The Errors of the Plymouth Brethren by Rev. James Carmichael (1869) by Peebs Net

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THE ERRORS OF

THE PLYMOUTH BRETHREN BEING

THE itriSTANCE OF THREE SERMONS PREACHED IN

ST.

GEORGE'S OHLRCH, MONTREAL,

BY BfiVEBBNfi

JAMiSS

Price 5

CAEIICHAEL.

centH.

MONTKEAL: V>|iXJfTBl>

IJY

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'sm~.m~m-mf^-9^^

THE ERRORS OP

THE PLYMOUTH BRETHREN BEING

THE SUBSTANCE OF THREE SERMONS PREACHED IN

ST.

GEORGE'S CHURfH, MONTREAL.

BY REVEfiEND

CAMICIiEL.

JAMES

Price 6

cents.

MONTREAL: PBINTED BY THE MONTREAT. PRINTINQ AMD PTIBLI8HINQ COMPANY.

1«69.

•

SERMON. Take heed what ye hear.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Mark

iv-, 24.

This sacred admonition has special reference to the preaching of the Gospel. It follows the parable of the sower. In that parable in

are told the various

ways

which men received the Gospel;

here

are

torld

to use

but

discrimination

even in listening to the Gospel. are warned in the parable of the sower to take care how we hear, but the warning of our

text is of a different nature. ''

Take heed what ye

hear."

It says:

Both warn-

ings should ever be before us.

may

hear with a great deal of attention^ reverence and prayer but if what we hear is not |the gospel, or is a perverted gospel, j

our hearing

little

again, a pure gospel

And

avail.

may be

then,

preached

but

;

we do not hear it aright, it is of little avail either. Both warnings should ever if

be before us, and

one should be stronger

than another in the present day,

which

says,

Take heed what ye

that

hear."

I use these words with special reference to the earnest call lately given

christians

commonly known

Brethren," (a) to

all

by those

Plymouth

godly people in

all de-

nominations to leave their respective bodies to join a religious organization in process

of formation, not only in this city, but in

various parts of Canada. believing that the time has so.

really

it is

proper

the

public.

amount

am aware

(a) I is their

title

may be

this,

for doing

feel that there is a point at

Christian charity as

come

which

so overstrained

to a dereliction of

that this body deny that this

title.

I therefore only use

by which they

are

known by

the

we do cot wish

duty, and

point; for although

and

kind,"

to reach that

charity suffereth long,

was never meant

to suffer

80 long as to teach God's people to

when we

Therefore,

faithful.

some committed

felt

that

were likely to be led

to us

astray by the teaching of

we thought

be un-

the Brethren,''

that true charity consisted, not

in concealing,

but in revealing, the host of

errors which, in this case,

lie

behind what

people call the simple preaching ot the gospel of

God.

And

here I would say that I

cannot well express to you how deeply I feel

am placed in through am about to take against

the position I

taking the stand I this body.

From

I hear I dare not

all

but believe that these preachers are ligiously earnest

they are engaged godly, christian,

and I know very plainly I

;

the I

work

re-

which

sure they are

though mistaken men well, that

may speak of the

no matter how doctrinal errors

of the body with which they are connected, or however delicately

may

in passing

6 allude to the

some for and

preachers themselves,

whom

I entertain

uiFection will

vouring

in calmer tian

the

little

regard

endea-

that I

cause of Christ.

grant, if any think so now, that

and quieter moments of

thoughtfulness their minds

may undergo

point

may

injure

May God

feel,

that

chris-

on this

a change, and that they

yet be led to see that justice should

be rendered to those who contend for the truth of doctrines hoary with antiquity, as well as to those

who propagate

novel views

with no slight measure of devoted earnestness and zeal.

If these preachers confined

themselves to the mere act of preaching Christ to perishing sinners, these words

would never have been written

know them

;

but any

Brethren must

one acquainted with the

that the preaching of the word by leads

the reception of peculiar

doctrinal views, unlike those held

Christian body.

convert

simple words, ever

those lovely

The

Come

to Jesus,

by any

caught by

fresh,

always

none but Jesus."

But when he comes, then

the hidden'

mysteries of his belief are revealed teries

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;mys-

and doctrines that must be received, be reallv in earnest in his

if the convert

conversion.

Now

it is

" these things which are

behind" I would

your attention

call

to-

day; and I do so after the most serious

consultation with

he speaks with

solely

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;we, I

say, speak

and alone from an earnest desire to

preserve you, astray

your long-tried pastor.

ministry, for

dear brother in the

brethren, from being led

doctrines, that

from

heart

^nd soul I believe to be opposed to the

word of God. It

no easy thing for an ordinary

hearer of the gospel, as preached by bers of thio body, to discover

does believe.

all

mem-

that

It glories in the fact that it

possesses no creed,

and hence the

difficulty

of any ordinary hearer defining distinctly

what

receives,

But although

and

what

rejects.

has no creed, the original

9 founder of the body and the leading minds connected with

have published works

from which a creed may easily be compiled. It

and

in these books

tracts that

find their doctrines, and it

from these

books or tracts I have taken the various

you

extracts I will read to %-

For regularity

sake,

to-night.

I will divide

remarks into three heads.

First.

What

my the

Brethren think of the Church and Christian bodies generally.

Secondly.

What danger-

ous views they hold and teach with the Old Testament.

in connexion

Thirdly.

What

dangerous views they hold and teach in connection with the

New

Testament.

L First.

What do

the Church ?

the Brethren think of

The

following quotation,

taken from a tract written by a well-known

female member, will give the reply.

have chosen

to quote

from this

tract rather

than froiÂť one by Mr. Darby on the sub-

9 ject of the Chuich, because this lady is a

much

plainer writer in every

way than the

Speaking of the

founder of the body.

views of the Brethren, she says ing that the church of Christ

" Believ-

and can

be but one hody^ the habitation of

through the

Spirit,

they deem that

body

to appear one

festation on earth

its

visible

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;one body

God

ought

mani-

which

all

believers in the

Lord Jesus are baptized by

one Spirit." (a)

In other words, that the

visible

church on earth should be com-

posed solely and alone of converted people,

and that consequently a national church errs on

the one hand, and

all

sectarian

denominations on the other." (6) Now, longing as I do to enter heaven, this

view at

pleasing in

first

even for

body were permitted

(a)

has

sight

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

something

for if

exist,

such a

surely

"Who are the Plymouth Brethren?" By

Mrs. H. Grattan Guinness, page 13. (5) Do. do.,

page

14.

10 would furnish no itself;

slight foretaste of

heaven

but on mature thought, and after

many an

earnest prayer to

God

for light

on the subject, I have come to the conclusion that such an idea is not in accordance

with the teaching of Christ, and I know that the efforts of the Brethren to found

such a body have proved a

total failure.

If Christ wished such a Church to

why

did

utter the parable of the tares

and the wheat, or the net cast I

know

parables

exist,

into the sea.

that the Brethren deny that these

have

Church, but I

anything to

say

the

sure that any unpreju-

diced reader will admit that the parables

kingdom of God on earth, and that that kingdom is identical with the refer to the

Church.

To understand

these two parables,

what did Jesus mean by the expression " kingdom " so often used throughout them. That he did not mean his millenial kingdom is obvious, the question to settle

for the glory of that

absence of tares

;

is,

kingdom

will

that he did not

be the

mean

the

11 (Ro.

17) is equally plain, for our whole

xiv., life

in an individuars heart

God

grace of

should be spent in pulling up the t ires

there.

are, therefore,

conclusion that the

shut up to the

kingdom referred

was

the Church, and for the simple reason that the

kingdom of Christ

represented in the

being identical with the Church. Baptism is the seal of admission into the Church, and baptism is the seal of admis-

BiJ)le as

kingdom (John iii. 5.) The Church has power to bind, loose, remit and retain, and the kingdom has the same power sion unto the

The Church is the gospel, and the kingdom is

(Mat. xvi., 18-19.) guardian of the

the gnardian of the gospel (Matt,

In short, the kingdom the

to prove it is not),

hard all

this

19.)

the Church, and

Church the kingdom.

the case (and I think

xiii.,

Now,

if this

would be very

must be

plain to

that Jesus Christ never countenanced

idea of a church composed solely of

believers.

The

the wheat

till

tares

were

left

with

the harvest, the fish were

IS not to

severed

\y3

the haryest

brought to land, and

till

end of the world, and

work of severing

will

this

be in the judgement of

a present personal Saviour,

through his

ministering servants, the angels of heaven.

But, not only

the idea opposed to

Scripture, but the Brethren have failed to

carry

out.

The wear and

reality has put their ideal of a

the test, and

Once

it hsiSfairli/

gone

solely of believers, without a

Now

its

body of believers partres,

Church

to pieces?'* (a)

was a compact body, composed

ranks,

tear

who

together,

ranks are split

break in

its

broken

its

;

into antagonistic

not only will not

commune

but who speak in anything but a

Christian

way of each

far as the

Darby and Newton

concerned,

it is

other.

Indeed, as divisions are

the old story of the

* *

Jews

having no dealings with the Samaritans.**^

The

history of the Brethren to the present

(a) Letter on Recognition of Pastors,

Grattan Guinness.

by H.

13 *'

has bean,

war to the knife " between the God.

elected Saints of

Holding such views on the subject of the Church,

it is

only natural to suppose

that their views, with reference to other

Christian bodies, would not be of a very liberal nature,

and we are

therefore,

not,

surprised to learn " that the Established

Church of England is an Apostacy it

(a), that

has no just claim to be considered a

Church of God

(6),

and that Dissenters have

marshalled themselves in the ranks of the Infidel

and the Socinian, and are grasping

power and privilege that the world

at all the

can give plain

them."

words.

These are

(c)

would

hope,

very

indeed,

that

some of the gentler minds among

the

Brethren

endorsing in black

would

them.

shrink

But

here

back from they

are

and white, and no doubt, I think,

Separation from Apostacy, page 27.

(6)

The Church of the

(c)

Present Prospects, page 10,

Scriptures, page 1.

14 can remain on our minds as to what pro-

minent writers of

It matters little

be.

many

a year you

spiritual

The

this

life

body believe us

and

that for long

may have

enjoyed true

the Church of England.

higher your spiritual blessings the

greater your apostacy.

how

either

others

It matters

may have

lived happily

but props

in other bodies, at best they are

of Infidelity

Hence

little

and supports of Socinianism.

arises the call to

come

Hence

out.

the frantic abuse lavished, lately, in this city,

on every

the solemn warnings against

and

pastors.

ness, so

Hence

Christian body. all

ministers

Hence the narrow-minded-

unlike Christ, and so detrimental

to that spirit of love,

which

of the Church's existence. afraid to say

it,

that he

one secret

Yes, I

who

joins this

not

body

runs the danger of being forced to set his

hand against every man. Christian usefulness genial,

tianity

contracted,

kind and generous for

him

His sphere of and the

spirit of Chris-

undermined.

The

Church (the body of Christ) to him is composed of the select few who have been truly converted, and have come out from all

His

sects.

conversion

fondest past,

and

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

likely

spirit

dogmatical

develop a haughty, conversation,

up often of the

a breaking

dearest

of the

associations

and an undisguised attempt to put

any one down that dares In

him.

short,

differ

light,

and

all

with of us

in various degrees of spiritual darkness.

Now

I yield to

no one

devoted

Church of England. I believe doctrine she is divine, and in or-

love for the

that in

ganization apostolic, but I would be very sorry, indeed, to say that

no converted roan

could live a long and noble outside of her pale, and I

life

Christ

am perfectly sure

that Christians not belonging to the Church

of England would be equally sorry to say

such a thing of their respective denomina-

But these new preachers practically say this. They may strive to evade the

tipns.

eaccusation

by replying "that there ar

many

Christians amongst us, but that they

ought

come

out;" but

their

proves the accusation to be in

correct.

man being

communion

Christian in

is his

the Church of England,

member of the church

knowledge,

How

leaving

plain they

that no real Christian can remain

believe

the eyes of these preachers, the test of

with the Church of England

and

this,

the result of their teaching.

could I remain in the Church of

England?" said a young convert Sunday-school teache^r; " I Yes, this

his

converted."

one result of this teaching.

All

Christian bodies are as Sodom, and he alone is

God's child who

flies

to Zoar.

'""'"""" ;-^^

IT.'

I will

now

direct your attention to the

second division of this sermon, *'

What

namely

dangerous views the Brethren hold

and teach tament?"

in connection with the

And,

first,

Old Tes-

I would call your

attention to their views on the Moral law.

w 17 In a well-known tract, entitled " tural

Enquiry into the Law,"

ject is

gone

The law

no one

mit than I

&c., this sub-

in the following words.

not the rule of the believer's

Now

life,"

more willing

that righteousness

can never save me.

I agree

and ever ought to

is,

to ad-

by law a great

extent with the Brethren that the

Love"

Scrip-

and the views of the Breth-

into,

summed up

ren are

law of

be, the secret

of the fulfilment of Christian duties I can in no

way

see

but

;

that the law of love

must of necessity exist apart from that Law which

people.

G-od's

moral standard for

love for Christ

Christ makes the

life for

Law

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

his

all

and through

Good's loving rule

as his child.

take

my Christian life as a Christian man, I am to love God with my heart and soul, and my neighbour as myself. The terrors of the law to me are buried in the rule of

Christ,

the

;

wise

remain behind for through

love,

and

the

law

to strive to

obey

statutes

therefore to

tell

18 that the law

not

short

from

religion.

rule of

disconnecting

little

But such

life,

morality

a view

not

only opposed to the interests of morality it

;

opposed to the voice of Scripture.

These preachers may

tell

you that the

freedom of the gospel demands a rejection

They may

of the Law. written

man

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

by the

take these words,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;written

God they may

finger of

for all time,

for

take these

words, I say, and fling them from them as

unworthy of their advancement

But

I call on

you

in religion.

to cling to Christ

and

his Apostles on this question. "

says Christ, " that I

Think not/' am come to destroy

am not come

the law and the prophets.

Whosoever shall break these commandments, and teach men

to destroy,

so, shall

but to

fulfil.

be least in the kingdom of heaven

" but whosoever shall do and shall

teach them

be great in the kingdom of heaven

Yes, I

call

this question

and

you to to

Do not

His Apostles.

forget, I say, that St.

cling to Christ on

Paul said

I de-

God

" light in the law of

" man."

that there

fche

when men

not forget,

after

inward

nothing naturally holy as a

Law,

rule of life for the Christian in the

that the *'

the law

same apostle said is

*• :

Wherefore

and the commandment

holy,

And

" holy, just and good."

men

you

tell

when

ahove,

you that the gospel made void the Law, and did away with its necessity, don't tell

forget these words

** :

" void the law?

Do we

God

" establish the law."

forbid.

the voice or the

Nay, we

0, brethren, repel

teaching—reject

such

then make

mind of

it.

Christ.

neither

It should

not be listened to without a shudder.

Lord

contradicts the words of our

fully

and His Apostles. It

with a

to the fact

listen

^^'^-:K^.\r>x.:,,^,j--^.^,

justice

— to say

;

-',i-^.

shudder that we should

—

horribly opposed to

startingly

all

new

to us,

our ideas of God's

nothing of his love, and

yet asserted with no

—namely,

little

dogmatism by

Church of

this

body

God

does not appear in the Old Testament

that the

20 Scriptures at

Abraham to

and that such men as

never did or never will belong

In a

it.

all,

controversy

Mr.

between

Grant and myself on the subject of the Church, Mr. Grant states " that the Church

was not the

death

existence,

nor could

be,

till

of Christ,

and that

the

Church Abraham has no part, nor could any saint have till the Holy Ghost came after the ascension of Christ "

Now,

first, let

(a)

me show you

the utter

folly of

the statement that the Church of

God, "

The

Ecclesia," does not appear in

the Old Testament scriptures at naturally appeal to the Jewish cal polity

;

all.

ecclesii-sti-

but we are told very ingeniously

and dogmatically that we cannot produce a text in the Old Testament in which that body is called " the Church" in the same sense that the

Now, tex^s

( :;

word

used by

St.

Paul.

I can produce at least twenty-three

where the word

"The Kingdom and

used 窶馬ot, indeed,

the Church," page 9.

21 in our translation,

The founder of

but

this

in tbe original text.

sect

very fond of

quoting from the Septuagint or Greek trans-

Now,

lation of the scriptures.

in the Sep-

word congregation " or *' assembly" occurs, you may translate it Church. For instance, when Joshua read the law before the '' congregation," or Moses

tuagint wherever the

spoke in the ears of the

congregation"

;

Joshua read and Moses spoke before EocleIndeed, if I counted sia, '' the Church."

word " Ecclesia" is used in the Old Testament, and then pursued the

how

often the

same course with the New, I suaded that I would is

used in the

New

twice in the Old."

But

there

fully per-

find that for

Testament,

once

used

it is

So much for that

error.

something revolting in the

error which arises out oi this assertion.

more monstrous idea I never heard broached, than that men like Abraham and David do not belong, or

Church you

will not

body of Christ.

to cling to Christ

and

belong,

to the

Again, I ask his apostles on

22 this

Foremost amongst the ex-

subject.

amples of saving faith held out to us as

Abraham

Christians stan ds this very ever Christians

may

How-

strive to degrade him,

the voice of the greatest apostle ever in-

by God has sealed his 'perfect^ his undoubted salvation and heavenly glory in spired

these words

"Abraham, *'

all

died

" These

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; (Abel,

and

Isaac,

in faith,

all

others)

Enoch,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;these

not having received the

" promises, but having seen them afar

off,

" and were peruaded of them and embraced

" them, for they desired a better country " that is a heavenly wherefore God is not

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

" ashamed to be called their God, for " hath prepared for them a city."

Now,

he was persuad-

if in

the strong lan-

guage of the apostle he embraced them, his

longing

ardent desire was

heavenly home,

Abrahfim died in/aith, ed of God's promises,

after

and that God was not

Ojshamed to be called his God,

is it

not

a monstrous assertion that he should be in

less close position

Christ hereafter

man who

than I or any Christian

Nay,

after the Pentecostal effusion ?

not in "

Know

direct opposition

lived is it

Scripture

ye not," says the apostle (in the

third of Galatians), " that they which are

" offaithf the same are the children of Abra" ham, for the Scriptures foreseeing that " Grod would justify the heathen through ^^/aithy preached before

the gospel unto

" Abraham, saying that in the Thee shall

all

" nations be blessed ; so they which be of " faith are blessed with faithful Abraham."

The same gospel me was preached by God to

Can words be that saves

stronger ?

Abraham, and he believed it

;

and

if I, as

it,

as I believe

a faithful man,

is not away from Abrar ham, but with him, "for they which

blessed at

all, it

faith

Abraham." I now come

are blessed

with

faithful

3rd division.

Âť

24 f>.^'^

:i-':tw^

â&#x20AC;˘

iifU.^r*

t.^:

TTT

What dangerous views

in connection

And

I would

''""

' '

the Brethren hold

New

with the

first call

Testament.

your attention to that

view which limits the work of Jesus Christ as a Saviour altogether to the few hours he

The

lay extended on the cross.

words expressive of

following

are brought

this idea

out very clearly in a Plymouth periodical, entitled, " Things New and Old," <* we believe (says the writer) that Christ's suf-

ferings for sin, his suffering as the sinners

substitute were exclusively confined to the

The same

(a)

cross,

idea

in these words, taken from

elaborated

Mr. Mackintosh's

revised notes on Leviticus, pages 58

Him-

self

commenting on these words our

took

sicknesses." **

infirmities

59.

and bore our

This he writes

was entirely

sympathetic, the power of fellow feeling

(a) Quotation taken from tract

you

Trust."

Page

Test before

25 which in him was perfect. There fore a manifest difference

there-

between Christ

suffering as a voluntary sympathizer with

human

misery, and his suflfering as the -*^ii

sinner's subf^titute."

According to this teaching Jesus Christ |r full thirty- three years

was

an a loving gentle teacher, at deeply, for the sins

How

creatures.

little

who

felt,

and

and sorrows of his

Felt as you might feel

hen the drunkard crosses your path, or Kfhen entering the homes of the poor, you their

i8|itness

^any

struggle

for

life

and

the

hardships they are forced to endure.

lie was not yet the sinnner's substitute ijhen he said to the outcast " Neither do

I condemn

He was

thee."

Itnner's substitute

when

not yet the

in the

garden of

i|ethsemene, he wept and prayed and sufred,

and angels came

comfort him.

ay 'twas but the sympathy of the saint, |ot the work of the substitute, that was

^ofined

to the cross

_S I meet this view as

has often been met

26 before

once with Scripture.

Surely

nothing can be plainer than that Christ suffered for us as St.

Peter

much

in himself bare

body up

to the tree,

all

iv.,

15.)

points as

life

us (1 Ep.

tells

" Christ us (Heb.

24.) that

ii.,

our

(a)

as in death,

sins in his

St.

Peter

own tells

That he was tempted

are,

yet without sin,"

and nothing but the wildest infatuation, or the most determined desire not to believe Scripture ean evade the force of these well

known words,

Surely he hath

home our

" griefs and carried our sorrows.

wounded for our

*â&#x20AC;˘

transgressions.

He was He was

" bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement " of our peace wag upon him, and by his

" stripes we are healed."

Here

thro' life

bearing and carrying

is represented as

our sorrows, and the bruising, the chastise-

ment of Herod and

Pilate previous to his

crofizion, are described as a portion of that

(a) See Margin Bible.

2t lealing

which alone can make us acceptable

God*!;;:

#^:;;^?^'v^^/^si-g,;:«.:•i,S-:.j;

--ijm'V'v^.

•'

'^'-'ii

Why the Brethren hold such a view, arises from another error which T would now their denial of the docipeak of; namely

—

pine of the Imputed /hrist.

Of course

Ihe fact that Jesus |i/e

Righteousness of

that doctrine

was our

as well as death.

has done in

Jhrist lold life,

that

obeyed

and atoned

pat,

life

for

bearer in

claim

all

God's

law

death,

constitutes

righteoiisness, or

/hristian's

based on

and death.

sin

obedience

that

sin

that

We thro'

and

the

as Scripture

That Grod hath made him 4 be sin for us who knew no sin, that we | light be made the righteousness of God

ixpresses

it,

him," (2 Cor.

Now

let

^his subject

tract

21.)

give you a few extracts on

from a well known Plymouth

by Mr.

Stanley,

lighteousness." f*

v.,

entitled,

'*It is

Imputed

remarkable (he

says) that the scriptures never use the ex-

" pression

imputed righteousness of Christ,"

28 (page 1,) and again, ^' The thought of '* Christ having kept the law for me, and that

it is

imputed to me for righteousness would

would only be

*'be utterly wrong, for this

making me righteous on the principle of "law keeping, which God says is im"

Now

â&#x20AC;˘'-<-

possible," (page 6.)

^^^^^-

me show you the weakness of these two statements. The writer says that let

the expression, imputed righteousness Christ, is never used in Scripture.

know

that the writer of these words believes in

the doctrine of the Trinity

Trinity

Yes

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

but the word

;

not to be found in the Scriptures.

is replied,

by that name

but the doctrine called

there.

puted righteousness,

Well, so with im-

the

doctrine

Here is the doctrine in one short text out of many, (a) *' As by the offence of one (Adam), judgement came upon all men to condemnation,

the Bible tho' the

title is not.

(a) See also 1 Cor.

Bom.

iii.,

21.,

&c.

i.,

30-31.

Jer. xxxiii., 16.

even so by the righteousness of one (Jesus

oame upon

Christ), the free gift justification

With namely

(Rom

life,"

18.)

that the doctrine of imputed righ-

holy on the principle

God

of law keeping which

says

impossi-

would only say, and that with sorrow,

that such a statement

/ cannot

a mere trick, or

God made

says very distinctly

trap of words.

that

men to

reference to the second quotation,

teousness " makes

ble," I

v.,

all

holy thro' keeping Âť..'.

the law for myself, but he never said that

I could not be made holy thro' Christ keeping

tells

for me.

far

That Christ

from doing so he the end of the

law for righteousness to every one that ,

believeth,

(Rom.

x., 4,)

and again, **foras

by one man's (Adam's) disobedience, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of

many be made v., 19). Here Adam's law is represented as made

one (Jesus Christ), righteous,

disobedience to

up by

shall

(Rom.

Christ's obedience to to

it.

what the Brethren believe on the

'f,Sr

what

subject of

righteousness,

constitutes a

it is

Christian's

very hard for an outsider

to decide, as they are undecided amongst

All agree that whatever righ-

themselves. teousness

righteousness

beyond

possess

not

through law keeping,

this their views

these is to

many

call it boldly

every

that

against his brother.

views, that held

my mind

but

on the subject are

so chnotic and contradictory

man's hand

Christ's

Out of

by Mr.

Bell,

the most striking, I can only

blasphemous

It is to be

found

on the 15th page of his tract entitled, " Cease ye from man." In commenting on the 3rd chapter of

Romans he

" righteousness spoken of here

says, " is

The

evidently

" the righteousness of the Godhead, that es" sential attribute" Now there can be but one meaning given to these words, namely that the Christian

made holy

in God's

by being made in some respects as God. In the commonly received doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Christ, the righteeyes,

ousness of the

man

Christ

put to the

ac-

31 count of

mm.

This

man

reasonable,

the person of Christ obeyed the law for man,

by one man's obedience many were

for "

made

righteous,

Mr. Bell, "

man

it is

(Rom.

Nay

5-9).

writes

not the righteousness of the

Christ, but the righteousness of the

Godhead." over

you these words

I leave

friends,

think

I can never read

without naturally thinking of Satan's

them lie

to :vt;

our

first

parents, " ye shall be as Gods."

The next dangerous view held by

Brethren worthy of notice

life,

what

general

entitled, it," ?

definition

that with re-

In a tract by Mr,

ference to Repentance.

Mackintosh

the

"Repentance unto

after stating that the

repentance

" hearty sorrow for sin, and a sincere " desire to forsake the same" (a) he says of that

definition

Christian Church. *'

fully

by the That a more fear-

always

mutilated

received

marred,

depressing

" Gospel could not be conceived.'* (6) (a) (&)

Page Page

m states with no little recklessness, " that sorrow for sin can never be pro-

then

duced by looking at

" sequences."

(a) "

sin

That

the

con-

its

way

"pardon, is not by renouncing " being sorry for it, or forsaking

to get

sin,

but

it,

" by receiving the stupendous truth that

" sin

put away." (6)

Now, here again there is a trick of words. Every Evangelical Christian knows, that no

man

renouncing of sin

gets pardon on account of

sin,

but yet the renunciation

as necessary a

part

of man's

action in connection with pardon, as the

reception of the stupendous truth that is

put away.

When

sin^,

the Brethren preach,|

however, they practically carry out Mr. Mackintosh's sinner's

theory.

They

the spur of

the

call

moment

stand up and declare

their perfect

be aroused

version.

(a) Page

Page

(6)

man may

all

conto

33 knowledge of

by their words, but if he away from him all lingering

sin

does not cast

sorrow for his

sin,

a lost or ruined soul, or says,

" I hope I

signed

was

to the

thus

not

same the

humility he

if in

saved," he

Apostles

con-

Now

(a)

fate,

that

told

preached,

although they lived in an age of miracles, S^hen

Holy Ghost was poured out and with a special power. St.

the

publickly,

Peter made the distinction pentance

and

conversion

between in

most

the

marked manner, when he spoke

the

Jews, in Solomon's porch. (Acts 3) accused

re-

them of murdering Christ and

Prince of Life, and he closed with these words " repent yt, and be con-

killing the

verted, that your sins

may

be blotted out."

Surely the sense of the Apostle

enough.

They were

plain

to repent of the sin

of murdering Christ which he had charged

them with, and

(a)

to 'acknowledge

A fact capable of

proof.

him

81 K Sayiour, but the repentance was to

their

precede the acknowledgment.

Again, take the case of Simon, who oflfered

money,

Peter

order that

That the

might buy divine powers, (a)

man had oever been thoroughly converted to God is plain, for St. Peter told him he was "in the

gall of bitterness

in the

But how did

bonds of iniquity." Peter treat him ?

and

St.v

did not then preach

Christ to him, but he used these words,

"Repent, therefore, of this thy wicked" ness, and pray God,if, perhaps, the thought

:.!i

"of

heart

thine

may be

Will Mr. Mackintosh

tell

forgiven thee."

us that St. Peter

â&#x20AC;˘

marred and depressed" thei Gospel when he gave the wretched Simon .^ "mutilated,

this

advice ?

(1 John,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;9)

"confess our " forgive us our

sins,

*.'all

that

St.

when he

sins,

John wrote,

faithful

did ^^

so ^

If we

and just to

and to cleanse us from

unrighteousness?" or that the Wise-man

(a) Acts

viii.

35 did 80 when he said, (Prov. xxviii., 13,) <<

Whoso

shall

confe8seth and forsaketh his sin

have mercy ?" or the Psalmist when (xxxii., 5,)

said,

confess

I will

" transgression to the Lord, and thou for^'gavest the iniquity of my sin ?"

may bring comThere may be some

Brethren, such a view fort to a

few hearts.

so constituted that they can lay hold of

Christ without feeling the pangs of conscience strongly, simply because they have

But

never been great sinners. the drunkard,

who has

and ruined souls

who has only

the

homes immoral man,

desolated

vile,

lived to gratify

murderer, whose

with blood; the the Son of

;

Man

to say that

lust

;

the

hands have been dyed infidel,

under

who has trodden

foot,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

to say

that

such men can be saved without ever being sorry for their sins, and confessing

God,

is to

them

upset the whole plan of salva-

tion, as far as

vnan

concerned, and to

open the floodgates of wickedness on the

Church

itself.

3S Another dangerous \iew, I would menThat it is wrong tion, is as follows: God,

address

prayer, or

the

to pray for

Jdolj

Spirit,

Holy

the

Spirit.

are a few extracts from a Tract of

Here

the Brethren on

the

subject.

Spirit be addressed in prayer, or in

the rational consequenee

If the

hymns,

almoat hlas-

Again, "if you pray for the ^^phemy^ Spirit, jou virtually deny that you are

" Christ's." Again,

" given, * '

it is

mockery

the

gift ."

for

the Spirit

Much it is

tural,

Again, is

to ask

having been

God

to repeat

Dear Brethren, prayer

unscriptural." {a)

as I wish to refrain

language, I that

''the Spirit

from harsh

forced to say of this view,

not only dangerous and unscrip-

but that

If the Holy Ghost

undeniably heretical.

God, as truly as

tlie

Father or the Son, and that we are told to

Pages 6, 7, 8 of a Tract, fully quoted by Mr. John Cox, in his Tract, " The Holy Spirit ^^(ji)

and

Prayer."^

..^.''

37 ray to Qod,

it is

rank heresy to say that

e should not pray to the t is

Holy Ghost. If

almost blasphemy to pray to the third

erson in the Trinity,

what

recipe can the

rethren give us for avoiding this act of

lasphemy

our ordinary prayers.

When,

commence with the simple "My God ;" and at the close of the say, "0, merciful God, grant me

in praying, I

ords,

prayer,

these petitions Christ,"

sake

of Jesus

how can I avoid the

act almost

of blasphemy ?

for

the

It is true that there are

three persons in one Godhead, expressed

by the word God, but when I use that word I must address the Spirit who forms a part of that Godhead.

I can see

way, then, to avoid the act, save by leaving the word ** God " out of my prayers altogether.

Now,

let

Scripture.

expose are told

view

from

wrong

for a

this it is

Spirit.

The

argument of the Brethren shapes

itself

Christian

thus

to pray

for the

" Eyery child of

God

a temple of

38 the Holy Ghost. therefore

has the Holy Ghost,

pray for His influence

lack of faith, and foolishness— because when

he prays thus the Spirit in him prays

What

the Spirit."

reply to this theory

for

saith the Scriptures in

Take, for instance,

the Epistle to the Corinthians.

In the

opening of that Epistle St. Paul addresses the

members of that Church

"in Christ Jesus," **that in

" as sanctified

and he thanks God

everything they were enriched

" by Christ, and that the testimony of Christ

"was

confirmed in them."

These words

prove that those addressed by the Apostle

were Christian people.

Well, of course,

you remember the prayer with which he closes that Epistle.

or petitions in

it,

It has three requests

— " The grace of our Lord

Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the " communion of the Holy Ghost, be with '•

you all, Amen." Now, no one, we think, can deny that this is a prayer. It means, **

May

people,

the

Triune

God

give

more of the grace of

you,

Christ,

3d more of the

love of God,

f the

K)mmuiiion, and

if this

Spirit's

Paul

so. St.

more of the Spirit for those who Tere already enriched by Christ." )rayed for

But

there

one general answer to this

There are certain Christian

ssertion. ;ifts

or graces which proceed from the joy,

love,

5pirit,

goodness,

gentleness,

Now when

2.)

peace,

St.

long-suffering,

(Gal.

faith

Paul prays that "the

love of the Philippian

ahoundjmore and more" (Phil,

that

the

receive

Christians

"more

understanding the Lord

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

one 12),

i.,

Christians i.,

9) and

might

Colosse

and 9),

may

spiritual

and

that

might make the Thessalonian

Christians," love

wisdom, (Col.

v.?

increase

and abound in

towards another" these

are

Thess.,

practically

prayers

not only for more of the Spirit, but to the Spirit.

prayers.

The Brethren may not make such They may teach, that in making

them we approach the border lani of blasphemy, but we feel little anxiety about

40 our

position.

Apostle

prayers are

the *'

St. Paul.

Now,

The

what the great

Gentiles

fall

^-Y..

friends I will

If our

did.

in this respect with ;:">^.

-.:â&#x20AC;˘.',;,, '.:^;^

sum up

W.^M^-

these views.

Brethren glory in the fact that they I have gone to no

have no creed. I

almost blasphemy," so were

We stand,

his.

little

trouble through reading their tracts, and

the

many answers

them, (especially

those by Dr. Carson and Mr.

Cox,) to

compile one for them, and although I

such a compilation as a body, I

trust

you and others

will it

know

be useless to them be useful to

will

warning you against

The creed runs thus I Believe that the Church is composed of believers. I Believe that we constitute them.

that

"I Believe

Church.

that

professing Christians outside of the

are

connected with Apostacy,

and Socinianism, that no

owns the

spirit

the Mor&l }9w

of God. is

all

Church

Infidelity

denomination

Believe

that

not the rule of Christian

4l I

life.

Believe

the

that

doctrine

Christ's

imputed righteousness through law

keeping

Believe people.

phemy in

life

did not

suffer with, or for, his

Believe

that

it is

almost blas-

for a Christian to address the

Holy

in prayer, or to prfty for the Spirit

any shape or way

that

in Sci'ipture.

that Christ during his

and actually

really

Spir'*^:

nowhere taught

Abraham

;

and I Believe

has no place in the Church,

nor could any Saint have

the

till

Holy

Ghost came after the Ascension."

These are the fundamental doctrines of the

Plymouth

creed, there are a few other

clauses not of such vital importance,

I will just mention

Believe

:â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

that the Sabbath was or-

dained for Jews alonC; Christians

had anything

which

do with

it.

never

Believe

that the choosing of Pastors is a daring

encroachment on the authority of the Holy Ghost, and finally I

Believe

that

lack of faith for a Christian to pray the

Lord's prayer, or in any

way

to express

.42 the thought contained in the worda

for-

give us our trespasses." 5

Brethren, I have endeavored to compile

this

creed as fairly and as kindly as I

could.

a rul6

it is

composed of

literal

quotations from the published works of the Brethren.

Here then

their creed

what your are asked to believe. You the members of this Church, and indeed the members of all Churches have been implored to fly from error, to em-

and

this is

brace Christ. lovely

Embrace Christ

words brethren,

these are

in themselves,

and

yet in this case I would implore of you to shrink back from the embrace.

Christ through this the things

the

things

Body

you must which

and, these are

believe.

lie

Embrace These are

behind the plain

prea3hing of the Gospel.

These are the

reserved doctrines which meet you face to

when initiation is over, and practical Church teaching commenced. Is it any wonder then that we as your spiritual

face

guides whilst giving these preachers

all

the

credit

due

them

for piety, fervour

and

zeal, should ring on your ears the words

text,

Take heed what ye hear,*'â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Nay, be just to us.

If in our consciences

believe the Brethren hold these views,

and that we did not open your eyes to

you might condemn us, justly and righteously you might then condem us. But surely, never for doing our them, then indeed

duty in the sight of

But even

souls safety.

could glory

not be

silent,

for

false idea

cannot

did,

said

Saviour's

spirit

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;dare

your

of his

not, allow a

go forth unrebuked, as

portant matters.

and taught on these im-

Hear then

our earnest pleading against for the truth,

for

you

our

we must maintain the

teaching.

what

God and

I ask you, error

and

and may God in his love and

mercy maintain his own cause, and preserve each one of ycu from error for Christ our risen

Lord and Master's

sake.