GOD'S INSTITUTIONS by Jos. Clarke

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 5, 1869

GOD'S INSTITUTIONS.

By Jos. Clarke

“If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” God's people are distinguished from the world by the fact that they obey him in all things, both in the spirit and letter. The Sabbath and the marriage relation were instituted before the fall, and have in themselves

no connection with sin, or in its origin or its consequences.

Since sin came into the world, institutions of a remedial character have been set up by Infinite Wisdom. Before the sacrifice made on Calvary, these institutions pointed forward to the offering made of himself by our Lord Jesus Christ; since that time only three institutions of this kind are left to the church by our Lord; namely, baptism, washing of feet, and the Lord's supper. The first of these is an open profession to the world that we believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ; and that we are like him in his renunciation of the world and its works and ways. The second, is an act of humility and obedience, tending to do away with that selfishness which incrusts the human heart, and renders it hard and unfeeling. The third, points back to the sufferings and death of Christ, reminding his people of his broken body, and blood poured out for them; also, it points forward to the time when they shall sit at his table, and with their Lord partake of the feast spread for them.

Each one of these institutions is beautiful and appropriate in itself for the purpose to which it is intended, and so necessary that the church must practice it, if it would not dwindle and die.

The world see no beauty in the death or humiliation of Christ, nor in the types pointing to these events, nor in the present institutions of the church; but to the Christian, each of these appears most appropriate, necessary, and beautiful, when he is nearest to God.

Jos. CLARKE.