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146
Early Writings
preserve the unity of the Primitive Church, how much more so to
restore unity now! And that it is the purpose of God to restore the
unity of the Church in the last days, is abundantly evident from the
prophecies. We are assured that the watchmen shall see eye to eye,
when the Lord shall bring again zion. Also, that in the time of the
end the wise shall understand. When this is fulfilled there will be
unity of faith with all whom God accounts wise; for those that do in
reality understand aright, must necessarily understand alike. What is
to effect this unity but the gifts that were given for this very purpose?
From considerations like these, it is evident that the perfect state
of the Church here predicted is still in the future; consequently these
gifts have not yet accomplished their purpose. This letter to the
ephesians
[141]
Was written in A.D. 64, about two years before paul told timothy
that he was ready to be offered, and the time of his departure was
at hand. The seeds of the apostasy were now germinating in the
Church, for paul had said ten years before, in his second letter to
the thessalonians, “The mystery of iniquity doth already work.”
Grievous wolves were now about to enter in, not sparing the flock.
The Church was not then rising and advancing to that perfection in
unity contemplated in the text, but was about to be torn by factions
and distracted by divisions. The apostle knew this; consequently
he must have looked beyond the great apostasy, to the period of the
gathering of the remnant of God’s people, when he said, “Till we all
come into [margin] the unity of the faith.”
Ephesians 4:13
. Hence
the gifts that were set in the church have not yet served out their
time
.
“Quench not the spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all
things; hold fast that which is good.”
1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
.
In this epistle the apostle introduces the subject of the second
coming of the Lord. He then describes the state of the unbelieving
world at that time, who are saying, “Peace and safety,” when the day
of the Lord is about to burst upon them, and sudden destruction come
upon them as a thief in the night. He then exhorts the Church, in
view of these things, to keep awake, to watch and be sober. Among
the exhortations that follow are the words we have quoted, “Quench
not the spirit,” etc. Some may think that these three verses are
completely detached from one another in sense; but they have a