THE LAWS WRITTEN IN THE HEART
By Silas Durand January 1867
The sovereign
declaration of God concerning his people is, “ I will put my laws into their mind,
and write them in their hearts; " Heb.,viii,10. By this are the people
of God distinguished, that each has for himself a perfect transcript of the law
of the Lord, not written on tables of stone, not delivered into the hands of
priests and teachers to be administered, but written on the fleshly tables of
his heart. Still, there would be great difficulty, notwithstanding this fact,
in distinguishing that "peculiar people," because of the many
opposing claims presented, and the conflicting laws and doctrines professed to
have been received of God, but we are not left to human judgment in this matter
to decide in favor of superior numbers, or to be led away by apparent honesty
and sincerity of professions. “We have a more sure word of prophecy." That
law, which is written in the hearts of God's people, with all their experience
of it, is also written in the sacred volume; and, between the word of truth and
the teaching of the Spirit in the heart, there is perfect agreement. Then, only
that experience, or that profession which agrees with the Scriptures is
reliable "The Spirit," (in the word,),, itself beareth witness with
our spirit, that we are the children of God." "To the law and to the
testimony - if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no
light in them."
By the teaching of the Spirit alone can the word of God given us in the
sacred Scriptures be unfolded to our understanding. It can not be explained to
any one by human teachers,
neither can a knowledge of it be acquired by dint of study. When we experience
it then we understand it. The truth written upon the heart is brought out to
view, and its light reflected upon the written word shows us the spiritual
meaning and application. Then,
"A
glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun."
How often have we read some passage with no especial interest,
seeing only literal beauty, perhaps regarding its teaching as contradictory to
reason, and passing it over -with a quiet indifference as something to which we
may yield a nominal expression of belief, but which is by no means to direct
our course of action. We can remember when this was the case with us in reading
many portions of the Scriptures, which have since become full of comfort and
instruction. Perhaps many of us find much that we still read with some such
feelings without even looking beyond the sermon on the mount. But we look at
the same passage again, and what a change! It is all new, and so full and clear
a meaning is conveyed to our mind through the familiar words that we look upon
them with wonder. We have had some new experience since we last saw them. The
words answer to something within. We now believe, and we know too what it is to
believe. Something has occurred to us that we deemed a great misfortune,
perhaps, and deeply regretted, or something that we looked upon as an important
benefit, certain to yield much pleasure. But the affliction has been borne with
a serenity we would not have thought possible, or the benefit has failed to
give the satisfaction expected. Through both, or either, we have been taught to
look with distrust upon earthly things, and our minds have been led to the
contemplation of things eternal. As we open the Bible we are surprised to see
in some place we thought familiar our own late experience recounted and
explained, and the result of all our deep reflections and unfathomable feelings
presented to us. We are thus made to feel that it is God who has been leading
us in ways that we have not known through afflictions and supposed prosperity,
separating us from the world and turning our hearts to himself by his Spirit,
enforcing instruction through his providential dealings with us, and thus
giving us the comfortable assurance that we are children of the heavenly
Jerusalem and certain inheritors of all the blessings pronounced upon her,
having already begun to experience the fulfillment of that declaration
concerning her, "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great
shall be the peace of thy children."
It is not until we have experienced the condemnation of the law and the sentence of death
in ourselves, that we read and understand that,,, “ The soul that sinneth, it shall
die. " The commandment does not come to us through the written word. We
are able to feel the force and see the glory of what stands written there,
because the commandment has already come to us, sin has revived, and we have
died. The word describes our trouble, and shows it to be in consequence of sin
abounding, or manifested by the entrance of the law.
It is not until we
have experienced salvation in ourselves that we know the meaning of the blessed
Name of Jesus. When we have felt some degree of peace from trouble, peace
strange and unaccountable because we think we ought still to be in trouble on
account of the host of sins which we have not overcome nor atoned for; when a
sense of mercy, extended in our perfect helplessness seems softly to enter our
hearts, melting them in gratitude - when a, kind of infinite love that we can
not express swells within us toward the infinite Being in whose mercy we hope -
then do we know Jesus as the Savior from sin, and the Prince of peace. However
the circumstances may differ through which we are taught, the same truths are
brought to the knowledge of all. However imperfectly the experience of any may
be expressed, it will still bear the unmistakable impress of God's hand in
teaching, harmonizing with what is written in the word. It will show a
knowledge of sin, a recognition of the holiness and justice of God, a feeling
of separation from the world, a distrust of human help, and a hope for salvation
resting alone upon the mercy of God, through grace that is in Christ Jesus.
The wisdom contained
in the Scriptures is infinite. The little that we are able to see of it causes
us to exclaim in wonder, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God." But little of what is there contained is
fully opened to the understanding and brought to bear upon the mortal
pilgrimage of any one child of God. To each is given such measure of wisdom and
knowledge as is necessary for his own instruction, and for the fulfillment of
his work in the church. But little of the whole array of scriptural testimony
is given for use to any one branch of the church; but little perhaps to any one
age. But when the mystery of God shall be finished, when every member from the
first to the last shall have been brought together unto the perfect man, and
the whole body shall stand in perfect manifestation, then it will be seen that
no smallest part of the sacred word has been written in vain; that all
Scripture has been profitable; that the church in the minutest experience of
each of its members through all the course of time, and in its perfected glory,
was all represented in the inspired volume.
If the law of God is
written in the heart of each of God's children, one might ask, How can we
account for the ignorance in which we remain so long, and for the necessity of
continued instruction and repeated reproof ? We may illustrate by referring to
the child. The whole law concerning our natural life exists in the child, and
all the instruction which it afterwards receives concerning its physical existence
is based upon that law. He may be slow in receiving knowledge, but whether it
come sooner or later, he will be referred by it to what has existed unnoticed
in himself all the time. He may be long in learning what is hurtful or
poisonous to his system, but when the discovery is made it will be but the
bringing to his notice a law always in existence. So when the Spirit of God, or
the divine life, is communicated in the new birth, it carries with it the law
of its being. We are led about and instructed, and given such measure of
knowledge and develop ment as God will, and each one fitted for his place and
duty.
When we preach the
expectation of our natural mind is, that those who hear will acknowledge the
power of truth and believe. What preacher has not at times felt a sort of
disappointment and discouragement, when, after presenting the truth as he
supposed quite clearly, feeling it very forcible and convincing in his own mind,
so that it seemed impossible that any should resist it, he has
seen only manifestations of hatred, contempt, or indifference toward it from
all except the few who were already believers, and perhaps coldness from many
of them. But our faith tells us that those only will hear and attend whose
hearts God has opened; that our preaching can affect none who have not been
quickened. And when we remember how long we listened before we beard, we have
no reason to be disappointed. God does not allow us to magnify our own power by attributing to it the effect of the truth. The faith
of the elect stands not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. When the
truth has free course, and finds open ears and understanding hearts to rejoice
in it, we know that God has already spoken there; that he has put his law in
the mind that understands it, and written it in the hearts that receive and
feel it, and we say, “This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our
eyes."
As with the doctrine, so with all the injunctions, admonitions,
and reproofs ; they are heard only by circumcised ears, and their force
acknowledged only by the heart that has already felt them.
Endeavor to enforce the command to be baptized, and who will be persuaded
to obey it in its strictness as a command of our Savior but the one in whose
heart he has written that law. “Love not the world, nor the things that are in
the world. " " Let
all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put
away from you, with all malice." To whom do these and the like injunctions
come with power? Does any cease to love the world because he sees it so written
here? Is malice against an enemy
driven from the breast where it has rested, does bitterness for wrongs received
cease to rankle in the heart because the eye has rested upon these words, or
the ear heard them repeated? Those who believe the doctrine that the Bible is
but to teach men how to become Christians and secure a place in heaven, have
need to look carefully to themselves when they read these things, for the work
of driving the love of the world, with all evil passions, out of the natural
heart, which, accord ing to their doctrine, they must do or perish, must be a
difficult one to perform. Indeed it is nothing else than creating
a new heart and a new spirit, which is the requirement of God, before they can
be received, Ezk., xviii, 31, and the fact that
those who hold this doctrine rest satisfled short of this work, which man can
not perform, shows the hypocrisy and igno
rance of their professions.
Those who really feel
the force of these admonitions and desire to render obedience, are such as have
been born again and possess a new spirit opposed in its nature to the carnal
mind. They desire to obey the precepts of the gospel, not as a means of
reaching heaven, but because there is a love of holiness and a hatred of sin
within them. The love of the world in the unchanged natural heart as well as
the evil passions that exist there, is daily rebuked in the experience of the
Christian. When allowed to rule him it grieves the Holy Spirit of God by which
he has been sealed unto the day of redemption, as any thing hurtful to the
natural life gives physical suffering. The physical system recognizes with pain
the introduction of poison into the blood; the body recoils from the touch of
fire; so the Spirit of holiness within us recognizes and is grieved by
worldliness and all evil. When the soul that has felt these inward chastenings
and warnings hears the reproofs and admonitions given by inspiration to God's
children, answering so perfectly to that within, the effect is not only to
humble, but to comfort by additional confirmation of his hope; and he rejoices
in the chastisements and afflictions that have torn his affections away from
the world. To him, reproofs of instruction are the way of life."
The command of our Savior is, that we shall not resist evil; that when
reviled we shall not revile again; but that we shall render good to them that
hate and despitefully use us. Among the multitude who profess to believe the Bible, how many
will you find who receive these sayings? They are a part of that dividing sword
of the Spirit by which those are separated from the world and manifested, who
have been taught of God. They will have an effect upon the heart of the
quickened sinner. If he has taken a place among scorners, these words will be
sharp arrows, causing trouble that those among whom he has strayed do not feel.
He who possesses the Spirit of Christ must be conscious of a feeling that
accords with the example and precepts of Christ, and must therefore suffer when
he walks contrary thereto. As we learn more and more the plague of our own
hearts and utter vanity of all things worldly, we shall feel more the spirit
that is expressed in these commands.
I had much trouble in my own mind before it was settled upon this subject
of resistance, and established upon the principles concerning carnal warfare
which I now hold to be true. I have still much trouble on the subject on
account of my own rebellious nature, but I have had no doubt of the truth of
those principles for more than two years. When I began to consider the question
as one of vital importance to me, whether a Christian was allowed to use carnal
weapons, I looked carefully at the teachings of our Savior in the sermon on the
mount, and had to acknowledge that they seemed to settle it. I felt, however,
that I could not yield, and tried to make it appear to myself that he meant
something else. My nature revolted at the idea of tamely submitting to
injustice. I have a fighting disposition, and was willing to justify myself in
yielding to it. But I was not at rest about it. I observed that whenever I had
a season of spiritual enjoyment and peace, my heart was free from all such
feelings as would lead to strife, and I experienced an inclination to forgive,
and rather to suffer wrong that to contend. At such times nothing in the world
seemed worth an angry thought or a moment's strife. I could not hide from
myself that my belligerent spirit was a source of great trouble in my
selfexamining thoughts, and that when yielded to, even where right clearly
appeared to be on my side, there was a feeling of condemnation and unworthiness
within me on account of it. Then, too, it was indisputable that our Savior,
whose Spirit I trusted I had received, never resisted. “When
reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but
committed himself to him that judgeth righteously." And in this very
particular we are expressly told that he has left us an example that we should
follow in his steps; I Pet.ii 21-23. Neither among the apostles could I find an
example to warrant or
favor in the least degree the indulgence of that spirit which would lead to
carnal strife. Both they and our Savior often escaped out of the hands of their
enemies, but never resisted. I still feel, as I then felt, a disposition averse
to following such examples, or acknowledging such a rule, and I know that
whenever left to the sway of my own disposition I shall act contrary to it; but
I know also that whatever of the Christian spirit and disposition there is
within me rejoices in that rule, and desires to follow those examples.
I could not but
acknowledge, also, that whenever I or others undertook to defend the asserted
right to use carnal weapons, we did not bring our arguments from the
Scriptures, as we did when contending for other points of doctrine; nor did we
attempt to sustain our cause by referring to our spiritual exercises, to the
deep and sweet feelings of peace and joy that we could regard as heavenly, to
the humility, the self-abasement, the spirit of self-denial, nor to any of the
teachings of the Christian experience; but that, like all opposers of the
truth, we appealed to the carnal mind, and argued from the supposed necessities
of the case in the light of reason, producing arguments resting precisely upon
the same ground with those urged against the doctrine of predestination and
unconditional election, and which, in those cases, we had always thought
sufficiently answered by a simple presentation of Scripture.
We seemed continually
to feel the necessity of explaining away some Scripture which would
persistently stand in the way of our theory. Every point of doctrine, every
portion of Scripture that was opened to my mind opposed and rebuked the theory.
“The circumcision of Christ" by which we put off the
sins of the flesh and are separated from all confidence in human strength ; our
crucifixion to the world our baptism into death, and resurrection to newness of
life our union in Christ with tile bond of perfectness which is charity; the
secret walls of salvation that separate us from the world and enclose us in the
sacred place of the Most High; the announcement, when our Savior appeared, of,
"On earth peace, good will toward men; " how many glorious things
like these, as they were presented to my mind, showed clearly that the tendency
of all the doctrine is opposed to
the idea that Christians may enter into carnal strife. They are armed with only
spiritual weapons, and have no use for any other.
I could not indulge the idea that my body was ever to be guided by any
but the Spirit of Christ without disobedience to him; that I might do as a
member of human society what I could not der as a subject of his kingdom. The
Christian has two
natures, but I could not find that he is allowed to serve two masters, and obey
two opposing codes of laws. On the contrary, every imagination is to be cast
down, and every thought brought " into captivity to the obedience of
Christ," while the body is to be kept in subjection, and rendered a living
sacrifice. When we are brought into the kingdom of Christ we are henceforth
under the direction of his laws in all things. And they are not deficient They
are a sufficient lamp to our feet every step of the way through our mortal
pilgrimage. In regard to all our worldly affairs they are clear and explicit.
What does it matter
where and what we are in the world if Christ be ours? If this were Dot enough
the direction would not be given, that every man should abide in the same
calling wherein he was called. Paul would not have been able to say, I I I have learned in whatsoever
state I am, therewith to be content," if it were necessary to fight for
the ac quisition or preservation of any worldly advantage; for he suffered a
great deal of wrong. We are told we must suffer trouble and persecution in the
world. Why so, if we may be allowed to fight ? Why not strengthen ourselves
with human armor against wicked men ? Men of the world contend for worldly
honors and possessions. It is all they have. “ The wicked prosper in the
world." “Their feet are swift to shed blood." But we have no
inheritance here, and no necessity for fighting. We are pilgrims and strangers,
and are under the protection of him without whom not a h air of our heads can
fall to the ground. “He will keep the feet of his
saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no
man prevail." We need no longer imagine instances wherein it would seem
necessary to fight. Those who were sent out without purse or scrip did not
object, that if they followed those directions they would certainly starve or
be killed. It is never necessary to disobey the teaching of Christ or the
direction of his Spirit.
May we be kept, while
in the body surrounded by temptation from being led away by our heart's lusts,
that we may not be ashamed at the coming of Christ. We Shall certainly fall in
the hour of temptation if left to ourselves. Let us " be diligent, that we may be found
of him in peace without spot and blameless." When we come to lie down at
last we shall fully realize what we have so imperfectly learned as yet, that in
all the world there is nothing worth a wish or thought, much less the pain
consequent upon the indulgence of angry passions, and strife, in disobedience to Christ.
If God is mine, then present things And things to come are mine ;
Yea, Christ, his word, and Spirit, too, And glory all divine.
If God is mine, let fr tends forsake, Lot wealth and honor flee ;
Sure he who giveth me himself Is more than these to me."
January 1867
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