Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

ence from the following passages: "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death."-" And the Dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus." Rev. xii. 11. and 17.-" And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and the word of God." Rev. xx. 4. Without attempting to fix on the precise events alluded to in these passages, we may safely refer them to the bloody persecutions which the church suffered from Rome, both in its Pagan and Anti-Christian states; and they present to us the church for a series of ages, not only professing the character of God's witness, but sustaining it with an inflexibility and zeal, that might put the best of witness bearers, in the present day, to the blush. Since then, the church has been obviously trained up and qualified to be a witness-formed and preserved for this purpose-bound to it by the moral law-having the whole course of duty in all ages in the form of a testimony-Christ and all his official servants going before her as examples-and herself expressly so called, it must require the audacity and impudence of apostacy itself, to deny it.

PROPOSITION II. This Witness is bound to give her testimony to the WHOLE OF REVEALED TRUTH and to nothing else.

Even the light of reason teaches all courts of justice to demand of every witness to "to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." And why should God require less?— The fact that he has committed to her trust the whole of revealed truth, evidently implies this much. And the consideration, that all of it rests on his testimony who cannot lie-is all according to godliness and instrumental in sanctification, enforces the duty, and it ought at least to restrain every one bearing the christian name from the impiety and presumption of setting up distinctions among revealed truths which God himself has not set up. Every jot and tittle of it was regarded in the testimony of the "Faithful and true witness." Every word of God is most precious-sweeter than honey-more valuable than fine gold. Man lives, by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Who then, will set his wisdom up against God, and call that circumstantial, which he calls vital? But though her obligation to truth cannot be limited, yet her actual performance of duty is necessarily so. First, it will be limited by her knowledge of the truth. She cannot bear testimony to truth which she has not discovered. Nor will she ever be able to discover or comprehend all that God has revealed. But upon discovering any truth she is

already bound to hold it fast. She is bound also, to "search the scriptures" with the utmost attention and diligence and prayer, for the direction of the Spirit of truth; and ardently to seek, by all means and opportunities, to increase in knowledge. Second, it ought to be extended to those particulars, whether of doctrine, worship or government, to which the adversaries of truth direct their attack. If her testimony be not so formed as to cover all these, it will be as useless as it will be ridiculous. I say ridiculous, for what can be more so, than a body of witnesses giving testimony to that which none deny, and keeping silent on those particulars which are in dispute. It would be as rational for the soldiers in a fort, to leave that part of the works where the enemy is attempting to make a breach, unprotected, and bring all their force and skill to the defence of that part on which no attempt is made. If the points, on which God has required his witness in different ages to give their testimony, be examined, they will be found in all cases, to be the points at issue between him and his adversaries. I have observed already, under the first proposition, that the course of duty has always been moulded into the form of a pointed testimony against prevailing errors. But besides this, there has been generally some leading question in dispute. For ages and generations, the question was, whether is Jehovah the true God or not? All the nations said not, and in Ahab's time, the great majority of Israel said not, until Elijah, God's witness, came forward and gave his testimony on Carmel, which at that time decided it. "And all the people said, the Lord he is God, the Lord he is God." On the same question God calls upon his church, in the passages before quoted, to give their testimony-"Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God." When the Messiah made his appearance, the enemies of truth turned all their sophistry against him; and the testimony then required of the church was, that " Jesus is the Christ." And to point out this to her God raised up sundry persons to go before and lead the way. Besides Anna and Simeon and the wise men, he sent John the Baptist for this special end. And he also repeatedly gave his own testimony to it, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." After his resurrection, it became necessary to add to this testimony, that "God raised him from the dead," because this was obstinately denied. Soon after this, his Divinity was called in question, and then the church's testimony was, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. In proof of this truth, the whole gospel of John was written. See chap. xx. 31. 1f the testimony of John the Baptist, of Christ, and of all the Apostles, on particular occasions, be considered, still it is the present truth

for which they all contend; embracing the jots and tittles as well as essentials or fundamentals. And if the testimony of those martyrs so honourably mentioned in the Revelation, be considered, it will always be found formed precisely on this principle, and covering the minutiæ as well as things of great magnitude. They would neither worship the beast, nor his image, nor receive his mark. It is true that the church has been called to witness against great and fundamental errors, for centuries backagainst Socinian, Pelagian and Arminian errors, which threaten, in every modification of them, to subvert the gospel; but she ought not therefore to think that the smallest particle of truth, which the enemy in his wisdom deems worthy to attack, may be safely let go. The pins, loops and taches, of the tabernacle, were but small matters, yet had they been removed, the whole fabric would have fallen asunder. To enumerate the particulars to which the church is at this day loudly called upon to bear testimony, would be to enumerate the whole system of doctrine and worship delivered to the saints: and besides all this, the duty of bearing witness itself. For the enemy now endeavours to persuade the church to give witness-bearing wholly up, and to banish Creeds and Confessions, as unscriptural obstructions to christian and ministerial fellowship.

PROPOSITION III. Every one is to give testimony according to his place and opportunity.

In the whole of christian duty, as has been mentioned, respect ought to be had to this one. The individual Christian is to have this in view, while he maintains a deportment becoming the gospel of Christ. By that deportment he ought daily to tell all that see him, that the doctrines of the gospel are according to godliness, holiness, humility, meekness, peace with all men, forgiveness of offences that they they teach to give to every one his own, honour to whom honour, tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom-whatsoever things are honest, just, lovely and of good report. And this would be substantially a testimony against the world, who account the gospel foolishness, against all who neglect or oppose it, or charge its doctrines with a tendency to licentiousness. A respect to this duty, ought constantly to influence him. He ought to form no connection in society, commercial or social, political or religious, for a short time or for life, that would either hinder him from appearing as a witness for any one particular in a scriptural profession, or ensnare him into practices which tacitly oppose or contradict it. The calling, however lucrative, the situation however pleasant, the country however inviting, that must be come at by such a price, he ought to refuse.

To this duty, parents ought to have respect in training up their children, and all entrusted to their care. In their precepts and example, in the instructions they communicate, in the seasons and opportunities they embrace for this purpose, and in their manner of teaching, they ought to be influenced by it. They ought not to be satisfied while there is a single opportunity yet to be embraced, or means yet to be used, to put them in possession of every truth which themselves know. And that parent, who uses no means to inform the judgment of his children of the reasons of his profession-never inculcates on them this duty of witnessing for God, nor prepares them for it, but surrenders truth to its enemies-puts no check on the corruptions of his children's hearts, and is a traitor to the cause of God.

Ruling elders, in their individual and judicative capacity, ought to keep this duty constantly in view. They are to watch over their flock, in all things pertaining to their public profession, counselling, admonishing and reproving faithfully when and where necessary, without respect of persons or fear of reproach.

Ministers of the gospel in particular, are to declare the whole counsel of God and keep nothing back, fearless of consequences, -to "cry aloud and spare not, but lift up their voice like a trumpet," "to be instant in season and out of season,"-"to reprove, rebuke and exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine," "by sound speech which cannot be condemned, to put to silence the ignorance of wicked men," "—and to defend the truth in every way in which they have opportunity, knowing that they are set for the defence of the gospel. In their judicial capacity, they ought to strive together for the faith of the gospel. And it is especially competent to them to give a public judicial testimony to the whole of the present truth. They are to seek opportunities and devise means for spreading the knowledge of gospel doctrinesand most especially ought they to watch over their own spirits, lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble them, and the church at large.

The church in her collective capacity, not only in celebrating all divine ordinances which are commonly observed, but particularly in observing that much neglected duty, Public Religious Covenanting, is to appear as God's witness. It is one of the ends of this duty, to afford her an opportunity of appearing publicly and jointly in this very character, and of giving the most unequivocal proofs of her sincerity and willingness to defend the truth. Such as have no very deep concern for truth on their hearts, and would be easier tempted to make their profession bow

to their curcumstances than to expose themselves to reproach or inconvenience, may always be expected to excuse themselves from going thus far, no doubt under pretence of something very dutiful and becoming holiness; but it is not easy to conceive that a man, understanding the nature of this service and willing to go all lengths in behalf of God's truth, can have any difficulty about it. God might have withheld from the heirs of promise, the strong consolation of his oath, under pretence that his word was enough, and that he had in a variety of ways done what was tantamount, and that he had hitherto been just as faithful to his promise as he could be to his oath. Away then, with such pretences, and let us meet God in the same hearty, sincere and explicit manner, as he meets us.

In a word, the conduct of every one in respect to this duty, ought to be characterized by diligence, faithfulness, zeal, constancy and watchfulness.

There are still a number of important things to be advanced on this subject, by way of improvement.

SIR,

To the Editar of the Religious Monitor,

The following are the few additional observations which I promised to send you, respecting some statements made in the Evangelical Witness and in Reformed Principles Exhibited.By giving them an early insertion in your valuable Magazine, you will much oblige Yours, &c. A. H. REMARKS ON STATEMENTS MADE IN THE EVANGELICAL WITNESS, &c.

"He that is first in his own cause," saith Solomon, "seemeth just, but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him;" "which shows," says a judicious commentator, "that one tale is good till another is told." There is a striking exemplification of this saying, in a tale told, in the Declaration and Testimony of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, respecting some of the professed principles of the Associate Church. Were any person to read it, who is a stranger to the Associate Church, he would be led by it, to form a very incorrect idea of her principles; but were the same person to examine her subordinate standards, he would soon be convinced, that it is nothing but a tale, without any good foundation. The passage to which I think this character is justly applicable, is in that part of the Reformed Testimony which is entitled, a Historical View of the Catholic Church, p. 115. There it is said, Seceders were led to maintain, that "the world stands

« ZurückWeiter »