"'BY what authority doest thou these things?' said the Jews to Christ, when he was healing the sick and casting out devils. He did the things, this was certain; it was equally certain that they could not do the things. They had authority, but no power; he had power, but they wanted to know his authority. He answered their question by asking another, 'The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men?' They were in a dilemma. If they said, it was from heaven, then he could quote John's endorsement of himself: if they said it was of men, they feared the people, for all men counted John as a prophet; and so, rather than be trapped, they lied themselves out of the difficulty and [R2067 : page 276] said, 'We cannot tell.' 'Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things;' was his ready reply.
"The enemies of God and truth seek by every possible means to hinder faithful workers from doing the will of the Lord. 'They have no authority,' 'They are not duly appointed,' 'They have no credentials.'
"There are plenty of men who have authority to do everything but have no power to do anything: there are other men who may lack human authority, but yet have the authority of God and the Holy spirit. Said Mr. Spurgeon in a recently published sermon:—
"'Remember Moses when they came to him and said that Eldad and Medad were prophesying in the camp; those two fellows had not been properly ordained, yet they were prophesying in the camp! What did Moses say? 'Stop them directly! They have not 'Rev.' before either of their names, and certainly they have not M.A., or any other letters of the alphabet, after their names. Shut those fellows up?' No, no! Moses said, 'Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!' And is not that what Christ would say, and have you say? Oh, let us have joy in our hearts when souls are saved, even though we may not be the instruments of their salvation, nor any of our denomination, but somebody quite apart from us! God has blessed him, and God be blessed for blessing him!'