REMARKS ON THE STATE OF THE CHURCH IN ANSWER TO THE PAMPHLET OF MR. ROCHAT, ENTITLED, "A THREAD TO HELP THE SIMPLE TO FIND THEIR WAY"
[p. 233] REMARKS ON THE STATE OF THE CHURCH IN ANSWER TO THE PAMPHLET OF MR. ROCHAT, ENTITLED, “A THREAD TO HELP THE SIMPLE TO FIND THEIR WAY”
This work was given to the press at the end of October, 1842; but its publication was delayed by certain causes, independent of the author’s will. Had it merely been an answer to Mr. Rochat’s “Thread,” etc., I should have hesitated to publish it after so long a delay; but I think it contains principles of sufficient importance to call for its publication, notwithstanding this delay.
In the interval, I received a circular of the Evangelical Society of Geneva,++ which accuses us of holding a system according to which “there are no longer either church, or pastors, or teachers,” etc. All I have to answer to this is, that such are not my principles, nor those of the brethren who share my convictions, as anyone may ascertain by reading what has been published up to this day.
The author of this assertion having had the kindness to shew to a brother that which concerned us in the discourse, “Geneva and Oxford,” then in the press (see page 6), was fully informed that what he said was in nowise in accordance with the principles and views of the brethren. After all, the brethren of the Evangelical Society are now compelled by subsequent events to “play the part of Cassandra.”+++ They ought not to complain if a brother, resting upon the word of God, warns his brethren of the difficult times in which we are living. Better would it be for them to humble themselves, than to blame those who, in love, have done what they are, after all, compelled to do themselves.
One of our brethren has desired me to add here a parallel between the way in which the school of theology at Geneva speaks about pastors and teachers, and the writings of brethren which are attacked. I give a quotation from a well-known paper, entitled, “A few words on the views of brethren in
+Geneva, 1843
++The Fifty-sixth Circular, containing a discourse, published separately, under the title, “Geneva and Oxford.”
+++Such are the very words of the author of the discourse, “Geneva and Oxford,” page 5.
[p. 234] Christ, who meet for worship simply as brethren”: “It is not that we deny Christian ministry, as it is called; on the contrary, we receive it thankfully from the Lord, and in the widest sense of the expression, whether this ministry manifests itself in the way of government or pastoral care, or presents itself under the character of teaching, exhortation, preaching, or any other service towards the saints, etc.; Acts 20:28; Romans 12:7, 8; Ephesians 4:12; 2 Corinthians 8:4; Matthew 10:42.”
We may add the following extract from “Some further developments on the formation of churches”: “Let no one mistake me; I love order with all my heart — the true order which befits the house and ordinances of God. Setting aside circumstances, every brother has the same capacity to break the bread. Nature, as well as the word, teaches us that young men, that new converts, are little fitted to take the lead in any way, and that elders, if God has raised up any, have their own proper place in the house of God.” I here repeat, with all my heart, what I said in the little tract, “On the formation of churches”: that is, “That with earnest and continual supplication I do pray, that God may raise up pastors and teachers according to His own heart, for the wants of His own dear sheep, in order that the church of God may be preserved, cared for, instructed, rendered capable of resisting the snares of Satan, and that the little ones of the flock may be sheltered from every wind of evil doctrine. Yes; this is the fondest desire of my heart; it cannot be otherwise to such as love the church and who know something of the love that Jesus has for His own, of the privileges which belong to them, and who know something also of the snares and the machinations of the enemy. Moreover, I think that the relation of the pastor to the sheep of God’s flock, is the sweetest and the most precious which exists on earth. In its fruits and its joy, this relation will not end there.”
Again: “We are taught in the word (Ephesians 4), that pastors are gifts from on high, which Christ distributes”; and it is said, “Nay, further, when a person has been owned, the heart, the conscience, the affections, and respect are engaged; it is a bond, a bond formed by the exercise of the gift, in the heart of such as have profited thereby. The heart that has received blessing responds to the action of the Holy Ghost which has taken place by means of the brother who has been its instrument; and thus the heart attaches itself to that instrument,
and owns God in him. God’s will is that it should be so, and he binds together the members of the body by these mutual helps. And this is very particularly applicable to a pastor, whose task is to my mind the most difficult that exists. What powerful link does not result when we have thus owned one from whom we have received blessing, who has led us on, counselled us, warned us, preserved us from danger, and has made us know God, our God, better? The fact is that, according to my experience, there is more danger of overvaluing than of under-valuing a true pastor. Nevertheless, I see that the apostle puts very great value upon such affections.” In the first tract, entitled, “On the formation of churches,” you again find these words, “If God raises up pastors from among you, or sends them among you, it is well; it is a great blessing,” etc.
Here are now a few words extracted from the last Report of the School of Theology (see General Meeting of the Evangelical Society of Geneva, Second Anniversary, page 49): “The sole fact of the keeping up of our school as it is, the accomplishment of its present modest task, the furnishing two or three ministers of the gospel a year, appears to us worthy of the labours with which we are honoured,” etc.
From the quotations we have just given, it will be easy to see who are these that speak in the more scriptural way:+ whether the professors, whose “school furnishes two or three ministers a year,” or those Christians, who only own the ministers given by the Lord Himself, according to His grace and sovereign goodness to His church, which is His body.