Separation
and other
Ministry by C. W. Cooper

INTRODUCTION

Although little personal information is available as to him, 'Charlie' Cooper, of Belfast, was well known among the brethren as a poet.

• He has three fine hymns – No.'s 283, 494 and 530 – in the 1973 Hymn Book and the 1993 Supplement.

• He is also wrote Beholding that Sight which appears on Poetry: The Alpha and Omega, along with several others of his poems.

In December 1960, "in order to maintain a good conscience before God", Mr. Cooper withdrew from what he judged was "becoming a sect".

• He met with a small company of brethren in Belfast who had also withdrawn, who maintained practical fellowship with Mr. G. R. Cowell and other brethren.

• See History: The Ulster Outlook and The Parting of the Ways.

• CWC's ministry was highly valued among the brethren in the 1960's.

It is interesting to consider the circumstances of each of the three items presented here:

1. Separation – in 1950, before the death of JT Senior in 1953 – is a balanced presentation in accord with the outlook of brethren of that time and earlier.

• Separation is not a popular subject. Many think it is merely negative, but separation from evil is necessary because of God's holiness.
  • "Be ye holy, for I am holy", 1 Peter 1: 18, Leviticus 19: 2. This is hardly negative.

• That exhortation is not merely to individuals but to brethren collectively as called to be "a holy priesthood" and "a holy nation", 1 Peter 2: 5, 9.

• Of course, to merely be separate without it springing from devotion and love to the Lord Jesus would be pharisaism.

2. Tears – just a month after the 1959 London meetings – at which CWC was present – which heralded the beginning of the legal era – and presaged the sorrow soon to come upon the brethren.

• This address was at Dublin – where the revival had begun with joy, just over 130 year earlier.

3. Christian Unity and Fellowship – 1962, after his withdrawal from the legal sect – in his local meeting – shows his unwavering commitment to the truth in spite of what he calls "the shaking through which we have recently passed".

4. The Son of God – This undated item – received May 2009 – seems to be a wriitten article not an address.

• It is an excellent summary of the truth of The Sonsdip of Christ.

5. Cleaving – 1962 – as article no. 3 – after his withdrawal from the legal sect – an address at Bournemouth – also shows his unwavering commitment to the truth in what he calls "days of extraordinary difficulty".

G.A.R.

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SEPARATION
1 Chronicles 12: 8; Numbers 8: 13-15; Nehemiah 13: 1-3; 1 Chronicles 25: 1, 2, 6-7 Address at London, December 26, 1950 Words of Grace and Comfort, 1951, 27: 97-107

I desire to speak on the thought of separation. About 130 years ago there was published a tract which had widespread effects throughout Christendom;

• it was entitled Separation from Evil – God's Principle of Unity.
• The Spirit used it, and all over the world there came to pass the most wonderful recovery in the history of the church, and in this recovery – brought about in God's mercy and grace – we have part.

• This recovery has continued until now, and I suppose there is not one principle that has been so much attacked by the enemy from that day to this, and is being attacked at the present times, as this principle of separation.

• That is why it has been impressed upon me to speak about it tonight.

Brethren at that time acted on the Scripture in 2 Timothy, which refers to vessels to dishonour and says,

• "If therefore one shall have purified himself from these, in separating himself from them …"

There was a time in the history of Christendom when the church could effectively deal with evil by putting away wicked persons,

• but conditions in 2 Timothy days have become so bad that the servant of the Lord who still desires to be faithful finds a way to escape by separating himself from such persons.

• So in those early days of the last century brethren acted in the light of this important principle of separation, and we can see that God has abundantly confirmed it.

• It is for us to see to it that we are maintaining this principle that they recovered for us.

• It can be said of us that other men have laboured and we have entered into their labour, John 4: 38,

• and God is expecting that what is committed to us from those who have been before us in the testimony should be continued and maintained in power, so that,

• if the Lord leaves us here, we may be able to pass on to others the principles that we, in our measure, have sought to maintain.

I have remarked already on what constant opposition there has been to this principle. That very fact alone should convince us that the principle is of God.

• The Bible is constantly attacked, because men know it is the truth, and,
  • on the same account, this principle of separation is the cause of constant attack, and even imitation.

• Not long after that recovery had come to pass, the enemy set up a rival system, imitating this idea of separation, but it did not go far enough.

• I often think of a time in David's history when he had to act on this principle, and when he fled from Jerusalem. It says,
  • "And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and stayed at the remote house" – Beth - Merchak, 2 Samuel 15: 17

    – emphasising the fact that a great breach had come in and he must separate from what was current at Jerusalem.

The early brethren, too, had to stand against current conditions in Christendom, but the enemy, not long after, brought about a system which might well be described as a half-way house.

• In case there should be a believer here seeking his way, I ask you to consider what is being said now, so as to avoid this half-way house, so that you may find your way to the "remote house". As we see with David, God supported it.

Now the Scriptures are full of this thought of separation, but for certain reasons I have limited myself to these four, as conveying something of what is in mind just now.

1 Chronicles 12

In 1 Chronicles 12 it says, "And of the Gadites, there separated themselves to David in the stronghold in the wilderness",

• and that Scripture I want to use to appeal to the young people here that they might make a full and definite committal to the Lord in
  • "the stronghold in the wilderness"

• which answers to the Corinthian position.
  • It is a fortified position and bears on our position in a military sense.

• In this city of London and in other cities too, there is the evidence of a stronghold, secured by separation.

• It is maintained by separating to the Lord, not to any religious company or a nice congregation of people, but to a Person.

We are often occupied with the negative side of separation: we think of all the places we cannot go to, and of invitations we have to refuse, but it is really a matter of separating to the Lord.

• He is supporting a position in the wilderness, and we therefore want to be in that position wholeheartedly.

• I link it up with the Corinthian position, which suggests a military setting, as it says here,
  • "men fit for the service of war".

• The earlier verses, down to verse 7, are like Romans – the kingdom – where it is a question of standing in our individual setting, confessing Christ in the office, at school, or at home.

• When we come to this fortified position, something more systematic is suggested in "the service of war". We have now committed ourselves to a military position.

• A soldier does not fight just when he feels like it, but he is entirely committed to the conflict. So in our case the separate position is in conflict and we are in the conflict with it.

• Is that true of all? Have we all committed ourselves wholeheartedly in our localities? That is where the Lord expects us to be thoroughly in the conflict.

So it says of these men, "armed with shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions". There was moral courage with them, and that is a feature very necessary for the conflict. Then it says,

• "who were swift as the gazelles upon the mountains".

• They were not only marked by courage, but alertness as to anything that would be a challenge to David, their rightful lord and king.

• Does that mark us in our localities? Have we not often mourned how slow we have been to take up matters; how the enemy, through our delay, has gained a foothold he would not otherwise have had?

• I am not seeking to discourage the brethren, but I desire that we might all be exercised to be marked by courage and alertness in meeting the attack of the enemy in anything that would be a challenge to the rights of the Lord Jesus.

The position of the stronghold goes down to verse 22. In verses 16-18, we read that there were some "of the children of Benjamin and Judah".

• The children of Benjamin, of which tribe Saul came, and of Judah to which tribe David belonged, represent people who might have been marked by merely natural motives.

• David wanted to make sure that they came because of love and loyalty to him, and we have to search our hearts as to whether true love for Christ is marking us as we commit ourselves to this position.
  • David says, "but if to betray me to mine enemies!" What a challenge!

• In the position of conflict, in the stronghold in the wilderness, it is possible there may be traitors. You know how in history traitors are regarded with shame and contempt.

• What about our standing for Christ? Have we sometimes allowed the spirit of treachery or betrayal? I believe it is well for us to question ourselves as to our loyalty to Christ.

• May we be able to answer as this man in verse 18:
  • "And the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and with thee, thou son of Jesse: Peace, peace be to thee! And peace be to thy helpers! For thy God helps thee".

• That is, he saw that though the position outwardly was small – nothing palatial marked the stronghold in the wilderness – God was helping.

• So we can see that God is helping His people as they seek to move on these lines, in the various localities where they are found.

• Then as we realize that God is helping, we want to help, as verse 22 says,
  • "there came men to David to help him".

• How can we do that? By a full committal to this stronghold position.

There are several references to 'captains' in the chapter. I believe it is to suggest that they were men prepared to accept responsibility, men who give a lead, who "take the lead", as the Scripture says.

• A captain does not push himself forward, but he is not afraid of accepting responsibility.

• The time of rewards has not come yet. The Lord Himself is waiting the final vindication, but in that day to come there will be abundant compensation.

Numbers 8

In Numbers we again find this thought of separation. Indeed it is emphasised in Numbers, for in this book we have the assembly in the wilderness.

• Earlier in chapter 6 the idea of separation is mentioned in connection with the Nazarite, but in chapter 8 it is in connection with the Levites, those who serve the saints.

• We might almost say that more rigid separation is called for in those who serve; not merely separation from evil as in an earlier Scripture, or separation from the world, but
  • they had to go through a course which involved sacrifice, bringing home to them the deep, practical meaning of the death of Christ.

It says, "Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Take the Levites from among the children of Israel" – which suggests God's sovereignty – "and thus shalt thou do unto them".

• The first idea is the sprinkling upon them the water of purification from sin.

• From chapter 19 of this book we have some idea of what the water of purification suggests – man after the flesh entirely set aside in the death of Christ;
  • whether it be man in weakness or man in all his dignity, all has to go.

• That is where many make a mistake. Sometimes we are inclined to do as Saul did; we read that he put to death all that was weak and mean but spared the choicest of the sheep and oxen.

• Jehovah had said that all was to go – there is no thought of selection. This is easy to say, but not so easy to work out in practice.

Now this chapter goes on to say,

• "they shall pass the razor over all their flesh".

• That means to say that the one who is serving the saints must be exceedingly careful to apply the sharp knife to all those features that are natural to him,
  • not necessarily evil features, but what might mark him as a man in the flesh.

• I am sure we have seen this exemplified in those who have served the saints in these days.

• A man who passes the razor over all his flesh is not marked by anything to distinguish him naturally. It would deprive him of many things he might boast of.
  • Absalom boasted in the hair of his head which distinguished him in a remarkable way in Israel.

• On the other hand Paul did not want to be distinguished by anything natural but his service was in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

• I know as much as any the tendency for the natural to intrude in one's service, but what is suggested in these verses is that the natural is dealt with so as to make way for the Spirit.
  • Any tendency to be comic or dramatic only distinguishes the natural at the expense of the spiritual.

Then it says, verse 7, "and shall wash their garments, and make themselves clean".

• This applies to the surroundings and associations of the Levite; he must be careful that there is nothing allowed to deprive him of power of service amongst the saints.

• Then it speaks of their service, verse 22:
  • "afterwards the Levites came in to perform their service … before Aaron, and before his sons".

• That is something that those who serve should notice, that the Levites are called upon to serve before Aaron, and before his sons.

• The saints are regarded as spiritual and priestly persons; so our service is not only before God and before the Lord, but before the saints, and they form a judgment of our service; it is right that they should.
  • It says, "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge", 1 Corinthians 14: 29.

• The saints form a judgment both of the servants and the service.

• As one moves on this line of separation, cleansing and purification, he will secure their commendation – a most important matter.

• I would appeal to the young brethren here tonight, that they might be concerned as to what spiritual persons think of their service.
  • Consider what the Lord thinks surely, but take into account what the spiritual think also.

Nehemiah 13

Turning to the Scripture in Nehemiah, I might say that, in these two books – Ezra and Nehemiah – which belong to a broken day, the idea of separation is emphasised.

• In the days in which these prophets lived the idea of separation was not being maintained, so I want to show how it applies to us today.

• We can understand a little the Lord's jealousy as to anything that would be a challenge to His rights, anything that would defile or weaken the priestly service that is going on to God our Father.

• This chapter has especially that in mind; purification is going on in view of the offering in the last section of the chapter. Nehemiah says,
  • "I purified them from all foreigners, and appointed the charges of the priests and the Levites, every one in his service; and for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits", Nehemiah 13: 30-31.

• The idea is that there should be a pure offering. We are told in Malachi 3: 4:
  • "Then shall the oblation of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto Jehovah, as in the days of old".

• As I remarked, the Lord is constantly raising this matter of separation as in the last chapter of Nehemiah, which is perhaps almost at the end of the Old Testament history.

• I mention that because I think we are in similar times now, very near the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We shall soon see the One about whom we were singing, who suffered in order to save us.

• We have never seen Him yet, but we shall very shortly see Him; and our desire is that in the little while we are left here we may stand in fidelity to Him.

• In these days of Ezra and Nehemiah the people had not been so careful in their associations, and so this matter is raised definitely now by Nehemiah, and the whole chapter deals with this matter of separation.

I just wish to make an appeal so that,

• if there is anything we are allowing that we would be ashamed of if the Lord Jesus were to come tonight,

• we might deal with it ourselves – separate from that mixture that so often marks us.
  • "They separated from Israel all the mixed multitude", Nehemiah 13: 3.

• Israel stands for the saints according to the purpose of God.

• These people, as realising all the precious thoughts of God in relation to their calling, began to separate themselves from all that was beneath the dignity of their position.

• There may be something in the lives of many that might well be scrutinised in view of the nearness of the return of the Lord Jesus.

• We often sing, "At Thy call may we be ready". Would we be ready should the Lord Jesus come tonight? Would we be ashamed of anything allowed secretly that the brethren are not aware of?

The chapter then goes on to tell us what the mixture was.

• "Eliashib the priest, who had the oversight of the chambers of the house of our God, a kinsman of Tobijah, had prepared for him a great chamber, where formerly they laid the oblations …", Nehemiah 13: 4-5.

• That would speak of natural preferences we might allow which would be a definite hindrance in the service of God.

• The result of this link was that, where formerly the oblations were, there was a chamber prepared for this kinsman.

• You know how that works out. Perhaps natural links, mixed marriages or such-like things which cause the offerings to suffer, and the response to Divine Persons is not so fresh as it used to be.

• If there is to be a full response to our God and Father, it can only be as we find all our springs in Zion.
  • "The singers as the dancers shall say, All my springs are in thee", Psalm 87: 7.

Then attention is called to "the men of Tyre" – verse 16 – a mixture in relation to business matters.

• How careful we need to be in our links when dealing with men of Tyre!

• We know how advantageous it might seem to be to form such links in business, but we have to remember the service of God is going to suffer – I am quite convinced of that.

• The Lord is raising this question in order that we might be
  • "purified from all foreigners".

The next matter is in verse 23:

• "I saw Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab".

• Ammon and Moab are nations that represent those not fully committed to the truth.

• The men of Ashdod were Philistines; Ammon and Moab were religious enemies, and links with such people definitely hinder us in God's service.

• So the Lord has many times in our day stressed that this principle of separation must be held faithfully amongst us.

• Men of God who have gone before have given up much in order to stand for the truth.
  • Have we given up anything in our day to maintain what has been committed to us?

1 Chronicles 25

Finally I refer to 1 Chronicles 25, a suitable Scripture at this time, for it deals with the service of song.

• "David and the captains of the host separated for the service those of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun who were to prophesy with harps and lutes and cymbals".
• We referred in our first Scripture to the service of the war, but we are on a higher level now; we are engaged with the service of song, and the important idea of separation comes in in that connection also.
  • We have it before us now in connection with the present revision [1951] of our hymn book.

• It is not simply that David and the captains were concerned to separate from what was evil, but they were concerned that the response might be in every way suited to the truth.

• They were to prophesy with harps and lutes and cymbals – a very strong word meaning that the mind of God was conveyed in the song. It fits in with what is current amongst the saints.
  • The brethren are concerned that there should be excluded from our hymn book anything that would not rightly represent the mind and truth of God, a very excellent thought.

• So it says in verse 6 and 7,
  • "All these were under the direction of their fathers … And the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of Jehovah, all of them skilful, was two hundred and eighty-eight".

• That is what is proceeding, that there might be intelligence and instruction in the service of our God.

• The Spirit is helping us in that connection and it is something we might be well concerned about, not only that we may have a hymn book by which we might respond to God the Father,
  • but that we might be skilful in the use of it when it comes to us, that we might be "expert ones", as the footnote suggests.

I should remark that the names of these men are exceedingly instructive, and very suggestive. What is to be noted is that the name of Jah occurs in so many of them.

• One of them means 'Jah is great'; another means 'Fame of God', and another means 'Strength of God '.
• It is all in view of what is said in verse 5,
  • "All these were sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to exalt His power".

Many of our hymns in the past have been marked perhaps by a good deal of feeling, but there was too much about ourselves in them.

• We may be occupied too much with our blessings; we want to be on a more elevated line than that, "to exalt His power", making much of the fame and greatness of our God.

• That is the end before the brethren, that just before the close of our dispensation there might be a suitable flow of praise back
  • to our Lord Jesus, the One who died;

  • to the Holy Spirit, who has served us so well and faithfully throughout the dispensation;

  • and, above all, to our God and Father who is supreme in this economy of love.

• The whole idea is that God in His greatness and supremacy may be magnified. What a blessed end to keep before us!

• As we enjoy something of this liberty in the service of song our judgment would be that separation is worth while.

• In view then of the service of our God and Father, may we all be exercised to be separate from everything evil,
  • and even from things merely natural or sentimental which would weaken our response to God!

May the Lord bless His word!

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TEARS
2 Timothy 1: 1-4; Psalm 42: 1-3; 2 Kings 20: 1-5; Revelation 21: 1-4; Psalm 56: 8 Address at Dublin, August 22, 1959 Words of Grace and Comfort, 1960, 36: 214-24

What is before me tonight will be sobering rather than exhilarating. Nevertheless, I trust it will be profitable for us all.

• It is said in the book of Ecclesiastes
  • "Vexation is better than laughter".

• That is what the wise man of Ecclesiastes said, and he adds,
  • "for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better".

• That Scripture is one we might well think of, because sooner or later there are times in all our histories when we have sadness of heart.

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CHRISTIAN  UNITY AND  FELLOWSHIP
Deuteronomy 12: 8-14, 26-27; 1 Corinthians 10: 14-22; 2 Timothy 2: 19-22 Summary of a Reading at Belfast, January 13, 1962 Help and Comfort, April 1962, 1: 73-78

C.W.C. It was suggested that we should consider the thought of Christian unity and fellowship. The psalmist says

• "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity"

• but in Christendom we see a sorrowful picture of division and scattering.

• We should recognize our own part in the general breakdown, indeed the Lord has brought it home to us, in the shaking through which we have recently passed.

• Such experiences often tend to make us despondent, for it would seem that everything we have treasured had gone to pieces, but
  • the Lord wants us to re-examine our foundations, particularly our collective foundations.

• "In the power of one Spirit, we have all been baptised into one body", 1 Corinthians 12: 13.
• This is the ground on which believers came together at the beginning, the Lord's Supper being the outward expression of the fellowship or communion which was based on this unity.
  • There is no other ground of gathering today.

• In the Psalms and the prophets we can see how faith always reverted to God's altar, so we, in this day, should ever keep in our thoughts that
  • despite the general departure, God would still direct us to the true basis of Christian unity.

• This one fellowship is described in different ways, and the Scripture read in Corinthians has a place of special importance in the consideration of this subject, because
  • the instructions there given are intended to regulate our thoughts, outlook, and conduct throughout our responsible history, in view of our partaking of the Lord's Supper as outlined after chapter 11: 17.

"The communion of the blood of the Christ" is an expression which should affect us inwardly, because

• it is a reminder to us of the mighty cost involved before the Christian altar could be established,

• and also before anyone of us could be secured to enjoy this holy fellowship.
• Then "the communion of the body of the Christ" suggests the intimate links we have as sharing together in the privileges and responsibilities of the fellowship.

• This Scripture makes it perfectly clear that as breaking bread and walking together in fellowship we are not doing this as individuals but as in the communion of the altar, and as members of the one body.

• To help us in this the apostle says, "See Israel according to flesh", so that a passage such as we have read in Deuteronomy 12 should enable us to grasp the meaning of communion with the altar.

• Again as to collective responsibility, Joshua 7: 11 could be mentioned, where Jehovah says
  • "Israel hath sinned";

    one person, Achan, had committed a sin, but the whole company was involved.

• This aspect of collective responsibility still obtains, as can be seen from 2 Corinthians 7: 11 where the apostle says
  • "in every way ye have proved yourselves to be pure in the matter".

• "The matter" referred to was a case of sin in the local gathering at Corinth, and all were involved, until they proved themselves clear.

2 Timothy 2

The second letter to Timothy was written in view of days like those in which we find ourselves, and is therefore, of inestimable value to any who desire to walk in the path of the Lord's will in the midst of the confusion.

• Paul's teaching – including Corinthians – had been given up; truth had been displaced by error, and instead of unity there was scattering.

• In such circumstances it becomes a difficult matter to find Christian fellowship.

• It is not now a question of finding a "place" geographically, as the Lord Himself said in John 4: 21
  • – "neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem";

• it is now a matter of finding conditions which would be suitable to the Lord's Name:
  • "Where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them".

The second chapter of the epistle shows that our first concern should not be to find the right company; this is a mistake made by many.

• The first step in this searching exercise is for the individual believer to purge himself by withdrawing from iniquity and separating from those who, while they profess the Name of Lord, are nevertheless vessels to dishonour.
  • This may involve "sitting alone", Jeremiah 15: 17.

• As the chapter proceeds, however, the apostle says that the believer, having purified himself is to
  • "pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart".

Having thus outlined a path amidst the ruin, the apostle Paul reminds Timothy that he had been thoroughly acquainted with Paul's teaching, and exhorts him to abide therein –

• this would certainly include the verses in 1 Corinthians 12 regarding unity and fellowship.
• It is rather similar to the Scripture in the very last chapter of the Old Testament,
  • "Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded him in Horeb, for all Israel".

• We are not enjoined to set up to something new, but rather are we thrown back on the divine ground of gathering,
  • "the communion of the body of Christ".

• This is still the only basis of fellowship.

It is instructive to notice in the history of the kings of Israel that whatever their own lives had been, there is always a comment by the Spirit, that they did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam.

• We cannot therefore ignore the history connected with the setting up of these rival altars;
  • even during the past 150 years certain companies have come into existence, and we should make ourselves acquainted with their origins.

• The Lord alone can guide His servants aright, and even after the exercises outlined in this chapter, we need peculiar grace to be preserved from what is sectarian.

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THE  SON OF  GOD
No Date This article appears to have been written rather than being an address. It is an excellent summary of the truth of The Sonsdip of Christ. The references to the Newberry Bible* have not been verified.
* "Thomas Newberry (born 1811, died January 16, 1901) was an English Bible scholar and writer, most well-known for his interlinear Englishman's Bible, which compared the Authorised Version of the Bible to the Hebrew and Koine Greek of the original texts, first published in 1886". From Wikipedia. Mr. Newberry was with those commonly known as "open". GAR

In both the Old and the New Testaments there is great variety in the names and titles given to the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, and each of these presents some distinct feature of His glory, His greatness, His grace and compassion.

• Believers will find much spiritual food in meditating upon these different names, seeking to understand, by the help of the Holy Spirit, something of their import,

• for in so doing they will surely grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as we read in 2 Peter 3: 18.

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CLEAVING
2 Kings 18: 6; Ruth 1: 14; Acts 17: 33-34; 2 Samuel 20:2; Genesis 2: 24 Revised Notes of an Address at Bournemouth, September 8, 1962 This article is from a pamphlet published by Philip Haddad. The editing is not up to Mr. Haddad's usual standard but, – except for a few obvious errors – has been allowed to stand. GAR

It must be manifest, brethren, to any exercised believers at the present time, that we are not in the Pentecostal days of Church history. Our lot has been cast in the last days, not the first;

• consequently we are in days of extraordinary difficulty, because the Church as committed to man's responsibility has completely failed.

• Anyone who suggests otherwise must be extremely foolish because we see around us that which speaks of confusion, of ruin, and of disorder

• In case anyone should be surprised by these statements I would remind you that whatever has been committed to man has always broken down. That is an axiom that stands true from Genesis to Revelation.

• Whenever man is put in any position of responsibility he breaks down and breaks down very quickly. On the other hand, whatever God puts His hand to, He will carry through.

In view of the discord and ruin of Christendom, I wish to speak tonight, beloved brethren, of things that I want to cling to through thick and thin, and I want to encourage all the brethren here to cling to them likewise.

• I begin with the reference to King Hezekiah – a very godly king – and he is introduced to us when he is comparatively young – at 25 years old. That is not too old, yet he is brought forward in a most becoming way, and we would say to the young people here that you could not begin too young in this path.

• You will have noticed that it is persons, and what is set forth in these persons, I want you to cleave to; but the first it tells us about Hezekiah is that he did what was right in the sight of the Lord. I could not commend anything better to you; let it be your aim and ambition through life, to do what is right.

• You know, a hundred and one questions that arise in your daily lives could be settled very simply if we just followed the rule, ‘Is it right?’

• It is not difficult to know. If you are going on simply, desiring to please the Lord, reading the Scriptures, and going with God’s people, then it will not be a difficult matter as temptations are presented to know what is right and what is wrong. Almost the last thing Paul says to the Corinthians is to tell them that he was praying that they would do what is right.

Following upon that, we read, that “he trusted in Jehovah, the God of Israel”, verse 5. That is, Hezekiah had a personal history with God, and he knew Him as the God of Israel. He recognized Him as his own God, but he claims God in relation to all His people

• It is an important thing to remember that in all the ruin around, God has His thoughts of how His people should be regulated. If man has ruined things, God has not changed. So that we want to fall back on that, on the God of Israel, that is, God in relation to His own thoughts and in relation to all His people.

• In the last book in the Old Testament Malachi urges the people of Israel at that time to,
  • “Remember the law of Moses which he commanded for all Israel”.

• He did not command a certain law for law for one section of His people, and [another] law for another section, His law stood in relation to all Israel. Hezekiah is moving on this line, then it tells us in the verse we read,
  • “and he clave to Jehovah”.

• Now in your career as a believer many things will come in to divert you from the Lord, but whatever happens, dear young people, let nothing divert you from acting as did Hezekiah in a difficult and dark day, “he clave to the Lord”.

In the New Testament we read of Barnabas going down to a gathering of young Christians and he exhorted them,

• “to cleave to the Lord [or abide with the Lord] with purpose of heart”.

• Now these are very, very important features if we are to be preserved amidst the ruin, because there is still a path in which the servant of the Lord can tread in faithfulness to his Master.

• So there is this encouraging word as to Hezekiah that he clave to the Lord, and did not turn aside from following Him but he kept His commandments which Jehovah commanded Moses.

• You see, he is not doing just what he thought right in his own eyes, though that seems a very expedient way of acting in the difficulties, but he fell back on the commandments that God had given through Moses.

• Paul say, in writing to Titus, that the elder must cling to the faithful word, so that Hezekiah is cleaving to the Lord and is also regulated by Scripture, as we would say.

• Now, beloved young people, it will be a safe rule in your pathway if you cleave to the Lord and are regulated by His Word – the law hidden in your heart, that you might not sin against the Lord.

So, we should each have it in mind, that if there is no collective position in our towns, we each want to be regulated by the truth, and we desire, as far as we individually are concerned, to be cleaving to the Lord with purpose of heart.

The next passage I read presents a rather different situation. I read from the book of Ruth, and the circumstances are well known, I judge, to all the brethren;

• it might be well to say that Naomi in this chapter represents the remnant of Israel in a coming day, that is the primary interpretation of the passage.

• However, I believe we would also be right in saying that Naomi represents the testimony. She does not represent Christ personally because no woman in Scripture, so far as I am aware, is ever used as a type of the Lord,
  • but Naomi represents what is here for Christ in testimony, and as we see in this chapter there is not very much outwardly to attract people to Naomi. She is a widow, she has nothing to offer her followers, so there comes a challenge,

• Now perhaps that challenge has reached you in your locality; it has reached me in mine, it has reached others. A challenge comes as to whether we are willing to go with this outwardly weak situation;

• Naomi has to admit the government of God had come in, and that is what we have to admit, beloved brethren; the government of God has come in and for young people who want to identify themselves with the testimony to day, it does not seem a very bright prospect. We do not want you to be under any delusion as to that, for the test is sure to arise.

Now, one of her daughters-in-law expressed a good deal of affection for her; she kissed her, they lifted up their voice and wept.

• Outwardly there seemed to be a fair amount of affection for the mother-in law; but alas, Orpah went back to her people and her gods.
  • On the other hand, however, it says that Ruth “clave to her” – she clave to her mother-in law.

• Now, the test will come, maybe it has come; the challenge is constantly arising – are we going to go on with the testimony? It would be better to go on with a situation of outward weakness than to go back to Moab, let me assure you of that,

• How could you go back to the world that hates the Saviour? How could you go back to systems in which the Spirit is set aside?

Well, Ruth is not on that line, she is cleaving to her mother-in law, and we want to have such a link with the testimony of the Lord that although things are small and the pathway does not seem very attractive, we may be cleaving to that testimony, wherever we are.

• There is a reward ahead, as Ruth found; there is a mighty man of wealth.

• We can also say the Spirit is watching; He observes what is happening in the little gatherings of the saints. He knows the newcomers, and their preparedness, their steadfastness; all this is noted by Him.

• Let our firm decision then be that we are going on with the testimony, however small it may be; throw your lot whole-heartedly with the people of God who are accepting the reproach of Christ.

There is no possibility of the whole Church being again gathered here on earth, despite talks today about church unity.

• Let us go on after Christ and the testimony of the Lord, however small it may be. If you stand by the testimony in your locality you will be richly rewarded for the Lord will stand with you and will bring you into a sphere of great wealth.

• Ruth very quickly found that, for she came into a sphere where there were young men and maidens, and they were reaping. In the harvest fields of the true Boaz, a good opportunity exists for young people to engage in the service of their Lord and Master, a very blessed Master He is.

• So as committing yourself wholly to the testimony you will find life and joy in the Master’s service. We urge upon you then, cleave to the testimony of our Lord for He has need of you in relation to His testimony.

In the 17th chapter of Acts it says that some men joining themselves to him, that is Paul, believed.

• In the Authorised Version, it say, “some men clave unto him”; and the word used here is translated by J.N.D. elsewhere in this sense – for example in Romans 12 he says "Abhorring evil, cleaving to good”.

• It is the same word here in the original, so that I am using this Scripture to suggest that we cleave to Paul. Paul represents something; and it says of those men that they joined themselves to him, or clave unto him, and believed. Notice the way it is put.

• I would have said ‘they believed, and then joined themselves to Paul’. But the Spirit of God is showing the importance of standing by Paul; that is why He puts the thought of cleaving first.
  • “Some men, joining themselves [or, cleaving], to him, believed”,

• among whom was this noted man Dionysius and a woman named Damaris.

Now what is it to abide with Paul, to join with Paul? That is the next point.

• When I think of Paul I think of him as the great architect of the assembly. The twelve apostles had their place under the Lord, but Paul was a special vessel. He is called an elect vessel, and he was selected by the Spirit to be the architect of the assembly.

• And when Paul wrote to his child Timothy in a day similar to our own he urged him to abide in all that Paul had taught. He says, in 2nd Timothy.
  • “Abide in those things which thou hast learned and of which thou hast been fully persuaded, knowing of whom thou hast learned them”.

• Timothy was fully acquainted with Paul’s teaching, and if you are meeting with a company of believers that is not patterned after Paul’s teaching, then I would say you should consider what is being said now.

• Paul would ever keep us in mind of the importance of the Assembly. The Assembly was the great light committed to him, that is the light that is to govern us today – true recovery is to the light of the Assembly.

Then, there are all the other Epistles of Paul, Corinthians for instance; and if I cling to Paul I cleave to Corinthians. I do not give up the teaching as to the communion of the Body of Christ.

• I do not need to go into all the error that is abroad in Christendom; I need to know what Paul says, and Paul teaches that all believers who have the Spirit are members of the Body of Christ, all baptised into one Body.

• Now that light is to govern me, in my outlook. I may only link on with half a dozen in my town; but I can look over the whole world, and I can see that Scripture does make me a member of the Body of Christ, and I am not going to give up that thought.

Paul tells us also about the House of God, and that keeps me balanced.

• Some might say, 'If we are members of the Body of Christ that means that we can break bread with all Christians’.

• Oh no; I have also to be regulated by the truth of the House of God and that brings in the matter of conduct – that is the first Epistle to Timothy. If a man is going on in sin, I cannot walk with him if I want to maintain the holiness that becomes God’s House.

• That brings in the question of conduct, and Paul writes to Timothy in his first Epistle in order that he might know how one ought to conduct oneself in God’s House, which is the pillar and base of the Truth.

• We want to be governed in our localities by the truth of the Body and also by the truth of God’s House, and, as working out those thoughts today, it implies the truth of 2nd Timothy 2, that we pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace.

Now Paul would have us cleave to all these things. Cleaving to Paul, means that I am not surrendering any of the truth as taught by him, and Paul, as I have emphasised, was specially gifted to outline the light to regulate us in this dispensation.

• About 15 years ago, I remember Mr. James Taylor made the remark that, ‘in times of difficulty, we should go to Paul’.

The next Scripture I read was in relation to David in 2 Samuel 20. In case the younger people here are not acquainted with the circumstances of this chapter, I would say that a little while before this, David, the rightful king, had been set aside by a usurper – Absalom.

• He managed to get himself into the place of kingship, but at this point that matter had been more or less resolved, when suddenly when suddenly another difficulty presents itself. We need not be surprised at that in our day.

• As long as the Assembly is down here, the enemy will be busy and ready to attack wherever there is any person or persons standing in the light of what I have been speaking of already.

• Persons who are cleaving to the Lord, persons who are cleaving to the testimony, and persons who are cleaving to Paul will ever be the object of attack. Let us not be deceived by thinking that we will have a peaceful time from now till the Lord comes; we shall not unless we give up the Truth,

• We may be quite sure of this, that if the enemy is defeated at one point he will soon make another attack. That has always been the enemy’s way.

• An attack was made in 1845 relating to the Person of Christ, and just as it seemed to be getting more or less resolved another far greater crisis arose at a place called Bethesda Chapel in Bristol.

The same thing has happened in our time, beloved; so that this chapter has a present bearing upon us at the present moment; the enemy having been defeated in one point, is making another attack.

• It tells us in the beginning of the chapter that there happened to be there, a man of Belial. You will find that when there is friction amongst brethren, there always happens to be there a man of Belial.

The enemy will very quickly take advantage of any such situation; and so

• he says, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse …”

• and then the men of Israel went up from after David, following Sheba the son of Bichri.

• Another rival to the king comes on the scene just when you would not have expected it: and going on down the chapter, it says in verse 14
  • “Sheba the son of Bichri, who went through all the tribes of Israel”

• – another thing that indicates the enemy is at work.

The enemy is never content to keep things in a locality, he wants to spread things in all the tribes of Israel. Is that not what the enemy is doing now? Let us not be deceived.

• It says of the people of God that they are not ignorant of the enemy’s thoughts. What an advantage that gives the saints;
  • ministry that the Lord gives amongst His people should draw attention not only to where the Lord is and what the Lord is doing, but where the enemy is and what the enemy is doing.

• And at this present juncture, beloved brethren, the enemy is trying to get into all the tribes of Israel. He is trying to spread matters throughout many localities all over the world. But it says, in the verse read,
  • “But the men of Judah clave to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem”.

What are we going to do in the present emergency? Let us cleave to our King!

• As we go down the chapter, Joab comes to our notice, and Joab is rather ruthless. Nevertheless, he speaks what is right at one point and you have to listen to a man who speaks what is right.

• Now let us get matters right about Sheba. Joab says, “a man of mount Ephraim”, verse 21. You see, Ephraim had been set aside, but
  • “a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king”.

• You see, there is an issue involved in this matter. This is not just some local squabble. Somebody has lifted up his hand against the king.

• That is a serious matter, beloved brethren, if somebody has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. You see, how that should appeal to every lover of David.

• Think of what Israel owed David, the beloved. I do not think there is any man spoke of so much as being loved – and, of course his name means beloved.

• So that Joab says that one has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. It means in our day, that someone is raising his hand against the One who has loved me and gave Himself for me; somebody is challenging His rights.

That is what is involved, and if that is how matters stand in any locality, let us cleave to our King.

• Matters arise in localities from time to time, and behind them there is an issue. ‘I do not want conflict, I am tired of it’.

• Nevertheless, if someone is going to raise their hand against the King, I trust I will not fail Him. where would I be tonight had not the Lord Jesus died for my soul?
  • Do you think it would be right in a matter that affects His rights that I should stand neutral?

• The Lord’s rights will always be challenged; until the end there will be conflict, but we want to urge upon you tonight to stand loyal to the King who has done so much for all His people.

• We do not want localities blotted out, but we should not allow the enemy to get through the tribes.

• Once the matter is taken up in a locality, the Lord comes in, that is important. In God’s land, about which we were speaking today, things are not left undermined – some locality is responsible, some locality can take matters up, and as sure as they do the Lord will be with them.

So this mother in Israel appears, and she shows how matters stand and it says that

• she “went to all the people in her wisdom”.

  The thing is brought to an issue.

• “They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it to Joab”.

  And then it says after that, "he blew a trumpet and they dispersed from the city … And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king”

• Now that is the finish to this difficult situation. Joab returns to Jerusalem. Jerusalem for us represents the idea of the Assembly, and Joab returns to that and to the king; his rights have been maintained notwithstanding the difficulty and so matters can proceed.

• Now these things are happening around us. The rights of the Lord are being challenged in different localities and, I would say to the brethren that we cannot allow things to drift indefinitely.

• Let us cleave to our King, and let us ever have in mind that the true issue of every crisis is what is set out here, to return to or uphold the Assembly position and be ever loyal to our King.

Now just a closing word on this passage in Genesis. The Scripture says,

• “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife”.

• That was written a long time ago, many years ago. Does it apply today? It does; let us have no delusions about the Scripture.

• Did the Lord teach differently about marriage? Well, He goes into the matter in the Gospels. In Matthew 19, for instance, He does not suggest any such change;
  • He never suggests a wife would leave her husband, and He does not suggest a husband should leave his wife. He goes back to the beginning. He goes back to this very Scripture.

• They referred to Moses, what Moses allowed in the way of divorce, but the Lord says, “in view of your hard-heartedness”. Who wants to be on that line?
  • The Lord says, “in the beginning it was not so”.

• He refers to this point about a man leaving his father and mother and cleaving to his wife.

• ‘Perhaps Paul brings in something different’, you say. In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul takes up the question of the marriage bond, and this is what he says in relation to it,
  • “To the married, I enjoin, not I but the Lord, Let not the wife be separated from her husband, and let not husband leave wife”.

• Do we want anything more, brethren?

The truth as to marriage is gone to pieces in the world, alas; these very Scriptures are being manipulated and misinterpreted, even by some Christians.

• In Romans 7, it says that a wife is bound by the law to her husband, as long as he lives, and we want to hold to that.

• A man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife. The thing is to keep by the Scripture; cleave to your wife, dear brother, and to the wife I say, cleave to your husband. Let not the husband leave wife, and let not the wife leave the husband. Paul says it, and he adds,
  • “Not I, but the Lord”.

• He gives his own judgment. 1 Corinthians 7 is a most precious chapter from many points of view, and one of them at least is, that Paul distinguishes between what he says as his own judgment as a spiritual man, and what he says by inspiration under the commandment of the Lord.

• Now, in relation to his judgment, even though spiritual, he does not bind any; but as to what the Lord says, that is the commandment of the Lord; that is how it stands.
  • He says, “Not I, but the Lord, Let not wife be separated from husband, and let not husband leave wife”.

Let us cling to these thoughts; let us hold faithfully to the marriage bond, not getting involved in the sin of fornication, we speak very practically. Paul says, “flee fornication”.

• So then may we be found cleaving faithfully in relation to all these matters of which I have spoken.

May the Lord bless the word, for His Name’s sake.

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