Earlier text: General ArticlesJUDGED by its fruits, Roman Catholicism is evil, and only evil continually. As a religion, it fosters the grossest superstitions; while its system of education begets infidelity. The following extract from a recent letter to the New York Observer gives one feature of Romanism gone to seed:— “At Chieti, near the Adriatic, I saw four brothers of some priestly society, dressed in long white robes, with blue cowls and capes, out on the road watching a glass case, about two feet square, in which was the arm bone of Saint Rosalie. The arm, no longer round, or fair, or graceful, was expected to work the miracle of bringing rain to Chieti, and as it was about the time for autumn rains, the miracle was probably wrought. “But the crowning scene of paganism and idolatry was at Loreto, on the Adriatic, where the ‘Holy House’ of Jerusalem, where Christ was born, supposed to have been borne by angels through the air and deposited on this hill, is adored. Long before reaching the magnificent temple built around and over the ‘Santa Casa,’ the commerce on the streets, of rosaries, crowns, garlands, and pictures, proclaims that you are approaching this ‘temple of Diana of the Ephesians.’ Should a second Paul preach there the gospel in its simplicity, what an uproar would be created among these vendors of articles of religion who assail the traveler in Italian, in French, or in English, and are determined to sell their wares! A splendid square, built up on three sides with bishop’s palaces, and on the fourth by the front of the temple, is ornamented by a fountain and statues. The church within is in a continual festival. All day long and every day it is opened to the crowds of contadini, who flock there from all the surrounding country, and generally make this their wedding journey. Priests, in their magnificent robes, say mass at several altars in the morning, and the air is filled with the heavy fragrance of swinging censers. “The rough, black stones, and low, jagged walls of the supposed ‘Santa Casa’ are hidden by a tabernacle of white marble, designed by Bramante, and adorned by sculptures and bas-reliefs of the first Italian artists. The interior, lighted by many silver lamps, is constantly filled with people on their knees, adoring the stones, and a black image of the virgin and child, that is literally covered with sparkling diamonds. Around the old house and its magnificent marble covering is a ledge or step, around which the devout adorers have dragged themselves on their knees until the white marble is worn away in two deep lines. When the peasants leave the church, they go out in companies, backward, step by step, reciting prayers, and looking upwards to the shrine where they have just paid their devotions—not to God, for he is forgotten; but to stones and images. Before leaving the building they often kneel near the door and kiss the dirty brick floor. The treasure of Loreto, consisting of jewels and other valuables, has been given chiefly by kings and queens, and is worth $250,000 without counting the artistic value. “But although this trade is yet flourishing, all the inhabitants, even of Loreto, do not believe in it. A Catholic lady who lives in a beautiful villa on the hill near, said to me: ‘This is paganism. I cannot pray in that church;’ and the hotel-keeper said: ‘In 1860 the church of the Santa Casa was filled with wounded and dying soldiers of the papal army, when it was defeated by the Italians.’ The battle which received the name of Castel Fidardo, was really the battle of Loreto, and was fought on the plain a mile distant. It was a just retribution that this stronghold of popery should be the very place of its defeat. At that battle the reign of the pope over the Marche was destroyed.” Obedience to God Above Parents
God does indeed command obedience to parents; but there is a higher law than that, viz., obedience to himself. The lower relation must give way to the higher when the two conflict. God's will that we should obey parents cannot possibly bind us when the parents command what is contrary to God's will. That would be giving the parent more authority than God himself.—Half Hours. Confidence in God Brings Success
THERE can be no surer way to success than by disclaiming all confidence in ourselves, and referring all things to God with an implicit confidence.—Sel. The Best Confession of Christ
By Charles S. Pomeroy
THE best confession of Christ is being like Christ.—Rev. Charles S. Pomeroy, D. D. Why God Gave His Son.
By William N. Glenn
IN John 3:16 we find the Saviour's testimony that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The verse following says: "That the world through him might be saved." Various other scriptures verify these assertions; but it is unnecessary to quote further, as all professed Christians, of whatever name, admit the statements and allow their obvious meaning. In Matt. 5:17 the Saviour's statement of his mission is in terms concerning which the agreement is not so general: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Strange as it may seem, there is a large class who maintain that when Christ had fulfilled the law, he put an end to its existence. This preposterous construction of our Lord's plain declaration, makes him say, in effect: "I am not come to destroy, but to abolish." Such misinterpretation bears its own comment. But a most significant presentation of the object of his humiliation is given by the apostle Paul, in Rom. 8:3, 4: "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." This scripture presents a phase of the design of the Father in sending his Son, which is appreciated by only a small minority of those who profess faith in Christ. The fulfilling of the law by the Saviour while in the likeness of sinful flesh could not have signified its repeal, else there would be no occasion for its fulfillment in us, as is so emphatically stated by Paul. The fulfilling of the law is here given a most prominent position in the matter of salvation. Additional significance attaches to this scripture in the thought that the law is fulfilled only in those "who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." And again: "To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace; because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Now we learn from the apostle's reasoning that only those who walk after the Spirit, or are spiritually minded, can have the law fulfilled in them, or, in other words, can keep the law. And this explains the statement in verse 1, that there is "no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus;" as also that in verse 8, which says: "they that are in the flesh cannot please God." The one class, by virtue of the Spirit of Christ in them, keep the law and please God; and the other class cannot keep it, and therefore "cannot please God." We often hear of preaching the gospel in this age, as contrasted with the preaching of the law in a former age; and those who maintain the universal and continual sanctity of the law of the ten commandments, are accused of ignoring the gospel. But this declaration of the apostle, that God sent his Son "that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us," shows the absurdity of such ideas. The law and gospel are inseparably connected. No one can keep the law who is not in Christ, and no one can be considered as in Christ who persistently ignores the law; for it is the carnal mind that is "not subject to the law of God," and the carnal mind has no claim to being in Christ. "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3:31. The third verse of Rom. 8 shows conclusively that Christ was sent to the help of the law, in an emergency. There was something that the law could not do; because it was weak through the flesh (mark the weak spot). There was nothing wrong in the law; "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." Ps. 19:7. It is "holy, and just, and good" (Rom. 7:12); and "the doers of the law shall be justified." Chap. 2:13. Here then was the dilemma. No man can stand before God unless justified, and "the scripture hath concluded all under sin." Gal. 3:22. Although the law could justify the doer of its requirements, it could not justify the sinner. Rom. 3:20. It is perfect as a law; that, and that only, is its prerogative; but it is powerless as a saviour of sinners—those who have transgressed its provisions. The sinner is one who lives after the flesh; the law is weak in the matter of justifying such an one—"weak through the flesh." Then, in this emergency, God sent his Son, that the sinner might be justified by his grace "for the remission of sins that are past" (Rom. 3:24, 25); and, through the Spirit of Him who "fulfilled the law," "magnified it," and "made it honorable," might be enabled to fulfill it also, walking after the Spirit to everlasting life. THE following "Catechism for the use of very advanced Christians," is from the pen of Rev. Hugh O. Pentecost. The one who answers the questions is supposed to be an "advanced Christian," one of those whose "higher life" consists in looking down with a sort of contempt upon the ten commandments. It is a good delineation of "holiness" falsely so called:— Q. What is worldliness?
A. Indulgence in those particular sins or follies toward which I do not incline, or which it is not politic for me to practice. Q. What is consecration?
A. Great devotion and earnestness in that particular form of Christian worship or activity which I most enjoy, and which involves nothing disagreeable and no self-denial. Q. What is holiness?
A. A mystical experience into which I may come upon the acceptance of a certain system of doctrine—the holiness doctrine. Q. Is the idea of right and wrong involved in holiness?
A. Oh, yes. Being holy, whatever I do is right. Q. Suppose you do what in ordinary Christians would be wrong, would it be wrong in your case?
A. It would not. Q. Explain the difference.
A. It would be useless to explain it, as the distinction cannot be understood by those who live on the low plane of ordinary, so-called, Christian life. Q. Then a "holy" life may sometimes permit immorality?
A. I would not put it just that way. Immorality is too plain and disagreeable a word. It is suggestive of "conscience;" a word, as has been said, which is rarely heard of in very advanced circles. The holiness doctrine does sometimes lead to or permit practices which a worldly person might call immoral, but on a very high plane of spirituality there is no such thing as morality or immorality. We may arise above all that. Q. What do you think of Christian activity?
A. It is not thought much of among advanced Christians. It disturbs precious meditations, and degrades the Christian life into one of mere usefulness. Q. You do not believe, then, in making yourself useful in your church?
A. Unfortunately the church is on such a low plane of life, and the ministry is so unspiritual, that very advanced Christians usually meet together in parlors, or somewhere in which elegance and sanctity find a pleasing combination. They have little to do with churches. Q. What is done in these select meetings?
A. Everybody talks very much about his own spiritual experience and deplores the low state of the church. Q. Are these exercises enjoyable?
A. Very naturally they are precious seasons. Q. Do advanced Christians engage in any sort of Christian work?
A. Rarely. It would distract and disturb heavenly frames of mind. Q. Is not the advanced Christian life pretty much altogether a system of Phariseeism, pietism, mysticism, spiritual self-indulgence, and uselessness?
A. You are rude. Q. If we strive to be good husbands and wives, upright business men, kind, gentle, and patient in all our relations in life, to be earnest and useful in the church in spite of her faults; to wash the dishes and mend the clothes; to do an honest day's work for an honest day's pay; to pay our debts, and live within our income; to control our tempers and patiently endure the drudgery of life; in short, to be conscientious and humble in our daily life, cultivating carefully the spirit of our divine Lord and Master—is not this Christian life?
A. I perceive that thou art still in the bonds of iniquity and the gall of bitterness. I admit that the kind of life you describe is difficult to attain; that it requires much self-denial, prayer, and effort; that it constitutes an exalted character; but it is not holiness. Holiness is not so hard to get; it is a doctrine, not a life; it is essentially self-indulgence instead of self-denial; it is a delicious inner experience, consisting of the most interesting study and subject of conversation conceivable—myself; and a delicious occupation, viz., the detraction of other Christians. It is the refuge of the indolent and the disgruntled though many really good and useful people find in it a real and sacred experience. Nothing Save Jesus Christ
By George D. Baker
LET nothing draw you who are Christians away from Christ even for one moment. In this matter of salvation, in settling this great question of your destiny, I entreat and warn you literally to "know nothing save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."—Geo. D. Baker, D. D. A SMALL brush of camel's hair had been dipped into a fluid in which was some nitrate of silver, "caustic," as it is sometimes called. The brush was wiped upon a white sheet. Pretty soon there appeared a black stain upon a white surface. It did not look very dark at first, but the action of the light seemed to deepen the color, until it was an ugly spot that could not be washed out nor bleached out in a whole summer's sunshine. A bright boy heard a vile word and an impure story. He thought them over. They became fixed in his memory, and they left a stain which could not be washed out by all the waters of the great round earth. Do not allow yourself to think of vile stories or unclean words. There are persons who seem to take an evil delight in repeating such things. And those who willingly listen to them receive a stain upon their memory. To give ear to filthy talkers is to share in their sin. Don't lend your ears to be filled and defiled with shameful words and vile stories. In these days of evil speech and bad books, it is our duty to take care what we listen to and what we read. A bad story smirches and defiles the heart, pollutes the memory, and inflames the fancy. Shun these things as you would poisonous vipers. Draw back from hearing them. If by chance you have heard any obscene words or vile stories, drive them from your thoughts as you would the black-winged bats from your face at night. Ask God to help you. Think of the true things he has said, and study the pure and beautiful things he has made.—Sel. The Advent Near.
By Editor
BEFORE giving further Scripture evidence of the impossibility of the theory of the temporal millennium, or the conversion of the world, being true, we will notice an error of reasoning into which an eminent man ran in an effort to prove that the world will and must be converted. We refer to Professor Finney, late president of Oberlin College. His argument was substantially as follows:— The majority of mankind has been wicked in the past, and if the present dispensation should close soon, or if the majority of future generations should also be wicked, the great majority of mankind would ultimately be lost. But to say that the majority will be lost, is to say that God's plan of salvation is deficient in power or benevolence; for infinite power could save the majority, and infinite benevolence would save it. Hence, God's attributes are a sufficient guarantee that the majority will be saved. For, we can only judge the attributes of Deity by their manifestation; and, if he should fail to save the greater number, malevolence, and not benevolence, would predominate in his character. This professed argument (for, in the light of the Bible, it scarcely deserves the name of an argument, though its author was an eminent man) involves the character and the Government of God in the most serious consequences. This is easily shown; for,— 1. If it proves anything, it proves universal salvation. If the benevolence of God must be measured by the proportion of the saved and the lost, there could be none lost, as his benevolence is infinite, and he has no malevolence to claim its share. 2. To say that if a majority is lost, it is proof of a deficiency in the divine plan, is to say that the number saved must be according to the number embraced in the plan; and therefore the plan could not embrace all. 3. It directly denies the free agency of man, making it necessary for God to save a majority, without regard to their choice or willingness to be saved. Or, 4. It makes the character or nature of the plan of salvation contingent on man's acceptance of it. That is, it is benevolent if a majority accepts it; if not, it is malevolent. And then, if man is free to choose, he has it in his choice to make God benevolent or malevolent, and so make the attribute of the Creator to depend on the action of the creature! 5. It denies the infinity of God's benevolence by making it a question of degrees. For, according to that argument, if the majority is saved, his benevolence would predominate; but if the majority is lost, his malevolence would predominate. And, of course, if the number of the saved and of the lost were about equal, it would be impossible to determine the character of God! And the argument actually charges the worst of these conclusions on the divine Government; for the Scriptures plainly say that the number of the saved will be to that of the lost as the few to the many. But the benevolence of God, and the love of his Son, are determined, not by the number that will come, but by a provision of free salvation for all, so that whosoever will, may come, and have eternal life. The Saviour said, "Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life." So the failure to be saved is in their wills, not in the divine plan. If men will not accept the offer, it does not show any want of love in Him by whom the offer is made; it shows only their folly and hardness of heart. These conclusions are unavoidable, and we believe every one will accept them, unless they judge of an argument by the reputation of its author, rather than by the standard of divine revelation. In further confirmation of the words of Christ, we offer the following considerations, all of which are unmistakable in their import, and decisive on this subject:— 1. The redeemed shall come out of great tribulation. Rev. 7:9-15. The Saviour said to his disciples, "In the world ye shall have tribulation." John 16:33. Paul said: "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22. The Scriptures nowhere present another company, who enter into the kingdom of God through ease and worldly prosperity. 2. The Saviour did not promise his ministers that all should believe their word. He did not lead them to expect that they should meet with the favor of the world, more than he had met with it. But he said, "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own." And, "The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." John 15:19, 20. And again, when the Jews reviled him, he said to his followers, "If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household." Matt. 10:25. Who dares to rise above his Lord and say he shall be exempt from persecution? Who desires to be free from the sufferings of his Master? The Scriptures say that the Captain of our salvation was made "perfect through sufferings," that he was partaker of our infirmities; that "in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest." Heb. 2:10-17. But they also teach, in the clearest manner, a necessity that we should suffer affliction or tribulation with him in the gospel. To this his followers are appointed. 1 Thess. 3:3. It is consequent upon a godly life. 2 Tim. 3:12. It is the way to the kingdom. Acts 14:22. It stands connected with blessings in this life, and in the life to come. Mark 10:29, 30. It is necessary to try or prove our faith. 1 Peter 1:7. It works patience. Rom. 5:3. It yields "the peaceable fruit of righteousness." Heb. 12:11. It works "for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2 Cor. 4:17. It is the realization of Christ's sympathy for his members. Heb. 4:15. It is the measure of Christ's affliction filled up for the church. Col. 1:24. It is the fellowship of his sufferings in which we are made conformable to his death. Phil. 3:10. And it is the partaking of his sufferings. 2 Peter 4:13. And it will all be counted as his own in the day of his coming. Matt. 25:40, 45. According to the commonly received view of the millennium, not one of the above gospel truths will apply to that state. That age will need another gospel. It is a dangerous doctrine, calculated to destroy the piety of the believer by turning his heart toward a state of ease,—a state free from trials, from endurance, from persecutions, from chastisement, from temptation, and from all that pertains to Christian watchfulness and forbearance. The influence of such a belief is already apparent in the worldly-mindedness, slothfulness, and self-exaltation, of the body of professors of the present day, by which they are acting out the cry of "peace and safety," for the last days. 1 Thess. 5:1-3. 3. The gospel was not expected to convert the world, but to call out of the world a people to glorify God. "Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world." John 15:19. "God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name." Acts 15:14. The saints of God are redeemed "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." Rev. 5:9. 4. The Saviour taught that wickedness would prevail on the earth till his coming, or to the end of the world. In Matt. 13:24-30, is the parable of the tares of the field, which is explained in verses 37-41, wherein it is shown that the tares, the children of the wicked one, and the wheat, the children of the kingdom, will grow together till the harvest, which is the end of the world; and the reapers, the angels of God, will make the separation at the coming of Christ. See Matt. 24:30, 31. And the same subject is presented in Joel 3:9-16, where the nations of the earth are called to prepare for the battle of the great day; verse 13 says: "Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great." Compare Rev. 14:14-20. 5. The last days will be days of peril. This could not be so if the church was to have her triumph in this world, or if the world was to be finally converted. When speaking of his coming and the end of the world, the Saviour said: "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matt. 24:12-14. In this chapter we notice, 1. Before the end comes, iniquity will abound. 2. Endurance will be necessary even unto the end, which could not be the case were the world converted. 3. The gospel will not convert all nations, but is for a witness unto all nations. And this it is, wherever it is preached, whether people believe its testimony or not. 4. In verse 24, is predicted that, before that day, false christs and false prophets shall arise, to deceive, if possible, the very elect. 5. In verses 42-50, it is shown that even some of the servants of God will become slothful and wicked, and not be prepared for the coming of Christ, but finally have their portion with the hypocrites. The testimony of Paul, which we have quoted from 2 Tim. 3:1-5, perfectly accords with these words of Christ. 6. The witness of Peter is equally clear and decisive on this subject: "There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?" 2 Peter 3:3, 4. How could these scoffers arise and deny his coming, and how could such perils exist, if all were converted long before his coming? 7. Again, the language of Paul in 2 Thess. 2:1-8, teaches the same thing. The standard position of Protestant expositors, represented by such writers as Bishop Newton, Dr. Clarke, and Dr. Scott, has been that, "that wicked," or "that man of sin," is the papacy, with the pope for its head and representative. Any other view than this, among Protestants, is very modern. The whole argument of the apostle, both in chapters one and two, is concerning the coming of Christ, and "our gathering together unto him." Now whatever system may be represented by that man of sin, wherever that apostasy may be located, it certainly exists until the coming of the Lord; it is neither converted nor destroyed before that coming; for the text says: "Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." That this is his actual coming—the appearing of "the Lord himself"—is proved by the connection (chapter 1:6-10), where it is shown that this is when "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven," both to give rest unto his saints, and to take vengeance upon them that know not God, and obey not the gospel. The tares, the children of the wicked one, will live side by side with the children of the kingdom, until the harvest—the end of the world. All this abundantly disproves the modern199 doctrine of the millennium—the fond fable of the conversion of the world before the second advent of the Saviour. We might safely rest the question here, and appeal to every believer of the plain and positive testimony of the Bible, that, so far as the doctrine of the millennium is concerned, it offers no real objection to the view that the coming of the Lord is now near, even at the doors. But we will go farther, and give still more evidence to the same effect. Justification and Sanctification.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
HAVING explained Rom. 3:28, we are prepared to understand a parallel text that, without the explanation already given, might be considered a difficult one. The text referred to is Rom. 3:21: "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets." The righteousness of God, as we have already learned, is a term applied to the ten commandments, or rather, to that righteousness which the ten commandments enjoin. But the question arises, "If 'the righteousness of God' is the perfect righteousness which the law demands, how can it be manifested without the law?" Let Paul explain for himself, as he does in the following verses: "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." Rom. 3:22-25. By this we see that the righteousness of God which is manifested without the law, is simply the remission of sins that are past, for which no works of obedience on our part could make any satisfaction. Paul, speaking of Abraham, describes it as follows: "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what he [God] had promised, he was able to perform. And therefore it [his faith] was imputed unto him [Abraham] for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification." Rom. 4:20-25. "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness." The same thing, says Paul, will be done to us also, if we also believe. The case, then, stands thus: The law demands perfect and unvarying obedience, but it speaks to all the world and finds none righteous; all have violated it, and all are condemned by it. (Rom. 3:9-19.) Present or future obedience will not take away past transgression, therefore the law cannot help us. But Christ is perfect righteousness, for in him dwells "all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Now God says that he will impute the righteousness of Christ to every one who will fully believe on him. Impute means, "to set to the account of." Therefore we are to understand that whenever we accept Christ, his righteousness is set to our account. Thus "the righteousness of God" is manifested in our past lives, even though we ourselves have never done a single act of righteousness. So we have the wonder of perfect obedience to the law, without a single righteous act on our part. The righteousness of God without the law—Christ's righteousness imputed to us. But what is the law doing all this time? Has it relaxed its claims? Not at all. Paul says, "The righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law." The law stands by, and witnesses to the righteousness that is thus manifested in our past life. Whereas it before condemned us, now it justifies us, for in the righteousness that is imputed to us it can detect no flaw. It makes no difference to the law that the righteousness to which it witnesses is not the result of our own works; the righteousness is accounted as ours, and that satisfies the law. Right here we may profitably note the force of Rom. 5:20: "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." The "entering" of8 the law refers to the formal giving of it from Sinai. This will be readily seen from Rom. 5:13, 14, and has already been noted in our comments on that passage. Before the giving of the law, from Sinai, it did not exist in written form in the world. The remains of the law "written in their hearts," and the instruction of men who, like Enoch and Noah, walked with God, were what the people had to depend on for their knowledge of right and wrong. The law existed before that time, for sin was imputed to the people, and "sin is not imputed when there is no law." But the law was given "that the offense might abound." The apostle does not mean that the law was given so that there might be more sin, but that it was given so that the sin which already existed might abound, that is, might appear greater than it did before. Paul expresses the exact meaning in another place when he says that sin, by the commandment, became "exceeding sinful." To illustrate: Here stands a glass of water; it does not look perfectly pure, yet it does not seem very impure. Now a rod is thrust down to the bottom of the glass and given a few vigorous turns, when, behold, the water at once becomes exceedingly foul. Did the rod make the water impure? No; the impurity was there all the time; the rod simply made it appear. So there was sin in the world; but the law, when it was written on tables of stone, and copies could be multiplied in books, and scattered among the people, made the extreme hideousness of sin to appear. And why was this necessary? The answer is implied in the last clause of the verse: "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Men could not be saved while defiled by sin, even though they did not realize its heinousness. So the law was brought close to them, to show them their deformity, and make them feel their need of help from some source outside of themselves. And this effect it had; for no matter how much their sins were made to abound, "grace did much more abound." Christ's righteousness was seen to be sufficient to cover all the sins of the past. With Wesley, the repentant sinner may sing:— "Plenteous grace with Thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;" and with David he can realize the blessedness of the man "whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered," and unto whom the Lord will not impute iniquity. We have seen that the law stands as a witness to the sinner's justification. This shows that no act of Christ has in any way robbed the law of its force. Indeed, without the existence of the law there could be no such thing as justification. Now what about the man's future relation to the law? It is evident that unless he keeps it he will again fall into condemnation. The man's faith secured his justification; but that justification was simply the "showing to be just, or conformable to law." His justification was simply pardon for having violated the law; it was an act by which another's righteousness was put in place of his unrighteousness. Now since "faith without works is dead," it follows as a necessary conclusion, that if the man's faith was genuine (and if it were not he could not have been pardoned), it will now be proved by works of obedience. And therefore the characteristic of the justified man is that he keeps the law. Of Abraham it is said that his faith was imputed to him for righteousness. But James takes the same subject up and says, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?" James 2:21. This is no contradiction of Paul's statement in Rom. 3:28; for James immediately adds: "Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness." Verses 22, 23. By this we see that Abraham's faith could not have been imputed to him for righteousness but for the disposition to work. And since justification has reference to the law of God, it is evident that the works that make perfect the faith that secures justification, must be the works which the law requires. But this continued obedience is sanctification; for Christ prayed for his disciples: "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." John 17:17. Paul says that God has chosen us to salvation "through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" (2 Thess. 2:13); but that by which the Spirit acts is the word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit. Eph. 6:17. Again Paul says: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Phil. 2:12. But no one can accuse Paul of inconsistency; for he adds: "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." This is exactly in accord with our Saviour's words: "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:4, 5. Peter also bears the same testimony. He says: "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently." 1 Peter 1:22. God's law is the truth (Ps. 119:142), and to purify is to cleanse from guilt or defilement, to sanctify. So Peter's sentence is that we are sanctified by obeying the truth; but he adds that this is done "through the Spirit." Sanctification, then, is the result of obedience; but as obedience is not simply a momentary act, but the work of a lifetime, it follows that sanctification is not an instantaneous, but a progressive work. A man is justified as soon as he exercises true faith in Christ; but the work of sanctification goes on as long as there is any truth for him to obey. And since a man, after he has been justified by faith, would fall into condemnation if he should refuse to do any duty that was presented to him, and can only retain his state of justification by continuing in obedience to the law, it may be said that sanctification is but continued justification. Each new duty only makes the performance of others possible, and so "the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." "Faith without works is dead;" and on the other hand, obedience without faith is impossible, as is shown by our Saviour's words in John 15:4, 5; also by the words of Paul. "They that are in the flesh cannot please God." Rom. 8:8. The man who is destitute of faith in Christ cannot keep the law, or do any act that is really good. In our best efforts there is so much imperfection, that but for the continual imputation of Christ's righteousness to make up for our deficiencies, we should be lost. The best that we alone can do is bad. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Heb. 11:6. And thus we see the force of the words: "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4. "Where is boasting, then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of faith." Rom. 3:27. The redeemed saint will have no cause for boasting over the lost sinner. True, the law, when applied to their lives, reports perfection in the one case, and only sin in the other; but the saint cannot boast, for without Christ he would have been nothing. If Christ had not put his own righteousness upon him, he would be in as hopeless a condition as the sinner. And to all eternity the redeemed host will join with the heavenly choir in saying, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Rev. 5:12. "That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 1 Cor. 1:29, 30. "And this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Jer. 23:6.
E. J. W.