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 SCRIPTURAL EXAMINATION 
 
 OF 
 
 CERTAIN ARTICLES 
 
 nr 
 
 RELIGIOUS CREEDS. 
 
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 JOHN G. MARSHALL. 
 
 HALIFAX : 
 PRINTED BY WILLIAM _MACNAB. U PR,N( E STREET 
 
 1872. «iJ-x!'i 
 
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A 
 
 SCRIPTURAL EXAMINATION 
 
 OF 
 
 CERTAIN ARTICLES 
 
 IN 
 
 RELIGIOUS CREEDS. 
 
 
 ■{ 
 
 Ft y. 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN G. MARSHALL. 
 
 HALIFAX. 
 PRINTED BY WILLIAM MACNAB, 11 PRINCE STREET. 
 
 1872. 
 
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AN EXAMINATION,&c. 
 
 Before oominoncing an oxamination of the subjects first treated of 
 in this publitaiion, 1 think it just and proper, to mention the oireum- 
 atances which led me to engajj;e in the work. During some years 
 past, I was, occasionally, hearing various particulars conccrniug the 
 religious body commoidy called, " The Plymouth Brethren,''— but 
 im])roperly so-callod, for " The Christian Brethren," is the name 
 they have taken. I had also read some of their pamphlets, nu)st of 
 them sent to me from the United States, and others I have recently 
 seen, all giving information of their religious belief; but I had formed 
 no iutonlion of writing anything concerning them ; although sugges- 
 tions to that cttect had reached me. Some weeks ago, I received 
 through the Post OiHce, an envelope, containing a paper, purj)orting 
 to be a true representation, or standard, of parts of their religious 
 creed. Neither name of person, or place, was given in the envelope, 
 and to this moment 1 am unacquainted as to the person wIkj sent it ; 
 and neither desire, or shall seek, any information on the point. At 
 first 1 was inclined to think, that it had been sent by the Jirethron, 
 or one of them, to inform me of their sentiments on the subjects 
 contained in the paper, or for some other purpose. But 1 soon con- 
 cluded that it was some person iu)t connected with them. 1 had 
 previously seen an exact copy of the same paper. It had been 
 inserted, several years ago, in a newsp!i|)er published in Montreal. 
 In a third copy 1 recently received, and here correctly pidjlish, ihe 
 words: — " An enemy hath done this," will, of course, be considered, 
 as having been inserted by, or on behalf of the Jirethren. 
 
 'i'hat it may be seen, that I deal justly and fairly on the subject, 
 I will first transcribe the paper, and then give extracts from the 
 pamphlets, relating and applying to the several clauses of the piper ; 
 antl give an answer from Scripture to each and all of them on which 
 I have thought it requisite to treat, and offer appropriate remarks. 
 
 
 
 
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On carofully perusing the pamphlets, I have considered it a C'hriatian 
 duty, to endeavor to refute the unscriptural and erroneous opinions 
 they contain, concerning the several most deeply important subjects^ 
 to which the Heripture!) and remarks are applied. It is also due to 
 the Brethren, that the public should know, that they arc not charge- 
 able with the unchristian and uncharitable opinions attributed to 
 them, in some of the clauses of the paper set forth as their creed. I 
 will bestow on them that unsolicited favor. The following is au exact 
 copy of the paper : — 
 
 brethben's cbeed. 
 (An enemy hath done this.) 
 
 1. The Church is composed of believers. 
 
 2. We constitute that Church. 
 
 3. All professing Christians outside of tfie Church, are connected 
 with a{)ostacy, infidelity and Socinianism. 
 
 4. No denomination owns the Spirit of God. 
 
 6. The uu)ral law is not the ride of Christian Life. 
 
 6. The doctrine of Christ's imputed righteousness, through law- 
 keeping, is nowhere taught in Hcripture. 
 
 7. Christ, during His life, did not really and actually suffer with, 
 or for, His people. 
 
 8. It is almost blasphemy for a christian to address the Jloly Spirit 
 in prayer, or to pray for the Spirit in any shape or way. 
 
 y. Abraham has no place in the Church, nor could any Saint have, 
 till the Holv Ghost came, after the Ascension. 
 
 10. The Sabbath was ordained for Jews alone. Christians never 
 had anytliiug to do with it. 
 
 11. The choosing of Pastors is a daring encroachment upon the 
 authority of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 12. It is a lack of faith for the christian to pray the Lord's Prayer, 
 or in any way to express the thought conveyed in the words, " for- 
 give us our trespasses," 
 
 Now, if this paper, in the whole, were to be taken as a real code of 
 religious belief, it would indeed be one of a most singular and mar- 
 vellous character. Some of its first clauses, exhibit the very climax 
 of arrogancy. It would stand as a monument, or disgusting exhibi- 
 tion of human pride, uncharitableness and presumption. It rivals, or 
 even eclipses, the decrees of the Council of Trent, and those of the 
 Synod of Dort ; and casts the claimed infallibility of the Popedom, 
 and the haughty Hildebrand, and Pious the Ninth, and all his ency- 
 
clicals, and other missives into the Hhade. Such a creed would exhihit 
 those who hehl it, aH a kind of theological iNhmaelitcH, whoso voice, it' 
 not their hand, was against all other professing christians, as being 
 aliens from Scripture, truth, and the christian church. But as a 
 whole, the Brethren justly deny that it belongs to their code of belief. 
 The reader, however, by the extracts from their publications, and the 
 Scriptures and remarks given in the answers to those extracts, will be 
 able to form an opinion as to the accordance, or otherwise, of their 
 belief in those clauses of the paper, to which this examination is 
 applied. The clauses will now be treated of, in the order in which 
 they stand in this strange and presumptuous creed. 
 
 1 . The Church is composed of believers. 
 
 It may well bo concluded, that no body of men, of e\ en ordinary 
 sense or intelligence, would frame such a bald and uncertain article 
 as this ; and place it at the head of their religious creed. It atVords 
 such a wide sphere as to what the belief has reference, that if the 
 word cJud'ch, is taken in its generic meaning, of an assembly of fntyple, 
 the belief might be applied, as well to a Jewish, a Mahomedan, or a 
 Mormon, as to a christian church. This alono, is sufficient to show 
 that the paper, as a whole, is not a correct representation of the 
 Brethren's creed, though some of the clauses do certainly accord with 
 their belief, as will be shown. 
 
 2. We constitute that Church. 
 
 The ])receding remarks apply here, with the addition of an unpa- 
 
 ralelled presumption, not at all likely to be publicly avowed. The 
 
 following extracts from the Brethren's writings fully answer this 
 
 clause : — 
 
 " There are dear children of God in all the so-called denomina- 
 tions, whom the Lord knows, and will take up into the glory, by and 
 by; thcif arc oi' the Church. If »y only, (brethren so called) consti- 
 tuted the Church, it would be a small affair indeed. We, if believers, 
 are a j)art of the Church, and that is all wo claim to be ; and are 
 only a fragment of it." 
 
 3. All professing Christians outside of the Church, are connected 
 with apostasy, intidelity, and Socinanism. 
 
 The following will serve on the part of the Brethren, as an expla- 
 natory answer to this Clause : — 
 
 *' Mere profession Mill not do, we must be real before God. He 
 will and must have the heart. The foolish virgins do not go in to the 
 
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 6 
 
 marriage. Matt. xxv. " The door wan shut. • • • (iod will have 
 none but living HtonoH in IUh building. Kph. ii. 21, 22. 1'hfii, if 
 any man be outside of that which (ll^)n^' is owned of (i(jd, ho must 
 bo un«lor judgment ; and therefore be i-onnertod with t>\il. Now, 
 ChriMeniloit) has the truth, but ' holds it in unrighteousness,* and so 
 its roHponsiliility. A'<i/»rt/M have become Christians, e)i imisuf. Have 
 thoy acto<l up to the light." 
 
 Those lasl remarks conconiing Christendom, are doplorahly true ; 
 and it must also bo admitted, that there are Churches which arc in- 
 vohod in grievous, or even ruinous errors ; and furtluT, it is more 
 than pri>l)al)lc, that there are persons in truly evangelical churches, 
 who secretly hold some unscriptural and erroneous opinions. Vet, it 
 cannot bo truly said, that all who are outside of the (-hun-h, or body 
 of rfulhj converted souls, — Sftiritnal chriatiaint, — are neceMKari/if and 
 certainly " connected with evil," either as to anti-s('ri|)tural ductrincs, 
 or immoral practices. Thoy, as belonging to some visible church, 
 hoMing the true faith, may as yet, be ou]y forma Hats, lunral in their 
 conduct, or wf/v/'-sof spiritual conversion and Salvation : and thcre- 
 fore, as in the case of the tares among the wheat, they arc not t(» be 
 ex[)clled from any such visible church, or to be considered as altitge- 
 thor outside of it, and as being, wilfully and absolutely, " connected 
 with evil." 
 
 4. No Denomination owu's the Spirit of (Jod. 
 
 The answer of the Brethren to this charge, is as follows : — 
 
 " Of course the Holy Spirit is owned, in a sense, among all denomi- 
 nations, we suppose, hut praetiru Hi f, we snif ; — the Holy Spirit is not 
 allowed to act, — that is, — if everything is cut and dried, — so to speak, 
 with prayer book, Priest, Ac, no liberty for any to speak or pray, 
 Ac, no matter whether the Holy Spirit would so will, — every mouth ia 
 stopped, but that of the olhciating Priest, &c. The word is, — 
 • Quench not the Spirit,' (1 Thes. v. 19, 20.) But in this way the 
 Spirit is quenched." 
 
 This explanation certainly clears the Brethren of the awful charge 
 
 set forth in the above clause of the paper. As to the point of the 
 
 scriptural right of /a// church members, to speak during the public 
 
 worship, if they judge they are spiritually moved to do it, — as seems 
 
 to be intimated in the above answer, — it is one of a very wide range 
 
 for discussion ; and there are very different opinions concerning it; and 
 
 the writer does not feel disposed to enter upon any examination of it 
 
the 
 
 urge 
 the 
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 inge 
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 here, as it is not needful to do so. It may merely bo remarked, that 
 if no " Diothrephes" who " wish to have the pre-eminence," have yet 
 appo.'ircd among the Brethren, it is quite poHsiblo, as thoir numbers 
 increase, ccmsidcring human frailties and imperfectionH, that some 
 such troublesome and unmanageable characters may be found, even 
 among the Brethren ; and if two or three at a time, may think them- 
 selves moved to speak ; troubles may arise, both among themselves, 
 and as to the rest of the Church ; and there vdW bo no lofitaj and 
 i-uliiti/ apostle John, to allay or remove the unhappy differences. 
 
 5. The moral law is not the rule of Christian life. 
 
 Here we have come to a part of this singular Creed, wliich requires 
 a N|)C('ial examination, and a definite and rather extended answer, 
 founded on Scripture authority, for that alone can rightly elucidate 
 and determine it. The Brethren frankly avow this, to be a part of 
 their religioua faith ; and in their publications, they elaborately en- 
 deavour to nmintain the asserted negjvtive. A direct issue with them 
 is here taken ; and it will be shown, on Scripture authority, that the 
 di\iue moral law, — to say the least, — does to a very great eitont, 
 form the rule for the christian's life, — that is, for his practical con- 
 duct. Nothing is required to be said, regarding the term Inw, as to 
 any human obedience to it, being meritorious, or available, for pro- 
 curing the forgiveness of sins, and acceptance to the divine favour. 
 We are all in perfect harmony on the great and consoling doctrine, 
 that " by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves 
 It is the gift of God ; not of works, lest any man should boast :" and 
 again ; — " a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the 
 faith of Jusus Christ ; for by the works of the law, shall no flesh be 
 justified." (Eph. ii. 8, 9 — Gal. ii. 15). It is only as to the moral law, 
 forming any part of the rule for a Christian's conduct, that the differ- 
 ence exists, and, as before observed, the point can only bo determined 
 by Scripture authority. 
 
 Now, in fairness, rather copious extracts from the Brethren's 
 writings on the subject will first be given. They are as follow : — 
 
 " The way this charge is put, would lead to the idea that we believed 
 we could live as we liked, be as immoral as we please. Paul says, — 
 Rom. 6.14, * Ye are not under law, but under grace ;' and he gives 
 
7P' 
 
 8 
 
 this as a reason why sin shall not have the dominion, — " Shall we sin, 
 because we are not under law, bilt under f/race ? God forbid.' See 
 Bom. V, 11. The law is not a rule of life at all, but a rule of death. 
 The law is not set before the Christian as an object, pr a rule. He 
 has higher and other motives presented to him — • Walk worthy of 
 the vocation, Ac.' Eph. iv. 1, — ' If ye be led by the Spirit, ye are 
 not under the law.* In a word then, it is evident, that a sinner can- 
 not be justified by the works of the law, and it is equally evident, 
 that the law is not the rule of the believer's life.' — ' We are justi- 
 fied by the faith of Christ, and He is our rule of life." '* He is our 
 rule, our model, our touchstone, our all.' 'The Christian is doubly 
 dead to the law, both by its effects upon him, and by the death of 
 Christ, on his behalf. No words can be used to express more plainly, 
 that he has nothing more to do with it, nor it \^dth him in the sight 
 of God ; for what we are dead to, we have certainly ceased to have 
 any relation with, whatsoever.' ' The Christian, in the exercise of 
 love, naturally fulfils the law.' In Gal. v. 13, 14, ' if ye be 
 led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.' On Eom. 
 viii. 3, 4, — the passage ought not to have stood, — that 'the 
 righteousness of the law, mirjJd he fulfilled in us,' — but that ' the 
 righteousness of the law, 7ms been fulfilled /or ?«.' 
 
 In answering and refuting this attempted support of the position 
 advanced in the clause, some scripture passages, directly bearing on 
 the subject, will first be given ; and then some appropriate remarks, 
 in the way of explanation and argument. Our divine Lord at the 
 commencement of the preceptive part of His incomparable Sermon 
 on the Mount, — addressed to His disciples, as well as to the multitude 
 — declared — " Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the 
 prophets ; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil ; 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. Whosoever, therefore, shall 
 break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he 
 shall be caP^d 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." He then proceeded to refer to a number of the moral 
 precepts of the law, enlarging their power and application, and de- 
 clared their continued obligatory force and authority, in the words : 
 ♦• Therefore, all things whatsover ye would that men should do mito 
 you, do ye even so to them ; for this is the law and the prophets." 
 He then, at the close of His discourse, made the solemn and meta- 
 
9 
 
 phorical announcements, as to the man who heard these his sayings, 
 and obeyed them, and thus built his house on a rock, and which, in the 
 storm, remained firm and uninjured ; and next, the man who heard 
 them, and did not obey ; and He likened him, to one who built his 
 house on the sand ; and in the storm " it fell, and great was the fall 
 of it." Matt. vii. 24, &c. Now, what were His sayings, to which 
 he referred ? They were in a large degree, portions of the moral law, 
 which He had been enlarging, and was teaching, that they should be 
 heard and obeyed ; and this by His chosen disciples ; and surely also, 
 by his professed followers in all future time. In none of the publi- 
 cations of the Brethren, which the writer has seen, is there any men- 
 tion of that sermon of our Lord ; or any reference to His teachings 
 and precepts on that occasion. In one of His controversies with the 
 Scribes and Pharisees, He charged them with making void the law, 
 commanding children to honour their fathers and mothers. This is a 
 part of the moral law, but did He tell them or Jiis disciples, that 
 it was to be set aside ; or in any way to be disregarded, or weakened, 
 by His gospel system ? Nothing of the kind, but on the contrary, 
 we find it reiterated, and enforced, as a perpetual command, in the 
 epistle to the Ephesians, and also in the one to the Colossians. He 
 said to his disciples, equally as to the multitude, — ' The Scribes and 
 Pharisees sit in Moscl' Seat, all, therefore, whatsoever they bid you 
 observe, that observe and do, but do not ye after their works." This 
 was just at the close of His ministry on earth. Would He have said 
 it, if He intended to entirely annul the moral law, under the preced- 
 ing dispensation, so that, as the Brethren say, — "it should have nothing 
 more to do with them, nor they with it ?" Of course, He only meant 
 such parts of the moral law, as Mere in accordance with His new dis- 
 pensation.; and nearly all parts of it are in such accordance, except 
 as to the punishments for certain offences. 
 
 Now let us look at some of the inspired epistles for further infor- 
 mation on the subject. In Eom. 3, after the Apostle had set forth 
 the grand doctrine of a sinner's "justification by faith in Christ, and 
 not by the deeds of the law," he closed by saying: " Do we then, make 
 void the law through faith ? God forbid ; yea, we establish the law." 
 "vVe all know that the word establish signifies to make anything Ji.ved 
 and j>ermanent. Surely, establishiny and anmdliny^ or setting aside, 
 
 , W;- 
 
pppp>" 
 
 10 
 
 
 are entirely different terms. It was only as to obtaining pardon of 
 sin, by fulfilling the law, that it was not available, and it still 
 remained in force, as a rule for christian conduct, and to be fulfilled 
 through faith and grace obtained for the purpose. This is clearly 
 shown in Ch. 8 of the same epistle, where it is said : " 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." Here, even 
 of those who do " walk after the spirit," it is said, that *' the righte- 
 ousness of the law, mi</ht be fulfilled ;" showing that it was still in 
 force, as a rule, for their conduct. Now suppose, as is quite possible, 
 that in some instance, a believer does not " walk after the Spirit," but 
 acts contrary to the law ; what then ? WiU not the law take hold of 
 him, and condemn hun ? Certainly not, if, as the Brethren say, " it 
 has nothing to do with him, nor he with it, in the sight of God," for 
 as is said in 1st John, chap. 3, "Sin is the transgression of the law ;" 
 and in Bom. 4.15, we read, — " where no law is, there is no trans- 
 gression." In Gal. 5. 2. it is written : " If ye be led of the spirit ye 
 are not under the law." And this was said to believem. The little 
 word " if shows that it is quite possible, that a believer might not» 
 in some instance, or instances, be led of the spirit, but act contrary 
 to the law ; and that then, it would have somethini/ " to do with him, 
 and he with it ;" for he would then have come under its condemning 
 power, and showing further, its authority as a rule of christian life 
 and conduct In 1 Tim. 1.8, it is written : — "But we know that the 
 law is good, if a man use it lawfully," which again evidently shows, 
 contrary to the Brethren's doctrine, — that the believer has something 
 to do with the law, and he with it. The epistle of .lames, ch. 2, con- 
 tains several exhortations for the fulfillment of parts of the law, and 
 he says, " if ye fulfil the royal law according to Scripture, — ' Thou 
 shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' ye do well :" and ftirthcr, says : 
 "He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speak eth 
 evil of the law, and judgeth the law ; but if thou judge the law, thou 
 art not a doer of the law, but a judge." When Paul was rebuked for 
 expressions of censure he used towards the High Priest, he ans- 
 wered, '' I wist not, brethren, that ho was High Priest, for it ia 
 
11 
 
 written, * Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people;'" 
 thereby admitting that if ho had known that he was High Priest, he 
 would have been guilty of a violation of that law, as being still in 
 force. Other portions of the Xew Testament scriptures to the same 
 etfect might bo cited, but surely no more can be needed. It may now 
 be asked who are right on the subject, — the Brethren, or our Tiord 
 Himself, and his inspired Apostles ? But one answer can be given. 
 It may be usefid to give the opinion of learned and euiincut men 
 " well instructed in the things of the kingdom." That able minister 
 and celebrated coinmentator. Dr. Adam Clarke, in remarking on these 
 words of our Lord's sermon on the Mount, — " Think not that T am 
 come to destroy the law," (Math. 5.17.) — has thus written : — " I am 
 not come to make the law of none effect, to dissolve the connexion 
 whicli subsists between its several parts, or the obligation men are 
 under to have their lives regulated by its moral precepts." And fur- 
 ther, in commenting on the words, " 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," — he has written as follows : — " What an awful considera- 
 tion is this I He who by his mode of actinif, spealciwi or exphiining 
 the word of God, sets the holy precejjt aaide, or explains away its 
 force and meaninrf, shall he called least, — shall have no jdace in the 
 kingdom of Christ here, nor in the kingdom of glory above. That 
 this is the meaning of these words, is evident enough from the suc- 
 ceeding verse." On Matt. vii. 26, 28, he has written : — " Many sup- 
 pose that the law of Moses is abolished, merely because it is too strict^ 
 and r)u/)o.'!Nv7)A' to be ohserved ; and that the gt)spol was brought in, to 
 liberate us from its ohlitfations, Tliev were a.'^touished at His doctrine 
 They heard the law defined in such a manner as they had never 
 thought of before ; and this sacred system of morality, urged home 
 on their consciences, with such cleiiniess and authority, as they had 
 never felt under the teachirg of their Scribes ami Pharisees." Again, 
 the same learned commentator, in remarking on Rom. ch. iv., has 
 written thus : — " The Salvation which wo receive from God's free 
 mercy, binds us to live in a strict conformity with the moral law : 
 that law which prescribes our manners, and the Spirit by which they 
 
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r 
 
 F 
 
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 J 
 
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 12 
 
 should be regulated ; and in which they should be performed. lie 
 who lives not in the due performance of every christian duty, what- 
 ever faith he may profess, is either a vile hypocrite, or a scandalous 
 AntiriomianJ' These are strong words, but not stronger than true. 
 Hear, lastly, what a still more eminent theologian says on the sub- 
 ject. The Eev. John Wesley has written : — "0 keep close to the law, 
 and the testimony. Beware of Antinomianism, making void the law, 
 or any part of it, through faith. Even that great truth that Christ 
 is the end of the law, may betray us into it ; if we do not consi- 
 der, that He has adopted every point of the moral law, and grafted it 
 into the law of love. Let us magnify the law, the whole written 
 word, and make it honourable. Let this be our voice, — I prize thy 
 commandments abovu -Told, or precious stones. O what love have I 
 unto thy law. All the day long is my study in it." 
 
 Now all the foregoing Scriptures, and these wise and weighty 
 opinions,— Kjontrary to the Brethren's doctrine, — do very clearly sliow* 
 that the believer has a great deal to do with the law, and that it has 
 very much to do with hiin. The opposite doctrine is not only a dan- 
 gerous, but if carried out in practice, is of an eternally ruinous na- 
 ture. But it may fairly be concluded, that here, the common saying 
 applies to the Brethren, — that their " practice is better than their 
 Creed." 
 
 6. The doctrine of Christ's imputed righteousness, through law 
 keeping, is no where taught in Scripture. 
 
 So says this writer, most emphatically. But he will here show 
 and examine, what the Brethren say on this often disj)iited and dis- 
 cussed subject. Their sentiments on it, as disclosed in their publica- 
 tions, are as follows ; — 
 
 " You do not find in the New Testament, the words — 
 the righteousness of Christ, or the imputed righteousness of 
 Christ, Christ Himself is our righteousness. We are justified by 
 his death, and resurrection." " A blessed justilied state, in which 
 God not only forgave sins, but to whom, in such state, the Lord will 
 not impute sin." * * * " Doubly blest. Which double character is 
 most clearly presented in Rom« v. Justification by blood, v. 9 ; and 
 justification of life, v. 18. First justified by his blood from all sin ; 
 then justified, yea much more, justified in the life, which is the gift 
 of righteousuesg," * f * »» Thus arc we much more saved by His 
 
13 
 
 law 
 
 show 
 
 dis- 
 
 )lica- 
 
 ids— 
 of 
 
 [a by 
 rluch 
 
 will 
 jr ia 
 
 and 
 I sin ; 
 
 gift 
 
 His 
 
 life. Yes, and shall be saved by His life." The doctrine then, of 
 imputed righteousness, seems as simple as possible. First, — on the 
 ground, that the surety is risen in perfect righteousness, having glo- 
 rified (Jod. The payment in blood, of that surety, is reckoned to all 
 who believe. Secondly, — on the ground of what our Bepresentative 
 is in glory ; for what is done to a representative, is reckoned done 
 to those whom he represents. The fact is, the whole thing is so put 
 together of God ; and is so wholly of God that the believer will not 
 be more sure of this glory when in it, then he is now, if he believes 
 what G(3d says. He hath made Christ to be] our life, our righteous- 
 ness, our all. * * * God reckons me dead, risen, justified, gloritied 
 toith Christ. Oh to be like Him, and this so certain. As surely as 
 Jesus died and rose again, so surely is it all reckoned to thee now. 
 The righteousness of God is thine now, on the principle of faith. To 
 enjoy it, in its full result, in blessed fruition, will soon be thine ever- 
 lasting pt.tion. Blessed hope of righteousness, as says the apostle — 
 " For we, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness, by 
 faith." Gal. v. 5. Ours now, by imputation, then forever ours, in 
 the full enjoyment of Sight. Blessed Lord, increase our faith." 
 
 Now this scheme, or doctrine of the Brethren, is about as unserip- 
 tural, and dangerous also, as the preceding one concerning the law. 
 This will now be made to appear on scripture authority ; for this 
 alone can and must decide on the subject. In the first place it may 
 be rejnarked, that the doctrine of imputed righteousness, so long held 
 by vast numbers, was, and is considered, to mean, the personal active 
 righteousness of Christ. But the Brethren, very properly, reject this 
 meaning of the term. But they think that they have discovered in 
 the New Testament scriptures, " that the righteousness of God," so 
 often mentioned, does on the subject of the justification and final sal- 
 vation of a believer, mean the righteousness of Christ, in and by His 
 death, and by His resurrection by God ; and that this resurrection 
 life and righteousness, constitute the righteousness of the believer ; 
 and is available and sufficient for him, being as they say his righte- 
 ousness befoft God, wholly and only in Christ, by and through his 
 resurrection life. And they say, as has been seen, that " this righte. 
 ouaness in Christ, is the believer's now by imputation^ and will be 
 his eternally, " in the full enjoyment of sight." And they further 
 ^ay that " we arc much more saved by Christ's life ; yes, and shall be 
 saved by His life." 
 
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 V' 
 
 ,» 
 
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 •'l 
 
 \ 4 
 
TTT 
 
 I 
 
 
 14 
 
 Now, it is not difficult to see, that this exhibition of the belief of the 
 Brethren, is only altering the form, or mode, of the iloctriiie of im- 
 puted righteotisness ; and still making our Lord's righteousness, and 
 resurrection life, — and these alone, — the righteousness of a believer, 
 so that no personal or other righteousness, or holiness, would he 
 ever require. They do not, it is true, expressly say this last, but it 
 would be the legitimate effect of their doctrine ; for any other, or 
 double righteousness, would not be required, nor is such double 
 righteousness of a believer mentioned in Scripture. No righteous- 
 ness, or holiness of his, could be required, if, as they assert, all in 
 Christ's is now, and forever imputed to them by (lod. It would 
 seem that they have fallen into this great error, as to the 
 imputation of righteoiisness through Christ's resurrection, by 
 mistaking, as to the real design of his resiu'rection, and 
 the purposes eft'eeted by it. It was essentially needful, tliat he 
 should have an earlv resurrection from the dead, that it nu<fht thus 
 be made manifest, that the holy and just (lod, was satistied with, and 
 had accepted his atoning and propitiating work, which He had ac- 
 complished on our behalf; for if His resurrect n\ had been delayed, 
 imtil that of all mankind, that propitiation \\-ould not have been 
 knovNai, and all on the subject would have been uncertain ; and Chris- 
 tianity could never have spread and become established. The Apostle 
 says in 1 Cor. 15, " if Christ be not raised, ye arc yet in your sins." 
 His early resurrection, therefore, was requisite for the pui'poses just 
 mentioned. By the words in Rom. v. 10, " Wc shall be saved by 
 His life," is to be understood, as a very learned Divine has ^^ritten, 
 that " Christ's resurrection to life is the grand proof that He has 
 accomplished whatever He had purposed, in reference to the salvation 
 of man. 2. This may also be understood, of His life of Intciri'sslon, 
 for it is written, — ^ He ever liveth to maJce intercession for nsj Heb. 
 vi?. 25. Through this life of intercession, at the right hand of (rod, 
 we are spared and blessed. 3. And it will not be amfcs to consider, 
 that as our salvation implies the renovation of our nature, and our 
 being restored to the image of God, so we shall be saved in His life, 
 for I suppaso it is very generally agreed, that the life of God in the 
 soul of man is essential to its salvation. 4. The example, also, of 
 the life of Christ, is a means of salvation. ' He hath left us an 
 
15 
 
 DOllS- 
 
 all in 
 
 v'ould 
 
 3 the 
 
 1, by 
 and 
 
 lat he 
 
 t thus 
 
 h, and 
 
 id ac- 
 
 slayed, 
 
 been 
 
 chris- 
 
 postle 
 
 sins.' 
 
 i8 just 
 
 ed by 
 
 •itteii, 
 
 e has 
 
 ation 
 
 li'ssion, 
 
 Heb. 
 
 r (lod, 
 
 sider. 
 d our 
 s life, 
 ill the 
 bo, of 
 I us an 
 
 example that we should follow His steps,' And * he that followeth 
 Him, shall not waUi: in darkness, but sluill have tf^e liffht of life.' John 
 viii. 12. 
 
 The Brethren are quite in accordance with Scripture, in holding 
 that a believer is justified solely on the ground of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ's atonement, and satisfaction for his sins ; and that so believing, 
 his faith is imputed to him for righteousness; and that he is thus jus- 
 tified and accepted by God. Their error lies in the belief — as shown 
 in the extracts given, — that all our righteousness, here and hereafter, 
 is found in Christ alone, by reason of his '* resurrection life ; that 
 righteousness now, by imputation, and inevitably and certainly ours, 
 in eternity. '' They say nothing as to any sanctification, or holiness, to 
 be wrought in the believer after justification — by the operation of the 
 Holy Spirit, in the exercise of faith. Yet this is just as requisite as 
 was his faith in Christ's atonement, for his justification. The New 
 Testament Scriptures are full of this essential doctrine of personal 
 sanctification and holiness. The Saviour prayed for it for His imme- 
 diate disciples, and for all future believers in Him, as we see in this 
 passage in John 17. " Sanctify them through the Truth, thy word is 
 truth." And again, we see in Acts 26. 18. He says, " that they 
 may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which 
 are sanctified, by faith that is in me." These passages are very dif- 
 ferent from the doctrine, that all the righteousness or holiness of a 
 believer, is in Him alone, and is imputed to the believer. There are 
 multitudes of scriptures to refute this opinion. Here are only a few : 
 " Work out your own salvation with fear aud trembling, for it is God 
 which worketh in you, both to will and to do, of His good pleasure.'' 
 Phil, ii.12,13. "Being sanctified by thelloly Ghost." Eom. xv. 16. "I 
 keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any 
 means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." 
 
 1 Cor. ix. 27. This by the highly inspired and holy Paul: — "Having 
 therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from 
 all filthnessofthe flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fearof God." 
 
 2 Cor .vii, 1. "Who gave Himself for us, that Ho might redeem us from 
 all iniquity, and purify unto Himself, a pecidiar people, zealous of good 
 works." Titus ii. — " And being made perfect. He became the author 
 of eter\>al Salvation unto all them that obey Him." Heb. vi.— " But 
 
 
 
 
f 
 
 16 
 
 
 I ': 
 
 as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy, in all manner of 
 conversation ; Because it is written, ' Be ye holy, for I am holy.* 
 1 Peter i. — " The marriage of the Lamb is come, and His 
 wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she 
 should be arrayed in fine linen clean and white ; for the fine linen is 
 the righteousness of Saints." Rev. xix. The Jim linen here men- 
 tioned, is not the rujJUeeousness of, or in Christ imputed to believers; for 
 it is called the rufJdeomness of the Saints, which through faith, the 
 grace and Spirit of Christ hath wrought in them . This exactly cor- 
 responds with the beautiful figurative and prophetical language in Ps . 
 xlv. " She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle- 
 work." Like a piece of beautiful tapestry, displaying resplendant 
 objects and scenery, perfected through skilful and persevering indus- 
 try ; and to carry out the figure and analogy still further, are emble- 
 matical of the graces of the believer, wrought in him by the continued 
 operations of the Holy Spirit. Thus beautifully arrayed pure and 
 lovely and loviiig, shall the faithful, — the Church, as the Bride, be 
 brought unto her loving and faithful Bridegroom and King, the Lord 
 Jesus Christ. Now if, as the Brethren say, all a believer's righteous- 
 ness, at present, and in the future, are in Christ alone, why were all 
 those cited exhortations and commands ; and so many others, as to 
 righteousness and holiness in the believer, requisite, and so solemnly 
 given and enforced. According to their doctrine, they are altogether 
 superfluous, and like works of supererogation. But they are the 
 words of the God of truth and holiness, and most clearly show, that 
 the righteousness and sanctification of a believer, through the opera- 
 tion of the Holy Spirit, and by faith and obedience, are essentially 
 requisite, in order to his full consecration and devotedness to the ser- 
 vice of his God and Saviour, while here, and to a due preparation for 
 a place in His holy and eternal kingdom. One of the cited extract's 
 from the Brethren's writings, runs thus : — " Blessed hope of righte- 
 ousness, as says the apostle, ' for we, through the Spirit, wait for the 
 hope of righteousness by faith ; — ours now, by imputation, and then 
 forever ours, in the full enjoyment of Sight." Now, these are more 
 mistaken and ruinous passages, as to the Brethren's doctrine on the 
 subject. They are like bomb-shells thrown by themselves 
 nto their own camp ; for their expressed '* hope of righteousness ; " 
 
17 
 
 and the hope and wnitiny for it, mentioned in the text cited, show con- 
 clusively, that the righteousness so far from being t>i Christ, and so 
 inevitably and permanently sure, is (|uite rontinijent and pmhlttnatical. 
 It is merely the " hope of righteousness " and is to be waited for by 
 "faith." Hather a diflerenl thing I'rum being "(nirs now, by imputation, 
 ■iixd forever ours in sight." The brethren who are so conversant with 
 Scripture, will know wliore to find the text, which says, — " what a 
 man seeth, (or possesseth) why doth he yet hope for." They have 
 i-ominitted a most ruinous mistake in citing that text, as to hoping 
 and waitiwf, fur this alone is quite sulKcieut to destroy their whole 
 doctrine o'l righteousness now, imputed. 
 
 The following sentiments on the subject, expressed in the writings 
 of the same learned Divines, before named, are most weighty, and de- 
 servijig of regard. Dr. Clarke, in commenting on Kom. iii., says ; — 
 •' On considering this glorious scheme of Salvation, there is great 
 danger, lest while we staiul amazed at what was done for jw, we neg- 
 lect what must be done la us. Christ has done much to save us, and 
 the way of Salvation is made plain ; but uidess \ni Ju.'<tifi/ our ojusfii'nci' 
 from dead works, aiul purity our hearts from all sin. His passion autl 
 death will profit us nothing." The liev. John Wesley has written 
 thus : — " A luan has been reproved, suppose for drimkenness : — ' " 
 •tays he, ' 1 pretend to no righteousness of mif own ; Christ is my 
 '•i<jfUeoi(A)iess.' Another has been t(dd, the extortioner and the unjust 
 diall not inherit the kingdoui of (fod. He replies, with all assurance, 
 • t am unjust in myself, hut I have a spotless righteousness in Christ.' 
 And thus, though a man be as far from the practice, :is from the 
 rompers of a Christian, yet he has armo.ir of proof, against all con- 
 \ ictiou, in what he calls. — -the rujhteousness <f ('hrist." 
 
 In concluding this subject, it may. as on the one preceding be justly 
 
 taid of the Brethren, concerning it, that their practice, is far more 
 
 Scriptural and better than their Creed, and their arguments in its 
 
 explanations and support. 
 
 7. " Christ during His life, did not really and actually suffer with, 
 or for His people." 
 
 This unscriptural and iuddel opinion, does not belong to the Bre- 
 thren ; but on the contrary, they are quite sound and Scriptural, on 
 the Cardinal doctrine of our divine Lord's atoning and satisfying work, 
 
 % 
 
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 fe' 
 
 ........ 
 
 i 
 
 ' ( 
 
 
nr 
 
 H 
 
 w 
 
 on iiiaii"-' hcliiiU' ; ii'^ tlir follLwiMs: extra* •I"'* fVom one of their inihliea- 
 tioiH I'lillv sl)ow : — •' lie Ixirc :ill oiipSiiH, in IIi« own l)(i(l\, on ihr 
 tree. ilc'Wii^ niado a ciji'-c fcr :>■. ! 'c iliMined, on o ir lichiilt". ihc 
 «'Uj) oi' (i'mI's I'itflitoiius \\r;ii!i. lie (k'|)ri\cMl dealli ot' il>i stinij, and 
 the ij^rave of its sietory. Iieira>e cji iiis life, for us. He went 
 down into death, where we lay, in order lii.ii iienii;i,dit hriiij; li-- ij». in 
 eternal a-;-i()ciation wiili lliui-eli". in !i!'e. riuditenisne ■ *. fnonr. and 
 yhjry. hefore onr (lod. and 'lis (lni. n'lr ViAhcw and ili-; i-'iitln-i-."* — 
 In another passa^'e ihey inenti^m : — -The linislicd ;iti)neiiient oi't In-ist, 
 developel hy (iod tlie llnly (jho-f, iti tiie word, and iii'idc L^'od in the 
 ha[>j)y r\|)orien(e of all Ire !ieiio\ir-." 
 
 S. ■• h is alnio-t l)Ia-|)h('!iiy i'>;' a. christian t> a. 1 Ires, i\\o Holy 
 Spiri! ill prayer or to pi'ay I'nv llie snirii in anr ■^lia[)e or wmv." 
 
 This is w>\ a ti'iie r(»pre-;enta,ti>>n (if th" Urethverrs hclief, mh the 
 snhjec! oi' prayer for the Holy Spirit. Thfir rcntinients concertiing 
 it arc :i • I'ollows: — 
 
 "We need not pray fur 'lie Spirit, since He is »//// us. 
 !)nd '" lis: and we -.h;) d.! mmI ])r;i,\' for w h it w<^ ;dready h;'\e. If 
 any man prays l"or rlic spirit, it i ■; c\idenr that lie iias nut <j;ot the 
 SpirJi. i'i' in other words, thr.t he is none of I'hrisi';. Were it prayed 
 tliat ihe.^'i'irit inii^ht n li he :;rie\el: or that th.e Saint s !i;!!;!il he 
 filled wiili Mim. it wi^vc sci-in! urai. ^\'hat would it iiuvo heen. tor 
 a disciple, in the presence <it'.!e>i;s. to h.i'.e as!;cd the l''ather io mhhI 
 His Son ; to I'aisc n[illie ?de-s;;ii!, when tin- Messi;ui was actiiully 
 tliere." 
 
 'l'i.(>-e reniiri>< unist evi.'iently iie cons;d(M'ed ;c; relatin;.'; to 
 a.sseini'Iic < I'lr p d'lic worslii[i. Now. ihese are .-^'cMUM'ady, or iniieed. 
 it ni ly he s;iid, always coiup 'se I c!': — i. True hclio'.ers. tint i-. 
 Spiri^ :a! ("hri«liaus. 2. — S'oei.er-' of -al-.aiion : and ''i-—\ nroizene- 
 rrde'l ;;iid unt'.iM\ eiied pers-.u ;. ! ", suc'i ■in ,isse:nhly is nopra.er 
 to 1)0 'i! ide 1"m* the Hoh- Sj,;;-!;'.; piv-^encc and operations. Certainly 
 nol, a< il would -eeui !roin ti;e !>rel'iren"s dudrine. Siirolv. lhey 
 nuist admit ihvt His presence airl iiiflueni'es are needed for the two 
 last classes. Yea, and tor the //rx^ als:). 'I'lie prayers for the S|)irit 
 are Acrv projjcrly. and in at-cordance w irh Scri|)tnre. made 1"or the 
 whole a.sseinhly. , And lhey are so uiadiMii all triie and evani:jelical 
 churches. If t!ie Brethren's ducti'ine on the snhject were fully 
 believed, and acted upon throughout Christendom, the ehni'ches, as 
 
IMVCd 
 )1 l.'O 
 
 . t'lir 
 wally 
 
 to 
 
 hlCCU. 
 
 •)t \<. 
 
 r;i >"or 
 .linly 
 ilu\v 
 > two 
 >irit 
 the 
 |e I !<■':> 1 
 fully 
 
 19 
 
 to spirit iialily, would sppi'dily die out. and idirisliaiiity would all Iml 
 \ani>-li i'roMi tlio earth. 
 
 Tlifi'i' :■( one |).issa,uf 'i'Si-riptare on thi ..dijt.M-f of prayin<^ for tlto 
 Spirii, .-Mid Iiy our ijord hini^olf, which is prrt'cctly (KUciwsiNc. It i> 
 \\\\-^ : " \\'\v iliou, liiMUg evil, iiliovs- hou t i i^iw >^o,nl ^il't-< uulo your 
 fhiidrc'U. hi.w niiuh nion.' shall your llca\i'uiy {''alhcr j:i\i' iho Holy 
 Sjdrit lu tiiciii ihat ask him." Aud marlx. ll)is was said lo his dis- 
 ciph's — I)('li(", crs ill l!iiu -aud wiiu thou, douhtloss, [)osses-Ni'd tho 
 
 II 
 
 oiv 
 
 spirit iu soiut' d(':;'i' 
 
 01' 
 
 •r ."•(•ript uro (lo/laro 
 
 \ 
 
 ) :aau can 
 
 -ay t!i:i; .lo-:.- is the h ird, Ii ;! hy ll.o II, .jy (Jlio-t;"" aud thoy woro 
 holiovc!'' !u iiiia, a- llio Mo-si-di. auil I'hri-M llic I.' rd. 'ioro wo s(>e. 
 
 tlial 
 
 ho ])roiMiso I- hr all wlin " 
 
 ••/i\ aud is av:;ilaI>lo t'li- all holiovors. 
 
 as \\<>|| •(, i.thfrs. and f i llio oud n\' tiiiM\ Now, what will llu' 
 Hrolhrru <,••. to this i(>\i. so ;;ui\ors:il in ils trnu-? Thoy uui->t ofton 
 !ia\o roid ii. and thorol'oro it di.os ••ooui -iraiu/o, that lluw have 
 foriuoil i he .ipiui'iiis ooutaiiiod in iho o\t net s t:i\ ou. Tiuw arc cor- 
 taiiiiy Idanio dijo, !or tho iuipliod crMi-nro ihoy lia\(> [>as,sod ou t ho 
 Lord's j)i.M)ilo iuoihor ooiiuuMnions I'lr praviuLi; as i hoy are sorijj- 
 turally ouo^ura-^od. aud lind it uoodiul 
 
 lo <lo. 
 
 tor tlio Holy Spirit's 
 visit-, and liis i;racioa-; oporati.iu. to iu-truot, si |-(.'uu! lion. oiunl'iM't aud 
 !:;nido llu.'i!!. 
 
 \ ory iiiau\" ol'tho Lord's poopio, throii!;!i all a^os, ha\o had similar 
 
 dislrossniLi; sjuritual beroa\('uiou1s, and LTa'ious aud ha])i.y deliv- 
 orancos, as those whii'h l)a\id oxporioucod. Thoy have iu their 
 l)orea\('d aud deeply al'lioted state. pra_\ed like t'ltho 1" -llowiug f'er\eii1 
 
 supi^lioatrius. 
 
 ivolurn <) iloly Dove, lictuiii 
 
 Sweet lUt'ssciiLr'T 'I' IJest : 
 { hiite tile Sills tlml lu.ide Thee niourii. 
 
 And drove; Thei' t'i«nu lay aea t. 
 
 Tlie dearest Itlo! I have luiowii, 
 
 \Vhate"er thiit Id.d he : 
 ihj {» me t'> tear it iroiii 'thy liuMiie. 
 
 And woi'shii* only Thee. 
 
 lie who o(an[K)sod these plaiuti\e and Spirit njil linos, was not only a 
 poet ot" tho hi|j;host order, but a Ic'U'uod aud onunont ehristian iiniiis- 
 tor ; \ ory iiuioh better in-structcd in the thinj^s of tho kingdonj than 
 any of the iirethren. 
 
 Wl 
 
m 
 
 ; . 
 
 SO 
 
 Thorc is another rather strange (tpiuion tlioy hold, on thi>* subjcot. 
 foncerning tho Holy Spirit : un<l which is not warranted by Scrip- 
 ture. In mentioning our Lord's appeiirance anionic the disciples, on 
 the day of His resurrection they say : — 
 
 *' The Lord had actually breathed upon thctn, and said, — ' He- 
 ceive ye the Holy dljoHt.' Of c>>iir-«c this was not the j;ift of the 
 Comforter, as sui*h, the promised One that wa-* to tal<e the place of 
 Christ upon the earth: but rather the communication by the Holy 
 (Jhost, of His own risen life. We know from Acts i., that the Spirit, 
 the Comforter, was not yet gi>en. Indeed we ouf^ht to gather it, 
 from tlie simple fact, Ihat the Lord was not yet <^oiic. ' And if I fjo 
 not away, the Comforter will not conic' lie was seen there, and 
 lie commands tliem, that they should not depart from .lerusiilem, but 
 should wait for the promise of the l''ather." 
 
 Now, contrary to all this it was manil'cstly as the promised Com- 
 forter, that He bestowed that blessing on them at the time mentioned. 
 They had seen Iliin put to de.ith, as if hcli)less and unable to deliver 
 Himself from His enemies ; and they were mourning, and in ilistress, 
 and uid)elief, as to I Us resurrection. They would not believe the 
 women who had seen Him ; and when He appeared auumg 
 them, they, at Hrst, thought that it was a Spirit, and were ter- 
 rified ; and He had to say — " Handle me and see, for a Spirit hath not 
 Hesh and bones as ye see me have ; " and he took meat, " and did 
 eat before them." Thonias declared that he would not believe, unless 
 he " could put his fingers into tho print of the Tiails, and thrust his 
 hand irto his side." They did not, as the Brethren say, need any 
 comnnmication from the Holy Spirit, to convince them of His resur- 
 rection life, for some of them had seen Him die on the Cross, and 
 now they see Him in the living body before them. And it was evi- 
 dently to comfort them, and strengthen and confirm them in the faith, 
 that he couveyed to them the Holy Spirit oi\ the occasion under 
 notice ; and this was in part fullilment of His previous promises of 
 the Comforter, not only for them, but for all His tried and faithful 
 people, to the end oi' time. These promises of the Comforter, were 
 not for the then unbelieving multitude, or other unbelievers in any 
 future time. The sublime descent of the Holy Spirit, on the day of 
 Pentecost, as foretold !)y the prophet Joel, and mentioned by Peter, 
 was not at all as a Comforter. It was given, in part, to qualify the 
 
.-' Hc- 
 
 .r the 
 lai'e <>t' 
 Holy 
 Spirit, 
 ler it, 
 
 if 1 g" 
 c, anil 
 Mil, but 
 
 A Com- 
 itioned. 
 deliver 
 listreHs, 
 Lne the 
 among 
 ?re ter- 
 ath not 
 11(1 did 
 iiiilc^;* 
 list h\» 
 ed any 
 resur- 
 iss, aiul 
 as evi- 
 taith. 
 \mder 
 ses of 
 I'aithfiil 
 , were 
 n any 
 day of 
 Peter, 
 fy the 
 
 dispipltw t(t doclarc the glad tidings t»f Salvation to all nations and 
 tribes in their own languages ; and t'urther in inliidte eondeseension 
 and mercy, to give the unhelieving and wieked riders and innltitiide. 
 who had put Him to death, this additioiutl evidence ot' His being the 
 true Messiah. The Spirit was then given, as to them, as an alarming, 
 convicting ami converting Spirit, On the disciples addressing them, 
 they were alarmed, and as it is written, " were pricked in their heart, 
 and said, men and brethren what shall we do." The Holy Spirit is 
 iiever given, at first, to the unregenerate ami unhelieving, as a Com- 
 forter : but to ijuicken and " convince of sin, of righteousness, and 
 judgment," according to the words of our TA)rd. The opiinons of the 
 Brethren, on these points, are about as erroneous and inconsistent 
 with Scripture, as those on the Law, and Imjuited Ritfhteousne$n. 
 Their error chiefly consists, in considering the promise of our Lord, 
 for the Comforter, and that in Joel, as being one and the same ; 
 whereas they are distinct aiul separate, and for different purposes and 
 effects. The one for the Comforter, being only for true believers. The 
 other, chiefly, or only, for the unregenerate, for the purposes already 
 mentioned, and those declared in the passages in Joel. Neither in 
 these passages, nor in the citation of them by Peter, is the word Com- 
 forter used ; and by our Lord thev arc called, '* the promise of the 
 Father." 
 
 Surely no more need be here given, to prove, that in several of the 
 opinions of the Brethren which have been shown, regarding this most 
 vital subject of prayer for the Holy Spirit, they are involved in most 
 injurious and dangerous errors. 
 
 9. Abraham has no {dace in the Church, nor could any Saint 
 have, till the Holy Ghost came after the Ascension. 
 
 This is the title of the clause, or article of the Creed, as it appears 
 iu the paper sent to this writer ; and which, as already mentioned, 
 was copied from a newspaper published in Montreal. But the Bre- 
 thren's pamphlet, on the subject, has the still more extraordinary and 
 offensive title : — 
 
 " Do the Old Testament Saints belong to the Church of God." 
 
 This strange and startling question, so contrary to Scripture and 
 universal belief, seems to imply that they do not belong to the Church 
 
 f. 
 
 ' ■ 
 
 •j,. 
 
 ! ■ 
 
! - 
 
 22 
 
 of (rod ; and we shall sco fniin the exlnu'ts which will l)e j iT-^eiitiv 
 given that this is indeed the heliet' )f the Brethren. Thi-; iiaiiirally 
 suggests another (piestioM : — to what Chureh do tlie , ur rather, '//'/ 
 they belong. 'W) take the original word Church, ,is meauiug :iii a-;«Mi)- 
 bly ot' people ; did they belong to .lupiter and .luno, \'ulcau. \'enus. 
 and Ashteroth. and the other auci(Mit supposed deifie-; ; itr to 
 liralvMiaCreeshua, or the lire w.irsliippe:*-;. They cannot, of c iiir-ie, be 
 thought to belong to the ("luu'ch of Mah;)inet, or Swedenliourg, o 
 Jacob liohmen, or to Joe Smith's and Brighani Young's !\rorinons, — 
 for all these arc thousands of years, since their liin(\ If llie l)elief 
 of the Brethren ci)iicerning them were true, those exceileiil characters. 
 *' 'Saints,'' as they call theui. would be in a most awful and wretched 
 condition ; for it would exclude them tVom the J'H'Uh w-. ucH a< the 
 Christian Church, for the former was as much a church o\' (bid, as 
 is the latter. 
 
 Let us now look at what the Brethren say com^crning ihcm. The 
 following very extended extracts are from one of their jKim[)hlets, 
 expressly oji the subject : — 
 
 " The question for consiileration is: Do tiie Old Tc-taiuent .Saints 
 belong to the Church of (rod? 1. at once reply in the ucL;'ati\c. The 
 ()ld Testament Saiiit> do uot belong to the C'liurch of (Jod: and fur- 
 ther it is simply impossible that they should do so, for — I. The 
 duirch or building of Gtnl siip[).)ses the existence of act)rM(U' and of 
 ahead stt)ne. 2 — IMie Body of Christ supposes the existence nt' a 
 Head. 3. 'Phe Bride of Christ, suppi)-e> the existence of a bride- 
 groom." ''I'he I'oiuidation stone was laid in the death and resurrec- 
 tion of Jesus. The Lord declareil on the confession of I'eter. 'Thou 
 art the Sou of the li^ing (iod; lie would build ilis CImrch. ilc 
 spoke of it as a future thing. I >i'ill bnild my church. There is a 
 chief corner stone, and that, too, is Christ. This buildinsj; of fiod 
 has its Head Stone, and this is Christ. W^ho, then, are the interme- 
 diate stones, completing the building of (lod ? 'J'hey are the poor 
 sinners who have been saved by (lod's grace in this day of grace. 
 Eph. 2 — Sinners dead in trespasses and sins saved by sovereign 
 grace. Now, do the Old Testament Saints belong to this building of 
 God — His Church. 1 reply in the negative. First — Because before 
 the death and rcsurrectioji of Christ, the foundation stone was not 
 laid. Secondly — Because the Holy Ohost had not descended as now, 
 to dwell in the Church.'' "It has been asked did not (rod dwell in 
 the Old Testament Saints? Clearly not. The Jews could not so 
 
23 
 
 a I 
 
 Saints 
 The 
 
 1 fur- 
 ic 
 ml of 
 c 1)1' a 
 lirido- 
 irrof- 
 Tlioii 
 ile 
 .' i-i a 
 
 ,t'r;o(i 
 
 ~ onuo- 
 h poor 
 
 gr;K'0. 
 Lrei^n 
 linu; of 
 Ibetore 
 
 U not 
 now, 
 
 loll in 
 
 Lot so 
 
 iiui'.-h as n,j)ju'()acli <i.)(l; hoiMti'i' <h\ liad iimI boon put ;i'.v;;'.-. and 
 peace had not been made. They were iiidi\ idual and i-^ohited >onls, 
 «iaved by ;^'raee. and the oj)erati(iii>; nl" the Spii-ii: of (Jud, St'riptnrc 
 iluef' n.')t teacli that they were iiidi\ idually iiidueU l)y God." ^^ •' * 
 •• r>o Hie Ohl Te4aMient" S-dnt-; belmt; l.i this one body, of ulueh 
 « l)i-isf i-< the Head? Vo." 
 
 le!)o\;di will vet -^how 
 
 IIM-C 
 
 to 
 
 Israel, as the I'JruU'Ufooiii. a-- Clirisf will toilie ( hurch — -Hi■^ lirid.e. 
 lor whom He ua\e lliiii-;eii". Abrahaiii knew noihin;:; ol'thi-. ho was 
 rhv fri, 'III/ oi"G.,,|. The .saints in days gone by, or in dispensations 
 yet to come, do ik.I. n'H" will, ha\e the same position, -pirit ii;:i bless- 
 inirs and privileiies. as the ('hnrch of God, — the Body of ("hri-.1, thr 
 iiriueoftlie liamh. The saints of other ages nia.y, and will, i (!onbt 
 not , be called io the '.uarriage ,-iip])ei" td' the Laiid»; aiul >o ih'", will 
 indeed he ble-;-;ed; and the blcsNing uill be fnll, accord in g to ihcir 
 capacity, anti power of ajjprcliension. Imi they will not have the same 
 blessing, and the same relation-^hip to Christ as the Cloirch, His 
 Kride. 1. am smv, says y)\iL\ 1 :iin ([uite content to be as vbrafiani, 
 aiii] many more of tbosc d.cai' Old 'I'estament Saints. Wt'll. I r(^[)ly. 
 (iod is not content that ymi should be so blessed ; and I U)r oii(% ani 
 iherel'ore not content either." 
 
 Xow, hei'e is a I'abrication, which lor (erroneous conccntion. bohl 
 nresuinption, and d.iLrmatic assertion, as regards (li\in<'!y revealed 
 truth, is about e([nal to any of tbe luunerous* inventeil schemes, and 
 no\ cities of opinion, wliich ha\ee\erbeen put foi'th cimcennng that 
 trulb. To every truly instructed christian, as well as every st'usible 
 persoii, who has read the Scri|)tures, it will be nearly us great a trial 
 of patience to read it, as it has heen to this writer to transcribe it. 
 .Some of such readers, will. pi\»bai)ly, i)erceive a feeling arising within 
 ihem bordering (Jii inilignation, but let iheni suppress it, and impute 
 the erroneous and dishonoring opinion, to a lamentable defect of 
 Scriptural knowledge, as regards the sid))ect; and [)rav that these 
 deluded persons nuiy become rightly inl'ormed, and recovereil from 
 their very serious error. 
 
 If it had luerely been said that the^e excellent and exalted charac- 
 ters, did n(jt, strictly speaking, belong to the present christian 
 ehnreh, it would have been somewhat less oft'ensi\e, and more l)ear- 
 able ; but so positively to assort, that they do not, i?i any way 
 '' belong to the Church .of (rod," docs sconi dishonoring and instdting 
 to a God of justice and righteousness; and also insulting towards 
 those eiiiineut Saints, whom (lod has so highly distinguished, and 
 
 li 
 
24 
 
 1^ 
 
 i- 
 
 :- ' 
 
 tleclared his approval of their devoted pictv, and lirni and persevering 
 taithfiilness ; and of whom He has said the world was not worthy. 
 Not hfloitffintj to the Church of God, and only as by mere, special favor 
 permitted to be present at the marriage feast ! ! ! Verily, not so 
 slighted and dishonored will they be, but will oocupy the very highest 
 and most honorable places on that glorious and supremely happy 
 occasion. And most deservedly so; for they had only the promiseif of 
 the delivering Messiah, on which to rest, through long and dreary 
 ages of trial, persecution, and sufferings ; and they firmly and faith- 
 fully endured them all. walking as pilgrims on the earth, and in their 
 typical sacrifices and offerings, looking confidently for the advent of 
 the Messiah, and for the promised heavenly and everlasting inheri- 
 tance. We, under the present dispensation, have received the indu- 
 bitable and conlirmiug evideuce of the fuliilinent of those promises. 
 The divine and gracious Messiah — the Desire of all nations — has 
 actually appeared in our rebellious and wicked world, and has, in 
 part, fulfilled, and is still fulfilling, those gracious promise.-j ; and yet, 
 through the long ages which have since elapsed, how few, compara- 
 tively, have, in any degree reached towards the standard of fervent 
 piety, the unshaken courage, and the persevering integrity and faith- 
 fulness, of those patriarchs, prophets, and other ancient saints, so 
 highly distinguished and beloved by God. 
 
 It is deserving of special notice, that the person who penned those 
 erroneous and dishonoring notions, concerning those excellent charac- 
 ters, has ofiered no scriptural proof to show their validity. His only 
 foundation is, — " I believe." I reply in the negative. " I do not 
 
 believe." 
 
 Now, let us look at some scriptures, which will fully refute those 
 
 erroneous and discreditable notions concerning those illustrious char- 
 acters. To Abraham, called the " friend of God," and the " father of 
 the faithful," the Almighty declared, as seen in Gen. 22, that as a 
 reward for his obedience, — " in his seed all the nations of the earth 
 should be blessed;" thereby alluding to the l^rd Jesus Christ, who as 
 to the flesh lineally descended from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and 
 others of those Old Testament saints. Moses. and Elias, two of the 
 most eminent of them, held intercourse with our Lord, during His 
 transfiguration on the Mount, and spake with Him concerning Hit 
 decease. 
 
25 
 
 those 
 
 ■har- 
 
 ler of 
 
 las a 
 
 jarth 
 
 lo as 
 
 and 
 
 the 
 
 HiH 
 
 Hit 
 
 ConeermngUiat promise to Abraham, in (tcii. xxii., that in his seed, 
 all the nations of the earth should be blessed, it is said in Kom. iv., 
 ^' that it loight be sure to all the seed, not that only, which is of the 
 iaw, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the 
 father of us all," — that is, believing Jews and Gentiles, as it is written, 
 — " I have made thee a father of many nations." Now, would it not 
 be strange, indeed, that this so highly honoured patriarch, declared by 
 God Jlimself, to be, by that faith, "the father of us all," — believing 
 Jews and Gentiles, — should not belong to this comprehensive Church 
 of God : and yet be the father of it> What a monstrous conception, 
 — the father of a family, and yet not behmg to it 1 Again, in Gal, 
 iii. 25, 2\). — " There is neither tiew nor Greek, there is neither bond 
 nor free, there is neither male nor temale, for ye are all one, in Christ 
 Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs 
 according to the promise." Now, here, again, is it not a marvellous 
 idea, that they all, Jews, and Gentile Greeks, were Abraham's seed ; 
 and of one seed or Church, and yet Ae did not belong to them, nor they 
 to him. But, further, it is said in Eph. ii., ^' Now therefore, ye are 
 no more strangers, and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints, 
 and of the household of (^od, and are built upon the foundation of 
 the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner 
 stone." Here, is twiother matter for wonder, that although this 
 Ephesian Church, was founded on "the prophets," aswe!!l as on the 
 .apostles, and were " fellow citizeBs with those Saints and prophets, 
 and of the household of God," that is His Church, yet these prophets 
 and Saints did not, according to the " Brethren," form any part of 
 that building or Church of God, or ha\e any place in it. Now le* 
 those prophets and Saints, being one-half of the foundation be taken 
 away, and no prophet will be needed, to tell what \»'ill become of the 
 building. But still further, in Eph. iii. 14, there is, concerning the 
 Lord Jesus, this passage, — " of whom the whole family in heaven and 
 «arth is naniied." Now, surely ali the members of a family must be 
 said to belong it ; aad as surely, all those Old Testament Saints are 
 in heaven : and therefore, according to the express and comprehensive 
 words of the text, they form a part of the whole of the eternally saved, 
 as one united family. They were all virtually included in the Abra- 
 hamic Spiritual and Cliristian Covfcnant, and believed in the divine 
 
 
 
 M' 
 
20 
 
 
 \ 
 
 Messiah and Christ, who. us to thoiii, was yet to appear. So f.iv t'roiii 
 all those patriart'hs and Saints hcini; in any inforior ])osition, or circum-- 
 stanoes, they have beeii placed by our Lord iiiniself". in iiio^t emi- 
 nently distin;,nnshed and exalted positions. He sai<l to the .lows: — 
 " \''e shall see Abrahaii). Isaac, and Jacob, and all the ])rophets in the 
 Kiucfdoiri of (lod : and \'un yourselves thrust out." — (Luke xiii. 28.) 
 He has made Abraham's bosom, the ayiiibol otthe pai'iidise or heaven, 
 of the everlasting happiness of all the riffhteous and faiihful ; and 
 who are mentiojied in the iievelation, as Iwin inii; ;j;ained ihe victory, 
 and "sin<jf ihe Soni^ t)f -Moses," as well as ''the Son,;^ of the Laud);" 
 for He was "the i^and) of God, >lain from the foundation uf the 
 world." It is noi iceable,. that the Soiiii; of 2vloses, is put; bef ;re the 
 Hona of the Lamb, bcA in both, all the redeemed unu save 
 
 u, will 
 
 eq! 
 
 ialb 
 
 lom. 
 
 A 
 
 jxaui muv 
 
 d)niiLlt 
 
 en the npnnon oi the enuiivnt and learneu 
 fcheolof^dan and commentator before named, on the subject here treated 
 
 of whom the whole famdv in heaven and earth 
 
 of. On the word,- 
 
 iH named 
 
 -Ep] 
 
 1. lU. 
 
 1. 
 
 II 
 
 e savs 
 
 Belies ers in the Lord .le 
 
 sns 
 
 (Christ, on earth, the Spirits of just men made perfect, in a separate' 
 state ; and all the iioly ;vnu;tds in heaven, make liut one fannly, of 
 which (lod is the hViher and Head. St. Paul does iKjt say, oi' whom 
 thGf'i»dlit'y,, as if each Order formed a distin.ct /kjil^, lu,hl ; ])ut he says 
 familji ; bw^'anse they are all ou<s and of o/tc. And all this family i:-'- 
 namrd, deri\es its oi'io;in and ])eini^ from inn!, as chUdren derive their 
 name from him who is the father t)f tlie fannly." i'urther, in his 
 comment on the words in lleb. xi. 4t). " That they without us should 
 not be made perfect," Ht says, — Believers before the Hood, ai'ter the 
 flood, under the law, and since the law, make but one t hurch. The 
 gospel dispensation is the last, antl the Church cannot be considered 
 as complete till the believers under all dispensations are gathered to- 
 gether." 
 
 Now in reference to those un.scriptural and dishonoring opinions of 
 the Brethren, concerning those eminent and illustrious Old Testament 
 patriarchs, prophets, and other Saints ; let ns, from a brief view of 
 their pious faith a)id obedience, as recorded in the Scriptures, judge if 
 they are not ivorthj of an equality, if not superiority, as to position 
 iu the heavenly State, when compared with the saved under the Chris- 
 
'I 
 
 tiiin (lisj)on^ritii)ii. In so vie\viii<x the subject, avo will see lidw just and 
 equiiiible it will he, tor tlic just and ri<;litooui God and .hidji^e, to 
 {)l!U'o those noble aud faitlit'ul rliaracters, in that equality, it' not even 
 in bibber po^-itious in £r|,,|.y, \hn]] the others. 'I'o be<j;in with i"]nneh. 
 it is wrilleu, that "be walked with (lod :" by wbieb we iiiusf con- 
 elude, tliat he ne\er halted or wa\ere(l in bis taith, love, and tmedi- 
 ence : and tor that devotedness was translated to heaven, without 
 
 underiijoni 
 
 'A the ) 
 
 )ains ot' (k 
 
 ath 
 
 ?\e\l, we have the ei[ua11y rii;-bte;)us 
 
 and taitbt'ul Xoah, who for his iul'et^'rity. as declared by Ciod, wa^ 
 itli all bis t'aiuilv, when all ll'.e rc<t rt'lbc world were de^trov- 
 
 savefl \\ 
 
 dlows l!ie illtistric'Us .\brahaiii. called bv (nul. 
 
 ITi^ 
 
 Vriend :"" and lor \\bo>e (irni and ready (diedicMU-e. in the most painful 
 
 trials, Ibc riixbte 
 
 on • 
 
 (}()([ deelareil to hi 
 
 HI. 
 
 In thv seed all the 
 
 nations o( the earth shall be blessed." Next we see Fsaiic and dacoli. 
 tbenioii> ;)iid obedient; .lo^eph. [)ioiis. rii;hteons. anrl of 'nteu'j'ity, 
 uniler trying temptation. The courageous and faithfid Aloses fol- 
 lows, so hii^hly tavored by (Jod. that he was for forty days together, 
 and many times su})se(]nently, permitted to see Mis glory, and so 
 
 lo-elv to 
 
 coll 
 
 )minie with Jlim, that the face of Moses shone with 
 
 the beams of that (Jlory. lie was further honored by being made the 
 niedimn of coinimniicating the laws ami rituals of the divine di-pen- 
 salioii then establislunl ; and was the .vntetype of the J)i\ine Meilia- 
 tor. Then follows, the ecju.ally courageous, disinterested and faithful 
 -lostiwa. The undainited and e(pially disinterested Calel) deserves 
 also to be merit ioned. Tiic valiant and pious I)a\id. the sweet 
 
 i> 
 
 almist ol" Israel, must -urcly be mentioned; also, ihe ju--t and 
 de\otcd '-fainuel. and the bold and zealous I'llijab. who \'r.r bis inte- 
 grity and faithfu.lness, was (li\in(dy lavorcd in like manner as !''noch. 
 Next, the equally zealous and faithful I'disha. The pious and zealous 
 kings, lle/ekiah and .losiah. so di1ii!:ent ami active in suppressing 
 idcdatry, must siu'ely not be onutteil. Ne.xr. i )r \ery special notice, in 
 the wise and devoted Daniel, to whom the angel ex])ressly declared 
 that he was greatly beloved by Clod. ^I'hen follow the highly endowed 
 K/,ra, the faithful priest and governor, and the restorer of the law : 
 and succeeding him, the pio\i,s, zealous and liberal Nehemiab. And 
 further must be named, the sublime and evangelical prophet Isaiah ; 
 the bold, zealous and sympatiiizing .feremiah, so atfectionatcly bewuil- 
 
 
 ¥k 
 
tT 
 
 // 
 
 
 28 
 
 ing the calamities and sufferings of his people. Ezckicl, Zcchariuh, 
 and all the other remaining prophetical writers, so highly honored 
 and distinguished with divine gifts and graces, must also be consid- 
 ered to belong to the list of the illustrious and divinely exalted char- 
 acters who have been named, together with many others of thefaithfiil 
 and devoted servants of God, whose names we see in the sacred 
 revelations of the Old Testament, and "whose record is on high," in 
 the book of eternal life. But the author of that dishonoring tract 
 Bays, that he is not content that these illustrious and divinely honored 
 characters, should be on an equality with him in the heaven of eternal 
 glory and happiness. He is indeed free of the imputation of thinking 
 that such preference is afforded to him, because of his superior faith 
 and sanctity, but he has formed the unscriptural and strange opinion 
 that the wise and just God has thought it proper to place true and 
 faithful believers, under our dispensation, in a higher position in the 
 kingdom of glory, than those Old Testament saintly characters. It 
 does seem almost marvellous that, not to sav a christian, but any 
 rational person, should form an opinion so ccmtrary to the eternal 
 principles of truth and righteousness. It would truly be an arrange- 
 ment of this unjust character, that grevious and aggravated sinners, 
 long in rebellion, were, at the tenth and eleventh hours, through 
 abounding mercy saved, as Job hath said, "by the skin of their teeth," 
 and were more highly exalted in position, and in the divine favor, and 
 in glory, and in happiness, than all those illustrious and faithful ser- 
 vants of (3^od. To say nothing of divine revelation, the mere thought 
 of its being so decreed, by a glorious Being, who is the very fountain 
 oijitstice and equitif, is simply monstrous and intolerable. 
 
 Now in coming to a close, on this most extrordinary conception, this 
 writer in all good feeling, tenders this prudent advice to the Brethren, 
 to prayerfully and diligently search the Scriptures, on the subject, 
 " .oh will doubtless, lead them to abandon this unscriptural opinion : 
 dr.fv s uir as possible, gather in all the publications which endeavour 
 to nait'tain it ; and do with them, as Luther did with the Pope's 
 Bull, l.droy them by fire. They may be assured, that no really Scrip- 
 turally instructed Christian, or just and sensible person, will iniite 
 with them, knowing that they hold such injustand incredible opi- 
 nion!. 
 
29 
 
 10. The Sahhath wa:^ (ifdained for Jews alone, — Christians never 
 had anything to do with it. 
 
 On this clause, the Hrethren say in their writings : — Where in 
 Scripture have we such an expression as the " Christian Habbath ? " 
 Where is the Lord's day, ever called the Sabbath ? We would not 
 yield to any of our dear Brcthen, in the various denominations around 
 us, in the pious observance of the Tiord's day. We love and honour 
 it, with all our hearts ; an<l were it not, that the gracious Providence 
 of God has so ordered it in these realms, that \\c can enjoy the rest 
 and retirement of the Lord's day, without pecuniary loss, we should 
 feel called upon to abstain from business, and give ourselves wholly 
 up to the worship and service of God, on that day ; not as a matter 
 of cold legality, but as a holy and happy privilege. T.t would be the 
 deepest sorrow to our hearts to think that a true Christian should be 
 found taking common ground with the ungodly, the profane, the 
 thoughtless and the pleasure-hunting multitude, in desecrating the 
 Lord's day. We believe the Christian's retirement from all secular 
 things, caniu^t possibly be too profound on the Lord's ilay. The idea, 
 of any one calling himself a Christian, making the Lord's day, a sea- 
 son of what is popularly called, recreation, unnecessary travelling, 
 personal convenience, or profit in temporal things, is to us, perfectly 
 shoclcing." 
 
 All true Christians will perfectly agree with the FJrethren, in 
 these pious and spiritual sentiinents, concerning the proper obser- 
 vance of the Lord's day. 
 
 11. The choosing of Pastors is a daring encroachment on the au- 
 thority of the Holy (^rhost. 
 
 The Brethren hold this, if not in express terms, yet in effect, to be 
 
 true according to Scripture. The following "extracts from their 
 
 writings will clearly show their sevitiinonts ; and what they consider 
 
 Scripture evidence in their su{)port : — 
 
 " Elders and Deacons were local officers. Ministry, in the 
 sense of a gift for edification, was not. It was a given mem- 
 ber, (eye, foot, car, as is said), of the whole body of Christ.. The 
 difference is all important as to the ministry ; and the whole 
 (Clerical and Donominational system crumbles into dust, under 
 unquestionable Scriptural fact." — Has God ordained a divinely 
 appointed ministry, to rule and teach in the Church ? Scripture re- 
 
 
 
 ■. ', 
 
 'nt,-> 
 
 •*r 
 
130 
 
 • 
 
 cognizes teadier.s who don't rule : and rulers uliu do not, loach. 
 Tciichinp; was a dosirublo ([ualilicalion i'or those \\ ho ruled, but all had 
 it not. Li' we turn to Tiiucthy, this (l.ies j^'ive u^' the order and care 
 of the Church, and watchitiij; over sound doctrine ; which was the 
 immediate object of his bein<]j left at Kphesus ; but it (h)es not give us 
 anything of appointment of ministry : not the reiiio1e-l hint of mj)- 
 pointing to iillice, and its ab^enoe is most <igniiicant. Ilew.isto 
 instruct, not to ordain, in 1 Tim. v. I 7, the Apostle distinguished 
 th(jse who did not labour in word and doctrine. Timothy is direcled 
 to communicate truths he had learned, to fiithful men. able to tench, 
 but to ordain teachers, never, neitlier he nor any one I'lse, The dis- 
 tinction of teaching and ruling was thoroughly understood ; ihey 
 might be united in one person, but were distinct. I'aidand Marnaiias 
 chose elders for them in every church. So Titus was to establish 
 elders in every city." " I believe in a divinely appointed ministry." 
 All tlie Xew Testament shows there wa? such a divinely given niinis- 
 trv. It sid)sists to this da v." 
 
 It i?i not very often that a controversial writer, who is of ordin.iry 
 skill and judgment, produces fads and ai'guments which serve to 
 destroy the propositions and cause he is endeavoring to e.-»l:;l)iish. 
 But the writer of the foregoing extracts has mauifcslly done this very 
 thing, and thereby most materially helped to destroy his ov.n ci-rone- 
 ous theory. Xow, let the reader bear in mind that it was the oliject 
 of that writer, to show, that it i-^ an eucrciachinent on ihc aul!ioriiy v\' 
 the Holy Spirit, for men, in any way or form to ordain and "^et apart, 
 perscms to (jtliciate in the Sacred ^linistry, and publicly teach Chris- 
 tianity. And now, look how he has endeavored to support bis no\el 
 dictums. lie begins with Scripture authority — lie could do Jio le>.-^ — 
 and he tii'st cites Timothy, or rather the inspired Paul writing to 
 Timothy, and he says, '• Timothy was left at Ivphosus to watch over 
 sound doctrine " So fir he is right. But how was Timothy to d<t it? 
 l.t is shown in the same ch. 1, oi' 1 Tim., by •■charging," that is, 
 tcachiiiij, '• sonw ihiit they teach no other doctrine,'" and notto-'gi\e 
 heed to fables," &c. Alter gi\ing several iiistriiciion^ as to the fiith 
 and conduct of believers, Paul, in the same J'^pistie, says to Tin)othy : 
 '• These things connnand and teach, and give attendaTice to exhorta- 
 tion." !''urther in 2 Tim. ii. 15, he says to him: "Study to show 
 thyself apj)roved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, 
 rightJy dividing the word of truth;" and again, in ch. iv .2.5, " Preach 
 
to 
 
 or 
 
 IV 
 
 is, 
 
 ve 
 
 111 
 
 V : 
 
 a- 
 
 ilio word, be instnnt in season, out of season, reprove, rcbultc, exhort," 
 * * * ''(111 Ibo work of an cvantjelist, make full proof of thy 
 ministry, " Al! this sliows, that 'J'iniothy was loft at Ephesus for 
 many oilier purposes, than merely to "wateh over sound doetrine." ns 
 that u I'ilor has said. lie has further wrillen that "there is not any- 
 thing v)f appointiuent of ^Ministry, not tlic remotest hint of app'<intiug 
 to ollico, lie Aus to instruct, not to oi'dain : tu eomnuniieate triilhs 
 he had leariuvHo faithful men able to teach, bi,t to ordain teachers, 
 
 iu'\cr, nei 
 
 tiicr 1 
 
 nor ain'due else. 
 
 \ 
 
 ow, 
 
 in answer to thi^ straiijre 
 
 inconsistency of assertion are the followinn!: 8crii)t lire facts : Flrni — 
 That 'riindthv himself had liecn ordained to the iiiini'^try as a teacher : 
 XMti pcrt^onal hi by the fiOrd, as the twehe apostles and l^nd ha<l been, 
 but by the '■ layini^ on of the hands of the pre-bylery," or ehlers, as 
 is seen in 1 Tim. iv. 14. 'i'he text in 2 'I'iin, ii.. 1', says. "The things 
 that thou hast heard of me among nuniy witnesse'«, the same corjiniit 
 thou to faitlit'u! men. who shall be able to teach lithcrs also."' ISiirely, 
 this means aii ai)i)ointinent to ollioe, and for the mini-itrv of teaehin". 
 But the Brother >ays no; aii<l that rlii-; is no ordination of teachers. 
 This !•;. iiificed, jjas-iing strange, that they \scre seh'cied as^ Iicing abb' 
 to teach, and yet they were not a]>p(»inte(i, or to a<i as teachers, ilere 
 
 •• a contradii-tion in 
 
 is certainly an in-!t:ince of what i> genoiMlly calleil 
 teruH." The choosing of such persons, and committing the trutlis 
 to rbeui, were e:cj)rcssly ordaining them as teachers of those 1 ruths. 
 The word or-hiiii means choosing, apjxtinting, or setting apart for any 
 particidar pia'[)o-e or iinrposes. Does the writer mean tb.ai .such 
 " faithful men,"' uere to be chosen becau'-'e of beins,' able to teach 
 
 oth 
 
 er- 
 
 and vet thev wen> not to teach them, or to act at all as 
 
 teachers. Surely ho does not m(\an -ui-h an absurdity, though his 
 Is express it, v,\v\ thus they com])letely destroy his whole tbeory . 
 
 '.•/■» I VK 
 
 and /t//».syZ/ has done it. lie lias given furtber jtroof to the like des- 
 tructive di'ect, by saying that Titus was " to establish elders in every 
 city." Why tUii he iu)t. give the text, showing for what ])urposes ea(!h 
 and all of tliem were established. Here they are in 'I'it i. 9, 12, 
 KJ. " Jloldiui.^ fast the faithful word as be iiath been iaiigbt. that he 
 may be able by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince gain- 
 sayers." "A prophet of their own said ' thel'retians are always liars 
 evil beasts, slow bellies,' This witness is true, wherefore rebuke them 
 
 P 
 
 •li'. 
 
 
^mw 
 
 32 
 
 ■ .i r"' 
 
 ■■ ' 
 
 sharply, that they may be sound in the faith." All this ajjain looI{^« 
 very much like appointment to the office of a teacher, and also for 
 teaching. But why did the writer uHe the word " establii^h," instead 
 of " ordain " which is the word in the text which he cited, as to 
 Titu.s ordaining elders ? lie has gained nothing by tlic change of 
 word, for any dictionary will inform him, that they are synonimoiis 
 terms. It would seem as if he thought, Onhiin, looked very much 
 like the almost universal mode of appointing to the ministry for 
 teaching and ruling. 
 
 But further, as to an ordained or appointed ministry, both for 
 teaching and ruling, see 1 Thes. v. 12, 13 — " And we beseech you 
 brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in 
 the Lord, and admonish you ; and to esteem them very highly, for 
 their work's sake.' And again, in 11 eb. xiii. 7, " Remeud)er them 
 which have the rule over you ; who have spoken unto you the word 
 of God." Further, in 1 Peter v. 1. lie says to the Elders, — '• Feed 
 the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof," &c. 
 
 The concluding extract from the writings of one of the Brethren, 
 says ; — " I believe in a Divinely appointed ministry. All the New 
 Testament shows there was such a Divinely gi\ en ministry. It sub- 
 sists to this day." 
 
 He thus, in effect, contends that the appointment to the ministry 
 by human means, in any form, or in modes of any description, are nn- 
 scriptural, and improper ; and that the continuance of the ministry, 
 can lawfully take place only by Divine selection and appointment. 
 Oi' course he does not mean by this, that every time duly qualified 
 ministers are wanted, in the hundreds of thousands of churches, the 
 Divine Spirit comes down, as on the day of Pentecost, and selects and 
 sets apart all who are required ; or that our Lord Himself, or an angel 
 does it. No one ever knew, or heard, of any such direct divine ap- 
 pointment, since the time of the apostle Paul. Since then, to the 
 present day, the appointments to the uuuistry have ever been made, 
 and can only be made through human instrumentality, and as has 
 been herein shown from Scripture, it was by the Divine Head of the 
 Church arranged and appointed, to be so done, that is, after due ex- 
 amination by ordainment to the office, by one or more of those already 
 
 in the ministry, by the laying on hands, or in some other appropriate 
 mode. 
 
!. 
 
 33 
 
 The Brethren themselves, are not all ministers and teachers, but 
 only certain persons of the Brotherhood ; and if these are not actu- 
 ally, and in a formal manner, appointed as such teachers, they ar e 
 recognized as such ; and virtually, and in reality, are chosen or ap- 
 pointed to the office, by the rest of the Church. There is, therefore, 
 not among themselves, any more than others, any such direct divine 
 selection aiui appointment, as that for which they contend. 
 
 Surely more than enough has now been shown, to prove that on 
 this subject also, the opinions of the Brethren are unscriptural and 
 erroneous. These mistakes and errors, however, are not of a fatal 
 and ruinous nature. 
 
 12. It is a lack of faith for the Christian to pray the Lord's Prayer, 
 or in any way to express the thought contained in the words, " for- 
 give us our trespasses." 
 
 This clause does not accurately represent the sentiments and belief 
 of the Brethren, on the points or opinions therein set forth. The 
 following are the sentiments of the Brethren concerning them : — 
 " What is called the Lord's Prayer, was given to the disciples, as 
 Jews, before accomplished redempticm. It is not in the name of Jesus 
 Christ oiu' Lord, as we pray now ; therefore not intended for Chris- 
 tians. Christ says, — * lutherto ye have asked nothing in my name ;' — 
 John ix., 13, 14-16, 24. We have no objections to any person using 
 this prayer, if so disposed. As to foryivetiess of Sins, this is among 
 the things freely given to us of God, through the perfect finished work 
 of Christ, which we already have, (if saved.) Though children of 
 God, we have many Sins, and shortcomings, (alas that it should be so.) 
 But if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, (not with. 
 God.) ' If we confess our Sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us 
 our Sins,' &c." 
 
 These statements, like those on the preceding subject, and several 
 
 others, can be fully answered, by plain Scripture truth, and by the 
 
 constant practice of the Churches of many denominations, as well as 
 
 by the experience of genuine Christian believers, through all the ages 
 
 of Christianity. The whole prayer was given by our Lord to His 
 
 chosen disciples and followers, according to their request, — " Lord 
 
 teach us how to pray, as John also taught his disciples ;" whereupon, 
 
 he instructed, and even enjoined them on the subject, — saying, " after 
 8 
 
34 
 
 .. ' 
 
 t .• 
 
 this manner therefore pray ye ;" giving the sublime and comprehen- 
 sive form, seen in Matt, vi., 9-13, and ever since called by His name. 
 Now these, surely, were Christian believers, for they had expressly 
 acknowledged Him, as the Christ and Messiah; and were manifesting 
 that faith, by having left their worldly occupations and possessions, 
 and personally following Him in His ministry. They were to call 
 God their Father, which they had no right to do, but through faith in 
 Christ. And il' they were to use it, antl pray for forgiveness, \\\\y 
 should not the same be suitable and proper for all Christians, to the 
 «ud of time ? It may well be concluded, that our Loril gave it as a 
 pattern, or method, according to which, all His obedient peo})le should 
 pray to their (iod and Father. It has thus been ccmsidered and ob- 
 served, ' y the great body of them, through all ages ; and even those 
 Christian denominations, who do not habitually use it, will readily 
 admit, that it may most properly bo used in public worship. As to 
 praying for the forgiveness of sins, it is a Scripture truth, that lioli- 
 ness, or entire sanctitication, is a progressive work ; and in most, — 
 and indeed all instances, — years and years are required, to obtain any 
 fair degree of tlic inestimable grace and blessing. And until that 
 holiness is attained, without which, as Scripture declares, " none 
 shall see the I.,'rd," the believing soul will daily have need to pray for 
 forgiveness of ticspasses, of some, or perhaps many descriptions. 
 
 In now closing these comments, which have become more extended 
 than was at first designed, or anticipated, the writer can truly say, 
 that he regrets the necessity for performing the Christian duty. He 
 also thinks it right ; — and possibly it may prove usefid, — to say, that 
 on several of the most important subjects treated of, he has intended 
 the Scripture truths and comments, as much for the instruction and 
 (exhortation of members of other Churches, and for professors of 
 Christianity generally, as for opposing the doctrinal errors of the 
 Brethren. He also deems it just and right to add, that it is liis firm 
 belief, that the earnest piety, and Christian conduct of the Brethren, 
 Arc fully <e(jual to the same qualities in the members of the other 
 Churches just referred to, if not, on the whole, actually exceeding 
 them. This belief he has founded, chiefly on the fact, that the Bre- 
 thren seem from their writings, to be more zealous, and free from 
 Huere formalmn in religion ; and more opposed to worldliness, and 
 
S6 
 
 chcn- 
 iiame. 
 rcssly 
 esting 
 isions, 
 to call 
 iiith in 
 4, why 
 to the 
 it an a 
 should 
 ,nd ob- 
 n those 
 readily 
 As to 
 at holi- 
 iiost, — 
 aiu any 
 til that 
 " none 
 )ray for 
 ms. 
 tended 
 ily say, 
 He 
 y, that 
 itended 
 lon and 
 lors of 
 of the 
 is firm 
 ithren, 
 other 
 leeding 
 .0 Bre- 
 |e from 
 Is, and 
 
 corrupt and corrupting worldly conformities, than most of those in 
 other churches. As a proof concerning these last, may be mentioned 
 these sorrowful fa<.;ts, that while very large numbers will assemble, 
 to hear lectures about rivers, and lakes, mountains and prairies, and 
 other geographical objects, in far distant regions ; and concerning a 
 great variety of other mere worldly subjects, in 'vhich they can have 
 little or no personal interest, but chiefly from mere curiosUij, or desire 
 for amusement ; a religious meeting to impart information relating to 
 the extension of their Kedeemer'e kingdom, is very generally limited 
 indeed. This was so obviously the case, at the last annual meeting of 
 the great and excellent Bible Society, — when the glad tidings were 
 given, of the increasing light and blessings of Divine truth, — so joy- 
 ous to every true Christian heart, — that even one of our secular papers, 
 remarked that " as usual the attendance was so small, that only about 
 60 persons were present." This was a mistake however, as to the 
 number. There were full 100, when there should have been at least 
 a thousand. There was nothing in the weather to prevent it. — 
 Wherever such an instance occurs, it marks most manifestly, the very 
 defective state of religious zeal and desire, as to the progress of Divine 
 truth ; and an indifference to those solemn realities of eternity, in 
 which all are so deeply and awfully interested. 
 
 I t. 
 
 ft 
 
»'" 
 
 ^' 
 
 .ft. 
 
 
 
 f 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 [ " 
 
 ■ 
 
 V 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 86 
 
 SCRIPTURAL EXAMINATION OF A CLAUSE IN THE 
 
 TWO CREEDS CALLED, "APOSTLES" AND 
 
 « ATHANASIAN." 
 
 A controversy has recently arisen, and is still going forward in the 
 English Church Establishment, as to rejecting or retahiing, what is 
 called the Athanasian Creed, repeated at certain specified times in the 
 public worship in that Church. There are large numbers arrayed on 
 each side of the controversy A third party, but probably small, 
 comparatively, as to numbers, rse for a modification of the Creed, by 
 rejecting certain portions of it. If this latter proposition is adopted, 
 it may be hoped, that as one of the alterations the most required, 
 that Clause will be omitted, which says of our Lord and Saviour ; — 
 " He descended into hell." The same Clause is also in the Apostles' 
 Creed, which is constantly used in the public services of the same 
 church. If the clause is understood to mean, that our Lord actually 
 went down into the place mentioned in Scripture, where the \^-icked 
 are undergoing tormenting punishment, it may be confidently affirm- 
 ed, that there is not any passage or authority in Scripture, to support 
 such an opinion. Now, in proceeding to offer, — as is here intended, 
 — some explanations and remarks on that clause, it is proper to show, 
 first, the true origin of these Creeds, and of this clause especially ; 
 and of the times in which it was inserted in them respectively. As 
 to the one called the •* Apostles' Creed," — meaning the first Apostles, 
 — ^they never formed it, or ani/ other, as a Standard for Christian be- 
 lief. Their Creed is to be found in the New Testament and there 
 only. Neither w'as the other Creed, or any part of it, framed by the 
 great and orthodox Athanasius. The Apostles' Creed,— so called, 
 was brought into the present precise and Standard form, about, or 
 upwards of 300 years after the deaths of the Apostles. That au- 
 thentic and valuable "Work, entitled, — '• The History of the Primitive 
 Church," — by Lord Chancellor King, — himself a member of the 
 Church of England, — gives a history of the true origin of the early 
 Creeds, and particularly of this one bearing the name of the Apostles. 
 In verification of what has just been advanced ; and for the informa- 
 tion of those who are but slightly, if at all acquainted with the sub- 
 
37 
 
 ject, there will now be given, some extracts from that high autliority, 
 which, it is proper to mention, treats of the Church History, only 
 within the first 300 years. 
 
 Concerning the Creeds he says ; — " As for that Creed which is 
 commonly called the Apostles', all learned persons are now agreed, 
 that it never was composed by them, neither do I find it within my 
 prescribed time, (the first 30() years) but though thoy had not that, 
 yet they had other Creeds very much like thereunto, which contained 
 the f'lnidamental articles of the Christian faith ; unto which all Chris- 
 tians gave their assent and consent ; and that publicly at baptism, 
 whence, as before, it is called by Cyprian, ' the law of the symbol ; ' 
 and by Novatian, ' the rule of truth.' This Creed was handed down 
 from father to son, as a brief summary of the necessary Scripture 
 truths ; not in the same set words, but only the sense or substance 
 thereof ; which is evident from hence, that we never find the Creed 
 twice repeated in the same words, no, not by one and the same father ; 
 which, that it may the more manifestly appear, as also, that we may 
 flee the congruity and affinity of the ancient creeds, with our present 
 Creed, commonly called the Apostles', I shall transcribe in their origi- 
 nal language, all the ivhole Creeds, ^nd pieces of Creeds, that I find 
 within the limited bounds." He then gives the words of four Creeds 
 in whole, or parts thereof, in Greek, separately transcribed from the 
 writings of the following Fathers, — as they are called, — namely ; — 
 Ignatius, Ireneus, (3rigen, and Gregory Neocoisar ; and Six, in like 
 manner, in Latin, by the Fathers, — Ireneus, — Tertullian, — Origen, 
 and Cyprian. He then writes ; — " These are all the Creeds which I 
 have met uith ; in which the words are various, but generally recur- 
 ring to the same sense." * * * He then transcribes the Creed called 
 the Apostles', as it stands in the prayer book of the Church of Eng- 
 land, — with the exception of these two clauses ; — " He descended into 
 hell ;" and " the Communion of Saints." ile then says ; — " Here 
 are, now, these two clauses of our present Creed ivantimj. If wc 
 would know how they were added, we nuist first consider, how the 
 whole Creed was framed ; which I conceive was done two ways ; — 
 First, some of the articles were derived down from the very days of 
 the Apostles. Secondly, others were added afterwards, in opposition 
 to heresies as they sprung up in the Church." * * * «' By these 
 two ways, then, was the Creed ccjmposed ; and by the latter hereof 
 were those two articles introduced. The ' Communion of Saints ' 
 was brought in last of all. The descent ' into hell,' toward the latter 
 end of the fourth century." 
 
 As to the creed called " The Athanasian," Lord King says nothing, 
 as it was not framed until after the centuries of which he was treat- 
 
 
 ( 
 
 : .., ; 
 
PPP" 
 
 38 
 
 ing. This creed, which also contains the clause, " He descended into 
 Hell," was framed a considerable time after the first council of Nice, 
 A.D., 325. It was not drawn up by Athanasius, who, through ill- 
 ness, was not present at the holding of the Council. Euscbius, the 
 historian, who attended the Council as one of its members, says : — 
 " The Creed which is properly called the ' Nicene Creed./ was, by the 
 appointment of the Council drawn up by the aged and venerable 
 Hosius, bishop of Cordova, in Spain." It is given in its full and 
 precise terms by Eusebius, and is that which is contained in the 
 communion service of the English Church, and does not contain 
 either the clause, " He descended into Hell," or, " the Communion 
 of Saints." Although Athanasius was one of the most skilful and 
 ardent of the debaters in the discussions which, previous to the Coun- 
 cil, took place concerning the heresy of Arius, — respecting which 
 chiefly the Council was convened — yet he was not a member of the 
 Council, but at that time was only a Deacon of the Church of Alex- 
 andria ; but some time after, most deservedly became its bishop. 
 From these authentic historical facts it will be seen, that the creed 
 called by the name of Athanasius, was not composed by him. Milner 
 also says this in his " History of the Church." This creed, and also 
 the one under the name of thfe Apostles, both containing the two clauses 
 beforementioned, were for ages in use in the church of Rome ; and at 
 the time of the Reformation, were retained by the English established 
 church, in framing and adopting its creeds and articles. How much 
 better it would have been if those who established them, had been 
 satisfied with retaining the Nicene Creed only, omitting that called 
 Aihanatian ; and if retaining the one called the Apostles', rejecting 
 the clause of the " descent into hell." This clause, in both these last 
 mentioned creeds, was foisted into them in days of great ignorance of 
 Scripture truth, and departures from it ; and conset^ucnt heresies, 
 speculative conceptions and fahiloiis inventions. 
 
 Under the foregoing state of authentic historical facts, regarding 
 these creeds, the question may fairly be asked, where is the Scriptural 
 authority for that clause in both creeds, "He descended into hell?" 
 Or rather, it may truly and boldly be asserted, that there is no such 
 authority, if the word hell is to be taken as meaning the place where 
 the wicked are punished ; and this seems to be meant by the word 
 
l-diug 
 bural 
 
 311?" 
 
 I such 
 
 [here 
 
 irord 
 
 S9 
 
 descended being used. Those who contend for retaining the clause in 
 the creeds, and that our Lord actually went down into the place 
 where the wicked of mankind, and the fallen angels are being 
 punished, found their opinion chiefly, if not altogether, on two por- 
 tions of Scripture; one, the words in Ps. xvi. 10 : "Thou wilt not 
 leave my soul in hell," and the other, the following passages in 1 Pet. 
 ii. 19, 20 : "Being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the 
 Spirit ; by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in j)rison; 
 which sometime were disobedient, when once the long suffering of 
 God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing." 
 
 As to the word Jiell in the Psalm, it is a translation from thcr 
 original word " sheol," in the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures; and 
 Corresponds to the word " Hades," in the Greek of the New Testa- 
 ment ; both meaning, as learned men skilled in those languages say, 
 *' the state of separate sjnriis, or the state of the dead," — a state before 
 the general resurrection, — of happiness for the pardoned and sancti- 
 fied ; and of tormenting punishn-ent for the wicked. That learned 
 scholar and critic in the ancient Hebrew and Greek languages, and 
 celebrated commentator on the Scriptures, Dr. Adam Clark, in his 
 comments on the words : " Shalt be brought down to hell," in Math, 
 xi. 23, says of the word hell, " The original word is Hades, the invi- 
 sible receptacle, or mansi(m of the dead, answering to sheol in 
 Hebrew ; and implying often, first — the grave ; second — the state of 
 separate souls, or unseen world of spirits, whether of torment, — Luke 
 xvi. 23 ; or in general — Eev. i. 18, vi. 8, xx. 13, 14." Again, in his 
 comments on the words, " Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell," in 
 Ps. xvi. 10; and repeated in Acts 2, 27, he says: "As to leaving 
 the soul in hell, it can only mean |)crmitting the life of the Messiah to 
 continue under the power of death ; for Sheol (Hebrew) and Nudes 
 (Greek) signify the state of separate spirits, or the state of the dead* 
 Hades was a general term among the Greek writers, by which they 
 expressed this state;" and with them this Hades was Tartarus to the 
 xvicked, and Ehjsium to the good" 
 
 Now, let us look at some of the particulars concerning the Savoiur's 
 death and resurrection, as recorded in the Scriptures : — In Luke xxiii, 
 43, it is written that he said to one of the malefactors on the Cross, 
 " To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise;" and in v. 46 : " And 
 
 M. 
 
 , it 
 
 ■I.*.' 
 
 ' f . . I I 
 
40 
 
 fj- 
 
 'SX 
 
 '■■ ^•■.. 
 
 ■■y 
 
 when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father into thy 
 hands I commend my Spirit, and having said this He gave up the 
 Ghost." Thus far, all is totally different from " descending into hell," 
 as a place of torment ; the thought of which is simply horrible. The 
 moment of his death his holy and blessed Spirit departed into the 
 sej)arate state, the heavenly paradise ; and he took the ransomed spirit 
 of the malefactor there, according to His promise. Surely, Paradise 
 is not a hell of punishment. Early on the third day he united His 
 Spirit to His body, and rose triumphant over death, and the 
 grave, fulfilling to the letter, those prophetical portions of that cited 
 Psalm more than 1000 years previous : " Thou will not leave my 
 soul in (Hades) the place of separate spirits ; neither wilt thou suffer 
 thine Holy One (that is His body) to see corruption." Also fulfilling 
 what he said to the Jews : *' Destroy this temple, and in three days I 
 will raise it up," — meaning His body — John ii. 10 ; and also fulfilling 
 the further prophecy in Ps. Ixviii. 18, " Thou hast ascended on high, 
 thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts for nieu ; yea, 
 for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among tliom." 
 It is noticeable that the word " ascended " here, is in direct opposi- 
 tion to the word "descended" in that clause of the creeds. 
 
 In addition to the Scripture proofs which have here been given, 
 showiiig that by the word " hell " in the psalm, is not meant the place 
 of punishment for the wicked ; it may fairly be asked for what pur- 
 pose could it be requisite, that our Lord should visit that region of 
 misery? It coidd not have been to release them, or give them any 
 promise, or hope of release ; for His own words in the Scriptures, 
 most positively and repeatedly declare, that the punishment of its 
 inmates will be everhstin^j, and surely he would not go to tantalize or 
 reproach them. 
 
 Some explanations and remarks may next be oflcred, rcgardiug the 
 other supposed authority, for our Lord's descent into the region o^ 
 torment. It is in 1 Peter iii., 18, 19, 20, in the following words ; — 
 " Being put to death i the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit ; by 
 which also, he went a d preached unto the Spirits in prison ; which 
 sometime were disobedient, when once the long suffering of God» 
 waited in the days of Noah, while the Ark was a preparing, wherein 
 few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water." 
 
 I .. ■' 
 
iven, 
 place 
 
 pur- 
 pu of 
 any 
 turos, 
 nf its 
 Ize or 
 
 the 
 .f 
 
 41 
 
 Now, first, it is perfectly clear from the words of the text, that our 
 Lord did not personally go to those " Spirits in prison," but " by the 
 Spirit," meaning evidently the Holy Spirit, who, in Scripture, is 
 repeatedly called the " Spirit of Christ ;" because of that Holy Spi- 
 rit's operations for the regeneration and salvation of mankind, having, 
 from the beginning, — by anticipation, — been obtained for those gra- 
 cious purposes, by the sufterings and death of our adorable Redeemer 
 and Saviour. Next, it is equally clear, that the " preaching," or the 
 visitations of the Spirit, were only to those " disobedient " antedelu- 
 vUtn Spirits, and no others . And further, it is evident, that the 
 preaching was in the days of Noah, before the deluge ; — the words 
 " when once the long suffering of God, ivaited in the days of Noah 
 while the Ark was a preparing ; '' fixing it at that precise period, and 
 no other. Now this was upwards of a thoumnd i/ears before our Lord 
 was born in the human nature. See now, from previous Scriptures, 
 how all those particulars in the text, can be fully harmonized, and 
 clearly show its meanings, as is here represented. In Gen. vi. 13, we 
 read ; — " And God said unto Noah, the end of all flesh is come be- 
 fore me ; for the earth is filled with violence through them, and behold 
 1 will destroy them, with the earth." He had previously declared to 
 the same eflect, as seen in the previous verses 5 and 7 ; ami in v. 17. 
 He declares. He will do it, " by a flood of waters upon the earth, to 
 destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life." He then commanded 
 Noah to build the Ark, fur the preservation of himself and his family. 
 The Lord God thus condemned those siiniers to that death and 
 punishment, but yet in His great mercy. He granted them a respite 
 from the execution of the sentence, that they might repent and turn 
 from their wickedness, and thus prevent the fulfilment of the sen- 
 tence. This is seen in the same ch. of Clenesis v. 3, in these vvords ; 
 — " And the Lord said, my S))irit shall not always strive with man, 
 for that he also is flesh ; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty 
 years." This was the time the Ark was being built, and during this 
 period, those sinners were like malefactors in prison, under scnteiu'e, 
 but a respite from its execution was granted to them. It is quite 
 probable that some of them did repent and find mercy. During 
 this time, the " long suffering of God waited on them," as declared 
 in that text in 1 Peter ; and doubtless, the Divine Spirit, — Scriptur- 
 
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 ally called the " Spirit of Christ " — was striving with those disobe- 
 dient Spirits," thus under sentence ; and Noah, who is called in 2 
 Peter, ch. ii., " a preacher of righteousness," was also reproving them, 
 and warning them of the infliction of the threatened punishment. 
 These particulars, which are in accordance with Scripture, afford a 
 complete and even literal explanation of the meaning of every part 
 of that text in 1 Peter ; and fully show, that it aff'ords not the least 
 proof whatever, that our Lord Himself ever descended into the hell 
 of punishment, as described in those Creeds. 
 
 That learned ?^'l v'tj'^: commentator, — Dr. A. Clark, remarking on 
 these words o" ^ '. vt, — " unto the Spirits in prison," he says ; — 
 " Theinhabita . > < ' . "ntedeluvian world, who having been disobe- 
 dient, and convicted i.l liC most flagrant transgressions against God, 
 were sentenced by His just law to destruction. But their punish- 
 ment was delayed, ' see if i.h^v would repent ; and the lon<ji suffering 
 of God, waited one aun(iicd anJ t'"^nty years, which were granted to 
 them for this purpose ; during winch time, as criminals tried and 
 convicted, they are represented as being in prison. That the Spirit of 
 God did Strive \ni\\, convict, and reprove them, is evident from Gen. 
 vi., 3 ; ' Mtf Spirit sJuill not ahvays strive with man, forasmuch as he is 
 flesh ; yet his days sJtall he one hundred and twenty years.' And it 
 was by this Spirit that Noah became a preacher of righteousness, and 
 condemned that ungodly world — Heb. xi., 7. The word ' Spirits^ is 
 supposed to render this view of the subject improbable, because this 
 must mean disembodied Spirits ; but this certainly does not follow, for 
 the Spirits of Just men made perfect. Heb. xii., 23, certainly means 
 riijMeous men, and men still in the Church militant ; and the Father of 
 Spirits, Heb. xii., 9, means men still in the body : and the God of the 
 Spirits of all flesh. Num. xvi., 22 and xxvi., 16 means men not in a 
 disembodied state." 
 
 But even on this word there are several various readings. I have 
 before me one of the first, if not the very ^rst edition of the Latin 
 Bible; and in it the verse stands thus : — In quo et Mis qui in carcere 
 erunt Spiritualiter veniens prcedicavit; — ' by which he came spiritually, 
 and preached to them that were in prison.' In two very ancient 
 MSS. of the Vulgate, before me, the clause is thus, " in which coming 
 by the spirit, he preached to those who were in prison." This is the 
 reading also in the Complutensian Polyglot. The Dr. then mentions 
 two other MSS, which give the word, spiritually, and then says : — 
 
43 
 
 " I have quoted all these authorities from the most authentic and 
 correct copies of the Vulgate, to show that from them there is no 
 ground to believe that the text speaks of Christ's going to hell to 
 preach the Gospel to the damned, or of his going to some feigned 
 place, where the souls of the patriarchs were detained, to whom he 
 preached, and whom he delivered from that place and took witli llim 
 to Paradise, which the Komish Church holds as an article of faith." 
 
 An amount of proof has now been given, even more than positively 
 needed, showing most conclusively, that neither of the texts which 
 have been supposed to support the clause in the two creeds, that 
 Christ descended into the hell of the vncked and sufferinfj spirits, are 
 in the least degree available for that purpose. The writer, in here 
 closing with this part of the subject, further conjidenthj asserts, that 
 there is not the slightest Scripture authority, on which to form a 
 belief that our Lord ever personally went into that place of punish- 
 ment, for any purpose whatever. 
 
 Under the foregoing Scripture proofs on the subject, the only pro- 
 per conclusion is, that the unscriptural clause should be struck out 
 of the two creeds. But if this is not done, those who will continue 
 to utter it in repeating the creeds, should, in doing so, attach in their 
 minds, the true scriptural meaning, that our Lord ascended — not 
 descended — into the sej)arate state of righteous spirits, the Paradise of 
 God. It is a melancholy thought that vast multitudes, young and 
 old, for hundreds of years, have been using that awful word in the 
 clause, as meaning the abode of misery and despair, so contrary to 
 Scripture truth. The blame has been very far more with the higher 
 portions of the clerical order than with the body of the laity. It is 
 truly a subject for profoimd regret that a Church v\^bose formularies 
 of worship are so spiritual, and some of them even sublime, and in 
 whose ministry there have been such eminently pious and excellent 
 men, should still retain in those creeds and in one of its articles that 
 erroneous tenet. 
 
 V 
 
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 44 
 
 EXPOSITION OF THE BELIEF OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC 
 
 CHURCH AS TO THE MEANING OF THE WORDS : 
 
 "SPIRITS IN PRISON," IN 1 PETER, iii. 10, 
 
 WITH REMARKS THEllEON. 
 
 Some facts and remarks may here be appropriately given, regarding 
 the belief of the Roman Catholic Church, on the beforementioned texts 
 in 1 Peter, ch. 3, concerning those "Spirits in prison." The texts, as 
 rendered in the standard Douay version of the Bible of that Church, 
 read thus : — " Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just 
 for the unjust, that he might ofler us to God; being put to death, 
 indeed, in the flesh, but brought to life by the Spirit. In which also, 
 ho came and preached to those Spirits \\'ho were in prison : AN^ho in 
 time past had been incredulous, when they waited for the patience of 
 God in the days of Noe, when the Ark was a building." 
 
 The following is a foot-note on the words " Spirits in prison :" — 
 
 " See hero a proof of a third place, or middle state of souls ; for these 
 spirits in prison, to whom Christ went to preach after his death, were 
 not in Heaven, nor yet in the hell of the damned ; because Heaven is 
 no prison, and Christ did not go to preach to the damned." 
 
 What is here said as to Heaven, and Christ's preaching to the 
 damned, is certainly scriptural and true ; and possibly as to a middle 
 state of souls also. But on this last point there are different opinions 
 among scripturally learned and good men. With regard to our 
 Lord's visit, or rather sxtpiiosed visit to the " spirits in prison," the 
 following passages are contained in the catechism of the Roman 
 Catholic Church : — 
 
 Q. Where did Christ's soul go after his death ? 
 
 A. It descended into hell. — Apostles' Creed. 
 
 Q. Did Christ's Soul descend into the Hell of the damned ? 
 
 A. No ; but to a place or state of rest, called Limbo. — Acts ii. 24, 
 27— Psalm XV, 10. 
 
 Q. Who were in Limbo ? 
 
 A. The souls of the Saints who died before Christ. 
 
 Q. Willi did Christ descend into Limbo ? 
 
 A. St. Peter says, — To preach to those sjnrits that were in prison ; 
 that is, to announce to them in person, the joyful tidings of their 
 redemption. — 1 Pet. iii. 19. 
 
45 
 
 ii.' 
 
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 Q. Why did not the souh of the Samts ivho died before Christ yo to 
 Ileavfn immediately after death ? 
 
 A. Because Heaven was .shut against them by the sin of our first 
 parents, and could not be opened to any one, but by the death of 
 Christ. 
 
 ^. When did the souls of the Saints who died before Chri.4 yo into 
 Heoifi'n? ' 
 
 A. When Christ ascended into Heaven. 
 
 It is perfectly evident that thoro is in this part of the catechism a 
 direct opposition to those texts in 1 Peter, given from the Douay 
 Bible ; for t?iere, " the Spirits in prison," are expressly declared to bo 
 those, and only those, who were incredulous in the days of Noe, when 
 the Ark was a building; but in the catechism the "spirits in prison" 
 are declared to be " the souls of the Saints who died before Christ ;'' 
 meaning of course, the whole multitudes of them. It is quite impos- 
 sible to reconcile or harmonize these two subjects, or dogmas of faith. 
 But further, it is said, in that text in Peter, in the Douay Bible, and 
 also referred to in the catechism, that those " spirits in prison," 
 declared to bo " all the Saints before Christ" were incredulous, that is, 
 unbelieving. This is still more amazing, and contradictory to several 
 other parts of that same Bible ; for it says of Abraham in liom. iv. 
 19, 20, 21, "he was not weak in faith. In the promise also of God, 
 he staggered not by distrust, but was strengthened in faith, giving 
 glory to God ; most fully knowing that whatsoever He has promised, 
 he is able also to perform." In the same chapter are the words : — " Of 
 the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all." But, further, is 
 there not something saddening, if not revolting, in the supposition 
 that the spirits of the pious Abel, the fully devoted Enoch and Noah, 
 the pious and noble Abraham, called the " father of the faithful" and 
 the " friend of God ;" also of Isaac and Jacob, of the zealous and 
 devoted Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, the highly gifted 
 Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, the beloved Daniel, and all the other faithful 
 servants, through all the four thousand years of the world down to the 
 resurrection of our Lord, were all "in prison," "because Heaven was 
 »hut against them by the sin of our first parents." As to Enoch, the 
 scripture says " he walked with God and God took him ;" surely not 
 to p^it his spirit ^^ in prison.'^ Of Elias also, it is said in the same 
 Douay Bible, 4th Kings, ii. 11, "behold a fiery chariot and fiery 
 
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46 
 
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 horses parted them hoth asunder, and Elias went up by a whirlwind 
 into heaven." Now, as the before cited note on the text in 1 Peter 
 very properly says, " Heaven is no prison." Here, then, are two of 
 those saints, who, by express testimony of Scripture, did not go into 
 prison, but directly to Heaven. Neither did the spirits of those other 
 Old Testament Saints " go into prison," or Limbo. 
 
 As to their being " incredulous," — the word used in that text in 
 1 Peter — quite the contrary is said of them in the same Bible in 
 Heb. 11, where the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, and 
 Jacob, are mentioned. Also of Joseph, Moses, Gideon. Barak, David, 
 Samuel, and others of eminence, and also of the prophets, of all of 
 whom it is said in v. 13, of the same chapter : "All these died 
 according to faith, not having received the promises ; but beholding 
 them afar off, and saluting them, and confessing that they were pilgrims 
 and strangers on the earth." And in v. 39, "All these being ap. 
 proved by the testimony of faith." 
 
 Now, how are all these inconsistencies and express contradictions 
 to be reconciled ? It seems simply impossible. The text in the Bible 
 and the note thereon are far more correct than the catechism. 
 
 In coming to a conclusion on the subject, it may be allowable for 
 the writer to say, that for upwards of Jiftt/ years he has been daily 
 and prayerfully reading and studying the sacred Scriptures, but has 
 never met with a single passage which gives the slightest intimation of 
 the souls of those Old Testament Saints being " in prison :" or con_ 
 fined to any place called Limbo, or by any other name. But if any 
 person can direct his attention to any portion or parts of Scripture, 
 which afford proof, or even any reasonable ground for a supposition 
 to that effect, he will examine them carefully. But luitil he sees 
 some Scripture which gives a fair ground, or countenance, for that 
 opinion, he will continue to believe, that the souls of all those faithful 
 and divinely beloved saints, ever were, and still are, in freedom, and 
 richly enjoying the glories and happiness of the heavenly state. 
 
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