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It has been the invariable method of God to take occasion from every successive failure of the creature, more clearly to manifest His own perfections; and while in so doing, He has brought Himself nearer to man, He has at the same time progressively increased man's responsibility. The failure has ever been from man's waywardness; the glory of getting good out of evil, God's sole prerogative. -"Where sin abounded grace much more abounded," while true in individual blessing to God's elect, is specially true in each successive dispensation {age}, from the fall to "the fullness of time in which God sent forth His Son," and even yet awaits a fuller development in the dispensation of the fullness of times, when He shall gather together in one, all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth (Eph. 1:1010That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10)).
The progress of the divine dispensations is thus summarly stated by the apostle, in the epistle to the Hebrews:
The contrast here is not merely between the prophets and the Son, but also between the fullness of the manifestation of God in the Son compared with the partial character of previous manifestations. They were but piecemeal. -At one time there was a revelation of love, at another of power, at another of faithfulness; and in ways too sufficiently indicative of their obscurity, -in a vision, in a dream. -But in Jesus the whole effulgence of the divine character shone forth. -He was "the brightness of glory." "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father also. " And so entirely divested of obscurity was the manifestation, that one could say, "That which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life," in a word -"God manifested in the flesh. "This progress has been to greater intimacy (if the expression may reverently be used) between God and man. He was known to the fathers by the name of "God Almighty" (Ex. 6:33And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (Exodus 6:3)). To the Israelites He was made known by His name "Jehovah," a near God, and "very present help in time of trouble," as well as a holy and jealous God. This was the burthen of the testimony of God's servants the prophets, whom He sent, "rising early and sending until there was no remedy." Israel had not only failed to manifest Jehovah, but the end was, "that the name of God was blasphemed through them among the heathen" (Ezek. 36:2323And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. (Ezekiel 36:23); Rom. 2:2424For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. (Romans 2:24)).
The latest testimony to them was that of John, he came in the way of righteousness; and then another dispensation was announced—"The law and the prophets were until John; since that time, the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it" (Luke 16:1616The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. (Luke 16:16)). But the dispensation might not pass without the vindication of God's wisdom in it, that it was holy, just, and good; until "God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law" (Gal. 4:3, 43Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Galatians 4:3‑4)). He took it up, and what had failed in man, in Him was fulfilled. No jot, or title of the law passed till all was fulfilled. Every one of its requirements was met by the Lord, and God was with Him (Acts 10:3030And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, (Acts 10:30)). In Him, -the "righteous servant," was exhibited God's power, (Christ the power of God) acknowledged and felt -reasoned against indeed as to its source, "whence has this man this power? what manner of man is this?" but too palpable to be gainsaid. Having established His claim to "the Just One," "which of you convinceth are of sin?" -"The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me. " He further vindicated God in the law by undergoing its awful curse; and thus set it aside. "He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, " and declared to be the righteous One by His resurrection; and not only so, but exalted as such, and declared to be "worthy to receive power, and riches, and glory, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and blessing."
It is important to remark that the old dispensation was completely set aside, not renovated or altered; and that before the kingdom of God which was announced, was set up in power, an opportunity was afforded by the death of Christ and the fulfillment of the law, for a further display of the character of God previous to the exercise of active power and retributive justice in His kingdom by Him who was worthy to receive power. This intermediate dispensation is that in which we are. "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." In order to the public manifestation of God's grace, not only was it needful for man to be exhibited in his utter helplessness and apostasy, but likewise for the law to be set aside, or it would stand as a barrier of God's own raising against it. Instead, therefore, of God manifested through Israel by the exercise of His power in and through them, and showing His holy character through their reflection of it -"be ye holy for I am holy"; and thus proving what a great and terrible God He was -how inaccessible by man, because of His holiness -with the preservation of every previously manifested perfection of God -we now have seen Him set forth in Christ as "reconciling the world unto Himself"; and instead of keeping sinners at a distance from Him, "preaching peace by Jesus Christ. " But while God is thus set forth in all this nearness to sinners, as was exhibited on the part of Jesus, being conversant with them, those who were drawn by God's grace into His presence, were to become the means of exhibiting the presence of God in the world. How now is God manifested in nearness to man? In Israel He was manifested to be near them by His protection, and the confession of His presence was extorted from the mouth of His enemies by His judgments; but it is not so nowthe dispensation is changed from active righteousness to grace; God is letting men alone, by not interfering now in vengeance on sinners; they see it not, and therefore "despise the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering," and are "treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath." God in all the nearness of grace, is actually less acknowledged than in all the distance the law had made between Him and man.
The reason is obvious, -God's presence was then manifest to sense, but now in the power of deliverance from the world; and not only did the one more readily address itself naturally to man than the other, but the failure has been more decided. So long as Jesus remained on earth, the presence of God was felt if not acknowledged, "God was manifest in the flesh." It was, however, expedient for His disciples that He should go away; expedient for them -it is marvelous that it should have been so; His presence, which was the joy of their heart and only stability, was to be lost to them, in order to increase their blessing. Was it, therefore, possible for them to have God nearer to them than to have His presence, whose name was "Immanuel, God with us?" yes, this was even possible; and therefore, it was expedient that Jesus should ascend. Be had the power of life on earth -He could have so sustained it, as He showed in Lazarus, as gap in that which the Lord declares to be continuous: -He shall abide with you forever"; yea is it not to take up the language of infidelity of old, "The Lord hath forsaken the earth" (Ezek. 9:9; 8:129Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not. (Ezekiel 9:9)
12Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth. (Ezekiel 8:12)). Unless therefore it be asserted that believers are not one with Jesus, the presence of the Spirit cannot be denied to be their portion, because it is in virtue of that union that the Spirit dwells among them, -"I am with you always." This blessed assertion could only have been the portion of the few immediately favored with our Lord's presence on the earth, had He remained. How expedient therefore that He should go away; and while as the "Lamb in the midst of the throne, with seven horns," He gives the assurance that His power in providence is ever over them; the seven eyes show His presence even by the Spirit, the Spirit of the Father and the Son, whom He would send, to be abidingly with them as the other Comforter. The one who would fulfill in all ages, to those who would confide in Him the gracious part of teacher, reprover, adviser, and tender soother of all their fears, which Jesus had done while personally conversant with them on earth. The expression "the Holy Ghost was not yet, because that Jesus was not yet glorified," compared with the declaration of the Lord (John 16:77Nevertheless 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. (John 16:7)), it is expedient for you that I go away, opens out to us most blessedly the peculiar character of the dispensation in which we are, and its distinguishing blessing to those who abide in Christ. Jesus is glorified, the Spirit is, and the portion of the Church one with Him as risen; "as He is so are we in this world." This is what the apostle styles "the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope of glory."
"Will God indeed dwell on the earth?" is not now answered by the glory of God filling the house which Solomon built, but in the perpetual testimony of the Spirit to the fact of man dwelling with God, "the only begotten in the bosom of the Father"; even He "that humbled Himself to death, even the death of the cross," being exalted as man unto that glory which He had before the world was. How "expedient therefore that He should go away," that we might know God's condescension to man. The Spirit in the children of God is the testimony of this to the world now, and shall be fully demonstrated at the period to which, now groaning, they look forward, "the manifestation of the sons of God," when Jesus shall be manifested as "the first-born among many brethren." It is most important to notice how necessarily the dispensation of the Spirit flows from the fact of the incarnation and ascension. The man Jesus must be glorified beforethe Spirit's dispensation was. And as Jesus, the Son of God, had glorified His Father, and not sought His own glory, and as it is the Father's will that all should honor the Son even as they honor the Father," -so the Spirit seeketh not His own glory; but says Jesus, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot hear them now; howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak, and He shall show you things to come; He shall glory me for He shall receive of mine and show it unto you."The two great branches of the Spirit's testimony are to the sufferings of Christ and His glory. And these are truths, yea, the only truths, that is, the only things that have intrinsic and therefore unfading excellence in them. Jesus is the truth.—
"He came by water and by blood, not by water only, but by water and by blood; and it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth."
History may make us acquainted with the fact of the crucifixion; but the Spirit alone can teach its wondrous result, in leading the conscience to the blood of the Lamb, opening therein God's counsel of peace to sinners, with the preservation and illustration of every previously manifested perfection of God, -"A just God and a Savior." So again the assent of the understanding may be given to the fact of the ascension and consequent glory of Jesus; but it is the Spirit's province to direct the eye of the believer to his portion in it, resulting again from the fact of the incarnation of the Son of God.
"Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him; but God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit... for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God." Now in all this we find "God's thoughts not as ours" in that man is entirely turned away from Himself, to an object without Him for present comfort and future glory, "look unto Him and be ye saved," "He shall take of mine and show it unto you." It is the rightful glory of Jesus to which He points -and the believers share in it, from the love which brought Him down into our sad necessities. Disconnect the two, the sufferings and the glory, and there must needs be vagueness in peace and hope -the power of both, applied by the Spirit to faith -is our victory over the world.
In connection with these, there is also another thing. Jesus to establish the mind of His disciples on leaving them, comforts them with the words recorded {in} John 14:29; 15:15; 16:1229And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. (John 14:29)
15Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. (John 15:15)
12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. (John 16:12). It is by the Spirit who searcheth all things, &c. that as friends, "believers are admitted into the counsels of God" (1 Cor. 2:1616For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)). It is thus that without new revelations, the Spirit by opening and applying His own writings according to the exigencies of the Church, guides into all truth -Lo! I have told you beforehand." This is their safe-guard against surprise -He is "the Spirit of counsel and wisdom," not by setting man's will to work on His own materials, but by turning the thoughts to Jesus who is our wisdom; and it is only as things bear on Him and are connected with Him, that they are the truth. It is thus that "those who have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil," are enabled to judge righteous judgment. Everything by the Spirit is brought to Jesus as the light, and there is {sic} reality is discovered. Hence it is that when the influence of the Spirit, apart from His real presence and guidance, has been looked to, the mind of man has been accustomed to reason on the things of God; and instead of the judgment of the Spirit, to have only that of man, and the way has been opened for departure from the ground-work of personal acceptance or even to the wildest fanaticism. This has been the case whenever the peculiar characteristic of this as the spiritual dispensation, i. e., the dispensation in which the Holy Ghost is the blessed agent, glorifying not Himself but Jesus, has been lost sight of. Forgetfulness of this has tended to place even the Lord's people
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upon as the end instead of the beginning of present blessing, though, all that such a state, of itself; brings us to, is, "O wretched man that I am." The peculiar characteristic of the present dispensation has been forgotten, even life with the risen and ascended Jesus. "To be spiritually-minded is life and peace." How far such a morbid state of spiritual feeling may be brought about by preaching regeneration instead of Christ, might be a subject of inter-eating inquiry.
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in a false position looking only to spiritual agency within them, (so far undoubtedly right) they have been led into an unmeaning vagueness of hope, and have almost practically dissociated the hope of glory from the resurrection state, and connected it with that of the separate Spirit {sic, spirit}. Hence has arisen the sad mistake of a believer's real position in the world, and the vain attempt of regenerating it, save by the intervention of Him who says, "Behold, I create all things new." The world has been looked on as a scene of possible enjoyment, the full tide of evil and power of death in it, only being recognized by those who "have passed from death to life," who know that they "are of God, and that the whole world lieth in wickedness." The spiritual man, he that is quickened together with Christ, one with the risen and ascended Jesus in Spirit, ceases from the vain attempt to improve the world. The real liberty into which he is brought by truth, is the perception of things as they actually are in the sight of God. The world and its lusts are known as not of the Father, and therefore pass away, and hence joy in victory over it, and not being of it, through Him "who gave Himself for us that He might deliver us out of this present evil world."
How momentous to know our real character as Christians, specially in the present day, so remarkable for many anxious attempts at bettering the condition of man, and yet all failing, all falling before the power of evil, because there is no power or wisdom against it but in Him who is "the power of God and wisdom of God." Every advance that man has been able to make, has left hitn short of life. This, then, is the portion of a spiritual man -he stands in the power of life ever surrounded by death, and is therefore enabled to judge righteous judgment, because he can judge not according to appearances but according to realities. It is true that being quickened by the Spirit of God, he is able "to see the kingdom of God"; and his mind being necessarily versed in realities, and these realities being God and His Christ, while he learns the vanity of all that is in the world, he acquires a refinement and delicacy of mind which converse with God never fails to give. But there is exceeding great danger lest we mistake intellectual refinement for spirituality. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth -he that is born of the Spirit is of the truth, and is versed in the realities of all things. It is not the abstraction of the mind from the scene of evil to an imaginary scene of good, but it is being in the evil, recognizing it in all its fearful extent, detecting it under the fairest outside, rising above it personally through Him who was in it and felt its full pressure, in the blessed confidence that He overcame it all. In the world, not of the world, and therefore capacitated not only to see its misery, but to minister to it; and hence "the spiritual man judgeth all things." He is enabled to bring forth the judgment of God upon circumstances apparently trivial. This is much opened to us in 1 Cor. 7; we find the apostle giving his judgment, not by immediate revelation from God, but as one who had obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful, and had the Spirit of God: (8mcca Oc icocyca nvcup,oc OcOu cxciv) he applies the judgment of the Spirit in Him to circumstances of the most domestic character. It is thus he judges all things, being himself only a looker on, and therefore enabled in all calmness to see what those who are themselves engaged in it, cannot, "Man looks on the outside," he may view a thing every where, but the Spirit gets at the principle, i. e., what is before God. In a very little matter, a great principle may be at stake, and hence the short coming even of worldly wisdom in worldly things -"The Lord taketh the wise in their own craftiness" (1 Cor. 3:1919For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. (1 Corinthians 3:19)).
It is the exercise of the Spirit of a sound mind, not that which would judge from results on the probable bearing of anything in given circumstances -not that which is its counterfeit and mere unbelief -the keeping out of God, but bringing him in, as the one in whose hand are results, as paramount to the circumstances of human infirmity. Soundness of mind, must necessarily appear folly in the estimation of the world, "but wisdom is justified of her children." It is a subject of deep humiliation in us all to see how far we come short of this soundness of mind, by conferring with flesh and blood; acting it may be on a right motive at first, but with a wrong expectation, which leads to the employment of means not justified, and disappointment. Nothing can be more contrary to soundness of mind than the results which have been and are, perhaps, by many expected from modern missionary exertions. The conduct of them and expectations from them has brought about a most morbid state of religious excitement, mistaken spirituality, and has tended to conceal the real destitution of the Church, and to make her say; "I am rich and increased with goods," when her very necessity which has driven her to seek help from the world is the saddest proof of decrepitude.
It will not be out of place to notice here the expressions, Rom. 8, "To be carnally minded is death, to be spiritually minded is life and peace"; v. 6, φρὸνημα της σαρκος φρονηματου πνευματος. The words of the preceding verse, οι κατα σαρκα τα της σαρκος φρονουσιν, &c. plainly show that a spiritual mind is not an improvement of the natural mind; let that be cultivated to any extent of intellectual attainment, it still only fulfills "the desires of the flesh and of the mind" (Eph. 2). It is the portion alone of those who are κατα πνέυμα. The things of the Spirit are not only out of the province of the natural mind, but foolishness unto it (1 Cor. 2:1414But 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. (1 Corinthians 2:14)). Hence when Christianity has been treated as a science, and made the subject of mere intellect, being judged by those who are κατα σαρκα it has lost its real character. It is not that it may not call into exercise the highest intellect, for surely it well may; but when it is made the subject matter of intellect, instead of intellect being subject unto it; men are "always learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
They are ever exercising their art to establish it on evidence on which the flesh can rest, or else take up some of the deductions of esteemed theologians, instead of searching the scriptures themselves. From this most profitless state the Spirit delivers—"as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God." It is the Spirit of liberty; the children free in their Father's house, have no longer the inquiry to make, "what is truth?" they have the witness in themselves, and desire to be guided into all truth. But the flesh would ever draw false inferences from revealed truth, even truth brought by the Spirit to the mind. We have a memorable instance of this in Peter (Matt. 16), drawing his own conclusion from the confession he had just made; but, says the Lord, on ου φρονεις τα του θεου, αλλα τα των ανθρωπων. A spiritual mind is that which at once perceives the bearing of anything on the glory of the Lord, this characteristically distinguishes it from refinement of sentiment. Thus it was in Jesus, He was of quick understanding (scent) in the fear of the Lord; by this He immediately saw the gist of Satan's temptations. They appear to the mere natural man as those which are morally harmless -yea even as those which would have demonstrated His power, and turned to Satan's own confusion; but Jesus looked to them as bearing on His Father's honor. We shall see this more strongly by contrast. There could not have been a more legitimate conclusion for the Church to come to than that, when learning, rank, talent, influence, all of which had been united against her, fell before her, and were become her allies, she should then fill the world with blessing; but this was "savoring not {of} God, but of man." The Spirit invariably leads to where Christ is -"if ye then be risen with Christ" τα ανωφρονειτε, &c. It is ever the effort of the prince of this world to make us forget that the world is under the power of death, because it has rejected the prince of life, that its judgment is only respited for the purpose of manifesting Gods long-suffering, that all that is in the world, is not of the Father, and therefore He cannot be served by it. Hence οι ταεπιγεία φρονουντες; are enemies of the cross of Christ. To be spiritually minded is life, is to have risen up out of all this death, to know them as death, and to know Christ as the power of life. Nothing has had a more hurtful tendency in hindering present blessing and encouraging unwarrantable expectations, than the separation of the work of the Spirit from the glory of Christ, to whom He invariably points. Hence in a great measure has arisen the notion that the personal reign of Christ during the millennium is returning to the flesh from the Spirit, and retrograding instead of advancing in blessing. But what is real blessing? one who is at all quickened by the Spirit, knows it to consist in the knowledge and consequent enjoyment of God, and that every advance in the manifestation of God is an accession, of blessing to those really in communion with Him. It is true that now to faith is revealed the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ—"but the Son of man shall come in his own glory and in the glory of His Father, &c." And His triumph is theirs—"every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus, and every tongue confess Him." While then the joy of the saints will be full, "I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness": how is this to be effected but by fresh energy of the Spirit?—"If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jews from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." And while there is this display of the Spirit's power in the bodies of those who have received the first fruits of the Spirit, the great out-pouring of the Spirit is coincident with this -the exhaustion of the promise in Joel, "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh"; and the fulfillment of the new covenant in all its largeness to the Jew, in the very explicit language of Jer. 31 and Ezek. 26. It seems much to have been forgotten that we have only had as yet the first fruits of the Spirit; the full out-pouring is for another dispensation, which as contrasted with this is not fleshly as opposed to spiritual; but one of righteousness as opposed to grace. It is the manifestation of God's power in Christ over evil, so longed for by the still groaning creation. Here the evil in man's nature is restrained from fully developing itself in all, by the secret power of God, and in the saints kept under by the indwelling of God's Spirit; God's judicial power being only now revealed against it (Rom. 2), but not yet actually in exercise against it; then a king reigns in righteousness, having taken His power and bound Satan, the evil one, and "the way of iniquity shall perish," Now liberty is given to evil, i.e. man is left to himself in dispensation at least, save that He who is over all orders all, and makes "the wrath of man to praise Him"; but then God in the revealed power of the Son will not suffer it -"the soul that sinneth it shall surely die": "He shall destroy the works of the devil." In a word -the millennial dispensation is at least, as to the Jews upon earth, the combination of that in which both they have failed in theirs, and Christians in this -the full display of the Spirit on the heart and of earthly blessing in righteousness. So far from being unspiritual, the end of the millennial dispensation to which we are permitted to look, (and surely it is written for our instruction) affords a fresh proof that man under every advantage of nearness to God -outward blessing -testimony of the word and past experience too, will assuredly fail, unless dwelt in by the Spirit of God. Then will be demonstrated, publicly, that which the believer now knows experimentally, "that all flesh is grass" -that there is no real communion with God but by His Spirit -that security is not "by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord." Those therefore, who resist the testimony of God to the pre-millennial advent of Christ, and His reign with His saints perfectly conformed to His image in resurrection over the earth, are necessarily deprived of the instruction in a great moral truth respecting God, who will thus be demonstrated to be the only one with whom there is "no variableness neither shadow of turning"; by having proved the changeableness of the creature under every circumstance of blessing short of new creation. Nor is it uninstructive to notice that in thus connecting the present with the dispensation which is on the eve of being introduced, we are carried on in the fullness of personal security and blessing, to learn in it more of God -yea, of the riches of His grace, in being the witnesses of another apostasy, under circumstances the most favorable for the creature to have stood. The Lord give us to know the exceeding great blessing of being brought to "stand in grace. " Amen.
The Christian Witness 1:149-162.