CHAPTER XX. THE CHURCH-ITS PRESERVATION A CONSTANT MIRACLE. L' ET us now turn to watch the progress of that perpetual wonder in the world, the Church: in which, above all other things, the Creator has always taken the greatest interest; as a theatre for which He created the world; that by it He might make known his manifold wisdom to principalities and powers in heavenly places. The progress, the very existence of that church in the world, is a wonder. Its preservation is a perpetual miracle: indeed, every soul added to it is such; for that soul is "born again;"" is raised from the dead;" and is a "new creation," in which has been displayed "a working of the mighty power, of the exceeding greatness of the power" of the Almighty. 3 In looking back through the six thousand years of the world's history, we see a litle band, like a few straggling sheep journeying through a wilderness filled with wolves, weak, defenseless, tottering, surrounded by enemies, and at times so few in number that they are to be found only in a single family. It is the seed of the promise, reduced just before the flood to part of a family of eight persons, while the seed of the serpent numbered perhaps a thousand millions. Out of the successive generations on the earth, they are for twenty-three hundred years to be found only in a single line from father to son; and then for seventeen hundred years after, they count only a few in a single nation, out of the many nations of the world. They were a very 1 "little flock" in the time of our Saviour. And each member of that flock is so weak, so prone to sin and death, as to be continually forced to cry out, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" 2 and yet so strong in the Lord as to be able at the same time to shout, "I thank God, which giveth us the victory, through Jesus Christ our Lord."2 3 We have seen the first member added to this flock murdered for his faith by his own brother. The record, four thousand years afterwards, in speaking of the faith and trials of some of the members of this flock, as during that long period it had been journeying through the world, hated by all men, says: "others were tortured not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial, of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonments: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented (of whom the world was not worthy): they wandered in deserts," etc., etc. Read the experience of Paul before he was put to death; what he calls "light affliction, being but for a moment, and working for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." "We are troubled on every side, perplexed, persecuted, cast down, alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake; in stripes above measure, in prisons frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned," etc., etc. We see from time to time the most powerful monarchs of the greatest empires of the world trying to annihilate them with fire and sword; and if possible to blot out their very name from the earth. We see Satan and his angels, with increasing malignity, using all their arts to tempt, to 4 3 Heb. xi. 35, 36. 4 2 Cor. iv. 8, 9, 17; xi. 23 1 corrupt and destroy them; at times to effect his purpose, getting "his children" in possession of the high places of the visible church, and even entering himself into some of its members, as he did when Jesus was betrayed. We see the visible church procuring the death of the Shepherd of this flock, then stoning Stephen under pretence of blasphemy; and then causing a great persecution; the high priest himself for this purpose giving letters to a man "breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord."4 3 We see antichrist in the church itself, having obtained power over the kingdoms of the world twelve hundred and sixty years, endeavoring to destroy the followers of the Lord Jesus wherever they could be found, by massacres, by wars, and by the inquisition. Truly, long since would the church have disappeared from the earth, and all knowledge of God been banished from it, and the world have become a hell, had not God in his sovereignty and his mercy determined otherwise. As ten righteous men would have saved Sodom, so the presence of the Church of Jesus Christ," the salt of the earth," 6 now saves the world. When the last member of it is gathered in, the world will be burned up. We see all this malice of the seed of the serpent overruled and even made subservient to God's purposes of saving and extending his church. "Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ, for to do whatsoever God's hand and counsel determined before to be done." We see the provision made for the salvation of that church by the Saviour giving himself for her: and then giving her His Word, the ministry, and the sacraments for her edification. We see that there always has been but one true 1 John viii. 44. Б Gen. xviii. 32. 2 Luke xxii. 3. 4 Acts ix. 1. 3 Acts vi. 13. church, and but one way of salvation from the beginning; and that is by faith in the testimony of God and in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. 66 That church has always had a government and a form of worship which separated it from the world; making it a visible church. The members of it in all ages have been known as the Lord's people; and have "called themselves by the name of the Lord." They now call themselves after His name, Christians.2 The true members of that churchfor they are not all Israel which are of Israel" 3. -are called "the chosen," "the elect," " the sons of God;"" the sheep for whom the Shepherd laid down his life," and whom He leads through the wilderness "like a flock," etc., etc. While Cain and the seed of the serpent have always fled from the face of the LORD, the church has always enjoyed the special manifestations of His presence: sometimes visibly, as in the cloud in the wilderness, and when "God was manifest in the flesh." He has said, " Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,"7" Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." After the ascension of our Lord, the Holy Ghost the promised Comforter, came to abide with the flock for ever." And since the day of Pentecost the Church has enjoyed His presence and His teachings. Every true member of it is a "temple of the Holy Ghost," 10 and has angels ministering to him or her for the angels are "sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." "1 Even heaven was created for them for at the judgment "the King shall say unto them, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." 12 : Happy flock! amid all your trials, temptations, and sufferings, while "Marching through Immanuel's ground, ye may well "rejoice, and be exceeding glad; and leap for joy, when men shall hate you, and revile you, and persecute you, for the son of man's sake." "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." " "Weak as you are, you shall not faint, Or, fainting, shall not die; Jesus, the strength of every saint, Will aid you from on high." "All things work together for your good."3 Because you are "children of God, then heirs:"4 "all things are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's ;"5 The Creator is your Redeemer and Saviour. You may well exclaim, “If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" 6 2 1 Matt. v. 12; Luke vi. 23. Luke xii. 32. 3 Rom. viii. 28. 5 1 Cor. iii. 22. 4 Rom. viii. 17. 6 Rom. viii. 31, 33. |