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Spiritual Means
Ministry by S. M. Anglin,
H. C. Anstey and E. H. Chater

 
Introduction
• S. M. Anglin
Gideon
For the Joy Thereof
Spiritual Means
Jacob and Paul – A Contrast
• H. C. Anstey
The Afflictions of the Gospel

Tell me, What hast thou in the House?
The Lord's Death
Faith and the Spirit
Life, the Daily Triumph
• E. H. Chater
God has Changed His Man
God's Purpose in Christ
 





INTRODUCTION

The articles by Mr. S. M. Anglin, Mr. H. C. Anstey and Mr. E. H. Chater, are from A Voice to the Faithful 1895-96, edited by Mr. J. B. Stoney.

• S. M. Anglin

Mr. Anglin wrote a helpful booklet – What Baptism Is, and Who Should Be Baptised – which now appears on the Doctrine: Baptism page.

• H. C. Anstey

Mr. Herbert C. Anstey lived in Kingston-on-Thames.

• E. H. Chater

Mr. Edward H. Chater (1845-1915) – of Ealing – is well known for his many fine hymns, there being thirteen in the 1973 Re-Selection.

EHC was one of the signers of the Statement of Facts as to Events in Ealing, June 30, 1890, which now appears as an appendix to The Champney Letter.


Spiritual Means has been chosen as the title article of this page because of its peculiar bearing on our own day.

G.A.R.

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S.  M.  ANGLIN

GIDEON

Attention has recently been called to the solemn instruction furnished us by the inspired record of Gideon's ephod.

I do not purpose, however, to go over what has previously been brought before us in the paper referred to,

His history bears witness to the goodness and sovereign compassion of God towards His people, who, on their part, were constantly dishonouring Him, and bringing trouble and chastening on themselves.

1. First, his own heart and feelings are in harmony with the thoughts of God about His people.

He is here in the Spirit of Moses and of Paul; indeed, we may say in that of the blessed Lord Himself;

2. The second characteristic of a true servant now shines out; that is, the sense of his own weakness and incompetency.

It is true, that along with this – which in itself is the precious fruit of the working of the Spirit of Go – there may be that which is merely natural backwardness, and which affords a ready shelter for unbelief.

I need not stay to dwell, in connection with this, upon the way that Gideon's army had to be reduced from 32,000 to 300 men. It all bears witness to the same truth.

I only seek now that we may have before us the instructive lesson of the way Gideon went on from victory to victory while simply keeping God before Him, and acting in dependence upon Him;

But let us briefly notice the moral victories of this man of God before the enemy succeeded in thus sadly ensnaring him.

The temper and spirit in which Gideon meets the chidings of the men of Ephraim is very fine.

But another subtle snare is presented to him. He bore the slighting and the chiding of his brethren in a becoming spirit, but will he be proof against their proposal to honour him?

But though Gideon refuses their proposal it evidently in a measure affects his spirit.

What a tale it tells of the vanity of our poor hearts! What an impressive lesson of the need of constantly abiding in dependence upon God, of walking in faith before Him.

These are some of the important truths illustrated in the history of Gideon, and which

S.M.A.

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FOR THE JOY THEREOF

It must be evident to any one who through grace, has been led to apprehend what the true character and calling of the church really are, that

In contrast to all this, however, it is also true that the Lord has of late been seeking by His Spirit, in a very distinct way, to waken up all who have "an ear to hear" to the truth and reality of what the church is in His eyes, according to His own thoughts and feelings about it –

Brief as this parable is it has wrapped up in it, so to speak, that which was the brightest design in all the counsels of God,

But what draws me to it more especially at this time is this wondrous fact – that the church is the chief joy of His heart, as revealed by Him in the expression "for joy thereof".

It is very affecting that the Lord should have expressed the feelings of His heart about the church in view of giving up all that was His, and all that was due to Him here, by the words He uses "for joy thereof".

Is there, however, no joy for us also in this treasure? Is it not a deep joy to enter into His thoughts and feelings about His own, and to see what they are to Him?

First, in the blessedness of communion with Him, to know what He finds in the church, and that He has His joy in her affection for Him; even as He said to His disciples – alluding to His joy in going to the Father –

But again there is the joy of knowing that we are collectively that treasure, that we are and shall be a source of delight to Jesus; wonderful as it is to contemplate it;

But sure I am that He would have our hearts entering into all this more and more;

Until that blessed moment His word to each heart that in bridal affection knows Him now as the One who "for joy thereof went and sold all that He had", is, "surely, I come quickly".

But "the pearl" as well as "the treasure" – for both are similitudes of the same thing – is here now, and we cannot too deeply be exercised as to the fact that

S.M.A.

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SPIRITUAL MEANS

It is now very generally admitted that the more correct rendering of 1 Corinthians 2: 13 is

It is clear that before anyone can be a communicator of spiritual things, he must first be a recipient of them.

How different from this is that which the Lord Himself expresses, as touching the class of persons to whom the Father – by the Holy Ghost – is pleased to reveal these things: as we read in Matthew 11: 25:

The apostle, writing by the Spirit, would set the hearts of these Corinthian believers – who were so ambitious of human glory and wisdom – a-longing

But inasmuch as these things and this wisdom are only ministered by the Spirit of God – who alone could know the things of God, verse 11 – therefore two things were indispensable for their reception and enjoyment:

  1. The Spirit of God must be given to dwell in us, we must have the Spirit of God before there is any capacity to receive these things, or be set on the road to reach this heavenly wisdom.

  2. There must be practically a moral state maintained by those who have already received the Spirit, which is agreeable to, and in harmony with, the mind of the Spirit.

    • He is the Holy Spirit of God – Eph. 4: 30 – and therefore practical holiness must be maintained.

    • He is here for the exaltation and glory of Christ, "the Lord of glory", whom this world in its fancied wisdom and power crucified;

    • and therefore what ministers to the glory of man, or exalts the wisdom of man – in short, the allowance of anything contrary to what the cross of Christ has revealed – and oh! how much it has revealed! –

    • cannot be owned by Him, but necessarily hinders any further reception in the soul of what is divine and heavenly – and therefore infinitely blessed – and thus stops all spiritual growth.

What we have already considered is in some sense a necessary preliminary to what is expressed in the verse we have now before us, which relates to the communication of "these things",

The gospel reveals them, or, I would rather say, the gospel contains them, taking it in the fullest sense and meaning of that term.

The sense of how divine and spiritual all in connection with the gospel is, of how it is connected with the accomplishment of the most wonderful purposes and counsels of the heart and mind of the blessed God,

The Holy Ghost is the only power for any true light and blessing in the soul of any one. He is jealous of His mission into the world, and what suits it.

There may be a good beginning, and yet the elements that hinder growth and sap the soul of its spiritual nourishment be afterwards brought in through other agencies, as in the case of the Corinthians themselves;

Much more might be added as to the practical results of "spiritual means" or the reverse,

Let us the ever bear in mind that it is only by the Holy Ghost we can rightly receive or understand one single bit of divine truth,

S.M.A.

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JACOB AND PAUL – A CONTRAST

Both were saints of God, and their histories are as deeply instructive as they are interesting.

But the trials and sufferings arose from very different causes in each case, for while both had faith and were the objects of divine favour and interest,

"To me to live is Christ" was the motto and motive that governed the life of Paul.

But what I desire now is only just to notice the contrast presented between these two saints of God mentioned above,

For we must still bear in mind that Jacob was a man who had faith, and therefore could look at what is unseen and eternal, only that

But Pharaoh's enquiry as to his age awakens other thoughts in his breast. It causes him to look back over that long and chequered life which now appeared so short; and what is his summary of it and his sad confession about it? –

Let us now for a moment turn to the blessed contrast to all this in the triumphant declaration of the apostle Paul at the close of his career, in which he had made Christ and His interests his aim and object,

How grand, how blessed! No regrets, no wishing to spend his life over again, so that he might alter this, that, or the other.

But I do not purpose to enlarge upon this side of the picture either. Rather do I just desire to lay it before your eyes as well as my own for our admiration and contemplation, so that, considering it well,

S.M.A.

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H.  C.  ANSTEY

THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE GOSPEL
– Can they be Known Now?

Some have said, 'No! for times have changed'. And in reading the above words from 2 Timothy 1, we must notice the immensity of the change which has taken place since they were penned.

The change I think cannot be denied, but can we therefore avoid the present application of these words and of this exhortation,

What was Paul's gospel? I think the true answer to this question will show that

Paul's gospel not only declared the eternal removal from the eye of God of all the "offences" by the death of Christ – see the first part of Romans, to chapter 5: 11.

This was Paul's gospel and it was well known to Timothy.

Has the "offence" – the scandal – of the cross ceased? It would appear that it has, if we may judge by the popularity of the gospel in some places in so-called Christian England,

But it has been truly said, "the present judgment of God is resting on man", God having accepted another Man – a second – is it not clear that He must reject the first?

It is when we not only "know" the doctrine which Paul taught, but when we preach it, and live – manner of life – as though we knew it,

It is when in our preaching – do the work of an evangelist – we bring in another Man, in whom is all God's delight, that we shall understand a little not only of afflictions,

How little do some of us know of such a life in this world! Partaker of "the afflictions of the gospel!"

If times have changed, and they have, man is in no wise changed, nor has the truth of God changed the gospel, which we have been considering.

H.C.A.

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TELL ME, WHAT HAST THOU IN THE HOUSE?
A Question For All Who Are Of It Today

When this question was asked – 2 Kings 4 – , God was practically displaced in Israel, which He had chosen for His dwelling,

There is a picture of God's house presented to us in the 1st Epistle to Timothy which is very different from what we find is the state in the second.

In the second epistle, the only mention that we find of this house, is where we read of "a great house", in which there are many vessels, "some to honour and some to dishonour",

Moreover, the brightest thing had failed when this second epistle was written, a proof of what had taken place since the writing of the first.

Timothy had been left in this favoured assembly to see that some who desired it taught "no other doctrine", 1 Tim. 1: 3.

But not only this faithful servant had stood firm among the seething mass of decline and corruption – God was faithful. 2 Tim. 2: 13.

I turn then to 2 Timothy 1: 6-7 and I read,

May we bow our heads before Him, and seek grace to rightly estimate the privileges and favour of "Timothy" days.

In the first of these verses, Timothy is reminded of the peculiar "gift", communicated to him through the apostle. This was personal and individual.

The question, "What hast thou in the house?" shows that God has resources there which He can use.

Now what was a true parallel to this in the days of the Second Epistle to Timothy – days only perhaps then dawning – but now, fully upon us?

Oil in scripture is a figure of the Spirit of God. Leviticus 8: 14, etc.

First notice that the resource is in "the house" and she is to get alone therein, "with her sons", to find empty vessels, and to "shut the door".

May the Lord exercise us as to the magnitude of our resources – Himself – and lead us to the becoming actions in separation from vessels to dishonour, so that we may profit by these resources.

H.C.A.

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THE LORD'S DEATH – 1 Corinthians 11: 26

I think that it is important to remember two things are connected with death.

Death closed for Him the day of His humiliation and opened to Him the day of His glory,

The significance and importance of this fact is shown, I think, in that God has taken care that the death of Christ in "the Lord's Supper" should be presented afresh and continually before us.

Thus death closes and it opens. It has opened to Christ and to us, all the scene into which He has gone,

Now we are left a moment upon earth – just as the Lord was upon earth during the forty days after His resurrection – to have His portion

But as with Him, the death came first, so also with us, the closing of the door comes first.

If we turn back to types that have foreshadowed the death of Christ, we have a remarkable one in the Red Sea.

And blessed truth, the door is open in front. What has Christ entered upon now as Man?

If we still use the type – for Canaan is not heaven – I see that the old corn of the land is there, there, too, I learn that I do not "lack anything in it".

I find then that "the Lord's death" is not only the way out, deliverance, but it is also the way into the knowledge of all God's purposes in Christ.

It is from this point of vantage which God has given to Christ in answer to the world's rejection of Him and which grace has made ours, that we can say "old things have passed away, all things have become new".

If we are not in the solemn apprehension of the one, it is little wonder that we cannot be in the joyful truth of the other.

May the Lord instruct our hearts more fully as to these things, that the affections may go out to Him.

"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink of this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come".

H.C.A.

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FAITH GIVES LIGHT,
But The Spirit Conducts Me Into Privilege

It has been remarked that the privileges of saints to-day cannot be enjoyed "by faith" but only "by the Spirit".

First of all, I think that we must be clear that the Spirit is given now, and on "the principle of faith", and n –

The apostle asks the Galatians, "Have ye received the Spirit on the principle of works of law, or of the report of faith?" – New [Darby] Translation.

Faith gives light, but I think it will be admitted that it is quite possible to stop short of the enjoyment of what the light enables us to see.

Many read Ephesians 2: 5-6, and kindred passages, which speak of our privileges as saints in this day, with – it seems to me – a good deal of complacency.

It is worthy of note that the list of the "fruit of the Spirit", which we find in Galatians as what we enjoy and display in the world, refers to what is true in us, and not to what is true of us.

What was seen in Old Testament saints, and its effect in them, comes before us in Hebrews 11, but is nothing more to be known to day than they knew?

I conclude with one remark, Is it not noteworthy that

H.C.A.

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LIFE; Or, THE DAILY TRIUMPH OF GOOD OVER EVIL
"The man is become as one of us, to know good and evil",
Genesis 3: 22.
This passage contrasted with John 10: 14-15.

Victory is the portion of all in Christ. We can say, "Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory", – 1 Cor. 15 – because good and evil have received their full solution at the hands of God.

Seeing that this is so, and I shall point out the proof presently, we cannot say with Job, "Shall we receive good at the hands of God, and shall we not receive evil?"

What I find refused to man, when the question of evil was unsettled, was life – Gen. 3: 22.

Now the proof that the question of evil is eternally solved lies in the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ,

There could be no limit to this revelation. The Son reveals the Father as He knows Him!. Matt. 11: 27.

I should like to say a word about the knowledge which this wonderful change has introduced.

We know evil, but only as that which has been eternally removed for God, and as that therefore that we have done with because He has. It is of the "old things" that "have passed away".

What a triumph of God and a triumph of good we have before us now that He has settled the question of evil.

One word more as to this blessing. It is needful to remember that although evil is settled as to God, and therefore as to us, it is evidently not yet put out of this world.

"Finally", says the apostle, "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are amiable, whatsoever things are of good report, if any virtue and any praise, think on these things. What ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, these things do, and the God of peace shall be with you". (Phil. 4, New [Darby] Translation.

H.C.A.

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E.  H.  CHATER

GOD HAS CHANGED HIS MAN:
Are We In The Truth Of It?

True, practical Christianity depends on an answer in the affirmative. God has changed His man; are we in the truth of it?

Every Christian still bears the image of the first man, having proceeded according to the flesh from him, who was originally formed in the image and likeness of God;

Quickened by Christ, we have already passed from death unto life. We can never go back to Adam.

The world around us is morally dead, under judgment, lying in the wicked one; and man, apart from grace, is hopelessly lost.

Christ in resurrection is the beginning – Col. 1: 18. It does not say, 'the new beginning'.

On the mount of transfiguration, at the close of the scene, Moses and Elias, the law and the prophets, disappear, and Jesus only is seen.

Let us then raise our thoughts above all that is visible and bow to the revelation of God, in relation to the second Man, glorified in His presence. God is occupied about Him.

Truth must be learnt, and learnt in order, or it will never be properly and spiritually learnt at all.

The way to Christ and to the whole range of heavenly blessing is through death.

We are introduced into a new sphere of privilege and blessing. We are where God tells out His heart to us, and gives us to share His joy and delight in Christ.

God has changed His man; are we in the truth of it?

E.H.C.

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GOD'S PURPOSE IN CHRIST

God has an eternal purpose concerning Christ and His heavenly saints. This purpose will be infinitely fulfilled in a coming day of glory.

All His way is perfect; no flaw can be found in the design, no failure in its execution, infinite and inscrutable wisdom shine out in all its parts.

Christ being glorified, and the Holy Ghost come, the work of grace for glory has commenced.

Now, the recipients of this grace are already fitted, while on earth, for the glory to which they are called, and that glory is already theirs. John 17: 22.

But further, God would have His saints enter into these things now.

Are we set for heaven before we actually arrive there?

God seeks reality; His heart's desire for us is that we may know and enjoy the fulness of His love, and enter now upon the enjoyment of our only proper and eternal portion in the heavens in Christ.

Now there cannot be the feeblest measure of apprehension of all this in our souls, apart from reckoning ourselves dead to sin,

Christ died, having borne our sins; they are gone. Christ died, and we died with Him, if we really accept it. Let us challenge our hearts; how far have we entered into it in power?

But if we have died, we also live. Christ is risen, and we live beyond death in Him; moreover, we are risen with Him.

It is our privilege, in the power of the same Spirit, by which we get deliverance from the old things, to enter now into the enjoyment of that which is new, abiding, and eternal, though unseen. How far do we?

The great question for us all, in view of the surpassing magnificence of God's eternal counsel in Christ, is – which are we set for?

All this world's glory is transient, and daily its votaries are summoned away.

How then should we be occupied? Not only as having life in Him, seeking to please Him in all our circumstances here; but

E.H.C.

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