41. “Β. S.,” Stockton-on-Tees. There is much truth in your remarks. Let us be more thoroughly in earnest in waiting upon our God, that He may deepen His work in all our souls, and lead us to a closer walk with Himself. We long for more reality, more whole-heartedness, more deep-toned devotedness. May all who really mourn over the lack of these things get together on their faces before God, and persevere in prayer till He sends a full wave of blessing into their midst. We have great confidence in united, hearty, believing prayer.
42. “J. E.,” Adelaide. Accept, dear friend, our warmest thanks for your truly kind and encouraging letter. We bless the Lord, with an overflowing heart, for what you can tell us of help and blessing received through our pages. We cannot tell you what joy it is to be allowed to minister to the beloved flock of Christ, in distant regions of the earth where it is not likely we shall ever be in person. May the Lord’s richest blessings rest upon you and the beloved friends with whom you are associated. Most gladly would we send you a direct reply; but we trust you will kindly take into your consideration the immense amount of writing which falls to our lot; and that you will take this as an acknowledgment of your most interesting communication.
43. “M. A. L.,” Harrogate. Thanks for the sweet lines. We like them much, and shall be happy to insert them.
44. “D. W.,” London. It would be a very grave mistake indeed to say “that all the trials and sufferings of Christians are punishments for some particular sin.” Very often these things are sent as a preventive, and to draw the heart nearer to Christ. Who would presume to say that the sickness of Epaphroditus, in Phil. 2 was a punishment for some particular sin? The apostle expressly tells us that, “for the work of Christ, he was nigh unto death.” Were Timothy’s frequent infirmities sent as a punishment for some particular sin?
We do not like the term “punishment” as applied to the dealings of our loving Father. There is nothing penal, in the strict sense of the word, even in His wise and faithful correction. Christ our blessed Substitute exhausted, on our behalf, all that was penal. God chastens His children, in order to make them partakers of His holiness, as we learn in Heb. 12. Moreover, the Father judges His house, as we read in 1 Pet. 4:1717For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17). So, in 1 Cor. 11 we are told that many of the Corinthians were visited with bodily sickness and death, because of their disorderly conduct at the Lord’s table. But this we are told was in order that they might “not be condemned with the world.”
In Jas. 5 we read, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” The “if” shows that the sickness might not have been sent on account of any particular sin.
In 1 John 5 we read, “If any man see his brother sin a sin not unto death, he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death, I do not say that he shall pray for it.” For example, “Ananias and Sapphira,” and the Corinthians. There may, in any given case, be certain flagrant features attaching to some sin committed causing those who look at things in the light of God’s presence to feel instinctively that they could not possibly pray for restoration. We have to do with the government of God which is a very serious matter indeed; and it is one of the enactments of that government that, whatsoever a man—no matter who—“soweth, that shall he also reap.” But it is the Christian’s happy privilege to view the actings of divine government through the atmosphere of divine grace.
45. “R. J. P.”—“W. B.”—“C. S. L.”—“J. A. J.”—“O. J. P.”—“F. M.”—“W. M. W.,” Boston, Mass. We desire to tender you all our warmest thanks for your truly kind letters. We feel that this is but a very inadequate acknowledgment of such expressions of brotherly love; but we trust you will accept it, under the circumstances. We bless God for the precious link which His own hand has formed between us—a link which can never be snapped. It may be His holy will to permit us to strengthen this link by personal intercourse; but if not, we shall meet in His presence on high, never to be separated. To His most tender love and faithful shepherd care, we earnestly commend each one of you: and all those with whom you are associated. We can assure you we feel deeply touched by your most loving invitation; and we beg you will accept our true and most hearty brotherly love. May the Lord bless and keep you all!
46. “R. B. W.,” Portsmouth. It is entirely a question for individual conscience. We dare not attempt to legislate for another in such a case. The Lord will guide, if the eye be single; but nothing should be done with a doubtful mind.
47. “Μ. H. R.,” Oswestry. It seems to us there is a little confusion in the lines of our dear departed friend, between our Lord’s coming for and coming with His people. Surely, it is not as “the midnight thief,” “He will come to call for his church.” “Ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” In Rev. 3 the professing church—having sunk to the level of the world, with a name to live, while dead—is threatened with the coming as a thief. But this only proves, all the more forcibly, that the proper hope of the church of God is something quite different. And then we are at a loss to understand the meaning of the last lines, “And oh! who would not the traitor be, To rise and let Him in?”
48. “J. K.,” Stratford, Essex. The word in 1 Cor. 11:22Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. (1 Corinthians 11:2), should be rendered “traditions,” or “directions.” The apostle does not specify what they were; but thank God, we know that whatever ordinances, traditions, or directions are essential for the church, to the end of time, are clearly laid down in the scriptures of the New Testament. This is quite enough for us. Men have no authority whatever to set up rites and ceremonies in the church of God; their doing so can only be regarded, by every heart loyal to Christ, as a daring usurpation of His authority, which He will, most assuredly, judge ere long. We feel increasingly impressed, dear friend, with a sense of the urgent need of testing everything by the word of God, and of rejecting whatever cannot stand the test. It is not only deeply sorrowful, but most solemn, to mark the way in which the authority of Christ, as laid down in His precious word, is virtually set aside by those who profess to be His people and His servants. It never seems to occur to people that they are really responsible before God to judge, by the light of His word, the various things in which they are engaged. Hence it comes to pass that they go on, from week to week, and year to year, with a whole host of things having not a shadow of foundation in holy scripture. How perfectly appalling to think of the end of all this! We may rest assured it will not be with a scourge of small cords that all these things will be driven out of the temple. May God the Holy Ghost rouse, by His mighty ministry, the whole church to a more profound sense of the supreme authority, and all-sufficiency of the holy scriptures!