The origin of most of the differences in opinion which exist among the saints is secret infidelity as to the sufficiency of the provision made by God for the instruction and guidance of His people in the Scriptures. To enumerate all the evil fruits springing from this unsanctified root were both difficult and unprofitable. For our present consideration let one suffice; and that one, full of the deepest interest, to even nominal Protestants, because as well the confessed subject of endless divisions among themselves, as the taunt and jeer of the Roman Catholic Church system, who can define? Who can describe? Who can even count the number of the systems of churches) in England alone, differing in every respect, except alas! their inconsistency with the instructions and patterns given us in Scripture. Yes, this is the real source of all the evil self-confidence refusing to acknowledge its ignorance, and search the oracles of God on this topic; and therefore we have been given up to our foolish minds. For what matters the Protestant motto being “the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible,” if, in direct opposition to this; it has been refused (practically at least) by all, in the modeling of the churches, to go for wisdom to the very copious instructions given on, the subject in the same Bible?
Yet this accusation (of a hardy refusal to bend to Scripture) is perhaps too strong, and it has only been erroneously assumed through ignorance of the written word, that the mind of God has not been expressed concerning church system, i.e. that no order or plan has been laid down by the great Head of the church, for the standing together of His saints, in any given place, whilst (from the day of their conversion) they are looking for, and hastening unto, the coming of the Lord Jesus. To meet this supposed ignorance, the present tract purposes to show chiefly from that part of the Book of truth, which is peculiarly the directory of the present dispensation (the Acts, Epistles and Apocalypse),
1.-That the divine wisdom has laid down a certain principle for the communion of the saints, whilst on the earth, viz.
The sovereignty of the Spirit in the mutual dependence of the members and
2.-That this principle is found developed in practice, in a system appointed by God for the churches; the details of which system are most minutely revealed as to the mode—
1st.-Of edification,
2ndly.-Of government, and
3rdly.-Of discipline.
For He who knew what was in man left nothing to be dependent upon the petty accidents of time, but detailed in the word, a plan for the collocation of His saints, and that plan so obviously founded upon one great and important principle, as thus to contain within itself a check to all the minutiae of its several parts.; no other changes of details, save that revealed, being possible, without a direct violation of the said principle.
SECT. 1-If it be asked, on what general principle the communion of saints is enjoined? the answer is obvious— “On a supposed participation of the Spirit.” Such, at least, was the argument of the apostle Peter before the church at Jerusalem: having freely yielded himself in communion to some who, as Gentiles, were deemed unworthy of such high privileges, and being called to account by the apostles and elders of the church, he exculpated himself by showing how those, to whom he had gone, had (though Gentiles) received the Spirit, and, therefore, this being the sole prerequisite to communion), had as good right to it as themselves, the Jews.
Acts 11:17.— “Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift (i.e. the Spirit), as He did unto us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that I could withstand God?"
Secondly, the particular case—These have the Spirit.
Thirdly, the result—They have right to communion.)
Would to God that this, which is nothing else than unity in the Spirit, had been remembered! many a rent, many a schism, would it have saved the body of Jesus; but men have sought out many inventions. Look at the churches of Rome and Greece—what is their principle of communion, yea, the very essence of their existence? unity indeed, but unity in error; on the assumption that the church makes the Spirit, and not the, spirit the church: in other words, that because their system has been called “The church” from the time of the apostles, therefore it must have the authority and power of the Spirit which was in the primitive church—instead of that, the body which has the authority and power of the Spirit which was in the primitive church alone deserves its name. The Reformed churches, Lutheran, Genevese and others—what their bond? Unity again, but unity in knowledge only: blessed indeed when the, gift and consequence of the Spirit; but most evil when, as with them, “assent and consent” to any truth (beyond free pardon and salvation by faith in the Lamb) became the watchword of the citadel; for what is this but the appointing of a word which the weaklings of Christ are often, the strong ones of the adversary never, unable to pronounce?
The standing of the third great division, those called dissenters, is unity in difference; for the great strength, perhaps life, of their systems, rests, by confession of their wisest supporters, on the opposition their dissent produces. The church militant, in truth, is nothing but the manifestation, in this world, of the saving effects of the gospel; uncertain perhaps, by reason of the thick and deluding mists around. How wise and reasonable then, that the only term of admission to its privileges should be the apparently real manifestation of that. Spirit, Who (present in whatever weakness) gives by His presence the power of fellowship.
Let us now investigate the peculiar development of this principle in its application to the assembled body. We shall find that the Holy Ghost's presence is made manifest in the assemblies of the faithful, not so much by dwelling in any individual, as among them all—so as to form a structure, the chief feature of which is mutual dependence, even as it is written (John 17:22), “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they also may be one in us, that the world May believe that thou hast sent me.” And again (Matt. 18:20), “Where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
The following proofs of this, are offered from the word—
1.-(Rom. 12:3-9.) “I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think (of himself) more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: so we (being) many are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, (let us prophesy) according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, (let us wait) on (our) ministering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation; he that giveth (let him do it) with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.”
2.-See what Paul says of this church (Rom. 15:14).
3.-1 Cor. 12:4, &c.—see (chap. 13) love as the apostle describes it, a church gift; i.e. one which could not be fully developed save in communion with others.
4.-1 Cor. 14:1-5, and 23-25.
5.-Eph. 4:1-16.
6.-Eph. 5:18.
7.-Col. 2:19. (See also 1 Cor. 1:4, 5; 2 Cor. 8:7; Col. 3:16; Heb. 3:13; 10:24, 25; 1 Peter 4:10, 11).
Thus, when the Lord first put His saints together, we see how the principle of His system was the casting of them one on the other, by the Holy Ghost's presence, and free circulation, without restraint, through the whole body. This truth, and not justification (which touches the individual only), is the true “articulus stantis vel cadentis ecelesiae." For a church is not merely a congregation of faithful persons accidentally assembled together (ready like some heap of stones for the laborer to pile one upon the other); but such an orderly arrangement of them, according to the mind of the great Master Builder, as to be in mutual dependence. In masonry but one way has yet been discovered, in which mutual dependence can be distributed to each part, namely, by the arch; so in things spiritual, one order has been developed by God Himself, and who shall find another?