(Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-21.)
Having thus followed the Church, in happy association with Christ, into the future ages of her unmingled blessedness, we would now close our meditations on this blessed theme by taking a glance at her position just before she goes up to meet her coming Lord. This we see in Rev. 22 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Here her eye is fixed on Himself. But it is the eye of a bride fixed on her bridegroom. She knows Him as “the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” He is the divine Bridegroom of her heart: and with affections suited to that relationship, she longs for His coming. But she also knows, and forgets not, that He who is the one object of her own heart’s desire, is still the fountain of living waters to every thirsty one. And she knows the waters are free—free to the poorest—free to the vilest—free to all. And thus she extends her invitation to “whosoever will” Ο loveliest of attitudes! Here she shines in the grace of her Lord, and acts in the power of His love. Would that every individual Christian entered heartily into the true spirit of this position! But sure we are, that in the proportion that our hearts long for the coming of the Lord, in the same proportion will they long for the salvation of souls. It would appear from this beautiful description of the Church, that the one is a consequence of the other. And, surely, it is when meditating most deeply on His coming that we turn to those around us with deepened earnestness, and beseech them to come to Him. Never are our appeals so pointed, so tender, so earnest, as when our hearts are burning with love to the Lord, and in the expectation of His return. Indeed we can only appeal when the heart is warm.
Thus it is with the Church as she is presented to us in Rev. 22 She is, as it were, appealing to the Lord, and appealing to souls. Love fills her heart. And thus may it be with us individually, while here in the midst of Christless sinners. There is no motive to evangelization like the thought of His coming. Ο that our hearts may never cease to burn with desire for the salvation of lost souls! The time is short. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Great changes are taking place everywhere, both in the Church and in the world; and many are wondering what they will all lead to.
Thou hast only to look around thee, Ο my soul, and thou wilt see everything moving rapidly., The slumber of eighteen christian centuries is broken. The nineteenth is the century of invention and of the display of man’s power and glory. Only think, that which is discussed tonight in the senate house in New York, will be read the following day in London by tens of thousands. With rapid strides, the world is rising to its manhood. Old age and decrepitude, we believe, will as rapidly follow. The climax will soon be reached, not only in pride and worldly glory, but in the daring wickedness of the man of sin. This is what Satan has in view, and what man’s energy in the present day is hastening on; but the enemy’s one aim is to keep the eye from Christ. The first glimpse of a risen Savior, by faith, in the light of the Holy Spirit, dims all the world’s glory. A risen Christ is the divine witness that the whole world is under the sentence of God’s judgment, which may at any moment be executed. Hence the exaltation of man is Satan’s object, and everything is now moving in that direction with telegraphic speed.
Now turn thine eye for a moment to ecclesiastical movements. The professing church as well as the world has been aroused from the sleep of ages. We forget not the great work of God’s Spirit in the sixteenth century; but that in the nineteenth is very different in its character. Then, it became more a question of human governments and religious systems; now, it is more of the Church of God and the conversion of souls. The ten virgins are all awake, the foolish as well as the wise. The midnight cry has gone forth; but, the Lord be praised, as the cry, “Behold the Bridegroom cometh,” waxes louder and louder, the cry to prepare for His coming has increased in proportion. Thousands of evangelists have been raised up to proclaim the gospel of the grace of God; and millions who have been startled, as it were, from their long undisturbed repose, are waking up and wondering what all this mighty movement of “lay preachers” can mean.
Long neglected, out-of-the-way places are visited by the evangelists, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them. Individual responsibility carries the glad tidings where official status cannot—dare not, and the good work goes on.
The Spirit of God, as the quickener of dead souls, is active too, in connection with the gospel. This is matter of unfeigned joy. He is gathering many souls to Christ, especially within the last ten years. Christendom is unlike what it was before 1858. The bands of office are now found to be a hindrance. The energy of the spirit in the “lay preacher,” hesitates not to cross the marches. All parishes are alike to the preacher. Souls are his object; not boundary lines, or the worn out routine of particular forms. The field is the world. The Lord has given it to him. “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” is his high commission. “Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it,” is his divine privilege. The highways and hedge rows, the streets and the lanes of the city, and the supposed sacred enclosures, are all thrown open to him. Moral compulsion is to be used; his orders are, “Compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” It is the Master who carries the key. “These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth.” Blessed is that servant who follows Him who has the key, the symbol of authority and power.
Thus everything, as we have said, is moving rapidly, and changing as rapidly as it moves. In the world, notwithstanding its boasted progress, things are really going backwards. The ancient bulwarks of society are breaking up, as if the feebleness of age were accompanying the achievements of manhood. Power is passing into other hands, and hands that will use it. The word of God is being treated with indifference—the sign and forerunner, we believe, of a nation’s decline. Man’s will—man’s reason—man’s self, are supreme, and will have their brief display in ten thousand ways, before the appearing in glory of the Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. Even now, what “distress of nations, with perplexity: the sea and the waves roaring.” The lawless, rebellious despisers of governments, are like the tumultuous sea which cannot be bridled or governed by man. Hence we already see the most plain indications of the Lord’s own words being in part fulfilled. “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken, and then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:25-27.) Such, alas, is the present state of the world. The rulers are perplexed, the people are uneasy; this is daily becoming more and more manifest. At the same time there is seeming progress, power, and glory. But it is a vain show. However, we can only look at things in the light of God’s word.
We now return to our meditations on the Church, which lies more in our line of things. We have seen her amidst the thickening gloom, in her most beautiful character. Here she is truly heavenly in her affections, yet most devoted to the spiritual and eternal welfare of those around her. “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. [The young convert is here exhorted to join in the cry, Come.] And let him that is athirst come [come to the Savior]: and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” This, we need hardly say, is not the position of the professing church at large; but of those who are bearing testimony to the coming of the Lord, and to where the living waters are to be found. This is the most lovely attitude in which we see the bride of the Lamb, as the Church, on the earth. The desire for souls to come to Christ keeps pace with the desire for the Lord to come as the Bridegroom of His Church. This is both beautiful and blessed. Lord, increase this twofold desire. It is clearly the teaching of the Spirit. “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.” It is no peculiar view of any particular denomination, but the teaching of the Spirit of God. It is the bride that speaks, but she is moved and energized by the Spirit. And what must be the state of a preacher’s heart, if it is not moved to intense earnestness, even to agony, by the near prospect of the Lord’s coming?
But what, may I ask, would become of those who are now listening, to the gospel, were the Lord to come before the service closes, if they had not believed it? The answer is unspeakably solemn. So far as scripture informs us, their case would be hopeless. Of course this remark would not apply to persons who are too young to be responsible, or to those who have never heard the gospel: but where the gospel has been plainly preached, and deliberately refused; what must the consequences be? “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?” Escape, in such a case, seems impossible. Look again at 2 Thess. 1 “The Lord shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” This passage seems to take in as objects of judgment, two classes. Those that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first class may embrace Jews and others, who profess to believe in God, but not in Christ and His gospel. The latter, evidently, are gospel hearers, but not true believers. We cannot see from scripture that there is the smallest hope for such, were the Lord to come. But the second chapter is stronger still on this awfully solemn point, and seems to shut out all hope. Indeed we feel it is too awful and solemn to be transferred to a human page.
How seldom, alas, this soul stirring truth is thought of either by preacher or hearer! But when it has its right place in the heart, it will move to earnestness as none other can—it will agonize the whole soul of the preacher. Who could be occupied with themselves in any way, or even with the details of truth, under such a thought and feeling? How small a place the mere style of address would have in our minds, if we really believed that five out of every ten that we preach to, are in danger of eternal woe! Scripture never exaggerates. Even of those who take the place of virgins, five out of ten come too late and perish in their sins. They had lamps in their hands, but no grace in their hearts. Lord, grant that thy servants may think—think only—on the state of those before them, and of the awful consequences to such of thy coming.
But one thing is comforting—most comforting, Ο my soul. It is this—thou mayest safely reckon, that as the testimony to the coming of the Lord spreads on all hands, so will the testimony to the grace of God in the gospel. May the Lord greatly increase this twofold testimony in these last and closing days! And O, that all whose high privilege it is to bear it, may be faithful, earnest, and devoted, according to the all commanding importance of the coming of the Lord, and the salvation of those for whom His longsuffering still patiently lingers! May we maintain the beautiful and blessed attitude of the bride before us. “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.”