DISCIPLINE CHANGES ACCORDING TO PROGRESS

DISCIPLINE CHANGES ACCORDING TO PROGRESS

I am thankful to find that you have derived real benefit from the air of ————. I think ———— makes you exert yourself without overtaxing your strength, and this is the way the grace of God deals with us. It requires action in keeping with the given power, and not beyond it; but the aim of divine discipline is to keep us up to the measure of the light and truth imparted, and hence discipline changes according to progress. The nature of the discipline to Abraham is very different from that to Jacob. The former is called to surrender his son by his own hand; the latter was bereaved of his sons. The discipline in each case is to keep or to lead the saint up to the measure of the light and truth committed to him, and thus in Jacob’s history it varies, and is characteristic of his progress. While he was in Laban’s house it was mainly retributive,

^[p. 281] he suffered from Laban what he had rendered to Esau, and was thus taught the bitterness of the artfulness in which he had indulged; but when he returns to the land, and is on the true ground again, the discipline is to keep him according to the position in which grace had set him. First, the “wrestling”, that God may have His true place, out of which he comes “lame”, but with the name of Israel. Next, when he would settle at Shalem, and in principle and fact depart from his position in the land as a pilgrim (even though pious enough), yet he suffers sorely from the inhabitants of the land, and though he is Israel, he utters the bitter words: ‘I shall one day be destroyed, I and my father’s house’. God tells him to go to Bethel, and now that he is in the true place, Rebecca’s nurse dies, and they call the place Allon-bachuth; the last link to his mother who had led him into artfulness is wrenched. When he has fully come near unto God there must be nothing to mar the holy joy of nearness. He must be in keeping with the position in which grace has set him. To whom much is given, of him much is required. God does not require from us but as He imparts to and confers on us, but He does require as He imparts and confers. The Lord requires His own with usury; and hence He helps every soul that seeks to act up to the measure of His grace, by removing every hindrance to there being an answer to His demand. But this is different from the discipline with which He severs one from the things which check one. In the one case it is helping one on by removing hindrances, as the thorn to Paul; but in the other it is, as with Jacob at Shalem, making our surroundings so intolerable that we drop them as one would drop a hot iron. I suppose naturally and spiritually the way of true health is to act up to the measure of our strength, and not beyond it. To him that hath shall more be given; but if the talent be unused, in any case spiritual health is impaired, and we suffer loss. May you go on day by day proving His gracious discipline as you progress. Your prosperity, as you know, is of great interest to me, and therefore great joy.