IT is admitted on all hands that there is a time, or dispensation, in which the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. This is a great object held out in prophecy. The question between us is, Now is this to be brought about? They say: “By our preaching, or by the preaching of the Gospel.” I take the best ground for them. How do they know that? How do they conclude that? Did the Gospel ever do it before? Was it ever promised that it should do it? That man is responsible for its not doing so, I freely admit—but that is not the question. And that he is guilty, too, I admit; I conceive, indeed, that therefore the Gentile Church will be cut off, because it has not done so; and therefore we may say, as a Church, it is damnably guilty because it has not clone so. But, as to actual result, those I speak of pass by the present sin of the Church, and then prophesy (i.e. assert as to the future) that of which they can have no experience as to the past,—that their exertions will do it. They charge us with looking into prophecy: undoubtedly we do, and use it as God intended it, as a charge and warning against our present sin and state; while they prophesy for themselves that which is credit for themselves— though never has the professing Church at large been so far from godliness as now; if not, why all this labor, effort, formation of societies, for home or continental purposes? This is the simple difference: we acknowledge it as a result of God’s power; they say, without God’s word: (and we must add, against it:) “It will be done by our instrumentality.” Believers say, with God’s word, It will not be done thus. We quarrel not with their efforts; (but join in them according to our ability of God, as far as our poor hearts permit us;) but we do quarrel with their assumption as the coming result of their own labors, as if they were prophets, of that of which God has prophesied otherwise. They prophesy: we consult the word, and apply it to judge ourselves, and find the Church guilty. Our assertion, accordingly, is this:
1. That there is no prophecy or promise in Scripture, (which, as to means—observe, of future accomplishment—is prophecy,) that the gradual diffusion of the Gospel shall convert the world. If there be, let them produce it; if not, I affirm that they are assuming something future, without any warrant for it, but their own thoughts.
2. That the prophecies always connect the filling of the world with the knowledge of the glory—with judgments. And, We add, to those who are laboring without reference to this glory, yet are looking to the gathering out of God’s elect—faithfully perhaps—that there is a vast purpose of God, and one which is the result of all God’s purposes, not embraced in their views; and that, as teachers of God’s mind and will, their system must be wholly and utterly defective; for the earth is to be full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. They recognize, and justly, that that cannot be, as it never has been, and as we have seen that it was not intended to be, by the Gospel. There must, therefore, if they admit the truth of God’s word, be some great plan and act of God’s power, on which his mind is especially set, (for His glory in the earth, as in heaven, must be His end, as well as our desire, because we are His saints, and have the mind of Christ,) of which they embrace nothing, teach nothing.
And now, what do we complain of? Is it not prying into futurity? Far otherwise. Is it not taking the testimony of God and applying it to the present lodgment, and therefore offering the sacrifice of folly? I do say it is the privilege of the saints to know what is revealed. It is mere infidelity and unbelief—simple infidelity and unbelief, and rejection of the promise, “He shall show you things to come;” and again: “But God hath revealed then unto us by his Spirit!” that is, the things which He hail prepared for them that love Him. Men may say, It is presumption! But it is no more presumption in me to believe what God has said, and has declared that He has revealed to us for our blessing as to this, than it is to believe what He has stated concerning the accomplished work of Christ: and I suspect the notion of presumption runs pretty much together as to both. Yet this is not my present subject—but this: that the Church is hiding the present judgment of itself from its eyes—that God’s judgments are upon the Church in warning, and they will not hear; and therefore they will be cut off, if they repent not— “And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said (smith too,) Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.” (Is. 29:11-14.)
If it be so, that these things are hid, then I say it is a solemn judgment from God—his greatest judgment on the Church thus to hide them—a sign of judgment that they may be changed. Yet men seem to rejoice and pride themselves on their wisdom in knowing nothing about them—rejoice in the last heaviest sign, the deep hope-obscuring cloud, before the judgments of God break down upon them who have willfully staid abroad in the field because they believed not, or received not the word, and warning, and threatenings of God the Lord. For there is one that Doeth and judgeth—poor man! If the Lord hath indeed poured out upon you a deep sleep and hath closed your eyes, the prophets, and rulers, and seers hath He covered; then woe for you; and what shall the sheep do? All your services are but folly; for when God, perhaps, is calling for repentance, behold, you are in joy; when judgment is ready to strike, you are rejoicing; when God calls to fasting, and weeping, and mourning, behold, you are killing sheep and slaying oxen. If the testimony of God be not received as applicable in our present state, then all our worship and service must be guided by man’s judgment, and our fear by the precept of men, and be foolishness and rebellion in His sight. But ye say, We will not consider ... ..I say not to you, look at the hopes and the future glory, but I say, God has warned of judgment now. I speak of something which applies to you now; yea, why even of yourselves judge ye not that which is right? Does not the Church, do not we, deserve judgment? The Lord hearken to the supplication of His servants, that our eyes may be opened! Infidel liberty is not Christian liberty. God may use it for His own purposes in punishing the wicked, as He saith, “O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.” But if the people rejoice in Resin and rehab, trust in this Tiglath Pileser does but show their infidelity, and will be their distress, and not their strength; for yet it is but a little while (and indeed it is the rod of God against the corruption of the Church) His anger will cease, and his indignation, in their destruction. The prophet may be grieved at the evil of the Church, but the spirit of infidelity is the spirit of pride—a proud man which enlargeth his desire as hell, neither stayeth at home. It will have its day, perhaps, against a corrupt and guilty church: it may seek to sit upon the mount of God, but as soon as the Lord has accomplished His whole work upon Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will punish the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks; and the spirit of the prophet will be of grief, intercession and pity, that the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he. The Lord will hearken, hear and deliver; for though he be proud, his heart that is lifted up is not righteous in and the just shall live by his faith. Of this infidelity may be sure, that it will rack its heart in bitterness for the madness with which it is now proud; for God’s eye is upon it, and the proof of it is, that it sees Him not; it is rushing in blindness into the bitterness of God’s wrath. There will they be in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous.