Taken from a Letter from a French Christian, in connection with "Revivals" and "Alliances."
That which is given for his guidance to the Christian is, not God's blessings, but His will, as revealed in the Word. Precious blessings will, doubtless, be found in the path of faith; God is there, with all His riches and all His grace: the enjoyment of these is most precious; but it is not our guide; it may at times help us to discern what is pleasing to God; but that which is the spring and controller of our actions is not the joy we find by the way, but the express will of God, and it alone.
There is a disposition which is but too natural to us, to seek our own, to have respect for that which is pleasant to us, and to take our own comfort or feelings for guides. But obedience to the will of God is a very different thing: the two principles of action are diametrically opposed one to the other. In the first, case, self is the object sought; in the second, that which is suitable to God. It is only in the second case that there is obedience.
I feel alarmed when I think of the number (greater than might be supposed) of those who pursue their course without clearly seeing what they are doing, without principles, and without the knowledge of the will of God; and, it may be, simply because Christians whom they respect have chosen the same path before them; or because they have found at times more life, joy, or light where they are, than elsewhere. Better motives or convictions they have none. What will become of such in the hour of trial? What perplexity, anxiety, await them! and perhaps even temptations to return to some other path which they have left! God can indeed give more strength after a fall; but it were far better not to have to pass through such experience.
Besides, enjoyment is not always a sure guide: it may be wanting even when things are, as a whole, according to God's mind, where there still remain things to be judged. The very presence of God is the cause of many a discomfort which God's children feel within themselves and among them, because there is sin: their discomfort would not be felt if God were absent. For this reason, souls that have followed the blessing, instead of understanding the will and truth of God, are so shaken when blessing fails, and God comes in to judge; whilst he who understands and obeys the will of God is on a sure foundation-the day may be dark, but he has confidence, and in this there is much peace.
It is always in a faithful walk that most trials are to be met with. Satan lets alone those who do not walk by faith; but he harasses in a thousand ways those whose hearts are right, and whose eye is single before God. Christian assemblies which are faithful, will likewise know most of trial.
They who follow a path simply on account of the blessing and comfort they have found in it, are, in a, sense, like those to whom the Lord once said, "Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves" (John 7:2626But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? (John 7:26)). If they had given heed to these miracles, they alone would have proved Jesus to have been sent from the Father, and then they would have clung to Him as the One who had "the words of eternal life," and as being "Christ, the Son of the living God" (ver. 68, 69). In this case, their attachment to Jesus would have been unvarying, in spite of all trials. Instead of this, they had followed Jesus, not for His own sake, but for the sake of the loaves with which He had fed them: the loaves-their own comforts and enjoyments-and not the truth, had been sought for. When the soul is in this state, it may soon leave Jesus, because of the hard things which may be the lot of those that "walk with Him" (ver. 60, 65).
The history of the remnant brought back out of captivity to build the temple, amid so many difficulties, presents much instruction, on account of the similarity, in some respects, of their position and ours at the present time. To be in the city of their fathers, and to set up there as well as they could the worship of God, was doubtless great joy; but what a series of difficulties they met with in the execution of their design, though it was altogether according to the mind of God! What difficulties were raised on every side and then how much chastening, how many merited reproofs, and how many years of famine I How many causes for discouragement had they here, especially if they took into consideration the prosperity and peace of those of their brethren who had remained in captivity! It was not far from this time that Esther and Mordecai were made the means of such marked deliverance to the captives of Media. While there was deliverance, feasting, and joy on the one hand, there was poverty, weakness, and misery on the other. It was therefore needful, in order to be able to hold their position in Judea, that those who were there should understand the will and purposes of God; for had any one only sought blessing, he would soon have been discouraged. Did not some few of them bitterly regret leaving Babylon, when they saw the wretched state of the remnant? And yet they were just in the position in which God would have them. The name and Spirit of the Lord were there; there also were His prophets, His worship, and His Word: none of these were to be found in Media-neither His worship, nor His presence, nor even the name of the Lord, is once mentioned in Esther.
Remember, also, the horrible language of the Jews in Egypt; showing, alas! how Satan can blind the hearts of men when they only seek enjoyment, instead of the purpose and the will of God As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will note hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven.... as we have done.... in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine" (Jer. 44:16-1816As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. 17But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. 18But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. (Jeremiah 44:16‑18)). Prosperity in this world was one of the blessings of the Jewish covenant; but this terrible example shows us, that in the present case it had become a false light, leading them to destruction.
In connection with "revivals" and "the effects produced by the Evangelical Alliance," it has been asked, "Why is there so much blessing around, while there is none among those that walk with you?" I reply, that it is a mistake to suppose that there is none. If God makes us partakers in what He counts the most precious blessing, I cannot say there is none. The pains He takes to humble us, and to lower us in our own eyes, is a most precious and incontrovertible proof of the interest He most graciously takes in us. His work is to strip us of ourselves, of self, which is the greatest obstacle to our blessing. It is bitter water to the flesh, doubtless; but it is invaluable. If we have risen very high in our own conceits, on account of some little light (and our foolish pride has already brought us much sorrow), what better could God do for us, than to deliver us from that which hindered us from being vessels of blessing? As a disordered stomach turns sour the most healthful food, so every blessing which, in such a state, we might have received from God, would have proved a temptation, and would have served but to nourish the flesh.
Now, He is bringing us down to a state of heart in which there are fewer obstacles to His blessing us; and how precious is this Death is no longer an instrument of evil for our hurt in the hands of the devil; it is in the hand of Jesus, and He makes use of it (bitter as it may be) as a remedy, for our good. Therefore it would be a great mistake to say, "We have no blessings."
Neither let us forget the state of ruin into which the Church has fallen. We who preach this ruin are the first to feel the misery of it. We are far from having gathered all God's children, or from possessing all the gifts. We are also (unconsciously, perhaps) enslaved by many a worldly custom and principle; and in the little that remains we are unfaithful. These and many other things suffice as the explanation of the much trial and wretchedness which is often so painfully felt.
Then as to those who are bewildered by such things as "revivals" and "alliances." It is indeed beautiful when souls are really turned from darkness to light, and it is a great honor to be used of God for such a work; yet my object in separating myself from evil all around was neither evangelization, nor the conversion of souls;... and yet we have had to praise Him for the conversion of many souls, which have been given to us in past times and even of late. O no! I have no reason to envy any; but it is well for us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt us in due season.
As to the assertion, that the conversions, awakenings, etc., which have taken place in national churches, etc., prove that God authorizes and approves of the system in the midst of which such things occur, I decidedly and entirely reject it. God blesses His own Word, and gives also a blessing to the faithfulness of the one who preaches it with sincerity, candor, and zeal; but He will show, sooner or later, that, while acting in the system, the system itself could not meet His approval. Did not the Lord show this in the apostles' days? How many blessings were shed on the Judo-Christian Church at Jerusalem! " Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are that believe" (Acts 21:2020And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: (Acts 21:20)): and advantage could be taken of this to show that God approved that Judeo-Christian state of things-as also to wage war with those who did not link themselves with it, so as to slight the efforts of a Paul. But what was the fact of the case? God was there to bless His WORD and His sincere laborers; but the system was judged soon after, when Titus came to destroy the city, burn the temple, and scatter that oppressed nation. God can act in the system as in a vessel, but not with the principles of the system; for He never gives efficacy to a bad thing. (Signed) A. D.
[The writer of the above rejoices always when Christ is preached, and at every conversion by that name.
Speaking of union, he says elsewhere-" This word is loudly sounded forth now. The importance of union among Christians is in every one's mouth. But is the union proposed real? Is it the fruit of the means recognized in Scripture? Is its tendency the same? Many a uniting of Christians is union with the world, and tends to lead them back to multitudinism (i.e., union with the world), which is the negative of their having been separated from this present evil world. Such is but a snare of the enemy again to get into his possession that which had escaped from him; it is a snare of the enemy, and to be judged as such."]