(See "Prospect," vol. ii. pp. 43-45.)
VII.-RUIN OF TILE DISPENSATION.
ROMANS 11 teaches that the Gentile dispensation was liable to failure, as the Jewish had failed before it. But the doctrine of Scripture goes much farther and declares that there would be a rubs or apostasy; nay, that the object to be at last judged was already in existence. But, before citing the direct and abundant testimony of the Word of God, it is to be premised that we must distinguish between the people of God in a dispensation, and the dispensation itself. There were many saints among the Jews, but the dispensation has been cut off. In every dispensation, man has failed, and the dispensation has been set aside, which will happen also to the present dispensation. God has never said that He will confirm to the end the Gentile dispensation. Nay, are going to see the reverse. God's faithfulness to the Church consists in preserving the faithful, not the dispensation of the Church. The existence of the dispensation depends on the faithfulness of man; the existence of the faithful depends on the faithfulness of God. The evil which has happened in our economy will increase by man's infidelity until this economy is cut off.
The greatest part of the difficulty, as to this subject, ordinarily felt by believers, is, that they confound the intentions of God as to the dispensation, with His counsels concerning the believers who are found in it. These counsels cannot fail to have their effect, but the dispensation may pass and terminate, (though having been to the glory of God, inasmuch as it has displayed His ways,) because the unfaithfulness of men rendered it unsuitable to be the means of manifesting His glory any longer. Then God, who knows beforehand what He will do, replaces it by another dispensation, in which man is set under another set of trials, and thus all the ways of God are manifested, and His manifold wisdom, in every manner, has its true display, even to the heavenly places.
Thus we see how distinct is the responsibility of man in any given economy, from the salvation of souls in that same economy. To confound these two things is to lose sight either of the grace of God on the one hand, or the responsibility of man on the other. Adam and Eve, formed in innocence, were tried in Eden; and they transgressed, but this hindered not the resource of divine goodness in the woman's Seed. Noah, again, was entrusted by God with the sword of government. The entire fall of this holy trust is quite another thing from his individual salvation, which, as to him and every saved soul, rested not upon his faithfulness to God, but upon God's faithfulness to him. So, on a larger scale, although the conduct of believers in Israel was necessarily modified and regulated by the Levitical Law, yet their personal deliverance, so far from depending upon the law, flowed from a totally opposite principle,—from the grace of God which bringeth salvation. The dispensation, as a whole, is judged, condemned, and displaced, because of its unfaithfulness to the trust which God committed to the charge of man; but the security of individuals, all through, is made good by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation, through that blood, existed before this economy, even as there will be saints in the time of Anti-Christ, but this hinders not the existence of the apostasy, for the Word of God affirms that the presence of Anti-Christ will be the sign that it is already arrived. (2 Thess. 2.)
Be it so, that this great apostasy is not yet consummated. Nevertheless, we are taught that the mystery of iniquity, which was already working from the apostolic time, was to continue, and that, on the removal of a hindrance, the wicked one was to be revealed whom the Lord should destroy by the epiphany of His presence, and that, before this, the apostasy should come. And what means all this if it be not the revelation of the ruin of the dispensation,—the revelation of an apostasy whose principles were already at work from time days of the apostle, and which only awaited the removal of the hindrance to be manifested in the grand, crowning agent of this wickedness, viz. the wicked one?
We see in the Word of God two great mysteries, which are developed during the present economy: the mystery of Christ, and the mystery of iniquity.
The counsels which are found engaged in the first have their accomplishment in heaven. The union of Christ's body with Him in glory is evidently to have its accomplishment on high. But, by the power of the Holy Ghost, there should have been on earth, during this economy, a manifestation of the union of the body of Christ. Here, however, the responsibility of man enters into this manifestation here below, though at the end all be to the glory of God. Wherefore, the dispensation may be in ruin, though the counsels of God never fail: on the contrary, our he shall turn to His glory, while he judges us justly.
In this sphere of human responsibility, Satan may introduce himself from the moment that man rests not absolutely upon God. We know it by the experience of every day.
It is, then, revealed that the mystery of iniquity shall have its course. Here the question is not of counsels, but of an evil done in time. It is a question here of the mystery of iniquity: the apostasy, or revolt, is no mystery. There is no need of a revelation to tell us that a man who denies Jesus Christ is no Christian: he says so. But here there is an evil put in train within the bosom of Christendom in relation with Christianity, of which the wicked one is to be the full manifestation, as the glory of Christ and the Church will be the full accomplishment of the mystery of Jesus Christ. The word " iniquity " and the word "wicked one" are the same in the original, save that one indicates the thing; the other, the person; it is pre-eminently. " the lawlessness " and the "lawless one." This mystery of iniquity, then, was put in train from the time of the apostle: later on, the veil would be taken away, the apostasy would be there, and, lastly, the wicked one find his end by the manifestation of Christ's coming. There was a principle of lawlessness actually at work, though in mystery, which was to continue and, grow up, and, when the letter was removed, was to issue in the complete revelation of the man of sin, whose presence is after the energy of Satan with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, God Himself sending the lost an energy of error that they should believe a lie. That is, we have here described, not a more secular power under which the world groaned, but a religious, though blasphemous, evil, intimately connected with, and resulting from, corrupted Christianity, as one of its chief sources. Thus is the economy to close. Such is the revelation of this passage. Also, as is to be seen elsewhere, this is to be in order to introduce the glory and reign of Christ, that all the earth may be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.
The Lord tells us that “as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man; " and " likewise also as it was in the days of Lot," &c. Yet there were saints there whom God preserved; but for all that, the world of their days was in 1 ruin-state. Even thus shall it be when the Son of man is revealed. The predicted state of the present economy at its close is to be analogous to the awful state of things which was then judged of the Lord—a state of apostasy. Compare 1 Tim. 4:1-7. 2 Tim. 3:1-5. In the one, a departure or apostasy from the faith chiefly in practical points; in the other, the return of Christendom to an awful condition, resembling heathenism in its moral evils, maintaining withal the form of godliness while its power is denied. In Rom. 1, the Holy Ghost had spoken of the reprobate state of the Gentiles: these terrible characteristics were already true of the heathen. But in 2 Tim., we find that the same thing would be true, in the last days, of those who were professing Christians. They were to lapse into the worst moral evils of heathenism. The outwardly grossest are to be replaced by others of a subtler and worse character, from the rejection of a fuller light from God. From such the faithful were to turn away. Evil men and seducers are to wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Is not that a state of ruin, when the description of Christendom is that men shall be such as the Gentiles, whom God gave up to a mind devoid of all judgment? (Compare Rom. 1. 2. and 2 Tim. 3. in the Greek.) It is the general character of these perilous times, which demanded extraordinary warnings.
So in 1 John 2:18, 19. “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." The coming of the antichrist was a subject of warning even to the babes in Christ. “Even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time." Finally, the apostle directs the attention of the babes to the coming of the Savior. The presence of antichrist is a sign of the ruin, not of the faithful, but of the economy as a whole, and of its speedy cutting off. The passage confirms the testimony, that the evil which was to be the occasion of excision was introduced from the beginning, and was to continue till God struck the blow of judgment, which should destroy the wicked one. This evil is here marked, not as infidelity, but as apostasy from Christianity. “They went out from us." It had set in even at that time. Antichristian evil was found to have its worst spring from the profession of Christ. The Word of God teaches us that the evil, which is the object of the judgment of the Lord Jesus at His return, had crept within the Church, even in apostolic days; that it should continue, and, in spite of God's patience and goodness, draw down judgment, See the entire epistle of Jude. Certain men had crept in unawares, foreordained to this condemnation. Although, at that moment, these persons might not have been yet so manifested, the apostle gives them, by the prophetic Spirit, these three characters: the natural hatred of the heart alienated from God, such as Cain's; the teaching of error for reward, like Balaam; and open rebellion against the priesthood and royalty of Christ, like that of Core. In this last state they perish. He says that these were they of whom Enoch prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh, &c. What was there already in the Church, was the direct mark for the judgment of Christ when He comes, and so predicted from the first. Enoch prophesied of these. The presence of saints does not hinder that. The evil which is to terminate by open revolt and to be judged at Christ's advent, was found in the Church. What impression does this epistle produce, if it be not a warning to a faithful remnant against a terrible evil which was to bring on judgment—an evil found within the bosom of the Church, of which the state of Sodom and Gomorrah and the fallen angels presented the frightful, but just, picture? Was it not a state of fall and ruin, which might be only in the bud, it is true, at that time, but whose traits and doom were not hidden from the Spirit of prophecy in the apostle? If there is obscurity in all that, there is at least in this obscurity a terrible shade, which God has put there, and which should induce us not to glide so easily by; above all, when the subject in question is one so grave as the destiny of the Church. And here I have an important remark to make. This epistle of Jude, which treats especially of the ruin, like that of St. John, which puts believers on their guard against antichrist, is not addressed to a Church, but to the faithful in general, as having a common interest, a common destiny. As much may be said of 2 Peter, which also speaks of it, though having a character more in connection with Christians from among the Jews.
Viii.-the Olive Tree.-Rom. 11
The apostle had concluded all under sin without difference, the Jew having only added transgressions under the law: and he had closed the account of the privileges of the saints in the eighth chapter. Not, it is true, on the ground of the elevation of Christ to be head of the body, (that is the subject of the Ephesians,) but on a principle of a headship of Christ going beyond Abraham and David, and extending to a position which answered to that of Adam, the figure of Him that was to come—the new resurrection Man. This blotted out the idea of Israel as to distinctive position before God. Lifted up from the earth, He was to draw all men in a new way. God was the God of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews. The free gift had all men for its object. The consequent blessings are then enquired into; the presence of the Holy Ghost,—they were called, justified, and glorified, and never to be separated from God's love in Christ Jesus. This closes the eighth chapter.
But then naturally arises the question: If Jews and Gentiles are indiscriminately admitted by faith, what comes of the promises made to Israel as God's people? This question the apostle answers in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters, showing that God had foretold that they would be a disobedient and gainsaying people, as they had in fact stumbled at the stumbling stone. The question then, here discussed, is not Church privileges, but how to reconcile their being indiscriminate with the distinctive promises to Israel. And, therefore, (chap. 11) the apostle asks, Has God cast away His people? And here he comes entirely on earthly ground:. for Israel never were, and never will be, and were never promised to be, a heavenly people; whereas, the Church, in its higher and distinctive and proper privileges, was a heavenly people, and had Christ's suffering portion for them upon earth. They were sitting in heavenly places in him; but they were to have a place actually on earth; and here they replaced for a time Israel. But that did not at all set aside the promises to Israel as such—there was no blending of them. A Jew, or circumcision, was nothing now. One displaced the other on earth. In heaven the distinction was unknown. Christ was the head of the body in heaven, but he was no Messiah of the Gentiles upon earth, though the Gentiles were to trust in Him, so that the apostle could justify himself by the Old Testament.
But then, how reconcile these things? God had not cast away His people. First, He had reserved an elect remnant. Secondly. it was to provoke, as. He had declared He would, to jealousy, His ancient people; therefore, not to cast them off. Thirdly, Israel would be saved as a whole by Christ's coming again and going forth from Zion. But this last, instead of blending, was preceded by the threat of utterly cutting off the Gentile branches. Now, it is quite clear that this cannot refer to the heavenly body of Christ, (for it cannot be so cut off,) but to God's dealings with them on earth. And this is yet more evident, because the Israelites are said to be graffed into their own olive tree, which clearly has nothing to do with the Church as a heavenly body: because that is not their olive tree any more than a Gentile's. All were alike here, children of wrath. There was no difference. It was one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. But there was an administration of promises, and immutable promises, which did naturally belong to them. The Gentiles came in here, inasmuch as, being united to Christ the true seed of Abraham, they come into the promises and blessing of Abraham. But on repentance, Israel down here on earth will be graffed into their own olive tree, where we are now contrary to nature. But all this "naturally," and " contrary to nature," has no place in our proper church position: all is beyond nature, and contrary to nature there. Yea, though we had known Christ after the flesh, (and He was seed of David according to the flesh, and Abraham was the Jew's father after the flesh)—but, though we had known Christ after the flesh, we were now to know Hint no more, though we recognize His title. The glory of the Messiah of Israel will be established, but not on the principles, though both be received by grace, on which the Church is set in heaven; because there can be no Israel known there. They have their own olive tree down here, and the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. But in Christ, as known to the Church, there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free; but Christ is all and in all. The Church of heavenly places has put on Christ, and knows nothing else.
And it is because the Church at Jerusalem did yet, as to earth, refer to this special place of Jews, according to the mind of God Himself, (and not as if it did not itself enter into the full heavenly privileges,) according to the sermon of Acts 3., where the unbelieving Jews are still treated as the children of the covenant which God made with Abraham—that the Pentecostal Church has been spoken of as having a Jewish character. It is not that those who composed it did not form part of the heavenly Church and body of Christ; but that God, till Jerusalem had rejected the testimony of the Holy Ghost about a glorified Christ, as she had rejected a humble Christ, did not finally cast her off as having no snore hope. She had deserved it, indeed, but God answered the intercession of Christ for that nation upon the cross, by the Spirit in the mouth of Peter, in Acts 3., (as indeed as a nation He will hereafter, only in a remnant saved by grace) telling them that now, if they repented, He would send Jesus, and the times of refreshing would come. But when he called, there was still "none to answer," and judgment, though with long patience, took its course. And Paul appears (Col. 1.) as minister of the Church, to fulfill the word of God, and of the Gospel, to every creature under heaven; and the full heavenly indiscriminate character of the one body is brought out. Nobody ever dreamt that the Jewish saints were not of it; but they justly discerned the blessed patient dealings of God with His ancient and beloved people—the nation for which Christ died, and for which He interceded—and the full bringing out of the doctrine of that heavenly body which knew no difference of Jew within itself at all, nor Christ Himself after the flesh, while it recognized the truth of all the rest.
Ix.—Difference of Position in Glory.
Difference there is. The Savior recognizes the setting on His right hand and on His left; and many other passages prove it. Now, if this depend on the blood of Christ, this would attribute a various value to it: make it uncertain and imperfect in the extent of its efficacy. The blood of the Lamb gives to all their sole title to be in the glory, and gives to all an equal and perfect justification from sin; and therefore, in its effect, there can be no difference: to suppose a difference is to call in question the completeness of its efficacy. But there is a difference: and this, while the title to be in the glory is for all in the blood, depends therefore on something else. It is, in the accomplishment of the counsels of God the Father, given to those for whom it is prepared; and given, (though man is not in the least the judge of that labor, and there are first that shall be last, and last first,) according to the working and energy of the Spirit of God, and faithfulness through grace in service. God does what He will with His own. Still we know that, in doing so, He displays what He is, and is consistent with Himself; and position and 'reward answer to the sovereignty of God, which has given us a position, and the operation of the Spirit, by which we have walked in it. It is the sovereignty of God, we know from the Lord's answer to the sons of Zebedee, and the parable in Matt. 20. It is the fruit of labor, as we know from 1 Cor. 3:8; the parables, Luke 19 and Matt. 15; 1 Thess. 2:19, 20, 2 John 3. I suppose it will not be questioned that this work is through the efficacious operation of the Spirit of God.
X.—the Sermon on the Mount.
The question is not whether the Church can take these directions, and use them by the Spirit, for her guidance. If they are addressed to others than the Church, then a condition is found to have existed to which the testimony of Christ applies, but which is not the Church. If it is solely and exclusively the Church, then there is no example (here at least) of disciples other than the Church; and we are to take the disciples as being, during the lifetime of Jesus, the Church; and the proper and peculiar blessedness of that body, in the unity of the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, becomes a mere casual difference.
I say, then, that the disciples were not then the Church, though they afterwards became the first nucleus of it, and that the sermon on the mount is not addressed to the Church, nor could be; though the Church now has it for its guide in its walk. If I say to one who has never been at court, You cannot join the king's court but in a court dress. It is clear that he will have to wear the court dress when there; for what I say means that that is the dress that suits the court; but the man, as yet, does not form part of the king's court. But farther, the kingdom of heaven is not the Church; and while we enter into it in the way of being the Church, others may enter into it in another way, as the Jews and others during the millennium; and this dress prescribed in the sermon on the mount may be as needed for those who are to enter in in that way, as for those who, by this new form of the manifold wisdom of God, become the Church of God in earth. Thus, when it is said, " Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth," this may be true of those who shall inherit the earth in a millennial way, and I believe will be true, and more literally and immediately true than it is of the Church, and that to confine it to the Church as exclusively true of it, is only ignorance. This shows the bearing of the question. Then, as to the fact, I say that the disciples were not then the Church, and could not be addressed as the Church; Christ being not yet dead and risen again, and the Spirit not given. They were addressed in their then condition. And is there any great wonder in that ?
But farther. Could one in the Church, a Christian now, as it has been put by one opposed to my view, have sat on the mount with the disciples, and listened with the disciples to this sermon, as addressed to himself as well as to them? I answer at once, No. He would have said, How blessed to my soul are these instructions; what a guide to my feet in this dark world; how my soul delights in them, and in Him who gave them! But he would have felt that they were addressed to them, and not to him. He was in the kingdom, he had the secret of the Lord, and the Holy Ghost dwelling in him. And this one word, "Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven," would at once make him feel, "This is for them, addressed exclusively to them." It is impossible that such language as, “Ye shall in no case enter," can be addressed to those who are already within, who are in and of the kingdom. It gives the immediate consciousness that the address is to others, though it may at the same time give the consciousness that the principles addressed belong to those that are within. That they got new instructions, belonging to the remnant, is most true such as would not have suited any others. That this remnant became the nucleus of the Church, and carried these instructions along with them into it, is equally true. But they were not then addressed as the Church, nor even as being in the kingdom; nor could they be, for neither were set up. And this sermon is in prospect of the setting up of the kingdom, and shows the qualities and persons suited to it before it was so set up, and in no case even alludes to the Church.
For my own part, though a practical direction in principle, I have no doubt that verse 25 applies to the then position of Christ with the nation, and that the nation is now suffering the consequences of not acting on the principle there stated. I add, that while all the teaching here remains eternally true for everyone, yet that, as it stands here, it could be addressed now neither to saint nor sinner. Not to a saint; for it is a question of entering into the kingdom of heaven. Not to sinners; for it is not an address of grace to them at all, nor is redemption once mentioned at all, but doing Christ's sayings as the ground of entry. (See 7:21.) To say that it will be true as regards heaven for us, is avoiding the question. It is running an analogy, and a just one; but it is not what is said or treated in the sermon on the mount. I affirm, then, that the sermon on the mount was addressed to the disciples in their then state; and I should think it very natural that it should be so. But their then state was not that of the Church, but very far indeed from it.