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 Accession No.^3(^^. ^Class No. 
 
CHILDREN OF GOD 
 
 AND 
 
 UNION WItTH CHRIST 
 
 . PART I. 
 
 BY 
 
 SAMUEL B. SCHIEFFELIN 
 
 Writer of " The Foundations of History: A Series of First Things;" 
 
 "Milk for Babes;" "Children's Bread;" "A Message to 
 
 Ruling Elders;" " Words to Christian Teachers;" 
 
 " People's Hymn Book," Etc. 
 
 WITH A PREFATORY NOTE BY 
 
 REV. JOHN HALL, D.D., NEW YORK. 
 
 "And this is life eternal, that they may know Thee the only true God 
 and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent."— John 17: 3. 
 
 BOARD OF PUBLICATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA, 
 25 "East 'jtfd Sfrcfttt 
 New York, ^"fj^-^ 
 
 Price, Single CoJy^^^^^4fUL^j;^.j:ii>^y Dozen, 20 Cents Each 
 Postage, 7 Cents Extra Per Copy. 
 
STyy 
 
 PREFATORY NOTE. 
 
 The "Fatherhood of God" is sometimes 
 used in such a way as to suggest that all human 
 creatures are, in the same sense, His children. 
 Men are "often tempted, in view of our nation 
 being called Christian, and of their relation to 
 some Church, to count themselves in the family 
 of God. They overlook the fact that we are a 
 fallen race, and forget that a new birth is 
 needed in order to our being, in the Bible sense 
 of the words. Children of God. 
 
 There is crying need for clear convictions 
 on this matter — convictions founded on the 
 inspired word of God. To that word the writer 
 appeals from beginning to end, and that not 
 by collecting detached phrases, but by present- 
 ing in their true connection, the full and clear 
 statements of the holy oracles. He has been a 
 life-long student of Scripture, as all who have 
 looked into his many other books well know, 
 and in this volume he brings the Divine light, 
 in a reverent spirit, to the readers' mind on two 
 of the gravest questions that can be raised : 
 Am I a child of God? Is Christ a Saviour 
 whom I can trust, sinner as I am ? 
 
 There are teachers in our time who credit 
 the blessed Master with all the elements of 
 perfection in His life, and who suggest that 
 
^ 
 
 men are saved by their appreciating and 
 imitating His purity, benevolence, and other 
 virtues. Such appreciative imitation a true 
 Christian must cultivate, but he must not ignore 
 our Saviour's humiliation, His dying for the 
 sins of His people, and the necessity for union 
 with Him, in order to entrance into the ranks 
 of God's children. Jesus is a matchless 
 teacher, the Prophet sent of God ; but He is no 
 less the Great High Priest, through whose 
 offering of Himself a basis is laid, on the ground 
 of which a holy Ruler of the Universe can be 
 just and yet the justifier of a sinner who be- 
 lieves in Jesus and so is in union with Him. 
 
 This essential truth is clearly set forth in 
 this volume, in the light in which it stands out 
 in the Old Testament and in the New, for the 
 types and predictions of the one have their 
 realization in the other. 
 
 Deeply impressed with the importance of 
 these doctrines, and the need of their being 
 presented to all men, now and at all times, I 
 cannot but wish for this book deep and prayer- 
 ful study by many. I can vouch for its 
 harmony with scripture, not simply from my 
 knowledge of the writer, but from having read 
 it, and been so impressed by its truthfulness 
 and its timeliness as to ask the privilege of 
 writing these prefatory paragraphs. It will, I 
 trust, be a blessing to many. 
 
 JOHN HALL. 
 
INDEX.— Part I, 
 
 Page 
 
 Introduction 5 
 
 All Men are Sinners and are Lost 1 1 
 
 Death and Hell 14 
 
 Men cannot find God by their Reason 21 
 
 Not Saved by Believing in a Church 24 
 
 Union of the Church 28 
 
 Sins of the Church before Christ came .... 32 
 
 The Jews 36 
 
 Errors in the Church since Christ came — 43 
 
 The Way of Salvation 60 
 
 Special calls of God 71 
 
 God commandeth all men everywhere to 
 
 repent 77 
 
 Children of God bom again S6 
 
 Children of God created anew 90 
 
 Children of God made alive from the dead . 92 
 Children of God chosen by Him before the 
 
 foundation of the world 94 
 
 Faith and Good Works 98 
 
 The Children of God have everlasting 
 
 life now 1 06 
 
 The Children of God Witnesses for Christ. . no 
 
 The Children of God must grow, ..,,,.,.. 114 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 Page 20— 15th line: }'<;« ;/^/ should read You do not. 
 Page 47— 2d line from bottom : ovine should read 
 
 wine. 
 Page 90 - 4th line : in one should read in me. 
 Page 97 — next to bottom line : /// thing should read 
 
 in the thing . 
 Page 100 — 15th line: delivered from should read 
 
 delivered me from. 
 Page 112 — last line : head should read heart. 
 Page 116— bottom line: Colasse should read Co loss e. 
 Page 117 — i2th line: delivered from should read 
 
 delivered us from. 
 Page 120 — loth line from bottom: comfor should read 
 
 comfort. 
 Page 159— 5th line from bottom : loyal should read 
 
 royal. 
 Page 189 — 8th line from bottom : commandeth should 
 
 read commanded. 
 Page 191 — top line : me should read men. 
 Page 202 — 12th line from bottom: snd should read 
 
 and. 
 Page 223 — 15th line from bottom : tiame should read 
 
 name's . 
 Page 226— 3d line from bottom : snail should read 
 
 shall. 
 Page 227— 9th line from bottom : spitit should read 
 
 spirit. 
 Page 227— 5th line from bottom : heritance should 
 
 read inheritance. 
 Page 234 — 15th line : incircumcision should read 
 
 ujtcircumcision . 
 Page 235 — 15th line from top : father should read 
 
 Father. 
 Page 245 — i6th line : r.Co should read Cor. 
 Page 249 — 4th line : not forsake should read nor 
 
 forsake. 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
 
 in 2007 witii funding f/om 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 littp://www.arcliive.org/details/cliildrenofgoduniOOscliiricli 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ••Ye do err. not knowing the Scriptures " (Matt. 22: 29). 
 
 Many, even of the children of God, think of 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, as having left this world 
 eighteen hundred years ago, and as being now 
 in heaven, as our advocate ; and do not realise 
 "that all power is given unto Him in heaven and 
 in earth" (Matt. 28: 18). "Angels and authorities 
 being made subject unto Him " (i Pet. 3: 22). 
 " And by Him all things consist. And He is 
 the Head of the body of the Church" (Col. 1:17) 
 And He is " Faf above all principality, and 
 power, and might, and dominion, and every 
 name that is named, not only in this world, but 
 also in that which is to come : and hath put all 
 things under His feet, and gave Him to be the 
 Head of all things to the Church, which is His 
 body, the fulness of Him that fiUeth all in all " 
 (Eph. i: 20). They do not realise that the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, omnipotent, omniscient and 
 omnipresent, has been ever since His ascension, 
 and is now, with His Church ; and has a living 
 union with every individual believer in Him. 
 He says, **Where two or three are gathered to- 
 gether in My name, there am I in the midst of 
 them " (Matt. 18 : 20). Few believe this ; if 
 more did, prayer meetings of two or three 
 
6 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 Christians meeting in His name, would be more 
 appreciated. " Again, I say unto you, That if 
 two of you shall agree on earth as touching 
 anything that they shall ask, it shall be done 
 for them of My Father that is in heaven " 
 (Matt. i8: 19). "Whatsoever ye shall ask in My 
 name that will I do, that the Father may be 
 glorified in the Son " (John 14 : 13). This He 
 repeats again and again (John 15: 7, 16; John 
 16 : 23, 26). Reader, do you believe these 
 promises ? He commanded His disciples, " Go 
 ye, therefore, and make disciples of all the 
 nations, and lo, I am with you always, even unto 
 the end of the world " (Matt. 28: 19). "So then, 
 after the Lord had spoken unto them. He was 
 received up into heaven, and sat on the right 
 hand of God. And they went forth, and 
 preached everywhere, the Lord working with 
 them, and confirming the Word with signs fol- 
 lowing " (Mark 16: 19). If preachers and Chris: 
 tians trying to bring souls to Christ believed 
 this, they would realise His presence with them; 
 and have His Almighty power working with 
 them, confirming the Word. After His ascen- 
 sion, Christ was with the Apostles according to 
 His promise. Where the word Lord appears 
 in the Acts of the Apostles, it refers to th^ 
 Lord Jesus Christ. " The Lord added to them 
 day by day those that were being saved " 
 (Acts 2: 47). Paul asked, "Who art Thou, 
 Lord ? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom 
 thou persecutest " (Acts 9: 4, 5; 18: 9). In the 
 
INTRODUCTION. 7 
 
 letters to the churches, in the second and third 
 chapters of the Revelation, we are expressly- 
 told that Jesus walks among the churches, and 
 notices all their good works and all their errors 
 in doctrine and practice; and, what should give 
 us great comfort, He knows the trials and 
 troubles of every individual member in every 
 church ; and even the poor widow's mite is 
 noticed by Him. 
 
 The Bible from the beginning of the first 
 chapter of Genesis, to the end of the last chap- 
 ter of Revelation, is one Book; and is to be read 
 and studied as one book ; as the Word of God ; 
 revealing God, through the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word 
 was with God, and the Word was God." " And 
 the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us " 
 (John i: I, 14). The Bible tells us that the 
 Lord Jesus Christ not only was made flesh for 
 us, but also that He takes our sins, and gives 
 us His righteousness. "For He hath made Him 
 to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might 
 be made the righteousness of God in Him" 
 (2 Cor. 5: 21). "Who his o\vn self bare our sins 
 in His own body on the tree, that we, being 
 dead to sin should live unto righteousness" 
 (i Peter 2 : 24). He took on Him our death, 
 and gives us His everlasting life. "I give unto 
 them eternal life " (John 10 : 28). "Because I 
 live, ye shall live also " (John 14: 19). 
 on Him our human nature, and makes 
 takers of His Divine nature. "As thou 
 
 
8 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 art in Me, and I in Thee, that they, also, may be 
 one in us " (John 17: 21). 
 
 It is not surprising that the deluded followers 
 of the Church of Rome are ignorant of the way 
 of salvation. Being forbidden to read the Bible, 
 it is to them a sealed book ; but it is a sad fact 
 that many who are connected with Protestant 
 churches, instead of studying the Scriptures, 
 read only such parts as suit them. The conse- 
 quence is they are ignorant of many of the 
 plain teachings of the Bible; and because of 
 their ignorance of the Bible, they have little 
 faith; and do not possess that joy, and peace, 
 which come through believing. Ask many pro- 
 fessing Christians if they believe in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ? And they will without hesita- 
 tion reply. Yes. Ask them. If you are called 
 away to night, are you sure that you would go 
 to heaven ? They will hesitate, and probably 
 reply, I hope so. Ask them. Why they are not 
 sure ? They have doubts whether they are 
 good enough. They think it presumption and 
 self-righteousness in those who answer such 
 questions with, Yes, for I have Christ's word for 
 it. They are ignorant of, or do not believe, the 
 words of Christ regarding those who believe in 
 Him. He hath said, "He that believeth on the 
 Son hath everlasting life " (John 3: 36). "Hath 
 everlasting life, and shall not come into con- 
 demnation; but is passed from death into life " 
 (Johns: 24). "Verily, verily, I say unto you, 
 he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life " 
 
INTRODUCTION. 9 
 
 (John 6 : 47). The Word of God says, " Whoso- 
 ever believe th that Jesus is the Christ is begot- 
 ten of God." "He that believeth on the Son of 
 God hath the witness in Him: he that believeth 
 not God hath made Him a liar; because he hath 
 not believed in the witness that God hath 
 borne concerning His Son. And the witness is 
 this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and 
 this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son 
 hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God 
 hath not the life. These things, have I written 
 unto you, that ye may know that ye have 
 eternal life, even unto you that believe on the 
 name of the Son of God " (I John 5: i, 10). 
 
 The following pages are written, that be- 
 lievers in the Lord Jesus Christ may know that 
 they are children of God; having now, everlast- 
 ing life; and, therefore, they are told, "Grow in 
 the grace and knowledge of our Lord and 
 Saviour Jesus Christ" (II Peters: 18). And 
 they are told how to grow. '* As new-bom babes, 
 desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye 
 may grow thereby" (I Peter 2:2). 
 
 Owing to the unfaithfulness of the elders or 
 bishops, many flocks have been scattered and 
 lost. As Paul told the elders of the Church of 
 Ephesus should happen to that church 
 (Acts 20: 28). 
 
 There is a lamentable ignorance of the Bible 
 and its plain teachings among professing Chris- 
 tians. Many do not believe what the Bible says 
 about the condition of all men by nature; about 
 
lO CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 the only way of salvation ; and that a believer is 
 saved. They do not believe what is written in 
 the following pages. Although nearly all of 
 them are extracts from the Bible. It will be 
 well, for any who may read them, to stop now 
 and then, and ask themselves, Does the Word of 
 God say this ? Do I believe it ? 
 
ALL MEN AR£ SINNERS. II 
 
 ALL MEN ARE SINNERS AND ARE 
 LOST. 
 
 ** There is none that doeth good, no, not one." Rom. 
 3: 10. 
 
 In the Bible we are told that, "Jehovah looked 
 down from heaven upon the children of men, to 
 see if there were any that did understand, and 
 seek God. They are all gone aside, they are 
 altogether become filthy: there is none that 
 doeth good, no, not one" (Psm. 14: 2). "We 
 are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteous- 
 nesses are as filthy rags ; and we all do fade as 
 a leaf ; and our iniquities, like the wind, have 
 taken us away " (Isai. 64: 6). " The carnal mind 
 is enmity against God : for it is not subject to 
 the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then 
 they that are in the flesh cannot please God " 
 (Rom. 8: 7). "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 " ( i Cor. 
 2:14). " The heart is deceitful above all things, 
 and desperately wicked " (Jer. 17: 10). "From 
 within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil 
 thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 
 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lascivi- 
 ousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolish- 
 ness " (Mark 7: 21). "As it is written, There is 
 
12 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 none righteous, no, not one : there is none that 
 understandeth, there is none that seeketh after 
 God. They are all gone out of the way, they 
 are together become unprofitable; there is none 
 that doeth good, no, not one" (Rom. 3: 10). 
 " By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be 
 justified in His sight." " For all have sinned 
 and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3: 
 20, 23). Every man by nature is born a rebel, 
 and continues in rebellion against God until he 
 is converted. As a creature, he owes every 
 instant love and obedience to his Creator. He 
 is adding to his indebtedness to God every mo- 
 ment o£ his existence. He can never pay any 
 portion of that debt. His only hope is the for- 
 giveness of sin in the way appointed by God, 
 through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. " He that believeth not, is condemned 
 already" (John 3: 18). " He that believeth not 
 the Son, shall not see life: but the wrath of God 
 abideth on him" (John 3: 36). 
 
 None realise what they were by nature, more 
 than the children of God do, when they are born 
 again. Paul tells the "Saints in Ephesus," 
 "And you hath He quickened, who were dead in 
 trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye 
 walked according to the course of this world, 
 according to the prince of the power of the air, 
 the spirit that now worketh in the children of 
 disobedience ; * ♦ * and were by nature the 
 children of wrath, even as others" (Eph. 2: i, 
 3). And Paul, speaking of himself, says, '*This 
 
ALL MEN ARE SINNERS. I3 
 
 is a faithful saying, and worthy of all accep- 
 tation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to 
 save sinners; of whom I am chief" (i Tim. i: 
 15). *' God commendeth His love toward us, in 
 that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for 
 us" (Rom. 5: 8). Reader, do you believe what 
 God says is the state of every man by nature ? 
 That it is your state; unless you have been con- 
 vinced of sin by the Holy Spirit, and have been 
 led to repent and to believe in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ ? 
 
CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 DEATH AND HELL. 
 
 " Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not 
 quenched." Mark 9: 48. 
 
 A CENTURY ago, in the churches, men were 
 told of the law of God, and the holiness of God, 
 and the justice of God, to convince them of sin, 
 and to make them feel their need of the Saviour. 
 The church in these days is as the children of 
 Israel were, in the time of Isaiah; ** That will 
 not hear the law of the Lord: which say to the 
 seers. See not; and to the prophets. Prophesy 
 not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth 
 things, prophesy deceits" (Isai. 30: 9). The cry 
 now is. You must not preach the terrors of the 
 law of God, you must preach only love. This 
 is now being done so much that humanita- 
 rianism is taking the place of the Gospel. God 
 is set aside; His word, His law, and His plan of 
 salvation set aside; the first and great command- 
 ment. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with 
 all thy heart, is put aside; and in their place is 
 preached, You must visit, feed, wash, clothe, 
 educate, and give ethical culture to the masses, 
 to elevate them; and so make them ready to 
 receive the Gospel. They who do this are 
 " ashamed of the Gospel of Christ : for it is the 
 power of God unto salvation" (Rom. i: 16). 
 All these results in raising man always follow 
 
DEATH AND HELL. I5 
 
 the faithful preaching of the Gospel ; and never 
 precede it. This unfaithfulness of the church 
 is not only lulling the world to continue in its 
 false security, but has weakened the faith of 
 many of the children of God; so that many of 
 them are led to doubt what is said in the previ- 
 ous chapter concerning the total depravity of 
 man; and to doubt what the word of God 
 teaches concerning an eternal death and an 
 eternal hell. The reader must bear in mind 
 that the following extracts are from the Word 
 of God. Whether we believe them or not 
 affects our eternal destiny, but cannot alter that 
 word. That word says, " The wages of sin is 
 death; but the gift of God is eternal life through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6: 23). "The 
 soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezek. 18: 4). 
 The first temptation of the devil was to destroy 
 man's faith in the word of God. " The serpent 
 said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die " 
 (Gen. 3: 4). Eve believed the devil, and ever 
 since her descendants have been led by him 
 and are his slaves. Adam and Eve by their 
 creation were under the law of God. They were 
 created holy, with the power and the use of a 
 free will. They were put under a particular 
 test of obedience; and charged not to eat of the 
 tree of the knowledge of good and evil; with 
 the penalty of, " in the day thou eatest thereof 
 thou shalt surely die " (Gen. 2: 17). In the orig- 
 inal Hebrew it reads, *' Dying thou shalt die." 
 An everlasting dying; an everlastings death. 
 
1 6 CHILDREN OF GOD. i 
 
 The Bible further tells us, " By one man sin 
 entered into the world, and death by sin; and 
 so death passed upon all men, for that all have 
 sinned" (Rom. 5: 12). All past history, and the 
 present state of the world confirm this word of 
 God. Death has passed upon all. 
 
 The fearful consequences of continuing in 
 sin, the awful penalty of the everlasting death, 
 dying thou shalt die forever, is not preached as 
 it should be. It was almost the constant theme 
 of John the Baptist, of Christ, and of the Apos- 
 tles when preaching. John the Baptist aroused 
 all Judea,by calling upon them to escape " The 
 wrath to come " (Matt. 3:7). A very large por- 
 tion of the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ 
 contains the same warnings ; and describes in 
 many ways death and hell. For example : 
 " Hell " (Matt. 5: 29, 30; 10: 28). " The damna- 
 tion of hell " (Matt. 23: 33). "Hell fire " (Matt. 
 5: 22). "Everlasting fire " (Matt. 18: 8). "Ever- 
 lasting fire, prepared for the devil and his an- 
 gels " (Matt. 25 : 41). As a place where they 
 are "in torments," separated from others by "a 
 great gulf fixed " (Luke 16: 20, 23, 26). In His 
 description of the last judgment, Jesus said: "In 
 the end of the world the Son of Man shall send 
 forth His angels, and they shall gather out of 
 His kingdom all things that offend, and them 
 which do iniquity ; and shall cast them into a 
 furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and 
 gnashing of teeth " (Matt. 13: 40). "Cast ye the 
 unprofitable servant into the outer darkness : 
 
DEATH AND HELL. 1 7 
 
 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth " 
 (Matt. 25: 30; 8: 12; 22: 13). "So shall it be at 
 the end of the world: the angels shall come 
 forth, and sever the wicked from among the 
 just, and shall cast them into the furnace of 
 fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of 
 teeth " (Matt. 13. 49; 22: 13). "Into hell, into the 
 fire that never shall be quenched: where their 
 worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched " 
 (Mark 9 : 43, 46, 48). This awful doom is not 
 for those only who are great sinners in the eye 
 of the world, but the servant, who did not em- 
 ploy the one talent committed to him by his 
 lord, received the sentence. "Take therefore 
 the talent from him. . . . And cast ye the un- 
 profitable servant into outer darkness : there 
 shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth " (Matt. 
 25: 28). We should bear in mind that these 
 words were uttered by Christ, who came, 
 and died, to save men from such a fearful 
 everlasting death. In the description of 
 the Millennium, given in the 2otli chapter 
 of the Revelation, when all the kingdoms 
 of this world shall be Christian for a thousand 
 years, we read. His people "shall be priests 
 of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him 
 a thousand years. And when the thousand 
 years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of 
 his prison, and shall go out to deceive the 
 nations which are in the four quarters of the 
 earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together 
 to the war: the number of whom is as the sand 
 
l8 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 of the sea. And they went up over the breadth 
 of the earth, and compassed the camp of the 
 saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came 
 down out of heaven, and devoured them." This 
 falling away after the Millennium, has not re- 
 ceived the consideration of those, who insist 
 that Christ is coming personally on the earth to 
 reign a thousand years in Jerusalem, which it 
 should have. Since the day of Pentecost, He 
 has been in closer union with His Church and 
 with every individual believer in Him, than he 
 He could be if bodily present in Jerusalem 
 only. Beside, it cannot be thought, that He is 
 to undergo a second humiliation on the earth, 
 by seeing all nations forsaking Him and shut- 
 ting Him up with a few saints in Jerusalem. 
 He is on the throne now, and never will be 
 humbled again. The account goes on to de- 
 scribe Hell. "And the Devil that deceived 
 them was cast into the lake of fire and brim- 
 stone, where are also the Beast and the false 
 prophet ; and they shall be tormented day 
 and night forever and ever. And I saw a great 
 white throne, and Him that sat on it, from 
 whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; 
 and there was found no place for them. And I 
 saw the dead, the great and the small, standing 
 before the throne; and the books were opened; 
 and another book was opened, which is the 
 Book of Life: and the dead were judged out of 
 those things, which were written in the books, 
 according to their works. And the sea gave 
 
DEATH AND HELL. I9 
 
 Up the dead which were in it ; and death and 
 Hades gave up the dead which were in them : 
 and they were judged according to their works. 
 And death and Hades were cast into the lake of 
 fire. This is the second death, even the lake of 
 fire. And if any was not found written in the 
 Book of Life, he was cast into the lake of fire " 
 (Rev, 20: 6). The sad truth is, that many who 
 profess to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 through their ignorance of the Scriptures and 
 the weakness of their faith, do not believe these 
 awful truths. The consequence is, they do not 
 appreciate their own salvation; and do not seek, 
 as they should, to save those who are lost. A 
 few years ago, the whole country was interested 
 in the efforts made to save two men who were 
 carried in the rapids above the falls of Niagara 
 to the brink of the falls. They had caught hold 
 of something which kept them from going over. 
 Constant telegrams were sent everywhere giv- 
 ing accounts of the efforts made to save them. 
 After hours of suspense, one could hold on no 
 longer, and was carried over the falls; the other 
 was enabled to cling to a log attached to a rope 
 which had reached them. While being drawn 
 to the bridge, the log struck a rock; he was too 
 weak to hold on to it, was washed off, and was 
 lost. He was almost saved. There is a far 
 more awful descent than over the Falls of 
 Niagara; and a more fearful death, than being 
 carried over them. It is estimated that there is 
 a death every second, or a hundred thousand 
 
20 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 deaths every day ; that thirty-five millions of 
 souls are going into eternity every year. The 
 most of them, '^separate from Christ, alienated 
 from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers 
 from the covenants of the promise, and having 
 no hope and without God in the world " 
 (Eph. 2: 12). The first impulse of the saved is 
 to declare what Christ has done for their souls ; 
 the next is, to bring others to Christ. The 
 writer was told of a person's saying, " that he 
 had attended church regularly, and during the 
 last eleven years, he had not heard the word 
 hell mentioned." He was also told, by the son 
 of an elder, "You not believe what is said about 
 hell, nor my father neither ; or you would try 
 to save every person you met." "Let this mind 
 be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, 
 being in the form of God, thought it not rob- 
 bery to be equal with God: but made Himself 
 of no reputation, and took upon Him the form 
 of a servant, and was made in the likeness of 
 men: and being found in fashion as a man, He 
 humbled Himself, and became obedient unto 
 death, even the death of the Cross" (Phil. 2:5). 
 Jesus said, "The Son of Man is come to seek 
 and to save that which is lost" (Luke 19: 10). 
 "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all ac- 
 ceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world 
 to save sinners" (i Tim. i : 15). Believer, He 
 did this to save you. Have you the "same mind 
 which was in Christ Jesus ? " Are you trying 
 to sav^ others ? , 
 
MEN CANNOT FIND GOD. 21 
 
 MEN CANNOT FIND GOD BY THEIR 
 
 REASON. 
 
 ' ' Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, 
 and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him." Matt. 
 ii: 27. 
 
 The first effect of sin in Adam was to make 
 him try to get away from God. "Adam and his 
 wife hid themselves from the presence of the 
 Lord God among the trees of the garden" (Gen. 
 3: 8). After Cain had murdered Abel, and 
 Jehovah had set a mark upon him, he "went 
 out from the presence of Jehovah, and dwelt in 
 the land of Nod " (Gen. 4: 16). It was well for 
 Adam that God called unto him; otherwise he 
 would have departed farther and farther from 
 God forever. Reason has been a traitor since 
 the fall. Adam and Eve reasoned themselves 
 into sin. " The woman saw that the tree was 
 good for food, and that it was pleasant to the 
 eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, 
 she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and 
 gave also unto her husband, and he did eat" (Gen. 
 3: 6). One effect of the fall was the entire per- 
 version of the reason. Since then man's reason 
 has been controlled by his wicked heart. This 
 is fully described by Paul in the first chapter of 
 the Epistle to the Romans. " For the wrath of 
 God is revealed from heaven against all ungod- 
 
22 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 liness of men, who hold the truth in unright- 
 eousness; because that which may be known of 
 God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed 
 it unto them. For the invisible things of Him 
 from the creation of the world are clearly seen, 
 being understood by the things that are made, 
 even His eternal power and Godhead; so that 
 they are without excuse : because that, when 
 they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, 
 neither were thankful; but became vain in their 
 imaginations, and their foolish heart was dark- 
 ened. Professing themselves to be wise, they 
 became fools; and changed the glory of the un- 
 corruptible God into an image made like to 
 corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed 
 beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God 
 also gave them up to uncleanness, through the 
 lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their 
 own bodies between themselves. Who changed 
 the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and 
 served the creature more than the Creator, who 
 is blessed for ever. Amen" (Rom. i: 18-32). 
 The Scriptures compare the imparting of the 
 knowledge of God to the natural man to a new 
 creation; making it the same as when light was 
 created by the word of God. Paul says: " But 
 if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are 
 lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded 
 the minds of them which believe not, lest the 
 light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is 
 the image of God, should shine unto them. 
 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus 
 
MEN CANNOT FIND GOD. • 23 
 
 the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' 
 sake. For God, who commanded the light 
 to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our 
 hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of 
 the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ " 
 (2 Cor. 4: 3). Christ says: "I am the way, the 
 truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the 
 Father but by Me" (John 14: 6). "No man 
 knoweth who the Son is but the Father; and 
 who the Father is but the Son, and he to whom 
 the Son will reveal Him " (Luke 10: 22). With- 
 out that knowledge there is no salvation. "No 
 man hath seen God at any time; the only begot- 
 ten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, 
 He hath declared Him "(John i: 18). "Neither 
 is there salvation in any other, for there is none 
 other name given among men whereby we 
 must be saved" (Acts 4: 12). Human reason 
 could not have discovered this way of salvation: 
 it universally rejects it when made known; and 
 would continue to do so unless made willing by 
 the Holy Ghost. 
 
24 • CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 MEN NOT SAVED BY BELIEVING IN 
 A CHURCH. 
 
 • • In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines 
 the commandments of men." (Mark 7: 7). 
 
 "Ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may 
 keep your own tradition " (Mark 7: 9). 
 
 The visible Church, during the greater part 
 of the time since its foundation, over three 
 thousand years ago, has been idolatrous and in- 
 fidel. And the greater part of it at the present 
 time, is Antichrist. Not openly opposing 
 Christ; but putting something in the place of 
 Christ. Substituting their traditions for the 
 Word of God; and exalting the mother of Jesus 
 above Him. They are worshipping the works 
 of their own hands, a wafer, images, relics, 
 etc. With their greater knowledge of the Word 
 of God, they are far greater sinners, and doing 
 far more to oppose Christ, and His Gospel, than 
 the leaders of the Church in the day of Christ ; 
 whom He denounces so fearfully ; and whom 
 he warns His disciples against. As is recorded 
 in the twenty-third chapter of Matthew, and 
 elsewhere, again, and again, Christ spoke 
 kindly to publicans and sinners, and even to re- 
 penting harlots ; but His anathemas against 
 false teachers in the Church are most fearful. 
 Believers in the Bible, are in many parts of it 
 
NOT SAVED BY FAITH IN A CHURCH. 25 
 
 warned against false teachers in the Church. 
 "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, 
 transforming themselves into the Apostles of 
 Christ. And no marvel ; for Satan himself is 
 transformed into an angel of light. Therefore 
 it is no great thing if his ministers also be trans- 
 formed as the ministers of righteousness; whose 
 end shall be according to their works " (2 Cor. 
 11: 13). The most fearful work of the Devil is 
 his getting control of the Church through its 
 teachers and leaders. Christ speaking of them, 
 says : " Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, 
 hypocrites ! for ye shut up the kingdom of 
 heaven against men: for ye neither go in your- 
 selves, neither suffer ye them that are entering 
 to go in " (Matt. 23: 13). The Gospel can be 
 carried to the heathen and they will receive it ; 
 but the followers of these false teachers cannot 
 be approached. Forbidden by their priests, 
 they will not listen to the Gospel, and are ready 
 to kill those who bring the Gospel to them. 
 Speaking of the Pharisees, who were offended 
 by His sayings, Christ says, " Let them alone : 
 they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the 
 blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the 
 ditch " (Matt. 15: 14). Speaking of those cities 
 which would not receive the messengers of 
 Christ, Christ said, " It shall be more tolerable 
 for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of jud| 
 ment than for them " (Matt. 10: 15; 11: 2>;:^^fr 
 Luke 10: 12-15). While there are soi 
 of God, and saved, even in these lapse(^ 
 
26 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 their teachings lead many of their deluded fol- 
 lowers to everlasting death. There are some 
 false teachers also, in some of the Protestant 
 Churches ; perverting the truth. Their fol- 
 lowers, like those described by Isaiah, will not 
 hear the law of God. "Now go, write it before 
 them in a table, and note it in a book, that it 
 may be for the time to come forever and ever : 
 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, 
 children that will not hear of the law of the 
 Lord : which say to the seers. See not ; and to 
 the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, 
 speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: 
 get you out of the way, turn aside out of the 
 path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease 
 from among us " (Isaiah 30: 8). " For the time 
 will come when they will not endure sound doc- 
 trine; but after their own lusts shall they heap 
 to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and 
 they shall turn away their ears from the truth, 
 and shall be turned unto fables " (2 Tim. 4:3). 
 "But there were false prophets among the peo- 
 ple, even as there shall be false teachers among 
 you, who privily shall bring in damnable here- 
 sies, even denying the Lord that bought them, 
 and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 
 And many shall follow their pernicious ways ; 
 by reason of whom the way of truth shall be 
 evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall 
 they with feigned words make merchandise of 
 you" (2 Peter 2: i). Paul tells the saints at 
 Colosse, "Beware, lest any man spoil you, 
 
NOT SAVED BY FAITH IN A CHURCH. 27 
 
 through philosophy and vain deceit, after the 
 tradition of men, after the rudiments of the 
 world, and not after Christ " (Col. 2 : 8). The 
 saints of the present day, need the same warn- 
 ing ; that they may not be " spoiled " by the 
 teachings of some ministers and professors in 
 theological seminaries, "which are not after 
 Christ." And also, by " Avoiding profane and 
 vain babblings, and oppositions of science 
 falsely so called ; which some professing have 
 erred concerning the faith " (i Tim. 6: 20). 
 They who seek to find God, and the way of sal- 
 vation in any Church or from any ministers, 
 whose teachings are "not after Christ," are lost. 
 What the Bible teaches concerning the errors in 
 doctrine and practice in the churches spoken of 
 in it, will appear in another chapter. 
 
CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 UNION OP THE CHURCH. 
 
 *'As Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee, that they, 
 also, may be one in us " (John 17: 21). 
 
 The cry at the present day for the union of the 
 visible Church is mostly founded on ignorance 
 or on infidelity. It is contrary to the teachings 
 of the Bible, and contrary to the prayer of 
 Christ. The cry is, for all Churches calling 
 themselves Christian to unite; whether they are 
 evangelical, infidel, idolatrous or antichrist ; 
 and, that all creeds and confessions must 
 be put aside. This can never be. The 
 true Church may, as has been the case, 
 disappear, or be hidden for a time ; but it 
 will, even if only a comparative handful, be 
 kept separate and distinct. It will separate it- 
 self from those Churches " which hold the 
 truth in unrighteousness," or put their tradi- 
 tions in the place of the Scriptures. Jesus did 
 this, when He separated His followers from the 
 Church in His day. Christ's prayer for them 
 who believe in Him is, " They might be one, 
 even as He and the Father are one. I in them, 
 and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect 
 in one ; " " That the love wherewith Thou hast 
 loved Me may be in them and I in them " 
 (John 17: II, 22, 26). The union of believers in 
 the Lord Jesus Christ is not union with a 
 
UNION OF THE CHURCH. 29 
 
 Church; but is Christ in them, and they in 
 Him. United, they are partakers of the same 
 Spirit ; and thus they are one in Him, and in 
 one another. Believers in Him have always 
 been, and are now, united in Him. His prayer 
 has been answered ever since it was offered. 
 
 In almost all ages, the greater part of the 
 visible Church has been opposed to the truth ; 
 and it has been and still is the greatest enemy 
 of Christ and of His followers. Christ, speaking 
 to the leaders and rulers of the visible Church 
 in His day, said, "Woe unto you, Scribes and 
 Pharisees, hypocrites ! * * * Ye are the 
 children of them which killed the prophets. Fill 
 ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye 
 serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye 
 escape the damnation of hell ? Wherefore, be- 
 hold I send unto you prophets, and wise men, 
 and scribes: an J some of them ye shall kill and 
 crucify ; and some of them shall ye scourge in 
 your synagogues, and persecute them from city 
 to city " (Matt. 23: 29). These words have been 
 literally fulfilled by the visible Church. It 
 crucified Christ; killed, or persecuted them who 
 believed in Him; and for the greater part of the 
 time, ever since, it has continued to do so, 
 wherever it had temporal power ; and in some 
 places it is doing so n.)W. Thus Christ's Word, 
 concerning the Church was fulfilled, " That up- 
 on you may come all the righteous blood shed 
 upon the earth " (Matt. 23 : 35). The lapsed 
 Churches, generally, hate the truth and them 
 
30 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 that hold it more than the world does. This 
 was the case before Christ came. It was for 
 this Cain killed Abel. The ten tribes of Israel 
 when they forsook God, became the greatest 
 enemies of the two who remained faithful to 
 His Word and service. Whenever affinity was 
 made with each other, Judah was led into idola- 
 try. 
 
 The marriages of the children of God with 
 the children of the world, were followed by 
 the corruption of the entire human race ; and 
 was the cause of the Flood sent to destroy all 
 living, excepting those saved in the Ark. In 
 the former dispensation, the children of God 
 were forbidden to form alliances with the idol- 
 atrous nations around them ; they were forbid- 
 den to introduce any of their forms of worship; 
 they were forbidden to join them in worldly 
 business or pursuits; and particularly forbidden 
 to have any marriages between them; "Neither 
 shalt thou make marriages with them, thy 
 daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor 
 his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For 
 they will turn away thy son from following me, 
 that they may serve other gods " (Deut. 7:3). 
 Solomon, the wisest of men, was thus led astray. 
 Such was the fate of Ahab after he married 
 Jezebel. And such now generally follows, 
 when children of Christian parents marry the 
 daughters of lapsed Churches, or of the world. 
 In the New Testament the children of God are 
 told, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with 
 
UNION OF THE CHURCH. $t 
 
 unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteous- 
 ness with unrighteousness ? And what com- 
 munion hath light with darkness ? And what 
 part hath Christ with Belial? Or what part 
 hath he that believeth with an infidel ? And 
 what agreement hath the temple of God with 
 idols ? for ye are the temple of the living God ; 
 for God hath said, " I will dwell in them ; and 
 walk in them; and I will be their God, and they 
 shall be My people " (2 Cor. 6: 14; i Cor. 6: 39). 
 Christ's prayer for believers in Him was, 
 "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art 
 in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be 
 one in us; that the world may believe that Thou 
 hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou 
 gavest Me I have given them ; that they may 
 be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou 
 in Me, that they may be made perfect in one " 
 (John 17 : 21). His prayer is answered. His 
 people are one. The union of the Churches, as 
 is proposed, is impossible. If it were possible, 
 the result would be the death of the true 
 Church ; and there would be no hope for the 
 world. The twelve tribes of Israel were kept 
 separate; yet they composed one Israel as long 
 as they were faithful to the Word and ordi- 
 nances of God. When they forsook Him, they 
 were lost. 
 
32 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 SINS OF THE CHURCH BEFORE CHRIST 
 CAME. 
 
 A VERY large portion of the Old Testament is 
 a record of the sins of the visible church of 
 God. The great wonder is, that God has pre- 
 served His word from the beginning to the 
 present day. All men by nature are opposed to 
 it. The rulers of the earth have tried to destroy 
 it. And even the greater part of the church, 
 to whom it was sent, and in whose charge it 
 was, has endeavored to keep it a sealed book 
 away from the people; and has, from age to age, 
 rejected it and put their traditions in the place 
 of it; and it is doing so at the present time. As 
 the church did in the days of Christ; to the 
 rulers of which He said, *' Full well ye reject 
 the commandment of God, that ye may keep 
 your own tradition" (Mark 7: 9). "Well hath 
 Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is 
 written, This people honoureth me with their 
 lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit 
 in vain do they worship me, teaching for doc- 
 trines the commandments of men " (Mark 7: 6). 
 " Making the word of God of none effect through 
 your tradition" (Mark 7: 13; Matt., chap. 23). 
 In almost every book in the Old Testament we 
 have accounts of the idolatries of the children 
 of Israel, the only church of God in the world. 
 
SINS OF THfi CHURCH BEFORK CHRIST. 33 
 
 Immediately after they were delivered from 
 Egypt, and were made God's chosen people, 
 they fashioned with a graven tool a molten calf, 
 and built an altar before it, and they said, 
 " These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought 
 thee up out of the land of Egypt" (Exod, 32: 
 4). During the four hundred years of the 
 Judges, the various tribes many times fell 
 into idolatry and into captivity. Judges 2: 11- 
 17; 3- 6, 7, 12; 4: i; 6: i, 28; 10: 6, etc. After 
 the kingdom was divided, ten of the twelve 
 tribes of Israel worshipped and offered sacrifices 
 to the two calves of gold made by Jeroboam; 
 who had told them, " Behold thy gods, O Israel, 
 which brought thee up out of the land of 
 Egypt" (i Kings 12: 28). The ten tribes con- 
 tinued their idolatry until they were taken into 
 captivity and lost sight of. The remaining two 
 tribes repeatedly became idolatrous, until they 
 were led into captivity to Babylon. Nearly all 
 of the prophets were sent to the church, to 
 reprove it for forsaking the Lord and His word. 
 Isai. i: 2; Jer. i: 18; Ezek. 2: 3; Amos 3; Micah 
 i: 5, etc. Isaiah, 700 years before Christ, says: 
 "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for 
 the Lord hath spoken; I have nourished and 
 brought up children, and they have rebelled 
 against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and 
 the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not 
 know, my people doth not consider. Ah sinful 
 nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of 
 evil doers, children that are corrupters: they 
 
34 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked 
 the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are 
 gone away backward." * * * ** Bring no 
 more vain oblations; incense is an abomination 
 nnto me, the new moons and Sabbaths, the call- 
 ing of assemblies, I cannot away with, it is 
 iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new 
 moons and your appointed feasts my soul 
 hateth: they are a trouble to me; I am weary 
 to bear them. And when ye spread forth your 
 hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, 
 when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: 
 your hands are full of blood" (Isai. i: 2, 13). 
 " His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, 
 they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleep- 
 ing, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they 
 are greedy dogs which can never have enough,' 
 and they are shepherds that cannot understand: 
 they all look to their own way, every one for 
 his gain, from his quarter" (Isai. 56: 10). A 
 great part of the book of Jeremiah, 600 years 
 before Christ, consists of accusations against 
 the church in his day, and denounces the judg- 
 ments of God upon them for their idolatries. 
 Jer. 1: 14, 16; 2:8. "The prophets prophesy 
 falsely, and the priests bear rule by their 
 means; and my people love to have it so " (Jer. 
 5: 31). The prophet Ezekiel is sent by the 
 Lord to deliver the same messages to Israel, 
 **And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee 
 to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation 
 that hath rebelled against me: they and their 
 
SINS or THE CHURCH BEFORE CHRIST. 35 
 
 fathers have transgressed against Me, even 
 unto this very day. For they are impudent 
 children and stiff-hearted. I do send thee unto 
 them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith 
 the Lord God" (Ezek. 2: 3). "And he said 
 unto me. Son of man, go, get thee unto the 
 house of Israel, and speak my words unto them. 
 * * * But the house of Israel will not hearken 
 unto thee; for they will not hearken unto 
 me" (Ezek. 3: 4-7). "Her priests have vio- 
 lated my law." "Her prophets have daubed 
 them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, 
 and divining lies unto them, saying. Thus saith 
 the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken " 
 (Ezek. 22: 26, 28). The accusations made 
 against the ancient church are applicable to the 
 greater part of the church of the present day. 
 
36 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 THE JEWS. 
 
 Since God called Abraham, nearly four thous- 
 and years ago, his descendants through Isaac 
 and Jacob have been God's chosen people. 
 Their preservation to the present day has been 
 a perpetual miracle. For nearly two thousand 
 years before Christ came, they were the only 
 people of God in the world. His visible church; 
 chosen, delivered, guided, protected by Him; 
 and possessing His word. All the messages of 
 God to the human race; all the revelations 
 of God; of Himself, of His law, of His plan of 
 salvation, were made to the Jews. All the 
 writers of the Bible, the Old Testament and the 
 New, all the prophets, all the apostles, were 
 Jews. And Christ Himself was a Jew. As 
 Christ said to the woman of Samaria, " Salva- 
 tion is of the Jews" (John 4: 22). 
 
 While the children of Israel were yet in the 
 wilderness, before they entered into the prom- 
 ised land, Moses told them of the blessings 
 which would come upon them if they obeyed 
 the Lord, and of the curses which should come 
 upon them, if they did not observe all His com- 
 mandments and statutes. He said unto them ; 
 "Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed 
 shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy 
 basket and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit 
 
THE JEWS. 37 
 
 of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the in- 
 crease of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 
 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and 
 cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out " 
 (Deut. 28: 15). After specifying many other 
 judgments that the Lord should send upon 
 them, he says : "And thou shalt become an 
 astonishment, a proverb, and a by- word, among 
 all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee." 
 ♦ * * " And the Lord shall scatter thee 
 among all people, from one end of the earth 
 even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve 
 other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers 
 have known, even wood and stone. And among 
 these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither 
 shall the sole of thy foot have rest " (Deut. 28 : 
 37, 64) Six hundred years before Christ came, 
 Jeremiah wrote, "And I will deliver them to be 
 removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for 
 their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a 
 taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall 
 drive them " (Jer. 24: 9). "And I will persecute 
 them with the sword, with the famine, and 
 with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be 
 removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be 
 a curse, and an astonishment, and a hissing, 
 among all the nations whither I have driven 
 them ; because they have not hearkened to My 
 words, saith the Lord, which 1 sent unto them 
 by My servants the prophets, rising up early 
 and sending them; but ye would not hear, salt] 
 the Lord" (Jer. 29: 18). The Lord then, 
 
 
38 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 " I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee : 
 though I make a full end of all nations, whither 
 I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full 
 end of thee; but I will correct thee in measure, 
 and will not leave thee altogether unpunished " 
 (Jer. 30 : 11 ; 46 : 28). In accordance with His 
 Word; God has been making a " full end of all 
 nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will 
 I not make a full end of thee." 
 
 The nations that made captives of the Jews 
 have passed away: and the prophecies concern- 
 ing them have been literally fulfilled. "Babylon, 
 the glory of kingdoms,the beauty of the Chaldees' 
 excellency, shall be as when God overthrows 
 Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be in- 
 habited, neither shall it be dwelt in from gen- 
 eration to generation " (Isa. 13: 19; 14: 22,47). 
 Nineveh described as much . larger than Baby- 
 lon, after suffering the judgments of God ; the 
 angel of the Lord having in one night de- 
 stroyed " a hundred and four score and five 
 thousand " (Isa. 37 : 36). " Nineveh is laid 
 waste" (Nahum 3: 7). The destruction of 
 Babylon and Nineveh and the state in which 
 their ruins have continued, according to 
 prophecy, is more wonderful than their first 
 growth and grandeur. For more than two 
 thousand years, the prophecies in the Word of 
 God concerning Eg^pt have been fulfilling. 
 During all that time Egypt has been as she is 
 now, ** without a native prince," and "the basest 
 of kingdoms" (Ezek. 29: 15 ; 30 : 13). The 
 
THE JEWS. 59 
 
 prophecies also against the nations that hated 
 the Jews, when they represented the Church of 
 God, and who rejoiced in the destruction of 
 Jerusalem, God, according to His Word, has 
 made a full end of; they have disappeared from 
 the earth. To the Ammonites : "Thus saith 
 the Lord God ; because thou has clapped thine 
 hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced 
 in heart with all thy despite against the land of 
 Israel; behold, therefore, I will stretch out 
 mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee to 
 the heathen ; and I will cut thee off from the 
 people, and I will cause thee to perish out of 
 the countries: I will destroy thee ; and thou 
 shalt know that I am- the Lord " (Ezek. 25 : 6). 
 For the same reason God said : " I will execute 
 judgments on Moab " (Ezek. 25 : 14). "I will 
 lay my vengeance upon Edom." " For thy 
 violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall 
 cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever." 
 There is none " remaining of the house of 
 Esau " " The things of Esau " have been " so 
 searched out, and his hidden things sought up," 
 that not a relic can be found in their ancient 
 dwellings. (Obad 18; Jer. 49: 17; Ezek. 25: 13). 
 For the same cause, judgments were to be 
 executed on the Philistines; and also upon Tyre; 
 then one of the richest cities in the world. 
 " They shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and 
 break down her towers : I will also scrape her 
 dust from her, and make her like the top of a 
 rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of 
 
40 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 nets in the midst of the sea " (Ezek. 26: 2), 
 These prophecies have been literally fulfilled. 
 "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that 
 I will make a new covenant with the house of 
 Israel, and with the house of Judah: not accord- 
 ing to the covenant that I made with their 
 fathers, in the day that I took them by the 
 hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt ; 
 which My covenant they brake, although I was 
 a husband unto them, saith the Lord : but this 
 shall be the covenant that I will make with the 
 house of Israel: After those days, saith the 
 Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, 
 and write it in their hearts ; and will be their 
 God, and they shall be My people. And they 
 shall teach no more every man his neighbor, 
 and every man his brother, saying. Know the 
 Lord : for they shall all know Me, from the 
 least of them, unto the greatest of them, saith 
 the Lord" (Jer. 31: 31). "A new heart also 
 will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within 
 you : and I will take away the stony heart out 
 of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of 
 flesh. And I will put My spirit within you, and 
 cause you to walk in My statutes." * * * 
 "Thus saith the Lord God: I will yet for this be 
 inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for 
 them" (Ezek. 36: 19, 24, 25, 26, 37). Two hun- 
 dred years before Jeremiah, Amos prophesied : 
 "Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the 
 sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from oflE 
 the face of the earth; saving that I will not 
 
THE JEWS. 4J 
 
 Utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the 
 Lord. For, lo, I will command, and I will sift 
 the house of Israel among all nations, like as 
 corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least 
 grain fall upon the earth " (An^os 9: 8). Christ 
 said : "And they shall fall by the edge of the 
 sword, and shall be led away captive into all 
 nations : and Jerusalem shall be trodden down 
 of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles 
 be fulfilled " (Luke 21: 24). Paul says : "I say 
 then. Have they stumbled that they should fall? 
 God forbid: but rather through their fall salva- 
 tion is come unto the Gentiles." * * * "For 
 if the casting away of them be the reconciling 
 of the world, what shall the receiving of them 
 be, but life from the dead." * * * " For I 
 would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant 
 of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your 
 own conceits; that blindness in part is happened 
 to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be 
 come in. And so all Israel shall be saved " 
 (Rom. 11: II, 15, 25). 
 
 Since their return from their captivity in 
 Babylon, five hundred years before Christ came 
 to the present day, the Jews have never been 
 idolaters; but have remained faithful to the 
 worship of one God; while for over twelve hun- 
 dred years, the whole visible Christian Church 
 was grossly idolatrous. They are living wit- 
 nesses for the truth of the writings of Moses 
 and of the prophets ; of the truthfulness of the 
 whole Bible; although for two thousand years, 
 
43 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 all men have been against them. The won- 
 derful prophecies concerning their dispersion 
 have been literally fulfilled; and are being so 
 now; and the prophecies of their being brought 
 again into the visible Church, with the fulness 
 of the Gentiles, are equally certain. A full end 
 has God made, according to His Word, of many 
 nations: but the Jews, although without a coun- 
 try, and sifted through all nations, still con- 
 tinue a great people; witnesses for the truth of 
 the Bible, as they have been in all the past gen- 
 erations; and they will continue a perpetual 
 miracle, proving the truth of the Word of God 
 to the generations to come; until the Gospel 
 shall be preached to all nations; and then, shall 
 the Jews be brought into the Church of Christ; 
 with the fulness of the Gentiles (Rom. ii: 25). 
 
ERRORS IN THE CHURCHES. 43 
 
 ERRORS IN CHURCHES SINCE 
 CHRIST CAME. 
 
 In the New Testament we have the account 
 of the Church in the days of Christ. In the 
 Epistles, we have a record of the errors in the 
 churches founded by the Apostles. In the 
 Revelation, we have the errors of the seven 
 churches in Asia, which led to the removal of 
 their light, and to their extinction ; and also, a 
 prophetic account of the rise and fall of the 
 great apostate church. The most of the errors, 
 spoken of and condemned, still exist in the 
 greater part of the churches. The children of 
 God should be warned against them; that they 
 may avoid them. In the Gospels, we read the 
 warnings of Christ against the rulers of the 
 Church in His day. "Take heed and beware of 
 the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sad- 
 ducees" (Matt. i6: 6). "They be blind leaders 
 of the blind" (Matt. 15: 14). "Thus have ye 
 made the commandment of God of none effect 
 by your tradition " (Matt. 15: 6). *'Ye serpents, 
 ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the 
 the damnation of hell?" (Matt. 23: 33). The 
 " generation of vipers " still lives; and they are 
 the leaders in large portions of the Church at 
 the present day. It was to a ruler in the 
 Church, Christ said: "Except a man be bom 
 
44 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 again, he cannot see the kingdom of God " 
 (John 3: 3, 5). It was to the leaders in the 
 Church that Jesus said: "Ye neither know Me, 
 nor My Father : if ye had known Me, ye would 
 have known My Father also" (John 8: 19). 
 The greater part of the Church has had such 
 teachers and rulers ever since. The account 
 Christ gives of their teachings and works, as 
 recorded in the twenty-third chapter of Matthew 
 and elsewhere, should be studied: and believers 
 in Christ should take heed and beware of them. 
 In the Epistle to the Corinthians Paul writes : 
 "It hath been declared unto me of you, my 
 brethren, by them of the house of Chloe, that 
 there are contentions among you. Now this I 
 say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul ; 
 and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 
 Is Christ divided ? Was Paul crucified for you ? 
 (i Cor. i: 11). There would be fewer conten- 
 tions in the Church, if men had regard to the 
 words of Christ, instead of following men. In 
 the fifth chapter he charges them with not 
 using proper discipline over the members of 
 their church. " It is reported commonly that 
 there is fornication among you." And tells 
 them, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole 
 lump. Purge out, therefore, the old leaven " 
 (i Cor. 5: 1,5, 7). "Now, therefore, there is ut- 
 terly a fault among you, because ye go to law 
 one with another " (i Cor. 6: 1-7). "I hear that 
 there be divisions among you; and I partly be- 
 lieve it For there must be also heresies among 
 
ERRORS IN THE CHURCHES. 45 
 
 you, that they which, are approved may be 
 manifest among you " (i Cor. ii: i8). "When 
 ye come together therefore into one place, this 
 is not to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating 
 every one taketh before other his own supper; 
 and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 
 * * * Shall I praise you in this ? I praise 
 you not " (i Cor. ii: 20). " I fear, lest when I 
 come, I shall not find you such as I would, and 
 that I shall be found unto you such as ye would 
 not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, 
 strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, 
 tumults" (2 Cor, 12 : 20). To the churches of 
 Galatia, he writes : ** I marvel that ye are so 
 soon removed from him that called you into 
 the grace of Christ unto another Gospel which 
 is not another ; but there be some that trouble 
 you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ " 
 (Gal. 1 : 6). "When Peter was come to Antioch, 
 I withstood him to the face, because he was to 
 be blamed." * * * "And the other Jews dis- 
 sembled likewise with him; insomuch that Bar- 
 nabas also was carried away with their dis- 
 simulation. But when I saw that they walked 
 not uprightly according to the truth of the 
 Gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, etc." 
 (Gal. 2: 11). Continuing, Paul writes, "O foolish 
 Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye 
 should not obey the truth " (Gal. 3:1). " Are 
 ye so foolish ? having begun in the Spirit, are 
 ye now made perfect by the flesh ?" (Gal. 3: 3). 
 "How turn ye again to the weak and beggarly 
 
46 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in 
 bondage ? Ye observe days, and months, and 
 times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I 
 have bestowed upon you labor in vain " (Gal. 
 4: 9). To the saints at Philippi, he writes : 
 "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, 
 and now tell you even weeping, that they are 
 the enemies of the cross of Christ " (Phil. 3:18). 
 To the saints in Colosse, he writes : " Beware 
 lest any man spoil you through philosophy and 
 vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the 
 rudiments of the world, and not after Christ " 
 (Col. 2: 8). " Let no man therefore judge you 
 in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy 
 day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath 
 days : which are a shadow of things to come ; 
 but the body is of Christ. Let no man beguile 
 you of your reward in a voluntary humility and 
 worshipping of angels, intruding into those 
 things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed 
 up by his fleshly mind. * * * (Touch not ; 
 taste not ; handle not ; which all are to perish 
 with the using) ; after the commandments and 
 doctrines of men. Which things have indeed a 
 shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, 
 and neglecting of the body ; not in any honour 
 to the satisfying of the flesh" (Col. 2: 16-23). 
 Paul wrote to the saints in Rome, " The king- 
 dom of God is not meat and drink ; but righte- 
 ousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost " 
 (Rom. 14: 17). To the Church in Corinth, he 
 writ^ ; "Meat commendeth us not to God: for 
 
ERRORS IN THE CHURCHES. 47 
 
 neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither if 
 we eat not, are we the worse " (i Cor. 8: 8). 
 He warns them lest they become a stumbling- 
 block to them that are weak, not to eat those 
 things which are offered to idols " (i Cor. 8: 9). 
 He warns the Church of the Thessalonians, 
 "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be 
 troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by 
 letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at 
 hand. Let no man deceive you by any means : 
 for that day shall not come, except there come 
 a falling away first, and that man of sin be re- 
 vealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and 
 exalteth himself above all that is called God, or 
 that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in 
 the temple of God, shewing himself that he is 
 God " (2 Thess. 2: 2). To Timothy Paul writes: 
 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in lat- 
 ter times some shall depart from the faith, giv- 
 ing heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of 
 devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their 
 conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to 
 marry, and commanding to abstain from meats " 
 (i Tim. 4: i). A more full description of that 
 great apostacy is given in the seventeenth and 
 eighteenth chapters of the Revelation, where 
 the idolatrous church is described as "the great 
 whore that sitteth upon many waters: with 
 whom the kings of the earth have committed 
 fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth 
 have been made drunk with the ovine of her 
 fornication. * * * Drunken with the blood 
 
48 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs 
 of Jesus. * * * And he said: The waters 
 which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, 
 are peoples, and multitudes, and nations and 
 tongues. * * * And the woman which thou 
 sawest is that great city, which reigneth over 
 the kings of the earth " (Rev. 17: 1-18). That 
 city was Rome. Those prophecies have been 
 fulfilled in the past history and present doings 
 of the Church of Rome. The prediction of its 
 coming destruction we have in the eighteenth 
 chapter of Revelation. In the second and third 
 chapters of the Revelation, we have an account 
 of the errors in the seven churches in Asia; 
 which it would be well for believers in Christ, 
 and particularly the elders of the churches at 
 the present day to study, that they may avoid 
 those errors; and keep the churches now exist- 
 ing, some of which have the same errors in 
 doctrine and practice, from the same destruc- 
 tion. The letter of Christ to the Church of 
 Ephesus, then one of the grandest cities in the 
 world, is peculiarly instructive. The descrip- 
 tion of that church is such, that it might have 
 been supposed it would have been preserved 
 as a model. It lacked, however, one thing. "I 
 know thy works, and thy labors, and thy 
 patience, and how thou canst not bear them 
 which are evil; and thou hast tried them which 
 say they are apostles, and are not, and hast 
 found them liars; and hast borne, and hast 
 patience, and for My name's sake hast labored 
 
ERRORS IN THE CHURCHES. 49 
 
 and hast not fainted. Nevertheless, I have 
 somewhat against thee, because thou hast left 
 .thy first love. Remember, therefore, from 
 whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the 
 first works, or else I will come unto thee 
 quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of 
 his place, except thou repent " (Rev. 2: i). The 
 elders of the Church of Ephesus had previously 
 been warned by the Apostle Paul. We are told 
 that " from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and 
 called the elders of the church. And when 
 they were come unto him, he said unto them." 
 * * * Take heed therefore unto yourselves, 
 and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost 
 hath made you overseers (R. V. bishops), to 
 feed the Church of God, which He hath 
 purchased with His own blood. For I 
 know this, that after my departing shall 
 grievous wolves enter in among you, not 
 sparing the flock. Also of your own selves 
 shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to 
 draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20: 
 17, 28). Both predictions have been fulfilled. 
 The Church of Ephesus has been blotted out of 
 existence. And Ephesus itself with its great 
 temple of Diana, has disappeared, leaving only 
 a few ruins. If the elders or bishops of that 
 church had followed Paul's advice and con- 
 tinued faithful, the church and the city might 
 probably have been preserved. Ten righteous 
 men would have saved Sodom. 
 
 In all ages the danger has not been from the 
 
5© CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 world, but from the visible Church becoming 
 apostate and antichrist. At the present time, 
 there are churches claiming that they are the 
 only true Church, saying that they have an 
 "Historical Episcopate," direct successors of the 
 Apostles. The churches that make these claims 
 have not a single church officer, bishop, priest 
 or deacon, or a single congregation in the world 
 such as were the officers appointed, and the 
 congregations or churches formed by the 
 Apostles. Any person taking the word Apostle, 
 Bishop, Priest, Deacon as found in the New 
 Testament, will readily see this. The first 
 chapter of the Acts shows the qualifications 
 necessary for a person to be chosen a successor of 
 an Apostle. "Of these men which have companied. 
 with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went 
 in and out among us, beginning from the bap- 
 tism of John, unto that same day that He was 
 taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a 
 witness with us of His resurrection. * * * 
 And the lot fell upon Matthias ; and he was 
 numbered with the eleven Apostles " (Acts 
 1 : 2 1 ). Since that day no one has had the quali- 
 fications necessary to be called a " successor of 
 the Apostles." Paul was especially called by 
 Christ to be an Apostle. He says: " Am I not 
 an Apostle ? Am I not free ? Have I not seen 
 Jesus Christ our Lord ?" (i Cor. 9: i). " After 
 that He was seen of James; then of all the 
 Apostles. And last of all He was seen of me 
 also, as of one born out of due time, for I am 
 
ERRORS IN THE CHURCHES. 5I 
 
 the least of the Apostles " (i Cor. 15: 7). The 
 believer in the Bible may well be warned 
 against "false apostles, deceitful workers, trans- 
 forming themselves into the Apostles of 'Christ " 
 (2 Cor. 11: 13). There was no special order of 
 priests in the churches formed by the Apostles. 
 The word priest does not occur in the New 
 Testament in connection with the Christian 
 ministry. The New Testament declares that 
 all believers are now priests. Peter, writing 
 to believers "scattered throughout Pontus, Gal- 
 atia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia," tells them 
 '*Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priest- 
 hood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye 
 should shew forth the praises of Him who hath 
 called you out of darkness into His marvellous 
 light " (i Peter i : i ; 2 : 9). The praise of the re- 
 deemed to Jesus Christ in heaven is "Unto Him 
 that loved us, and washed us from our sins in 
 His own blood, and hath made us kings and 
 priests, unto God and His Father; to Him be 
 glory and dominion forever and ever" (Rev. 
 1:5). "And they sing a new song, saying: 
 Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open 
 the seals thereof; for Thou wast slain, and hast 
 redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every 
 kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation ; 
 and hast made us unto our God kings and 
 priests; and we shall reign on the earth " (Rev. 
 5: 9; 20: 6). The believer in the Bible should 
 beware of those making claims to be priests, as 
 a special order in the Church. There was no 
 
52 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 such order in the churches founded by the 
 Apostles. Priestcraft has brought untold evil 
 into the Church and into the world. In the 
 sixth chapter of the Acts we have the founda- 
 tion of the order of Deacons. They were chosen 
 simply to attend to the wants of the poor and 
 needy in the Church. (Acts 6; Phil, i: i; I Tim. 
 3: 8). The most important office in the Church 
 in all ages, as rulers and teachers, is the office 
 of elder. An office entirely ignored by the 
 greater part of the visible Church. If every 
 congregation of believers had been organized 
 as was directed by the Word of God, with 
 elders as overseers or bishops, and if they had 
 been faithful to the duties connected with the 
 office, the churches mentioned in the New 
 Testament, all of which have disappeared, 
 would still have been lights in the world. The 
 Church would not have apostatized and been for 
 so long a period antichrist. In all ages since the 
 Church was founded, elders were appointed to 
 rule. In most of the time since its foundation 
 the elders have not been faithful; and the 
 flocks have been scattered or destroyed. Many 
 who have received the title of doctors of divinity 
 from colleges, which may be infidel, and have 
 no right to confer such titles; are like the watch- 
 men in the days of Isiah. " His watchmen are 
 blind; they are all ignorant; they are all dumb 
 dogs, they cannot bark " (Isa. 56: 10). The 
 Word of the Lord to Ezekiel was: " So thou, O, 
 son of man, t have set thee a watchman unto 
 
ERRORS IN THE CHURCHES. 53 
 
 the house of Israel ; therefore thou shalt hear 
 the Word at My mouth, and warn them from 
 Me. When I say unto the wicked man, thou 
 shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn 
 the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall 
 die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require 
 at thine hand " (Ezek. 33: 7). The Apostles, as 
 they gathered congregations of believers, had 
 chosen men ordained over each one of them, as 
 elders, overseers or bishops. All these words 
 are used in the New Testament to represent 
 the same office. As it is written, " And when 
 they had ordained elders in every church " 
 (Acts 14: 23). " And the Apostles and Elders 
 came together for to consider of this matter " 
 (Acts 15: 6) ''They delivered them the decrees 
 for to keep, that were ordained by the Apostles 
 and Elders which were at Jerusalem " (Acts 
 16: 6). "And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, 
 and called the elders of the church." And in 
 his charge he tells them, " Take heed, there- 
 fore, unto yourselves, and to all the flock over 
 which the Holy Ghost hath made you over- 
 seers (Rev. Ver. bishops) " (Acts 20: 17, 28). 
 In his letter to the congregation at Philippi, he 
 addresses it: " To all the saints in Christ Jesus 
 which are at Philippi, with the bishops and 
 deacons" (Phil. 1:1). In the epistle to Titus, 
 he writes : "For this cause I left thee in Crete, 
 that thou shouldest set in order the things that 
 are wanting, and ordain elders in every city; as 
 I had appointed thee. If any be blameless, the 
 
54 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 husband of one wife, having faithful children 
 not accused of riot, or unruly. For a bishop 
 must be blameless, as the steward of God. 
 * * * Holding- fast the faithful Word as he 
 has been taught, that he may be able by sound 
 doctrine both to exhort and to convince the 
 gainsayers " (Titus i: 5-10). According to 
 this, no congregation of believers, is " set in 
 order," without having elders ordained over it. 
 In the Epistle to Timothy, directions are given 
 relating to bishops and deacons, (i Tim. 3: i-io; 
 5: I, 19). The elders were appointed to rule 
 and also to labor in the Word and doctrine. 
 *-Let the elders that rule well be counted 
 worthy of double honor, especially they who 
 labor in the Word and doctrine" (i Tim. 5: 17). 
 In his first Epistle, Peter writes : " The elders 
 which are among you I exhort, who am also an 
 elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, 
 and also a partaker of the glory that shall be 
 revealed. Feed the flock of God which is 
 among you, taking the oversight thereof, not 
 by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, 
 but of a ready mind; neither as being lords 
 over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the 
 flock" (i Peters: i). 
 
 In the old dispensation, the priests, the sacri- 
 fices, the altar, and the temple were types 
 which were done away with when they were 
 fulfilled when Christ came. Most of the great 
 cathedrals in the world in all countries were 
 erected by an idolatrous Church; and have been 
 
ERRORS IN THE CHURCHES. 55 
 
 hotbeds of priestcraft, ignorance of the Scrip- 
 tures, of the way of salvation, and of the 
 grossest idolatry. Instead of building" new 
 ones, it would be a great benefit if they were 
 all swept from the face of the earth. "For thus 
 saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth 
 eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the 
 high and holy place, with him also that is of a 
 contrite spirit, to revive the spirit of the 
 humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite 
 ones " (Isa. 57: 15). "Thus saith the Lord: The 
 heaven is My throne, and the earth is My foot- 
 stool: where is the house that ye build unto 
 Me ? And where is the place of My rest ? For 
 all these things hath Mine hand made, and all 
 those things have been, saith the Lord : but to 
 this man will I look, even to him that is poor 
 and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My 
 Word" (Isa. 66: i). The children of God are 
 now the Temple of God. " Know ye not that 
 ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit 
 of God dwelleth in you " (i Cor. 3: 16). " For 
 ye are the Temple of the living God ; as God 
 hath said, I dwell in them, and walk in them " 
 (2 Cor. 6: 16; Eph. 2: 21, 22). 
 
 The word altar does not appear in the New 
 Testament, except when referring to its use in 
 the old, sacrifices being done away with, there 
 is no more use for altars in the churches. Sac- 
 rifices being types of the sacrifice of Christ, are 
 all done away with. "For now once at the end 
 of the ages hath He been manifested to put 
 
56 CHILDREN OF GOD., 
 
 away sin by the sacrifice of Himself " (Heb. 
 9: 25-28). "Sacrifices and offerings and whole 
 burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou 
 wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein (the 
 which are offered according to the law), then 
 hath He said, Lo, I am come to do Thy will. 
 He taketh away the first, that He may establish 
 the second. By which will we have been sanc- 
 tified through the offering of the body of Jesus 
 Christ once for all. And every priest indeed 
 standeth day by day ministering and offering 
 oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can 
 never take away sins : but He when He had 
 offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on 
 the right hand of God;from henceforth expecting 
 till His enemies be made the footstool of His 
 feet. For by one offering He hath perfected 
 forever them that are sanctified" (Heb. 10: 8). 
 The Passover continued to be a memorial of 
 the deliverance from Egypt in the Church until 
 Christ was offered as a sacrifice. It was a 
 memorial, a type of the Lord's Supper, and 
 was done away with when Christ was crucified. 
 It was at the last celebration of the Passover, 
 that Jesus said, **With desire I have desired to 
 eat this Passover with you before I suffer : for 
 I say unto you, I will not eat it, until it be ful- 
 filled in the kingdom of God " (Luke 22: 15), 
 "Our Passover also hath been sacrificed, even 
 Christ" (i Cor. 5: 7). As the Passover was a 
 memorial, so is the Lord's Supper. Christ said, 
 "This do in remembrance of Me " (Luke 22: 19). 
 
ERRORS IN THE CHURCHES. 57 
 
 In the account given i Cor. ii: 23 of the Sacra- 
 ment, it is described as a memorial. " For as 
 often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, 
 ye proclaim the Lord's death till He come." 
 They who profess to turn the bread or wafer 
 into the body of Christ and worship it, are 
 guilty of perversion of the Scriptures, of blas- 
 phemy and idolatry. The sacrifices which 
 Christians are to offer are themselves and their 
 gifts. " I beseech you therefore, brethren, by 
 the mercies of God, to present your bodies a 
 living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which 
 is your reasonable service " (Rev. Ver. Margin, 
 Spiritual Worship). (Rom. 12: i). Paul writes: 
 "I am filled, having received from Epaphro- 
 ditus the things that came from you, an odour 
 of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well 
 pleasing to God " (Phil. 4: 18). 
 
 The Church which claims to be " The 
 Church," and that it has " the Historical Epis- 
 copacy," is bearing its proper fruit. Its his- 
 torical episcopacy being insisted upon; its ritual, 
 with the doctrines of baptismal regeneration, 
 its altar and priesthood, continually kept in the 
 foreground, has been leading that Church 
 rapidly backward toward Rome. The number 
 of the churches is increasing at a fearful rate 
 in Great Britain^ where prayers for the dead 
 are offered, incense is used, the confessional 
 established, the consecrated water elevated and 
 reserved, transubstantiation is taught, and there 
 seenxs nothing to separate its clerg^y from that 
 
58 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 of Rome, but the refusal to acknowledge the 
 primacy of the Pope, and accept the celibacy of 
 the clergy. These are the inevitable results of 
 the teachings of all the Churches that put their 
 traditions in the place of the Word of God. 
 
 The Reformed Church of Holland was started 
 with the soundest of creeds and with elders 
 according to the Scriptures. The neglect of 
 the elders allowed the State to appoint heretical 
 teachers in her theological schools to train 
 ministers for her churches. These corrupted 
 nearly the whole Church. The churches in 
 New England not being formed with elders 
 according to the Scriptures, allowed the intro- 
 duction of heresies, universalism and unitar- 
 ianism, etc. ; which carried a great part of them 
 into infidelity. The neglect of the elders in the 
 Presbyterian Church in controlling some of its 
 theological seminaries, has allowed the entrance 
 of errors which have caused much evil and 
 trouble in that branch of the Church. 
 
 If the elders of the Churches were faithful in 
 seeing that their ministers, evangelists and 
 teachers preached the Law of God, the wrath 
 to come, and the Gospel, as Christ and the 
 Apostles preached them, there would be fewer 
 murders, less suicides, less crime and more 
 souls saved. It is written of the Bereans: "These 
 were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in 
 that they received the Word with all readiness 
 of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, 
 whether those things were so" (Acts 17: 11). 
 
ERRORS IN THE CHURCHES. 
 
 59 
 
 Believers must try the teachings of their 
 Church by the Scriptures. The elders of the 
 Churches are bound to take heed to the flocks 
 over the which the Holy Ghost hath made them 
 bishops, to keep them from being scattered or 
 destroyed. 
 
 OT 
 
 
6o CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 
 
 The Bible tells us, that there is only one way 
 of salvation. That way has been provided by 
 God. Man never would have discovered it; 
 and man everywhere rejects it. That way was 
 the same before Christ came, that it is now. It 
 is the only way in which man can go to God. 
 In that way God's law is honored, and His 
 justice satisfied; the sins of the believer are 
 atoned for; and the sinner is not only justified, 
 but is also sanctified. His natural heart is 
 changed, he is created anew. Man is con- 
 demned to death, and " without shedding of 
 blood there is no remission " (Heb. 0: 22). 
 Christ was "made sin for us" (2 Cor. 5: 21), 
 and "bore our sins in his own body on the 
 tree" (i Pet. 2: 24). The sacrifices offered by 
 the patriarchs, and according to the laws of 
 Moses, were all ordered by God, and were types 
 of the sacrifice of Christ. " The Lamb of God 
 slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 
 13: 8). The coming of Christ was announced 
 immediately after the Fall. "The Lord God 
 said unto the serpent, * * * And I will put 
 enmity between thee and the woman, and be- 
 tween thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy 
 head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 
 
THE WAY OF SALVATION. 6l 
 
 3: 15). This enmity has shown itself to the 
 present day. " The children of God are mani- 
 fest, and the children of the devil" (i John 
 3: 10). " Cain, who was of that wicked one, and 
 slew his brother, and wherefore slew he him ? 
 Because his own works were evil, and his 
 brother's righteous" (i John 3: 12). Jesus told 
 the rulers of the church in His day, " Ye are of 
 your father the devil, and the lusts of your 
 father ye will do. He was a murderer from the 
 beginning, and abode not in the truth " (John 
 8: 44). John the Baptist, before, had addressed 
 them, "O generation of vipers" (Matt. 3: 7). 
 Jesus uses the same words, Matt. 12: 34; and 
 again, " Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, 
 how can ye escape the damnation of hell ? " 
 (Matt. 23: ^^). Believers in the Bible must 
 bear in mind that these words were used against 
 the rulers of the church. The seed of the ser- 
 pent still bears rule in portions of the church, 
 opposing Christ and His teachings. " By faith 
 Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice 
 than Cain" (Heb. 11:4). Faith in the Lamb slain, 
 which God had provided. Christ was again 
 made known in the promise made to Abraham, 
 " In thee shall all the families of the earth be 
 blessed" (Gen. 12: 3). Jesus said, "Your 
 father, Abraham, rejoiced to see My day; 
 and he saw it, and was glad " (John 8: 
 56). Job said, " I know that my Redeemer 
 liveth, and that He shall stand up at the last 
 upon the earth " (Job 19: 25). All the forms of 
 
62 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 worship ordered by God, through Moses, were 
 types of Christ. Access to God, the forgiveness 
 of sins, and His blessing, being all obtained 
 through the appointed sacrifices. In the Psalms 
 we have the gospel and its effects upon be- 
 lievers. " Blessed is he whose transgression is 
 forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the 
 man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity" 
 (Psm. 32: i). "Jehovah is my Shepherd, I 
 shall not want" (Psm. 23).- " Bless the Lord, 
 O my soul: and all that is within me bless His 
 holy name * * * who forgiveth all thine iniqui- 
 ties; who healeth all thy diseases; whoredeem- 
 eth thy life from destruction. * * * As far as 
 the east is from the west, so far hath He re- 
 moved our transgressions from us" (Psm. 103: 
 I, 3, 12; Psm. 91, etc., etc.). Christ is clearly 
 revealed in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. "Surely 
 He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sor- 
 rows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten 
 of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for 
 our transgressions, He was bruised for our 
 iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was 
 upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. 
 All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have 
 turned every one to his own way; and the Lord 
 had laid on him the iniquity of us all." The 
 whole chapter is full of the Gospel. Christ, 
 after his resurrection, said, "These are the 
 words which I spake unto you, while I was yet 
 with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which 
 were written in the law of Moses, and in the 
 
THE WAY OF SALVATION. 63 
 
 Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning mc '* 
 (Luke 24: 27, 44). 
 
 Much of what is done in the cities at the 
 present time, under the pretence of drawing 
 men to hear the Gospel, degrades the message 
 of God, and is insulting God. He sends His 
 ambassadors to preach the Gospel and to be- 
 seech men to be reconciled to Him. His mes- 
 sage is. Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. This message is to be delivered to all; 
 whether rich or poor, learned or ignorant; 
 whether in the church or out of it. Unless they 
 repent and believe, they will all likewise perish. 
 The message is, " God so loved the world, that 
 He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever 
 believeth in Him should not perish, but have 
 everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into 
 the world to condemn the world; but that the 
 world through Him, might be saved " (John 
 3: 16). When Christ was born, God sent an 
 angel to announce that salvation, saying, " Be- 
 hold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, 
 which ^shall be to all people. For unto you is 
 bom this day in the city of David a Saviour, 
 which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2: 10). There 
 is only one way by which man can return to 
 God. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the 
 truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the 
 Father, but by Me " (John 14: 6). "All things 
 are delivered to Me of My Father: and no man 
 knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and 
 who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom 
 
64 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 the Son will reveal Him " (Luke lo: 22). " For 
 after that in the wisdom of God the world by 
 wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the 
 foolishness of preaching to save them that be- 
 lieve" (i Cor. i: 21). In his epistle to the 
 Corinthians, Paul says, "And I, brethren, when 
 I came to you, came not with excellency of 
 speech, or of wisdom, declaring unto you the 
 testimony of God. For I determined not to 
 know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, 
 and Him crucified" (i Cor. 2: i). To the 
 Romans Paul writes, " I am not ashamed of the 
 Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto 
 salvation to every one that believeth " (Rom. 
 i: 16). "So then, faith cometh by hearing, 
 and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 
 i: 17). 
 
 Christ sends His disciples to deliver a certain 
 message in His name. When the Lord sent 
 Jonah to Nineveh, he said unto him, "Arise, 
 go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach 
 unto it the preaching that I bid thee." Jonah 
 did not, as is too much the case nowadays, offer 
 bribes or inducements to the people of Nineveh 
 to come and hear him. But Jonah arose, and 
 went unto Nineveh, according to the word of 
 the Lord. Now, Nineveh was an exceeding 
 great city of three days* journey. And Jonah 
 began to enter into the city a day's journey, 
 and he cried and said, "Yet forty days, and 
 Nineveh shall be overthrown " (Jonah 3: i). 
 The result was, the people believed God, pro- 
 
THE WAY OF SALVATION. C$ 
 
 claimed a fast, put on sack-cloth, and turned 
 from their evil way and were forgiven. On 
 the day of Pentecost, when the Apostles began 
 to preach in Jerusalem, no bribes or induce- 
 ments were offered to draw men to hear the 
 Gospel. According to the command of Jesus, 
 they remained in prayer with the disciples, 
 until they received power from the Holy Ghost. 
 When they recived that power they commenced 
 preaching Christ, using almost entirely words 
 from that portion of the Holy Scriptures known 
 to us as the Old Testament, foretelling the 
 coming of Christ, and the outpouring of the 
 Holy Spirit. Telling them that Christ had 
 come; and they, although they had seen the 
 signs and wonders attesting Him, had rejected 
 Him. " Him being delivered by the determin- 
 ate counsel and foreknowledge of God ye have 
 taken and by wicked hands have crucified and 
 slain. " " This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof 
 we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the 
 right hand of God exalted, and having received 
 of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, 
 He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and 
 hear." * * " Therefore, let all the house of 
 Israel know, assuredly, that God hath made 
 that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both 
 Lord and Christ. Now, when they heard this, 
 they were pricked in their heart, and said unto 
 Peter and to the rest of the apostles. Men and 
 brethren what shall we do ? Then Peter said 
 unto them. Repent, and be baptized every one 
 
66 CHILDREM OF GOD. 
 
 of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the re- 
 mission of sms, and ye shall receive the gift of 
 the Holy Ghost. * * * And the same day there 
 were added unto them about three thousand 
 souls" (Acts 2: 14-41). Immediately after the 
 day of Pentecost, Peter preached again, using 
 almost the same words; and the record says, 
 " Many of them which heard the word believed, 
 and the number of men was about five thou- 
 sand" (Acts 3: 12-26; 4: 4). Since that time, 
 in all countries, and in all ages, where the same 
 Gospel has been faithfully preached, the same 
 results have followed. Luther in Germany, 
 John Knox in Scotland, John Wesley in Eng- 
 land, Whitfield and Moody, by preaching Christ 
 and the simple Gospel, have been the means of 
 bringing tens of thousands to Christ. The 
 great aim of these reformers was not to reform 
 men, but to renew them; not to attack specific 
 sins, but to destroy the root of every sin by a 
 change of the heart. This they accomplished 
 by preaching Christ, and the doctrines of grace; 
 the only way to reform and to elevate man. 
 The only way ordained by Christ to save man. 
 The only way attended and made effectual by 
 the power of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 These results have always followed preaching 
 Christ among the heathen. The Moravians 
 labored in Greenland for several years without 
 success. One of them, while translating Mat- 
 thew's Gospel, was visited by a number of the 
 natives, who desired to know the contents of 
 
THE WAY OF SALVATION. 67 
 
 the book. The missionary gratified their desire ; 
 told them of man's fall by sin, and his recovery 
 by Christ; enlarged with energy and feeling 
 upon the price of redemption, and then read 
 from the book in his hand the history of our 
 Saviour's agony in the garden. The account 
 goes on to state, " Now, the Spirit of God 
 began to work," and from that time the work 
 went on with great speed and power, and a 
 large number of consistent and steadfast con- 
 verts were made. The same results followed 
 the preaching of David Brainerd, who died 
 over a century ago, at the early age of twenty- 
 nine; greatly beloved, and greatly lamented. 
 His missionary labors were among the Indians 
 in New Jersey. They were ignorant and stupid, 
 steeped in sensuality, given over to the love of 
 strong drink, without natural affection, and full 
 of prejudices against white men. Their lan- 
 guage was not known by the missionary, who 
 was compelled to preach to them by an indiffer- 
 ent interpreter; and his instructions, when 
 understood, were zealously opposed by wicked 
 white men. Yet, notwithstanding all these 
 obstacles, the Spirit of God was poured out upon 
 them. Within the short space of eleven 
 months, seventy-seven of these poor creatures 
 were converted. From being drunken, howling 
 savages, they became devout and intelligent 
 Christians. Mr. Brainerd states in his remarks 
 concerning the work: 
 
 " I can not but take notice that I have in 
 
68 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 general, ever since my first coming among the 
 Indians in New Jersey, been favored with that 
 assistance which, to me, is uncommon^ in preach- 
 ing Christ crucified^ and making Him the centre 
 and mark to which all my discourses among 
 them were directed. 
 
 " It was the principal scope and drift of all my 
 disccurses to this people for several months to- 
 gether, (after having taught them something of 
 the bei7ig axid, perfections of God, His creation of 
 man in a state of rectitude and happiness, and 
 the obligations mankind were thence under to 
 love and honor Him), to lead them into an ac- 
 quaintance with their deplorable state by 
 nature, as fallen creatures ; their inability to ex- 
 tricate and deliver themselves from it ; the 
 utter insufficiency of any external reformations 
 and amendments of life, or of any religious per- 
 formances of which they were capable, while in 
 this state, to bring them into the favor of God, 
 and interest them in His eternal mercy; thence 
 to show them their absolute need of Christ, to 
 redeem and save them from the misery of their 
 fallen state; to open His all-sufficiency and will- 
 ingness to save the chief of sinners; thQ freeness 
 and riches of divine grace, proposed " without 
 money and without price," to all who will ac- 
 cept the offer; thereupon to press them, without 
 delay, to betake themselves to Him, under a 
 sense of their misery and undone state, for re- 
 lief and everlasting salvation; and to show them 
 the abundant encouragement the Gospel pro- 
 
THE WAY OF SALVATION. 69 
 
 poses to needy, perishintj, and helpless sinners, 
 in order to engage them so to do. These things 
 I repeatedly and largely insisted upon, from 
 time to time. 
 
 ** When these truths were felt at hearty there 
 was now no vice unreformed, no external duty 
 neglected. Drunkenness, the darling vice, was 
 broken off from, and scarce an instance of it 
 known among my hearers, for months together. 
 The abusive practice of husbands and wives^ in 
 putting away each other, and taking others in 
 their stead, was quickly reformed, so that there 
 are three or four couple who have voluntarily 
 dismissed those whom they had wrongfully 
 taken, and now live together in love and peace. 
 The same might be said of all other vicious 
 practices. The reformation was general, and 
 all springing from the internal influence of 
 divine truths upon their hearts, and not from 
 any external restraints, or because they had 
 heard these vices particularly exposed and re- 
 peatedly spoken against. Some of them I 
 never so much as mentioned, particularly that 
 of the parting of men and their wives, till some, 
 having their conscience awakened by God's 
 word, came, and of their own accord confessed 
 themselves guilty in that respect." — Brainerd's 
 Remarks^ by Rev. Talbot IV. Chambers. 
 
 Wherever the Word of God is faithfully 
 preached, God's law will be presented, and 
 Christ offered, as the only way of salvation. 
 The Lord Jesus has promised to be with him 
 
70 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 who delivers His message. The Holy Spirit 
 will give power to the truth; then men will be 
 convicted of sin, will be led to receive Christ, 
 and will be saved. This is God's plan to save 
 men. "And in none other is there salvation; 
 for neither is there any other name under 
 heaven, that is given among men, wherein we 
 must be saved " (Acts 3: 12). 
 
 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder- 
 ness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; 
 that whosoever believeth in Him may have 
 eternal life " (John 3: 14). Men are perishing, 
 and will die forever unless they look to Christ 
 and believe in Him. " He that believeth not 
 hath been judged already " (John 3: 18). " He 
 that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: 
 and he that believeth not the Son shall not see 
 life, but the wrath of God abideth on him " 
 (John 3: 36). 
 
SPECIAL CALLS OF GOD. 71 
 
 SPECIAL CALLS OF GOD. 
 
 While God " now commandeth all men every- 
 where to repent " (Acts 17: 30) ; in all ages He 
 has made special calls on some. To all men, 
 " The wrath of God is revealed from heaven 
 against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of 
 men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. 
 Because that which may be known of God is 
 manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto 
 them. For the invisible things of Him from 
 the creation of the world are clearly seen, being 
 understood by the things that are made, even 
 His eternal power and Godhead; so that they 
 are without excuse" (Rom. i: 18). "God, who 
 at sundry times and in divers manners, spoke 
 in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 
 hath in these last days spoken unto us by His 
 Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, 
 by whom also He made the worlds; who, being 
 the brightness of His glory, and the express 
 image of His person, and upholding all things 
 by the word of his power, when He had by 
 Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right 
 hand of the majesty on high " (Heb. i: i). The 
 great call of God to men is, to hear Him. " Lo! 
 a voice from heaven saying. This is My beloved 
 Son " (Matt. 3: 17). "This is My beloved Son, 
 * * * hear ye Him " (Matt. 17: 5). 
 
72 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 The Bible mentions many special calls of 
 God to individuals. When Adam tried to hide 
 himself, " The Lord God called unto Adam, and 
 said unto him. Where art thou?'' (Gen. 3: 9). 
 "And the Lord said imto Noah, Come, thou, and 
 all thy house into the ark " (Gen. 7: i). " The 
 Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy 
 country, and from thy kindred, and from thy 
 father's house, unto a land that I will shew 
 thee" (lien. 12: i; 22: 15-22). " I called him 
 alone and blessed him and prospered him " (Isai. 
 51:2), " The angel of God called to Hagar out of 
 heaven" (Gen.2 1 : 17). God called unto Moses out 
 of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses" 
 (Exod. 3: 4). " The Lord came, and stood, and 
 called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel " 
 (i Sam. 3: 4, 6, 8, 10). Jesus called Paul, "And 
 he heard a voice from heaven saying unto him, 
 Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me ? And he 
 said. Who art Thou, Lord ? And the Lord said, 
 I am Jesus whom thou persecutest " (Acts 
 
 9: 4). 
 
 The Bible contains calls to all men. The call 
 by Isaiah 750 years before Christ was, " Ho, 
 every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, 
 and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and 
 eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without 
 money and without price. Wherefore do ye 
 spend money for that which is not bread ? and 
 your labour for that which satisfieth not ? hearken 
 diligently unto Me, and eat that which is good, 
 and let your soul delight itself in fatness. In- 
 
SPECIAL CALLS OF GOD. 73 
 
 cline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and 
 your soul shall live" (Isaiah 55: i). The call 
 by the Lord Jesus Christ is, " Come unto me, 
 all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will 
 give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and 
 learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: 
 and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my 
 yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt. 11: 
 28). He also says, " Him that cometh to Me I 
 will in nowise cast out " (John 6: 37). The call 
 in the last chapter of the Bible is, " And the 
 Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him 
 that heareth say. Come. And let him 
 that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let 
 him take the water of life freely " (Rev. 22: 17). 
 Jesus "calleth His own sheep by name, and 
 leadeth them out * * * He goeth before them, 
 and the sheep follow Him: for they know His 
 voice" (John 10: 4). "And we know that to 
 them that love God all things work together for 
 good, to them that are called according to His 
 purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also 
 foreordained to be conformed to the image of 
 His Son, that he might be the firstborn among 
 many brethren: and whom He foreordained, 
 them He also called: and whom He called, them 
 He also justified: and whom He justified, them 
 He also glorified" (Rom. 8: 28). And Jesus 
 " calleth unto him whom He would: and they 
 came unto Him. And He ordained twelve, that 
 they should be with Him, and that He might 
 send them forth to preach " (Mark 3: 13). "Ye 
 
74 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 have not chosen me, but I have chosen you " 
 (John 15: i6, 19; 6:70; 13: 18). " The Master 
 is come, and calleth for thee" (Luke 11: 28). 
 ** Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will 
 do it " ( I Thess. 5 : 24). " Who hath saved us, 
 and called us with an holy calling, not accord- 
 ing to our works, but according to His own 
 purpose and grace, which was given us in 
 Christ Jesus before the world began " (2 Tim. 
 
 i: 9). 
 
 God's calls to His people to give up their 
 idolatry and return to Him, repeated again and 
 again, in almost every age, are very touching, 
 and full of pathos. They offer, like the Parable 
 of the Prodigal Son, not only forgiveness, but 
 a loving reception to the backslider and the 
 fallen, if they will repent and turn to God. 
 " My people are bent to backsliding from me. 
 * * * How shall I give thee up, Ephraim ? 
 how shall I deliver thee, Israel ? how shall I 
 make thee as Admah ? how shall I set thee as 
 Zeboim ? Mine heart is turned within me, my 
 repentings are "kindled together. I will not 
 execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not 
 return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and 
 not man " (Hosea 11:7). "Is Ephraim my dear 
 son ? is he a pleasant child ? for since I spake 
 against him, I do earnestly remember him still; 
 therefore my bowels are troubled for him: I 
 will surely have mercy upon him, saith the 
 Lord" (Jer. 31: 20). "O Israel, thoushalt not 
 be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a 
 
fePECIAL CALLS OF GOD. 7^ 
 
 thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, 
 thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed 
 thee " (Isai. 44: 2 1 ). " Return, thou backsliding 
 Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause 
 mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, 
 saith the Lord" (Jer. 3: 12). "Return, ye 
 backsliding children, and I will heal your back- 
 sliding " (Jer. 3: 22). "I have spoken unto 
 you, rising early, and speaking; but ye heark- 
 ened not unto me. I have sent also unto you 
 all my servants the prophets, rising up early 
 and sending them, saying, Return ye now every 
 man from his evil way, and amend your doings, 
 and go not after other gods to serve them " 
 (Jer. 35: 14). " For why will ye die, O hou.se of 
 Israel ? For I have no pleasure in the death of 
 him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore 
 turn yourselves, and live ye" (Ezek. 18: 31). 
 "Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice 
 indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be 
 a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: 
 for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto 
 me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation " 
 (Exod. 19: 5). "For thou art an holy people 
 unto the Lord, thy God, and the Lord hath 
 chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto Him- 
 self, above all the nations that are upon the 
 earth " (Deut. 14: 2). " But ye are are a chosen 
 generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a 
 peculiar people: that ye should show forth the 
 praises of Him who hath called you out of dark- 
 ness into His marvellous light" (i Pet. 2: 9). 
 
76 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 " Wherefore come out from among them, and 
 be ye separate, saith the Lord, touch not -the 
 unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will 
 be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons 
 and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty " 
 (2 Cor. 6: 17). "And the God of all grace, who 
 hath called you unto His eternal glory in Christ, 
 after that ye have suffered awhile, shall Himself 
 perfect, stablish, strengthen you. To Him be 
 the dominion for ever and ever. Amen " (i Pet. 
 
 5: lo)- 
 
GOD COMMANDETH ALL MEN TO REPENT. 77 
 
 GOD COMMANDETH ALL MEN EVERY- 
 WHERE TO REPENT. 
 
 Man, a sinner by nature and by practice, 
 "is condemned already" (John 3: i8). And 
 "the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3: 
 36). While he remains in rebellion against God, 
 he is increasing his guilt and his indebtedness 
 every moment of his existence. He takes ad- 
 vantage of the long suffering of God "to 
 usward, not willing that any should perish, but 
 that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 
 3: 9). Proving, as the Word of God says, that 
 " Because sentence against an evil work is not 
 executed speedily, therefore the heart of the 
 sons of men is fully set in them to do evil " 
 (Eccl. 8: 11). God "now commandeth all men 
 everywhere to repent: because He hath ap- 
 pointed a day; in the which He will judge the 
 world" (Acts 17: 30). 
 
 The first step to save men is to convict them 
 of sin. Unless this is done, they will not repent 
 and will not accept Christ. The first work of 
 the Holy Spirit is, " He will convict the world 
 of sin" (John 16: 8). The first preaching to 
 men recorded in the New Testament was com- 
 manding them to repent. No baits were offered 
 to allure men to come and hear the Gospel, as 
 is being done at the present time. The mes- 
 
78 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 senger was sent by God, to deliver the message 
 of God. Repent! for you are lost. It is to be 
 remembered that these messengers and the 
 messages were sent first to the church. "And 
 that repentance and remission of sins should be 
 preached in His name among all nations, begin- 
 ning at Jerusalem " (Luke 24: 47). John the 
 Baptist began preaching, saying, " Repent ye: 
 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand " (Matt. 
 3: i). And " Jesus came into Galilee, preaching 
 the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 
 the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is 
 at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel " 
 (Mark i: 14). "And He called unto Him the 
 twelve, and began to send them forth two and 
 two." ''And they went out and preached that 
 men should repent" (Mark 6: 7, 12). On the day 
 of Pentecost, after Peter's preaching, the record 
 says, " Now when they heard this, they were 
 pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and 
 to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, 
 what shall we do ? Then Peter said unto them, 
 Repent, and be baptized every one of yon in the 
 name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,and 
 ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost " (Acts 
 2: 37). And again he says, " Repent ye therefore, 
 and be converted, that your sins may be blotted 
 out, when the times of refreshing shall come 
 from the presence of the Lord; and He shall 
 send Jesus Christ which before was preached 
 unto you " (Acts 3: 19). Paul says, God " now 
 commandeth all men everywhere to repent: 
 
GOD COMMANDETH ALL MEN TO REPENT. 79 
 
 because He hath appointed a day, in the which 
 He will judge the world in righteousness by 
 that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He 
 hath given assurance unto all men, in that He 
 hath raised Him from the dead" (Acts 17: 30). 
 Jesus said unto Paul, " I have appeared unto 
 thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister 
 and a witness both of these things which thou 
 hast seen, and of those things in the which I 
 will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the 
 people, and from the gentiles, unto whom now 
 I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them 
 from darkness to light, and from the power of 
 Satan unto God, that they may receive forgive- 
 ness of sins, and inheritance among them which 
 are sanctified by faith that is in me" (Acts 26: 16). 
 Paul, speaking of this vision to Agrippa, adds, 
 "Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not dis- 
 obedient unto the heavenly vision, but shewed 
 first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, 
 and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and 
 then to the Gentiles, that they should repent 
 and turn to God, and do works meet for repent- 
 ance " (Acts 26: 19). 
 
 The first duty of every messenger of God to 
 men is to call them to repentance. This same 
 message is to be delivered in the palaces or the 
 slums; in the churches and in the highways. 
 This must be first. The giving of food, wash- 
 ing and clothing the poor, and giving them 
 ethical culture, may follow, as the fruits of the 
 Gospel, but must not be put before it. " Say 
 
So CHII.DRKN OV COD. 
 
 unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have 
 no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but 
 that the wicked turn from his way and live: 
 turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why 
 will ye die, O house of Israel ?" (Ezek. ^^: ii). 
 Baptism, confirmation, taking the com- 
 munion, joining the church, do not regenerate, 
 or make children of God. They who depend 
 on these things, as was the case with the rulers 
 and teachers in the church in the days of 
 Christ, not only cannot enter into the kingdom 
 of God, but do not see it; do not know what the 
 kingdom of God is. Talking with Nicodemus, 
 a ruler in the church, " Jesus answered and said 
 unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except 
 a man be bom anew (from above), he cannot 
 see the kingdom of God" (John 3: 3). In all 
 ages the great danger has been, having false 
 teachers and rulers in the church, deceiving the 
 people by putting their traditions in the place 
 of the Scriptures and leading their followers 
 into idolatry. Jeremiah writes of the church 
 in his day, "From the least even unto the 
 greatest of them every one is given to covetous- 
 ness; and from the prophet even unto the 
 priest every one dealeth falsely. They have 
 healed also the hurt of the daughter of my peo- 
 ple slightly, saying. Peace, peace; when there is 
 no peace " (Jer. 6: 13). John the Baptist said 
 to the leaders of the church in his day, who had 
 come to his baptism, " O generation of vipers, 
 who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to 
 come?" (Matt. 3: 7; Mark 3: 7, 8). 
 
GOD COMMANDETH ALL MEN TO REPENT. 8l 
 
 In the twenty-third chapter of Matthew we 
 have an account of the rulers of the church in 
 the days when Christ was on the earth. Jesus 
 warns the people against them and their teach- 
 ings. He charges these rulers with " binding 
 heavy burdens and grievous to be borne on 
 men's shoulders;" "doing all their work to be 
 seen of men," " making broad their phylacteries 
 and enlarging the borders of their garments ; " 
 "loving the uppermost rooms of feasts and the 
 chief seats in the Synagogue, and greetings in 
 the market, and to be called of men, Rabbi, 
 Rabbi." He tells the people,"call no man father 
 upon the earth: for one is your Father which is 
 is heaven. "He then denounces the most fearful 
 woes against those rulers and teachers. "Woe 
 unto you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for 
 ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men: 
 for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer 
 ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto 
 you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye 
 devour widows houses, and for a pretence make 
 long prayer; therefore ye shall receive the 
 greater damnation. Woe unto you. Scribes and 
 Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and 
 land to make one proselyte; and when he is 
 made, ye make him two-fold more the child of 
 hell than yourselves." "Ye serpents, ye 
 generation of vipers, how can ye escape the 
 damnation of hell" (Matt. 23)? ^^^^ 
 
 The descriptions of the church in the days q|^^^I 
 Jeremiah, John the Baptist and Chnst^Mp^^^^ 
 
82 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 applicable to the largest portion of the church 
 at the present time. What is needed is another 
 John the Baptist to call the churches to repent- 
 ance, and " to make ready a people prepared 
 for the Lord" (Luke i: i6, 17). 
 
 The Bible teaches us that being bom in a 
 church, or being baptized, or being zealous and 
 a strict observer of all the rules of the church, 
 or even being as Cornelius was, " A devout 
 man, and one that feared God with all his house, 
 which gave much alms to the people, and 
 prayed always" (Acts 10: 27) are none, or all 
 of them, sufficient to save men. We are told a 
 certain man called Simon, believed and was 
 baptized. Yet he was afterwards told by Peter, 
 " I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitter- 
 ness, and in the, bond of iniquity" (Acts 8: 9, 
 13, 23). Being zealous in church services or 
 ordinances, and reading the Scriptures cannot 
 save men. The Ethiopian eunuch had gone to 
 Jerusalem to worship; and while returning, was 
 reading Isaiah. It was necessary to send an 
 angel to Philip, directing him to go and explain 
 the Scripture to him. Philip did so, and began 
 at the same Scripture and preached unto him 
 Jesus. The eunuch believed, was baptized, 
 and went on his way rejoicing (Acts 8: 26). In 
 his case, his going to Jerusalem and worship- 
 ping there, was not enough; his studying the 
 Scriptures was not enough; his belief in his 
 church was riot enough; a special miracle must 
 be done to make him know Christ; that he 
 
GOD COMMANDETH ALL MEN TO REPENT. 83 
 
 might be saved. The case of Cornelius, a 
 centurion of the band called the Italian band, 
 shows, that being devout, fearing God, giving 
 alms and praying to God always, is not enough 
 to save a man, without the knowledge of Christ, 
 and believing Him. It required two miracles 
 to save him. An angel of God came to him 
 and told him to send for Peter and he would 
 tell him what to do. Special visions appeared 
 to Peter, and the voice of the Spirit directed 
 him to go with the messengers sent by Corn- 
 elius. He went, and preached Christ unto him ; 
 and the Holy Ghost fell on all them which 
 heard the word; and they were baptized. Peter 
 in relating the occurence, adds, "The angel 
 told Cornelius that Peter shall tell thee words 
 whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved" 
 (Acts 11: 14). This teaches us that, being 
 devout, and one that feared God with all his 
 house, and giving much alms, and praying to 
 God always, is not sufficient for salvation. It 
 was necessary to hear the Gospel, to be saved. 
 His prayers were heard, and God sent Peter to 
 preach Christ to him; and the Holy Ghost was 
 given, and he was saved. Living a moral life 
 cannot save a man. One came running and 
 kneeled to Christ asking, what shall I do to 
 inherit eternal life? Jesus referred him to the 
 commandments; quoting the last six speaking 
 of our duty towards men. He answered, " All 
 these have I observed from my youth. " Then 
 **Jesus beholding him, loved him, and said unto 
 
84 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 him, One thing thou lackest." He told him 
 to do certain things, closing with, "And come, 
 take up thy cross, and follow me. And he was 
 sad at that saying, and went away grieved; for 
 he had great possessions" (Mark lo: 17). Being 
 circumcised, or baptized, and being zealous in 
 observing all the forms, ceremonies, &c., of the 
 church does not make a person a child of God; 
 and cannot save anyone. Paul says, " If any 
 other man thinketh that he hath whereof he 
 might trust in the flesh, I more: circumcised the 
 eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe 
 of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as 
 touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, 
 persecuting the church; touching the righteous- 
 ness which is in the law, blameless. But what 
 things were gain to me, those I counted loss for 
 Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things 
 but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of 
 Christ Jesus, my Lord: for whom I have suffered 
 the loss of all things, and do count them but 
 dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in 
 Him, not having my own righteousness, which 
 is of the law, but that which is through the 
 faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of 
 God by faith" (Phil. 3: 4). Vast multitudes of 
 members of the church think that they are 
 children of God, and are resting their hope of 
 salvation on those things, which Paul, when 
 converted, counted " as dung. " A special ap- 
 pearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to Paul caused 
 his conversion, and was the means of his being 
 saved. 
 
GOD COMMANDETH ALL MEN TO RF.PENT. 85 
 
 All the above cases were men conspicuous in 
 the church, and of high standing in it; yet 
 miracles were necessary to bring them to Christ. 
 The command to all men, in the church and 
 out of it, is, repent and believe in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ. The greatest need at the present 
 time is repentance in the churches. Then the 
 command to repent will be carried to the lapsed 
 masses. And then we may look for the miracle 
 of men being bom again of the Holy Ghost. 
 
86 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 CHILDREN OF GOD BORN AGAIN. 
 
 Man is born with a corrupt nature, alienated 
 from God: and although God has provided 
 redemption for him, and "beseeches" him to 
 accept that redemption and " be reconciled to 
 God" (II Cor. 5. 20), he will not do so, unless 
 the Holy Spirit changes his heart. The reason 
 is, "The carnal mind is enmity against God" 
 (Rom. 8: 7). Men are "haters of God" (Rom. 
 1 : 30). Christ told His disciples, " If the world 
 hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it 
 hated you" "He that hateth Me, hateth my 
 Father also." " Now have they both seen and 
 hated both Me and my Father" (John 15: 18, 
 23, 24). Therefore the Bible tells us, that men 
 to be saved, need not only the Gospel call, 
 "Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ;" 
 but that the call will be in vain, and men will 
 not believe, unless the word is made effectual 
 by the Holy Spirit. " For by grace are ye 
 saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: 
 it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2: 8). 
 
 According to the Scriptures, a man to be 
 saved, must be "Born again;" ** Created anew;" 
 "Raised from the dead." Christ told Nico- 
 demus, a ruler of the Jews, " Verily, verily, I 
 say unto thee, except a man be born again, he 
 cannot see the kingdom of God." *' Except a 
 
BORN AGAIN. 87 
 
 man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can- 
 not enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3: 3, 5). 
 John speaking of Jesus says, " He was in the 
 world, and the world was made by Him, and 
 the world knew Him not. He came unto His 
 own, and His own received Him not. But as 
 many as received Him, to them gave He the 
 right to become Children of God, even to them 
 that believe on His name which were born, not 
 of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the 
 will of man, but of God" (John i: 11). That 
 is, not by natural descent or birth; nor by their 
 own will; not by the will of any priest by 
 baptism, or confirmation; or the will of any 
 man; but of God. "To as many as received 
 Him. " To receive Christ, we must know Him 
 as He isrevealed in the Scriptures; wemustknow 
 Him as did Peter when he said, " Thou art the 
 Christ, the Son of the living God." When we 
 know this, Jesus says to us, as He did to Peter, 
 " Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and 
 blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my 
 Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 16: 16). No 
 one receives Him, who does not believe in His 
 name, The Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah, 700 
 years before Christ, announced His Name. 
 " Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear 
 a son, and shall call his name Immanuel " 
 (Isa. 7: 14), "which is being interpreted, 
 God with us" (Matt, i: 23). "And she shall 
 bring forth a son ; and thou shalt call His 
 name Jesus; for it is He that shall save His 
 
65 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 people from their sins" (Matt, i: 21). "For 
 unto us a child is bom, unto us a son is given; 
 and the government shall be upon his shoulder; 
 and his name shall be called Wonderful, Coun- 
 sellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting 
 Father, (Father of Eternity), The Prince of 
 Peace" (Isa. 9: 6). If we have recieved Him 
 and believe on His Name, He has given us the 
 right to become children of God (John i: 12). 
 They who regard Him only as a good man, 
 or as an example, do not receive Him; they 
 deny Him. He must be known and received 
 as He is revealed and offered in the Word of 
 God, or He is not received at all. Peter 
 explains how we become children of God. 
 " Being born again not of corruptible seed, but 
 of incorruptible, by the Word of God" (I Peter 
 i: 23). Jesus says, "That which is born of the 
 flesh is flesh; and that which is bom of the 
 Spirit is Spirit" (John 3: 6). John says, 
 " Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ 
 is born of God" (I John 5:1; Gal 3: 26). Paul 
 says, "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, 
 they are the Sons of God." " The Spirit itself 
 beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the 
 children of God" (Rom. 8: 14,16). "Blessed 
 be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 which according to his abundant mercy hath 
 begotten us again into a lively hope by the 
 resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to 
 an inheritance incorruptible, and nndefiled, and 
 that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for 
 
BORN AGAIN. 89 
 
 you, who are kept by the power of God through 
 faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the 
 last time" (I Peter i: 3). *' Beloved, now are 
 we the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear 
 what we shall be; but we know that, when He 
 shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall 
 see Him as He is. And every man that hath 
 this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as He 
 is pure" (I John 3: 2). 
 
go CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 CHILDREN OF GOD CREATED ANEW. 
 
 The Scriptures also tell us, that the children 
 of God are created anew. David prayed, 
 " Create in one a clean heart, O God " (Ps 51: 
 10). God says, " I will put a new Spirit within 
 you; and I will take the stony heart out of their 
 flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh" 
 (Ezek. 11: 19). "A new heart also will I give 
 you, and a new Spirit will I put within you; 
 and I will take away the stony heart out of 
 your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh" 
 (Ezek. 36: 26). It is written, "If any man be 
 in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are 
 passed away; behold all things are become new, 
 and all things are of God, who hath reconciled 
 us to Himself by Jesus Christ" (II Cor. 5: 17). 
 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision, 
 availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a 
 new creature" (Gal. 6: 15), " For by grace are 
 ye saved through faith: and that not of your- 
 selves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest 
 any man shfould boast. For we are His work- 
 manship, created in Christ Jesus unto good 
 works, which God hath before ordained that 
 we should walk in them" (Eph. 2: 6-10). 
 Reader, have you been born anew? Created 
 anew? Have you been " renewed in the Spirit 
 of your mind?" Have you " put on the new 
 
CREATED ANEW. 9I 
 
 man which after God is created in righteous- 
 ness and true holiness " (Eph. 4: 24) ? " The 
 new man, which is renewed in knowledge after 
 the image of Him that created him" (Col. 3: 
 
 10). 
 
92 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 CHILDREN OF GOD MADE ALIVE 
 FROM THE DEAD. 
 
 The Scriptures tell us that the children of God 
 are born again, are created anew, and also, 
 made alive from the dead. No stronger lan- 
 guage can be used to show that the work of 
 redemption is entirely, from beginning to end, 
 of God. No child has ever caused its own 
 birth; no creature has created itself; no dead 
 thing has ever brought itself to life. In Ezekiel 
 we have a vivid description of the state of the 
 natural man, and of the church at' times. He 
 saw a valley full of bones and they were very 
 dry. And He was commanded to say unto 
 them, " O ye dry bones, hear the word of the 
 Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these 
 bones, "behold I will cause breath to enter into 
 you, and ye shall live," * * * "And ye shall 
 know that I am the Lord." He prophesied 
 accordingly, and, "behold a shaking, and the 
 bones came together, bone to his bone." ♦ * * 
 " The sinews and the flesh came up upon them, 
 and the skin covered them above; but there 
 was no breath in them." He was commanded 
 to prophecy again, and he did so, "and the 
 breath came into them and they lived." (Ezek. 
 37:1-14). "Wherefore he saith, awake thou 
 that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and 
 
MADE ALIVE FROM THE DEAD. 93 
 
 Christ shall give thee light." (Eph. 5: 14). Jesus 
 says, " Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that 
 heareth my Word, and believeth on Him that 
 sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not 
 come into condemnation; but is passed from 
 death unto life" (John 5: 24). "He that 
 believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the 
 wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3: 36). 
 Believers in Christ Jesus are told, " You hath 
 he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and 
 sins; wherein in time past ye walked according 
 to the Qourse of this world, according to the 
 prince of the power of the air, the spirit that 
 now worketh in the children of disobedience: 
 among whom also we all had our conversation 
 in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling 
 the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and 
 were by nature children of wrath, even as 
 others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his 
 great love wherewith He loved us, even when 
 we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together 
 with Christ (by grace ye are saved) ; and hath 
 raised us up together, and made us sit together 
 in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2: i). 
 
94 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 THE CHILDREN OF GOD CHOSEN BY 
 
 HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION 
 
 OF THE WORLD. 
 
 We have seen that the children of God, are 
 bom again; created anew; raised from the 
 dead; and that this is not by their own will, nor 
 by the will of others, but of God. The children 
 of God are chosen in Christ before the found- 
 ation of the world; not because they were holy; 
 or because of good works, " lest they should 
 boast," but they " were created in Christ Jesus 
 unto good works," and that they " should be 
 holy." Paul writes, to the saints which are at 
 Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus, 
 " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all 
 spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ: 
 according as he hath chosen us in him, before 
 the foundation of the world, that we should be 
 holy and without blame before Him in love; 
 having predestinated us unto the adoption of 
 children by Jesus Christ to himself, according 
 to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of 
 the glory of His grace, wherein he hath made 
 us accepted in the beloved: in whom we have 
 redemption through his blood, the forgiveness 
 of sins, according to the riches of his grace" 
 (Eph. i: 1-12). Paul then tells them, of the 
 
CHOSEN BY HIM. 95 
 
 " exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward 
 who believe, according to the working of his 
 mighty power which he wrought in Christ 
 when he raised him from the dead and set him 
 at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 
 far above all principality, and power, and 
 might and dominion, and every name that is 
 named, not only in this world, but also in that 
 which is to come: and hath put all things under 
 his feet, and gave him to be the head over all 
 things to the church, which is his body, the 
 fulness of him that filleth all in all. And you 
 hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses 
 and sins. * * * But God who is rich in 
 mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved 
 us, even when we were dead in sins, hath 
 quickened us together with Christ. * * * 
 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and 
 that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not 
 of works, lest any man should boast. For we 
 are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus 
 unto good works, which God hath before 
 ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. i: 
 19; 2: I, 4, 8). To the "beloved of God, called 
 saints," in Rome, the same truth is taught. 
 " We know that all things work together for 
 good to them that love God, to them who are 
 the called according to his purpose. For 
 whom he did foreknow, he also did predestin- 
 ate to be conformed to the image of his son, 
 that he might be the firstborn among many 
 brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, 
 
96 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 them he also called: and whom he called, them 
 he also justified: and whom he justified, them 
 he also glorified" (Rom. 8: 28). We are told 
 that, " Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing 
 by the word of God" (Rom. 10: 17). "To the 
 Church of God, which is at Corinth," Paul 
 writes, " Christ sent me not to baptize, but to 
 preach the gespel; not with wisdom of words, 
 lest the cross of Christ should be made of none 
 effect. For the preaching of the cross is to 
 them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which 
 are saved, it is the power of God. For it is 
 written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, 
 and will bring to nothing the understanding of 
 the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is 
 the Scribe? Where is the disputer of 
 this world? Hath not God made foolish 
 the wisdom of this world ? For after 
 that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom 
 knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness 
 of preaching to save them that believe" (I Cor. 
 i: 17). To the church in Rome Paul writes, 
 " So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach 
 the Gospel to you that are at Rome also. For 
 I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for 
 it is the power of God unto salvation to every 
 one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also 
 to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness 
 of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is 
 written. The just shall live by faith" (Rom. i: 
 15). God at creation made all things by His 
 word. He spake and it was done. He said, 
 
CHOSEN BY HIM. 97 
 
 " Let there be light, and there was light" (Gen. 
 1:3). Ever since the word of God gives life 
 and light to men, " the entrance of Thy word 
 giveth light" (Ps. 119: 130). "God, who com- 
 manded the light to shine out of darkness, hath 
 shined in our hearts, to give the light of the 
 knowledge of the glory of God in the face of 
 Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4: 6). " For ye were 
 sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the 
 Lord" (Eph. 5: 8), The word of God from the 
 beginning was Christ. '* The word was made 
 flesh and dwelt among us" (John i: 1-14). He 
 is the Word of God to give life and light to 
 men. And therefore Paul preached Christ; 
 and Christians are to be witnesses for Christ; 
 Timothy was charged, "Preach the Word; be 
 instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, 
 exhort with all long suffering and doctrine" 
 (2 Tim. 4:2). Child of God ! born again, made 
 alive, created anew, by the Word of God; that 
 word is committed to you; that you may grow 
 thereby, and by means of it save others. Use 
 that word; for God says, comparing it to the 
 rain that watereth the earth, and maketh it 
 bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to 
 the sower, and bread to the eater, " So 
 shall my word be that goeth forth out of my 
 mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it 
 shall accomplish that which I please, and it 
 shall prosper in thing whereto I sent it" (Isa, 
 55: "). 
 
qS chTldren of god. 
 
 FAITH AND GOOD WORKS. 
 
 God's way of salvation differs from that of 
 every other religion in the world, including 
 those of the lapsed churches. God's plan is 
 Salvation by faith. All other religions look to 
 their good works for salvation. The children 
 of God are told to do good works not in order 
 to be saved, but because they are saved. Cain's 
 offering of his own productions was rejected by 
 God. Abel's offering which we are told was by 
 faith, was accepted. Sacrifices for sin were re- 
 quired by God as a part of every act of worship. 
 For sins of commission, of omission, of ignor- 
 ance, of presumption; sin-offerings daily, on the 
 Sabbath Day, and even when presenting thank 
 offerings and national thanksgivings. All 
 these sacrifices represented the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, " the lamb slain from the foundation of 
 the world" (Rev. 13: 8). The Lamb of God, 
 which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 
 1 : 29). "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" 
 (i Cor. 5: 8). The Lamb now on the throne, as 
 described in Revelations, as " a Lamb standing, 
 as though it had been slain" (Rev. 5: 6). In 
 the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the 
 Hebrews we have a list of the patriarchs and 
 worthies in the Old Testament, commended for 
 their faith. In all these cases their good works 
 
FAITH AND GOOD WORKS. 99 
 
 are spoken of as the result of their faith. Else- 
 where we are told, " If Abraham were justified 
 by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not 
 before God. For what saith the Scripture? 
 Abraham believed God, and it was counted 
 unto him for righteousness" (Rom. 4: 2). 
 " Without faith it is impossible to please God" 
 (Heb. 11: 6). The same motive for doing good 
 works is in the Old Testament as in the New. 
 In the Old, God continually reminds his people, 
 that because he had delivered them from 
 Egypt, they should love, and obey Him. The 
 introduction of the Ten Commandments begins 
 with, " I am the Lord thy God, which have 
 brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of 
 the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no 
 other Gods before Me. Thou shalt not &c., &c." 
 (Exod. 20: 2). The children of Israel are con- 
 stantly reminded of this deliverance as an 
 incentive to obedience and good works (Exod. 
 ^3- 3) 9> 14) 16; Deut. 6: 21; Levit. 19: 36; Num. 
 15:40, 41; Ps. 81: 10; Deut. 5: 15; Josh. 24: 5 &c). 
 They are also told that the Lord had redeemed 
 them out of the house of bondage and led them 
 forth and guided them in His strength unto 
 His holy habitation (Exod. 15: 13; Deut. 7: 8; 
 15: 15; 9: 26; 24- 18; &c., &c). The same 
 reasons, in almost the same words, are used in 
 the New Testament calling upon the children 
 of God to love Him, and do good works; not in 
 order to save themselves, but because God 
 through the Lord Jesus Christ has saved them. 
 
lOO CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 " That no man is justified by the law in the 
 sight of God, it is evident; for the just shall live 
 by faith." " Christ hath redeemed us from the 
 curse of the law, being made a curse for us." 
 "That we might receive the promise of the 
 Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3: ii, 13, 14). ''Be 
 ye holy; for I am holy." "Forasmuch as ye 
 know that ye were not redeemed with corrupt- 
 ible things, as silver and gold, from your vain 
 conversation received by tradition from your 
 fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, 
 as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; 
 who verily was foreordained before the founda- 
 tion of the world" (i Pet. i: 16, 18). "Who 
 hath delivered from the power of darkness, and 
 hath translated us into the kingdom of His 
 dear Son. In whom we have redemption 
 through His blood even the forgiveness of sins" 
 (Col. i: 13). "Jesus which delivered us from 
 the wrath to come" (i Thess. i: 10). "Ye are 
 bought with a price: therefore glorify God in 
 your body, and in your Spirit, which are God's" 
 (i Cor. 6: 20). "Thanks be to God, which 
 giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus 
 Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethern, be ye 
 steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the 
 work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that 
 your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (i Cor. 
 15- 58). "Therefore, as ye abound in every- 
 thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, 
 and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see 
 that ye abound in this grace also." "For ye 
 
FAITH AND GOOD WORKS. lOI 
 
 know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that 
 though He was rich, yet for your sakes He 
 became poor, that ye through His poverty 
 might be rich" (2 Cor. 8: 7, 9). We are told, 
 " Work out your own salvation with fear and 
 trembling; for it is God which worketh in you 
 both to will and to do of His good pleasure;" 
 work, not to be saved, but because ye have 
 salvation, work it out. " Let no man deceive 
 you with vain words: for because of these 
 things Cometh the wrath of God upon the 
 children of disobedience. Be not therefore 
 partakers with them. For ye were sometime 
 darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: 
 walk as children of light" (Eph. 5: 6). " Reckon 
 ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but 
 alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal 
 body, that ye should obey it in the lusts there- 
 of" (Rom. 6: 12). "I beseech you therefore, 
 brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye pre- 
 sent your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy, accept- 
 able unto God, which is your reasonable service" 
 (Rom. 12: i). "Having therefore these 
 promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse our- 
 selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, 
 perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 
 7: i). "Now, therefore, ye are no more 
 strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of 
 the saints, and of the household of God; and^ 
 built upon the foundation of the aposi 
 prophets, Jesus Christ Himself bein|^TO3?6tf -*t^^ 
 
162 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 cornerstone, in whom ye are builded together 
 for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 
 For this cause, I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus 
 Christ, for you Gentiles, beseech you that ye 
 walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are 
 called, with all lowliness and meekness, with 
 long suffering, forbearing one another in love; 
 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in 
 the bond of peace." " Be ye therefore followers 
 of God, as dear children." "Do all things 
 without murmurings and disputings, that ye 
 may be blameless and harmless, the songs of 
 God, without rebuke, in midst of a crooked and 
 perverse nation, among whom ye shine as 
 lights in the world." "For our conversation is 
 in heaven; from whence also we look for the 
 Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall 
 change our vile body, that it may be fashioned 
 like unto his glorious body, according to the 
 working whereby he is able even to subdue all 
 things unto himself. Therefore, my brethren, 
 dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and 
 crown, so stand fast in the Lord, dearly beloved." 
 *' If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those 
 things which are above, where Christ sitteth at 
 the right hand of God. Set your affections on 
 things above, not on things on the earth, for ye 
 are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in 
 God." " Put on therefore, as the elect of God, 
 holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, 
 humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; 
 forbearing one another, and forgiving one 
 
FAITH AND GOOD WORKS. 103 
 
 another, if any man have a quarrel against any: 
 even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And 
 above all things put on charity, which is the 
 bond of perfectness." "Whatsoever ye do in 
 word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord 
 Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by 
 him." ** Ye are all the children of light, and 
 the children of the day; we are not of the night 
 nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as 
 do others, but let us watch and be sober." "Ye 
 are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an 
 holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should 
 show forth the praises (virtues) of him who 
 hath called you out of darkness into his marvel- 
 ous light." " Nevertheless we,* according to 
 his promise, look for new heavens and a new 
 earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Where- 
 fore,beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, 
 be diligent, that ye may be found of him in 
 peace, without spot, and blameless." "Beloved 
 now are we the sons of God; and it doth not 
 yet appear what we shall be; but we know that 
 when He shall appear, we shall be like him, for 
 we shall see him as He is. And every man 
 that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, 
 even as He is pure." 
 
 Faith in Jesus Christ always works. *' For 
 in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth 
 anything, nor uncircumcision ; but- faith which 
 worketh by love" (Gal. 5 ; 6). " Faith without 
 works is dead" " Faith, if it hath not works is 
 dead, being alone," ("in itself ") (James 2: 17, 20). 
 
104 CHILDREN OF GOD 
 
 Faith in Christ, "works by love," '-purifies the 
 heart" (Acts 15:9;! John 3: 3); and "overcometh 
 the world." "For whatsoever is born of God 
 overcometh the world; and this is the victory 
 that overcometh the world, even our faith. 
 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he 
 that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God" 
 (i John 5: 4)? " Without faith it is impossible 
 to please God" (Heb. 11: 6). "For whatsoever 
 is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14: 23). 
 
 In working out the salvation which we have 
 received from God, we must with filial fear and 
 reverence, look to God continually, to work in 
 us to will, and work in us the power to do, 
 of His good pleasure. Salvation from beginning 
 to end is of God. 
 
 "Enoch walked with God" (Gen. 5: 24). 
 " By faith Enoch was translated that he should 
 not see death; and he was not found, because 
 God translated him; for before his translation 
 he had this testimony that he pleased God" 
 (Heb. ir: 5). Walking by faith with God, every 
 believer may know that he pleases God. " The 
 Lord taketh pleasure in his people" (Ps. 149: 4). 
 "The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear 
 Him" (Ps. 147: 11). In his epistle to the 
 Colossians Paul writes, "We do not cease to 
 pray for you, and to desire that ye might be 
 filled with the knowledge of his will in all 
 wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye 
 might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleas- 
 ing, being fruitful in every good work, and 
 
FAITH AND GOOD WORKS 105 
 
 increasing in the knowledge of God; strength- 
 er-ed with all might, according to his glorious 
 power" (Col. i : 9). 
 
I06 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 THE CHILDREN OF GOD HAVE 
 ETERNAL LIFE NOW. 
 
 The children of Israel, when delivered from 
 the bondage of Egypt, might have entered 
 the promised land at once; but because of their 
 unbelief, were compelled to wander in the wild- 
 erness forty years, and the most of them never 
 entered it. "So we see that they could not 
 enter in because of unbelief" (Heb. 3: 19). "Let 
 us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of 
 entering into his rest, any of you should seem 
 to come short of it." "For we which have 
 believed do enter into rest" (Heb. 4: i, 3). 
 Many children of God wander through the 
 wilderness, troubled with doubts and fears, 
 who, if they believed the promises connected 
 with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, would be 
 enjoying a life of rest, joy, and peace. They 
 do not realize that their salvation is sure the 
 moment they believe; and is forever. That all 
 the promises connected with faith, are in the 
 present tense, and are to be enjoyed now, as 
 well as hereafter. He that believeth hath; he 
 that believeth is; and it is because they have 
 and because they are, that the Scriptures urge 
 believers to glorify God, to rejoice in the Lord, 
 and to do good works. Jesus said, ''Verily, 
 verily, I say unto you. He that heareth my 
 
HAVE ETERNAL LIFE NOW. IO7 
 
 word, and believeth on him that sent mc, hath 
 everlasting life, and shall not come into con- 
 demnation; but is passed from death unto life" 
 (John 5: 24). **He that believeth on me hath 
 everlasting life" (John 6: 47). " Being justified 
 by faith, we have peace with God through our 
 Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5: i). "He that 
 believeth on the Son hath everlasting life" 
 (John 3: ^6). ** Beloved, now are we the Sons 
 of God, and it doth not yet appear what we 
 shall be; but we know that, when he shall 
 appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see 
 him as he is. And every man that hath this 
 hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is 
 pure'' (i John 3: 2). Jesus said, "These things 
 have I spoken unto you, that my joy might 
 remain in you, and that your joy might be full" 
 (John 15: 11). "Peace I leave with you, my 
 pea'^e I give unto you " (John 14:27). " These 
 things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye 
 might have peace. In the world ye shall have 
 tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have over- 
 come the world" (John 16: 33). 
 
 They who believe these words of Christ will 
 be partakers of his joy, and will enjoy his 
 peace; and will be of good cheer. They have 
 every reason to do so, knowing that they have 
 an everlasting life, which they can never be 
 deprived of; and knowing that all things work 
 together for their good (Rom. 8: 28), and that 
 all things are now theirs. " For all things are 
 yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or 
 
Io8 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 the world, or life, or death, or things present, 
 or things to come; all are yours; and ye are 
 Christ's; and Christ is God's" (i Cor. 3: 21). 
 
 We are told that the Ethiopian eunuch, after 
 having the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah 
 explained to him, and Jesus preached to him, 
 " said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of 
 God," and was baptized; "And he went on his 
 way rejoicing" (Acts 8: 27-39). ^^^ jailer at 
 Philippi a few minutes after he was about to 
 kill himself, asked Paul and Silas, " What must 
 I do to be saved; and they said, believe on the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, thou 
 and thy house. And they spake unto him the 
 word of the Lord, and to all that were in his 
 house. And he took them the same hour of the 
 night, and washed their stripes; and was 
 baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when 
 he had brought them into his house, he set 
 meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in 
 God with all his house" (Acts 16: 27). When a 
 person receives the Lord Jesus Christ, and 
 believes in His name, he realizes that he is 
 saved, and is a child of God, and he will at once 
 rejoice, and try to make others partakers of the 
 joy, and peace, and the good cheer, which 
 Christ gives to all who believe in him. We are 
 told, ♦* Rejoice evermore" (i Thess. 5: 16). 
 " Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say. 
 Rejoice" (Phil. 4: 4). "For the joy of the 
 Lord is your strength" (Neh. 8: 10). " Behold, 
 God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be 
 
HAVE ETERNAL LIFE NOW. I09 
 
 afraid; for the lord jehovah is my strength 
 and my song; He also has become my salvation. 
 Therefore with joy shall we draw water out of 
 the wells of salvation'' (Isaiah 12: 2). 
 
 The believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should 
 know that he is saved and hath an eternal life 
 now. Without knowing this he cannot have 
 that joy and peace which come with faith in 
 the Lord Jesus Christ. He cannot bear proper 
 testimony for Christ, and cannot bring others 
 to Him to be saved. " Whosever believeth that 
 Jesus is the Christ is bom of God." * * * "He 
 that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; 
 because he believeth not the record, that God 
 gave of His Son. And this is the record that 
 God hath given to us: eternal life, and this life 
 is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; 
 and he that hath not the Son of God hath not 
 life. These things have I written unto you 
 that believe on the name of the Son of God; 
 that ye may know that ye have eternal life, 
 and that ye may believe on the name of the 
 Son of God" (i John 5: i, 10). 
 
no CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 WITNESSES FOR CHRIST. 
 
 The first cry of the new-born infant is 
 generally of distress; the first exclamation of 
 the child of God is of joy. This was the case 
 with the Ethiopian enniich and of the jailer at 
 Philippi, Acts 8: 39; i6: 34. As he grows in 
 grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 he will continually rejoice; even in trials and 
 tribulations. " Rejoicing that they were worthy 
 to- suffer shame for his name" (Acts 5: 41). 
 ** Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation" 
 (Rom. 12: 12). '*As sorrowful yet always 
 rejoicing" (II Cor. 6: 10; Heb. 3: 6). He also 
 begins to bear witness for Christ: and to spread 
 the knowledge of Him and His salvation; trying 
 thus to save others. The Lord Jesus directs 
 them to do this. " Go ye therefore, and make 
 disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into 
 the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
 the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all 
 things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I 
 am with you always, even unto the end of the 
 world" (Matt. 28: 19). ** Sanctify them in the 
 truth; thy word is truth. As thou didst send 
 me into the world, even so sent I them into the 
 world" (John 17: 17). 
 
 The children of God need no injunctions to 
 tihis. They are moved by gratitude and love, 
 
WITNESSES FOR CHRIST. Ill 
 
 as well as by His spirit. Thus we find, that 
 those cured by Jesus could not be restrained 
 from showing their joy, and testifying what 
 Jesus had done for them. The leper cleansed, 
 "went out, and began to publish it much and to 
 blase abroad the matter" (Mark 1:45). The 
 two blind men whose eyes Jesus opened, **when 
 they were departed, spread abroad His fame in 
 all that country" (Matt. 9: 31). The deaf man 
 with an impediment in his speech, when his 
 ears were opened, and the string of his tongue 
 was loosed, though charged to tell no man; "but 
 the more He charged them, so much the more 
 a great deal they published it" (Mark 7: 36). 
 The woman healed of her infirmity, "immediate- 
 ly she was made straight, and glorified God" 
 (Luke 13: 13). The man born blind, whose 
 eyes Jesus anointed, said, "I went and washed 
 and I received my sight." " One thing I know 
 that, whereas I was blind, now I see" (John 9: 
 II, 25). The saved will bear testimony for 
 Jesus in Heaven; "Unto Him that loved us, 
 and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 
 and hath made us kings and priests unto God 
 and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion 
 forever and ever. Amen" (Rev. 1:5). 
 
 The saved will also try to bring others to 
 Jesus. John the Baptist said, "Behold the 
 Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the 
 world" (John i: 29). Andrew " first findeth his 
 own brother Simon, and saith unto him, we have 
 found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, 
 
112 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 the Christ" (John i: 41). Philip findeth Nath- 
 aniel, and said unto him, we have found him of 
 whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did 
 write, Jesus of Nazareth" (John i: 45). The 
 disciples scattered abroad, by the persecution 
 of the church, after the stoning of Stephen, 
 " went everywhere preaching the Word." "And 
 the hand of the Lord was with them; and a 
 great number believed, and turned unto the 
 Lord" (Acts 8: 4; 11: 19). These were not duly 
 appointed ministers, or missionaries; but 
 believers scattered by persecution; and wher- 
 ever they went they talked about the glad tid- 
 ings of Christ; and the Lord was with them: 
 and a great number believed and turned unto 
 the Lord. 
 
 Before His ascension Jesus told his dis- 
 ciples, " Ye shall receive power after the Holy 
 Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be wit- 
 nesses unto Me both at Jerusalem, and in all 
 Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost 
 part of the earth" (Acts i : 8). Every child of 
 God is a witness for Christ, wherever he may 
 be. He is not only so by talking of Christ, and 
 telling men the Gospel or glad tidings, but is in 
 his life and conversation a living epistle, 
 "known and read of all men; forasmuch as ye 
 are manifestly declared to be the epistle of 
 Christ ministered by us, written not with ink 
 but with the Spirit of the living God; not in 
 tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the 
 head" (II Cor. 3: 2). With Paul he will say, 
 
WITNESSKS FUR CHRIST, M^ 
 
 " Christ shall be magnified in my body, 
 whether it be by life, or by death. For to me 
 to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil, i : 20). 
 
2 14 CHILDREN OF GOD, 
 
 THE CHILDREN OF GOD MUST GROW. 
 
 A CHILD who does not grow in knowledge is 
 virtually dead. True life in man combines 
 health, growth, activity and happiness. The 
 Christian who does not grow in grace and in the 
 knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
 is likewise virtually dead. " Faith if it have 
 not works is dead" (James 2: 17). The barren 
 fig tree will be cut down. ** Every branch in 
 me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away" 
 (John 15: 2). A branch that does not grow 
 cannot bear fruit. Joined to Christ, as the 
 branch is to the vine, and drawing life from 
 Him, we will be constantly growing, and bear- 
 ing fruit to the glory of God. A child of God, 
 when born of the Spirit, has passed from death 
 to everlasting life. His sins are atoned for. 
 ** As far as the east is from the west, so far hath 
 he removed our transgressions from us" (Psm. 
 103: 3, 12). " Being justified by faith, we have 
 peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" 
 (Rom. 5; i). But he is a child just beginning 
 to live. He is saved, but he must work out the 
 salvation he has received; remembering that it 
 is God who worketh in him both to will and to 
 do. Saved by the grace of God he has to grow 
 in grace and in the knowledge of Christ contin- 
 ually. Peter closes his epistles with, " Ye 
 
MUST GROW. 115 
 
 therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things 
 before, beware lest ye also, being led away with 
 the error of the wicked, fall from your own 
 steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the 
 knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
 Christ. To Him be glory both now and for 
 ever. Amen" (II Peter 3: 18). Men have lost 
 the knowledge of God, " and even as they did 
 not like to retain God in their knowledge, God 
 gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do 
 those things which are not convenient; being 
 filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, 
 wickedness, covetousness," &c.,&c. (Rom. i: 28- 
 31). We must grow in the knowledge of God in 
 Christ. In His prayer for His disciples, and for 
 those who shall believe on Him through their 
 word, in the 17th chapter of John, Jesus said, 
 "Father, the hour has come; glorify Thy Son, 
 that Thy Son also may glorify Thee: as Thou hast 
 given Him power over all flesh, that He should 
 give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given 
 Him. And this is life eternal, that they might 
 .know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, 
 whom Thou hast sent" (John 17: i). He had 
 before told them, " All things are delivered to 
 Me of My Father; and no man knoweth who 
 the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father 
 is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will 
 reveal Him" (Luke 10: 22). The children of 
 God who have received this revelation, and 
 have eternal life, are therefore told to grow in 
 grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus 
 
Il6 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 Christ. Peter tells them how they are to grow. 
 " As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of 
 the word, that ye may grow thereby" (I Pet. 2: 
 2). Paul writing to the " Sanctified in Christ 
 Jesus, called saints," in Corinth, addresses them 
 " as babes in Christ," and says, " I have fed you 
 with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye 
 were not able to bear it, neither yet are ye able, 
 for ye are carnal" (I Cor. 3: 2). In the Epistle 
 to the Hebrews it is written, " For when for the 
 time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that 
 one teach you again which be the first principles 
 of the oracles of God; and are become such as 
 have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For 
 every one that useth milk is unskillful in the 
 word of righteousness: for he is a babe" (Heb. 
 5:12). 
 
 Paul with all his revelations, and though sure 
 that he was saved, and had everlasting life, and 
 that for him to die was gain, to depart was to 
 be with Christ, writes, " Brethren, I count not 
 myself to have apprehended: but this one thing 
 I do, forgetting those things which are behind, 
 and reaching forth unto those things which are 
 before, I press toward the mark for the prize of 
 the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3: 
 8-14). Jesus prayed, " Sanctify them through 
 Thy truth: Thy Word is truth" (John 17: 17). 
 The new-born child of God will continue to 
 grow forever. 
 
 Paul and Timotheus writing to the saints and 
 faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colasse 
 
MUST GROW. 117 
 
 say, " We do not cease to pray for you, and to 
 desire that ye might be filled with the know- 
 ledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual 
 understanding; that ye might walk worthy of 
 the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in 
 every good work, and increasing in the know- 
 ledge of God; strengthened with all might, 
 according to His glorious power, unto all 
 patience and long suffering with joyfulness; 
 giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made 
 us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of 
 the saints in light: who hath delivered from the 
 power of darkness, and hath translated us into 
 the kingdom of His dear Son : in whom we have 
 redemption through His blood, even the for- 
 giveness of sins" (Col. i: 9). 
 
 The whole Bible is a revelation of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ. To grow in grace and the know- 
 ledge of Him, we must know the Scriptures. 
 To know them, we must study them and feed 
 upon them; and see Christ in them from the 
 beginning to the end. We must receive Him, 
 as He is revealed in them; for the Word is 
 Christ. " In the beginning was the Word, and 
 the Word was with God, and the Word was 
 God. * * * And the Word was made flesh, 
 and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, 
 the glory of the only begotten of the Father, 
 full of grace and truth. * * * And of His 
 fulness have all we received, and grace for 
 grace" (John i: i, 14, 16). Christ says, " I am 
 the living bread which came down from heaven; 
 
Il8 CHILDREN OF GOD. 
 
 if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for- 
 ever." * * * *'It is the Spirit that quick- 
 eneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words 
 that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they 
 are life" (John 6: 51, 63). As the children of 
 Israel had to gather the manna every day so 
 are we to gather and feed upon the words of 
 Christ, and thus to feed upon Him day by day. 
 Another way to grow in grace and the know- 
 ledge of Christ, and to be a witness for Him, is 
 to be regular in our attendance at the meetings 
 of the church with which we are connected, 
 and to fill our place there. The Word of God 
 tells us, ** Let us hold fast the profession of our 
 faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that 
 promised); and let us consider one another to 
 provoke unto love and to good works; not for- 
 saking the assembling of ourselves together, as 
 the manner of some is; but exhorting one 
 another: and so much the more, as ye see the 
 day approaching" (Heb. 10: 23; 3: 13). We 
 need faith in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 " Again I say unto you, that if two of you 
 shall agree on earth, as touching anything that 
 they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my 
 Father which is in Heaven. For where two or 
 three are gathered together in my name, there 
 am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18: 19; John 
 16: 23). If we love Him, we will go where He 
 promises to meet us. If we believe Him, we 
 will be where two or three gather in His name 
 to pray. Every member of the church should 
 
MUST GROW. 119 
 
 take interest in its meetings, and give them the 
 precedence over all other gatherings. Every 
 member, according to the gift of the Spirit, 
 should take part in them. '* There are diversit- 
 ies of gifts, but the same Spirit. * * * The 
 manifestation of the Spirit is given to every 
 man to profit withal. * * * Por all these 
 worketh the self -same Spirit, dividing to every 
 man severally as He will. For as the body is 
 one, and hath many members, and all the 
 members of that one body, being many, are one 
 body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are 
 we all baptized into one body" (I Cor. 12:4, 7, 
 11). *• How is it then brethren? When ye come 
 together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a 
 doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath 
 an interpretation. Let all things be done unto 
 edifying. * * * For ye may all prophesy one 
 by one, that all may learn, and all may be 
 comforted" (I Cor. 14: 26, 31). "Wherefore 
 comfort yourselves together, and edify one 
 another, even as also ye do" (IThess. 5: u). 
 The Revised Version says, " Wherefore exhort 
 one another, and build each other up, even as also 
 ye do." " Speaking to yourselves in psalms and 
 hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making 
 melody in your heart to the Lord; giving 
 thanks always for all things unto God and the 
 Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" 
 (Eph. 5: 19). ''Let the Word of Christ dwell in 
 you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admon- 
 ishing one another in psalms and hymns and 
 
I20 CHILDREN OF GOD, 
 
 spiritual songs, singing with grace in your 
 hearts to the Lord" (Col. 3: i6). If you want 
 to grow in grace and knowledge, do not neglect 
 the means of grace; " Forsake not the assemb- 
 ling of yourselves together as the manner of 
 some is." We hear members of volunteer 
 military companies boast that they have not 
 missed attending a single weekly drill for 
 years. The believer in the Lord Jesus Christ 
 has much more reason to attend regularly the 
 weekly meetings of His church. That he may 
 grow in grace and knowledge himself, and be 
 fitted to be ** a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (II 
 Tim. 2: 3). As the Christian grows in the grace 
 of the Holy Spirit, and the knowledge of Christ, 
 he will not only be increasing his own spiritual 
 joy and peace, but knowing more of Christ, and 
 of His Word, he will be better able to bear 
 testimony for Christ, to bring souls to Him, and 
 to strengthen and comfor His sheep and 
 His lambs. 
 
 " Now the God of peace, that brought again 
 from the dead our Lord Jesus, that Great Shep- 
 herd of the sheep, through the blood of the 
 everlasting covenant, make you perfect in 
 every good work to do His will, working in 
 you that which is well pleasing in His sight, 
 through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory 
 forever and ever. Amen" (Heb. 13: 20). 
 
CHILDREN OF GOD 
 
 AND 
 
 UNION WITH CHRIST 
 
 PART II. 
 
 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 Abide In me and I in you," "I am the vine, ye are the 
 
 branches : He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same 
 
 beareth much fruit ; for apart from me ye can do 
 
 nothing." — John xv: i-io. "That they ali may 
 
 be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in 
 
 thee, that they also may be one in us," 
 
 •' I in them, and thou in me." — 
 
 John xvii : ii, 21, 23, 26. 
 
INDEX.— Part II. 
 
 Page 
 The most important of all knowledge is to 
 
 know the Lord Jesus Christ 125 
 
 The Lord Jesus Christ. — His name — Lord. 137 
 The Lord Jesus Christ. — His name — Jesus. 144 
 The Lord Jesus Christ. — His name — Christ. 147 
 
 Christ our Anointed Prophet 150 
 
 Christ our Anointed Priest. 159 
 
 Union of believers, with Christ, in his death, 
 
 burial and resurrection 164 
 
 Christ our Anointed King 172 
 
 Union with Christ — Christ our Life 1 82 
 
 Union with Christ — Christ our Food 187 
 
 Union with Christ — Father, Brother, Friend 202 
 
 Union with Christ — Husband and Wife 207 
 
 Christ corner-stone, believers living stones 
 
 built on him 214 
 
 Christ and Believers — Shepherd and Sheep. 218 
 Christ the Head, and believers in Him, 
 
 members of His body 227 
 
 Christ the Vine, believers in Him the 
 
 branches 234 
 
 Union of believers with Christ and the 
 
 Holy Spirit, and the Father, one in 
 
 ^^^ >^;?^ 
 
KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. X25 
 
 THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL 
 
 KNOWLEDGE IS TO KNOW 
 
 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 Paul, writing to the saints in Rome, says: 
 " I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for 
 it is the power of God unto salvation, to every- 
 one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to 
 the Greek" (Rom. i: i6). Writing to the 
 saints in Christ Jesus, at Philippi, he says, " I 
 count all things but loss, for the excellency of 
 the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord; for 
 whom I have sufiFered the loss of all things, and 
 do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 
 and be found in Him, not having mine own 
 righteousness, which is of the law, but that 
 which is through the faith of Christ, the 
 righteousness which is of God by faith: that I 
 may know Him " (Phil. 3: 8). In his prayer 
 for his disciples, Jesus said, " This is life eter- 
 nal, that they might know Thee, the only true 
 God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent " 
 (John 17: 3). "Jesus saith unto Thomas, I am 
 the way, and the truth, and the life: no man 
 Cometh unto the Father but by me. If ye had 
 known me, ye should have known my Father 
 also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and 
 have seen Him " (John 14: 6). In the first 
 chapter of First Corinthians, Paul brings the 
 
126 
 
 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 name of Christ in seventeen times; it appears 
 in almost every verse. He then says, "And I, 
 brethren, when I came to you, came not with 
 excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring 
 unto you the testimony of God. For I deter- 
 mined not to know anything among you, save 
 Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (i Cor. 2: i). 
 
 The following to the end of this chapter is an 
 extract from " The Fountain of Life," by Rev. 
 John Flavel, A.D. 1671 {American Tract Society). 
 It is the introductory chapter, showing the im- 
 portance of the knowledge of Christ. 
 
 " The excellency of the subject. 
 
 *'For I determined not to know any thing 
 among you, save Jesus Christy and Him cruci- 
 fied ^ — I Cor. 2: 2. 
 
 The former verse contains an apology for the 
 plain and familiar manner of the apostle's 
 preaching, which was " not with the excellency 
 of speech, or of wisdom: " he studied not to 
 gratify their curiosity with rhetorical strains, or 
 philosophical niceties; for he says, " I deter- 
 mined not to know any thing among you, save 
 Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." 
 
 *^^ I determined not to know.'' The meaning is 
 not, that he despised or contemned all other 
 knowledge, but so far only as it might stand in 
 competition with, or opposition to the knowledge 
 of Jesus Christ. As if he had said, " It is my 
 stated, settled judgment; not a hasty, incon- 
 siderate censure, but the result of my most 
 
KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. 1 27 
 
 serious inquiries. After I have well weighed 
 the case, viewed it exactly on every side, bal- 
 anced all advantages and disadvantages, pon- 
 dered all things that are fit to come into 
 consideration about it; this is the issue and 
 final determination, that all other knowledge, 
 how profitable, how pleasant soever, is not 
 worthy to be named in comparison with the 
 knowledge of Jesus Christ. This, therefore, I 
 resolve to make the scope and end of my min- 
 istry, and the end regulates the means; such 
 pedantic toys and airy notions as injudicious 
 ears affect, would rather obstruct than promote 
 my grand design among you; therefore, wholly 
 waving that way, I applied myself to a plain, 
 popular, unaffected dialect, fitted rather to 
 pierce the heart and convince the conscience, 
 than to please the fancy. 
 
 " '/ determined not to know any thing ' — to 
 study nothing myself, to teach nothing to you, 
 but * Jesus Christ.' Christ shall be the centre 
 to which all the lines of my ministry shall be 
 drawn. I have spoken and written of many 
 other subjects in my sermons and epistles, but 
 it is all as consequent upon preaching and 
 making known Jesus Christ: of all the subjects 
 in the world, this is the sweetest; if there be 
 anything, on this side of heaven, worthy our 
 time and studies, this is it. Thus he magnifies 
 his doctrine, from the excellency of its subject, 
 accounting all other doctrines but airy things, 
 9ompared with this. 
 
128 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 "Jesus Christ and Him crucified^ This 
 topic he singled out from all the rest of the ex- 
 cellent truths of Christ, on which to spend the 
 main strength of his ministry: Christ as cruci- 
 fied : and the rather, because hereby he would 
 obviate the vulgar prejudice raised against Him 
 upon the account of His cross; for Christ cruci- 
 fied was " to the Jews a stumbling-block, and 
 to the Greeks, foolishness." i Cor. i: 23. This 
 also best suited his end, to draw them on to 
 Christ; as Christ above all other subjects, so 
 Christ crucified above all things in Christ. 
 
 The manner in which he discoursed on this 
 transcendent subject to them, is also remarka- 
 ble; he not only preached Christ crucified, but 
 he preached Him assiduously and plainly. He 
 preached Christ frequently; " and whenever he 
 preached of Christ crucified, he preached Him 
 in a crucified style. " This is the sum of the 
 words; to let them know that his spirit was in- 
 tent upon this subject, as if he neither knew 
 nor cared to speak of any other. All his ser- 
 mons were so full of Christ, that hearers might 
 have thought he was acquainted with no other 
 doctrine. Hence, 
 
 No doctrine is more excellent y or necessary to 
 be preached and studied^ than Jesus Christy and 
 Him crucified. 
 
 All other knowledge, how much soever it be 
 magnified in the world, is, and ought to be, 
 esteemed but dross, in comparison with the ex- 
 cellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 
 
KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. 1 29 
 
 Phil. ^: S. *' In whom are hid all the treasures 
 of wisdom and knowledge." Col. 2: 3. 
 
 Eudoxus was so affected with the glory of the 
 sun, that he thought he was born only to be- 
 hold it: much more should a Christian judge 
 himself born only to behold and delight in the 
 glory of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 I. Consider the excellency of the knowledge 
 of Christ tn itself. 
 
 I. It is the very marrow and kernel of all the 
 Scriptures ; the scope and centre of all divine 
 revelations. The ceremonial law is full of 
 Christ, and all the Gospel is full of Christ: the 
 blessed lines of both Testaments meet in Him; 
 and how they both harmonize, and sweetly con- 
 centre in Jesus Christ, it is the chief scope of 
 the excellent epistle to the Hebrews to unfold; 
 for we may call that epistle the sweet harmony 
 of both Testaments. 
 
 This argues the unspeakable excellenjy of 
 this doctrine, the knowledge whereof must 
 needs, therefore, be a key to unlock the greatest 
 part of the sacred Scriptures. For it is in the 
 understanding of Scripture, much as in the 
 knowledge of logic and philosophy: if a scholar 
 once come to understand the foundation — 
 principle, upon which, as upon its hinge, the 
 controversy turns, the true knowledge of that 
 principle shall carry him through the whole 
 controversy, and furnish him with a solution to 
 every argument. 
 
 Even so the rv^VA knowie I'^e of Jesus Christ, 
 
130 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 like a clue, leads you through the whole laby- 
 rinth of the Scriptures. 
 
 2. The knowledge of Jesus Christ is 2i funda- 
 mental knowledge ; and foundations are most 
 useful, though least seen. 
 
 It is fundamental to all graces; they all begin 
 in knowledge. *' The new man is renewed in 
 knowledge." Col. 3: 10. As the old, so the 
 new creation begins in light; the opening of 
 the eyes is the first work of the Spirit: and as 
 the beginnings of grace, so all its growth de- 
 pends upon this increasing knowledge; "But 
 grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our 
 Lord and Saviour." 2 Pet. 3: 18. See how 
 these two, grace and knowledge, keep equal 
 pace in the soul of a Christian; in what degree 
 the one increases the other increases also. 
 
 It is fundamental to all duties. The duties, 
 as well as the graces of all Christians, are all 
 founded in the knowledge of Christ. 
 
 Must a Christian believe ? That he can 
 never do without the knowledge of Christ: 
 faith is so much dependent on his knowledge, 
 that it is denominated by it; " By His knowl- 
 edge shall my righteous servant justify many," 
 Isa. 53: 11; and hence, in John 6: 40, seeing and 
 believing are made the same thing. Would a 
 man exercise hope in God ? That he can never 
 do without the knowledge of Christ, for He is 
 the author of that hope, i Pet. 1:3; He is also 
 its object, Heb. 6: 19; its groundwork and 
 support, Col. i: 27. And as you cannot believe 
 
KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. I3I 
 
 or hope, so neither can you pray acceptably 
 without a competent degree of this knowl- 
 edge. The very heathen could say, '* Men 
 must not speak of God without light." The 
 true way of conversing with, and enjoying 
 God in prayer, is by acting faith on Him 
 through a Mediator. Oh, then, how indispensa- 
 ble is the knowledge of Christ to all who address 
 themselves to God in any duty! 
 
 It is fundamental to all comforts: all the 
 comforts of believers are streams from this 
 fountain. Jesus Christ is the very object of a 
 believer's joy; '' We rejoice in Christ Jesus." 
 Phil. 3: 3. Take away the knowledge of 
 Christ, and Christians would be the most sad 
 and melancholy beings in the world: again, let 
 Christ but manifest Himself, and dart the 
 beams of His light into their souls, it will make 
 them kiss the stake, sing in the flames, and 
 shout in the pangs of death, as men that divide 
 the spoil. 
 
 This knowledge is fundamental to the eternal 
 happiness of souls: as we can perform no duty, 
 enjoy no comfort, so neither can we be saved 
 without it, "This is life eternal, that they 
 might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus 
 Christ, whom Thou hast sent." John 17: 3. 
 
 And if it be life eternal to know Christ, then 
 it is eternal damnation to be ignorant of Christ: 
 as Christ is the door that opens heaven, so 
 knowledge is the key that opens Christ. The 
 excellent gifts and renowned parts of the moral 
 
132 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 heathen, though they purchased to them great 
 esteem and honor among men, yet left them in 
 a state of perdition, because of this great 
 defect, that they were ignorant of Christ. 
 I Cor. i: 21. 
 
 3. The knowledge of Christ isprofoundand 
 large: all other sciences are but shadows; this 
 is a boundless, bottomless ocean; no creature 
 hath a line long enough to fathom the depth of 
 it; there is height, length, depth, and breadth 
 ascribed to it, Eph. 3: 18; yea, it passeth 
 knowledge. There is a manifold wisdom of 
 God in Christ. Eph. 3: 10. It is indeed simple, 
 pure, and unmixed with any thing but itself, 
 yet is manifold in degrees, kinds, and adminis- 
 trations Though something of Christ be un- 
 folded in one age, and something in another, 
 yet eternity itself cannot fully unfold Him. 1 
 see something, said Luther, which blessed 
 Augustine saw not; and those that come after 
 me, will see that which I see not. It is in the 
 studying of Christ, as in the planting of a new- 
 discovered country; at first men sit down by 
 the sea-side, upon the skirts and borders of the 
 land, and there they dwell; but by degrees they 
 search further and further into the heart of the 
 country. Ah, the best of us are yet but upon 
 the borders of this vast continent ! 
 
 4. The study of Jesus Christ is thg most 
 noble subject that ever a soul spent itself upon. 
 The angels study this doctrine, and stoop down 
 to look into this deep abyss . What are the truths 
 
KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. 133 
 
 discovered in Christ, but the very secrets that 
 from eternity lay hid in the bosom of God ? 
 Eph. 3: 8, 9. God's heart is opened to men in 
 Christ, John i: i8; this makes the Gospel such 
 a glorious dispensation, because Christ is so 
 gloriously revealed therein, 2 Cor. 3: 9; and 
 the studying of Christ in the Gospel, stamps 
 such a heavenly glory upon the contemplating 
 soul. Verse 18. 
 
 5. It is the most sweet and comfortable 
 knowledge. To be studying Jesus Christ, what 
 is it but to be digging among all the veins and 
 springs of comfort? and the deeper you dig, the 
 more do these springs flow upon you. How are 
 hearts enraptured with the discoveries of Christ 
 in the Gospel ! what ecstasies, meltings, trans- 
 ports, do gracious souls meet there ! 
 
 II. Let us compare this knowledge with all 
 other knowledge. 
 
 1. All other knowledge is natural, but this 
 wholly supernatural, " No man knoweth the 
 Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any the 
 Father, save the Son, and he to whom soever 
 the Son will reveal Him." Matt. 11: 27. The 
 wisest heathen could never make a discovery of 
 Christ by their deepest searches into nature; 
 the most eagle-eyed philosophers were but 
 children in knowledge compared with the most 
 illiterate Christians. 
 
 2. Other knowledge is unattainable by many. 
 All the helps and means in the world would 
 never enable some Christians to attain the 
 
J34 UNIOV WITH CHRIST. 
 
 learned arts and languages; men of the bright- 
 est parts are most excellent in these; but here 
 is the mystery and excellency of the knowledge 
 of Christ, that men of most blunt, dull, and 
 contemptible parts attain, through the teaching 
 of the Spirit, to this knowledge, in which the 
 more acute and ingenious are utterly blind: " I 
 thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and 
 earth, because Thou hast hid these things from 
 the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them 
 unto babes." Matt, ii: 25. ** Ye see your call- 
 ing, brethren, how that not many wise men 
 after the flesh, not many mighty, not many 
 noble, are called: but God hath chosen the 
 foolish things of the world to confound the 
 wise." I Cor. i: 26, 27. 
 
 3. Other knowledge, though you should at- 
 tain the highest degree of it, would never bring 
 you to heaven. The principal thing, namely 
 Christ, being wanting. Other knowledge is 
 also defective, in the purity of its nature: the 
 learned heathens grew vain in their imagina- 
 tions, Rom. i: 21; and in its efficacy and influ- 
 ence on the heart and life: they held the truth 
 in unrighteousness: their lusts were stronger 
 than their light, Rom. i: 18. But this knowl- 
 edge has most powerful influences, changing 
 souls into its own image, 2 Cor. 3: 18, and so 
 proves a saving knowledge unto men. i Tim.. 
 2: 4. 
 
 Inference i. The sufficiency of the doctrine 
 of Christ, to make men wise unto salvation. 
 
KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. 1 35 
 
 Paul desired to know nothing else; and, indeed, 
 nothing else is of absolute necessity to be 
 known. A little of this knowledge, if saving 
 and effectual upon thy heart, will do the soul 
 more service than all the vain speculation and 
 profound parts in which others so much glory. 
 
 Poor Christian, be not dejected, because thou 
 seest thyself outstript and excelled by so many 
 in other parts of knowledge; if thou know 
 Jesus Christ, thou knowest enough to comfort 
 and save thy soul. Many learned philosophers 
 are now in hell, and many illiterate Christians 
 in heaven. 
 
 This may inform us by what rule to judge 
 both ministers and doctrine. Certainly that is 
 the highest commendation of a minister, to be 
 ** an able minister of the New Testament; not 
 of the letter, but of the spirit." 2 Cor. 3: 6. 
 He is the best preacher, that can in the most 
 lively and powerful manner, display Jesus Christ 
 before the people, evidently setting Him forth 
 as crucified among them; and that is the best 
 sermon which is most full of Christ, not of 
 rhetorical art. 
 
 I know that a holy dialect well becometh 
 Christ's ministers; they should not be rude or 
 careless in language or method; but surely the 
 excellency of a sermon lies not in that, but in 
 the plainest exhibition and liveliest application 
 of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Let all that mind the honor of religion, or 
 the peace and comfort of their own souls. 
 
130 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 wholly apply themselves to the study of Jesus 
 Christ, and Him crucified. 
 
 As to the people that sit under the doctrine 
 of Christ daily, and have the light of His 
 knowledge shining round about them: take 
 heed ye do not reject and despise this light. 
 
 This may be done by neglecting the means 
 of knowledge. Surely, if you thus reject 
 knowledge, God will reject you. Hos. 4: 6. 
 
 Take heed also that you rest not satisfied 
 with that knowledge of Christ you have attained, 
 but go on to perfection 
 
HIS NAME, LORD. 137 
 
 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. HIS 
 NAME. LORD. 
 
 In the Scriptures great stress is laid on the 
 name of God. Each different name ascribed to 
 Him reveals Him. In the Bible, God thus re- 
 veals Himself, by many different names ; such 
 as, Father, Husband, Saviour, The God of all 
 Grace, The God of Patience and Consolation, 
 The God of Hope, The God of Peace, etc , etc. 
 The Lord Jesus Christ likewise reveals Himself 
 to us in the Scriptures by the use of very many 
 names. When God sent Moses to deliver the chil- 
 dren of Israel, Moses said unto God, *' Behold, 
 when I come unto the children of Israel, and 
 shall say unto them. The God of your fathers 
 hath sent me unto you ; and they shall say to 
 me. What is His name ? what shall I say unto 
 them ? And God said unto Moses, I am that I 
 am: and He said. Thus shalt thou say unto the 
 children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you. 
 And God said moreover unto Moses, The Jeho- 
 vah, God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, 
 the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath 
 sent me imto you: this is my name forever, and 
 this is my memorial unto all generations" 
 (Exod. 3: 13). The Lord Jesus refers to this 
 name, "I am the God of Abraham," etc., in 
 proof of the resurrection (Matt. 22: 32; Mark 
 
138 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 12: 27; Luke 20: 37). His name Jehovah, I 
 Am, appears very frequently in the Old Testa- 
 ment, especially in the Psalms. That name of 
 God was held in such reverence by the Jews, 
 that in reading the Scriptures, they would not 
 pronounce it, but would put another word in its 
 place. In our Bible, the translators have done 
 the same. Wherever the word Lord appears 
 in capitals in the Old Testament, in the original 
 it is Jehovah. This name is far more impres- 
 sive, and far more expressive, and it should 
 have been retained. In the ten command- 
 ments, a special commandment is, That His 
 name is to be held in reverence, and not to be 
 taken in vain. The Lord's prayer begins with 
 "Hallowed be Thy name." David exclaims, 
 "Bless Jehovah, O my soul: and all that is 
 within, bless His holy name. Bless Jehovah, O 
 my soul, and forget not all His benefits : who 
 forg^veth all thine iniquities ; who healeth all 
 thy diseases ; who redeemeth thy life from 
 destruction ; who crowneth thee with loving 
 kindness and tender mercies ; who satisfieth thy 
 mouth with good things ; so that thy youth is 
 renewed like the eagle's" (Psm. 103: i). 
 
 Among the predictions in Isaiah of the com- 
 ing of the Lord Jesus Christ, some of them 
 refer to His name, and to His being God. 
 ** Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a 
 Son, and shall call His name Immanuel " (Isai. 
 7: 14). This is quoted at the birth of Christ, 
 "And they shall call His name Immanuel, which 
 
HIS NAME, LORD. 139 
 
 being interpreted is, God with us" (Matt, i: 23). 
 " For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is 
 given : and the government shall be on His 
 shoulder : and His name shall be called Won- 
 derful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Ever- 
 lasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the 
 increase of His government and peace, there 
 shall be no end" (Isai. 9: 6). The names and 
 attributes of God are here ascribed to the Lord 
 Jesus Christ. Paul, writing to Timothy, says : 
 "Without controversy, great is the mystery of 
 godliness : God was manifest in the flesh, justi- 
 fied in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto 
 the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received 
 up mto glory" (i Tim. 3: 16). To the church 
 in Corinth he writes : "All things are of God, 
 who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus 
 Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of 
 reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, 
 reconciling the world unto Himself, not imput- 
 ing their trespasses unto them" (2 Cor. 5: 18). 
 Jesus asserts this, when He says, " I and my 
 Father are one" (John 10: 30). "The Father 
 is in me, and I in Him " (John 10: 38). "Verily, 
 verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I 
 am" (John 8: 58). "Where two or three are 
 gathered together in my name, there am I in 
 the midst of them" (Matt. 18: 20). "Lo, I am 
 with you alway, even unto the end of the 
 world " (Matt. 28: 20). To do this. He must be 
 omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. 
 The children of God are to be baptized " in 
 
I40 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
 the Holy Ghost" (Matt. 28: 31) — not names, but 
 one name ; one God. 
 
 Speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Scrip- 
 tures tell us, " He was in the world, and the 
 world was made by Him ; and the world knew 
 Him not. He came unto His own, and His 
 own received Him not. But as many as re- 
 ceived Him, to them gave He the right to 
 become children of God, even to them that 
 believe on His name : which were born, not of 
 blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the 
 will of man, but of God" (John i: 10). We 
 cannot " receive Christ," unless " we believe on 
 His name." We cannot believe in Him, unless 
 we believe in his name. Peter, speaking to 
 the Jews, after healing the man lame from his 
 mother's womb, who was made to walk and 
 leap, said : " Ye denied the Holy One, and the 
 Just, and desired a murderer to be granted 
 unto you ; and killed the Prince of Life, whom 
 God hath raised from the dead ; whereof we 
 are witnesses. And His name, through faith in 
 his name, hath made this man strong, whom 
 ye see and know : yea, the faith which is by 
 him hath given him this perfect soundness in 
 the presence of you all" (Acts 3: 15). They 
 who "believe on His name " become children 
 of God, and by " faith in His name " are made 
 *' strong," and receive ''perfect soundness." 
 "But he that believeth not is condemned 
 already, because he hath not believed in the 
 
HIS NAMK, LORD 14T 
 
 name of the only begotten Son of God " (John 
 3:18, 36) Again and again Christ says, " What- 
 soever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, 
 that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If 
 ye ask anything in my name, I will do it " (John 
 14: 13). ''Verily, verily, I say unto you, what- 
 soever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He 
 will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked noth- 
 ing in my name. Ask, and ye shall receive, 
 that your joy may be full'' (John i6: 23). His 
 name, His whole name, "The Lord Jesus 
 Christ," we must believe in ; must receive ; 
 must be saved by ; and must grow in the 
 knowledge of. (Acts 11: 17; 15: 11; 16:31; 20: 
 21; Rom. 5: I, 11; 6: 23; 8: 39; 16: 20; 2 Cor. 
 13: 14; Gal. 6: 18; 2 Thess. 3: 18; i Cor. 15: 57; 
 2 Cor. i: 2; 2 Pet. 3: 18). 
 
 In the Scriptures, the creation of the worlds, 
 and what is called providence, are ascribed to 
 the Lord Jesus Christ. " To us there is but one 
 God, the Father, of whom are all things, and 
 we in Him ; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by 
 whom are all things, and we by Him " (i Cor. 
 8: 6). " God, who at sundry times and in 
 divers manners spake in time past unto the 
 fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days 
 spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath 
 appointed heir of all things, by whom also He 
 made the worlds ; who being the brightness of 
 His glory, and the express image of His person, 
 and upholding all things by the word of His 
 power, when He had by Himself purged our 
 
142 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty 
 on high" (Heb. i: i). "In whom we have 
 redemption through His blood, even the for- 
 giveness of sins ; who is the image of the invis- 
 ible God, the first born of every creature ; for 
 by Him were all things created, that are in 
 heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invis- 
 ible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or 
 principalities, or powers : all things were cre- 
 ated by Him, and for Him : and He is before 
 all things, and by Him all things consist : and 
 He is the head of the body, the church : who is 
 the beginning, the first born from the dead ; 
 that in all things He might have the pre- 
 eminence. For it pleased the Father that in 
 Him should all fulness dwell ; and having made 
 peace through the blood of His cross, by Him 
 to reconcile all things unto Himself " (Col. i: 
 14). " Let this mind be in yon, which was also 
 in Christ Jesus : who, being in the form of God, 
 thought it not robbery to be equal with God : 
 but made Himself of no reputation, and took 
 upon Him the form of a servant, and was made 
 in the likeness of men : and being found in 
 fashion as a man. He humbled Himself, and 
 became obedient unto death, even the death of 
 the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly 
 exalted Him, and given Him a name which is 
 above every name : that at the name of Jesus 
 every knee should bow, of things in heaven, 
 and things in earth, and things under the earth ; 
 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus 
 
HIS NAME, LORD. I43 
 
 Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father" 
 (Phil. 2: 5). 
 
 Jesus Christ as Lord is to be preached. Paul 
 says, " If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them 
 that are lost : in whom the god of this world 
 hath blinded the minds of them which believe 
 not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of 
 Christ, who is the image of God, should shine 
 unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but 
 Christ Jesus, the Lord" (2 Cor. 4: 5). We are 
 also told, " The word is nigh thee, even in thy 
 mouth, and in thy heart : that is the word of 
 faith, which we preach ; that if thou shalt con- 
 fess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt 
 believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him 
 from the dead, thou shalt be saved " (Rom. 10: 
 9). " For whosoever shall call upon the name 
 of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10: 13). If 
 we do not believe in Him as The Lord, Jeho- 
 vah, The I Am ; "Jesus Christ, the same yester- 
 day, and to-day, and forever" (Heb. 13: 8), our 
 faith is vain, we are yet in our sins. Believing 
 in Him as the Lord, we can trust in Him as 
 the Jesus, and as the Christ. We are sure that 
 what we ask of the Father in His name, He 
 will do it, for all power is His, in heaven and 
 in earth (Matt. 28: 18; John 14: 13; 16: 23). 
 
141 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. HIS 
 NAME, JESUS. 
 
 The name of the Lord Jesus Christ signifies 
 His person, His authority, and His work. Un- 
 less He was the Lord, He could not be Jesus, 
 Saviour. No creature could have atoned for 
 the sin of man ; no creature could have re- 
 deemed Him. As Jesus Christ, He is "The 
 same yesterday, and to-day, and forever " (Heb. 
 13: 8). His name, Jesus, is the Greek form of 
 the Hebrew, Joshua, which means Jehovah 
 saves, or Saviour. He is spoken of as Jesus in 
 the Bible 7 1 1 times. The name Jesus was given 
 to him before his birth. Mary was told by 
 the angel that she should bring forth a Son, 
 and " Shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be 
 gpreat, and shall be called the Son of the 
 Highest" (Luke i: 31). To her husband, 
 Joseph, the angel of the Lord said, "That which 
 is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And 
 she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call 
 His name Jesus : for He shall save His people 
 from their sins" (Matt, i: 21). When Jesus 
 was born, the angel of the Lord came upon the 
 shepherds, and the glory of the Lord shone 
 round about them, and the angel said unto 
 them, " Behold, I bring good tidings of great 
 joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you 
 
HIS NAME, JESUS. I45 
 
 is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, 
 which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2: 11). The 
 children of God receive the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 and believe in His name, not only as the Lord, 
 but also as Jesus, their Saviour. Not merely as 
 an example, not as a helper, but as their 
 Saviour. Looking away from everything" else, 
 they look unto Jesus as " The author and per- 
 fecter of their faith" (Heb. 12: i). They may 
 well do this, "for there is none other name 
 under heaven given among men, whereby we 
 must be saved" (Acts 4: 12). The whole Bible, 
 from the sacrifice of Abel, in Genesis, to the 
 Lamb in the midst of the throne, reveals Jesus 
 as the only Saviour. " Surely He hath borne 
 our griefs, and carried our sorrows. * * * 
 But he was wounded for our transgressions. He 
 was bruised for our iniquities : the chastisement 
 of our peace was upon Him ; and with His 
 stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have 
 gone astray ; we have turned every one to his 
 own way ; and the Lord hath laid on Him the 
 iniquity of us all" (Isai. 53: 4). "Christ also 
 suffered for us, * * * who His own self bare 
 our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, 
 being dead to sins, should live unto righteous- 
 ness : by whose stripes ye were healed " (i Peter 
 2: 21, 24). "For He hath made Him to be sin 
 for us, who knew no sin ; that we might be 
 made the righteousness of God in Him " (2 Cor. 
 5: 21). The believer realizes that "Christ, our 
 passover, is sacrificed for us ' (i Cor. 5:7), and 
 
I46 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 "after He had offered one sacrifice for sins 
 forever, sat down on the right hand of God ; 
 from henceforth expecting, till His enemies be 
 made His footstool. For by one offering He 
 hath perfected forever them that are sancti- 
 fied" (Heb. 10: 12): and, rejoicing in Christ's 
 words, that, believing in Him, he has ever- 
 lasting life (John 3: 31), and is saved, he is 
 ready to take up the song here, " Unto Him 
 that loved us, and washed us from our sins in 
 His own blood, and hath made us kings and 
 priests unto God and His Father, to Him be 
 glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen " 
 (Rev. 1:5). 
 
HIS NAME, CHRIST. I47 
 
 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. HIS 
 NAME, CHRIST. 
 
 To ACCOMPLISH the work of saving men, 
 which the Lord undertook, it was necessary 
 that He should become, Jesus ; and also, Christ. 
 The word Christ is from the Greek, and corre- 
 sponds with the word Messiah in the Hebrew. 
 The meaning of it is, Anointed. Christ is the 
 official name of the Lord Jesus. We cannot 
 receive Him, and believe in Him, without be- 
 lieving in Him as The Christ Anointed of God 
 with the Holy Spirit, as our Prophet, our Priest, 
 and our King. In the Old Testament, those 
 appointed by God to hold these offices were 
 anointed, as types of the coming Messiah. 
 Isaiah, writing of the coming Christ, and of His 
 anointing, says, ** The Spirit of the Lord God 
 is upon me ; because Jehovah hath anointed me 
 to preach good tidings unto the meek ; He hath 
 sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to pro- 
 claim liberty to the captives, and the opening 
 of the prison to them that are bound ; to pro- 
 claim the acceptable year of Jehovah, and the 
 day of vengeance of our God ; to comfort all 
 that mourn ; to appoint unto them that mourn 
 in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the 
 oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise 
 for the spirit of heaviness ; that they might be 
 
148 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 called trees of righteousness, the planting of 
 Jehovah, that He might be glorified" (Isai. 61: 
 i). At the commencement of His ministry, 
 Jesus applied this passage to Himself, saying, 
 "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your 
 eyes" (Luke 4: 21). •* God anointed Jesus of 
 Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power : 
 who went about doing good, and healing all 
 that were oppressed of the devil, for God was 
 with Him" (Acts 10: 38). ''And John bare 
 record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from 
 heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him, 
 and I knew Him not ; but He that sent me to 
 baptize with water, the same said unto me, 
 Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descend- 
 ing, and remaining on Him, the same is He 
 which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I 
 saw, and bare record, that this is the Son of 
 God. Again, the next day after, John stood, 
 and two of his disciples ; and looking upon 
 Jesus as He walked, he saith. Behold the Lamb 
 of God I * * * One of the two which heard 
 John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, 
 Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his 
 own brother, Simon, and saith unto him, We 
 have found the Messias, which is, being inter- 
 preted, the Christ" (John i: 32, 41). 
 
 Faith in Him, as the Christ, is the test ques- 
 tion with every creed, and with every individ- 
 ual. Jesus asked the Pharisees, "What think ye 
 of Christ ? Whose Son is He ? He also saith 
 unto His disciples, But whom say ye that I 
 
HIS NAME, CHRIST. 149 
 
 am ? And Simon Peter answered and said, 
 Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God " 
 (Matt. 16: 15). Our Lord's reply is applicable 
 to all believers in Him. "And Jesus answered 
 and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon 
 Barjona : for flesh and blood hath not revealed 
 it unto thee, but my Father, which is in 
 heaven " (Matt, i6: 17). We are elsewhere told, 
 " Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, 
 is born of God" (i John 5: i). The Lord Jesus 
 is to be preached to men as, '* The Christ, the 
 Son of the living God." On this rock, Christ 
 said, I will build my church, and the gates of 
 hell shall not prevail against it. Paul says, 
 " For I determined not to know anything among 
 you save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (i 
 Cor. 2: 2). " For other foundation can no man 
 lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 
 Let every man take heed how he buildeth 
 thereupon" (i Cor. 3: 10) Isaiah foretold this. 
 "Ihus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in 
 Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a 
 precious corner stone, a sure foundation : he 
 that believeth shall not make haste" (Isai. 28: 
 16). '*To whom coming, as unto a living 
 stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of 
 God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are 
 built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, 
 to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to 
 God by Jesus Christ" (i Pet. 2:4). 
 
150 ' UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED PROPHET. 
 
 The HISTORY of the Jews, from the call of 
 Abraham, is a pictorial lesson which should be 
 studied. It presents a continued series of 
 types. The covenant made by God with Abra- 
 ham and his seed, which has continued nearly 
 four thousand years, until the present day; the 
 deliverance of the Jews from Egypt; their 
 journey through the wilderness, under the 
 guidance of Moses, fed daily with bread from 
 heaven; their miraculous deliverances from 
 their enemies ; their being carried into captivity 
 to Babylon ; and their ultimate dispersion 
 through all nations because of their forsaking 
 God ; their mode of worship, sacrifices, priest- 
 hood and temple, all were types; and are object- 
 lessons which should be well understood. They 
 " did all eat the same spiritual meat , and did 
 all drink the same spiritual drink ; for they 
 drank of that spiritual Rock that followed 
 them: and that Rock was Christ" (i Cor. 10: 3). 
 The sins of the children of Israel, and the 
 judgements inflicted upon them, are recorded 
 for our admonition. ** Now these things were 
 our examples, to the intent we should not lust 
 after evil things, as they also lusted. * * * Now 
 all these things happened unto them for ensam- 
 ples: (Gr. by way of figure): and they are written 
 
CHRIST, OUR ANOINTTI) PROPHtT. 151 
 
 for our admonition" (i Cor. lo: 6, ii). The 
 Lord Jesus Christ is the promised seed of Abra- 
 ham, in whom "shall all the nations of the earth 
 be blessed" (Gen. 22: 18). " Now to Abraham 
 and his seed were the promises made. He saith 
 not, and to seeds, as of many ; but as of one, 
 and to thy seed, which is Christ" (Gal. 3: 16). 
 Christ was manifested in all their sacrifices, and 
 in their high priest. He was the theme of their 
 prophets, and of their holy Scriptures. Moses 
 and Joshua were types of Him. God sent Moses 
 to deliver His chosen people from Egypt, to 
 teach them His law, and to lead them to the 
 promised land. When Moses was about to 
 leave them, he told them, " The Lord thy God 
 will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the 
 midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me ; 
 unto Him ye shall hearken." ''The Lord said 
 unto me, * * * I will raise them up a Prophet 
 from among their brethren, like unto thee, and 
 will put my words in his mouth; and he shall 
 speak unto them all that I shall command him. 
 And it shall come to pass that whosoever will 
 not hearken unto my words which he shall 
 speak in my name, I will require it of him " 
 (Deut. 18: 15, 18). The Prophet here spoken of 
 is the Lord Jesus Christ. " Philip findeth 
 Nathaniel, and saith unto him, We have found 
 Him of whom Moses in the law, and the proph- 
 ets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of 
 Joseph" (John i: 45)- 
 
 Peter, speaking of Christ as the Prophet, said, 
 
152 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 "But those things which God before had showed 
 by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ 
 should suffer, He hath so fulfilled. Repent ye, 
 therefore, and be converted, that your sins may 
 be blotted out, when the times of refreshing 
 shall come from the presence of the Lord. And 
 He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was 
 preached unto you : whom the heaven must 
 receive until the times of restitution of all 
 things, which God hath spoken by the mouth 
 of all His holy prophets since the world began. 
 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A 
 prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto 
 you, of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall 
 ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say 
 unto you" (Acts 3: 18). From heaven God 
 said, " This is my beloved Son : hear Him " 
 (Matt. 17: 5; Mark 9: 7). 
 
 As the Prophet, Christ reveals to us the call 
 of God, the word of God, the law of God, the 
 salvation of God, and even the Father Himself. 
 " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word 
 was with God: and the Word was God. * * * 
 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among 
 us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the 
 only begotten of the Father, full of grace 
 and truth. * * * No man hath seen God at 
 any time; the only begotten Son, which is in 
 the bosom of the Father, He hath declared 
 Him" (John i: i, 14, 18). " No man knoweth 
 the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any 
 man the Father save the Son, and he to whom- 
 
CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED PROPHET. 1 53 
 
 soever the Son will reveal Him " (Matt. 1 1 : 27). 
 
 The Jews were in cruel bondage in Egypt 
 without any power to deliver themselves, when 
 God sent Moses to effect their deliverance. In 
 like manner, the chosen children of God are 
 held in slavery by the Devil, the god of this 
 world, helpless and unable to free themselves 
 until Christ delivers them. . The deliverance of 
 the Lord's people is the same in all ages. Five 
 hundred years after Moses, David writes, " O 
 magnify the Lord with me. and let us exalt 
 His name together. I sought the Lord and 
 He heard me, and delivered me from all my 
 fears. They looked unto Him, and were light- 
 ened; and their faces were not ashamed. This 
 poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and 
 saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of 
 the Lord encampeth round, about them that 
 fear Him, and delivereth them " (Psm. 34: 3). 
 We read of people crying to Jesus when He 
 was on the earth, and that He heard every cry, 
 and granted every request. " God anointed 
 Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and 
 with power; who went about doing good, and 
 healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for 
 God was with Him" (Acts 10: 38). He con- 
 tinues to be, " Jesus Christ the same yester- 
 day, and to-day, and forever" (Heb. 13: 8). 
 " Whosoever shall call upon the name of the 
 Lord shall be saved " (Rom. 10: 13). 
 
 As the children of Israel took with them, 
 when they left Egypt, their families, their 
 
J 54 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 flocks, and all their substance, so are the chil- 
 dren of God required to separate themselves 
 from the world; taking with them their chil 
 dren, and their wealth to be consecrated to 
 God. The Devil, the god of this world, is using 
 the same devices to retain his hold on the chil- 
 dren of God, as Pharaoh did to keep the children 
 of Israel in Egypt. " When Pharaoh found that 
 he must let them worship God, he proposed 
 that they should remain in Egypt and worship 
 God. " Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the 
 land" (Exod. 8: 25). The Devil suggests, You 
 need not give up the world, you can worship 
 God with the world. Moses said, " It is not 
 meet so to do." And Pharaoh said, '* I will let 
 you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord, your 
 God, in the wilderness, only ye shall not go 
 very faraway" (Exod. 8: 28). The Devil sug- 
 gests. You need not go so far, you need not 
 separate yourselves from the people of the 
 world in their amusements, their pleasures and 
 their pursuits. You give offence by being over- 
 religious. A good man once said to the writer, 
 I would like to know the dividing line; how- 
 near a Christian can live to the world, and yet 
 be a Christian ? This he said, not that he 
 wanted to be worldly, .but that he would like to 
 avoid giving offence to the worldly. A story 
 is told of a man who wanted a coachman. He 
 asked an applicant for the situation, How 
 near can you drive to a precipice without 
 going over it. I can drive within two feet of it. 
 
CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED PROPHET. 155 
 
 replied the man. He put the same question to 
 another. He replied, I can drive within one 
 foot. He put the same question to the next; 
 How near can you drive to a precipice without 
 danger of going- over it ? The man replied, 
 How near ? Sure, I would keep as far away 
 from it as I could. He got the place. 
 
 Again, Pharaoh was compelled to send for 
 Moses and Aaron; "And he said unto them, Co, 
 serve the Lord, your God; but who are they that 
 shall go ? And Moses said. We will go with our 
 young and with our old, with our sons and with 
 our daughters, with our flocks and with our 
 herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto 
 the Lord. And he said unto them. Let the 
 Lord be so with you, as I will let you go, and 
 your little ones: look to it, for evil is before 
 you. Not so: go now, ye that are men, and 
 serve the Lord; for that ye did desire " (Exod. 
 10: 8). The Devil makes the same suggestion 
 to many who unite themselves with the people 
 of God, by joining a church, and succeeds in 
 holding them in slavery. They go a little way 
 from Egypt, and leave their children in it. 
 The children must keep up their social stand- 
 ing; they must have amusements, and enjoy 
 themselves; they must mingle, with the world; 
 we must shut our eyes in regard to their com- 
 panions and the kinds of the amusements. 
 They do this even when they know they are 
 demoralizing. They must be educated; and 
 they are sent to Catholic schools, where 
 
 "i-^: 
 
156 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 are sure to become the followers of Antichrist; 
 and to infidel colleges and infidel theological 
 seminaries, where they will be likely to gradu- 
 ate doubters, or infidels. Many children fail of 
 being saved and are lost, in consequence of the 
 unfaithfulness of their parents, who have been 
 false to the vows they made when joining the 
 Church. Again, when forced to let the people 
 go, Pharaoh made another offer, and said, " Go 
 ye, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and 
 your herds be stayed." * * * "And Moses said, 
 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall 
 not an hoof be left behind. For thereof must 
 we take to serve the Lord our God " (Exod. 10: 
 24). Many, who think they are Christians, 
 l3ave '* their flocks in Egypt," their possessions 
 in the world. The result is, where their treas- 
 ure is their heart is also. Christ says, " Whoso- 
 ever he be of you that forsaketh not. all that he 
 hath, he cannot be my disciple " (Luke 14: 33). 
 You must not only bring yourselves and your 
 flocks out of Egypt, but you must hold them at 
 the disposal of the Lord, or you cannot be His 
 disciples. 
 
 When Christ was on the earth, every follower 
 of Him had to forsake father and mother, 
 property, and often give up life itself. And it 
 has been so ever smce, in all ages, and in all 
 countries, and especially so in the countries 
 controlled by the Romish and Greek churches: 
 and it is so now everywhere, excepting in the 
 few places where the open Bible and the Spirit 
 
CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED PROPHET. 1 57 
 
 of God have made a change. Lot chose Sodom 
 as a residence. The consequence was that he 
 lost every thing, even his influence as a religious 
 man. And he would have perished with Sodom 
 if God had not sent two angels to save him. 
 "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy- 
 conversation of the wicked; for that righteous 
 man dwelling among them, in seeing and hear- 
 ing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day 
 with their unlawful deeds " (2 Pet. 2:7). "By 
 faith Moses, when he was come to years, re- 
 fused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 
 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the 
 people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of 
 sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of 
 Christ greater riches than the treasures in 
 Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense 
 of the reward" (Heb. 11: 24). "Wherefore 
 come out from among them, and be ye separate, 
 saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean 
 thing; and I will receive you, and will be a 
 Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and 
 daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Cor. 
 6: 17). 
 
 Believer, receive the Lord Jesus Christ as the 
 anointed Prophet of God. Hear Him; obey 
 Him; follow Him; commit yourself entirely to 
 Him. Believing in Him, you will also be 
 anointed with the Holy Spirit. " For all the 
 promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him, 
 Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now, He 
 which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and 
 
158 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed 
 us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our 
 hearts" (2 Cor. i: 20). "That we should be to 
 the praise of His glory, who first trusted in 
 Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye 
 heard the word of truth, the gospel of your 
 salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, 
 ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise " 
 (Eph. i: 12). "Grieve not the holy Spirit of 
 God, whereby ye are sealed " (Eph. 4: 30). 
 
 Christ says, "If ye love me, keep my com- 
 mandments. And I will pray the Father, and 
 He shall give you another Comforter, that He 
 may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of 
 truth; * * * for He dwelleth with you and 
 shall be in you. * * * If a man love me, he will 
 keep my words: and my Father will love him, 
 and we will come unto Him, and make our 
 abode with him" (John 14: 15, 17, 23). 
 
CHRIST, OUR ANOlNrKl) PRIEST. 1 59 
 
 CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED PRIEST. 
 
 The High Priest and the priests of the Old 
 Testament were types of Christ and of those 
 who believe in Christ. All believers are now 
 priests. The Lord Jesus Christ is now and for- 
 evermore the High Priest. Individual be- 
 lievers in Him are the only priests in His 
 church now. No others are spoken of in the 
 New Testament. They who claim to be suc- 
 cessors of the Apostles, to be the " Historical 
 Episcopate," and to be priests, with exclusive 
 powers, have no foundation for their claims in 
 the Scriptures, and should be treated accord- 
 ingly. Peter writing, " To the strangers scat- 
 tered through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, 
 Asia and Bithynia, elect according to the fore- 
 knowledge of God, through sanctification of the 
 Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the 
 blood of Christ "(i Peter i: i); tells them, 
 " Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spirit- 
 ual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up 
 spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus 
 Christ" (i Pet. 2: 5). "Ye are a chosen genera- 
 tion, a loyal priesthood, an holy nation, a 
 peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the 
 praises of Him who hath called you out of dark- 
 ness into His marvellous light" (i Pet. 2:9). 
 In heaven part of the praise is, "Unto 
 
l6o UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 Him that loved us, and washed us from 
 our sins in His own blood, and hath made 
 us kings and priests unto God and His Father; 
 to Him be glory and dominion for ever and 
 ever. Amen" (Rev. i: 5) " For thou wast 
 slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy 
 blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and 
 nation; and hast made us unto God, kings 
 and priests" (Rev. 5: 9; 20: 6). Through 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, every believer has 
 access to the Father; and whatsoever he 
 asks in His name, it shall be done. The Lord 
 Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, slain from the 
 foundation of the world, the only sacrifice for 
 sin, is the only High Priest, now and forever. 
 "The Lord sware and will not repent. Thou 
 art a priest forever after the order of Melchi- 
 sedec. By so much was Jesus made a surety of a 
 better testament. And they truly were many 
 priests, because they were not suffered to con- 
 tinue by reason of death: but He, because He 
 abideth forever, hath His priesthood un- 
 changeable. Wherefore also He is able to save 
 to the uttermost them that draw near unto God 
 through Him, seeing He ever liveth to make 
 intercession for them" (Heb. 7: 21; Rom. 8:34). 
 He is now the only Mediator between God and 
 man. " For there is one God, and one Mediator 
 between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" 
 (i Tim. 2: 5). He is our only Advocate with 
 the Father; " If any man sin, we have an advo- 
 cate with the Father, Jesus Christ the right- 
 
CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED PRIEST. l6l 
 
 eous" (i John 2: i). Jesus says, "Come unto 
 me, all ye that labour and are heavy-laden, and 
 I will give you rest " (Matt. 11: 28). "Seeing 
 then that we have a great High Priest, that is 
 passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, 
 let us hold fast our profession. For we have 
 not a High Priest which cannot be touched 
 with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in 
 all points tempted like as we are, yet without 
 sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the 
 throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and 
 find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4: 
 
 ■4). 
 
 The children of God need to be warned 
 against the false priests, who pretend to repeat 
 the sacrifice of Christ by turning a wafer into 
 His body and blood, and then adoring it; a 
 mixture of blasphemy and an idolatry, and an 
 utter perversion of Scripture. Again and again 
 we are told that He offered Himself once only 
 for the sins of His people; and that by that one 
 offering He hath perfected for ever them that 
 are sanctified. " For such a High Priest be- 
 came us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, sepa- 
 rate from sinners, and made higher than the 
 heavens; who needeth not daily, as those high 
 priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own 
 sins, and then for the people's: for this He did 
 once, when He offered up Himself" (Heb. 7: 
 26). " For Christ is not entered into the holy 
 places made with hands, which are the figures 
 of the true; but into heaven itself, now to ap- 
 
l62 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 pear in the presence of God for lis: nor yet that 
 He should offer Himself often, as the High 
 Priest entereth in the holy place every year 
 with the blood of others; for then must He often 
 have suffered since the foundation of the world: 
 but now once in the end of the world hath He 
 appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of 
 Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once 
 to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ 
 was once offered to bear the sins of many; and 
 unto them that look for Him shall He appear 
 the second time unto salvation" (Heb. 9: 24). 
 " We are sanctified through the offering of the 
 body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every 
 priest standeth daily ministering and offering 
 oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never 
 take away sins; but this man, after He had 
 offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down 
 on the right hand of God; from henceforth ex- 
 pecting till His enemies be made His footstool. 
 For by one offering He hath perfected forever 
 them that are sanctified " (Heb. 10: 10). Believ- 
 ers in the Lord Jesus Christ are warned against 
 the false teachers and the false priests who 
 teach otherwise, and make merchandise of the 
 "souls of men" (Rev. 18: 13). " For the time 
 will come when they will not endure sound 
 doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they 
 heap to themselves teachers, having itching 
 ears; and they shall turn away their ears from 
 the truth, and shall be turned unto fables " (2 
 Tim. 4: 3). " But there were also false proph- 
 
CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED PRIEST. 163 
 
 ets also among the people, even as there shall 
 be false teachers among you, who privily shall 
 bring in damnable heresies, even denying the 
 Lord that bought them, and bring upon them- 
 selves swift destruction. And many shall fol- 
 low their pernicious ways; by reason of whom 
 the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And 
 through covetousness shall they with feigned 
 words make merchandise of you: whose judg- 
 ment now of a long time lingereth not, and 
 their damnation slumbereth not" (2 Pet. 2: i). 
 *' By one offering He hath perfected forever 
 them that are sanctified." Their sins are for- 
 given, and they have now an everlasting life. 
 John 3: 36; 5: 24; I John 5: 13. Because they 
 are saved, Paul urges believers, as priests, to 
 offer themselves as a sacrifice. *' I beseech you, 
 therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that 
 ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, 
 acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable 
 service. (R. V., spiritual worship.) And be 
 not conformed to this world: but be ye trans- 
 formed by the renewing of your mind, that ye 
 may prove what is that good, and acceptable, 
 and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12: i). 
 
164 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 UNION OF BELIEVERS WITH CHRIST 
 
 IN HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND 
 
 RESURRECTION. 
 
 The Lord Jesus Christ is not only our High 
 Priest, but was Himself the sacrifice — the Lamb 
 slain from the foundation of the world. Rev. 
 13: 8. "For Christ also hath once suffered for 
 sins, the just for the unjust, that He might 
 bring us to God" (i Pet. 3: 18). "Who His 
 own self bare our sins in His own body on the 
 tree, that we being dead to sins, should live 
 unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were 
 healed" (i Pet. 2: 24). " Christ hath redeemed 
 us from the curse of the law, being made a 
 curse for us" (Gal. 3: 13). "Christ our Pass- 
 over is sacrificed for us" (i Cor. 5: 7). "He 
 hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows " 
 (Isai. 53:4)). " He was wounded for our trans- 
 gressions. He was bruised for our iniquities : 
 the chastisement of our peace was upon Him ; 
 and with His stripes we are healed " (Isai. 53: 
 5). That Christ is here spoken of, we see in 
 Matt. 8: 16. "When the even was come, they 
 brought unto Him many that were possessed 
 with devils : and He cast out the spirits with 
 His word, and healed all that were sick : that it 
 might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias 
 
IN HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION. 1 65 
 
 the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirm- 
 ities, and bare our sicknesses." Jesus applies 
 to Himself the office of Christ as spoken of 
 Isaiah 6i: 1-3. "And there was delivered unto 
 him the book of the prophet Esaias. And 
 when he opened the book, he found the place 
 where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is 
 upon me, because He hath anointed me to 
 preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me 
 to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliver- 
 ance to the captives, and recovering of sight to 
 the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 
 to preach the accepted year of the Lord. And 
 he closed the book, and he gave it again to the 
 minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all 
 them that were in the synagogue were fastened 
 on him. And he began to say unto them, This 
 day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears" 
 (Luke 4: 17). " God was in Christ, reconciling 
 the world unto Himself, not imputing their 
 trespasses unto them. * * * For He hath 
 made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; 
 that we might be made the righteousness of 
 God in Him" (2 Cor. 5: 19, 21). 
 
 The Scriptures foretold that Christ would 
 come, and would suffer and die in our stead for 
 our sins. " Christ died for us according to the 
 Scriptures" (i Cor. 15: 3). It was for this pur- 
 pose that He left the throne of God and came 
 into the world. " Christ Jesus, who being in 
 the form of God, thought it not robbery to be 
 equal with God: but made Himself of no repu- 
 
1 66 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 tation, and took upon Him the form of a ser- 
 vant, and was made in the likeness of men: and 
 being found in fashion as a man, He humbled 
 Himself, and became obedient unto death, even 
 the death of the cross" (Phil. 2: 6). "The Son 
 of man came not to be ministered unto, but to 
 minister, and to give His life a ransom for 
 many " (Matt. 20: 28). The world and all things 
 were created for His coming. Creation and 
 Redemption were to display " The unsearchable 
 riches of Christ; and to make all see what is the 
 fellowship of the mystery, which from the 
 beginning of the world hath been hid in God, 
 who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the 
 intent that now unto the principalities and 
 powers in heavenly places might be known by 
 the church the manifold wisdom of God, accord- 
 ing to the eternal purpose which He purposed 
 in Christ Jesus our Lord " (Eph. 3 : 8). " Blessed 
 be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings 
 in heavenly places in Christ: according, as He 
 hath chosen us in Him before the foundation 
 of the world" (Eph. i: 3). ''Forasmuch as ye 
 know that ye were not redeemed with corrupt- 
 ible things, as silver and gold, * * * but with 
 the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb with- 
 out blemish and without spot: who verily was 
 foreordained before the foundation of the 
 world" (i Pet. i: 18). 
 
 Christ offered Himself as a willing sacrifice. 
 Paul writes, "This is a faithful saying, and 
 
IN HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION. 167 
 
 worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came 
 into the world to save sinners; of whom I am 
 chief " (i Tim. i : 15). Jesus says, " The Son of 
 man is come to seek and to save that which was 
 lost" (Luke 19: 10). He foretold to His disci- 
 ples the manner of His death. "Jesus said 
 unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed 
 into the hands of men: aud they shall kill Him, 
 and the third day He shall be raised again " 
 (Matt. 17: 22). "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; 
 and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the 
 chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall 
 condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him 
 to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to 
 crucify Him: and the third day He shall rise 
 again" (Matt. 20: 18). It is related, that when 
 Judas came with a band of men and officers 
 from the chief priests and Pharisees to take 
 Him, " Jesus therefore, knowing all things that 
 should come upon Him, went forth, and said 
 unto them, Whom seek ye ? They answered 
 Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, 
 I am He " (John 18: 4). He was a willing sacri- 
 fice, the Lamb of God, of which all the other 
 sacrifices were types, " For it is not possible 
 that the blood of bulls and of goats should take 
 away sins. Wherefore, when He cometh into 
 the world. He saith. Sacrifice and offering thou 
 wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared 
 me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin 
 thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I 
 come (in the volume of the book it is written of 
 
l68 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 me) to do Thy will, O God. Above when He 
 said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offering 
 for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleas- 
 ure therein; which are offered by the law; then 
 said He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He 
 taketh away the first, that He may establish the 
 second. By the which will we are sanctified 
 through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ 
 once for all " (Heb. lo. 4, 12). 
 
 Through this sacrifice of Christ, believers are 
 counted as having made full atonement for 
 their sins, and are justified in the eye of the law 
 of God. They are also accounted as righteous 
 in the sight of God, Christ having fulfilled the 
 law for them. In the Revelation we read, 
 "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, 
 which no man could number, of all nations, and 
 kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before 
 the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with 
 white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried 
 with a loud voice, saying. Salvation to our God, 
 which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the 
 Lamb " (Rev. 7: 9). In answer to the question. 
 What are these which are arrayed in white 
 robes ? " He said unto me. These are they 
 which came out of great tribulation, and have 
 washed their robes, and made them white in 
 the blood of the Lamb " (Rev. 7: 13). The be- 
 liever is not only counted as righteous, and 
 clothed with Christ's righteousness, but he also 
 receives the gift of righteousness: he receives 
 the spirit of love to God, because he is holy and 
 
IN HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION. 169 
 
 just, as well as because he is merciful and lov- 
 ing. And the believer is sanctified, and made 
 righteous by the Holy Spirit working in him 
 through the word; according to the prayer of 
 Christ, "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy 
 word is truth" (John 17: 17) Paul, speaking 
 of the sacrifices in the Old Testament, says, 
 " For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the 
 ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanc- 
 tifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much 
 more shall the blood of Christ, who through the 
 eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to 
 God, purge your conscience from dead works 
 to serve the living God" (Heb. 9: 13). 
 
 The union of believers with the Lord Jesus 
 Christ in His sufferings, His crucifixion. His 
 death. His burial, His resurrection. His ascen- 
 sion into heaven, and with Him seated on His 
 throne, and as partakers of His glory, is ex- 
 pressly stated in the Scriptures. It is realized 
 in their Christian experience: and it is the great 
 motive for holy living and good works. We are 
 told, " How shall we, that are dead to sin, live 
 any longer therein ? Know ye not, that so 
 many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ 
 were baptized into His death ? Therefore we 
 are buried with Him by baptism into death: 
 that like as Christ was raised up from the dead 
 by the glory of the Father, even so we also 
 should walk in newness of life. For if we have 
 been planted together in the likeness of His 
 death, we shall be also in the likeness of His 
 
17© UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is 
 crucified with Him, that the body of sin might 
 be destroyed, that henceforth we should not 
 serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from 
 sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe 
 that we shall also live with Him " (Rom. 6: 2-8). 
 Paul says, " For I through the law am dead to 
 the law, that I might live unto God. I am 
 crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet 
 not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2: 19). 
 " Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the 
 rudiments of the world, why, as though living 
 in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 
 (touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are 
 to perish with the using;) after the command- 
 ments and doctrines of men ?" (Col. 2: 20). "If 
 ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things 
 which are above, where Christ sitteth on the 
 right hand of God. Set your affection on things 
 above, not on things on the earth. For ye are 
 dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 
 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then 
 shall ye also appear with Him in glory" (Col. 
 3:1). " But God, who is rich in mercy; for His 
 great love wherewith He loved us, even when 
 we were dead in sins, hath quickened us to- 
 gether with Christ, (by grace ye are saved ;) and 
 hath raised us up together, and made us sit 
 together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus " 
 (Eph. 2: 4). ** Who died for us, that whether we 
 wake or sleep, we should live together with 
 Him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together 
 
IN HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION. I7I 
 
 and edify one another, even as also ye do" (i 
 Thess. 5: 10). "Unto Him that loved us, and 
 washed us from our sins in His own blood, and 
 hath made us kings and priests unto God and 
 His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for 
 ever and ever. Amen " (Rev. 1.5). 
 
Tja UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED KING. 
 
 Anointing was a common practice among the 
 Jews. It was specially used on things and per- 
 sons consecrated to the service of God. Kings, 
 High Priests, and sometimes prophets, were 
 anointed. The Lord Jesus Christ, who was 
 filled with the Holy Ghost, was thereby conse- 
 crated as the Messiah; as prophet, priest, and 
 king. " For He whom God hath sent, speaketh 
 the words of God; for Godgiveth not the Spirit 
 by measure unto Him " (John 3: 34). 
 
 From the beginning of the world a great De- 
 liverer was expected. In the garden of Eden, 
 after the Fall of Eve and Adam, Jehovah God, 
 in putting a curse on the serpent, added, "And 
 I will put enmity bistween thee and the woman, 
 and between thy seed and her seed; it shall 
 bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel " 
 (Gen. 3: 15). 
 
 From that time there were two distinct races 
 on the earth ; the children of God and the chil- 
 dren of the Devil. Jesus told the Jews who did 
 not believe in Him, " Ye do the deeds of your 
 father, * * * ye are of your father, the devil " 
 (John 8: 41, 44). In the parable of the sower, 
 Jesus says, "He that soweth the good seed is 
 the son of man; the field is the world; the good 
 seed are the children of the kingdom; but the 
 
CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED KING. I 73 
 
 tares are the children of the wicked one; the 
 enemy that sowed them is the devil " (Matt. 13: 
 37; Acts 13: 10; I John 3: 8, 10, 12). 
 
 When Jehovah called Abram to leave his 
 country and kindred, He said unto him, " I will 
 make of thee a great nation * * * and thou 
 shalt be a blessing * * * and in thee shall all 
 families of the earth be blessed " (Gen. 12: i, 3). 
 Again and again was this promise repeated. 
 "All the nations of the earth shall be blessed 
 in him "(Gen. 18: 18). "In thy seed shall all 
 the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 22: 
 18; 21:4; 28: 14). This promise, the Scriptures 
 say, refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. " Ye are 
 the children of the prophets and of the cove- 
 nant which God made with our fathers, saying 
 unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the 
 kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you 
 first God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent 
 Him to bless you, in turning away every one of 
 you from his iniquities" (Acts 3: 25). 
 
 " Now, to Abraham and his seed were the 
 promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as 
 of many; but as one. And to thy seed, which is 
 Christ" (Gal. 3: 16). Nathan was sent to 
 David with the message, " Thus saith Jehovah, 
 * * * I will set up thy seed after thee, * * * 
 and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom 
 forever, * * * " (2 Sam. 7: 13). The Scripture 
 shows that this promise referred to the Lord 
 Jesus Christ. It was so understood by David, 
 and he wrote accordingly, in a number of the 
 
174 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 Psalms, especially in the 2nd, 72nd, and iioth. 
 It was well understood that the Messiah, the 
 Christ, was to be of the seed of David, and 
 that he was the King. The disciples, when 
 threatened by the chief priests and elders, used 
 the very words of the 2nd Psalm, written a 
 thousand years before Christ was born, as part 
 of their prayer to God, and as a promise of 
 Christ. " They lifted up their voice to God 
 with one accord, and said. Lord, Thou art God, 
 which hast made heaven, and earth, and the 
 sea, and all that in them is: who by the mouth 
 of thy servant David, hast said. Why did the 
 heathen rage, and the people imagine vain 
 things ? The kings of the earth stood up, and 
 the rulers were gathered together against the 
 Lord, and against His Christ. For of a truth 
 against thy holy child Jesus, whom Thou hast 
 anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with 
 the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were 
 gathered together for to do whatsoever Thy 
 hand and Thy counsel determined before to be 
 done" (Acts 4: 26). 
 
 In the 72nd Psalm it is written, "All kings 
 shall fall down before Him: all nations shall 
 serve Him. For He shall deliver the needy 
 when he crieth; the poor also, and him that 
 hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and 
 needy, and save the souls of the needy." " His 
 name shall endure for ever; His name shall be 
 continued as long as the sun: and men shall be 
 jblessed in Him: all nations shall call Him 
 
CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED KING. I 75 
 
 blessed." In the iioth Psalm, David speaks of 
 the kingdom, the priesthood, the conquest, and 
 the passion of Christ. It commences with, 
 "Jehovah said unto my Lord, sit Thou at my 
 right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy 
 footstool." Jesus applied this Psalm to Him- 
 self. " While the Pharisees were gathered to- 
 gether, Jesus asked them, What think ye of 
 Christ ? Whose Son is He ? They say unto 
 Him, the Son of David. He saith unto them, 
 How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, 
 saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou 
 on my right hand till I make Thine enemies 
 Thy footstool ? If David then call Him Lord, 
 how is He his son ? And no man was able to 
 answer Him a word " (Matt. 22: 41). 
 
 The expectation of the coming of the great 
 Messiah king was general in the world when 
 Christ was born. The angel Gabriel told the 
 virgin Mary, speaking of the child, " He shall 
 be great, and shall be called the Son of the 
 Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him 
 the throne of His father, David: and He shall 
 reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of 
 His kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 
 i: 32). Pious Jews were praying for, and look- 
 ing for His coming. We have the account of 
 Simeon, " waiting for the consolation of Israel," 
 and of Anna, " which departed not from the 
 temple, but served God with fastings and 
 prayers night and day. And she coming in 
 that instant gave thanks likewise unto the 
 
176 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 Lord, and spoke of Him to all them that 
 looked for redemption in Jerusalem " (Luke :2 
 25, 37). Angels announced His birth, ^'Behold, 
 I bring you good tidings of great joy, which 
 shall be to all people. For unto you is born 
 this day in the city of David a Saviour, which 
 is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2: 10). "There 
 came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 
 saying. Where is He that is born King of the 
 Jews ? for we have seen His star in the east and 
 are come to worship Him " (Matt. 2:1). King 
 Herod was troubled, and demanded of the 
 chief priests and scribes, where Christ should 
 be born? "And they said unto him, in Bethlehem 
 of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet. 
 And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art 
 not the least among the princes of Juda: for out 
 of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule 
 my people Israel " (Matt. 2: 3). The woman of 
 Samaria, who was living a life of sin, said, *' I 
 know that Messias cometh, which is called 
 Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all 
 things " (John 4: 25). " For thus saith Jehovah 
 of hosts, ♦ * * I will shake all nations, and the 
 desire of all nations shall come " (Haggai 2:7). 
 Jesus, in many of His parables, illustrated 
 His kingdom. He told Pilate the nature of His 
 kingdom. " Pilate said unto Him, Art Thou 
 the King of the Jews ? * * * Jesus answered, 
 My kingdom is not of this world, then would 
 my servants fight that I should not be delivered 
 to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from 
 
CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED KING. 177 
 
 hence. Pilate, therefore, said unto Him, Art 
 Thou a king then ? Jesus answered, Thou say- 
 est that I am a king. To this end was I born, 
 and for this cause came I into the world " 
 (John 18: 33). When He was about to ascend 
 into heaven He told His disciples, "All power 
 is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go 
 ye therefore and disciple all nations, baptizing 
 them in the name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to 
 observe all things whatsoever I have com- 
 manded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, 
 even unto the end of the world " (Matt. 28: 18). 
 " God also hath highly exalted Him, and 
 given Him a name which is above every name: 
 that at the name of Jesus every knee should 
 bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, 
 and things under the earth ; and that every 
 tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
 to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2: 9). 
 " God, who at sundry times and in divers man- 
 ners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the 
 prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto 
 us by His Son, whom He hath apppinted heir 
 of all things, by whom also He made the world; 
 who being the brightness of His glory, and the 
 express image of His person, and upholding all 
 things by the word of His power, when He had 
 by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the 
 right hand of the Majesty on high. * * * Unto 
 the Son He saith. Thy throne, O God, is for 
 ever and ever: a sceptre of righteouness is the 
 sceptre of Thy kingdom " (Heb. i: 1-3, 8). 
 
I7«^ UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 John says, "And I saw the heaven opened; 
 and behold, a white horse, and He that sat 
 thereon, called Faithful and True; and in 
 righteousness He doth judge and make war. 
 And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His 
 head are many diadems; and He hath a name 
 written, which no one knoweth but He Himself. 
 And He is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with 
 blood; and His name is called The Word of 
 God. And the armies which are in heaven fol- 
 lowed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine 
 linen, white and pure. And out of His mouth 
 proceedeth a sharp sword; that with it he 
 should smite the nations: and He shall rule them 
 with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the wine- 
 press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty 
 God. And He hath on His garment and on 
 His thigh a name written, King of Kings and 
 Lord of Lords ^* (Rev. 19: 11). 
 
 A thousand years before Christ came, when 
 all the kingdoms in the world, excepting the 
 kingdom of Israel, were in rebellion against 
 God, David wrote, "All the ends of the world 
 shall remepiber and turn unto Jehovah; and all 
 the kindreds of the nations shall worship before 
 Thee. For the kingdom is Jehovah's, and He 
 is the governor among the nations" (Psm. 22: 
 27). Eighteen hundred years have passed since 
 Christ charged His disciples, saying, "All power 
 is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go 
 ye, therefore, and disciple all nations; " and yet, 
 nearly three quarters of the people in the world 
 
CHRIST, OUR ANOINTED KING. I 79 
 
 have never heard the Gospel. Still the prophecy- 
 is sure. His kingdom is progressing fast. The 
 Angel is flying, " having the everlasting Gospel 
 to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, 
 and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, 
 and people " (Rev. 14: 6). And the other angel 
 is following, " Saying, Babylon is fallen, is 
 fallen, that great city, because she made all 
 nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her 
 fornication" (Rev. 14: 8; 17: i-i8). Rome and 
 popery are falling, but are not yet destroyed, 
 as they surely will be (Rev. 18: 1-24). We 
 shall soon hear the " great voices in heaven, 
 saying, The kingdoms of this world are become 
 the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; 
 and He shall reign for ever and ever '' (Rev. 
 11:15). 
 
 Child of God! there is no king like your king. 
 Having all power in heaven and in earth ; 
 angels, principalities and powers being subject 
 to Him, what can harm you ? or injure you ? 
 Woe be to any who injure one of the least of 
 His subjects. " Whoso shall offend one of these 
 little ones which believe in me, it were better 
 for him that a millstone were hanged about his 
 neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of 
 the sea" (Matt. 18: 6). Whosoever shall give 
 you a cup of water to drink in my name, be- 
 cause ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, 
 he shall not lose his reward" (Mark 10: 41). 
 " Then shall the King say unto them on His 
 right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, 
 
l8o UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the 
 foundation of the world, * * * Inasmuch as ye 
 have done it unto one of the least of these my 
 brethren, ye have done it unto me " (Matt. 
 25: 34-40)- 
 
 As Prophet, Priest, and King, He is able to 
 do everything for His people. ** In that He 
 Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is 
 able to succour them that are tempted " (Heb. 
 2: 18). He "hath an unchangeable priesthood. 
 Wherefore He is able to save them to the utter- 
 most that come unto God by Him, seeing He 
 ever liveth to make intercession for them " 
 (Heb. 7: 24). " Who shall change our vile 
 body, that it maybe fashioned like unto His 
 glorious body, according to the working where- 
 by He is able even to subdue all things unto 
 Himself" (Phil. 2: 30). " For I am persuaded, 
 that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor 
 principalities, nor powers, nor things present, 
 nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor 
 any other creature, shall be able to separate us 
 from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus 
 our Lord " (Rom. 8:31). "I know whom I 
 have believed, and am persuaded that He is able 
 to keep that which I have committed unto Him 
 against that day" (2 Tim. i: 12). "It is a 
 faithful saying: for if we be dead with Him, we 
 shall also live with Him: if we suffer, we shall 
 also reign with Him" (2 Tim. 2: n). "The 
 throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; 
 and His servants shall serve Him: and they 
 
CHRISr, OOR ANOINTED KING. iSl 
 
 shall see Flis face, and His name shall be 
 on their foreheads * * * and they shall reign 
 for ever and ever " (Rev. 22: 3). 
 
l82 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 UNION WITH CHRIST. — CHRIST OUR 
 LIFE. 
 
 The Word of God tells us that the Lord Jesus 
 Christ is the Creator and Sustainer of all life. 
 "He made the worlds," and is ''upholding all 
 things by the word of His power" (Heb. i: 2). 
 " For by Him were all things created, that are 
 in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and in- 
 visible, whether they be thrones, or princi- 
 palities, or powers: all things were created by 
 Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, 
 and by Kim all things consist. And He is the 
 head of the body, the Church: who is the begin- 
 ning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all 
 things He might. have the pre-eminence. For 
 it pleased the Father that in Him should all 
 fulness dwell; and having made peace through 
 the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all 
 things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether 
 they be things in earth, or things in heaven " 
 (Col. i: 16). 
 
 The Lord Jesus Christ is also the author, the 
 giver, and the sustainer of spiritual and ever- 
 lasting life in all the children of God. He 
 quickens them: giving them life, when they 
 were dead in trespasses and sins. '* God, who 
 is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith 
 He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, 
 
CHRIST OUR LIFE. 183 
 
 hath quickened us together with Christ, (by 
 grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up to- 
 gether, and made us sit together in heavenly 
 places in Christ Jesus. * * * For by grace 
 are ye saved through faith; and that not of 
 yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, 
 lest any man should boast. For we are His 
 workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good 
 works, which God hath before ordained that we 
 should walk in them " (Eph. 2: i-io). '* God so 
 loved the world, that He gave His only begotten 
 Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should 
 not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3: 
 16). " God, who is rich in mercy, for His great 
 love wherewith He loved us, even when we 
 were dead in sins, hath quickened us together 
 with Christ" (Eph. 2: 4). "Christ also hath 
 loved us, and hath given Himself for us an 
 offering and a sacrifice to God" (Eph. 5: 2). 
 ** We love Him, because He first loved us " (i 
 John 4: 19). Christ hath given us life; Christ 
 is our life. Jesus Christ is " The Word, who in 
 the beginning was with God, and who was God. 
 In Him was life; and the life was the light of 
 men" (John 1:1). "For as the Father raiseth 
 up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the 
 Son quickeneth whom He will" (John 5: 21). 
 *' For as the Father hath life in Himself; so 
 hath He given to the Son to have life in Him- 
 self (John 1: 26). "As Thou hast given Him 
 power over all flesh, that He should give eter- 
 nal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. 
 
184 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 And this is life eternal, that they might know 
 Thee the only living and true God, and Jesus 
 Christ, whom Thou hast sent" (John 17: 2). 
 
 Our eternal destiny, everlasting life or ever- 
 lasting death, depends upon our knowing the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. Na wonder that Paul 
 counted all other knowledge as nothing; and 
 said, " I count all things but loss, for the excel- 
 lency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my 
 Lord" (Phil. 3: 8). John says, "That which 
 was from the beginning, which we have heard, 
 which we have seen with our eyes, which we 
 have looked upon, and our hands have handled, 
 of the word of life; for the life was manifested, 
 and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew 
 unto you that eternal life, which was with the 
 Father, and was manifested to us " ( i John r : 
 i). '* God hath given to us eternal life, and this 
 life is in His Son. He that hath the Son, hath 
 life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath 
 not life. These things have I written unto you 
 that believe on the name of the Son of God; 
 that ye may know that ye have eternal life " (i 
 John 5:11). *' For God hath not appointed us 
 to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we 
 wake or sleep, we should live together with 
 Him" (i Thess. 5: 9). 
 
 Jesus said, " I am the way, the truth, and the 
 life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" 
 (John 14: 6). " My sheep hear my voice, and I 
 know them, and they follow me: and I give 
 
CHRIST OUR LIFE. 1 85 
 
 unto them eternal life; and they shall never 
 perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my 
 hand" (John lo: 27). "I am the resurrection, 
 and the life: He that believeth in me, though 
 he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever 
 liveth and believeth in me shall never die " 
 (John 11: 25). "Because I live, ye shall live 
 also" (John 14: 19). " He that believeth on the 
 Son hath everlasting life " (John 3: 36). " Hath 
 everlasting life, and shall not come into condem- 
 nation; but is passed from death unto life" 
 (John 5: 24). " For ye are dead, and your life is 
 hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is 
 our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear 
 with Him in glory" (Col. 3: 3). 
 
 Christ is now on the throne of God, having 
 all power in heaven and in earth; therefore, we 
 can say with Paul, " I through the law am dead 
 to the law, that I might live unto God. I am 
 crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet 
 not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which 
 I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the 
 Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself 
 forme" (Gal. 2: 19). "For to me to live is 
 Christ, and to die is gain. * * * For I am 
 in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to de- 
 part, and to be with Christ; which is far better" 
 (Phil, i: 21). "We are confident, I say, and 
 willing rather to be absent from the body, and 
 to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5: 8). 
 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, 
 brethren, concerning them which are asleep, 
 
lS6 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 that ye sorrow not, even as others which have 
 no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and 
 rose again, even so them also which sleep in 
 Jesus will God bring with Him" (i Thess. i: 
 
 13). 
 
CHRIST OUR FOOD. 187 
 
 UNION WITH CHRIST, CHRIST OUR 
 FOOD. 
 
 Of the many types of the new dispensation 
 prefigured in the old, one of the most important 
 and instructive is the Deliverance of the Chil- 
 dren of Israel from Egypt, and their journey 
 through the wilderness to the promised land. 
 The whole prefiguring God's deliverance of His 
 people from the slavery of the Devil, the god of 
 this world, and then guiding them, protecting 
 them, and feeding them, until they reach 
 heaven. Salvation, from its beginning to its 
 completion, is entirely of God. What the chil- 
 dren of God are to do, is to " Lay aside every 
 weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset 
 us, and let us run with patience the race that is 
 set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author 
 and perfecter of our faith " (Heb. 12: i). 
 
 The chosen of God, born again of the Holy 
 Spirit, delivered from the bondage of the 
 Devil, made temples of the Holy Spirit, are 
 guided by the Spirit, as the children of Israel 
 were led and protected from their enemies by 
 the pillar of cloud and of fire. They are fed 
 with the true Manna, the true Bread from 
 heaven, until they reach there. 
 
 The account of the supply of water and of 
 the manna given to the children of Israel is full 
 
1 88 UNION WITH CHkl'S't. 
 
 of instruction. Because of their unbelief, the 
 children of Israel were condemned to journey 
 through a wilderness for a period of forty 
 years; a wilderness in which was neither water 
 nor food. 
 
 God supplied them with water by a miracle. 
 He told Moses to speak to a rock and water 
 should issue from it. Instead of speaking to 
 the rock Moses smote it. The water came, but 
 Moses for disobeying God was not allowed 
 to go into the promised land. The Scriptures 
 tell us, "That Rock was Christ." "Moreover, 
 brethren, I would not that ye should be igno- 
 rant, how that all our fathers were under the 
 cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were 
 all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the 
 sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; 
 and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for 
 they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed 
 them: and that Rock was Christ" (i Cor. 
 lo: i). 
 
 Jesus told the woman of Samaria, " If thou 
 knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith 
 to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have 
 asked of Him, and He would have given thee 
 living water. * * * Whosoever drinketh of this 
 water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh 
 of the water that I shall give him shall never 
 thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall 
 be in him a well of water springing up into ever- 
 lasting life "(John 4: 10). " In the last day, that 
 great day of the feast, Jesus stood, and cried, 
 
CHRIST OUR FOOD. 1 89 
 
 saying, If any man thirst, let him come nnto 
 me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as 
 the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall 
 flow rivers of living water. But this spake He 
 of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him 
 should receive" (John 8: 37). 
 
 ** The whole congregation of the children of 
 Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in 
 the wilderness: and the children of Israel said 
 unto them, Would to God we had died by the 
 hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when 
 we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat 
 bread to the full: for ye have brought us forth 
 into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly 
 with hunger. Then said the Lord unto Moses, 
 Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; 
 and the people shall go out and gather a certain 
 rate every day, that I may prove them, whether 
 they will walk in my law, or no " (Exod. 16: 2). 
 * * * "And when the children of Israel saw it, 
 they said one to another, It is manna: for they 
 wist not what it was. And Moses said unto 
 them. This is the bread which the Lord hath 
 given you to eat. This is the thing which 
 Jehovah hath commandeth. Gather of it every 
 man according to his eating, an omer for every 
 man, according to the number of your persons; 
 take ye every man for them which are in his 
 tent. And the children of [srael did so, and 
 gathered, some more, some less. And when 
 they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered 
 much had nothing over, and he that gathered 
 
190 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 little had no lack; they gathered every man 
 according to his eating. And Moses said, Let 
 no man leave of it till the morning. Notwith- 
 standing they hearkened not unto Moses; but 
 some of them left of it until the morning, and 
 it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth 
 with them. - And they gathered it every morn- 
 ing, every man according to his eating: and 
 when the sun waxed hot it melted. And it 
 came to pass, that on the sixth day they 
 gathered twice as much bread, two omers for 
 one man: and all the rulers of the congregation 
 came and told Moses. And he said unto them, 
 this is that which the Lord hath said, To- 
 morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the 
 Lord: bake that which ye will bake to-day, 
 and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which 
 remaineth over lay up for you, to be kept until 
 the morning. And they laid it up till the 
 morning as Moses bade: and it did not stink, 
 neither was there any worms therein. And Moses 
 said. Eat that to-day, for to-day is a sabbath 
 unto the Lord: to-day ye shall not find it in the 
 field. Six days ye shall gather it, but on the 
 seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there 
 shall be none. And it came to pass, that there 
 went out some of the people on the seventh 
 day for to gather, and they found none " (Ex. 
 16: 2). "And the children of Israel did eat 
 manna forty years, until they came to land in- 
 habited; they did eat manna, until they came 
 unto the borders of the land of Canaan " (Exod. 
 16: 35)- 
 
CHRIST OUR FOOD. 19I 
 
 After Jesus had fed the five thousand me| 
 with five barley loaves and two small fishes 
 which a lad had; and after they were filled and 
 twelve baskets full were left, the men sai^ 
 " This is of a truth that prophet that should 
 come into the world. When Jesus, therefore, 
 perceived that they would come and take Him 
 by force to make Him a king. He departed 
 again into a mountain Himself alone " (John 
 6: 9). The following day the people sought 
 Him. Jesus said to them, *' Verily, verily, I say 
 unto you. Ye seek me, not because ye saw the 
 miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, 
 and were filled. Labour not for the meat 
 which perisheth, but for that meat which en- 
 dureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of 
 man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the 
 Father sealed. Then said they unto Him, 
 What shall we do, that we might work the 
 works of God.? Jesus answered and said 
 unto them, This is the work of God, 
 that ye believe on Him whom He hath 
 sent. They said, therefore, unto Him, What 
 sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and 
 believe thee? What dost thou work? Our 
 fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is 
 written, He gave them bread from heaven to 
 eat. Then Jesus said unto them. Verily, verily, 
 I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread 
 from heaven; but my Father giveth the true 
 bread from heaven. For the bread of God is 
 He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth 
 
192 UNION WllH CHRIST. 
 
 life unto the world. Then said they unto Him, 
 Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus 
 said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that 
 Cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that 
 believeth on me shall never thirst. * * * 
 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth 
 on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread 
 of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the 
 wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread 
 which Cometh down from heaven, that a man 
 may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living 
 bread which came down from heaven: if any 
 man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and 
 the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I 
 give for the life of the world. * * * It is 
 the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth 
 nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they 
 are spirit, and they are life" (John 6: 26, 47, 
 
 In all ages the Word of God was to be fed 
 upon as spiritual food. " Moreover he said unto 
 me. Son of man, all my words that I shall speak 
 unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with 
 thine ears" (Ezek 3: 10). The Lord spake to 
 Ezekiel, " Open thy mouth, and eat that I give 
 thee. And when I looked, behold, a hand was 
 sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was 
 therein; and he spread it before me; and it was 
 written within and without: and there was 
 written therein lamentations, and mourning, 
 and woe. Moreover he said unto me. Son of 
 man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go 
 
CHRIST OUR FOOD. 193 
 
 Speak unto the house of Israel" (Ezek. 2: 8; 3: 
 i). Those sent to call sinners to repentance 
 must eat the book, the Bible, the word of God, 
 even if it contains "written therein lamenta- 
 tions, and mourning, and woe." They must 
 deliver that word, " and tell them. Thus saith 
 the Lord God; whether they will hear or 
 whether they will forbear." Ezekiel was told 
 to do this, even after he was told, " But the 
 house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for 
 they will not hearken unto me " (Ezek. 2). He 
 must first, '* Eat the book," and then deliver the 
 message contained in it, even when told they 
 would not hear him. John writes, " I saw an- 
 other mighty angel,"* * * * " and he had in his 
 hand a little book "***♦' and the voice which 
 I heard from heaven spoke unto me again, and 
 said, Go and take the little book which is open 
 in the hand of the angel:" * * * "And I went 
 unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the 
 little book. And he said unto me, Take it and 
 eat it up." * * * "And I took the little book 
 out of the angel's hand, and ate it up." * * * 
 "And he said unto me. Thou must prophesy 
 again before many peoples, and nations, and 
 tongues, and kings" (Rev. 10: i). We must 
 eat Christ, as He is revealed in His word; that 
 we may have everlasting life and be enabled to 
 carry the message of God to others. The 
 whole Bible is the presentation of Christ; He is 
 the Word. " In the beginning was the Word, 
 and the Word was with God, and the Word was 
 
X94 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 God." * * * "And the Word was made flesh, 
 and dwelt among us " (John i: i, 14). 
 
 We make a great mistake in not studying 
 the Old Testament and '* eating " it. It was 
 the only Scriptures in the time of Christ and 
 of the apostles. Christ constantly referred to 
 them to prove that He was the Christ ; that 
 Christ was to suffer ; '* beginning at Moses and 
 all the prophets, He expounded unto them in 
 all the Scriptures the things concerning Him- 
 self," and said unto them, "All things must be 
 fulfilled, which were written in the law of 
 Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms 
 concerning me " (Luke 24: 27, 44). ** Ye do err 
 not knowing the Scriptures" (Matt. 22: 29). 
 *' They are they which testify of me " (John 5: 
 39). It was to the Old Testament that Paul 
 referred when he wrote to Timothy, " From a 
 child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, 
 which are able to make thee wise unto salva- 
 tion through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 
 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, 
 and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for 
 correction, for instruction in righteousness : 
 that the man of God may be perfect, thor- 
 oughly furnished unto all good works " (2 Tim. 
 
 3: 15). 
 
 Therefore, we are to see the Lord Jesus 
 Christ in all the Holy Scriptures; from the 
 promise of Him made to Adam, and Abel's 
 sacrifice of the lamb in Genesis, to the " Lamb 
 as it had been slain, in the midst of the throne," 
 
CHRIST OUR FOOD. 1 95 
 
 in Revelation. We are to receive that Word, 
 feed upon that Word, believe that Word, and 
 thus grow in grace and in the knowledge of our 
 Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. " Till we all 
 come in the unity of the faith, and of the 
 knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect 
 man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
 fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4: 13). 
 
 Beware of any suggestion of the Devil, 
 whether coming to you directly, or through 
 others, causing you to doubt that Word. Beware 
 of false priests putting the traditions of their 
 church in the place of that Word. Beware of 
 the assertions of some pretending to a higher 
 criticism. " Keep that which is committed to 
 thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, 
 and oppositions of science falsely so called, 
 which some professing have erred concerning 
 the faith "(i Tim. 6: 20). 
 
 Beware of adding to, or taking from the 
 Scriptures. " Ye shall not add to the word 
 which I command you, neither shall ye diminish 
 ought from it " (Deut. 4: 2). "What thing so- 
 ever I command you, observe to do it : thou 
 shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it " 
 (Deut. 12: 32). "If any man shall add unto 
 these things, God shall add unto him the 
 plagues that are written in this book: and if 
 any man shall take away from the words of the 
 book of this prophecy, God shall take away his 
 part out of the book of life" (Rev. 22: 18). 
 "As we said before, so say I now again. If any 
 
196 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 man preach any other gospel unto you than 
 that ye have received, let him be accursed " 
 (Gal. 1:8). 
 
 "As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk 
 of the Word, that ye may grow thereby " 
 (i Pet. 2: 2). Christ is the true food of the 
 soul. The soul needs spiritual food. Christ's 
 word, and Christ's broken body, and Christ's 
 blood shed for us, as revealed in that Word, 
 when received into the soul by faith, nourish 
 and strengthen us. As the faith of the Jew 
 was strengthened every time he partook of the 
 feast commemorating the Passover, so is the 
 faith of the Christian increased in the sacrifice 
 of the Lord Jesus Christ for us, every time, 
 that with faith in that sacrifice, he partakes of 
 the feast instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ, as 
 a commemoration of it. " For as often as ye 
 eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew 
 the Lord's death till He come " (i Cor. 11: 26). 
 
 In feeding upon Christ, as He is revealed in 
 His word, we are to look to the Holy Ghost 
 promised to His disciples. " He shall teach 
 you all things, and bring all things to your re- 
 membrance, whatsoever I have said unto you " 
 (John 14: 26). " He will guide you into all 
 truth: " " He shall glorify me: for He shall re- 
 ceive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 
 All things that the Father hath are mine: there- 
 fore said I, that He shall take of mine, and 
 shall shew it unto you " (John 16: 13). Doing 
 this, our souls will grow in the knowledge of 
 
CHRIST OUR FOOD. T97 
 
 God and of Christ. "And this is life eternal. 
 
 that they might know Thee the only true God, 
 and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent " (John 
 
 17: 3). 
 
 There is this difference between the manna 
 and Christ. He said to the Jews, "Verily, 
 verily, I say unto you, He that believe th on 
 me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of 
 life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilder- 
 ness, and are dead. This is the bread which 
 Cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat 
 thereof, and not die. I am the living bread 
 which came down from heaven : if any man eat 
 of this bread he shall live for ever" (John 6: 
 47). As it was with the manna, the Lord Jesus 
 Christ is the only spiritual food provided for the 
 children of God for their whole journey through 
 this world. There is an abundant supply for 
 them all. It has been continued from the be- 
 ginning, and will continue until the end of the 
 world. It is suited for all the generations of 
 men; for all nations; for all ages, old and 
 young; for all classes; king or beggar, rich and 
 poor, learned and ignorant. All must gather it 
 daily; all must receive it; all must assimilate 
 it, and live upon it, or they will starve and die. 
 They must also gather it for their household. 
 
 To enable us to realize more fully the great 
 things which accompany salvation, and the 
 great privileges we enjoy as children of God, 
 we are urged to "grow in the grace and knowl- 
 edge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 
 
19^ UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 Pet. 3: 18). Peter begins his second epistle ad- 
 dressed "to them that have obtained a like 
 precious faith with us in the righteousness of 
 our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: grace to you 
 and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of 
 God and of Jesus our Lord: seeing that His 
 divine power hath granted unto us all things 
 that pertain unto life and godliness, through 
 the knowledge of Him that called us by His 
 own glory and virtue; whereby He hath granted 
 unto us His precious and exceeding great prom- 
 ises; that by these ye may become partakers of 
 the divine nature" (2 Pet. i: 2). The "all 
 things" come through knowledge of Christ. 
 This knowledge and these " precious and ex- 
 ceeding great promises " are contained in His 
 word. Studying that word, believing that 
 word, the child of God receives this knowledge, 
 and those promises; and becomes a "partaker 
 of the divine nature." 
 
 We are told to pray, "Give us this day our 
 daily bread." We must bear in mind, in using 
 this prayer, that the true Bread given to us by 
 God, is the Lord Jesus Christ. We need a fresh 
 supply of bread every day. It must be eaten 
 and assimilated by us, and become a part of us, 
 or it will do us no good. Looking to Christ, 
 now and then, as an example, or reading about 
 Him, or hearing about Him occasionally, is not 
 enough. We must receive Him as our food, 
 and He must become our life, and live in us, 
 day by day, until we reach heaven. Paul said, 
 
CHRIST OUR FOOD. I99 
 
 "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 
 2: 20). By His death Jesus became the Bread 
 of life. He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you 
 Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground 
 and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bring- 
 eth forth much fruit. * * * And I, if I be 
 lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto 
 me. This He said, signifying what death He 
 should die" (John 12: 24, 32). In Him is every- 
 thing we need to sustain the life which He has 
 given to us. We have His word: all we have to 
 do is to gather it and feed upon it. We need 
 to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him. 
 "As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of 
 the word, that ye may grow thereby" (i Pet. 2: 
 2). We need light, and guidance, and under- 
 standing. "The entrance of Thy words giveth 
 light; it giveth understanding to the simple" 
 (Psm. 119: 130). "Thy word is a lamp unto my 
 feet, and a lighf unto my path" (Psm. 119: 105). 
 We need quickening. "My soul cleaveth unto 
 the dust: quicken Thou me according to Thy 
 word" (Psm. 119:25, 50). We need sanctifica- 
 tion. "Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy 
 word is truth" (John 17: 17). We need wisdom 
 and righteousness. " But of Him are ye in 
 Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wis- 
 dom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and 
 redemption" (i Cor. i: 30). "For Christ is the 
 end of the law for righteousness to every one 
 that believeth" (Rom. 10: 4). We are to "receive 
 with meekness the engrafted word, which is 
 
200 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 able to save your souls" (James i: 21). "The 
 word of His grace, which is able to build you 
 up, and to give you an inheritance among all 
 them that are sanctified" (Acts 20: 32). We 
 need peace and comfort. Jesus says, "Peace I 
 leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not 
 as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not 
 your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" 
 (John 14: 27). '-Leave thy fatherless children, 
 I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows 
 trust in me" (Jer. 49: 11). In Christ we have 
 life. "He that heareth my word and believeth 
 on Him that sent me hath everlasting life, and 
 shall not come into condemnation; but is passed 
 from death unto life" (John 5: 24). "Whoso- 
 ever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never 
 die" (John 11: 26), "Because I live, ye shall 
 live also" (John 14: 19). We need strength. 
 "He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for 
 thee: for my strength is made perfect in weak- 
 ness" (2 Cor. 12: 9). We have a desire to do 
 good works. Christ says, "Abide in me, and I 
 in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of it- 
 self, except it abide in the vine; no more can 
 ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye 
 are the branches: He that abide th in me, and I 
 in Him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: 
 for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15). 
 Paul says, "I can do all things through Christ 
 which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4: 13). The 
 believer in Christ can appropriate all the prom- 
 ises in the Bible. "All the promises of God in 
 
CHRIST OUR FOOD. JOZ 
 
 Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory 
 of God by us" (2 Cor. i: 20). "We know that 
 all things work together for good to them that 
 love God" (Rom. 8: 28). *'For I am persuaded 
 that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor 
 principalities, nor powers, nor things present, 
 nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor 
 any other creature, shall be able to separate us 
 from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus 
 our Lord" (Rom. 8: 38). *'A11 things are yours; 
 whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the 
 world, or life, or death, or things present, or 
 things to come; all are yours; and ye are 
 Christ's; and Christ is God's" (i Cor. 3: 21). 
 Believing these words of Christ, we receive 
 Him ; are united to Him ; we grow in grace and 
 in knowledge of Him; and have everlasting life. 
 Christ is the true Bread from heaven given by 
 God. 
 
202 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 FATHER — BROTHER — FRIEND. 
 
 Among the many names by which the Lord 
 Jesus Christ reveals Himself to us, showing the 
 close and intimate union there is between Him 
 and believers in Him, is that of Father. 
 Although Christ is spoken of as the Son of the 
 Father, yet the Scriptures speak of Christ also 
 as Father; as one with the Father, and as 
 having a special seed; those believing in Him. 
 " For unto us a child is bom, unto us a son is 
 given, and the government shall be upon His 
 shoulder: and His name shall be called Won- 
 derful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting 
 Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of 
 His Government and of peace there shall be no 
 end " (Isai. 9: 6), Jesus said, " I snd my Father 
 are one '* (John 10: 30). The Scriptures tell us 
 that by the Lord Jesus Christ ** were all things 
 created that are in heaven, and that are in 
 earth, visible and invisible, whether they be 
 thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or 
 powers: all things were created by Him and for 
 Him, and He is before all things, and by Him 
 all things consist. And He is the head of the 
 body, the Church " (Col. i: 16). John, speak- 
 ing of Jesus, says, " He was in the world, 
 and the world was made by Him, and 
 
FATHER — BROTHER — FRIEND. 203 
 
 the world knew Him not " (John i: to). " God, 
 who at sundry times and in divers manners, 
 spake in time past unto the fathers by the 
 prophets, hath in these latter days spoken unto 
 us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of 
 all things, by whom also He made the world; 
 •wlio being the brightness of His glory, and the 
 express image of His person, and upholding all 
 things by the word of His power, when He had 
 by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the 
 right hand of the Majesty on high" (Heb. i: i). 
 As the Creator and upholder of all things, the 
 Lord Jesus Christ may well be named '* The 
 Mighty God, Everlasting Father." He is also 
 the Father of them who believe in Him, they 
 are His spiritual seed. " When thou shalt make 
 his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, 
 he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of 
 Jehovah shall prosper in his hand. He shall see 
 of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied " 
 (Isai. 53: 10). "A seed shall serve Him, it shall 
 be accounted to the Lord for a generation " 
 (Psm. 22- 30). He says, "For both He that 
 sanctified and they who are sanctified are all of 
 one. * * * " Behold I and the children which 
 God hath given me" (Heb. 2:11, 13). 
 
 BROTHER. 
 
 Jesus calls His disciples. Brethren: " For it 
 became Him, for whom are all things, and by 
 whom are all things, in bringing many sons 
 unto glory, to make the author of their 
 
204 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 tion perfect through sufferings. For both He 
 that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are 
 all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed 
 to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy 
 name unto my brethren" (Heb. 2: 10). His 
 relationship to believers is far closer than any 
 earthly relationship. When He was told that 
 His mother and His brethren were without, de- 
 siring to see Him, "He stretched forth His 
 hand toward His disciples and said, Behold my 
 mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall 
 do the will of my Father which is in heaven, 
 the same is my brother, and sister, and mother " 
 (Matt. 12: 49). After His resurrection, Jesus 
 met the women who were sent by the angel to 
 tell His disciples that He was risen, and said 
 unto them, " Be not afraid: go tell my brethren 
 that they go into Galilee, and there shall they 
 see me" (Matt. 28: 9). When He revealed 
 Himself to Mary Magdalen, " Jesus saith unto 
 her, Cling not to me (Take not hold on me) ; 
 for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go 
 to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend 
 unto my Father, and your Father; and to my 
 God, and your God" (John 20: 17). When 
 Christ is on His throne judging the world. His 
 disciples will be acknowledged before the uni- 
 verse. " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit 
 the kingdom prepared for you from the founda- 
 tion of the world." Then any act of kindness 
 done to a disciple will be acknowledged as done 
 unto Him. "And the King shall answer and 
 
FATHER — BROTHER — FRIEND. 205 
 
 say unto them, Verily, I say unto you. Inasmuch 
 as ye have done it unto one of the least of these 
 my brethren, ye have done it unto me " (Matt. 
 25:40). The children of God were predestin- 
 ated to be brethren of Christ. " For whom He 
 did foreknow. He also did predestinate to be 
 conformed to the image of His Son, that he 
 might be the first born among many brethren " 
 (Rom. 8: 29). Believers in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, " The Spirit itself beareth witness with 
 our spirit, that we are the children of God: and 
 if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint- 
 heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8: 16), our elder 
 Brother. 
 
 FRIEND. 
 
 Jesus also honors His disciples by making 
 them His friends. A friend is one whom we 
 love and esteem above others; to whom we im- 
 part our minds more familiarly than to others; 
 and that from a confidence of his integrity and 
 good will towards us; thus Jonathan and David 
 were mutually friends. The Scriptures say, "A 
 friend loveth at all times" (Prov. 17: 17). 
 " There is a friend that sticketh closer than a 
 brother" (Prov. 18: 24). "Faithful are the 
 wounds of a friend " (Prov. 27: 6). *' Ointment 
 and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the 
 sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel " 
 (Prov. 27: 9). "Jehovah spoke unto Moses face 
 to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend" 
 (Exod. 33: 11). In the Bible Abraham is often 
 
206 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 called the " Friend of God." "And the Lord 
 said. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing 
 which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely- 
 become a great and mighty nation, and all the 
 nations of the earth shall be blessed in him ? " 
 (Gen. 1 8: 17) "And the Scripture was fulfilled 
 which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was 
 imputed unto him for righteousness: and he 
 was called the Friend of God" (James 2: 23; 
 Exod. i^y. 11; 2 Chron. 20: 7; Isai. 41: 8). Jesus 
 said, " Greater love hath no man than this, that 
 a man lay down his life for his friend. Ye are 
 my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 
 Henceforth I call ye 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 : 13). This was said, "When 
 Jesus knew that His hour was come that He 
 should depart out of this world unto the Father," 
 and " knowing that the Father had given all 
 things into His hands, and that He was come 
 from God, and went to God" (John 13: i, 3). 
 As He was about to ascend to the throne of the 
 universe. He assures His disciples that He is 
 their Friend. Child of God! our Father, Brother, 
 Friend, has all power in heaven and earth. 
 
HUSBAND AND WIPE. 207 
 
 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 HUSBAND AND WIFE. 
 
 The union between Christ and His Church is 
 described in the Scriptures by words which are 
 used for the closest, the most intimate, the most 
 confiding and most loving of all human relation- 
 ships: that of husband and wife. This relation- 
 ship is frequently spoken of in the Old Testa- 
 ment, as well as the New: "For thy Maker is 
 thine husband: Jehovah of hosts is His name; 
 and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the 
 Grod of the whole earth shall He be called" 
 (Isai. 54: 5). **As the bridegroom rejoiceth 
 over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over 
 thee" (Isai. 62:5). "Turn, O backsliding chil- 
 dren, saith Jehovah; for I am married unto 
 you" (Jer. 3: 14; 31: 32). "Son of Man, cause 
 Jerusalem to know her abominations, and say. 
 Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy 
 birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; 
 thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a 
 Hittite. * * * Thou wast cast out in the 
 open field. * * * And when I passed by 
 thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, 
 I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood. 
 Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in 
 thy blood, Live. I have caused thee to multiply 
 
208 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased 
 and waxen great. * * * I thoroug-hly washed 
 away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee 
 with oil. I clothed thee also with ornaments, 
 and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain 
 on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy fore- 
 head, and ear rings in thine ears, and a beautiful 
 crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked 
 with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of 
 fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou 
 didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil; and thou 
 wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst pros- 
 per into a kingdom. And thy renown went 
 forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it 
 was perfect through my comeliness, which I 
 had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. But 
 thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and 
 playedst the harlot. * * * I will judge thee, 
 as women that break wedlock and shed blood 
 are judged. * * * And I will cause thee to 
 cease from playing the harlot. * * * So will 
 I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my 
 jealousy shall depart from thee. * * * Never- 
 theless, I will remember my covenant with thee 
 in the days of thy youth, and I will establish 
 unto thee an everlasting covenant" (Ezek. i6). 
 "And I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, 
 I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, 
 and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in 
 mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in 
 faithfulness: and thou shalt know Jehovah" 
 (Hosea 2: 19). Paul writes, *'I am jealous over 
 
HUSBAND AND WIFE. 209 
 
 you with a godly jealousy: for I have espoused 
 you to one husband, that I may present you as 
 a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by 
 any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve, through 
 his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted 
 from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Cor. 11: 
 2). "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own 
 husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband 
 is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the 
 head of the Church: and He is the Saviour of 
 the body. Therefore as the Church is subject 
 unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own 
 husbands in everything. Husbands, love your 
 wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and 
 gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and 
 cleanse it with the washing of water by the 
 word, that He might present it to Himself a 
 glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or 
 any such thing; but that it should be holy and 
 without blemish" (Eph. 5: 22). 
 
 The Church is called the wife of the Lamb in 
 the Revelation. "Let us be glad and rejoice, 
 and give honour to Him: for the marriage of 
 the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made her- 
 self ready. And to her was granted that she 
 should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: 
 for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints" 
 (Rev. 19:7). "For the fine linen is the righteous 
 acts of the saints" (Rev. 19:8, Revised Version). 
 The saints are not only clothed with the right- 
 eousness of Christ, but they are also adorned 
 with the graces produced in them by the Holy 
 
2IO UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 Spirit. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy- 
 peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faith- 
 fulness, meekness, temperance" (Gal. 5: 22). 
 "Whose adorning let it not be the outward 
 adorning, * * * but let it be the hidden man of 
 the heart in the incorruptible apparel of a meek 
 and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of 
 great price" (i Pet. 3: 3). "I desire therefore 
 that the men pray in every place, lifting up 
 holy hands, without wrath and disputing. In 
 like manner, that women adorn themselves * * * 
 through good works" (i Tim. 2: 8). "I will 
 greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be 
 joyful in my God: for He hath clothed me with 
 the garments of salvation. He hath covered me 
 with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom 
 decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride 
 adometh herself with her jewels" (Isai. 61: 10). 
 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: 
 for the first heaven and the first earth were 
 passed away; and there was no more sea. And 
 I John saw the holy city. New Jerusalem, com- 
 ing down from God out of heaven, prepared as 
 a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard 
 a great voice out of heaven saying. Behold, the 
 tabernacle of God is with men, and He will 
 dwell with them, and they shall be His people, 
 and God Himself shall be with them, and be 
 their God. And God shall wipe away all tears 
 from their eyes; and there shall be no more 
 death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall 
 there be any more pain: for the former things 
 are passed away" (Rev. 21: i). 
 
HUSBAND AND WIFE. 211 
 
 The marriage of Christ and His Church is 
 typified by that of husband and wife. As in a 
 true marriage there must be mutual consent 
 and love, mutual esteem and confidence, mutual 
 surrender and consecration, which can only be 
 founded on knowledge of each other; so, in a 
 far greater degree is all this between Christ and 
 His Bride, the Church. Being both partakers 
 of one Spirit, their union is a spiritual union 
 Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for 
 it" (Eph. 5: 25). The believer gives up all 
 things for Christ. Christ says, " He that loveth 
 father or mother more than me, is not worthy 
 of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more 
 than me, is not worthy of me; and he that 
 taketh not his cross and followeth after me, is 
 not worthy of me " (Matt. 10:37). " Every one 
 that hath forsaken houses or brethren, or sisters, 
 or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or 
 lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hun- 
 dred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life" 
 (Matt. 19: 29). 
 
 The Bible uses very strong language to 
 members of the church who cling to the world. 
 " Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not 
 that the friendship of the world is enmity with 
 God ? whosoever, therefore, will be a friend 
 of the world, is the enemy of God " (James 
 4: 4). 
 
 The Bride is called to suffer with Christ in 
 this world; but believers are told, " Rejoice, in- 
 asmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffer- 
 
212 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 ings; that when His glory shall be revealed, ye 
 may be glad also with exceeding joy" (i Pet. 4: 
 13). ** It is a faithful saying: For if we be 
 dead with Him, we shall also live with Him: if 
 we suffer, we shall also reign with Him " 
 (2 Tim. 2: 11). 
 
 Christ spoke of the coming marriage feast in 
 the parable of the King, who made a marriage 
 feast for his son (Matt. 22: 2); and in the para- 
 ble of the Ten Virgins, who went forth to meet 
 the Bridegroom (Matt. 25: i). In Revelation 
 we have accounts of the glorious mansion pre- 
 pared by Christ for His Bride, His Church, (Rev. 
 21: i) and also, of the festivities of the marriage 
 feast. " Let us be glad and rejoice, and give 
 honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is 
 come, and His wife hath made herself ready " 
 (Rev. 19: 7). "And He said unto me, Write, 
 Blessed are they which are called unto the mar- 
 riage supper of the Lamb" (Rev. 19: 9). The 
 husband and wife " shall be no more twain. 
 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one 
 flesh" (Matt. 19; 5; Mark 10; 8). "But he that 
 is joined unto the Lord is one spirit" (i Cor. 6: 
 17). " For we are members of His body, of His 
 flesh, and of His bones" (Eph. 5: 30). 
 
 Partakers of one Spirit, believers are one with 
 Christ. Praying for them, Christ said, " They 
 are not of the world, even as I am not of the 
 world * * * sanctify them through Thy truth; 
 Thy word is truth. * * * That they all may be 
 one; as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, 
 
HUSBAND AND WIFF.. 2 I ;5 
 
 that they also may be one in us * * * I in them, 
 and Thou in me " (John 17: 16, 21). 
 
214 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 CHRIST THE CORNER-STONE. 
 
 BELIEVERS LIVING STONES BUILT ON HIM. 
 
 Christ and His Church are represented in the 
 Scriptures as being united, as a holy temple in 
 the Lord. His people are said to be built up 
 on Him as living- stones on a living corner- 
 stone—the living corner-stone giving support 
 and strength to the whole building; uniting 
 each stone with Him, and with one another, by 
 one Spirit and one life. 
 
 Christ is the Foundation of all of our knowl- 
 edge of God. " No man knoweth the Son, but 
 the Father; neither knoweth any man the 
 Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever 
 the Son will reveal Him" (Matt, ii: 27; Luke 
 10: 22). " No man hath seen God at any time; 
 the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of 
 the Father, He hath declared Him" (John 
 I : 18). 
 
 Jesus said, " I am the way, the truth, and the 
 life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by 
 me. If ye had known me, ye should have 
 known my Father also: and from henceforth 
 ye know Him, and have seen Him." " He that 
 hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 
 14: 6, 9). 
 
 Christ is the Foundation of the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. He is the word, " In the beginning 
 
CHRIST THE CORNER-STONE. 215 
 
 was the Word, and the Word was with God, and 
 the Word was God." "And the Word was 
 made flesh, and dwelt among us "(John i: i, 
 14). The whole Bible, from beginning to the 
 end, is founded on Christ; reveals Christ; and 
 is Christ. 
 
 Christ is the Foundation of the Church. 
 ** For other foundation can no man lay than 
 that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." " Know ye 
 not that ye are the temple of God, and that the 
 Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? If any man de- 
 file the temple of God, him shall God destroy; 
 for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye 
 are " (i Cor. 3: 11, 16). 
 
 Seven hundred years before Chri:|t came, 
 Isaiah wrote, " Therefore, thus saith the Lord 
 God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a 
 stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a 
 sure foundation: he that believe th shall not 
 make haste" (Isai. 28: 16). Peter, quotmg 
 this, says, " Wherefore also it is contained in 
 the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief 
 corner-stone, elect, precious; and he that be- 
 lieveth on Him shall not be confounded. Unto 
 you, therefore, which believe He is precious: 
 but unto them which be disobedient, the stone 
 which the builders disallowed, the same is made 
 the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, 
 and a rock of offence, even to them which 
 stumble at the Word, being disobedient: where- 
 unto also they were appointed. But ye are a 
 chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy 
 
2l6 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew 
 forth the praises of Him who hath called you 
 out of darkness into His marvellous light" 
 (i Pet. 2: 6). Before this he writes, " But the 
 word of the Lord endureth forever. And this 
 is the Word which, by the Gospel, is preached 
 unto you. Wherefore, laying aside all malice, 
 and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and 
 all evil speakings, as new-bom babes, desire 
 the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow 
 thereby; if so be ye have tasted that the Lord 
 is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living 
 stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of 
 God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are 
 built up. a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to* 
 offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God 
 by Jesus Christ" (i Pet. i: 25; 2: i). 
 
 Christ is the comer-stone on which all believ- 
 ers are built as living stones. "For through 
 Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the 
 Father. " "And are built upon the foundation 
 of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Him- 
 self being the chief corner-stone; in whom all 
 the building fitly framed together groweth unto 
 a holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are 
 builded together for a habitation of God through 
 the Spirit" (Eph. 2: 18, 20). " Rooted and built 
 up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye 
 have been taught, abounding therein with 
 thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you 
 through philosophy and vain deceit, after the 
 tradition of men, after the rudiments of the 
 
CHRIST THE CORNER-STONE. 217 
 
 world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwell- 
 eth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And 
 ye are complete in Him, who is the head of all 
 principality and power" (Col. 2: 7). "But let 
 every man take heed how he buildeth there- 
 upon. For other foundation can no man lay 
 than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (i Cor. 
 3: 10). 
 
2l8 UNION WITH CHRIST, 
 
 CHRIST AND BELIEVERS— SHEPHERD 
 AND SHEEP. 
 
 In many parts of the Holy Scr.ptures, the 
 Old Testament and the New, the children of 
 God are called sheep; and Jehovah, the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, is called their Shepherd. These 
 passages are full of important religious truth, 
 and Christian experience. A sheep is the most 
 helpless and defenceless of all animals: is liable 
 to g-o astray; is unable to find its way back; and 
 needs the constant watchful care of the shep- 
 herd to guard it, feed it, guide it, and to fetch it 
 back when astray. Such is the case with every 
 child of God: and he may well rejoice that 
 Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ, is his Shep- 
 herd. 
 
 As a sheep, the believer has heard the call of 
 Christ. "He calleth His own sheep by name, 
 and leadeth them out." He knows each one of 
 His sheep individually by name. "And they 
 follow Him: for they know His voice" (John lo: 
 3). He has called them out of Egypt, the world; 
 and delivered them from Satan, the god of this 
 world. He will lead them through the wilder- 
 ness, feed them with the heavenly manna, and 
 carry them safely to the promised land. "When 
 the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all 
 tlie holy angels with Him, then shall He sit 
 
SHEPHERD AND SHEEP. 219 
 
 upon the throne of His glory: and before Him 
 shall be gathered all nations: and He shall sep- 
 arate them one from another as a shepherd 
 divideth his sheep from the goats: and He shall 
 set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats 
 on the left. Then shall the King say unto them 
 on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of my 
 Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you 
 from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25: 
 
 31). 
 
 God "smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the 
 chief of their strength in the tabernacles of 
 Ham: but made His own people to go forth like 
 sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like 
 a flock" (Psm. 78: 51). "So we Thy people and 
 sheep of Thy pasture will give Thee thanks for- 
 ever: we will show forth Thy praise to all 
 generations" (Psm. 79: 73). "For He is our 
 God; and we are the people of His pasture, and 
 the sheep of His hand" (Psm. 95: 7; 100: 3). 
 The experience of the sheep is the same in all 
 ages. The Psalmist writes, "I have gone astray 
 like a lost sheep" (Psm. 119: 176). Isaiah 
 writes, "All we like sheep have gone astray; 
 we have turned every one to his own way; and 
 the Lord hath laid on Kim the iniquity of us 
 all" (Isai. 53: 6). Peter writes, "For ye were 
 as sheep going astray; but are now returned 
 unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" (i 
 Pet. 2: 25). Before Christ came, the children of 
 Israel were the visible flock of God, containing 
 His sheep. They were often led astray and 
 
220 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 scattered. But the Shepherd gathered them. 
 "For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even 
 I, will both search my sheep, and seek them 
 out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in 
 the day that he is among his sheep that are 
 scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will 
 deliver them out of all places where they have 
 been scattered." "I will seek that which was 
 lost, and bring again that which was driven 
 away, and will bind up that which was broken, 
 and will strengthen that which was sick" (Ezek. 
 34: 12, 16). "Behold, the Lord God will come 
 with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for 
 Him: behold His reward is with Him, and His 
 work before Him. He shall feed His flock like 
 a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His 
 arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall 
 gently lead those that are with young" (Isai. 40: 
 10). Not one of Christ's sheep shall ever perish. 
 Jesus said, "What man of you, having a hun- 
 dred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not 
 leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and 
 go after that which is lost, until he find it ? and 
 when he hath found it, he layeth it on his 
 shoulders, rejoicing" (Luke 15: 4; Matt. 18: 12). 
 In all ages "wolves" have got into the flock; 
 even acting as pastors or shepherds. **Woe be 
 unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the 
 sheep of my pasture! saith Jehovah" (Jer. 23: i- 
 4). "Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do 
 feed themselves ! should not the shepherds feed 
 the flock ?" "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, 
 
SHEPHERD AND SHEEP. 221 
 
 I am against the shepherds; and I will require 
 my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease 
 from feeding the flock" (Ezek. 34: 2-16). When 
 Christ came, He sent forth His apostles, and 
 commanded them, ** Go not into the way of the 
 Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans 
 enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of 
 the house of Israel" (Matt. 10: 5). On another 
 occasion, "He answered and said, I am not sent 
 but unto the lost sheep of the hoiise of Israel" 
 (Matt 15: 24). He afterwards tells them, "Other 
 sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them 
 also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; 
 and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd" 
 (John 10: 16). When His work was finished, 
 and He was about to ascend to His throne in 
 the heavens. He commanded His disciples to 
 disciple all nations, and gather His sheep into 
 other folds. 
 
 In the New Testament there are also many 
 warnings against false shepherds. The elders 
 of the church in Ephesus were directed to be 
 faithful in guarding the flock committed to 
 them. "Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, 
 and to all the flock, over the which the Holy 
 Ghost hath made you bishops (or overseers), to 
 feed the Church of God, which He hath pur- 
 chased with His own blood. For I know this, 
 that after my departing shall grievous wolves 
 enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also 
 of your own selves shall men arise, speaking 
 perverse things, to draw away disciples after 
 
222 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 them" (Acts 20: 28). Peter exhorts the elders 
 of the churches or co,ngregations of believers, 
 "Feed the flock of God which is among you, 
 taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, 
 but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready 
 mind; neither as being lords over God's herit- 
 age, but being ensamples to the flock. And 
 when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall 
 receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away" 
 (i Pet. 5: i). 
 
 The teachings in the Old Testament Script- 
 ures referring to the Lord Jesus Christ as the 
 Great Shepherd, and to believers as His sheep, 
 should be received and fed upon. See His 
 leading His people like a flock, Psm. 23; 80: i; 
 79: 13; Isai. 63: II. His feeding them and care 
 for the lambs. Isai. 40: 11, gathering His flock 
 out of all countries; bringing them into His 
 folds, and setting up shepherds over them to 
 feed them. Jer. 23: 3; Ezek. 34: 11-16, 23. The 
 prophecies that He should die for His sheep, 
 Isai. 53, and that He was equal to the Father 
 when smitten, give spiritual food. "Awake, O 
 sword, against my shepherd, and against the 
 man that is my fellow, saith Jehovah of hosts: 
 smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scat- 
 tered" (Zech. 13: 7). Jesus applies such pass- 
 ages to Himself. The night He was betrayed, 
 "Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended 
 because of me this night: for it is written, I will 
 smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock 
 shall be scattered abroad" (Matt. 26: 31; Mark 
 14: 27). 
 
SHEPHERD AND SHEEP. 223 
 
 When Christ sent forth the twelve apostles, 
 He said unto them, "Behold I send yon forth as 
 sheep in the midst of wolves" (Matt. lo: i6). 
 When He sent out the seventy, He said, "Behold 
 I send you forth as lambs among- wolves" (Luke 
 10: 3). He then tells them. Be ye therefore 
 wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But 
 beware of men: for they will deliver you up to 
 the councils, and they will scourge you in their 
 synagogues; and ye shall be brought before 
 governors and kings for my sake, for a testi- 
 mony against them and the Gentiles. But when 
 they deliver you up, take no thought how or 
 what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in 
 that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is 
 not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father 
 which speaketh in you" (Matt. lo: i6). "Ye 
 shall be hated of all men for my name sake" 
 (Matt. 10: 22; Mark 13: 13; Luke 21: 17). "Yea, 
 the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will 
 think that he doeth God service" (John 16: 2). 
 "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well 
 of you ! for so did their fathers to the false 
 prophets" (Luke 6: 26). "Fear not them which 
 kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: 
 but rather fear him which is able to destroy 
 both soul and body in hell. Are not two spar- 
 rows sold for a farthing ? and one of them shall 
 not fall on the ground without your Father. 
 But the very hairs of your head are all num- 
 bered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more 
 value than many sparrows" (Matt. 10: 28). "In 
 
224 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of 
 good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 
 i6: 33). "Fear not, little flock, for it is your 
 Father's good pleasure to give you the king- 
 dom" (Luke 12: 32). "Who shall separate us 
 from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or 
 distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, 
 or peril, or sword ? As it is written, For Thy 
 sake we are killed all the day long; we are ac- 
 counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all 
 these things we are more than conquerors 
 through Him that loved us. For I am per- 
 suaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, 
 nor principalities, nor powers, nor things pres- 
 ent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, 
 nor any other creature, shall be able to separate 
 us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus 
 our Lord" (Rom. 8: 36). "Many are the afflic- 
 tions of the righteous: but Jehovah delivereth 
 him out of them all" (Psm. 34: 19). "For oui^ 
 light affliction, which is but for a moment, 
 worketh for us a far more exceeding weight of 
 glory" (2 Cor. 4: 17). 
 
 "Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, 
 verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the 
 sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves 
 and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 
 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he 
 shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find 
 pasture. * * * I am the good shepherd: the 
 good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 
 * ♦ * I am the good shepherd, and know my 
 
SHEPHERD AND SHEEP. 32$ 
 
 sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father 
 knoweth me, even so know I the F.ather: and I 
 lay down my life for the sheep. And other 
 sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them 
 also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; 
 and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 
 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I 
 lay down my life, that I might take it again. 
 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of 
 myself. I have power to lay it down, and I 
 have power to take it again. * ♦ * My sheep 
 hear my voice, and I know them, and they fol- 
 low me: and I give unto them eternal life: and 
 they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch 
 them out of my hand. My Father, which hath 
 given them unto me, is greater than all; and no 
 one is able to snatch them out of the Father's 
 hand. I and the Father are one" (John lo: 7, 
 
 Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ rejoice 
 that He is your Shepherd; nothing can harm 
 you. The sheep do not keep the shepherd, but 
 the shepherd keeps the sheep. ** Behold, he 
 that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor 
 sleep. Jehovah is thy keeper: Jehovah is thy 
 shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not 
 smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 
 Jehovah shall preserve thee from all evil: He 
 shall preserve thy soul. Jehovah shall preserve 
 thy going out and thy coming in from this time 
 forth and even for evermore" (Psm. 121: 4). 
 Your Shepherd is on the throne of the universe; 
 
226 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 you are safe forever. You may well sing, as 
 David did a thousand years before Christ came 
 into the world, a song filled with the assurance 
 of faith and the assurance of hope. "For all 
 things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or 
 Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things 
 present, or things to come; all are yours; and 
 ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's" (i Cor. 3: 
 21). 
 
 Every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ can 
 say, "Jehovah is my Shepherd; I shall not want. 
 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: 
 He leadeth me beside the still waters. He 
 restore th my soul: He leadeth me in the paths 
 of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, 
 though I walk through the valley of the shadow 
 of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with 
 me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. 
 Thou preparest a table before me in the pres- 
 ence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head 
 with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely good- 
 ness and mercy snail follow me all the days of 
 my life: and I will dwell in the house of Jeho- 
 vah forever" (Psalm 23). 
 
BELIEVERS MEMBERS OF HIS BODY. 227 
 
 CHRIST THE HEAD, AND BELIEVERS 
 IN HIM MEMBERS OF HIS BODY. 
 
 The Word of God tells us, that the Lord 
 Jesus Christ " is the image of the invisible God, 
 the first-born of every creature: for by Him 
 were all things created, that are in heaven, and 
 that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether 
 they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, 
 or powers: all things were created by Him, and 
 for him; and He is before all things, and by 
 Him all things consist. And He is the head of 
 the body, the Church" (Col. i: 15: Heb. i: 2, 3, 
 8). The Church is said to be the body of 
 Christ; and every believer in Him is a particu- 
 lar member of the body of Christ. Paul writes 
 to the church, in Ephesus, " I cease not to give 
 thanks for you, making mention of you in my 
 prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 the Father of glory, may give unto you the 
 spitit of wisdom and revelation in the knowl- 
 edge of Him: the eyes of your understanding 
 being enlightened, that ye may know what is 
 the hope of His calling, and what the riches of 
 the glory of His heritance in the saints, and 
 what is the exceedmg greatness of His power 
 to US-ward who believe, according to the work- 
 ing of His mighty power, which He wrought in 
 Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and 
 
228 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly 
 places, far above all principality, and power, 
 and might, and dominion, and every name that 
 is named, not only in this world, but also in 
 that which is to come: and hath put all things 
 under His feet, and gave Him to be the head 
 over all things to the church, which is His body, 
 the fulness of Him that filleth all in all " (Eph. 
 i: i6). 
 
 Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are told, 
 " Now ye are the body of Christ, and members 
 in particular" (i Cor. 12: 27). "For as we 
 have many members in one body, and all mem- 
 bers have not the same office: so we, being 
 many, are one body in Christ, and every one 
 members one of another " (Rom. 12:5). '* For, 
 as the body is one, and hath many members, 
 and all the members of that one body, being 
 many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by 
 one spirit are we all baptized into one body, 
 whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be 
 bond or free; and have been all made to drink 
 into one spirit. For the body is not one mem- 
 ber, but many. If the foot shall say. Because I 
 am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it 
 therefore not of the body ? and if the ear shall 
 say. Because I am not the eye, I am not of the 
 body; is it therefore not of the body ? If the 
 whole body were an eye, where were the hear- 
 ing ? If the whole were hearing, where were 
 the smelling? But now hath God set the 
 members every one of them in the body, as it 
 
BELIEVERS MEMBERS OF HIS BODY. 229 
 
 hath pleased Him. And if they were all one 
 member, where were the body ? But now are 
 they many members, yet but one body. And 
 the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no 
 need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I 
 have no need of you. Nay, much more those 
 members of the body, which seem to be more 
 feeble are necessary" (i Cor. 12: 12). 
 
 Rejoice, humble believer, you who think you 
 have only one talent, or think you have none; 
 if you believe with your heart in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, you are a member of His body. Every 
 member of His body, however insignificant in 
 the eyes of the world, is cared for by Him. For 
 " those members of the body which we think to 
 be less honorable, upon these we bestow the 
 more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts 
 have more abundant comeliness. For our 
 comely parts have no need: but God hath tem- 
 pered the body together, having given more 
 abundant honor to that part which lacked: that 
 there should be no schism in the body; but that 
 the members should have the same care one for 
 another. And whether one member suffer, all 
 the members suffer with it; or one member be 
 honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now, 
 ye are the body of Christ, and members in par- 
 ticular" *(i Cor. 12: 23). Believer in Christ, 
 you are a member of " His body, of His flesh, 
 and of His bones " (Eph. 5: 30). Nothing can 
 touch you, or harm you, without Christ, the 
 head of the body, instantly feeling it; nay. 
 
2^0 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 more, knowing beforehand of it; and He will 
 take care of His own body. So you need not 
 fear things present or things to come, for your 
 Head is on the throne of the universe. '' In 
 Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead 
 bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is 
 the head of all principality and power " (Col. 2 : 
 9). Christ has made provision for His body; 
 that every member is not only cared for and 
 protected, but that it should grow with the rest 
 of the body. Any member of the body that 
 does not grow is a sad sight. To pro- 
 mote growth, " He gave some, apostles; and 
 some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and 
 some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting 
 of the saints, unto the work of ministering, 
 unto the building up of the body of Christ: till 
 we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and 
 of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full 
 grown man, unto the measure of the stature of 
 the fulness of Christ: that we maybe no longer 
 children, tossed to and fro and carried about 
 with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of 
 men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but 
 speaking truth in love, may grow up in all 
 things unto Him, which is the head, even 
 Christ; in whom all the body fitly framed and 
 knit together through that which every joint 
 supplieth, according to the working of each 
 several part, maketh the increase of the body 
 unto the building up of itself in love " (Eph. 4: 
 11). "Let no man therefore judge you in 
 
BELIEVERS MEMBERS OF HIS BODY. 23 1 
 
 meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or 
 of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days 
 which are a shadow of things to come, but the 
 body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of 
 your reward in a voluntary humility and wor- 
 shipping of angels, intruding into those things 
 which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by 
 his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head, 
 from which all the body by joints and hands 
 having nourishment ministered, and knit to- 
 gether, increaseth with the increase of God. 
 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the 
 rudiments of the world, why, as though living 
 in the world, are ye subject to ordinances 
 (touch not ; taste not ; handle not ; which all 
 are to perish with the using), after the com- 
 mandments and doctrines of men ? Which 
 things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will- 
 worship and humility and neglecting of the 
 body ; not in any honor to the satisfying of the 
 flesh " (Col. 2 : i6). The children of God need 
 these warnings that they may not be misled by 
 infidel teachers, idolatrous churches, or the 
 churches that put their traditions in the place 
 of the Word of God. 
 
 Bear in mind, the visible Church is not the 
 body of Christ. By far the larger part of the 
 visible Church for the last twelve hundred 
 years has been, and now is, Antichrist. They 
 only are members of the body of Christ, who 
 believe His word : believe in Him and in Him 
 alone. In His prayer when with His disciples, 
 
232 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus said, 
 " I have manifested thy name unto the men 
 whom thou gavest me out of the world : thine 
 they were and thou gavest them to me ; and 
 they have kept thy word ; * * * sanctify them 
 in the truth ; thy word is truth. * * * Neither 
 for these only do I pray, but for them also that 
 shall believe on me through their word ; that 
 they may all be one ; even as thou. Father, art 
 in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in 
 us ; that the world may believe that thou didst 
 send me. And the glory which thou hast given 
 me I have given unto them ; that they be one, 
 even as we are one ; I in them, and thou in me, 
 that they may be perfected into one ; that the 
 world may know that thou didst send me, and 
 lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me" (John 
 17 : 6, 17, 20). Believer in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, He who uttered that prayer has all 
 power in heaven and on earth. Receiving and 
 believing in Him you become a child of God 
 (John i: 12) ; a member of His body. You 
 have now an everlasting life (John 3 : 36). All 
 things are working together for your good 
 (Rom. 8 : 28) ; nothing can separate you from 
 His love (Rom. 8 : 39), and all things are now 
 yours (i Cor. 3, 22). Therefore, we are told to 
 grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our 
 Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3 : 18). 
 " Grow up in all things unto him, which is the 
 head, even Christ " (Eph. 4 : 15). As a member 
 of His body and a partaker of His Spirit ; as 
 
BELIEVERS MEMBERS OF HIS BODY. 233 
 
 the members of the body are guided, moved 
 and protected by the head, so must we be con- 
 tinually " looking unto Jesus, the author and 
 finisher of our faith," our Head, for life, for 
 light, for guidance, and for protection. United 
 to Him as members of His body, let Him work 
 through us : and let us give Him the glory. 
 He will not allow any member of His body to 
 be lost. He has said, " Because I live, ye shall 
 live also*' (John 14: 19). "Be strong in the 
 Lord and in the power of his might " (Eph. 
 6 : 10). Say with Paul, " I can do all things 
 through Christ which strengtheth me " (Phil. 
 4 : 13). Members of the body of Christ "should 
 have the same care one for another. And 
 whether one member suffer, all the members 
 suffer with it ; or one member be honored, all 
 the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the 
 body of Christ, and members in particular." 
 (i Cor. 12 : 25), 
 
234 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 CHRIST THE VINE, BELIEVERS IN 
 HIM THE BRANCHES. 
 
 One of the most instructive of the many illus- 
 trations in the Bible of the union of Christ and 
 believers is that of the Vine and its branches. 
 Christ calls Himself the true Vine ; and be- 
 lievers in Him, the branches. It teaches that 
 there must be a continued living union between 
 them, that our life is in Him, and from Him ; 
 and that separated from Him there is no spirit- 
 ual life, no spiritual growth, no fruit or good 
 works that glorify God, or are acceptable to 
 God. ** Without faith it is impossible to please 
 Him"(Heb. ii : 6). "In Jesus Christ, neither 
 circumcision availeth anything, nor incircum- 
 cision ; but faith which worketh by love " (Gal. 
 5:6). "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin " 
 (Rom. 14: 23). Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 
 will show itself in bearing fruit, in good works. 
 "Faith without works is dead" (James i: 17,20). 
 By faith we accept Christ ; by faith we abide in 
 Him. He says, " Come unto me, all ye that 
 labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you 
 rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of 
 me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye 
 shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is 
 easy, and my burden is light" (Matt. 11 : 28). 
 
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES. 235 
 
 When He was on earth, He told His disciples 
 to follow Him. He now invites us not only to 
 come to Him, and cast all our burdens, all our 
 sins on Him ; but He adds. Abide in me, and 
 He promises to abide in us, thus making us 
 one with Him, that we may have in Him con- 
 tinued life, nourishment and growth, and thus 
 produce fruit to the glory of God. Jesus had 
 just told His disciples that He would come 
 with the Father and abide with them. He also 
 promised that the Holy Spirit would abide in 
 them. ** Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that 
 believeth on me, the works that I do shall he 
 do also; and greater works than these shall he 
 do; because I go unto my father. And whatso- 
 ever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, 
 that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 
 If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do 
 it. If ye love me keep my commandments. 
 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give 
 you another Comforter that he may abide with 
 you forever. * * * I will not leave you com- 
 fortless (orphans). I will come to you. Yet a 
 little while, and the world seeth me no more, 
 but ye see me : because I live ye shall live also. 
 At that day ye shall know that I am in my 
 Father, and ye in me, and I in you." * * * Judas 
 saith unto Him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it 
 that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and 
 not unto the world ? Jesus answered, and said 
 unto him, "If a man love me, he will keep my 
 words: and my Father will love him, and we will 
 
236 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 come unto him, and make our abode with him " 
 (John 14 : 12, 18, 22). These promises depend 
 on our coming- to the Lord Jesus Christ ; know- 
 ing Him, receiving Him, believing in Him, 
 loving Him, keeping His word, keeping His 
 commandments, and abiding in Him. Instead 
 of thinking of a dead Christ, of a far distant 
 Christ, of a child Christ, of a Christ on the 
 cross as too many do, the believer can know a 
 living, loving, everpresent Christ, who abides 
 in him, and in whom he abides. He believes 
 His words, " I am the true Vine, and my Father 
 is the husbandman. Every branch in me that 
 beareth not fruit he taketh away : and every 
 branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that 
 it may bear more fruit. Already ye are clean 
 because of the word which I have spoken unto 
 you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch 
 cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the 
 vine ; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. 
 I am the Vine, ye are the branches ; he that 
 abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth 
 forth much fruit : for apart from me ye can 
 do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is 
 cast forth as a branch, and is withered ; and 
 men gather them, and cast them into the fire, 
 and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and 
 my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, 
 and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my 
 Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and 
 so shall ye be my disciples. Even as the Father 
 hath loved me, I also have loved you : abide ye 
 
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES. 237 
 
 in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye 
 shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my 
 Father's commandments, and abide in his 
 love. These things have I spoken unto you, 
 that my joy may be in you, and that your joy 
 may be fulfilled. This is my commandment, 
 that ye love one another, as I have loved you " 
 (John 15 : i). Ye have not chosen me, but I 
 have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye 
 should go and bring forth fruit, and that your 
 fruit should remain : that whatsoever ye shall 
 ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to 
 you" (John 15 : 16 ; 16: 23). "Verily, verily, 
 I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the 
 works that I do shall he do also; and greater 
 works than these shall he do; because T go unto 
 my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my 
 name, that will I do, that the Father may be 
 glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything 
 in my name, I will do it " (John 14: 12). "What 
 ye will." "Whatsoever." "Anything." Be- 
 lieving in Christ, we believe His promises 
 made to us. We can " go boldly " to the throne 
 of grace, with the certainty of having what we 
 ask in His name. We do not go merely as sup- 
 pliants for ourselves, or as suppliants for Him ; 
 but we have His authority to ask in His name. 
 "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will 
 I do." 
 
 We must remember that these promises, 
 again and again repeated, depend on our union 
 with Him; drawing life from Him; partaking of 
 
238 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 His Spirit; moved by Him; He praying through 
 us, the Spirit helping our infirmities; for we 
 know not what we should pray for as we ought. 
 (Rom. 8: 26) Then it will be Christ praying 
 through us. We shall ask only according to His 
 will; and it will be done for us. Believing these 
 words, the child of God looks to the Lord Jesus 
 Christ for everything; lives moment by moment 
 by faith in Him; draws life from Him, as the 
 branchfrom the vine; feeds upon His word, and 
 is constantly growing in spiritual strength by 
 His Spirit working in him; and thus produces 
 fruit to the glory of God abundantly. Paul, writ- 
 ing of the casting away of some of the Jews, and 
 the introduction of the Gentiles into the church, 
 says, "If the root is holy, so are the branches. But 
 if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, 
 being a wild olive, wast grafted in among them, 
 and didst become partaker with them of the 
 root of the fatness of the olive tree; glory not 
 over the branches; but if thou gloriest, it is not 
 thou that bearest the root, but the root thee." 
 (Rom. 11: 16). 
 
 The believer may well rejoice that he is a 
 branch of the Vine and that Jehovah is the 
 husbandman. " The vineyard of the Lord of 
 Hosts is the house of Israel " (Lsai. 5:7). *'Thou 
 hast brought a vine out of Egypt; * * * Re- 
 turn, we beseech thee, O God of Hosts look 
 down from heaven, and behold, and visit the 
 vine; and the vineyard which thy right hand 
 hath planted, and the branch that thou madest 
 
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES. 239 
 
 Strong for thyself" (Psm. 80: 8, 14). "In that 
 day sing ye unto her, a vineyard of red wine. I 
 the Lord do keep it; I will water it every 
 moment : lest any hurt it, I will keep it night 
 and day" (Isai. 27: 2). Christ says: "My 
 Father is the husbandman. Every branch in 
 me that beareth not fruit, He taketh away; and 
 every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, 
 that it may bear more fruit." "Herein is my 
 Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and 
 so shall ye be my disciples" (John 15: i, 8). 
 
 The Parable thus teaches us another very 
 important truth. The child of God must suffer 
 in this life. He must be pruned that he may 
 bear fruit. " Every branch in me that beareth 
 not fruit. He taketh away : and every branch 
 that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may 
 bring forth more fruit" (John 15: 2). The 
 Psalmist wrote, "Many are the afflictions of the 
 righteous; but the Lord delivereth him out of 
 them all" (Psm. 34: 19). " Before I was afflicted 
 I went astray; but now have I kept Thy word." 
 "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, 
 that I might learn Thy statutes." " I know, O 
 Lord, that Thy judgments are right, and 
 that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me" 
 (Psm. 119: 67, 71, 75). The child of God can 
 look upon the removal of loved ones, the loss 
 of health, of propert)'', as prunings of God for 
 our better fruit bearing, and for His glory. 
 Christians are made partakers of the sufferings 
 of Christ, not only those He endured for them, 
 
24© UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 but they also are to suffer for His sake. "For 
 unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not 
 only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for 
 His sake" (Phil, i: 29). " If we suffer, we shall 
 also reign with Him" (2 Tim. 2:12). " But re- 
 joice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's 
 sufferings; that when His glory shall be re- 
 vealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" 
 (i Pet. 4: 13). "But the God of all grace, who 
 hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ 
 Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make 
 you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you" 
 (i Pet. 5: 10). 
 
 As the wind shaking the tree causes it to 
 extend its roots deeper into the soil, so afflic- 
 tions to the Christian causes him to cling more 
 closely to Christ. One of the greatest gifts of 
 the Spirit to the Christian, producing the most 
 precious fruit, is patience and long suffering. 
 " That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto 
 all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, 
 and increasing in the knowledge of God; 
 strengthened with all might, according to His 
 glorious power, unto all patience and long suf- 
 fering with joyfulness" (Col. i: 9). "Strength- 
 ened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; 
 that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; 
 that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 
 * * * and to know the love of Christ, which 
 passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with 
 all the fullness of God" (Eph. 3: 16). " As ye 
 have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, 
 
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES. 241 
 
 SO walk in Him; rooted and built up in Him 
 and stablished in the faith" (Col. 2: 6). 
 
 United to Christ, as a branch is united to the 
 vine, and having Christ and the Holy Spirit 
 abiding in you, you can say, ** I am crucified 
 with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but 
 Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now 
 live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of 
 God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" 
 (Gal. 2: 20). As a living branch in the true 
 Vine you will bear fruit. "Herein is My 
 Father glorified that ye bear much fruit; so 
 shall ye be My disciples" (John 15: 8). **He 
 that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in 
 Him, and He in him. And hereby we know 
 that He abideth in us by the Spirit which He 
 had given us" (i John 3: 24). " He that saith 
 he abideth in Him, ought himself so to walk, 
 even as He walked" (i John 2: 6). "And now, 
 little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall 
 appear, we may have confidence, and not be 
 ashamed before Him at His coming" (i John 2: 
 28). 
 
242 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 UNION OF BELIEVERS WITH CHRIST, 
 
 AND THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE 
 
 FATHER. ONE IN GOD. 
 
 Christ told His disciples *'Ye shall be brought 
 before governors and kings for My sake, for a 
 testimony against them and the Gentiles. But 
 when they deliver you up, take no thought how 
 or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given 
 you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For 
 " it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your 
 Father which speaketh in you" (Matt. lo: i8). 
 **It is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost" 
 (Mark 13: 11). In His last talk with His disci- 
 ples before His crucifixion He said to them that 
 He was going to leave them for a time, and 
 would come again; and that the Holy Spirit 
 would come and abide with them. He said, 
 '* If ye love Me, ye will keep My command- 
 ments. And I will pray the Father, and He 
 shall give you another Comforter, that He may 
 be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth : 
 whom the world cannot receive; for it behold- 
 eth Him not, neither knoweth Him; ye know 
 Him; for He abideth with you, and shall be in 
 you. I will not leave you desolate (orphans); 
 I will come unto you. Yet a little while and 
 the world beholdeth Me no more; but ye be- 
 hold Me; because I live, ye shall live also" 
 
ONE IN CHRIST AND THE FATHER. 24^ 
 
 (John 14: 15). "The Comforter, even the IJoly 
 Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, 
 He shall teach you all things, and bring to your 
 remembrance all that I said unto you" (John 
 14: 26). *'When the Comforter is come, whom 
 I will send unto you from the Father, even the 
 Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the 
 Father, He shall bear witness of Me" (John 15: 
 26). ** 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 go, I will send Him 
 unto you. * * * When He, the Spirit of truth, 
 is come, He shall guide you into all truth" 
 (John 16: 7, 13). 
 
 The believer in the Lord Jesus Christ re- 
 ceives the Holy Spirit to abide in him forever. 
 In fact, he is made a believer by the Holy 
 Spirit, and is born of the Holy Spirit. Jesus 
 told Nicodemus, a ruler, an officer in the Church 
 "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man 
 be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of 
 God." "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except 
 a man be born of water and of the Spirit he 
 cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3: 
 3, 5). John writes: "As many as received Him, 
 to them He gave the right to become children 
 of God, even to them that believe on His name; 
 which were born (begotten), not of blood, nor 
 of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, 
 but of God" (John i: 12). 
 
 The Holy Spirit, dwelling in believers, pro- 
 duces all spiritual life. "Ye are not in the flesh. 
 
244 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God 
 dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the 
 Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" * * * ''But 
 if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from 
 the dead dwelleth in you, He that raised up 
 Christ Jesus from the dead shall quicken also 
 your mortal bodies through His Spirit that 
 dwelleth in you." * * * « For as many as are 
 led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of 
 God." * * * "The Spirit Himself beareth wit- 
 ness with our spirit that we are children of 
 God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, 
 and joint heirs with Christ." * * * "The Spirit 
 also helpeth our infirmity; for we know not how 
 to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself 
 maketh intercession for us with groanings 
 which cannot be uttered; and he that searcheth 
 the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the 
 Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the 
 saints according to the will of God" (Rom. 8: 9, 
 II, 14, 16, 26). 
 
 Christian works, or fruit, although coming 
 through the branches from Christ, the Vine, are 
 ascribed to the Holy Spirit. ** The fruit of the 
 bpiiit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kind- 
 ness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temper- 
 ance" (Gal. 5: 22). 
 
 Spiritual gifts are also ascribed to the Holy 
 Spirit. "To one is given by the Spirit the 
 word of wisdom; to another the word of knowl- 
 edge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the 
 same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by 
 
ONE IN CHRIST AND THE FATHER. 245 
 
 the same Spirit; to another the working of mir- 
 acles; to another prophecy; to another discerning 
 of spirits: to another divers kinds of tongues; 
 to another the interpretation of tongues; but 
 all these worketh that one and the selfsame 
 Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he 
 will" (i Cor. 12: 8). 
 
 Believers will remember that the Holy Spirit 
 is not an influence of God, but is a person in the 
 Godhead. We are to be baptized **into the 
 name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 Holy Ghost" (Matt. 28: 19). The benediction 
 is, " The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and 
 the love of God, and the communion of the 
 Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen." (2 r.Co 
 
 13: 14). 
 
 The Lord Jesus has told us that the Holy 
 Ghost would personally come and dwell in us. 
 Believers are warned, "Grieve not the Holy 
 Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the 
 day of redemption" (Eph. 4: 30). *-Quench not 
 the Spirit" (i Thess. 5: 19). Unbelievers are 
 told that, "whosoever shall blaspheme against 
 the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is 
 guilty of an eternal sin" (Mark 3: 29). "Who- 
 soever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it 
 shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, 
 nor in that which is to come" (Matt. 12: 32). 
 
 The Temple, with its priesthood and ceremo- 
 nial service, having served as a type, has passed 
 away. As Christ told the woman of Samaria, 
 '•Ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at 
 
246 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 Jerusalem, worship the Father. * * * God is a 
 Spirit: and they that worship Him must wor- 
 ship Him in spirit and in truth" (John 4: 21, 24). 
 Isaiah 700 years before Christ wrote, " For thus 
 saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth 
 eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the 
 high and holy place, with him also that is of a 
 contrite and humble spirit; to revive the spirit 
 of the humble, and to revive the heart of the 
 contrite ones" (Isai. 57: 15). Paul tells the 
 Athenians, "God that made the world and all 
 things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven 
 and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with 
 hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands 
 as though He needed anything, seeing He giv- 
 eth to all life, and breath, and all things. ♦ * * 
 for in Him we live, and more, and have our be- 
 ing" (Acts. 17: 24, 28). The children of God 
 are now the temple of God; for God the Holy 
 Ghost abides in them, " know ye not that ye are 
 the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God 
 dwelleth in you ?" (i Cor. 3: 16). "What! know 
 ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy 
 Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, 
 and ye are not your own ? For ye are bought 
 with a price: therefore glorify God in your 
 body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (i 
 Cor. 6: 19). "Be ye not unequally yoked to- 
 gether with unbelievers: for what fellowship 
 hath righteousness with unrighteousness ? and 
 what communion hath light with darkness ? and 
 what concord hath Christ with Belial ? or what 
 
ONE IN CHRIST AND THE FATHER. 247 
 
 part hath he that believeth with an infidel ? And 
 what agreement hath the temple of God with 
 idols ? for ye are the temple of the living God; 
 as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and 
 walk in them; and I will be their God, and they 
 shall be my people. Wherefore come out from 
 among them, and be ye separate, saith the 
 Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I 
 will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, 
 and ye shall be My sons, and daughters, saith 
 the Lord Almighty" (2 Cor. 6: 16). 
 
 Receiving the Lord Jesus Christ, and united 
 to Him, as the hand or foot is to the head of the 
 body; drawing life from Him, as the branch 
 does from the vine; and having the Holy Spirit 
 dwelling in us, making us the temple of God; 
 we can say ** truly our fellowship is with the 
 Father, and His Son Jesus Christ. * * * If we 
 walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have 
 fellowship one with another" (i John i: 3, 7). 
 
 Union with Christ is union with all those who 
 believe in Christ, and who walk in the light, 
 as He is in the light." It is not a union with in- 
 fidel or idolatrous churches calling themselves 
 Christian. The prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ 
 has been fulfilled ever since it was uttered. 
 " Neither pray I for these alone, but for them 
 also which shall believe on Me through their 
 word; that they all may be one; as thou, 
 Father, art in me, and I in Thee, that they also 
 may be one in us: that the world may believe 
 that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which 
 
248 UNION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they 
 may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and 
 Thou in Me; that they may be perfect in one; 
 and that the world may know that Thou hast 
 sent Me, and has loved them, as Thou hast 
 loved Me" (John 17: 20). 
 
 As a member of the body of Christ, as a 
 branch of the Vine Christ, as the temple of the 
 Holy Ghost, as one with Christ, with the Holy 
 Ghost, and with the Father: the believer is one 
 with God. Although he may, for his own eter- 
 nal good, and for the glory of God, be called to 
 suffer pain, poverty, sickness, bereavement, 
 persecution, and bodily death; yet he knows 
 that all these things and all other things are 
 working together for his good; that all things 
 present and to come are now his; and that he 
 has now an everlasting life, which no being can 
 take from him; for his life is hid with Christ in 
 God. When Christ, who is our life, shall ap- 
 pear, then shall ye also appear with Him in 
 glory" (Col. 3: 3). "Fear thou not, for I am 
 with thee; be not disrnayed, for I am thy God. 
 I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; 
 yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of 
 My righteousness. For I, Jehovah, thy God 
 will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee: 
 Fear not, I will help thee" (Isai. 41: 10, 13, 14). 
 "When thou passest through the waters, I will 
 be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall 
 not overflow thee; when thou walkest through 
 the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall 
 
ONE IN CHRIST AND THE FATHER. 249 
 
 the flame kindle upon thee. For I am Jehovah, 
 thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour" 
 (Isai. 43: 3). "He hath said, I will never leave 
 thee, not forsake thee" (Heb. 13: 5). "Because 
 I live, ye shall live also'* (John 14: 19). 
 
 "Now the God of peace, that brought again 
 from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shep- 
 herd of the sheep, through the blood of the 
 everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in 
 every good work to do His will, working in you 
 that which is well pleasing in His sight, through 
 Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and 
 ever. Amen." (Heb. 13: 20). 
 
 " Soul, then know thy full salvation. 
 
 Rise o'er sin, and fear and care; 
 Joy, to find in every station 
 
 Something still to do or bear. 
 Think what Spirit dwells within thee; 
 
 Think what Father's smiles are thine; 
 Think that Jesus died to win thee! 
 Child of God, canst thou repine?" 
 
 " Haste thee on from grace to glory. 
 
 Armed by faith, and winged by prayer! 
 Heaven's eternal day's before thee, 
 
 God's own hand shall guide thee there. 
 Soon shall close thy earthly mission. 
 
 Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days, 
 Hope shall change to glad fruition. 
 
 Faith to sight, and prayer to praise." 
 
THE "I AM'' OF JESUS. 
 
 Before Abraham was, I am. — 
 John 8: 58. 
 
 I am the light of the world.— 
 John 8: 12. 
 
 I am the door. — John 10: 7. 
 
 I am the way, the truth, and the 
 life.-John 14: 6 
 
 I am the living bread. — John 6- 51 
 
 I am the bread of life.— John 6 35 
 
 I am the true vine. — John 15: 1, 
 
 I am the good shepherd. — John 
 10: 11, 14. 
 
 I am the resurrection, and the 
 life.-John 11: 25. 
 
 1 am with you alway.— Matt.28 20 
 
 I am. with thee. — Acts 18: 10, 
 
 There am T in the midst of them. 
 —Matt. 18: 20. 
 
 I am Alpha and Omega, the be- 
 ginning and the ending. — Rev. 1: &. 
 
 I am the first and the last.— Rev. 
 1: 17. 
 
 I am from above I am not 
 
 of this world.— John g: 23. 
 
 I am alive for evermore.— Rev. 
 1: 18. 
 
 I am Jesus whom thou perse- 
 cutest.— Acts 9: 5. 
 
 Be with me where I am.— John 
 17: 24. 
 
 THE *'ME" OF JESUS. 
 
 Ye believe in God, believe also in 
 me.— John 14: 1. 
 
 All things are delivered unto me. 
 —Matt. 11: 27. 
 
 All power is given unto me in 
 heaven and in earth.— Matt. 28 18. 
 
 He that hath seen me hath seen 
 the Father.— John 14: 9. 
 
 Whosoever liveth and believeth 
 in me shall never die. — John 11: 26. 
 
 He that believeth on me hath 
 everlasting life.-John 6: 47. 
 
 Come unto me, all ye that labour 
 and are heavy laden. — Matt. 11: 28. 
 
 Him that comcth to me I will m 
 no wise cast out. — John vi: 37. 
 
 He that Cometh to me shall never 
 hunger. — John 6: 35. 
 
 He that believeth on me shall 
 never thirst. — John 6: 35. 
 
 No man cometh unto the Father, 
 but by me.— 'John 14: 6. 
 
 In me ye might have peace. — 
 John 16: 33. 
 
 By me if any man enter in, he 
 shall be saved.— John 10: 9. 
 
 Follow me.— Matt. 8: 22 ; 9: 9 ; 
 Mark 8: 34; 10: 21. 
 
 Follow me, and I will make you 
 fishers of men. — Matt. 4: 19. 
 
 He that followeth me shall not 
 walk in darkness. — John 8: 12. 
 
 They follow me: and I give unto 
 them eternal life.-John 10: 27, 28. 
 
 Abide in me, and I in you.— John 
 15: 4. 
 
 Ye did it not to me.— Matt. 25:45. 
 
 He that abideth in me, and I in 
 him. — John 15: 5. 
 
 Without me ye can do nothing. 
 —John 15: 5. 
 
 As thou Father, art in me, and I 
 in thee.— John 17: 21. 
 
 He that eateth me, even he shall 
 live by me.— John 6 : 57. 
 
 .Suffer the httle children to come 
 unto me.— Mark 10: 14. 
 
 Learn of me.— Matt. 11: 29. 
 
 Whosoever will come after me.— 
 Mark 8: 34. 
 
 Ye have done it unto me, — Matt. 
 25: 40. 
 
 If any man serve me, let him fol- 
 low me.— John 12: 26. 
 
 He that receiveth you receiveth 
 me.— Matt. 10: 40. 
 
 He that loveth father or mother 
 more that me. — Matt. 10: 37. 
 
 He that is not with me is against 
 me.— Matt. 12. 30. 
 
 He that gathertth not with me 
 scattereth.— Matt, 12: 30. 
 
 Whosoever therefore shall be 
 ashamed of me.— Mark 8; 38. 
 
 I, if I be lifted up.... will draw 
 all men unto me.— John 12: 32. 
 
 Whosoever therefore shall confess 
 me before men.— Matt. 10 32. 
 
 Ye shall be witnesses unto me. — 
 Acts 1: 8. 
 
 If a man love me, he will keep 
 my words.— John 14: 23. 
 
 To-day shalt thou be with me in 
 paradise —Luke 23: 43. 
 
GOD DWELLING IN US. 
 
 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in 
 him, and he in God.— 1 John 4: 15. 
 
 I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that 
 he may abide with you forever ; even the Spirit of truth ; whom the 
 world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him ; 
 but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.— John 
 14: 16, 17. 
 
 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God 
 dwelleth in you ?— 1 Cor. 3: 16. 
 
 What ! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, 
 -which is in you ?- 1 Cor. 6: 19. 
 
 For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell 
 in them, and walk in them. — 2 Cor. 6: 16. 
 
 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus 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, — Rom. 8: 11. 
 
 And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath 
 given us. — 1 John 8: 24. 
 
 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us ; because he hath 
 given us of his Spirit.— 1 John 4: 13. 
 
 Lo, I am with you alway, e7>en unto the end of the world. — Matt. 28: 20. 
 
 As thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in 
 us.— John 17: 21. I in them, and thou in me.— John 17; 23. That the 
 love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.— 
 John 17: 26. 
 
 I am in my Father; and ye in me, and I in you.— John 14: 20. 
 
 If a man love me, he will keep my words : and my Father will love him, 
 and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. — John 14: 28. 
 
 BELIEVERS SAVED. 
 
 He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.— John 6: 47. I give unto 
 them eternal life; and they shall never perish.— John 10: 28. Because I 
 live, ye shall live also. — John 14: 19. 
 
 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. — John 3: 86. And 
 shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. — 
 John 5: 24. 
 
 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is bom of God.— 1 John 
 5: 1. Beloved, now are we the sons of God.— 1 John 8: 2. We know 
 that we have passed from death unto life. — 1 John 3: 14. 
 
 And this is the record, that God bath given to us eternal life. These 
 things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of 
 God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life. — 1 John 5: 11, 13. 
 
 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be par- 
 takers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who hath delivered us from 
 the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his 
 dear Son ; in whom we have redemption through his blo<xi. evgn- the- 
 forgiveness of sins.— CoL 1 : lt-14. See Horn. 8 : 1, 88, 39 ; 5,rt. 
 
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 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA UBRARY