1. “Ε. Μ.,” Kentish Town. We dare not attempt to pronounce a judgment in such a case as you name. Speaking generally, we quite believe that a child seven years old, with sound mental faculties, is responsible, according to the measure of light and religious privilege enjoyed. As to the special case in question, who can tell what may have passed between the precious soul and a Savior God, even at the very last moment? God forbid that any one should seek to rob a weeping parent of the ineffable consolation flowing from the persuasion that his precious child is with Jesus. We once heard of a man who fell from his horse and was converted ere he reached the ground. He used, in after life, to say, “Between the stirrup and the ground, I mercy sought, and mercy found.” Oh! dear friend, what cannot the rich, sovereign, abounding mercy of our God accomplish?
2. “H. J.,” Chatham. In Gal. 5:2121Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:21), the apostle is speaking of a class of persons who are characterized by the evil fruits specified in the context. The term “πρασ-σονης,” is characteristic. No doubt, a child of God, if not watchful, may fall into any of the sins referred to; but he is not characterized by them—he does not live in them— does not belong to the class who habitually commit such things. Should he, unhappily, be overtaken, he is restored by the advocacy of Christ, whose precious intercession procures for the erring one the grace of repentance, self-judgment, confession, and restoration. Such is the precious grace of God.
3. “Μ. H,” Twickenham. We do not see how “we could say that we formed part of the Church before, we were brought to believe in Christ, speaking as individuals.” How could persons living in unbelief and enmity be said to form part of the Church, save only in the purpose of God? In this latter sense, Saul formed part of the Church of God even when he was persecuting it; but he did not actually form a part of it until he was converted. The thing is simple enough.
4. “F. T.,” Bermondsey. The case which you have laid before us is, in our judgment, more a matter of spiritual feeling than of principle. Scripture is totally silent on the point, and therefore we must not legislate. We must beware of hampering the servants of Christ in their individual work, by any conventionalities of our own. We have the deepest sympathy with the evangelist and the Sunday school teacher. We claim for them a very broad margin—the very broadest indeed that can be yielded, without traversing the principles of the New Testament. We would not for the world throw stumbling blocks in their blessed pathway; and when we see any one disposed to do so, our earnest cry is, “For the Lord’s sake, and for precious souls’ sake, let them alone; why trouble ye them?” We feel persuaded, dear friend, that if our hearts were really filled with the love of Christ, and the intense desire to snatch souls from the flames of hell, we should not trouble ourselves or others as to whether we used a board, a handbill, or a bellman; our motto would be, “Do the work as well as you can; but do the work.” We desire to bow, with reverence, to the authority of holy scripture, in all things. We would treat conscience with the deepest respect. But as to crotchets and conventional rules, we are determined, by the grace of God, to give them as wide a berth as possible.
5. “J. S. S.” Isa. 57:1616For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. (Isaiah 57:16) sets forth the precious truth that God will not always be wrath, nor contend with His people Israel. There is rich mercy in store for them. There is a day coming in the which they shall look upon Him whom they pierced, and mourn. Then shall they prove the cleansing virtues of the fountain opened by the hand of sovereign grace, for sin and for uncleanness in the house of David. Bright and blessed day for Israel and for all the earth! May the Lord hasten it!
6. “G.E.,” Swansea. The “woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rev. 12:11And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: (Revelation 12:1)), symbolizes the nation of Israel, through whom Christ—“the man-child”—according to the flesh came. “The sun” is the symbol of supreme authority; “ the moon” of derivative; “the stars” of subordinate authority. Israel is destined to be the center of all God’s government on the earth. We have also, in this marvelous passage, the birth, the ascension, and future supremacy of the Messiah, together with all the abortive efforts of Satan in opposition. As to the sun, moon, and stars, see Joseph’s dream. As a sample of the dragon’s acting, see the conduct of Herod in Matthew 2. In the rapture of the man-child, you do not get the Church, as such, save as mysteriously involved, which it most surely is. We heartily thank you, dear friend, for your kind and encouraging communication. The Lord be praised!
7. “A. M.,” Shepherd’s Bush. Matt. 18:23-3523Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18:23‑35) does not refer to the question of “eternal life.” Its primary application is to the Jew and his mode of dealing with the Gentile. Notwithstanding the abounding mercy which God had shown to the Jew, the latter would not listen to the idea of mercy to the Gentile. The consequence is, as the apostle declares, “The wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.” (1 Thess. 2:1616Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. (1 Thessalonians 2:16), see the entire context.) The apostate nation will never be forgiven. A remnant will be saved, through grace, and become the nucleus of the restored nation. No doubt, dear friend, we professing Christians have to learn a very important lesson from this scripture, namely, the urgent necessity of cultivating a forgiving spirit. If we fail to act in grace, we are in danger of losing the sense of grace in our own souls. How dreadful for one who has been forgiven all his sins, to drag a fellow sinner to the judgment-seat on account of a little money! Let us note particularly the closing words of our Lord, “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also to you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.” This marks the application of the entire passage to our Father’s governmental dealings with us, from day to day. It is a terrible thing for a professing Christian to harbor an unforgiving spirit. We do not see how it is possible for such to have any real sense of grace, or any communion with God; nor should we wonder to find such given over to the most tormenting feelings, as the expression of God’s judgment upon a wrong state of heart. May we, beloved friend, ever cultivate a loving, genial, tender, forgiving spirit. We may rest assured our God delights in this. God loves a cheerful giver, and a frank forgiver, because that is precisely what He is Himself, blessed forever be His name!
8. “ Η. M. S.,” Royal Oak. We have referred to the passage to which you call attention, and we cannot see the ground of your difficulty. The object is to guard against any surrender of the truth of God, while fully owning our many failures in practice. There is always a danger of seeking to lower God’s standard to meet our practical state, instead of judging our state by God’s standard. We trust that a little further consideration of the entire passage will remove your difficulty.
9. “ J. W. O,” Lower Clapton. Thanks for your kind note and the accompanying lines. Oh! that we may live in that blessed hope of seeing our bright and morning star.