"WATCHMAN, WHAT OF THE NIGHT?"
“WATCHMAN, WHAT OF THE NIGHT?”
I should like to hear your forecast, if I may so term it, of the state of christianity. Politicians speak of their forecasts, how much better should we be able to answer the question, “Watchman, what of the night?” Surely we are permitted to stand on the watch tower. The same view may be granted to each of us, but a view is not enough, though it be an exceedingly great favour; but the scope of our apprehension depends on our power to see, and the goodness of the light. Well, in order to provoke a response from you, though I have never attempted to reduce my judgment of the state of things spiritually to writing, I shall try to do so to you.
I begin with the present prospect with regard to the gospel. I see that there is everywhere a general publication of it, but I judge that there is not the same depth in the conversions as there had been when it was more privately preached and less public; that is, with the publicity, much to be desired, there has been less of the Spirit of God; and this feeble work in souls is followed up by the erroneous notion that holiness is a growth of the old stock, instead of being a practical state consequent on reckoning the old dead; our members “servants to righteousness unto holiness” (Romans 6: 19). The foundation in souls who are thus converted is very shallow, and therefore one cannot expect that there will be strong men from such feeble babes. This is the gospel work on the largest scale; but I trust that many are, on the other hand, insisting on justification and deliverance.
The holiness movement I find obtains where there is the desire (unknown to themselves) to escape from church truth, the truth which only could preserve (see Colossians) from religiousness in mind or body. The full gospel, through mercy, is still with brethren, however divided. There may be a lack in some as to [p. 368] the height and nearness to God in which the work of Christ places the believer, but the great truth of a perfect salvation through His work remains with them; and those who have strayed from the ground of the church are in a way more careful to press the gospel in a practical way, as an offset for the truth of the church which has gone from them. I believe the great duty of those who through grace have been preserved from denying to Christ His place in our midst - for that is independency - is to maintain on every side His place; beginning in the assembly, or at least first known there, and reaching up to Him as Head of His body, the church. It would be vain for one to say that he regarded Christ as Head of His body, the assembly, and at the same time deny Him His place in the midst of His gathered people. My feeling is (and I trust I take it to heart) that we have not presented constantly and clearly Christ’s side of the mystery; I mean Christ as Head as we find in Colossians. My impression is that we have been clear and strong on the unity of the body, but lacking in setting forth the interminable resources because of the Head. It is from His side of the mystery that we can say, “in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge” (Colossians 2: 3). I apprehend that if we were to visit the meetings of those who seceded from the true ground, it would be found that, while they seem very clear about the unity of the body, they say comparatively nothing about the Head. In the recovery of the truth, the first part of the truth shown to dear Mr. D. was the Head.
I believe this difference at —— respecting Romans and Ephesians will result in much blessing; for many will see a wider distinction between them than they had ever supposed. It is remarkable that though the Corinthians had the truth of the one body and “the Christ”, it does not appear that it was fully opened out to them; and one could hardly expect it, when they were not fit for the revelation of the “things which [p. 369] God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2: 9). Could any one enjoy the Head in heaven who had not entered into the things which are above? Any one really at rest as to his salvation must either rise to the mystery, or sink to religiousness - giving an undue place to the mind and the body, mental and sentimental.