary of so much per annum. I can only say that it will be my joy, by the grace of God, to relieve the needs of my brethren according to my power, but to engage any one to work is, it seems to me, to take the place of faith, at least, if there were not some special direction. I wish to make you understand all the interest I should take in helping you if God call you to the work, on one side, and on the other to prevent you from counting on me or any man whatever.
Perhaps you will be surprised that I have said so much; but I know that this was on the heart of G. I hope that the work of God prospers in your heart. That the Lord may raise up many workmen, and send them out into His harvest -- this is the earnest desire of my heart. May God grant me to devote myself to it with all my strength, and may He strengthen the faith of all His servants, so that they may not distrust His goodness.
For myself, I can bear witness that He has never failed me, feeble and faithless as I have found myself to be, but always sustained beyond my expectation by His goodness. You will find it the same, dear brother, if you feel yourself called to work for the Lord. My faith has been feeble, and the Lord has been good to me; if your faith is stronger, you will gather a more abundant harvest. May God bless you and keep you, and direct your thoughts and your steps. May He ever increase your faith, and make you feel His abundant love. May the Lord reveal Himself more and more to your soul. I think of revisiting Geneva. I do not know exactly the time. I shall be here a fortnight.
Your affectionate brother in Jesus.
Neuchâtel, November 22nd, 1839.
[Mr Maylon] [From the French.] VERY DEAR BROTHER, -- I was rejoiced to receive your letter, and to see that you are in fact working in the Lord's field, and for the Lord. Specially that you are able to trust yourself to the Lord to sustain you in your path, and to maintain you as to the things of this world. You have already, dear brother, made proof of His faithfulness, as you told me. Be very sure that He will never fail in it. Oh, for more faith, that we might be able to trust ourselves to His incomparable faithfulness, to His love, which will make us pass without doubt, through testings for our good, but which at least never wearies.
Dear brother, in the midst of much unfaithfulness, I have always found Him faithful -- I can bear witness to it -- and more than faithful, always full of mercy and goodness. It is a happy thing to be able to be witness to one's God, though in humbling oneself for all one's own wretchedness. When the goodness and will of our God have forced us out into His harvest, we have always need to be well on our guard against the wiles of the enemy, especially when we leave, even ever so little, the ordinary path of Christians. One is so accustomed to trust oneself to men, the habit of it is so rooted in the ways of Christians, and in their manner of working as to the gospel, that Satan is extremely jealous of those who separate themselves from it, and who trust themselves to our God, and he lays for them all possible snares, and even Christians look constantly to see them fall; so much so, that if we do not keep our spirit carefully, we are always in danger.
There are many Christians who withdraw from us from the first, saying that it is pride that prompts us to walk alone, when in fact they desert us in spite of ourselves; and this increases the danger, because the isolation in which we sometimes are, exposes us to the arrows of the enemy, either by the ordinary trials of life, or by the temptation of thinking too much of ourselves, and of leaning to either pride on the one side, or to depression on the other. Do I desire, dear brother, to discourage you in saying these things? far from it, but only to remind you that it is a life of faith, and that we cannot pass through this world of sin, when we are put ever so little forward, without constant communion of our souls with God. As you advance in your path of service, as I hope that you will advance, you will find that if you do not walk in the ordinary paths, a very great number of Christians will be opposed to you, an opposition much more painful than that of the world, which one ought to expect. And this because this question is agitated greatly at this moment, whether one ought to walk by faith or not. May God keep you in humility, and give you a firm and quiet faith which, recognising the duty put upon you of serving Him, has nothing to do but to obey Him, and to do His will. As to your temporal circumstances, dear brother, it will always be to me a great pleasure to help you. I am not very rich, but what I have, I hope, through the grace of our God, will be always devoted to His work ... .
There is still one thing, dear brother, that has come upon my spirit. I suppose that you have continued relations with the established church; perhaps I am mistaken, but I discern the possibility that these relations may be enfeebled if you follow the call to evangelisation which you think you have received from God. If this come to pass, I hope with all my heart that you will not throw yourself, on the other hand, into narrowness; it is this which has been one of the sores of Swiss Christians. I have nothing to hide from you in my christian ways (habitudes). It is my joy and my privilege to find myself in the midst of brethren who know one another in Christ, and to rejoice in the blessedness of brotherly communion in all the weakness in which it may be found at present; but I could not recognise an assembly that does not receive all the children of God, because I know that Christ receives them. I see the church in ruins: I follow my conscience according to the light that I have received from the word, but I desire to bear with the weakness or lack of light that I may find in other Christians, and do all that I can to unite those who love the Lord. The liberty of your ministry, if God bless it, may be a means to this desirable result; and I, according to the light that I have received, find it impossible to remain in nationalism, but I would rather remain alone and isolated, a position, I admit, not at all desirable, than to restrict the limits of the church of Christ to some brethren, even though they may be more correct in their thoughts than others, and to enfeeble the action of the Spirit of God in uniting the Lord's sheep, scattered by our wretchedness and by our sins.
I have ventured to say these things to you, dear brother, in all frankness, because in all my weakness I have at least the good of the beloved church of my Saviour at heart, and further, because I love, and I ought to love in a special manner, the dear Swiss brethren, in the midst of whom I have received so many blessings, and so much love in Christ. I hope that God will keep you from every bond save the bonds of Christ, and that He will rivet these bonds of security and joy more and more.
If you are able not entirely to give up your calling, so much the better; the workman is worthy of his hire, but it is my experience that in the existing circumstances of the church, the more one is independent of men the better one is circumstanced. If you were able to apply yourself to it in leisure moments, or to work alone, and could sell what you made, even if you were not in an establishment, I do not know if the thing is possible, but for you even I am persuaded that it would be very desirable. I write in haste, dear brother, but I did not wish to delay my letter any longer. Be assured of the cordial and sincere love of
Your affectionate brother in Christ.
[Mr Maylon] If we have any right views of what the church of Christ is, every one will be bound by love to serve in some way. The preciousness of the church is shewn in this, "He loved the church, and gave himself for it." His love never changes -- "strong as death" will be marked by-and-by. There is individual love to serve one another. This is not what is spoken of; but love to the Lord must bind us to wish to be servants to the body. We are bound up one with another. One's desire to serve is often checked by the thought of how little we can do. Epaphras entered as much as was possible into the mind of God about service -- as much as Paul did. "Continue in prayer" etc. (Colossians 4: 2); making the effect of his ministry hang upon their prayers. Apostle as he was, it might have been thought he could not need prayer. Here is the zeal of a man, perhaps lying on his face all day -- no great zeal it might be said, but having the muster-roll of God's saints before him; feeling wearied perhaps -- but no, there's another and another of God's saints I must pray for. This was the particular path of Epaphras (perhaps Epaphroditus the same). We do not find him standing in any other place of service but this; labouring that the saints might be perfect and complete in all the will of God. It may be that in which we are most lacking -- no eye but God's -- courts no public praise -- no bustle -- no activities -- is like the fibre to the root of the plant. "Rejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks." Closer connection between these three than our souls are wont to acknowledge. Joy will ever rise in proportion to prayer and thanksgiving.
[Mr H Dan (Don?] We must take courage, dear brother, and hold the Head that holds us up. His strength is made perfect in weakness. Christ will be a sure friend, and even if we begin to sink in the water, will stretch out His hand and lift us up. It is sweet to have His hand in any case, even if our failing foot has led Him to stretch it out.
[From an old letter, date unknown.]
Dearest G V Wigram, -- ... As to dear -- , you must not expect him to stay long in a place: he wins affections, and makes his way much among many minds, but he attaches himself to this, looks to it too much, and consequently does not last in a place for that comes only from attaching oneself to and leaning upon God only. Alas! feeble is he who even unconsciously leans upon man. Were I here to lean on man (indeed I cannot, it has helped to teach me not), I should be miserable enough. I am happy here, and I trust very quiet in the Lord, but were I to look around, I should be dismayed and confounded; error in those who lead, and nothing to hold a feeble heart up against it in any quarter, and I, speaking as a man, a stranger, and thrown all at once into the midst of it all. But the Lord knows the end from the beginning, and how He deals with His church.
I had broken up from Geneva, where, through the Lord's mercy, though in all possible weakness, I had a share more or less in all the happy work and intercourse of the place, such as the poor church of God affords to feeble faith now, and was pleasing myself -- I hope not after the flesh -- that I should soon turn my face towards my old work in England, and what God in His goodness has prepared for me there, and indeed, I long much, the Lord knows, to be on my way thither, or rather at work there; when I find myself suddenly arrested in my course by what is purely a trial of faith, where, speaking as a man, if blessing I should have no thanks, and another in whom I have no full confidence, though I trust I am mistaken, would externally step into the fruit, and where the canker, through human affection and ignorance and want of faithfulness, has eaten so wide and deep, that as a human judgment it is pure faith -- and with the form of good and holiness, when it was so wanting, that the claim justifies itself in almost all consciences; and I turn into a lodging alone to-morrow, knowing none here but those who now are almost all a weight, and that I have a sort of responsibility for drawing after me. But this is all well: it is my lot, and I bless God with all my soul for it too: and in this sense, little it may be to suffer for Him, only may I be faithful. Probably, almost ere this reach you, something will have manifested itself as to the position of things here, and the Lord, I trust, will give His showers and more blessing than before. I feel happily stayed on Him as to the conscience of my position. All the pastors of the so-called churches -- I abhor the name now -- stood aloof, and let the wolf do what he might. As I said, did I not lean on the Lord, my heart would sink within me, and I should be ready to say, am not I wrong thus to care for them all, instead of letting them all ruin themselves? You have no idea of the patience which this country demands; there was plenty to try sometimes in England, but it was play compared to this ... . However, I hope soon to be free, and to wend my way towards work where my heart a good deal is. The brethren of Geneva I left in much peace, and did I seek only acceptance for myself, could rest, for which I thank them much in the Lord, with abundant satisfaction there, for they cherished and followed on my ministry much, and I trust with blessing. Certainly they seem very happy; indeed, they wanted me to take up my quarters there.
I had a meeting when some came, last night, and the brother of the minister who had led them in error came; he had been, in fact, turned off à la dissidence four years ago, and is still much valued by many; so that this apparently throws a light, and in one sense a darkness, as to the position I am in here ... . But I find a little simplicity goes a great way, and finds no knots, where men have tied a hundred -- if God is there.
I did hear of dear J. F., one who was much loved, and whom I had well known and daily more, and valued much. Many as myself will feel his loss, but thus it is they daily pass upward, while we wait to serve on till He come. I must close.
[Mr E Maylon] [From the French.] DEAR BROTHER, -- I was very glad and thankful to receive your letter, and I bless God for having led you as He has done in His goodness, and am quite relieved to find that our brethren of La verse are edifying themselves together. It is a favour from God. When we are doing the will of God, God will help those that are cast down and He takes care of them, and the result is that they are greatly strengthened, because they make experience of the faithfulness of God.
Remember, dear brother, that it is dangerous to be raised all at once into a pulpit. It is not that I do not believe it to be the will of God, but you know that when St. Paul had been caught up, even into heaven, from the work of God, that would have been a snare to him, because of his flesh, but God is faithful to keep us. Man's acceptation is not God's approbation, although God can give it us to favour the propagation of the truth; but if we stop at the result, we are at a distance from the source, and that becomes a snare to wither up our soul, instead of a means to lead us to those upon whom we should pour out His riches. I believe that God has in His mercy allowed you to be tested, that you may know how little and feeble you are, before introducing you to the work. As for -- , although I hope it will never lose its attractions in your eyes, if God give you for a time work to do elsewhere, and that His will is clear to you, you ought to entrust these dear souls to Him who alone can -- whether you are absent or present -- feed and nourish them. No one will go further, I hope, than their faith will lead them. If they make progress in your absence, it will be a lesson, often very necessary, that God can act without us, but up to the present no one has visited them ... . As to your debts, it is clear you ought to pay them, and a minister of the gospel ought not to suffer the reproach that he is going to work, or rather, according to them, to lead an idle life, instead of paying his debts. I shall be very glad to help you in carrying out this duty, but until I return to England I should hardly be able to do so.
I must stop. May God keep you in simplicity of heart, and always in the sense of your vileness before Him. All our joy is destroyed the moment we lose sight of what we are before Him; and our natural strength, for there is that, becomes to us the means of leading us to some fall like St. Peter. He truly loved the Lord, but he had confidence in that love for Jesus, and in his integrity which, nevertheless, was sincere. He could say, "Thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee;" and he fell terribly, led by that very love, from the moment that he trusted it in the time of temptation. I do not suppose such things of you, dear brother, but I tell you these things out of love to you, in confidence that they will not happen. I trust in God for that, assured of His faithfulness. Only be watchful, and pray. Beware of the traditions of men, and of the spirit of the clergy; all that dries up the soul, dishonours the Lord, and nourishes the flesh, by the sense of human respectability, "the pride of life." But at the same time, honour fully all the gifts God has given to whoever it may be.
What you tell me of the B.'s interests me greatly; only, dear brother, in acknowledging the truth of these hopes in general, for probably there are incorrect thoughts as to details, do not depart from the foundation with them. God has been merciful in giving you access to this people; may it be to bring in with all regard to their condition, and with all prudence, the whole truth. Perhaps you will find that fundamental truth will stumble some among them, and you will have some testing in this direction. May God give you all the wisdom, gentleness, meekness, and firmness, that you will need. You will accept, I am persuaded, all these remarks that I make, knowing well my weakness, for the love of Christ.
Affectionately yours, in the work and the hope of this beloved One, our only Saviour.
Dearest G V Wigram, -- I have suffered lately from violent pain in the stomach which ... sometimes four nights a week deprived me of rest ... . Labouring in extreme heat, and the toil occasioned by the state of Lausanne -- where there was no life to walk stayed on the Lord, and if the evil shewed itself elsewhere none that could go and meet it -- so that I was pressed above strength, have occasioned this attack ... .
But, blessed be God, I have been sustained in great repose and unspeakable peace with Him, and that, notwithstanding many things, so that I am in anything but a disposition to complain. Many of my sleepless nights have been passed in joy or in profit, repassing sometimes the evil which magnifies this immense grace, unmeasurable grace of God; but more often I believe in immediate peace with Him, and sometimes prayer for others: of the two first, I scarce know which was the most blessed, though the latter of them surely the most agreeable and I suppose the best. If sometimes sorrow for others, as to others rather, passed across my mind, it was with an indescribably soothing feeling of the perfect goodness of God, while condemning myself, so that I could bless, and see evidently the hand of God in the thought ... .
But on the whole, above all the circumstances of this place which pre-occupy all minds here, what is eternal, the thoughts of God for Jesus and for us have risen far above all; for me it has been a time of introduction into the rest of eternity of much blessing. It crossed my mind with much, with very great blessing latterly, in reading the Acts that we should be filled with the Holy Ghost, after the resurrection in glory as now. We are apt, at least, I, to regard it as a sort of necessary force for resisting the evil, and living above it here, but also shall it be the fulness of unspeakable power of enjoyment when all shall be glory and rest, the glory and rest of God on high. This in us, in man. There is something in this communion, and certainly I have learned it more here latterly, which is above all power of communication at least, till we get there, and then I suppose we shall have it (by the unity of the Spirit and glory) with one another as with God, with the Father and with the Son Jesus. It is blessed, even in feeble measure, to have the foretaste and earnest of it here.
I see all my weakness here -- weakness of conduct, and worse, weakness of faith -- but too evidently, and it humbles me exceedingly; alas, it has been very great. It is very distressing when one has the interest of the church and of the saints at heart, to see one's own want of faith and fidelity hindering the inflow of blessing which might be if one had it. Nothing presses on me and humbles me so much. Once too, since I have been here -- not that man has judged, or perhaps would judge -- my foot has slipped through want of caution, want of patient waiting on His will: but it was a profitable season, through divine and abounding grace, of utter humiliation and renewal to my soul. In truth, I am sometimes astonished at the goodness of God, when I see what wretches we are -- all the vileness and misery and pride and unbelief, which work and boil in the heart, and that for want of living in His presence, who is the source of all joy, and only strength of His people. And we are astonished at a little suffering, our own or the church's, which places us afresh in His presence. But I did not think when I began, to make you a long confession; perhaps it is a sign of good, for it is difficult to unlock my serried spirit. May abundant grace be with you and all the saints around you, and the power and strength of His presence ... .
Ever, dearest -- ,
P.S. -- I am, in a measure, for the moment, broken up from Lausanne, and therefore, with some delays of visits on the road, I hope to be among the saints in your country ere very long, but take, I suppose, if the Lord will, France, and also a flying visit to Holland on the way. But I hope to leave this soon. Grace and peace be with you. The Lord, in His infinite grace, direct all our hearts into the love of God and the patient waiting for Christ.
Lausanne, September 15th, 1840
[Mr E Maylon] [From the French.] VERY DEAR BROTHER, -- I wish to write you a few lines ... . Some days have passed; I had to go to Lausanne, and to interrupt my letter. I rather fear, beloved brother, that we have failed somewhat in the energy of faith; I speak of myself. I fear I have lost some months of service, although I do not well know how; I thought of being in France almost at this time, and I see scarcely any probability of it as yet; perhaps I can say that Satan hindered me. I am not so much troubled about it, because G. and R., who will be much better worth than I, will have gone there, but I am afraid of remaining here a while, because I am like a piece of furniture here. There has been blessing lately, more especially in the valley of St. Imier, where the work is fresh and happy; and in your own dear valley, which I hope soon to visit, they are going on very well, and are happy. Perhaps you may have heard that E. B. has been terribly beaten. I had a letter from him the day before yesterday, or the day previous. He cannot walk, or walks with difficulty; he rather fears it is a chastisement, because he did not go forward in France; it may be so, for when the Lord loves us He is jealous, and he shews it; still it will be for the blessing of our dear friend ... . I do not know how our journey will succeed. I shall be very glad to have you with me, if our gracious Father should so arrange things. We are praying a little more, I hope, and through the grace of God this will be done. But what would comfort me, if I remain a little longer in Switzerland, would be to encourage those in the interior, for surely God would have it so in His grace: there is some need of it. May God teach us to give ourselves to prayer: it is easily forgotten in the work itself, and this is the first bad symptom for the work, as for the soul.
As to the ruin of the church, the theory came for me after the consciousness of it, and even now, the theory is but a small thing to my mind; it is the burden which one bears, and which has of late even weighed me down somewhat; but God, who raises up those who are cast down, has comforted me, and encouraged me a little, for indeed, the arm of Him who sustains us is not shortened, blessed be His name, nor is His love enfeebled. Thank God, we are in peace here; our meetings are in general happy, and even, blessed be God, very happy, and the brethren love each other, and but for some dissenting bickerings, there is nothing painful in the country at present; but in Vaud the activity of service is rather wanting.
Good-bye, dear brother. May God keep us very near Him; we need it, and ineffable joy and peace are there. Greet warmly our dear D., and reckon upon all the love of your poor brother in Jesus,
I had written to G. on the subject of baptism. It is a common phase of modern research, one has but to leave every one to act entirely according to his conscience. verse has strong feelings about it, but without much ground it seems to me, still very natural. The same thing amongst brethren in England had its day, and, every one being left free, it produced no effect that I know of. If people dispute, it is bad: that tends also to contract the heart and the understanding, but in allowing full liberty this disappears.
Dearest G V Wigram, -- A mouthful of English, and thoughts of the dear brethren, of whom I am almost obliged to deny myself the recollection, or I begin to hanker after them, and to be discontented with this part at least of the desert, for it is always this part that is disagreeable to us -- but I check this as unbelief and murmuring, which really is not in my heart, against the Lord; for it was not against Moses that Israel murmured.
In truth, there is an evident march of blessing here, though I have been kept to the wheel most painfully, excessively painful in its progress, in order that my joy might be in it and in the Lord, and not in myself.
The Spirit of the Lord has put many dear brethren in movement, out of their cramped position towards better things, two or three ministers among others. Two have given their démission, but all is in transition, though truly if feeble, yet real progress, so that it is difficult to speak of detail. There needs some one of a faith and energy that I have not, to act positively. I have served negatively in some measure, for Satan would have seized this moment of crisis by the means of Wesleyanism, and that as a system or generality, has not taken place. There are merely here and there a few Wesleyans, much less than I supposed. Probably, in the actual state of the church, it will make its proselytes, and those predisposed by their nature to a certain extent; but in general, it has failed, and though it has very much troubled by its want of integrity, and want of honest firmness of those who differed -- for independence of conduct is comparatively unknown in these countries -- it, when known, rather retrogrades than advances. The weak state of Christians and the existence of worldly Christianity and Nationalism always leave room for these energies, in which vast evil is mingled with some necessary good. God cannot leave them without the good, and the church is too corrupt to give the good pure, too enfeebled to separate it. The Lord will do His own work: the brethren who were on higher and simpler principles, were not, humanly speaking, of qualities calculated to spread and sanction it. The Lord works Himself. What was in the eye of man steady and of influence, was opposed, but God chooses the weak things, to shew that the truth and strength are His.
I, dear brother, am in a very critical position here, and desire much the prayers of the brethren for me for the Lord's glory. The brethren who laboured among the Dissenters here, feared the Wesleyanism, and could not come to their defence, standing in the gap. While they feared almost the determination with which it was opposed, they were yet glad that the battle was fought; but when necessarily this conflict produced other effects, many Nationals came more or less out, and united. They feared again; for the conflict which had hindered in a measure the progress of Wesleyanism, had produced effects of which they felt afraid to judge, and yet more held aloof. In the meanwhile, the jealousy of the Nationals was natural enough; many many Dissenters in heart desire the union of God's children; others are excessively irritated, and hence, most of the others, or many at least, are timid as to committing themselves with their brethren who are opposed at Lausanne. Then there are now the old Dissenters, partly Wesleyans, among the women, though having protested as a body against it, some saying the pastor who introduced it, but who now denounces it, is their pastor, and some not -- and in the meanwhile the principle of leaving their churches, placing the others in a dilemma how to recognise this body: meanwhile they look on. In one place the dissident body is dissolved, or consists of five discontented Wesleyans, and there is a meeting where all the Christians can, and mostly do, unite to break bread with one of the ministers, also whom I mentioned -- very happy. At Vevey, Nationals, ex-nationals and Dissenters meet the last Monday of the month to break bread -- very happy. It is a beginning. There, also, another National minister has left; a third has quitted elsewhere, but the Conseil d'État has begged him to wait awhile till they see what they have to do, which he does for the moment gratuitously -- a faithful, upright man, but hitherto buried in scholastic learning, Fathers, etc., but I believe he makes progress out of this lore, and to him that hath shall more be given. Here the old Dissenters, and some who thought to seize the occasion to establish themselves, hate me cordially, at least, the leaders. You will understand by all this what has detained me here, though my judgment is, by more faith I might have got off sooner, for I am very weak in faith.
Adieu, dear brother. Pray all for me, that having done the will of God, I may also, when He sees good, see you in peace, ... You will see from what I have said, it is difficult to give much account of what passes here -- all is so in transition. There needs, I feel, some one more faithful a great deal than I; but yet I doubt sometimes if others of you would have borne with the inconsistencies with many true and precious principles which accompany this state of transition; perhaps you would have been thus more blessed in your fidelity than in thus bearing with what I have supported here in these things. The Lord turn all I trust to good. Again I say, pray for me. Salute cordially all the beloved brethren, whom I remember with all my heart in the Lord ... .
[To the same.] Dearest G V Wigram, -- ... The Lord can speak the word of peace; a little love will smooth all this trouble. I was not united with the brethren for exact opinions on such or such a point, but by the love of Jesus, though truth be precious; and the Holy Ghost is able to and in love will order this. The word is sure, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule and mind the same thing -- if in anything we be differently minded, God will reveal this also. That which is of the flesh will be manifested flesh, and probably there is some of it in all of us, in one as in others; but love is stronger than death. I doubt not that a little love will soothe the spirit of -- , and irritation on any side is not of the grace of the Spirit of God. If it were a foundation truth for the soul, no peace could be held with error: mistake in the interpretation of Revelation, one may exercise much patience with. These things are always the sign of some other evil; but God will turn it to good. Perhaps knowledge has been too much attended to at Plymouth. The influence I had there was always and everywhere by great fundamental principles, and I trust it may ever be so, while I delight and believe in all the revelation of God as others. More humility will put all this in blessing, and perhaps it is needed to this end. I trust in the Lord for this, present or absent, that He will keep His poor children walking in love. I hold to love much more than to my views, or to those of others, or sustaining or destroying the views of others: hold fast by that, dear brother, for love is of God, and he that loveth is born of God. I fear knowledge has too much prominence at Plymouth, though it be very precious ... . Grace be with you all, and all that love the Lord Jesus, our blessed Saviour and patient Lord, in sincerity.
I am myself in great peace about all this matter; I am sure the Lord is the stronger, and that the enemy shall be found to cede, rather give occasion to a better victory; such is my conviction ... .
Lausanne, February 3rd, 1841
[From the French.] -- - Justification is a point where two things unite: first, that the blood has washed us from all our sins, and this perhaps is justification, properly speaking. But in fact, we may add to it our acceptance in the Beloved. "He that practises righteousness is righteous;" for the practice of righteousness flows from the life of Christ in us; but by this life we are united to Christ, and enjoy His righteousness before God, being made well pleasing in the Beloved. The resurrection therefore is the pivot of it, for it is the proof of expiation; it introduces Christ, according to the power of this eternal life (in which we participate) into the presence of God. Around the Person of Christ regarded as risen, all the truths found in the word revolve. The union of the church with Him is the completion of them. Resurrection leaves behind, in the tomb, all that could condemn us, and ushers the Lord into that new world of which He is the perfection, the Head, and the glory. Now we are united to Him.
[From the French.] G V Wigram, I do not quite like that expression, "Christ has obtained justification from God," because it presents God as unwilling and even opposed to the thing, while it is the will and the heart of God which has provided the sacrifice and all. It is true that the righteousness of God required expiation and the sacrifice of Christ. Still it is He whose love has provided for our needs in this respect. And He it is who justifies. (Compare Zechariah 3.) The Epistle to the Hebrews speaks rather of our acceptance under the form of our presentation to Him, of sanctification in an external sense. "That he might sanctify the people by his own blood." He has also perfected them; they can stand in His presence, as being His according to the perfection of the sanctuary, without reproach, without spot. Justification is the idea of a tribunal, of a judge, so to speak. The Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the sanctuary, and of presenting us there
The foundation is always the same; but we can look at it in many ways, and each one gives us more light as to the perfection of the work of Christ, and the results of that work which we enjoy. 1 Peter 1: 19 speaks rather in the sense of redemption, of being taken by a ransom out of the hands of the enemy. The obedience of Christ during His life tended to the perfection of the sacrifice; it was not expiatory, but perfectly acceptable. It was a question of the acceptability of His Person as necessary to His work, but that obedience was not expiatory. He would have remained alone if the corn of wheat had not fallen into the ground; but His entire obedience rendered Him perfectly pleasing to God, as it also was itself. (See Philippians 2.)
Under the form of justification, the Epistle to the Romans is the one which most formally treats of the subject of our acceptance. What I meant by making use of the expression, "Christ has obtained our justification," will be understood by comparing the manner in which this epistle is expressed (chapter 3: 24), "Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." You see how it is presented, as flowing from the free grace of God. This is important for the state of the soul, and for the clear understanding of grace.
[From the French.] G V Wigram, To apprehend aright the place of the law is a difficult thing, because we must be fully led by the Holy Spirit in order not to be ourselves, in some sort, under law, as to our feelings at least. We must have rightly seized the power of the work and resurrection of Jesus, otherwise one would be lawless if one were not under law. We are in nowise under the law. Grace does not recognise any participation of the law in our hearts; but how is this, if we acknowledge the law as good? Because Christ exhausted it in His death. He was under the law up to His death, and in His death; but evidently He is not so now; He may employ the law to judge those who have been under the law, but we are united to Him. As Adam was not head of the old race until after his fall, so Christ is only Head of the new race as risen from among the dead. He places them in His own position as a risen Man; they begin with Christ there. They quite acknowledge the power of the law, but in that it has put Jesus to death, there where it has lost all its power, and its dominion over the soul. We belong to another.
We can employ the law, if there be need, against the wicked, because, having the divine nature, we can handle the law, and it cannot inflict its mortal wound upon the divine nature from which it has emanated. We can shew where man is if under the law, in order thereby to bring out the perfection of redemption; it is what the apostle does in Romans and Galatians, in order to make it clear that we are no longer under the law, because we are dead with Christ. Through the law we are dead to the law; we are crucified with Christ. A Gentile was never really under the law. In becoming a Christian he takes Christ at a point where He has done with the law; but, having received the Spirit of Christ, he has no longer need of the law to discern the perfection of redemption: he has intelligence to understand the things accomplished in the history of the Messiah -- His perfect work. But this is far from being clear in the mind of Christians, for in fact, the greater part among them have made of Christianity a law, and have put themselves under the law. They must come out thence in order to enjoy peace; but for them, the discussion as to what the law is is a very important thing, and very opportune on that account. Besides, the human heart so naturally places itself under law, that it is very important for every soul to be well enlightened on the subject. The law, let us always remember, reveals to us nothing of God, except that a law implies a judge; it gives the measure of our responsibility: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and thy neighbour;" that is the law. It may be said that the gospel gives new motives for our fulfilment of the law; but these motives are drawn from a fact which gives to Christ all that right over our hearts to which the law could lay claim, and by death puts an end to the power of the latter, for we are dead and risen with Christ. We shall do or avoid many of the things found in the law, and the summary of it which has been given us remains the principle, or rather the fruit of the life of Christ in us. It is now fulfilled in all that flows from that life, but we are in nowise under the law, for we are one with Christ, and Christ is not under the law.
The law not only condemns conduct, but men. The law does not only say, "Cursed is everything," but "Cursed is every one who continueth not." Thus we must be under the curse if we are under the law. But it is because we are not under the law that we can make use of it, if needs be. The Jews attempted to employ it against the adulterous woman, but they were under the law, in the flesh. The law pierced their hearts to death and condemnation. Christ made use of it, or at least allowed it its efficacy, because, although He was born under the law, it could not touch Him for condemnation, the life of God in Him being perfect. United to Him in resurrection we can make use of it, because we are beyond its reach by the death and resurrection of Christ, enjoying His life in our souls. This is why people are always more or less under the law, until they have understood the resurrection of Christ, and also whenever the flesh obscures the power of our redemption. I hope that you will be able to understand these few remarks.
With regard to the Epistle to the Philippians, it presents another very interesting feature -- the affliction and the personal experience of the apostle. He looks at the church as deprived of his care, and he himself is oppressed for the time by the power of Satan. Thus, in a very touching and very powerful manner, he enters into all that concerns the conflict of the church, and all that is important for it during the period of its abandonment: he also presents the graces which would prevent it from falling into those troubles which sprang up consequent upon the absence of the apostle. Hence the great value of this epistle for the present time. They were beginning to preach Christ in a spirit of contention, not to be of the same mind, to murmur. He shews in what the riches and graces of Christ consist, especially necessary for such a state of things, a state, alas! which has ripened much since then. Why should I say, Alas? for all this will turn to salvation, and shews that the coming of Jesus is nearer.
Dearest G V Wigram, -- As to all speaking, if the brethren prefer all meetings of brethren as such, it is all very well; I have no objection; I would meet cordially with them; but when they do not meet corporately as brethren, then I act on my individual responsibility to God -- I individualise myself. If I find it profitable to associate another with me, as Barnabas or Silas (Paul chose Silas), it is all well; but I count it of the very last importance to maintain individual responsibility, while insisting on unity and discipline. Counsel the individual, exercise discipline if needed, refuse him your room if he preaches error; but where there is unity and discipline in form, if individual responsibility be not recognised therewith, it becomes a petty Rome, and worse, from being narrower. Where charity is warm, there is no difficulty. If brethren who have a room, desire to use it only for corporate meetings, as I have said, it is all well, and I admit the liberty of the Spirit edifying by whom He will; but my position in the body of Christ for service in the responsibility of individual gift is between me and Christ, where not exercised in a corporate meeting; I dare not forego this responsibility (woe to me if I preach not!); and no one can meddle with it -- he meddles with the prerogative of Christ. In the assembly, the order of the assembly, or Christ by the Spirit in that, is supreme; out of the assembly, I act on my own responsibility to the Lord. If I have five talents, I do not necessarily club with him who has two.
I admit fully, alongside of this, all godly counsel; and all discipline as to error or misconduct. Even so, you cannot help a man's preaching alone; only you can refuse to recognise him, or warn, or the like. I attach all possible importance to this individual responsibility (repeating yet again, all just accompanying principle): I would not be of any body where it was touched; I dare not, for I should do just what Rome has -- set up something between me and Christ. If the brethren do not like to lend me their place of meeting, where I may exercise my gift on this responsibility, I resist not; it is merely a question of rooms, or of wisdom; perhaps they may be wiser in this than myself. The question arose at -- . I replied, as above, that if the brethren did not like me to preach on my own responsibility in the room, and would have only open corporate meetings, I had no more to say, I would hire another; but out of the corporate meetings I was Christ's servant, and I recognised no right in another to meddle with this responsibility, saving discipline if that were needed. The difficulty disappeared, as it always does where there is fidelity; though humbleness alone can save us getting out of one ditch into another.
Ever, dearest brother, with much thankfulness for your letters,
[E Maylan] [From the French.] DEAR BROTHER, -- Dear F. has communicated to me your letter. I bless God that you have found the sweet peace of communion with God: it is there that strength is found -- our only true strength; it is there, dear brother, that we get hold of, and there alone, the principles which make us pilgrims and strangers here below, because faith is in question when one desires to be a stranger on earth, and to lean only upon God. Happy, thrice happy, he who can do it, but this can be only through communion. And now, whilst encouraging you, and ready to help you, so far as the Lord will enable me, I urge you to weigh the matter well, and to see if with ten thousand you are able to make war against him who comes against you with twenty thousand; if not (it is God who makes all the difference) you must make peace, and be content, if you have peace, to remain on this side of Jordan, instead of trusting to God that which is dear to you, and going to make war against those who still hold the land. But I believe that you have tasted too much what truth is to act thus: you have too much light to be on good terms with God in not following this light. God has acted, dear brother, with respect to you, with so much goodness and tenderness in leading you into His work, and in following you along the road, that I hope your heart will feel its effects powerfully. As for me, I will do what I can to help you, as every brother in Christ. God has stood by you, when you had only Himself and the resources which He Himself placed at your disposal, so that there is enough to lead you to trust His faithfulness ... .
I say no more, except that I shall be rejoiced to see you walk with liberty in the path of truth and of personal devotedness. I know by my own experience, that those who trust in the Lord shall not be confounded, and that His service is the only true liberty and joy on earth. I commend you heartily to Him; He is the only resource that you and I have. I rejoice at the peace and the healthy condition of your soul, as if it were myself. Let us remember that communion is a matter of eternity, this sweet and precious eternity which Christ has won for us, of which He Himself will be the centre and the glory. Adieu, dear brother; peace be with you, keep yourself in the love of God, and look only to Him: if your eye is single, your whole body shall be full of light.
There is much blessing in Switzerland, but a little commotion, because of the new wine, which does not suit well with the old bottles -- old at least in many respects, because they are human -- and everything is feared about if anything is touched.
I shall be at Lausanne probably next week.
[To the same.] [E Maylan] [From the French.] DEAR BROTHER, -- I have not much news to give you from here. In comparison with what was the case a year and a half ago, the awakening and the results are striking enough, but old Dissent on one side, and especially the old Dissenting ministers, whom the new awakening has laid aside, are jealous, and are bestirring themselves. We have no other difficulty, except this jealous spirit of the ministers. They have taken the ground solemnly in a conference lately, that the church was not responsible for the condition in which it then was. I feel myself much more, or rather altogether apart, from all official connection with their system; as to individuals, I hope that love will be only the more easy in its exercise; but it appears to me a principle of rebellion against God. In general there is blessing; God has raised up some workmen, and all those who are labouring are blessed. There are conversions, and rather numerous considering our weakness, through the goodness of God, and in general more devotedness. I have not given up the thought of a visit to the Ardèche, but this attempt to revive the old Dissent in opposition to the awakening which is taking place, makes me undecided for the moment as to my duty to leave; the rather because hearts are calm as long as I am here, and are more agitated if they are themselves the object of these attempts. In general, Wesleyanism affects them, save perhaps where they have had too much to do with it.
May God keep you, and us all, beloved brethren, in simplicity and peace, near Jesus. In our Father's presence there is always rest. The work which is the expression of our dwelling there, of our intimacy with His love, is always blessed and always happy -- tried it may be, but happy. The joy which is in Him is infinite and eternal -- a joy which only those who enjoy it know, or can conceive, but you know it, dear brother. Let us be of good courage, not alarmed because there is opposition, and not even because there is coldness, which is much more painful. Jesus loved "to the end;" this is the character of His love; it will be so of His love in our hearts, but we must be near Him that it may be so. May God direct you in your plans; we have nothing but His will to direct us in the short passage of the pilgrimage here below. What happiness to have such guidance! May my Jesus, this good and faithful Saviour and Shepherd, give you a single eye, that your whole body may be full of light. Reckon upon His faithfulness, and may He direct you. Greet all the brethren cordially. May the God of peace, our God, be with them all; my heart greets them in the mighty and eternal love of Christ. May God bless them and yourself, dear brother.
Dearest G V Wigram, -- It is always good to hear both of the Lord's work, and the labour of the beloved brethren. I am exceedingly thankful for the prayers of the brethren, and indeed I pray you to thank them that pray for me. I need it, and if I be weak, need it the more.
You must not expect much news. It is not my gift. I have passed through so trying and difficult a path here, that I distrust myself to speak of it, but I am come out of it, I trust, in charity, and it was no easy matter. To be opposed is easy in a certain sense; I have had plenty, and all who would maintain things when the Lord is overthrowing them, naturally count me to do the work of Satan -- the reputation I have in general in France and Switzerland -- when there is frankness to speak out; but speaking out or acting on conviction, it not generally the habit on the Continent -- they complain of it even. Yet there has been blessing. The young men, whom those who would be with us vilified all they could, have been blessed very generally, and there are many conversions through their means, and in general there has been awakening wherever they have been, and joy and gladness have accompanied their steps. This is a subject of rejoicing, and the Lord has kept them in a most healthful feeling of responsibility with much zeal. At the same time, the dissemination of truth and blessing, and on what are called our principles, thus spreading on the right hand and on the left, without knowing whence it came or how it sprung up all of a sudden, has exceedingly irritated those, who with much effort were doing nothing or spoiling their own work, and I confess, has surprised me; for we are slow to count beforehand on the goodness of God. That He has acted is most manifest. Also I am much more free, for in all their plans, they have planned against themselves. They had what they called a Conférence Fraternelle, to judge the expressions of my tracts, which has had the effect of setting me completely at large. They sent to all their churches, that a new system agitated many Christians, and that thereon they would judge if the expressions of my tracts were scriptural. They told nothing of their plan to those who had received more or less the principles contained in the tracts, but invited them when all was ready, saying that the state of Christians was so changed in Lausanne, that they could not offer hospitality to the brethren. At the meeting which I had declined attending, but went afterwards, at the demand of many who were come from far, they admitted the ruined state of the church, which they had denied hitherto, but denied our responsibility, saying that we were not answerable for the evil of our forefathers. I told the two I was most intimate with, that after that I could not go on with their Dissidence any longer, though I was in charity with all. I am much freer and happier since, and blessing is manifest.
In France there is progress, and I found the brethren well and walking near the Lord in general. There is now a large field open in the Gard ... . At St. Hippolyte, though others labour equally, several true men (finding that our brethren walked more with the Lord, and had His blessing), who had been exceedingly prejudiced, have drawn towards the brethren and avowed it. There will be opposition there, at least, on the westward, but there is testimony. In the Isère there is a commencement of blessing, and in the Drôme, at Montmeyran, where they are however weak; this place will bring probably excessive enmity on me. I saw brethren from this place when in France. I could not go there when in the Ardèche. At Annonay and Vernoux they came as much as eighteen leagues to read and confer; this shews the awakening to the state of things which exists. It is chiefly, though not exclusively, among simple brethren; they are devoted and zealous -- this is a remarkable feature. One in Switzerland has been severely beaten, but is happy in his work; one who is much blessed, has left all recently (a lithographist), and felt led to go out at once, without reading with us at Lausanne. Five more are come to read, of whom three I trust will be valuable labourers in different ways. The brethren meet to break bread in France, in places of which I knew not the existence before I went there this last trip. Many of them receive next to nothing, being unmarried: their zeal has awakened the goodwill of those among whom they labour; they receive them, and even give them clothing as presents. In the towns this can be less the case, and in the Catholic population in France -- that is, where the work has not produced its fruits. At any rate, all work on their proper responsibility; if they have not faith, they have only to return to a life of labour like others. Much happy confidence reigns.
I am exceedingly happy with them all, exercising no control but what their own affection claims, and I find that thus cast in considerable difficulties on the Lord, they acquire by the necessity they are in, a rapid ripeness of judgment and prudence according to the Lord. In France many are locally employed, and earn their bread. The married brethren naturally having ménage, need more ... .
I write up my letters as much as I can; my head scarce suffices for all, but, thank God, I have been very happy in my soul, and helped on in various ways, and though poor and miserable, conscious that a gracious, faithful and pardoning Lord is with me ... . Kindest love to all the brethren.
Ever yours, most affectionately in the Lord.
Dearest Gillett, -- I was glad to have some news of you; we must not expect to pass through the valley without combats, also "the husbandman labouring first must be partaker of the fruits." All we have to seek is to be faithful to Christ in them, and then there results always blessing; it is a purging process, the evil being let out; the secret is to lean thoroughly on the Lord. I pray for you, and not to seek to do good even, in our strength. I do not doubt, dear brother, that you do so much better than myself.
As to heresies, I feel a difference between one who, for want of light or from early prejudice, cannot get rid of error, and one who propagates it ever so secretly (for in general where there is an evil will, it is secretly propagated at first), because then there is the love of error, and the will of the flesh is at work, they are the fruits of the flesh. What is written as to heresy -- not as to every one that is in error, even where the error is grave -- is, "after the first and second admonition reject." But I doubt not, you have been better directed of the Lord in waiting on Him, than anything I could thus write, but I believe these principles correct. But all these exercises are good. Surely it would be happier never to give the Lord occasion thus to exercise us; but it is much more merciful to be put through the exercises, which brings out faithfulness, than to be left in what separates us from the Lord -- far, far better.
As to the second point, that of teaching meetings, if I remember, the same difficulty had occurred before, but it appears to me the matter is very simple. I scarcely understand the difficulty, as it seems to me to deny the exercise of a gift which I am bound to exercise according to my responsibility to Christ. As to the circumstances of its exercise, they are comparatively immaterial. That one teach, or that more than one take part if united in work, is a matter for them to judge of, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Paul and Barnabas assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. He who has the gift of teaching is responsible to Christ for the exercise of his gift; it may be exercised in private; in the meeting together of brethren, if so led, on the Lord's day; or he may assemble them to teach them if he has the capacity for it, for he is acting then on the responsibility which lies on him to trade with his talent. That this should be done with the concurrence and in the unity of the brethren, is natural where charity exists, and desirable: but if one has a gift of teaching, one is accountable for its exercise in charity where it can be a blessing to the church. Only, if in the assembly he act in the flesh, that, not his gift, is a subject of discipline -- as when tongues were used for vain glory. It is a question of edifying. Charity uses a gift for edifying, but charity is bound to use the gift for edifying. Besides, if there are brethren who in conscience do not approve of it, their path is easy, not to sanction it by their presence; but they ought not to make their conscience or scruple the law of others' conduct, where it is a matter of spiritual judgment.
There has been so much blessing in France, that I cannot regret not having got home to England, though indeed I desired it. Since then I have done little here, having been ill, and I doubt that the Lord has much for me to do here, but the brethren who read with me are all blessed in their work in this country, French Switzerland, and there is awakening in all parts. Yet I long to be back in England. I suppose still that I may make my journey back by France, where doors were more and more open to me the last time I was there. May I be only the Lord's servant, and that within, as well as, and before, being it without. I have been in general happy, and how otherwise with fresh grace; yet I have seen several times lately my deplorable weakness. Yet having been ill, I have been astonished how deeply I felt utter and entire separation to the Lord. Work more or less occupied me with things and people here; when incapable of it, as I have been latterly almost entirely, I found I had nothing but Christ and His importance beyond all our highest and fondest and most sincere thoughts: it was a sort of experience morally of death, not perhaps all its force on conscience, but all on my position.
Our brethren who have died lately have been in sweetest peace, and have felt in a peculiar manner the importance of the Lord's coming for the church, even when dying, and sorrowed only, where sorrow was, at not having more entirely acted on all principles they had received. The awakening produced by these principles in Switzerland and France is really deeply interesting.
The anxiety of dear -- 's followers to propagate his views, seems to me the flesh. Some brethren and sisters here have the same difficulty, but it does not seem to me as flowing from or accompanied by increased spirituality, but a tendency to bring down the mind to earth. But I have never combated it much. My mind has opened out to many wider views and details. I find many more classes of saints and glory in the Apocalypse than heretofore, though all blessed. It may be some will pass through, but I am more than ever confirmed that it is not presented to our faith, but the contrary, and that the faithful will be kept from it. If some pass through it, it would make a difficulty for those who could not separate the signs of special blessing there, from the evidence of greater faithfulness which made us escape it. This, I believe, happens often. Lot experienced mercies not manifested to Abraham in the same way, and the proofs of righteousness are occasions of sorrow if we go far enough. He vexed his righteous soul; and the Lord knew how to keep. Does this identify his case with Abraham? But farewell. May the brethren pray for me, for I am a very weak vessel, that feel often my want of discernment in the midst of, for me, an arduous responsibility. Grace, mercy and peace be with you. Salute all the brethren. May they be kept in lowliness and peace.
Dear Mrs. Darnell, -- You must not be surprised at the seeming long delay in answering your letter, as it has followed me to Lausanne and Geneva. Perhaps the good Lord has given you peace already -- at least, before you receive this; but in case it be not so, I answer according to the light God has given me. In the first place, I beseech you to count on the goodness of God, of our God as He has revealed Himself in Christ, and that notwithstanding feelings which may arise. Indeed, I see that He has already given you to do it in a measure. I know it is difficult, impossible to us, not to judge of God by what we feel in ourselves, but it is evident it is not the truth. Our feelings are not the measure of what He is towards us, but to us they often are (when in the state your mind is in).
In the next place I admit freely, that when the conscience is powerfully wrought upon, it is quite possible that many physical and nervous sentiments may accompany them, which to the world, and perhaps to doctors, appears the whole matter, while they are really (while I quite admit the possibility of their existence) but the mere indices of deeper and much more important feelings: and it is of these that I desire to speak. It is sad indeed to smother up our feelings towards God which concern our eternal interests, because they produce certain passing painful effects.
And here I will say a word as to -- : I feel thankful that you are fallen into the hands of one who recognises as he does the word of God. There is a measure of truth in what he says; it is true that we have to rest on the written word; there he is quite right, but he does not, for I know well the system in which his mind has been taught, recognise the effects and working of the Spirit of God in the soul, as the revelation of God [teaches] and requires that we should; so that though he be quite right in exhorting you to rest on the written record, he could not rightly interpret what passes in your soul, nor make sufficient allowance for the work of the Holy Ghost. Nor could you perhaps distinguish now quite between what was a physical effect and the real inward work. Praying God to give you peace and calm as to this even outward physical part, I will apply myself to that which is of God.
It is not surprising when the Spirit of God takes a soul in hand to convince it of sin, to change its whole course and object, to give it a life it had not before, and judge thereon every thought which has had a place in it previously -- it is not surprising that in such a case there should be wonderful upsetting and havoc. It is astonishing when one comes to know what is really done, that so many are brought peacefully to know themselves, the Lord, and His grace. And here suffer me to add, dear -- , not as a reproach, but on the contrary, as confirming the hope that it is the Lord's own work in your soul, that called as you had been long before, and that call dropped as it were for so long a season, that when the Lord re-visits a soul and takes up His work which has been neglected (I will not say slighted), it is generally with much more painful convictions -- with a hand that acts in love, but as forced to make the soul feel the urgency of the case, and that it must pay attention to God's hand and call. And when the Lord acts thus in grace -- is forced by our folly thus to act -- Satan would seek the occasion to tell us it is too late, that the Lord is hard and acts harshly, just because we have forced Him to act in a manner to make us feel the position we are in and our need.
But be of good cheer; the Lord makes all work together for good to them that love Him. Your case is not extraordinary. Often souls are attracted by the grace of Jesus, or some religious impression, but the conscience slightly touched; a season of neglect ensues, and then the passages which speak of turning back are strongly applied to the conscience, instead of those which speak of ordinary evil, as in the case when the conscience is reached at the beginning. The enemy always seeks to profit by these convictions, when he can no longer hold the soul in bondage by carelessness, and would drive it to despair and hard thoughts of God. The Lord does not hinder this, for it adds to the seriousness of the convictions, but He is faithful in the end to bring us out of it. If our imagination or feelings are at work, our joys and distress will be more apparent and acute, for the flesh mingles with this also, though the ground work be real. When you know Christ and yourself better, you will be better able to discern between what is accessory merely, and real; but it is of little importance to you now, and God is faithful, though you know that when Peter denied Christ with execrations, Christ had prayed for him that his faith might not fail. It was permitted, because Peter had need of this sad lesson as to himself, and this painfully acquired knowledge of himself was the means of his being able to strengthen even his brethren, for all that humbles us is good; but I desire to remark in the case of Peter, that behind all this scene there was the intercession of Christ which secured the recovery of Peter and the maintenance of his faith, his confidence, and reliance on the goodness of God, instead of falling into despair as Judas; as he says afterwards, "If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
But there is a deeper work than all these feelings; not so acute perhaps, but which judges sin in the light of God's grace. Further, until the mind gets based upon the truth that all is grace, and that thus it is by the obedience of One that many are made righteous, the soul which is sincere is necessarily under the law, and occupied with itself -- thinks as you, that it is unworthy to follow Him, and the like. Surely you are unworthy to follow Him, and the Lord is pleased to lead you to make the discovery of this humbling truth. Seeing that we are lost (and you will be tormented till you are completely convinced of that) we think that there is no hope, when it is exactly then that the gospel begins, for the Son of man came to seek and to save those that are lost, and He has done the whole work that saves them.
You must not attach too much importance to your joy, though it were real, for it never reached the height of its object; nor to your distress, though it may have been an effect of the operation of the Spirit convincing you of sin, which after all you cannot measure more than the joy; nor to your indifference, more painful in some sort than the distress, and by which the enemy often tempts us. God has weighed all that joy shall be for us; He has weighed all that sin is, all your thoughts seen beforehand, all your indifference -- miserable as all this proves us to be; and knowing beforehand all that we are and all our sin, He has given Christ for us, who has charged Himself with all, and us such as we are, and has accomplished without us all that was needed by the justice and love of God. It is absolutely accomplished; you can add nothing by joy or sorrow to the perfect work of Christ. All these exercises of soul may be very useful to bring us to the point of acknowledging our own nothingness, so that Christ may have His first place in our minds by faith, but they can add nothing to Him. Your peace will come from a calm and holy conviction that you are nothing, and that He is all, and that the Lord knew all that you were, and because you were all this, took your place in responsibility and suffered for you.
You will say, but I have neglected Christ after being awakened. It is possible, and it is very sad; nay, more, as I have said, this gives a handle to the enemy to torment us, but does not change the efficacy of the blood and work of Christ in God's eyes, and that is what gives peace. It is not what you think of Christ's work, but what God thinks of it, that saves. Your knowledge of what God thinks of it, by faith, gives peace. God says to Israel in Egypt, not when you see the blood, I will pass over, but "when I see the blood." He it is that has been offended, He it is that judges, and He it is that has accepted the ransom in justice as He gave it in love. He is faithful and just to forgive us.
As we may confound sometimes the acuteness of our feelings with the spiritual judgment of sin, almost always at the outset we confound the work of the Spirit and the work of Christ. Each has its place in the saved, but they must not be confounded. The Spirit of God may humble, convict us, reprove within and thus distress us, or give us joy, and often we set about to judge of all this in order to know our acceptance with God. But these things, though they have their place in the mind of the redeemed, are not the ground of his peace. Christ has made peace by the blood of the cross. Christ has done all, and has left us nothing but thanksgiving and praise. If some one has paid my debts, my sorrow at the folly that contracted them, or my joy at their being discharged, adds nothing whatever to the payment of the debt, though both be natural and just. It is sometimes hard to esteem all our feelings as nothing, but it is only a remains of self; but only think what it cost the Son of God in undergoing the wrath of God, and we shall feel on one hand the perfect security of our justification, and the nothingness of all our feelings compared with what our sin really was in the sight of God; but He remembers it no more, as He has said. If Christ had not completely discharged and effaced it, He could not be in heaven, for He could not sit at the right hand of God charged with our sins, though He was charged with them on the cross.
If your heart demands, But how do I know that I have part in all this? I answer, with the word of the Lord which abides for ever, that whoso believeth in Him. That all might be grace, God has willed that it should be by faith, and though faith produces immense effects, it adds nothing to the thing it believes. Christ and the efficacy of His work must be, and be before God, all that I am called to believe them to be, before I believe it. The feelings and distress through which we pass are very important, but only in order to bring us to this, and peace and joy are found in a humble and lowly sense of sin, and of the infinite -- [copy defective.]
[Mrs Monthenez] [From the French.] VERY DEAR SISTER, -- Here I am then, in this vast and horrible town, but led by the good hand of Him who never fails in His faithfulness, and the haste that I make to let you have tidings of us, ought to assure you on the one hand that I count on the interest you have in receiving them, and on the other hand, that I do not forget Switzerland. In fact, when I arrived here, I felt myself a stranger, and much more at home in Switzerland than here. It was not from lack of affection on the part of the brethren, far from it, for their reception was affectionate, could not be more so. I felt my unworthiness, and attributed it as much to the interest that they take in the work in Switzerland, as to what was more personal. It is not as a compliment that I say this. But they had prayed much for the work in Switzerland, and naturally that had identified me with that work.
There was nothing extraordinary in my journey, unless it be the continued goodness of God. I hoped to spend the Sunday in London, but we encountered a storm in the passage from Rotterdam to London, so that we only arrived the Sunday evening. I have already spoken, on Monday and Tuesday, and we had the presence of God; but half of those who attended were unknown to me, the number of brothers having greatly increased during my absence. There would be an extraordinary amount to do in this country, but at present my heart is in Switzerland, I believe by the will of God. I do not know if you will believe me when I tell you that I feel much more a stranger here than over there, and it gives me wonderful joy when I meet a Swiss brother or sister. I hope that the only thing that will lead me will be the will of God. I cannot doubt that God has raised up a testimony at the present time in Switzerland and in France, which He gives me, at least I think so, still to carry on in those countries. I feel my weakness and my incapacity, but this does not stop me at all, because I feel that the work is of Him. I am conscious of having but one desire, namely, that testimony should be borne to Christ, to Him whose glory alone is precious to me. I am conscious that that is my only desire, and that makes me happy and inspires me with entire confidence. I do not doubt that I have done the will of God in coming here; and it is very sweet to feel it, and it is this that removes from me all anxiety with regard to Lausanne. When I shall have finished what God wishes me to do, I hope to be there again. I have only the thought of a journey here at present, till the moment of my return. I know nothing about it, that depends upon His will. May He give me the discernment of that will, and of the things that are really of some importance.
As to the brethren of this place, I have not yet spent a Sunday, but this is the impression they have given me. They talk to me much more of God and less of man than in Switzerland, this is a great good; on the other hand I have found, it has seemed to me, much more solemnity and seriousness in our meetings at Lausanne, etc., than here -- though I have been happy in the two I have been at. There is more care of souls also here. I am still ill at ease in meditating, and almost incapable of praying yet in English. In Ireland they have been neglected, but in Dublin they are much blessed, more than ever, and they walk in peace elsewhere, but there is no work. There are some, but few new workers in England, but the work has been greatly extended. The time of returning to Switzerland will be to me a time of joy, although I particularly love the brethren here, and see more and more the solidity and the truth of the work that God has done in these times in this country, and I feel that the links that attach me to them are not of man.
I hope that our dear sisters at Lausanne will not think that my heart does not own all their affection and their goodness with regard to me, although, pre-occupied with so many things and little demonstrative, I received all the testimony to it without saying much. I should indeed be very ungrateful if I were not sensible of it; but the fact is that I am. I cannot accuse myself of failing there, but the best recompense that I can render, is the ardent desire, adding to it my prayers, that they may enjoy fully and more and more, the fellowship and grace of our precious Saviour, the joy and the portion of my heart, and that they may be more conformed, and more acceptable unto Him. My joy when I think of them, is not only that they have shewn me so much goodness and patience, but that they glorify the Lord; it is in this also that I have boasted of them. Can I do otherwise than desire that they may abound more and more in it? ...
Greet cordially all our dear sisters, particularly your family, face to face. My object, if God permits me soon to see the brethren again, will be to unite the brethren much more. It is possible I may change my whole manner of living, remaining partly isolated, and receiving the brethren if they are disposed to come. I think it is very possible that I may attain this end by the goodness of God more easily in living thus isolated. That I shall lose much as to my comfort in every way, I well know. You are assured, dear sisters, I hope, that I am not forgetful of all the regard you have had for me in this, of how much I owe you in every way. If you have spoilt me, so that I have received so much attention and care as if it were all natural, it is your fault. I say this, because I know that often when I count on the sincerity of the kindness of any one, I avail myself of it, as an effect of christian love, without making compliments; but I can assure you that I am very keenly and sincerely thankful for all the goodness which you have shewn me, even though, as I have said, pre-occupied with service, I have accepted it without saying much. Accept my sincere thanks before the Lord. I hope, all unworthy as I am, you have done it to Him. Once more, greet all our dear sisters and the brothers whom you know.
Your affectionate and grateful brother.
I write in haste, at different times, having begun in London and ended in Sussex.
[Monthenez] [To the same.] [From the French.] Dear Miss -- , -- No doubt some habits formed in this country remain, but the native soil has few charms for me; a paternal house, spoilt and dishonoured in the hands of our enemies, has but little attraction for the affections of the heart, and this is England at this moment. Every one is confounded. They do not know what will become of them, nor what will happen. Happy those who possess a kingdom that cannot be shaken; it is our sure portion. Blessed be God for it. I have felt God more with me than ever in this visit, and the position of testimony in which I am with my brethren more real and true. But the love and confidence of the brethren humbles me extremely, though I bless God for it, as a great happiness. I am, I think, at the end of my journey towards the north, having given up my visit to Scotland, to be able to retrace my steps towards the south. I shall cross England again to-morrow to visit Hull, where the work is beginning (a minister of the national church having quite lately given up his place); and then, if it please God, by Hereford to London. There I shall stay for a little, and make some little trips, which the railways render very rapid and easy now; and if God will, I shall leave afterwards for France, but I do not think of being in Switzerland for some time to come; however, I think, long enough before they disperse for the country. This is, at least, my mind, if God accord it me.
We had a blessed meeting at Liverpool; I think that the brethren enjoyed themselves more there than at preceding ones; perhaps less of fresh knowledge, but more solid and more serious, and new souls that found there precious links with the brethren, several localities being newly opened. Brotherly love was without restraint, and very real and blessed, so that we had indeed something to bless God for. The brethren returned like the Israelites from the dedication (2 Chronicles 7: 10), though it were but an earnest, and even in a poor and miserable assembly. The field also is an open one, and the testimony absolutely sought for. Besides, I ought to tell you this, that whilst hurrying to return to the Continent, I am deeply [convinced] that it is a moment that the testimony is urgently demanded in England, and I think that I must return to work here, that at least a testimony may be borne by the grace of God, before Puseyism possess the country, and whilst religious liberty remains to us, which I do not think will last too long. The dissenters can do nothing; they hold meetings to know what to do, and what they possess is slipping from their hands before their eyes; they feel it, throw themselves right and left, and avow that all is lost, when they dare to say so. Externally the country is becoming nationalised, and nationalism is becoming Puseyism, and Puseyism no longer hides itself in its Romanist tendencies. It is no longer a question of searching the prophecies in quietness to know what should come to pass, but of acting, of working while it is day; it is a sombre picture no doubt.
The country is prosperous in its temporal affairs; they are building fine Gothic churches everywhere; they are making immense collections for the education of poor manufacturers; but the truth, some moral principle, some energy of faith that can meet the evil, is lacking everywhere. Such is England! I believe it will be my duty to work there a little, without however, giving up Switzerland or other countries. There is need also of caring for the sheep; perhaps one may be able to do little, but this little ought to be done. What happiness to await the precious Saviour, and to know that His glory that one has so desired, so wished for, is drawing near; what happiness that the dark clouds that are about to burst upon the world will but discover this Sun of righteousness too long hidden (though that has been His grace), this Sun with which we are but one, united to Him according to the counsels of His love! Truly this makes us lift up our heads; besides, we shall be kept as in the hollow of His hand, of the hand of Him to whom all power is given in heaven and on earth. May my dear Lausanne sisters know how to await thus our precious Saviour, and you yourselves, my dear sisters, among others. Perhaps it is their lot to await Him in peace and quietness, in happy works of charity in the shade (I greatly envy them in this respect) -- mine to be compelled to face the winds and the waves of this stormy world, although it be with the Lord, so that all goes well; our life and our portion are in Him. You see what a piece of paper I have taken, without noticing it. I cannot re-write my letter. May peace, mercy and grace be abundantly with you all ... . God be with you.
Your affectionate brother
[From the French.] VERY DEAR BRETHREN, -- My heart has joy in turning towards Lausanne, where God has given me to work so long amongst you. And in looking back, in order to reflect upon all the time I spent among you, and upon the work which has been done at Lausanne, I find indeed that for which to bless God; and I think I may say, much loved brethren, that while owning many shortcomings in myself before God, I have never sought anything amongst you but the glory of Christ, and the welfare of you all. I had much upon my heart to say a few words to you the Sunday before my departure, but I had not courage for it, and could not bear the idea of turning looks towards me when we had been occupied with the Lord. At any rate, I felt the need of pouring out my heart just a little, and saying thus to you a word of affection and of thankfulness. I suppose, dear and much loved brethren, that with more faith, and thus more knowledge of the will of God, one would have done more for His glory, and for the manifestation of life and the power of His grace in the assembly of His children, for His glory in the church. Notwithstanding, I do not doubt, on the contrary I see, and praise God for it, that He has acted in the midst of us, and that it was His work, and I am astonished sometimes at His grace and goodness. Alas, with more faith, one would have much more still of His glory; but if we think of what we are, we shall bless God from the abundance of our hearts every hour, that He intervenes -- and those who are working, so much more than the rest, because they know with what vessels of clay the work is done, and all the shortcomings of their own hearts. At all events, dear friends, as I have said to you, I have the sweet consciousness of having only sought your welfare; and now let me urge on you to seek union among yourselves, and to attach yourselves to one another, seeking the presence of God, which makes the strength of His own; that will be (be well assured of it) your strength and the means of His glory. Do not forsake your holy assemblings; profit by that which God gives, while seeking His presence more than any other thing. For my part, I believe that there is something yet to be gained with regard to the assembly. The principles which I believe to be the truth in our present position having been laid down, I believe that we shall have to seek more union, and more being together, and it is to this I shall apply myself, if God permit me to see you again, as I much hope, and that before long; for to tell you the truth, I am astonished to find to what a degree I am a stranger here, and the distance from Lausanne, instead of separating me in heart, has made me feel how much I was bound to you all. I believe fully that my journey was according to God's will, and thus I am convinced that it will be in blessing to you all, as to myself. It is a very sweet thing to feel oneself conducted by His good hand. I am trying also to get rid of the feeling of being a stranger here, while at the same time being content to feel myself a stranger everywhere. My stay upon the Continent has been blessed to me in every respect, and that one among others. Thanks be to God, the affection of the brethren is stronger than ever, also they have prayed much for the work in Switzerland and in France.
In general, the work here has extended greatly, but it seems to me, from the little I have seen, that in the following out of that, the links need to be made firmer. There are places where blessing continues and increases; some, where the enemy has sought to make ravages, but God, I believe, has turned his efforts to good, although the circumstances were humiliating for all, for hitherto the hand of God has been in a remarkable manner with the brethren. Let Him be blessed for it, and may they also be kept in humility; without that assuredly He will resist them to their face. I hope, dear brethren, if I come back to Lausanne, according to my thought, by the goodness of God, to apply myself more to making fast the links between brethren individually, and to be myself more amongst them. I have sought it when I was habitually in the town, for latterly I was often absent, but I was not yet content, and I will try to make arrangements so as to be able to meet more often among ourselves. I believe that will be the means of strengthening love, of making us all grow, even in knowledge, and of giving more strength and unity for the glory of Christ. Meanwhile, I do not doubt, dear brethren, that God will bless you. Seek to tighten the links of charity among yourselves; without making any great external appearance, but in simplicity, attach yourselves to each other, while seeking one sole end, the welfare of all -- the being together, staying yourselves on God, and in the seriousness which His presence gives. His presence always gives humility, one is more firm, but self is annihilated when one is before Him.
I beg you to think much of the younger brethren and those less confirmed in the faith, and to surround them with your care and your affection, it is just they who have need of it. I have several upon my heart, but I leave it to your charity to think of them. God adds His blessing when one acts in charity, and that is not only the simple effect of our cares, but He is Himself in the power of His blessing and feeblest hearts are established. I am sure that my absence will be for blessing to you. I have full confidence of it before God in looking to Him. Adieu, dear brethren. Be united, walk in love and unity more than ever, as we have sought to do it in our feebleness, and God will establish you, and add to you still more. Do not think that I attach much importance to myself in venturing thus to give you all these counsels, or rather exhortations, but I desire your welfare, and the glory of the Lord Jesus, because in my feebleness I love you much.
Receive this at least, as a testimony of my affection. I thank you much, dear brethren, for all that I met amongst you. I am very sensible of it. I salute each one in particular, whilst in my memory passing you all again before me, and ask much your prayers for all the church. May God bless you, in keeping you in the way in which the Spirit leads those who belong to Christ, in unity and in light, and may it be given to each one to seek to perfect his sanctification in the fear of the Lord.
My heart is with you, dear brethren.
Your affectionate brother
[Mrs Monthenez] [From the French.] VERY DEAR SISTER, -- I believe God has given me more power than ever in my ministry, blessed be His name; indeed, I am very thankful for it. I hope, at the same time, that this has made me more humble than before; no doubt I had need of it, but I have felt myself so unworthy of this grace, and so humbled by the goodness and affection of the brethren that surround me, that whilst being impelled to work, I wished the rather to hide myself somewhere. Oh, how I desire that all the brethren should be emboldened by grace to bear witness to the grace and power of Christ according to its efficacy in those who bear it. And why not? However, there are several who in fact are more blessed than I, so that I believe sometimes there must be some fault in me that puts me forward, whilst others draw souls to God. God knows that I have not the desire for it. May God bless these brothers ever more; but what need the kingdom of God has of workmen who apply Christ to souls by the word, and give them the rest that they need, even amongst the children of God! It is quite possible that I leave England this week, I think of doing so ... . I have done what I desired in my heart to do before leaving. Something may always retard us more than we think, but I have nothing now on hand to hinder me ... . May God in His goodness ever strengthen the bonds of Christ between His dear children ... .
Your affectionate brother in Christ.
[Mrs Monthenez] [To the same.] [From the French.] BELOVED SISTERS, -- Here I am at last at Montpellier, not knowing how long I ought to stay here. Outwardly there is not much to make me remain. However, I believe that God has something in His mind, and though I shall go after a little into the Gard, I do not think of leaving Montpellier altogether. God, I trust, will lead me. I have all confidence in Him, who governs according to His thoughts of grace, and not according to those of man.
But in writing to you, it is rather you, your sister, and your family that I think of, for cold and undemonstrative as I am, you cannot think that after so much kindness and care that you have lavished upon me, I could be indifferent to what concerns you. I was deeply touched by the news, received through -- , of the death of your poor nephew. I was ready to complain of you for having told me nothing about it, but that I had regard to the affliction that a blow so felt must have produced. But I venture to assure you of all my sympathy. I know that it is the Lord alone who can really comfort when He strikes us, and the source of our consolation is precisely the feeling that it is He Himself who so loved us, who strikes us, for that which comes from His hand can only be perfect. We shall not know how to explain it; the heart suffers by it; but it is our Father that has given the cup to drink; that was the only, and it was perfect, consolation of Jesus. One recognises the hand of one who is known; we do not stop at the circumstances that appear to us mysterious, we refer in them to Him, and all is changed; the heart is softened by it, does not wish it to be otherwise, but the will is not in rebellion, and we are comforted near Him, feeling more than ever that He is our all. What a precious lesson, what a glorious position! God alone could have placed us there. Until we are there, the flesh will stir: we must not be surprised at it: and then all will be dark, because we see everything after our own hearts, and light is not in man; but if the life of Christ is in us, we shall see that there is sin in it; it will be exposed; we shall feel that we had need to be smitten; submission will come; we leave ourselves before God. "I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it." Then peace will soon be there. If the soul is already subject, then nothing separates us from His love; and confidence in this love gives us an unruffled peace.
Dear sisters, I can weep with you and the family of your poor dear C. like the Jews with Mary, but I know that He who loves him can sustain your souls. I have confidence in Him with regard to you ... . I trust this painful blow will be a blessing. Be assured also yourselves of my entire sympathy. I feel that this will operate in a different manner with each of you, but our precious Saviour will do His own work in each of His own. From what I saw three months ago, I thought that -- might be discouraged and cast down by this affliction. If it be so, let her remember that His ways are not as our ways, and that the heart of Jesus, of Him who smites us, has itself passed through all the trials through which He makes us pass; that He cannot make us taste anything for our good without having drunk Himself all its bitterness to the dregs. He knows what He is doing; He suffers all that He inflicts. It is His love, His knowledge of all that makes Him do all that He does. Let us have full confidence in Him who has been tempted in all things like unto us. Do not impose on yourself the task of replying to me. I think of seeing you before very long. There is an English brother who lost his wife nearly a year ago, who will be with me.
Your very affectionate brother.
Montpellier, March 15th, 1844.
[Mons. Eynard] [From the French.] DEAR BROTHER, -- I received your letter, and I thank you for it. I found it here on my return from a round I have just been making, with blessing to my soul.
I reply to the principal subjects of which you there speak to me. You are mistaken in supposing that I am acquainted with the details of what has gone on at verse I have, of course, heard something said about it, but nothing to make me thoroughly know what belongs to the case. However, I do not much mind as to that, but I wished to reserve any judgment it would be needful for me to form, until I might see the persons who were interested in the judgment which might be passed upon them. It appears to me to be the most straightforward thing. Moreover, I do not at all pretend to judge of all the circumstances and all the conduct of those whom I meet in going from place to place. In charity, I may apply myself to it, but I do not feel myself under obligation to solve everything that every one's mode of proceeding may have occasioned. From the little I have heard said, I believe the flesh has intermingled itself with the affairs of verse It is an extremely sad thing, I deplore it in the result, both on the one side and on the other. Before God I deplore it, but if you think flesh which knows better how to conceal itself, which is more agreeable and less clashing, more adroit in directing its way across circumstances in order not to displease -- not to make itself manifestly culpable -- if you think, I say, that such flesh pleases me more than that which, less yielding, knows not how thus to regulate itself according to circumstances, you are mistaken; and I think, dear brother, if you reflect upon it before God, you will not be slow to recognise that it is not more pleasing to God either.
I deplore all these things, but the judgment that man passes thereupon matters very little to me. I am sure, before God, that it is often entirely false; and do you believe, my dear -- (and I love you much, and I hope I shall love you, even if you should put your threat into execution), that to threaten me with withdrawing from me your confidence, which at the same time I assure you is a thing to me very sweet, would influence me as to the judgment that I should pass on the circumstances I might meet in my arduous life? Alas, my brother, weak indeed as I am -- and I am more and more feeling my weakness, and my entire dependence on grace, and I hope always to feel it, more and more -- for these seventeen years I have had to undergo the consequences, painful and trying to my heart, of the convictions and of the faith that God Himself has wrought in my heart by His word. I have suffered from it, and greatly; but whilst making sometimes humiliating experience of my weakness, I have had a recompense I could not tell you how abundant, even here below.
I have seen the flesh intermingle itself with principles that I find in the word; in the walk of individuals who profess these principles, I have deplored the manifestation of the flesh, but I have not disavowed the principles. I have also seen poor brothers, who embraced them, act in haste, driven to despair by the behaviour of those who ought to have known things, and who should have been guides. I am not speaking particularly of verse I have seen these brothers falsify and throw these principles into discord, sometimes, with other truths that I myself cherished greatly; but do you think that the course of the others commended itself to my heart and to my judgment more than that of the poor brothers who perhaps lost their way in some respects in the details?
As to Geneva, it has been said to me, Will you judge and condemn those brethren who have separated themselves? and this has been put to me as a test. I have replied, that if I judged those who separated themselves, I must judge others also, and I did not pretend to do either the one or the other: that if I were at Geneva I should act according to my conscience, and should endeavour to walk individually in peace.
I do not altogether ignore what has been done by adversaries of the brethren, who in different places have separated themselves from the dissenting movement. I desire, nevertheless, to ignore it as far as possible, that my heart may be kept free from the painful influence of these things, and that love may abide: but you must be a very slight observer of the hand and of the ways of God, not to see that there are, although the flesh may mix with it, two principles which are in conflict, and that those who like clericalism, have done all that they could to put into bad odour the principles of those who do not believe this clericalism to be of God. I have seen the fruits in those who have subjected themselves to this yoke, and in those who have not, and I cannot say that the result has weakened my convictions.
I do not believe that Dissent is according to the word of God. The more I have read the word of God, the more the thing has been discussed, the more profoundly I have been convinced of it. If those who leave it, in pursuance of convictions founded upon the word of God, have not behaved well in the detail of their separation, one ought to warn them of it, as of the work of the flesh. My conscience does not reproach me with having failed therein, when occasion required it, and christian fidelity.
I cannot say that the conduct of the leaders has inspired me with confidence in their course in preference to that of those who have separated from them. It is possible that they are beyond the sphere of my brotherly warnings, by their position, higher according to the world; if it is so, I must leave them there, save in praying to God. It is He who, at the end of the reckoning, will judge both, and then each will have his praise from God.
As to your ordination ("consecration"), dear brother, I do not attach any importance to it, knowing the persons who did it, and I cannot say that that presents itself in God's sight as a commendation for a special work. It is a little, it seems to me, throwing oneself on the wrong scent over words. That all the formalities, dissenting or national, may not have taken place, is very probable. The truth penetrates, although it may be dishonoured, and although those who have propagated it may be repulsed as innovators. It is what generally comes to pass. That some who like to profit by it and glory in it, like also to mix it with the old wine which suits their taste, I understand also. That only shews me that they are weaker in the faith in this respect, that they have not enough of it to follow with simplicity their convictions, nor the plain path of faith; that is all. God upholds them for the main thing of their Christianity; I do not believe He approves them in what is equivocal, in the faithlessness of their course. Ordinarily, it is the first step toward falling back into what one had pruned off by reason of the light being too strong for these things to subsist in it.
I do not believe, dear brother, that your way has been the way of faith. I do not cease to love you for this. That others should be glad to have you under their influence is to be understood. I do not think this way of acting has been of faith, and I think I already see its baneful influence in your letter; you will pardon me for saying so. That your path may be externally more easy I believe; this it is for me, that in the present state of things is the evil. That which most separates from the world, and even from the religious world, is that which makes the testimony clearer. I am not saying that this evil has been your intention, but it is the effect of the way of acting. Our want of faith associates itself always, according to its measure, with the world, and the place of the religious world of the day is there. It is thus that I judge the thing, and I do not doubt hat my judgment is right before God ... .
If the brothers at verse have acted in the main by faith, and have mixed much of flesh with it, God will certainly humble them for this last, and will none the less bless them according to their faith. It is thus, in these trying days, that His grace is forced to act, if I may so say. For the rest, I shall endeavour to act according to a good conscience before God; the consequences are of little moment to me. I believe, from what as been told me, that the flesh manifested itself, and that they did things that my judgment disapproves, but I am still judging from their adversaries' account, for, except a single one for a moment, I have not seen them; but I do not think you can be able to judge of it without bias, or that it would be right for me to take your manner of seeing for a rule that I ought to follow.
I do not venture to give you advice thereupon, but I hope that God will decide you in all things, and I ask for you, very dear brother, dear to me and to the Lord, who has loved us both, with His church, all graces and all blessings, and an abundance of His communion, and may God bless you in leading souls to Him.
Your very affectionate brother.
St. Hippolyte du Fort, April 11th, 1844.
[From the French.] VERY DEAR SISTER, -- I hear that some of the sisters have had dreams about the coming of Jesus. This has given me some uneasiness, for although absent in body, I am with you in spirit, desiring and seeking the good of all of you, the dear redeemed ones of our precious Saviour. It is by the word of God, our rule and our light in these last days, that we must abide. I do not pretend to say that God may not give warning by a dream, for the word of God says that He can do so; but we must be much upon our guard. We have no need of a dream with respect to matters clearly revealed by God.
There is danger of the imagination being exalted, of our thinking ourselves something extraordinary, and of the simple word not having its true importance. Satan is exceedingly busy just now, in disturbing and troubling souls, and in alluring us by his wiles from the place of repose, where it is of all importance that we should be in these days. The apostle alludes to this in 2 Thessalonians 2, where the enemy sought to divert them from their quiet looking for the Saviour, whose coming had been promised them in the scriptures, and by the testimony of the Spirit, already given.
Satan desired to trouble them by some means, and the apostle shews that signs and wonders are generally found on the enemy's side. He would have already succeeded for the moment if he could divert them from a scriptural expectation. "But of the times and the seasons, ye have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them ... . But ye are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief." You are of the day. That is the position of the Christian. He is peacefully already of the day. He needs neither signs, nor wonders, nor dreams. He has the word. He ought to possess his soul in patience, humbly keeping his place. You will generally find that sisters are the ones who have seen these things, and I have not, moreover, noticed that this has drawn them, or others, nearer to God. God can use sisters, and often honour them greatly in their service, but it is well that this should be in much quietness and modesty of spirit; lest the enemy, who ever seeks, and seeks more than ever now, to trouble and mislead the souls of believers -- lest, I say, he should take occasion from the weakness of the vessel -- weakness which demands honour from us, but which, on the part of the sisters themselves, requires patience and quietness. So I beg these sisters to weigh these things well, and not to allow themselves readily to put faith in these dreams, as if they came from God. Let them not allow themselves to be carried away by their imagination, lest they should fall into the snare of the enemy, and lest he should take advantage of this to shake the faith of some.
We are in times when the enemy tries to surprise us; the word is the great thing for us, and our strength. "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation. Thou hast a little strength ... . hold that fast which thou hast ... I come quickly;" this is the direction for our days. May God keep you all, beloved, in His holy keeping. Walk humbly, close to Him, and He will not fail you. My heart is with you; my prayers rise to God for you; and if times are difficult, they are times which keep the children of God more occupied than ever. If we walk as those who have but a little strength, He will set before us an open door, which no man shall shut. Let us be content with small things, and we shall have all the blessing of the Lord. And do you, dear sister, keep near the Lord, and walk humbly and quietly, with thanksgiving, leaning upon Him. The times are evil, but the Lord is faithful. Rejoice in Him.
[From the French.] -- - I have lately read Numbers and the Epistle to the Philippians with edification. The setting up of the rod of Aaron, priest in grace, while in authority still, after all the murmurings of the congregation; its use, although this was by Moses; the want of its use on the occasion of fresh complaints of the congregation; all this has singularly instructed me. At the same time, when God has judged and disciplined the people, the way in which He immediately speaks (chapter 15) of all His promises and of the land being theirs, as having been given them by Him, touched me very much. His promise and His thoughts for His people are as firm as if nothing had happened. The responsibility, and the food of the priests, as such, and of their families, as families, and the points of difference, I also found very instructive.
What struck me in the Epistle to the Philippians, is the way in which the apostle has his death continually before his eyes; then that the trials he had endured had acted as a wholesome discipline, causing Christ to be everything for him, and himself to be nothing. And what peace that gives! He knows not if he is to be condemned. For himself, the decision of the magistrates does not enter into his thoughts; for himself, he knows not what to choose; but for the church it is good that he should remain: it is decided then. He judges his case by the sole consideration that such a decision will be for the good of the church, and thus Christ will have it decided. Is it thus that we trust in Him, dear brother? Alas! no; at least too often we are not enough divested of ourselves; we cannot say with the apostle, "I have learned." This is what we need to learn. Well, it is the life of this man, so faithful, so devoted, and so gifted by God, the life of the Apostle Paul, instructed and disciplined in this manner, and the perfect calm which he enjoys as the result of this discipline, which has lately edified me in reading this epistle.
Dearest G V Wigram, -- I thank you much for your note. My mind did pass through the same process of anxiety as that of which you speak, as far as anxiety went; a qualm crossing my mind that some work of the enemy, more thorough than I knew how to judge of, was at the bottom. But I found the ground of acting on scripture my resource, and that I had nothing to do with any feeling. I had but to bring them all before God. The result has been, the avowal by N. in the presence of the brethren, of much more than any one charged him with, though I did not doubt it was so -- of what no one would adopt, or at least avow with him, and has made those who were not partisans declare their thankfulness that I came down, and that it was fairly brought out. I trust he will yet disavow it, and that all will be peace. At any rate, I believe decided good has been done. My conscience is as clear as the day, as to having avoided the smallest act approaching to hostile or party feeling -- quite the contrary. I admit, that in manner I might have been more calm, though quite so in conduct, indeed, I have been not only calm, but as happy as possible, and at large in ministering, for God has been very graciously with me, though it was all very painful. But when I had done what I had to do, my soul had no more to say to it than if there were nothing. We are not yet out of the wood, as I hope we may be, because Newton has not yet disavowed the purpose he avowed, but I trust it may come to this, and our relations be unhindered as before. As to me, I have no complaint, he had done nothing against me. Certain women of our company are, I believe, very angry; but I come across nothing, but go on my way, tranquilly seeking to minister as much blessing to all as I can.
The meetings on Wednesday evenings, when I have lectured, are at least doubled, and that gradually, so I hope there is blessing. I do not hesitate to say it was all over with the brethren's meeting in unity, if that had gone on which was going on. I hope the common ground may yet be spared to us, but as I said, we are not out of the wood, and I do not holloa yet, but I trust the Lord, and am quite happy in confiding in Him. He has indeed already done more than I could ever have expected, and why should I distrust Him? Peace be with you all. I do believe that real blessing will result, though I do not say that the neck of party spirit is entirely broken, nor grace reigning in all hearts, but I hope for it, for who can measure the love of Christ to His body? St. Paul judged his own trial and pronounced his own acquittal unhesitatingly, the moment he sees it was for the good of the church.
[From the French.] DEAR SISTER, -- How all these things have grieved me! This you will readily understand without my telling you so. I will not leave your letter unanswered, although I have not much to tell you, owing to the distance and the few facts that I am in possession of. Alas! I expected this trial when I left Lausanne. I said so, without going into details, to the brothers who came to induce me to stay, and this was what tried me much more when leaving than the thought of the troubles which are always the glory of God's children, and which strengthen them where there is faith. I was hoping all had passed over without a storm, and here is something new to bring to God, and to put faith into practice by trusting to Him. This is what gives me joy, however much I may be tried, and this is not a moment when circumstances smile upon me. But that only increases my confidence in God.
One thing that strikes me is, that the persons you name are precisely the ones who had difficulty in following the path at all times, who always hesitated in the path. I only speak from your letter. Mr. G. said nothing to me about it. He communicated to me the letter that the brethren wrote to Mr. F. O. I had written so far when I received a letter from -- , who relates to me a stormy meeting which took place since. You will be surprised to know that I am quite encouraged and made happy in my soul. I am so fully convinced, while owing all my wretchedness, that I have laboured sincerely for the Lord, and for Him only, that I feel the matter is so entirely His own and in His hands, that it has inspired me with full confidence. I am happier and more confident than before receiving -- 's letter. You will be surprised at this, and I am so myself, although I should not be; it is not reasoning upon it, but the sight and encouragement of God; I feel the whole matter is His. It is quite astonishing how joy and confidence fill my heart, so strongly do I feel the affair to be His. I am happy. I do not judge by the circumstances; perhaps there has been a want of discernment, of rectitude of mind, of humility, this would be sad, but faith will be blessed, and those that walk with God, God will walk with them. This sifting was doubtless needed. I attribute to myself for the most part the necessity of it ... . God knows, but what is most amiable if it is not faith, could not be blessed.
The circumstances are so changed since your letter left Lausanne, that what I might say would perhaps no longer be applicable. But this is what I say; the walk of faith will be blessed, whatever is not will not. Perhaps there has been a little precipitation at Geneva, although there are some brothers who think they have remained too long, but here there is no question of that. The expectation of such a trial was what exercised me most with regard to Lausanne when I left there. I think I have said so already, but it was necessary in order that one should be placed in the pure atmosphere of divinely given faith, and that one should be happy to be there. The conscience will be at work, and God will bless His own. He turns all into good for them that love Him. That is my thought. I bless God with all my heart and spirit. Perhaps you will think it is because I am at ease that I take the thing so quietly. Inwardly I am, but outwardly I have had exercises of faith more painful even than at Lausanne. But God shews Himself in them. He makes His own feel that His support is worth all the trouble in the world; I am sure of it, and the sufferings, light as they are, do not dim the crown. If we are faithful, we shall relate our days of trial afterwards with surprise at the faithfulness of God and our small faith, even in our best moments. Salute the brethren. I shall probably get some news from them; they shall hear from me when I have something to communicate to them which testifies of the presence of the hand and power of God for us, which can fortify them. Grace and peace be with you ... .
Your brother and servant in the faith.
Plymouth, September 24th, 1845.
Dear G V Wigram, -- You have this account already, but it is so short I send it, still all for private reading. I could have sent you other parts, but I extract for everybody -- it is only private sentiments I have not, but which would be very interesting in private. After acknowledging the receipt of what was sent, and thanking the brethren, in substance saying he had all and abounded, etc.
"+The tribulation is not at its close; last Sunday we had a formidable riot on our meeting in your apartment. The meeting passed in perfect joy; it was very numerously attended, scarce any one was wanting. A furious crowd was before the house, but this time the police, who were on foot, hindered them from attacking us, and protected us going out. After that, the people would have taken possession of the house, but the conservatoirs restrained them, and the gendarmes, who returned, succeeded in dissipating the tumult at past twelve o'clock. Since then our sisters M. have been guarded by the Lord, and nothing has happened to them.
"Already, Friday, the transport of the benches by J. O. caused a real riot, of which J. supported the brunt without accident. They seized some benches from him, which they broke. I do not know if I told you that one Sunday morning the band entered my house also, penetrating close to my rooms where we were, several persons, and the Lord stopped them there. The brethren and sisters are generally happy. We go this morning to your room: the Lord knows what will come of it; in every case we are in His hands ... . The persecution seems to arrive at a crisis. Thanks be to God, who has saved us through Jesus Christ our Lord. How sweet to think that our brethren, and above all, Jesus prays for us. Adieu."
"Since my last letter, the Lord has permitted that we should pass tranquilly through sufficiently evil days. Our Sunday meetings had become for parties, the perspective of an engagement. The conservateurs pressed us to meet all together, and in case of need they would shew themselves and restrain the populace. From the moment that we became the occasion that parties seized to come to an engagement which might become a revolution, it seemed to me that our assembly was no longer simply a testimony, but a political affair, which we ought to avoid: the brethren were of the same judgment. The government were very uneasy, and we received overtures from members of the Great Council, who offered to ask for us from the Council of State, the German church in the Mercerie, with the proviso of having us protected there ... . I represented that in going there, we departed from the path of testimony, which offended the people, but was agreeable to the Lord -- that this would be made use of throughout the Canton, to make our brethren go into the churches, and that our place was not to be protected but persecuted: the brethren were of this mind.
"The next day the Council of State had us requested through B. (its president), not to have our meeting all together at 22 St. Pierre [the house I lived in, where the riot was], in order not to expose the town to troubles whose issue could not be foreseen. This seemed to us a very simple direction (indice), and we agreed to disseminate ourselves on Sunday in small meetings -- we had eleven in the course of the day. All were very tranquil. The Great Council is to be occupied to-morrow with the petitions relative to religious liberty. This question occupied it already Tuesday. The government seeks, in order to flatter the passions of the populace, to adopt a measure which deprives us of liberty, saving appearances as much as possible. It has shewn itself so illiberal, that the most radical of the Great Council (the government is the extreme radical) have expressed their surprise at it. I do not expect to see religious liberty granted to the children of God in this country. It is very sweet to know that that will happen as to it which our own Lord shall see good for the exercise of our faith. Men are occupied about us without consulting God; and the Lord when He is pleased to act for His children, defeats the designs of men. His counsels will be found to be very firmness itself. We are happy to be in His hands, and to have for our path Himself -- not a path which men may make; though they may become the means of our trial, they cannot decide what is to happen to us.
It is not probable that we can meet next Sunday all together. The government would not be sorry to have an occasion which would justify the measure it desires. People's minds are in a great fermentation. The Conservatives desire to stop this torrent of passions and violence which threatens everything with subversion. In case of a serious tumult, our meetings would be the spark which would set fire to the powder. We desire to rest strangers to all political conflict, and for that reason we prefer to break ourselves up into small portions while things are in this state. If there had been no danger to run but that of seeing our meetings assailed and our persons ill-treated, the brethren were all encouraged to persevere. The Lord has sustained and encouraged and fortified us. He has made us find in the trial great subjects of joy and thanksgiving. The testimony has had blessed fruit. Hesitating souls have been established, and thus have joined us. The brethren are happy, and we see that Christ is precious to us in proportion as men reject us. Adieu, very dear brother; the brethren and sisters salute you. Not being able to write you word to-morrow what the Great Council shall have done as to religious liberty, if in any case some result is arrived at, I shall only write next week if the Lord permit.
"The grace of the Lord be multiplied to you.
"Your very affectionate,
+From Lausanne.
[W Kelly] BELOVED BROTHER, -- I answer, of course, your letter without delay. You probably do not know that Mr. Harris has declined further ministry here (though he has not left communion) and proposes to leave the place, and this on two points out of three on which I have acted; he is ignorant of the third. This, of course, modifies naturally the surprise which my step might occasion, though it is neither reason nor justification; but it is so far a proof that there was nothing hasty, and that there were serious grounds for it.
I now proceed to tell you why I did so. I felt that God was practically displaced, and so I told them, and then stated the three following points: the subverting the principles on which we meet -- this, I think I may say, is not denied now by any (unless the doers of it on principle); at least, it is admitted that brethren (teachers) were intentionally kept away, and Soltau urges Mr. Harris to stay and resume his place, in order to help him to resist. Some say that they were only tendencies, and not a purpose, but the fact is not denied. I cannot here enter into all the facts, but I am perfectly convinced there were purpose, doctrine, and fact; and you have no idea of the extent to which it had gone. It was, to my mind, as bad as bad could be in other aspects. Secondly, there was actual evil and unrighteousness unconfessed and unjudged: this Harris does not enter upon. And that thirdly, a meeting which has worked in the guidance of the details of the body and service of the saints, has been not only set aside, but refused to be reinstated. This last was what finally decided Harris before his return here to decline further ministry. I had proposed publicly, as he had laboured in private (and I had also spoken of it) at the re-establishment of this meeting; and the rejection of it occasioned a stay of all moral discipline, unless on the summary judgment of two or three who took it on themselves. This deprived of remedy, for the existence of evil would not in itself be a reason for leaving, but evil unjudged and really sanctioned would, when it could not be remedied. I have only to add, that I have felt the unclouded approbation of God since I have done it. I had not before an idea of the mass of evil, and how many knew it. Yet I believe the great body wholly ignorant of it, and so I stated when I announced my withdrawal. But they almost all felt that there was something which had destroyed spirituality and love. In my judgment it was very bad indeed. I waited eight or nine months before I did this, and till every step was taken to remedy the evil; and I should have felt the Lord against me had I waited longer. I believe it has done very much good; the conscience of a vast number has been awakened, evil acknowledged by some who were immersed in it fast, I believe, with evil intention, and I hope more blessing may thus come from above. When I say it, I believe the withdrawal of Harris from ministering had as much, and perhaps more effect, than my withdrawal from communion, from his having been much more here latterly, and the only one who visited, and whom the poor really knew and loved. All the poor, I think I may say, have felt the evil. I told them that I did it with unmingled grief and sorrow, and only wished it might be remedied, that I loved all and valued many very much, that I believed the great body quite innocent of it, but that there was one Table and one bread, and they were all responsible, and that my feeling was that -- as evil was not remedied -- I could not identify myself with evil that I knew.
It seemed to me you acted quite wisely, having no information as to the sister coming here. I trust the Lord may restore you all, and it is all I desire for this gathering too. I thank you dear brother, very much for your prayers, and feel that I need them, as I trust you may be enabled to continue them. It has been, I need not say, a time of great trial to me. Still, I have felt the Lord with me, and have been with Him, however feeble; and I am quite in peace since I left the gathering. Already many have separated between good and evil, and graciously; up to this, people had gone away, or held their tongues hopeless.
Kind love to all the saints. Very affectionately yours, dear brother, and praying God that light and peace and strength may be with you and all His beloved ones.
I have no desire but that all should be restored in peace here, and it would be much greater joy to return than even to have cleared my conscience in leaving; I wait upon the Lord, and in the enjoyment of the light of His countenance about it. I have avoided everything which would have the appearance of party or lead to it. I do not believe even that the enemy has ventured to charge me with it. I have no feeling of the kind -- God forbid I should. You are not aware that many brethren elsewhere feel as strongly, or more so than I do about it. I do not pretend to say they would therefore necessarily [have] taken the same method, but of that I have no regret. I may just add, that I have refrained from breaking bread apart, though many have stayed away, hoping they may come through grace to set all right.
Plymouth, November 12th, 1845.
I write rather because of the importance of the point than for any immediate occasion of circumstances: I mean leaving an assembly, or setting up, as it is called, another table. I am not so afraid of it as some other brethren, but I must explain my reasons. If such or such a meeting were the church here, leaving it would be severing oneself from the assembly of God. But, though wherever two or three are gathered together in Christ's name He is in the midst, and the blessing and responsibility of the church is in a certain sense also, if any Christians now set up to be the church, or did any formal act which pretended to it, I should leave them, as being a false pretension, and denying the very testimony to the state of ruin which God has called us to render. It would have ceased to be the table of the people and testimony of God, at least intelligently. It might be evil pretension or ignorance; it might call for patience if it was in ignorance, or for remedy, if that was possible: but such a pretension I believe false, and I could not abide in what is false. I think it of the last importance that this pretension of any body should be kept down: I could not own it a moment, because it is not the truth.
But, then, on the other hand, united testimony to the truth is the greatest possible blessing from on high. And I think that if any one, through the flesh, separated from two or three walking godlily before God in the unity of the whole body of Christ, it would not merely be an act of schism, but he would necessarily deprive himself of the blessing of God's presence. It resolves itself, like all else, into a question of flesh and Spirit. If the Spirit of God is in and sanctions the body, he who leaves in the flesh deprives himself of the blessing, and sins. If, on the contrary, the Spirit of God does not sanction the body, he who leaves it will get into the power and liberty of the Spirit by following Him. That is the real way to look at it. There may be evil, and yet the Spirit of God sanction the body (not of course, its then state), or at least act with the body in putting it away. But if the Spirit of God, by any faithful person, moves in this, and the evil is not put away, but persisted in; is the Spirit of God with those who continue in the evil, or with him who will not? Or is the doctrine of the unity of the body to be made a cover for evil? That is precisely the delusion of Satan in Popery, and the worst form of evil under the sun. If the matter, instead of being brought to the conscience of the body is maintained by the authority of a few, and the body of believers despised, it is the additional concomitant evil of the clergy, which is the element also of Popery. Now, I believe myself, the elements of this have been distinctly brought out at Plymouth; and I cannot stay in evil to preserve unity. I do not want unity in evil, but separation from it. God's unity is always founded on separation, since sin came into the world. "Get thee out," is the first word of God's call: it is to Himself. If one get out alone, it may require more faith, but that is all; one will be with Him, and that, dear brother, is what I care most about, though overjoyed to be with my brethren on that ground. I do not say that some more spiritual person might not have done more or better than I: God must judge of that. I am sure I am sure I am a poor creature; but at all cost I must walk with God for myself ... .
Suppose clericalism so strong that the conscience of the body does not act at all, even when appealed to, is a simple saint who has perhaps no influence to set anything right, because of this very evil, therefore to stay with it? What resource has he? I suppose another case. Evil goes on, fleshly pretensions, a low state of things on all sides. Some get hold of a particular evil which galls their flesh, and they leave. Do you think that the plea of unity will heal? Never. All are in the wrong. Now this often happens. Now the Lord in these cases is always over all. He chastens what was not of Him by such a separation, and shews the flesh in detail even where, in the main, His name was sought. If the seceders act in the flesh, they will not find blessing. God governs in these things, and will own righteousness where it is, if only in certain points. They would not prosper if it were so; but they might remain a shame and sorrow to those they left. If it be merely pride of flesh, it will soon come to nothing. "There must needs be heresies, that they which are approved may be made manifest." If occasion has been given in any way, the Lord, because He loves, will not let go till the evil be purged out. If I do not act with Him, He will (and I should thank Him for it) put me down in the matter too. He loves the church, and has all power in heaven and earth, and never lets slip the reins.
I have not broken bread, nor should do it, till the last extremity: and if I did, it would be in the fullest, openest testimony, that I did not own the others then to be the table of the Lord at all. I should think worse of them than of sectarian bodies, because having more pretension to light. "Now ye say we see." But I should not (God forbid!) cease to pray continually, and so much the more earnestly, for them, that they might prosper through the fulness of the grace that is in Christ for them ... .
[W Kelly] DEAREST BROTHER, -- I take up my pen at last to answer your letter. As to the facts connecting themselves with scripture I had no difficulty as to myself, the difficulty was as to demonstration to others. In the first place, Mr. Newton's statement in April was to have union in testimony here, against the teaching of the other brethren, and that he trusted to have at least Devon and Somerset under his influence for the purpose. And this was done most assiduously and perseveringly, so that at last in some places, they had to tell Mr. N. they would bear it no longer; but the saints here had no present proof of this. No person who moved in the sphere of the teachers but knew that they were by calumnies, reproaches, and letters, keeping away other brethren. Nor do those that are honest now deny it. But the body of the brethren here had not seen these letters, and in the (what I must call) audacious state of conscience the leaders were in, I should have been challenged to produce them. Here their case broke down in April, because McA. had seen them and put them to silence. Each Sunday was as regularly N. and H. as in the establishment, and everybody knew it: there was no arrangement written -- nothing to be proved. A poor man gave out a hymn, no one would raise it: whose fault was that? At length the facts were not denied, but they were said to be accidents; though N. had told me at the Bristol meeting that his principles were changed, and B. had been reasoning with me on the ground of it, and declaring the brethren elsewhere who sought to serve the saints cyphers, and five cyphers never could make one unless they were regularly recognised. The persons in authority had been named by Mr. N. here as those he recognised and none else. The Friday meeting had been broken up, and Mr. S., owning there ought to be one, said he could not move in it because Mr. N. would have only those he chose, and it would produce a rupture with him. It had been openly taught by N. and B. that the Lord did not now use poor uneducated men, as those He chose before His resurrection, but after that, such as Paul, Luther and Calvin, Wesley and Whitfield, and myself now. It came to such a point, preventing people speaking in the room, that S. called it jockeyship; now I confess to you in what professes to be a meeting where the blessed God is, I do not like going on with jockeyship. But what could be proved here? Some one got up too quick, that was all -- and perhaps did it in a case where the majority would go with him as to the effect, keeping down some speaker they did not like; and in the particular case the sisters had already tried to silence him by making a noise with their feet. The Holy Ghost was totally disowned, the body of the poor miserable, and utterly despised and rejected. But I did not leave for all this. It was when all remedy for this was rejected with scorn, that I then said I could not stay. Every attempt by -- , -- , etc., and others to investigate the evil before the brethren has been rejected. You may well suppose the difficulty of dealing with facts before the body, that it was constantly denied in toto, in the face of a settled arrangement (not in words but in fact) to speak alternate Sundays, that anybody was hindered -- and at least three cases of prevention by the authority of Mr. N. and those he employed. And as to those without, when S. pressed their having kept away Bellett, and that he felt they had sinned, Mr. N. said -- on his asking could he acquiesce in his coming now -- he thought he could, because all were sufficiently made up now to resist his teaching. But on the avowed principle of clericalism it was peremptorily refused to let the brethren judge anything about the matter.
If scripture warrants me to separate from the worst evil as to corporate action I ever met, then I am sanctioned in separating from this. If the unity of the church is to be the sanction of evil, we are landed in Rome at once. It was taught (not here) that in reference to the noble Bereans, that was Jews searching the Jewish scriptures, and that now God had raised up gifts and teaching, it was quite otherwise. Besides, there are things that sicken one, which you cannot say much about. I never, in all my experience in and out of the church, really met so little truth and straightforwardness; and nothing could be proved which had been said and done twenty times over, unless you had witnesses by, and then others were ready to say it was something else. I would not have stayed in it, my dear -- , if I were to walk alone and have no church at all to the end of my days. But God has ordered it otherwise, and given exceeding peace and quietness to those who have through grace delivered their souls from it. I have no doubt a direct power and delusion of the enemy was there, from which we have been rescued by the Lord's goodness, and are in the blessing and liberty of the Spirit of God, though poor and feeble. The visit of the brethren has, I think, to any heedful mind, left no doubt as to the standing of Ebrington Street. Romans 16: 17, is just what I acted upon, on coming to Plymouth. The denouncing of godly brethren as subverting the gospel, by letters sent to India, Canada, Ireland, and everywhere, and hindering any teachers not ready to receive N.'s views coming here as far as they could, and making a focus of Plymouth, was causing divisions. And it was just -- though I shrank from using such a hard word -- 3 John 9, 10 that was precisely going on at Plymouth. No calumny was too bad to cast on the most godly brethren, to discredit them and hinder their coming here. I dare say if I had apostolic power I might have acted more efficiently, but I have not a regret or a cloud on my mind as to my path being where I was, save that I might have left in April. The Lord never roused the conscience of the body till I left.
But I close: I am most sorry to rake up what this letter does (as I have only mentioned things just as they occurred to me to satisfy your mind) without trying to make out all: for many to me most material things I have not mentioned as to facts and evil -- but sorry, because the truth is we, who are come out, have our minds with the happy testimony of the Holy Ghost, completely clear of all this, do not ever think of it, and have no need to think of it any more. This has been one of the happy features, the subdued, happy, gracious spirit of those who have left; we are in another world as to our minds.
Affectionately yours, dear brother.
Poor dear Mrs. N. is very ill -- I suppose dying off, but peaceful. But there is nothing now to distress her. She is now quite peaceful, I hear.
[From the French.] MY VERY DEAR SISTERS, -- I have been much touched by your kindness in reminding me of your christian affection. It seems to me, in fact, incredible that four months have rolled away since I wrote to Lausanne. It is true that I have not replied to M. G. since the month of November, that is to say, I have a letter from him of that date, to which I have not replied. But the time passes so quickly that I do not doubt it, for in fact I have been very desirous myself for news of you, though there has been such a considerable lapse of time. However, I have a confidence in God that keeps me in peace, even when long silence gives me the desire to have news of the brethren. As for my health, to dispose of it as quickly as possible, the Lord gives me the strength that seems good to Him; more than that would not he well. The troubles of this year have worn me a little; moreover, one is worn year by year if it pleases God, though His longsuffering is still salvation; may the time roll on, still more quickly -- my desires are fixed on the land of rest, this precious rest of God. My heart opens yet more to the thought of the glory, and of the rest that Christ is preparing for us, and I sigh for the moment, and with all my heart; my heart and my joy are there. The circumstances I have had to pass through, I believe have made my soul more ripe, at least, I hope so, for the joys that are with Christ, have bound me more and more sensibly to Him, and to all that has to do with Him -- that is found in Him. All this (though I am very feeble) is better known to me, more felt. I am more cut off, more for Him; it is not that I am deceived as if the flesh and the conflict were no longer for me. I know well it is not so. But my life is more hidden with Christ in God. As to my spirit, my abode is more there, and it is worth while, dear friends. However, I am a poor, miserable, sorry creature. I know it well. But in the measure in which I accompany soul after soul to the gate of heaven, I begin to think that it is almost time I should go in there. I wait. I belong to Him, who has truly the right to dispose of me and of all these things. Till then I work as a hireling that accomplishes his day, and alas, I am but a very bad workman, not worthy to be called such -- still, happy to be one.
You must not think, dear sisters, that the circumstances have discouraged or depressed me before God. They have been painful, but not more so than I expected when I left Lausanne, in many respects less. I believe that more faith, less regard for the feelings of the brethren, would have greatly shortened my work. But I trust that He who searches the hearts will find there at least the intention of charity. I warned them of it when I was here three years ago. But God does His work, and I never more felt His faithfulness, and His great goodness. Never has my faith been more encouraged. Never have I felt more sensibly that God was acting, and that I could count on Him. In looking back, I am struck with all His grace. The sifting is severe, but it is a sifting of love. Since I acted decidedly, my peace and my joy are very great, as well as of all those who have done the same. Consciences have need, as well as the heart of the spiritual man has need, to be awakened; and that has been done. Never have I enjoyed so much communion in worship, and of the presence of God. Oh, how true it is that our Rock is faithful, and that He is near to us, to those who call upon Him with faith.
As to the desire, dear sisters, that you express to see me again, I bless God for it. I need not tell you that I share it; it is what the Holy Spirit always produces. However, I think only of owning how God has been with you, and how He has blessed you. Think what a comfort for me to know that God was keeping you faithful to Him, and in patience, whilst I was being tried here. I hope truly that it will have been a moment much blessed for you all, and that you have learnt to lean more than ever upon His faithfulness. I have the thought of making a run to the south of France, if God permit, this year, spring or autumn. I do not propose anything definitely for Switzerland, not knowing what will be the state of things, or if christian work will not be impossible, or that my presence will but stir up for you the unpleasantness, but I leave all this to the future that God will shew us. It seems that God would that the waves should be calmed a little. I await His will. My affections are as strong as ever for Switzerland at least, for the work of God in that dear country. I write in haste. For the rest, it is for my brethren down here in great measure that I dispose of the few moments that are at my disposal in a work that I pursue for them; it is this that has hindered me greatly from writing. Peace be to you in all things, dear sisters. You will have received news that crossed your letters. I would write to some of the sisters in particular, according to the time I should have for that. They must pardon me, if this is a little delayed, and receive for yourselves, dear sisters, my many thanks for having thought of your poor brother, and in commending you with all my heart to Him and His grace, the assurance of my cordial affection in Him, and may the hope of glory be very present to you and refresh you.
Your very affectionate brother.
BELOVED BROTHER, -- I was glad to get something from you, and glad to get this letter. In reply to it I can only say, without answering for every expression in it, after running it over, instead of quarrelling with it as an objection, as to the general bearing and object of it, I believe that it is having departed from what has suggested itself to your mind which has been the weakness of the brethren. I believe that churches have been merged in the [mass+] of ecclesiastical popular hierarchism and lost; but I believe that the visible church, as you call it, has been merged there too. Still there is a difference, because churches were the administrative form, while the church as a body on earth was the vital unity.
What I felt from the beginning, and began with, was this: the Holy Ghost remains, and therefore, the essential principle of unity with His presence for (the fact we are now concerned in) wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. When this is really sought, there will certainly be blessing by His presence. We have found it so, most sweetly and graciously, who have met separately here.
When there is an attempt at displaying the position and the unity, there will always be a mess and a failure. God will not take such a place with us. We must get into the place of His mind to get His strength; that is now, the failure of the church. But there He will be with us. I have always said this; I know it has troubled some, even those I specially love; but I am sure it is the Lord's mind. I have said we are the witnesses of the weakness and low state of the church. We are not stronger nor better than the others, dissenters, etc.; but we only own our bad and lost state, and therefore can find blessing. I do not limit what the blessed Spirit can do for us in this low estate, but I take the place where He can do it. Hence, government of bodies in an authorised way, I believe there is none; where this is assumed, there will be confusion. It was here; and it was constantly and openly said that this was to be a model, so that all in distant places might refer to it. My thorough conviction is that conscience was utterly gone, save in those who were utterly miserable.
I only therefore so far seek the original standing of the church, as to believe that wherever two or three are gathered in His name, Christ will be; and that the Spirit of God is necessarily the only source of power, and that what He does will be blessing through the Lordship of Christ. These provide for all times. If more be attempted now, it will be confusion only. The original condition is owned as a sinner, or mutilated man, owns integrity of conscience or a whole body. But there a most important point comes in: I cannot supply the lack by human arrangement or wisdom: I must be dependent. I should disown whatever was not of the Spirit, and in this sense disown whatever was -- not short of the original standing, for that in the complete sense I am, but -- what man has done to fill it up; because this does not own the coming short, nor the Spirit of God. I would always own what is of God's Spirit in any. The rule seems to me here very simple.
I do not doubt that dispensed power is disorganised; but the Holy Ghost is always competent to act in the circumstances God's people are in. The secret is, not to pretend to get beyond it. Life, and divine power, is always there; and I use the members I have, with full confession that I am in an imperfect state. We must remember that the body must exist, though not in a united state; and so even locally. I can then, therefore, own their gifts and the like, and get my warrant in two or three united for blessing promised to that. Then if gifts exist, they cannot be exercised but as members of the body; because they are such, not by outward union, but by the vital power of the Head through the Holy Ghost. "Visible body," I suspect, misleads us a little. Clearly the corporate operation is in the actual living body down here on earth; but there it is the members must act, so that I do not think it makes a difficulty. I believe, if we were to act on 1 Corinthians 12, 14, farther than power exists to verify it, we should make a mess. But then the existence of the body, whatever its scattered condition, necessarily continues, because it depends on the existence of the Head, and its union with it. In this the Holy Ghost is necessarily supreme.
The body exists in virtue of there being one Holy Ghost. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as we are called in one hope of our calling. Indeed this is the very point which is denied here. Then Christ necessarily nourishes and cherishes us as His own flesh, as members of His body; and this goes on "till we all come," etc. (Ephesians 4) Hence I apprehend we cannot deny the body and its unity, whatever its unfaithfulness and condition, and (so far as the Holy Ghost is owned) His operation in it, without denying the divine title of the Holy Ghost, and the care and headship of Christ over the church. Here I get, not a question of the church's conduct, but of Christ's, and the truth of the Holy Ghost being on earth, and His title when there, and yet owning of Christ's Lordship. And this is how far I own others. If a minister has gifts in the Establishment, I own it as through the Spirit, Christ begetting the members of His body, or nourishing it. But I cannot go along with what it is mixed up with, because it is not of the body, nor of the Spirit. I cannot touch the unclean, I am to separate the precious from the vile. But I cannot give up Ephesians 4 while I own the faithfulness of Christ.
Now if we meet, yea, and when we do not meet, all I look for is that this principle should be owned, because it is owning the Holy Ghost Himself, and that to me is everything. We meet and worship; and at this time we who have separated meet in different rooms, that we may in the truest and simplest way, in our weakness, worship. Then whatever the Holy Ghost may give to any one, He is supreme to feed us with -- perhaps nothing in the way of speaking; and it must be in the unity of the body. If you were here, you could be in the unity of the body, as one of ourselves. This Satan cannot destroy, because it is connected with Christ's title and power. If men set up to imitate the administration of the body, it will be popery or dissent at once.
And this is what I see of the visibility of the body: it connects itself with this infinitely important principle, the presence and action of the Holy Ghost on earth. It is not merely a saved thing in the counsels of God, but a living thing animated down here by its union with the Head, and the presence of the Holy Ghost in it. It is a real actual thing the Holy Ghost acting down here. If two are faithful in this, they will be blessed in it. If they said; "We are the body," not owning all the members, in whatever condition, they would morally cease to be of it. I own them, but in nothing their condition. The principle is all-important.
Christ has attached therefore its practical operation to two or three, and owns them by His presence. He has provided for its maintenance. Thus in all states of ruin it cannot cease, till He cease to be the Head, and the Holy Spirit to be as the guide and the comforter sent down.
God sanctioned the setting up of Saul; He never did, the departure from the Holy Ghost. The "two or three" take definitely the place of the temple, which was the locality of God's presence, as a principle of union. That is what makes all the difference. Hence, in the division of Israel, the righteous sought the temple as a point of unity, and David is to us here Christ by the Holy Ghost.
On the other hand church government, save as the Spirit is always power, cannot be acted on.
Let me hear from you, for this is of all importance at the present moment.
Ever, beloved brother, very affectionately.
Plymouth [Received], February 5th, 1846.
+Compare Volume 27 - Exp 6, page 323.
[Mr Chlow] DEAR BROTHER, -- I thank you for your kind attention in sending me the paper. The form of it would induce me to decline any attention to it -- an anonymous circular on such a subject seems to me an anomaly, and of very evil example in the church of God. But I feel bound further to say, that I feel obliged to decline any participation in it (I speak individually, I dare say many may join in it with a true heart) whatever.
You must be fully aware that the things you would confess, and others with whom you think it right to associate, would be entirely contrary to what I could judge right before God; the things that I may judge evil and the root of all this, you probably (indeed, there can be little doubt) would not confess at all; nor can I think there is in the actual state of things, any confession of what I judge to be evil before God, but quite the contrary. Thence I judge that to pretend to join in any common confession -- and you must think the same -- would be hypocrisy, and really awfully mocking God. I decline it therefore altogether; indeed, I think the whole thing an evil, though I am in full charity towards you, and I do not doubt many in many places will join in it sincerely, and be blessed. I have felt it more honest, and indeed bound to say to you openly what the Lord I believe leads me to by His grace. The plainer the better, I think, in the present state of things; but I remain
Yours in sincere affection in Christ.
[Mr Meylan][From the French] VERY DEAR BROTHER, -- I was much pleased, I need not tell you, to receive your letter. I understand well that work prevents one from writing, and that those who labour much do not so much like writing either, but this only makes communications all the more pleasant when one does receive them. Blessed be God that you have been able to give good news; and always, when one can do so of one's work and of His grace, to say in fact that God is working recalls us to Him, and that is what always gives us joy.
Indeed the work has been remarkable at -- , but God has been better than our thoughts; this is not surprising, but we ought at least to bless Him for it with all our hearts.
Now as to the questions of doctrine. If Christ is in our hearts and in our words, God uses, dear brother, very imperfect expressions to communicate blessing to souls; and He even uses erroneous expressions; nevertheless, they bring with them into the soul something imperfect or erroneous; also those who observe it are stumbled by it. I can say to an exercised soul that his salvation is finished, because I am only directing him, outside himself and the judgment which he exercises on an internal work of which he is incapable of judging, to Christ, whose perfect work is the simple object of faith. I could not say it to every one; this would be to interfere with the election of God, of which I know nothing: but I can say to all, that propitiation has been presented to God. They have but to look there, and going to God by that blood they will be received; they have nothing to wait for. They will not go unless the Father draw them, but this is a matter of sovereign grace, with which I have nothing to do in my preaching -- in my teaching, yes, but not in my address to unconverted souls.
In the blood which is put upon the mercy-seat, it is not a question of those who are saved or of election, but of the majesty of God, which demands this satisfaction for sin. I can address all, and declare to them that this satisfaction has been made, and that God the Father has perfectly accepted it. But I cannot say to all that Christ bore their sins, because the word does not say it anywhere. If He had borne their sins, they would certainly be justified, and consequently saved by the life of Christ, and glorified.
Thus in Romans 5: 18, the gift has come "towards" -- not "upon" -- literally it reads, "So then as by one offence, towards all men to condemnation" (it is the direction towards which a thing would go if left to itself, not its coming upon), "so by one righteousness towards all men for justification of life." This is why he says "all." But in verse 19, "For as indeed by the disobedience of the one man the many have been constituted sinners; so also by the obedience of the one the many will be constituted righteous;" here it is the effect, not the tendency, therefore he says "many." The thing is not limited to the one who accomplished it, but extends in its efficacy to those who are interested in it; the many are constituted sinners or righteous in virtue of these two works. So it is said, Romans 3: 22, "[The] righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ towards all, and upon all those who believe." It is one thing to put the blood on the mercy-seat, this was God's lot; another to confess the sins of the people on the head of the goat Azazel. On account of the one, God can act in the testimony of love towards all, His righteousness being satisfied; on account of the other, He owes it to Christ never to find those sins again: they have been borne into a land not inhabited. Now this is not true of the sins of the wicked: therefore it cannot be said that it is not on account of the fruits of Adam's sin that men are condemned, for it is said, "For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience." And "If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins." Thus I quite believe that Christ died for all, but I cannot say that He bore, as a substitute, the sins of all. The word, it seems to me, is very clear on this point in its doctrines, in the consequences that it draws from them, and in its types. So that I take ajntivlutron uJpe;r pavntwn in the simplest and widest sense. Satisfaction has been presented to God for men, but here (1 Timothy 2: 6) it is evident these words refer to the desire to make of Jesus, at least of the Messiah, a mediator of the Jewish nation. No, says the apostle, He is so for all. God qevlei (not bouvletai) that all, not the Jews only, should be saved; He has given, therefore, one Mediator for all, who has made the propitiation which was necessary, and demanded by the majesty of God, so that the door is open to all through the satisfaction that He has made to the outraged majesty of God. But God has predestinated His own: He calls them; He quickens them. For if the matter rested there (that is to say, at an open door) no one, not even the elect, would come. But Christ has confessed the sins of those thus brought as if they were His own. He "shall justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities."
Farewell, beloved brother. May our good and faithful Lord and Saviour sustain you and us, and guide us; we need it; and blessed be His name for it, He has it at heart to do it. Yes, we may pass through strait and difficult places, but He is not the less faithful; only let us look to Him, and He is there, even when He seems to forsake us, in order to put faith to the proof, and to make us known to ourselves. However, we have usually exposed ourselves to the enemy before things come to this pass, then He makes us feel within what we have failed in as to watchfulness without. If the enemy is outside, it is not a question of our strength, but of that of the door which keeps him out; if we have opened it, our own is in question. This makes us feel what we are, and also where we have failed in watchfulness and prayer, but He is faithful. Greet all the brethren warmly. I have been very happy during my illness: it has made me feel much more than ever that heaven and the bosom of God is my rest, my home, seeing that I shall be with Him for ever.
Peace be with all the brethren, also yourself, your dear wife, and your little ones. I hope to visit the Continent this autumn. Greet warmly also for me our brother -- . May God keep him so that he may be content to be little.
Yours very affectionately,
In the fellowship of the Lord.
Dearest W Kelly, -- First as to transubstantiation. I have generally found that in sincere Roman Catholics where there was a value for Christ, though in some respects natural, this remained the thought in their mind; it connects itself with a sensible apprehension of Him like a picture, and seems to be borne out by scripture -- respects it though it do not rightly divide or understand it. Yet the scriptural reasons seem to me most strong and plain on the point, yet a person may be a true saint and hold it. If the mass or sacrificial part is given up, this touches the knowledge by faith of the completeness of the one sacrifice, and our known forgiveness by it. There is no need of Syrian or Protestant commentators to know, that it is used for designating things they represent. It is the universal language of man. I say of a portrait, that is my father; that is my uncle. No one doubts an instant what it means. "It is the Lord's passover." "I am the true vine." "I am the door" is the converse. And it is as much and as surely said of the cup as of the elements: "this cup is the New Testament in my blood" -- thereby demonstrating the mode of speaking. As soon as the sense attached by the church to it is got rid of, our ordinary use of language would not convey the Roman sense to the mind. It is really an imposed one. Further, St. Paul positively calls it bread we break: why is this not literal? In what follows we have those figures which no language can speak without -- "the cup which we bless." Was it the cup he blessed? Proper literality in the strict sense would make nonsense of all language -- is not its known sense. I drink a glass of wine -- who ever doubted what that meant? It is not, as men speak, the literal sense to give the physical one. He drew a picture of vice in his sermon. Who thinks he drew a picture! So in a nearer case; a man brings his sin (chattath) to the Lord. Christ "was made sin." "These bones are the whole house of Israel." Does any one doubt what it means? There are many such in Ezekiel -- only here we have no verb at all. And now as to the scriptural meaning and doctrine.
First, if the Roman Catholic one were true, it would be a sacrament, not of redemption, but of non-redemption. That doctrine holds that the body, blood, soul, and divinity of the Lord Jesus are all contained in each of the elements. But if the blood be thus united to the body, there is no redemption at all. It is the blood shed which is redemption; and therefore we are called to drink it as a separate thing. It is a broken body we are told of, and shed blood. If the blood be in the body there is no redemption. Christ has not a life of blood now, for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom. If I take it shed, I own the great and blessed truth of redemption: take it otherwise than separate and as shed, and it is a sign that there is none. And this leads me further: there is no such Christ in existence as that signified by the sacramental institution. There is a glorified Christ with a glorified body in heaven, but this is a broken body and shed blood -- that is, it is a dead Christ we, in the power of resurrection, recognise and feed on, that by which we were brought in -- that all precious sacrifice. But there is no dead Christ now. There cannot be a broken body and shed blood now. There is no such thing in existence, while faith knows all its value in the one blessed act of the cross. Hence further, it cannot be literal, or rather physically true. "This is my body which is broken," but it was not broken then. The living Christ did not hold actually and literally the dead Christ in His own hand. And this is absolutely necessary to the literal, or rather (without meaning to offend the feelings of those who have learned to renounce it) the gross carnal sense. The broken body and shed blood clearly represent a dead Christ; we know the unspeakable preciousness of that wondrous fact such as none is like. It is all our hope, the death of the Son of God; but there is no dead Christ in existence; hence it cannot be a physical reality. It is shed blood I need for my soul -- where is that literally? -- and further, it was not literally true then. Christ was not broken and His blood shed when He spoke to His beloved disciples. And yet this feeding on death is the very thing that is precious. A Jew dared not; it was death to him. But now Christ is dead, death is life and gain to us. Hence too we must drink His blood; that is, take it as shed out; "he that drinketh my blood." The doctrine of concomitancy -- that is, a whole Christ in each element -- fails here; because the very point of power is drinking it, that is receiving it as shed, taking it as such.
Hence, while I find that the literal is merely an imposed sense, contrary to the plain meaning of the words according to all habits of language, I find that it is on scriptural grounds -- as to the eternal truth of Christ's doctrine and Person -- an impossible thing; that is, contradicts the truth. There is no dead Christ now; but this is clearly a dead Christ. And further, that it subverts the sense and spiritual power attached by Christ to it -- His broken body and shed blood -- and makes it really, though unwittingly, a sacrament of non-redemption. Such is Satan's craft. Further, it cannot be literally true that Christ held Himself dead in His own hand: nor, as the breaking really represents His suffering and death, did He in any sense do this indeed at any time. Though after it He gave up His Spirit to His Father. Hence I lose all, by this pseudo-literal sense, my soul wants, my faith enjoys -- a suffering Christ, a dead victim. It is my salvation. I adore the grace in it. My soul feeds on it. I need it: I worship and joy in it, though humbled at what called for it; and my heart goes out to these sufferings, and to Him who endured them. But there is no such Christ now -- no dead Christ to be literally true. If it is not a dead Christ, it is nothing at all to my faith. If it is a dead Christ, it clearly cannot be a literal one, for we all together who love Him through grace rejoice in His exaltation.
The fact is, it is a very modern doctrine. It was never established till Innocent the Third's time, in the Council of Lateran, and was written against by esteemed doctors just before. And while you find many magniloquent though unintelligent expressions in the Fathers, one of the earliest -- if the Roman doctrine be maintained -- is a heretic, Irenaeus. I remember that he says that after the ejpivklhsi" two things were there, bread and Christ. I attach no importance to this as authority. I think him wrong, imperfectly taught by the Holy Ghost in it; but it is a proof -- not of truth, I never would use it as the smallest authority for it, but -- that the Roman doctrine was not held by an early saint. Consubstantiation was more the common thought of doctors I think who took a real presence. To me one is as unsound as the other. It mistakes the object of faith, a Christ dead and shed blood.
I do not add the common arguments, "Whom the heavens must receive" therefore, not here. Nor the ubiquity of Christ's body being unsound as to its reality. You will be familiar with them. To a faithful soul, though these be true, the meaning of the Holy Ghost will have more power. I agree with you as to "In remembrance of me." I must give more room than remains to me to the authority question, which (D. V.) I will write about speedily.
Thank you, dear brother, for your news of the saints, and your interest in my poor body. But we are privileged to say -- may we be enabled to act on it! -- the body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body. It is a happy thought that even in this (it) is so.
Ever, affectionately yours
[W Kelly] [To the same.] MY DEAR BROTHER, -- There is a fund of grace in dear -- , but he has been in a bad school. Really -- 's humility (though he be a devoted man of God) consists in counting that they have infinitely more grace than any one else, and shew it in condescension. I know nowhere such amazing confidence in self.
... This is associated with a kind of latitudinarianism which substituting grace in manner for fidelity, makes the supposed possession of superior grace a reason for swamping every principle of God. There is a tremendous deal of putting on of cant (forgive me the word, for I own the love under it at -- ) in it, but being flattery and looking like grace it wins people. It must be met kindly but decidedly, for it is insinuating and mischievous, and I think poisons the springs of christian simplicity and plainness. I should always meet assumption, whether in the form of superior grace or otherwise, as being entirely the contrary to grace. And I should be plain in principle, though not in the way of controversy; for the enemy is seeking to swamp it under this pseudo-charity in many a way. At any rate, dear brother, the exercise will do you good. You have had none to deal with at all œquis armis, and your own grace and full trusting in the Lord will be tried. Lean on Him, and fight the good fight of faith. Never allow your own importance thus to come into question, while firm as a rock in disallowing all this false pretension. It is all pseudo-grace, though there be real grace in those who have it: much better to get at this and speak plain English than speak about grace and flatter.
And now, while urging you to count on the Lord and fight the battle, His battle, yourself -- this is really called for: it is time we should rouse ourselves and buckle on our armour, if we have what is worth contending for, and not look merely to others to help, while I am sure I will render all the help I can; but it is a time of putting faith to the test, and they that quit themselves like men will not lose their reward. But I will now turn to your perhaps more important questions.
Authority in the church is neither more nor less than the power of the Holy Ghost. There may be added at the beginning the apostles as constituted companions of Jesus, and having directions from Him. But now this is simply the working of the Holy Ghost in the church. This may be in an individual, according to the measure of power given to him, or it may be in the body; but it will always recognise the Holy Ghost in the body and in all the members. This is most marked in the epistles. They speak as to wise men who have an unction from the Holy One. This is the whole matter: this once departed from, some mere arrangement takes its place, and the Holy host is in principle -- namely, in faith -- set aside, and weakness is soon apparent. The kingdom of God is in power; but that power is known only to faith.
As to traditions, no one who has read the Greek Testament can a moment doubt that the word is, in the New Testament, a doctrine delivered, not handed down; though this might sometimes be the character of what was delivered. Tuvpon eij" on paredovqhte of Romans 6: 17 makes this plain. So tradition in the popular sense is in contrast with scripture. But in the passage you refer to [2 Thessalonians 2: 15], it is either the direct word of prophecy in the church there or the apostle's epistle: nothing handed down in the church is secured by subsequent authority. The saints were to keep the doctrine they had been taught -- the body of saints. Suppose I were to write to the body of saints in -- to hold fast what they had been taught, whether vivâ voce, or what I had written to them by letter, what would that have to say to the authority of the church or tradition of a subsequent era? Yet this is exactly the case, save that that teaching was divine and inspired, and therefore the exhortation had its peculiar place and weight: ta;" paradovsei" a" ejdidavcqhte, ei[te dia; lovgou ei[te di j ejpistolh'" hJmw'n clearly shews paradovsei" just to be a doctrine delivered.
Nor do I see what the communication of what he had learned to faithful men [2 Timothy 2: 2], so as to form teachers, has to do with tradition. Nobody, unless they deny ministry, could gainsay this, and so far as a man could be trusted as receiving it from St. Paul, it would of course have weight; but that is just the question. It was not authority, but a means of communicating truth; the confounding these two things is the generally unperceived sophism of Milner's End of Controversy. A rule of faith, he says, or means of communicating Christ's religion. It must be plain, etc.; but these things are not the same. A mother does it to her babe, but she is not a rule of faith, perhaps does it perfectly rightly, but that alters nothing. Now here the apostle is directing the means of communicating truth to others, of course as surely as he can, but not setting up either authority or a rule of faith. When I had a dozen young men reading with me at Lausanne, I was doing this according to my ability. Was I dreaming of setting up authority or a rule of faith in them? Clearly not. The written word is clearly such the moment we own it inspired.
The real question is, Is it addressed to all saints as possessing the Spirit so as to use it? They are the church. Ministry may be a means of communicating, and a very precious one, as Ephesians 4; but they are never a rule nor an authority. A rule must be an existing quantum of doctrine, but this no men are. That as an authority must be infallible, which none is but God. Infallible is not perfectly right. I may say what is absolutely right, but I am not infallible. Whenever the apostles spoke by inspiration, they uttered in revelation what was absolutely right from God, but this did not make them infallible. God is, because in His nature He never can say anything but what is right. When God spoke by them, as every true Christian believes He did, they were absolutely right: but God remained the alone infallible, who never could of Himself say anything wrong. This was not communicated to an apostle, since if he did not speak by inspiration, he was as another man -- more experience perhaps, but a man. Inspiration comes from the infallible One, but does not render the inspired one infallible, but only perfectly right and divine in what he utters as inspired.
Further, I believe God will secure by His power that the truth shall not be lost in the church to the end. It may be only in an upright godly few, as when almost all the professing church and Pope Liberius among them turned Arian. But this does not make the church infallible; but it does prove that God will keep His elect in vital essential truth to the end. But being kept is not authority. I am persuaded I shall be kept in the truth for the end -- sure of it through grace; but this is not making me an infallible authority; it is just the opposite; I am subject to the truth. So the church, the elect saints, are subject to the truth always. They may have accompanying obscurities on many points, but they will never deny saving truth to the church. Many foolish things may be brought in and added, but it will not deny saving truth.
This the Council of Trent, and hence the Catholic body (I do not say every individual) have pretty much done. Hence the difference of the Establishment. The prayer-book has added a mass of destructive, false, and superstitious errors, but the articles in general, though obscurely, do not deny but proclaim saving truth. Hence the Galatians Paul was afraid of; they were on the point of denying really the saving truths, though recovered. The Colossians were introducing superstitions which led to this, but they were not met exactly in the same way, as they were not denying justification by faith for example, as the Galatians were well-nigh doing. But this is saving subjection to the truth, not authority; and this is the real point of difference.
They say, with a law we must have an interpreting judge. God says, with My word I must have saving faith mixed -- the heart must bow to it itself; another cannot do this. No one denies that one can help another according to the measure of the Spirit -- that is, help spiritually the soul in reception; but this is not authority; it is ministry. The truth received has God's authority, and by the truth we are subject to Him. The word of God can have no authority to apply it, nor power either, but God Himself. Its whole object is to bring the soul and conscience into direct and immediate relationship with Himself. Interposed authority as to conscience sets aside God. There cannot be a judge with God's word, because Christ is. (There may be discipline, and, in this sense, judgment in which the whole body acts, but this is another question) but the whole point is the authority of God's word itself on the conscience; and mark, because God has said it, discerning it such, we set to our seal that God is true -- not that the church is. The church it is that believes it, and thereby it is the church. So "ye received it not as the word of man, but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." The church does not judge about the word of God. The word of God judges it, first as sinner then as saint. Whoever gets above this gets into sin -- is not a doer of the law, but a judge.
I do not enter here on the external part of the question, that the tradition, nor even the authority is not to be found, though de facto many things are surely believed. It is clear that the local priest is not, though he may be a means of communicating. It is quite clear that the ponderous tomes of councils are not a more clear, or accessible, or intelligible rule of faith than the living word. But the truth is they are not agreed when it resides in a Pope or Council; and this is serious. It will be said certainly in both. But the Council of Constance deposed, and that of Basle set itself above the Pope and ended without him. Also there were two, and neither owned by the former. And yet more. The Church of Rome cannot pronounce with unanimity which are the general councils. There are (I trust my memory) nineteen, but they dispute as to the enumeration of them. What a difference from the pure word of God!
[W Kelly] [To the same.] MY DEAR BROTHER, -- It is very important to observe that Romanism does take infidel ground, and to press this on their consciences; I have often done so in Ireland. God is competent to make men responsible by speaking Himself. This is a most important proposition, and this is the one thing they have to defend, by His own testimony, that is. In their arguments there is a grand prw'ton yeu'do", namely, that the means of communicating Christ's religion is the same thing as the rule of faith. This is a fundamental fallacy of Milner's "End of Controversy." A mother, a child, may be the means of communicating Christ's religion, but they are not a rule of faith. These two things may be united, but they are in no way the same things. I suppose the book you have, however, is Wiseman's.
Now I would take the bull by the horns, and say that there is no living saving faith whatever, but that which is wrought by the operation of the word of God, received on His direct authority without any warrant whatever. If it is received on the authority of the church, it is not believing GOD. The word of God proves itself to the conscience, and puts man by itself under the responsibility of crediting it, because God cannot speak without man's being bound to know and hear Him, for none speaks like Him. He may in grace use proofs and confirmations and witnesses, but man is bound to hear Him. God will prove that, in the day of judgment. Nay, the very heathen are without excuse on much lower ground. The reason is plain, too, practically. The word of God judges, and is not judged -- "he is convinced of all, he is judged of all;" and the secrets of his heart being revealed, he falls down and confesses "that God is in you of a truth." That is not authority, but it is the only saving thing. A man does not want authority to know that a two-edged sword is sharp. A faith founded on miracles, though God vouchsafed this confirmation, is no saving faith at all; Jesus did not commit Himself to it (John 2), He knew what was in man. But then in the corruption of the church and its prevalent power, it may be a reason why none but those who receive the love of the truth should escape. But this power of the word by the Spirit acting on, not judged by, man, supposes the unbeliever; all else is no faith at all. But the church has the Spirit and the word, and the spiritual man judges all things.
Hence then, I first take the ground, that the word of God received on authority, is a rejection of God's testimony. If I receive an account of another because you put your name to it, it is because I do not believe the person who gives the account. God may providentially make it to be received where this genuine faith is not, but then it is not saving. To be saving it must be faith in God; "he that hath received his testimony, has set to his seal that God is true:" he who demands the church's authority to receive it has not. God may have used all manner of means of preserving, and even authenticating the testimony, and so He has in many as we might expect; and I believe that the scriptures were committed to the church to keep -- not to authorise, but to keep, as I keep a document safe. I give it no authority. It has its own. But I keep it safe. Now God, I believe, providentially has done this. But then the Roman body has decidedly failed in this, because at the Council of Trent, which is with them of divine authority, (it) has declared that to be scripture which declares itself not to be so. That is for example the [second book of] Maccabees, which concludes by saying, If I have done well, it is as befits the subject; if ill, it is according to my ability. Now it is profane to suppose for an instant that that is the Holy Ghost's inditing. The Prologus Galeatus indeed of Jerome, generally prefixed to the Vulgate, declares that the Apocryphal books are not scripture. Many other passages from the Apocrypha could be adduced, such as that the offerings for the dead were those dead in mortal sin -- that there are three contrary accounts of the death of Antiochus -- but I prefer the fact that one book of the Maccabees declares it is not scripture, as above. Moreover, it is well known, that Sixtus V., acting under the authority of the Council of Trent, promulgated as the only authentic word of God an edition of the Vulgate, which was suppressed, because his successor Clement altered it in two thousand places; five copies only of it are in existence. Clement's bears in appearance its name. It has been in no sense, what the church ought to be, a faithful keeper of the "oracles of God committed" to it.
But, after all, clever as Mr. Wiseman is, it is a vicious circle he is in; he takes the scripture as an authentic book. This itself then he supposes may be done. But if authentic, in the first place, it is clearly inspired, as any one who reads it may see -- that is, it gives us (to say the very least, for I think it goes further) an authentic account of the actual authoritative teaching of Paul, Peter, James, John, Jude, and of the Lord Himself. If this be so, I have no need of the church to receive its doctrine as divine. The authentic record of Christ's words and the apostles' teaching, gives me a divine instruction directly, which no reference to a derivative authority can set aside; because the body which would set aside or call in question the authority of that from which it derives, is not derivative from it at all. If it be then authentic, I have the original divine instructions which founded, formed, and guided the church itself at first. If it be not authentic, then to find that the church was founded proves nothing, for if not authentic, I do not know it is true. If I am to receive the church from it, I certainly can receive Christ's and all the apostles' words from it directly. But I may go further. If it be not inspired as well as authentic, and if I do not know it to be so, I have no inspired warrant, that is, no divine warrant for hearing the church at all. So that on this ground you cannot set up the authority of the church, without setting up previously the authority of scripture itself. The authenticity proves inspiration, or it gives no inspired authority for the church, and I hear all Christ's and the apostles' inspired words, as well as that as to the church. For if I receive something a person says, and not the rest, I receive none of it on his authority.
But indeed, when I examine the point further, I find the authority of this authentic book shewing me plainly a church indeed established, that is an assembly, but quite the contrary to the conclusion drawn from it. I find the test, of being of God, as to doctrine, to be, hearing the apostles themselves, "he that is of God heareth us." But I have their authentic words in this book. I am not of God, if I do not hear them, themselves, as the guard against error. When I turn to hearing the church, I find not a word about doctrine at all, but a case of discipline (any rules of which, according to Catholic doctrine, are not binding unless where received, though decreed by a Council; though they allege decrees on faith are. The discipline of the Council of Trent was not everywhere received). It is a question of wrong done, carried to two or three, and at last before the assembly, and if the wronging party will not mind the whole body, he may be avoided by the offended one as a heathen. Whereas, I find the scriptures referred (to) as the security in perilous times, and the certainty of having received the doctrines from the apostles, personally, -- "knowing of whom." I find the Lord (whose words all of us would bow to as divine) yet preferring, as to the medium of communication, the written word; "if they believe not his writings, how shall they believe my words" -- "they have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them."
Now if we separate the rule of faith from the means of communicating Christ's religion -- which last all admit may be, and is now fallible (consequently, the individual priest) -- where is their accessible rule? Is it in the acts of nineteen Councils (and which are they? For you are aware that Romanists are not agreed which the nineteen are), acts in Latin moreover, or in Greek? Where is this accessible rule of faith? And now further, Romanists are not agreed what the rule is. Ultra-montanes hold the Pope infallible. Cis-montanes hold he is not. Many, as the Councils of Constance and Basle, hold that they had authority to act independent of and superior to the Pope. At the time of the former there were two Popes. The Council deposed them and chose another, who (Martin V.) dissolved the Council. Is the Council of Constance a general council? If so, it has given an authority in matters of faith quite different from the Papal advocates; and it acted on it and deposed the Popes; and yet if it had not this authority, the whole succession of the popedom is founded on a schismatical act. However that may be, the authority on matters of faith Romanists are not agreed on. Not only so, but these Councils have decreed things against the Pope's authority, and he against theirs. The acts at Basle the Pope declared void after the departure of his legate, having transferred the Council elsewhere, though only a part left. But further, the Council of Chalcedon declared the equality of the Sees of Constantinople and Rome. This Pope Leo rejected.
Now if a Roman Catholic say, I am not learned enough for all this; then I reply, Where is the simplicity and accessibleness of their rule of faith? For this is it. If you say, But I trust my priest; then you are on confessedly fallible ground. I had much rather trust, with God's help by the Spirit, the writings of Paul and Peter and John, etc., addressed to all saints -- expressly so addressed. How fallible this is you may suppose, when I tell you that in the four standard catechisms published by the authority of different Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland, there are not the same lists of the seven deadly sins. But this is by the bye. But is not there a fearfully upsetting thing, that the moment I do turn to the Bible -- take the Roman translation -- I find it sets aside all the cardinal points of Romanism.
For instance, the Mass -- I read, there is no more oblation for sin. I am told by the highest authority of the Roman system, that the Mass is a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the living and the dead. Yet take away this, and all Romanism falls. Again, there is one Mediator. Now the Roman system makes many, and in fact more referred to than to Christ. And it is in vain to say that it is only as praying. Their merits are positively acted on in the Missal, and the Virgin Mary is called upon to save us now and at the hour of death. Nay, so far is this carried, that the Confiteor on which absolution is received, leaves out Christ altogether.
The inadequacy of the scriptures to give unity is a mere claptrap. Has Rome produced it? Clearly not, unless by blood. Look at it from without. Authority, they say, was in the church from the beginning; if not, it is new, and good for nothing. Well, did it preserve unity? Witness the Greeks, Nestorians, Jacobites. Earlier, the Novatian system, Paulicians: Protestants -- half professing Christendom at this moment is outside their unity. But their authority being alleged to be the original effectual thing, it is clear then it has failed to preserve it. They tried by fire and blood when Protestantism arose, but in half Europe in vain. Present facts then prove its inadequacy to this end. To say that it promotes unity among those subject to it, is merely what the smallest sect in Christendom would say too. I remember a poor Romanist telling me nine-and-thirty religions arose out of the Bible. I told him I suppose his did, or it was good for nothing, which he admitted, and I told him then there were forty. And really the argument is worth no more! Nothing can produce unity, but the teaching and power of the Spirit of God.
Ever affectionately yours.
MY VERY DEAR BROTHER, -- ... I suspect many brethren have had expectations, which never led me out, and which perplexed their minds when they were not met in practice. I never felt my testimony, for example, to be to the ability of the Holy Ghost to rule a visible body. That I do not doubt, but I doubt its proper application now as a matter of testimony. It does not become us. My confidence is in the certainty of God's blessing and maintaining us, if we take the place we are really in. That place is one of the general ruin of the dispensation. Still, I believe God has provided for the maintenance of its general principle (save persecution); that is, the gathering of a remnant into the comfort of united love by the power and presence of the Holy Ghost, so that Christ could sing praises there. All the rest is a ministry to form, sustain, etc.
Amongst other things government may have its place; but it is well to remember that, in general, government regards evil, and therefore is outside the positive blessing, and has the lowest object in the church. Moreover, though there be a gift of government, in general, government is of a different order from gift. Gift serves, ministers; hardly government. They may be united as in apostolic energy; elders were rather the government, but they were not gifts. It is specially the order of the governmental part which I believe has failed, and we are to get on without that, at least in a formal way. But I do not believe that God has therefore not provided for such a state of things.
I do believe brethren a good deal got practically out of their place, and the consciousness of it, and found their weakness; and the Lord is now teaching them. For my part, when I found all in ruin around me, my comfort was that, where two or three were gathered together in Christ's name, there He would be. It was not government or anything else I sought. Now I do believe that God is faithful, and able to maintain the blessing. I believe the great buildings and great bodies have been a mistake: indeed, I always did. Further, I believe now (though it were always true in practice) the needed dealing with evil must be by the conscience in grace. So St. Paul ever dealt, though he had the resource of a positive commission. And I believe that two or three together, or a larger number, with some having the gift of wisdom in grace, can, in finding the mind of the Lord, act in discipline; and this, with pastoral care, is the main spring of holding the saints together in Matthew 18. This agreeing together is referred to as the sign of the Spirit's power.
I do not doubt that some may be capable of informing the consciences of others. But the conscience of the body is that which is ever to be acted upon and set right. This is the character of all healthful action of this kind, though there may be a recourse in present apostolic power, which, where evil has entered, may be wanting; but it cannot annul "if two of you shall agree ... it shall be done." So that I see not the smallest need of submission to popery (that is, carnal unity by authority in the flesh), nor of standing alone, because God has provided for a gathering of saints together, founded on grace, and held by the operation of the Spirit which no doubt may fail from want of grace, but in which every remaining gift has its scope; in which Christ's presence and the operation of the Spirit is manifested, but must be maintained on the ground of the condition the church really is in, or it would issue in a sect arranged by man, with a few new ideas. Where God is trusted in the place and for the place we are in, and we are content to find Him infallibly present with us, there I am sure He is sufficient and faithful to meet our wants. If there be one needed wiser than any of the gathered ones in a place, they will humbly feel their need; and God will send some one as needed, if He sees it the fit means.
There is no remedy for want of grace but the sovereign goodness that leads to confession. If we set up our altar, it will serve for walls. (Ezra 3: 3.) The visibility God will take care of, as He always did; the faith of the body will be spoken of, and the unity in love manifest the power of the Holy Ghost in the body. I have no doubt of God's raising up for need, all that need requires in the place where He has set us in understanding. If we think to set up the church again, I would say, God forbid. I had rather be nearer the end to live and to die for it in service, where it is, as dear to God: that is my desire and life ... .
BELOVED BRETHREN, -- I saw so very few of you before I left, and for such a little moment, that I felt anxious to write a line, being separated from you in presence and not in heart.
When I took my place, my heart misgave me a little at leaving you all, but on looking to the Lord I felt it was more my natural heart, and that I was in the path of faith in going to France. I found on going home from the Friday prayer meeting, a letter which confirmed me in the purpose of going speedily, but what at the same time will shorten my absence some weeks at any rate, nor indeed is it my present purpose to be long out of England; my thought is to visit the south of France and return at once, or at any rate make no stay in Switzerland. The same faith which has led me, and made me feel right to go, gives me confidence, beloved brethren, that the Lord will keep you to the blessed testimony of His own faithfulness and grace.
I would urge upon you walking in thorough unity, shewing all confidence one in the other, and casting all that may arise at once on God. His faithfulness to His church and people who trust in Him is infallible, and He cannot but help you in all for which you look to Him. I do not doubt His care over you. I trust that those who take part in any service needed for all, will do it together with common consultation, and that it will be done diligently as a duty. I say this, dear brethren, because uneasiness creeps in where this is neglected, and soon produces discomfort, which hinders both unity and blessing. It is written, "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." There is another thing I have on my heart to say, that is, as far as brethren can, they should visit others; of course, they must wait on the Lord's leading for it, but it will minister to fellowship and unity in brotherly love, and that is our joy, beloved brethren. For the rest I commend you to the Lord; He will guide you in waiting upon Him. If we assume nothing at all beyond what we are, a company of poor saints waiting upon God according to His will, we shall infallibly meet Him in blessing.
I believe we are not properly aware, few, at least, of the unfeigned importance of the position He has set us in, in testimony of separation from evil and waiting on Him. But the secret of all strength in it is, assuming nothing -- not expecting to be like other Christians, as the Israelites, who would have a king like the Amorites and other nations, and thus falling back into the common path of unbelief, but truly waiting upon God. If there be gift, blessing Him for it, but swift to hear and slow to speak, counting God's presence more precious than all, and -- while desiring God's ordinance in the testimony of His word to sinners, and if any can give a public testimony, accepting it -- not counting the routine of a sermon necessary to the course of the saints.
Peace be with you, beloved brethren. May the Lord give you to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. Give my love to dear old S.; I do trust that the brethren will visit him now that he cannot come out. Again, peace be with you all.
P.S. -- Since I came up I have other letters which make it probable that I could not stay in Switzerland if so disposed; at least, the French troops are on the frontiers, and the Swiss have been marched to watch them. The brethren at Rawstorne Street are getting on quietly and happily, and though my toil, I doubt not, is not yet closed as to service, of which I am persuaded none of the brethren scarce know at all the evil met, yet I have been greatly encouraged and comforted.
I have a letter from dear -- , who is arrived at Bombay, and happily lodged at a Christian's; he says, "And I pray also the Lord that the brethren at Plymouth, who are simply gathered in the Lord's name, may never be dismayed in looking at their own weakness in meeting, but be glad that there is nothing to look to but to Him who is in heaven, the only One all eyes are fixed on, and that the brethren may constantly look for Him who will come and not tarry: yet a little while and we shall see Him face to face. In the moment we limit His coming, unconnected with any circumstances, we begin to make our nest in the foliage of this world. And the dear brethren too at Plymstock I do never forget; give to all of them my most affectionate salutations."
It is a long letter, with all the details of his voyage, and some interesting particulars as to his search into the prophetic question, which I cannot here give. Peace be with you, most beloved brethren. Be of good cheer. Glory with Christ is ours; the love of Christ is ours. Only let us trust the Lord, and we know not how much blessing is in store for us, though we ought to know how faithful, how infallibly faithful He is. The Lord has led out several to labour here of the younger brethren, and I have found others whom I trust He is so leading. I trust quite He is working. He has led me wonderfully every step of the way.
[W Kelly] DEAR BROTHER, -- My head and paper alike warn me to close. I think of being off to-morrow (D. V.) direct for France, and am hurried too. Peace be with you, and nearness to Jesus, dear brother; that is our strength and joy. Having been in the third heaven did not give the strength; it in a certain sense necessitated the weakness, and then the strength came in. We do not know how to be weak, that is our weakness.
Dear G V Wigram, -- There is certainly progress and blessing here, though perhaps there needs some one of energy to pursue and instrumentally give tone to the work. But the Lord will do it in His mercy. He has blessed and been with the brethren, and works in these countries, and the testimony they bear in weakness is telling in a general consciousness that the church belongs to Christ, not to the world, and must lean on Him and wait for Him. There is on the whole very definite progress, and the Lord has been with the brethren -- as I said, a little energy called for, but what there is for good has been with the brethren, and people's consciences have been acted on. I have had persons to hear me who never came near before, and many desirous though fearing to break with the world.
It is very doubtful if I should be allowed in Switzerland, that is Vaud. I have my heart quite towards working in England, but feel I was led of the Lord here, and owed it to them. The Lord enable me to fill up my service. I fear I do not make full proof of my ministry. Love to all the saints.
Your affectionate brother in Christ.
[To the same.] Dearest G V Wigram, -- As to me and my work, I have, the Lord be thanked, been blessed in it hitherto. At St. Hippolyte, where it was at a stand in a measure, though the Lord had a people, and there were souls waiting as it were for the fire to be put, there has been an evident working of the Spirit of God, and that in the hearts as it would seem of the most obdurate. At the Vigan, where I spent some days, I was happy with the brethren. At Montpellier the Lord is working, but things will hardly rest as they are; some will go on, and some I should suppose go back (though I trust I may be mistaken), when a certain quantity of light is sure to call for a certain quantity of self-denial. The work is not altogether in the position I should desire it; perhaps I want faith, but there is much that is interesting and souls desirous. The heat has become excessive. It is generally so in July and August, but this year in May it is, as their meetings are in small rooms, become difficult. I suppose I must go to Switzerland, but my thought of work as when I left, is here ... .
The great difficulty is the desire of Free Churches and Evangelical Alliances to save trouble and conscience. -- declares there are profound evils in the National Church, but they wait for some violent blow which will trouble all their consciences, and they will go out together. By this means it is sought to retain them within the circle of the Establishment; but for plain consciences, under the power of the Spirit of God, this will not do ... .
We have great need of labourers; may the Lord of the harvest raise them up, for indeed the harvest is great, and the fields whiten for it. It ought to be a subject of our prayers, that God raise up real labourers, such as He loves and can use. It is the great need here; why should we not know how to present our needs before Him, whose glory and work all this is? this is our folly. Dear G., I shall feel his loss, for he loved Jesus much, and I loved him, but I am not surprised at his death nor his joy. It remains for us to work yet while it is called day. It is our glory also.
I have undertaken again a Synopsis of the Books of Scripture, and written in French on Genesis, Exodus, and half Leviticus -- some 70 pages or so already. It runs longer than I thought, and will after all be very imperfect. I fear souls may content themselves with it, instead of using it as a help to read the blessed word with. I feel almost afraid in presence of the task I have begun, though it be full of interest and instruction in doing it, but not to give the aim right, which would be very sad. I feel my responsibility much, though we may have pleasure in the study.
Kindest love to all the dear brethren, both in London and at Plymouth, when you see them. The Lord has care over these dear brethren; that He holds them under His hand is no sign that He does not love them; whatever of the energy of the flesh there might have been in separation, as often there is, is thus subdued and chastened. I have not at all got estranged from England; the work in the south of France however claims attention ... . I wait only the Lord's will, but it is an important moment for Nismes and Montpellier and all the Gard, but requires to set to work in the sense that there is work to be done, and that the Lord gives something whereby to help them. Peace and blessing be with you, dear brother.
[From the French.] -- - We must distinguish between responsibility and dependence, while fully owning the former, which it is, I think, most important to maintain in its integrity. But if we take this principle alone we are necessarily discouraged. The thought of dependence on God includes the power of Him on whom we depend ... . Come what may, God is faithful in His love: His grace never fails. Oh that we may have more faith to know how to bring His love into everything, for the blessing of His church, and of His children!
Brethren here needed to be stirred up, but I hope that God is blessing them. It is wonderful how near one can be to the spring, and yet, like poor Hagar, not see it. The bottle does not hold out in the desert ... . It seems to me, according to my feeble apprehension, that the responsibility of the Christian keeps him constantly on the qui vive, like a sentinel at an advanced post, and that there is for such a soul an exercise which sometimes makes him afraid of failing in it, which must of necessity deprive it of joy and courage. However, we need to be given understanding in all things (2 Timothy 2: 7), so as not to lean too much to one side as to responsibility; and so that, while wishing to be led by grace, we should not return to the law. On the other hand, conscious dependence leaves to God all the glory of His work in the soul of the faithful one, as it is said, and the results of this dependence honour the One who gives the desire and the power to walk in it.
[to a poor brother at Bath] VERY DEAR BROTHER, -- I have heard little in the way of news since I left England. A letter dear -- wrote to me in April I only received in June. Since then I heard from -- , both of whom, in the midst of other matters, mention that the question of Mr. N.'s coming to Bath had been raised there. As I understand, our brother B. has laid his ground of objection in the doctrines Mr. N. taught. I am entirely ignorant of what brethren at Bath have done, but it is fair that they should know what is in question, if the question be raised. Now I entirely agree with dear B. in the difficulty he raises. I am satisfied that Mr. N. is unsound in the most important fundamental doctrines, so that if no Plymouth question had been raised, I never could consent that souls should be under his teaching. I am perfectly satisfied that he undermines the truth of Christ's Person, and justification by faith, and that he has done so, and made souls miserable by it; but I know that he would deny it all, and state opposite statements with the greatest force, or if pinned to a statement made, explain it all away the moment it was objected to. All these things have happened, and I should be prepared with instances ... but it is well that brethren should know that Mr. N. and the whole five stand accused of systematic falsehood where there is no heresy at all. -- has declared that their statements were so utterly false, so entirely untrue, that not only he would not break bread, but that as an honest man and a Christian, much as he loved some of them, he would not sit down in the same room with them. For my own part, I can only say, I never saw such effrontery and falsehood in all my life. Mr. J. L. H. declared that had Mr. N. been an attorney or an officer he would have been struck off the rolls. Mr. McA. and Mr. N. confirm, as far as they are concerned in it, their testimony. Mr. R. H. declined further correspondence, it grew so bad, and they had to reject the testimony of their own friends in London to get rid of the proof of falsehood there: the path was such as left no trace of doubt in the minds of brethren ... .
The assumption of position by these brethren in the assembly is such, that no person who has any conscience could admit of it; it is pure popery. Now it would be very easy to gain a reputation, dear brother, for charity, by passing loosely over all these things. But as I am convinced that it is the power of Satan, and that they corrupt every soul they have to say to, the service of the Lord and faithfulness to Christ are more important than a good reputation and the favour of man. I could easily, being here, avoid the responsibility, but I do not choose to run away from the difficulty when my brethren are in it ... . This is my feeling as to the dear brethren at Bath. They have a right to know what they are about. A great body of beloved brethren are from personal acquaintance convinced that it is the work of Satan. They can say why; and nothing would induce them to go where these persons were. The brethren, if it is proposed to them to receive them, or even if they come to attract them by smooth speeches and fine words, have a right to know on what ground they refuse to have anything to say to a meeting where they are. Many have declared why, as before the brethren in London, and have entirely satisfied them, the rest refusing to come. Brethren must feel, that supposing they receive persons, whom the brethren best informed and who owe fidelity to Jesus, believe to be doing a work of Satan, it is impossible for them who have this feeling to go along in any way with those whom they judge such.
Peace is pleasant, but it could not be purchased by making terms or being at concord with Satan, or those who produce his fruits in the church. My own conviction, I need not say, is most decided, and unqualified decision is my only path. The more I weigh, the more decided I am. Four other brethren have declared that they have the conscience of having been under the direct power of Satan whilst giving in to them. I have seen besides many souls delivered from it, where it was as evident as a first conversion. I have not seen one who gave in to it, who maintained his integrity. This will make you feel, however reluctant some may be to say what they know and have said in private, or when the Lord forced them to it, that where there is fidelity there is decision, and that indecision is unfaithfulness, and that is all.
The principles now in print would suffice to deter any one who owned that the Spirit of God was in the assembly of the saints.
Perhaps the brethren have already acted; of this I know nothing. All I desire is that brethren be aware of what is in question -- systematic and constant untruth, declared such by very many grave and serious brethren. Any attempt to clear, in the absence of those able to bring forward the facts and question the parties from knowing what it was about, would be far worse than no clearance at all.
Your affectionate brother in Christ.
[From abroad, exact date uncertain.]
-- As in the Psalms, I do not at all admit that they are all the language of our Lord. Even as to some in which His voice is unquestionably heard, there are other voices also. For instance (Psalm 102), where the cry of the blessed Jesus is answered in words quoted by the apostle in Hebrews 1, as addressed to our Lord by God Himself. So in Psalms 20 and 21 it is rather the voice of those who pray and give thanks on behalf of Jehovah's Anointed that we hear than His own. At least they express their interest and concurrence in His desires, and then acknowledge how all these desires are fulfilled to the uttermost. I have no doubt that in all the Psalms the Spirit of Christ is to be heard, and that the grand theme of that Spirit's utterance is "the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow." But all this does not prove that the Psalms were all uttered by Christ as His own language at the time He was here on earth. Some of them were so uttered without doubt. But as to most of the Psalms, they have evidently a different character.
There is a well-known passage in Romans 8: 26, 27, which, more clearly than anything, illustrates, as it seems to me, the character of the Psalms. In Romans 8 the intercession is that of the Spirit in Christians, and therefore according to the place given us and the calling wherewith we are called. In the Psalms it is the remnant of Israel that is in question. But how is the passage in Romans 8 to be understood? We who pray know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the indwelling Spirit helps our infirmities, making intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. How are the prayers thus inwrought by the Spirit of God? Not according to the poor, feeble, measure of our personal intelligence and desires, but according to the perfect expression of these requests by the Spirit, and according to the value and acceptance of Christ and His work, through which it is that the Holy Ghost has come to make our bodies His abode. "He that searcheth the hearts knoweth" (it does not say our mixed, feeble, imperfect desires, but) "what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to God." His intercessions are according to God; while, alas! our apprehensions and utterance of them always fall short of this. Still, what the Searcher of hearts finds in us -- that which He hears and receives -- is this mind of the Spirit -- this intercession of His according to God.
Now it is something analogous to this that we find in the Psalms. The circumstances are different: it is another body of people; and in general the blessings sought for are different. The people are the Jewish remnant; the circumstances in many, perhaps most, of the Psalms, are those of the final tribulation through which these chosen ones are to pass; and where this is not the case, the circumstances are those of one period or another, past or future, in the history of the remnant. The blessings sought for differ in two very important respects from those for which we should seek. On the one hand the supplicants evidently do not stand in the consciousness of God's manifested favour, as the church now stands; and, on the other, they seek deliverance from their complicated and unexampled afflictions by imploring the execution of righteous judgment on their adversaries. In the Psalms we have the confessions, the prayers, the lamentations, the faith, the hopes, the thanksgivings, the worship of this chosen remnant; not according to the feebleness and imperfectness with which they may be actually uttered, but according to the perfect expression of them by the Spirit of Christ, who did identify Himself with this remnant in a most special manner, and whose Spirit will as truly incite in them the desires, etc., thus expressed, as He does now make intercession for the saints with groanings which cannot be uttered.
As to the remnant, and Christ's identification of Himself with it, several points need to be observed. First, there always was such a remnant, from the time that Israel became apostate, till the time when "the remnant according to the election of grace" became, along with the Gentile converts to the faith of Christ, the church of the living God. I suppose, too, we all agree that there will be such a remnant in the days to come. Further, there have been times of crisis in Israel's history, when the remnant, or those composing it, have been brought into special distinctness. David and his companions, whether in the days of Saul or of Absalom; Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and in general, the prophets; and then most especially the disciples of our Lord during His sojourn below, furnish specimens of what the remnant was in the several critical periods in which they lived. Ezra and Nehemiah, with the returned captives of their day, afford another example.
Now I do confess that, as far as I have any light on these subjects, it seems to me incontestable, that it was with this remnant, not with the nation at large, that Jesus in grace identified Himself. And, whatever may be the measure of the manifested favour of God, or whatever the amount of spiritual intelligence enjoyed by this remnant in any period, past or future; and whatever may be their circumstances of outward trial; and in whatever degree their outward trials may be augmented by the lack of that assurance of God's favour, in the knowledge of accomplished redemption which it is our happy privilege to enjoy; their relation to God is one of peace and blessing, and that by virtue of the perfect sacrifice of Christ. They are not at once introduced into the knowledge and power of this relation, as we are immediately on believing in Jesus. They have to endure all the outward afflictions which are contained in their cup of sorrow, with the far deeper anguish of receiving them as the tokens of God's righteous displeasure against the sins of the whole nation, with which sins they identify themselves in confession and humiliation before God. But then, the very fact of their thus confessing their own and their nation's sins, distinguishes them from that nation, and shews that they are the people of God's choice. And, however dark may be their condition outwardly, and even inwardly as to any sense they have of God's dealings with them; and however unheeded their cry may seem to be, and this is surely the bitterest ingredient in their cup; yet, that cry is the cry of the Spirit of Christ in them, and He, blessed be His name! did, in the days of His flesh, and that too, in circumstances most similar, anticipate all their affliction. He did in spirit, as identifying Himself with them, pass through it all; yea, and more, for He did, as we rejoice to know, bear all their sins as well as ours in His own body on the tree. He thus endured atoningly the wrath which they dread; and the sense of their having deserved it, that is, this wrath, draws forth lamentations and mourning from their hearts. Where now is the difficulty in apprehending how Christ could and did voluntarily enter in spirit into all the depths of their agony and distress, and thus give expression to it all before God according to the perfectness of His apprehension of their state, and of what the claims of divine majesty and holiness are? He thus prepared for them utterances which will be perfectly, because divinely, adapted to their state when they are in it; and which will constitute a cry as entirely "according to God" as are now the intercessions of the indwelling Spirit in the saints of the present dispensation. This is as widely different a thing as possible from Christ being by birth associated with the natural condition of man and of Israel, so as to be Himself in it, and so as to need to be extricated, or to extricate Himself therefrom.
It is, of course, agreed by all, that for them, as well as for us, Christ made atonement. In several of the Psalms, we distinctly hear Christ Himself pouring out the sorrows of His own soul to God, as thus bearing our sin and theirs, confessing them as His own, and appealing (wondrous, affecting, unexampled fact!) to the God -- His God -- who had forsaken Him! owning Him in such words as, "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." It is on the alone ground of this atoning work, that any sinner can be brought into acceptable relationship to God. It is on this ground that the remnant we are contemplating are brought into such a relationship. Now it was with the remnant of His day that our Lord did associate Himself when on earth. From the mass of the nation He did entirely disassociate Himself. Even the closest ties of kindred in the flesh had to give way. "Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, my sister, and mother." (So also in Psalm 16: 2-3.) There "the excellent of the earth, with whom," says Christ, "is all my delight," are set by Him in contrast with "those who hasten after another god." He identifies Himself with the one class; He utterly disowns the other. In like manner it was with the remnant of every period, that His sympathies, as expressed in the Psalms, were found. And such were, I doubt not, His sympathies, that He did enter in spirit fully into all that they had, or have yet to endure; but the language in which this sympathy is expressed must not be understood as His language personally, as to His own relationship to God; but as their language, in which, by the Spirit of Christ, what becomes them in their state is uttered; and uttered, not in the measure of their dark and imperfect apprehensions, but according to the perfectness of the Spirit, who incites the desires, and has prepared this perfect vehicle for their expression.+
+[Year uncertain. Published in 1859 as an "Extract from a Letter written long ago," probably occasioned by "Observations on a Tract entitled, Remarks on the Sufferings of the Lord Jesus," etc., London 1847. (See Collected Writings, Volume 15 page 52.)]
Dearest G V Wigram, -- Here I should think the exercises they have gone through have acted healthfully, though they have not yet borne all the fruit, and some help is a little wanting to lead them to judge the bearing of the Lord's ways; but we are all happy as far as I know, except two, who I trust may become so, though they would be more or less exercised I dare say if left at once again. But the Lord is infallibly faithful, and never leaves His sheep, nor fails in dealing with them, though that may indeed run across our ways sometimes, and so much the better if they are not His. The sifting was, I judge, needed and natural.
I trust the brethren will walk quietly, humbly and graciously. The Lord is evidently working for the deliverance of brethren; however little we have deserved it in glorifying Him, still I believe His testimony is with us. He may cause many to learn things they might not be disposed to, but He will abundantly bless if they wait upon Him and keep the word of His patience. I think through the Lord's mercy things are getting into more healthful and divine action here, but I am very slow and feeble in my movements.
[To the same.] Dearest G V Wigram, -- I write a line just to say I am arrived here, but before I can pretend to give much detail on the state of things. I trust the Lord will bless the work, but most of it has to be done here; they are slow, but there is good, which encourages.
It appears that in Switzerland two have been killed, but I have certainty of detail of only one, a woman, a wanton outrage of an individual. A man said he would have the satisfaction of firing at a momier's house, and did so; a woman just then came out of the stable, and received two balls, and died in six hours; she had been at our meeting; she died in peace, forgiving the man. They meet, and on the whole there is blessing, and they are happy. The Lord is working on in His grace.
I have received your letter. S -- 's confession made me happy. I do not say his soul is fully restored, but what there is is true. I have written to him. I should look always distinctly and jealously that there was a full and definite, honest and clear recognition in small and great that they had been under the delusion of Satan, and were glad when they were out of it, without pourparlers and conditions; but when I saw this real, I should open my arms and prevent them with kindness ... .
We must wait to see the Lord's hand, and deal with individuals in grace according to God: but what an instruction and humbling for all! But it is rather a moment to be quiet, unless or until God give some new call to serve in the matter ... .
People have not seen the end yet, but it will come.
I do not bate one particle of the decision of the position I am in ... . Act graciously and humbly through the Lord's goodness, but firmly from God. It is not a time to let the enemy in when he has been discovered. Kindest love to all the dear brethren. I trust they walk in peace.
Ever your affectionate brother.
Montpellier, January 11th, 1848.
[To the same.] Dear G V Wigram, -- Matters are changed, as I intimated in my last. Error and the love of error are very distinct things. The assembly and leaders must be treated as loving error if one has to deal with them now; individuals may be different. But the world and Satan are at the bottom of it all ... .
I trust the Lord may enable the brethren to walk peacefully in the simplicity of the gospel, through the hubbub the enemy may make about religion. Ebrington Street was an awful school to come out of, but the Lord is mighty and gracious. I reserve all my dealings for the time the Lord may bring me into them, and trust His grace to order by the way ... . Discipline supposes moral competency. Whatever tenderness I may feel towards individuals, and I trust it is most fully my feeling and my heart joyfully open to them as it is, as to things I feel I am on the ground of testimony against known and convicted evil, a ground I do not feel disposed to leave, save so far as the evil is done with, and then of course it is remembered no more. I am very glad you spoke so strongly of the Table, it was an omission in mine. But I return with full quiet abiding conviction to my original statement. I do not, as I never have from the time I left, own it as the Lord's table at all, but indeed quite the contrary.
The work opens here, and even at Nismes, apparently the most difficult, but the place for which I have perhaps the greatest confidence. We want a positive testimony in work, for nobody defends what exists -- all hold it bad, though not leaving it; but I wait on the Lord. At Nismes I have a growing beginning of work, where it is in spite of the world if they come. In the village large congregations come to get blessing, where a while back they were determined not to let us in, but it is blessing to souls, including growth in apprehension, without question of principles -- as far as I am concerned, at least.
Montpellier, February 16th, 1848.
Yours faithfully, X.
[1833.]
"G"
[1845]
1846.