Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-03-25
spiritual Israeli"

or whom can this title OF the present
time be scripturAlly considered? Israel
az the first consisted of 'the twelve sons
OF Jacob" called afterward "tbe twelve
tribes OF Israel" After tho revolt OF the
ten tribes under the Leadership of Zero.
beam, they became two distinct houses
"the house OF Judah and the house OF
lsrael"-and are so to-day. Judah re-
talns her distinct identity, but Israel are
called 1.-THE ten lost tribes" But their
union into one house and one nationality
Is the unmistakablo purpose of pro-
pheuc certainty. Jeeus, the anointed,
came out of the tribe OF Judah" bat
wss sent only ito the Lost sheep OF tho
house OF Israel" lie was the "coru of
wheat that must fall into the ground and
die, or abide alone" before he could
bring forth much fruit" The purpose
of God in Christ Jrsus, at his first advent,
was not the salvation OF the world at that
time, but rather 10 gather out IN elect
NUMBER O chosen few, prelestin sted
body, of whom Jesus was the predesti,
mated head. This head and body we're TO
be 1.-THE first fruits unto God and the
Lamb OF "Lhe new creation OF God"
"Tbe fullness of time had come when
Tho remnant, according 10 the election OF
OF grace" these 'iirs fruits" must he
saved or no flesh could have been saved.
And the days were shortened" to accom-
pli-h this divine predestlnated purpose in
THE elect according to the loIel5nowl-
edge of God the Father" Were these first
fruits, this election OF grace this fore
known, predestlnatci body, and bride OF
the Lamb saved or we're they notl Was
Code eternal purpose, which he pur.
posed in Christ Jesus, and these first
fruits, before the world began" failure,
or was II not!
Those questions are pregnant with
interest, and demand our earnest and
reverent attention. Let us examine some.
what closely one Of the most Important
hcts found In the word OF God. God in
suueted Moses TO say unto Pbaroah:
The Lord God OF your fathers, the God
OF Abraham, tho God OF Isaac and the
God of Jacob hath sent me unto YOU;
this is my name forever, and this Is my
memorial uhto all generations. Exodus
Ill. Is. Have these generations run out,
or are they with us to-dsyi II they be
found amoug us, what becomes of Goods
name, HIS memorial, His promise and
oath to Abraham" Is It not, "by these
two linmutablc thrgs, impossible for
Cod to Lief" Who are TO 'bless all the
families, ell the nations Of tho Garth" Il
not "the seed OF Abrahoinln Sic saith
not to seeds as of many, but as one uuto
thy seed which is Christ" New, Paul
assures us that Jesus Christ was a
minister OF the circumcision for the truth
of God, to confirm the promises made
unto the fathers" Rom. XIV. 8. Has
Christ Jesus oIffmel these promisesl
II so, when and howl 1t is important
for US to know how these questions are
to he met and answered lntelligently aud
scrlpturally. 1t ought to be knoEn to
every student Of the Bible, that until
the advent OF Chris, with the exception
of the ancient WORTHLESS brought 10 llpht
in Heb. Xi. chapter, the world was IN
darkness, and Judaism "b,ludei," but at
that time there was hidden VISION, a
secret mystery, which hal been hidden
from all ages and from all generations"
until that period.
This hidden wisdom and this secret
mystery" was revealed to, and manifest
ed In those only known then as a "iore-
known, predestluated, called, justified
and sauetiiled, translated and glorihed
body" who constituted "the remnant ae
cording to the election OF grace" 1t was
for this body that Christ Jesus was
manifested" at His first advent, LIST
Peter, |, 20. 1t was for these he prayed
Gle did not pray for the world" John
xvii, o. These "did not choose Hin, but
he chose them" "not according to their
works, but according to the purpose aud
grace oil His Father, which was given
thom in Him before the world began, "
End TIN. l. 9. These are ''Hl= witnesses,
the light of the world and the salt of the
earth ~ And thl. III ,h al.
were thus chosen, is "their maniiestu-
ton TO the creation, as the Sons of God, :"
Rom, viii, 10. "Born uot of blood, nor
of the will of flesh, nor OF the Will OF
man, but OF God,' John, I, 10. This
unique body are now in theif translated
and resurrected bodies, 1.-THE members In
particular OF Christ body, OF His flesh
and of His bonee," list Cor, xii, ~, Eph.
v, 80. And are "one with Him, as he is
one with the Father" John, xvii, 81, ~.
As Christ, the head, "wus made perfect
through suffering" Heb, II, 10, so the
body "were to I'LL up that which was
behind of the Affections OF Christ in the
flesh, for his body's sake, which is the
church, Job, /, "a. Knowing that 'if
we suffer with Him We shall also reign
with him." End Tim, II, 12. If, then,
we do not wish to be found "handling
the word of God deealtiully." but by a
manifestation OF the truth. commend our
sci es to eveey mans conscience in the
sight tof God, list Corinthians. iV, l2.
We must 'study to show ourselves ap-
proved unto God. Workmcn that need
eth not to be ashamed, rightly divldiI Q
the word Of truth" We must "preach
the word" LIST Tim, iv chap. Not
what we think, not our idea, nor what
we believe, nor what any one else does,
but ''preach the word" If the spirit oi
truth" has inspired the word aud It has
then the writer's were under its inspira-
tion at the time Of it's writing, And II
such be the fact In the writer's case, how
can the preacher understand. explain or
expound 'the word" In the absence of
this divine teacheri His recourse TO the
'church fathers" to ancient authors,
learned D. DIS, philosophers, or scientists
of any school is not rpreachlng the
word" ''lhe spirit of truth" cannot be
thus ignored or passed by in its Official
| relation to that OF 'tthe word" 1t can
only be an insult to the spirit OF truth to
| invoke Its divine presence and aid, and
then resort to uninspired authors callel
| d. DIS, or learned philosophers, or sci
entlsts, or church fathers to ventiate
their Opiuions. Do such prayers really
go higher than the hearing of the congre-
CATION who may or may not hear them.
How are we to reconcile or harmonic
such prayers when we are told that 1.-THE
word OF God is quick and powerful and
sharper than any two edged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder OF
soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is discerner OF the
thoughts and intents OF the heart d
Hebrew ", IL. Is there keen percep-
ton, a vivid realization of this astouud.