DEAREST BROTHER, Thank you for your letter. I do not at present see that it is God's will. I should be with you at your meeting at 0..., though I should greatly rejoice to see the beloved brethren again. My heart is in their blessing, and I pray God with all my heart to lead them on in what He gives, and keep them, and make them very humble, that they may be near Him. I feel deeply how only One can keep His Church, even humanly speaking, for we all know (it is always true) it outreaches one's hand. But what a comfort to be able to apply to Him for its blessing, whose ear is ever open, who can in grace reach all, and whose interest, in perfect love, is far deeper than any interest of ours, only that He graciously allows us to have-a part in it. May we know how to use the privilege.
I have felt my translation work a good deal, as absorbing me from direct interest in the positive work; not as to my heart, nor as to occupation of heart with Him. But it is nearly clone, for which I am very thankful. Nature of course shrinks from suffering: still, when it comes, if we are 'with God, strength and joy are there. I have found in the little difficulties I have had, much more trial in, expecting trial than when it was there. When there, I was calm and quiet, and no way uneasy-whereas I was when expecting it. Out of it, if it threatens, you are thinking of it; in it, you are looking out of it to the Lord. Of course there must be the power of the Holy Ghost. It is true I have a sadly fearful mind. But Paul (Philippians) was there in presence of the danger. He was in presence of his trial for his life, but he was surely wonderfully sustained. Still, it was not a question of avoiding but going through, and then comparatively it is easy.
The difference of nature and the power of the Spirit you see in comparing Mark 10 and Philippians 3.in this, in the young man, you have legal righteousness, in that, in Paul, all given up as worthless; money clung to Mark 10, all gain to self dross and dung in Phil. 3; the disciples amazed and following trembling in Mark, a privilege to have the fellowship of His sufferings in Philippians 3. But in Philippians you have the full power of the Spirit all through; sin is never mentioned in the Epistle, nor flesh, as affecting the experience of the Apostle. It is the experience of one-living in the Spirit, in its power, and is exceedingly beautiful in this light in every respect; does not know which to choose, death or life-one gain, the other labor for Christ; and so, self being gone, he decides his own trial, for it was good for them he should stay, and Christ had all power, so he was going to stay. The same mind as Christ in going down to the death of the cross, and so perfect and delicate consideration for others admirably coming out in unconscious fruit: energy in following Christ-before him as his object in glory -to win Christ, and thus win the resurrection from among the dead: a humbled. Christ forms the character; a glorified one gives, the energy of " this one thing I do:" then superiority, through experimental acquaintance with Christ's sufficiency, to all circumstances.. It is the epistle of proper Christian experience. I do not think it was, asking for trial, though we may desire generally to have fellowship in Christ's sufferings, that one can earnestly do. " To you it is given on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his name's sake." But one does not desire suffering for itself. Only when there they are a subject of all joy. Faith is given for them. Paul was in prison, and just awaiting his trial. But he could say, in his ordinary life of service, " without were fightings, within were fears;" nevertheless " God who comforteth those who are cast down," &c.
As to suffering for Christ, I am sure if the Lord lead one into,, trial for His name, He will give us strength to glorify Him. We can do nothing. But if living with Him in the secret of our souls, we shall not find it hard to die for Him. See how bright Stephen was, how quiet, kneeling down to pray for them. He was full of the Holy Ghost. We have to pray that we may be so filled, that what comes.
forth may be Christ, and Christ fittingly for what is before us. I find this a great test, in practice, of how far I am practically identified in spirit with Him. From Him came forth not merely what was right, but just the right thing in what He had to do or say....
I look for a more conscience-consecration to Christ. Oh, how earnestly I desire this! Those who first came out were all devoted-came because they were most of them giving up their place, perhaps everything, in the world. Some have done so all along, and recently. But then many have come in as converted or because they saw it right, and remain pretty much where they were, and this affects the whole testimony. However, the world is utterly opposed as yet, which is a mercy, and I think that the Spirit of God is working... I trust our meeting at C... was blessed. The Person of the Lord was much before us, and I trust His coming is getting practical power. I think the Lord's presence was felt. I was glad it closed, for I feared the happiness turning into excitement, which had not been the case, and there was much liberty....
The Lord make us, dear brother, to End Christ everything, that whatever comes with Him we may joy in; so be with Him that we have the consciousness of common interests, though He be Master, yet those who have His secret with us, His counsels, His objects; stewards who have His interests at heart more than their own, and then go to see Him and be with Him. How sweet will that word sound, " Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy lord "-poor and worthless creatures that we are. Well, we must go with Him now, take up our cross and follow Him: " If any man serve me let him follow me." There is a great deal in that word. May He keep us near Himself. It is Himself that makes all -clear and simple to the soul The Lord be with you.
Your affectionate brother in Christ,
1871. J. N. D.
.... " I think the visiting part myself quite as important, if not the most important part of 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 ordinary 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 spring of love, and the use and application of doctrine are fed there, minds are understood, the Spirit is led to apply truth to needs 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.".... J. N. D.
BELOVED BROTHER, I know well what you mean by what you wrote me of grace and legality in your letter, having passed through it, and so much the more painfully as it was a dreadful cross to me to address myself to -a stranger, and still more in public so to speak. There was often. legality; that is, conscience, not grace, drove me. But I found if I was near Christ in my soul I found many opportunities and open. doors that I did not find when I was not. And this made my conscience work when I had difficulties. On the other hand, when conscious that I was with Christ and Christ with me, and at home in the service of His love, I felt more free to see opportunities (the true sense of redeeming the time in Eph. 5), freer and happier at liberty so to use them, and not forced by conscience to do it when it was only bringing out evil; I do not quite say casting pearls before swine, but at any rate approaching it, which we are directed. not to do. But I am too great a coward to be satisfied with myself in the matter, and have, alas, often had to act from conscience, yet felt happier afterward; at least confessing Christ if not seeking souls in love.
There may be cases where it would be amiss, and it would rather be," but rather rebuke them." But there is a seizing opportunities-but the hearty soul for Christ finds them. I do not say Satan. drives, but conscience may, and we may then often do it in an ill. way, because there is neither the wisdom nor the love. But I say all this, conscious that I am too great a coward in addressing myself to strangers in public to say a great deal. But I have found by the Lord's gracious mercy I got the ear of most who were willing to hear when a little time with them. When people see that you will speak of Christ, and use common kindness and courtesy, those who will not draw off, and those at all inclined give occasion to do it. We are, according to our gift, to preach the gospel to every creature, but there is a guidance; and if whole hearted in that, I may leave Mysia and Bithynia and Asia and go to Macedonia without any conscience upbraiding me, whereas if I am not my conscience may upbraid me for Mysia and Bithynia, though I ought not really to have gone there. " If thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light."
In these last days it seems as if God allowed much pressure on -spirits to go to all, but regularly there is the thought of the claim of God, not merely the claim of souls, and then one is guided of Him who has the claim. When that is there, it is " Woe is me if I preach not the gospel;" but we do it guided of Him who has the claim over us. At any rate, our gracious God will accept a service poorly rendered by conscience, but we ought to serve Him well.
In public service another check is away. There was and is in many places the world against and no civil right, religious liberty, to plead. This is often a great snare, though not so great as cowardice -through want of faith. Englishmen often do mischief through this; they force the world to leave the gospel free, and the work is hindered. The Lord uses this for testimony, and even to send the testimony elsewhere. Christianity has no right but God's in the world, and that is in a rejected Savior who, indeed, has all power, but has left the cross behind Him in the earth. With the consciousness of this, and love for souls, we can go on with faith, but for Him. And where He has no place we have none. We must submit as He did. And He opens and no man shuts, and shuts and no man opens.
Where little strength is, yet boldness with great mistakes, God has owned, and I am far enough from it myself to honor it greatly. They hinder themselves sometimes, but they do a great deal more of God's work. Some of it does not sometimes last so well. I do not doubt our hearts can be puffed up in doing feats. I have seen this. We are called to serve more than to do, and in serving to follow. I look for patience (it was the first mark of apostolic service) and guidance, but I see such a thing as great boldness in Christ Jesus. Of course when the flesh comes in. Satan can use it, if grace preserve us not. But the difficulty I have found is conscience driving when there was-not peaceful love enough-enough of Christ to do it wisely. But there is a light boasting of preaching adventures in. the world sometimes which is painful.
As to Matt. 25, I cannot doubt a moment that it is the separation of the wicked and righteous-in a word, goats and sheep. " Them " is merely those who compose them: indeed, in Greek it does not agree with nations. We have the same form in other cases. As to the knowledge of Christ it was very imperfect. Still He was looked for, but connected with judgment. The gospel preached was the everlasting gospel (Rev. 14), answering to the judgment of the serpent in Paradise. (Psa. 96 and Matt. 24) This gospel " of the kingdom." It was now too late to have the other gospel, so to call it. They had not to do with Antichrist, at least only in a distant way. He was in Palestine, and subservient to the beast out of the bottomless pit, and these were judged by Christ coming from heaven, the rest by Christ sitting on His throne when come.
Everlasting life is always life in Christ forever, but we get it in heaven. Two words are translated " world to come '' in the New Testament. In Luke 18:30 it is the age to come, Messiah's time, which may be in heaven. The world to come whereof we speak (Heb. 2.) is the habitable world to come, which is, of course, down here. Life in Christ (He is eternal life, 1 John 1 and John 1) may be on earth as Matt. 25, or in heaven, as " the end everlasting life " and elsewhere. It is only twice spoken of in the Old Testament Psa. 133 and Dan. 12, both referring to the millennium, namely, on earth I find the Person of the Lord more and more everything in the word. It is unspeakably blessed to see Him, and God revealed in Him, in this world. How wondrous to have God revealed in a man amongst us! The whole Trinity was first fully revealed when He took His place in the first right step of His poor returning people in grace, and became the model of our standing here. Son; owned of the Father; anointed and sealed of the Holy Ghost. All heaven open, only no object above for Him as for Stephen, but Himself the great object of heaven itself down here. Then, in that place, He takes another part-conflict with the enemy. What a testimony to the word. too, that one verse is sufficient for the Lord as authority, as the obedient man, for Satan, so as to leave him not a word.
The verse in John is most precious.
Peace be with you, dear brother, and mercy and grace. Kindest love to all the saints.
1869. Ever yours affectionately in the Lord, J. N. D.