Notes of an Address, Dublin, July, 1868.
J. N. Darby.
(Words in Season, Vol. 4, 1890, page 24.)
This chapter opens by saying, that the time is coming when everything will be made manifest.
Do you, therefore, be clear out for God.
The Lord calls the man who lays up treasure in this world a fool, - what a number of fools there are in this world!
How far do our hearts like everything being brought to the light? If we shrink from this, it is a proof that we are not clear in our conscience - our conscience has not brought whatever it is into the light yet.
I am bound to believe that "by one offering" Christ hath "perfected for ever them that are sanctified."
Faith is giving credit to divine testimony.
We must know that Christ, who is to be the Judge, is first the Saviour.
I am going to give you a kingdom (He says.)
NOW, give up everything for Christ.
He gives what is the true proper hope of the saints: the coming of Christ to receive them to Himself. The hope is not death, but to be clothed upon.
We are to have the loins girded, and to be watching - this is not taking our rest.
The condition of my soul should be that every affection of my heart should be controlled by the Word of God, and I myself watching.
He is coming to receive us to Himself-not like sending to the train to meet a friend, He is coming Himself to fetch us TO HIMSELF.
This Hope is not prophecy - prophecy is concerning events which will happen upon earth. Christ is coming to take us to heaven.
The time is coming when He will make us sit down, enjoying ourselves - and not only that, but He will minister to us.
He took upon Him the form of a servant.
Is He going to give up being a man? - never. Christ is always pre-eminent in service as well as in everything else.
We shall be "at home" in the Father's house.
Faith finds its place where Christ is, and has its treasure there.
If Christ had been crucified in this city yesterday, could we go out and be "hail fellow well met" with those who crucified Him; and if it was last year, or a hundred, or eighteen hundred, years ago, what difference?
"Go ye out to meet Him." Have you gone out to meet Him? Is your soul waiting for Him?
Christ brings out the extreme of wickedness in man's heart. Take the most amiable man, and tell him his amiability is no good, and he will be furious. All the coming out of evil never baffles the power of God.
I joy with Christ till He comes.
I joy with Christ when He comes.
Are you content to have no more to say?
Are you allowing the world or anything else to come into your heart, so as to hide the joy of meeting the Lord? J. N. D.
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Redemption at the beginning, and Canaan at the end; the wilderness comes in between the two. Through the wilderness we have God with us, and for us, not imputing anything to us, but exercising our hearts to do us good at our latter end.