(Concluded from page 73)

The Scriptural Position. Having looked at each part of the "trilemma," we ask now, Is there a path for the people of God, or must we admit that we are left helpless and deserted ? To ask such a question is to answer it, for has our Lord not said, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee ? " We take it for granted therefore that God has a path for His people, no matter how great our failure and the consequent confusion about us; let us then seek to find that path.

A glance at the constitution of the Church as laid down in Scripture will be well; as this, after all, is the abiding principle which is to govern the saints of God.

The Mystery which was committed to the apostle Paul was, we may say, a twofold one, although one was the basis upon which the other rested. " Having made known unto us the mystery of His will . . . that in the dispensation of the fulness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ" (Eph. i:9, 10). " By revelation He made known unto me the mystery . . . which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men . . . that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel" (Eph. 3:3-6). Here we see Christ as Head over all things to the Church which is His body-a unity as complete and absolute as it is possible to conceive. In the light of this, not only are all sects and parties forbidden, as in i Cor. i, but the unity of the body is a circle of life and of fellowship in which every member has a divinely-given place and part, and where the thought of schism in the spiritual body is as foreign to the truth as in the natural body. Thus in whatever way we look at the Church, whether locally or universal, this truth of the one body is the ruling principle in all activity, teaching and government.

Applying this truth to that phase of the assembly which is before us, we see that the action of the Spirit of God in one place is for all saints everywhere. Mark, we say the action of the Spirit, not of man; for men may act, even as an assembly, contrary to the word of God, and this cannot be bound upon the people of God. But there is, we may say, a presumption that the act of an assembly is according to the mind of God, unless it is proved not to be so. The unity of the Spirit is co-extensive with the unity of the body, and were the Church in a normal condition, the fellowship resulting from this would be as complete.

But alas, the Church has failed to maintain this truth or meet its responsibilities. The result is that
false doctrine, worldliness, and fleshly lusts have sapped its strength. Without being critical, we cannot close our eyes to the sad fact that the professing Church is a mixture :it is no longer the "house of God, the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth," but has become a "great house," with all kinds of vessels, some to honor and some to dishonor. The scripture just partly quoted marks the path of those who would be faithful:" If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honor, sanctified and meet for the Master's use."

There is, then, laid down in God's word a path of separation from that which is contrary to Him:" Let everyone that nameth the name of the Lord, depart from iniquity." This iniquity maybe moral, doctrinal or ecclesiastical, or any of these combined. It may refer to individuals, or to association with that which is not of God. If it does not refer to associations, then it does not warrant separation from a disorderly system.

Acting upon this scripture, many of the Lord's people have seen it right to withdraw from the various religious denominations in Protestantism as well as Christendom generally, and have sought to act upon the simple directions of God's word, both those which provide for a day of failure, and the more general provisions for the Church as a whole. More and more clearly have divine principles shone out, and more and more thoroughly has God tested what has been done.

These testings have brought out the weak points in the testimony, at some of which we have already been looking. There have been testings as to whether the Spirit of God was truly the leader and the power for saints as gathered for worship; as to whether clerisy was to have a place, or whether there should be absolute freedom for the Spirit of God, according to His word. There have also been further testings as to whether the honor of the Son of God was to be maintained or not-whether His person could be degraded by unsound teaching.

There have been further testings, in which the danger has been in the direction of undue severity. At some of these we have been already looking. In general, we may sum them up under several heads:1:There must be forbearance in the matter of doctrine when fundamental doctrine is not involved. 2. There must be liberty of ministry both written and oral, with like limitations. 3. Righteousness alone is binding upon the consciences of the people of God. There is no such thing as an ecclesiastical authority when it is contrary to the word of God. We may have occasion to enlarge upon these a little later, but this must suffice for the present.

These testings have resulted in various divisions among saints professedly gathered in the simplicity of divine truth to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherever fundamental truth has been involved, deeply as we deplore the necessity for it, we can thank God for those who have departed from iniquity rather than bring dishonor upon our Lord's name. But wherever there has been no such issue, a division has contradicted the truth and marred the testimony of God. With whomsoever the responsibility rests of making such a division, a sectarian spirit or position will be found directly contrary to the word of God. Such a division may have been produced through ignorance. Indeed we are slow learners at best, and need to be led on in God's truth. Where there is willingness to be thus led, there should be no difficulty in applying Scripture to the past, and judging what has not been according to its truth.

It must be further evident that it is a matter of first importance to gather the true principles of a scriptural testimony; for if we are not clear as to our principles, we cannot expect our practice to be scriptural.

We must remember one most important point:truth must be recognized wherever we find it. If we forget this, we shall probably find ourselves antagonizing truth because it is connected with something that has also elements of error in it. We have already sought to point out the various scriptural elements in the positions we have described. These elements are binding upon us. We are to recognize and adopt them for our guidance in seeking to maintain a scriptural position.

Our task then ought to be a very simple one. We have simply to take everything that is scriptural in each of these positions, and combining all that we thus find, together with any other scripture bearing upon the subject, we will have that which God's word approves, and in which faith can walk.

1. We select therefore the same scriptures which have passed before us. From Matthew 18, we learn that the Lord has promised His presence to those gathered to His name. We therefore seek to own that Name, to be subject to that authority alone. As thus gathered, and acting according to that word and authority, we know that all done is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit; what is "bound" on earth-by the word of God-is bound in heaven. Sins remitted or retained by a little company acting in obedience to the authority of our Lord, as expressed in His word, are recognized as so remitted or retained by all who own that authority.

2. We recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in the house of God (i Cor. 3:16), and seek to give Him His place to lead and to apply the word of God. We know that He ever acts according to that Word, and that He encourages the examination of everything in the light of that Word. We thus recognize the assembly of God as the pillar and ground of the truth. All this therefore we take:not refusing it because it is also held by those who claim divine authority for their acts, whether in accordance with the word of God or not. We refute what is wrong in their position by the very scriptures they hold.

3. Similarly, we welcome the scriptures presented by those who urge a metropolitan or presbyterial control. We recognize with them the importance of a multitude of counselors; that we are members one of another; that the unity of the body and of the Spirit are to be our guiding principles as well as theirs.

4. Nor must we hesitate to own the binding forces of Scripture presented by those who hold to local independency. When they tell us that the Church is composed of " all who in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours," we gladly acknowledge its truth. When we are exhorted to " receive one another as Christ also hath received us," we accept the scripture in the full sense of its meaning. They too with ourselves claim the truth of the one Body and of the one Spirit. Indeed, if we are to be in the current of the Spirit of God, we must welcome and hold fast all His word. Thus only will we be guarded on the right hand and on the left; then only kept from the extremes to which we are so prone.

It is not with Scripture that we are to contend, but with faulty interpretation or wrong application of Scripture. It has been said that "All error is part truth:" there are elements of truth in every Christian system; and we readily admit it. It has also been said that erroneous views are "right in what they affirm, wrong in what they deny." If affirmation means the affirmation of Scripture, it is certainly true. It is true that denials are usually what is wrong. The Unitarian-to use an extreme case-is right in saying Jesus was a man; he is fatally wrong when he says He is not God.

So in the various positions we have examined, they are right in their affirmations of scripture truth, but wrong in their denial of other scripture truth. They who claim "local infallibility" are right in affirming that what is bound (truly) on earth is bound in heaven; but they are radically wrong when they deny that righteousness is the necessary test of every action. The advocate of metropolitan oversight is right in affirming brotherly care and counsel; wrong in denying that this care extends to the whole assembly throughout the world. He who pleads for independency is right in affirming the local responsibility, but wrong in denying the link that binds together the whole Church, and makes each assembly & participant in the discipline and order of each other-responsible therefore to consider all questions in a godly way that may arise as to any action. And so we might go on, selecting everything that is scriptural and true, refusing everything that is not.

The result of this prayerful, godly consideration will leave us with a mass of precious truth, sifted out from what mars or counteracts it. This truth- all of it-will be added to as our knowledge of God's word is enlarged and co-ordinated by the Holy Spirit; later aspects of truth may modify earlier ones-the mind must be kept open. But we shall have, through grace, eliminated what has marked each of the positions we have considered-and others possibly-as unscriptural. We still find, as we go on, that while we shall ever need grace and love to walk aright, the aspects of things become clearer, and that a true scriptural position is possible.

What then will this position be ? Having already pointed out the unscriptural features in the three positions examined, we will now briefly state what will mark a true position. We confine ourselves to the questions directly connected with assembly order and fellowship.

First, the local assembly, as gathered to the name of our Lord, may count upon His presence and guidance through His word and Spirit.

Next, as linked with the people of God everywhere, and as united in a common recognition of God's order with other assemblies gathered similarly with itself, the local gathering is acting for all other assemblies. It must therefore be open for the fullest examination and counsel from the Lord's people elsewhere. Often, when there are local difficulties, the presence, prayers and counsel of saints from a distance is necessary. Such presence should be asked for by the local assembly, or if offered, should be promptly accepted. There must be no barrier between the assemblies, no feeling that brethren from elsewhere are "intruding." This is most important.

Third, where there is a question as to the act of a local gathering, such question can only be raised and decided at the place where the original act took place. There is no such thing as appealing from one assembly to another, as taking the matter out of the hands of the first. All appeals must be made to an assembly, and every effort made to enlighten or deliver them if wrong.

Fourth, the one infallible standard is, not Church authority, nor the plea of "the Lord's presence," or of being "gathered to the Lord's name," but righteousness as laid down in the word of God. If they speak not according to this, the action is to be refused, though supported by a majority, even by all.

Fifth, the greatest patience, longsuffering and forbearance must be observed. Haste may often stumble the weak, and turn their minds from the true point at issue to some minor detail.

Sixth, when every effort to reach a right judgment has failed, when every protest has been exhausted, it is the manifest duty of saints to separate from unrighteousness which they cannot control. There should be no hesitation or uncertainty. It is as much the path of faith as when the face was first turned to the Lord from any "system" which was contrary to the word of God. But let it be remembered that God has provided a divinely-suited means for reaching- and helping in local disorders. It is the unity of the Spirit which leads saints from elsewhere to come to the help of their brethren. If this provision is ignored, we need not be surprised that divisions easily occur.
Seventh, above all and in all, let the spirit of faith and prayer be encouraged. "Without Me ye can do nothing." In times of trial and difficulty, Satan often seeks to turn saints from faith and prayer. If these are lacking, we need not be surprised to find ourselves drifting into unscriptural harshness and ecclesiastical pride, or an equally unscriptural indifference to the truth of God and His order.

May He, indeed, who loved the Church and gave Himself for it, guide our hearts and feet into His ways.

It is believed that in what has been before us, we have a principle to guide us not merely in the present, but to enable us go over the past and detect the causes of much that has been a grief and shame to our Lord. F we see the truth, it enables us to judge all that is not according to it, and to act in the simplicity of faith.

If it be asked, What is that action ? We reply, to "Cease to do evil," to cease to maintain unscriptural principles, or to uphold unscriptural practices. It means to " learn to do well;" to begin-slowly and carefully, but firmly and happily-to act upon all that we now see to be the truth.

It is most important to see that God has not established a succession, except the succession of truth; that we have no "ground" to maintain, but to stand upon the ground of truth; no "table " to uphold, but rather to seek to walk worthy of the table of the Lord.

Doubtless, it will be a relief to acknowledge where there has been failure in the past, and this should be made fully and simply-not "grudgingly or of necessity," nor as a hard exaction, but rather as a relief to the conscience, and as due to the Lord. After all, it is not so much apportioning of blame to one company or another, but rather all uniting in a common lowly judgment of self and of the pride and worldliness that has hindered our seeing more clearly the mind of God, and walking' more simply to our Lord's praise. May the time past suffice for those things which have grieved Him, and may the little time remaining be devoted to a united prayerful endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. S. R.