Plain Papers on the Church
Table of Contents
Plain Papers on the Church: No. 1
We do not propose, in these short papers on the church, to speak so much on what the church is not, as on what the church is as revealed in the scriptures.
We have seen in our papers on Election, that those who form the church were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. What was it, then, that was so chosen, that so occupied the thoughts of God in eternity? And what was the thought of God in raising Christ from the dead, and in giving Him, as Man, a place above all principality and power in the heavens—nay, far above all heavens? Surely these words give the answer- "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all." (Eph. 1:22, 23.)
Now, whilst the word church, or assembly, may be applied to any assembly, as it is to Israel in the wilderness (Acts 7:38), or to a heathen crowd as. in Acts 19:32, 39, 41, yet it is evident that the Spirit uses it here in a very peculiar sense—" the church which is his body;" the assembly, which is His body. What, then, do those words mean? His body. And how is it formed? These are evidently points on which we need to be quite clear and assured. We are thankful that scripture leaves no uncertainty as to these things. " For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." (1 Cor. 12:12, 13.)
In these words we have the formation of the church which is His body, the only means by which it is formed. " For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." We must not confound this with water baptism. The apostle, elsewhere speaking of Israel, says, "All our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;" but there is no such thought in scripture as that they formed part of this "one body." So also the disciples of John were baptized with water, but they remained Jews, and did not, and could not, receive the Holy Ghost, as He was not yet given. (John 1:31-33; 7:39; Acts 19:1-6.) They were baptized with water, but they had not received the Holy Ghost, and therefore they were not members of the one body. So, in this place, the Spirit does not say, By water are we all baptized into the one body of Christ. Let us, then, neither pervert nor misunderstand scripture on this important point. We would not undervalue or set aside baptism in water—it is the Lord's own institution, and a type of doctrine, and introduces into the outward profession of Christianity; but it is by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.
How important, then, the question, " Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" If not, you have no part whatever in the church which is His body. It is no use pleading something else. It will not do to say, I was baptized, when a child, with water, or since I was grown up, or, I am a member of such a body; all this has nothing to do with the " one body" according to scripture. The all-important question is this -Have ye received the Holy Ghost?
Nothing can be more simple, if we bow to scripture. When Christ had accomplished redemption, and as Man had ascended up to heaven, then the Holy Ghost came down, and formed the church which is His body. On the very morn when He arose from among the dead, He was revealed firstborn from the dead to His brethren. But the Holy Ghost must come down on the day of Pentecost, to baptize them into the one body—to join them to Christ, the Head in heaven. What a striking figure of this great truth is the human body! the several distinct members of the body forming one person, guided by one head: so is Christ. A finger is not a toe, nor a hand a foot; yet all these members forming one body, joined to one head, guided by one spirit; such is the human body. And so, every individual Christian on earth who has received the Holy Ghost, is by that one Spirit baptized into the one body—even the church, which is His body.
Thus in every place, whether it be Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, or Rome, there was the church, the body of Christ. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." Not into different churches, or into various religious bodies or communities. No, in scripture " there is one body and one Spirit"—no doubt composed of individual members, and as gathered together in different places they were local gatherings, or assemblies, as, for instance, the assemblies in Galatia. But as truly as there was one Spirit, so truly there was only one church—one body. We need only to read the epistles to see this. Yes, 64 there is one body and one Spirit."
Thus, then, we get in scripture the one church, His body, " according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Does it not, then, follow that schism, or dissent from it, the church, must be grievous sin? There can be no question that it is the will of God " that there should be no schism in the body." For u God hath set the members, every one of them, in the body as it hath pleased him." (Read 1 Cor. 12:12-28.)
The church, which is His body then, is wholly of God, according to His eternal purpose, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, and formed by God the Holy Ghost come down from heaven. It is also joined to the Head, Christ, in heaven. It is not baptized Christendom; for you may be baptized in water, and not have been baptized by the Spirit. (See Acts 8:12-17.) It is by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body. Thus the church of God is formed by the Spirit in union with its Head, Christ. " All the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ."
This, then, is what God purposed in Christ; and this is what He accomplished by the Spirit, as revealed to us in the Acts and the Epistles. What a wondrous mystery, that we poor sinners should be taken and baptized into perfect and everlasting union with the risen Christ, at God's right hand. This is true of all who have the Holy Ghost, and of none else. " If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
Now this great truth of the one body, the one and only church, characterizes all ministry in the New Testament. Take the evangelist. We shall see this more distinctly if we look at another figure of the same truth, a building, or temple: as it is written of all the saints, the household of God. " And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone: in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Eph. 2:20-22.)
Thus, when the evangelist went forth into the stone-quarry—so to speak—he expected every stone got out there was to be built into this one building- this one temple—for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Thus every soul that passed from death unto life was built by the Spirit into the one temple, the church of God. Was it not so? Did the evangelist £0 forth to get stones to be left in the quarry, or thrown anywhere, or built into any man's building? Surely not. Spiritual intelligence would lead the evangelist to build according to the eternal purpose of God. We cannot overestimate the vast importance to the evangelist of a right knowledge of the church, which is His body, or the one holy temple in the Lord. Is it not equally true, that, as there is but one foundation on which to build, Christ Jesus, so also the builder is to take care how he labors for the Lord. " Let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon." (1 Cor. 3) Surely there will be no building by guess, if guided by and subject to the Spirit of God. It is a notable fact that God has been pleased, during the last fifty years, to restore much long-lost church truth; and connected with the truth of the church, His body, a fuller gospel truth has also been recovered. About that time—fifty years ago—none preached the full gospel but those to whom the Spirit had restored the truth of the church. Now a host of evangelists are preaching the gospel which they have learned and borrowed, entirely disconnected from church truth—yea, rather encouraging converts to remain in what is opposed to the mind of God. We could easily give a long list of names. We earnestly entreat these, and all evangelists, prayerfully to examine the scriptures on this subject. We cannot find a single instance in apostolic days in which converts were not gathered into the one church of God, baptized into the body of Christ. Can it be right then, can it be pleasing to God, to preach the gospel at random, and leave souls the prey of every human party? Clearly, then, the most important truth of the church which is His body should characterize the labors of the evangelist. Shall we be careless about that which is according to the eternal purpose of God in Christ? If we examine each of these figures—the holy temple in the Lord; the church, or assembly; the one body of Christ, or the bride, unity is the distinct mark.
In Eph. 2:20-22 there is only one temple, one building, fitly framed together—only one habitation of God through the Spirit. Every living stone on earth built into that one holy temple of the Lord. And all " through the Spirit."
Does it not, then, follow that whatever is not after this model is not of the Spirit, but of the will of man? He may call it liberty of conscience to build what and as he likes, but plainly, everything that is not on the ground that all Christians form the one holy temple of the Lord, cannot be of the Spirit, and therefore not pleasing to God. Independency here would clearly be sin. To dissent from what is the revealed mind of God cannot be faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin. To dissent from what is of man may be the direct path of faith; and the man of faith can, in dependence on God, be wholly independent of all that is of man. How important, then, to know what is really of God. This will enable us to distinguish the wood, hay, and stubble, which is the work and building of man, about to be destroyed by fire. (1 Cor. 3:9-14.)
Oh, what grace, that God should take such vile sinners, and build us together, the one holy temple in the Lord! Do we take in this divine thought, that all believers on earth are built by the Spirit into, not many, but one habitation of God? Surely, if we believe this, it would make us embrace all the children of God in the love of Christ. Only, mark, the reception of this truth would not lead us to approve, or be identified with, what contradicts it. Was it not the knowledge of how dear that holy temple, the church, was to God that made the apostle grieve so much over the first buddings of sectarianism at Corinth? Surely the more the laborer with God knows the mind of God, the more will he be grieved with those who, whilst holding foundation truth, are yet building other and contrary to that which is the eternal purpose of God. No doubt the very idea of the one building, one temple, composed of every saved soul on earth, has been almost forgotten, but not forgotten of God. Can He forget His own eternal purpose? Men and Satan have done their utmost to mar and spoil the one temple in the Lord; but we can thus go back to the word, and contemplate it as what God hath wrought.
In our next we hope to look at the unity of the "church which is His body" under the four aspects given in scripture.
Plain Papers on the Church: No. 2
Having made some general remarks on the churchy we will now notice, that as there are four distinct aspects of the Person of Christ in the four Gospels; so, in the Epistles there are four figures, or aspects, of "the mystery which hath been hid from ages."
In Matthew the Lord is revealed to us as Son of Abraham, fulfilling all righteousness.
In Mark, as the perfect Servant.
In Luke, as the perfect Man, Son of man.
In John, as Son of God.
In the Epistles the mystery is revealed under four aspects. The temple: " In whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord." "The church" (or assembly): " the body" and " the bride." And as the four Gospels reveal and describe the one Lord; so these four figures-the temple, the church, the body, the bride—bring before us the assembly in its unity, as seen in each figure. We must, however, be most careful not to confound this, which is of God—His workmanship by the Spirit—with what is of man, man's building, man's churches, and all the sects and bodies of men. We shall find what is of God, and what is of man, kept very distinct in scripture. God only builds living stones into the temple, and in His building are all the living stones. Men build wood, hay, and stubble. Surely such is man's Christendom.
We have seen that unity marked the work of the Spirit in the building of the one temple in the Lord. (Eph. 2:20-22.) The same unity marks the church, which is His body. (Eph. 1:21-23.) There is only one Head, raised up from among the dead, in the heavenlies, far above all principality and power, &c. And He is Head over all to the church. This is a wondrous thought, that all that Christ is, now set in the heavens, He is to the church. It is also written in another place, " Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." This is blessed and definite language. What is the church for which Christ died, which He so loved? What is "it," that is so dear to Christ? That which He is so occupied with, washing it by the water of the word—the purpose of His heart to present it glorious to Himself. Is that which is of such immense interest to Him, of no moment to us? Is it this baptized Christendom—will it be presented to Him glorious? Nay, He will spew the mere boasting, professing mass out of His mouth. (Rev. 3) What, then, is the church, the object so dear to the heart of Christ? We thus press the question; but we must bear in mind that the natural man can neither answer it, nor can he understand it. " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (Read 1 Cor. 2:12-16.)
If, then, what we write is really about the church of God, the natural man cannot understand it: if we described any of the churches of men, that the natural man would understand. But then the apostle immediately goes on to explain that the very beginning of such a thing is carnality. " For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?" Is not the application of this scripture to the present day very distinct? Is it of the Spirit of God, or is it carnality, to say, I am of the Roman, I of the Greek, I of the Anglican, or I of Wesley? The natural man can understand all about these churches; but let us remember that it is only by the Spirit of God that we can understand the church of God. Have you ever sought the guidance of the Spirit on this most important subject? The Lord give us much real dependence and reverence of soul whilst considering the church of God.
It is very important to have a right starting-point. When did the church, as an existing thing, begin on earth? It is clear it had not begun when the Lord Jesus said, " Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." It is further clear that the church, which is His body, could not exist before His death, for He said, " Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." (John 12:24.) Thus He could not be one with His body, the church, until He died and rose again. Until He died He must remain alone. And, further, one object of that death was, that " he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad." (John 11:52.) Yes, in one, not in many different churches.
Then also we find that it is the Holy Ghost come down from heaven that so gathers them, and baptizes them all into one body. But the Holy Ghost could not be sent to do this until Christ was glorified at God's right hand. " For the Holy Ghost was not yet [given], because that Jesus was not yet glorified." Jesus says, " I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.'' And fifty days had the disciples to wait after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead—until the day of Pentecost was fully come. Then took place that wondrous descent of the Holy Ghost that filled Jerusalem with astonishment. Then was fulfilled that word of Jesus. "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." This Jesus spake after He was risen from the dead.
Now, by the Holy Ghost there was a new thing on the earth. There had been Jews and Gentiles, but there was now a new company formed, baptized by the Holy Ghost. " There were added about three thousand souls." Thus we see the risen Lord adding together by the Holy Ghost. Ever after that new company is known by the title, the church, or assembly. We have no doubt the word church should be omitted in the last verse of this chapter (Acts 2), as in the revised version. It was the Lord's work—the Lord added (together) such as were being saved; or, such as should be saved. This omission is striking. If the historian was relating the building of a city—say London—he describes the first houses that were built. He would not say, These houses were added to London. They were built, and formed the beginning of London; and every house built afterward it could be said was added to London. And so, without controversy, every saved believer from that day is regarded in scripture as added, baptized into the one only church, His body. Is not this the meaning of the word, did it not embrace every Christian? "And great fear came upon all the church." (Acts 5:11.) Did not this mean the separated company? " And of the rest durst no man join himself." If we bow to scripture, we must own that all believers formed the one church of God, wherever found. When the apostle wrote the inspired epistles, and addressed them " Unto the church of God which is at Corinth," and other places, did not that term in-elude every saint in that place? There cannot be a doubt of it.
As we said, before Pentecost there were the Jews and the Gentiles. Since that day scripture recognizes three things: " Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God." (1 Cor. 10:32.)
We will now look at the third aspect—the one body.
Could anything more distinctly express unity than the human body? " For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ." This is not merely union, but unity, oneness. " For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.....That there should be no schism in the body.....Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (1 Cor. 12) The thought of different schisms, or religious bodies, is utterly condemned in these inspired verses. And all this is so minutely stated, that there may be no schism, or divisions. Christ is not the Head of churches and religious bodies, but Head of "the church which is his body." " There is one body, and one Spirit."
Now we would ask the reader to notice one thing as to entrance into the one body, as a very common and fatal mistake is often made as to this. Many hold that they are made members of Christ by water baptism. If they held that they became members of the outward profession of Christianity by water baptism, we do not object. They are thus brought into a place of great privilege and responsibility. Yet great numbers of such are never converted, never saved, and never form part of the body of Christ.
Two things have been overlooked. It is not by water, but by the Spirit, we are baptized into one body. And it is not man, but God, that hath set every member in the body as it pleaseth Him. In water-baptized Christendom are there not saved and unsaved? Have not evil men and deceivers crept in unawares? Could any man say that all who have been baptized with water have eternal life? Is it not rather unto, or into, death as a profession? Nothing is more distinct in the word of God than baptism by water, and the baptism by, or in the power of, the Holy Ghost. In the remarkable case of Cornelius and those with him, they received the baptism of the Holy Ghost before they were baptized with water. (Acts 11:15.) The Samaritans were baptized with the Holy Ghost some time after they had been with water. (Acts 8) Simon Magus was baptized with water, but not with the Spirit. Who would deny that there are many like him in that particular?
To say the Holy Ghost would baptize an unsaved man into the body of Christ, though baptized with water, would be madness, or worse. " If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Thus God could not set a wicked, unsaved man in the body of Christ. Could it please Him to do so? Impossible! A pamphlet was put into our hands the other day, with this title on its back—" The Baptized Church of Jesus Christ in Folkestone." Now the question is, what is the baptized church, which is His body, in Folkestone? Would it be either those who had been baptized by water in infancy, before they believed? or, as in this case, those who had been baptized in water after they professed faith in Christ? Both would be equally wrong as to membership of the body of Christ, for it is not by water at all, but by the Spirit. We do not ask, Have you been baptized with water, and thus make an outward profession of Christianity? That is not the question. Neither do we ask, Have you become a member of any of the churches, or bodies of men, on earth? This you may have done, and yet be lost eternally, having no part nor lot in the matter of which we write.
But in scripture we find the one body united to a glorified Christ in heaven—one with Him, the Head, as the members of the human body are one with its head. And we find that all believers, whether Jews or Gentiles, are baptized by the Holy Spirit into that one body; that God hath set every one of them in the body as it hath pleased Him. And we ask, Hath God set you there? Have you received the Holy Ghost? Are you baptized by the Spirit into the one body of Christ? Take care that sacramental water does not take the place of the Spirit of God. If you have received the Holy Ghost, you will find these things clearly revealed in the scriptures of truth.
Plain Papers on the Church: No. 3
As we have seen, whilst the four figures that are used are distinct, yet they also set forth unity the temple—the assembly—the body—the bride.
"In whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord." Yes, every living stone, every soul that has passed from death unto life, is fitly framed together. Is it right, then, for any man to take those born of the Spirit, and build them into a building or society of his own? Again, since all believers in any given place are part of " the church which is his body," can it be right to take some of those believers, and form divisions, or human churches? And surely the truth that " there is one body" forbids the thought of taking the members of Christ, and making them members of human, though religious, bodies. If the " one body" be such a striking figure of unity, then "the church" also must be one, for it is His body.
Such also is the teaching of scripture as to the bride. We cannot separate the two, as may be seen in Eph. 5:24-32; indeed they are here " the church," " his body," and the love of the husband to " the wife." " This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church."
Such is the interest God has in the church—the body, the bride—that we get a figure of it so early as in Gen. 2 God, speaking of Adam, who was a figure of Him that was to come, said, " It is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him an help meet for him." There was no creature found suited for the man. The one bride was the workmanship of God, wrought in a very peculiar way. The one bride was formed out of the sleeping [in figure dead] Adam. There was, however, only one Eve formed, and presented unto the man. We thus see God's thoughts of Christ and the church, the bride of the Lamb. It is the good pleasure of the Father, that Christ, as the man, should not be alone. What Eve was in paradise, the church shall be in the heavens. Oh, wondrous purpose of God! "I will make him an help meet for him." From Pentecost to the second coming of the Lord, is not this the great work of God in this world?
All believers should already rejoice, and give thanks to the Father, because He hath made us meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. But, oh, what a moment will that be when the church, as the bride of Christ's affections, is presented to Him glorious, "not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing''—holy, and without blemish. But if God only formed one Eve, as revealed in Gen. 2, so in Ephesians do we find only the one church. " Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it," &c.
If we now pass on in scripture until after they that are Christ's have been raised from among the dead, and we who are alive, and left until His coming, have been caught up with them, to meet and be with the Lord, we do not find the marriage of the Lamb take place for some time. When John was called up to heaven, at the close of the vision of the church's history on earth, and when he saw the throne set in heaven, then the redeemed, who had been caught up to meet and be with the Lord, were thus revealed to him. " And round about the throne were four-and-twenty thrones: and upon the thrones I saw four-and-twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold." (Rev. 4:4.) Thus they are kings and priests -crowned priests, sitting on thrones. On earth the four-and-twenty courses of priests never sat down. Their work was never done. Neither were they crowned kings. That beautiful little song explains how we received these wondrous privileges: " Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Rev. 1:5.) Yes, that precious blood fits us to sit on thrones—the work is done. We enter into perfect rest, in the very light and glory of the throne of God, clothed in priestly robes of white, and having crowns of gold. Not a cloud—not a spot. Jesus said, " I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." What a place!—what a home above! Here we shall wait, and worship, until the Lamb takes the book, and takes His place in the center of the throne. No doubt it will be a great surprise to some; it need not be, if we believe the revelation thus given to us now. " The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass." Yes, shortly—it may be in a few hours—we who are washed in the blood of the Lamb may be seated on those thrones of glory, clothed in white raiment, wearing crowns of gold. It will surely and shortly come to pass. Oh, how gladly shall we join the mighty chorus, " Thou art worthy." This will be our happy and blessed place during that terrible period of wrath, and pouring out of judgments on the earth. When the Lamb takes the book, then, so near the throne, we not only sit, but sing the new song.
We will pass over the time of the opening of the seals, the sounding of the trumpets, thunders, and pouring out of the vials of judgments—days of the full ripening of Christendom in the awful wickedness and judgment of Babylon. Then, but not until the final overthrow and judgment of Babylon, will the marriage of the Lamb take place. " And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up forever and ever." If you would know the end of all human boasting and progress—yea, the end of Christendom, after the true saints of God are taken to be with the Lord, read Rev. 18; 19:3; and remember these things will shortly come to pass. After the judgment of Babylon, the saints are seen as the crowned elders for the last time. They "fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen, Alleluia."
We now come to the marriage of the Lamb. And observe, the marriage is in heaven. The bride must be where the marriage takes place. Therefore there is no ground for the thought held by some, that the bride always means Israel. There is no thought in scripture of Israel being taken as a nation to heaven. Every promise to them is as to blessing on earth. The bride, then, is evidently the church, which is His body, which is then in heaven. But immediately before the appearing of Christ with all His saints, the marriage of the Lamb takes place. There are vast multitudes present beside the bride. "A great multitude." They are distinct from the bride, for they say, " Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness [righteousnesses] of saints." Thus the heavenly bride of the Lamb is as distinct as the Eve of paradise. And she now takes her distinct and highest place as the wife of the Lamb. " And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." Thus the well-known figure of an Eastern marriage is used to express or reveal the wondrous place the church shall have according to the eternal counsels of God. As God presented Eve to Adam, so that supreme moment has now arrived when the church is presented glorious, without spot or wrinkle, to Christ, the second Adam.
We understand the position of Eve, when we remember that she was one with the man placed over this lower creation. We understand, in some measure, the position and glory of the church, the bride of the Lamb, when we know that she is one with Him who, as the Second man, is placed over the universe. It was made by Him, and for Him. Such the everlasting destiny of the church, the wife of the Lamb—when He comes in judgment, they come with Him. (Rev. 19:11-16) " And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given unto them." (Chap. 20:4)
We now pass on to the vision when the first earth and the first heaven are passed away, and the new heaven and the new earth appear. Even then the bride is seen in all her distinctness. " And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." It does certainly seem to us most clear that Israel as a nation never having been taken up to heaven, cannot thus come down from God out of heaven. No, it is the church, the bride, not seen now as once it was on earth. But what will it be as coming from God out of heaven- the workmanship of God? How perfect in glory! How pure and holy!
All this is so dear to the heart of Christ, who loved the church, and gave Himself for it, that, after closing the revelation of the eternal state in chapter 21:8, we have an additional and special description of the bride, the Lamb's wife. " Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone, most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal." Here, again, the bride, the Lamb's wife, under the figure of a vast city, the holy Jerusalem, the holy dwelling-place of God, is seen—not what we were in humiliation and sorrow on earth, but descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Surely we ought to know and expect this, for Jesus said long ago, " And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one."
We could not in this short paper attempt to explain the heights and depths, breadths and lengths, or consider all the wondrous symbols used to describe the joint administration and glory of the bride of the Lamb. But, glorious as is the vision, do not forget it must shortly come to pass. What will it be to be there—to come out of heaven from God, to reign with the Lamb over the nations of this earth I Oh, blessed destiny, thou bride of the Lamb! Even now it is our privilege to be communicators of the water of life to others, having drunk it ourselves.
Yes, it is Jesus Himself that says, "I (Jesus) have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches: I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." Is it so, beloved reader? Do you know Jesus? Is He the Bright and Morning Star to you? Anything, nothing, or everything? " And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come." Are you really a member of the body of Christ? Have you heard and believed? Are you now inviting others to come? Are you longing for Jesus to come? Do you say, I am only a poor sinner that longs to be saved—a heavy-laden sinner, that longs for rest and peace with God? Well, there is another sentence for you—yes, for you. " And let him that is athirst come: and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Yes, you say, I thirst, I long, I wish I had the certainty of salvation; I am indeed heavy-laden, I hate myself and my sins more and more; but how am I to know that this water of life is free to me? Does not Jesus say, " Let him that is athirst, come?" Does He not say, " Whosoever?" Does He not, then, mean you? The water of life, then, is free to you, for whosoever surely includes you. Do you say, After a little more pleasure or sin? Is that thirsting for salvation, for the water of life?
Oh, beware, for " He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
Very solemn words to those who reject His grace; very precious words to those who are washed in His blood. He who thus speaks to us in infinite love may come as we write, or as others may read these lines. May each believer be found waiting, and ready to enter into the joy of the Lord.