IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I IIM IIIII15 IM IIIII2.2 IIIIM 1^ 12.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 -^ 6" — ► "/} e joyous assurance thus vouchsafed the Church shall in nowise lessen the responsibility of any who may seek to destroy her unity, mar her efforts, or oppose her triumphant march. Provisional Epitome of Plymouthism. In the Brethren's view the various branches of the modern Church are all in ruins, and in fatal and irreclaimable apostasy. The Church's various organizations, her formal creeds, her office-bearers, and particularly her " one-man," " man-made," college-bred, and (equally bad) her regularly paid, ministry, are all, the Brethren think, on a sinful basis, grievous to the Holy Spirit, and exposed to the divine anger. The modern churches are regarded as forming the Babylon mentioned in the book of Revelation, and will at length meet with Babylon's doom, (Revelation xviii.) Out of this Babylon the Brethren look upon it as their special mission to bring any true Christians who may possibly still be there, so that they may join the Brethren themselves, *' on the basis of the one body and the one spirit." The churches are called " the systems around," and sometimes "the sects"; and "all sectarianism is sin," quoth the Brethren. The members of each " system " are regarded as being bound together, not by the bond of a real Christian brother- hood, but by certain opinions merely, which they have agreed to hold in common, and which are usually set forth in a "man-made" creed. The Brethren themselves have no creed, they say, but the Bible. The Brethren further regard themselves as the only body of people who are " gathered " to, and presided over in, their meetings by the Holy Spirit. They believe also that, as a body, they alone have Spirit-guided speakers ; and it would, in the Brethren's view, be quite sinful, and interfere with one of the special prerogatives of the Divine Spirit, if any speaker should prepare beforehand for addressing a religious meeting. The Holy Spirit ought to be allowed to " use " any one present that He may please to address the meeting. The " one-man " ministry interferes, the Brethren think, with this order of things, and it also forms a sinful barrier to the freedom of personal access to God on the part of each individual Christian. Among other doctrines held and taught by the Brethren are the following : — The humanity which our Lord took upon Him " was neither that of Adam before the fall, nor after the fall," but a " heavenly humanity." He made atonement for sin by His suflFerings on the cross alone. His other suflFerings were non-atoning. He did, indeed, keep the A PLYMOUTH COMPLAINT. » of divine law, but not in the room and stead of His people. Yet He freed His people, not only from the curse of the law, but also from the obligation to keep the law of the Ten Commandments as a rule of life. The life which Christ had here He left in the grave, and rose with an entirely new one, which believers share with Him. His Second Coming shall be v/itnessed by the saints of the New Dispensation only, and these shall enjoy a "secret rapture" at this Coming. Tlw.y shall then be taken away from the earth to be with the Lord until a third coming, which shall take place, along with the saints, to judge the world. The saints of the Old Dispensation, although saved by Christ through faith, yet shall never be united to Him, and shall occupy an inferior posioion in glory to that occupied by the sjiints of the New Dispensation. A grfat part of the gospels, the Brethren maintain, was meant for a "Jewish remnant" only, and is inapplicable to the saints of the New Dispensation. The Brethren also believe and teach, that if a sinner credits the divine testimony regarding Christ's death, he is at once saved, sinless, and perfect in the " new man," and as tit for heaven there and then as he ever can be made. The "old man " is, indeed, still present, and is the sole cause of any sin the Christian may commit. This " old man " is incorrigible. He can neither be made any better nor any worse than he is. Yet, inconsistently enough, the Brethren speak of " progressive sanctitication," and ofxlenying the flesh. But in reality there is no room left for these things in their system. The Christian may confess sin, say the Brethren, but he need not ask for pardon. They teach that it would be " almost blasphemy " to pray for the Holy Spirit, since He has been already given. It is useless, the Brethren think, for the unconverted to pray at all. The Christiati ought not to sorrow for sin in him, for were he to do so, it would mar his worship, happiness, and testimony, and would be dishonoring to God. The Sabbath, having Ijeen a Jewish institution, has been abrogated. The Christian ought to keep the Lord's day, because the apostles did so, but there is no express divine command on the subject. The Brethren hold also several other peculiar doctrines, a few of which shall aftersvards be mentioned, and quotations shall be made from acknowledged Brethren writers. There is hardly an article of the reformed faith which the Brethren do not either deny altogether or else seriously modify. A Plymouth Complaint. are the With respect to the tenets already mentioned, let it be noted first, that if the members of our churches could only be got to take the Brethren's view of what these churches really are — little better, if any, according to that view, than mere synagogues of Satan — then the special mission which the Brethren suppose to be theirs, which is to pull down those synagogues, would be successfully accomplished. Can it be rightly supposed to be the duty of ministers, and all other 19 PRELIMINARY. members of churches, to stand silently by whilst such a supposed mission is being conducted among them ? To entertain tl.e i>elief tliat not much, if any, harm to one's own interests is likely to accrue from such a supposed mission, can hardly be considered as a suthcient reason for neutrality. Let it also be noted, in view of the tenets of Plymouthism, and of tlie persistent conduct of the Brethren in trying to wile away members from the churches, how very strange is the complaint made by the Brethren, as, for instance, by Mr. Ueid, in his tractate, entitled " Accusers of the Brethren," that the churches do not let them alone to do their work in peace and (juietness. Mr. Reid reminds us, in this connection, of our Lord's injunction : " Forbid him not." But he is careful never to mention what the Brethren regard us their special mission. In an article on " Plymouth Brethren " in Schaff- Horzog's " Kncyclop»!dia of Heligious Knowledge," Ijy one who signs himself "E. K. Whitefield, IVLA. (Oxf. Member Brethren)," the chief tenets of the Brethren will be found summarized with a degree of honesty unfortunately to be met with among the Brethren but seldom. Mr. Whitetield acknowledges that "the testimony [of the Brethren] is in the main as to the church." Mr. Reid's tractate is ostensibly a reply to a work, entitled " Plymouth-Brethrenism Un- veiled and Refuted," V)y the late Rev. Dr. W. Reid, a well-known minister of the U. P. Church, Edinburgh. Dr. Reid's book states clearly what the Brethren regard as their special mission, yet the tractate written in reply takes no notice of the fact, whilst complain- ing loudly of the book. Let the Brethren alone, says Mr. Reid in effect, whilst at the same time he descants on and lauds the prowess and faithfulness of Brethren writers in forbidding and opposing other denominations whilst doing the work they deem to be right. Mr. Reid's tractate is only about a twelfth part of the size of the one to which it professes to be a reply, and this of itself would .show how largely the bare-assertion mode of argument, a favorite method of discussion with Brethren writers, is had recourse to Vjy the author. We will revert to Mr. Reid's tractate afterwards. The Plymouth Brethren are virtually, if not also professedly, " robbers of tlie churches." " They come not but that they may steal the sheep." What the Brethren, therefore, regard as their special mis- sion, the churches are bound, we should think, to regard as a persist- ent attempt to pull down what God intends to build up — to destroy what He intends to cherish. The Brethren often remind us that it is not necessary to be "learned" in order to be converted. Who ever said it was? But by such remarks they seem to aim at disparaging the educated ministry in the churches. One verse of Scripture might be the means of convert- ing one, but it is a very different thing to be in possession of as much knowledge as may be the means of conversion, and to profess to be the only true gospel preachers, and Bible interpreters, in Chris- tendom. THE PLAN OF THIS I'AMI'HLKT. 11 TiiK Plan op Tins Pampiii.rt. Tt is not intended in these pn^vs to enumerate off the peculiar tenets of Plyniouthisni. Such enumeration is more completely j^iven in such works as that of Professor Croskery, and that of l)r. Keid, on tlie subject, works which the Brethren would do well to ponder. In this ]>atnpiilet several features and characteristics of i.ic system are brou;^ht under review, which the writer has not seen noticed, or at least dwelt up(m, in any other work. A few fundamental errors of the system, as far as Scripture doctrine is concerned, are selected for more particular treatment as space permits. The side which the writer believes to be the correct and scriptural one will be set forth, as well as what he deems to be the erroneous one of the JJrethren. We could wish to treat of Plymouthism witliout at the same time treating? of the Brethren in connection therewith. But thi . '- impos- sible. Brethren's souls are precious. Plymouthism is unsci if tural, irrational, and dangerous. One object of these pages is to render some aid, if possible, in separating the precious irr-i\ the vile. Another may be inferred from the well-known proverb, ■ Prevention is better than cure." Let it be added that the .-.ub-title of this pamphlet is t.k -.i from the subjects of the concluding chpters, instead of, as is more common, from the first chapter. The other chapters inay be regarded as virtually an extension and as illustrative of the concluding ones. The first nine chapters are occupied with evidence of a presumptive nature — evidence, that is, on the first l)lush — against Plymouthism. The next seven contain evidence of a more direct kind ; whilst in the remaining chapters, evidence of both the kinds mentioned is furnished. II. HISTORICAL CHARACTEBISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. Plymouthism Commenced in Eden. SELF-WILL, hatred to light and law, the " peace, peace " of the false prophets, spurious assurances, hidden policy in religion, clandestine proselytism, attempted and unwarrantable short-cuts to religious ends, all began in Eden. Attempted short-cuts form the very bane of Plymouthism, and are now characteristic of several religions. The tempter sought to induce our Lord lumself to adopt short-cuts, and he evidently deems it a " taking " kind of temptation for professors. dimply eat, virtually said the tenipter, and ye shall be knowing and God-like. There is virtue to regenerate in the baptismal water, says the Romish Church. There is virtue also in this wafer, says she, and in tliose chips from coffins, and those rags from garments, of departed saints. Simply take, or touch, or have applied. Let me only look on Mahomet's grave, says the pilgrim of Medina, and I am blessed for ever. A flash on the soul for me, says the mystic. Or call it " the inner light " chimes in the Quaker. Simply believe that Christ died for you, proclaim the Sandemanian, the Morrisonian, the Plymouth Brother, and the Arminian evangelist who wants to turn out results quickly. Take this view of the divine ^ecord of Christ's finished work, be determined to regard your view as right, and your determination will convert your view into saving faith and full assurance. After this you can " reckon " yourself to be whatever you wish. " Reckon," or "count " yourself dead to the moral law as a rule of life, perfectly holy with Christ's holiness, the "old man" within you as committing all your sin'., and if you hold your views strongl^i enough, you can "reckon" yourself as fit for heaven now a» ever you can be made. , If men could have the blessings of religion by a wave of the wand, a grip like the free mason's, the pronouncing of a shibboleth, or a reckoning of themselves this or that at pleasure, the whole world would very soon become religious. Many have been the attempts co get relief from the moral law by trying to prove that it has been abro- gated altogether, or that its cords have been slackened. The Jesuits teach that it cannot be expected of Christians to love God always. Once in five years is enough, or once a year say some of them. Once a week, say some Protestants, or at communion seasons, is enough. After Eve had fallen, she was used to tempt Adam, Adam's dutiful love for Eve was taken advantage of to bait a trap. Some still are taken aside through affection or regard for those who have fallen. % MOXTANISTS OF SECOND CENTURY WERE PLYMOUTHISTS. 13 HJSM. ice " of the in religion, lort-cuts to s form the of several elf to adopt temptation oe knowing smal water, wafer, says ;arments, of d. Let me a, and I am mystic. Or Ibelieve that isonian, the to turn out of Christ's and your h and full hatever you i\ law as a old man " your views iven now as t, f the wand, oleth, or a orld would npts to get been abro- The Jesuits jod always. leni. Once enough. Adam's rap. Some e who have n KoRAH A\D HIS Company were Plymoutiiists. Probably the first time that conspiracy and rebellion resulted from the restraints of having divinely appointed office-Vjearers among God's people, was in the case of the rebellion of Korah and his company of old. In Numbers xvi. we read : — " Now Korah . . . took men . . . and they assembled themselves together against Moses, and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seefng all the congregation are holy, every one of then), wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord 1 " We learn from Moses that the real cause of the murmuring was jealousy. This was at the root of what sought to palm itself oti' as a desire to realize the condition of equal rights in a common religious brotherhood. This is just the condition which the Brethren profess to aim at realizing in religious matters. It is analogous to the con- dition professed to be aimed at by the notorious intidel, Thomas Paine, in secular matters, and now professed to be aimed at by anarchists, communists, nihilists, and the lower socialists. The apostles warn us against "murmurera," "complainers," those who " despise government," who are " not .ifraid to speak evil of dignities," beguilers of unstable souls. Hers in wait to deceive, men " who separate themselves," and who are in danger of perishing " in the gainsaying of Korah." (1 Cor. x. 11, 12 ; 2 Peter ii.; Jude.) Thk Montamsts op the Second Century were Plymouthists. The earliest precursors of the Brethren since apostolic times were the Montanists of the second century. Montanus, :he founder of the sect, was a native of Phrygia. He was a weak-minded man, and had newly left heathenism and embraced Christianity, when he professed to be the Paraclete promised by Christ to lead His people into all truth. He had had divine visions, he said, and he would ever and lunon go into a frenzied state, like the modern spiritualist, and tlius deliver his message. The Montanists regarded all ordinary church members as only "psychic Christians," that is. Christians who had nothing else in their religion except mere natural minds, affections, and passions ; whereas themselves they regarded as the only true " spiritual Christians." They also objected, as the Brethren do, to the ordinary trained ministry and to church organization. They contended that the whole guidance of congregations should be left in the hands of the Montanist prophets. These prophets professed to have had visions from God, and would rise in congregations whilst tlie ordinary service was proceeding, and deliver their messages. The sober-minded regarded them as possessed by evil spirits. The Montanists were at length expelled from the Church, and dragged out a precarious existence in some places for two hundred years. u HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. Plymoutiiism Sprang DiRt:cTLY from Irvingism. • The immediate precursor of Plymouthisra was Irvingism. So says the famous church historian Kurtz, and he classes both among the heresies of their day. Edward Irving was a Scotch clergyman of some considerable genius, perfervid in imagination, eloquent, and fond of splendor in everything, religion included. He was settled as pastor of a London congregation, England, in August, 1822. It is said that he had specially prepared himself, as he thought, " for teaching imaginative men, and legal men, and scientific men, who bear the world in band." Irving's peculiar style of oratory gathered around him at first many of those very classes he desired. It is said that " Sunday after Sunday his church was crowded with statesmen, philosophers, poets, painters, literary men, merchants, peers, fashionable ladies, mingled with shopkeepers and mechanics, whilst many hundreds were unable to obtain admission." But in the course of about two years the novelty of Irving's oratory began to wear off, and so also did the attendance of the ^lite. The super-sensitive heart of Irving was wounded to the quick. Ho perceived that what he had thought his special mission had failed, and he came to think the world incapable of betterment. It is said that his despair produced a virtual sus- pension of his mental faculties. For comfort he betook himself to an intense study of the Second Coming of our Lord, a study then very common. He attended several private meetings for the study of this subject. Irving read, translated, and published with a preface of his own, a work of Ben-Ezra, a Spanish Jesuit, on the Second Advent. This book exercised a great influ nee over his mind. It was probably here tliat he got the theory of " tlie secret rapture of the saints " at the Coming of Christ, which he transmitted to the Brethren. Pierre Lambert, another of the Jesuit fathers, also treats of " the secret rapture." The idea is in all probability a product of the Jesuit imagination. Irving predicted that our Lord would come in 1868. This great event was apparently to him an indispensable requisite for the sustenance of his spirits in the disappointment he underwent through the failure of his supposed mission. The expected event was an essential contrast to the melancholy times, as he viewed them, in which he lived, and which " his morbid imagination pictured AS robed in the gloomy draperies of the reign of Satan." (Ency. Brit., Art. Irvingism ; National Ency., Art. Irvingism.) Tot An Extravagant Religious Movkment near the Clyde. It is to Irving .also that the Brethren are indebted for their idea of the modern churches being Babylon, and for their fancy that they have the only Spirit-guided speakers in Christendom. He witnessed an extravagant movement, professedly of a religious nature, which took place near the River Clyde, Scotland, in his time. In this M. IRVINGITES CLAIM THE "CHARISMATA." 15 1. So says among the irgyman of quent, and vas settled , 1822. It lught, "for men, who im at first anday after hers, poets, es, mingled /ere unable ) years the Iso did the Irving was thought his i incapable virtual sus- iniself to an y then very udy of this his own, a vent. This obably here its ' at the en. Pierre ' the secret the Jesuit lein 1868. equisite for underwent expected 5 he viewed on pictured ^ncy. Brit., ;lyde. r their idea 7 that they 3 witnessed bure, which ;. In this movement it was professed that the "gifts "of "healing," "prophe- sying," "speaking with tongues," "working miracles," etc., had been, restored to the people concerned.* Irving's fertile imagination liere found congenial pabulum. He went home and lectured to his people on " the gifts," and formed the conception that it was on account of the apostasy of the Church that these gifts were not continued. Here again we see Irving's reaction from despondency, his innate love of grandeur, and the desire in him common to too many besides, of grasping by short-cuts at all that is highest and best in Christianity,, and enjoying it, without the exercise of the patience, self-denial, tlie purifying tire, and the proper and persevering study, that are not seldom necessary as a preparation for such enjoyments. Irvingites Claim the " Chakismata." All the internal tendencies mentioned would likely have had some- effect in preventing Irving from seeing his mistake, when he supposed that the "gifts," or "charismata," which were common among ordinary church members before the divine revelation was completed,, were meant to be permanent gifts in the Church. We have reason to believe that the "charismata" had ceased even before the end of the apostolic period. Timothy and Titus were without the "gifts" in the form of " charismata." The law for each of them was, " Meditate on th^-se things, give thyself wholly to them." There was no church in apostolic times that enjoyed the "charismata" more than the Church in Corinth, and there was, at the same time, no church that had more strife, divisions, corruptions, errors, and backwardness in spiritual growth, than this church. Special iioliness was not a necessary pre-requisite for the "charismata." Even Balaam could "prophesy," although he "loved the wages of unrighteousness." But in Irving's views and conduct in reference to the "gifts," we have the explanation of the insistence of the Brethren that the Holy Spirit ought to be allowed to "use" whomsoever He pleases to- address a religious meeting. Irving went on lecturing to his congregation on the "gifts" until what he imagined to be these very "gifts" at length made their appearance, first in the weekly prayer-meeting, and then in tlie ordinary Sabbath service. One after another would get up in the church, whilst the ordinary service was in \ ogress, and would "prophesy," or "speak in a tongue" that nobody could be found wiio had ever known or heard, and which in all probability was no tongue at all, but simply any inane gibl^erish tiiat the vocal organs could be got to utter. " Chaos and Bedlam I " exclaimed CarJyle, who was Irving's intimate friend, and who witnessed the whole proceedings. Such, tiien, was the fountain pure of many of the Brethren's concep- tions as to how a religious meeting ought to be conducted. The better part of Irving's already diminished congregation were •See Mrs. Oliphant's Life, and Principal Tulloch's " Movements ot Religious Thought," 16 HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. scandalized, and left. Several of the supposed gifted ones, who had been the direct cause of the exit, came forward after a little, and confessed that their " prophesying," or " speaking with tongues," had been merely a wilful imposture on their part. Little wonder although no one could be found who had ever heard the " tongues " elsewhere. Still, strange to say, the " faithful " were not disturbed. Irving himself, being a man of determined character, declared, notwith- standing the confessions of imposture, that he could not "stop the work of the Lord." Irvingite Prophets " Under the Power." Apostles, prophets, and angels (pastors), as of old, soon came to be in full discharge of their respective functions in Irving's congregation. Some of these were sent out through the country to help to enlighten benighted Christendom, and to call on the " faithful " to separate from Babylon, that is, from the "apostate churches." We can easily trace here the influences which were at work in the formation of Plymouthism. Irving looked on the University of London as "the synagogue of Satan." Some of the Irvingite prophets when "under the power," as it was called, would denounce the Church of England as Babylon. When not "under the power" they would speak in favor of this church. One Baxter, an Irvingite prophet, would denounce the Church of England when "under the power," whilst in his more solier moments, after being liberated from "the power," he would with his pen support this same church. The prophets them- selves, when questioned, declared that they could not explain this strange phenomenon. But, of course, had they been able to explain it, it might not have been thought divine. Its very singularity and mystery would only have given additional zest and relish to the whole aspect of things as viewed by a number of the people of the time. No wonder if some people who unfortunately became enamoured of such a state of things, should come to look upon universities, which tended to make men's minds more sober and rational, as mere " synagogues of Satan." The pleasures and profits of delusion and fanaticism are endangered by such institutions as universities, and by such things as learning, theology, Confessions of faith, a trained ministry, etc., all of which were so hateful to the Irvingites, and are so distasteful also to the Brethren. False Predictions of Irvingite Prophets. On one occasion Irving, along with his apostles and prophets, were cruelly hoaxed by a pretended deputy from another congregation, alleged to Vje like their own, somewhere in the States. This deputy was received by Irving's whole college with open arms. A prophet announced it as a revelation from heaven, that a deputation should be appointed to visi'; their brother's congregation across the water. To cross " the herring pond " was then by no means so brief a trip as now. So the members of the de[iutation would have had abund- IM. FALSE PREDICTIONS OF IRVINGITE PROPHETS. 17 ;s, who had i. little, and ngues," had ler although ' elsewhere, led. Irving jd, notwith- top the work \ came to be ongregation. to enlighten to sej)arate ^e can easily formation of don as "the ^hen "under I of England uld speak in ophet, would er," whilst in le power," he ophets them- e.xplain this le to explain igularity and to the whole of the time, namoured of •sities, which lal, as mere delusion and ■ersities, and th, a trained ites, and are ophets, were ongregation, This deputy A prophet tation should s the water, brief a trip 1 had abund- ance of time to regale their spirits with the poetry of sky and ocean. But, alas, this would likely have been the best part of the trip. After arriving in " Uncle Sam's Land," and making diligent search, the deputation found that their brother's congregation could nowhere be located. So they had to retrace their steps, sadder, but it is to be feared, not any wiser men, for the strange infatuation still kept its hold. The people were promised by Irving and his prophets, that if they would only separate from Babylon, there would be an abundant out- pouring upon them of the Holy Spirit. Needless to say, the promise was never kept. To free themselves from the appearance of being promise breakers, the people who left the churches at the bidding of the prophets, were told to believe that the outpouring had actually taken place, even though they saw no signs of it. What, indeed, could be the use of faith unless it could look into the unseen 1 Does the Christian not live by faith and not by sight ? The Brethren also make liberal promises of this kind to those who are willing to join them. But then, as with the Irvingites, the proof of the promises being kept is carefully stowed away into the region of faith. One cautious Brother writes as follows on the subject of " gifts " in the Plymouth form of the Church : — " In answer to the objection, ' I do not see it, I do not see gift in the Church now,' one might remark, that is scarcely the ground of faith. It is better to question our own perception than the faithful- ness of Cod." Just so. You ought to believe that you cannot see, that you lack faith, rather than imagine that the Holy Spirit is not among the Brethren. It will next follow, as a matter of course, that whatever the Plymouth preacher tells you, comes directly from the Holy Spirit. This is the short and convenient cut the Brethren take to prove their doctrines right. In this way one could easily prove anytiiing right. Thus ordinary Bretiiren are apt to be hoodwinked by their leaders. It is not the first time })eople imagined themselves free when they were in bondage. (John viii. .33.) This is how the Romish Church and bondage. manages to keep her ordinary members in darkness She induces them to take her unsupported word, and prevents them, if possible, thinking for themselves. Irving was at length deposed from the Christian ministry of his church. But what could deposition by a branch of Babylon be to him l)ut a real honor ! He was soon re-ordained by one of his own apostles, at the bidding of one of his prophets, inspired professedly from heaven. These prophets could appai-ently obtain any kind of message they wanted from heaven, just as the Brethren interpreters seem able to bring anything they want out of the Jiible. Neither Irving nor his college seemed to read aright the lesson which the deputation's trip across the Atlantic was calculated to teach. Irving was by and by informed by one of his prophets that there came a message from heaven, directing him to repair to Scotland, for he had there to perform a mighty work of reformation. He, of 2 18 HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. course, at once set out, but died very soon thereafter, and before the great work had been begun by him. Here again there was a flat contradiction of the prophet's oracle. But when once a people are wedded to fanatical notions, it would seem impossible to disillu- sionize them and sever the tie. PiuNciPAL Cunningham on Irvingism and Montanism. The peculiar conceptions of the Brethren regarding the manner in which the Holy Spirit " uses " their speakers at their meetings, have had a fair working trial among the Montanists and the Irvingites, as well as among other similarly minded people, and history exhibits the results. Both the Bible and Providence warn us against their ship- wrecking rocks. The late Dr. W. Cunningham, successor to the famous Dr. Chalmers as Principal of the Free Church College, Edinburgh, Scot- land, and Professor of Church History in that college, has some in- structive remarks in his "Historical Theology" (Vol. I., pp. 162, 163), comparing ancient Montanism with the extravagances about " gifts " which have just been noticed. Principal Cunningham writes as follows : — "I do not recollect anything in the history of the Church so Hi e Montanism in all its leading features, as one remarkable syst' a which we have seen rise, decline, and in a great measure fall, in our day. ... In both cases there was, along with a professed sub- jection to Scripture, and an attempt to defend themselves by its statements, a claim to supernatural and miraculous communications of the Spirit, and a large measure of practical reliance upon these pretended communications for the warrant and sanction of their notions and practices. In both there were the same perversions of the same passages of Scripture to countenance these pretensions. In both there was the same assumption of superior knowledge and piety, and the same compassionate contempt for those who did not embrace their views and join their party, and the same ferocious denunciation of men who actively opposed their pretensions as the enemies of God and the despisers of the Holy Ghost, and the same tone of predicting judgments on the community because it' rejected their claims. . , . These modern exhibitions of fanatical folly and unwarranted preten- sions to supernatural communications- would have scarcely excited so much surprise, or produced so great a sensation, as they did in this country in recent times, if men had been better acquainted with the history of the Church, and with the previous exhibitions of a similar kind, especially if they had been familiar with the history of ancient Montanism." Any one acquainted with the spirit and views of Plymouthism may easily discern in the foregoing description how applicable all the remarks made therein are to this system. The Brethren pervert the same passages of Scripture as did their precursors ; they make special pretensions to the guidance of the Holy Spirit ; and the predictions I * M. IRVINGISM, MORMONISM, ROMANISM AND PLYMOUTHISM. 19 before the was a flat people are to disillu- VNISM. manner in etings, have rvingites, as exhibits the b their ship- famous Dr. burgh, Scot- iias some in- p. 162, 163), )OUt "gifts" m writes as lurch so li-> e able syst' a •e fall, in our Irofessed sub- selves by its :imunications ! upon these ion of their erversions of ;ensions. In ge and piety, not embrace denunciation mies of God of predicting ims. . . • anted preten- rcely excited ey did in this ted with the of a similar ry of ancient Plymouthism icable all the ■n pervert the make special le predictions of judgments rise to the lips of many of them with seeming sponta- neity and relish, as if the wish were parent to the thought, when any one opposes their system, and seeks to point out its errors. How different this spirit which is always ready to pronounce judgments on opponents, from the spirit of our Lord, who prayed even for His crucifiers, and wept when Ho had to announce doom. There is often more of the spirit of Cain manifested by those who are ready to pro- nounce judgments than there is of the spirit of Christ. luVINGlSM, MoRMONISM, RoMANISM AND PlYMOUTHISM. Reports of Irving's sayings and doings spread to other countries. It was when Irvingism was at its height in Britain, that Smith, the bankrupt farmer, latterly of Nauvoo, Illinois, the fou')de»'of Mormon- ism, pretended to have had conversations with angels, revelations from heaven, and certain spectacles miraculously given him where- with to decipher some heavenly documents discovered by him. Notwithstanding the profligate and scandalous life of this man, yet he found multitudes to believe him. What will some people not believe ! Thus was Mormonism founded, with its heterogeneous medley of prophets, apostles, heavenly revelations, mingled with lusts, homicides, and polygamy. Romanism, Irvingism, Mormonism, and Plymouthism, appear to be closely related. They have each a different outward organization but a kindred spirit. The fact is that Plymouthism professes to have no organization at all. It is thus like a spirit without a body, whilst tl»e other three religions are highly organized systems. But the spirit animating such systems may be quite akin, whilst the formal manner of expressing this spirit may be quite diverse among them. Plymouthism may be regarded as disembodied Irvingism, or Roman- ism. And it would not be very difficult to show that Romanism is an amalgamated system of heathenism and Christianity. The late Professor Duncan, Edinburgh, once said, " Puseyism a carcass, Plymouthism a ghost." He said so because the one wanted a soul, and the other wants a body. Each of the four .systems named claims for itself to be the only true church of Christ on earth. The pretensions of Romanism and Plymouthism in this direction are well known. Those of ^lormon- isin are no less pronounced. The State of Utah, America, is the great home of Mormonism. The Presbyterians of this State quite recently drew up " Nine Reasons why Christians cannot fellowship the Mormon Clmrch." These " Reasons " were endorsed bv the Baptist and Congregational Associations of Utah (1897-1898). The first of the " Reasons " is as follows : — " The Mormon Church un-churches all other Christians. It recog- nizes itself alone as the Church. From the beginning to the present time it has insisted, from press and platform, that all other Christian Churches, of whatever name, nation, or century, since apostolic times, are not only apostate from the truth, but propagators of error 20 HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM and false doctrine, without authority to teach, preach or administer the sacraments ; that salvation and exaltation are found alone in the Church organized by Joseph Smith." Could not the Brethren recognize part of their features in this mirror? For the words, "The Mormon," at the beginning of the paragraph, and for the words, "Joseph Smith " at the end, substi- tute the terms, "The Brethren," and we shall still have a true descrip- tion in every respect. Notwithstanding the kindred spirit animating the systems men- tioned, there appears to be no love lost between them. Possibly this happens on the same principle as that which prevents selfish men loving each other. Each system fights and clamors for supremacy and exclusive privilege, which it cannot easily secure as long as there is another sj'stem, just like it, eagerly clamoring for the same things. The Brethren regard the Komish Church as " the mistress of harlots." All other denominations are, of course, the harlots themselves. Irvingites say about Mormonism that it is " only the devil's caricature " of themselves. SM administer alone in the ires in this ning of the end, suljsti- :rue descrip- :stems nien- ?ossibly this selfish men ' supremacy ong as there r the same the mistress the harlots 3 " only the I III. HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. (Continued.) ORiciiXATiNG Point of Plymoutiiism. ONE of the numerous meetings of Irving's time, fostered, no doubt, by Irvingism, and held for the purpose of studying the Scripture prophecies relating to the Second Coming of Christ, was that held in a private room in Dublin, Ireland. Prominent at this meeting was one Mr. A. N. Groves, once a dentist in Plymouth, England, and now studying for the Christian ministry. As frequently happens with those who begin to conduct religious meetings not under the auspices of their church, Groves soon came to differ from some of the doctrines of his church, and therefore could not sign his church's creed. Possibly he therefore conceived a dislike for all creeds. None hate creeds like those who want license for their views, whilst they at the same time wish to continue members of a religious body from whom they feel they differ in opinions on some fundamental points. Groves' change of views seemed to stand in the way of his ever re- ceiving ordination from his church. Then he began to think that ordination was not re(iuired for preaching the Gospel. Next he came to think that it was not required for dispensing the Lord's Supper. He soon persuaded his meeting to believe the same things. Then he began to dispense the Lord's Supper among the people of the meeting every Sabbath. This was the direct origin of the Brethren's weekly communion. But let it be particularly noted that neither Groves himself, nor any of the people of the meeting, had any in- tention whatever at this time of severing their connection with the churches to which they severally belonged. But once evil and the root of bitterness spring up connected with a church, it is often diffi- cult, sometimes impossible, to eradicate them ere the many are defiled. Darby the Divider. Groves soon left for the East. Shortly thereafter — that is, a little over sixty years ago — one Mr. J. N. Darby, a curate in the Irish Episcopal Church, and who had been attending the meetings already alluded to, quarrelled with his bishop because the latter would not admit of converted Romanists joining the Church unless they first took the oath of supremacy, swearing allegiance to the English sovereign. Darby at once severed his connection with his church, and began uttering terrible tirades in public against the system of ^ 22 HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. appointing clergymen to have jurisdiction over the religious interests of the people of any particular districts. Up to the time of Darby's quarrel with his bishop, members of churches might communicate at the meetings already alluded to with- out severing their connection with their churches. But this liberty ceased after the quarrel. Darby soon remodelled his doctrines, and all for the worse. Groves was very sorry when he heard of the separation of members from their churches. If there had been no Darby there had been no Plymouthism. Plymouthism began in quarrelling and self-will, and these features have been prominent ones in the system ever since. The Brethren will not brook the rule even of the moral law itself, not to speak of their antipathy to church government. Darby went to Switzerland, and there broke up several Methodist congregations. "God," he said, "had not given him Germany " ! lie was four times in Canada. On his return from Switzerland he broke up the congregation of Brethren, ministered to by one Newton, in Plymouth, England, because it too much re- sembled the churches in organization, and also because he considered Newton unsound on the question of prophecy. A minority, however, still held by Newt^n, and came to be called the Neutral, or Open Brethren. Darby's Tollowers came to be known as the Exclusives, or Close Brethren. Darby next went through the country, excommunicating all the Brethren who sided with Newton. Here was the same man. Darby, who promptly quitted his church because he could not brook the will of another on a single point. How often does it happen that domi- neering men cannot tolerate any of the rule of another. After this there was continual quarrelling among the Exclusives, followed by rupture after rupture, until at the present time there are no less than five main divisions of Brethren, with ever so many subdivisions. It ought to be noted that a considerable number of church mem- bers who were at first allured into the movement, afterward returned, sadder but wiser people, and none spoke harder words than they did of the new system. Mr. Newton was one of the number. It may be also mentioned that the body carae to be called the Plymouth Brethren, because, in reference to a certain matter, the Bre^hren in the town of Plymouth, England, ventured on a certain occasion to tender some advice to the Brethren in Ireland, and the latter implied in true Brethren style, "We will not be overruled by the Plymouth Brethren." Reformation the Duty, not Separation. Now let a few things be noticed in connection with this movement of Darby and his coadjutors in having left their churchc?, and in en- deavoring to get others also to leave. The sin of schism, or the rending of the body of Christ, is one of the very worst of which any one could be guilty in connection with the Church of Christ. There may be circumstances when a man may find it his duty to leave a SM. REFORMATION THE DUTY, NOT SEPARATION. iU8 interests members of (led to with- this liberty ctrines, and eard of the lad been no n began in minent ones he rule even y to church :e up several given him return from linistered to )0 much re- e considered ity, however, •al, or Open Ixclusives, or iting all the man, Darby, rook the will 1 that domi- After this 'oUowed by no less than visions. lurch mem- rd returned, lan they did called the matter, the on a certain nd, and the verruled by s movement , and in en- ism, or the : which any rist. There to leave a particular congregation, although this happens much niore seldom than some would appear to think. Mut if a man think it his duty to leave a particular congregation, it gr'nurally is also his duty to do so quietly. 15ut jjow often, alas ! does a man leave merely l)ecause he cannot get to rule in matters where he wishes to rule ; ajul, not con- tent with leaving himself, he tries to do all the evil he can by seeking to sow seeds of bitterness, discontent, and faction, among the other iiienibers of tiie church or congregation. Kvery movement of wliich we have any account, resulting eventu- ally in separation from a church, and which appeared to have lieen attended with divine blessing, was characten ';ed by earnest en- deavors to have the church reformed ere it was di cided that separa- tion was nece.s^ary. Noah and Lot separated on'y by express divine conniiand froiH a company about whose wickedness there could be no dubiety. They separated, moreover, only after protracted endeavors had been unsuccessfully made in each case to luive the needful re- form effected. Among the ancient Jews there were reformations in the tiuies of Samuel, David, Solomon, Asa, Jehosaphat, Hezekiah, and .Josiah. All tiiesc were effected by agencies within the common- wealth. Only once did separation take place within the Jewish commonwealth, and, as in the other cases mentioned, it occurred only by express divine ordering, and only after unsuccessful endeavors had l)een made to have the needful reforms effected. Above all, let our Lord's treatment of the extremely corrupt Jewish Church of His time be noted. Corrupt as she was. He did not separate from hor. On the contrary. He was usually present at her various religious festivals, attended her synagogues regularly, took part in the services, and ceased not his efforts at reforming this apostate church, until she herself came at length to witness against her terrible state, and to .seal her own condemnation, by crucifying Him. And, marvellous to relate, even after all this. He directed thrt another effort still Vje made to reform tlie Church that had cruci6od Him, for He commanded that the gospel be first of all proclaimed at Jerusalem. Let the ceaseless efforts of our Lord, His tender appeals, His faithfulness, and His long-suffering towards what we may call the high-handed His own church (John i. 11), be contrasted with church(!S on the part of the originators of separation from their Plymouthism. All the churches of wliich we read in the New Testament had corrupt members, especially the Church in Corinth and the churches in Asia (Rev. i., ii.). Yet there is not one word counselling separa- tion from churches in all the New Testament. There are some dozen advices given to the churches in Asia, yet not a single word can be found among them for Christians to separate from any of them. But there are many distinct and emphatic warnings in the New Testa- ment against separations, and also against those who make separa- tions. The texts usually quoted by the Brethren by way of urging people to come out of the churches, are most unwarrantably and culpably applied. The Brethren's texts are only /pretexts. In the u HISTOHICAL CHARACTEItlSTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. matter of separation from churches, as in much else, the Hrethren would make the New Testament teach the exact opposite of what it actually does teach. At the coinmencement of the Ueforniation, the reformers used all legitimate means in their power to liave the Church of Home reformed before it was decided that separation was necessary. Luther himself wrote letter after letter to the Pope, couched in the most respectful, and even affectionate, terms, setting forth the corrupt state of the Church, and pressing for the needful reforms. He, moreover, before separation, availed himself of every opportunity for discussion with thost! theologians of that church who were considered the most emi- nent. In fact, he ceased not his efforts at reforming the Romish Church until she herself at length excommunicated him, thus imitating his Lord's example. The Free Church of Scotland had a "Ten Years' Conflict" irithin the Established Church, seeking reform, era .she decided that separa- tion was necessary. Ami even after she did separate, she still adhered to the same Confession of Faith as she had had in the Church she had left; and she declared that although she "had (juitted a vitiated Kstablishment," she was "still ready to return to a pure one." J)arl)y'8 separation was, in every essential feature, at the very opposite pole from this one. He separated at once, on the very slightest provoca- tion, and on a point also on which probably the majority would say he was wrong ; he separated in a high-handed manner, sought to break up all the churches, and he set al)out recasting all his doctrines. The two sections that ultimately united to form the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland also made endeavors to reform the Established Church ere they left it. They were, indeed, excommuni- cated, and Wesley and Whitefieid had the doors of the English Church closed against them on account of their endeavors from within to effect what they believed to be a reform of that church. If Darby and his coadjutors considered their churches to be wrong in their ecclesiastical polity, cold or corrupt in the life or doctrine of their members, their duty ought to have been plain. The best of churches are subject to errors of various kinds, and to periods of coldness and deadness. But it is Just then that living members are needed most of all to work and pray within their pale. Many, how- ever, would seek to have their tires burning only where there is already plenty of heat, and to hang up their lamps only where there is already an abundance of light. But let it be particularly noted, that it is by no means here assumed, either that the churches in question specially needed reform in Darby's day ; or even if they did, that Darby or his coadjutors were suitable agents to effect that reform. I i ^^ SM. le Brethren i of what it era used all lie reformed ther hiinself ■j respectful, itate of the over, before :us8ion with e most emi- the Homish him, thus lict " within that sepani- still adhered irch she had i a vitiated B." Darby's pposite pole est provoca- y would say ", sought to is doctrines, the United reform the excommuni- lish Ciiurch hin to ert'ect to be wrong doctrine of The best of periods of embers are Many, how- re there is where there larly noted, 3iiurches in I'en if they effect that IT. niSToliiCAL CUAHACTEJilSTias of I'LYMoUrillsM. (Cuntiniiid.) Pl.YMOUTMISM i-rrmin TlIE ClirKCIIES OF TIIK RkKOHM ATION. EACH of the great branches of the Protestant Church regards the other liranches as sister churches of Christ. .Although there ^ire (litlerences between them as regards church government, and on comparatively minor points of doctrine, yet they do not regard each other as Babylon. Plymouthism can by no means take rank as one of the churches. It dillers root and branch from thent all, and it looks upon and treats them all as liabylon. The diH'erences between, or the variety among, the churches mentioned, are far from resembling the chasm which separates Plymouthism trom the churches, and that also which separates, in feeling at least, some sections of the Brethren themselves from other sections of them. There is not much difference among the various sections of the J'rethren aa regards the doctrines and church principles which separate them all from the churches. But between themselves the Brethren differ strongly on such points as that already mentioned as having separated Darby from Newton. Divisions have occurred among them from one meeting receiving the e.\communicated members of another, and from some sections holding open communion. There liave been known to have been as many as five different meet- ings of Brethren in one district, and each meeting refusing to recognize any of the other meetings as composed of Christians. Yet the Brethren keep constantly ringing the changes on their pet sayings: "The one body and the one spirit," "Separation from evil is God's principle of unity," and "All sectarianism is sin." Why are the Bketiibkn not Rcman Catholics? We might take every branch of the Protestant Church, one by one and show in the case of each the overwhelming strength of the probability that it is right as against Plymouthism. But to simplify procedure, let us take the Presbyterian Church alone as representing all others in this matter. Let it be noted, then, in the first place, that the doctrines of every section of this church with regard to the Person and work of Christ, faith, repentance, regeneration, sanctitication, sin, the Holy Spirit, the moral law, the method of salvation and the ultimate condition of the saints of the Old Dispensation, the Lord's day, the civil magistrate, 2G HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. the Second Advent, church organization and government, creeds, ordination, office-bearers, an educated ministry, etc., are substantially the doctrines of the Reformation. But the Brethren differ radically from this church on every one of these fundamental doctrines and church principles. Why are the Brethren not Roman Catholics ? As we shall presently see, Plymouthism resembles Romanism far more closely than it resembles the Protestant churches of to-day. All the signs of intelligence, and all th capacity for Scripture interpretation, that have yet appeared among t j Brethren, would not warrant the belief, humanly speaking, that they themselves would have over been able to deduce from Scripture the special doctrines of the Refor- mation. The Brethren profess to l>e thankful for the great work of the Reformation, and yet they do all they can to oppose and nullify its results. Was the Reformation a Mistake'? If Plymouthism is right, the reformers must have been all under strong delusion. All t^eir persevering labors, their prevailing prayers, mighty faith, and great courage, and all the prayers made, both in public and private, by thousands upon thousands for the success of their great work, must have been far worse than in vain, for it was out of their great work that the doctrines and church prinoiples of the present Protestant churches came to be formulated. If the Brethren are right, instead of the Reformation being, as Protestants usually suppose, a mighty, signal, and divine Avork, it was only an ill-advisf d, unseemly, misdirected, and sinful strife, grevious in its process and results to the Holy Spirit. When Luther declared that he could not get on without three hours of prayer daily, how mistaken he must have been, especially in supposing he got any answers to his prayers. The proof that he got no answers must be, according *o the Brethren, that he set forth such doctrines in his efforts to interpret Scripture — doctrines that in all fundamental points are in entire disagreement with the doctrines of Plymouthism. How answerable, in the Brethren's view, must Luther and all the great reformers have been for their mischievous work, on which nothing but the present Babylon could have been erected, with all its paraphernalia of creeds, officebearers, and detailed organization ! The ringleaders of a wicked movement are usually punished more severely than their followers. So in the Brethren's view, Luther, Calvin, and John Knox, must now be where the Roman Catholics believe thetn to be. Romanists and Plyraouthists must be at one here as in much else. If the Brethren's views are right, the upshot of all the labor3 and prayers of the reformers was the leading of the people out of one Babylon merely for the purpo.se of conducting them into another, and forming them into veritable synagogues of Satan, which the Brethren have been specially ordained to pull down. I IISM. THE PROBABILITIES BALANCED. 2r nient, creeds, substantially iffer radically doctrines and 'atholics ] As ism far more lay. All the iiterpretation, ; warrant the ave ever been )f the Refor- »reat work of le and nullify een all under ir prevailing irayers made, sands for the than in vain, s and church )e formulated. ion being, as ^ine work, it sinful strife, SVhen Luther prayer daily, g he got any /ers must be, trines in his fundamental lymouthisni. and all the :, on which 3ted, with all organization ! nished more iew, Luther, lan Catholics be at one e labors and out of one another, and the Brethren ■'4 men of eminent learning, So far as I an able to the Christian world since synod of more excellent The Plymouth Brethren versus The Westminster Divines. About the middle of the seventeenth century, 150 of the mo.st em- inent, pious, learned, and gifted ministers and laymen who could be found in (ireat Britain and Ireland, were appointed to i.ieet at West- minster, England, for prayer, consultation, and the study of God's Word. They continnrd to hold meetings day after day for about tive years, having met about 1,163 times within this period. Richard Baxter says : — "The divines there congregated were godliness, and ministerial ability. . judge from the information of all history, ths days of the apostles had never a divines." Many similar testimonies could also be given. Now the Standards of the Presbyterian Church, including her Confession of Faith and Catechisms, are the ree alts of the protracted and prayerful delibera- tions of these divines, who had before them for study, not only the Word of (3od itself, but also all previously published standards of faith p''ofo2sedly deduced from it, including those of the Reformation period. Let it also be noted, that ever since the Presbyterian Standards were compiled, they have been accepted with substantial unanimity by every generation o( Presbyterians throughout the world, as accurately setting forth the teaching of God's Word on all the sub'ects embraced in them. And, besides, the greatest Protestant theologians in Christendom, and the most eminent scholars who have studied the Scriptures, are practically unanimous in the opinion, that if the Bible, as it stamfs, is to be accepted as the Word of God, no essential change can ever be made in any one of the great body of reformed doctrines, as these are set forth in the Westminster Standards. The Prouaiulities Balanced. Is there a probability of one to a million, or to many millions, that all the eminent, talented, pious, and learned students of the Bible in all ages since the days of the apostle.s, including the reformers and Westminster divines, were wrong — not wrong, be it observed, on mere minor details, but radically wrong on all the cardinal doctrines of God's Word, and that the individual man Darby got a flood of light from the Holy Spirit as soon as he quarrelled with his bishop? As already noticed, had there been no Darby there probably had been no Plymouth Brethren. It is very remarkable, moreover, that the doctrines professed to have been discovered by this man, were, and are still, considered by the Brethren to be so plainly set forth in Scripture, that they seem to marvel that the very simplest of the people do not see them to be so. The great Dr. Chalmers must have been entirely deluded on what the most illiterate Brother can explain in a moment, and will wonder why the humblest member in Babylon cannot t:Se the point. ■28 HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. What perverted judgments the reformers must have had, and the Westminster divines, and students of the Bible in every age since the apostolic period down to the times of Darby's quarrel with his liishop ! How blind must have been all Bible interpreters ever since, •the Plymouth Brethren ones alone excepted ! Who or what could have bewitched them all 1 The solution of the mystery will not seem so difficult when it is known that every moderately well-informed student of church history, both in Darby's time and ever since, could easily have recognized every tenet of Darbyism, with the exception of its strange doctrine of perfection, as merely an old and exploded heresy, resurrected and dressed up, and sought to be palmed oft' on the unthinking and uninformed part of tlie public as the revelations of a specially spiritually-minded people. The Plymouth doctrine of •perfection, which teaches that one can be holy with the holiness of another, was too ridiculous even for the heretics of any previous age until the rise of the Brethren. If a dozen long columns of figures were to be given to 150 chartered accountants — we should say rather to many thousands of such accountants in each of twoscore generations — to sum up, and all these skilled men obtained the very same results ; and afterwards some nondescript came along and added up the same dozen columns, and found a result for each column totally diSerent from the results obtained by all the skilled accountants, what person in possession of ordinary sanity of mind would be likely ^o imagine that the non- descript was probably right, and all the tr.iined and skilled counters wrong — wrong in every column 1 But let it be further supposed that the stranger explained to the skilled accountants, or that they them- selves observed, his methods of counting, and that they at once perceived that his mistakes were such as men ignorant of counting often commit, as, for instance, placing units under tens, and tens under hundreds, then the absolute certainty of the self-confident man being inexcusably wrong, would be at once apparent even to very tyros in counting. So the snares into which the Brethren have fallen in their attempts at Scripture interpretation for the enlightenment of the public, are snares that are well known to ever}' moderately well- equipped Bible interpreter. The Brethren ought to be thankful if they should come to understand as much of the Bible as will be «ftective in their own salvation individually, which it is doubtful that they do understand, unless they are much better than their creed, and should refrain from seeking to interpret the W^ord of God for the puV)lic benefit until they are better fitted for the important work. Tf we could suppose the Brethren to be right, then all the praise and thanks ever ascribed to God for the work of the great reformers, and for that of the Westminster divines, and for all the conversions of sinners, and the revivals of religion in the churches founded, fostered, or perpetuated by these reformers or divines, were only such abominations in the divine ear as were the services and offerings of old in the divine sight, when He declared that His soul hated them. (Isaiah i). But if, in the Brethren's view, the work of the reformers, and that of the other divines mentioned, did really receive the divine ilSM. THE PROBABILITIES BALANCED. 29^ had, and the ery age since trrel with his irs ever since, or what could will not seem well-informed ir since, could the exception and exploded palmed off on ;ie revelations th doctrine of le holiness of ■ previous age 150 chartered ,nds of such I up, and all nd afterwards ozen columns, )m the results possession of that the non- Killed counters supposed that at they them- they at once t of counting ens, and tens confident man even to very sn have fallen ghtenment of derately well- thankful if e as will be doubtful that their creed, God for the fint work. 11 the praise jat reformers, e conversions hes founded, ere only such I offerings of hated them, he reformers, ve the divine blessing, then it must, one should think, be a perplexing riddle to them, if any religious question can possibly be so to them, that this blessing should have been accorded to the reforjners, since a very great part of their work was carried on by means of those things which the Brethren call "man-made creeds." More especially must it be an insoluble mystery to the Brethren, that the Westminster divines should have obtained the divine blessing on their labors, since the very object of all their protracted and prayerful work was none other than the compilation of a creed. And if the reformers secured and enjoyed the divine blessing on their work, how is it that the churches founded on the very basis laid down from Sciipture by tliese reformers could be regarded as Babylon 1 The doctrines of the reformed faith are still the doctrines of the modern Protestant churches. There have been conversions in all the modern churches. And our Lord intimated that no man who could work a miracle in His name could lightly speak evil of Him, and ought, therefore, to be regarded as on His side. Paul appealed to the Corinthian Christians as being a seal of his apostleship. He desired Timothy to make full proof of his ministry, which implied his seeking the same kind of seal as Paul himself had enjoyed of having the divine blessing on his work. The Brethren watch for the converts of the churches, in which circumstance it is implied that they believe the modern churches are the means under God of making converts. How, then, can the Brethren regard these churches as they dol Probably as the Pharisees regarded our Lord when they questioned the man whose eyes had been opened. " How opened he thine eyes?" queried they. And when they heard, they "said unto him, Give glory to (iod ; we know that this man is a sinner." So would the Jirethren seem to say to the church converts: (Jive glory to God . we know that the men who have been the means of converting you are sinners in doomed Babylon. (John ix.) At the present day, the light which, as the Bretliren must think, was hid from the reformers, the Westminster divines, and from all lUble readers and students in every post-apostolic generation until the day of Dai'by's (juarrel with his bisliop, and hid from all ever since, the Brethren alone excepted, can professedly be made as plain as A, 1), C, by any one of the humblest of tract writers or preachers belonging to the Brethren. The Westminster divines, and the reformers Ix'fore them, might toil on, agonizing in prayer for spiritual guidance, and for the help of the promised Spirit.of truth, and might labor all their lives in the study of (iod's Word, and in the case of the Westminster divines might do so unitedly for live long years, and after all, remain entirely in the dark on what an itinerant Mrother can make plain on the spur of the moment, at a chance meeting, and with positively no previous preparation. Wlidt reply can we suppose the Brethren would be likely to make regaidiiig all this weight of presumptive evidence against them? Possibly they would aver that they alone are Spirit-guided. We shall consider this reply presently, when we come to treat of the Brethren's lack of credentials. V. HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. {Continued.) Plymouthism is without a Creed. ■^ $ »_■■ s T HE Brethren are said to glory in the fact of their having no formal creed. They object to creeds just as they do to a " man- made ministry." They often also sneer at what they call " human theology." It may sound very "catchy" in the ears of some to hear it said : " We have no creed but the Bible." This cry would seem to indicate that in the opinion of those whose cry it is, the religious bodies that have formal creeds put mere human compositions in place of the Bible. This is a very short-sighted view. A creed, or Confession of Faith, is simply the doctrines and church principles set forth in an orderly manner that those, whose creed or Confession it is, believe to be contained in Scripture. We cannot give our religious views at all without giving as much of our creed as we give of our views, unless, indeed, we give a reason for the hope that is in us, and confess the Lord Jesus with the mouth, by merely quoting verses of Scripture. We could never speak nor write on religious subjects without giving our creed. Even when a man opposes all creeds, in the very words in which he does this he is giving his creed. And if our religious beliefs as to the general tenor of Scripture teaching are to be given at all, it is surely better to do this in an orderly manner, ■each subject under its suitable heading, rather than treat of these subjects confusedly. A man writing on farming would surely better write in proper and intelligent order, rather than write, say, one sentence on raising oats, the next on feeding cattle, and the following one on breeding poultry, etc. But when we thus set forth our religious beliefs in an orderly manner, we are just setting forth our creed, or Confession of Faith. The Serviceableness of Creeds. The Brethren do not seem to be aware of the great service which has been rendered to the Church of Christ in every age of it by the publications of creeds or Confessions of Faith, In the early part of our era certain heathen philosophers sought to capture Christianity for the support and service of their philosophies. Thus many who had embraced the Christian faith were placed in eminent jeopardy. It happened also, at the same time, that enemies of Christianity were THE SERVICEABLENESS OF CREEDS. )UTHISM. their having no • do to a " man- y call " human hear it said : eem to indicate )us bodies that n place of the r Confession of let forth in an it is, believe to religious views of our views, us, and confess ses of Scripture. ejects without creeds, in the creed. And if e teaching are »rderly manner, treat of these d surely better write, say, one id the following th our religious h our creed, or ; service which e of it by the 3 early part of re Christianity !'hus many who inent jeopardy, ristianity were constantly misrepresenting Christians as the foes of their country, and as meeting together to plot against their country's government. Moreover, it often happened that persons of scandalous lives assumed the name of Cliristians, in order to enjoy the credit that was accorded the latter by right-thinking people. Such assumptions could be made by false professors, and thus much discredit brought on Cliristianity, as long as it was not known what were the precise beliefs of Christians. Romanists sought to stop the work of the Reformation l)y tactics similar to those followed by the early enemies of Christianity. The reformers were misrepresented as to their views and motives. The publication of the Confessions of the Christians' truf faith was the obvious, and under C4od, the effective, remedy for these various evils. Protestant creeds were amongst the most mighty weapons honored by God in fighting the battles of the Reformation. Those, therefore, who call themselves Protestants, and who despise Confessions of Faith, prove tiiemselves to be neither very enlightened, nor very grateful, in connection with one of the most signal means by which their precious heritage was won. In tiie early ages of Christianity, the Church used to meet heresies originating within her own pale, by publishing, after much delibera- tion and discussion on the points at issue, i-neir Confessions of Faith on these points. In this way many precious truths about Christ's natures, His will, and His work, as well as truths about the Holy Spirit, truths also about man's guilt, depravity, inability, and kindred sabjects, were elicited from Scripture, and handed down to us as a precious heritage. God thus seemed to use certain junctures in His providence for the purpose of calling attention to the expediency — the necessity, we should rather say — of having certain truths clearly defined by the Church, and set forth in a systematic manner, not possiljle to be mistaken. If we are to judge from any intelligence, and any competency for Scripture interpretation, that have yet appeared among the Brethren, we may feel sure they could never have discovered these truths for themselves. They are indebted for what- ever they may possess of them to the labors, prayers, learning, piety, and Confessions of Faith, of men who were members of the churches that the Brethren call Babylon. The great majority of these men were " man-made " ministers, and every one of them countenanced the " one-man " ministry, and everything else which, in the eyes of the Brethren, is so sinful and grievous in doomed Babylon. It is a pity the Brethren could not appear for a little space before the public deprived of every good thing they have received from sources which they condemn as sinful and doomed. The spectacle would be instruc- tive. Whatever amount of truth the Brethren's creed may possess, they owe not to themselves, but to the churches, the creeds, learning, and men, that they despise. If the Brethren live under the blessings of a wise legislation, and of a Christian tone in the countries they inhabit, they owe these blessings also to the churches, the Christian ministry in these churches, and to the legislatures they despise. The Brethren do what they can to staunch the precious fountains ...i 32 HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. whence their blessings flow. What intelligence ! What consistency I What gratitude, and what usefulness to society, on the part of the persons who pose in our midst as the only true teachers of our civilizing, enlightening, gratitude-inspiring, elevating, saving, Chris- tian religion ! A properly drawn-up Confession of Faith, exhibiting the sense in which a body of people professing the Christian religion understands the general tenor of the teaching of God's Word, is requisite by that body for its religious freedom, and for its protection from imposition by heretical preachers — preachers of the kind belonging professedly even to the body itself. A preacher belonging professedly to a cer- tain religious body might hold in retentis, either consciously and clandestinely, or else unconsciously, several beliefs entirely at variance with those of tlie body to which he professedly belongs. Presumably if the members of that body knew that he entertained such beliefs, whether he preached them or not, they would not go to hear him. But unless he, in some suitable manner, expresses his adherence to a properly drawn-up confession of this religious body's faith, before he is allowed to preach with the sanction of the body, none of them can tell how many serious errors he may hold. He might preach these errors for a considerable time without detection. And even should he not teach them in public, he might do so in private, and with all the weight and influence which recognition as a preacher belonging to the body might give him. If he should one day in public give an address containing serious errors, even this one address might do irreparable damage. Along with other evils, it might be the means of splitting up the congregation. All the more likely would it do so, if the preacher had been for some time laboring acceptably in the district. Still more likely would the split occur, if he had been privately teach- ing his heresies before proclaiming them in public. Times innumerable have divisions occurred among the Brethren themselves from this very cause, until the main body has been literally shivered into countless fragments. The Worst Heretics have Said the Bible was their Creed 1 The Brethren say that their creed is the Bible. A Unitarian will agree to every word in the New Testament about Christ, and yet he believes our Lord to have been notliing more than a mere man. Socinians, Romanists, Arminians, and all the modern churches whom the Brethren think to be Babylon, profess to take their doctrines from the Bible. How do the Brethren feel so sure that they form the proper views of Scripture teaching, and that all the n.dern churches go so far astray in their endeavor to do the same i Jng ? Some of the greatest heretics that ever lived sought to '\ <'?nd their opinions by quoting the very words of Scripture. Satan .dself loves to quote Scripture in his own way, and for his own Ciids. The Jews that crucified our Lord professed to have Scripture on their side in their terrible deed. What evidence do we give as to our religious views by merely saying that our creed is the Bible ? M IISM. PLYMOUTH ATTITUDE TO THEOLOGY. 33 t consistency I B part of the .chers of our Chris- (aving, the sense in I understands lisite by that am imposition ig professedly sdly to a cer- nsciously and bIv at variance Presumably such beliefs, o to hear him. dherence to a lith, before he 5 of them can ; preach these i even should ,nd with all the slonging to the Tive an address do irreparable ns of splitting do so, if the n the district. )rivately teach- es innumerable ves from this shivered into THEIR Creed t Unitarian will ist, and yet he a mere man. dern churches to take their so sure that d that all the do the same ed sought to ipture. Satan i for his own have Scripture we give as to ;he Bible ? The Brethren imagine they enjoy a freedom that the religious bodies that have creeds do not possess. In this, however, they are mucli mistaken. There is no body of people so apt to be imposed upon, hoodwinked, priest-ridden, as the body that has no creed. In the Brethren's case the probability of imposition is immensely increased, since they profess to believe that their speakers are Spirit guided. If this statement be a problem for the Brethren, they ought to try to solve it, and do a little honest thinking. How is the public supposed to know that the meetings of the Brethren are not veritable traps, composed of those " who lie 'n wait to deceive " 1 It is not a sufficient guarantee that the Brethren them- selves say, " we are all honest people." Highwaymen, and robbers of the purse, as well as " robbers of the churches," will all sai/ they ar3 honest men. When a body of people virtually says to the public, " We do not tell you beforehand all the opinions we entertain about the cardinal doctrines of the Bible, but if you come to our meetings, and put yourselves under our teaching, we can guide you aright, and no other religious body can do so," the body saying so presumes not a little on the gullibility of certain sections of the public. Any such statements, either expressly made, or else plainly implied in what is asserted or done, are presumptuous and offensive in manner, suspicious in motive, and unjustifiable in morals. The Brethren make constant complaints about being misunderstood and misrepresented. The churches which have creeds have no such complaints to make. Does this latter fact never strike the Brethren as wonderful 1 Why don't the Brethren occupy the: time in compiling their creed from the Bible which is spent by them in continuous crying and wailing about their being misunderstood and misrepre- sented 1 Of course, if the Brethren make capital out of their com- plaints, they will be unwilling that this source of profit should be cut off. The Brethren are uninstructed enough to imagine that the religious bodies that liave creeds put these creeds in place of the Bible, and that somehow these creeds are intended to be forced on the acceptance of other people. Do the Brethren tiiemselves put their books in place of ihe Bible, or do they force the opinions in these books on other people '. It suits them evidently to misrepresent the churches. Do the Brethren never think that all the books of their own authors are nothing more nor less than creeds ? Plymouth Attitude to Theology. Brethren writers constantly sneer at theology, as they do at creeds, and yet they themselves have a theology just in the same sense as they have a creed. They speak slightingly of theological systems made by man, as if their own were made by angels. Gener- ally speakinjr, a theology is just a creed, with the reasons added to show why it is the creed of the compiler. Is there anything wroiif, in this 1 The Brethren profess to approve of comparing Scripture 3 ' "WUOMwaaa^M 34 HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. ■with Scripture, but they would seem to object to the results of such comparisons being set clown on paper for the benefit of others. And, moreover, what uliey thus complain of, they themselves do. What intelligence and consistency ! If any part of a theology does not represent properly the teaching of Scripture, the proper way to deal with this is to put what is wrong right, and not rail at all theology. Theology is just the system of ascertaining, and the orderly arrangement of, the truths given us in Scripture by the God of Scripture, just as other sciences are the systems of ascertaining, and the orderly arrangements of, truths given us in nature by nature's God. If it be asked why God has not arranged the truths of the Bible for us, and, if He has not done so, ought we not to be contented without any arrangements of these 1 we may reply by asking why has He not built our houses, bridges, and fences, for us, and labelled the bottles in the chemist's store 1 And if He has not done these things for us, ought we not to be content to do without them'? Why did not God himself keep and dress the garden of Eden 1 Why has He given man anything at all to do, since He could have done everything for him ? Do the Brethren go to nature, to flowers and plants, for their medicine, where the Creator first placed it, instead of their going to the chemist's store where medicines have been placed and arranged according to the science of chemistry 1 God has given man the materials, and intended that for his physical, mental, moral, and spiritual benefit he should work at thorn, arrange them, and use them. He has done precisely similar with t!:s truths of the Bible, and for similar reasons. But the enlightened Plymouth Brethren would seem to aim at thwarting this beneficent intention of Providence. The Brethren's dislike to creeds and theology, however, may show something worse than mere want of knowledge. It may be the outcome of sheer hatred to light. Some people do not like to be brought face to face with naked truth, because both their errors and their duties would then be made too manifest. They prefer the truth to be in a haze, so that they may feel more at lil)erty to form and teach whatever opinions they like about it, without their errors being so liable to detection. A man ignorant of chemistry might object to and dispute many of the most precious truths of the science, as long as the materials, and the truths connected with them, lay scattered about in nature where Providence originally placed them. But let the necessary materials be collected, arranged, and experimented on, and if the ignorant disputer have as much sense as will enable him to see the results, he will be confounded. But should he anticipate that by such a process some pet theory of his might be exposed, and proved false, and thus his honor, and perhaps his bread, be at stake, unless he be an honest man he will likely object strongly to the whole science of chemistry. He will urge that we should go to nature itself for our truths. He will so urge merely because he wishes himself to go there, where they are hid, and bring them out, ■^ PLYMOUTH ATTITUDE TO THEOLOGY. 35 by any method, and with any results, pleasing to him. He would wish that people would forget that it is to nature that chemistry does actually go for her truths. But she goes there with system, order, and intelligence, not with mere emotions and preconceptions, and she goes there with a knowledge of previous results obtained by workers in the same field. And if the objector be ignorant of all these things, and too lazy to labor to understand them, he will, of course, go on still to object. The world is full of objectors of this class. Better to object, they think, than lose both their craft and their credit. Every quack doctor loves to run down the properly qualified medical man. The Brethren would no doubt find themselves hampered in seeking to carry out what they imagine to be their special mission did they publish their creed. The Jesuits hate creeds, and so do all proselytiz- ing bodies. The Romish Church resisted the publication of her creed as long as she could. It was the necessity she felt of keeping pace with tlie reformers that induced her to publish her creed. Those who commit the evil of lying in wait for the members of other churches hate the light of creeds, just as other evil-doers hate every- thing which will cast light upon their deeds. Little do some of the Brethren know how their system has been trimmed up in the course of years, both to hide its defects from themselves, and to hide clandestine policy. Plyraouthism is in this also, as in much else, like Romanism. VI. HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. (Continued.) PlYMOUTIIISM 18 WITHOUT CrEDEXTIALS. SINCE the Plymouth Brethren came forward professing, both implicitly and explicitly, to be as a body the only true teachers of the Christian religion since the days of the apostles, and also offering to show to members of modern churches that they have all along been undor the most serious delusion with legard to their religious views, surely the public, and especially church members, are entitled to demand at the very outset from these Brethren, and possibly might demand did they think it worth while, the most ample and satisfactory credentials to establish the genuineness of their profession, and the bona fides of their offer. As a general rule, individuals are not appointed to offices, either public or private, without credentials of some satisfactory sort. If General Roberts had come forward, comparatively unknown, and without credentials, and offered his services as commander of the British forces in South Africa, his doing so would, no doubt, and rightly so, be regarded as complete evidence of his unfitness. This would be still more the case, if the office for which he offered himself were that of an ambassador to a foreign nation. The important and delicate duties of such an office require an intelligence, a proper impressibility of mind and heart, a true moral sensibility, a capacity for readily perceiving the fitness of things, a special and approved previous qualifying experi- ence, and all such qualitications would require to be well accredited in the one warrantably appointed to an office of the kind. Any one, therefore, coming forward without credentials of any sort to offer his services for such an office, would show very clearly by his action, not only that he was at the time totally unfit to be thought of in such a connection, but also that he was exceedingly unlikely ever to become fit, however diligently he might seek to qualify himself. But the duties of a preacher of the Gospel, especially if we include therein the duty of interpreting the Word of God correctly, are far more important, and much further reaching in their results, than the duties of either an ambassador or an army commander. Moreover, the office of a preacher of the Gospel has far more scope for the exercise and utilization of even such qualifications as have been already named, as well as of other qualifications of a still higher kind, than has any of the other offices mentioned. This ought to be FLYMOUTHISM IS WITHOITT CREDENTIALS. 37 regarded hy the Bretliren themselves as specially true, for thero is no olHce among men, as the Brethren themselves will surely concede, the duties of which have not been successfully discharged by thousands upon thousands of individuals since apostolic times. But in the Brethren's view, no body of people, as a rule, were able to interpret the Bible correctly, ever since the days of the apostles until the rise of the Hrethren, some sixty years ago. None of the modern churches, if the Brethren's view of them be correct, notwithstanding all the piety, talent, and learning, usually thought to be among them, have been able to attain to any better results in Bible interpretation, and in preaching what they think to be the (Jospel, than to prepare their members for the doom of Babylon. The profession and offer made by the Brethren, therefore, involve the most astounding assumptions, and ought to be supported by the clearest and niost unquestionable evidence to show that these assumptions are warrant- able. And all the more is this the case, since the piesumptive evidence is so strongly against the Brethren being right in this profession and offer. The genuineness and validity of a profession a man might make of having discovered some new and important truth in physical science could be put to the test of experiment as soon as the profession was made. It is different, however, with regard to a profession of aV)ility to teach the public important truths in connection with the Christian religion. This latter subject has to do to a large extent with the physically unseen, and is, therefore, not so capable of having its truths verified by physical processes. And this is probably to a considerable extent the reason why there is no other subject whatever in connection with which there have been, from the very first, so many false teachers, so many impostors, "deceitful workers," self- deluded individuals, and fanatics of every description, as there have been in connection with this subject. Therefore, credentials, in the cir'jumstances described, are all the more necessary, and the Brethren ought to be sensible of the fact. A man is not considered qualified even to treat the body medically unless he have satisfactory creden- tials of some kind. Unless he have sych credentials, how could it i)e known whether his treatment might not more i»;adily kill than cure ? And the treatment of the soul is much more important than even that of the body. Although jNFoses was assured that his mission to Tsreal was a divine one, yet he felt his need of credentials, and this feeling was divinely honored. Even our Lord himself acknowledged the propriety of the demand for credentials, and He also submitted His own credentials. He likewise expressed His adherence to the rule that if a man bore witness of himself (i.e., if lie alom should do so), his witness was not true. But the Brethren have no other witness of themselves than their own. The apostles were accredited by our Lord himself, and also by the miracles they wrought. What exquisite sensibiliti,es the apostle Paul had as to what was due the public in the matter of credentials. The Brethren seem utterly oblivious to all such considerations. How could they 8H IIISTOUICAI- CIIAIlACrKIUSTICS OF I'LVMOITHISM. intellij,'ently nnid thronj^h tlio Word of God, since it coiitaiiiH so much that re(|uires (juickuiied moral iiiid spiritual suiisihilities to apprcluMid properly? Aud above all, how could they reasonably profess to liave sucli j)n! eminent spiritual st'nsihilities as that they perceive clearly that the interpretations put l)y the modern cliiirches upon the very fundamental doctrines of the Bible are only "Satan's imitations" of the true / Let any reasonal)le, thinking, person ask himself the (|uestion. What probability is there that the light wliicli the Jirethren imagine to be in them be not darkness ] Dkckivkhs akk Somkiimes Divinklv Pkumittki). Tt ought not to be forgotten in this connection, that we have reason to believe that many deceivers — many false spii' s — are permitted to go out into tiie world for the purpose of testing professing people. See, for instance, Deuteronomy xiii. 15 ; 1 Corinthians xi. 11) ; "J Thes- salonians ii. G-12; Revelation xx. 7, 8. Those wlio are not faithful in the performance of their duties, nor careful to have their minds and hearts established |in correct Scripture knowledge, may bo tempted successfully to give ear to seducing spirits, and thus come under stiong delusion. They may thus believe many lies, just as the cholera plague often infects those who are debauclied or loos^e in their habits, or lilthy in their surroundings. Now, were the Ibethren capable of realizing the importance of such facts, we might expect that they would bo more careful to furnish the pulilic with satis- factory credentials of their hone 'y and competency. The apparent insensiliility of the Brethren to their lack of cre- dentials does not argue well for them in more ways than one. True moral sensibility is prominent in a .sanctified character. And if, as the Brethren themselves profess, they are as fit no%v for tlie society of heaven as they can ever be made, we might naturally expect them to manifest something like mature moral sensil)ilities, and other signs of a completed moral character, in their dealings with their fellow- creatures here on earth. What is thk Plvmoutii Probaiu.f Tar r Assumption as to Ckkdkntials! ' But if the Brethren present no formal credentials, what can we suppose to be their tacit assumptions as to why the public ought to listen to them. Do they wish it to be understood that they or their teachers are in the line of apostolic succession 1 that they liad visions and revelations from the Lord, that they have better intellects than all those that ditter from them ; that they lead more moral lives than any other professing people, or what else can they suppose to be a valid reason why they, and they alone, should be listened to as having the truth on their side ? Apparently the only real ground for the Brethren's assumption of being possessed of superior qualifications for Scripture interpretation FANATICS USl'ALLY TUOKKHS «IMUIT UUIUANCE., 89 is to 1)0 foiiiicl ill their heliof that th«>y iiloii<> are the only Spirit- ^iii(|M(l ptopU) on (tiirth. Uiit thin ^roiiiuUfSH assiiinptioii only makes thnir position all the ii\oro ridiculous. Did they iiiensiy profess that their Scripture iiiteipretations seemed to them more consistent with reason, and with sound methods and principles of interpretation, we ini;;ht respect theii attitude even whilst we disaj^reed with their conclusions. iSut when is added to t lie fact of their interpretations hciiig in the main <{larinyly false, prejudiced and puerile, th(' circum- stiince that they profess to have heen Ruided to these interpre- tations hy the Holy Spiiit, there is the .strongest probahility suggested tliat they speak a vision of their own hearts, and say, "Thus saith the Lord," albeit the Lord hath not spoken to them. Are the Hrethren ever afraid they may he found in the category of such deluded individuals] Of course, if the Spirit guides the Hrethren to their views, it must be plain that He cannot guide those in their views wlio hold doctrines entirely opposed to Brethren doctrines. And what credentials do the brethren present that the Spirit guides thrm, and not tho.se opposed in view to tliem ? There is in this case all the more need of credentials, since the HrethnMi make this profession of e.xclusive Spirit guidance, and since this profession is of a kind that cannot be submitted to ordinary methods of proof. This is probably the reason, as already observed, why many present a credential of this sort : it cannot be read by certain sections of the public. If the IheLhien were ask*d how the public is to know wliether they are Spirit-guided or not, they would probably reply that this could be known from the doctrines they preach, liut how can w(! even know wiiat doctrines they preach without going to their meetings? for they pul)lish no creed, nor do they even announce to what body they Ijelong wiien they write books. Hut, again, were it asked the Urethren, How can we be sure that your doctrines are right if we belong to liabylon, and lack spirituality of mind to (h'cide 'J the lirethren would probably reply, either in an implicit or an explicit way : We have the Holy Spirit, therefore believe us. Thus they would reason in a circle, which kind of a reasoning may do well enough for those who cannot think for themselves. " Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit, there is more hope of the fool than of him." " Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight." (Proverbs x.xvi.; Isaiah v.) Fanatics Usually Profkss Spirit Guidanck. The most deluded fanatics that ever lived made professions of divine guidance. Emanuel Swedenberg professed to have conversed with •Jesus face to face, and also with angels in their own habitations. He announced that he had thus obtained methods of Scripture interpre- tation comnmnicated to no one else. How we do love to be special favorites ! Are we prepared to believe him ? He had all the kind of argument on his side that the Brethren have on theirs, and also r.mmMMiiiriini« 40 HISTORICAL CHARACTEHISTICS OF PLYMOUTllISM. could advance it far more intelligently than they can. Do the Brethren believe in Irving's prophets, in Smith the founder of Mornionism, and in modern Christian .Scientists t Jf not, what is the reason? They all professed to be under divine guidance as well as the Brethren. Johanna Southcote of England, who died in ll^li, believed herself to be the bride of tlie Lamb, or the woman clothed with the sun. (Revelation xii.) .She was, moreover, expected to give birth to the Messiah. How she could do so and be at the same time His bride, was probably not explaiiied. Possibly she also, and her followers, thought it would be profane to employ reason in con- nection with sacred subjects, Tlie Jumpers and the Shakers feel sure of being under the influence of the Holy Spirit in the perform- ance of tlie religious exercises which their names indicate. Jonathan Edwakds on RKLuaous Fanatics. The following sentences from Jonathan Edwards have a very direct bearing on the point l)efore us, and ought to be pondered, especially by the Brethren. He is writing of those who fancy they have inspira- tions, illuminations, and whisperings, from the Holy Spirit, but whose imaginations have deceived them. They vainly imagine they have made discoveries of God's special love to themselves. Jonathan Edwards writes as follows : — " And a very great part of the false religion that has been in the world from one age to another, consists in such discoveries as these, and in the atfections that flow from them. In such things consisted the experience of the ancient Pythagoreans a!»d many others among the heathen, who had strange ecstasies and raptures, and pretended to a divine afflatus and immediate revelations from heaven. In such things seem to have consisted the experiences of the Essenes, an ancient sect among the Jews, at and after the times of the apostles. In such things consisted the experiences of many of the ancient Gnostics, and the Montanists, and other sects of ancient heretics, in the primitive ages of the Christian Church. And in such things consisted the pretended immediate converse with God and Ciirist, and saints and angels, of the Monks, Anchorites, and Recluses, that formerly abounded in the Church of Rome. In such things consisted the pretend'^d high experiences and great spirituality of many sects of enthusiasts t lat swarmed in the world after the Reformation, such as Anabaptists, Antinomians and Familists, the followers of N. Stork, Th. IMuncer, Jo. Becold, Henry Pfesier, David George, Casper Swencktield, Hv nry Xicholas, Johannes Agricola Eislebius, and the many wild enthusiasts that were in England in the days of Oliver Cromwell ; and the followers of Mrs. Hutcheson in New England ; as appears by the particular accounts given of these sects by that eminently holy man, Mr. Samuel Rutlierford, in his 'Display of the Spiritual Antichrist.' And in such things as these consisted the experiences of the late French prophets and their followers. And in these thiiiffs seem to lie the religion of manv kinds of enthusiasts of I I SM. ATTITUDE OF FANATICS VS. THAT OF MODEltN CHURCHES. 41 1. Do the founder of what is the 3 as well as !d in INU, lan clothed expected to at tho same le also, and ison in con- hakeis feel lie perform- very direct specially by j,ve inspira- t, but whose ! they have Jonathan been in the es as these, s;fs consisted hers among I pretended n. In such Essenes, an he apostles, the ancient heretics, in iuch things Christ, and eluses, that gs consisted any sects of ation, such jf N. 8tork, ge, Casper us, and tlie 's of Oliver V England ; cts by that iplay of the insisted the in 'S. tl And lusias ts of the present day. It is chiefly by such sort of religion as this that Satan transforms lumself into an angel of light, and it is that which he has ever most successfully made use of to confound hopeful and happy revivals of religion from the Ijeginning of the Christian Church to the present day. When the Spirit of Cod is poured out to begin a glorious work, then the old ser])ent, as fast as possible, and by every means, introduces this bastard religion and mingles it with the true, which has soon brought all things into confusion. The pernicious consequence of it is not easily imagined until we see and are amazed with its awful effects, and the dismal desolations it has made. If the revival of true religion be very great in its beginning, yet if this bastard comes in, there is danger of its doing as Gideon's bastard, Abitnelech, did, who never left until he had slain his threescore and ten true-born sons, excepting one that was forced to fly. Great and strict, therefore should be the watchfulness and guard that ministers maintain against such things, especially at a time of great awakening."* These are solemn words. There has been probaldy no one, ever since the days of the ajmstles, who was so well fitted, botii by gifts and circumstances, to form a correct opinion of those very matters on which he here writes, as was Jonathan Edwards. Let what Principal Edwards says about the enemy watching par- ticularly at times of awakening be noted It seems to have been his experience that at such times especially the enemy sought to sow tares, and produce what he calls a " bastard " religion. It is well known that it is just at times of awakening in the churches that the Plynioutli Brethren specially " lie in wait " to prosecute their par- ticular mission. Attitude of Fanatics versus That of Modern CiiunciiES. All those of whom J. Edwards tells us, professed to take the Bible as their guide, and they all apparently expected to be believed for no otlier reason than that they themselves asserted that tliey were Spirit-guided. Would the Brethren accept of their profession and protestations on this point, and credit anything that any of these people would tell them, on tiie ground of their being what they pro- fessed to be? And if not, why not ? The Brethren would no doubt answer: We would judge of them by the oj)inions they held, apart from the profession they made of being guideil by the Spirit ; and we would also judge of them by their conduct ; and, further, if we found that their feelings were wrought up so as to sug;'est fanaticism, we could not believe otherwise about them than that they were deluded in imagining themselves to be under the si)ecial guidance of the Holy Spirit. And will the Brethren not jjermit other people to judge of themselves just by the same standards ? If they will do so, then they will, we hope, see the inconsistency of themselves, not merely pro- fessing in words, but assuming in conduct, that they ought to bo * Kdwiifils' " ReligioiiH Atl'ertiniis,"' p|). .SOS-IJTO. 42 HISTOUICAL CIIAUACTEKISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. believed in their profession of having the Holy Spirit guiding them. Let their opinions be first proved, without assuming anything about the Holy Hpirit in the process of proof. But unfortunately the Brethren seem unable to submit their views to proof, without the expressed or tacit assumption on their part, that if the.se opini(jns are not seen to l>e right, it is because the Holy Spirit does not guide and enligliten those who examine them. We hav(! the Holy Spirit, therefore believe us, is the position usually taken by fanatics. The modern churches virtually say : Here are our opinions, set forth in our Standards, about the general tenor of the teaching of (iod's Word. We invite you to examine our Standards in the light of Scripture, and to examine also the profes- sion and lives of our members. If you should be of opinion that these are all scriptural, you will also probably be of opinion that we have a claim to be regarded as being of the Church of Christ, and that the promi.se of the Holy Spirit is made good to us. Surely this is a very dirterent position from that in which it is virtually or even expressly said : We have the Holy Spirit, therefore believe us. If the Bible were a secular book, would it be at all likely that the pre- eminence of the Brethren's intelligence would warrant them in assuming that all modern students and interpreters thereof who dill'ered from them were wrong ? Not likely. Why, then, are the Brethren not just as modest about their claims to be able to under- stand the Bible better than the modern churches, as they would be com])ell('d to be, for fcfir of exposure and humiliation, if the Bible were a secular book I Is not the reason probable, that there is a tacit assuuiption on the Brethren's part of exclusive Si)irit guidance 1 Plymouth Claim of Crkdkxtials from Mkssks. Spirgeon and MottDV. Sometimes the Brethren refer to somt' well-known men who, they allege, have expressed approval of some Brethren publications. Were any others than the Brethren to ofler such credentials to show that their doctrines are scriptural, we know what the Brethren would say. Tt is usual for the lirethren to refer to the late Messrs. bloody and Spurgeon as having expressed approval of the Notes on the early books of the Bible by Mr. ^lackintosh, who appears to be one of the chief modern Plymouth writers, and to whom we shall afterwards refer. But it is quite certain that neither Mr. Moody nor Mr. Spurgeon held any of the special doctrines of Plymouthism. Did either of them think the modern churches to be Babylon J Here is part of the late Professor Drunnnond's testimony regarding some of 3Ir. Moody's views : — "Mr. Moody was no schismatic. .lust because he was so practical he was loyal to the churches. Hardly educated himself, he empha- sized the education of the ministry.' These viesvs of Mr. Moody are directly opposed to those of the Brethren, The Brethren look on the late Professor Drummond as OTHEK TESTIMONY re PLYMOUTHISM. 43 tlie embodiment of all that was heretical iu sinful Babylon, whilst he was Mr. A[oody's rij^ht-hand man in every work in wliicli he could get the professor to join him. Mr. ]Moody said of him that he was the purest man he had ever met, and often felt rel)uked in his presence. Take the following quotation from Drummond's Life : — "In the first week of December, 1S74, at an all-day meeting in Dublin, Ireland, attended by ir),000 people, including 1,U00 clergy- men, ^Ir. ^Foody spoke on ' sectarianism ' as follows : ' God,' said he, 'had vouchsafed a blessed unity. Woe to the unhappy person who should break it. Yet it would be broken if there was proselytism. The cry is come out. Come out from a sect. But where? Into another sect. The spirit that is always prcselytising is from Satan. I say stay in. . . . There are people who consider that denouncing churches is bearing testimony. This people will bear testimony for years, and this is ail Christ will get from them. I warn you beware of trying to get people away from the folds where they have been fed.'" (Drummond's Life, pp. 57, 75.) Mr. Moody used to send requests before him to the places wliere he was about to labor, that there should be prayer for the Holy Sjiirit, whilst the Brethren think it would be "almost blasphemy" to pray for tl::. Spirit. What intelligence on the part of the Brethren, or what mis-information, or deceitfulness, is implied on their part in referring to Mr. Moody as one who agreed with their peculiar views. Here is what the late ^[r. Spurgeon is reported to have once said : — " Pray to be delivered from inspirefl men and women, whether it be an infallible Pope, or a Plymouth Assembly met in an upper room, with the Holy Giiost as president." Othkh Tkstimosv I'f Plvmouthi.sm. We <;ould give abundant testimony from competent witnesses, did space permit, to show what is usually thought of the Brethren by those who had opportunities of knowing them. Take a few examples : A few years ago, Dr. .1. Laing of hundas, Ontario (Presbyterian), issued a pamphlet on the Brethren s views of the Second Advent. One Mr. Grant, a Plymouth Brother, wrote a tract in reply. Here is part of what Dr. Laing says of this tract : — "The tract affords as good an illustration as f could desire of that self-complacent arrogance, and claim to superior piety, of which I complain, and of which our friends seem to bt; utterly unconscious, which leads them to fancy that no one is an honest, earnest student of prophecy, or knows the Bible, or is guided by the Holy Spirit, but themselves. ... It also illustrates the .subtle, ingenious, and evasive mode of argument which our friends use in support of their theory, and the extraordinary shifts and pet phrases to which they resort in order to turn the edge of the sword of the Spirit, and the 44 HISTORICAL CHAKACTEHISTICS OF PLYMOUTHIS.M. point of a text. ... I know too well that he and all who have embraced these views are beyond the reach of argument, and vill treat anything T may say as the folly of one who is bold (2 Corin- thians X. .'5), wanting in honesty and courtesy, and untaught of God, inasmuch as I am not of their opinion." (Appendix to "The Second Coming of our Lord.") Here is another testimony, which the Brethren ought .specially to respect, for it is given by one whom they sometimes claim as one of their own number. It is that of the Rev. Mr. Craik, of Bristol, England (Baptist), colleague of the late famous Mr. Muller of the same city. Mr. Craik had opportunities to know the Brethren well. He writes of them as follows : — "Oh, what a terrible thing is party spirit ! Am I not justified in discarding and avoiding it 1 The trutli is, Brethrenism, as such, is broken to pieces. By pretending to be wiser, holier, more spiritual, more enlightened than other Christians ; by rash and unprofitable intrusion into things not revealed ; by making mysticism and eccentricity tiie test of spiritual life and depth ; by preferring dreamy and imaginative theology to the solid food of the Word of Cod ; by the adoption of a strange and repulsive phraseology ; by the under- valuing of practical godliness ; by tlie submission of the understand- ing to leading teachers ; by overstraining some truths and perverting others ; by encouraging the forwardness of self-conceit ; by the disparagement of useful learning ; by grossly offensive familiarity of speaking of such sacred matters as the presence and teaching of the Holy Ghost ; and by a sectarianism all the more inexcusable, that it was in the avoidance of sectarianism that Brethrenism originated ; by these and similar errors, the great scriptural principles of church communion have been marred and disfigured." The words of this last witness are to the point. His congregation had been once a Plymouth Brethren one, but was excommunicated by Darby because it would not "judge" what he supposed to be Newton's lieresy, already noticed. The congregation came eventually to be a fully organized Baptist congregation. Mr. Groves, who has been already mentioned, and whom some regard as the founder of Plymouth Brethrenism, whose piety is said to have been unut then Mr. ^Mackintosh would have us accept the testimonial which such a one gives himself as to the results of his seclusion. Are we to accept what any one says of himself, or of the Gospel, who alleges tiiat he has been first alone with God ! In fact, this supposed seclusion may be made one of the chief means to feed delusion, pride, and fanaticism. Mr. Mackintosh does not seem to be aware, nor do any of the Brethren, that when a man ay)plies for admission to prepare for the ministry in any of the modern churches, it is understood that he has ''■ W^ m HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. decided on matters alone with God. But the results of liis decision are brought under review by those appointed for the purpose. He is examined also at every stage in his preparatory career. When finally licensed, lie is not set over a pastoral charge until he is elected by the people. Such election obtains more or le.-s in all the modern Protestant churches. Tiie Brethren say that a preacher must be acceptable to the people. This is their only test. It is not alow a safe test. But there is no sense in the Brethren making so much ado about their preachers being God-given, since the Brethren themselves apply a test, as well as the churches, only a far less satisfactory one. VII. rj(4ANISM, POPEllY, AND PLYMoUTIIISM. A Religious Creed a Mikror of Character. SOLOMON tells us that as a man tliiiikcth in his heart so is he. A man's thou;;hts, desires, aU'ections, words and deeds, are all the outcome of wliat he is, that is, of his character, and they also react on, and confirm, liis character. A man's ac(juired character is the product of his innate disposition, his tastes, idiosyncrasies, habits, and the circumstances in which he has been placed. A man's religious creed, if he has one, and if he himself has had any hand in forming or selecting it, will depend to a greater or less extent on what his character is, as well as upon the nmterials which he had l)efore him in forming or selecting his creed. A man's formed or selected religious creed, therefore, is to a considerable extent a mirror of his character. In men whose hearts are undisciplined, the carnal elements are apt to show themselves to some extent in their religious creed. Men who hate moral law, light, tribulation, and who love ease, undue personal exaltation, and short-cuts in religion, will be sure to have their principles and tastes manifest to some extent in their creed. They will not professedly set themselves at open dedance to revela- tion. They will rather explain away, or misconstrue, in favor of their j)eculiar principles, several parts of the book in which the revelation is made. What a man wishes to tind in Scripture he is often ready to imagine he actually does find there. It is in the heatlien religions that we best see the results of the workings of the unrenewed heart in connection with religion. The gods of the heathen, with all their weaknesses, foibles, amours, licen- tiousness, and cruelties, are simply mirrors of heathen corrupt imagination and character. The rites, temple.s, auguries, aruspices, incantations, mysteries, and secret consultations and communions with the gods, are all the outcome of supposed revelation, but in reality are tiie product of superstition and corrupt character. Whatever was found to suit the heart soon found its way into the religion. In Israel's case there was a continuous struggle under the ( )ld Dispensation for the ascendency between heathen worship and the worship of the true God. The carnal elements in the heart preferred the license of heathen worship. These elements will never consent to the surrender of the citadel within ; and if they are brouglit into contact with Christianity, they will seek to graft on as many of the % Vi 48 PAGANISM, POPERY, AND PLVMOUTHISM. principles of this religion as can be plausibly twisted into line with them. But, of course, when thus twisted they cease to be Christian principles. There are religions that are 8imi)ly nature religions, and others that are hybrids between a nature religion and principles of Christianity distorted and grafted on. Coukuptnp:ss in Religion Often Fond of an Abnokmal Dualism. Dualism means literally Two-ism. There are two opposite prin- ciples at work in the Christian — -that of good and that of evil. There are also two spirits at work among men — the Holy Spirit and the prince of darkness. The Word of God warrants us to believe in duality of these kinds. But some people push matters of this nature to absurd extremes, as some do to every principle in Christianity, to serve their own ends. The Brethren push the figures of the apostle about the " old man " and the " new man " in the Christian to a ridiculous extreme, as we shall afterwards see more particularly. The direct result is the easing of the conscience about any sin they may commit, or may feel in them. They conveniently attribute all such to the "old man" in them, who cannot be made any better. This tends to sear the conscience, and harden the heart in impeni- tency. It is putting light for darkness and darkness for light Those capal)le of doing such do not exhibit the tenderness of heart and conscience wrought by the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, by adher- ence to such a theory, tiie moral judgments are shown to be dislocated, and a great part of Scripture becomes a sealed letter to men of such judgments. Christianity and the Ancient Gnostics. Shortly after the introduction of Christianity into the world, many Oriental nations, and heathen sages and philosophers, sought to amalgamate as much of this new religion with heathenism as they thought true. What was not considered true in Christianity they rejected. They modified parts of the New Testament to suit, so that they migiit thus graft on as much of Christianity as possible on their nature-religions and philosophies. This was particularly the case with that ancient class of theosophists called the Gnostics. Among other things taught Ijy these men was that there are two principles in man, a material, or evil one, connected with the l)ody, and a spiritual one, or good principle, which is the mind. Some of the Gnostics taught that as the bad principle could be made no better and no worse than it was, they might indulge in any kind of vice and licentiousness. Such were the Nicolaitans. of whom we read as troubling the churches in Asia of old. (Revelation ii., iii.) It is maintained by many that Simon Magus was the first Gnostic. Others of these heathen piiiloso- phers taught that we should deny and crucify the body as much as possible, so that it migiit not influence the mind, and that we should also engage in as much contemplation as we can, so as t.o fit the mind for final absorption into the fountain of all being. This is what gave rise eventually to the Romish monasteries and convents. ROMANISM IS HEATHENISM WITH CHRISTIANITY. 49 with istian H, and )les of ALISM. I prin- There nd the ieve in nature ity, to apostle ,n to a jularly. n they )Ute all better, inipeni- Those art and yr adher- ilocated, of such , many eht to 3n as they ty they so that their ase with 2 other in man, one, or ht that n it was, Such rches in ny tliat philoso- nuch as should he mind lat gave The persistency with which this duality in the universe — these two principles of good and evil — held its ground, through all the heathen philosophies and religions, shows that there is something in the sliarp distinction thus made which agrees with corrupt human nature. The Manicheans were noted for their emphasis of this distinction. Zoro- aster, the founder of the religion of the Parsees, and who flourished al)out six hundred years before Christ, was also a particular teacher of this dual philosophy. 80 are the Plymouth Urethren. Their duality is not that of Scripture. It has merely the appearance of an excuse from Scripture, but is in reality only a form of parts of the old Persian and Gnostic theosophies. POMANISM AN AMAUi.\MATIOX OF HkaTIIENISM WITH CHRISTIANITY. The Roman Catholic religion is, to a very considerable extent, the result of an amalgamation of lieatheni.sm with Christianity. Of course the Pope is infallible, and, therefore, the result of the original amalgamation has not changed very much. The monasteries of this church, the masses for the dead, purgatory, the seven sacra- ments, the opuft operatiim (that is, the power residing in a material thing itself, such as in the literal bread and wine of the Eucharist), the ligiits, and vestments, the mcient relics, and images, and the chips of cotlins, and old garments, with which miracles were affirmed to have been wrought, were all borrowed from the heathen, except, of course, two of the sacraments. There was even a Pontifcx Ma.vimits, and also a college of cardinals, in ancient heathen Uonie, before Popish Rome came into existence. The original barbarous inhabitants of Rome were subdued by the charms of a heathen religion, of which lights formed a very prominent part, and lights form a particular part of the worship of the Romish Church to this day. A number of the very temples of the heathen gods were taken over by Rome, and consecrated to the Romish form of Christian worship. ^lany of these temples are dedicated to saints, who have not only similar names to the ancient heathen gods who were worshipped in these temples, but these saints are, some of them, patrons of those very persons, or things, patronized previously by the gods of the same temples. The mysteries, traditions, "the voice of the Church the voice of God," the papal bulls, etc., are all the result ui an amalgamation of heathenism with Christianity, an amalgamation, moreover, in which the heathen elements greatly predominate. Thus it happens that the Romish religion, with its mysteries and its cheap safety, is so suitable to the natural man, and takes such a hold of him, that he seldom can shake it oft", or even desire so to do. See for further information on what is here stated in regard to this church and ancient heathenism : " The Causes of the Corruption of Christianity," by Professor R. Vaughan, formerly of London University, England ; Dr. Middleton's " Letter from Rome " ; Blunt's " Vestiges of Ancient Manners and Customs, discoverable in Modern Italy and Sicily " ; and " The Papacy : its History, Dogmas, Genius, and Prospects," by the late Dr. J. A. Wylie, Edinburgh. I'j^ 50 PAGANISM, POPERY, AND PLYMOUTH ISM. Paoanism in the Rklkjion ok Civilizkd Countries. In this country we have no outward heathen deities, hut we have much of tlie same nature out of which the heathen mythical deities were evolved, and from whicli they were worshipped after they were given a fictitious existence. Unless this nature be held in proper check, we shall be certain to work upon whatever religious material we possess, whether in the form of divine revelation, or customs, worship, manner of life, etc., and mould these and fashion them, consciously or otherwise, to make the material sijuare with our notions, tastes, and desires, A man's religious views are sometimes more a mirror of his own moral character than an index to the contents of tiie revelation which he professes to believe. It is not often that the natural elements of the heathenism of the human heart find outward embodiment and organization in a religious system in Christian countries. It more frecjuently, to a greater or less extent, colors, and amalgamates itself with, the Christianity of such countries. It is said that Richard IJaxter com- plained not so much of tlie popery of the inhabitants of Kidder- minster, as of their heathenism. He referred to the relics still in their hearts of the ancient paganism of IJritain. But if the natural paganism of the heart ever secures in Christian countries any outward embodiment in doctrines or religious polity, it is apt to do so in the case of those who iiave cut themselves adrift from the main current of life in the churches, and separated from the wealth of sanctified learning, and of Scripture interpretation, accumulated in these churches in the course of generations. Some bodies who separated from churches, quickly afterwards organized themselves under one or other of the ordinary forms of church government. Tiiese have often thus avoided many obvious dangers. Others, again, have not been so wise after secession, but have cut themselves adrift quite inex- perienced, and launched forth, as it were, on a mighty ocean, where there are many storms, hidden reefs, quicksands, whirl- pools, pirates, and strong currents to carry them out and away in- sensibly towards barbarous and dangerous countries. When people thus commit a rash act in cutting themselves adrift from proper moorings, it would be as unwarrantable for them to expect divine guidance as it would be for a man to expect such who siiould cast himself headlong down a steep precipice. Thus it has happened with some religious bodies who have left the churches. They have been carried further and further away on the corrupt currents of the natural heart. Little do some adherents of a so-called religious system know how the doctrines and polity of their system have in the course of many years received continuous maladroit trimming, both to avoid criticism on the one hand, and on the other, to make the polity and doctrines square with certain cravings, which were not always discerned, it may be, to have been those of the unrenewed heart. Let us now take a brief glance at the similarity between Flymouthism and Roman Catholicism. PLYMOUTUISM RESEMBLES ROMANISM. 51 Plymoutiii8M RESEMnLES Romanism. these irated one or often jeen so incx- ooean, wlurl- \y in- pRople jioper divine Id cast d with } been of the eligious lave in mining, make rere not •enewed etween 1. Romanists claim that their church is the only true Church of Christ on earth. They point to its unity as a sign of this, and to the divided state of other denominations as a sign that they are not of God. They virtually say, *• We are the only ohurch on the basis of the one body and the one spirit." All this is just precisely what the lirethren say of themselves, although the claim they make to be united on any basis whatever, h, in view of the facts, infinitely absurd. 2. The Romish Church claims infallibility for the Pope and for his decrees, and says, that " the voice of the Ohurch is the voice of God." Plymouthism claims to have the only Spirit-guided speakers in exist- ence, and this claim is of a kind which amounts to a profession of having inspired speakers. Such speakers are, of course, infallible, and their utterances can be accepted as the voice of God. The Pope does not claim absolute infallibility, and the people are told of several tests which they can apply to ascertain whether the papal decrees are what they profess to be. The Brethren give one test. The speakers must be acceptable to the people, but if they are so, then they speak (Jod's very words. With the Brethren it is, in the last resort, the people themselves that are infallible, and, of course, each of them must be, therefore, regarded as sharing in this divine attribute. Thus it is that they speak against deciding on any religious (juestion ])y vote. And, as lieconies infa]lil)le bodies, each deals largely in the bare-assertion method of proof of their respective j)ositions, without giving any reasons. Often, however, there is a "conspiracy of silence" among ordinary members in each body. .3. The Romish Church makes faitii consist of intellectual assent to religious truth. The Brethren make it consist of mere historic belief in the divine record of Christ's llnished work. The former faith is not said to save, but the latter is, and is, therefore, the more dangerous. 4. Both systems make the entrance on Romish system secures this entrance through the other system through a mere historic faith, fore, the natural, unrenewed man can ccjinpass salvation without any change of heart. 5. The Romish Church objected to creeds as long as she could. It was the example of the Reformation that forced her to draw up some sort of creed. The Brethren still object to creeds and to theology. Both systems object to the exercise of learning for the common people in connection with religion. Thus each system pre- sumes to a great extent on the gullibility of the common people, and objects to the ordinary means of light. 6. In connection with each system there is considerable secrecy and hidden policy. In the Romish Church there are " reserved doctrines," secret traditions, and the use of dead languages. The propagandism of the Romish Church is usually conducted through salvation easy. The the water of baptism, In both cases, there- 52 I'A(;AN1SM, I'ol'KKV, AND I'LYMOKTHISM. flm-rtit and Jj'suiticiil polioy. Mtmy of the expliinutions of tliis churcli art* sd given that tlicy can Ix' read in nion; tliaii one way. All this is true also of Plyniouthisin, except ahout traditions and dead languai^es. The Un'threu also iiave "reserved doctrines" which they never mention to those whom they wish to wile away from the churches, until the proselytes are ahle to "hear" tluise doctrines. The Brethren sometimes publish cieeds with all the Ply- mouth doctrines left out. One such is now liefore the writer, handed to him by one of the I5rethren. These are traps for the unwary. How often in every country, we may say, Imve llrethren secured, under false guises, entrance to pulpit.s, and split up congregations by this means, and thus driven ministers from the sphere of their labors. Ivspecialiy when there is an awakening in a congregation do the Mrethren seek to steal away the young converts. They literally "lie in wait " for them. Mr. Burnet, of Kemnay, as (|Uoted by Dr. ileid in "Plymouth- Brethrenism Unv(!iled," writes us follows: "We in Kemnay have sullered sadly in this way. It is all fudge to talk as they do about the conversion of sinners. What they want and aim at professedly is proHfhjtiKni. They are not like the apostle Paul who trembled at interfering with another man's lin<' of things. Having pursued this devilish work in Britain for a long time, they are now proceeding to do the same on the continent of Europe. In one city in France (St. Ktienne) where for some time there has been a most blessed Pro- testant movement, and of a very genuine description (I speak as an eye-witness) they have introduced them.selves within the last two or three years and committed the most fearful havoc." ("Plymouth- r)rethrenism is Antichrist," by A. G. Burnet, of Kemnay, p. 12.) i >r. lleid says: — "We readily accord to the Brethren the right to liold their own views, and preach them. But no man has a right to come before the public professing one thing while he is really aiming at another, and which other could not he gained, were the desire to gain it openly avowed. Let the emissaries of this new sect frankly avow their principles and design ; and if, in consetjuence, they secure fewer places of meeting and gather smaller audiences within them, they will, at least, sustain the character of straightforward men ; and that is nobler than even the conversion of church members to P»reth- renism." (" Plymouth-Brethrenism Unveiled and Refuted," p. 15.) Plymouth writers have been known to change the words of authors of eminence from whom they quoted, and to publish their own version of the doctrines treated of, as if they were the views of the author quoted from. When challenged for this dishonesty they merely replied that it was done with the object of doing good. But we know what the apostle says about doing evil that good may come. (Romans iii. 8.) It is Dr. Tregelles who makes this charge of garbled quotations against the Brethren, and he was perhaps the most famous scholar whom the Brethren ever had in their ranks. But he could not stay there. Thus it will appear that the Brethren and the Romanists are at one in the opinion that the end justifies the means, I'LVMorrillSM HKSKMIU-KS UOMANISM. 53 I-'-) ht to ht to liming ire to ankly secure them, ; and Jreth- 15.) uthora ersion author merely Jut we come, rarhled amous could Ind the Imeans, and tliat no faith need he kept with heretics. There are j)rol)al)Iy several brethren wlio would not aj^reo with these doctrineH, hut so, also, there are several llomanists. It is common amoni; the Brethren writers to write in a manner that it can he taken to mean one or other of two things. Witness, for instance, Mr. Maokintosii's notes on Kxodus, wliere he writes of tlie Egyptians, so that any readtr would he simple indeed unless he .saw clearly that the writer means the n\iK|ern churches by these. Vet, were he challenjjed for so writing of the churches, he has left hin\8elf room to make his defence. lie does everything hut nam»! them. Again, tlu! Ih'ethren doctrine of saving faith could hardly hear to he stated nakedly — at h'ast so tlie Brethren theo'selves seem to tliink — for they very seldom .so state it. Their usual method of conveying what is meant hy it is hy doing this under cover of e.xplaining snhstitution, as we shall afterwards see. Thus a march is apt to l)e stoltsn upon some simple readers, and they are likely to find them- selves believers in the Plymouth sen.se, ere they are aware of the fact. The Brethren writers also frequenlh' sign not their full n-imes, hut their initials, to their productions. This can he made to serve some very obvious ends. It is said by some that the rank and tile of the Brethren very seldom argue. They simply assert. This also is very characteristic of llomanists. It is related of some Brethren that they prevent church members who join their ranks from avowing the change as long as it can serve any proselytising purposes to keep it secret. " Return to your people and do so and so. Do not avow the change, and you will the; more easily instil your sentiments." " Protestant Jesuits," exclaims the relator of the facts (Mrs. Gilbert in Reid). 7. The Romish Church calls the imputed righteousness of Christ, in which the Protestant reformed churches believe, an "imputed fiction," and she herself believes in an "infused righteousness." This is also the position of the Brethren. They do not use the very word "infused," but they virtually mean the same thing by being made j)artakers, as they think, of the essential righteousness of Christ. Mr. Mackintosh says it is the " new creature " that is justified. The BiVde says it is the ungodly. 8. In the Romish Church the duality in the Christian finds expres- sion in the contemplation, self-denial, and seclusion, of the monas- teries. In the Brethren's case it finds expression in the sharp dis- tinction drawn between the old man and the new — so sharp as to make two literal men. The Brethren also seclude themselves from politics, and from many legitimate occupations in the world. 9. The Romish Church teaches that the Christian may not only do all that is required by the divine law, but may do more than is required. But she also says that Christians sin, and need pardon. The Breth- ren say that the Christian is perfect in Christ as soon as converted ; and as for the moral law, it is not the rule of life at all for him, according to the teaching of the Brethren. The Church of Rome is therefore better than the Brethren in this respect, and she ^jii; •ly TSHHSHE^a PAGANISM, POPERY, AND PLYMOUTHISM. also teaches and practises good works, whereas the Brethren hold very lax views on this point. 10. Both Romanism and Plymouthism misinterpret Scripture by similar methods, and for similar ends, the only exception to this similarity being that the former misinterprets by means of traditions in addition to other wrong methods. Each system misinterprets by prejudiced literalisms. For instance, the one system interprets literally, "This is my body," etc., and the other does the same with the old man and the new. Both systems find a great many types in the Old Testament where none were divinely designed as such. Mr. Mackintosh finds a type in almost every event, great and small, in the Old Testament. See, for instance, his notes on the early books of the Bible. This author also has an eye for all the types of evil that can be found, or created, so as to make them applicable to the modern churches. This is in true Romish style. Of course, we could make the Word of (Jod sj)eak anything we wished in this style of interpre- tation. Bellarmine, the great ecclesiastic of the Romish Church, finds a type of the great Protestant scce-ssion of the Reformation in the secession of Jereboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. The Brethren render great parts of the gospels of no effect for them- selves, by teaching that much in them was intended for a "Jewish remnant " only. 11. Both systems fail to grasp eternal principles in God's Word, and are inclined to lay too nmch store on positive law. In the Romish Church there are seven sacraments, and some of these imprint indelible character ; and one, the sacrament of baptism, regenerates. This church moreover, believes in an opus opfratiini, as we have just seen. She has incantations, charms, and miracles. The characteristics of mind and heart which produced these features of Romanism are to be seen also in Plymouthism. The Brethren also magnify one sacrament unduly. They imagine that because we have not now the opii.9 operatxim of the apostles' hands, we should have no ordained officers in the Church. They say we cannot get the power in any other way, whether it be needed or not. But the Romish Church claims to have apostolical succession. This ought to satisfy the Brethren. Some aver that several of the Brethren have gone over to Rome, and on account of the affinity between the two systems, we need not wonder if the allegation bo true. The Brethren fail to grasp the eternity of the moral law as a regulator of heart and con- duct. This of itself bespeaks a terrible deficiency of moral nature as well as of mental grasp. But where positive law really holds, both Romanism and Plymouthism are so confused in their conceptions in this sphere that they fail to perceive the circumstance, as, for instance, in regard to the Christian Sabbath, on which both systems hold similarly lax views. In some respects Plymouthism is more unscriptural than Roman- ism. Romaniem inculcates good works - she seeks to do something by way of carrying out o'.'r Lord's command, •' Go ye into all the world," etc., whilst Plymouthism may be said to confine its evangel- ism to stealing the converts from the churches. Romanism does not PLYMOUTHISM RESEMBLES ROMANISM. 55 both ions in as, for Bystems insist, as the other system does, on a Christian not looking at the remainder of sin within, nor does she bolster up her members by a spurious assurance of ])ersonal salvation. Let it be added, that members of Protestant clmrcliea are usually on their guard against Romanism, but Plymoulhisni often steals a march on several of them ere they are aware. Each system apparently revels in pronouncing anathemas on those that difl'er from it. Kach system encourages immorality, provides an easy method of forgiveness, and denies almost everything said of it by critics. Tlie Romish Churcli holds much more scriptural views than the Brethren do with regard to otKces in the Church of Christ, the Holy Spirit, the place in heaven of the Old Testament's saints, and the iSecond Coming of our Lord. In the expository and devotional kinds of literature in the Church of Rome there is more humility, more penitence expressed for sin, and more prayer for foi'giveness, tlian in similar kinds of literature among the IJrethreu. In the latter litera- ture there is, indeed, we may say, an express avoidance of such senti- ments. Moreover, in Romish devotional literature there is more of Chiist as an end, and less of Him as a mere means to advance and glorify self, than is to be found in brethren devotional literature, in Plymouthism there is more error found in the spiritual sphere than in tlie other system. Thus although in some resptcts Romanism has not gone so far astray as Plymouthism, yet, as has l)een pointed out, each of them has much of the same inlierent nature, and manifest evident signs of having in the course of time trinniied, developed, and matured, the same species of provision for the same kind of clandestine aims and intentions. The fact is that every church which is most eager, like the Pharisees of old, to proselytise, is under the severest temptation to tone down Christian truth, and thus make the transit to the state of salvation seem easy to the natural man. Such a man naturally loves the system best which provides for his eternal safety, as he imagines, consistently with his being permitted to enjoy his earthly pleasures, or what he imagines to be his freedom. Both Romanism and Plymouthism lafk of even the.se very things as dangt^rs, yet neither of them makes proper provision to avoid them. Both systems talk of the new birth, but tiie one provides for it, as we have sefST RkASOX AND LeARNINO. Brethren authors write, and ordinary Brethren members speak, unfavorably regarding learning, a college education, and scientific attainments, in connection with the Christian religion. Many of the Brethren speak disparagingly even regarding the very exercise of i PLYMOUTHISM AGAINST REASON AND LEARNING. 57 reason itself in the same connection. These Hretliren would probably heartily agree with the versifier who says : — "Learning, that cobweb of the brain ; Profane, ernnieoiis, and vain. A trade of kuowledi^e as replete As others are with fraud and dieat. An art t' enciunbi-r gifts and wit. And render botii for nothing tit." 'C.H.M." (Mr. Mackintosh), one of the chief modern Brethren may qualify u n re- write rs, sa3's : — " Mere human wisdom and learning . newed nature to figure before the world, but the man whom (Jod will use must be endowed with very ditlerent qualifications." (Notes on Hxodus, p. 44.) This author frequently writes thus, as if half ashamed to state iiis views plainly, and evidently prefers to convey them by unworthy innuendoes — a cowardly method for misleading simple people, with at the same time an ill-concealed desire to e.scape the criticism of intelligent readers, a style very common with this author. It is a style not uncommon also, unfortunately, with other Brethren writers. "C.H.M." does, indeed, say elsewhere in the .same volume, that learning alone will never ti : one to be a gospel preacher. Every one admits this, but none of the Brethren ever say chat learning is of any use in this direction. "C. H. M." regards the learning received by Moses at the Egyptian court as having been entirely useless in tiie way of contributing to fit him for his future work. He regards the learning of the apostle Paul also in the same light. It is needless liere to point out to intelligent readers how absurd such views are. AVe shall refer to learning and education at somewhat more length afterwards, and, therefore, need not at present dwell on them. Several of the ordinary Brethren may be frequently heard speak against the use of reason, or of the exercise of the intellect in con- nection with the Christian religion. Plymouth authors do not ven- ture so far, at least in that part of their teaching that comes before the public. But the probability is, since the oi'dinary Plymouth Brother has it so often on his lips, that this teaching about reason is among the "reserved doctrines" of which these writers are possessed. Ordinary members of the Plymouth body, when discussing a religious subject with some of a different persuasion, and when they are about to be silenced, often pass some disparaging remark about the use of reason in connection with such a subject ; and they either state, or evidently wish it to be understood, that they themselves are possessed of some internal light — a spirituality of mind — which shows them their side is the right one. Dr. S. P. Tregelles, who was for a time one of the Brethren, but who could not stay among them, .says of them : — " Indeed, it has been painful to hear earnest and real desire I •L 58 SOME MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. definitely to study the Word of God regarded and termed by some [i.e., of the Brethren], as being occupied with the letter of Scripture. ' Oh,' they say, ' this head knowledge, this intellectual study of the truth, how it does lead our minds away from Christ.' Of course, with this tone of feeling all critical study of the Scripture is decried ; it is deemed a waste of time." (Tregelles in lieid.) A Premium o\ Ignorance. All this teaching on the part of the Brethren is on a par with the well-known dictum of the Homish (Miurch, that "ignorance is the mother of devotion." This means that the more ignorant a man i.s, the better he will worship. You may teach tiie ordinary member, says the Itomish Church, to gaze on the form of the cross, init you need not e.xplain to him whether it is the form, the wood, or tiie great sacrifice ofi'ered on it, that connects the cross with salvation. In certain cities of Spain in the dark ages, some of the better informed people, including several physicians, objected to the cleansiiig of the streets, because, said they, tlie filth gives a certain orispness to the air, which makes it more liraeing and healthy. Similarly, the moral filth of ignorance, and of its usual concomitants of superstition and bigotry, would appear, in the Jirethren's e\'es, to make the reading of the Bible more bracing and healthy. " Wiien ignorance is bliss," they would say, "'tis folly to be wise." But what a libel on our religion ! Jf it be incumbent on iis to set aside the use of our reasoning faculty in the interpretation of Scripture, then h^t us regard it as our duty to interpret it as unreasonabh' as possible. In the Brethren's view, probably an untutored savage from tiie wilds of Africa would be the l)est interpreter of God's Word. If a man should be in such a mental condition as that when he reads the paral)le of the sower, for instance, he should be of opinion that the stony ground meant the Giant's Causeway, he would be the fittest interpreter of sacred writ. If, indeed, we should desire beings entirely devoid of reason to interpret Scripture for us, we could hardly procure them even from a lunatic asylum itself. We would require to go to the lower animal.^ for them. Although, without reason, we could neither be moral nor accountable beings at all, yet we might even then be operated upon, after the manner of Balaam's ass ; but we are nowhere, if not by the Plymouth Brethren, bidden aim at this as our pattern. " Whatever is opposed to reason," says Luther, "is much more opposed to God. How should not that be contrary to truth divine," says he, " which is opposed to human truth and right reason." As well bid us see and hear without eyes and ears, as bid us understand God's message without the exercise of our reasoning faculty. It is, indeed, the case, that many truths are beyond the capacity of our reasoning faculty to comprehend. But no truth, in any sphere, can ever possibly be against reason. An infant's reason cannot comprehend the working of a steam-engine. But this does not say .") 1.) It is little, if aTiything, short of profane in this writer to allege that God called out the Brethren from the churches, or from any- where else, to bear witness to such a senseless and fanatical tlieoiv. The ridiculous notion expressed by this writer is another of the many means we have for seeing the true nature of Plymouthism. When you have any religious (juestion to decide, simply be (juiescent, and the feelings that come U|t in your heart are always from the Holy Spirit, and indicate the direction in which you ought to move. You must not even pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance. This is .some- thing like the process of the thought-readers. Satan, the "old man " within, and the lusts of the tiesh and of the mind, pride, etc., are evidently discounted by the Brethren. Xo such means can defile their pure thoughts. All their thoughts on religious cjuestions are from the Holy Spirit only, and if any rule, law, order, light of reason, be had recourse to, the Holy Spirit's prerogative is interfered with. This is precisely the root feelings and notions of fanaticism ; but Kil ^^M SOME MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. there can be no such thing according to the Brethren's ideas, at least, not in connection with any one that once comes out of the churches and joins the Brethren. And they imagine that it is the Holy Spirit that teaches them such notions ! Would that the Brethren pondered properly what kind of light is in them, which they seem to imagine to be divine. And what if one man at a meeting should feel that the Holy Hpirit is leading him to decide a question one way, and another man at the same meeting feels that the same Spirit is guiding him to take an opposite view on the same question ] How, in this case, is the decision to be arrived at as to which direction the Holy Spirit really means the men to take 1 Does the like of this phenomenon never occur among the Brethren '. Do they mean to say that with their multitudinous divisions and endless strifes, the Holy Spirit guides them always in the right direction on every religious question] Wliat was the need of the apostle giving instructions to Timothy, or Titus, or to any of the churches, if the Bretliren's principles and methods were enough ? It is, no doubt, by the same means that the Brethren make out the proper interpretation of Scripture. All the notions that come up in their minds when reading any passage in sacred writ, are from the Spirit I They evidently give full license to the mind and feelings, discarding reason, rules for interpretation, and common-sense, as all too profane, and they abandon themselves to the currents they feel stirring within. This is how they have learned that the modern churches are Babylon. This is just the mantle of the Irvingite prophets that has fallen on th(^ IJretliren — the prophets that were so often duped and hoaxed, and made the sport of circumstances. May the Brethren be delivered from such delusions. Tf a religious body ought never to take any step, nor decide any religious question, except they be all unanimous, one dissenting nieinber can put an effectual veto on any proposed action, in favor of which all the others are unanimous. The members of the churches, even in apostolic times, were far from being unanimous on every religious matter. Prominent Christians, and even apostles them- selves, sometimes ditl'ered from one another. (Acts xv. ."VJ, 10 ; Gal. ii.) Were the members of the Corinthian Church unanimous when tiiey had such strife — one party of Paul, another of Apollos, etc.? Even when the Holy Spirit did inspire some of the members, not a few of them were disorderly. Do the Brethren themselves never •vote ? Are they always unanimous 1 Ply.moutuih.m .\nd Controversv. The manner and methods commonly employed among the Brethren, when they endeavor to reply to criticism made upon their system, do not evince much intelligence nor fairness, and particularly not much •capacity to understand the real nature of proof. We shall consider the unfairness immediately, under the Moral Characteristics. But PLYMOUTHISM AND CONTROVERSY. 63 some of the Mental Characteristics of the Brethren are so closely allied to — so much of a piece with — their Moral ones, that the two often manifest themselves together, mixed up in the same statements. It is not needful here, however, to endeavor to distinguish the one from the other wherever the two kinds appear closely allied. Any one of ordinary intelligence, who may think it worth his while to study the Brethren's mode of meeting criticism upon their system, may observe the characteristics which will be here mentioned. As is often the case among ordinary Romanists, so it is also found among ordinary Brethren, that there is a "conspiracy of silence" as to their peculiar doctrines. But when they advance beyond this stage, and endeavor to prove their doctrines, they are likely to use their favorite method of proof, namely, what we may call the bare- assertion method. They frequently have recourse to this n)ethod when they seek to establish a case of thoir own, and especially when endeavoring to reply to an opponent of their system. According to this style they virtually say, " Tt is all as wo say it is, not otherwise, and this man cannot understand us, because he is lacking in spiritu- ality of mind ; what he says is false." A specimen of this style of argument, as well as samples of other Plymouth styles, may be found in " Accusers of the Brethren." This tract is less than a tenth of the volume to which it assumes to be a reply, and this fact of itself may indicate how much the bare-assertion method of proof is had recourse to therein. The bare-assertion style may suit Romanists and Brethren, who are aecustomed to receive statements from their religious authorities as if these latter were divinely inspired, and therefore infallible. It may suit those also who profess to be the only Spirit-guided gospel preachers in Christendom, merely to astfrt or pronounce without giving any reasons. This oracular method of deciding a loyed on a certain occasion by one so eminent as John AVesley, could by no means satisfy the independently thinking author of " Theron and Aspasio." In " Aspasio Vindicated," Hervey addresses AVesley in these rather severe terms, which, if they applied in any measure to Wesley, apply much more to the iJrethren : " Among all the excellent things which in your studies and travels you have learned, have you never learned that between saying and proving there is a wide difference? Never did T meet with a person so ignorant of this very obvious truth. [Hervey wrote before the time of the Plymouth Brethren.] . . . Strange that a man of ordinary discernment should offer to obtrude upon the public such a multitude of naked, unsupported, magisterial assertions, — should be able to j>ersuade himself that a positive air will pass for demonstration or supply the place of argument. If this be to demonstrate, if this be to confute, the idiot is as capable of both as the philosopher." (Pages 235, 238.) I .J I 64 SOME MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYMOUTHISM. Sklf-Assertivk Aih ok Plymol'tiiism. That there is a kind of positive, self-assertive, air about 'the Brethren, several competent witnesses do plainly testify, although it would b(f probably incorrect to aver that the testimony would apply to all the Hrethren. I5ut when the Brethren talk to members of churches about religion, there is often felt a repulsive air of conscious superiority connected with many of them — let us hope not connected with them all. Several competent Judges have also noticed in them the lack of perception of the clearest proof of their errors. They seem not open to conviction, even when silenced. Their perversion and abuse of Scripture texts have also struck .several observers with surprise. Let the remarks of one or two competent witnesses be quoted, and let the suggestion be here ventured, that it would be infinitely better for the Urethren if they would earnestly and can- didly endeavor to bring themselves to admit the thought, that the witnesses quoted may have had some other reasons for their views than mere lack of spirituality of mind. Let the Brethren ponder rather than carp. Dr. W. Reid writes of the Brethren thus : — ' " They shrink from controversy, and rely more for success on per- sistent assertion, addressed to those who are ever longing for some new thing, and who are too ignorant to detect the error and confront it with the truth." (" Plymouth-Brethrenism Vnveiled," p. L").) Here is j)art of the testimony of the Rev. J. Nichols, Montreal (Episcopal), given in a recent 16-page pamphlet : — " There are few people on earth who carry on so large a business in parading Scripture, holiness and logic, with so small an amount of capital invested. Yet they are never amenable to argument. You may pelt them with logic ; you may knock them from pillar to post with Scripture ; you may leave them without a breath, or a word to say for theniselve.s, and in live minutes after they will as coolly pro- claim the same errors to some one else, as if nothing had happened. In closing, we strongly urge that our policy must not be to argue with them, but to fully instruct our congregations in the truth of the Bible — to thoroughly indoctrinate the young and so guard them against these and other forms of error. . . . In our judgment their errors are more fatal than those of the Roman Catholic. Repentance and the agency of the Holy Spirit, in working out the great purpo.ses of Christian life and character, have no place in their creed. They are as bigoted as Alohanimedans, and as self-righteous as the Pharisees." IX. SOME MO HAL CriARACTERISTICS OF THE imETIIREN. argue of the tliein [inent itholic. ut the their iteous IF a man has had only one talent bestowed on him mental 'y, he will not be held responsible for the exercise of ten, although he will be accountable for the proper training and discipline of the talent conferred on him. But whatever valid excuses may be made for a man's shortcomings in the mental sphere, he is not excused for dis- honesty, duplicity, pride, malice, sloth, or selHshness. If a man is wilfully and habitually guilty of any of these vices, the Word of (Jod, and even popular instinct itself, points out that he ought not to be regarded as possessed of the Holy Spirit, or spirituality of mind, or proper relationship to (Jod, and, therefore, also, cannot be a trust- worthy interpreter of God's Word. Although a man should say, and even should he himself imagine, that he has the Christian graces in exercise towards God Who is unseen, unless he has the corresponding graces and virtues in exercise towards his fellows, and towards dutiful matters in the sphere of the physically visible, he is either mistaken or mendacious. St. John's first epistle, and other parts of the New Testament, emphasize this point. (Matt. xxv. .'51-46 ; Luke XV. '9.0J 10-16, 31 , 1. Tim. V. John 111. 8.) 12; xiv. 7-10; Kph. vi. 5 1» ; Col. 111. 'J. Let us consider a few of the moral requisites for Scripture inter- pretation, and also whether the Brethren's conduct give evidence of their possessing these. Plymoithism, Humility and Keverknce. One prime moral requisite is humility, and so also is the kindred grace of reverence (Prov. i. 7 ; Ps. cxi. 10 ; xxv. 14). " lly humility,' says one, " I mean not the abjectness of a base mind, l)ut a prudent care not to overestimate ourselves on any account. " Anotlar says, " We might as well not medicate on diviiu' things at all, as to think in the self-sutHciency of a proud heart. If one has a great idea of himself," adds the writer, " it is the only great idea he is ever likely to have." Anything of the temper and disposition of those who think " We are the people, and wisdom will die with us," is inimical to the proper study of that religion which can be best apprehended by the childlike disposition. " Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit, there is more hope of the fool than of him." "If a man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet as he ought •»■■ GG SOME MOHAI. CHAUACTKItlSTK S OF THK HHKTIIUEN. to know.'' If tlitTo is (laii;,'«'r of pridcj from tlie real |»ossession of spiritual attHinnuuitH, liow iiiucli more (lunger from an unnyinary possession of Bucli '! ('J Cor. xii. 7.) W«! may concludr^ from Scripture, reason, and common-.sonse, that if a man have no dpference nor humility in exercise in his ndations with those persons amonj^ the seen whom lie ou<,'ht to re;,'ard as his superiors, he is not likely to have the jjraces of liumility and rev- erence in exercise ii. nis relations with (fod whom he has not seen. How, then, did the originators of JJrethrenism comport themselves in relation to the many thousands in the churches in their day whom they ought to have regarded as their superiors in wisdom, gifts, learning, and piety ? I low do Hrethren to-day conduct themselves towards those memlters of churches whom they ought to regard as their superiors? Of course, the lack of the virtues mentioned may he manifested by one failing to recognize those who are really his superiors, as well as by an improper attitude towards those whom he may admit to he such. We should not have wondered if we had read of Darby, when he came to hold his new views, having had so much misgiving as to the correctness of his own judgment, that he had l)ecome almost para- lyzed. Hut instead of such being the case with him, we read of himself and his coadjutors speaking and writing against all the churches as Babylon, mere masses of ruins, in fatal and irreclainnible apostasy, and as grievous to the Holy Spirit ; and all this they did notwithstanding the wealth of piety, learning, and biblical .scholar- ship, in all the Protestant churches of their time. Who will say that such conduct showed much humility, modesty, or reverenc*; 1 It is certainly well for a man to have what is called " the courage of his convictions," but such courage is best seen when the carrying out of iiis convictions involves considerable danger, temporal loss, or the exercise of much self denial. Jiut if his convictions lead him in directions where others have made sliipwreck, and directions against which he is warned by the almost unanimous voice of those whom he ought to regard as more experienced judges than himself, then a determinatio!! on his part to proceed in that direction, with little or no consideration for the convictions of more competent judges, is not courage but foolhardiness. To be confident in such circumstances would not manifest modesty, reverence, humility, or deference to the opinions of others, but rather great self-assertiveness and self-conceit. " Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." Any one who is in the habit of reading the works of great Scripture commentators, and takes up some literary religious production of • typical Plymouthite, may soon perceive the difference between that kinds of writers. The truly great writer is always reverent, respect, to eminent opponents, shows a knowletlge of various views, estimates carefully their merits, and comes to his own conclusions on contro- verted points often with doubts, and always with becoming modesty, when the opinions of other eminent writers are difJ'erent from his own. The typical Plymouthite writer, however, is generally confident, PLYMOUTH ASSUMPTION Ob' SPIHITLAL HUPEKlOUITY. 07 self-surticiont, and jaunty; hardly ever any doubts with him. Probably the thinks it would scaruuly bo coiiHistent with bt'ing Spiril-guided that ho should have any doubts. lie often does not even seem to Im aware when all eminent coniiuentators are against him, and he gives his own bare assertion merely, without any attempt at proof that he is right on highly oontrovtsrted points, and he makes liis assertions with an air of authority and superior wimlom whiuh is really ludicrous, when we consider the opinions which are thus disposed of with no show of reason or respect. The unscriptural method by which the Brethren arrive at what they bt'lieve to be a pergonal assurance of salvation, is most unfavor- able to humility. We shall see their method afterwards. Also, their ideas of sin, and of the "old man" in the Christian, have a similar elFect. In fact, unless the Brethren's hearts are more scriptural than their doctrines regarding these subjects, there will je a very consid(!rablo part of Scripture a sealed letter to them. et ectti nates ntro- desty, m his dent, PlY-MOIITII ASSUMFTIOX ok .ShIUITL'AL 8ui'EltI0KlTV. Every writer on Plymouthism whom we have read, and who was not an adherent of the system, has noticed the repulsiveness of the assumption on the part of the Brethren of spiritual superiority to other professing Christians. Many of the Brethren assume, not merely superiority in spirituality of mind for Scripture interpretation, but they will presume to judge in a moment or two's conversation with a man, as to whether he is a Christian or not, an insight which the apostles themselves did not possess. The eleven were deceived in Judas. Peter was deceived in Simon Magus, and Paul in Demas, but the Brethren cannot be deceived. Of course, if one does not see Plymouthism to be scriptural, this is quite enough sign of him in the e\es of many of the Brethren. But whilst the Brethren themselves assume sul-Ij spiritual superi- ority, they detest greatly what they think to be the assumption of such in others. Tlie one state of heart invariably accompanies the other. The Brethren particularly dislike the supposed assumption of superiority on the part of the clergy in the modern churches. As previously pointed out, Ivorah of old had a dislike which was very similar, and Mo.ses tells the true reason. (Num. xvi. 10.) Even they cond*'Scend to notice the title " revereiul " as applied to clergymen. This title is particularly odious to the Brethi-en. A few year.s ago, one ''P. W, Emens " wrote a letter ''To the Members of the Presby- tery of Syracuse," when renouncing the clerical i>tlice and joining the rethren. His letter is wholly occupied with the giving of eleven reasons for the step he had taken. The first and foremost reason is, because the title reverend is unscriptural. " Any man," says he, "taking the title reverend acts contrary to the principle inculcated in Matthew x iii. 812, . . . It is placing the few in the uppermost seats," etc. The otiier ten reasons are equally convincing. The same writer would, no doubt, object still more strongly to the title " lord," If 68 SOME MORAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BRETHREN. notwithstanding that the apostle recommends Sarah's example in callinr; even her husband such. Jonathan Edwards says in his "Religious Affections," that "fie" {i.e., the "proud hypocrite") "is often crying out of others' pride, finding fault with others' apparel and way of living ; and is afl'eoted ten times as much with his neighbor's ring or ribband, as with all the filthiness of his own heart." So the Brethren tell their own Christians not to mourn for sin in them, for it is entirely due to the incorrigible "old n>an " within. In this light manner is the Plymouth Christian encouraged to regard "the filthiness of his own heart." liut the Brethren who so advise, appear to be deeply aftected with their " neighVmr's ring or ribband " of reverend. The Brethren must highly disapprove of Paul's having addressed a certain man, " Most noble Felix." Plvmocthism, Honesty and Candor. Honesty and candor are also among the chief moral requisite.s for the successful interpretation of that Word which is the source of all true guidance in respect of moral feeling. It would not sound very well to say — Tliis man is dishonest and deceitful, but a very good interpreter of Scripture. Straightforwardness and transparency of character and purpose are prominent traits of the sound Bible inter- preter, and not merely in interpretation, but also in everything he does. He has a horror of duplicity and deceitfulness, especially in handling the Word of God, and in connection with directly religious work. He does not desire, any more than the apostle, to be thought some- thing different to what he really is. (2 Cor. xii. 6.) He hates the "cunaing craftiness" whereby some "lie in wait to deceive." He is of "the children of the day, not of the darkness nor of the night." He loves to come to the light, " that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in (Jod." Let those who know the Plymouth Brethren say whether their moral conduct, especially in their proselytizing policy, tallies with such a description. The Plymouth lirethren have " reserved doctrines " which they never mention to those whom they approach in a suave and Mattering manner, in order to wile them away from the churches. i'hey do not impart their secret teaching until the proselytes are committed and are able to bear it. When once some individuals are induced uii*ittingly to commit themselves to a certain course, thougl; it were only the signing of a petition that thev had not read, or knew little of, they will afterwards endeavor to defend the ol)j'ct of the oetition, lest they should be ashamed of having taken a step in ignorance. Jesuits, Plymouthists, and bogus j)etition-mongers, often make con- siderable capital out of this weak trait in some men's characters. The IJrethren, through a species of prudery, often sign only their initials to their literary productions, as already noticed. They send forth creeds witli all the peculiar doctrines of Plymouthism left out. Let church members ask the Brethren, if these be their beliefs, why then are they separate from the churches l Let the Brethren's "ACCUSERS OK THE BRETHKKN." 69 they ering lo not d and duced were r little tition, ranoe. :e con- 8. ■ their send t out. [s, why hren's repudiation of the unsigned literary productions of their authors, when these productions are charged with heresy, never be accepted. The Plymouth Jirethren, in much of their crusade a;,'ainst the churches, and in their private proselytizing attempts, fre<|uently manifest the lack of honesty and candor. The clandestine manner in which, under the gui.se of friendship to ministers, the Plymouth preachers often endeavor to gain access to church pulpits, and insinuate themselves into prayer-meetings, and the cleavage in many congregations where access has been gained, is too well known to need particular description here. They have often thus rent the body of Christ. How many congregations in Ontario itself, throughout other parts of Canada, in the States, and, indeed, in all parts of the world where churches and Plymouth Brethren have existed side by side, could tell sad tales of the ravages of tliese foes of the churches. How frequently have godly ministers been driven from the spheres of their labors as the result of the visits to their congregations by the Plymouth Brethren. Would these ministers ever have admitted the preachers who did such work, had they cou)e in their true colors, and not in the guise of friendly co-operators \ When there is an awakening in a congregation in any district wliere Plymouthists exist, the latter are theti specially active in their ellbrts to wile away the young converts. .Sometimes .-{tecial services, and special preachers, are injprovised in a district when there is a communion season in any of the churches, and when the hearts of young communicants are supposed to be in their first love, so as to seduce them away to the Brethren camp. In seasons of .either kind, the Jirethren literally "lie in wait to deceive," and to ensnare. Unstable and untaught Christians have thus in countless instances been beguiled away, and at length left stranded on the beach, with nothing to feed them except the Plymouth heresies, the " reserved doctrines," and the Plymouth preachers" diatribes against the modern churches. Is this honest work ] Is it upright and becoming conduct to be pursued by the only Spirit-guided people, and the only competent Bible interpreters, in Christendom ? "ACCISKHS OF THK BliETIIUKX." On page 4 of the Plymouth tract, '' Accusers of the P»rethren," the author mentions thirteen articles of belief which the Ibeihrt'n iiold, but which he alleges the accusers of the Brethren say tliey do not hold. Any reader of this tract who will read these thirteen articles, and study . Iso the real beliefs of the Brethren as set forth in this pamphlet, may easily see that it would be ditlicult to cram more equivocation and inisstateuient within so brief a .space as the author of the tract has done on this page. The object of the e(juivocation is evidently to ensnare readers who may be oil" their guard. Take one or two instances : — One of the beliefs the author says the Bretliren hold, but which he ■■fr \ it i 70 SOME MORAL CHAUACTEIIISTICS OF THE BKETHKEN. says the Brethrfn accusers allege they do no/ hold, is " The proper humanity of Christ." Notice the cunning use of the word " proper" here. No one ever said that the Brethren do not hold what they thin!' to bo the proper humanity of Christ, Hut the humanity they believe in was a "/fncen/// humanity." Mr. Kelly (a Plymouthite) says : *• His humanity was totally different from Adam, either in integrity or in ruin." According to the Jirethren, it was not our humanity at all that our Lord took. The Brethren liold simply an old heresy. The pnivarication in using the word '"proper" may now be seen. It would have been quite easy for the author to have stated what the Brethren really do hold, but he carefully avoids this, and calls it "proper humanity," so as to .set the trap, and make readers of the tract imagine that the "accusers of the Brethren " are unjust, and probably hold themselves a different humanity from the humanity that is proper. This is Jesuitical. The next article enumerated is the atoning death of Christ as the ground of our ju.stitioation. This is a misrepresentation. What the Brethren are accused of holding is that Christ's death (done, apart from His keeping tlie law in His life, is the ground of the believer's Justification, and the author is careful never to touch on this point. The next article is, "That by the obedience of Christ believers are constituted righteous,"— another misrepresentation. The author care- fully conceals the real accusation on this point, which is that the Brethren hold that the obedience of Christ in isuffering un the cross alone, is that which He did as the sinner's Substitute. In every one of the other articles there is .similar ecjuivocation or misstatement. The Brethren are evidently grateful for Mr. Heid's championship of their cause. They manifest this by their zeal in the distrilmtion of his tract. They must be held as approving highly of his medley of misstatement, equivocation, and liis vituperation of honest and friendly criticism — friendly, that is, to the Brethren themselves, but hostile to their svstem. JJut if the Brethren desire to have their cause really defended, they ought to look out and see whether some one may not be found among their number who possesses ca()acity, moral and mental, for the work ; — moral capacity to state their case honestly and straightforwardly when he once knows it, and mental capacity to defend it, if they think it worthy of defence. It is by no means to their credit that they should commit themselves to a tract that contains so mucii misrepresentation. It is no credit to their intelligence if they do not see the misrepresentation. It is no credit to their morality if they see it and yet circulate it. But the simple fact is Plymouth-Brethrenism is incapable of intelligent and honest defence. This is probably the reason why no man whose works merit any serious notice has yet appeared among the ratiks of its defenders, and why, if it ia to stand at all, it can stand only in darkness and misrepresentation, and needs a man of Mr. Reid's mental calibre and moral fibre to prop it up. 'II < .1 n with those parts of holy writ which treat of the last things. But the contident n)anuer of Plymouth predictif)n ahout these things, and the leading references to the benefits and exaltation of self in the midst of the whole happenings, is just what will suit the tastes of those who de.sire to substitute feelings of the marvellous for the diligent, faithful, and persevering, practi -e of the precepts of Christianity. Hundreds of times, ftoiii the Vn-ssalonians of old to the present time, have lazy and imaginative people made the same substitution. The spirituality of mind possessed liy the Brethren, ai\d their Spirit- guided speakers, are mean.s, thoy think, for announcing the divine will direct. But darkne.ss or dusk seems to be retpiired to make their messages effective. Like modern spiritualists, they re(juin* to have the ordinary means of light withdrawn, and darken the room, l)efore their seances, and ere they can announce their messages from the other world. This is suspicious. It" a p«>dlar takes his wares from a bright into a dusky room to have them explained, his action is open to just suspicion. So the Brethren recjuire to masquerade in false guises ere they can find effective access to church pulpits, prayer- meetings, and church niembers. They require to garble quotations, I ^ssm 72 SOME MORAL CHARACTEUISTICS OF THE KUETHREN. to shut off ordinary niRans of light, and repair to dusky corners, before they can do their special work effectively. " For every one that doeth ill hateth the li;?ht, and conieth not to the light, lest his works should be reproved. But he that doeth the truth conieth to tlie lijjht, that his works may be made manifest, that the)? have been wrought in God." A few years ago the famous trial of the notorious impostor, Arthur Orton, the claimant to the Tichborne estates, took place in England. The trial lasted for some months, and elicited great public iiiterfst. It was discovered that the claimant had called on the mother of the real and long-lost heir of the estates — an old lady then in her dotage. His call was made in the gloaming, just before the gas was lit. When the old ladv was brought in to see whether sl»e could re(;o<'nize the visitor as her long-lost son, she found him seated in the darkest corner of the room. With all his arliKces he at length succeeded in getting the lady to recognize iiim as her own very s-in Roger. This circumstance was used by him at the trial as a strong point in his favor. So the Brethren thus come to other ))Pople virtually in the twiliglit, expecting to be recognized as the real long-lost descendants of the apostolic church, aiid the only true heirs to the promises and to the heavenly iidieritance. Those who are in any kind of dotage, or dark- ness, may yield to the claim. Those who are intelligent will insist on the j)roduction of satisfactory credentials, or on a thorough trial, and will cross-exaniine the claimants. They will not consent to have the ordinary means of light shut oiY. They are likely to regard it at the outset as a suspicious circumstance that the claimants seek to approach them in the twilight, and they will probably desire before deciding in favor of these claimants, to trace in them an unmistakable familv resemblance to the distinsiuished ancestrv claimed by them. The Sklkism of PiiVMOUTiiisM. There is one other moral ciiaracteristic of the Brethren which we must notice briefly ere closing this part of our suliject. It is a characteristic which is mos;t inimical to jiroper liible interpretation, and one, juoreover, which not a lew eminent thinkers on religious subjects believe to be akin to the essence of all sin. 8t'ltishness is the essence of sin, say many. Selfism is undue prominence to self, including excessive regard to some of those enjoyments which self may even yet come to attaiii. it manifests itself also in opposition to law, and to the will and rights of superiors expressed in law and rule. It loves to be a law unto itself. In religion it often seeks to explain away all real obligation. No one can read Hretliren literature — the expository, devotional, and other writings of the Hretlu'en — without perceiving how much of self figures in them. Christ as an end is subordinated to Christ as a njeans. What self is to become through Christ as a means is n)ore prominent than how Christ is to be glorified. Shepard, in his parable of the ten virgins, says sometliing to the effect that some desire Christ THE SELFISM OF PLYMOUTHISM. 73 cable ^'^l. icli we is a tiition, i^ious tional, uch of St as a 4 more )aral)le Christ merely as they would desire a nierohaut that keeps good wares. To alter somewhat a statement of Thoii'as Goodwin, it is a very different thing for a woman to send for a physician to cure her of a malady, and to her consenting to be married to him. The Brethren love to have an eye on the perfection they imagine they have already attained, and on the f.ict, as they think it to be, that they possess not merely tiie imputed, but the essential, inherent, righteousness of Christ. They imagine, as one puts it, that they are "God-ed with God and Christ-ed with Christ." Another says that he can never think of this opinion of the Brethren without remembering the tempter's statement, " Ye shall be as Gods." The J3rethren love to sing : — " No condemnation. Oh, my soul, 'Tis God that speaks the word — Perfect in comeliness art tliou Throu<,'h Christ, thy risen Lord." — liietlnrn's llyinn. The Brethren desire to keep away all thouglits of sin. Such thoughts have the tendency to humble, and to keep one in mind of the place that rightly is his. But the Brethren say that thoughts of sin will spoil our worship, comfort, service, and testimony. So they have mutilated the hymns "Rock of Ages," and 'Just as I am," etc., to suit these ideas, and they hav« acted similarly towards other hymns. The Brethren's ideas about what thouglits of sin will do to the believer are just as diametrically oppo.sed to real Christian ex- perience and Bible truth as could well be imagined. " lilessed are they that mourn " has no place in the Jirethren's theology for the Christian, nor has the broken heart, nor the contrite spirit. The Brethren, in the spirit they are of, could never sing the dying words of Samuel Rutherford paraphrased thus : — " lie britigH a poor vile sinner, Into His house (if wine. The bride eyes not her "garment, But her dear Hridei;room s face ; I will not gaze at glory. But on my King of rijy;hter ray, And more beloved existence." iliVr The divinity which requires to be patiently and diligently studied in order to be properly understood, is not the sort that suits the genius of some religionists. Tt is rather the one which can be in- spired into them with little or no trouble on their part— the divinity which can be rapidly realized as " breeding wings within," as Milton THE SELFISM OF PLYMOUTH ISM. 75 pertpction, where doubts can never come, where the exercise of reason onl.nary ]ife o( Christian faith, patience, sufferini: and self.leni.1 ! far too tame tor then,, and even in the ling-run w„lved„„th ,»' inconLr »;'t'hr„elr,' rralrTd "J.^i"t,-tfSl1 Z ; fi ' ,5 ^,,, % PLYMOUTITISM AND tiCllIPTUUE ISTEIiPRETATlON. Plymouth Self-coxfident Pkocedure. THK luHtory of the various kinds of interpretation, from the phvusil)le ))ut false down to the absurd and lijrotescjue, which have Iteen put on every part of (iod's Word, would form the best kind of evidence tliat correct Bible interpretation is attended with many di (lieu 1 ties. None are so likely to fall before one or more of these dilliculties as those who imagine, as the Brethren interpreters seem to do. that the Holy Spirit has l)een j^iven them to supersede the necessity of thinkinj^ of them. Brethren interpreters appear to sail quite contidently ahead with their slenderly equipped barque, without rudder, chart, or soundinj; apparatus. They seem either regardless or unaware of tlie existence in their path of many reefs, rocks, quicksandf whirlpools, and danj^erous currents, where countless numbers of far ")re e.xpert mariners have come to grief. Brethren captains seem confident tluit they alone of all the mariners on the mighty main are under the true gales of heaven, and that they have nothing to do but hoist their sails and speed right aliead. After the mariner has properly e{|uipped his banjue, it is .still his duty to pray that lie may have a safe and prosperous voyage. It is his duty to use proper means for securing the safety of life and vessel, even should lie like I'aul of old have full assurance beforehand that none would be lost. Tiie heavenly vision that told Paul that non(f would be lost, did not give him any greater skill in naviga- tion than lie had, nor did it in the h^ast supersede the use of any rules for sailing that the captain of the vessel might have learned in a school of navigation. Paul never would have scouted these as "man-made" rules, nor would he have dreamt of shouting to those on board other vessels, and making for the same haven: All your ships are going to ruin, for you ar«^ guiding them by "man-made" rules; (Jod is in our wind, and we have no need of such rules, nor of any otKcers skilled in the art of navigation. Any man aboard who thinks himself tit, can take his turn at steering our vessel past rocks and whirlpools. Come out of your ships lest ye lie destroyed in their certain fate, and join our.s, and there shall lie the one wind and the one vessel. " Come out of doomed liabylon," say the Brethren to Church members, " and join us ' on the basis of the one body and the one spirit,' " PLYMOUTH BREACHES OF APPKOVEl) IIFLES. 77 PLYMOrrii Hbkaciies of Appkovro Rulks. There is hardly any approv«>d rule for Scripture iiitorpretation which the Brethren do not set at nought. It is not meant to be here asserted that formal rules for Scripture should be hlimi/i/ adopted by any one. Rules can be examined, and their validity judged, before they be adopted. Neither is it needful on every occasion on which one reads the Scripture tliat he have rules for interpretation promi- nently before his mind. One may, if he choose, read for devotional purposes without necessarily thinking of such rules. A physician may look into the face of his friend, and receive inspiration from so doing, without his necessarily thinking of the rules for Judging of health from appearances in the face. Rut if the physician should intend to deliver lectures on the anatomy and expre-ssion of the human face, and on the signs of good or ill health that might there manifest themselves, he would not be justified in beginning his lec- tures, unless he had first studied the subject thoroughly himself, and that also with the history of all the discoveries that had been made by others in the same field. The same holds true with regard to the man who intends for the public benefit to interpret the Word of God and teach its doctrines. Space will permit of our noticing only a very few of the many rules and principles of liible interpretation transgressed l)y the Rrethren. In fact. Brethren writers seem to go by no rule or principle in Scrip- ture interpretation except the rule of trying to extract from the Word the meanings they apparently wish it to contain, so as to make these meanings fit in with their theories. 1. Brethren writers constantly transgress the rule that before we can be sure that we understand the teaching of the Bil)le on any particular subject, we must collect all the texts bearing on that subject, place them side by side, and draw conclusions carefully from a com- parison of each text with all the others. For instance, Brethren writers quote only one class of passages about the atonement, namely, the class that refer to Christ as having died for the " whole world," for '■ all," for " every man," etc. Hut they are never found (juoting the other class, which speak of His having died "for His sheep," " His friends," "for the Church," etc. At first sight the one class of passages might seem to contradict the other, iiut the liible never contradicts itself. We should, therefore, study patiently how to reconcile the one class of passage.s with the other. Texts that inti- mate that Christ died "for all" were meant to correct the narrow particularism of the Jew.s, who were of opinion that the Messiah, when He would come, was to bless the Jews only. But the apostles showed that His blessings were meant for any one in the world who should seek to avail himself of them. He was a propitiation, not for Jews oidy, but for every one. As Calvinists interpret such Scripture teaching, Christ's death is sufiicient for all, offered to all who hear the Gospel, suited for all, and efiicient for all who will avail them- selves of it. But the expression, "the doctor of the regiment," would JM! 'INI* PLYMOUTHISM AND SCHIPTUUE INTKRPHEIATION. not imply that every sokliur in the regiment was actually curetl l)y its doctor. Clirist being the propitiation for tlie whole world, does not carry with it that all in the world will be actually saved by Him, nor that He was the actual Substitute of all. The great error that the Brethren commit in uoiiiiection with the actual presentation of the Gospel to unsaved siiinersi, au error founded on the defective theory of the e.xtent of the actual atonement, is that since, as they imagine, Chri.st was sul)stituted in the room and stitad of every sinner, then the sinner has nothing to do but believe the divine record of Christ's substitutionary death, and he is saved. This is a most serious error, and one which i.s at the root of several other Plynjouth errors. We sliall refer to this dangerous error when we come to treat of saving faith. 2. lirethren authors continually forget the class of persons addressed by sacred writers. What is addressed to CJoils people, Brethren often take as addressed to all. For instance, the prophet Isaiah speaks of " All we like sheep have gone astray, . . and the Lord hath laid upon him the iiti(|uity of us all." The Brethren take this passage as if it meant that the iniquities of all who have gone astray have been laid on Christ. Jjut the prophet meant the ini(juities of (Jod's people only, for it is of them he is writing. And surely the Brethren themselves ought to be able to see that (jlod's people can say both of themselves and of Christ what the unsaved cannot say. A man who is sure of his salvation can warr;intably say, " Christ is mine, He gave himself for mo, and I am His." This would be unwarrantable language in the mouth of the unsaved. The unsaved can say, "Clirist is offered to me, suited for me, sutiicient for me, and I am invited to come and partake of all the benefits of His redemption, and invited to come as [ am, and now." But it is only when the unsaved man does actually come, and knows that he has taken Christ as He is offered, that he can join in the language of the saved man. Mr. >rackintosh says in his " Notes on E-todus," that the Egyptians represent unsaved sinners. liut it was not, however, for the Egyptians that the paschal lamb was slain. They had no offer of its benefits. It is incorrect, therefore, to treat as lie does of the blood as having been shed for them, and as if they had nothing to do but believe the fact. At other times the same writer takes the Israelites before the passover to represent unsaved sinners. Here again there is error. The lamb was slain for Israel because they were (iod's cliosen people before as well as after the passover. But it cannot be known of any sinner at present unsaved whether he is among God's chosen people or not. This can only be known when the sinner is known to have come to Christ. It is, therefore, a dangerous error to represent what applies to God's people only as if it applied to the unsaved sinner. But this is invariably done by all the Brethren. A very glaring instance of the same kind of error may be con- stantly met with in Brethren writings in the representation made in those of the Old Testament sacrifices which were ai»pointed for PLYMOUTH MKEACHES OK AI'l'KOVEI) KULKS. 79 (Jod's Isnvel only as if these sacritioos had Ween olliired also, and had actually secured the itit«>nded Iwiietits, for those who are not Uod's people. Tliis is doiH>, for instance, by " Ueo. C." in " Safety, Cer- tainty, and Kiijoyinent," a tractate largely circulated among and hy the IJrcthren. U. Often the brethren err like the Houianists by prejudiced liter- alisius. For instance, they suppose from the expression, " Ye did it," or "ye did it not, unto the least of these my brethren," etc., that there must l)(> a third class at the tinal judgment, strictly called the Lord's brethren. Were we to interpret the Bible thus, we should form very straii^(f views aiiout some important doctrines. For instance, we should suppose from the parable of the virgins that the number saved will e(pial the number lost. A glaring instance of the kind of misrepre- .seiitation in (|uestion is that made of the apostles symbolism of the "old man" and the " nt)w man." The Brethren treat these men as if they were two literal individuals inside the Christian. They make the " old man " responsible for all the sin they commit. The " new man," they say, cannot sin. This trick is very convenient for a carnal theology, i)ut at the same time very irrational and unscriptural. If a farnictr had a cow, a cross between a l)urham and a Jersey, and if tills animal leaped the fence into the neighltoring farmer's oats, would the owner of the cow be responsible for only half the damage, because the Jersey part of the animal would never thus leap a fence '.' The apostle says, "The body is dead because of sin." (Rom. viii. 10.) Ought all bodi s of Christians, therefore, to be buried / In the seventh of the Romans the apostle .sometimes regards himself as if he were the "old man," and sometimes as if he were the "new man." What he means by such expressions is merel\' that there are two principles of action within the Christian. Sometimes the one principle induces the man to act, exercising liis faculties, and it may be his bodily members, and sometimes the other principle does the .same. But this is a very diHerent thing from treating the Christian as if tliere were literally two individuals within him. Sometimes disease and health struggle against each other in the same body. But who would ever think that on this account we should speak of two literal bodies? Which of the two men do the Brethren think needs pardon I for the Brethren acknowledge that the Christian sometiuies recjuires pardon. For which of the men did Christ die I Which of them advances in holiness? The "new man," they tell us, is perfect. The "old man" cannot be improved. Which of tliem, then, is bidden purify himself as Christ is pure 1 The fact seems to be that the Brethren are entirely incapable of perceiving that their whole theory of the two men has sprung from a prejudiced view of the apostle's figure — a view which has its root in the desire to take a light and carnally easy view of sin. There is no warrant from the First Epistle of John for supposing that the one who is born again never commits sin. The Greek lan- guage here means that such a one does not deliberately follow a rourse of sin, which is a very different thing. But then, the Brethren abhor i I SBB m I'LYMOI'TIUSM Mil) SCUIFiUUE INTEKl'KETATlON. anything Iik«) Icarninjj, PHpfcially in otlier pooplo, even to the extent of knowinji aliout the (Jiwk liinj^uagc. Hut even without any know- lodj,'e of this language*, the hrothrcn nii^^lit liavt- seen that the apoatin asserts that if the Oiristian sayH that there is no sin in liiin, ur that he does not commit sin, he is uttering an untruth. He also directs the ('hristian to confess iiis sin. Is it the "ohl man" that is tlius directed, or the ik^w ( Or is it the "new man" that is supposed to confess the sins of the old] And which of tiiem, then, is forgiven and receives th(^ cleaiisinj,' f Th(! " new man " is perfect aheady, the Brethren think, and therefore he cannot need cleansing;, nor lor^ive- ness. And as for tlie "old man," h(! is incorrii,'ihle. He can neither he pardoned nor cleansed. The apostle also refers to an advocate. The " new man " who never sins surely does not need such. Who, then, is the Advocat*; for? The Brethren commit a mistake similar to the one last noticed, in their view of the apostle's meaning in Colossians ii. 10. The preju- diced literalism here refers to the Knulish of the authorized version : "And ye are complete in him." Here is how Mr. iMackintosh expatiates on these words : — " Not as a matter of attainment; not ye wi/l he, ye may he, hope that ye may he, prai/ that ye may he. No, he by the Jloly (ihost states in the most ahsolute and unetpiivocal manner ye are complete. This is the true startinj^-post, and for man to make a goal of what Ood makes the starting-post is to upset everything. Although we have sin, it is not in self we are complete, hut in Christ What can he added to one who is complete f . Not one of them [i.e. of the tilings he has enumerated] can add anything to the one whom God pronounces complete. Could any of these things, or all of them put together I etc. We might just as well in(|uire whether man could go forth upon the fair creation of (Jod at the close of the six days' work to give the tinishing touch to that which God had pro nounced very good." (" Notes on Exodus," Ta, 78.) Thus are the apostle's words wrested to make them appear to sup- port a false theory. Mr. Mackintosh's ideas, on the very face of them, are ahsurd. The apostle meant to dissuade the Colossian Christians from giving heed to the teachers among them who sought to induce them to have recourse to invisihie "angel-powers" to supplement Christ's work in their progessive salvation. They did not need to go to any other source in order to have all they reijuired. In Christ they were made full. This hy no means implied that tlu^y were now as full as they could he made, but they were in process of being filled full out of Him in whom all fulness dwells. What they had already obtained through Christ, the apostle details at some length in the context. The process is further described in Ephesians iii. IG-IJ) The emphasis is upon the circumstance that the Colossian Christians did not require to go elsewhere for anything they wanted — they had all in Christ, and would receive out of Him according to their preparedness. Mr. Mackintosh's idea is diametrically opposed to the express teaching of every page of the New Testament, where there is nothing more clearly WHO SHALL WITNKSS OL'll LOKD's SECOND COMlNd :' Si iuHisted on tlitin tliat the CliriHtiiiti la not ynt coinplotc. TIk^ iipoHtle Paul was (Mtrtainly not one of tliosH who e.st«>ut our Lord here referred oidy to one single feature in the thi«^f, namely, his coming by stealth. So the angels referred in the "as ' and "so" only to the manner (^f our Lord's departure and coming, not to whom they all should he who were to see His Second Coming. Who these latter are to be, we are clearly told elsewhere. But the "as" and the "so" are supposed to be so clear to the Jirethren that Mr. Mackintosh saya all other passages ndating to our Lord's Second Coming must be governed by this one. Rather than that the Hrethreti will relinquiah their falae theory, 6 82 PLYMOUTHISM AND SCRIPTIIPE IXTERPUETATION. the two angels must he pronounced " false witnesses," and our Lord must come a third time. There are, indeed, most stupendous results wrapped up in the " as " and " so " if they are to be held as containing all this. There is strong ground for the opinion that in making the angels decide who they are who are to see the Second Coming, the wish is parent to the thought, as it appears to be so very often in Brethren writings ; and after the angels are made to refer to the beholders of this coming, the wish is parent to the thought again in making them refer to all Christians, since the angels themselves expressly say, '• As ye have seen." 5. The Brethren expositors often err in the meaning they attribute to a passage of holy writ, because they do not study suttici«*ntly the context of the passage, nor the circumstances of the people directly addressed in the passage. For instance, they imagine that the " hidden " or " secret mystery " mentioned by Paul meant the New Testament Church. (Rom. xvi. 25 ; Eph. iii. 5.) The term translated " mystery " is mentioned by Paul several times in his writings, and not always in the same sense. He frequently meant by the ■" "ord simply the Gospel itself. (1 Cor. ii. 7-10; iv. 1 ; Eph. vi. 19; C.i. i. 25-27 ; ii. 2.) At other times he meant the change of the bodies of beliovers at the last day. ( 1 Cor. xv. 51 .) Also he means (Rom. xi. 25) the restoration of the Jews. There is nothing to show that in Romans xvi. 2.') there is not meant by this word the Ciospel in its aspect of a revelation now made clear. There is nothing either here or elsewhere to indicate that it meant the Church. In regard to the other passage (Eph. iii. 4-fi), the context shows clearly that the word " mystery " means tlie admission of the (ientiles, on etjual terms with the Jews, to the privileges of the Gospel. This is as clearly stated as possible in the (Jth verse — that the "mystery" is that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, etc. In verse 10 this "mystery," now fully revealed, is referred to as showing the manifold wisdom of God, and the manifestation is made l)y the Church, and the " mystery " cannot therefore be the Church itself, although it is exhibited in the C'urch's composition of Jews and Gentiles. No stress can be laid on the word "liidden " as deter- mining the reference in the word " mystery," because both the New Testament Church and the calling of the Gentiles are the subjects of Old Testament prophecies, and with about an equal measure of light in the case of each. The serious error of the Rrethrcn in their misunderstanding of the word "mystery" is in their supposing that there was no Old Testament Church, and there are a number of other errors springing from this one in the lirethren's ecclesiology. The passages from the sixth chapter of 2 Corinthians, which the Brethren are so fond of quoting to church members — "Come out from among them," etc., " Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbe- lievv^rs," etc., have not the smallest reference to separation from churches of professing believers. Christians in Corinth were in danger, at least many of them, from the circumstance that they had friends and acquaintances among the unconverted Gentiles, that is, among worship- WHO SHALL WITNESS OUR LORD's SECOND COMING? 83 W pers in heathen temples, and some of the Christians were tlius allured to worship in these teniples. In the heathen festivals there was not only a worshipping of idols, but this was also associated with obscene rites, and with debauchery and licentiousness. This accounts for the fre({uent warnings of the apostle in both epistles in regard to such matters. (1 Cor. vi. 15-20; viii. 1-13; x. 1-33.) The apostle mentions as a ground of separation from the unclean, that God had promised to "walk in them and dwell in them," etc. (1 Cor. v. 10.) In order to realise the fulfilment of these promises, h« exhorts the Christians at Corinth to cleanse themselves from " all tilthiness of the flesh and spirit," etc. This shows what the nature of the separation was —separation from the table and worship of devils in the heathen temples, and from the accompanying obscenities and revelries. There are altogether three kinds of separation counselled by the apostle to the Christians in Corinth. (3ne was from worship in the temple of the idol, and from its accompanying evils. Another was from all kinds of sinful practices everywhere, which were similar to, or might be suggested by, heath and fmtiousness. He seems to have had no doubt but the Church was a church of (Jod. ( I Cor. i. 2.) lit! strongly deprecates divisions or schisms in this church. ( 1 Cor. xi. 17-iy.) And in this he is in line with the other apostles. "These be they who separate theinseivtfs, sensual, having not the .Spirit." (.lude 19.) "They went out from us, but they were not of us ; for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us : but they went out, that they miijht l)e manifest that they were not all of us." ( 1 .lohii ii. li).) There are no pa.ssa^'»'s in Scripture that might l>e regarded as modifying in any way, or toning down, the emphatic warnings against the sin of schism, or seeking to divide or ren»i the body of Christ. It may thus be seen that candor, and a small amount of care, in studying the sixth chapter of 2 Corinthians would prevent the Brethren from putting such constructions upon parts of it as would contradict the plain teaching of the New Testament with regard to separation from churches. iiiil^ 84 PLYMOUTH ISM AND SCRIPTritE INTERI'UKTATION. The Brethren frequently take leave, or fincl some excuse, to modify or explain away pas8a<»es of Scripture just as it suits them. They imagine, for instance, that the seventh o.. the Romans was written by one not yet free. Yet when it sui'.s them thty take their chief proof texts from this very chapter, as, for insianct;, they try to do in making it appear tiiat the Christian is not under the law as a rule of life. They have not the shadow of a reason for thinking that the apostle was not fnie when he wrote the Kpistlc to the Romans. But they evidently dislike this chapter, hecause it overthrows tiieir foolish idea of no sin being in the " new man." In the same profane manner they ride rough-shod through the gospels, taking oidy what suits their whims and fancies, and in the most inexcusable manner injecting the remainder. They say a great part of the gospels was meant for a '.lewisli remnant '' only. This is a pure invention There was nothing meant for the .lew tliat was not meant for the ( Jentile. They are lioth saved in the same way. The teremonial law was observed in our Loril's timt', Itut He taught plainly that this law was meant to be superseded, lint l)y their unjustitiable theory about the ".Jewish remnant," the Brethren gi-t rid of miicli in the gospels that is opposed to their notions. This circumstance of itself would be (piite sutlicient to condemn the attitude of the Ihethren to the Word of ( lod. They ou!,dit to ponder such passages as lievelation xxii. IH, 1 !♦. where we are warned against adding to or taking from sacred writ. The Brethren find plausible excuses for rejecting any part of the Old Testament that they dislike, and foi taking whatever they can twist to sfjuare with their theories. They are very fond of (|Uoting .Jol) xxii. ■-'! : ''A'^juaint now thy.self with him, and be at peace," etc. They tune this down to make it mean, ac(|uaint thyself with wliat Christ has done. This favors their conception of an iiistoric faith as a saving one. lUit they shun like a plague the very next verse: '• l^eceive, [ pray tliee, the law from his nuath," etc. Tln'y quote about being ''ompletf in Christ, wresting the expression as we have just .s«!*>n ; but they never (piote aliout standing complete in all the will 'A (.ut there is at U ast one other, a very glaring one, and we cannot pass it without calling attention thereto. It is nerhaps a vi< i. IIS kind of theologi/.ing rather that a species of misi. :erpre- tation. We refer to the Brethren's system of typology, whicli is explained in the next chapter. XI. PLYMOUTUISM AXI> SCUirTUHE INTERl'HKTATloS. (Ci)ntinuiil.) The Brkthhkv and Om) Testamknt Typology. Tlipy Ss rate las our •tlircn |>t and Ions of In °"'^ •rluips pcrprp- lioh ia AK I K for Scripture interpretation, constantly transgressed V)y i.n'tliren writers, but approved hy all competent Scripture in- terpreters, is tliat nothinj; in the Old Testament ou;;l>t to he rey.irded as a type except wliafc the Scriptures tlx'mselves direct should l.e so re;i,'aiued. (S>'e " Home's Tntrodu'tion," \'ol. II., {>. .">.'}().) Kverything connected evt i wiih real typ<'S is by no means to he regarded also as a type. Kor instance, the Old Dispensation hi;,di priests were types of (.'lirist, hut, as we are expressly toll, not iti everytlnni,' connected with them. They re(juired to oU'er for their own sins, and tall it a type of this doctrine or duty, etc. This is what Mr. Mackintosh actually does. The Biblo can l>e made to tench atiytliing in this fashion, and the teaching will thus be made to appear to have (Jod's authority. This ]>ractice is higlily culpable and discreditable. Examples .shall he adduced further on. All that need he added on the point at present is that the practice is on a par with the Brethren's love of darkness in other directions, and their thu.s going to the region of types and shadows for light on New Testament mmmm vmsmmm PLYMOUTHISM AND SCRIPTURE INTERPRETATION. duties and privileges, when there is nothing said about such duties or privileges in the dispensation of light itself, is, to say the least of it, suspicious, even at the first blush, and n»ay remind the reader of ■what has been already said about the pedlar, and about the Tich- borne claimant. Persons of ordinary intelligence may readily perceive the absolute necessity of there being some distinct limitation as to what ought to be regarded as types in the Old Testament, and the limitation, among proper liible interpreters, is understood to be, as already noticed, that where Scripture itself intimates in an unmistakaV)le way there is a type, only there should a type be found. Brethren writers make a terriVjle mess of their attempts at gospel teaching, on account of their ignorance of this important limitation. They wrest, add to, or take from, the Word of God at pleasure, by their illegitimate system of typology, and this they do notwithstanding the terrible denunciations in Scripture itself against its being thus treated. (Deut. iv. 2; xii. 32 ; Prov. x.\x. 6 ; Rev. xxii. 18, 19.) There are more ways for making the Word of tJod of no effect than merely by tradition. The Church of Rome adds to, takee from, or modifies, the Word of God at pleasure, through traditions, as the Scribes and Pharisees of old did. The Romish Church also deals in a vicious system of typology. As already noticed, she sees, foi' instance, in the secession of Jeroboam, a type of the secession of the Protestants at the time of the Reformation. The reproofs of the apostles to those who were miHled by false teachers, wrre ni'ld compared with some of their terrible denunciations of the false teachers themselves who had been the means of misleading them. Through the Brethren's vicious system of typology alone, apart from their many other irrational and prejudiced methods of treating the Bible, Plymouth writers make the Old Testament virtually a book for divination, out of which they fetch, and patch together, what in reality amounts only to a mere parody on the Gospel. Mr. Mackintosh, as seen from his "Notes on Exodus" already referred to, tinds many types where there are none, and treats many other persons and incidents in the Old Testament as if they were types, without himself actually, and in so many words, saying that they are so, thus sotting a trap for his readers, as we shall afterwards see the author of "Safety, Certainty, and Enjoyment" does, and setting it also so that he himself may not seem to be blamed if his readers are misled and snared. His uninformed readers may thus, as if by a side wind, be brought to receive the authors teaching as if it came to them vith divine authority. Ostensibly the object of Mr. Mackintosh in his Notes is to make Christian duty and privilege plain. But every such duty and privilege ought to be understood to be made plainer in the New Testament than in the Old. This is especially the case with regard to the duties and privileges of Christians in reference to the Church of Christ. The Brethren themselves ought particularly to be of this opinion, since there was, in their view, no Church in the Old Dispen- THE BRETHREN AND OLD TESTAMENT TYPOLOGY. 87 [eferred other types, liey are see tlie bting it lers are a side lo them lo make Ity and \e New regard IChurch of this )ispeii- satioii, and the Church of the New Dispensation was, according to the teaching of the Brethren, " the mystery hid from the foundation of the world." Yet when the exigency of their arguments requires it, they scruple not to deduce Christian duty and privilege in reference to the Church from the sup|KDsed teaching of the Old Testament about them, although they themselves thus maintain, when the exigencies of discussion again require it, that there is no teaching about the Church in the Old Testament. When Mr. Mackintosh, in his process of manufacturing types, and unduly pressing real ones, tries to make the Old Testament appear to teach that it is the duty of Christians to " Come out " of tlie moderti churches, he citv^ New Testament texts, so as to make the whole of what he says seem to have the sanction of New Testament teaching. The New Testament texts (juoted by Mr. Mackintosh could not be made of themselves to teach separation from modern churches. Therefore, he -ikes them away to the region of shadows, where he himself says there is notliing about the Church, and tl'.ere, by the assistance if an iifiinua nituus raised by liimself in the darkness, sparks of his own kindling, he exliil)its the faces of these New Testament texts in distorted shapes, so that they might be pressed into his service. He must darken the room before liis seances. He must, like the dislionest pedlar, take his wares to a dark room, ere he ventures to exhilnt them and explain their uses. Like the Tichborne claimant already alluded to, he prefers tlie twiligiit, and the darkest corner of tlie room. There might not be much direct harm in seeing, as Mr. Mackintosh does, in the union of Zipporah with Moses, a type of the union of the Church with Christ, and in the shrinking of this woman from the circumcision of her son, a representation, up till conversion, of the members of the Church from the crucifixion of the Hesh. (" Notes on Exodus," p. 77.) Yet even here the vicious system of interpretation aln^ady noticed is manifest, and this instance pertorms its own p.irt in inducing a certain class of this authors readers to believe t'lat types exist where tliev do not. But when Mr. Mackintosh finds in the com- mand giver, to Israel to go out of Egypt, a revelation of the divine will to the etl'ect that any true (.'hristians who ma) still lie in the modern churches, should separate from these oliurchei at once, he thus makes the Old Testament counsel and exhort what is directly and euphatically opposed to the letter and spirit of the New Testament with regard to separation from the churches. He devotes several payes of his " Notes on Exodus"' to the urging of what he thus erroneously iniagines to be the l)oanden duty of any Christians who may still be among lho.se "'who," as he says, "have neither the life of (lod in their lieart.-^, nor the love of Cod in their souLs, nor the power of the Word in their consciences." (Page 10!>.) But be it noted, Mr. .Mackintosh does not at this point mention the word churches. No. But, in Plymouth style, he sets the trap. Ho wishes to make his readers responsible for taking him up as meaning the churches. Yet he does mean them, and nothing else. This may be clearly seen from the terms he uses, from his niure distinctly expressed opinions a little further on in thin i; ) FLYMOUTHISM AND SCRIPTURE INTEUPHETATION. volume, from his views as clearly exjyressed in his " Papors on the liOrd's Second (/Oinin}^," as well as from the general and emphatic teaching of other Urethn-n writers on the same subject. Mr. INlackintosh urges Christians to separate from "the dead and power- less profession of the day,'' and has much more in the same knavish and decoying style. If any one doul)ts this author's \iews ivgarding the modern churches, let him read and study the following paragraph from his " I'apers on the Lord's Secttnd Coming,' pages ""J, I'^i. Under the heading "Christendom," he writes as follows: " What varied thoughts and feelings are awakened in the soul hy the ver-y sound of the word 'Christendom.' It is a terrible word. Jt brings before us '.hat vast mass of baptized profession whiih calls itself the Church of CJod, but is not ; which calls itself Christianity, but is not. Christendom is a dark and dreadful anomaly. It is neither the on(! thing nor the other. It is not the .lew or the (ientile, or the Church of Cod. It is a corrupt, mysterious mixture, a s)iiritual malformation, threlhren will refer to Mr. Moody .'is on their side. The author of " Accusers of the Br. ihren " says the Urethren believe in the Church, leaving his readers to imagine if they ehoose that he means the modern ihur'lies. Is this honest / When the linthren approach chureli mcMubers to wile them away from theii- ihurches, is their view of the chunhea ever mentioned at the outset .' No, for they pretend to l>e in igreement with these ineml»er.s, and will some times congratulate them <»n the correctness of their \iews. Like the lioers, they sometimes exhibit a fal.se tlag ol truce that they may deceive and ensnare. Cn pa^es lOS. 1 '.>'.» of his " Notes on Kxodu.s. Mr. Miickintosh depicts the spirit and destinv of the mixl»-t' churches in the morti awful terms terms taken from .Scriptur*- aid ipplied there to Itabylon. " ''^Kyi'* expresses what man h>».«k ii;;itl. of the world,' says this prophet, '• liabylon expresws wh»t f* t m ..is made, is uiaking, and will make, of the pri>t<^ssing Church. He »*xplains that Ktjypt stands for unconverted peop** in th«' world, and it* destiny shall yet l>e a blessed one, in terms of the ninete«Mith of Isaiah. li_ _'.">, where it is said Kgypt shall be healed. " Very diti'erent," he ■•¥«, "is the close of Babylon s history, whether viewed as a literal history or as a spiritual THE HRETIIUEN AND ()IJ> TKSTAMENT TYPOLOGY. 89 |ilepict8 iiwful Ubylun. jys this ]y. and •.lands •t W 11 IS Hiiid lose of hiiitual systoui. I will make it a possesHion for t!ie bittern, and pools of water; and 1 will sweup it with the hcsoni of destruction saith the Lord. ( I sa. X i V. 2r>. ) J t shall never he inliahited. (Tsa. xiii. 'JO-L'2.)" Tiien our attention is directed to the terril)le destiny of Hahylon as set forth in Ivovelation xviii. The most terril)le parts of this cliapter are «|uoted for us — verse "Jl, for instance — and applied to the modern churches. "With what iinniens<' solennuty." says Mr. Mackintosh, "should these words fall upon the ears of any who are connected with Mahylon — that is t<» say," adds he, "with the fals«! professing <'hurch. Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her plaj^ues." These are part of the " reserved doctrines," tauf^ht to proselytes from the ehurclies as " they can bear it." No wonder that, as Mr. Kenton points out. Hrethren wdl not attend our churches, or church meetinHS. They will do so only for proselytising purposes. H(»w could they worship in the doomed city, or seek to reform that which they b.'lieve the Lord has destined or doomed to awful destruction? And let it be remendiered, that .Mr. Mackintosh fcjunds these teriil)le views about the modern churches on liis false and prejudiced reading of the types and syndiols of the book of Kxodus, and h«! seeks to liave Jievelation xviii. read in the light of those views. Other NewTestament texts aie (juoted, though misapplied, merely to fortify his position. 'I'lie main stress is laid on the Old Testament texts. The exhortation to Chri.stians to come out of the modern churches is founded on tlie command to Israel to go out of Egypt. It may be noticed in passing, that if the command given to Israel to go out of Kgypt is to i)e taken as an illustration, very (liecially if Jiabylon has any reference to false and ruinous doctrines, set forth with dissimulation and deceptiveness, as if they were divine teaching ; and if it refers also to any orjj;ani/ation or body, liaving piide and vaidty, seeking itself to take the place of the Church of Christ, and wai'ring against the true Clinnrh. I'ut in any ca.se, it has so come aliout that the Hretbren tliink that the place where all other Christians believe they can worship Cod, if only they themselves are in the right spirit, is a place doomed to terrible destruction, fearful to enter. Founduig, therefore, on the comnumd given to Israel to quit Egypt, Mr. Mackintosh calls on Christians in the cluirclies to ' come? out and l»e separate." "Satan, he says. " gains his ends by tlu' religion of the world," when he gets a true Christian to accredit it, by his remaining with its professors. It is pointed out that as . I amies and •lamlires, the magii-ians, withstooe fulfilled in their season.'" The brethren prophets love that particular part of the prophet's role which consists in announcing judgments. So Mr. Mackintosh, after coming out from the presence of Jehovah, announces that those who refuse to receive the me.ssage of separation from him, shall be given over immediately to a reprol)ate mind. The Church of Home aims at terrifying her ignorant members by such methods also, and she keeps them in ignorance, so that her threats can take all the lietter effect. Thus, as already noticed, the pagan priests also do. They emerge from the reces-ses of the heathen temple to announce the message of deliverance, or of doom, to the trembling and expectant multitude outside, it being a nu'ssage of the one kind or the other, according as these jtriests would V»e implicitly obeyed or THE ANCIKNT FATHERS AND OLD TESTAMENT TYPOLOGY. 91 I laments, h'hoviih, tmratiou Ip mind. 1 \)y sucli leats can L prit'sts liuple to yembliiiii sue kiiul l\)eye(l or not. Let it i»f> added that Mr. Mackintosh will never prevail on thinking people to l>elieve anything else regarding his having received a message from his being alone with (>od, than that in respect of such message, he is either a wilful impostor or else under strong delusion, (tod would never give a message of falsehood, for He is a (jlod of truth. Mr. Mackintosh ought to be far more certain that his message is in accordance with the Word of (lod before he could have the least likelihood of getting any one who knows his IJible to credit him, except through inadvertence. Surely if it be possible for a man to speak even the truth in spiritual things, without that truih having been spiritually sealed on his own heart and conscience, and without his i)ping alone with (lod in the sense meant by Mr. Mackintosh, no person in the exercise of reasim will imagine that a man who perverts the Scripture, and teaches false and ruinous doctrines, can have received a message from (lod to l)e delivered to effect such results. Who would say that it is likely that (Jod would give a mes.sage to any one who should search the Scriptures, not to see what they really do teach, but to discover what they ctin be nutife to teach for purposes of proselytising, fostering party spirit, and supporting a clique ? TiiK Anciknt Fathkhs and Om» Tksta.mknt Tyi-olooy. When the Old Testament, in the manner already described, throuj^h the creation or the abuse of types, symbols, prophecies, etc., is made to yield whatever meanings, precepts, warnings, the professed exposi- tor thereof may desire, and when the ISible is thus searched to see what it ('(in lie. made to teach, one is r<>minded of certain methods of Scripture interpretation adopted by several of the ancient church fathers. ( )rigen, who flourished in tl»e third century of our era, was one of these fathers, and one of the most learned and famous of tlu-m. He and his school taught that every part of the Scriptures has .several meanings, or senses. < )ne sense was the literal, another was for the heavenly world, a third for the inward state of the soul, an poaH^HHion ot' their lon^-loHt ^lory and happiness. There is as much pn»>)al)iiity of Ori^eri Iteing ri;iht in this conception as there is of some of the strange predictions made in the eschatoli»<;y of the Brethren turnin<; out to l)e true. In the llif^hts of ()ri;»«'n's imagination tlieie is far more Itenevolence, less of .seltishness and exclusiveiiess, than in the tli;;htH of the Itrethren's fancy, for the iSrelhren ima^ine that our fiOrd is },'oin^ to come first only for themselves and those like them. Some of our forefathers professed to he able to tell whetlier a man had grace or not, from ol (Serving the smoke of his fire as it rose from his dwelling. No doulit the benevolent would give a benevolent verdict. NVe can sometimes lietter see the state of the heart when fancy works and creates its images with freedom. The faults of Origen's fancy " h^aned to virtue's side." Some of tlie ancient fathers were as eagle-eyed as Mr. .Mackintosh for types and symbols in the Old Testament, and just as ready to create these for tiie time of neiid. They did not, however, always deduce the same teaching from the typology, real or manufactured, of the < Md Testament, as .Mr. iSlackintosh does, ClfMuens .\l«!xandrinus was one of the most famous of the fathers. He was President of the Catechetical School of .Vle.xandria, tlio ancient capital of Kgvpt, and < )rigen was one of his pupils. One of Clemens' favorite ma.xims was that "the study of philosophy sliould not only accompany tin; study of divinity, but should even precede it.' There is, of course, nothing bearing directly on the point in the New Testament. I>ut CU'mens was not to be balked of his Scripture proof. He therefore carries the matter to the region of types and shadows, and finds what suits him in .Miraliam's nnirriage with Hagar. ((Jen. xvi. K.) Abraham represented "a divini'ly-taught believer in the (Jospel." Sarah was "the emblem of Christian wisdom or divinity." {[agar was "the personification of human wi.sy Mr. .Mackintosh in tho niatriinonial matters of Moses. We are t(Miipted to refer to one more of tiie ancient fatiiers, namely, to Cyprian, who was Archhishop of Carthage in the thiril century. Mr. Mackintn.sli titids a wonderful amount of types and eml)lems in connection with Israel's exodus from Kgypt. I5ut there is a tvpe st^en hy Cyprian in connection with the same exodus which lias j)rol»altly e.scapfd even the lyn.x eye of .Mr. .Mackintosh. If it has, we venture to coiii's ill tltf I'liin'l nnl In tin' sm." And then he adds, '* All l/nse tlilnt/s n'l'ri' Jli/nris for ns." Then he goes on to descrilw Satan as •• lashed, woinwled, and torturetl " l)y the preaching of the Cospel, and that "often does he say that ho will allow the men of (Sod to iro. IJut in what he says he fails, and practises the same falsehood and obstinate f ran. Is which I'liaraoh f<»rmerly resorted to. I Jut when the person so posses.sed is con>e to the .saving water," says Cvprian, "and to the .sanctilication of baptisin, we ought to know and believe that Satan is there coiKpiertid. . . . For if S'-orpimis and serpents, who are most powerful in dry places, may retain th-'ir power when plunged into water, then may wicked spirits (the .scorpions and serpents on whom we have power to tread) continue in the body of a man, in whom the Holy Spirit Ix-gins to inhabit liy biptism and sanctilication." Cyprian had no doubt that the Moly (Ihost begin.s to inhabit the baptized man. Now, although these ar'e strange views, yet there is tenfold more probability of all that Cyprian here says being true than that .Mr. -Mackintosh is correct when he deduces from the command given to Israel to go out from Kgypt, that it is the duty of Christians to separate from the modern churches. When Mr. M. so rigidly interprets all that Israel did as having a spiritual meaning, why does ■>%. <>J.V0>^ oO. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1 1.0 ta lis 12.5 ,50 ■ 1—- ^ m ' l!f m ||2.o !.l 18 1.25 — 1 1.4 1.6 V] <^ /} o e), m. '■^M a V' ^/. /A '/W on Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 s. ip i\ iV \\ % .V ^^ %^ 6^ fO % n? i %^ £?< .6> ^ \ 6^ # 94 PLYMOUTHISM AND SCRIPTURE INTERPRETATION. he speak with such evident horror, as he does in a passage already quoted, about "that vast mass of baptized profession which calls itself the Church of God, but is not " 1 He ought, with Cyprian, to be a believer in '* baptismal regeneration," on the ground that the waters of the Red Sea were typical of the waters of the Christian baptism. (1 Cor. x. 1-3.) But Mr, M. evidently finds in the Old Testament only the types that suit his purpose, and no doubt he will have plausible pretexts for looking for no more, and also for shunning others if they should be found in his path. Did space permit we might refer to several other Plymouth mis- interpretations. They sadly misinterpret about the Second Coming •ot our Lord, and everything about vhe Church of Christ. The Jews looked for the Messiah in our Lord's time. The Old Testament prophets pronounced a woe on some w^o desired the day of the Lord, and predicted that it would be a different day entirely to the day they expected. (See also Mai. iii. 1-3; iv.) It would be far better for the Brethren to give diligence to see to it that they be found of Him without spot, and for this end io relinquish their irrational and unscriptural theories about sin, perfection, faith, assurance, and the moral law, etc. The Brethren ought also to g>.vf; up their senseless theory about part of the gospels being inten^od only for a "Jewish remnant." Our Lord enjoined that whatsoever He had taught should be taught till the end of the world, and the Holy Spirit when He would come was to refresh the memories of the apostles as to what they had been already taught, and without any distinction that we hear of about what had been intended to apply only to a "Jewish remnant." XII. CHRIST S PERSON AND FINISHED WORK. IT is of the very greatest importance to us to have scriptuidl views regarding the Person and finished work of our Lord. The Ply- mouth Brethren hold several serious errors on these subjects. But it is not the intention here tq enter at any great length on a refutation of these errors, as it is desired to reserve some adequate space for the consideration of Plymouth errors that have reference to gospel duties and privileges. The Brethren believe that our Lord had a " heavenly humanity " — not a humanity like ours. Mr. Kelly, one of the Brethren writers, says : " There are thus three distinct phases of humanity here below — innocent, fallen, holy. Christ's humanity was in the condition of Adam neither before nor after the fall." "As incarnate," says Darby, " He abode alone." " Let us observe," says Mr. Mackintosh, " that between humanity seen in the Lord Jesus and the humanity seen in m, there could be no union." There is much more to the same effect in Brethren writings. Many heresies agitated the Church of Christ during the first few centuries of her existence. The Arians denied the eternity and God- head of Christ, and maintained also that He had nothing of man in Him except the fiesh, in which the Logos, or Word, spoken of by John was united, which supplied the rest. " This heresy began about 318, and was condemned by the Council of Nicjea, Turkey, which consisted of 318 bishops, and met in 325 A.D. The Arian contro- versy, however, raged until 381, when the Church Council of Con- stantinople renewed the condemnation of the heresy ; but it was not finally extirpated in the ancient church until about the end of the fifth century. The Apollinarianists of the third and fourth centuries maintained that the Logos occupied in Christ the place of human reason. The Eutychians of the fifth century held that the Incarna- tion was a deification of nature, even of the human body. They sac- rificed the distinction between the two natures of .Christ to the unity of His person. There were also early controversies regarding the divine and human wills in our Lord. These controversies occupied years of discussion in the Church, and we are heirs to the precious truths elicited from God's Word during this fertile period. But the Brethren imagine they can settle without even any preparation or special study, as if by a fiash from the Holy Spirit, what took the Church centuries of earnest prayer and meditation to settle. And yet the fact is that an average class in one of our Sabbath Schools might 96 Christ's PERSON AND FINISHED WORK. be expected to see clearly the errors that even the Brethren leaders cannot perceive. The Holy Ghost did not assert that our Lord had not the substance of His mother. "Thou shalt conceive," etc. The capability of being tempted is an attribute of real human nature, and our Lord was tempted. He also hungered, thirsted, felt weariness, sorrow, glad- ness, etc., just like us, yet without sin. He was made in all things like unto His brethren. They had Hesh and blood, in which human nature is included, and He "took part of the same." He was made like them, in order, among other reasons, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest, and well for us that the Brethren's theory is not true. He could not have atoned had He not been true man. It is another heresy of the Brethren that our Lord did not rise with the same kind of life as that with which He died. The passage of Scripture on which the Brethren found for the heresy about our Lord's humanity is 1 Corinthians xv. 44 : " The tirst man is of the earth earthy, the second man is the Lord from heaven." But this passage is not meant to decide anything about the origin of our Lord's humanity. It refers to His Person. Why not say that His body also was from heaven rather than born of a woman, because it is said " a body hast thou prepared me"? The Doceta^ believed He had not a real body, but only an appearance of such. The apostle John evidently aimed at contradicting this heresy. (1 John i. 1, 3 ; iv. 2 ; 2 John 7.) He would probably have written also as strongly about the Brethren heresy of the " heavenly humanity." Christ's Suffehixgs and Imputed Righteousness. The Brethren believe and teach that it was only in part of His sufferings on the cross that our Saviour atoned for sin, and that His other sufferings were non atoning. The sufferings from men were non-atoning they think. Darby says : " They {i.e., evil men) take advantage of God's hand upon the sorrowing One to add to His bur- den and grief. This is not atonement, but there is ' sin ' and ' smiting from God.' Hence we find the sense of sin also (Psalm Ixix. 5), though, of course, in the case of Christ, they were not His own per- sonally, but the nation's — in a certain sense we may say ours, but specially the nation's sin. But we have clear proof that they are not atoning sufferings." (" Sufferings of Christ.") There is no such doctrine taught in Scripture. It is contrary to the teaching of Isaiah liii., and also to the teaching in the Psalms about the sufferings of the Messiah, for in these parts of Scripture His sufferings and sorrows during life are distinctly referred to as vi( arious. The Lamb of God bore the sin of the world when John the Baptist made the announcement as certainly as He did on the cross. He bare " our sins in his own body up to the tree." The Brethren imagine that if He had borne sins before tlie cross- sufferings, God could not have delighted in Him, nor called Him His CHRIST S SUFFERINGS AND IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS. 97 beloved Son. This is shocking heresy. The Father never ceased to love and delight in the Son, and were it possible for Him to delight in the Son at any one time more than at another, it would just have been when He hung on the cross, and was bringing His appointed work to a tinish. The Brethren do not believe in imputed righteousness, any more than the Romanists do. Imputation is, indeed, in Scripture, and the Brethren must find some corner for it in their theory. They say therefore that it means "the act of God's mind when He justifies the sinner that believes," and justification, they teach, is no more than pardon. One or two only of them have some glimmering idea that it implies acceptance also. The rigliteousness of Christ, they say, is never spoken of in the Bible, and the "righteousness of God" means only that God is justified in pardoning the sinner that believes in Jesus. Our Lord did not, the Brethren teach, keep the law in the room and stead of His people, for had He done so they might break the divine commands at pleasure. The Brethren teach further that when God justifies, it is the new creature that is so treated, thereby contradicting the Scripture statement that it is the " ungodly " tJiat are justified (Romans v. 6), and conforming to the Ronnsh idea of justification on account of something imparted or infused, for Christ's sake. Christ, the Brethren say, purchased justification by atonement, but it is through His resurrection that the l)eliever is justified. Mr. Stanley remarks : " Does Scripture ever say that Christ kept the law for us for justifying righteousness? I am not awate," he adds, " of a single text." . . . Where does it teach that Christ stood in our stead from the cradle to the grave? The Scriptures never use the expression ' the righteousness of Christ,' but always, as in Romans : iii. 19, 26, ' the righteousness of God,' to show that He is just in justifying the sinner." ("Justification in the Risen Christ.") The same writer also says : " God cannot justify anything short of righteousness. God is only righteous in justifying me as a new creature." This is exactly the Romish idea. " Nothing but His resurrection can justify," says the same writer, and he refers to Romans iv, 25. But this text does not teach that He secured our justification by His resurrection It teaches that He rose on account of that which secures our justification having been completed. He was delivered because of our offences, and rose because of our jus- tification. This is the meaning of the Greek. Contrary to the teaching of the Brethren, we read of " the right- eousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ," that " Christ is made unto us righteousness," that we have a righteousness through " Christ by faith," and that the Lord is our righteousness. The righteousness mentioned in all these passages is the righteousness believers receive through Christ, and yet the Brethren say that there is no mention of the righteousness of Christ ! The righteousness of God often means the same thing, namely, the righteousness given us by God through Christ. Mr. Darby says that tlie Scriptures never speak of " imputed 7 :l 98 CHRIST S PERSON AND FINISHED WORK. righteousness," but of "imputing righteousness." (Darby in Reid.) "But surely," adds Mr. Reid, "if there is 'imputing righteousness,' there must be ' righteousness to impute.' " An examination of Romans iv. will show how false the Brethren's theory of imputation is. If Christ's righteousness is not imputed to the believer, neither is the believer's sins imputed to Christ. (2 Cor. v, 21.) Christ Fulfillkd the Law as a Substitute. In regarding Christ as not having kept the law during His life in the room and stead of His people, the Brethren are against both reason and Scripture. They do not think properly what is implied in a law having been given to man with a reward for keeping it, and a penalty attached to the breaking of it. Let us illustrate the point. Suppose A had the needful authority, and said to B, "I shall give you a reward if you cross this chasm on this plank, but if you fail you shall undergo the penalty of being crushed and wounded by the fall." If B tried and failed, and suffered the penalty of his fall, would he then be entitled to the promised reward 1 Surely not. He would be only in the condition in which he had been previously to his having tried, as far as deserving the reward would be concerned. He might be allowed another chance, or he might not. Suppose A had said, " If you succeed I shall give you $1,000, and if you fail you shall have to give me the same sum." If B failed and paid the forfeit, would he then be entitled to the promised reward 1 A child may see that he would not, but apparently the Brethren cannot see this principle. If only the penalty be paid, they seem to imagine this entitles to the promised reward. If our Lord had only endured the penalty of His people's transgression, they would not, indeed, be called on to endure that penalty also, but neither would they be entitled to any reward. Before they would be entitled to the reward. He would require to proceed de novo, and keep the law without enduring any penalty. But He both kept the law and endured the penalty during the one period of incarnation, and He did both as the Substitute of His people. Believers in Him, therefore, are entitled to escape from the penalty, and also to enjoy the reward. They are both pardoned and accepted for His sake, and this is what is implied in the Scripture doctrine of justification. The last mentioned doctrine of the Brethren was that of Piscator and his small following, and Baur, the sceptic, rejoiced in its promul- gation as the undoing, as he thought, of the whole work of the Reformation. Christ is the end of the law, we are told, but that end is not penalty, but the keeping of the law. Penalty follows only when the primary end is not fulfilled. He came to do the will of God, and the law of God was in His heart. He did not require to be made under the law in order to undergo a penalty merely. As some one says, He might have accomplished the payment of a penalty had He died in infancy in order to do so. He did not require to be doing the la not ken the knd the under B says, £e died Ing the MR. GRANT ON THE ATONEMENT. 99 works of Him that sent Him whilst it was day, be always about His Father's business, and be ful611ing all righteousness, had He come only to endure a penalty. Of course, the Brethren saj' that He required to do these other things to tit Him for dying, but this is only human theory and speculation. It is not Scripture, nor even reason itself. Mr. Gkant on Tiit Atonement. But in reference to our I^ord's finished work, probably the errors of the Brethren that have the most disastrous results in regard to ex- perimental and practical religion, are their errors in answering the following questions : What is the real meaning and eH'ect of substitu- tion, and for whom did Christ die? On these questions the Brethren are Arminians, whils' obey profess to be Calvinists. But the Brethren have neither the talent nor the transparent honesty of the Arminian writers who are outside of Plymouthism. Some Plymouth writers evidently feel the difliculty of reconciling their views on r.ubstitution with reason. If Christ died in the same sense for the whole world as He died for His people, how are ail the world not saved? Mr. W F. Grant, a Plymouth writer of ap- parent exceptional straightforwardness among his class, writes thus in his work on the Atonement : — " Propitiation, I repeat, then, is by substitution, and in no other way, and for the people alone for whom the suVstitution is." 13ut seven lines further on he says : " Propitiation, then, is evidently for no select number merely. It is for the world." And here is how Mr. Grant flounders a little further on : — "The sins of believers were really borne eighteen hundred years ago, but only when men become believers are their sins borne there- for. The very man who to-day believes, and whose sins were borne eighteen hundred years ago, not only could not say yesterday that his sins were borne, but they were really not borne yesterday, although the work was done eighteen hundred years ago. . . . All this is perfectly simple. It is transparently so indeed " [!] |! HI' r. ' XIII. THE SAVING FAITH OF PLYMOUTHISM. IN beginning to prove that Plymouth faith is wrong, one feels as if commencing to show that black is not white. If a man should be doubtful as to whether or not black may not really l)e white, he is not likely to be convinced V)y any discussion on the point. In fact, if a man is already so deficient in perceptive faculty as not to perceive that black is not white, he is not likely to bp able to follow a discus- sion on the point. At the same time he might readily imagine the reason of his not being convinced was not that he was deficient in perceptive faculty in regard to the discussion, but that there was no proof that could be given to show that black was not white. The upshot might be, therefore, that he would be more convinced than ever that black was really white. The Brethren's doctrine of saving faith is at the root of several other errors of their system. But, as already noticed, ordinary members of the Plyniouth body, and even some of their preachers themselves, seem entirely unable to understand their own system. There is not a single clergyman, however, nor any ordinarily v/ell- informed member of any of the modern churches, who would not be able to perceive at a glance from the quotations which will be here given, what the nature of the Plymouth faith really is. Any reader who may require help in seeking thoroughly to appre- hend the nature of Plymouth faith, will do well to endeavor to under- stand and grasp thoroughly the meaning and truth of the two state- merts which follow : — Two Illustrative Statements. Statement A. — The belief of any news, record, or testimony, of any past events, or of things that at present exist, cannot in any way whatever add to, take from, nor alter, these past events, nor things at present existing. Statement B. — No man ought to be asked to believe any news, record, or testimony, which is not true before he is asked to believe it, and which will not remain true whether he ever believe it or not. The truth of Statement B follows, as a matter of course, from the truth of Statement A. Another supplementary statement might be made, but which is really included in Statement A, namely, that when a man believes any particular news, record, or testimony, there is nothing new, either in the man, or in connection with him, by his tht bel PAYMENT OF DKBT. 101 belief, except what may be the result of his belief of luhat in true — true, that is to say, according to Statement B, bf/ore lie hears or believes it. The truth of Statements A and V ought to be self-evident. But were the Brethren able to see their truth, and carry with them a thorough perception of this truth in all they might read or hear of Plymouth teaching, their system would be seen by them to give way at its very base. Probably the Brethren would consent to the truth of the two statements made^ but would likely fail in applying them. They would probably lose hold of the statements just when they ought to have them rigidly before their minds. The errors r^ the Brethren on this important subject are at the root of several of their other errors. Saving faith, according to the Brethren, consists in merely believing that God speaks the truth when He tells us in His Word that Christ died in the room and stead of smners. If this doctrine is true, it necessarily follows that every one who believes that the Bible is the Word of God, or tells the truth, is saved, for such a one believes that Christ died for sinners. Surely this is a wide enough door into Christian communion, and yet the Brethren blame the churches for having their door of admission too wide. Payment of Debt, or Pardoning of Sinners Remaining Unsaved. One Brother writes as follows : " I look at the testimony of God. There I get absolute certainty. I say God is true. This is faith. It is only to believe. . . . Just as though you had been deeply in debt, and some kind friend had paid the amount, and when this was done had sent you word. The person comes and tells you that your debts are paid and you believe it." (Brethren's tract, entitled "What is Faith?") Here the teaching is quite explicit. Christ paid your debt. The news that He has done so has been brought you in the Gospel. If you believe this news you are saved. The following Brethren writer is no less explicit : " Would you speak, or reason, or cavil thus, if, as a poor condemned criminal, Her Majesty . . . sent you a free pardon ] Would you cavil about only believing, or would you question her truthfulness by saying, ' Have I nothing to do?' Surely if the Queen's word is her word, God's Word is His Word. And if you could rest on the bare word of the Queen, you must admit that faith can rest on the bare word of God." (" Whkt is the Gospel of God 1 No. I," by " C. S.") Let it be noticed in connection with this quotation that the pardon- ing of a sinner by God is compared to the pardoning of a criminal by the Queen. When the Queen sends a pardon to a criminal, he is free whether he believes the news or not. He would never have to pay any more penalty, whatever he might believe or not believe in the matter. It would be very strange for the messenger who came with the Queen's pardon to say to the prisoner, " You are pardoned if you believe it, and if you do not believe it you are not pardoned." KHI 102 THE SAVING FAITH OF I'LYMOUTHISM. If the Queen sent the pardon, there would b« no difficulty in get- ting the prisoner to J)elieve it. So, also, if the sinner is convinced that God lias actually sent him a pardon, he could not but believe it. The question here is : Did God actually send him a free pardon, as the Queen sent the prisoner ? If not, there is no warrant for asking him to believe that He did so. News must tirst be true, before one is asked to believe it, and must be true whether he ever believe it or not. But it is neither in accordance with Scripture nor reason to say that God has sent a free pardon to any one hpfore he believes, in the same way as the Queen sent the pardon to the prisoner. There- fore, what the sinner is asked to believe cannot be that God has sent him a free pardon, nor yet that he is pardoned on account of Christ having died, whicli would amount to the same thing. It is, therefore, misleading and dangerous to teach sinners that God has sent them a free pardon, and to ask them to believe it. The author last quoted, and in the same production writes as follows : — " Well, Frankey, how much crying and tears would pay your rent?" "Oh, lad, I might cry my een up, but crying would never pay forty pund rent." "That is true," said I. " But now, Frankey, if that gentleman who lives at the top of the hill were to pay your rent, and just lift up the door sneck, and say, ' Frankey, it's done, I have paid your rent. I knew you were without strength — I have done it, and here is the receipt ; ' now, Frankey, what would you do then?" (You should have seen how the old face brightened up.) " Why, lad," said he, " I should cry for joy, to think he had done such a thing." "Yes, Frankey, and that ia true repentance." Here, as in the last quotation, it is taught that Christ has paid the debt of the sinner, and that a receipt is presented to him to that effect before he is asked to believe it, and as the ground for his believing it. The debt has been paid, and will never be exacted again, whether the fact is believed or not. This ought to make it manifest that the illustration is a fallacious and dangerous one, as taken to explain gospel faith in Christ. The belief implied in the illustration would, if explanatory of true saving faith, mean that there must be universal salvation. According to the Brethren's way of looking at matters, if the sinner holds a certain view of Christ's death — that this death was for sinners, or whatever additional views he is asked to hold about Christ's death — this constitutes saving faith. If he is firmly persuaded that this is so, then this persuasion is true assurance of salvation. The Brethren must be exceedingly short-sighted when they cannot perceive that this is the real nature of their saving faith and assurance. Mr. Mackintosh's Views. The quotations given from Brethren writers are by no means exceptional. They represent general Plymouth doctrine on the sub- ject of faith. Many pages could be filled with similar Plymouth teaching. We shall give a few more quotations from well-known and I Mil. MACKINTOSH S VIEWS. 103 sinner nners, eath — this is ethren lat this means he sub- ymouth wn and acknowledged Brethren authors, so as not to leave any room for doabt as to what the Plyinoutii teaching actually is with regard to saving faith. The following quotation is from "C.H.M." (Air. Mackintosh), author of " Notes " on the early books of the Bible, and one of the chief modern Brethren writers. He writes as follows : — " Is Christ's work finished? Is Ciods Word true? Yes, verily. Then if I simply trust therein, I am pardoned, justitied and accepted. All my sins were laid on Jesus when He was nailed to the accursed tree. Jehovah made them all meet on Him. He bore them, and put them all away, and now He is up in heaven without them. This is enough for me. If the One who stood charged with all my guilt i.s now at the right hand of the Majes'y in the heavens, then clearly there is nothing against me. ("Forgiveness of Sins — What is it?" p. 9.) Here " C.H.M." regards himself from the view-point of an unsaved sinner coming to exercise faith for salvation. But in this unsaved position he uses language which he would be entitled to use only as a believer. An unsaved sinner has no warrant to use such language of himself. Several Brethren authors lay the main emphasis on believing the divine record of Christ's finished work. If a sinner believes that record he is saved. They do not ask the sinner to believe first that his debts are paid, as the other writers already quoted do. This more wary class of writers say nothing about the debt being paid or not when they first approach the unsaved sinner. But what they really do say in bidding the sinner believe the record in order to be saved amounts precisely to the same thing in intention and effect as the other writers aim at, namely, the inducing of the unsaved sinner to believe that if he credits the record he is saved. Here is what Mr. Mackintosh says on the point : — " Dost thou believe that He died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures? If so thou art saved, justitied, accepted, complete in Christ." Surely this is clearly enough expressed. Unusually so, indeed, for a Brethren writer. Any man who is convinced that the Bible is true, is saved, if Mr. Mackintosh is right, for such a man believes every- thing said in the Bible about Christ. If you believe that God does not tell lies, that the Bible is His Word, and if you know what the Bible says about Christ's finished work, you are "saved, justified, accepted, complete, in Christ." This is terrible teaching. Mr. Mack- intosh does not say that the sinner has to believe even that he is invited. If he simply believe the sacred history to be true, this is enough. But even should the sinner believe that he is personally invited to come to the Saviour, it is a commonplace truth that this does not save him. If a man should have word sent him that a house had just been erected 1,000 miles away, and that he was invited to go and live in this house, surely the belief of this news would never place the man inside the house. If a woman should hear that a certain man had made a competency, and if he should make her an 104 THK SAVING FAITH OF PLYMOUTHISM. offer of inarriaj^ft, uiul if hIi« wero fully persuaded of the truth of all this, who in the use of his faculties would evei iiiiagiue that her l»e- lief of all this would marry her to the man, and would transfer her into the man's dwellinif, and entitle her to share his competency. Souls must l)e married to Christ ere they are in a saved condition, and their Ijelief that He has performed all the work on earth necessary for their spiritual welfare, and that He is invitin}^ them to share the benefits uf this work, will never marry them to Him. In order to marriage, spiritual or temporal, there must tirst be consent on both sides. Then! is an invitation from the one side and a consenting response on the other. To address sinners in such terms as are calculated to induce them to believe they are married to Christ when they are not, is to commit a grave and ruinous blunder, serious lioth for teacher and taught. TiiousAXDs Believed the Divixe Rkcokd and vkt Rem.\ined Unsaved. We read of many who believed the Divine testimony, and yet were not saved. For instance, in the parable of the sower, those who declined the invitation to the great supper, the man without the wedding garment, the foolish virgins, those who believed but to whom Christ would not trust himself, Judas Iscariot, those Pharisees who were afraid to confess Him, those who will at last say, " Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name," etc., and those the apostle John evidently met with who said they had fellowship with Him, loved Him, etc., who, he says, told falsehoods. There were hundreds and thousands more in apostolic times who believed the record and yet who remained unsaved, just as there are large numbers to-day who so believe, and yet are unsaved, and as there have been also in every generation of the Gospel. The Brethren ought to know that all the members of the modern churches, including the Roman Catholic Church, believe the record God has given of His Son. Why, then, do the Brethren regard the modern churches as Babylon — veritable synagogues of Satan — in which it would be wrong for them to worship 1 Mr. Mackintosh, notwithstanding his terrible language about "that vast mass of bap- tized profession which calls itself the Church of God but is not," yet will not likely find a single member in any of these churches, but believes " that Christ dnd for our sins according to the Scriptures," etc. VVhy, then, does he not look upon all people who believe this as saved ? How is it that he would regard those who would believe the divine record from the Brethren's mouths as saved, and those who believe the same record with equal firmness, whilst they are in the churches, as unsaved 1 Is it necessary for soula in order to be saved, that they not only believe the record, but that they also believe it from the Brethren's mouths, or at the Brethren's meetings ? Many have thought, and with good reason, that the Brethren regard coming out THEIH OWN WIUTEUH VIEWS MISUNDEllSTOOD. 105 of the churches and joiniiic; tho Hrethreri themselves, to he the same as coining out of Hahylon into salvation, even although those members should believe notiiing more in the IJrethnMi's meotini^s than they had believi.d in tho churches. The same kind of belief that would only make church members mere Janneses and .Fambreses in the churches, would make them true Christians, "saved, justified, accepted, and complete in Christ" at Brethren's meetings, or in Plymouthism ! The Hrethren are of opinion that it is through a sinner believing the record that he is born again. Plymouthism is full of short-cuts. Let us have Mr. Mackintosh's words again. He says : — " There must be a new nature as well as a new condition, and how is this to be had I By believing God's testimony concerning His Son." (" Notes on Kxodus," p. 88.) In his pamphlet on '* Regeneration," the same author says : — '• Now are we the sons of God. He lias made us such. He has attached this rare and marvellous privilege to the simple belief of the truth. . . . Take the case of the vilest sinner. . . Let him heartily believe that Christ died for our sins according to the Scrip- tures, and he there and then and thus becomes a child of God, a thoroughly saved, perfectly justified, and divinely accepted person. ' Maxy Brethren Misunderstand their own Writer's Views. These sentences need no further coranient than has been already made. Some Brethren may be met with who will deny that the kind of faith here imputed to the Brethren is really their doctrine of faith. This is just in line with what one may often meet with among the ordinary Brethren, namely, ignorance of their own doctrines. Some even of the Plymouth preachers do not know Plymouthism. A Plymouth preacher may be met with who, while denying the doctrine of faith here imputed to the Brethren, will in support of his denial, refer to Plymouth books that unmistakably and explicitly teach the doctrine of faith held by the Plymouth writers quoted. He is unable to read these books properly. And, more marvellous still, the preacher may express his own doctrine of faith in words which clearly 'mply that he holds the very doctrine that he repudiates. In a public discussion with the present writer lately, one of the Brethren preachers remarked in evident surprise : " Their saving faith is founded on something which has happened in the past ! Who said so 1 " Then he went on to deny that such faith is the faith of the Brethren. Shortly afterwards the following question was put to this preacher : " If A is condemned to lose his life, and B offers to die in his place, and the offer is accepted by the law authorities, will A be free as soon as B has died in his room and stead 1 " Here was the answer : " A is not free until he believes that B died in his stead." This answer, of course, implies that as soon as A Vjelieves that B died in his stead he is free. This is just the faith of Plymouthism. This preacher holds what he repudiates. 106 THE SAVING FAITH OF PLYMOUTHISM. Dr. Anderson's Views. One of the works appealed to by the preacher in question as supporting his contention that the faitli of the Brethren ia not a mere belief in tlie divine record of Christ's finished work, is the volume of Dr. Anderson, Barrister-at-Law, England, entitled " The Gospel and its jNIinistry." It may be mentioned about this author that he is one of the many Brethren writers who flatly contradict themselves. The one-half of Dr. Anderson's chapter on "Faith" is c complete refutation of the other half. This writer first lays down his theory of faith distinctly enough. But afterwards, under pressure evideiitly from Scripture texts, and from facts of daily observation, hesti'.ggles hard to piece on other theories upon his main one. The result is a medley of misstatements, inaccuracies, self-inconsistencies, and flat self- contradictions, which it would be hard to parallel in any sane writer outside the Plymouth body. Dr. Anderson's main theory of faith, which he first lays down, may be learned from the following quotation made from his book : "Faith cometh by hearing, whether it be faith of the Gospel, or of the news of some temporal calamity. There are not two ways of believing anything. ... In its first and simplest phase in Scripture, faith is the belief of a record or testimony. It is, secondly, belief in a person ; and it has, lastly, the character of trust, wliich always points to what is future. . . . The redemption of our souls is a fact to us because we believe the record that God has given of His Son. Our faith can admit of no degrees. . . . As far as the act of faith is concerned, the Ciospel is believed in the same way as the passing news of the passing hour. . . . Faith, then, in its simplest character is not trust, nor even faith in a person, but belief of a record. . . . The Gospel is not a promise, or a covenant, but a message, a proclamation. It is the good news of God concern- ing His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. And the belief of that good news is life. . . . Metaphysical distinctions Setween believing with the head and vi-ith the heart are wholly untenable. ... 'If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." ' That I am he.' It was this that faitli laid hold upon." Dr. A. thus makes it abundantly plain at the outset of his chapter on "Faith " that he follows in the train of all the Brethren writers on the subject, and regards the faith that saves as a mere belief in the divine record of Christ's death. He deprecates the common idea of trust as saving. He exnlains that the only way in which we can properly speak of trust in connection with salvation is that we may be said to trust for the final coisumnmtion of it. The only difference between the faith that saves, and " the passing news of the passing hour," is in their objects. "Here," says he, "is where the difference lies, not in the character of the faith but in the object of it." Again, he says that " the assertion that faith is a gift, or indeed that it is a distinct entity at all, is sheer error." "GEO. C.'s" ASS ILLUSTRATION. 107 ion as a mere ume of )el and ; is one . The utation f faith y from es hard medley it self- ly sane vn, may "Faith he news elieving re, faith lief in a ^s points I fact to lis Son. ' iis the } way as in its ut belief venant, concern- lat good elieving •If at I am There are about as many errors in the quotations made from this author as there are of statements in them. In almost every state- ment he makes, as quoted, tlie reverse of what he says is true. According to him the faith thj^t saves is not different from faith " in the passing news of the passing hour." In order to be saved we have simply to believe in the gospel history about Christ. What church member does not believe this history 1 Afterwards, however. Dr. A. sneers at miracle made believers. He ought not so to do, for it matters not, according to him, how a man believes, if he believe at all. Has he not told us that thei e are not two ways of believing anything? He also adnuts that the Holy Spirit is rfquired to work faith. He even quotes a number of Scripture passages which intimate that the divine power is necessary to produce faith; such as God drawing souls to Christ, God shining in the heart, revealing the Son, etc. But all these passages are quite inconsistent with the theory that there is no ditterence between saving faith and "belief of the passing news of the passing hour." It does not require divine power to produce faith in " the passing news of the passing hour." Dr. A., in an appendix on "Faith," tells us that "Every thoughtful person revolts against the idea that tternal blessedness depends upon . . . believing certain facts concern- ing Him." But this is quite at variance with his own theory. And here is almost the very next statement : " If by faith about Christ be meant the belief of facts concerning Him, to say that this is not connected with salvation is a statement so glaringly false aa to need no answer." A little below this he says : "The belief of the facts of Christianity, however great and true, or even of the inspired record of them, can never bring life to a dead soul." Dr. A. ought to confine himself to the kind of place where this kind of pleading may avail, and where he may seek to make the worse appear the better reason. Theology requires a different style of treatment. Whether one holds the Plymouth view of faith or the opposite, he may find support for his theory from Dr. Anderson. This is probably how the preacher already alluded to was misled. We have written a much longer review of Dr. A.'s inconsistencies, but space forbids its being given here. sU chapter iters on ef in the idea of we can we may fference passing ifference Again, it it is a "Geo. C.'s" Ass Illustration. We cannot pass from the consideration of the saving faith of Plymouthism without noticing one ingenious method of setting a trap for the unwary, which is so common among Plymoutli teachers. The author of a tractate largely circulated among and by the Brethren,* refers his readers to the sacrifice of Christ as illustrated, he thinks, by a pet lamb given by a wealthy man to a poor Israelite to die in room and stead of the Israelite's ass. When th" lamb has died in the ass's stead, the priest is represented as saying to the Israelite : •"Safety, Certainty, and Enjoyment," Ity " (too. C." 108 THE SAVING FAITH OF PLYMOUTHISM. "You can take home your little colt in safety, no broken neck for it now. The lamb has died in the ass's stead, and consequently the ass goes rigiiteously free, thanks to your friend. Now, poor troubled soi»., can't you see in this God's own picture of a sinner's salvation?" "God's own picture," says he. You must receive it then. He shortly afterwards asks the "troubled soul," whom he supposes him- self addressing, whether he believed on the Son of God. The " troubled soul," of course, with the illustration in his mind about the lamb having died for the ass, and the ass " going righteously free," imagines that as the Lamb of God has died for him, he also goes " righteously free," and that his belief of this fact, impressed on him as God's own picture," is faith. So the troubled soul is made to reply that he believes, and his teacher pronounces him as "safe as God can maUe him." Here the teaching is in substance as follows : — "Troubled soul, I present you God's own picture" of the way a soul is saved. The lamb died for the ass, and the ass was free. The LamV) of God died for you, God ! Saved ! " 'dost thou believe?" "Yes. Praise "Geo. C.'s" Statiox-Master Illustration. A little further on in the last mentioned tractate, the author lets us see again his idea of faith. He supposes three witnesses to come successively and relate the news of the death by accident of the station-master. The first is not a true man, and the second is little better. At length John, a veracious man, testifies to the same accident. Here is what the author says from these materials : — " But this time you say, ' Now John, since you tell me I believe it.' Again I press my question. . . . ' How do you know that you so confidently believe your friend Johnl' 'Because of who and what John is,' you reply. ' He never has deceived me, and I don't think he ever will.' Well, then, just in the same way T know that I believe the Gospel, viz., because of the One who brings me the news." Here it is quite clear that the writer represents the sinner, who is sure that God does not tell lies, as being saved. The Plymouth way of salvation may thus be seen to consist in forming a certain view, or conviction, as to the meaning of what God says about Christ, and as to what that meaning implies for the sinner. Form a certain opinion, and be sure you are rigfit against all-comers, and you have faith and assurance ; that is to say, if you are among the Brethren. If an unsaved sinner believes the record, tlien this sinner, hitherto standing on the outside of Christ's house (Heb. iii. 6), transfers himself to the inside, by his simply believing that the house has been built, and that an inside exirLs. He has only to believe things are as they are, or have happened as they have happened, and this belief of his will alter the whole of these things, or alter his present relation to them. He is not told even to believe that the inside of the house is offered to him. He has thing is done ! merely to believe that the inside exists, and lo, the Tins is magic run wild. This is, indeed, a short-cut. MR. MACKINTOSH ON THE NEW BIRTH. 109 We cannot help believing some things when told us, and if we are to be saved l)y believing what we really cannot help believing, we are saved in spite of ourselves. At this rate it would require supernatural power to prevent a man being saved. There is no passage of Scripture that the Brethren quote oftener than the one which says that faith conieth by hearing. If this condition of things is to hold, it will work revolutions in the world. A woman who wants a husband has merely to be told, and believe, that a certain man exists, and, quick as thought, the belief transfers lier into the marriage union with him. She does not even require to wait until he offers himself. The sexes would need to refrain in this case from even thinking of each other, or else the very belief of each other's existence would have them married to one another. James informs us that if we only have the kind of faith the devils have, we cannot be saved. But the devils believe all the witness of God about Christ, and, moreover, they do what the Brethren are not fond of doing — they tremble. Oh, but, say the Brethren, Chriht did not die for devils. James knew that as well as the Brethren, and he knew also that that did not invalidate the point of his statement. Many at last will find that they have stayed themselves amiss upon the God of Israel. Many hungry and thirsty ones will find that they had only been dreaming of having been eating and drinking, or have only stood in the presence of the living bread and the living water, but that they have taken nothing, and that now their souls are empty, and dark, and wretched. : \ ■ Mr. Mackintosh on the New Bikth. an One might naturally suppose, that were there no other passage in Scripture to prevent the Brethren from looking so lightly upon the method by wliich everlasting life is entered on, than the passage, " Verily, verily, I say unto you. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," it ought to be enough for this purpose. But the Brethren have a short and easy cut for getting through the new birth also. " C. H. M.," in a pamphlet already referred to, "Regeneration: What is it?" first of all discusses the necessity of the new birth, and quotes several Scripture passages on the point. He strongly emphasizes the necessity of regeneration, and "the hopeless ruin of nature." He dwells on the hopelessness of any efforts to improve the " old nature." There must be, he says, the introduction of a new nature. These terms, old and new natures, are used generally by Plymouth writers in a sense neither very rational nor scriptural. But let this pass. But with this exception, what "0. H. M." says about the necessity of the new birth is in accord with the doctrine of the reformed faith on the point. It is, however, somewhat ridiculous for "C. H. M." to emphasize the necessity of regeneration, since he afterwards describes such an easy way of getting through this great change. He tells as that the oMui^Bn 110 THE SAVING FAITH OF PLYMOUTHISM. means for regeneration are the Spirit and the Word, but when he comes to tell us the particular portions of the Word used to effect this great change, and the part taken by the sinner in connection with these portions, then all the true gold which the writer exhibited at first in his hand, when discussing the necessity of regeneration, vanishes entirely as if by the wave of the magician's wand. The ancient alchemists hoped to discover some process by which the baser metals could be transmuted into gold. " C H. M.," and his co- religionists, have reversed the hoped-for process, and employ a method by which the pure gold is converted into worthless dross. He describes the new birth as produced by faitii, and faith, according to him, is the belief that Christ died for sinners, the kind of faith we have already been describing. On page 11, "C H. M." quotes some Scripture passages about those who have faith, having also life. Then he says : — " All these passages go to prove that the only way in which we can get this new and everlasting life is by simply receiving the record concerning Christ. All who receive that record have this new, this eternal life. . . . The truth concerning Christ is the seed of eternal life, and when that truth is believed, life is communicated. Observe, this is what the Word of God declares — it is a matter of divine testimony, not merely of human feeling. VV^e do not get life by feeling something in ourselves, but by believing something about Christ; and that something we have on the authority of God's eternal Word, the Holy Scriptures. It is well to understand this." Pernicious Nature of Plymouth Faith Further Considered. We get life by "believing something about Christ"; as "Geo. 0." teaches by his station-master illustration, we get it by believing God's witness-bearing that Christ died for sinners. Believe something about Him — the something, namely, that He died for sinners — and you are born again, "have this new, this eternal life," according to the Brethren's teaching. This is just in line with what we have been already pointing out as their doctrine. Plymouth writers may speak about the new birth, coming to Christ, receiving Him, etc., but they invariably mean by all these expressions, that we are saved if we believe what God says about Christ. A soul-ruining doctrine. Unless a soul has got something better than what this teaching bids him get, he cannot be saved. If the soul that is under such teaching is saved, it is by possession of something more and better than this teaching would direct it to receive. It will be saved, if at all, in spite of, and entirely against, this teaching. But we have no right to assume that this will happen. If a man does not necessarily travel in the true road, even if it be pointed out to him, this does not say that we can expect that he will travel in the true road if a false and deceptive one, leading to a dangerous precipice, is pointed out to him as the true one. The error of the false Galatian teachers was not necessarily ruinous in itself, although it might lead to other ^ PERNICIOUS NATURE OF PLYMOUTH FAITH. Ill errors ruinous in their nature, yet we know how tlie apostle writes of the error of these teachers. But this error of the Brethren is in itself ruinous, if a soul that imbibes it is not saved, as we have said, in spite of it, and entirely against it. And if we are to hope for such things, we need not teach anything. There would, indeed, in that case, be no need of a divine revelation of saving truth at all. Like Pelagius, we might think, in that case, tiiat such revelation might be helpful, but by no means necessary. Probably, however, Pelagius himself would agree that error in vitals is dangerous. But let us hope that many of the Brethren are travelling in a better road than their creed would bid them take. Who can tell how many hungry and thirsty souls will be thus found at last to have been induced to stand in the presence of the provision God has made for thorn, only dreaming they have eaten and drunken, and will awake at length to find they have taken nothing, and that their souls are empty, and wretched, and miserable. Induce an unsaved one to believe he is saved, and you make him far more difficult to convert than ordinary unsaved ones. Make him further believe that all those who desire to point out to him his error, are blind spiritually, and you bolster him up still more in his delusion. Give him the enemy's work to do in taking his share in seeking to do what certain " gates " are engaged in — pulling down the Church of Christ by stealthy and dishonest policy — and you confirm him in evil principles, just as the Christian increases his talent by putting it to use in the vineyard. Luther says of certain people : — " When a thought springs up in their heart which speaks on this wise, ' Verily the doctrine is true, and I believe it that it is so ', they imagine immediately that they possess faith. . . . These are they whom Jude in his epistle, verse 8, calls dreamers, who deceive them- selves with their own dream." Before passing from the important subject of saving faith, we desire to describe what we believe to be the true scriptural doctrine on the subject. And we anticipate the strange phenomenon will be witnessed by some of finding that several of the Brethren will agree to our de- scription, not being able to perceive how entirely different it is from the kind of faith set forth in Plymouthism. t XIV. THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF SAVING FAITH. SAVING faith is well defined in the AVestniirister Assembly's Shorter Catechism. Here it is said that "Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation, as He is freely offered to us in the Gospel." Let it be noticed that, according to this description, in saving faith Christ himself is received, and this is something far more than merely believing the record about Him. He is received, moreover, in the capacity in which He is offered in the Gospel, not in any capacity in which a sinner might desire to receive Him. It is a very different thing for a nation to receive a man as an ambassador from another nation, and to receive a man merely as an eminent philosopher, or poet. It is a very different thing for a woman to receive a man to be her husband, and to receive a man merely to be her hired servant. Before a sinner receives Christ, therefore, it behoves him to know the capacity in which Christ is ofi'ered to him in the Gospel. The Word of God informs us that Christ is offerd to the sinner to be his King, Teacher, Priest, Husband, Friend, Captain, etc. When the sinner, hearing of Christ and this otier, resolves to close with the offer, and when he accordingly accepts of Christ, or, which is the same thing, receives Him as offered, and trusts in Him for all He has promised to do, as well as for the saving efHcacy of all He has already done, then the sinner exercises saving faith on Christ, and he is already in possession of the beginning of a life which will never end. After this, Christ helps him by means of His Spirit, Word, the ordinary means of grace, and i)rovidences, to work out his own salvation. Christ must continue, for this end, as well as for every other righteous end, to be his King and Teacher. As King, Christ must be admitted to rule according to His own laws and principles revealed in the Gospel, just as a physician that we trust is permitted to treat the body, pre- scribing medicine, diet, and exercise, according to his own way, Christ must be admitted to rule both without and within. He will do many things in connection with the soul, in which itself will have no active part. But He gives law to the soul also, which it is meant that the soul obeys. Sins and shortcomings confessed, and sought to be forsaken, will be pardoned. Christ must be on the throne of the heart. Faith crowns Him Lord of all, which is far more — although, of course, it includes, believing the record about Him. The world might be willing to THE CARNAL HEART CANNOT RECEIVE CHRIST AS OFFERED. 113 receive Christ in every other capacity except in that of King. Thousands who at present reject Him, might be willing to receive Him as King in the greater part of their outward conduct, who are not ready to receive Him as such in the will, and in the very seat of the aflfections. Many thousands 'vould be willing to receive Him were they permitted to modify at discretion His laws and principles of government. Numbers of this class take upon themselves to modify these, or, which practically amounts to the same thing, they imagine that He himself has modified His laws and principles to suit them. This is exactly what the Brethren do in their supposing that the moral law is abrogated for the Christian as a rule of life. But the government will ever remain upon the anointed One's shoulders, and He will ever govern according to the eternal and unalterable laws of His kingdom. Christ, if received for salvation, must be received as offered. According to the present economy of salvation, He could not save otherwise. A very great part, indeed, of the salvation which He bestows on the sinner who receives Him, consists in curing him of that very disposition that desires a modification of His eternal laws and principles. fns Him includes, lilling to The Carnal Heart cannot Receive Christ as Oj^fkred. But to receive Christ as King, Husband, Friend, into the affections, is what the carnal, unrenewed, heart can never do. This heart is enmity against Him. It cannot receive the law at His mouth. It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, says the apostle. Therefore, the great change of the new birth must take place, a new heart must be given, the sinner must be made willing in a day of divine power, ere he will consent to receive Christ in the affections. But the carnal mind itself could not choose but believe the record about Christ, provided it had sufficient evidence for so doing, just as it could not but believe that two and two make four. True reception of Christ really begins where Plymouth faith leaves off. Those who receive Christ in truth are those who are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. He that truly believes that Jesus is the Christ, and receives Him as such, is born of God. (1 John v. 1.) The Brethren admit that the power of God is needed to make the sinner believe. But the admis- sion appears to be wrung unwillingly from them. It is inconsistent with their system, and this power, according to their system, has really nothing given it to do. It is, like much else in their system, introduced apparently as a mere figurehead to save appearances. Many salute Christ, and kiss Him, and make much of Him, when they receive Him in other capacities than that in which He is oH^ered, if reception it may be called. Many could receive Him for some of His "good wares," who care little otherwise for Him, just as some women might consent to marry a man for his money only. For the sake of appearance, and for security, they might also desire to have the man present at the money-wedding. Many would receive Christ 8 114 THE SCRII>TURE DOCTRINE OF SAVING FAITH. as the " minister of sin," to slay the moral law for them, and thus ease their consciences. They would thank Him and rejoice for His so doing, just as the people of the earth rejoiced when the two witnesses were slain that had tormented them with their testimony, (llev. xi. 10.) Thus some rejoice in Christ because they imagine He has slain the moral law for them, which had tormented them so much. Following Christ for the loaves and fishes is no new thing. The New BrRTH Required fob Reception of Christ. In the new birth the Holy Spirit creates an affinity in the heart for Christ. There is an affinity between loadstone and steel ; but there is none between loadstone and wood. In consequence of this affinity the soul " takes to " Christ. To such a soul it enhances acceptance that this acceptance takes place "in the Beloved." To David the love of God was better and sweeter than even the life he had by it. (Psa. Ixiii. 3.) According to the conception and notions of some, it would be all the same to them, though it were with silver and gold they should be redeemed. If the eye were a ball of flesh, it could not see, neither can the old stony heart see the moral beauty and glory of Christ, so as to be drawn to Him. Thei'e needs to be a new heart created before it can have the kind of vision that is peculiar to true faith. As the eye for seeing, the ear for hearing, a bird for the air, and a fish for water ; "as meats for the belly, and tie belly for meats," so also there must be an affinity between the soul and the Saviour. True faith shows one a "friend of God," as we are told Abraham was in his faith. (James ii. 23.) This also implies congeniality between the soul and Christ. The stronger the Christian's faith becomes, he rises more and more from the mere spirit of a slave to realize that of a friend. (John xv. 15.) The heart must be broken at the outset before this work can be carried on, before the soul can be moulded by the framework of God's Word. There is a sense in which the Word is God's image written down, if the expression may be permitted. Men are begotten by this Word, through the Holy Spirit giving them true light upon it. Thus they are begotten in the image of God, the image of His moral and spiritual nature. They are created in righteousness and holiness of truth, after the image of Him that created them. They are begotten. When God begets, He does so always in His own image. He might create an object without its being in His own image. Those born again are His workmanship, and will indeed believe that Christ died for sinners, but they will have far more than this in their faith. There are no strange or abnormal births produced by Him. There is no partial birth such as sometimes occurs in nature. There is not the birth of an arm or a leg. Every element in true saving faith is present in the one begotten by God. PLYMOUTH FAITH HAS NO APPROPRIATING CAPACITY. 115 i f thus rHis I two nony. le He aiuch. heart il ; but of this ihances 1." To life he notions h silver the old s to be •e it can ) eye for • water ; :>re must 1 shows lis faith, le soul le rises iliat of a 3t before d by the Word is Men lem true od, the eated in iiu that does so thout its nianship, they will range or rth such n arm or the one ^' Flesh and Blood " can Reveal what Plymouth Faith Sees. It does not require the new birth to enable one to exercise the faith taught in Plymouthisra. It does not require a spiritual revela- tion of the Son. Flesh and blood can fully reveal all that is to be seen by means of the Plymouth faith. There is no spiritual vision in it. It is only conviction of the truth of certain statements, or news, or record. An old writer says regarding a certain spurious kind of faith, that by it " the great Simon Magus in thee becomes a believer." So by the Plymouth faith the " great Simon Magus" in a man might become a believer. This kind of faith would bring a man to the marriage supper of the Lamb in his own natural apparel. But the tree must first be made good before it can bear the true faith. If one imagines he is saved on account of his belief of the record, his natural feelings may, indeed, be stirred for some time, but it will only be a very superficial stirring. It will resemble the melting of the snow on the surface by the shining and heat of the natural sun. This is a very different thing from a real thaw. Some of the out- growths of natural corruption may be checked for a while after this fancy takes hold on one. But the outgrowths are only lopped off. As Job says, " through the scent of water it will bud again." They will grow all the more luxuriantly in consequence of the pruning. Tlie corruptions will break out again, just as Samson's hair grew again. The boils may be forced in temporarily in one place, but if the system be not properly cleansed, they will break out somewhare else. The boil of worldly pride may, in worldly things, be forced in by circum- stances for a time, but it will break out again probably in a spurious and proud spirituality. The natural effect of the truth, the striving of the spirit, the power of the sympathy and of the example of a party, slavish fear, natural emotions, may, when combined, go very far indeed in producing a semblance of a true Christian. Yet there is as much difference in what all these influences can effect, and the change effected in the new birth, as there is between water raised by natural heat to the boiling point, and water turned into wine. Plymouth Faith has no Appropriating Capacity. What would prevent a carnal man looking upon faith in a carnal light, and in a legal spirit, as something to be done, or performed, something arbitrarily appointed as a condition of reward ? What would prevent such a man regarding faith as a work of law 1 If a man were told that he would require to perform a number of benevo- lent acts in the true spirit, in order to have the appropriate reward, he might misconceive the nature of the reward. His imagination might picture it as something very desirable for him, and he might go through the course of benevolent acts, but without doing so in the proper spirit, nor even knowing what the proper spirit was. He would thus look upon the benevolent acts in a legal spirit, never per- ceiving that it was intended by the very course of action prescribed li 116 THE SCRIFrURE DOCTRINE OF SAVING FAITH. to make himself a more moral, kind, benevolent man, to enlarge and confirm these virtues in him. It was intended that he should habituate himself in feeling pity, and should ultimately reap the reward of a more developed moral nature, with all the happiness which this in its own nature is calculated to bring to the individual whose heart is properly toned in this direction. Virtue is said to be its own reward. But if the man misapprehends the nature of the reward, and the kind of effect which the course of benevolent actions is intended to have in preparing him for the reward ; if he should in this condition desire to perform the actions and receive the reward, he would he looking on the actions in a legal spirit. So, notwithstanding the professed abhorrence the Brethren have of the righteousness of the law, or of works, yet they themselves seek righteousness, or the reward, by regarding, and as it were performing, faith as a work of positive, arbitrary law. Their kind of faith has no moral contents, and can lay hold of none such. If a man were told that a certain road led to a certain city to which he desired to go, it would be meant by inducing him to believe that the road pointed out to him was the real road, that he should travel in that road. But if he should suppose that his hearing of the road, his seeing it, and believing that it was the right one, were all that was required for bringing him into the city by that road, he would not understand the real connection between the road and the city. So the Brethren do not understand the true connection between faith in its appropriating, receiving element, and salvation. Did they do so they would never imagine that merely believing the record secured salvation. True faith has an appropriating element, as a sponge appropriates water. If the sponge does not appropriate water it is useless. Such a sponge, if plunged into water, might be wetted on the outside, but that would be all. So you might plunge a mere historic faith, as it were, into all the statements and news given in the Gospel, and yet it could appropriate nothing. It would be merely like the sponge wetted on the outside. True faith feeds on the bread of life. The faith of Plymouthism is like the belief of children, who imagined that if they were sure their father wrought for bread for them, this belief was enough to support them by the bread. So the Brethren seem to imagine that if they Vjelieve that Christ wrought out the work necessary for salvation, this belief is enough to put them in possession of that salvation. There are Both Reason and Instinct in True Faith. Brethren writers often quote the statement that faith comes by hearing, leaving it to be inferred that if one simply believes the news he hears about Christ's death, he has saving faith. But there is more than one kind of hearing mentioned in Scripture. There are those who hear and do not, and those who have ears to hear and hear not. Hearing, believing, and obeying, are often used in the same sense in Scripture, as any one may see who turns up ^ concordance properly. THERE IS SELF-SURRENDER IN TRUE FAITH. 117 mere ven in merely bread lildren, bread aread. Christ riies by news is more those ar not. ense in operly. The faith which consists in hearing only is not a saving faith. But the statement that faith cometh by hearing, when taken along with the other teaching of the Brethren about this grace, is admirably fitted to lead some readers into a trap, and also to cast the responsi- bility on themselves if they are caught. As we have seen already, and more than once, this is in characteristic Plymouth style. " This is the work of God," says our Lord, " that ye believe on him whom he hatli sent." The meaning of the Greek here is, that ye believe continuously on him. There is a continuous feeding in faith. There are present from the very first running, lighting, laying hold, obeying, submissive, devoted, victorious, eleujents in savii,':^ faith. But it by no means follows that when the sinner comes ii'st to believe in Christ, he has all the elements in his faith fully developed, nor tliat he is conscious of the existence of these various c-iements. Yet all the elements are present, notwithstanding, from the very first, and as time passes they will come to manifest themselves more or less in the sphere of consciousness. There is an instinct in true faith, which takes to, accepts, and confides in, Christ. An infant has an instinct which takes to and trusts in its mother. As time goes on the child grows, and by and by it comes to be able to give some reasons for its feeling of trust. But the instinct never dies out. It is nursed and developed by the mother's kindness, and this fact could come to be known "and expressed by the child. So it is with the soul that truly l)elieves in Christ. Almost everybody has heard of the woman who, when examined for church membership, said that she could not speak for Christ, but that she could die for Him. She evidently felt the instinct. But it is dutiful for the Christian to seek to advance in knowledge, so that his faith may have a rational as well as an emotional basis. Otherwise there is a possibility of deception. Trust IS present in true faith from the very first, notwithstanding Dr. Anderson's opinion to the contrary. Every soul that expects to be saved by Christ trusts Him for salvation. "The Greek words, pistis (faith or belief) and pistauin (to believe), are generally used in the New Testament in a sense which implies trust, as well assent to some par- ticular truth. " O ye of little faith " (Matt. vi. 30) was a reproof for mistrust. So also in Matthew xiv. 31 ; Mark iv. 10. The Syrophenician woman's faith (Matt. xv. 1-28) manifested itself in dis- belief of what Christ seemed to have said — disbelief of the news. She trusted in Himself, and He said to her, " O woman, great is thy faith," Pisteuin (to believe) is sometimes translated, and means, to commit, and to trust. (John ii. 24 ; Luke xvi. 11 ; Rom. iii. 2 ; Gal. ii. 7 ; 1 Thess. ii. 4 ; 1 Tim. i. 11.) There is Self-Surrender in True Faith. There is in saving faith both a trust which is instinctive, and a trust which is more or less deliberate and intentional. This last becomes strong and warrantable in proportion as we have assurance that we have committed our souls to Christ in the true manner. In 118 THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF SAVING FAITH. faitli there is also a self-surrender as well as a reception. There is both a giving and a taking as in marriage. But it is one thing for a Christian to believe and acknowledge that he is not his own, and a different thing for him to realize a true, completed, self-surrender, to realize it in heart and will. This realization is a matter of growth, and requires time. A very young Christian may seek to be fully consecrated at the very first. This is right, and in one sense he may at the outset realize this consecration in some measure. He may acknowledge and remember that he is not his own. But when Christ crosses his will and desires, to realize then complete self-surrender, with complete spontaneity and cheerfulness, as if he had not any will of his own — not to feel any wrench — is not always easy. The spon- taniety, continuity, cheerfulness, delight and completeness, with wliich personal self-surrender is realized, depends upon the purity of heart attained. The pure can see, and love, and yield. Christ told His disciples, and others also, to believe Him for His works' sake, until through His teaching, spirit and providences, they should attain to greater purity, and thus come to believe on Him on higher grounds, such as their perception of His suitability to be their everlasting por- tion. Those who have not seen physically, and yet have believed, manifest so far a sij^n of having attained to a greater degree of purity, and consequent spirituality of vision, than those whose faith requires the support of miracle. A woman might consent to marry a man for whom she did not at first realize so strong a love as she had expected to realize. 8he might approve of his principles, but through her own shortcomings she might not love these principles sufficiently at first, even though her conscience approved of them. Her heart would be won in pro- portion as her shortcomings and consequent blindness disappeared. She would, however, recognize and acknowledge, as soon as she gave herself in marriage, that she, as a matter ofjaet, belonged to the man. But she would come to realize in heart the truth of her position in proportion as her love to proper principles grew. Whether all this takes place in the case of literal marriages in the circumstances in- dicated or not, what the illustration points to takes place, we may say always, in the case of the Christian and Christ. The Christian may recognize from first that he belongs, as a matter of fact, to Christ ; but it is in process of working out his salvation that the truth of his position comes to work itself into his heart and will, and comes into abiding and complete realization there. When his Lord's will, in all circumstances, and however expressed, in Word or providences, comes to be fully recognized and accepted with perfect cheerfulness, his personal sanctification may well be regarded as complete. If there is self-surrender, committal of the soul, in faith, then the exercise of faith is a matter in which the will is concerned, as well as that there is a belief of the gospel record. The principal part of faith really begins where Plymouth faith stops. If we are thoroughly to understand saving faith we must embrace all therein which the Word of God embraces. This is what is called " prophesying accord- FAITH AND THE STUAIT-OATE STRUGGLE. 119 irist ; I his into ), in ?nces, ness, ing to th« proportion of faith." In Scripture, then, we rend of the exercise of faith, coming to Christ, receiving Him, 8ul)niitting to Him, accepting Him, giving one's self to Him, etc. All these expressions mean practically the same thing. There are invitations, entreaties, exhortations, and commands, to helieve, or come to, Christ. All this also implies that in believing there is an exercise of the will. We would never think of entreating a man to believe that t\jo and two make four, or to believe certain news. When a man thinks ho has sufficient evidence for believing a truth of science, or of history, he cannot but believe it. If he does not think he has sulHeient evidence, no amount of entreaties or commands will make him believe it. An entreaty to believe news about some event in the past would be somewhat strange. J'»ut an entreaty to give or accept something would not be so. It was our Lord's complaint of old : " Ye will not come unto me," etc., " how often would I . . . and ye would not." In the case of the great supper, there were several invitations issued which were not responded to. Unless there had been the love of other things, presumably the invitations would have in these cases been accepted. An exhortation or entreaty, therefore, is quite appropriate in such cases. But there is not the slightest hint given that those invited did not believe that there was such a thing as a supper provided, nor that they did not believe it was a good and dutiful thing to accept the invitation. What they lacked was tliQ will. Faith and the Strait-oate Htruogle. There is often a struggle experienced in coming to Christ. The severity of the struggle will frequently depend on the strength of love in the heart to sin in some form or another. No doubt the Spirit can make the coming easy and pleasant, liut for high purposes He often permits the sinner to experience the power of the sin he has cherished. This makes the gate strait. The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force. There is a resolving, a choosing, a bracing up of the soul's energies, in con- sciously coming to Christ. Self-will, love of licen,se, lust, love of the world, make such exercises more or less difficult, or effectually prevent them being successful. Many strive to enter in, but are not able on account of the will-energy having been enfeebled through sin. This is, humanly speaking, the direct cause which prevents them entering in. *' How can ye believe who receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the only God ye seek not." (John v. 44.) Some may by violence quell sinful desires for the time being, and may brace up the soul, and actually reach Christ, and afterwards their former love of some sins may return on them with some force. But if they have reached Him, these sins will never conquer them entirely. He who overcomes will be crowned from first to last in this matter, and no one else will, no matter what he may, or may not, believe about Christ. Any faith so called which will not reach Christ will be reckoned as unbelief, just as the circumcision of the Jew 120 THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF SAVING FAITH. who did not do what circumcision was meant to indicate, namely, that he should afterwards keep the law, was reckoned as uncir- cumcision. The Apostles and Belief cr the Testimony. During the period of the incarna'ion, and also for some time there- after, it commonly occurred, although not invariably, that those who believed that Jesus was in reality such as He represented himself to be, received Him as such. They savingly believed on Him. There were then two classes— those who believed the testimony about Christ, and those who did not. Because it generally happened that those who received the testimony went further, and received Himself, the apostles set themselves to prove Christ's claims, and to produce belief in the testimony. What appeared to stand in the way of com- plete self-surrender was unbelief, or doubt, in tlie testimony. But even before the apostle John fell asleep, he had met with many who said they believed, aud had fellowship with God, and loved God, and were saved, and had full assurance, whom he never charges with not believing the testimony, but whose conduct prevented him regarding as true Christians. And to-day countless numbers believe the testi- mony wlio are not Christians in the true sense of the term. To say that they do not believe the testimony in the right way is to beg the question. If they do not believe it in the right way, will they be convinced it is true wlien they hear it from the Brethren 1 If they assent to r.U the Brethren say about the truth of the testimony, would they then be believing it in the right and saving way 1 If they thoroughly believed the truth of all that " Geo. C." means to prove by his station-master illustration, would they be true believers then ? It would seem they would, in the Brethren's view. But what kind of belief would they then have that they had not before 1 None whatever. Very simple people might be cajoled into imagining thus that they were saved by believing in the belief they had before, and then join the Plymouth body. Then the great end would be accomplished. The Unsaved Sinner's Duty in Regard to Faith. But although the mighty power of God is needed to regenerate the soul, and make it willing, in the exercise of true faith, to come to Ciirist, this does not by any means imply that an unsaved sinner should wait until he is sure this power is exercised ere he believes in, or comes to, Christ. Even when this power is working within him, he may not be able to distinguish it from the workings of his own heart. His duty and privilege are at once to come to Christ as soon as he hears the invitation. If he knows he has come, he can thus also know he has been born again, and if he doubts t! e former, he will d'^ubt the latter also, and ought so to doubt. The great matter is to be willing. If the eye be single, the mind will be full of light. But unless there be a single eye, a willing mind, there will be more or less THE UNSAVED sinner's DUTY IN REGARD TO FAITH. 121 darkness as to the way, no matter what explanations are given or how much l.ght shines round about. We have no warrant%o 'rus Christ unless we have come to him, as a woman has no warrant to trust a certain man to support and defend her as her husband, unless she has taken htm as such. ' """'^^ Before concluding the important subject of savin