Throne-life

Front matter

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Chapter I

Introductory — The Unity of the Divine Economy IN Nature and Grace 11-35

An Inspired Parallelism 12

The Typical Mould 12

The Basis-Connection 13

The Key- Words 14

The Normal Order of the Key-Words 17

God's Typical Plan in Nature 17

God's Anti-Typical Plan in Grace 24

The Key-Words in the light of the Incarnation. . 25

The Divine Evolution 25

The Eternal Prevision 28

Adjunctive Human Testimony 30

The Secret of the Darkness 33

Chapter II

The Believer's Apprehension of Christ's Death.. 42 The Believer's Apprehension of Christ's Resur-

tion 43

The Believer's Apprehension of Christ's Exaltation 49 vi Contents.

CHAPTER III. The Need Felt 53

The Need Analyzed 60

The First Comparison — The Two Adams 61

The Second Comparison — The Two Israels 64

The Snare of Success 84

The Snare of Suspense 88

The Snare of Satisfaction 91

CHAPTER IV. The Possibility of Thkone-Life 96-136

The First Consideration — Scripture Statements

as to Our Enthronement with Christ 98

The Second Consideration — The Office of the

Holy Spirit to Interpret to us our Heavenly

Association 101 .

The Third Consideration — The Province of

Faith to Realize Our Association 119

CHAPTER V. The Associated Privileges of Throne-Power 137

The Locality of Throne-Power 142

The Nature and Measure of Throne-Power 145

The Occasions of Throne-Power 150

The Essential Man-ward Element in Throne- Power 159

The Modes in which Throne-Power is Exhibited. 167

CHAPTER VI. How TO Attain Throne-Life 183-213

I. The Inquiring Believer Dealing with Himself. 184

Contents. vii

Case 1. Satanic Assault Through Doubts 184

Case 2. Satanic Assault Through Blasphemous

or Disgusting Suggestions 185

Case 3. Satanic Assault Through Mysterious Im- 186

pressions, Voices, or Visions 186

Case 4. Satanic Assault Through Invalidism 187

Case 5. Satanic Assault Through Thwarted Evangelistic, Pastoral, or Christian Service 188

Case 6. Satanic Assault Through Perversion of

Natural Graces and Gifts 189

Case 7. Satanic Assault Through Trial. 190

II. The Inquiring Believer Dealing with Scripture 191

1 . Searching for the Facts of Doctrine 192

2. Searching for the Key to the Kealization of the Facts 193

3. Using the Key when Found 194

4. The Key Opens the Door to Experience 196

III. The Inquiring Believer Dealing with Satan. 198

The Order of Battle 198

The Result of the Battle 200

IV. Some Actual Instances of Attainment 201

Instance 1 201

Instance 2 203

Instance 3 . 204

Instance 4 205

Instance 5 2Q7

V. How to Maintain the Experience 212

CHAPTER VII. Hindrances to Attaininient 214-236

First Hindrance : Imperfect Desire 216

Second Hindrance : Sentimental Head-Knowledge of the Doctrine 218 viii Contents,

Third Hiudrance : Current Proverbs, and Traditions of the Elders 219

Fourth Hindrance : Remnants of Self-Confldence. 220

Fifth Hindrance : Seeking the Realization of an Experience, Rather than the Realization of Christ in Experience 221

Sixth Hindrance : Inadequate Apprehension of the Scriptures 222

Seventh Hindrance : Neglecting to Tarry at Gilgal 224

Eighth Hindrance : Failure to Discern that it is the Purpose of the Holy Ghost to Over-lap and Antedate the Dispensations in our Experience, by Imparting Earnests of the Fulness to Come, in Proportion to our Faith 228

Preface

It may be best to inform the readers of this little volume, that, if they begin with the second chapter, they will arrive at a clear view of the contents. Indeed, most readers will do well to omit the first chapter on a first perusal of the book, as it is only remotely introductory^ while the second chapter is immediately so.

Although the author believes that the conception of thought, and the line of investigation here presented may be regarded, when taken as a whole, as in a manner new, yet he is aware that, as will be obvious to all, many of the detached portions of the subject treated, and also of its combinations, are only fruits of the study and suggestion of others. Indeed, in the chapter on ''The 'Need of Throne-life," the author has drawn largely from a very suggestive

X Preface, *

and interesting book entitled, '' The Satan of Scripture," by Rev. James Ormiston.*

A portion of the fifth chapter, on the ''Power in Throne-life," was originally contributed by the author to the The Watchiuord^ in an article designated, ''Ideal Faith."

And now, whatever each reader's judgment may be concerning the degree of spiritual benefit he derives from reading, the author's purpose in preparing and publishing has been most praj^erful ; and therein he believes he has been divinely guided. Therefore he now commits the volume, for circulation, interpretation, and edification, unto the providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church ; whose Name is blessed forevermore !

*Publislied by John F; Shaw & Co., London, and to be obtained at the office of "The Watchword," Boston. Price $1.50.

Boston, Mass., Sept. 26th, 1888.

THRONE-LIFE.

Chapter I. Introductory

THE UNITY OF THE DIVINE ECONOMY IN NATURE AND GRACE.

TT has been well said, that all there is of God is in the Father ; all that may be seen of God is in the Son : and all that may be felt of God is in the Spirit. In our salvation all the Three-in- One are active. Ultimate salvation, progressing from faith to faith, from strength to strength, and from glory to glory, embraces at the first, an experience of union ^?^ Christ tuith the Father, and finally of union with Christ in the Father ; * as it is purposed by the Father, secured by the Son, and applied by the Spirit. Sinful man was far distant from the holy God, yet God loved man and yearned towards him ;

and ordained an At-one-ment through Jesus Christ. Our salvation, in its conscious beginning in regeneration, and in its conscious continuance in Divine fellowship, centers in Christ ; whether viewed as purposed by the Father, or applied by the Spirit. The Father has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son,* and we are "changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." t

AN INSPIRED PARALLELISM.

The foregoing truths will all open up to our view, as not only established in the eternal counsels of the Infinite, but as also divinely harmonized with the pre-arranged system of all things, if we but patiently trace the inspired parallelism to be observed between the opening verses of the book of Genesis, the first portion of the Gospel of John, and the beginning of the first epistle of John.

THE TYPICAL MOULD.

The successive topics presented in these passages of Scripture are : the Divine process in physical creation, the Divine process in spiritual re-creation or regeneration, and the Divine process in maintaining spiritual vitality in the regenerated. And these passages, taken together, exhibit the fact that the Divine plan of operation in nature, through our Lord Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word, is the typical mould for the Divine plan of operation in grace, through Jesus Christ as the God-Man.

THE BASIS-CONNECTION.

Observe the evident basis-connection between these portions of Scripture as to two particulars. First, the date with which each record starts is th€ same : ''In the beginning God " ; ''In the beginning was the Word"; "That which was from the beginning." Secondly, each passage exhibits the plurality in the God-head: "In the beginning God \_EloKim^ one of several Hebrew plural names for the Deity,] created the heavens," etc. ; "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God"; "That which was from the beginning . . . the Word of Life : for the Life was manifested . . . that Eternal Life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us."

There is yet a third particular serving to connect the passage in Genesis with that in the Gospel of John, since both affirm that the Divine utterance originated the work of creation in its successive stages. In Genesis we read, that '^ God said, Let there be light ; " '' Let there be a firmament ; " '' Let the dry land appear," etc. ; and in the Gospel we read, that all things were made by the Eternal Word, " and without Him was not anything made that was made." This will suffice to settle the evident basis-connection between the passages.

THE KEY-WORDS.

The parallelism in the structure and progress of thought in the three passages may be perceived by tracing the similar use of certain key-words, or their equivalent ideas, in the treatment of the themes proper to each passage ; the themes being, as already stated, the Divine process in creation, the Divine process in spiritual re-creation or regeneration, and the Divine process in the maintenance of spiritual vitality in the regenerated. These key-words, or their equivalent ideas, are the following: ''darkness," '' light,'' ''life," and " word."

Thus : as to the first term in the list, there is a condition of " darkness" depicted in all three passages. In Genesis, it is the physical darkness of chaos that is designated — "darkness was upon the face of the deep ; " in the Gospel , it is the dense carnal darkness of the unrei^enerate — "the lioht shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not ; " and in the Epistle, it is the spiritual darkness which is wont to re-gather about the pathway of the regenerated when they stray beyond the condition of Divine communion — " If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth."

The Divine mind is portrayed in these passages as being correspondingly averse to the chaotic, physical darkness depicted in Genesis, and the spiritual darkness presented in the

Gospel and Epistle : and as alike proceeding to overcome these conditions, and after similar methods. Moreover, in each case we see that the power of the light in dissipating the darkness meets with only partial success ; the Divine alternative, then, being to separate the newly created light from the remaining undissipated darkness. Thus : in Genesis the undissipated darkness, called "Night," co-exi«ts with the light, called ''Day," but divided from it; and, analogously, in the Gospel and the Epistle, the spiritual light and the undissipated spiritual darkness are both present, but apart and distinct. And this accords with other Scripture : "For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial ? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel ? . . . Wherefore, Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord" (2 Cor. 6 : 14-17).

Thus, in the relation which the above ideas of light and darkness hold to each other in these passages of Scripture, we see that the Divine action in nature prefigures the Divine action in grace. But this will become plainer still by considering these terms, '^ light" and ''darkness," in their connection with the other terms already mentioned, " life" and " word." And, on examination, we discover that

THE NOEMAL OKDER OF THE KEY-WORDS,

or of their equivalent ideas, as the case may be, is that, in the procession of influence to antagonize the ''darkness," the "light" emerges from the "life," and the "life" from the "word" ; so that the "word" always lies back of the "life," and the "life" back of the "light." To observe this clearly, let us compare the typical and anti-typical plans of God, as presented in these passages.

god's typical plan in nature.

In Genesis — the book of truths in the germ, which are expressed in statements that bud and blossom into their maturity of meaning only under the focal rays of Scripture further on — we find but one of the three allied terms in the letter of the text, the term ''light": "And God said, Let there be light, and there was light " The two other allied terms are found present in their equivalent ideas ; one in the text just cited, and the other in the context. The term '' word," in the aspect of the Word that was with God in the beginning, and was God, and created all things, is found, by implication, in the statement of the Divine utterance, ''And God said " ; and the term '' life " is impliedly present in the previous verse, in the mention of the agency of the Holy Spirit, ''And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."

If now, the alleged rule holds as to the order of the terms, then in the instance of the birth of light as here narrated, the power of " life" should intervene between the Divine "word" of command and the resultino- ''lio:ht." And SO, in fact, though it is not stated in the conciseness of the letter, it would seem that it must have intervened, if scientific truth is to be found in either of the views which scholars hold concerning the nature of light ; neither view being in conflict with the teachings of Scripture. There are two prominent theories regarding light. What is known as the '' Mocle-of-motion theory" was adopted, after some hesitation, by Newton, and has been the currently accepted view among scientists ever since. The other is the opposing theory of what is designated " the Substantial Philosophy," and has been advanced within a few years w^ith much ability. We crave the reader's patience while we touch upon each of these views, and recall wiiat is possibly familiar, in order to make good our statement above.

According to the first theory, light is the etfect of ceaseless and inconceivably rapid vibrations or undulations in a tenuous, invisible substance called " ether," aflSrmed to be universal in space. If this is so, then, at the creation of light, the primal luminous waves of motion must have been propagated by the impulse of an infinite force, resident in an intelligent and infinite Life, in response to, and in co-operation with the Divine Word of command. Now, just such an adequate life-force we have seen to be already actively present in the moving — Dr. Young translates it " fluttering " — of the Spirit of God upon the face of the waters. And, moreover, from Job 26 : 13, and Psalm 104 : 30, we learn that the Divine Spirit was the executive of the Godhead in the work of creation ; and from Romans 8:2, that He is "the Spirit of the life [whether physical, psychical, or spiritual life] in Christ Jesus," who ''in the beginning was with God," and " was God," and by whom " all things were made," and in whom "was life" (John 1: 1-4), so that He was "from the beginning, the Word of Life" (1 John 1 : 1). Thus, consistently with possible truth in this theory, we have the alleged order of the foregoing key-words established.

The recent and opposite theory denies the existence of any universal ether, and, of course, the possibility of the undulations, and affirms, instead, that light is far more than a mere result of motion ; that, though it is immaterial, it is a veritable entity, and one of a set of kindred but distinct entities, of the nature of forces, among which are heat, magnetism, electricity, gravity, and other familiar agents. These forces are regarded as ever-existent, though they may not always be apparent in producing phenomena, nor even immediately engaged in producing, since it is believed they may act singly, or in combination, or may, in accordance with the Divine purpose, be recalled into, and unite with the parent fountain of all force in God.

Now, if one accredits this theory, why then, it is hardly otherwise than conceivable that the Divine X2/fe-force, already seen to be actively present in the realm of benighted nature, in the fluttering of the Spirit upon the waters, conjoined with the Divine Word-ioxQe in projecting the physical force of light athwart the primeval darkness. Here, then, w^e have again the same order of the key- words established.

But here, some of our readers may scruple as to whether all that we contend for as to the order of the terms, while it may not be inconsistent with the truth of either theory, is equal 1}^ satisfactory when placed beside the brief simplicity of the verse in Genesis, ''And God said, Let there be light, and there was light." It may be felt that we are straining the Scripture, and forcing a meaning, by interpolating statements which the inspired Word will not admit. An additional pause is therefore needed to show that other portions of the first chapter of Genesis virtually authorize the interpolated meaningobjected to, by giving similar brief and simple statements, which are immediately followed by explanatory verses — verses so constructed as to serve, when connected with other Scriptures, to confirm us in holding the conclusions regarding the order of the key-words which we have stated.

For instance, in verses 14, 15, w^e have the concise statement, ''Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night: and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth ; and it was so." Yet it is immediately added, "And God made two great lights ; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; He made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness." To what purpose is this repetition in detail, with the variance only of the words, ''And God made,'' ''And God set,'' in place of, "And God said," if it is not designed to show that a distinct Divine agency intervened between the decree and the result? Surely, such is the design. And now, moreover, as completely harmonizing the view we have taken, we learn from the book of Job, that the Divine agency here employed was none other than that of the Third Person of th^ Trinity, " The Spirit of the Life in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:2), who, as the creative Word in the beoinnino- «' made all things," and in whom " was life" (John 1 : 1-4). For we read in Job 26 : 13, " By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens " — with the sun, moon and stars, surely !

By a similar comparison of Gen. 1 : 20-25 with Psalm 104 : 25-30, the reader will find, in the creation of fishes and other marine inhabitants, an additional corroboration in point.

We conclude, therefore, by the parity of reasoning in the argument already pursued, that the Divine process in nature in overcoming the primitive physical darkness, was effected through the allied agency of the Word, life and light, and after a prescribed order of operation. We are now to observe the likeness of

god's anti-typical plan in grace.

Turning to the designated passages in John's Gospel and Epistle, we see at a glance that the key-words are all there in the letter, and fall into the normal order, of the " word" back of the '' life," and the '' life " back of the '' light." For we read in the Gospel, " In the beginning was the Word .... in Him was life, and the life was the light of men ; and the light shineth in darkness." And again in the Epistle, '' That which was from the beginning . . . the Word of life ; for the life was manifested . . . that eternal life which was with the Father . . . God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all

.... If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship," etc. The likeness of the plans is therefore seen.

THE KEY-W^OEDS IN THE LIGHT OF THE INCAR- NATION.

Observing thus far, all is familiar and trite, in view of the ground gone over. But there is a higher level of observation from which to read the key-words as they are used in these passages to set forth the plan of grace. For, just here, there is introduced a new feature in the record, — the incarnation of our Lord ; in consideration of which the terms ^'word,*' ''life," and "light," acquire an added significance, whereby the scheme of grace is seen to immeasurably transcend the scheme of nature, without the thread of unity being broken. For now, in association with the incarnation of the Son of God, the characteristic of each of these terms is intensified into a personality, so that we are brought face to face with

THE DIVINE EVOLUTION.

For we read, as to the term "word," "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 as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth;" and as to the term *' life," ^'For the Life was manifested, and we have seen it, . . . that eternal Life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us."

Here the '' Life" is seen to have been from the beginning with God, even as the '' Word " was; and when ''the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us," then "the Life was manifested unto us," and '' seen," Moreover, the Word that was '' made flesh and dwelt among us," bore the character of the " Word of Life " which was "from the beginning," and which the apostle says, '' we have heard, ... we have seen with our eyes, . . . we have looked upon, and our hands have handled."

And as to the remaining term, '' light," we read, '' God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all ... . If we w^alk in the lio:ht, as He is in the light, we have fellowship," etc.

Here, we see that God not only dwells in light, and is indwelt by light, but is, indeed. Light Himself. And, moreover, as to the incarnation of this God-Light, we are told, -'The Light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not .... That was the True Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the w^orld . . . and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." It was in full consciousness of the fact that '' God is Light," that Jesus said, '' As long as I am in the workl, I am the Light of the world." And concerning the glimpse of the city of God to come, which was granted to the Apocalyptic seer, we are told that '' the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof."

Is not, therefore, the acme in the progress of thought in these passages reached, in the idea of the Divine Essence not only being back of the Word, Life and Light, and not even simply indwelling them, but also, in fact, constituting them, one and all? Here, then, in this revelation of God as the Word back of God as the

Life, and God as the Life back of God as the Light, and, moreover, God as the Light emergent from God as the Life, and God as the Life emergent from* God as the Word, we reach the true doctrine of Evolution ; not in the scheme of nature, but of grace ; not in the evolution of of the creature, according to the irreverence of the schools, but of the Creator ; but yet, not in the evolution of the Creator in the sense of a growth of the Divine personality or attributes, but in the sense of a gracious process of Divine self-emerwnce to meet the needs of benis^hted humanity.

THE ETERNAL PREVISION.

The Divine wisdom, in developing the salvation which from the beginning centred in Christ (Eph. 1: 14; 1 Pet. 1: 19, 20), had an infinite chasm to span. But it was bridged from the Eternities by the Divine Love after an orderly plan, which is sketched in outline in the inspired record.

The Word was — when ? "In the beginning." Was— where? "With God." Was— what? "Was

God." And did — what? Created all things; and among them man unfallen — but man fell ! And then the Word became — what ? "Was made flesh, and dwelt among us." And m the Word was — what? ''In Him was Life." And the Life was — what ? ' ' The Light of men." And did — what ? ' ' Shineth in darkness . " And was received — how ? " The darkness comprehended it not." And so, at length, mankind was reached, but not of necessity illuminated.

It is thus seen that Christ and man, who were predestined to meet in the at-one-ment plan of salvation, were, at the start, so to speak, infinitely separated. Christ, as the Word, had no point of surface-contact with mankind, which, in the mass, was but chaotic darkness, or utter carnal and wilful ignorance of God. The antithetical influence to dissipate darkness is not a voice, a word, a sound, but light. But, moreover, in this instance of darkness, light alone could not suflSice. There must be also life, since man's darkness is the darkness of deadness in trespasses and sins. Therefore the Life is first evolved from the Word, and then the

Light from the Life, that man may be transformed as well as enlightened ; won and swayed, as well as addressed and commanded. And so, with significance, the Incarnate "Word of Life" could say, "He that foUoweth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." And of Him it is said, " As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons 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."

ADJUNCTIVE HUMAN TESTIMONY.

Yet even with all this, the need of fallen humanity was not fully met, nor the Divine wisdom exhausted : therefore, we find here introduced an adjunctive agency in the scheme of grace.

So dense and prevalent was the darkness and deadness, that not even the Divine eff*ulgence manifested through the God-Man — Himself the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person, in whom, incarnate, dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily — was sufficient to awaken a receptivity of faith in man. The Heavenly Stranger " dw^elt among us "unnoted and unknown. ''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 ov^n received Him not." And according to the limitations of His commission, to only as many as believed on His name, might He give the privilege to become the sons of God. In the Divine approach to meet man, therefore, a step nearer than even the Incarnation needed to be taken in order to incite a spiritual appetency in man. This step was taken in the adoption of inspired human testimony concerning the Light ; as to its necessity, its reality and power.

''There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all 'men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light."

This "man sent from God" was indwelt by

God, being full of the Holy Ghost, to testify of the God-Man. This " man sent from God," although not himself ''that Light," was ''a burning and shining lamp " (John 5 : 35, K.V.) , lit by that Light. And how intense was the radiance of his testimony, penetrating to the very core of the darkness and deadness around him, is seen in the proclamation with which he began, '' Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world ! " It was the doctrine of at-one-ment between God and man through the blood. And it was heard and heeded. For we read that two of John's disciples heard him speak, and followed Jesus' invitation, "They came and saw where He dwelt, and abode with Him that day." Then, after one day alone with Jesus, they themselves went forth, alive and illuminated, to preach the "Word of Life" to others benighted, that they, too, might receive the " Light of Life." Henceforth, it was after the same order that the witnessing flames spread everywhere ; testimonyabout Jesus, as a means, leading up to testimony o/' Jesus, as an end. After the same rule the apostles preached : — " That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us ; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3).

It is also to be noted that all the apostolic and primitive Church testimony was indebted for its success in penetrating and dissipating the darkness abounding, to its faithfulness in following out the method of the Divine testimony, light through life, and life through the Word. And the rule then, must be the rule now — " Faith Cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."