In our last we gave some reasons for believing that the nominal churches of the present day are the Babylon of Rev. xiv, 8; xviii, 2, and that her fall is a moral change, and not her final destruction. We now design to point out that fall, and show that Rev. xiv, 8 and xviii, 1-4, do not represent one and the same message, but that Chap. xiv, 8 applies in the past, and that the message of Chap. xviii, 1-4 is yet to be given.
The second angel of Rev. xiv, merely announces the fall of Babylon, while the angel of Chap. xviii, "having great power," not only declares her fall, but also the fact of her becoming "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird," after her fall.—The fact that she is thus filled with corruption, after her fall, is sufficient proof that her fall is merely a moral change for the worse, and not her final destruction.
We have only to compare the present condition of the churches with their state of spirituality ten years since, to see that a change has come over them. This no candid person will deny who has had any connection with, or knowledge of them.
Look back but ten years, and there you will see many powerful revivalists traveling from city to city and from town to town, laboring with their might for the conversion of sinners, laying the gospel axe at the root of the tree, according to what light they had, and God blessing their labors with the conversion of thousands. Where are those revivalists now? Answer: They are, perhaps, settled pastors of churches, and preach year after year without seeing one real conversion.—Or, it may be that they have entered business for a livelihood or wealth. This we do know, that an entire change has taken place relative to them.
Just take a view of the efforts put forth by the different sects, ten years since, for the conversion of perishing sinners. Protracted meetings were held by them for days and weeks in succession. The most spiritual ministers were obtained to preach, even if they were not educated and popular. A minister filled with the Holy Ghost, one that would arouse the people, was what was wanted then. The traveler, journeying the distance of fifty miles, at the season of the year when such meetings were most common, might pass five or six places of worship crowded by hundreds anxiously seeking the Lord.—Prayer-meetings held in almost every neighborhood, and in many places, almost or quite every evening in the week.—Not only ministers, but many of the most active members of the churches, visited from place to place, and from house to house, doing what they could to save souls. The voice of prayer was heard almost everywhere. It was heard not only from the house of worship and the family circle, but shops, barns and groves resounded with earnest petitions from those who hungered and thirsted for righteousness.
Ministers preached with simplicity and power, old saints wept and poured forth the fullness of their souls like young converts, while those who had just tasted the love of Jesus sweetly spoke forth his praise.
Now compare these facts with the present state of things.—Protracted meetings are seldom held, and when they are held, no one reports that much, (if anything,) is accomplished.—And whatever excitement is raised, it generally dies away so very soon that it proves itself to be human excitement, and not the work of Holy Ghost. Many that were the most successful reformation preachers have given up preaching.—Prayer-meetings seldom held, and then but very few to attend them. Family altars broken down, and the voice of prayer seldom heard only by the minister at church. In fact, religion has become a mere form with the churches of the day, destitute of vital godliness. It has ceased to be an every-day matter, being confined almost entirely to Sunday. And if the soul-damning sin of pride can be found on the face of the earth, it may be seen in the display of Sunday worship.
Those who will look at these facts in their true light will agree with us that the churches have fallen. Most of their own members will acknowledge this, though they know not the cause. This is all we contend for, relative to the fall of Babylon, that it is a fall from a measure of spirituality, to a state of lifeless formality. Having a form of godliness, but destitute of the Holy Spirit.
Mark this: We do not take the ground that the churches became Babylon by falling, but, while divided by their different creeds, holding such a confusion of doctrines, having separate interests, and united with the world, they were always worthy of the name Babylon. God has had people there, and has ever blest the labors of the spiritual and humble though in Babylon. This fact does not prove that the "mixture or confusion" of the churches is according to the gospel, or that they are not Babylon.
The correct view of the events represented by the angels of Rev. xiv, will help to an understanding of the cause of this change in the churches. The angel with the everlasting gospel, proclaiming the hour [period] of the judgment come, delivers his message to these churches, but they reject it. The message being from heaven, the rejection of it grieves away from them the Holy Spirit, and they are left in their present fallen condition.
Here let it be understood that the whole Advent body once applied this angel as we now do; but to get rid of other truths which naturally follow from this position, some carry the angels of Rev. xiv back hundreds of years, while others carry them forward into the age to come, after the Lord comes.—But the proclamation of the Advent in our day being a perfect fulfillment of this angel's message in all its parts, we are satisfied to still believe, on this point, as the whole body once believed.
"We would have healed Babylon," says the Prophet, "but she would not be healed." Jer. li, 9. Read the whole chapter. The medicine designed for her cure was the first angel's message of Rev. xiv. But as she refused this, the only thing that could heal her of her confusion of sectarianism, and love of the world, she has fallen. As proof that the Advent message was just calculated to heal Babylon, see its effects upon those who received it. Ministers and people, from all the different denominations, who embraced the Advent faith, laid aside their different tenets, and united perfectly on the great, important truth of the Advent, and thus they formed the Philadelphia church, the church of Brotherly Love.
God's people, who joyfully received this message from heaven, were many of them in the churches. Their testimony on the Advent was not received, and while thus bound, longing and struggling for freedom, the second angel, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen," was heard by them. They then saw the condition of these churches, that they were Babylon, and that they had fallen, and thousands burst the cords that bound them to the sects, and they were free to rejoice in the blessed hope. About this time fasts were proclaimed in many of the churches for the return of the Holy Spirit, but we have never heard, neither have we reason to believe, that it ever returned.
We give the following which we copy from the Voice of Truth of September, 1844, which gives some idea of the alarm some felt on account of the sudden departure of the Holy Spirit, from which they have since recovered, and have fallen into a perpetual sleep.
"A late number of the Congregational Journal remarks as follows:
'CHURCH OF THE REV. ALBERT BARNES.—At a recent meeting of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, Rev. Mr. Barnes, pastor of the 1st Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, whose notes are so extensively used in our families and Sabbath schools, stated, that he had been in the ministry, for twenty years, and never, till the last communion had he administered the ordinance without receiving more or less to the church. But now there are no awakenings, no conversions, not much apparent growth in grace in professors, and none come to his study to converse about the salvation of their souls. With the increase of business, and the brightening prospects of commerce and manufactures, there is an increase of worldly-mindedness.—Thus it is with all denominations.'
'Thus it is with all denominations,' and will they deny the change? Let them speak for themselves:
'The Puritan (Orthodox) of this city, (Boston) not long since informed its readers that there had not been known such a state of coldness for some twenty years. Zion's Herald made a similar statement, and endeavored to fix the blame upon 'Millerism;' and we have been told that at the recent protracted meeting held by Mr. Knapp, at the Tremont Baptist (Mr. Colver) church, the failure was ascribed to the same cause.' —Ad. Herald.
'The Christian Palladium for May 15th speaks in the following mournful strains:
'In every direction we hear the dolorous sound, wafting upon every breeze of heaven, chilling as the blasts from the icebergs of the north—settling like an incubus on the breasts of the timid, and drinking up the energies of the weak; that lukewarmness, division, anarchy and desolation are distressing the borders of Zion. Perhaps it is so. What then? Do we well, like the howling women of ancient days, to rend our flesh—our hair, and fill the whole atmosphere with our wailings?'
'It is but a few passing months since the whole extent of our wide spread country, rang with triumphant peals of joy borne upon the wings of numerous religious periodicals, and spontaneously overflowing from every Christian heart. Not a lip but was shouting the victories of the cross, or joining in the triumphant songs of the redeemed. And is the whole scene now so changed?'
The following is from the Circleville, Ohio, Religious Telescope, which we copy from the Voice of Truth for January, 1845.
"GREAT SPIRITUAL DEARTH.—It is a lamentable fact, from which we cannot shut our eyes, that the churches of this country are now suffering severely on account of the great29dearth, almost universally complained of. We have never witnessed such a general declension of religion as at the present. Truly the church should awake and search into the cause of this affliction: for an affliction every one that loves Zion must view it. When we call to mind how 'few and far between,' cases of true conversion are, and the almost unparalleled impertinence and hardness of sinners, we almost involuntarily exclaim, 'has God forgotten to be gracious?' Or, is the door of mercy closed?
'Look again, and behold the spirit of the world, how it prevails in the church. Where is the pious man who has not been made to sigh on account of these abominations in the midst of us? Who is that man in the political crowd whose voice is heard above the rest, and who is foremost in carrying torch-lights, bellowing at the top of his voice? O, he is a Christian! perhaps a class-leader or exhorter. Who is that lady dressed in the most ridiculous fashion, muffled and bustled as if nature had deformed her? O! she is a follower and imitator of the humble Jesus! O, shame! where is thy blush? This is no uncommon picture, I assure you. Would to God it was. My heart is pained within me while I write.'
The fallen state of the church was felt by many of its members about the autumn of 1844; but it was more clearly seen by those who stood in the blazing light of truth, looking for the Lord. Then the Advent people were agreed that the churches had fallen, and under the cry, "Babylon is fallen," they left the several sects of which they were members. It is true that the angel of Rev. xiv, 8 was considered the same as that of Chap. xviii, 1-4. It is also true that the messages of the second and third angels were confounded together. This was for want of the increase of light on these points, which we now have.
We will now offer some reasons for taking the position that the angel of Rev. xviii, 1-4, is not the same as the second angel of Chap. xiv, and that their messages apply to different periods of time.
1. The second angel of Rev. xiv, only announces the fall of Babylon, which was true in 1844, at the time that the message was given, which was the means of bringing the whole Advent body out of the churches. But the angel of Chap. xviii, 1-4, announces two distinct events; first, the fall of Babylon, and second, her being filled with foul spirits, &c., after her fall. The first, only, was true of Babylon, when the second angel's message was given in 1844. And as her becoming a "hold of every foul spirit, &c." is an event to take place after her fall, it necessarily follows that the angel of Rev. xviii, 1-4, gives his message at a later period than the second angel of Chap. xiv, and that it is future. The fall of Babylon is a moral fall. The Holy Spirit departs from her, and she is left to receive and cherish the "spirits of devils working miracles," which are beginning to manifest themselves in the spiritual wonders of the day, such as Mesmerism, Biology, Psychology, and mysterious manifestations in the forms of rapping and writing.
Mesmerism attracted but little attention prior to 1844, when compared with the notice it has received since that time.—And as for the other spiritual wonders mentioned above, they were not known at that time. This is the very period, since the moral fall of Babylon, for these spirits to arise and do their work. Many of the places of worship from which the messengers of the everlasting good news of the coming of Jesus and the restitution were barred, have been freely opened for these modern Magicians to exhibit the power of the Devil. And some who were once ministers of the gospel are the most efficient in this work. The people are sometimes told that now by these spiritual wonders all the miracles of our Lord Jesus Christ can be accounted for!! And what makes this matter look still more blasphemous is, that wicked men, stained all over with sin and crime, can perform these wonders which are said to be of the same character of the miracles of Christ.
These manifestations are perfectly calculated to destroy the power of living faith, and lead men to doubt the power of the Holy Ghost. Thus we see that everything like vital godliness, and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, is called mesmerism. Ah! this is the Devil's master-piece, his grand devise to deceive men, and lead them on to the battle of the great day.—God would have healed Babylon, but she chose her own way, refused the healing medicines, and he has chosen her delusion for her. She refused the words of life, and Jesus and the Spirit of truth left her, and she is left in her blindness to hug vipers to her breast. Left to the "working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.—And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they might believe a lie." 2 Thess. ii, 9-11.
The message of the second angel of Rev. xiv, is in the past, but the angel of Chap. xviii, could not deliver his message in 1844; for Babylon was not then "the hold of every foul spirit, &c." The manifestation of foul spirits has been mostly since that time. But, a little from this, when Babylon's cup shall be full, just before the seven last plagues shall be poured out, the message will go forth with strength, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." This message, in connection with the great truths of the third angel of Rev. xiv, will manifest the 144,000, who are to be "redeemed from among men," and changed to immortality at the coming of Christ.
2. We object to the view that the second angel of Rev. xiv, is the same as that of Chap. xviii, 1-4, because the angel of Chap. xviii, is said to have "come down from heaven having GREAT POWER, and the EARTH WAS LIGHTENED WITH HIS GLORY," while the second angel's message was more local. The saying of the first angel is said to be with "a loud voice," in a room for public mind, as is the third. But the second is not said to be with a loud voice. It was confined to those who received the first message. The angel of Chap. xviii, is to have great light, and power and glory, which is to effect the world, arrest the public mind, and call out from this great Babylon the scattered members of the body of Christ, that they may be perfected, without spot or wrinkle, and fitted to stand in the day of wrath.
With pleasure we dwell upon this angel in the future, having great power, enlightening the earth with his glory. And why not expect it? God has ever manifested himself to his people according to their necessities. He never blesses them for their amusement; but their extremity is God's opportunity to work. A "time of trouble such as never was" is just before us, and we may reasonably expect God to work for his people, as he never has in past time, to fit them to stand in that dreadful day.
3. The call, "Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues," is evidently just before the seven last plagues are poured out. "My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord." Jer. li, 45. This time of the fierce anger of the Lord can be no other than that period when there shall be "no Intercessor," [Isa. lix, 16.] and the vials of God's wrath are being poured out.—This message that calls God's people from Babylon is an urgent one, that they may flee from the plagues that are ready to fall upon them; therefore it was not given eight years since. In fact, those who gave the second message of Rev. xiv, did not understand the plagues, consequently could not give the warning to escape them, uttered by the angel of Chap. xviii, 1-4. It is well known that some who proclaimed the fall of Babylon in 1844, put the plagues in the future, after the Advent, while others placed six of them in the past.
It is evident that those who are permitted to raise the cry of Rev. xviii, 1-4, will understand the plagues from which they warn the people to escape. These plagues are before us, literal and dreadful. They are the unmingled cup of the wine of the wrath of Almighty God, threatened by the third angel of Chap. xiv. We therefore conclude that the message of the angel of Chap. xviii, 1-4, proclaiming Babylon's fall, and calling upon God's people to come out of her, is to be given in connection with the third angel, in the closing work of salvation, before Jesus leaves the Sanctuary, and takes his position upon the great white cloud. Rev. xiv, 14.
We would say to God's people, wherever they may be in this great Babylon, whether with the Baptist, Methodist, Adventist, or any other sect, "Come out of her," flee from her foul spirits lest ye receive Babylon's plagues. There are "a few names even in Sardis," (from which the Philadelphia church came out,) "which have not defiled their garments." Rev. iii, 4. Some of these few names are turning their feet to run in the way of all the commandments of God. They are coming out of Babylon, and, thank Heaven, there is firm ground for them to walk out upon. To such, we would extend the hand of fellowship and help. May God bless and sustain them in the trials of the way.
The perils of the last days are upon us. "This know," says Paul, "that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; FROM SUCH TURN AWAY." 2 Tim. iii, 1-5.
Here let it be understood that the Apostle is describing professed Christians, those who have a "form of godliness, but deny the power." And his description answers perfectly to the state of the fallen churches of this day of apostasy. May the Lord give his people light on this subject, and strength to obey the injunction of Paul, "FROM SUCH TURN AWAY."
Again, the Apostle says, [2 Cor. vi, 14-17,] "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
"SEVENTH DAY SABBATH ABOLISHED."
By Joseph Bates
The contrast between the testimony of the Advent Harbinger, and the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ; the apostles Paul, James, John, and Peter.
The article under this head from the Harbinger is an attempt to prove the abolition of the ten commandments. After a few remarks about the institution of the Sabbath, the ten commandments are embodied in the article from Ex. xx, 1-17, and then an unreasonable attempt is made to prove that the Sabbath was first given at Horeb, and abolished at the crucifixion.
'The facts are, the seventh-day Sabbath is a Jewish institution, established in Horeb, and continued in force on the Jews until their law ended. When that law served its time out, or filled the office for which it was given, it ceased, died,30was abolished, taken out of the way, and nailed to the cross, and the Sabbath being a part or parcel of that law of works, it was abolished as a matter of course. And so far as any now seek to be justified by that dead law, they are 'fallen from grace,' according to the declaration of Paul. Beware how you treat this matter, lest you find yourself fallen from grace when it is to late to be recovered from the fearful fall.'—Advent Harbinger, Nov. 22, 1851.
The Saviour's Testimony of his Father's Law.
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. v, 17, 18.
"And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail." Luke xvi, 17.
"And behold a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering, said, Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live." Luke x, 25-28.
"For all prophets and the law prophesied until John."—Matt. xi, 13.
"Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Matt. vii, 12.
The Saviour's Testimony of his Father's Commandments.
"Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. v, 19. That the above is from his Father's law, see verses 21, 27, 33.
"Why do ye also transgress the commandments of God, by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death." * "Thus have ye made the commandments of God of none effect by your tradition." Matt. xv, 3, 4, 6; Mark, vii, 9, 13 (as in reference to parallel text, Mark xii, 28, 31).
"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?—Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matt. xxii, 36-40.
"And behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?—And he said unto him, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matt. xix, 16, 17; see Mark x, 17-19; Luke xviii, 18, 20.
"Even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." John xv, 10. New Testament, about the year A. D. 30.
Here his Father's commandments are named fourteen times, and his law nine times. That commandment and law are synonymous terms, See Matt. xxii, 36. "Master which is the great commandment in the law."
That on the commandments, Love God, and Love your neighbor "hang ALL THE LAW, &c." The fourth, the Sabbath commandment cannot then, by any means be excluded from any of the following texts: Matt. v, 17-19; vii, 12; xi, 13; xxii, 36-40; Luke x, 26-28; xvi, 16, 17; John xv, 10. If the Harbinger could by any honest, reasonable argument, get rid of the above divine testimony, and thereby ease his own, and his readers conscience by such unfounded assertions as: that the law of the ten commandments "ceased, died, was abolished, taken out of the way, and nailed to the cross, and the Sabbath being a part or parcel of that law of works, it was abolished as a matter of course. And so far as any now seek to be justified by that dead law, they are fallen from grace." Then there is other testimony of the Saviour's, that will make a clean sweep of all the refuge of lies that has ever appeared to invalidate the testimony given above. I refer the reader to the Revelation which God gave to Jesus, sixty-five years after he had been nailed to the cross.—"And behold I come quickly. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the City." Rev. i, 1, 3; xxii, 12-14. Are not all the commandments embraced in this promised blessing? Who can prove that the fourth, the first, or the tenth, or that any one of the ten are left out? Again, how can it be proved that Jesus is here speaking of any other commandments than those he had already spoken of, recorded in Matthew, Luke and John? It has been said that he was speaking of his own commandments.—Then it would read, blessed are they that do my commandments. The evidence is conclusive that he was referring to the ten commandments of God. See Chap. xiv, 12, and xii, 17, where the saints are persecuted for keeping them while they are in their patient waiting for Jesus. Suppose for a moment that we listen to the teaching of the Harbinger*, and pay no attention to what Jesus has taught us here, relative to the doing or keeping the commandments, for fear that we should fall from grace, could we be saved? Let us see. "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book; if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Verses 16, 18, 19.
PAUL'S TESTIMONY:
"Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea we establish the law." Rom. iii, 31. The law of God, then, is established under the gospel. Proof. "What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid. Nay I had not known sin but by the law: for I had not known lust except the law had said, thou shalt not covet."
For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.—For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For I delight in the law of God, after the inward man: I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God." Rom. vii, 7, 8, 9, 12,-14, 22, 25.
Paul wrote this epistle to the Romans, (the Gentiles) in A. D. 60. Twenty nine years after the Saviour was nailed to the cross. How evident that the Harbinger and Paul are at antipodes respecting the perpetuity of God's holy law.
Again. "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified," Rom. ii, 13. "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God." 1 Cor. vii, 19.
"But this I confess unto thee that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets." Acts xxiv, 14.
"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.—For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law." Rom. xiii, 8,-10.
"Children, obey your parents, in the Lord for this is right. Honor thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment with promise.") Eph. vi, 1, 2.
Thus, Paul in his several epistles to the Romans, Galatians, Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, &c., names the law of God about one hundred times, and exclaims "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God." In his epistle to Timothy he tells him the design and end of this law. Viz: "Now the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned; but we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly, and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust." 1 Tim. i, 5, 8-11.
Now the Harbinger teaches that this law is abolished. How much better it would be for him to keep it, under the gospel as Paul teaches here, and not be found among that class of transgressors named in verses 9 and 10. Those that continue to cry no commandments, no law, will have more mob-law than they will be able to get along with, after the third angel's message closes. There will be no danger of any one falling from grace then, for those that keep not the whole law of God, will have no grace.
JAMES' TESTIMONY.
"But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." James i, 25.
"If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, do not commit adultery, said also, do not kill. Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." James ii, 8, 10-12.
James here presents a perfect royal law of liberty, by which we are to be judged, under the gospel.—Then it is not imperfect, nor in any way changed or abolished. Having "one law-giver, who is able to save and destroy." Chap. iv, 12. This testimony is 29 years after the Harbinger's "dead law." Which shall we believe?
JOHN'S TESTIMONY.
"Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment, which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you; because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth."—1 John ii, 7, 8.
Here is the old commandment of the Father, and the new commandment of the Son, contrasted; both good and binding, the first universal, the second for the true church.
"By this we know we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.—For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." Chap. v, 2, 3.
Here is the true criterion by which the true church love God, and know their brethren.
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." Chap. iii, 4.
If there was no law, as the Harbinger would have us believe, then there has been no sin for 1821 years. Who has any faith in such teaching?
"He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John ii, 4. This language was uttered by John, 59 years this side of the cross. Will the Harbinger please look at John's testimony once more, and see whether he has spoken the truth?
PETER'S TESTIMONY.
"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God: if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth."—1 Peter iv, 11.
That the oracles of God refer to the ten commandments, see Acts vii, 38. "And with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us." If any man minister, or speak, let him do it according to the oracles or ten commandments of God, for this is Peter's meaning. The testimony adduced in this article is proof positive that Jesus, Paul, James and John have all complied with Peter's rule, but the Harbinger has not. Who shall we trust? Not the Harbinger, for that is diametrically opposed to the clear testimony herein adduced. "Beware how you treat this important matter lest you find yourself fallen," by rejecting God's holy law "when it is too late to be recovered from the fearful fall."
JOSEPH BATES.
Rochester, June 18th, 1852.
THE SEALING TIME.
By Benjamin Clark
BY BENJ. CLARK.
To say, "Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples," [Isa. viii, 16,] shows that there is a time when the law of God is not sealed—is not confirmed among the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. And to find when this time is, we must continue to look at Isa. viii, 19, 20—22. "And when they [the spiritual rappers] shall say unto you, seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them."
We see by this scripture, first, that the law of God is not sealed,—that it is not confirmed among the great body of disciples, and this at the very time when the living are seeking to the dead to find out matters and things. Second, that this is the very time when the true servants of God are in a special manner called upon to seal or confirm the law of God among the disciples. Third, that if they do not repent, but continue on (as they have done) to speak not according to the law of God,—not according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, (both of which always call the seventh, and not the first day of the week, "the Sabbath day,") "it is because there is no light in them. And they shall pass through it hardly bestead [not profited] and hungry: [not having the blessing:] and it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves (in trying to make out that the law of God is changed or done away) and curse their king and their God, and look upward.—And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness."
But there are different kinds of professed disciples of our Lord. One kind are very ready to shape their religion to suit the times—very ready when they hear "all kinds of music" [Dan. iii, 7] to fall down and worship the most popular image of man's invention. These having their hearts so hardened in sin, (which "is the transgression of the law,") or their conscience so "seared with a hot iron" (their forehead so hardened against the truth) [Eze. iii, 7, 8, 9] that the "seal of the living God" will seem to have no impression upon them. They have hardened their forehead against that "law of the Lord which is perfect converting the soul"—that law which "is holy and just and good." How then can the law be sealed or confirmed among such a people who delight not in the law of God after the inward man?31
But there are another kind of professed disciples for which we thank God, and take courage, who are honest hearted; whose conscience is so far from being seared that they can "sigh and cry" for all the abominations that are done in the earth. Eze. ix, 4.—These are ready to receive the impression so soon as the light of truth opens to their understanding "the great things of God's law." They are not only willing to have it written in their forehead as the rule of their conduct, but they ask to have it written in the heart, every jot and tittle of it, as well as in the mind. These take great "delight in the law of God after the inward man;" they love the law of God more than their own life; [Dan. iii, 17;] for they know by happy experience that "this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous." And although Christ is "made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption," yet it is said, "Blessed are they that do his [God's] commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs and sorcerers," such as transgress the commandments of God.
Now is the sealing time. Now may those who receive the love of the truth [2 Thess. ii, 10] be "sealed with the holy Spirit of promise." Eph. i, 13. Sealed with the "seal of the living God"—sealed forever with the love of the truth. Confirmed in the "commandments of God and testimony of Jesus Christ." To whom be glory, power and dominion for ever. Amen.