Signs of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 39. (10/16/1884)

Signs of the Times

Oct 16, 1884

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 16, 1884

John as an Example of Sanctification.

By Mrs. E. G. White

JOHN was known as the "disciple whom Jesus loved." While not in any degree weak or vacillating in character, he possessed an amiable disposition, and a warm, loving heart, capable of the deepest and most earnest devotion. He seems to have enjoyed the friendship of Christ in a pre-eminent degree, and he received many tokens of his love and confidence. He was one of the three permitted to witness Christ's glory upon the mount of transfiguration and his agony in the garden of Gethsemane; and to the care of John our Lord confided his mother in those last hours of anguish upon the cross.

The affection of Jesus for his beloved disciple was returned with all the strength of ardent devotion. John clung to the Master as the vine clings to the stately pillar. For his sake he braved the dangers of the judgment hall, and lingered about the cross; and at the tidings that Christ had risen, he hastened to the sepulcher, in his zeal outstripping even the impetuous Peter.

John's love for his Master was not a mere human friendship, but the love of a repentant sinner, who felt that he had been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. He esteemed it the highest honor to work and suffer in the service of his Lord. His religion was of a practical character, and led him to love all for whom Christ died. He reasoned that love to God would be manifested in love to his children. "Beloved," he would often say, "if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." "We love him because he first loved us. If a man say I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen?" The apostle's life was in harmony with his teachings. The love for Christ which glowed in his heart, led him to labor untiringly for his fellow-men, especially for his brethren in the Christian church. He was deeply in earnest, and his words carried with them a weight of conviction.

The confiding love and unselfish devotion manifested in the life and character of John, present lessons of untold value. Some may suppose that he possessed these qualities independent of divine grace; but this is not so. The Bible record shows that he had by nature serious defects of character. He was proud and ambitious, and quick to resent slight and injury.

John's love for his Lord was not the cause of Christ's love for him, but the effect of that love. John desired to become like Jesus, and under the transforming influence of the Saviour's love, he became meek and lowly of heart. Self was hid in Jesus. He was closely united to the Living Vine, and thus became a partaker of the divine nature. Such will ever be the result of communion with Christ. This is true sanctification.

There may be marked defects in the character; evil temper, envy, and jealousy may bear sway; yet if the man becomes a true disciple of Jesus, the power of divine grace will make him a new creature. Christ's love transforms, sanctifies him. But when persons profess to be Christians, and their religion does not make them better men and women,—living representatives of Christ in all the relations of life,—they are none of his.

At one time, with several of his brethren, John engaged in a dispute as to which of their number should be accounted greatest. They did not intend their words to reach the ear of Jesus; but he read their hearts, and embraced an opportunity to give his disciples a lesson in humility. His teaching was designed not only for the little group who listened to his words, but for the benefit of all his followers, to the close of time. "And he sat down, and called the twelve, and said unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all."

Those who have the Spirit of Christ will have no ambition to occupy a position above their brethren. It is those who are small in their own eyes who will be accounted great in the sight of God. "And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them; and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me; and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but Him that sent me." What a precious lesson is this for all the followers of Christ! Those who overlook the life-duties lying directly in their pathway, who neglect mercy and kindness, courtesy and love, are neglecting Christ.

On one occasion John, with his brother James, came to Jesus with a request that he would honor them by permitting them to sit, one at his right hand and the other at his left hand in his glory. The Saviour answered, "Ye know not what ye ask." How little do many of us understand the true import of our prayers! Oh, Jesus knew the infinite price at which that glory must be purchased, when, "for the joy that was set before him," he "endured the cross, despising the shame." That joy was wholly unselfish. It consisted in seeing souls saved from death by his humiliation, his agony, the shedding of his blood.

This was the glory that Christ was to receive, and which these two disciples had requested that they might be permitted to share. Jesus asked them, "Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can." How little did they comprehend what that baptism signified. "Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized. But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared."

Jesus understood the motives which prompted the request, and thus reproved the pride and ambition of his two disciples: "Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you; but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister; and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Another time Jesus sent messengers before him into a village of the Samaritans, requesting the people to prepare refreshments for himself and his disciples. But the fact that Jesus was going to Jerusalem aroused the jealousy of the Samaritans, and instead of urging him to tarry with them, they withheld the courtesies which they would have given to a common wayfarer. Jesus never forces his presence on any, and the Samaritans lost the blessing that would have been theirs had they solicited him to be their guest.

We may wonder at this rude and uncourteous treatment; but how often are we who profess to be followers of Christ, guilty of the same neglect. Do we urge Jesus to take up his abode in our hearts and in our homes? He is full of love, of grace, of blessing, and stands ready to bestow these gifts upon us; but, like the Samaritans, we are frequently content without them.

The disciples were aware of their Master's purpose with reference to the Samaritans; and when they saw the coldness, jealousy, and positive disrespect shown him, they were filled with surprise and indignation. James and John were especially stirred. That He whom they so highly reverenced should be thus treated seemed to them an offense too great to be passed over without immediate punishment. These disciples asked, "Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?" referring to the destruction of the Syrian captains and their companies, that were sent out to take Elijah.

Jesus rebuked his disciples, saying, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of, for the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." John and his fellowdisciples

were in a school, in which Christ was the teacher. Those who were ready to learn their mistakes, and anxious to improve in character, had ample opportunity. John treasured every lesson, and his growth in the graces of meekness, humility, and love was remarkable.

An instructive lesson may be drawn from the striking contrast between the character of John and that of Judas. John was a living illustration of the transforming grace of God. On the other hand, Judas possessed a mere form of godliness. He professed to be a disciple of Christ, but in words and works denied him. Judas had the same precious opportunities to listen to the lessons of Christ that John had; but while John was warring against his own faults, and seeking to assimilate to Christ, Judas was violating his conscience by yielding to temptation, and was thus fastening upon himself habits of dishonesty that would end in ruin.

These two disciples represent the Christian world. All profess to be Christ's followers; but while one class walk in humility and meekness, learning of Jesus, the other show that they are not doers of the word, but hearers only. One class are sanctified through the truth; the other know nothing of the transforming power of divine grace. The former are dying daily to self, and are overcoming sinful propensities, the latter are indulging their own lusts, and becoming the servants of Satan.

Christ’s Coming and Reward

“Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:12.

“HE GIVETH MORE GRACE.”

By Rev. John Parker

“Whom have I in Heaven but thee?” Ps. 73:25.

THIS—this is my strongest desire; For this my whole nature will pine, Consumed as with heat of a fire, Till I in his image shall shine.

No earthling could more covet gold Than I covet the stores of his grace; No treasure—a thousand times told— Could so charm, as the smile of his face.

I know what the fainting child feels For want of his bread and his rest; I know the keen anguish that steals O’er the heart, when bereaved of its best.

More intense is the pang of my heart, If he hide for one moment his face; I have peace, though all else should depart, If he give me his fullness of grace.

Like the watcher on storm-fretted sea Looking out thro’ the mist and the chill, I long for his haven of rest, But more, to accomplish his will. —Rev. John Parker.

CHRISTMAS.

The festival of Christmas is regarded by Roman Catholics and Episcopalians, and many in other sects, as a religious festival. Millions have lived and died in the faith that Christmas was a divine festival occurring on the very day of the birth of our Saviour. Protestants wonder at the credulity and superstition of the Romanist in regard to Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, St. Patrick's day, etc., yet at the same time regard, as sacred, days that have no better reason, nor any higher authority, for their observance.

There may be no evil in the use of the Christmas holiday as a day of recreation and good cheer; but it is well to understand that there is neither reason nor Scripture authority for its observance as a sacred festival.

1. There is no proof that Dec. 25 was the day of Christ's nativity; but the probabilities are strongly against it.

2. If it could be certainly proved that the 25th of December was the day of Christ's birth, even then we should only have human authority that it ought to be observed.

We find no Scripture authority for keeping a festival day in honor of Christ's birth, crucifixion, resurrection, or ascension. Yet men, in their proud presumption, have invented festival days in honor of all these events. In support of the first proposition above, we quote the following high authority:—

"The day, however, now kept as Christmas, cannot be that of the nativity of our Lord, for the reason assigned long ago by Shaw and others; viz., that in December, which is the height of the rainy season in Judea, neither flocks nor shepherds could have been at night in the fields of Bethlehem, which we are told was the case at the nativity of Christ. As to the antiquity of this festival, the first traces we find of it are in the second century; about the time of the Emperor Commodus."—Encyclopædia Britannica.

Sir Isaac Newton remarks: "The times of the birth and passion of Christ, with such like niceties, being not material to religion, were little regarded by the Christians of the first age."

An unknown author, speaking of Christmas, says: "Its institution is attributed by the Decretal letters, to Telesphorus, who died A. D. 138. At first it was one of the most movable of the Christian festival days, often confounded with the Epiphany, and celebrated by the Eastern churches in the months of April and May. In the fourth century, the urgency of St. Cyril, of Jerusalem, obtained, from Pope Julius I., an order for an investigation to be made concerning the day of Christ's nativity. The result of the inquiry by the theologians of the East and West was an agreement upon the 25th of December. The chief grounds for the decision were the tables of the censors, in the archives of Rome; and although, in the opinion of some of the Fathers, there was not authentic proof of the identification of the day, yet the decision was uniformly accepted."

NEW YEAR'S.

By Sel.

This festival, like Christmas, may be harmless as a recreation day; but that it is properly the commencement of the year, is to be questioned. The year is naturally divided into four seasons; viz., (1) spring; (2) summer; (3) autumn; (4) winter. How unnatural to begin the year in the middle of the fourth season! The winter seems to be the old age of the year, while the month Abib, or April, is the youth of the year. Abib, or April, signifies the opening flowers. Here, then, is where the year would naturally commence, and this is according to the ancient order. See Ex. 12: 2: "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you."

Men have thought to improve the original plan; and in this, as in many other things, have proved that their own wisdom was folly. And in the language of Scripture we may say, "Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay." Again, we read of those who "put darkness for light, and light for darkness." The wise man says that "God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions."

Some human inventions are comparatively harmless; but when a human institution is put in the place of a divine, as in the case of the Sabbath, making void one of God's commandments, then we must "ask for the old paths, and walk therein."

But in regard to the January festival, the following may be of interest:—

"JANUARY.—This month is named from the Roman god Janus, who was represented with two faces, one toward the old year, and one toward the new. Everybody invoked him on commencing a new undertaking. From the time of Numa, second king of Rome, January began the religious year of the Romans. On its first day was presented to Janus an offering of wine and fruits; his idol was crowned with laurel; the consul or chief magistrate ascended in solemn procession to the capital; and small presents were made to one another by friends. The most usual presents were figs and dates covered with leaf gold. Hence the modern agreeable custom of New Year's presents."—Goodrich's History, p. 364.

"January, the first month in our present calendar, was also the first month in the more recent Roman calendar. It was not the first month in the year in this country till 1752, when the legislature, by an act passed in the preceding year, altered the mode of reckoning time from the Julian to the Gregorian style."—National Cyclopedia.

"It was not uniformly the beginning of the year among the Latin Christian nations till the eighteenth century, the year being in several countries reckoned from March 1, or other dates."—American Cyclopedia.

Heathen Festivals.

"Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain." Gal. 4: 10, 11.

THE festivals here referred to are those instituted by the heathen in honor of their gods. The context clearly shows that they were celebrated in memory of, or pertained to, their idolatrous worship. The apostle cannot refer to days of divine appointment, or that had reference to the worship of the true God, such as the Sabbath of the Lord, which was a memorial of the God that created all things.

Paul was afraid that the continued observance of those Roman festivals would prove a snare to them, because it would perpetuate in them a respect for human customs and idolatrous ordinances.

ORIGIN OF THE NAME.

The Christian Spectator, of 1821, says: "Our English appellation of 'Christmas' originated in the mass at this season being called Christ's mass. It was usual, at this season, for the Romish priests to offer up masses to the saints, imploring forgiveness for the people, for their debaucheries or backslidings at this festival."

PAGAN ORIGIN.

We find it generally admitted by the best authors, that the Christmas festival was of pagan and papal origin.

The following is from the New Monthly Magazine, by Thos. Campbell: "Many of the anniversaries solemnized by the Christian church were transplanted into it from the heathen soil. Whilst Easter has succeeded to the 'Feralia' of the Romans, there can be little doubt that Christmas has taken the place of their 'Saturnalia.' This festival, instituted in honor of Saturn, was celebrated by them with the greatest splendor, debauchery, and extravagance.

"The Christian church was anxious to abolish the celebration of these Saturnalia, in which she blushed to see her own disciples partaking; and, therefore, appointed a festival in honor of her divine Redeemer."

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

"The custom of making presents on Christmas eve is derived from an old heathen usage, practiced among the Northern nations at the feast of the birth of Sol, on the 25th of December, to which it succeeded, and retained the name of Yule or Inul, i. e., the 'wheel,' or revolution of the sun."—Religious Cyclopedia.

Character.

THE following sentiment is from a sermon by Rev. Phillips Brooks, before the students of Harvard:—

Fill a man with every kind of knowledge; let him understand the sky, the earth, and the sea, and let him know all that history and that metaphysics can tell him—that does not make his character. Those things may all be in his mind as the apples may be in the basket. Not till a will, a choice, a distinct preference, for one thing over another, a distinct approval of this and a disapproval of that, comes—not until then has a man any true character, not until then do the knowledges become faculties, unite into a character having its virtue and its value in will.

The central event of human history, the life of Jesus Christ, was the great declaration that only by character does the truth turn itself into a power in life. Some day or other we will come to see that the same is true of the Christian church. The Christian church in its great idea is the exponent of character.

Let us have larger, truer, more unselfish men, and truth shall become more the food of the undeveloped appetite of hungry men. Clean your souls; get rid of jealousy and meanness. Be brave, be patient, be unselfish, be true, and learning shall certainly come through you to life. Is there a nobler motive? Is there an exhortation more worthy of his humanity, which a man can offer to his brother, more than that? And if all this be true, then is it not evident that no place where men are trained, no university, no college worthy of its name, is doing its duty unless it is not merely accumulating learning, but is also making character?

Jesus Christ Not an Impostor.

SOMETIMES we hear Jesus stigmatized as an impostor, but before we admit the charge, we have a right to ask, On whom did he attempt to impose? What motive had he for the attempt? What means did he employ to compass his design? Did he wish to impose on the priesthood? His language from first to last was, "Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites." Did he aim to impose on the rich? Then the exclamation, "How hardly shall a rich man enter into the kingdom of Heaven," was either madness or folly. Did he endeavor to impose on the poor? If he did, it was by preaching to them the gospel of patience, hope, and encouragement. But all impostors have a motive, and what, it may be asked, was that of Jesus? Did he seek popularity? With whom? The mighty? He never called them—except to repentance. With the people? He discouraged all their expectations of political freedom through his agency; and when they boasted of their descent, the glory of a Hebrew, he told them that God could of the stones raise up such children unto Abraham. Was his motive wealth? Strange that he should become poor, that others might be made rich; strange that he should heal the sick, restore sight to the blind, raise the dead, without fee or reward; strange that one little purse, in the hands of a traitor, contained so small a treasure that it could not always secure to him a place where he might lay his weary head. Was his motive, power? He preached to the multitudes to be sure, but his text was, "My kingdom is not of this world." Was it ambition? He only showed it by washing his disciples' feet. What was his motive, then, for incurring reproach, enduring every privation, and suffering a cruel death? I answer, Love, undying love. What was his object? Truth, the truth of God. Call you such, an impostor? Happy for the world had there been more such impostors, who spoke not their own words, but those of omniscient wisdom; who sought not their own good, but that of others; who obeyed not their own will, but the will of God; and who came not to condemn the world, but to save it.—Sel.

Question and Answer.

By Alonzo Trévier Jones

IN the first verse of Rev. 21, are we to understand that there is literally to be "no more sea," in the earth made new? J. C. H.

ANSWER.—We think not. You will see by Rev. 20:11, that the heaven and the earth fled away from the face of him who sat on the great white throne, "and there was no place found for them;" they were no more. In the verse to which you refer this is stated again, but in contrast with the new heaven and new earth. "I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." In other words, the first heaven and the first earth were no more; the sea also passed away and was no more. And as there is to be a new heaven and a new earth, it is only reasonable to suppose that there will be a new sea. Especially as we read of the river of life and that its waters go "down into the plain, and go into the sea." Eze. 47:8. Besides this, we read in Isa. 35:6 of the new earth; "in the wilderness shall water break out and streams in the desert." Now if there shall be rivers and streams flowing through the new earth, it is only natural to suppose that there is some place to which they flow, and that place a new sea.

More than this, when God made the heaven and the earth, in the beginning, he also said: "Let the waters be gathered together unto one place; . . . and the gathering together of the waters called he seas." Gen. 1:9, 10. Now if there had never been any sin on the earth, certainly this sea would have remained as long as the earth and its paradise remained, which of course would have been forever and ever. But sin entered, and grew so great that the flood came, and by that the quantity of water was greatly increased upon the earth, because the "windows of heaven were opened," and the fountains of the great deep were broken up. Gen. 7:11. In 2 Esdras 6:42 we have a hint of what the ancients thought of this; "upon the third day thou didst command that the waters should be gathered in the seventh part of the earth."

And so when "the earth and the heaven" because of sin shall flee away from the face of him who shall sit upon the great white throne, then this sea, which has been so greatly increased because of sin, will also flee away with them, and like them there will be found no place for it; it will be no more. Then when he who sits upon the throne says: "Behold I make all things new," the sea must be made new or it will not be true that he makes all things new. And so there will be not only a new heaven and a new earth, but a new sea also. All new.

Therefore we conclude that when John says, "and there was no more sea," he has reference exclusively to that sea that belongs with the earth and the heaven which he had just seen flee away, and for which no place was found.

Dr. Clarke says on this passage: "The sea no more appeared than did the first heaven and earth. All was made new."

The "Bible Commentary" says: "(2) The former 'sea' has passed away like the former 'earth,' but this does not preclude a 'new' sea, any more than a new 'earth.'"

A. T. JONES.

Faith vs. Doubt.

By Spurgeon

FAITH is a great worker. The men of strong convictions fashion the world upon their anvils. Confidence girds a man's loins, and nerves him to the putting forth of all his energy. In the eleventh chapter of his epistle to the Hebrews, Paul brings forth a bead roll of faith's heroes, and erects an Arc de Triomphe in their memory.

The name stands out in capitals of light: "Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham;" and the sculptured scenes are such as these: "Subdued kingdoms;" "stopped the mouths of lions;" "quenched the violence of fire." If the panegyrist of faith comes to a pause, it is not because matter fails to him; he exclaims, "What shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets."

What has doubt achieved? How is it that no such trophy has ever been raised to the honor of unbelief? Will the poet of infidelity and the historian of skepticism yet appear? If so, what will be their record? "Working righteousness" and "obtaining promises" are rather out of the line of doubt, and it is not likely to endure much suffering to "obtain a better resurrection," for it sneers at the mention of such a thing; the eulogist of doubt would have to content himself with lower achievements. But what would they be? What hospitals or orphanages has doubt erected? What missions to cannibal tribes has infidelity sustained? What fallen women or profligate men has skepticism reclaimed and new-created.

"Sing, Muse! If such a theme, so dark, so wrong, May find a muse to grace it with a song."

The Milton of this subject may well turn out to be like him whom Gray describes in his "Elegy" as "mute, inglorious." "By their fruits ye shall know them."

But what are the precious outcomings of "modern thought"? We hear the shout of the craftsmen as they repeat this cry, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" But where are the holy and happy results of the "advanced criticism" which is so busily undermining the foundations of faith?—Spurgeon.

The Importance of Sound Doctrine

By Dr. Cuyler

In these days, I fear that good, sound, old-fashioned, stout, doctrinal preaching is going out of vogue. I beg of you, ministers, do not yield to this unhappy drift; no, not for an hour. Sound doctrine is the real backbone and strength of truly successful preaching. The mightiest discourses that have shaken vast assemblies, and sent sinners trembling to the cross of Christ, have been vitalized by some stupendous doctrina, or revealed teaching of Almighty God. My brilliant neighbor has unwisely said that "doctrine is only the skin of truth set up and stuffed." Just imagine St. Paul writing to Timothy, "Give attendance to—the stuffed skin of truth."—Dr. Cuyler.

Literature Before Its King

By James McCosh

LITERATURE should fall down before its King. Speech is the gift of God. We are not to regard blessings we enjoy as less a gift from on high because they come from second causes. Literature should be devoted to him who is the Logos. God has made a revelation of his will in the highest forms of literature. No one wrote purer history than Moses. Deeper themes are discussed in the book of Job, and in a grander manner, than in the tragedies of Æschylus. We have no lyrics like those by David. I shrink from comparing any other literature with the discourse of our Lord. Paul had a style much like his character, abrupt, living, piercing like a sword, and yet lifting us to Heaven by its sublimity. Our literature owes much to Athens and Rome, but much also to Jerusalem. The Bible has given the world new ideas, such as are not found elsewhere in the province of letters,—the grand and tender ideas, thrown into the thought of men by religion. Superb themes for poetry and eloquence have been furnished. It is thus that high enjoyment is attained and the mind refined.

Changing the Nature.

ESTRANGED as man is from God, perverse as he is in thought and action, and with all his accumulated vileness, it would seem a hopeless task to change his nature, but it can and has been done, and is being done continually. This change does not come through the process of taming or by the constraints of force, but by instructing the mind and conscience together with the spirit and power of God. Man that has this change wrought in him is a new creature; his form is the same, but he has got back the image of God. Christ is formed within him, and there is a radical change, and now he is no longer a child of the devil, but is a child of God.

But I want you to bear in mind the fact that thousands have only an apparent change, as their life and works make manifest. They have the same love for the world they ever had. They are not satisfied with a trade unless they have the best of the bargain. They are just as shrewd at laying plans to amass wealth as any one. If there is a change, where is it? When angels come to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation, do you think you could persuade them to accompany you to the opera or theater or dance? Did Christ recommend any such thing to his followers? No; he told them, "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." The love of God and the love of the world cannot go together, any more than you can carry fire and water in the same vessel.

Man is a sinner and loves sin, but when the change takes place that makes him a child of God, this change is apparent to all who know him. Any one who has this change is careful to avoid all appearance of evil. He will adhere to all the precepts of the Bible as the law of his life. If the Bible tells him to dress plainly, he will do it. He will look upon pride and vanity as things that God hates, and he will hate them.—Gospel Banner.

Development of Indulgences in the Church.

By D'Aubigne

This was the great principle of Christianity: its leading idea—that of grace, of pardon, and amnesty, and of the gift of eternal life. This idea supposed an alienation from God, and an inability in man to enter, by any power of his own, into communion with an infinitely holy being. The opposition of true and false doctrine cannot assuredly be entirely summed up in the question of salvation by faith or by works. Nevertheless, it is the most striking feature in the contrast. We may go farther: Salvation considered as derived from any power in man is the germinating principle of all errors and perversions. The scandals produced by this fundamental error brought on the Reformation, and the profession of the contrary principle was the means by which it was achieved. It is therefore indispensable that this truth should be prominent in an introduction to the history of that Reformation.

Salvation by grace. Such, then, was the second peculiarity which was designed especially to distinguish the religion that came from God from all human systems. And what had become of this great and primordial thought? Had the church preserved it as a precious deposit? Let us follow its history.

The inhabitants of Jerusalem, of Asia, of Greece, and of Rome, in the time of the Roman emperors, had heard this gospel. "For by grace are ye saved through faith;" "it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8), and at this voice of peace, at the sound of these good tidings, at this word of power, multitudes of sinners believed, and were attracted to Him who alone can give peace to the conscience, and numerous societies of believers were formed in the midst of the degenerate communities of that age.

But erelong an important error began to prevail, as to the nature of saving faith. Faith (according to St. Paul) is the way through which the whole being of the believer—his understanding, his heart, and his will—enters upon present possession of the salvation purchased by the incarnation and death of the Son of God. Jesus Christ is apprehended by faith, and from that hour becomes all things to, and all things in, the believer. He communicates to the human nature a divine life; and the believer, renewed and set free from the power of self and of sin, feels new affections, and bears new fruits. Faith, says the theologian, laboring to express these thoughts, is the subjective appropriation of the objective work of Christ. If faith is not the appropriation of salvation, it is nothing—the whole economy of Christian doctrine is out of place; the fountains of the new life are sealed, and Christianity is overturned from its foundation.

And this consequence did in fact ensue. By degrees this practical view of faith was forgotten, and erelong it was regarded, as it still is by many, as a bare act of the understanding, a mere submission to a commanding evidence.

From this primary error a second necessarily resulted. When faith was robbed of its practical character, it could no longer be maintained that faith alone saved. Works no longer following in their places as its fruits, it seemed necessary to range them on one line with it; and the church was taught to believe that the sinner is justified by faith and by works. In place of that Christian unity in doctrine, which comprises in a single principle justification and works—grace and a rule of life—belief and responsibility, succeeded that melancholy quality which regards religion and moral duty as things altogether unconnected; a fatal delusion which brings in death, by separating the body from the spirit, whose continued union is the necessary condition of life itself. The word of the apostle heard across the interval of ages is,

"Having begun in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh."

Another error contributed to unsettle the doctrine of grace. This was Pelagianism. Pelagius asserted that man's nature was not fallen, that there is no such thing as hereditary evil, and that man having received power to do good has only to will in order to perform it. If the doing "good things" consists in certain external acts, Pelagius judged truly. But if regard is had to the motives whence these external acts proceed, or to the entire inward life of man (see Matt. 12:34), then we discern in all his works selfishness, forgetfulness of God, pollution, and weakness. This was the doctrine of St. Augustine. He proved that to entitle any action to approval, it was needful not merely that it should seem right when looked at by itself and from the outside, but above all that its real spring in the soul should be holy. The Pelagian doctrine rejected by St. Augustine from the church when it presented itself broadly for investigation, reappeared erelong with a side aspect as semi-Pelagian, and under forms of expression borrowed from St. Augustine's own writings. It was in vain that eminent father opposed its progress. He died soon after. The error spread with amazing rapidity throughout Christendom, passing from the west to the east, and even at this day it continues to disturb and harass the church. The danger of the doctrine appeared in this: That by placing goodness in the external act rather than in the inward affections, it led men to put a high value upon outward action, legal observances, and works of penance. The more of such works the greater the reputed sanctity—Heaven was to be obtained by means of them—and (extravagant as such a thought must appear to us) it was not long before certain persons were believed to have made attainments in holiness beyond that which was required of them.

Thus did the proud heart of man refuse to give the glory to that God to whom all glory belongs. Thus did man claim to deserve what God had decreed to give freely! He essayed to find in himself the salvation which the gospel brought to him ready wrought out from Heaven. He spread a veil over the saving truths of salvation which cometh from God, and not from man—a salvation which God gives but barters not; and from that day all the other truths of religion were overclouded, darkness spread over the church, and from this deep and deplorable gloom were seen to arise innumerable errors.

And in the first place we may observe that both great divisions of error converged to one effect. Pelagianism, while it corrupted the church's teaching, strengthened the hierarchy; by the same influence by which it hid the doctrine of grace, it exalted the authority of the church; for grace was God's part in the work; as the church was man's!

As soon as salvation was taken out of the hands of God, it fell into the hands of the priests. The latter put themselves in the place of the Lord; and the souls of men thirsting for pardon were no longer taught to look to Heaven, but to the church, and especially to its pretended head. The Roman pontiff was in the place of God to the blinded minds of men. Hence all the grandeur and authority of the popes, and hence also unutterable abuses.—D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation.

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