The Heresies of the Plymouth Brethren by James C.L. Carson (1883) by Peebs Net

H^l__ ^BlStiil

\ STU

THE LIBRARY of

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY Toronto

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

EDINBURGH AND l.ONDOH

THE HERESIES

THE PLYMOUTH BRETHREN

JAMES

CARSON, M.D.

JFiftecntl)

LONDON HO

LS TO X

SONS.

BX 88C&

C37

EMMANUa

4-S09+&53 //

PREFACE.

MANY parties imagine, because the Plymouth* havino professed Confession of Faith, that they have no regular system of belief, but this is a great mistake. They not only have a very complete system, but they are as tyrannical as Rome in keeping their followers to it. Although the Christian public cannot divine what their system is, it is all perfectly understood by those who are thoroughly initiated into it. The great diffi culty of getting at it, arises from the fact that it is

always put forth in a completely Jesuitical form. is

entirely to this

thoroughly

&quot;guarded,&quot;

owes

its

that Mr.

surprised I was able to unfold

success.

It is so

Darby seems

to be

he says, the in criminated language, not one in a thousand would luw noticed as anything particular.&quot; In place of trying to

make everything

it,

&quot;

plain and specific to the eye of the

hristian public, the Darbyites have managed to cloak their opinions by using language in a Jesuitical sense, (

and the consequence is, that few of the parties who have hitherto tilted with them, seem to have been able to discover the peculiarities of the sect, or yet thoroughly to expose and overturn their obnoxiou*

PREFACE.

They have been frequently met in such a powerless way, by men who were not naturally fitted for the task, or who were not thoroughly up to their

.sentiments.

system, that the opposition they have encountered has only added strength to their cause. Unless a person makes himself properly acquainted with the opinions he controverts, keeps closely and strictly to Bible prin ciples, argues carefully, accurately,

and with the utmost

home without

precision on every point,

and

dread, it is impossible to customers.

manage such wily and

hits

fear or

slippery

It has been supposed that Plymouthism should be spared on account of some good people who have en

tered

It is unfortunately true that simple-

its fold.

minded Christians have, in many

instances, given in

They have been deceived plausible sanctimoniousness of the Plymouth In place of making this a reason, however,

their adhesion to the sect.

by the leaders.

for sparing the hypocrisy of the system, it is only a greater argument for its radical exposure, as a proper

warning to the unsuspicious and unwary. Moreover, Plymouthism is not now what it was in the beginning.

At its commencement, its aim appeared to be good, and many excellent men were attracted towards it but it has now run into the wildest extremes imagin able has become as entirely Jesuitical as the system of Loyola itself and by the denial of the moral law as the rule of life, has led, in many instances, to the most ;

;

disastrous consequences.

COLERAINE, IRELAND, 1883.

CONTENTS. M.

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST SOCINIANISM

...

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST

-3

....

.76

MACKINTOSH VALOUR

THE PASTORAL OFFICE

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY

79 SPIRIT

THE LAW A RULE OF LIFE

.137 1

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM

.172

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM

.229

MR. MACKINTOSH S RECANTATION.

.257

MR. DARBY S REPLIES

265

PLYMOUTH HERESIES. THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST. THE

Editor of the Coleraine Chronicle, in his paper

for the 22(1 of

Quarterly

February 1862, found fault with the

Journal

the substance of the Virgin belief that the

for

Prophecy

Mackintosh with denying that &quot;

;

charging

Christ

&quot;

and he expressed

his

charge could not be sustained, and

therefore should not have been put forth

able journal.

Mr.

body was of

by a respect

understood that Mr. Mackintosh

and his followers held heretical views regarding the I was surprised at the editor s state

person of Christ,

ment, and therefore Mr. Mackintosh s

&quot;

took the trouble of examining

Notes on

Leviticus,&quot;

P ao e 35 tne following expression

&quot;

where

The

I found,

first

Adam,

even in his unfallen condition, was of the earth but the second Man was, as to His manhood, the Lord from heaven. This surely puts Mr. Mackin *

;

&quot;

tosh

opinion beyond the slightest doubt

phatically asserts that Christ,

&quot;a*

His

He em manhood&quot;

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

There can be no mistake

was the Lord from heaven. here.

as to

If,

heaven,

His manhood,

He was

To speak

of the substance of the Virgin.

the Lord as to His diction in terms.

God

man

but

;

the Lord from

could not by any possibility whatever be

in His

manhood seems

He was

could not be

Godhead

perfect

in His humanity, nor

such a thing

His being

man and

perfect

God

a strange contra

simply impos

As Mr. Mackintosh, however, expressly and

sible.

intentionally applies the term Lord to the of Christ, he

humanity

should openly join the Socinians and

Unitarians in denying that the expression Lord

This would

proof of the divinity of Christ.

him appear derogatory

&quot;

might be to his profession of Chris

The

&quot;

tianity.

how

consistent with himself, no matter it

make

says the Journal of Prophecy,

zeal,&quot;

with which the party

now

are

Socinian view of the sacrifices

propagating

the

remarkable, and

shows the direction in which Plymouthism is moving.&quot; I am not aware of any passage of Scripture which con Mackintosh

tains Mr.

as to

His manhood,

pression,

tiously first

words, and says that Christ,

the Lord from heaven.

and intentionally.

man

The

&quot;

Scripture says,

of the earth, earthy

the Lord from heaven the soul of

The ex

His manhood, has been added cau

Adam

&quot;

;

but

;

the second

nowhere

The

Man

asserts that

was earthy, and the body of Christ and this makes all the differ-

the Lord from heaven

;

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST.

Regarding the divinity of Christ, He is the Lord from

ence in the world.

there are plenty of proofs that

heaven

but regarding His manhood, we are expressly

;

told

the

flesh.

&quot;

was made of the seed of David according to .

woman. ...

God

made

sent forth His Son,

of a

the root and the offspring of David,

and the bright and morning In this enlightened age, and in star.&quot;

every

man

this free country,

own

has a right to promulgate his

views,

provided he puts them fairly, plainly, and openly before the community, and can persuade .the people to listen or read.

But no man

unwary by small

the

opportunity

justified in catching

distillations of truth, whilst the

taken of gradually and almost imper

ceptibly slipping in the deadly poison. of

reserve,&quot;

mouths ous

says Mr. Spurgeon,

of Jesuits,

when

&quot;

The

not one whit the

accepted by

doctrine

so detestable in the

Protestants.&quot;

less villan-

The Plymouth

Brethren come amongst us, as they say, to preach the

&quot;

gospel of the grace of

God.&quot;

In their public

beyond what the this In way they gain a people already which could not possibly and a they position hearing attain to, if they would plainly and openly declare all

addresses they produce very

little

believe.

their

sentiments in the

ears

of the people.

The

public get the choice things, whilst the peculiarities are kept for the benefit of those

drawn

who

are gradually

into the mysteries of this most decided sect of

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

4 the

all

sects.

I ask, Is this fair

Is it honest

they ashamed of their peculiarities

convinced that,

these peculiarities were fully

known,

the hair of their hearers heads would almost be to stand left

alone in their glory

double-dealing of the

It is

very easy to find out

K.,

man

Plymouths makes

get at their opinions.

&quot;

made

upon end, and the preachers would soon be

the real sentiments of a straightforward

himself

Are

or are they well

in his

Plymouth

review of

;

but the

difficult to

writer,

Mr.

signing

Eees,

says,

Doubtless the difficulty [of ascertaining their opinions] great

for

an outsider.

thousand can understand ship,

though he

form.&quot;

the leaders

may know enough

more than enough every

Not one Christian

till

in a

bona fide in fellow to attract him,

and

condemn denominationalism in

Just think of the system obliged to

make such

when one

a confession

The

outside Christian must get enough to attract him but he must be really in fellowship before the genuine ;

opinions of the Plymouths can be placed before him in a form capable of being understood. If the senti

ments were put in language which was meant to be interpreted on honest principles, any man of ordinary understanding could comprehend them that the uninitiated

may

;

but in order

not be frightened from the

system by the terrible opinions which they are after wards obliged to imbibe, a thorough plan of doubledealing must

be adopted.

such a course would

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST.

men

disgrace

of disgusting

of the world,

it is

surely nothing short

when used by men

calling themselves

Christians.

The

success of

Plymouthism

the Jesuitical conduct of arities are either it is

its

owing entirely

adherents.

Its

peculi

shrouded in a sort of mystery, or

pretended that the sentiments held are different

from what they really are. Mrs. Grattan Guinness has lent a helping hand in this direction. After professing to be intimately acquainted with the Ply-

mouths, and to views,&quot;

&quot;approve

she says

&quot;that

of most of their distinctive

on the fundamental truths of

the gospel they are at one with all evangelical deno

minations

&quot;

;

whereas, the real state of the fact

is,

that

there are very few of the great fundamental doctrines

on which they are at one with evangelical Christians.

The truth

of this assertion of

mine

shall be

made

abundantly evident before this work is finished. Mrs. Guinness has a right, if she pleases, to be a Plymouth, and to &quot;approve of most of the distinctive view! * of that sect

;

but she has no right to gloss matters over

for the purpose of

making it appear that the Plymouth views agree with those held by evangelical Christians on the great fundamental doctrines of the gospel. &quot;

and exaggerated statements,&quot; says she, been made with regard to them, and an

Strange &quot;

have

erroneous

impression seems to prevail that their views are sadly heterodox, and their practices some-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

what that

fanatical.&quot;

In place of thus merely asserting

was an error

to charge their views

with hetero

doxy, and their practices with fanaticism,

have been well

would

Mrs. Guinness had quoted and

criti

which she stigmatises as exagge Her readers would then have been able to

cised the statements rated.

judge

how

all

far her assertions

means

let

were to be depended on.

her be what she

is,

a Plymouth

;

but let her not try to make us believe that the Plymouths hold the orthodox views on the great funda mentals of Christianity.

There is something peculiarly and lamentable in the fact of a person

distressing

making a high

profession of religion, and at the

same

time advocating one of the most thoroughly Jesuitical a system systems the world has ever produced which, in an insidious form, undermines nearly every one of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity as ;

held by our evangelical churches.

must

extremely

an adverse opinion on the course adopted by Mr. H. Grattan Guinness. In his Letter to the Plymouths on the Pastoral Office, he

sorry that I

body

you. you,

the

my acquaintance with you my heart was drawn towards ... I should have heartily cast in my lot with and taken my place among you, but for one &quot;From

says,

as a

also pass

first

of Christians,

I never could persuade myself that your views and practices as regards the questions of pastor

thing

ship and mini.-itry were

scriptural.&quot;

Now,

say

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST. the least of

it,

think

much

to be regretted

some

that Mr. Guinness, in place of occupying for

under the appearance of orthodox sentiments, Dissenting pulpits of England, Ireland, and

years,

the

Scotland, did not announce, in a fair and straight

forward manner, at the very

was

that he

first,

one with the Plymouths on every point, with the single exception of pastorship

and ministry.

Although

such an announcement would have closed the pulpits against him,

would have placed his conduct in a from that in which it must

very different position

now

be viewed.

No man

can really help on genuine

by passing with the public for one thing There can be no reality he is another.

Christianity

when

excuse for his hiding the fact of his Plymouthism until the 8th of October 1863.

In the

first

Mackintosh

edition of his

says,

&quot;

Notes on

pages 29 and

&quot;

30,

Leviticus,&quot;

There

Mr.

one con

which should weigh heavily in the estima tion of every Christian, and that is, the vital nature

sideration

of the doctrine of Christ s

;

upon

warn

It lies at the

humanity.

very foundation of Christianity. the

reader

While

against

feel

strange

sounds, in reference to the divine mystery of Christ

do not deem

humanity,

sounds.&quot;

Does

the

quotation

plainly

show

pound

some doctrine,

needful to discuss such I

that Mr. Mackintosh

regarding

have is

the

made not

about to pro

humanity

&quot;1

PLYMOUTH HERESIES. which has not been generally received by the Church? Observe, it is not a doctrine

Christ,

Christian

regarding

Godhead

the

Christ

but a doctrine

;

regarding His humanity. It is not the mystery of the union of His Godhead with His but

humanity,

the

of Christ s humanity&quot; alone.

&quot;mystery

not warned against

&quot;

strange sounds

&quot;

are

in reference to

His divinity, but only in regard to His humanity. man in Christendom could read his obser

Is there a

vations without being convinced that Mr. Mackintosh

holds some ideas regarding the humanity of Christ different from those entertained by the great of professing Christians?

rather think not.

body But

the question is put beyond the possibility of dis pute in other parts of the very same chapter from which I have already quoted. At page 31 he calls

Christ a

&quot;

divine

Now,

man.&quot;

be a divine man,

cannot possibly possess our humanity, because a divine man must of necessity be God in what is thus called,

however improperly, His humanity.

man

both God and

nor a man-God.

Adam, even earth,

;

Man

language could

His statement as to

make is

&quot;

his

specific,

Christ

neither a divine

Again, page 35, he says,

but the second

If,

in his unfallen

the Lord from heaven.

point

but

condition,

&quot;The

was

man first

of the

was, as to His manhood,

No words

in the English

meaning plainer than this. unmistakable, and to the

His manhood,

He was

&quot;the

Lord from

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST.

heaven,&quot;

did not partake of the substance of the

He did not possess a particle of our humanity He was God in His very body, and had no real hu

Virgin

;

Further, page 56,

manity.

it is

stated that

&quot;the

telligent interpretation of it (the meat-offering)

;

must

ever guard, with holy jealousy, the precious truth of Christ

heavenly it

heavenly,

the Virgin

;

humanity.&quot;

if it

formed upon earth. but he &quot;

Forasmuch then

was sent from heaven, it was not Such is Mr. Mackintosh s Christ ;

not the Christ of Scripture, which says,

and blood, same.

His humanity be

cannot be in any sense the substance of

as the children are partakers of flesh

also

God

Himself likewise took part of the

sent forth His Son,

Which was made

to the

flesh.&quot;

intosh

made

of the seed of

of a

woman.

David according

The Christ described by Mr. Mack

not the Christ of

revelation,

and conse

quently cannot be the saviour of sinners.

The

quotations I have given are

amply

sufficient to

demonstrate the heterodoxy of Mr. Mackintosh s views.

His words are so plain that misunderstand them. of

readers, as Mr.

it is

quite impossible to

would not dare

Mackintosh has

to insult

any

done

his,

lately

by supposing that the language could, under any cir cumstances, be misunderstood by them. Misunder standing here

quite impossible by any person

who

one degree removed from simplicity. To suppose the words used could mean any other thing than that

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

which

have taken out of them, would be to suppose had no idea of the meaning of

that Mr. Mackintosh

language, and was utterly incapable of writing in telligibly

on any

subject.

If he does not understand

the fair import of the language he uses, he should at

once cease from attempting to instruct the people

For

either in writing or speaking. I

my part,

when he penned

convinced,

however,

those words, he

understood them in the very same sense as

under

stand them.

Having fully established the nature of the views which were maintained by Mr. Mackintosh at the time he wrote his

&quot;

Notes on

Leviticus,&quot;

I shall

now

turn to his letter in the Coleraine Chronicle in reply to me. I am certain many parties imagine he has re canted the objectionable doctrine

think he has denied ever holding

;

or perhaps it.

some

shall see.

Mr. Mackintosh says it is strange I should have singled out one passage [the second Man was, as to

His manhood, the Lord from heaven] from 351 pages to prove the heresy against him.

does not dare

deny, because he could not, that the heresy is contained in that passage, from his 35th page, as

plainly as words can

make

;

but

still

that a statement on another page proves

regarding

this

one to

with a vengeance universally acted

be groundless.

The on,

he argues

This

charge

logic

principle seems to be almost

that

any imaginable

sort

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST.

no matter

argument will do in religious affairs, whether it has sense to rest on or not.

Let us just

apply Mr. Mackintosh s principle to some of the affairs of this life, on which, if not on religion, common-sense is

usually allowed to have free action.

The law

officers

we may suppose, bring a man up to be murder. The culprit acknowledges in open

of the Crown, tried for

court that he did knowingly and wilfully murder a

man on

Friday

last

no other person rather

made a

save a

life,

but,

;

inasmuch as he murdered

for the previous

351

Fridays, but

an attempt on one occasion to he submits that he not only has no right sort of

be found guilty of the murder he committed on

the Friday, but he has a right to be very indignant at being put

intosh see

on his

trial at all.

language about me,

What,

that.&quot;

advocate

ask,

who would defend

&quot;any

would be thought of the a case on such principles?

Would he not be hissed out is

exactly

Mr.

To use Mr. Mack candid person would

Mackintosh

of court s

position.

And He

yet this

cannot

possibly deny that the quotation I have made, from

35th page, contains the identical meaning, and no other meaning, than the one which I have taken but inasmuch as the sentence occurs only out of it his

;

once in 351 pages, and inasmuch as there

one other

passage, on the 37th page, which seems to contradict it, he maintains he is entirely innocent, and I am to for

want

candour

putting

him on

his

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

12 trial at all

Alas

But to

how

who

shuffling of those

what

after all,

call is

by the

Christianity suffers

themselves

its

advocates

there in this passage referred

by Mr. Mackintosh, on the 37th page? Nothing I never charged Mr. Mackintosh

at all to the purpose.

with denying that Christ was born of the Virgin, was composed of flesh and blood, and had a human body but I did charge him, that he calls this flesh and ;

blood, this &quot;divine

human

body,

and the

man,&quot;

Lord from

&quot;the

&quot;heavenly

the

heaven,&quot;

humanity;&quot;

and,

consequently, that he makes this flesh and blood, this

human this

body, to be really and truly God.

human body was

of the Virgin, it is

charge

;

was not made

&quot;

woman,&quot;

a divine

but in other places he &quot;

man,&quot;

a heavenly

hood was the Lord from

ments

man,&quot;

heaven.&quot;

it.

In one

&quot;of

the seed

tells

and

&quot;

Now,

He was man

in his

these state

directly contradict each other, and therefore

cannot possibly both be true. to believe is

This

to the preceding pages

show that

of the

was born

of her substance.

and a reference

I have thoroughly proved Mr. Mackintosh place, says, Christ was

will

Hence, it

truly God, although

Which

is true,

Which

and which

them

is false

are I

This

a case of Mackintosh versus Mackintosh. &quot;

As to the

sentence,&quot;

which the Doctor

calls

continues Mr. Mackintosh,

your attention [the second

&quot;

was, as to His manhood, the Lord from heaven],

means nothing more

or less than

Man it

what the apostle

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST. states in

here

Cor. xv.

reiterates

47.&quot;

In place of recanting, Mr. M.

the original

His

sentiment.

words

mean

exactly what the apostle says, and the apostle what Mr. M. means or, in other words, accord

said

;

ing to him, the apostle meant that Christ was, as to

His manhood, the Lord from heaven.

Certainly,

Mackintosh recants after a novel fashion grant you that had I anticipated

&quot;I

says Mr.

controversy,&quot;

would have guarded the sentence of which the Doctor makes such a moun tain.&quot;

man

Mackintosh,

&quot;I

Just think of this

What

calling himself a Christian

an expression for a

Would

the greatest

heathen that ever lived make such a statement

does not say he would have expunged every shred of the deadly doctrine from his book, but, in the face of controversy, he

would have guarded

other expressions in his writings,

Like some

would then have

been so thoroughly after the fashion of the oracles of ancient days, that a person might read

pleased.

For example, when

speaks, in a multitude of instances, of

Person of Person,&quot;

pret

Christ,&quot;

and of

&quot;

One man may

&quot;

any way

Mackintosh the Glorious

the birth of this Glorious

what does he mean

him

Mr.

How

are

to inter

say he means the glory

flf

Godhead with the humanity of Christ but another has ample room and verge enough to

the union of the

;

argue that the words apply alone to the glory of His

manhood,

what

called, in the

Valentiuian style of

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

the second century, the short, that

&quot;

in heavenly humanity with the ideas which might correspond

;

were stoutly maintained by a poor member of Mr. Mackintosh s congregation in Coleraine, that the Virgin

had no more

do with Christ than the

with the water which runs through

&quot;Notes

know where if

this

Leviticus,&quot;

poor

he did not learn

M. never taught it

has

pump This

apt illustration of the views promulgated

uncommonly in the

it.

illiterate

be supposed he got

man

got the doctrine,

from Mr. Mackintosh.

where did

it,

would

and

this

man

find

If Mr.

Can

it ?

in the writings of the Valen-

Monophysites of the second and fifth am certain he never saw, or heard of,

tinians, or the

centuries

their works.

Mr.

Mackintosh

forbears to

speaking of his followers. confess

followers

;

fault

here.

animadvert on

a certain extent, I must doubt, he has

many

but there are a few crusty exceptions.

on indisputable authority that some of his disciples have advanced so far towards perfection, that have

they can not only

differ

with Mr. Mackintosh, but

they can actually find fault with some things done by the apostle Paul.

believe some of the scholars have

already become the masters, the rulers, the dictators,

and the announcers

of the

upon those who dispute

judgments of the Almighty their opinions.

They can

very nearly wield the thunderbolts of heaven.

THE Ht MAMTY OF CHRIST. There

just one sentence in Mr. Mackintosh s letter

which

to the Chronicle, &quot;

&quot;

believe,&quot;

says he,

This

excepted.&quot;

But

subject.

tosh can

contradiction to

man as you or own creed on the

exactly ray

know how Mr. Mackin

a statement, seeing

what he has

it is

in direct

said in other places.

this be really his opinion, it

could have written so

measure.

as really a

at a loss to

make such

me beyond

surprises

our blessed Lord was really of

the substance of the Virgin sin

much

unaccountable

as he has

how he

done on

tin-

humanity of Christ, without ever expressing hiniM-if I have examined one thousand in similar language. pages of his writings, and

have failed in finding the them but I

exact same expression of belief in any of

have found plenty on the opposite

shown that he

He had manhood

a &quot;

asserts Christ

&quot;heavenly

He was

&quot;

was

side. &quot;

humanity,&quot;

;

have already

a divine

man,&quot;

and that

the Lord from

&quot;in

that

His

These

heaven.&quot;

statements are in direct opposition to the one sentence

Now, which

in the Chronicle.

are we to believe are

to follow

? ?

of the Mackintoshes

They cannot both be

Which

true.

different occasions, Mr.

Mack

intosh has given opposite and directly contradictory

testimony.

Which

of his statements will he stick to

His present position forcibly reminds

me of the

witness

who, on his second examination, contradicted the state iiH-iits of the first. When the counsel reminded him

that his evidence of to-day contradicted his affidavit of

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

yesterday,

&quot;

lie said,

Did

swear that yesterday

being assured he had done if

so,

he had he would stand to

hold

both

will he stand to

Does Mr. Mackintosh use the expressions

now

in the

considering,

Chronicle,

language of

own

him

am just

Plymouth

attached to the

two ways.

I shall try this point in

ask

all, I

of his

meaning

in the ordinary

acceptation of the words, or has he, after fashion, a private

Mr. Mackintosh cannot

it.

Which

sides.

&quot;

he replied, with an oath,

First

to tell us plainly, yes or no, does he

now believe Christ appeared in our humanity ? Does to he now deny that Christ, was the Jlis manhood, Does he now deny that Christ Lord from heaven &quot;as

&quot;

was

divine

&quot;a

had a

man

?&quot;

Does he now deny that Christ I must absolutely in ? &quot;

&quot;

heavenly humanity

on an explicit answer to all these questions. They I am prepared to are fair, plain, and to the point. answer them all to Mr. Mackintosh and if he really sist

;

means

his statement in the Chronicle to be understood

according to the fair construction of the English lan guage, he cannot have the least difficulty in answering

them

One week

me.

so thoroughly

will tell the result.

&quot;guarded&quot;

that he has nowhere said his belief

from what &quot;

as to

This

was when he

has

his remarks in the paper,

first

now

different

published that Christ,

His manhood, was the Lord from heaven.&quot; and I am determined

a most significant fact

to sift it to the bottom.

;

will

have no evasion of the

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST. I

I- -int.

must wait the next

but, in the

;

&amp;gt;econd

issue of the paper for the

meantime,

I shall try his

opinion

method.

Mr. Mackintosh has not denied, and he cannot, and dare not, deny, that in the

Leviticus&quot;

edition of his

Notes he has published statements which, if

his one sentence

the

first

CJironicle

&quot;

are

correct,

thoroughly and unmistakably heterodox, on a funda mental and completely vital of point

Christianity.

Like every other man, he has a perfect right to change his opinions and if he has changed them, and ;

announced the change,

lie

publicly has a right to be respected

by every honourable man.

Has he announced the

Has he given us

sufficient evidence of the

change

rather think not.

Chronicle that if

would have

he had

&quot;guarded&quot;

has told us in the

&quot;

anticipated

controversy,&quot;

the expressions; but he has

nowhere said that the opinions he formerly announced

are false.

has

avoided

carefully

this.

has

&quot;

Until he makes a recantation in plain and unmistakable language, I must persist in believ

guarded

ing that in a

lie

it.

holds to the original doctrine, which runs,

&quot;

guarded

vein, through

much

of his writings,

and which appears openly and boldly in some of them. If Mr. Mackintosh had really changed his opinions, and had found that he had statements in published

the

first

edition of his

&quot;Notes

Leviticus&quot;

which

contained a deadly and soul-destroying heresy, what

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

course of conduct, would you,

him

pected

pursue

readers,

Would you

have ex

not have been

would have burned every copy of the book he could lay his hands on, which either directly or indirectly contained heresy and that he would

certain that he

the&quot;

also

have written

in the empire, to

warn

the heresy he had unfor This would have been a plain

all parties against

effectual

way

of counteracting the baneful influ

Has he done

ence of his teaching. say one

and magazine

find access, in order

which he could

tunately published?

and

;

to every paper, journal,

word

public press

to that

Never, so far as I

]

this

effect till I called

feel certain he has in no

&quot;

Did he ever

him out

in the

Hence

aware.

changed his opinions.

way

In the second edition of the

Notes on Leviticus

&quot;

has omitted a few words, and only a few words, but has sounded no alarm whatever, and taken no means to counteract the deadly poison

he has administered.

be thought of me, if I were to order mixed be to up with medicine for a patient, poison

What would

and, after having given a good and effectual dose, I

were to stand by

making the

till

the patient expired, without

slightest effort to

overcome the

the poison I had administered? excuse for as

is, &quot;

&quot;

guard

conduct to say,

but the next time it

Would

be any

I will let this case

order medicine I will

so that few people will be aware it con &quot;

tains

effects of it

the poison

If I

&quot;

guarded

that the

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST.

poison would be less capable of being discovered by the patient till its deadly effects would be insured, wou^d my villany not be immensely increased ? To

be sure

would.

Hence,

of expunging, has only is

Mr. Mackintosh, in place &quot;

&quot;guarded

the poison, his sin

tenfold greater.

Let us

now

see

how Mr. Mackintosh

tion to the second edition of his

which face,

the

stands in rela

&quot;Notes

have just received from London.

Leviticus,&quot;

In the pre

he blesses God that the sale of a large issue of

first

edition has proved the great interest taken in

the subject.

blesses

God

been circulated, although nicious doctrine

And, wonderful

that a large edition has

contains the most per the regarding humanity of Christ

to relate,

degree alludes to any heresy in the previous edition he never points it out ; he never mentions what it is

he never warns those consequences words, which &quot;

point

;

who had

read

and

expression, here

;

of its dreadful

there,

which seemed

have slightly touched.

have also added a brief note or two.

mattew excepted, the second edition the

;

but contents himself with the following presume are intended to apply to this

likely to be misunderstood, I I

he never in the slightest

These is

trilling

a reprint of

This is the only warning he has Is given. any warning at all 1 Observe, he calls this a trifling matter A fundamental error regarding the humanity of Christ, a Could any sane man trifling matter first&quot;

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

do not.

slightly touched a few expressions

which

believe he has really changed his opinions

has

seemed likely to be

&quot;misunderstood&quot;

Now,

I seriously

ask Mr. Mackintosh, will he risk his reputation as a writer, a speaker,

this statement

and an expounder of Scripture, on it true ? Will he affirm that any

man, who

language,

when he

not a simpleton, could misunderstand his says, Christ as to

the Lord from heaven

any plainer or more

to point out

in Johnson

His manhood was

If so, will he be kind

Dictionary

of himself for saying any

enough

intelligible language

He ought to be ashamed man could misunderstand

such language.

So much book.

when

for the preface.

Now

for the

of the

body

Mr. Mackintosh spoke as true as the Gospel, he called this a &quot;guarded&quot; edition. In place

of leaving out the doctrine, he has

guarded it so that a careless reader would imbibe the poison without &quot;

Hence the danger so. he had wished to leave out the

being well aware he had done is

the greater.

would have expunged,

doctrine, he

the whole of the second chapter this,

he has

eight words

retained &quot;

&quot;

heavenly

man.&quot;

as to

His

When

all,

at the very least, ;

but in place of

except the &quot;

manhood,&quot;

following

divine

1tnan,&quot;

these words are omitted, the

doctrine does not so readily catch the attention it

is in no

he says,

&quot;

way One

altered.

;

For example, pages 29 and

but 30,

consideration should weigh heavily iu

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST.

the estimation of every Christian, and that

nature of the doctrine of Christ

humanity

at the very foundation of Christianity

;

the vital ;

it lies

and, for this

reason, Satan has diligently sought, from the begin

ning, to lead people astray in reference to all

it.

Almost

the leading errors which have found their

into the professing

Church

disclose the Satanic

way pur

pose to undermine the truth as to the person of Christ.

...

1 feel called upon to warn the reader against strange sounds, in reference to the divine mystery of Christ s humanity. ... It is to be feared that great looseness prevails in reference to this

holy

Is it not

lying this

plain there ?

some

Recollect,

it is

mystery.&quot;

special doctrine

under

not the divinity of Christ,

but His humanity, he is speaking of. The humanity the burden of this whole chapter. The question of His Godhead is not in discussion. It is all about the

humanity.

are not

warned against strange sounds it all relates to His

concerning the divinity of Christ

humanity.

Now, what

;

are the strange sounds on the

humanity of Christ which have crept into the profess ing Church ? What is the doctrine on this point

which Satan has

Where has

the

been

professing

active

Christian

astray on the humanity of Christ

introducing?

Church gone

Where does

the

Is it not as great looseness on this point prevail ? plain as the light of Heaven that Mr. Mackintosh

holds

opinions

regarding

the

humanity of Christ

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

22 different

Church

as those

from those which are held by the professing Is it not evident his views are not the same

which he thinks Satan

diligently inculcat

ing on professing Christians ? No person can doubt this without charging Mr. Mackintosh with the high

crime of wilfully misrepresenting the views of the

The Church

professing Church.

from the views tertain, or else

either going aside

has been supposed honestly to en

Mr. Mackintosh thinks those views so

erroneous that they are the inventions of Satan. ask Christians, are they dishonest on this point?

they really hold views on the humanity of Christ different from those they have hitherto professed ? If not, Mr.

Mackintosh must be falsely accusing them,

or else he considers the ordinarily received opinions to be

There cannot be the shadow

the invention of Satan.

doubt that Mr. Mackintosh holds views entirely

different

from the generality of professing Christians Why then does he not state them in

this point.

unmistakable terms

Why

does he not honestly

us the exact view which he says Satan

Why a

tell

introducing

does he leave any possibility of doubt on such

momentous subject?

present edition

Why

has he

&quot;guarded&quot;

there would be no need of guarding.

stated his

views in the plainest possible language in the edition of his book.

his

he wanted the truth to be known,

Why

that his real opinions are

has he altered

difficult to

first

now

discover

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST. has he

Why

&quot;

guarded&quot;

has he retained

more If

all

in place of expunging

Why

the obnoxious views under a far

insidious, and, therefore,

more dangerous form

he has not changed his views, he should not have

changed his words and if he has changed his views, he should honestly tell us 80. He should recant all ;

his former sayings,

and

tell

us plainly where he was

As he has never done

wrong.

this,

bound

are

He am

suppose his views have undergone no change. may think it prudent to render them somewhat

biguous, or to hide them, but he has never recanted

them. It is also evident,

that

from the extract

when Mr. Mackintosh speaks

Christ,&quot;

have given,

of the

he means the humanity, because

&quot;

person of

it is

on the

humanity

of Christ, or the person of Christ, that he

says Satan

introducing the false doctrine.

If this be

kept distinctly in view in reading his works,

will

be seen that he deifies the humanity in an immense

number

of instances.

cannot

space to

find

whole chapter, I will just take the para graph from which I previously quoted, and from which criticise the

Mr. Mackintosh has manhood.&quot;

flour

may

and in

&quot;As

now

to the

omitted the words materials,&quot;

&quot;

as to

His

fine

&quot;the

says he,

be regarded as the basis of the offering

we have a type

of Christ

Observe here, the question in the paragraph humanity, not the divinity, of Christ.

;

humanity.&quot;

&quot;

the

The Holy

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

Ghost,&quot;

he continues,

of Christ s person.

&quot;delights

... He

to unfold the glories

contrasts

even in his very best and highest Adam, even in his uiifalien

Him

state.

condition,

earth,

heaven.

but &quot;

Man was

the second

here see that

with Adam,

The

was

first

of the

Lord from

the

when Mr. Mackintosh

speaks of the glorious person of Christ, he means His

humanity.

The

sense of the paragraph also

demon

strates that it is the

humanity of Christ Mr. M. There would be no sense contrasting with Adam. all in

the paragraph

he meant the Godhead of Christ,

because his whole argument relates to the humanity of Christ Consequently, he must mean the manhood of Christ when he says He is &quot;the Lord from heaven.&quot; &quot;

&quot;

Christian will deny that, in His Godhead, Christ

the Lord from heaven.

This point

amongst Christians. Hence which Mr. Mackintosh is

not in dispute cannot be the point is

labouring to set us right on. It is not on the divinity of Christ, but on &quot;the vital nature of the doctrine of Christ s humanity,&quot; that he says professing Christians are so led ft

cate ie

this affair of the

on his readers.

humanity he

means the humanity

the Lord

from

is,

away by Satan trying to incul

therefore, indisputable that

of Christ

heaven.&quot;

when he has

made

calls

Him

lifficult for

ordinary readers to unravel his meaning, but he has in no way altered the sense, by omittinthe second edition, the

expression

&quot;as

His

ma n-

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST. hood

and

&quot;

;

for that reason

he should have allowed

remain as he originally published it, The second Man is, as to His manhood, the Lord from heaven.&quot;

&quot;

When about

he holds the opinion, in place of truckling it,

he should stand manfully up for

it.

Again, at page 36 of the guarded edition, the words, the

&quot;

The conception

Holy Ghost,

womb

in the

a virgin shall conceive

shalt conceive in

improves upon

thy

this,

womb

Virgin.&quot;

by The

Scripture

says,

of the

doctrine creeps out here also. &quot;Behold,

we have

of Christ s humanity,

&quot;

;

The

and again, &quot;Thou but Mr. Mackintosh

;&quot;

and says the conception,

in place

by the Virgin, was by the Holy Ghost. If the Holy Ghost conceived in her womb, it was not of being

the Virgin herself that conceived.

According to this

view, the Virgin had no more to do with the con ception than, as Valentine said, the conduit has with

the water which runs through

writing to

me, to get Mr.

it.

Some have

tried, in

Mackintosh out of his

diffi

culty by

saying that both statements are true, namely,

that the

Holy Ghost conceived, and the Virgin con

ceived also

;

but this idea

too absurd for any person

of the least sense to entertain.

conceptions

would make two

a double beginning, which

impossible.

Besides, Mr. Mackintosh s opinion derives no support

from

Scripture.

says

the

conception

the

humanity was by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin, whereas the first chapter of Matthew says,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

26 &quot;That

Ghost.&quot;

which

conceived in her

the

These two statements are not the same

we can have no

difficulty

we only look

there

fectly plain

that

and

whatever in understanding

the meaning of the expression, in Matthew,

Holy ;

&quot;

Of the Holy

at the context.

Ghost,&quot;

It is per

was not the Holy Ghost

conceived, and that the passage in no

the other Scriptures, which say that

way

contradicts

was the Virgin herself conceived. When Mary was espoused to Joseph, hefore they came together, she was found with it

&quot;

child of the

Holy

So soon as Joseph knew

Ghost.&quot;

she was with child, he determined to put her away, because he thought she was with child whoredom

;

but the angel put him right on this point, and assured

him

that, in place of being in child

in child

by the power of the Most

which

conceived in her

of the

by man, she was High&quot; for that

Ghost.&quot; That which she conceived was not of man, but of the Holy Ghost. There can be no The difficulty here.

Holy

passage

gives no support to Mr. Mackintosh

Ghost conceiving, nor does

idea of the

in any

way

Holy

contradict

those Scriptures which say that the Virgin conceived.

She was

not found with child of she was man, but found with child of the That which Holy Ghost. . is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost &quot;-not of man, &quot;

because she

knew not man.

come upon

thee,

overshadow

&quot;The Holy Ghost shall and the power of the Highest shall

thee;

therefore

also

that

holy

thin-

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST. which

shall be born of thee shall be called the

Son of

God.&quot;

Further, Mr. Mackintosh ception by

mate

saying,

sonally

find him, page

&quot;Such

to their legiti

40 of the guarded

was the humanity of Christ, He was per

could at any moment, as far as concerned,

have returned to

whence He had come and &quot;What

views regarding the con

Holy Ghost are carried

result, as

edition,

that

the

heaven, from

which He

the meaning of this, reader

belonged.&quot;

Does he mean

humanity of Christ was such that the divinity could separate from it and return to heaven, whence it had come and to which it belonged ? This that

the

cannot possibly be his meaning.

means that

just

humanity was such that He, humanity and divinity combined, could return to heaven, whence He had come and to which He belonged. Of course, Christ

the humanity could return to heaven, as a matter

of necessity

seen

so that

the heavenly humanity theory

Further, at page 42, he says,

cropping up.

humanity

must have been there before

we have

here again

the

Lord Jesus

&quot;

Between

and

Christ,

humanity as seen in us, there could be no union. The spiritual and the carnal, the heavenly and the .

earthly, could never combine.

there could people.&quot;

be no

plain enough

this side of death

union between Christ and His

Surely the heavenly humanity doctrine here.

Between humanity

as seen

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

28 Christ,

as seen in us, there could

and humanity

be no

His spiritual humanity could not unite with our carnal humanity His heavenly humanity could

union.

;

not unite with our earthly humanity

His humanity

;

which was conceived by the Holy Ghost

which was

could not unite with our humanity which

spiritual

was conceived by the daughters of Eve, and which but consequently was not spiritual and heavenly, a waste be would it feel I carnal and earthly. really

much longer on this point. There a page in his second chapter in which scarcely

of time to dwell is

&quot;

doctrine of

the

either

taught or

&quot;

the

heavenly humanity

directly

either

indirectly,

not

openly

&quot;guardedly.&quot;

Having traced the pernicious doctrine through the and second editions of &quot;Notes on Leviticus,&quot; I

first

must now edition of is

called

found in the second

see if it is to be &quot;

&quot;a

Notes on heavenly

Exodus.&quot;

man

told the angel informed

about to form a real

from heaven.

&quot;

;

revised

page 276, Christ

and on page 278, we are that divine power was &quot;

Mary

man

Here the

the second real

man

Man, the Lord

the body which

was to be formed in Mary is directly called the Lord from heaven. The sentence I have quoted also ex plicitly states that the to be

Lord from heaven was about

formed by divine power.

At pages

&quot;

This

rank Socinian-

281, 280, and 265, he says, Christ was a heavenly stranger,&quot; and entirely heavenly,&quot; was

ism.

THE HUMANITY OF &quot;

down

to the

many

other points, but

What

and

does

the heavenly

the

say

&quot;

Yes,

manifest in the

maker and

Surely this needs to be

here makes the body of Christ

and

from

all,

If there

Mr. Mackintosh

the only part which ;

Ghost,&quot;

the

heaven.&quot;

earth, spent the tomb.&quot;

completely God and this is in per with the idea of the &quot;conception by

fect accordance

Holy

God

the Lord of the Sabbath, the

flesh,

be any meaning in language at

humanity,&quot;

&quot;guarded.&quot;

the Lord Christ,

my reader,

sustainer of heaven

tomb

There

one remarkable sentence on

seventh day in the dark and silent

lay in the

Notes on

Preface, page 9,

or apart from, the person of

Man.&quot;

&quot;

gth page, which needs to be doubly

runs thus

the

There are

cross.&quot;

now dwell on them.

revised edition of his

of,

But there

&quot;guarded.&quot;

cannot

no blessing outside

Christ

depths of Calvary

a third,

Genesis.&quot;

from the eternal throne of God in heaven

travelled

There

CHRIST.

the

&quot;divine

&quot;manhood&quot;

If Mr.

quoted, did not

the

man,&quot;

which was

&quot;heavenly

Mackintosh, in the words

mean

Lord

&quot;the

have

that the bod// of Christ, which

lay in the grave, was really and truly God, or else that

the humanity and the

Godhead (impious thought

both lay in the dark and silent tomb, he of writing intelligibly as the

new-born

as incapable:

child.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

SOCINIANISM. THE

great danger to be feared from the

Brethren arises from the ously mixed

Plymouth

that they have ingeni

fact,

up some very important truths with the

most pernicious and

fatal errors.

in such a

manner that ordinary

&quot;

guarded

This

often done readers are

not very likely to discover the combination

have actually imbibed the poison.

till

they

Hence the vast

importance of discovering the errors and laying them

open to the gaze of the Christian world.

&quot;

In most of

these combinations of scriptural truth with error (of which the apostles were very jealous),&quot; says a foreign correspondent of the London Record, &quot;instead of the

good compensating for the is

evil,

often erroneously supposed,

by neutralising

it,

rather increases the

evil by helping to give it currency many proofs of which could be supplied from the history of the ;

Christian &quot;

Church.&quot;

Greater

of his

zeal,&quot;

says

father, in the fifth

volume

the salvation of sinners, and the amelioration of the condition of human kind, never was manifested than at This is present. of

Works,

&quot;for

rejoicing to all the friends of the Gospel. is

ground But there

one unhappy symptom of the present times, with Zeal for the purity of divine

respect to Christianity.

truth has not kept pace with zeal for the salvation of sinners.

Where now

are

the friends of ancient

SOCINIANISM. orthodoxy?

Are there not

still

multitudes

who ad

here to the strong views of truth professed by the

Will they quietly suffer a spurious liberality to rob them of the truth ? Are they afraid to contend formers

earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints la it to

more important

preserve

its

purity

propagate the Gospel, than

Paul thought

importance to contend for the purity of the Gospel than to extend

its

reception

his personal ministry.

never laid down his weapons.

employed

He was

All the zeal at present manifested by the all

unceasingly

in combating the corruptions of the Gospel.

the efforts of Atheism, are not so

Man much

of Sin, to be

dreaded as the present apathy among Christians re garding the integrity and purity of divine truth.

judgment

shall be executed

upon the house of God,

this base acquiescence in the subversion of the Gospel,

false

philosophy and false charity, will be the

cup of suffering.&quot; In the previous chapter, I quoted an extract from the Quarterly Journal of Prophecy, which stated that bitterest ingredient in the

the

Plymouth Brethren were propagating the Socinian

view of some of the

sacrifices.

this point is in

discussion between Mr.

Journal,

many

I shall

Darby and the Editor of the not dwell upon it. But still, I find so

things in Mr. Mackintosh s book which, to

judgment, smell strongly of Socinian doctrine, that I cannot altogether pass on without pointing out some

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

32 of

them

tosh

fair play, I shall &quot;

Let us look at Mr. Mackin

readers.

view of the burnt-offering

Notes on

;

quote from his

and

him

to give &quot;

&quot;guarded

full

edition of

Leviticus.&quot;

At page 6, he says, The primary aspect of Christ s work was to God- ward. It was an ineffable delight to &quot;

Him

accomplish the will of

God on

earth.&quot;

came greatly in contact with Unitarians and Socinians, and I almost think I can yet hear early days I

them uttering similar words obey and please God not

ment

in the &quot;

page

The work was

to these.

obey and make atone

room and stead of the

all this

sinner.

Again,

self-emptied devotedness to God,

there was truly a sweet savour.

earth accomplishing the will of

Man

perfect

God even

on the

in death,

was an object of amazing interest to the mind of Unitarianism and Socinianism are not yet

Heaven.&quot;

The

dead.

and obeyed

perfect

Him

Man

accomplished the will of God,

as the antitype of the burnt-offering,

but not in the room and stead of the sinner

page

10,

&quot;Christ,

for the eye

in the

and heart of God.

This point should be

distinctly apprehended.&quot;

Abraham

says the Scripture,

offered

&quot;and

offering in the stead of his

tion here

son.&quot;

the stead of his

burnt-offering according to the for

Job

said,

may

Further,

was exclusively

burnt-offering,

&quot;took

the

ram,&quot;

him up

for a burnt-

Is there

no substitu

son.

Job

number

sons have

&quot;

offered a

them

sinned.&quot;

all

The

SOCINIAMSM. inspired

penman

us Job offered the burnt- offering

tells

for the sins of his sons

be presumed under is

enabled to

but

tell

but Mr. Mackintosh,

;

presidency of the

&quot;the

us that

&quot;exclusively for the eye

was not for sin

and heart of

Christ appeared in the burnt-offering.

The

it is

Spirit,&quot;

at all,

God,&quot;

that

sinner had

neither part nor lot in this part of Christ s work.

was merely to please God without any apparent cause. Does it not approach to the borders of blasphemy to suppose

God

required all this without any relation to

the bearing of the sins of His people, as if

capricious as one of the gods of the heathen burnt-offering,&quot;

continues Mr. M.,page

were as &quot;

&quot;does

The not

foreshadow Christ on the cross bearing sin, but Christ on the cross accomplishing the will of God.&quot; Is there a Socinian in the world would refuse to subscribe to this doctrine

Again, page

If there

17,

&quot;The

is,

never saw one like him.

cross, in the burnt-offering, is

not the exhibition of the exceeding hatefulness of sin,

but of Christ s unshaken and unshakable devotedness to the Father

and say but was

had nothing

to please

to the Father all.

Would

&quot;

the Socinian not join in

do with atonement

God and show

To be

sure he would.

the imputation of sin

&quot;we

read,

It shall

But

&quot;The

crown

idea of sin-

the wrath of

does not appear in the burnt-offering. ,

;

Christ s devotedness

Mr. Mackintosh says, page 20,

-unrig

this,

for sin

True,&quot;

Godhe con-

be accepted for him to

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

make atonement

him;

for

but then

atonement

it is

of human not according to the depths and enormity s sur Christ of to the perfection guilt, but according

of God s render of Himself to God, and the intensity in there was sin What great in Christ.&quot;

delight

Christ

and in surrender of Himself to the Father,

that thus required delight in the Son, to terrify any sufficient not it Is for? to be atoned think of the Just 1 sentiments such read to Christian

the Father

hardihood of the

When

ture.

will thus deal with Scrip

man who

Revelation says,

&quot;

shall put his

and upon the head of the burnt-offering, to make atonement for him for accepted Mackintosh gives a it is

flat

do with sin-bearing

Himself Christ

&quot;

him

at all

nothing to

him&quot;

Mr.

but

has nothing

do with the enor

only an atonement,

to the perfection of Christ

&quot;according

guilt

hand

shall be

contradiction, and informs us

not an atonement for

mity of human

surrender of

in God, and the intensity of God s delight method this of awful the impiety Leaving

of handling Scripture out of the question altogether,

there

tosh

ment

not even one particle of sense in Mr. Mackin How could Christ make an atone

statement. for

&quot;the

perfection

Christ

surrender of

God, and the intensity of God s delight in Christ?&quot; Did any man ever before hear such a

Himself

jargon of nonsense, with a deep purpose to mystify Scripture

This

so well

&quot;

guarded,&quot;

that I

sure

SOCINIANISM.

Mr. Mackintosh himself could not explain it. It is about on a par with the old woman s definition of the

&quot;which

metaphysics,

didna

writer

understan

and which nae other body kenned.&quot; Such are the sentiments on the burnt- offering which

himsel

are taught in the

&quot;

Notes on

&quot;

are also to be found at the 2O2d

They

Leviticus.&quot;

edition of the

guarded&quot;

and

203d pages of the first volume of Things New and Old,&quot; where it says, Christ, as the antitype of the &quot;

&quot;

burnt-offering, gave

up His

in order to give full

life,

expression to His devotedness.

The

prefigures Christ on the cross, not as as accomplishing the

will

of God.

set forth the hatefulness of sin,

burnt- offering sin-bearer,

...

but

It does not

but the preciousness

and divine excellency of Christ, and His devotedness to

God, even unto I

do not wish

on the

death,&quot;

to be understood,

Mr. Mackintosh denies a

stated, that

sin

What

cross.

says the part of Christ s typified

by anything I have full atonement for

charge him with

work on the

that he

is,

which was

cross

by the burnt-offering had no relation to the all. There can be no mistake about his

sinner at

opinions on this point.

them.

exclusively

says,

&quot;Christ,

has not yet

&quot;guarded&quot;

in the burnt-offering,

the eye and heart of God.

for

was

The

burnt-offering does not foreshadow Christ on the cross bearing

will of God.

but Christ on the cross accomplishing the .

The

idea of sin-bearing

the imputu-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

the wrath of

tion of Bin

God

According to this view, there

burnt-offering.&quot;

portion, or aspect, of Christ

has nothing at

does not appear in the

all to

work on the

cross

one

which

do with the sins of His people. In whose stead,

has no relation to His chosen ones.

If in every portion of this

work

then,

He is is He

not standing in the place of the sinner, for \vhom

standing

atoning

Job

sins of his sons

of that

offering,

;

offered the burnt-offering for the

consequently Christ, as

must have been

the antitype

offered for

some per

For whom, then, was He offered 1 For Himself, or for others ? As Mr. Mackintosh utterly denies it was for the sins of His people that there son s

sins.

was any imputation in the matter he should just go the whole length of saying it was on His own account.

admits

atonement people,

was

was an atonement.

effected

must have been &quot;atonement,

enormity of

human

and

Him, the

was not

His

Mr. M.

tells

for Himself.

guilt,

but according to the perfec

really an atonement, it if it

Himself

God.&quot;

must have been

for the sins of

If it

for sin

;

His people imputed to

must have been on His own account.

fair, legitimate,

the

effected for

not according to the depths and

tion of Christ s surrender of

was

whom was

For

was not

If it

This

and necessary result of Mr. M.

representations of Christ as the antitype of the burntoffering. I

persuaded there

not a Socinian. in the world

SOCINIANISM.

would

find fault

with Mr. Mackintosh

the burnt-offering.

attack

&quot;This

opinions about

upon the burnt-

says the Journal of Prophecy,

offering,&quot;

one of the worst of their

&quot;

perhaps,

is,

For that

errors.

sacrifice is

the great parent of all the other sacrifices

the root

from which the others have sprung as branches.

If,

then, the Sociniau axe be laid to the parent root and

stem, the whole tree with all

down. ... session

It requires

and hardihood

to the burnt-offering.

to .

its

branches must come

no common amount of prepos

deny a propitiatory character

could not have believed

that any but a Socinian or a Rationalist could have so entirely set aside the great features of the burntoffering.

Those who have gone thus

difficulty in going

serious one,

and

far will

The heresy

have is

Maurice and Socinus in an evan

The Socinian tendency

form.&quot;

shown by Mr. Darby s new tures.

strikes at the very root of redemption.

It is the theory of

gelical

farther.

Plymouth ism

have not seen that work myself,

authority from an article in

Trowel &quot;for December the reviewer,

further

translation of the Scrip

&quot;

1872.

&quot;The

&quot;Mr.

says in his preface,

take.

Sword and

Darby,&quot;

observes

have not a doubt

of the justness of the change, and just because, in

modern English, worship to it

God was

only. not,

When

used for what

rendered

the English translation was made,

and the use of

now

falsifies

the sense in

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

three-quarters of the passages

it is

used

in.

It is quite

certain that in the vast majority of instances of per

sons coming to the Lord they had not the lest idea of

Him

owning

And

as God.

material point to use the the reviewer,

enough, at

&quot;

Mr. Darby

all events,

the sense in a

it falsifies

word now. s

This,&quot;

language, and

continues it is

clear

nor could anything more decided

on the subject be said by the most advanced Unitarian

minister in London.

worship

says,

used for God only.

modern English

This

one statement

;

and then,

in the vast majority of instances, they had not the least idea of This is owning Christ as God.

the next statement

;

and

further,

it falsifies

the sense

on a material point so to use the word now. This is the third and consequently, as worship is for God only, and in the vast majority of cases they had not ;

the least idea of get worship at

owning Christ

all,

as God, Christ did not but only homage, and so Mr. Darby

was quite right in putting

in his Bible

homage and not

Gilbert Wakefield, Priestly, or Belsham were alive, these leading Unitarian ministers worship.

would

Verily

Let us shake hands, brother

say,

are the grounds on

Yet these which Mr. Darby thinks proper to

sweep the worship of Christ out of the

ment

Again,

why

New

Testa

does Mr. Darby not allow

the capital letters to remain as before to the names of our Lord and of the Holy Ghost 1 These words in the common French version begin with capital letters, but

80CINIANISM.

Mr. Darby expunges the capitals and puts small

letters

Thus, in his version, seigneur, Lord, is printed with a small s, and saint esprit, Holy Ghost, with a

instead.

small

All

this, observe, is

done coolly and delibe

rately.&quot;

here see a most deliberate attempt to overturn

the Deity of Christ

In place of being worshipped,

God only

only received homage, because

worshipped

and in place of having His

;

written with a capital

letter,

He must

to be

title,

Lord,

be reduced to

the level of a man, and have the title written with a

small

as in lord.

And

himself a Christian. tell

us that the wise

yet this

This

men from

the man who calls man who is able to

the

the East (Matt,

place of coming to worship Jesus, only

Him homage

came

that the disciples (Matt,

ii.),

xiv.),

pay

when

Of a truth they came and worshipped Him, saying, Thou art the Son of God,&quot; did not worship Him at all, &quot;

Him homage that Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, and the eleven disciples (Matt, but only paid

xxviii.),

did not worship Him, but only paid

homage,

for

ciples,

worship

for

God only

on seeing the Lord go up

Him

that the dis

into heaven (Luke

merely paid Him homage, because worship is for God only and that the blind man who was healed xxiv.),

(John lu-

ix.),

in place of saying,

worshipped

due

God

Him,&quot;

&quot;

Lord,

should have said,

believe

&quot;lord,

;

and

worship

only, I will not worship thee, but I will

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

40 pay thee

homage.&quot;

Christian reader,

what do you Darby and

now think

of the Socinian tendencies of

Mackintosh

What do you now think

fulness of Mrs.

that

on the fundamental truths of the

&quot;

Plymouth* tions

&quot;

&quot;are

gospel,&quot;

at one with all evangelical

Is there a single evangelical

of the truth

Grattan Guinness, when she asserts these

denomina

denomination in

the empire which denies true worship to Jesus in the

New Testament ; or that the burnt-offering prefigures Christ on the cross bearing the sins of His people?

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. THERE

are few questions of

more importance than the. way in which a sinner

one which has reference to the

becomes perfectly righteous before God.

If he be not

completely righteous, he cannot enter heaven.

man

fell

When

from his pristine sinless condition, he could

not of himself procure a He therefore righteousness. required a substitute who was able both to keep the law and to suffer the penalty for its breach. It is of the utmost importance to understand the distinction

between obeying the law and suffering its penalty. Suffering the penalty can never bring innocence. If a

man he

obeys the laws of his country in every particular, innocent but if he has committed a and ;

breach,

brought to

he must be pronounced guilty. he can never be made innocent

trial,

Being once guilty,

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. suffering the

man who

For example, a

punishment

has committed murder

suffer death as the penalty

may

of his crime, but no person

would think of him

Even the royal pardon, which would save him from the punishment, could not make him guilt innocent

less.

with the sinner.

has broken the

laws of God, and cannot save himself. it

saved, is

If he is to be

must be by the instrumentality

of one

who

able to render perfect obedience to every precept of

the law, as well as to suffer

Christ

Christ.

angels

;

but

our humanity people,

its

penalty.

In both these

saved sinner has a perfect substitute in

points, the

not

&quot;took

took on

Him

the nature of

the seed of

Abraham

&quot;

and in the room and stead of His

lived a life of complete

ence to every possible

demand

and

perfect obedi

law which they and then, in His death, He of the

were required to keep paid the full and entire penalty of the law which they had broken. In this way He wrought out a com ;

plete robe of righteousness for His Church.

The law

was kept, and the penalty paid and the saved sinner entered heaven perfectly righteous when viewed by ;

God

His

all-sufficient substitute Christ Jesus.

In the plan of salvation through Christ,&quot; says my father, &quot;the authority of the law is fully vindicated, and the breach of it fully avenged. Not only so, but &quot;

ita

demands 1

are fully yielded in the obedience of the

the sinner s substitute.

Saved sinners have

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

given the law what

damned

sinners will never give

it.

the substitute they have rendered full obedience to its

precepts

and

its breach. suffered the full penalty of

stead of trampling on the law, in the salvation of His

people from

its

and made

honourable.

has magnified the law

curse, Christ

Is it possible for

God more

to highly to honour the law than to exact obedience

from His Sou, and to demand from faction for its breach by His people honourable to the law than It is

had

more honourable

if it

full satis

This

never had been broken.

than

to it

suffered for ever in hell.

Him

if all its

transgressors

The obedience

of the

Son of God to its precepts, and His enduring of its curse in His death, are the highest possible honour that the law can receive.

the

first

Adam, but

was

The law was broken by

fulfilled

by the second.

Its

requirements were perfectly yielded by the obedience of the life of Christ, and its penalty was suffered by

His death.

This, then,

the character which

God

the ground on which rests gives of Himself to Moses.

In Christ only can this character be true.

Here the

various divine attributes have their perfect operation.

Here God

merciful

without clearing the guilty.

His mercy provides an almighty Saviour debt in their nature because,

They have :

pay the

does not clear the guilty,

in acquitting them,

innocent.

in Christ

they are acquitted as

suffered the penalty of the

law

they have fully kept the precepts of the

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. l;i\v

This

in Christ.

attributes

perfect

on God

of harmonising the divine

wisdom.

from the wisdom of &amp;lt;

way

men

Yet, so far

removed

is it

human wisdom

that

It is

testimony.

cannot

always endeavour

ing to harmonise the divine attributes by a compro

As they

mise, or by giving an ascendancy to mercy.

stand in Christ, His people are not guilty.

purer than the heavens.

would be a

They

false

are

judgment

would pronounce them guilty, as they are one They do not deserve punishment. Their

that

with Christ.

punishment wpuld be as much opposed to justice as to Here the mercy of God looks the law of God .

in the face,

Imt.

and without a blush

delivers the prisoner.

wonderful plan of harmonising the divine

Tli is ~

as rendering the law complete obedience.

divine

glory shines

Works,&quot;

all

vol. v.

pp.

in 121,

all

its

punishment due

lustre.&quot;

Here the (&quot;Carson s

When

171.)

the precepts of the law in His

entire

attri-

here revealed, not as opposed to the law, but

life,

Christ obeyed and endured the

to our sins in

His death,

provided a perfect righteousness of His own, which

imputed

to us.

As we

are one

with Christ in His

in the keeping of the law, and one with Him in His death, in suffering the penalty of the law, we are completely free and perfectly righteous. We have no life,

righteousness of our own. (

get

it,

by imputation,

brisk

What

saith the

Scripture

this

point?

&quot;And

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

their righteousness

hath clothed hath covered

Even

me me

David

Me,

He He

...

saith the Lord.

with the garments of salvation with the robe of righteousness.

;

also describeth the blessedness of the

man unto whom God imputeth

righteousness without

That righteousness might be imputed unto them also. For the marriage of the Lamb is works.

come, and His wife [the Church] hath made herself And to her was granted that she should be ready. arrayed in fine linen, clean and white linen

the righteousness of saints.

are ye in Christ Jesus,

wisdom, and

who

reigned by one

;

For

life

by one

;

for the fine

But of

Him

made unto us

sanctification,

man s

much more they which

ance of grace, and of the reign in

God

and

righteousness,

redemption. ...

man s

and

offence death

receive

abund

gift of righteousness, shall

by One, Jesus

Christ. ... For as by one many were made sinners, so by one shall many be made righteous.&quot;

disobedience

the obedience of

The imputation is

of Christ s righteousness to His people here taught as plainly as words could teach it.

Their righteousness

not their

own

;

it is

said to be

of the Lord. eousness.

works.

The Church, the Lamb s

fine linen, is

They are covered with the robe of right God is said to impute righteousness without

which

distinctly said to be unto us

sanctification,

bride, is arrayed in

the righteousness of saints.

and redemption

;

Christ

wisdom,

righteousness,

so that if

we have not

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST.

But

_ hteousness, we have not His redemption.

to place the matter

are informed that, as

first

by the disobedience of the

Adam many were made Adam many

ence of the last

This doctrine

possibility of dispute,

beyond every

sinners, so

shall be

by the obedi

made

righteous.

stated in the words of inspiration as

clear as the light of heaven.

Now, what do the Darbyites

say on this question

In order to prevent misunderstanding on the part of my readers, I must here mention that the point be

tween them and us of the imputation

not the long-disputed (question righteousness,

but their total

denial of the righteousness of Christ as a doctrine of

The

Scripture. sidered.

They

last

point

the thing to be con

admit the imputation of righteousness,

but deny that there

such a thing at

all as

the right

eousness of Christ in the whole compass of revelation.

This

such a dreadful and soul-destroying heresy,

would not charge them with holding it if there was the slightest doubt about their opinions on the that

From

subject

the thoroughly Jesuitical

they often speak of righteousness, ii-e

quite sound, but their heterodoxy

indisputable by the remarkable,&quot;

following proofs.

says Mr. C. Stanley,

never use the expression, of Christ, ;il\\i\3

way

the

or even

in whicli

many parties imagine

&quot;

&quot;It

rendered is

very

that the Scriptures

the imputed righteousness

the righteousness of Christ

righteousness of God.

....

;

but

The words,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

righteousness of God, do not

the

It is here

Scripture

&quot;

very plainly stated that what righteousness of

&quot;the

righteous pp.

would observe

not

God,&quot;

i, 6.)

called in

&quot;the

There can be no doubt this

Christ.&quot;

And

the doctrine asserted. I

the

(&quot;Imputed Righteousness,&quot;

righteousness of is

mean

&quot;

ness of Christ.

Mr. Mackintosh says,

here, that in speaking of the

tation of righteousness,

by no means

impu

desire to be

understood as giving any countenance to the prevailing the imputed righteousness of Christ.

theory of

this expression, so

the present day,

nowhere

much

would be

he continues,

&quot;

sufficient to say that it is

found in the oracles of God.

to be

in use in the theology of

the righteousness of

God

read,&quot;

and, moreover, of the imputation of righteousness, but never of the righteousness of Christ. Tribe of ;

&quot;

Levi,&quot;

(&quot;

third edition, p. 33.)

ness of

God

The imputation

of the righteous

here distinctly held, whilst

emphatically denied that the oracles of

it is

God

such a thing as the righteousness of Christ. &quot;

to the believer

now,&quot;

Again,

&quot;

righteousness

How? Through the The Scripture does not say

imputed without works.

righteousness of Christ so.

says Mr. Bell,

most

contain

You

of difference others

all, I

differences

justification.&quot;

(Mr. Cox) complain of the

which

exist

between

own, material points.

They

many

points

Brethren

and

But whence these

are all involved in this question of

(&quot;Cease

ye from

Man,&quot;

pp.

16,

24.)

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. The

righteousness which

to the believer

imputed

here denied to be the righteousness of Christ

;

and

is it

admitted that justification through the righteousness

of Christ

mouths

a fundamental point on which the Ply-

di.ssent

from other

And

cardinal questions.

all

&quot;

What do

the fundamental

&quot;on

the Plymouths

know not what

mean by

the Darbyites

are at one with

&quot;

If this be not

evangelical denominations.&quot;

leading the public,

one of the

yet Mrs. Grattan Guinness

does not hesitate to state that truths of the gospel

sects.

mis

is.

&quot;

the righteousness

which they say is imputed to the believer \ They just mean one of the attributes of the Godhead. of

&quot;

God,&quot;

The

righteousness spoken of here

Mr. Bell,

head

&quot;is

that

Man,&quot;

essential

sion,

The

Rom.

iii.

&quot;It

15.)

&quot;

C. Stanley,

(Rom. *

attribute.&quot;

very

(

righteousness of Christ, 19, 26,

show His own

sinner.

The

says

God from

observes Mr.

but always, as in

righteousness of God. object in this

and

character

and harmony, that

...

Cease ye

remarkable,&quot;

to direct our attention first of all to

sistency

iii.),

that the Scriptures never use the expres

Holy Ghost must have an is

&quot;

evidently the righteousness of the

;

God

It is of the first

himself, to

attributes in perfect

The

and surely

con

just in justifying the

importance that God

should be seen to be perfectly consistent with Himself, in the relation in

and

which

this is righteousness.

He .

stands to all created beings, .

The

subject of the

first

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

to the Romans, is the eight chapters of the Epistle the righteous character of God in condemning

unfolding

yet justifying the believing

sin,

&quot;

pp. 1-3.)

Righteousness,&quot;

of God, a fact,

Mr.

says

quality of

which

rifjhteoumess.&quot;

(&quot;

The

which belongs

Again, pages

10,

that

righteousness

ness spoken of

same word).

is .

character that

Godhead.

to the

first

just.

God s being

in understanding that lity or

28,

this God,&quot;

Mr. Darby says,

God means,

of,&quot;

God

made the inherent

here

and

righteousness of

spoken

Righteousness of

quality, or attribute, 18,

righteousness

&quot;but

Imputed

(&quot;

not the righteousness

existing thing,

Darby,

Righteousness

14.)

sinner.&quot;

It is

all,

The

&quot;The

His own righteous

righteous (just

the

have gained an immense point

God s righteousness in God Himself.

is .

the qua .

God s

His perfect consistency with His own That in the Old perfect and blessed nature.&quot; Again, the Lord s righteousness Testament,&quot; says Mr. Darby, righteousness

&quot;

means a

quality in the character of

question or controversy.

New p.

I do not

believe

it.&quot;(&quot;

God,

Is it different

beyond

all

wholly in the

The Pauline

Doctrine,&quot;

6.)

These extracts demonstrate beyond question from any rational being, that what the Darbyites call the righteousness of

Himself

much

God

a quality inherent in

one of the divine attributes.

Now,

God inas

as they hold the imputation of the righteous-

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. if this

God,

&quot;f

righteousness be, as Mr.

-the quality or character that if

self,&quot;

thus

Almighty,

one

demand

the

attributes

know how

this

Darby

God Him

the

attribute of

the Godhead is to be imputed to man. Just think of the interpretation of Scripture which compels them to hold that some of the attributes of the Almighty are to be

clothed

man

be so; the ferred

&quot;

God s own us.&quot; (&quot;

Harrison, p. 31.) attributes? is

that

God

not

could

not

are

essential righteousness is

God endow

com

by the Rev. John us with His

own

the righteousness of God, which

This

unto

and upon

all

righteousness

attribute of divinity, because

man.

Godhead

JustiBcation,&quot;

Will

&quot;Even

believe.&quot;

all

possesses

I call

race.

faith of Jesus Christ

ami upon

imputed

on Mr. 0. Stanley his statement could be true, when he

show how

municated

attributes of the

on the human

asserts that

No doubt God

they can.

Let them

one of His attributes, but this

righteousness which

rational ex

how man

ask

with an attribute of the Godhead

usne.ss as

demand a

of this point.

rxpluin this

imputed

planation

after this fashion. u

Man

that believe.

cannot

faith it is

them

be unto

the all

not converted into

As Mr. Haldane

The righteousness

all

has well ob-

of God, which

received

denotes something that becomes the property of the believer. It cannot, then, be here the divine

fuith,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

attribute of justice, but the divine

This, therefore, deter

has wrought through His Son.

mines the phrase, in

this

work which God

place,

imme

referring

divine attribute, but to the divine diately, not to the work. The former never can become ours.&quot;

those

who

are really acquainted with the views

of these Plymouths, this point

were

may

my dwelling

appear superfluous

not that

many

on the proof of would be,

so long ;

and

so it

half-hearted supporters of truth

make

are so fond of cloaking error, that they try to

Plymouths do not hold the righteousness as an attribute of the Godhead. They are &quot;

believe the God&quot;

disposed to argue that the

what they

say.

If they

&quot;

Brethren

do not believe

&quot;

would only think

however, they would see

for a

moment,

easy to prove that this

it is

must be the opinion of the Darbyites, even although guarded in giving ex they had been a little more &quot;

&quot;

pression to this peculiar view.

Stanley not only eousness of Christ

;

tells us,

God,&quot;

For example, Mr. C.

that the words,

do not

but he also says,

&quot;

having kept the law for me, and that this

the right

mean the righteousness of The thought of Christ is

imputed

even supposing I had been a Nor does Jew under law, would be utterly wrong. to

for righteousness,

the Scripture anywhere teach the whole as

keeping the law, imputed

breaker, to enable ness before

God.&quot;

him (&quot;

to,

or put

to stand in

Imputed

life of

upon

Christ

the law

law-kept righteous

Righteousness,&quot;

6.)

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST.

Now, ask those would-be apologists for the Plymouths, what they make of this ? If Christ hath not kept the I

law in the room of His people

;

out a righteousness for them

;

God be not it

the righteousness of

hath not worked

the righteousness of Christ, what else can

be than an attribute of the Godhead

this,

what

If it be not

If the righteousness of

is it ?

the righteousness of Christ

God be not

if Christ hath not worked must surely be an attribute of divinity. Will any one say it was worked out for us by the it

;

out,

Father ?

Consequently,

and

the Father did not

work

be not the righteousness of Christ, it could not have been worked out at all, and must, in out,

if it

the very nature of things, be an original and inherent attribute of result

;

and

show how

the it lies

it is

attributes to the

imputed, can

all

Almighty. on those

possible for

human

race.

This

the inevitable

who hold such views to God to impute His own If

one attribute can be

the attributes can be imputed, and

men

be turned into Gods.

Since this work was

first

published, I have read Mr.

dismally dark reply to the Journal of Prophecy. I see he has taken another turn for the purpose of getting out of the perplexing position in which he is

Darby

He says, p. 14, Righteousness being imputed a man, simply means the man being accounted It does not mean a righteous. quantum of formal placed. to

righteousness outside

us,

imputed

us,

but

our

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

being accounted tation

this

It is

Now, what

righteous.&quot;

imputation at

cease to use the expression, &quot;Imputed

altogether.

sort of

all.

impu should

righteousness,&quot;

only misleading the public by using

different meaning from language to which he attaches a &quot;

what

it is

If this system of

able to bear.

be not dropped,

must

&quot;

guarding

just be exposed.

turn Mr. D. complete deception. According to the has now taken, the righteousness is not imputed at all,

but the

man who The God

righteous.

righteous

who

to call the thief

man

call

holy

God

is not,

How man who will make a !

the author of a falsehood,

unrighteous

righteous

Himself and ceases to be God. to lie, and, therefore, the

righteous by

God must, if or

and

can that just and

accounts a is,

man

denies

It is impossibls

man who

indeed, be really

righteous in the sense in which

There can be no

come

by accounting an

God

anything but what he really and truly

God

accounted is

in any sense, truly righteous

an honest

himself a Christian

man

His right hand, and to account the

forth with a lie in

man

not righteous

of truth and justice

God

and truly

accounts

in the matter.

for

accounted

him

so.

Although

personally a sinner, the believer has the righteousness of Christ so really is

and truly imputed to him, that he he never had

as innocent, standing in Christ, as if

sinned, and as spotless as the throne of the Almighty.

Again,

the righteousness be not the righteousness

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. of Christ, but

one of the attributes of the Godhead,

as the Darbyites

make

attribute of the

Godhead

man.

This

it,

the point.

of perspicacity, he

would

I is

want

know how

had one

If Mr. D.

see that he has not

accounted to

man

advanced

an attribute of the Godhead

as to be

God s

imputed to man.

particle

a single step towards relief from his predicament just us impossible for

the

&quot;accounted&quot;

It is

to be attri

butes can neither be accounted nor imputed to man.

But Mr. Darby goes on to say, &quot;God accounts us work of Christ.&quot; As Mr. D.

righteous because of the is

about as confused a writer as ever put pen to paper,

this idea

but

may probably

thinking clearly.

own understanding, man who is capable of

satisfy his

could not satisfy any

Just look at

The

it.

righteousness which belongs to the

attribute of

Godhead of Christ

cannot be imputed or accounted to any man. Mr. D. does not here, say it could. He says it

Indeed, is

for the

work of Christ we are accounted righteous.

what work are we accounted righteous

of the penalty in the death of Christ

ingredient in righteousness, but stitute righteousness.

Now, for The paying

an essential

alone does not con

The man who

righteous

entirely innocent.

Suffering the punishment can never

bring innocence.

Consequently there must be a per room of the guilty, as well as an

fect obedience in the

atonement

But Mr. D.

of Christ s life in the

utterly denies the obedience

room of His

people.

Where,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

the completion of righteousness ? His view of the work of Christ cannot

then, can he find

Nowhere. produce

it.

He makes Him pay

people, but he does not make

the penalty for His

Him

the law for

fulfil

no righteousness at be either imputed or accounted to His people. His people.

Hence there

only a part of a righteousness.

It is

not complete.

all to

It is

Mr.

Darby s principles are dreadful. They make the God of heaven account a man innocent when he is not truly they make the holy

innocent fiction

Another idea here

won

his

God

the author of a

showing, and

me.

strikes

what

Take Mr. Darby on

the result

He says we

are accounted righteous for the work of Christ.

work

the

and what he

is this

lustily denies

Mr. Darby says the

work

Christ

Absurd ness

If so,

must constitute a righteousness but a righteousness of Christ, which

of Christ

Further,

the righteousness which

accounted to us be constituted of

of Christ, as

become

affirms,

attribute

how of

does this

At one time Mr. Darby says, here made the inherent quality, !

work

Godhead

the

&quot;

Righteous or attribute,

which belongs to the Godhead,&quot; an attribute insepar able from divinity and then, in another place, when ;

driven into a corner, he

the righteousness which

from the work of Christ.

obliged to acknowledge that is

accounted to us results

And

still

he denies there

such a thing as the righteousness of Christ

Verily

THE RIGHTEOUSN ESS OF CHRIST. 7

there

no end

tions of error.

a righteousness, that

&quot;

how

the

work

of Christ constitutes

does Mr. Darby venture to say

the righteousness of our

Christ

and contradic

to the inconsistencies

Again,

God and Saviour Jesus

not spoken of as to justification at

has nothing

do with the subject

&quot;

]

all,

ness of Christ has nothing to do with justification,

are

justified by the

are inconsistent

of Christ,

how

which Mr. D.

Truly such inconsistencies

accounted to us?

says

work

and

If the righteous

enough even for the authors of Ply-

In his reply to Mr. Trench, Mr. Darby

mouthism.

complains that he cannot give intelligence to his ad

would be a great

versaries.

blessing, however, if he

could by any means obtain the least possible for himself. I

was

No man

told, a

in the world has

few days

be so imputed that the

on the same principle of reason for the work of Christ on the

If so, I reply,

ing,

It is impossible

imputed that the man becomes entirely If the one be impossible, so is the

cross to be so

from his

other.

a at

all.

guilt.

In commenting on

man who

it it.

has broken the law becomes entirely inno

cent.

free

of of

since, that it is impossible

for the obedience of Christ to

man who

trifle

more need

this,

can reason thus,

There

Mr. Darby says,

is lost

&quot;

With

time to reason

not a particle of sense in the passage.

man

man who has is, to go no deeper, a never been guilty; and his ever becoming innocent is

innocent

simple

nonsense.&quot;

Not

so fast, Mr. Darby.

Your

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

here, in place of

argument

just proves

your own

to see

and

it.

Law,&quot;

making a

incapacity,

fool of Dr. Carson,

you had the brains &quot;

the 45th page of your sin

ment, and you are own argument on yourself; &quot;

it is lost

Righteousness

put away by the atone Now, to turn your guiltless.&quot;

you say your

reason thus,

go no deeper, a

man who never

and his ever becoming

guiltless is

can

There

all.

A guiltless man

not a particle of sense in the passage. is,

man who

&quot;With

time to reason at

has been guilty

simple

;

nonsense.&quot;

Verily, Mr. Darby, if you had the least critical power, you would have seen the predicament you were placing yourself in. On Mr. Darby s principles no man could It is very satisfactory to

be saved.

that the Scriptures place light.

tell

They

us very plainly that

righteousness without works &quot;clothed

;

with the garments of

made unto us wisdom, and

fication,

were

and

&quot;

God imputeth

salvation,&quot; &quot;

;

are actually

and

&quot;covered

and that Christ

righteousness, and

sancti-

Plymouth views would be sufficient, and redemption righteousness which God has provided is redemption.&quot;

If the

correct, the

the robe of quite

that

&quot;

with the robe of righteousness &quot;

know, however,

the matter in a different

They

superfluous.

They can take men the word innocent

are

into heaven !

far

wiser

than God.

who

are in

no sense of

Innocence can never result from

suffering the punishment.

The man who was hanged

yesterday has undergone the full punishment for his

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. crimes

come

he has paid the penalty

;

but

he were to

would possess no more

alive again to-morrow, he

innocence than he did the day before his execution.

He might

laugh at the hangman, but he could not get

He might

clear of the guilt.

escape the repetition of

punishna-nt, but he could never proclaim his inno cence. He could never use the language of Scripture,

and

&quot;

say, is still

Who

shall lay

anything to

a real murderer, and

guilt of his crime.

&quot;

charge

chargeable with the

cannot in any sense be looked

on as innocent.

Paying the penalty can never bring That cannot result without perfect obe

innocence. dience.

with the sinner.

penalty on the

cross

Christ paid the

suffering the entire punish

ment, but that alone does not bring innocence or

freedom from heaven.

guilt,

and alone could not admit

The man who

enters heaven is in such a

condition that not/ting whatever can be laid

to his

cluirgc.

Although guilty in himself, he is completely innocent or guiltless when viewed in Christ In Christ he is so

perfect that

God can

see

nothing amiss.

perfect obedience

of Christ s

atonement

by His death on the

really

effected

and truly imputed

life

to the

Tlu-

and the compli

u&amp;gt;

cross, aiv both

saved sinner, arid he

thus enters heaven in a perfectly pure and spotless condition. He is innocent or guiltless.

No man

but a polytheLst could believe in a multi

tude of Gods.

It is

utterly impossible for

men

to be

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

converted into Gods by having the attributes of the

Godhead imputed, imparted, or accounted

them.

He cannot give away His own attributes. either impute, impart, or account His attributes of God cannot

omnipotence, omnipresence, justice, omniscience, and eternity to the

human

race.

which

tice or righteousness,

cannot be given to man. cannot

righteousness

man

;

is If,

Consequently that jus an attribute of divinity, then,

God s

be imputed

attribute of

accounted to

there be no such thing in Scripture as the

righteousness of Christ, and

work out a righteousness into heaven ?

This

be true, no person

man

for himself,

a vital question.

who was

heaven, or else heaven

cannot possibly

how If

to get

Plymouthism

once a sinner ever entered

peopled with unrighteous

any man

to adopt their principles, defy and escape this difficulty. Their heaven is not the It is filled with place where a righteous God dwells.

creatures.

unrighteous people, and

without abhorrence.

God could not look on them

Such views are entirely subver

sive of the Gospel.

this point is of

repeat

statement.

overwhelming importance, I will When Christ suffered on the

He endured the entire punishment for the sins He paid the penalty in their room and stead but this alone does not make them righteous. The man who is righteous is perfectly innocent. He

cross,

of His people

;

not only defies punishment, but nothing whatever can

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. laid to his charge.

Suffering the penalty can never

Palmer has suffered the penalty due his crimes, but no human being could look on him ig innocence.

now

charge

The

being innocent or righteous.

would say

it is

sane

man

as impossible to lay anything to his

as if

he never had committed the crime.

on the

suffering of Christ

cross

was an

essential

ingredient in the righteousness of His people, because

nothing could make them righteous the broken law was paid

the penalty of

till

but, inasmuch

;

be made perfectly innocent,

as they

must

was absolutely necessary that Christ should also keep the law in their room and stead. When, in their place, He both obeyed the law it

and paid the penalty, He brought them into a con dition of perfect innocence. They were then com pletely righteous and

meet

for heaven.

But how

on the view of the Darbyites? They deny that Christ obeyed the law for His people they say there

;

no such thing in Scripture

Christ

;

they deny that

himself

for

;

man

they cannot

puni.-hment makes a man

as the righteousness of

can work a righteousness

show guiltless

that suffering ;

prove that God can part with His

own

man

with

eousness, in order to clothe all

men must

the

and they cannot attribute of right it

;

consequently

be excluded from that heaven wherein

dwelleth righteousness. The heaven of these Ply mouths is

neither the heaven nor the hell of the Scriptures.

It is

an unholy place, and

filled

with half-saved people.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

Again, whether viewed as transgressors in Adam, as personal transgressors,

we must admit

that

or,

we have

broken the law of God, and are not now able to obey its precepts. If, then, man cannot obey the law on his

own

behalf,

and

if,

these Plymouths stoutly

hath not obeyed

assert, Christ

know what

is to

become

in his stead, I

of him.

He must

be excluded from heaven, or else heaven

with those

who

are still transgressors.

want

certainly

filled

Suffering the

punishment of the broken law, is not fulfilling its requirements and obeying its precepts. Hence, if the death of Christ alone be available for the believer if

the obedience of His life be excluded

must be excluded from the habitation of

a just

and

under the stigma of a The law has not been kept by them nor

holy God, because they are

broken law.

His people

still

by any substitute on their behalf, and, therefore, they cannot produce a full claim to the mansions of glory. Perhaps these Plymouths would attempt to escape from this

law.

predicament by asserting that we are not under Let them do so, and I at once reply, If we are

not under law to God, and

Christ hath rendered no

we cannot

obedience to law for us,

in any sense be and consequently there was not the slightest necessity for an atonement. &quot;Where no law saith the Scripture, &quot;there is no guilty of the sin of disobedience,

is,&quot;

transgression.&quot;

If there

was no law

man, or by a substitute in

to be kept

his stead, there

by was no law

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. and there could be no atonement

to break,

This

breach.

also

makes the atonement

unnecessary and

Christ?&quot;

&quot;suppose

&quot;Now,&quot;

this

Christ is God.

God

by His death

righteousness

&quot;the

the

eays

Journal

Prophecy,

was not Christ God?

were true

looks almost as

s life

effected

by Mr. Mackintosh, that we

Scripture of

its

useless.

Is it true, as asserted

never read

for

view not only superfluous, but

This

self-evident.

renders the obedience of Christ it

were going to be denied that If Christ be God, then His righteous if

Does any secret ques supreme Godhead lurk under the It is the right singular idea of His righteousness ? eousness of God in contradistinction to anything which ness

righteousness.

tioning of Christ

&quot;

men

could be done by

or angels.

&quot;

For they being

God s

righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted

ignorant of

For Christ

themselves unto the righteousness of God. is

the end of the law for righteousness to every one

In the

that belie veth.&quot;

first

culled the righteousness of

ihe righteousness of man, which establish. i-

.usm-ss,

There

these

verses,

man was

trying to

no contrast here, regarding right-

between the Father and the Son, but there

a contrast between

God and man.

In the one case

the righteousness provided

by God.

must

it is

the righteousness established by man, in the other is

God, in direct contrast to

also

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

62 specially

remarked that what

called the righteousness

of God, in the first part of the quotation,

is called,

last part, the righteousness of Christ.

to be the end, or complete fulfilment, of the

righteousness to every one that believeth.

Christ be God, His righteousness

and has a perfect right sistently &quot;I

deny

who admits

this

will raise unto

God s

to be so called.

in the

here said

law

for

Besides, if

righteousness,

No man can con

the divinity of Christ.

David a righteous Branch.

And this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.&quot; It is beyond my comprehension how these Plymouths can believe this to be Scripture, and still say, We read of the righteous ness of God, but never of the righteousness of Christ.

They should

cut this text out of the Bible.

the righteous Branch which is

no other than Christ.

called the

is to

Surely be raised unto David

it is,

then,

Lord our Righteousness.

who

No man

is to

of sense

could argue that the righteousness here mentioned is the righteousness of the Father. It unquestionably applies to Christ

be called

;

and the name whereby

the Lord our Righteousness.

the righteousness here referred to attribute of righteousness

His Godhead, because

shall

not the essential

which Christ possessed in

it is

cannot part with His

It is evident

be our righteousness.

own

attributes, and, con

sequently, the righteousness which

is to become ours, must be a righteousness which He could work out and

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. confer

upon

The

us.

attribute of righteousness, which

fttlongfid essentially to

His Godhead, could no more

become ours than could His attributes of omnipotence, If these Plymouths, in

omnipresence, and eternity. claiming the attribute of

God s

righteousness,

would

be consistent, and also claim the attributes of omni be con potence and omniscience, they would soon

The

signed to Bedlam.

attributes

Godhead

of the

cannot be conferred upon man.

Jeremiah had not

heard of these Plymouthites, for he

tells

Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer

&quot;And

now

be so

eousness.

was

own

;

for thus it

becometh us to

it to

fulfil all right

\Vhut was the righteousness which Christ here in His baptism ? Was it one of His

fulfilling

attributes

butes

us that Christ

LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

shall be called the

How

He might

could not

could

prove that

fulfil

He fulfil His own attri He possessed them, but

The views

them.

of these Ply-

mouths regarding righteousness are not consistent with either Scripture or aa

&quot;Even

of the

man

without of

God

common

David unto

works.&quot;

Word.

also

sense.

whom God This

blessedness

describeth the

imputeth righteousness

a most important portion

It clearly establishes that

and truly imputes righteousness

man.

God

There

really is

hiiiun either in the righteousness or in the imputation.

The righteousness is a true int.. and the imputation kc-ry ;

righteousness, is real,

and no

not pretended.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

When God says He imputes righteousness, He means what He says. He does not count a thing winch There

never happens.

When we God it is

this

fictitious &quot;

are told

upon

all

(&quot;Rom.

iii.

22),

who believe,&quot;

The

work with Him. righteousness of

we should be

quite certain

which they can be clothed. If the Scripture which says it is upon

a something in

were not

so,

is them, would not be true. The righteousness which that their and so becomes own, truly really imputed

they are perfectly righteous in the sight of a holy God.

That such

the case

Matthew, who &quot;into

life

the that

but

God imputes

itself is

first

effects of

&quot;

shall go

looks on things as they

of this paragraph

it,

The

text at

does not say

the consequences of righteousness,

imputes the righteousness

has well observed,

this

&quot;In

imputed unto

itself.

As Dr. Owen

imputation, the thing

us,

and not any

of the

but they are made ours by virtue of that

To say

imputation. ... is

reality.

judges according to truth.

commencement

the righteous

They must, therefore, be truly God could not call them righteous unless

they were so in

and

&quot;

eternal.&quot;

righteous, as

are,

placed beyond dispute by

us, that

tells

the righteousness of Christ

not imputed unto us, only

to overturn all

imputation.

its effects

For the

are so, is really

of the

effects

righteousness of Christ cannot be said properly to be

imputed unto us not

so,

;

and

His righteousness

imputation hath no place herein.

itself .

And,

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. therefore, the

who

Socinians,

expressly oppose the

imputation of the righteousness of Christ, and plead for a participation of its effects or benefits only, do wisely deny any such kind of righteousness of Christ,

...

as alone

Justification asserts that

There

may

by &quot;

be imputed unto

Faith.&quot;)

God imputeth

a genuine

text,

us.&quot; (&quot;

Owen on

however, expressly &quot;

righteousness

righteousness,

man.

and a genuine

Consequently the righteousness spoken must be a righteousness which God can confer upon man. It cannot, as maintained by these Plymouths, imputation.

be one of His converted

own

into

divinity conferred If

God were

would cease

men

attributes, because

Gods by having the upon them.

to give

This

away His own

to be God.

cannot be

impossible.

attributes,

It is so impossible for

to part with His attributes, that

attributes

when we

He God

find Christ

manifesting the attributes of divinity, we know of a truth He is really God. Here, again, we see that the

views of Christ.

man,

the Darbyites undermine If the attributes of

the possession of

the divinity

the divinity of

God can be

conferred

upon

them by Christ would be no proof of

of Christ.

The righteousness mentioned is one which God is said

in the passage I have quoted to

impute to

man, and,

therefore, it cannot be the

attribute of divinity possessed

by the Father and Son, but must be the righteousness which was worked out by

Christ, or, in other words, Christ s righteousness

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

which He

the righteousness

obedience of His

has

life,

by the

provided

and the atonement

effected in

His death, in the room and stead of His people. In the Qth chapter of Daniel, we are told that a was determined to finish the transgres &quot;

certain time sion,

and

ciliation

make an end

to for

Who

righteousness.&quot;

make

recon

in everlasting

bring

referred to here

Who

reconciliation for iniquity,

Who

and

to bring in everlasting

Christ could

but

make

of sins, to finish transgression, to

make an end

righteousness

and

of sins,

and

iniquity,

this

effect

The righteousness, then, must be the righteousness of Christ. Moreover, it must be a righteousness which

could work out.

It could

not be one of the

butes of the Godhead, because Christ

could not bring in His

own

existed from past eternity.

be brought

in,

after

;

has existed from past eternity.

the case, the expression

Thou

teousness, the

art

word

God.&quot;

From

does not say

If such

From &quot;

everlasting

had been to the

everlasting to

applies to

its

dura

and, therefore, cannot refer

tion after being brought in,

&quot;

In the case of the righ

&quot;

to a pre-existing attribute

the expression,

&quot;

in.

in, it is to

would have been similar

one in the Psalms, which says, everlasting,

but

which have

This righteousness

being brought

attri

to bring

attributes,

It is to last for ever

everlasting. it

and

;

but in the other example,

everlasting to

cludes eternity past and future.

everlasting,&quot;

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST.

&quot;

Henceforth/ says Paul, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous &quot;

Judge, give me at that day.&quot; If the righteous ness be one of the attributes of the Godhead, as held by these Plymouths, how is it to be given to Paul ? shall

How

God

to place it

to part

with His

on Paul s head

that righteousness which

own

Paul

attribute, in order

not crowned with

an attribute of the God

head, but he is crowned with the righteousness pro vided by Christ; and, as one portion of the Lamb s bride, he is clothed with the robe of Christ s righteous ness,

&quot;the

linen

fine linen, clean

the righteousness of

and white;

for the fine

saints.&quot;

For if by one man s offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace &quot;

;

and of the One, Jesus

gift of righteousness, shall reign in life

It surely will not be disputed

Christ.&quot;

any one calling himself a Christian, that the one by whose offence death reigned is Adam, and that the One

by whose righteousness

life

reigns

Christ.

conveyed in the text as plainly as possible. it

not said

that those

who

righteousness of their own.

they

reign in

It is

received

Observe,

have a

expressly stated that

receive the gift of righteousness.

and capable of being

life

This

was a

gift,

by man, and consequently

could not possibly be one of the attributes of the

God

head, as that could not be bestowed upon man. If it was not one of the Divine attributes, it must have

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

been something worked out for man, and then be stowed upon him.

By whom,

then,

Will any person venture to affirm

was

worked out

was worked out

by the Father, and not by Jesus Christ 1 If it was not worked out by the Father, but by Christ, it must be the righteousness of Christ. There is no escape

The comparison between Adam and Christ

from. this. is

kept up in the next verse,

demnation free gift

As by

&quot;Therefore,

judgment came upon

offence of one

all

men

by the to con

even so by the righteousness of One the

;

came upon

all

men unto

justification of

life.&quot;

the offence of one (Adam), condemnation came

;

even so by the righteousness of one (Christ), the free gift came unto justification. Now, if the righteousness

mentioned here be not the righteousness of Christ, but of the Father, the comparison must lie between

Adam Adam

Christ

Can any person

and the Father.

believe that

here compared with the Father, and not with If he can, I will give

him

up.

Adam

not compared with the Father, but with Christ, then the righteousness spoken of

must be the righteousness

of Christ. &quot;

Further,

For

were made sinners

many

be made

by one man s disobedience many so

by the obedience

righteous.&quot;

here which makes

Adam, and

;

many

sinners

the obedience which

the obedience of Christ.

One

shall

Surely the disobedience is

the disobedience of

makes many righteous

Is it not, then, the righte-

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. ousness

Christ

resulting from

His

obedience

Would any

person venture to say it was the obedience of the Father which was compared or contrasted witli the disobedience of

dience here

Adam

obedience did Christ render

render it? find that

The obe

Certainly not.

the obedience of Christ.

we examine

Ami

for

Now, what

whom

the Scriptures,

did

shall

rendered a perfect obedience to the pre

cepts of the law in His

life,

and then submitted to the

penalty of the broken law in His death on the cross.

In whose stead did

stand throughout these trans

Did He obey the law for Himself, or His people ] Did He suffer the punishment for Himself, or Hi.s people ? For His He people, most certainly. actions

did not require to sojourn in this world on His

account

;

and

with His

His obedient

saints, it

life

was perfectly

useless.

as well have gone to the cross on the if

He had

day

He might

of His birth,

nothing to do, as these Plymouths

by way of obedience of His Church.

to the

law during

life

It is a glorious truth,

as the substitute of

own

had nothing to do

His chosen ones,

assert,

in the

room

however, that,

rendered a

perfect obedience to the holy law of God in His life, and paid the penalty of the broken law in His death,

and thus

browjht in an everlasting righteousness, the

righteous ness of Christ

worked out by Christ, a gift upon man.

a righteousness which, being is

capable of being conferred as

PLYMOUTH

HERESIES.

to the marginal, proper, and But, finally, according the righte literal rendering of the following passage, of Christ ousness is expressly called the righteousness a servant and an apostle of Jesus :

Peter,

&quot;Simon

like precious faith

them that have obtained

Christ, to

with us through the righteousness of our Saviour Jesus

Here

Christ.&quot;

it is

God and

expressly called the

Jesus Christ who is our God and righteousness of dis Saviour. This verse places the question beyond

be the righteous

It proves the righteousness to

pute.

is God. ness of Christ, and further shows that Christ another on subject a similar Just look at expression

for

appearing

of the great

who for

God and our Saviour Jesus

who gave Himself

Christ,

for

us.&quot;

Is it

whose appearing we are

to look

Is it not plain that

who gave Himself

Jesus Christ,

Father

Is it the

Did the Father give Himself the Father, and not Jesus Christ, for

mentioned here

us]

and the glorious

that blessed hope,

&quot;Looking

us, is to

for

appear

He is the great (on the day of judgment), and that God and our Saviour ? If so, a similar interpretation must make

&quot;

Jesus Christ let

the righteousness of our

us examine the expression,

God, which Is it the

Was

Father

and blood?

God and Saviour

the righteousness of Christ.

&quot;

&quot;Feed

hath purchased with His is

meant here

Had

Further,

the Church of

own

blood.&quot;

the Father flesh

Did the Father purchase the Church? who purchased the Church with

not Christ

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. His own blood

man,

And

Christ

not the Church which

both God and

purchased with

His blood properly called the Church of God, or the If so (and who can deny it ?), a 1

Church of Christ

similar interpretation must

of our

God and Saviour

ness of Christ

make

&quot;the

Jesus Christ

&quot;

righteousness

the righteous

and, Christ being God, it is properly and correctly also called the &quot;righteousness of God.&quot; Those who dispute these principles of interpretation ;

own

are bound, for their that Christ

consistency

s sake, to

Socinianisra would

God.

make

deny

the best

foundation for the Darby ite opinions on this point.

Another great error of Plymouthism during His

life

His people, but that is

His humanity was

are

that Christ

was merely sympathetic.

the fair result of the

course

is,

did not actually suffer with or for

&quot;heavenly humanity&quot;

and not

&quot;heavenly,&quot;

could not actually

This view.

ours, of

The Plymouth.s

suffer.

with themselves in making

perfectly consistent

the sufferings of Christ during His

life

pathetic, because

sort

this is the

only

merely sym of suffering

which could be borne by a person who, in place of our humanity, had a &quot;heavenly humanity,&quot; was &quot;a

divine

from

on &quot;

&quot;

man,&quot;

heaven.&quot;

Leviticus,&quot;

and,

In his

&quot;

guarded

edition of

&quot;

Notes

pages 58 and 59, Mr. Mackintosh says,

Himself took our

nesses.

His manhood was the Lord

infirmities,

and bare our

This was entirely sympathetic

sick

the power of

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

which

fellow-feeling is,

therefore,

Christ

Him

very

perfect.

There

between

difference

voluntary sympathiser with

suffering

was

manifest

human

misery, and His suffering as the sinner s sub No doubt of it, Mr. Mackintosh there is stitute.&quot; ;

a vast difference between these two points

much

difference as there

just as

between your sympathetic

theory and the sufferings of Christ as set forth in the

The Holy

Scriptures of Truth. that Christ

&quot;

He was

that

nesses;&quot;

quainted with grief; rejected of

men;&quot;

our

carried

&quot;

when

when He

was

&quot;He

buffered,

reviled,

He threatened

for us, leaving

&quot;suffered

should follow His

&quot;

us an

The

steps.&quot;

wishes to believe Scripture can have no here.

Was

Christ

a ?

man

sorrows on

are plainly told

took our infirmities, carried our sorrows, bore

our grief, and suffered for

which we priest,&quot;

borne our grief and

&quot;hath

His own account or on ours that

man of sorrows and ac He was despised and

that

sorrows;&quot;

example, that

difficulty

that

and that He

man who

&quot;a

&quot;

reviled not again;

not;&quot;

Spirit informs

took our infirmities, and bare our sick

are to follow.

&quot;

says the Scripture,

us, leaving an example For we have not an high

&quot;

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in points tempted like as

For in that

are,

Himself hath

able to succour

yet without

sin.

all .

suffered, being tempted,

them that

are

tempted.&quot;

Words

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. could not more

explicitly assert that Christ suffered

from the temptations endured in life, and that He was tempted on all points like as we are, yet without

and the reason why all this took place is plainly It was in order that He might be an example for His people, and that He might be &quot;able to succour sin

;

stated.

them

that are

Having Himself endured and temptations to

tempted.&quot;

the griefs, sorrows, infirmities,

which His people are to be

liable,

in a proper position

touched with the feeling of their infirmities.

Besides,

endured

things without sinning

all these

in any sense of the word, and, therefore, that

God.

are certain

rendered a perfect obedience to the law of

Such

the testimony of the

Holy

Spirit re

garding the reality of the endurance of the griefs, sorrows, and

infirmities

Christ

but Mr.

life

which were exemplified in Mackintosh

informed on the subject.

much

better

able to tell us that

there was no reality in the taking of our infirmities,

and in the bearing of our sicknesses that it was nothing more than mere sympathy. To use his own ;

words,

&quot;It

was entirely

sympathetic.&quot;

wiser than the Holy Ghost.

deal with the

Word

far

not dreadful to

man who, with extreme

think of the position of the professions of sanctity

his lips, will thus recklessly

God

told that Christ, during

life,

are

as expressly

took our infirmities, bare

our sicknesses, and carried our sorrows, as we are

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

74 that

first

does not suit Mr.

died for our sins on the cross.

Mackintosh

no hesitation in denying sympathetic.&quot;

&quot;entirely

its

reality,

But

as the

theory, he has and making it

the same principle, he

should deny the reality of Christ

death as an actual

atonement, and make it &quot;sympathetic&quot; also. It is an awful thing to twist Scripture to the support of a system, and thus be guilty of

God

&quot;

handling the

Word

deceitfully.&quot;

There

one point which Mr. Mackintosh and his

disciples lay great stress on, as a proof that Christ

nothing whatever to do with or for His people

came

to the cross,

cross

lost the

&quot;From

time to

the

life

give forth

Him

;

and that

is,

light of

time,&quot;

Christ,

that

was only on the

His Father s countenance.

says Mr. Mackintosh,

down

had

till

here,

&quot;during

heaven had opened

the expression of divine complacency in

but on the cross

God

Him, because He

forsook

was making His soul an offering for sin. If Christ had been a sin-bearer all His life, then what was the dif ference between the cross

and any other period ? Why was He not forsaken of God during His entire course ? What was the difference between Christ on the cross, and Christ on the holy Mount of Transfiguration

forsaken of

God on

mount

Was

These are very simple questions, which should be answered by those who maintain the idea of a life of sin-bearing.&quot; Notes the

(&quot;

on Leviticus,&quot; p.

56.)

Great stress has been laid on this

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. It is a regular stronghold.

argument. I

But

75 I confess

quite surprised at the shallowness of the

mind

which could either produce it, or rely upon it. Just look at it Suppose Mr. Mackintosh s son was living a of perfect obedience to all his commands, would he look upon him in the same light as if he were under punishment for the breach of every instruction he had life

given

him

he did, he would be a most inhuman

And

monster.

yet this

justice

exactly the position in which

argument would place the God of must also be remarked that Mr. M. mis

Mr. Mackintosh

represents his opponents, after his

own

sly

method,

by slipping in the word &quot;sin-bearing&quot; for obedience. Christ, in His life, was rendering a complete and perfect obedience to the law, in the room and stead of His people its

;

He was

requirements

fulfilling

tittle

and, therefore, the Father, in place

of hiding His countenance,

Would

every jot and

was well pleased in Him.

not be worse than absurd to expect the

Father to be displeased on account of a perfect and unsullied obedience to every requirement of His law

To be

would

The

case,

and hence, during Christ s life of obedience, the Father was thoroughly pleased and sure

satisfied.

regard to the cross. the law

;

but on

piini.-hment for its

;

however, was very different in life He was obeying He was suffering the He was there suffering

During His the

cross

breach.

as a transgressor, having all

the

sins

of His

people

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

really

upon Him.

Father

Consequently the

could

not but hide His face from Him, until the punish

ment was borne and the debt between

difference

Christ

life

This

paid.

and the

the

cross.

He was rendering obedience, and the Father Him the light of His countenance in the other,

the one,

gave

;

He was under

the curse of the law, and suffering the

for

punishment

its

breach,

hid His face from

Father

and consequently

Him.

able

the

corres

pondent of the London Record very properly observes The whole work of obedience of the Lord Jesus

&quot;

Christ

excluded from this

might have gone Calvary.&quot;

at once

new

gospel.

from heaven

The

surety

to the cross

had nothing to do with His people Calvary, for what purpose did He live ?

If Christ

He came Was His life

till

practically useless?

MACKINTOSH VALOUR. I

LOOKED

Chronicle for

vain over the pages of the

Mr.

Coleraine

Mackintosh s reply to the second

letter I published in that paper.

I could not in truth

say I really expected a reply to that

letter.

He had

got so thoroughly entangled in a labyrinth, without a

thread to guide him, that escape was hopeless.

man on

the

earth

could have

relieved

him from

predicament in which he had involved himself.

The

MACKINTOSH VALOUR.

attempt he made to improve his position, only made

him flounder the

deeper.

I did not, I could not, believe

Mr. Mackintosh was

such a monster as to continue circulating an awful heresy which, either in a palpable or in a

&quot;

guarded

form, underlies almost every article he has written, if he did not believe in the doctrines he teas proj)oundiny

Consequently,

had changed the opinions give

him a

full opportunity,

matter plain to the world, which,

moment imagined he he originally published. To

never for one

however, of making the

put a number of questions,

answered, would have

left

no doubt on the

But these questions he has not found it convenient to reply to. The public will have no

subject

this controversy

with great ardour at

like a valiant soldier in the

but the fully

knowing the reason why.

difficulty in

moment he saw

first

engaged in

he looked

;

flush of excitement

the batteries before

manned and thoroughly equipped, he came

wise, although unmanly, conclusion, that

was the better part of levelled a coward s

gun

valour.&quot;

The

at Dr. Russell

has presented one at me.

to the

&quot;discretion

flying ;

;

him were

Americans

Mr. Mackintosh

sent a private-public

which might be and sundries, but which was not to be saw it, and I only wish I had got a stretch

letter to the editor of the Chronicle,

thown to

all

printed.

it.

His conduct was cowardly in the extreme, and

betrayed a want of confidence in his principles.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

had not the

Mackintosh

idea of allowing Mr.

slightest

demanded an

to escape, I

explicit answer,

yes or no, without any shuffling, evasion, explanation, or

&quot;

guarding,&quot;

now deny

to the following questions

that Christ,

Lord from heaven was

&quot;

had a

a divine

His manhood, was the

? &quot;

humanity

&quot;?

Does he now

that Christ appeared in our humanity believe that Christ

positively

declare

was made under

believe

Does he now

law

the

that his opinions

humanity of Christ are exactly as those

Does he

Does he now deny that Christ Does he now deny that Christ

&quot;

man

&quot;heavenly

&quot;as

Will he the

regarding

and precisely the same

which are held by the Established Church,

the Presbyterians, the Methodists, the Baptists, the

Independents, fair,

and the

Covenanters? questions,

plain, intelligible

yes or no for an answer.

These

were

and required only

Indeed, this

the only sort

would have taken, as I would suffer no no no special pleading quibbling in the matter Some of Mr. Mackintosh s followers &quot;guarding.&quot; of

answer

;

have written

excuse his

silence,

on the

ground that he might not think the Chronicle a proper place for religious subjects; but this excuse

hold

;

because he thought

cannot

a very suitable place until

he saw he was conquered. It was only when he was obliged to beat an ignominious retreat, that it became necessary to avoid the columns of a newspaper. the hope of a

Plymouth victory, the paper was com-

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. pletely sanctified

;

but the

moment

became

inevitable, the Chronicle

This

quite in

ni of

harmony with the deeply

existence

would think

&quot;

Jeremiah,

which

understanding.&quot;

man

that

these pastors

of questioning

pastors according to

Jesuitical

OFFICE.

the Pastoral Office

taught in Scripture, that

a crushing defeat

was unholy ground.

Plymouthiam.

THE PASTORAL THE

mine

&quot;

it.

heart,&quot;

will

Lord, by

here promised pastors

should not

fulfil

The duty

also specially mentioned.

to feed the flock with

you

give

says the

you with knowledge and

shall feed

God has

so plainly

surprised any person

They

of are

knowledge and understanding.

must possess a high degree of knowledge and understanding themselves, because they could not communicate if they had not received. It must If so, they

also be observed, that the parties different

be both a pastor and a all the

who

from those who are to be fed flock.

Hock cannot be teachers.

Hence

feed ;

must be

there is

must

evident

If all the flock are

on a par in this respect, the distinction of pastor and flock is lost and the establishment would correspond with Donald Carr s description of

to be placed

;

the school in which

&quot;

the one was taughting the

other.&quot;

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

8o &quot;Then

ability,

determined to send

which dwelt in Judea it

to the elders

man

the disciples, every

relief

which

according to his

unto the brethren

also they did,

and sent

the hands of Barnabas and

Saul.&quot;

here see that the assistance for the relief of the

brethren was not sent to them direct, but through the

hands of the

elders;

and

shows that there were

this

elders, and that they occupied a prominent position in comparison with the ordinary members. A careful

examination of Scripture will demonstrate that the

term Elder

applied exactly to the same

pastor and bishop (see Titus

bishop are passage

5-7,

used interchangeably)

proves that there must

distinct

from the

and

whom

for

flock,

;

office

where elder and

and hence

have been

this

pastors

over which they were placed,

they received the contributions which

were sent by Barnabas and Saul. &quot;And church.&quot;

when they had ordained them It is

exist before

elders in every

evident from this that a church must

an elder or pastor can be placed over it. was placed over every

It is also plain that a pastor

church so formed. church/

There was no exception

&quot;

every

It is further manifest that the pastor

was

not to run, after Plymouth fashion, through all the churches in the kingdom. It does not say the elders

were to run from place dained in every church.

but they were or church cannot, by the

to place, If a

greatest effort, support a pastor, or if

be impossible

THE PASTORAL OFFICE.

to find one of the proper description,

God will not lay the want of one to the charge of that church, because He is not such a hard taskmaster as to require people to do impossibilities in this affair but I am ; perfectly

certain if a church,

from any other cause than an

impossibility, neglect to procure a pastor, it is

utter

com

mitting a great sin in the face of high Heaven, and I have never known pros-

cannot possibly prosper. perity to take place

where the Pastoral Office was and God * arrangements thus neglected and trampled under foot. The Plymouths are not the despised,

ouly guilty parties in this matter.

common

thing to find

men who

quite a

pretend to be guided

by Bible principles and scriptural authority, and yet no sin to neglect the of plain

feel that it is

teaching Scripture regarding the necessity of procuring pastors for the churches. They are great sticklers for the exercise of gifts, as they call it ; and so as

long

comes under that denomination, they will be quite content to listen to the most monotonous, silly,

and commonplace discourses that ever fell from ignorant and illiterate Whilst there is a total lips. trashy,

absence of

all real gift

with the sound of their

and power, they get infatuated own voices, and become so far

puffed up with pride and self-conceit, that they cannot bear to submit to the Scripture rule of having one \HK,

They

thus,

&quot;apt

teach&quot;

placed

over every church.

under the pretence of standing by Scrip-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

under foot the very

ture, trample

by God

instituted

of a church of Christ.

growth

office

which was

for the instruction, edification,

and

As might be expected

where God s institutions are despised, these parties become dead, stunted, and formal. In place of recom

mending the system of Christ by become a direct stumbling-block If in

their order.

men

these

The

please.

be proposed, as

the scene tested

;

who

are great judges

must submit

witness

to be chosen,

and hard

have

to every imaginable

done, to

;

but

submit their own

of a church, qualifications to the decision

and

gifts

they can sanction his appointment

test before if it

any case a pastor

&quot;gifts&quot;

pastor

their conduct, they to all

The

entirely changed.

but the

men

&quot;

gifts

must be

pastor

are so

superhuman

they cannot submit to any test outside their

that

own

infallible

judgment.

With

the cry of liberty in

their mouths, they deprive the churches of all liberty,

and become grant

voices,&quot;

not.

veritable popes.

The only

the liberty of listening to their

whether the auditors wish fact,

liberty they

own

to hear

&quot;

sweet

them

no greater specimens of petty tyrants

can be found, t

New

Testament times,

church had a plurality of elders

believe that every ;

hence

very

important that the same principle should be carried out

still.

men

In this way, the variety of

will be found of

gifts in different

immense use in a church.

In-

THE PASTORAL OFFICE.

deed, go the whole length of admitting that the Scripture compels us to have a plurality of in I

pastors

every instance where

can be obtained in accordance

with scriptural rule and qualification but I totally deny that in cases where it is impossible to have two, in accordance with scriptural rule and qualification, ;

are compelled to refuse one,

on the ground that we

must not have one when we cannot

find or support

Such a principle would be inconsistent with the arrangements of both God and man. On this plan we two.

could not perform any of our duties, unless we perform them all, we dare not attend to one ordinance with out attending to more

;

we could not do

in a church, unless that church

was

a single thing

perfect

and com

plete in every arrangement, even the simplest. God calls upon us to have everything in a church as perfect as we can ; but He does not require us to do what is

impossible

;

does not forbid us to do one duty

we cannot do two. It is argue that we must not have one because

cannot get two, as

man who

would be

just as absurd to

pastor because

cannot find three meals in the day, must

starve with hunger rather than eat one get.

far

to maintain that the

Our proper as we go, and

course

is to

which he can

do everything right as as we can but we are

to go as far ; not justified in sitting still and saying we will do nothing because we cannot do everything. In point of fact it will be found,

on careful examination, that

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

because two cannot object to one pastor be obtained, are influenced in their conduct by a office as delineated in thorough hatred to the pastoral

those

who

Scripture.

when they were come

&quot;And

Jerusalem, they

were received of the church and of the apostles and the elders.&quot; Could anything be plainer than this?

We have and

three classes here

the elders.

Now,

the church, the apostles,

the elders or pastors were

essential to the wellbeing of the churches at the very

time the apostles were on earth, is there any reason for supposing that they could be dispensed with at present

What

reasons could be adduced for their

do not necessity in those days, which

still

exist

The

churches in those days had the inspired apostles to have the Sacred apply to, and we, in these days, the elders or pastors Scriptures to appeal to but still, ;

are just as necessary

ledge and times.

now

to feed the flock with

understanding as

Seeing

we have

they were

the Scriptures,

know

in apostolic

we can

dis

pense with the miraculous gifts possessed by apostles and prophets but there is just the same necessity as ;

ever for the exercise of the gifts of the pastors or teachers. &quot;

And He

(Christ) gave some, apostles

;

and some,

and some, pastors prophets and teachers.&quot; If the pastors and teachers were necessary at the time the apostles and prophets ;

and some, evangelists

;

THE PASTORAL OFFICE.

existed, they are surely equally necessary

very evident

all these

time they were

first

have existed at

all.

they are

all

were

If they

stitute to

put in their

otherwise they would not

necessary now, unless

stitute

It is

were necessary at the

classes

given

now.

all

necessary then,

we have some sub

Where, then,

place.

the sub

have a perfect substitute now, in the

possession of the Holy Scriptures, for the apostles and prophets; but where is the substitute for the pastors and teachers? The first churches had the

inspired apostles and prophets,

writings

so far

we have the inspired But if, notwith par.

on a

are

standing the miraculous

gifts, they required pastors or elders in every church in those days, surely there

must be an equal necessity what purpose were these

for &quot;

For the perfecting of the

for

them now.

Further,

classes originally given?

saints, for the

work

ministry, for the edifying of

the body of

Such were the duties

performed.

of the

Christ.&quot;

Will any

person venture to say those duties ceased at a par ticular time? So long as the duties last, there must

be ample means for their performance. there are saints

upon

So long

earth, so long as there

any

portion of the body of Christ (His Church) in this world, the work of the ministry must go on, the saints

must be

perfected,

Church) must be

and the body of Christ (His

edified.

In primitive times they

had pastors and teachers as well as inspired men

;

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

well as require pastors and teachers, as But my text goes further

these days

the words of inspiration. for it says these

still,

hour, but

&quot;

till

all

were given, not for a day or an

come in the unity

of the faith,

and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a of the stature of the perfect man, unto the measure fulness

world

It will

lasts.

removed

teachers must

them

This can never end while the

Christ.&quot;

end only when the

heaven.

way

have no substitute for

we have

the sacred oracles

who were endowed with

to take the place of those

miraculous

and

Consequently pastors

still exist.

in the -same

last Christian

gifts.

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ,

which are

to all the saints in Christ Jesus

with the bishops and

deacons.&quot;

The

tures perfectly explicit.

Philippi,

Again are the Scrip the

saints of Christ, or

had bishops and deacons. Do we not require bishops and deacons as much as they did? Are we to be behind them in Christian

Church

of Christ, at Philippi,

privileges

Are we able

to dispense with bishops

and

deacons, seeing that they were required even under

the eyes of the apostles &quot;Remember

them which have the

who have spoken unto you

the

Word

rule over you,

of God.

The

which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, elders

feed the flock of

God which

among

you, taking the

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. oversight thereof

;

and when the Chief Shepherd crown of glory that

shall appear, ye shall receive a

fadcth

not

The

away.&quot;

saints are

here

desired

remember those who have the rule over them, and

who have spoken fore,

the

Word

There must, there

of God.

be rulers and ruled, teachers and taught.

The

random medley.

are not left as a

apostle,

They

who

an elder as well as an apostle, exhorts the elders not only to feed the flock of God, but also to take the oversight thereof, and

they perform their duty as

they ought, they will be rewarded

herd

when He comes

by the Chief Shep

dent here that the duty of the elders flock as well as to rule over

as there is

exist.

Chief Shepherd that there

feed the

Consequently, so long

it.

a flock to be fed and ruled, elders or

must

pastors

It is evi

at the last great day.

must

mentioned

;

also be observed that a

from which

must be wn&r-shepherds.

it is

When

palpable

the under-

shepherds cease to exist in the churches on earth, there can be no Chief Shepherd for them, because in the very nature of things there can be no chief without

an under. &quot;

If a

a good

man

work.&quot;

desire the office of a bishop, he desireth

bishop, then, is not a

office,

and an

more than a common

soldier.

has a special

qualifications of teaching

common man.

official position.

Amongst the

various

enumerated for a bishop, the capability

and ruling occupies a prominent

position,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

88 &quot;

A bishop

then must be ... apt to teach,

that ruleth well his

not

how

of the

to rule his

own house

own

Church of God

;

house,

&quot;

...

how

Who

for if a

one

man know

shall he take care

will read this and dare

to say that a church requires neither ruling nor teach to the ing, but is just to be left

who may imagine

mercy of any booby

own

that the inflations of his

and vanity are the movings of the Holy Spirit

pride

That

the Plymouths are in a miserable plight in this point

by the lamentation made by Mr. Mackintosh over the condition of their gather we often see men on Alas says he, ings. of view is rendered evident

&quot;

alas,&quot;

their feet, in the midst of our assemblies (that

our will creep

in),

of spirituality,

whom

common-sense,

would keep in

their seats.

and gazed in astonishment

often sat

word

to say nothing

some

have

whom we

have heard attempting to minister in the assembly. We have often thought that the assembly has been looked

upon by a

certain class of ignorant

men, fond of hear

ing themselves talk, as a sphere in which they might easily figure without the pains of school

and college

an assembly be troubled by the intrusion men who have never yet of ignorant and foolish men,

work.

measured themselves in the presence of God, men boldly overleap the wide domain over which

who

common-sense, good

taste,

and moral propriety pre

and then vainly talk of being led by the Holy Ghost, restless men who will be at something, and

side,

THE PASTORAL OFFICE.

who keep the assembly in a continual state of ner vous apprehension, not knowing what s to come next,&quot; &c.

Well done, Mr.

(Quoted in Dennett s Lecture.)

You have made out a thorough case your own sect. There is no doubt that all you

Mackintosh against

have said result of

perfectly true

but

the inevitable

your own

system. In place of blasphemously that the saying Holy Spirit is presiding under such circumstances,

cause

qualifications

down

laid

you should set all down to the right For what purpose are the

a rotten system.

of the bishops or elders so minutely

in Scripture, if they are not to serve

guiding us?

Have we no

for

special interest in these

now ? If the first churches required men who were highly qualified for ruling and teaching, do we not need the same ? Unless it can be shown that

matters

are all inspired,

rulers

and teachers

much need

surely have as

as they

The circumstances

had.

which rendered pastors and teachers necessary

at first

were not of a temporary nature, nor did they belong and hence, so long at specially to any country or age ,

they continue

so long as there are

ruled and taught

there

The

rulers

teachers

and

sity for teaching &quot;

must be

churches to be

rulers

and

teachers.

can cease only when

and ruling

the

ceases.

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of

double honour, especially they

and doctrine.

who

For the Scripture

labour in the word

saith,

Thou

shalt not

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn labourer

his

worthy of

;

and, the

There are several

reward.&quot;

items of importance in this passage. The duty of the elders is to rule, as well as to labour in word and

They must attend

doctrine.

same time they are

discipline

the

flock in all the doctrines contained in

God.

They must be both

of ruling.

When

rewarded. of

The

rewarded. fair play,

every

which

man

apt to teach

&quot;

they have done

this,

Some

others.

Word

and capable

&quot;

they are to be

are to be doubly

Scripture here lays

down

the rule of

applicable in all the pursuits of

the

worthy of reward, but some

are all

They them more than

;

be very careful to instruct the

life

be rewarded according to the ability

he displays, and the work he performs. The context here shows that double honour means double support.

The temporal wants that he

may

of the elder are to be supplied, so

be enabled to attend to his duties.

to live

on the proceeds of

in the

same way

as the ox

his ministerial labours, just

must be permitted

to sup

port nature by the proceeds of his labour, whilst he treadeth out the corn for the the plain

meaning

the ordinary

&quot;

labourer

the spiritual labourer is

not a mere gratuity

honestly due. I believe

the

w ants r

of others.

This

of the comparative illustration.

This

worthy of his

not

less so.

it is hire,

;

hire,&quot;

surely

Observe, too,

or wages, or a debt

the teaching of Scripture, and

man who

denies

it,

generally does so

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. because he

own

pocket.

too great a miser to dip his

which hangs over ia

all sects of

into his

Christians in this land,

If they

they support their ministers. alive to their duty,

hand

sorry to say the greatest disgrace

shamefully miserable

the miserable

and their solemn

in which

way

were properly

responsibilities to

God, they would, in general, pay ten times as much as

do.

they

ashamed ties in

surprised

they are

to see their ministers in straits

worldly matters.

not

and

They should never

often

difficul

act so as

compel their pastors to follow worldly occupations There is a prevalent idea abroad that or starve. to

ministers ought to sacrifice something for the sake of

the gospel.

So they ought.

But

I ask,

Are they the

community who are to sacrifice, or be sacrificed ? Is the man who, from his

only parties in the rather to

education and natural ability, could earn three

hun

dred a year in any other profession, to be content with

one hundred a year, doled out from heartless payers, merely because he is a preacher of the gospel ] Is he to sacrifice

two hundred a year, whilst rich men in his

congregation would not sacrifice two pounds Scriptures

demand

this?

Never.

be rewarded according to his work.

The labourer

the

Can any man

call

himself a Christian, whilst he neglects his duty to a minister doctrine

pect a

who is faithfully labouring in word and How can people ex Shame oh, shame

blessing

rest

upon the cause they

are

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

92 engaged

in,

them from

while their miserable parsimony prevents

aware that

creatures

duty as laid down Are these narrow-hearted

and doing

seeing

in the Scriptures of Truth it

their

The Lord

&quot;

written,

or-

that they which preach the gospel should

daineth

live of the gospel.

Let him that

taught in the

word communicate unto him that teacheth in

Be not deceived

things.

God

all

not mocked.

good .

He which

soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bounti fully

It is to be

?&quot;

these passages

but

;

hoped that they have never seen if they do cast their eyes on

them, and afterwards decry ministers for taking and seeking a proper support for preaching the let

them answer

the Almighty,

who

gospel,

will not be

mocked. &quot;

But, ah

admirable

and Trowel list I see

upon

friends,&quot; says Mrs. Spurgeon in an which she published in TJie Sword

dear

letter

for

August 1876,

&quot;when

look

at this

the only shadow of sadness that ever rests

my Book

Fund.

the grief of knowing

that there exists a terrible necessity for this service of love

whom

;

that,

without this help, the poor pastors to

has been sent must have gone on famish

ing for lack of mental food, their incomes being so

wretchedly small that they scarcely provide

things

families, while

honest

money

for

for the

knew how

themselves

and

their

purchase of books

THE PASTORAL absolutely unattainable.

OFFICE.

Their very gratitude for

the boon conferred, often makes

midst of

its

have been sorely such rapture.

for

gladness,

heart ache in the

must

the sense of need

since relief

felt,

received with

servants

Surely these

Christ

ought to have received better treatment at our hands, than to have been left pining so long without the

which are

aids

sacred calling.

ful tools as the plane,

them in

necessary to

vitally

Books are

their

as truly a minister s need

and the hammer, and the saw,

are

the necessary adjuncts

pity a poor mechanic

whom

a carpenter s

bench.

accident has deprived

we straightway get up a subscrip and certainly never expect a stroke

of his working gear, tion to restore of

it,

work from him while

it is

lacking

why,

wonder,

do we not bring the same common-sense help to our poor ministers, and furnish them liberally with the leans of procuring the essentially-important books Is it not pitiful to

year to year ou their miserably small incomes

have large alas

families,

have both

think of their struggling ou from

many more

sick

they have their children

to provide for, are obliged to

appearance or their

hearers

Many

wives, some, s

education

keep up a respectable

would be scandalised,

and how they manage to do all this and yet keep out of debt, only they and their ever-faithful God can know.

Are these men

to be kept in poverty so

deep

that they positively cannot afford the price of a

new

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

94 book without

letting

The

labourer

their

little

ones go

worthy of his hire

;

barefoot?

but these poor

labourers in the gospel-field get a pittance which

unworthy both

workman and

of the

the remainder of Mrs. Spurgeon

must

here

I shall

For

work.&quot;

excellent letter, I

readers to The Sword and Trowel.

make

a digression

from the

subject for the purpose of

duty

refer

the

direct line

remarking on the

In order that the pastor

of Teaching.

may

feed

the flock, he must possess tact, judgment, and good

As Mr. Spurgeon has well

natural ability.

&quot;

said,

really valuable minister would have excelled at any

There

thing.

man who

anything impossible to a

scarcely

can keep a congregation together for years,

and be the means of edifying them for hundreds of consecutive Sabbaths he must be possessed of some :

and be by no means a

abilities,

fool or

men

Jesus Christ deserves the best

and not the empty-headed and the out good natural capacity

man

apt to

&quot;

full justice to

This

teach.&quot;

ne er-do-well.

to preach

its

What owing

own is

&quot;

apt to

place,

the

With

impossible for any

He must

congregation.

a scriptural qualification

which cannot possibly be dispensed with. do we find coming up to the mark on

They may be

His cross

shiftless.&quot;

sermonise,&quot;

which

How

few

this point

very good

but they seldom think of teaching.

cause of

this?

chiefly, perhaps,

to the fact that sermonising requires less talent,

THE PASTORAL

OFFICE.

With less knowledge, and less study than exposition. a as the little acquaintance with whole,&quot; Scriptures and with a little general knowledge, a says my father, &quot;

&quot;

man may

it is

which,

The

patch up an ordinary sermon.

ties consist in the

method being technical

;

difficul

to observe

necessary to learn the art in this as in all Such a sermon gives scope rather to a

other trades. trial of

invention than a knowledge of

When

man

God s Word.

has got a knack of dividing and enumer

ating particulars, and becomes sufficiently acquainted

with the drama of the pulpit, he

may

readily

make a

sermon upon any popular text. When he has got his heads and particulars, it will be an easy thing to pour

some pious rhapsody on each of them. In this con sists much of what is called evangelical preaching. Teaching, however, requires more erudition, more ex tensive knowledge of the

ment &quot;

in the divine life,

Once

prince

start a

sermon with a great

of preachers, Mr.

moment

the

Scriptures,

and a more

labour to the preacher

;

idea,&quot;

remarks that

&quot;and

Spurgeon, forms

discourse

more advance

solid judgment.&quot;

itself

from that

much

without

but as for the exposition, you

must keep to the text, you must face the difficult of the Spirit points, and must search into the mind rather than your own.

You

ignorance as an expositor

will

soon reveal your

you do not study

fore diligent reading will be forced

upon

;

there

you.&quot;

There are two methods of teaching which may be

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

96 had recourse

The one

to.

take

a special

regularly, and fully through subject, the method which I have after Scripture, something in the chapters on the too but briefly, attempted,

and

trace

it fairly,

Righteousness of Christ, and the Pastoral

Office.

This

plan will serve an admirable purpose occasionally

but

;

can never entirely supersede the second method

that of the regular, consecutive exposition of Scrip

ture in the order in it

give

which God has thought proper

When

to us.

this plan is adopted, every

ject is treated in the right proportion

through mere human wisdom

Everything

importance.

cordance with

any

;

none

omitted

and none receives undue

right, because it is in ac

God s own order.

much

truths are

;

sub

Moreover, unpalatable

better received in this

way than

because the doctrines, in place of being

other,

forced on the attention, arise naturally and simply

out of the texts

hardened

;

and there are few men

to rebel against a plain

duction from a passage lying straight eyes,

sufficiently

and inevitable de before

their

and one which has not been brought up to view

with any special intention. As there is never too much on one subject at a time, the point does not

become irksome

to the hearer.

impossible for any real advance to be made in divine things without the operation of

Although

the

Holy

as far as

it is

Spirit,

may

yet safely be affirmed that,

mere human instrumentality

concerned,

THE PASTORAL OFFICE.

no difference whatever between teaching the Scriptures and teaching any other subject This is an important point, which seems to have been lost there

If it had not, eight of. sermonising could never have superseded exposition in the way it has done. If the principal of a school, the occupant of a professor s chair in a university, or the lawyer at the bar, were to proceed with his subject after the sermonising method, he would be turned out of office or left with out practice in a week. The professor would hardly get through a course of science in a quarter of a

Would any

century.

man

sane

ever think of teaching

natural philosophy,

an hour

by giving an eloquent oration of on a sentence here and a length sentence

there, in place of dealing with the subject in a regular

and systematic manner? tents of

any book are

Certainly not.

If the con

to be learned in a school or a

they will be taken regularly inch by inch from beginning to end, simply because this is the only rational method. Why, then, is a different plan to be adopted with the Scriptures? Why do college,

theologians

ignore the rational

method

God has given u^

the

whole Bible, and it is our duty to become acquainted with every part of it, if within our power.

consecutive exposition will far as

human

answer

this

A regular

purpose as

can

agency accomplish it. But no con gregation can ever become wise in divine things by

merely listening

sermons with a text for their

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

The knowledge

motto. ficial

and

of the hearers will be super

the extreme.

trifling in

To prove

this, it is

into a congregation so circum only necessary to go

the hearers on a single stanced, and then examine will be found mar chapter in the Scriptures. They In point of fact, the on innocent subject. vellously their of conscious so are ignorance, that they

they

would ran away almost

as readily as they

the reading of the Eiot Act.

would

for

They could not explain

a single verse, for the simple reason that they have never had the verses explained to them.

out of a

take all the meaning good expositor will He must at once proceed to the next. then and verse, the not only be careful to take all the food out of he but to communicate, verse which it is intended the Scrip guard against adding to into the text which it never

must

also specially

ture,

by putting things

contained.

This

last,

because great crime,

although a

it is

adding

a being wiser than the Holy

common

practice, is a

to the Scripture,

Spirit.

It is

and

no excuse

inculcated are to say, as is often done, the doctrines true,

and are

to be

found elsewhere.

When God

has

man not put them into the text under consideration, is nearly should not attempt it. For this reason it impossible to

make

a popular sermon without turning The discourse has as little

the Bible into a novel.

as possible to do with

which

the

substance of

the text,

of a motto. scarcely serves the purpose

The

THE PASTORAL

and men s ears may but a thorough knowledge of Scripture can

imagination

be tickled,

may roam

OFFICE.

at large,

never be obtained by sermonising.

As Mr. Spurgeon

well

lias

remarked, &quot;If only that part which we preach upon be expounded to them, how little of the Bible can they ever know If you will mark your Bibles with lines under the texts from which you have spoken, as I have always done with on old copy which I keep in my study, you will discover that, in twelve or fourteen years, very little of the book has been gone through ; a very large portion of it remains !

unmarked, like an unploughed field. Try, then, by exposition, to give your people a fair view of the entire compass of revelation take them, as it were, ; to the top of Nebo, and show them the whole land

from Dan

where

to Beersheba,

and prove to them that everyfloweth with milk and I was honey.&quot; greatly

when a child, by an observation on sermonis made by my father from the He

struck, ing,

pulpit.

said, if

any of his hearers, who had a son or a daughter in America, were to receive a letter from their child, they would take it to some person who could read

writing, if they could not

themselves.

would

never content them, however, to have a sentence read here and another there, whilst the remainder was all passed over. as

much

letter.

They would not be

satisfied to

omit even

as the address at the top or bottom of the

They must have every word

the letter.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

100

Why,

then,

the same course not to be adopted

It is the letter

regarding the Bible?

which God has

sent from heaven to earth, and should be expounded

every word.

In his excellent

article

on expounding, Mr. Spurgeon

cautions his pupils against pedantry in the pulpit. &quot;

Those

&quot;

most sure to

Greek, are the in the pulpit

Greek

says he,

gentlemen,&quot;

who know

the least

air their rags of learning

The

they miss no chance of saying,

;

so-and-so.

makes a man an inch and a

by a /oofometer, if he everlastingly lets fall Greek and Hebrew, and even tells the people

half taller bits of

the tense of the verb and the case of the noun, as I

Those who have no learning which

have known some do. usually

make

a point of displaying the pegs on

learning ought to

hang.&quot;

These observations should

who

are

They

are

be a warning to those smatterers in learning continually altering the text of revelation.

not intended, however, to prevent the proper use of learning in exposing the few mistakes which are to be

found in the English version of the Scriptures. Indeed, it is a marvel that the mistakes in our version are so

few

as they are

with the us a

new

effort

;

and

which

have no sympathy whatever being

made

at present to give

translation, because I feel certain that

one real mistake will be be put wrong. I believe it will

rectified,

where

a dozen passages will

In place of being a correct translation, be found to be one to foster some pet

THE PASTORAL Time

opinions.

will

OFFICE.

The

tell.

version are not numerous

;

IOI

errors in our present

but they are sometimes

very important, and should be made known. I once heard an Arminian descanting with great energy on the ninth veree of the second chapter of Hebrews,

which says that Christ

laid

man,&quot;

tasted

&quot;

death for every

on the expression,

great emphasis

and was thus carrying

him

all before

man.&quot;

&quot;every ;

but he

was sadly put about by a few observations which I felt constrained to make. I told him, if he were really quoting Scripture, his

great force

;

but

text in the Greek, I

argument would have he professed to understand the had no hesitation in charging him

with the high crime of fabricating Scripture for the purpose of deceiving those who were listening to him. This came on him like an electrifying shock, and took good care that he never recovered from

its effects,

as I placed a Greek Testament in his hand, and asked him to point out, in the the word which cor original,

responded with

&quot;

man,&quot;

in the translation.

regular stopper for him, as there

as one letter in the original for the

the translation.

There

of cover, or excuse for

have

left

The

word

Our

it.

&quot;man&quot;

Should

parties included in the

They should Holy

taste death for

term

should

translators

&quot;man.&quot;

the passage exactly where the &quot;

much even

no sort of shadow, or shade

never have put in the word

left it in the original

This was a

not so

&quot;

every

Spirit

every.&quot;

would then

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

102

have been easily ascertained, because the next verse demonstrates that it was every son brought to glory.

when properly translated, the pas the Armitiian heresy of of in supporting place sage, those who were actu extending the death of Christ to thus see that,

the time ally in hell at

suffered, goes directly

the other side, and demonstrates by &quot;

Christ tasted death for every for those

who

ashamed

&quot;

are

call

&quot;

sanctified

son &quot;

; &quot;

brethren

;

&quot;

its

context that

brought to glory He is not ;

for those for

the

which God hath given Him. The exposition should be reasoned out

children

&quot;

fairly

&quot;

and

the text, or simply, without in the least overstraining ideas. The bringing up far-fetched and imaginary let loose on such moment be never should imagination

ous subjects.

Walter

men want

a novel, let

them go

interpretation be correct,

the understanding. It

natural.

It will

appear plain, simple, and

may sometimes

difficult

to ascertain

the exact meaning of an obscure passage thing

to Sir

Word of God. If an will commend itself to

Scott, rather than the

;

but one

absolutely certain, that no exposition of the

obscure text can ever be correct which contradicts the plain, palpable,

and inevitable meaning of other por

tions of divine truth.

contradict

itself.

The Word

God can never

If properly understood, the obscure

be capable of an exposition in perfect passages would with the plain. If any doctrine is to be

harmony

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. established, is

plain

and

must be proved by

texts

103

whose meaning

Passages of doubtful significa

inevitable.

tion can never be properly alleged in support of

any

Unless they are of certain meaning they I have sometimes heard men can prove nothing.

doctrine.

hammering away attempt

battering-rams

their

establish

the

silly

the meaning of

idea of

an obscure passage by alleging, in the way of illustra tion and proof, other passages whose meaning was quite as obscure as that of the text they were attempt

This

ing to elucidate.

just going

on the principle of

making one infallible out of two fallibles one plain out of two that are dark. The true principle of Bibli (

cal interpretation is to

are plain

prove a subject by texts whicli

and when we come

;

to those passages

are obscure, in place of alleging

which they can never

fairly do,

we can

fectly satisfied if

them

we should

them

give

which

to prove a thing

rest per

fair, consistent,

and rational interpretation, which will harmonise with plain portions of divine truth. inevitable

and

;

let

us rest contented

Let us prove by the if

we can just

fairly

rationally, without straining, succeed in explain

ing the obscure.

Some men no

act

sin to gather

on the principle as

up a

certain

number

they thought

of texts, appar

ently on one side, for the purpose of overbalancing

some other other side.

which they imagine to be on the In this way they make the passages con-

texts

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

104

and then take the

tradict each other,

own

their

dictions for real contradictions,

own

of necessity exist in the

God

of truth, they

How

they can do

origin, is a

and then hold

In place of looking

pet doctrines.

mony which must

which pleases

side

They mistake apparent contra

taste best.

make

so,

mystery

Word

me.

to be of divine

The man who

sets

portion of revelation to contradict another

than an

He makes God

infidel.

har

of the

the Bible worse than a fable.

and yet believe to

their

for the

liar.

one

worse should

burn his Bible, and profess himself to be what he an atheist. Even good men have been known really is to say, that they preach Calvinism

a Calvinistic text, and

on an Arminian

text.

short of impious.

when they come on

Arminianism when they come Such a statement is nothing

It degrades the Bible

the production of an honest man.

could not be the

Word

of God.

even below this

view

Calvinism and Armi

nianism are as diametrically opposed to each other as

any two things could possibly be consequently they cannot both be true. It would not even make them ;

both true

if they were in the Bible, for the simple reason that they contradict each other, and a contra

diction can never be true.

false.

Some one

them must

have already demonstrated, in

&quot;

Transubstantiation,&quot;

my work

the existence of a contra

diction in the Bible, in place of proving the contradic tion to be true,

would only prove the book which con-

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. tained

Hence

false.

105

man who

I say that the

holds two such contradictory things as Calvinism ami

Arminianism

be in the Bible,

most awful impiety.

charges

just guilty of the

God with

contradict

ing Himself.

Calvinism and Arminianism are not both

in the Book.

Such a thing

impossible, because they

directly contradict each other.

The sun

of creation

of Paul

must

not more visible in the

heavens at noonday than

Calvinism in the writings

consequently the harmony of divine truth

;

Arminius from

for ever exclude the doctrines of

Indeed

the pages of revelation.

problem in human

it is

how any

nature,

a marvellous rational

man

could believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures and

For consistency

yet deny the doctrine of election.

sake he

bound

cut

following out of the Book those days shall be

such passages as the

all

&quot;

shortened.

anything to the charge of God

For the .

s elect

elect s

Who 1

sake

shall

lay

... For the

children being not yet born, neither having done any

good or

evil,

calleth.

before

that the purpose of

God

according to

Him

that

hath chosen us in

Him

might stand, not of works, but of

election

According as foundation

the

world.

the

Having

predestinated us unto the adoption of children. to the

purpose of things after the counsel of His

Being predestinated according

who worketh will

all

As the

elect of

God.

Knowing,

Him own

brethren.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

106 &quot;beloved,

your election of God.

the beginning chosen

you and

According

God

the faith of

God

But ye are a chosen generation. saved us, and called us with an holy .

through

elect.

according to the foreknowledge of .

hath,

from

sancti-

belief of the truth.

of the Spirit

fication

to salvation

Elect

the Father. .

Who

hath

calling, not ac

cording to our works, but according to His

own purpose

which was given us in Christ Jesus before For whom He did foreknow, the world began. and

grace,

He of

also did predestinate to be

His Son.

them He

also

also justified

conformed to the image

Moreover, whom He did predestinate, called and whom He called, them He and whom He justified, them He also .

;

The meaning of these passages is and inevitable that it is utterly impossible glorified.&quot;

rational

who

man

to mistake

it.

so plain for

Consequently, the

any

man

holds any doctrine at direct variance with these

texts,

compels revelation to contradict

itself,

and

duces Scripture from the dignified position of being the

Word

of God.

His position

a most awful one.

Indeed, leaving Scripture out of the question, every rational

who

man

bound

believes in a

of foreknowledge.

God If

God

that would

God

happen before If He had all.

pened before

believe in predestination,

possessing the divine attribute

could

did not it

know

happened,

to wait

till

everything

He would

not

the event hap

know anything about

it,

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. would be no better than a man. the perfection of

God s nature

all eternity

those

and those who would be damned.

knew

this

from

necessary to

He had He must

to grant that

the divine attribute of foreknowledge.

have known from

107

If so,

who would

be saved

Consequently,

use an able argument

all eternity, to

from one of the Largs tracts, it must have been fixed from all eternity. Unless it was fixed, He could not have known it it,

but no more.

were uncertain,

Guessing, however,

with Divinity, that the cannot believe in

God

He might is

guess at

so inconsistent

man who maintains such a view His God would be no at all.

His knowledge There can be no uncertainty in

better than the gods of the heathen.

would be imperfect.

God s knowledge. the beginning.

He knew everything precisely from He knew all who would be saved, it

is idf-evident that it

eternity

could not really have

fixed

from

all

was not

fixed,

must have been

who would be

saved.

known anything

correctly about

was any uncertainty, His knowledge would been have equally uncertain. He could not have known it.

If there

whether there would have been only one, or a million. What idea does this give us of God ? Would He have been any better than a

man

He had

been obliged

know

the saved ? judgment Did He prepare the &quot;mansions&quot; without knowing He knew from all they would all be occupied ? otherwise He was no eternity who would be saved to wait

till

the day of

;

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

108 God.

He knew

then, fixed

it,

must have been

to the inevitable conclusion, that all

Godhead must

attributes of the

who

believe in the

founded in reason

and developed most extensively throughout

The

doctrine

&quot;Who,

thus come

believe in the doctrine

a doctrine which

of predestination

fixed.

God, and God only.

it ?

predestination

revelation.

does not, as

its

enemies

allege, overturn the responsibility of man. Nothing could be more certain than that the Scripture

plainly teaches that man, since the Fall,

and inevitably prone to evil, he is held accountable to God

man must deny these

two things in

necessarily

same time,

for all his actions.

so.

If we are called on we must at once confess

It is a point

of reason,

find

and

it.

comprehend

is far

&quot;We

it.

than we

are

eternity, space, life, death,

beyond

must, therefore,

not within the province

as it has not been revealed,

not attempt to fathom it

it is

which

God has not thought

to explain it in revelation.

leave

The

cannot see

revelation.

the compass of our reason, and fit

who

the use of his senses

to explain or reconcile them,

our inability

whilst, at the

are

we must

no more able

able to fathom time,

and Deity.

Although we

cannot comprehend them, we are bound to believe the two doctrines referred

to,

because they are plainly

set forth in various places in the infallible

inspiration.

How

any

man

their existence in Scripture

words of

has been able to deny is

a marvel to me.

His

THE PASTORAL OFFICE.

109

opposition to the doctrines cannot possibly

be based

on the want of evidence, but must be owing to an utter want of disposition to submit to the evidence which

doctrines

so plainly before him.

The

denial of these

just a species of infidelity.

Although

this is not the place for discussing these

questions, I shall, before quitting the subject, refer to

one point, which

imagine the most reckless amongst

the professors of Christianity will not venture to dispute

namely, That

man may

sin,

and be held accountable

for his sin, in carrying out the very decrees of the

This

Almighty.

a wonderful idea

the very purpose of dying on Calvary of His people.

Every

but

;

Christ came into the world for

incontrovertible truth.

cross for the sins

single thing that

happened was

absolutely necessary for the fulfilment of that marvel lous fifty-third chapter of Isaiah.

All was prophesied

must happen, and happen an exact and particular manner. It was unavoid

and decreed beforehand.

able, because it

belonged to the eternal purposes of

the Almighty.

But

parties

who

carried

yet,

notwithstanding

God s

all this,

the

decrees into operation were

held accountable as sinners for their actions. action was inevitable, and yet

was

sinful.

The

Here we

have the two doctrines palpably and plainly taught. No man dare venture to deny the fact. We cannot explain

it,

but we must admit

it.

The

facts are patent

throughout revelation, and the words of Scripture are

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

110 unmistakable

&quot;

Him, being delivered by

deter

tlie

minate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked Lands have crucified and slain. .

But those

by the mouth

suffer,

things,

which God before had showed

of all His prophets, that Christ should

hath so

fulfilled.

Kepent ye,

be converted, that your sins All things must be

fulfilled,

may

therefore,

be blotted out.

and .

which were written in the

law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me. Truly the Son of Man goeth as .

was determined

man by whom man if he

but woe unto that

;

had been good

betrayed.

had not been

born.&quot;

for that

language could be more

Christ was delivered by the deter

decisive than this.

minate counsel and foreknowledge of God

w ere r

ings

parties

foretold

who

all

the prophets

fulfilled the predictions,

the determinate counsels, were

having done

His

;

suffer

and yet the

and carried out

held responsible as

by wicked hands.

;

Here the two

doctrines are as plainly set forth as words can depict

them.

The

crucifixion

was inevitable from

all eternity,

and yet the performance of it was sin. Christ must needs be betrayed, and yet it would have been well for Judas had he never been born. this as a

that

no reason

attempt to deny

we may,

We may

look upon

marvellous and inexplicable doctrine

why we should

its

existence in Scripture.

is there.

To some

;

but

vainly and foolishly

it is

Deny

very unpalatable

;

THE PASTORAL but that does not make valid reason

untrue.

why we should

contains such doctrines.

OFFICE.

ill

Neither

there

any

reject revelation because

the contrary,

the

Book

were of man, it would have been differently written, and the plan on which it is written, being objectionable to the natural its

mind

divine origin.

man,

a strong argument for

can neither fathom nor reconcile

man s necessity and responsibility. They are not within the compass of reason. the one

may

It is perfectly possible that

be true in one sense, and the other in a

different sense, and, therefore, there is

no necessary

When

they do not neces a just right to have each other, they sarily contradict be believed on proper evidence. These doctrines just contradiction between them.

occupy the same position in regard to the exercise of reason that the Trinity does. They are far above its reach, and, therefore,

Under

them.

we cannot comprehend

plainly set forth in Scripture,

This course

them. reason,

or explain

those circumstances, and seeing they are

are

bound

to believe

consistent alike with revelation,

and good common-sense. Since they are not it would be anything but rational

contrary to reason, to reject

many

them

as untrue, whilst

other things, such as

life,

firmly believe in

death, eternity, time,

and Deity, which are quite as incomprehensible If we were to believe as necessity and responsibility. space,

nothing but what we are able to comprehend, we would believe very little. Every man believes he has life ;

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

112 &quot;but

would like

life

to see the

We may know

is.

man who

its

nature.

me what

tell

we cannot

in the least

It is a great

mistake to

indications of its existence, but

degree fathom

can

consequences, and the

its

imagine, as some have done, that the doctrines

have

been referring to are in the same position as the doctrine of Transubstantiation.

They

bounds of reason

son, it is within the

necessarily contain a contradiction,

Trinity as an illustration.

that three Gods are one

they do not

Take the

God

;

or to say that one

three persons, and that three persons are one

person.

;

does.

would certainly be a that one God is three Gods, and say

contradiction to

person

are above rea

This would

come within the compass

and would involve a contradiction, and could not be true. But this is not the Trinitarian doctrine. reason,

It involves

no contradiction, because

holds that the

three persons are one God, and the one

They are not

persons.

God

three

three in the same sense in which

they are one, nor one in the same sense in which they are three.

They

another sense. their

are three in one sense,

Godhead they

are one.

the light of heaven that there

The thing reason

;

and one in

In their personality they are three, in It is surely as plain as is

no contradiction here.

incomprehensible because

but there

it is beyond our no contradiction in the matter.

the other hand, however, the doctrine of Transub

stantiation comes perfectly within the province of,

and

THE PASTORAL OFFICE.

113

directly contradicts, our reason, and, therefore, cannot

possibly be true.

bread

Its essential

poiut

is,

changed into the real body,

that a piece of

flesh, blood,

and

bones of Christ, whilst at the same time, according to the testimony of our senses of sight, touch, taste,

hearing, and smelling, there it

has

all

not the least change on

the qualities and properties of bread, and

gives us no evidence whatever of being flesh, blood, and

bones.

Now,

this is a point

within the power of our

reason, is perfectly cognisable to our senses, is

and

as it

plainly contradictory to our senses and reason,

cannot possibly be true. truth.

evidence could prove

contradiction cannot be true.

however, with ing about. true,

all

They

It is different,

the other doctrines I have been writ are all above our reason,

and hence ought

cient evidence.

its

and may be on suffi

to be received as true

very foolish and quite unphilosophical to refuse to believe a thing merely because it is

beyond our

many

To do

reason.

equal with God, stand

It is

so is to imagine that

who knows

things

;

all things.

are

can under-

but there are thousands of things Let us not on this ac

which we cannot comprehend.

count foolishly imagine that they must be untrue. They may or may not be true for aught our reason can tell. If

our reason were more perfect and more extended, we might understand many things which are now quite

dark.

Things which are incomprehensible

might be quite

easily understood

by a man

an idiot like Sir

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

114

Isaac Newton.

the same principle, tilings which

were incomprehensible to Newton might be as plain as the light of

man, provided only the or two additional

to another

day

him with one

Creator had endowed

reasoning faculties to those which

This

the right

to look at

way

Newton

possessed.

If one of our

it.

present reasoning faculties were taken from us,

would be unable

comprehend many things which

Would

we now understand.

that

make

these things

untrue, or be a proper reason for our denying their

truth

the reason

They would only then be above

Certainly not.

could

tell

possessed,

and might be true

reason.

for

aught

So, in the other case

;

the

things which are above our present reason might be completely within our compass if we had another faculty

added

our present stock.

idiot, that

man would

our present puny whilst

we ought

Newton

as far above Sir Isaac

God had

created a

be amused at the tiny

intellects.

Hence

to reject everything

untrue,

doctrine,

we should never

which

grounds of

its

free

which contradicts

we know

reject a properly-attested

from contradiction, on the mere

being beyond the reach of our present

reasoning faculties. to

efforts of

I conclude that,

reason, because, being thus within its compass, it is

man

Newton was above an

This

the course which appears

be consistent with revelation as well as with

genuine philosophy.

In expounding Scripture,

thcire

should be as

little

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. repetition as possible.

different aspects

quite right, because

important method intellect

;

different

catching

but mere repetition

valuable time, and

115

Turning up an argument in is

a very

classes

a complete waste of

an insult to the understanding

man who

of the hearers.

If a

of the hour in

recapitulating his previous discourse

spends the

first

quarter

will only look at his audience, he will find that nearly all the hearers cease to

and open

tion,

The

mences.

think during the recapitula

their ears only

repetition

when new matter com

of a thing

which has been

recently heard becomes dull, monotonous, and unin

Some parties imagine that very low and slow speaking has a good effect in solemnising the audience but this is a It lias great error. teresting.

;

Try

;

ju.&amp;lt;t

the effect of allowing the brain to become perfectly lethargic, and may suit those who mistake absence of

thought for intellectual devotion spiritual worship.

Under

minds of the hearers there

who

will

a dead calm for

this sort of

wander

speaking, the

to other subjects, as

nothing to support sustained thought.

follow this method not only

Those

show a n ignorance of

the functions of man, but they also exhibit an indiffer ence to the awful solemnity of the position in which

they are placed before perishing souls.

If a barrister

be called on to address a jury on whose lips hang the life and death of a prisoner, how will he

proceed/ Will he act in a namby-pamby way, and drawl out his

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

TI 6

he were sick at stomach, and modulate his last voice in such a delicate manner, that the first and He No. ? the to inaudible are jury of his sentences

words

as if

will get

nature

all

the

capable

in earnest

;

fire,

which his energy, and vigour of

he will show that he his subject

and believes in

thoroughly

he will cause

;

his voice to ring through every corner of the building

;

and he will impress the jury by the weight, power, and force of the well-argued and touching

majesty,

he makes to their understanding and appeal which He never permits their energies to of their thoughts to wander from the subject flag, or them. Why, then, life and death which lies before their feelings.

? should the same course not be taken in divine things from the meeting-house Is human nature different in

what

it is

in the court-house

the temporal

more important than the eternal? quite

to the

mark on

life

Mr. Spurgeon

Every word

this point.

Taber the his discourse is plainly heard throughout observa his words redundant he uses no &quot;

nacle

&quot;

;

tions are intensely to the purpose

misunderstand him; he

is so

loses a

;

it is

evidently

impossible to

all

earnest;

alive to the value of time, that he never

much moment during

the

entire

service;

and the

from the beginning to the end, is never interrupted. that sustained thought so are energies of his hearers,

To me, his service is perfectly enchanting. To speak in a perfectly natural voice

highly

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. important.

one man in a dozen in

&quot;Scarcely

pulpit talks like a affectation

117

says Mr. Spurgeon.

man,&quot;

the

&quot;This

not confined to Protestant*, for the Abbe

Mullois remarks,

Everywhere

else,

speak at the bar and the tribune

;

men

speak

they

;

but they no longer

speak in the pulpit, for there we only meet with a factitious

and

because, unfortunately,

where

language and

artificial

This style of speaking

false

tone.

only tolerated in the Church,

so general there

would not be endured.

else

;

What would

man who would converse in a similar way in a drawing-room ? He would certainly provoke many a smile. A man who has not a natural and true thought of a

delivery should not be allowed to occupy the pulpit.

You may go all round, to church and chapel alike, and you will find that

far the larger majority of

have a holy tone for Sundays. for the parlour,

our preachers

They have one

and quite another tone

voice

for the pulpit

;

so that, if not double-tongued sinfully, they certainly

are so

The moment some men shut

literally.

pulpit-door, they leave their

behind them. the

The

There they might almost boast with

would be blasphemy

men

thank God for

cerebral organs connected with observation

comparison are

human

race

the

personal manhood

Pharisee, that they are not as other

although

the

own

fairly ;

are, it&quot;

and

developed in a vast majority of

but, if

we except the Scotch and

Germans, we cannot say the same thing in regard

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

Il8

the faculties of concentration and abstract reasoning.

Hence

to necessary for every public instructor

by suitable anecdotes, comparisons, drawn from history, natural science,

lighten his subject

and

illustrations,

and daily observation of the occurrences of life. It is perfectly competent for him to do all this without introducing unbecoming levity of any sort

make

be up to the mark, he will

;

and

his discourses ex

his line of tremely interesting and attractive, whilst than if understood argument will be much more easily

he kept to a dull process of mere abstract reasoning. thorough honesty of purpose is He should be above essential to the religious teacher.

Above

all things,

suspicion on every point.

When

called to the pastorate

of a church, he should never accept differ

from

those of the

if his

sentiments

church, unless he has

first

the points on which he fairly and fully explained his he If differs. peculiarities in the back keep of insidiously and ground until he has an opportunity the people, he is thoroughly indoctrinating

gradually

dishonest.

have known immense injury

Such

churches in this way. direct

inflicted

cases result not only in

injury to the parties immediately concerned, inflict a severe blow on the cause

but they also usually of Christianity.

pastor should be straightforward

and above-board on every a case

came under

impression on

point.

notice

mind.

When

very young,

which made an

was

sitting at

indelible

a breakfast-

THE PASTORAL table in

Dublin,

through the

ion was

was very

when

OFFICE.

a minister,

119

who was

no way restrained by

little at

the time.

to the south of Ireland

fur

The

passing

The convent

city, called for breakfast.

presence, as I

minister had been

some time, supplying a

congregation which was being diverted from the Trini He was asked what tarian to the Unitarian Church.

were the prospects of success, and he replied that they were very poor indeed. He found fault with the seced ing minister for having acted with precipitancy, and He said, when the minister for want of judgment.

changed his sentiments on the Trinity, he announced the change to the congregation at once, and the con

sequence was he had few followers

;

whereas,

he had

taken what he considered the prudent plan, he would

have kept his mind to himself,

until,

instilling his doctrines into the people,

them round

by gradually

he had brought In this way

to his side of the question.

he would have secured success to his cause. thought but in

that

may be your

opinion there

Well,

idea of religious propriety,

not an honest bone in your

There can be no comfort, harmony, or pros perity in a church, unless the minister and people With regard are of one mind on all important points. body.

to things

which are usually considered

which the conscience

trivial,

and on

of either party is not bound,

there should be great caution and forbearance on the part both of pastor

and people.

It is

light matter

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

120 to break

up the harmony

of a church, or to create dis

sensions and divisions of

near so

much

any

It is not

sort.

of as it ought to be.

thought

ever be done,

except under circumstances of the most decided neces sity, it is a sin of a

very high order

it is

raising a

direct obstacle to the prosperity of the cause of Christ. &quot;Men,

now-a-days, occupy pulpits with the tacit

understanding that they will uphold certain doctrines

and from those very pulpits they

The plan

are pledged to defend. to

operate from within, to

infect.

half

assail the faith is

;

they

not to secede, but

worry, to insinuate, to

Within the walls of Troy one Greek is worth host let, then, the wooden horse

Agamemnon s

;

of liberality be introduced

force or art, as best

may

serve the occasion.

Talking evermore right boastfully of their candour, and hatred of the hollowness of creeds,

they will remain members of churches long after they have renounced the basis of union upon which &c.,

these churches are constituted.

moment they

Yes, and worse

;

the

reminded of their inconsistency they whine about being persecuted, and imagine themselves

to be martyrs.

are

If a person, holding radical sentiments,

upon being a member of a conservative club, he would meet with small sympathy if the members insisted

would not allow him

their organisation as a

cherished principles. liberty of conscience

remain among them, and use

means It

when

for

man

overthrowing their

flagrant violation

intrudes himself into

THE PASTORAL OFFICE.

121

a church with which he does not agree, and to

there and

be allowed to remain

demands

undermine

its

Conscience he evidently has none himself,

principles.

would not ignore his own principles by becoming an integral part of a body holding tenets which he but he ought to have some honour in him as despises a man, and act honestly, even to the bigots whom he or he

;

so greatly pities,

by warring with them

If a Calvinist

battle.

in fair

and open

should join a community like

Wesleyans, and should claim a right to teach Calvinism from their platforms, his expulsion would be the

and not a violation, of

a vindication,

demanded

that in such matters

liberty.

respect the

man

independence of thought, we reply that we respect it so much that we would not allow him to fetter it by a false

we do not

respect

we would permit him

to ride

rough-shod over

profession, but

that

such a degree all

others, and render the very existence of organised We would not limit the Christianity impossible.

rights of the lowest ruffian

our bedchamber the case

we may

expulsion

and damage

;

but

he claims to enter

altered

;

his

summary

injure his highly-cultured feelings,

his broad

views

;

but we claim in his

ejection to be advocating, rather than abridging, the

rights of

the

man.

mouth

and yet

of a

Conscience, indeed

man who

persists in continuing in it

to use the

what means

it in

attacks the creed of a church,

term conscience

He would

blush

he had any, for he

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

122

true members by his insulting the conscience of all the Our pity is reserved for the intrusion.

impertinent

who have

honest people

the

pain

and trouble of

with the ejected one we have he had no business there, and had he

ejecting the disturber

no sympathy been a true man, he would not have desired :

remain

;

nor would he even have submitted to do so had he been

solicited.&quot;

Sword and Trowel

for

November

1871.

I may, perhaps, take the liberty of referring to the course by the Rev. Edward Dennett. In the

pursued

year

the 870, he published a Lecture against

Plymouth

was to test Brethren, in which he remarks that these claims that we entered upon the task proposed &quot;it

this evening

;

but we had no idea of the labour thereby

involved, for there is

single publication

which con

tains their views,

and hence we have had

of pamphlets, to

wade through shoals of their contro and winnow the chaff from the

to read a host

versial writings, to sift

wheat, to apply to

mation

;

arrive at

Brethren

in fact, to adopt

themselves for infor

any and

all possible

an accurate knowledge of the

means

subject.

to .

We can, therefore, venture to

give the assurance that not

a single statement has been

made without

scientious investigation of all

placed within our

reach.&quot;

a most con

the means of information

This

is all as it

should be.

If the statements here be correct, he took nothing at

random, nothing second-hand, nothing without the

most careful investigation.

Having read a host

of their

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. pamphlets, having waded through

having

sifted the chaff

having

writings,

the

applied

123

shoals

their

from the wheat, and themselves for

&quot;Brethren&quot;

information, he could not possibly have serious mistakes, if

he intended to do

made any

justice, unless

he was utterly incompetent for the task he undertook. If

he had not natural capacity for understanding his he should not have aspired to the position of

subject,

What, then, in the

critic.

light of the quotations I

have made from his Lecture of 1870, are we to think of the statements he has published in his pamphlet

he had openly joined the Brethren ] He withdraws his entirely changed. &quot;

of 1875, after

The

scene

&quot;

Lecture from circulation

;

and, in so doing, he says,

The grounds of this withdrawal may be briefly stated. The writer made the discovery that some of the sources

&quot;

which he had

of his information, on

relied

when

the

pamphlet was written, were untrustworthy further and more authentic information concerning some of the ;

circumstances with which he had dealt, constrained

him

to interpret

them

in a wholly different

manner

;

an examination of the citations, which he had adduced in support of his statements, in their context, convinced

him

that he had imposed a

to their writers

intention.&quot;

which requires

little

itself.

The

In his

position

first

meaning upon them foreign This

comment

a state of matters

The

case speakl far

a most humiliating one.

pamphlet or Lecture, before he was an

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

124

open Plymouth, he

&quot;

says,

can venture to give the

made

assurance that not a single statement has been

without a most conscientious investigation of

means

all

of information placed within our reach

&quot;

;

the

but

in his second pamphlet, after he became an avowed

Plymouth, he says, I sometimes suspected whether I had dealt quite fairly with them in criticising detached &quot;

quotations

whether, in

;

fact,

had conscientiously

sought to ascertain their real meaning, and to test

by the Scriptures.&quot; To reconcile these opposite state ments about his conscientious investigations, is a task I

must leave

to himself

After joining the

could not undertake

&quot;

Brethren,&quot;

a principle of interpretation

the

awkward

position in

it.

Mr. Dennett lays

which

which he

down

exactly suited to

placed.

Instead

of following the regularly-adopted course of interpreting

every

man s

writings, whether secular or religious,

the fair and real meaning of the words which are used,

asserts that

&quot;

the

mind

of the writer ought to govern

the interpretation of a passage, even though a faulty style or laxity of expression

another

meaning.&quot;

tion

essential

Plymouthism,

it is

might seem

all

who adopt

plain on the face of

valid foundation to rest on.

admit of

this rule of interpreta

Although

How

the it

system

the

has no

mind

of the

that

by the words which he uses 1 Can any one but God know what is going on in the mind ? If a man never uses a word, either in writer to be ascertained except

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. writing or speaking, his

mind

are

And

who

can

man

125

what the thoughts

uses words in writing,

tell

he not bound to use them in their proper meaning, in place of shuffling in the most disreputable as to mystify his subject

What would

manner

be thought of

who would adopt Mr. Dennett s principles ? he were to come into court and acknowledge that the words of the Act of Parliament were against his the lawyer If

client,

but inasmuch as the mind of the writer of the

Act might be entirely different from the words, he claimed the release of the prisoner, would he not be hooted as a

madman and

sure he would.

It is

turned out of court

]

To be

religious whim

only when some

to be served, that nonsense becomes sense.

In the

first letter

to his friend, in his

1875, Mr. Dennett says,

pamphlet of have now

six years

&quot;Some

Its very elapsed since our friendship was formed. ... commencement was a prediction of its nature and char acter, for it

sprang out of fellowship in what we, at

that time, held to be the truth. that position

but in

spirit,

Baptist denomination altogether.

was that

What, then, was

Nominally we were Baptist ministers, and also in practice, we were outside the

we gave ourselves more

The

effect of this

heartily to the

of the Lord, striving to fence off our people as

though the

work

much

was very difficult from to train them to the study

task

pMrible denominational influences,

of the Scriptures for themselves, and to build

them up

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

126 iii

the truth of God.

Our hope was

to continue

with

our people, and to have increased blessing resting upon

us and our labours in their

conduct

this

What

are

nominally one thing, while in they are another

What

are

What sort of men who are

midst.&quot;

to think of

and in practice

spirit

to think of the

system

which will allow men, in place of resigning their charge, to stick on by their congregations in the hope of fencing off their people from the influence of the denomination to which these people honestly and pro fessedly belong ? What are we to think of the system

which permits a man such conduct

to look for

God s

blessing on

more important

If there be one thing

than another in a person professing to be a Christian minister

or,

straightness

indeed, a Christian at all of

purpose.

Jesuitical

it is

thorough

conduct should

never exist under any pretence whatever.

Although it is incumbent on every Christian to act and speak with the greatest care, it is doubly impor tant for the minister to do so, as small matters will

sometimes influence his position. minister to

who was

I once

an old lady and gentleman named

hearers of his, and life,

whilst a poor

who

woman

Little,

possessed all the

who were

comforts of

of the congregation

been called on for eighteen months.

woman

heard of a

said to have paid almost daily visits

had not

At length

the

and when she found

fault

with her minister for neglect of her, he replied

that,

poor

received a

visit,

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. as she

was

all right

127

religious matters, she did not

require attention, and he was obliged to spend all his spare time amongst those of religious instruction.

who had &quot;Hech

that be the case, Mistress

the greatest need said she,

me!&quot;

Mettha

Little

maun

&quot;if

be an

This was a severe and deep rebuke

for

what the poor woman considered an evasive excuse

for

awfu

sinner.&quot;

his conduct in neglecting his ministerial duty to the poor, whilst he

had plenty of time

to spend with the

Dean Ramsay tells the story of a Scotch lady, who, when told by her minister that lie had got a call

rich.

from the Lord yard, asked

income. &quot;

another part of the Master s vine

there

would be any improvement in his and she at once replied,

said there would,

thocht as muckle.

The Lord micht hae

ca d loud

an lang,an ye wudna heerd Him, gin the steepen had Under certain circumstances, there better.&quot; nae l&amp;gt;een

can be no reason

why a

minister should not better his

but when he worldly position like any other man does so he should frankly acknowledge the fact, and ;

stand on his privilege, rather than attempt to make a sense of people believe that he is actuated solely by the cull of God to another part of the to

duty

obey

vineyard.

He would

tion of every person

And ance.

this brings It is

stand

much

better in the estima

by acknowledging the plain truth. to another point of some import

admitted on

all

hands that a minister has

a perfect right to change his place,

he has proper

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

128

reason to be dissatisfied with

Full privilege

change.

This

this point.

There

his- people.

also be various other motives

which would

may

justify a

always conceded to him but, on the other

quite right

;

extended hand, there should just be the same privilege If a congregation wish to get rid of to the people. their minister, there should be no obstacle in their to get rid of way. They should just find it as easy their minister as their minister

The

of them.

found so in practice

By no

would

should be mutual.

facilities

means.

get clear

Are they

There are ex

and use amples innumerable of crotchety ministers, until disaffected they less drones, sticking by a people have ruined the cause

;

and when they ultimately own defects, they throw

leave, in place of seeing their all

This

the blame on the people.

be.

When

man

finds himself

not as

should

without any success in

a place, he should at once change his position to a more suitable spot, or else he should turn himself to

some avocation

for

which he

the Christian ministry.

better adapted than for

Instead of charging the faults

of the drones on the hearers,

who

are generally thirst

man

ing for

knowledge, we should

who

sound spiritually-minded, consistent in his walk,

in his doctrines, and

without success.

maketh

the eater,

&quot;apt

feel certain that the

teach,&quot;

will not be left

the rain watereth the earth, and

for bring forth seed for the sower and bread return not shall Lord so the word of the

THE PASTORAL OFFICE.

129

void, but shall infallibly accomplish the purpose for which it is sent. God will bless His own institution. I

must now return from

this long digression.

Many

parties have taken up the strange notion that they have a right to speak in the church whether they have been appointed to an office or not. This surely is an

evidence of great presumption.

own

sole judges of their

They

are to be the

qualifications

If so, the

fewer real qualifications they have, the higher will

There

they rate themselves.

no fear of such parties

forming too mean an opinion of their own abilities. The sound of their voice charms themselves so much, that lect

must

of necessity

charm other people.

I recol

once being present at a meeting where the pro

priety of lietening to some individuals was considered. I singled

be put

out one of them, and proposed that

to the vote of the

to edify

submit

them

or not

to the test

and would speak.

;

should

members whether he was

fit

but he peremptorily refused to he said he had a right to speak, ;

In other words, he was to be sole

judge of his own powers, and those he was about to instruct

must

listen to

or not.

This

him whether he

edified

them

looked upon not only as unscriptural,

but also as a specimen of the most absolute tyranny that could be imagined.

The

witness, the counsel, the

and the judge were all to be rolled into his own sweet self. Such a state of matters could not be en

jury,

dured, and he found

convenient to join the Ply-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

130

mouth Brethren, where he can which

to forget the Scripture

done unto

edified

and

;

&quot;

says,

Let

all

The church

frustrated.

would

know who

like to

&quot;

apt to teach

&quot;

who

those

are to be edi

precluded from forming an opinion. new-fangled religionists,&quot; says Mr. Spurgeon, fied are

brother

who

consists

worship

public

chooses to

the prelections

jump up and

is to

whether or

judge of the capabilities of the speaker not he

things be

If this rule be not observed, the

edifying.&quot;

intentions of Scripture are

must be

and rule with

ride

Autocrats of this description seem

undisputed sway.

&quot;

Those

&quot;\vhose

any

talk, notwith

standing their flattering inducements to the ignorant

and garrulous, usually dwindle away and die out because even men, with the most violent crotchety ;

views,

who

that every

conceive

member

to be the

of the

mind

of the Spirit

body should be a mouth,

soon grow impatient of hearing other people

nonsense,

though delighted to dispense their own.&quot; I have heard another idea about the Pastoral that the pastor

must be chosen out

dividual church over which he there

The

is to

Office

of the very in

be placed.

Now,

not a shadow of Scripture for such an opinion.

idea has arisen from confounding the election of

deacons with the election of pastors.

In regard to the

election of deacons, they were told to choose out seven

men among

themselves, and hence a restriction arises

on this point

;

but with

respect

to the

elders,

THE PASTORAL OFFICE. pastors, there is

not the slightest restriction at

They were ordained came, or chosen,

131

in every church

;

all.

but whence they

what place they belonged before they were the shadow of information. They

we have not

might have dropped from the moon, told on the subject.

for

aught we are

Consequently, as the Scripture

has laid down no rule on the point, we should not forge one to suit our own restricted ideas. We should just do as the Scripture authorises us

possess the qualifications laid

place they belong, or

Let

who

choose the pastors

down, no matter to what

whence they come.

be specially observed that the foregoing re

marks are in no way opposed of any gifts which Christ

Every man

gift or talent

to the proper exercise

may bestow on His

Church.

responsible for the exercise of whatever

has been conferred upon him.

Candlinh has well observed,

&quot;

Dr.

deeply concerns both

himself and the Church, that he and the Church should find out

what that

is.

that, being

found out,

mon

good.

And it

it is

of deep concern also

com

should be used for the

Every Christian should see

that

he recognises his own special gift, takes his own proper Sermon before place, and does his own fitting work.&quot; (&quot;

Free Church Assembly in

1862,&quot;

pp. 15, 16.)

the

duty of every man to ascertain exactly what his own gift i*, and then he should exercise it ; but it is also his very special duty to take care that he does not,

through the inflations of pride and vanity, attempt to

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

132

encroach on the province of

This

received.

They

gifts

away on the They seem to forget

are carried

conceit.

which he has never

the rock on which most

it is

the weakness of

gifts

they have, on

and highly sinful to lay which they do not possess.

man

that he cannot be trusted

own

be the sole judge of his

position in these

rule that the body of Christ (His Church)

and that

edified,

all things are to

Consequently

sity, that the parties

the

must be

be done decently and

follows, as a matter of neces

who

mat

down

ters, and, therefore, the Scripture has laid

in order.

self-

positively

claim to the exercise of gifts

Such

split.

own

that while, on the one

hand, they should make use of the the other hand,

men

tide of their

are to be edified

judges of the gifts of those

who presume

must be the

to edify

them.

circumstances, no person can claim a to exercise any office in a church till he is first right church and if the church wishes that of by approved

Under

these

;

to test

any man

qualification for

which could in the order,

and

least

man may

liberty to

recognised.

must be

This

a point

lost sight of, because it is the

Scriptural rule for our guidance.

from lording

office, it

encroach on the decency,

edification of the body.

which must never be

much

no course towards that end

specially careful to adopt

It matters not

how

think of himself, he is here precluded over

God s

exercise gifts

This

people, by saying he has which the Church has not

both a scriptural principle and

THE PASTORAL an exceedingly wise one.

OFFICE.

If it

133

were not

for

it,

church might be placed in a condition of the most abject slavery

by some empty-headed creature who

was incapable

of seeing his

own

The

insignificance.

great evil of departing from Scriptural rule on this

point

who he

by the Plymouth Brethren,

fully exemplified

when

are fulfilling the prediction of the apostle,

says,

&quot;The

when they will not en but after their own lusts shall

time will come

dure sound doctrine

;

they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears

;

and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.&quot; The miserable plight in which this deluded sect is placed is well exemplified in the lamentation of Mr. Mackintosh,

which

have

already quoted in this chapter, at the 88th page.

Church of Christ

human

body.

in the

most aptly compared body every organ has

to the

its

own

Church every member has not a member in the Church

special province, so in the

his

own

place.

There

but has some special sphere in which he can for

which he

endowed.

then keep closely by it

Let

him

The

act,

and

find out his place

and

foot should not

usurp

the place of the eye, nor the hand of the ear.

Every

own

duty,

one should keep his

place

and do

his

own

and then the whole body will be in good, healthy, and There will be a delightful harmony and useful action. beauty under those circumstances, which cannot be seen

when

all

the

members

act as if they supposed

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

134 that the body

When

tongue.

room allowed

him be exercise

composed of only one organ

a person complains that there

in a church for the exercise of

told that there

the

reproving

gifts, let

ample opportunity

gift

the

for the

healing

tattlers,

breaches, promoting unity, assisting the poor, support

ing the ministry, and paying towards the propagation

and

of the gospel;

the gift of the is

&quot;

gab,&quot;

will soon

if I

may

become evident that

use such an expression,

the only gift which he recognises in a Church of

by the hour, but he will pay by In words he might perhaps recognise the Pastoral Office, but in practice he will ignore it. Christ.

will talk

the farthing.

There

one peculiar feature, as I have already said,

about these sticklers for the exercise of imaginary If a pastor is to be chosen, a

man

Paul would hardly please them.

gifts.

equal to the Apostle

They

will examine,

and examine, and examine into every shred of his composition they will try him, and try him, and try him they will turn him inside out, and outside in, ;

;

and

after all

they would like three months more.

But,

any person should propose that their own gifts should be well tested before being formally recognised, if

they will kick against

at once.

Their talents are to

be judged of by themselves, and must not be sub mitted to the vulgar crowd.

These

men have

the gift in their

own

must be heard.

They cannot submit

eyes,

and are

received

infallible.

to the

They mean or-

THE PASTORAL OFFICE.

135

deal through which they drive the poor pastor. tyrants, these are about the

tyrannise under the sacred

Their entire conduct Their pride

name

own

self-conceit.

as great as their brains are empty.

Leviticus,&quot;

hia

&quot;

upon

to preach the

edition of

guarded

Mr. Mackintosh has some excel

lent observations on the duty of selves called

men who

feel

who

gospel.

for preaching the gospel,

If a rich

how

life to

be supported

an unpardonable crime to take money openly

If it be

Suppose

has no private income, devotes his

the preaching of the gospel,

and

them

and go out But he has overlooked one

to resign their situations

point which I request he will inform us on.

a man,

all

of religious liberty.

ruled by their

the 54th page of

M Notes on

most despicable, because they

what

man meets him on

the poor fellow to do

the street and says,

&quot;John,

glad to hear you are busy preaching the gospel,

as I consider it

my duty to assist in supporting you under the circumstances, here is a fifty pound note to Satan,&quot;

you,&quot;

the

although he

man

may

to say,

behind me,

&quot;Get

chance to have a large and

expensive establishment to support

he to refuse

the reward of his labours, thus offered in an open, straightforward, is

and honest manner?

home and pray

ance, and then intimate,

God

But above

all,

for pecuniary assist

by some means or

other, that

the fifty-pound note with which Satan was openly

tempting him, would be considered a direct

gift

from

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

136 heaven,

if it

was only put in an envelope and dropped

into the Post-office for him, without to the source it

whence

was given?

any intimation as which

came, or the purpose for

manifest,

he has no private

income, he must live in one or other of these ways.

Now, whether would he be

acting

more consistently with

honour and high-minded integrity in holding out his right hand before his face, and openly and thankfully receiving the honest reward of his labour, or in slipping his left

hand quietly behind

do, in the

his back, as the Plymouths hope that the money might be slipped into

in a legerdemain fashion, in order that

it might be from on high ? To my mind, the one plan would be an evidence of manly principle the other

it,

called a gift

;

the indication of a low, sneaking disposition, which

blushes not to insult the Majesty of Heaven.

Plymouths, however, are wise in their

own

These

generation,

because their Jesuitical plan of support secures an in

come

to the preachers far

beyond anything they could

obtain by straightforward, honest means.

Having thus given a concise statement of what

believe to be the teaching of Scripture regarding the existence,

stated

and

necessity,

continuation,

and support of a

settled Christian ministry, I shall

to the theory of the

now

turn

Plymouth Brethren concerning

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY

SPIRIT.

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY I

WISH

quote on

it to

137

SPIRIT.

be specially observed that the statements taken from the accredited

this point are

writers amongst the

Plymouth Brethren themselves.

thus gave them the fairest possible judgment, as

all

the witnesses are from their

What more

tion.

could they ask

the 6th page of

&quot;

own

Worship and

told that the doctrine of the

side of the ques

Holy

Ministry,&quot;

Spirit s

are

&quot;

presence

and supremacy in the assemblies of the saints is one of the most momentous truths by which the present and the writer further says period is distinguished &quot;

&quot;

;

he could not

fellowship with any body of pro

&quot;have

fessing Christians

who

substitute clerisy in

any of

forms for the sovereign guidance of the Holy It is also stated

on the 7th and 9th pages of

its

Ghost.&quot; &quot;

Christ

Centre,&quot; that, from the moment the Holy Spirit was we search in vain in the New Testament for sent,

the

&quot;

any Church government except the sovereign guidance Enter an assembly belonging Holy Ghost. any denomination of the present day .... the PRESIDENCY of the Holy Ghost is forgotten a man

of the

fills

His

&quot;

place.&quot;

Again,

gathering can claim to

be a Church of God, save that company that meets in the

name

of Jesus, and in the dependence

upon the

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

138

presence, supply, (&quot;

and ministry of the Holy Ghost.&quot; I need not mul

The Lord s Supper and Ministry.&quot;)

tiply quotations, as these are quite sufficient to

show

that the special presidency of the

Holy

Spirit in the

assemblies

Now,

a settled doctrine.

easy to

prove that Christ has promised to be in the midst of His people

although, be

when they

observed,

are gathered in His name,

He nowhere says He is to On the contrary, we are He has given pastors and

be the president or pastor. expressly informed that teachers

and we are told in other places that the the flock of God, and

;

elders or pastors are to feed

take the oversight thereof, and that those elders which rule well are to be counted

Now, it

worthy of double honour.

the pastors are to oversee and rule the flock,

cannot be disputed that they occupy the position

of presidents.

This

the testimony of the inspired

Word, and there is not a single text in all the Scrip tures which states that the Holy Spirit is to be the president of the assemblies, or that

in any other sense than as

The Holy

believers.

even present

dwells in individual

Spirit dwells in every Christian,

either in the church meeting or out of

cannot possibly follow from

moment

number

president.

them meet This

this, that

together,

the

;

demand

of the

becomes their

a positive doctrine, and requires

a positive, distinct, and unmistakable proof. I

but

Plymouths one text

Now,

of Scripture in

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY which

it is

plainly taught that the

SPIRIT.

Holy

139

Spirit presides

at the meetings of the Church.

such a

Until they produce and they have never yet done it, their

text,

system must be pronounced a pure I

by what

title

selves

ima

fiction of the

have often wondered how men, no matter

gination.

may be called, can consider them name of man, so long as they

they

worthy of the

hold that certain things are taught in the Scriptures, whilst they are unable to point to a single passage

which

explicitly teaches the doctrine.

hold to their

times larger than Lord Rosse the book,

line

although,

belief,

will often

were applied

every

would not discover one word

Such conduct degrades

asserting the doctrine believed.

the understanding, and brands the it

They

a telescope seventeen

Word

God

were as unintelligible as a book of riddles.

As might be

expected, this doctrine of

Supremacy

has driven these fanatics to wonderful extremes.

They

go the whole length of claiming inspiration for them selves.

page

He is

(the

The author

Huly Ghost)

liberty for the

assigns.

Holy Ghost

According to

will.&quot;

and

&quot;Worship

Ministry&quot;

says,

one must take any part but that which

&quot;No

Liberty of ministry

to act by

this, the

whomsoever

man who

speaks,

speaks under the direct presidency of the Holy Spirit,

and must be

infallible.

says the writer of Church,&quot;

25,

&quot;is

&quot;The

choosing of pastors/*

Ruined Condition of the

a daring encroachment on the

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

140

authority of the

Holy

understand

I can well

Ghost.&quot;

and not man, has the power of conferring

that God,

the gifts which are necessary for the pastoral

office

;

how the Holy Spirit can choose the man, and then make His choice known to the world. This could not even be known by the we parties chosen being inspired to tell it, because but

cannot understand

would not know they were

Holy

inspired.

slightest

necessity for the

Holy

Spirit

point.

not the

office,

details

because the

surely requires no information on this

To my

needs no instructions.

the fact that the

down

minute scriptural

regarding the qualifications for the

to lay

Besides, if the

Spirit is to choose the pastors, there

Holy

thinking,

Spirit has thought it necessary

in the Scriptures, in the most precise and

particular manner, the various qualifications

necessary for the

man who

a pastor or bishop,

which are

the

office

an undeniable proof that he

desires to

fill

by uninspired men. If the choice rested with the Holy Spirit, he would require no instructions.

to be chosen

Just think of the Holy Spirit requiring a printed of qualifications to guide

Him

in His choice

list

Just

think of the Holy Spirit causing the instructions for

His own guidance

might forget them

to be !

written

down

Plymouthism

the choice was to be

made by

for fear

Plymouthism

men

Even

there

would be no necessity for details. The power would enable them to point out the

of inspiration

inspired

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY

man

without a long

SPIRIT.

of instructions.

list

141

Hence

details are given concerning the

conclude, as minute

be intended either for the qualifications, they cannot

men

Spirit or inspired

Holy

but must be for the

;

If this be not so, the

guidance of ordinary mortals. Scriptures contain superfluity

more than

when they

man who

are requisite in the office of

necessary

a useless

detail the qualifications is

which

be selected to the

a bishop.

The author

&quot;

The Ruined Condition &quot;

Church,&quot;

at page

19,

says,

those companions of the apostle

the

remarkable that

who

possessed his

or else sent to confidence, were left in the churches,

them when already elders

existing, in

order to

select

such

a clear proof that the apostle could not confer &quot;

their elders upon the churches the power of choosing and the writer of the tract called &quot;The Brethren&quot; to elders, then, an apostle chooses&quot; says, p. 17, &quot;As ;

This

(Acts xiv. 23).

some version beheld.

entirely

new

light to me.

Bible contains no such statement, there must be

of the Scriptures

which

must be the Plymouth, or

Bible informs

that

&quot;

have never yet forged, version.

those companions of the

and the apostle himself, ordained elders in the churches, but it nowhere states that they selected apostle,&quot;

or chose

them

the world.

;

and

There

pass of inspiration

this

makes

all the difference in

not one word in the whole com

which

states that the elders

were

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

142

by inspired men, nor

selected or chosen

contrary,

have

qualifications

which

there a

single iota to lead us to such a supposition.

the

already observed, the minute

are detailed

must be taken

as a

conclusive proof that the elders were to be selected

by uninspired men, who required proper and full in structions for their guidance At the 18th page of his into the Sabbath, the Law, and the Inquiry &quot;

Ministry,&quot;

Mr. Mackintosh asks,

church at Ephesus, or Crete, directed to

the direction [to

why were

&quot;

Why

or appoint elders

elect

was not the

not the churches at

Why

was

given to Timothy and Titus,

elect]

without the slightest reference to the Church or to

any part of the Church I just ask

Mr. Mackintosh,

to be in the Scriptures

Scriptures

were

why

this,

will he state a thing

which he knows

not in the

here states that Timothy and Titus

directed to elect the elders,

that there

They

In place of answering

&quot;

whereas he must

know

no such direction in the whole Bible.

got no instructions whatever to

but they got instructions to ordain.

elect

or choose,

can hardly

give Mr. Mackintosh credit for sufficient stupidity to

warrant -the supposition that he could confound the choosing of a is

chosen, as

must be

The

man with

the ordaining of

him

after

both meant the very same thing.

selected or chosen before he can be ordained.

rule of Scripture

members

of the church,

who

plain as possible.

The

are to choose their office-

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY

SPIRIT.

143

bearers, are not inspired, and, therefore, they require,

and have received, very minute instructions regarding the necessary qualifications of candidates.

If these

instructions are carefully followed out, they will point at once to the parties who have received the necessary gifts from the Great Head of the Church, and these

should be chosen, or elected, by the church over which they are to be placed as rulers and teachers.

Church

The

to be ruled

and taught, and the pastors must be capable of ruling properly, and be &quot;apt to is

teach.&quot;

lamentable to think that the three

whom

writers from

I have quoted assert that the were selected, elected, or chosen, by inspired men, although the Scriptures contain no such state

elders

ment.

It is truly awful to think of the

way

the Plymouths deal with revelation. great reverence for

They

profess

and then put on a very sancti twist, turn, add to, alter, and

it,

monious garb, and torture

which

which may please

in every direction

their

fancy.

Mr. Darby asks,

make His

&quot;If

God

known?

presence

there, is

festation of the Spirit in the individual is

gift,

acting,

and,

that

Govett.)

If this

know not what

is.

great

Spirit,&quot;

point.&quot;

21, as

not to

(&quot;

who

mani

acts;

It is

God

Presence

and

you please, an impulse.

the

Operation of the

do, it is a

quoted by Mr.

be not touching on inspiration, I If the

man

acting be

God

acting,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

144

If the he must be inspired and infallible. action be a manifestation of the Holy Spirit ;

the result of a direct impulse from the

Holy

man s be

if it

Spirit,

he should not only not be appealed from, but his decision should, on no account, be questioned, because he

the direct and

infallible

mouthpiece

of the

To hinder any movement of the Spirit,&quot; Almighty. the author of The Lord s Supper and Ministry,&quot; says &quot;

&quot;

when the

down

to tie

saints

that

our thoughts, is

come together

movement to

into one place, or

any denned system in

quench the

&quot;

Again,

Spirit.&quot;

not sobriety, as a Christian, to overlook or deny

the present direct guidance, by the Lord through His Spirit, of

above p.

the

His

disciples, as

written

being something over and

Word.&quot; (&quot;

quoted by Mr. Govett.)

56,

Present

Testimony,&quot;

Further,

&quot;We

meet

on the principle that God the Holy Ghost (who dwells in believers individually, and in the body collectively) alone has a right to speak in the meeting, and He has a right to speak

See Govett.)

by whom He will.&quot; (Torquay statement. These not only claim inspiration for

the interpretation of the inspired writings, but they

go the whole length of claiming inspiration for that

said at the meetings.

acting

;

If their acting be

their impulse be the Spirit

all

God

impulse

;

hindering the movement be quenching the Spirit if

;

the disciples have the direct guidance of the Lord

by His

Spirit,

and

the Spirit alone speak in the

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY meeting,

must

145

follow, as a matter of necessity, that

every syllable uttered

men

SPIRIT.

really

If these

inspired.

moved by the Holy

speak as they are

they

Spirit,

on a par with the prophets of old, whose came not by the will of man but holy prophecy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy are quite

&quot;

;

On their own showing, the Plymouths are as thoroughly inspired as were the prophets of ancient

Ghost.&quot;

There

days.

not the slightest difference.

They

are far

beyond the reach of the instructions given in the New Testament any man speak,&quot; say the &quot;If

Scriptures,

Here

it ia

him speak as the oracles of God.&quot; man who is to speak but amongst the

&quot;let

the

;

Darbyites the

man

only to stand up for the Holy to Here the man is to Spirit speak through him. ia

speak in accordance with the oracles of God, but every Darbyite is an oracle of the Holy Spirit. We are told the

that unto

Jews had a great advantage,

them were committed the

&quot;because

oracles of

God

;&quot;

but we of Great Britain have a far greater advantage, became we have Oracle Darby alive and in our midst

[Mr. Darby died in the year minister, let giveth.&quot;

him do

Here again,

as of the ability

it is

the

but the Plymouths say they that

God

in the

man who &quot;meet

any man which God

&quot;If

1882.]

to minister

;

on the principle

the

Holy Ghost alone has a right to sport&quot; Here again, the man-minister is to meeting.&quot;

minister as of the ability which

God

givetli,

and

this

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

146

must include every

sort of ability

which he

possesses,

whether by his natural or spiritual birth, because he possesses no sort of ability whatever but what he has received from

God

should not use his

on the Darbyite view, a man

but,

;

own

natural powers at

all,

as he

only to be the passive instrument of the Holy Spirit.

When

the greatest fool in the assembly gets up, he

no more

to be questioned than if he

Paul, because

whom He

it is

pleases.

were the Apostle

an example of the Holy Spirit using The Scripture which directs that a

pastor must have the

endowment

must not be attended

to, for these new-light divines

of being

&quot;apt

teach&quot;

have

discovered that the only thing necessary is to watch the movement of the Spirit.&quot; As a quaint old man once &quot;

They must start up when the Spirit jags That these views, however inconsistent they

said to me, them.&quot;

may

&quot;

with some others of their statements, are

really held

by the Darbyites,

from the quotations

mani

incontrovertibly

have made, as well as from the following extract, which has been taken by Mr. Govett and Dr. Tregelles from Mr. Haffner That fest

&quot;

the practical denial of the presence of the in the

Church existed

assured.

Holy Ghost

Ebrington Street,

fully

assurance of this arises from a con

versation I had with Mr.

Newton, just before leaving Plymouth, on the subject of preparation for ministry, when he said, that before coming to the Lord s table he did not see it at all wrong to be prepared with what

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY had

say

to the saints.

SPIRIT.

147

This, beloved friends,

me much, very much, at the time, and shook my Our poor brother did thus practically confidence. shoclxd

deny the present leadings and guidance of the Spirit He did not wait to be inspired in the of God.&quot; assembly

If the Darbyite principles be correct,

no false views, or views inconsistent with each other, could ever be taught

the

never occur. &quot;Instead

of looking

Spirit should

whom He vians,&quot;

&quot;The

contradiction

could

revert to this point presently.

immediately to one

man, the

be waited upon, to minister through

pleased.&quot;

26.)

assemblies.

I shall

(&quot;

Reasons for Leaving the Mora

Quite ri^ht,

they are

all inspired.

manifested judgment of the Spirit of

one gathering of saints

valid for

all.&quot;

God

(&quot;Present

Correct p. 39, as quoted by Mr. Govett.) on their own theory If the Spirit of God in again spires one assembly to deliver a particular judgment, Question,&quot;

other assemblies should consider the decision valid

all

and

infallible.

would certainly be a very

affair to try the inspired

men

ticklish

in various

Plymouth same point, as the consequences of a variety of adverse decisions from a number of tribunals under the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit assemblies on the

would be dreadful thing to lay for

all.

down

contemplate.

Hence

the rule that one decision

a wiae valid

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

148

how

Let us now see their theory

far their practice

bears out

of the

sovereign guidance, movements, and presidency of the Holy Spirit in their assemblies. Of course, if the Holy Spirit preside, he will keep due order, and effectually prevent the intrusions of Satan.

and of man.

The Holy

Spirit

surely too powerful

as a president to permit us to think that for

Him

to be

overcome by either

man

a thought would be blasphemous.

with these fanatics

it is

possible

Such

or devil.

How,

then,

have already quoted, at page 88, the very emphatic lamentation of Mr. Mackintosh ?

regarding the conduct of some parties in the assemblies.

Just think of the awful impiety of charging the Holy Spirit with presiding in the

meeting under such

cir

cumstances. &quot;

I confess to you,

says the author of

brethren,&quot;

Worship and Ministry,&quot; p. 18, when some time ago we had five or six chapters read, and as many hymns sung, around the Lord s table, and perhaps not more &quot;

&quot;

than one prayer or giving of thanks, it did occur to me whether we had met to improve ourselves in reading

and singing, or to show the Spirit was presiding, rect,

and the writer

forth the this

Lord

death.&quot;

must have been

far astray

all cor

when, in the next God an im

sentence, he says he unfeignedly blesses

provement has since taken

place.

Just think of this

improvement has taken place in what was presided over and guided by the Holy Spirit !

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY &quot;

It is in this

way,&quot;

SPIRIT.

says Mr. Goodall,

&quot;

149

the agency

London Bridye meeting (now Salter s Hill) is working on the one hand superseding and suppress of the

ing local responsibility, and on the other usurping the authority of the Holy Ghost in the Church by its ecclesiastical

documents.&quot; (&quot;

Correspondence,&quot; p. 20.)

ration 1

86 1,

Walworth and

Priory

undoubted proof of

inspi

The Woolwich Assembly having in February without waiting for a trial and in the absence &quot;

of evidence,

on ex parte statements, pronounced Mr.

Stewart to be excommunicate, thus practically deny ing the unity of the body and the presence of the

Holy Ghost

in the Church, to our

humiliation.&quot;

ence

(&quot;Walworth

&quot;

;

Introduction, p. 3.)

common shame and

and

Priory Correspond

Who

can doubt the Spirit

was presiding!! &quot;On the 23rd November 1860, a circular was printed issued, containing charges against Mr. Stewart of

untruthfulness, dissimulation, and un

righteousness,&quot;

signed on behalf of the Brethren meet

ing at Zoar Chapel, Jersey, Denize. p. i.) &quot;

&quot;

(&quot;

Henry Bullock and Philip

Statement of Jersey

In relation to

this, Dr.

Case,&quot;

dime

by Mr. Eland,

of Jersey writes,

believe the charges brought against Mr. Stewart

utterly fake,

and that he made every

opportunity of proving them

Mr. Eland,

p. 12.)

so.&quot; (&quot;

effort to

JeiMJ

If the Spirit be acting,

have an

Case,&quot;

Bullock and Dr. Currie deliver such opposite

men Is?

how do Mr. state-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

150 it

&quot;Suffice

says Mr. Stewart, in his

say,&quot;

&quot;Ap

that the whole of this shameful pro

&quot;

pp. 14-34,

peal,&quot;

cedure was got up by a faction, fed and fostered into

an exaggerated form by dissimulation and for a wellunderstood purpose.

... No pen could the poor saints of

plexed in Jersey. is

The

table

was

set

up there

as a matter of convenience than of principle.

be done,

agent.

how

for fourteen years

God have been worried and per Whenever a dishonourable action .

one has not far to go to find an

How

describe

was

this

brought about

Through

the cunning craftiness of men, whereby they lie in

wait to deceive, aided by the counsels and appeals of plausible sanctimoniousness

Is it

come

this

pass, brother Darby, that injustice, banished from the

slaveholders of America, has found an asylum in the

bosom of the Brethren any

....

do not believe that

body could be found unless it be the where such a wanton outrage could be

religious

Mormons

with impunity to truthfulness and honour.&quot; would now dare to doubt the presidency of the

offered

Who

&quot;

Spirit

The excitement and

Culverhouse, in his

&quot;

confusion,&quot;

says Mr.

Statement as to the Jersey, Guern

London Case,&quot; pp. 5, 10, &quot;which prevailed at sey, the conference, precluded, I regret to state, all sober and

investigation.

to describe

...

impracticable, dear

brethren,

the true state of things, either in the

gatherings or at the conference.

Every remonstrance

PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY

TIIE is

unheeded.

threats, it

to.

...

151

insolence,

slanders,

Insinuations,

and violence are resorted

an inquisition

SPIRIT.

designate

the meeting of the 2ist

A brother,

instant the doors were guarded and locked.

on applying for entrance, was seized by the throat and thrust

back.&quot;

Undoubted proof

the Holy Spirit

Now, who

are

members

Was

mere theatre

&quot;Our

Wigram, Dr. Cronin, and Mr. are the chief and ruling

says Mr. Culverhouse,

members to a

blasphemous

of this conference?

brethren, Mr. Darby, Mr. Lean,&quot;

of the presidency of

the idea not

&quot;

not the Priory literally reduced .

Theatrical matters can only

be expressed in theatrical terms, and this, brethren, is my excuse for such allusions.&quot; I have received a long letter

from the person alluded to by Mr. Culverhouse by the throat. He gives a most

as having been seized

lamentable account of the

sect.

says,

&quot;On

enter

ing the meeting one Saturday night I was seized

by I and and strangled nearly my bore for several days the marks of this old gentle man s talons in my neck and yet this old gentleman throat

by Mr.

allowed

still to

;

teach.

This account you will find

recorded in Mr. Culverhouse there,

rushed

and examined

out in great fear

Several sisters

and alarm ;.one

like a menagerie of wild beasts.

glad that

pamphlet, for ho was

neck

....

said,

waa

am extremely

have been delivered from the worst Met

that a Christian

man

can meet with under the canopy

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

152 of heaven

They pretend

be wholly led by

the Holy Spirit, whereas all things are arranged before

who

hand

give out

shall

who

lecture,

shall

pray,

I take these extracts

hymns.&quot;

who

shall

out of a letter

containing sixteen pages of similar, or worse, matter, for the purpose of letting

some

of these

readers understand &quot;

&quot;

garotting gatherings

how

are conducted.

If the Darbyites

wanted

ingly easy one

but to say they were presided over,

to prove the presidency of the Devil at these meetings, the task would be an exceed ;

and directed by, the Spirit of God, is about as unblush ing a piece of blasphemy as ever was uttered by mortal man. Mr. Groves, who was one of the chief founders of

Plymouthism, foresaw the condition into which his party were certain to fall, and thus warned them in the year 1836

one wherein

men

&quot;Your

government will soon become

overwhelmingly felt the authority of position which this occupying the

The

judgment will place you in, will be this the most narrow-minded and bigoted will rule, because

seat of

his conscience cannot fore the

and will not give way, and there

more enlarged heart must

to the Life of Groves.)

The

yield.&quot;

tions has long since been fully verified.

Bell

One

of Dr.

correspondents writes concerning Jersey

found that divisions and

among

(Appendix

truth of these observa

those Christians

differences

who meet

&quot;

had crept in

in this simple

way,

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY

SPIRIT.

153

and that there were three separate meetings in St. Heller s, none of them walking towards each other in that spirit which becometh saints.

How

these

disputes and fleshly strivings about questions, often

times to no

profit,

one end of the

March

Vessel,

have distracted the Brethren from

1863.)

where these quarrels originate Mr. Mackintosh, in Christ

&quot;

the heavenly

&quot;Bethesda,&quot;

by Mr.

was exposed, because

&quot;Now

Man

&quot;

(Earthen

not this a direct charge

Holy Ghost, who

against the

other

country to the

said to be presiding It surely

and &quot;

;

is.

Then,&quot;

calls

but Mr. Newton (see &quot;

Christ

Adam,

to that

Trotter, pp. 4, 5) says

of His relation to

sentence of death that had been pronounced on the

W. N., whole family of man. ( Observations, by B. He was represented as exposed to that curse,

p. 9.)

and

to the

Mr. Trotter, to

doom &quot;

Adam, His own

that for the

God was

man.

was

Him

from

taught,&quot;

continues

relation, as a

man,

God, was such,

hand

thirty years of His life the

first

stretched out, rebuking

chastening that

that in consequence of Christ s relation

Him

in hot displeasure.

these

nonsubstitutional

in anger

and

Mr. N. taught,

sufferings

Christ

His baptism by John, or at the In short, the doctrine held was such,

emerged, either at cross

itself.

that one

who had been delivered from how it must, if

his printed confession, qualified Christ

for

remarks, in

true,

have dis

becoming our surety, our

sacrifice,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

154 our Saviour, for I ask, if

siding

;

the if,

He had

Holy

as Mr.

Himself!

to extricate

Spirit is

Darby

&quot;

Now,

moving, speaking, and pre

says, it is

God

acting,

how can

such opposite doctrines, on a vital point, as those which were broached by Mr. Mackintosh and Mr. Newton, originate in the assembly, or be taught

utterly impossible

to say these parties

were in

Impossible

not the shadow of an excuse

have now separated, because they with the Brethren at the time

full fellowship

Their separation

the above opinions were promulgated.

afterwards does not in the least affect the question I

discussing, except that

bears

still

more strongly

had really been presiding and speaking through them, false doctrines and oppo site opinions could never by any possibility have arisen. in

If the Spirit

favour.

If such a thing were to occur

under the influence and

presidency of the Spirit, the sin would be directly chargeable on the Spirit of God.

would make

Him

the originator of false doctrines and contrary opinions. It

is,

therefore, impossible that the Spirit could be act

ing and presiding under such circumstances. Indeed, with all the boast of the Darby ites about the presi

dency of the believe

Spirit, it is evident

they do not fairly

themselves, because they have separated

Mr. Newton on account of have publicly taught in

duct gives the belief in their

the

the views

which he

assembly.

flattest contradiction

own

statements.

Their to

from

said to

own con

their honest

In place of separating

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY

SPIRIT.

155

from Mr. Newton on account of what Mr. Darby, in his reply to Mr. Trench, calls

&quot;

abominable

blasphemies,&quot;

they should have received everything he said as infal lible,

seeing that the Spirit presides at the assemblies,

and that the acting Mr. Kyan, at page

of the

members

God

acting.

5 of his pamphlet, charges Mr.

Darby

Word of God, without any authority whatsoever, upon .a famous passage which affects the with

&quot;

altering the

very foundation of the faith

also charges Mr.

physite

heresy&quot;

itself

Christ

Mackintosh with

&quot;

s divinity.&quot;

the old

the heavenly humanity.

Mono-

Now,

Mr. Newton, Mr. Darby, Mr. Ryan, and Mr. Mackintosh all faithfully and fully taught their own views, which they were honestly bound to do, in the assemblies of the Brethren, during the time they were in connection, I

want

know how

the Spirit was presiding while

they were giving out contradictory opinions on the Could the Holy most vital points in Christianity. Spirit speak through

them and give out contradictory

Could the Holy Spirit preside and permit, what no man would permit, false doctrines to be opinions

Just think of Mr. Darby holding thut the ? , was presiding in the assembly at the very time when Mr. Newton was promulgating opinions which abominable are characterised by Mr. Darby as uttered Spirit

&quot;

blasphemies

Just think of the position of Mr.

Darby, who, in accordance with his absolutely bound

hold

own

that these

&quot;

system,

abominable

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

156 &quot;

blasphemies

are the actual utterances of the

Spirit, because he says,

Spirit in the

&quot;it

who

individual

Holy

a manifestation of the acts

...

God

&quot;

acting

I fully concur in the following sentiments father.

&quot;

The Holy

of Biblical

words

Interpretation,&quot; p.

tian to have clear

and precise notions on

misrepresented and enthusiasm.

of Christianity,

Holy

most

Spirit

Principles

only what

and only

;

every Chris

It is necessary for

for the teaching of the

from

&quot;

&quot;teaches

235,

revealed in the Scriptures

through the words.

The

says he, in his

Spirit,&quot;

this subject

;

capable of being

dangerously perverted by

has been so perverted, to the disgrace

and

to the beguiling of unstable souls.

tide of fanaticism

that has lately set in

Britain, and which threatens

upon

to roll over the world,

has been raised by false views of the teaching of the

Holy

Spirit.

This deludes

many

;

but

still

are

furnished with a plausible pretence to renounce the doctrine of the Spirit

view

as a

teaching, or to keep

dangerous doctrine.

out of

But the success

of the

forgery only shows the value of the original

not wise

some

who

will not look to

fanatics choose to go astray

tence of that guidance. right

and errors on the

and he

as a guide because

under the

false pre

Let us avoid errors on the left.

in implicitly following the that

God

;

There

Word.

no safety but is

in this only

are encouraged to expect the enlightening

and

THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HOLY

SPIRIT.

157

constant guidance of the glorious Spirit of Truth.

The

Scriptures are the in His teaching

mind

Word

by employing them

of the sinner,

honours them

to enlighten the

and carry on the education and

instruction of the believer.

out them.

and

of God,

teaches nothing with

mind

enlighten the

of the sinner

by the

knowledge of Christ, or to instruct the Christian in the truths and duties of Christianity, without or be

yond the

Scriptures,

would represent the Scriptures as Whoever pretends to learn

unnecessary or deficient.

from God

anything as

truths

to the

or duties of

a spirit of Christianity, but through His Word, lias the in This fanaticism. teaching of the peculiarity Spirit

through the word of the Spirit

the great

delusions of safeguard which we have against the Satan and the dreams of a crazy imagination. The Spirit of

God

means of the are taught

this

the

of God.

Holy

Scriptures.

by the

contained in the

always teaches through the .

Though

Spirit, it does

are taught the true

Word

what

teaches only

Scriptures, and

meaning

all

Christians

not follow that they

of every passage of the

Indeed, the doctrine of the teaching of

affords Spirit, properly understood,

evi

dence that they are correct in their explanation of

any passage whatever. The truth of their explanation must rest on the arguments by which they support ou the pretensions to divine teaching. The it, and not explanation of every uninspired

man must

be received

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

158 no farther than

seen to be the necessary result of

it is

the words of inspiration.

Implicit acquiescence

in the explanations of Scripture

man

insult

some are

God.

How is

has a right to say, as

The

he assured that

Spirit tells

meaning of such a

the

by any uninspired

understanding, and an

in the habit of saying,

that such or such

it is

human No man

a disgrace to

it is

the

Holy

passage.

and that

Spirit,

not a spirit of delusion, except from the evidence

that the interpretation

words?

The lying

false prophets,

with

true prophets of

the legitimate meaning of the

spirits

spoke of old through the

the usual formalities of the

all

Such

God.&quot;

are the views regarding

the operations of the Spirit, which I believe to be in

accordance with Scripture.

strict

They avoid

infidelity

on the one hand, and fanaticism on the other.

How

far this

Plymouth

sect has

opinions of its original founders

the

following

sensible

gone aside from the

may

be gathered from

observations of

regarding impulsive ministry:

&quot;I

tell

Mr.

them

Groves, it is

the same class of errors as those which characterise (see i Timothy iv. 3) being an attempt to up a higher standard of holiness than God s and must end, like theirs, in deeper sin. We as little deny the truth of God s promise, that our bread and water

Popery

;

set

;

shall be sure,

we do

by going

that of the Spirit

to our daily s

help,

work

to earn

it,

by studying God s Word

in dependence on His guidance in order to minister to

THE LAW A RULE OF others.

have no more reason to expect the bread

than we

understanding

have

bread

natural

the

given us to

;

natural

obtain the one, and

the

attain

spiritual understanding

Paul

159

be miraculously supplied to us for feeding

life to

others,

LIFE,

thus

other;

exhortation to Timothy, that in order that his

in all things, he should give profiting should appear

himself to

reading, to exhortation, to doctrine

;

should meditate upon those things, and give himself

wholly to them

&quot;

(Life of Groves).

THE LAW A RULE OF IT

a most glorious fact that the

LIFE. and death of

life

Christ have brought us into a state of Christian liberty

the liberty wherewith

made us

Christ hath

free.

The Darbyites have taken advantage

of this fact to

ignore law as the rule of our

The man who

life.

claims exemption from law on the ground that Christ in life has obeyed it in his stead, might exhibit a

semblance it

although

consistency,

would be impossible

claiming exemption from

all

that they have obeyed

on their own

for

;

but

imagine anything more

inconsistent than the conduct of these

Christ has obeyed

error

Plymouths in

law, whilst they deny

them.

part, or that

If they

obeyed law on their own behalf, and

have not Christ has

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

160

not rendered obedience to

in their stead,

how

are

they to be exempted from it in any point of view? Their only consistent course is to deny law in every whether contained in the Scriptures shape and form ;

or written on the heart.

They

will then be able to

dispense with Christ both in His life and in His death. If there be no law, there is no transgression and no

need of a Saviour.

But

not admit

will

that,

on account of the

obedience of Christ, the Christian the moral law as the rule of his

released

the procuring cause of his justification,

as the

grounds of his condemnation, before God,

from

and

released from

life.

because Christ has rendered, in his room and stead, that perfect obedience, in

was unable

under law, but under *

life

and in death, which he

In this point of view, he

to give.

grace.

not

perfectly true that,

It is

by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justi But why is this the case ? Is it owing to any

fied.&quot;

defect

law

itself?

ness, or justification,

Certainly

not.

would undoubtedly

Kighteousresult

from a

perfect obedience to law, because we are expressly told that &quot;the doers of the law shall be justified.&quot; It

not,

itself that it

then,

entirely

account of

flesh shall

and

solely

any defect in law its deeds, but

be justified by

on account of our utter in

ability to

render that perfect obedience which law

demands.

The

defect

is all

in ourselves.

cannot

THE LAW A RULE OF

LIFE.

be justified by the deeds of law, because able to obey

aright,

are not

and because we have broken

already. It is not only true that

man is

in the world

to say,

by the deeds of the law no

be justified, but

flesh shall

it is

also true that every

under law in some respect under the law as written in the is

ame

;

either the one

and that comes practically

to about the

Although the Gentiles had not the law the book, they had the law written on the

heart, and, therefore, the Apostle

work

when

;

thing.

written in

the

that

book, or

under the law as written in the heart or the other

;

the

&quot;

the law

Gentiles,&quot;

Paul says, they show

&quot;

written in their hearts.

says the Scripture,

&quot;

For

which have

not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto them selves ; which show the work of the law written in their hearts. ... have before

We proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it aith to them who are under the that .

law,

mouth may be stopped, and

all

the world

every

may become

God.&quot; From this it is evident that all are under law, whether written on the heart or revealed in the Scriptures. If there be man in the

guilty before

men

any

world who

not under law, the passages I have here quoted could not be true. Where no law is, there is is

no transgression. ... For sin

the transgression of

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

the law

;

said to be

&quot;all

whether we

under

under law

mouth

is to

to every

son of

There

Adam all

are

under law,

That the whole human race

be stopped, and

mouth and

all

law written in the heart or

evident from the

guilty before God. this.

must be

sin,&quot;

call it the

revealed in Scripture. is

who

hence both Jews and Gentiles,

&quot;

all the is

fact,

world

that every to

become

no possible escape from

can be exempted. the world.

If,

Jt extends

then,

are all

under law, either written on the heart or revealed, how does it come that we are not under law, but under grace?

There must be a sense in which both these

things are true, as they are Scripture doctrines.

The

passages I have just quoted prove that every

man

in the world

not under it?

under law.

In what sense, then,

Just in the sense that the work of

Christ has released

him from

of his justification

and

as the procuring cause

as the grounds of his

nation, but in no other sense.

condem

Christ has done for His

people what they could not do for themselves.

has rendered perfect obedience, in their place, to the

law in His

life,

and paid the

full

gression in His death, and in this

penalty of the trans

way He has

provided,

and bestowed on them, a complete robe of righteous ness which releases them from the law, as the procur ing cause of their justification and as the grounds of their condemnation.

They

are not justified

the

deeds of the law, but by the righteousness of Christ

THE LAW A RULE OF imputed

them

LIFE.

163

and they cannot be condemned by

;

the law, because Christ has paid the penalty in their

room and

stead.

The work

of Christ has released the believer from

law as the procuring cause of his point of view, he It

by no means

follows, however, that he is not

the moral law as the rule of his

different question.

the apostle that

under the law to

are

fact, &quot;

Christ.&quot;

life.

God

after the

inward

This

it?

If the Christian is

under

quite a

surely plain enough. &quot;

delights in the law

Now, how could he

not in any sense

not under the obliga

tions of the moral law as the rule of his

no sense bound by it

are expressly told

man.&quot;

delight in the law of God,

under

That

not without law to God, but

Paul further informs us that he of

In this

justification.

not under law, but under grace.

He may

break

life,

continually,

and commit every crime in the calendar. In fact, lying, murder, and theft would cease to be crimes, because there would be no law against them, either in the heart or in the Book. Christ obeyed the law on our behalf, in order that we might be clothed in a robe of spotless righteousness; but

order that

we might

never obeyed

be set free from all obligation to

the moral law, and le permitted to live in a lawless

and life

libertine condition.

were a

sufficient

If the obedience of Christ s

warrant for our release from

obligations to law as a rule of our

life,

all

on the very

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

164

same mode of reasoning the atonement effected by the death of Christ on the cross would be a sufficient warrant for our continuance in holds good in the one case, other.

Under

If the

sin. is

argument

equally good in the

men

these circumstances, of all

in the

world, the Christian would have the greatest liberty

only

man

in society

who

obligations of morality. all

He would

with impunity.

for indulging in sin

be the

Avould be released from the

In place of releasing us from

obligation of law to God, the

work

of Christ should

to obey.

should neither

put forth the obedience of Christ

s life

as a reason for

make us more anxious

our release from the moral law as the rule of our

life,

nor claim the atonement of Christ as an argument for our continuance in

from under law

sin.

Instead of taking us entirely

God, Christ has given us additional

reasons for obedience.

The

Scripture says

are

without law to God, but under the law to

How,

then, can

&quot;not

Christ.&quot;

any man say we are freed entirely from life ? If we are not without law

law as the rule of our

10 God, we are surely under law to God. under law to procure us life or salvation

We ;

are not

but we are

by which we should live. These two things are entirely distinct, and the distinction should never be lost sight of. It is for want of making under law

as the rule

a proper discrimination of points

which

differ that

errors so frequently abound.

this point

Mr. Darby certainly goes far enough.

THE LAW A RULE OF

&quot;

says,

Men

before

Moses,

Christians now, are not under

sweeping

LIFE.

165

Gentiles

and

since,

This

law.&quot;

It does not stop short

assertion.

a very

with that

portion of law which was confined to the Jews

but

;

includes law of every description, whether written on the heart or revealed in Scripture.

The term

tion.

Besides,

law.&quot;

dictatorial style. it.

thoroughly general

announced

it.

it,

Those, however,

his

and

all

Scripture? also the

law

;

&quot;

at the

What

committeth

must

Word

saith the

sin transgresseth

for sin is the transgression of the

This puts every sinner under law. not under law

special

his followers

who tremble

of God, will take a different view. &quot;Whosoever

not under

own

no evidence to sustain

It requires

Darby has announced

believe

makes no excep

&quot;

not under

law.&quot;

The man who

sin, if this

passage be true.

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do

by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves which ;

show the works

Take

care,

PauL

of the law written in their

You

the law written on the heart

knows

far better, for

hearts.&quot;

here place the Gentiles under ;

but the apostle Darby

he clears the Gentiles of every

On this point Darby is an infallible and Paul must hide his diminished head. authority, sort

of law.

At another and

all

you say that, by the things every mouth is to be stopped,

place, Paul,

which the law

saith,

the world

is to

become guilty before God

;

but

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

j66 here, again,

Darby

covered that Christians is

a master for Paul, for he has dis

&quot;Men

before Moses, Gentiles since, and

are not included in the world

now,&quot;

thus to become guilty before God.

which

Harmless people proved both Jews !

have Further, Paul, you say you and conse and Gentiles, that they are all under are all under under all as sin, they being quently that, &quot;

sin,&quot;

statement of yours, law, in accordance with another that

Where no law

&quot;

is,

there

no transgression.

sin is the transgression of the

For

Here, again,

law.&quot;

holds that a however, Darby confronts you, for he at all ; and law the world is not under large portion of as a necessary result of this, he is fairly

that

&quot;Men

before Moses, Gentiles since,

are not under sin; or else

now,&quot;

premises that gression.&quot;

might

&quot;Where

no law

Mr. Darby

practise sin to

bound

to hold

and Christians

he must dispute your there is no trans is,

principles,

Christian

any extent without breaking any

the heart or revealed in Scrip law, either written on for he says most emphatically, at the 2ist page of and Law,&quot; that in the 6th of Romans

ture

;

&quot;

Righteousness

&quot;

the apostle declares there, as

are not under

law.&quot;

Hence

practice, or to sinning, it is

indisputable that,

on Darbyite principles, a man may commit the greatest crime in the calendar without violating any law of God. This

glorious

news

for the libertines.

accounts for the extremely low

which

exists in

many

It also fully

state of truthfulness

instances amongst the Plymouth*,

THE LAW A RULE OF

if I

tion

167

to give the slightest credence to the informa

which has been furnished

had experience of the reached

LIFE.

be correct,

me by

parties

If the reports

sect.

who have

which have

absolutely necessary for

.some of these people to be released from the obliga tions of the

moral law as the rule of their

That we are the law to

Christ,&quot;

life.

without law to God, but under

&quot;not

in perfect accordance with the

idea of the apostle,

when he

in sin, that grace

may abound?

we that are dead

&quot;

asks,

Shall

God

we continue

forbid!

How

to sin, live

any longer therein ? .... As Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in shall

newness of

The same

life.&quot;

ideas I have been incul

law

cating in regard to our being released from the

the procuring cause of our justification, and as the

grounds of our condemnation, although we are not released from its moral obligations as the rule of our life, are contained in this passage. to

sin.&quot;

what

Now,

Xo man

can say

but

there must be

still

truly dead

sin,

We are

respect are

said to be

we dead

&quot;dead

to sin?

are in every respect dead to sin

some view

because

;

which we arc

the Scripture

states

it.

What, then, is this view ? It must certainly be that \\c are dead to, or freed from, the guilt and constof sin. This is the only view which could &amp;lt;juences possibly be true.

could not possibly

are dead to the power, the allurements,

mean

that

and the tcmpta-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

tions of sin, because this

would directly

contradict, as

a matter of fact, the experience of every Christian in

The man who joins Mr. Darby in saying he removed completely from the power, the allurements, and the temptations of sin as completely as if he

the world. is

were a dead a Christian.

man knows nothing of what it is to He knows nothing of the experience

the apostle Paul, or of the Christian is

warfare.

be of

There

such, state of sinless perfection in this life.

such were the case, the Christian could not possibly fall

into

any

sort of sin, or be affected

it,

or back

This new-light doctrine of total death to the of sin was unknown to the apostle when he power

slide.

&quot;

said,

Brethren,

which are of

meekness

tempted.&quot;

man

be overtaken in a

;

fault,

an one in the

spiritual restore such

spirit

considering thyself, lest thou also be

Paul was behind the Darbyite

It is evident

this generation, because

improvements of

he thought

the brethren were liable to temptation, and, therefore,

were not like dead

men

in relation to the

advanced theology were

If this

correct,

possibly be tempted, or backslide. lutely perfect. sity for

pray

to be kept

and the

of the devil, the world,

we would be praying which

of sin.

could not

would be abso

There would not be the slightest neces

watching against temptation.

superfluous to

power

was impossible

would be

from the temptations flesh.

we did

so,

be delivered from a thing for

u.*,

dead men, to

fall

TUB LAW A RULE OF into.

LIFE.

unhesitatingly conclude, then, that

ture says

are deud to sin,

means no more than that we

and dead

169

when

Scrip

to the law,

and

are dead to the guilt

consequences of sin, and dead to the justification and

condemnation of the law, on account of what Christ

The man who argues

has done in our room and stead. that

are entirely released from the obligations of

the moral that

la\v, as

the rule of our

are dead to the law,

because

life,

by the same rule of interpretation,

to hold that

without sin in word, deed, or thought because

solute sinless perfection

dead to

shall go this length

;

and

said

are

in a state of ab

are

Darby

itx-s

said that

it is

Consistency demands

sin.

it is

bound in consistency,

that the

quite willing to leave the

whole question to be settled by the judgment of the

how

public as to

far the parties

who compose the sect man of sin

are to be considered as incapable as a dead in

word, deed, and thought.

When

their deeds shall

establish this state of sinless perfection in the eyes of

the public,

will give

up the controversy.

In place of telling the brethren at Koine that they were released from the moral law as the rule of their life, &quot;

Paul says, at the gth verse of the I3th chapter,

Thou

shalt not

commit adultery, Thou

Thou

shalt not steal,

Thou

shalt not covet

mandment,

Thou ;

and

briefly

shalt not kill,

shalt not bear false witness, if

there be any other

comprehended

com

in this saying,

namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as

thyself.&quot;

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

Paul had had a wholesome fear of the Plymouth

Brethren before his eyes, he would not in this pal pable manner have told the Christians at

Rome

that

they were to regulate their lives by those precepts of the moral law

;

and

very evident to

it is

that the

Plymouths do not incline to keep this law, for in place of loving

as themselves,

most of them, as

far as I

have had an opportunity of judging, hate me with a most perfect hatred and I feel very certain, if they had the power, they would persecute me with a most ;

Consequently, I conclude that to from the obligations do well release themselves they of the moral law.

thorough persecution.

&quot;Again,&quot;

says Mr. Mackintosh,

commandment which was l&amp;gt;e

It evidently did

unto death.

life

try,&quot;

him.&quot;

p. 10.)

&quot;we

ordained to

read,

And

life I

found to

the

not prove as a rule of

Sabbath, the Law, and the Minis

(&quot;The

This statement evinces a lamentable want

The law

either of perspicacity or of fairness.

here

put forward by Mr. Mackintosh as the procuring cause of life, whereas he knows that no Christian holds such a sentiment.

The Christian holds

rule for the guidance of his life

does not hold that he or justification

as the poles.

It is

law

able to obtain

life,

;

but he

or salvation,

These two things are as distinct

it.

to procure life

be placed under

that the law

and conduct

one thing to be placed under the

by it

it,

and quite a

different thing to

as a rule for our guidance as to

THE LAW A RULE OF

LIFE.

The man who cannot

character and conduct.

distinction should not attempt to write

who

sees it

and intentionally

shuffles

see this

and the man

;

it,

should not be

believed on any subject. &quot;The

continues Mr. Mackintosh,

law,&quot;

rule of the believer s life.&quot;

rule

but

Where

life

are said to be

&quot;

are

under the law

Christ a

&quot;

;

should have been

Christ,&quot;

instead of being

Christ.&quot;

If Mr.

M. had power of

see that Christ is not a law,

would

And why

not the

our rule of

&quot;under

but an example.

&quot;is

under the law to Christ

discrimination, he

because

How

does he learn this?

Mr. Mackintosh were correct,

stated that &quot;

Christ

He an example ?

Just

has rendered perfect obedience to the law.

law and an example are two very different things. to the laws

The man who renders complete obedience

England may be a good example for us to follow, but he never can become the law of England. So is of

with Christ.

has rendered perfect obedience to a perfect example which

but in the very nature of things,

the law, and therefore

should imitate

;

cannot become a law; and we are nowhere told that

has released us from the obligations of the moral to guide our conduct We are &quot;not with

law as a rule

out law to God, but under the law to

Christ.&quot;

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

172

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. THERE

such a variety of opinion on different points

amongst the members of the

known by

the

title

sect

commonly Plymouth Brethren, that I could

not undertake to enumerate

For practical

which

their peculiarities.

all

the

purposes, however,

sect

may

divided into three great heads,

the

Newtonites, and the Darbyites.

These three parties

Miillerites, the

most materially on fundamental points and as have been charged with misrepresenting some of

differ I

;

them, in consequence of not having pointed out the distinctions

between them,

must now

refer to the

matter.

In the month of June 1862, Mr. Maunsell, who,

from

I received a letter

I believe,

belongs to the Miillerite

division, complaining that I

had misrepresented the

views of his party. fair- play,

have no

I will just let

sympathy,&quot;

wish

to give

him speak

says he,

&quot;with

every

man

for himself.

Mr. Darby

tenets, ecclesiastical, doctrinal, or prophetic.

give

you many

grave errors of his

full &quot;

peculiar I

could

you have not touched

upon, which I greatly abhor, and so do the portion of the division on the contrary side of his. for myself,

we have

and

not,

for those

with

whom

...

can say

I associate,

that

and never had, the doctrines you con-

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM.

demn

him and

make

...

in his party.

173

have no objec

letters, as far as Messrs

Darby, your I was but concerned were and Mackintosh Stanley, anxious that you should know that, about twelve years tion to

;

a^o, there

was a division amongst the Brethren called

demands

Justice

Plymouth.&quot;

state, that I fully believe

his

that I should thus allow

Mauusell to speak for himself.

Sir.

own

How

behalf.

may

further

what Mr. Maunsell says on

far all the Mullerites,

however,

do not pre I have not because the on tend to say much subject,

may

go with him,

read

many

another question.

of their writings.

one passage in

&quot;

The

But

Letter of the

confess there

Ten

&quot;

(this letter is

and eight others) signed by Mr. Miiller, Mr. Craik, which rouses &quot;We

feel

&quot;explicitly

suspicions as to their orthodoxy.

of the

state

deepest

importance,&quot;

say they,

that the views relative

the

held by those who, for person of our blessed Lord, bixteen years, have been occupied in teaching the

Word amongst

you, are unchanged.

The truth

lative to the divinity of His person, the sinlessness

of His nature,

and the perfection of His

sacrifice,

which have been taught both in public teaching and in writing for these many years past, are those which

still maintain.&quot; &quot;

person

of our

Lord

Now, what do they mean by ?

It could

&quot;

the

not be the Godhead,

because this was never doubted by Mr. Newton, whose opinions they were called on to try.

Mr. Newton waa

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

174

charged with giving Christ a sinful humanity, but he

was never charged with disputing the Godhead of Christ

had

was the humanity alone, then,

Hence

to deal with.

I conclude,

of the person of Christ, they

&quot;

The Ten

&quot;

when they speak

mean His humanity, and

In order to remove any impression about their sympathising with the views ascribed to

not His Godhead.

Mr. Newton regarding Christ

humanity, they say

they believe in the divinity of His person, the sinlessness of His nature, and the perfection of His sacrifice.

As the Godhead

not called in question, and as they

own

are declaring their

views regarding the point on

which Mr. Newton has been charged with heresy

humanity of Christ humanity.

Otherwise, their observations would be

foreign to the subject.

If I

are thoroughly involved in the

when they

theory,

of Christ

that

&quot;

the

they say here applies to the

all

s person.&quot;

The Ten

&quot;

correct in this, they &quot;

&quot;

heavenly humanity

say they believe in

Some

did not

parties

&quot;

the divinity

may, perhaps, say

mean what they

they were only carried away by the

affirm &quot;

&quot;

slang

that

of the

Darbyite school, without considering the true import of their language

but I cannot adopt that explana simply because we have no right to imagine that they did not understand what they were saying. As ;

tion,

they are

men

of education

and leaders

of the people,

they ought to get credit for knowing the thing where of they affirm.

therefore, take their language as I

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. find

it,

their

and charge them with the

own

fair

175

meaning of

statements.

The above paragraph has given great offence to Mr. As it is always my wish to

Craik and his party.

give the strictest fair-play to every man, I shall allow

In a

Mr. Craik to speak for himself. received from

him

March

evidently were not aware,

letter

which I

he says,

1863,

when you wrote

&quot;You

that para

graph, that Socinianism was one of the charges brought against Mr. Newton.

...

do most solemnly

assert

that your interpretation of the expression referred to

one which never even entered into

believe, into

labourer?.

...

mind

the

think

right

any of

mind, nor,

fellow-

to suggest that

you

ought either to have made yourself acquainted with the views which are held and taught amongst us, or our views

to leave (,

beyond the

letter of

meaning of the appears

me man

any sane

&quot;

The

letter

Ten,&quot;

&quot;

last sentence,

Mr.

should have travelled

before forming

ferent writings,

In this

alone.&quot;

means that

raik evidently

The

and read

their dif

opinion of the

Ten.&quot;

Now,

this

a most extraordinary proposition for to

make.

position and high education

here find ten

sitting

down

deliberate deliverance of their opinion

men

to write

on one of the

most momentous subjects which could engage their Could there be any place so appropriate

attention.

for finding their exact

opinion of this point as in this

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

176

Certainly not

very letter?

men amongst them

and yet one of the chief

;

suggests that, in place of judging

their views on this special point

document,

Was

what they meant. of

Never.

from

this deliberate

should have gone elsewhere to find out

anything so absurd ever heard

As Mr. Craik

has here emphatically as

serted that he never intended the expression

animad

verted on to convey the meaning I have taken out of

it,

frankly and unreservedly accept his declara

tion as true, both on his

of his friends.

own

part and on the part

the same time, I must express

regret that he and his fellow-labourers did not state their opinions

this

momentous

subject iu language

that would have been above all suspicion

and that

;

did not require a person to read their other works to find out far

what they meant.

They should have been But I believe the

more careful than they were.

plain state of the matter

is,

they were in a sort of

go-between position, trying to avoid both

sides,

and

then, as might have been expected under such time

serving circumstances, their deliverance did not ring

out that unmistakable sound which done.

As they say

&quot;

themselves,

should have

did not feel

well to be considered as identifying ourselves with It would have been well, however, if party.&quot; had written so plainly that every person would they have known what they meant,

either

In his

letter

me, Mr. Craik

says,

&quot;If

you had

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTIIISM.

177

given your views to the world on any subject, would you think it right that a single doubtful should be

made

expression the subject of a serious I charge ? &quot;

have no

difficulty whatever in answering Mr. Craik s If I had published a direct and deliberate question.

opinion on any subject, and afterwards, in some casual, indirect, and unintentional way, had dropped some

doubtful expression on the same point, I would certainly consider

only fair that the doubtful expression should be interpreted in accordance with the deliberate opinion. No doubt of this. But this is in no sense the case of

&quot;

The

Ten,&quot;

because, in place of being incidental, casual,

or unintentional,

it would be impossible to imagine any thing more serious, deliberate, and intentional, than a

letter written

by ten men

for the express purpose of

stating their opinions concerning certain charges brought

against them.

not what

is.

If this letter be not deliberate, I

No man who

signed

of the interpretation put on its

know

should complain

ambiguous parts

;

but

he should censure himself most severely for having made any of it ambiguous and especially for having used the least shuffling respecting such a momentous ;

question as the divinity or humanity of Christ. Mr. Craik says, &quot;By the divinity of His person we meant neither more nor less than would be under stood by the other phrase,

Godhead of

Christ.

nation of a

The

heavenly humanity, so far as I know, was not at that time held or taught by anybody.&quot; The M

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

J7 8

that it statements on this point are so contradictory not on the spot at the is difficult for one, who was

con time the divisions took place, to come to a right

Mr. Craik here leads us to believe that the not held or doctrine of the heavenly humanity was of &quot;The letter the time at the taught by anybody discussions the time the at Ten was written that is,

clusion.

&quot;

and divisions took doctrines in

1847 (see Dr.

whereas

page 4);

by W.

&quot;Bethesda,&quot;

his

Tregelles, in

dated Plymouth, March

&quot;Letter,&quot;

Mr. Newton

place concerning

15,

Trotter,

published

1849,

which

a faithful account of these divisions purports to give will and 1847, states as follows: in 1845, 1846, &quot;I

I knoiv to instances expressions which give a few the Lord was that eaid was It used. been have and that the name, of Adam man, but not the son Son of man, was simply a title that His humanity divine ; that it was a spiritual human was ;

;

something

ity ;

that

He was

man

He was

mother, but that

His Father;

not a

that

of the substance of

of the substance

the expression,

His

of God,

without father,

without mother, without descent, related to our

Lord

and that the genealogies both in Matthew as man and Luke were those of Joseph, His reputed father, ;

and not cut

Him

&quot;

Israel.

so that the Scripture has designedly from that of the from family of man, and

Mary

off

;

It is not easy to reconcile

Dr. Tregelles on

Mr. Craik with

this point, as they directly contradict

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. each other

but

;

179

believe Dr. Tregelles to be entirely

in the right.

There

one statement in Mr. Craik

has placed

a letter

which

in a condition of utter amazement.

had argued that the expression in the letter of The Ten must have applied to the humanity of Christ, &quot;

&quot;

because the question of His Godhead was not in de

and I stated that Mr. Newton, though charged with giving Christ a sinful humanity, was never charged with denying His Godhead. To meet and overturn bate

this

;

essentially

&quot;The

Ten,&quot;

the

fact

accused of

the clearing of

important point in

Mr. Craik says, to

that

assert

Socinianism.&quot;

&quot;it

Mr.

entirely contrary

Newton was not

Mr. Craik be not speak

ing after a thoroughly Jesuitical fashion, the

term

Socinianism here must be meant to apply to a denial of the Godhead of Christ, and not to any special views

on any other supposition his statement would be no reply whatever to my assertion, of the humanity, because

that Mr.

the

Newton

Godhead of

Newton

&quot;was

Christ.&quot;

new

certainly

cannot believe it

never charged with disputing This accusation against Mr. light to

He may have

;

but

confess

been charged with

holding views somewhat allied to Socinianism in re gard to Christ

s humanity but that he was charged with joining Socinua in denying His Godhead, it a thing which I am not prepared to accept, notwith

standing Mr. Craik

;

assertion on the subject

have

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

180 not read

of the writings of the Miillerites, but I

many

have read more of the publications of the Darbyite enemies of Mr. Newton than I would like to read again, and

have never yet observed one sentence as charging Mr. Newton with deny

which struck me

ing the Godhead of Christ.

It is hardly credible to

on this head could have suppose that the charges been made without being put prominently forward in their different publications.

Trotter &quot;the

tract called

circumstances which

Letter of the Ten.

Take, for example, Mr.

&quot;Bethesda.&quot;

&quot;First,&quot;

occasion

gave

says he, for

The

847, a doctrine was found to

be promulgated by Mr. Newton, by which our blessed Lord Jesus Christ was represented as exposed, because of his relation to

Adam,

to that sentence of death that

had been pronounced on the whole family of man. He was represented as exposed to that curse and to the

doom

man.

was taught

that, in consequence of

relation, as a man, for the first thirty years of His such was that, God, hand of God was stretched out rebuking Him life, the

Christ

relation

Adam, His own

in anger

and chastening

Him

hot

displeasure.&quot;

Not a word here about the Godhead. It is the humanity. However objectionable the stated

They

may

be,

Nay, more

;

about

doctrines

they have no relation to the Godhead.

are specifically limited to the

cerning

all

there

humanity of

no mention of

Christ.

this charge con

the Godhead in the letter of

&quot;The

Ten,&quot;

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. but rather the opposite. Ten,&quot;

&quot;In

would seek

&quot;.we

conclusion,&quot;

to impress

upon

the evil of treating the subject of our Lord as a matter of speculative or angry

say

all s

&quot;The

present

humanity This

controversy.&quot;

God

does not look very like a charge concerning the

head

it is

;

on the humanity.

specially

that this charge respecting the

assert

do not

now

Godhead was

never preferred, because

knowledge

to accept it

sent possess.

;

but

it might have been without must say, I am not prepared

without further evidence than I at pre I

strongly suspect that Mr. Craik, in

his anxiety to save

&quot;

The

Ten,&quot;

has been maligning Mr.

Newton. If the reader turns back to the 1 531 page of this work, he will find a highly important quotation from Mr.

Trotter s tract called tion l)e

that

&quot;Bethesdo.&quot;

Mr. Trotter

supposi it

must

Newton has promulgated some Whether Mr. Trotter s statements,

however, are correct or not, personal concern to me, as I

them.

correct,

in justice to Mr.

facts.

fairly.

But

Mr. Trotter s position

It is not in

not of the slightest

no way responsible

Seeing they are in print, I

only to quote them

the

credit,

granted that Mr.

dreadful opinions.

for

worthy of

far

as I

power

if is

now know

responsible

they are not strictly a most serious one.

to decide

Newton and

the question, but

myself, I

must

clear

the true state of the

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

June

the 2ist of

Newton wrote me

1862, Mr.

note, in which he says,

&quot;I

not surprised at the

misapprehension that has led you to say what you for have respecting me, at the close of your tract indus so some have been sentiments by persons my ;

misrepresented, that

triously

ful, indeed,

you

now

send,

you will

see in a

doctrines are the very reverse

with intense interest to

free

Newton

confess

considered

non-substitutional&quot;

that,

read this note,

too,

might &quot;All

adduce

His

that end,

works he

I therefore read the

that

bearing out Mr. Trotter

&quot;

that

Newton s heterodoxy. sent

moment

never imagined, after reading Mr. Trotter s that there could be the slightest doubt of Mr

because tract,

however,

If,

at the publica

of those imputed to

was greatly surprised when

me.&quot;

would be wonder

not deceived.

have the kindness to glance

will

tions I

many were

these

works,

s explicit

the

very

unmistakable

proofs,

And

care.

from

far

statement that Mr.

sufferings

taught

the most

many

and great

but

one

Christ

life

reverse,

and

language. will

suffice.

to says Mr. Newton, &quot;were and none ever came on Him, from the sufferings,&quot;

cradle to the grave, but as the Redeemer.

... He

was ever acting as the surety of God s people, and, endure under therefore, whatever sufferings He might the righteous government of God, they as one

who was

suffering all

that

came on

Him

did suffer for

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM.

183

the sake of others, as their appointed Redeemer and

His own personal holiness and excellency

Sacrifice.

were not affected 6.)

j.p.

Indeed

here.

ward

thereby.&quot;

{&quot;

Our

Suffering

Surety,&quot;

There can be no mistake about his views I

must say that Mr. Newton puts most intelligible manner.

for

his opinions in the

person

may

disagree with him,

and may consider

his

but there is opinions inconsistent with each other, him. Con hardly a possibility of misunderstanding the following statement sequently I was surprised at &quot;

in the letter of

&quot;

The

tracts

some

to be written in such an ambiguous style

knew

that

The Ten

shrunk

greatly

from the

responsibility

Many giving any formal judgment on the matter would not be able to understand what the tracts con tain,

because of the

This

mode

of expression

not the case with any of those

employed.&quot;

have read.

Mr. Newton does not leave one in doubt as to the In this respect, his works contrast

opinion he holds.

most favourably with the ambigious, double-dealing, Jesuitical writings of some of his opponents.

Having arrived felt

at this stage of the proceedings,

about

uncomfortable

pamphlet.

knew

had not misrepresented a stated

by Mr.

Trotter,

ceeded his statement. to circulate a single

the

was not

blame, because

single item of what wua

nor had

But

circulation to

still

felt

the least ex a reluctance

word about the absolute truth

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

184 of

which

do?

had reasonable doubt.

I I

had

thousand copies of

What, then, was

pamphlet unsold.

made up my mind to lose and and issue a new edition, in order to

consideration, I

them

all,

Newton

straight with the public, provided

prove to

statements.

between two and three

at that time

lie

mature destroy set Air.

w^ould

that Mr. Trotter had falsified his printed

Without

this proof I could not proceed

one

step, because 1 would not otherwise be justified in throwing a slur on Mr. Trotter s character. There

was no

possibility, that I could see, of reconciling

Trotter

and Mr. Newton s statements.

not both be correct I

;

Mr.

They could

but which of them was right to decide. On one point

was not in a position

the

point of

was

at direct variance

Newton s.

Mr.

substitution

But then

with

I felt

all

Trotter I

statement

had read of

could not fairly judge

Mr. Trotter, because Mr. Newton had not sent

the pamphlet from which Mr. Trotter professed to quote.

I therefore

came

unless I

saw

Trotter.

If I were to do

the determination that,

pamphlet with my own eyes, I would not withdraw one word I had quoted from Mr. this

so,

would be doing Mr.

Trotter a great injustice, by impugning his veracity.

Mr. Trotter has made his quotations fairly from Mr. s pamphlet, he has a right to be upheld and supported, no matter how inconsistent those state If

Newton

ments may be with other writings of Mr. Newton

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTIIISM. I

would judge the matter

at issue

185

by the pamphlet,

and the pamphlet alone. Impressed with these views,

wrote, on the 2ist

July 1862, to Mr. Newton, as follows I

may

&quot;

However

far

from the viewa contained in the books

differ

you sent me,

must say

which your views are

am much

honest, intelligible, and

pleased with the

straightforward I will

set forth.

manner

much

obliged

you Bend me the tracts you have withdrawn from circulation, and from which Mr. Trotter has quoted on

the 4th and 5th pages of

BeUiesda.

If I find, as I

expect, that he has misrepresented you, I will go to

the expense of

getting out another edition

pamphlet, in order that you I am concerned.&quot; No me to go farther than

may

be set right as far as

person could reasonably expect this.

sitated to go thus far, as

Indeed, I was not neces

Mr. Newton and Mr. Trotter

had a right to settle their own dispute. However, as Mr. Newton a note to me conveyed so decidedly the im pression that he had been grossly misrepresented, I felt

anxious to have the case placed fairly before the

world.

way

Now, which

was by allowing the pamphlet

appeared to

there was only one

this could be properly it

itself,

done

;

and that

to be shown,

by an examination of that Mr. Trotter had dealt unfairly

and had misrepresented the views of This was a simple affair, and one easily

in his quotations,

the writer. settled.

The pamphlet would ppeak

for

itself.

Be-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

sides,

appeared most fortunate that the document

should be examined by a person

both parties.

the tracts.

who was opposed to was great when I

Newton

received a letter from Mr.

then,

surprise,

only one copy of them himself, and that he should keep

declining to send

said he could not do so, as he

them

for

had

was important but if I hap reference it

;

pened to be in London, he would be glad to let me have a sight of them. He also said, as his reputation was already injured as much as it could be, he would

not wish

Mr.

pamphlet.

do what

Newton

my own

proposed about

fully capable of thinking

but he has not adopted the plan I would have taken under similar circumstances. If I thought

for himself

;

would be

character.

had been misquoted and misrepresented,

very sorry to allow

any man

to blacken

would soon expose his dishonesty by republishing every line of the work upon which he founded his I

statements. let

the

This would give

appears to

all parties fair play,

for themselves.

public judge to labour

and

Mr. Newton

under one great mistake.

seems to think that the public ought to be

satisfied

Mr. Trotter has misrepresented him, because the senti

ments Mr. Trotter attributes

him

are inconsistent

with plain statements in several of his works. In this It matters view, I believe, he is entirely mistaken. not what his other works

him

of a single charge

may

say

;

would not

clear

Mr. Trotter has brought against

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. him, provided those charges can be

187

and

fairly, fully,

plainly substantiated from the publications from which

Mr. Trotter professes to quote.

The

inconsistencies of

an author s statements are no proof that such state ments never were uttered. If Mr. Newton is to be cleared of Mr. Trotter s charges,

must be done by

showing that Mr. Trotter has falsified or garbled his quotations, or put a construction

the language

other

way

on the words which There

not fairly able to bear.

which the thing could be done

;

and,

therefore, as

Mr. Newton has not placed his tracts

before me,

feel

compelled to allow Mr. Trotter and

Mr. Newton to speak for themselves, and public to draw their

own

conclusions.

leave the

have trans

ferred Mr. Trotter s statements to this edition of

work, because,

if I

were to expunge them,

would be

judging the matter without sufficient evidence from the original documents, and I would thus very im

properly cast a slur on Mr. Trotter s moral reputation.

In the present state of my documentary information, As Mr. Trotter s and I must leave the matter thus. Mr. Newton s statements are contradictory, they cannot both be correct, but I would not be justified in under taking to decide between them, unless I saw the docu

ments on which the statements are grounded. Let this dispute be settled as certain,

the existence of

such

may, one thing

contradictory

state

ments, and of such opposite opinions on vital points,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

an indisputable proof that the assumptions of the Darbyites about their own inspiration and the presi

dency of the &quot;

The

failure,&quot;

fess to act

have no foundation in truth.

Spirit,

says Dr. Tregelles,

&quot;

of those

who

pro

on certain principles does not condemn the

; otherwise, what shall we say of the churches planted by the apostles of Christ, which so soon departed from the truth of God both in doc

principles themselves

trine

and practice

&quot;

? (&quot;

Three

Letters,&quot;

p. 3.)

lieve Dr. Tregelles does not agree with the Darbyite inspirations, and as I imagine his observations are in tended to apply under ordinary circumstances, I at once

accede to the truth of his statement.

duces

one in point, and answers

present moment.

The

practice, to the

they contained

case he ad

purpose at the

apostles, because they were in

spired, delivered infallible instructions,

and

The

churches

;

both on doctrine

but the churches, because

uninspired men, went aside from the

instructions delivered

by the inspired

The

apostles.

errors of the churches did not affect the correctness

of the

inspired instructions they had received, but

they conclusively proved that the parties who com mitted the errors were not acting under direct in

So is it with the Plymouthites. they contradict each other on vital points, spiration.

certain indication that they are not acting direct movements of the

Spirit

not presiding.

Holy

Spirit,

When it

under the

and that the Holy

False doctrines and erroneous

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTIIISM. practices could never arise

189

under the presidency of

the Spirit of God.

Such was the ton

printed.

state of matters regarding

Mr.

the time a previous edition of this

s case at

Still I

New

work was

could not feel satisfied with the condi

There was something mysterious which could not get under. If Mr. Newton had changed

tion of affairs. I

his

views at the time he withdrew the

pamphlets from easy for

him

obnoxious

would have been very have announced the change in unmis circulation,

takable language, and then the whole dispute would

In place of doing this, however, he with industriously misrepre

have been over. charges his

opponents

senting his views.

thus becomes a question of mis

representation of facts,

and not a change

of opinions.

Mr. Newton might have settled this as easily as pos He was fairly bound sible by reprinting his tracts. either to stand

by them or

were wrong.

acknowledge that they

has not, strickly speaking, done either.

In place of standing up for his published opinions, lie and instead tracts from circulation

withdrew the

;

acknowledging error and a complete change of opinion, he charges his opponents with misrepresent

ing the views contained in his

seemed get

* sight of

tracts.

so extraordinary that I

the pamphlets.

have

This conduct

was anxious

now had an oppor

though not from Mr. Newton, of perusing the documents, and, in justice to j&Ir. Trotter and all parties

tunity,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

190

concerned, I feel

of this work.

made

from tion

but I

fairly

him

by Mr. Trotter

in a former edition

very disagreeable thing to quote

It is a

which have been withdrawn from

tracts

;

duty to examine the ques

would not be dealing

after the reference I

that

If I were to shrink from this subject at

tion at issue. present, I

to be

previous publication has placed

tion between the

circula

be unavoidable just now, seeing

feel it to

two

in a posi

and that position un

parties,

favourable to Mr. Trotter.

In his Jesus,&quot;

&quot;Remarks

on the Sufferings of the Lord 1847, and

written at Plymouth, July 26th,

published in London in 1847, Mr. in the

Psalms, where

experiences of His

spirit,

Newton

specially read

says,

&quot;But

the inward

find not only the suffer

ings of those hours of public ministry

not only the

and reproach that pertained to Him as the which appointed servant of God, but sufferings also and because was a man, pertained to Him, because He sufferings

He was an

Israelite;

sufferings, therefore,

which cannot

be restricted to the years of His public service, but

which must be extended over the whole during which

He was

of the condition into

more into which i, 2).

for

Now,

sensible,

which man had sunk, and yet had sunk in His sight&quot; (pp.

Israel

appears to

misunderstanding here.

make

of that period

under the hand of God,

the language

that there

much more

would be

no room

difficult to

explicit than it is

;

and

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. be not heretical,

if it

tute heresy.

The

know

&quot;as

most pointedly those which

sufferings of Christ are

and carefully divided into two

He endured

191

not what would consti

classes

;

God

the appointed servant of

;&quot;and

which pertained to Him because He was a man, and because He was an Israelite sufferings, therefore, those

&quot;

;

which cannot be

restricted to the years of

His public

most emphatic distinction is here made between His public and private position. He is not service.&quot;

only represented as suffering in His capacity as the appointed servant of stated to have suffered

God

but

;

also specially

under the hand of God

&quot;

as a

man and an

Israelite, and that in the way which made sensible of the condition into which man had

Him sunk.

He suffered under

and that in such a sense

the

hand

as to exclude

the appointed servant of God,

it is

God

as a

man,

His position as

indisputably mani

fest that this

portion of His sufferings was

stitutional.&quot;

Nay, more, such sufferings would inevit

ably

make Him

endure in

life

a sinner

;

circumstances, Christ was not

fit

Under such

to be a Saviour.

only consistent view which can be held

non-sub-

otherwise the sufferings

are not the result of sin.

in everything which

&quot;

is,

The

that Jesus,

either did or suffered from the

cradle to the grave, was standing, in the strictest sense,

in the position of the appointed servant of God,

was

who

obey and suffer in the room and stead of His It was on account of His chosen ones that people. to

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

192

everything occurred, and not by the mere accident of

His birth

as a

&quot;

man and an

who, as change.

to .

Israelite.

He was one His essential relation to God, could know no But what were the new relations assumed, continues Mr. Newton,

Personally,&quot;

when He was made the law, and were

flesh,

born of a woman, made under

they relations that necessarily brought

them 1

suffering with

the reply.

&quot;

Surely

we cannot

hesitate as to

Creation groaned in the bondage of

That groan was a penalty an infliction to work on the human

corruption.

from the hand of God, intended

The Lord Jesus expe

soul certain results of sorrow.

rienced those results.

Cursed

had been said

the ground for thy sake.

sweat of the brow (and

many

Adam,

Labour, sorrow,

other things might be

added), were not circumstances fortuitously connected

with the 2)leasure

human

family

they were

inflictions in dis-

from the hand of God, and under these

tions because

He was

a man, Jesus was found.

inflic

But He

had not merely become connected with the sorrows and sufferings of man. There was a part of the human family that had been brought into peculiar nearness to

God,

nourished and brought them up as

who had

children, but they had rebelled against Him.

This

was They had fallen from that ground of had earned, by professed obedience, and like Adam Israel.

their

disobedience,

broken law.

the

fearful

inflictions

Such was the condition

of Israel

God s when

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTH ISM. Jesus came amongst them.

understood because

Lest

193

should be mis

say Jesu*, like the prophets

who

had gone before, was exposed to inflictions from the hand of God, I beg that it may be remembered that

He was

personally

ing as

ings of His

life,

quite as

lepers.

much

would lead us inflictions

show that

far to

Was, to

man

all

man, and

His

laid

there

man

were any be exposed

the inflictions that to

Israel as

that

is,

Israel

exposed to

a different thing from actually endur faith,

contributed to preserve

He was by His relative He was threatened. .

wrath

position

then, the Lord Jesus

To be obnoxious,

certain things,

life

He would

subjected during His

ing them.

relative

respect of Israel,

Surely the same reasons that

to those inflictions as well.

suffer

His death,

admit that He suffered under certain

analogous inflictions on Israel,

were due to

These

as those of

which the hand of God had

man, would go

answer,

They reached His person through and

because of others.

pleased

and of man.

though dwell

taint,

Him because of the Him to assume in

only reached

which

from every

free

were in the midst of

His prayers, His obedience, all Him from many things to which position exposed, .

infinite wrath, not

the cross

and by which

endured,

wrath in chastisement, but

wrath in vengeance and during such a season all interferences of the Father on His behalf must necessarily ;

{

be withdrawn

;

but during

all

the chastening* of His

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

194

previous pilgrimage this was not ally

strengthened,

refreshed,

Him.

sent to comfort substitute for

amongst

sinners&quot;

are easily

sinners,

so.

He was

sustained,

continu

and angels

different is the place of a

from

the place of

suffering

Although these extracts

(pp. 4-11).

enough understood, they are quite contradic Mr. Newton admits that in His

tory to each other.

&quot;

relation to God, Jesus could

that

was personally

&quot;

free

know no

the whole line of his argument

His assertion that Jesus

this view.

will not keep

a position

Him

clear of

it,

which involves

it.

&quot;

;

but

a contradiction to is free

when he

and

change,&quot;

from every taint

from

places

taint

Him

must not

forget

that he has already divided the sufferings of Christ into

two

those of the appointed servant, and

classes,

those of the man.

Under such a

This

a fundamental distinction.

division, those

which He endured

as the

servant must have been as the representative of His

people

;

but this representative position

excluded

which subjects Him to suffer ing in His capacity merely as a man and an Israelite. Keeping Mr. Newton s distinction in mind, there is

by Mr. Newton s

division,

something awful in the statement that Jesus,

He was

man,&quot;

from the hand of

suffered God,&quot;

&quot;inflictions

and that He was under the

curse pronounced against the ground for

and that

many

He was

things,

&quot;because

in displeasure

Adam s

sake

;

to, and threatened by, which He was from preserved only by His

obnoxious

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTIIISM. His

prayers, to Mr.

and His obedience

faith,

Newton s

195

It is

relief

position to tell us, as he does, that

Jesus suffered only on account of the relative position

assumed in regard

the sufferings reached

man and

Him

to Israel,

Mr. Newton does

others, for this simple reason, that

not

mean the

and that

through and because of

position of a substitute

Through others and because of others

by these terms.

very far from being the same thing as in place of others and for

Newton makes

Indeed, Mr.

others.

enough himself

when he draws

this point plain

own

distinction

the sufferings of Christ on the cross and

l&amp;gt;etween

the chastenings of His previous &quot;so

his

pilgrimage,&quot;

different is the place of a substitute for

&quot;all

and

says,

sinners-

from the place of suffering amongst sinners.&quot; It was not in His capacity of the Appointed Servant that He endured these the fact that

this

life sufferings,

He was

but merely on account of

&quot;dwelling

view of the

case,

in the midst of

lepers.&quot;

the sufferings of His

life,

previous to the cross, were not connected with His as

people,

because

amongst

sinners,

&quot;through

midst

their

-- the

others and

He was

but

only

birth

representative,

He happened by His

placed,

sufferings

because of

reached

Him

whos-e

others&quot;

and not because

He was

representative and stood in their stead. inevitable doctrine

which

have quoted.

promulgated

occurred

be placed

the

This tract

their is

the

from

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

196

The view

tions.

that

opinions

&quot;Since,

He was

have already taken of Mr. Newton sustained

fully

he continues,

then,&quot;

chastened

and we

all

&quot;it

He was

and since

punished substitutionally,

How

could

observa

admitted

acknowledge that

not chastened because of personal

was perfect

all?

further

his

sin, for

not until the cross

why was He chastened at He was made

be but because

experimentally to prove the reality of that condition into

which

but

others,

especially

Israel,

had

sunk themselves, by their disobedience to God s holy law, a condition out of which He was able to extri cate

He proved that He own perfect obedience.

Himself, and from which

could extricate Himself by His

The manner

which the Lord Jesus experi

enced outwardly sufferings that immediately flowed

from the

curse that

was resting upon

Israel,

can

only be gathered from an examination of the pas sages in the Psalms subject.

and elsewhere, which

personally accursed, because

people

servant

refer to this

Observe, I do not say that Jesus was

whom

curses

God were

were

formed part of the resting.

to go voluntarily,

Suppose a and dwell

with the people of a wicked and abandoned island ; and suppose inflictions from God such as drought or famine of

were sent upon that people, the servant personally accursed because he

God would not be

suffered or pined

under those calamities.

would

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. him

reach of

as an innocent person

others

yet

who

in consequence of

197

suffered because his

position,

would be obnoxious, that is, exposed to all the inflic tions that the hand of God might be directing against that evil

generation&quot; (pp. u, 12). Notwithstanding Mr. Newton has said here about the sinless per fection of Christ and His personal freedom from

all

the

curse,

contained

doctrine

most objectionable.

the

paragraph

excludes

entirely

Christ

His people, and representative makes Him, by the mere fact of His birth as a man position as

and

be chastened by God, and to

Israelite,

experimentally feel the reality of the condition into

which others had sunk themselves by disobedience God s law, and to feel this in such a way that He

required to extricate Himself out of

and

also states that

which Israel

by obedience

flowed from the curee that was resting all this,

;

experienced the sufferings

observed, not as His people

representative, but by the mere condition of His birth as a

man and an

plorable salvation

doctrine to

Israelite. !

How

a Saviour

Surely this

any man could who required to

M0&amp;gt;t

de-

trust

bis

extricate

Himself from a cursed position, like the one de mystery to me. Mr. Newton s illustration

scribed, is a

from the

&quot;servant

God

in the

abandoned

island,&quot;

shows that he did not consider Christ as standing, whilst

bearing these chastisements or sufferings, in

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

198

the room and stead of His people in any sense, but

because of only as exposed and liable to such things the mere accident of His birth as a man and an Israelite,

same way

in the

the

and not

dropping into the island,

his

fact of

the representa

He was

tive of the people in that island.

the

servant

abandoned island suffered from the mere

Buffering

This

in the midst of others, but not for others.

very different position from the one which recognises Christ, in

every particular from the cradle to the

in such grave, as the representative of His people sense

that

everything

and everything

did,

which happened to Him, was in some special point of view in the room and stead of His people. In his second pamphlet, called

The

a Tract, entitled

September

Newton for

ist,

&quot;Observations

Sufferings of

Christ,

1847, an^ published in

says in regard to Christ,

&quot;He

dated

1847,

Mr.

was exposed,

example, because of His relation to Adam, to that

sentence of death that had been pronounced on the

whole family of man. that

curse

;

personally,

freedom from

it,

live.

it .

His connection with trine

not

and His

that law of which

thou shalt

Relatively,

He was

evinced

title

exposed to His title to

life

has been said,

by keeping

This do and

They came on Him because of The same doc (p. 9).

others&quot;

here as in the previous pamphlet.

recognise

Jesus

the

representative

does

His

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM.

199

and suffering everything, in some sense on their behalf and for their benefit, but

people, doing

or other,

only by being accidentally, as

were, exposed to these

Adam by by birth as a man

things in consequence of His relation to birth as a of

man

Adam s

race,

relatively, that

is,

represented as exposed to the

curse of death, although personally

from

by keeping the law: He

with others, that representative,

is,

could escape

suffered in connection

along with them, but not as their

exactly in the same

as the

way

man

on the abandoned island, who, in place of suffering for the benefit of the inhabitants, suffered merely because

the unfortunate position in which he had

placed amongst them, or in relation is

miserable doctrine

At pages

been

them.

This

22, 23, 24,

that Christ during

life,

and

25, Mr.

Newton argues

not on the cross and not as

the substitute of His people, was suffering from the

hand

of God,

the passage,

and

this sense

quotes and applies

of Thine indignation and

&quot;Because

Thy

&quot;

wrath, [the

and continues,

Bufferings

&quot;

agree in saying that they

Christ] were

not

substitutional,

neither were they because of personal sin fore,

([noted

because

if,

there

and the Scripture I have proves that they did exist, it must have been

they existed at

all,

association

[By association with sentative of others.]

connection

others,

And

with

but not as the

others.

repre

are not the Scriptures full

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

200

of the history of such sufferings

... He drank the

cup of sorrow which association with Israel brought. The Book of Lamentations teaches us, perhaps . .

distinctly than

of that

how

any

The sudden

of this cup.

other,

book from the nation

deeply

an individual, shows

were, in the misery and the rebuke

/ am become

Lord, and consider, for

See,

Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass

vile.

hold, and see sorrow which

hath

He drank

His association with their ruin was indi

vidualised, as

of Israel,

how

transition in the descriptions

afflicted

be any sorrow like unto

there

done unto Me, wherewith the Lord

His

the day of

fierce

anger.

Penalties, therefore, of the Fall were connected even

human He was under

with the constitution of His

nature.

Here was

the early proof that

affliction

from the

hand

of God.

...

I entirely

admit that God was able

to have protected Jesus either partially or completely

from the influence of these things. placed flame,

Him

the

very presence

Him

and preserved

essential necessity for

took

unscathed.

He grew up

the burning There was no

His being made to

the strictly vicarious

believe, is the reason

He might have of

place

suffer until

and

this,

why, during His early childhood,

unscathed&quot; (p. 34).

It is here set fortli

because of that Jesus, because of His birth as a man, as in any and not with association His mere others, sense the representative

of His people,

made

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM.

and wrath from the hand of God

suffer indignation

to drink the cup of sorrow which Israel

brought

;

2OI

be made vile

;

sorrow in the days of the Lord

;

association with

to bear unparalleled s fierce

anger

and

that the penalties of the Fall were connected with the

very constitution of His here contained

not like to dwell upon in

human

The

nature.

doctrine

so dreadful to contemplate that I

making Jesus one

The argument would

it.

of the vilest of sinners.

result

even

goes the length of assuming that, owing to His natural to

liability

and

suffering

unscathed through childhood.

the miraculous

death,

God was required

interference of

All

preserve

this,

not as the representative of His people, but

Him

observed, owin&amp;lt;4

His mere association with others, owing to the mpre accident of His birth as a man and an Israelite. I

think

subject.

it is

not necessary to go any further with this

What

has been produced

quite sufficient

to demonstrate the pernicious nature of the doctrines

which have been promulgated by Mr. Newton. does not appear to ficulty

that there can be

understanding

his

position,

any

nor yet

dif

divining the serious consequences resulting from that position.

sorry to say that a perusal of the

third tract, called

with the Lord

much

that Mr.

&quot;A

Letter on Subjects connected

Humanity,&quot;

has led

to fear very

Newton has not changed a

of those opinions

which he enunciated

single one

in the other two,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

202 although I

has withdrawn

lie

now

shall

them from

regarding the innate mortality of Christ

Lord

&quot;The

circulation.

leave this subject, and turn to his views

Jesus,&quot;

humanity.

says Mr. Newton,

ordained as the sacrifice before

all

&quot;was

fore

worlds, and, there

was impossible for Him to die except as the but with the very object of dying as the He was pleased voluntarily to assume a body sacrifice,

fore, it

sacrifice

;

which, as regarded

was &amp;gt;r

its

much exposed

natural or physical condition,

to death, if smitten

by the sword,

deprived of necessary nutriment, as ours would

Yet

was

impossible for Christ to die in

consequence of anything to which

God

exposed, as for Hjis

government.

frd&amp;gt;m

Him

If all

from His

h Ave sustained

to be plucked

He might be thus from the throne of

nutriment had been withdrawn

birth, yet

God His Father would

Him by perpetual

miracle, or

He would

have so sustained Himself, rather than that death should have fallen in any way, except substitutionally,

on the One who deserved only blessing and (&quot;Letter on the Lord s Humanity,&quot; 1848, p. 20;

life.&quot;

Again, Mr. Newton asks,

note).

&quot;

Does Mr.

think that Christ had an immortal body

foot

C. really

Had He

body which inherently possessed a capacity of not dying, even in the case of all nutriment being with held,

and no miracle being wrought to sustain it ? ... case, indeed, the Lord would not have had a

In that

mortal body

;

but how, then, could

have died even

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. on the cross

how

(&quot;

Letter to a

two

Friend,&quot;

points.

He have

could

unto His brethren in

all

things,

room

been made like

sin

This

a substitutionary manner.

lays

But

&quot;-

down

death was foreordained

His people,

in the providence of God, have died in

quite correct.

excepted

Mr. Newton here lays

p. 7.)

First, as Christ s

to take place in the

203

is all

could not,

any other than very well, and

in the next place, he very explicitly

down, that the humanity of Christ was so con it must have died, if provi

stituted intrinsically that

come

dentially permitted to

would have caused death

into circumstances

which

humanity, unless had been sustained by the miraculous interference of God. There cannot be the slightest doubt that Mr. to fallen

life

Newton holds tial

that Christ s

body was in

manner

nature mortal in such a

been foreordained

He was

to die

its

own

that, if it

on the

essen

had not

cross,

and

no miracle had interfered to prevent death, He would have died in course of nature like an ordinary man.

That

this is his

view

have quoted, but

evident not only from what I

it is

also evident

from the contrast

he draws between Christ and the paradisaical condi

Adam.

tion of

natural

says the

body of Christ was by

or physical condition, apart from

its

the fore

ordained arrangements of God, as liable to death as ours

;

but in regard to

Adam

Paradise

he says,

Although capable of becoming mortal, yet he was not mortal.&quot; Suffering Surety,&quot; p. 8.) He thus makes (&quot;

s PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

204

Christ mortal, and

He if

considers

&quot;this

Adam

capable of becoming mortal.

Christ had not been naturally mortal

had not been the law of Christ s humanity He could not have died at all, except by a

physically, special

miracle.&quot;

inherent

does not

Christ

heresy.

(&quot;Suffering Surety,&quot; p.

11.)

cannot possibly avoid looking upon this doctrine

mortality in the

most decided

slightest

degree affect

opinion that Charnock, Pearson, Bengel, and, per

haps, a few others, held the same views as Mr.

neither

I deterred

his letter to me, that

&quot;

opinion,

dead,&quot;

a very bold step

include not some

;

for holding

such an

for this sentence

not,&quot;

would

few such as Pearson and Bengel

merely, but also orthodox teachers in general. is

;

to hereticate teachers in the

Church, whether living or &quot;

Newton

by Dr. Tregelles statement

he continues,

&quot;even

This

a point for discussion

;

seems to be some Darbyite novelty that you have repeated.&quot; I do not pretend to say how many,

for

what

called orthodox writers,

may

not

have held the same views as those maintained by Mr. Newton and Dr. Tregelles but this I do know, ;

that

many

of the quotations

made from

their writ

by any means bear out the conclusions deduced from them because the views are not very

ings do not

;

specifically stated,

nor do the writers appear to have

had

this special point before their

the contrary,

minds

at the time.

believe that the great

body

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTIIISM. divines will be found on is

This, however,

reason

side of the question.

not the view in which I wish to

must be

as it

it,

205

by Scripture, rather

settled

Dr. Tregelles is than by mere authority of man. quite astray in supposing I have derived my ideas

from Darby.

held the same opinions as long as I

remember, certainly long before I heard of Darby, and they were so firmly rooted in me, that I was quite

when

heard of the opposite, in this Ply controversy, as being held by Mr. Newton.

horrified

mouth

What

saith

the Scripture

&quot;

passed upon

all

men,

the wages of sin

for that all

man

one

entered into the world, and death by sin

;

sin

and so death

have sinned.

For

Is this true, or is it not

death.&quot;

hold by Scripture, I maintain, from these plain

and incontrovertible statements, that death is the con sin, and that if there had never been sin,

sequence of there

from

would have been no death. this,

There

death be the wages of

entered into the world

Consequently,

sin,

intrinsically sinful.

death it.

In whatever aspect it was under it was under sin. Adam

MOM aspect if

he had not sinned; and

He had

Christ would never have died

Him

The

the sins of His people. is

and resulted from

body was naturally and must have been naturally and

would never have died

on the cross

no escape

Christ s

intrinsically mortal, it

mortality, in the

sin,

and

not taken on

fact that Christ died

a certain proof that

He had

the sins of

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

206

His people really, truly, and actually upon Him. There was no mockery in the matter. In His own nature,

He was

from

free

and above mortality; the sins of His

sin,

He had

but as the sinner s substitute,

chosen so really and truly upon Him, that he became mortal.

They were

He had

not atoned for them,

sham

personally

upon

some seem

affair that

knew no

sin,

had

informs us, &quot;made

guilty

He was

a curse for

punishment due

His people so

was accounted

the

Scripture

us,

He was

commonly

sin&quot;

and

life,

in the

was by bearing the His death is the died. argument

for real

suppose Christ laid

way

When

understood.

for

a mistake to

It is

down His own

all.

an insuperable

strongest possible

imputation.

them

us,&quot;

He who

the sins of

&quot;made

our sins

that, if

and not

real,

to imagine.

thoroughly transferred to Him, that

by God

Him

could never have

The imputation was

entered heaven. that

so absolutely

in which that

He had power

says

down, and power to take it again, it just means that He was in the strictest sense a voluntary

to lay it

He had power to give His He pleased. No man could

agent. it,

life,

or not to give

force it

from Him.

own

free

the only sense in which

surrendered Himself to the cross of His

will and accord. laid

This

down His own

imagined that suicide,

life.

cannot for a

moment

killed Himself, and thus committed

which would have been the

case

He had

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTIIISM.

207

died from

taken away His

own

life

on the

cross.

punishment due to the sins of those for He was a substitute. His substitution was a

suffering the

whom

Our

real substitution.

sins

Him, and His righteousness is

were really imputed to

really imputed to us. It and not a mock, transaction. Mr. Newton asks how, on the supposition of His not

real,

being naturally mortal, Christ could

&quot;

have been made

like unto His brethren, in all things, sin excepted It is very easy to

answer

The exception

this.

&quot;

of the

sin includes the exception of the mortality, because

death

the wages of sin, and death entered into the

world by

The

sin.

tantamount excepted.&quot;

but

There &quot;

express-ion,

no mortality without

to the expression,

&quot;

all

sin.

here

things, death

Christ was not mortal in His

He became

own

nature,

mortal by taking the sins of His people

on His own head.

Newton s

all things, sin excepted,&quot; is

surprised that a

man

of Mr.

perspicacity did not see that his argument

militated against his

own

views,

that the exclusion of

the sin proved the exclusion of the mortality.

That Christ s humanity was not innately mortal, further established by His resurrection from the

dead.

In order to

fulfil

the Scripture, and also to

prove the reality of His death, it was necessary for Him to lie a certain time in the grave but when ;

was accomplished, the grave could not one moment longer retain Him. God raised Him up,

this set time

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

208 \ve

are

&amp;lt;c

told,

because

be liolden

should

was not possible Why was

death.

of&quot;

tliat

this not

His body was naturally mortal, it was not only possible for Him to be holden of death, but If

possible?

was actually impossible

Him

for

come out of

the grave at that time, except by a special miracle. To say the least of it, without miraculous interference

He must

have gone into corruption, and remained in

the dust

till

the general resurrection,

He went

the grave with a body naturally mortal.

which

ing, then, it

was

impossible for

The answer mortal,

See

naturally mortal, naturally corrupts. it

possible for Christ to die,

him

to corrupt

why was

and remain dead

Although

simple.

The body

not

naturally

His body was capable of becoming mortal. took the sins of His people on Him, He

When He

took mortality on Him. He was then &quot;made sin for us;&quot; He was then &quot;made a curse for us;&quot; He

became

then

chosen,

mortal.

however,

entire penalty

due for

He had

all their sins.

undertaken.

and removed,

&quot;I

might take

lay it

were on Him,

He was

then the

consequences

sins being atoned for

not

see

die

corruption

;

the

could not be holden of

life,&quot;

When

could

His

and

The

down my

again.&quot;

of full

the

could

penalty being fully paid, death.

substitute

in death the

paid

completely released from sins

the

says He,

&quot;that

the sins of His people ;

but when they were

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. all

removed,

could not see corruption, and the

grave could not retain

His

flesh

His

flesh

its

Under

holy occupant

could see death

could

209

not see

sin,

the sin being removed,

;

remain

corruption, or

His humanity had been naturally and in trinsically mortal, by right, and by all the laws of death.

nature, till

must have corrupted, and lain in the grave It was impossible, on

the general resurrection.

this

view, for

other

escape from the

by anything

one and the

short of a direct miracle.

surely have a very degraded view of Christ

who

can imagine that

Those

humanity

was so constituted

intrinsi

cally that it required the performance of a miracle

to save it

Him raised

from corruption, and to

The very thought

dead.

raise it

dreadful, as

from the

just places

on a par with sinful mortals, who could all be in the same way. If, after the sins of His

people were removed, His humanity had no natural and inherent right of escaping corruption and

rising

to immortality, it is evident there

was no merit or

value in His resurrection. I think a great deal of the error existing on this subject has arisen from a misunderstanding of the double aspect of Christ s substitutionary work. He

had to for its

fulfil

the law, as well as to suffer the penalty

breach.

did both as the substitute

His people, and on their account; but He was not buil ering the punishment whilst He was keeping the o

210

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

law; nor was

keeping the law whilst He was These two penalty for its breach.

the

suffering

and should never be con points are very distinct, was obeying the law, He He as So founded. long had the Father s countenance

but when

;

He came He

under the penalty, and was made &quot;sin for It does not appear was forsaken of God.

us,&quot;

the exact period of His clearly revealed as to

be life

when He commenced to do His Father s business,&quot; nor yet as to the moment when He came under &quot;

the punishment of to

sumptuous

done.

There

sin

;

and, therefore,

pre

have pry into the matter, as many should stop where revelation stops.

another point of some importance.

Many

imagine that hunger, thirst, weari have arisen as the con ness, sleep, and such like, of necessity demonstrate sequence of sin, and must

seem

parties

who

the natural mortality of those

them.

This, however,

are

subject to

taking for granted the very

to prove. thing which they require

seem to be wise beyond what

These parties

written.

They

for

for Adam before ever he get that food was provided in a was he that and fell deep sleep when Eve was ;

called

into existence.

possible

which

tell

precisely

Adam may

condition,

thinking,

the

different

things

im to

have been liable in his unfallen

simply because revelation does not fully We should therefore be

inform us on the point.

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM.

2 II

When

very careful of speculating on the subject. ever Scripture gives us light, let us receive

we should never

for the

Christ

;

but

accidents,

humanity, with a view to establish His innate

mortality,

would do well

questions in regard to

When

on our imaginations

Those who ask questions regarding the hunger, thirst, and fatigue on

remainder. effects

call

they

settle

to ask themselves the

Adam

same

in his uiifallen condition.

the point concerning

Adam, they

will be in a tolerably fair condition to deal with

in regard to Christ, but not

till

then.

quite

however, that their principles of argument would land them inevitably in the position of making Adam intrinsically mortal, as he came from the hands certain,

of his Creator

;

and they would thus nullify the Scrip

which says that death entered into the world by sin, and that the wages of sin is death. On their ture,

view, death would be the necessary result of the na

ture of man, as

God

created him,

sense bear any relation to sin,

and would in no

unless

was held

that

Adam, in place of being made in the image God, came as a downright sinner from the hands

of of

his Creator.

In contrasting

Newton

says

manner

must

&quot;

our

humanity with Christ s,

He was

not placed, in

we, under the necessity

die unless redemption intervene

have died, even after

He had

of ;

the

Mr.

same

death.

He need

not

placed Himself under

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

212

the necessary laws of mortality, because

any moment have

would have been no necessity p. 7.)

Friend,&quot;

Newton must

could at

reversed those laws, and necessity to

Him.&quot;

(&quot;Letter

surprised to find a

man

to a

of Mr.

good sense penning such a sentence. If we we are placed under the necessary

die because

laws of mortality, so must Christ,

placed

under the necessary laws of mortality. There is not the slightest difference between the cases. Death is quite as certain in the one instance as in the other.

By no means,

says

Christ could at any

Godhead and

No doubt

Mr. Newton.

moment

&quot;Why?

Because

use the power of His

reverse those laws, and save Himself.

of this

;

but could

those laws and save us]

If so,

in the necessity of death

not as easily reverse

where

Nowhere.

the difference If the laws of

nature can be reversed in the one case, they can surely If Christ could save

be reversed in the other. self

by almighty power,

the same power.

Him

could surely save us by

If almighty

power

each case, are they not both on a par

is ?

required in

Who

could

point out the difference between them? The power which could have saved the humanity of Christ has already saved

Enoch and

those disciples

who remain on

To be

judgment. is

bound

man from

deny

Elijah,

and will yet save

the earth at the day of

consistent with himself, Mr.

Newton

had the power

to save

that Christ

death in the same

way

could have

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTIIISM.

own humanity.

saved His his

Will he do

argument consistent with

itself?

213

this,

and make

certain he

will not. It appears nothing short of dreadful, to my mind, to imagine that the humanity of Christ was of such a nature, that, apart from the cross, it must have

died like one of ourselves and gone into corruption, unless a special miracle had been performed for

servation.

humanity

of this description

its

pre

one which

could not be depended on for the atonement of our sins.

The views

I have been advocating are in

no way

incompatible with those Scriptures which speak of Christ being

Christ says it

laid

by the power

power of the Father.

down His

again Himself.

raised

by the

raised

are

life

that

also

told

He might take that He was

There must be a

of the Father.

sense in which these things are both perfectly true

(and the Trinity in Unity will explain that sense); but it does not follow from this that the humanity was so inherently prone to corruption that

form a miracle

for its rescue.

the humanity of Christ superior

We to,

God had

per

can never make

or independent

the operations of Deity, for the simple reason that

we all.

did

so,

we would make

Adam, even

of, if

God, and no humanity at

in his very highest condition,

was

and dependent on the will of his Maker. God reigns through and over all His works. There is

subject to

nothing created that

independent of

Him

or can

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

214 act without

But

Him.

cannot on

account

this

required the miraculous operation of the raise to humanity of Christ, in the same Deity for the purpose of arresting forth was it as put way

imagine that

the laws of decomposition and afterwards raising the

There

of Lazarus.

body

a great difference

being raised by the power of the power of

have

God put

tried,

distinction in I

God and being

between

raised

forth in a miraculous manner.

however, to unfold the nature of this

&quot;

Letters

need not dwell on

on the Revival in

Ireland,&quot;

have only further to

here.

remark that the argument which will make Christ s

humanity mortal because the power

tion of His soul

He would He would

it is

subject to be raised

;

for

are told as emphatically that

not leave His soul in

hell, as

are that

not suffer His body to see corruption.

most decidedly places the soul and the body

same

of God, will be equally fatal to the condi

state of

dependence upon God

;

but

This in the

does not

either the one or necessarily follow from this that the other was inherently liable to death and corrup tion.

They were both

the Godhead

;

subject

to the

operations of

but neither of them was intrinsically

mortal.

In taking leave of Mr. Newton, I beg to assure him that my criticisms have not been dictated by a captious spirit.

I felt

bound

duty, to say what

have

conscience, as a matter of

said.

would not willingly

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. eay one word to hurt his feelings,

On many

from him

points I differ

if I ;

I believe his opinions are inconsistent

and on

the question

215

could avoid

some

with each other

the mortality of

it.

instances,

Christ

;

the Bufferings humanity, as well as regarding some of of Christ, I hold his statements to be decidedly heretical.

Notwithstanding

all

this,

however,

not by any means prepared to unchristianise him, as the Darbyites have done. On the contrary, I believe

a most decided and devoted Christian

unfortunately fallen into opinion,

his heart, faith,

than some portions of

who

has

some gross errors. In my and life are much better

his

creed

;

and

have no

doubt he will yet shine as a bright star in the realms of glory. I

could not undertake even to enumerate the different

heresies

and

errors

which are held by the members of

the Darbyite division of the Plymouth Brethren.

name

legion.

Their

Dr. Tregelles says he was acquainted

with the opinions of Marcion, Apelles, and Valentinus, of the second century, and witli the Eutychian and Nestorian heresies, and that he found the parties

opposed his section at

&quot;

Plymouth

who

gave expression to

almost every shade of thought, which in the same

way

cardinal opposes the full belief of Christians on these points.

stances

used

;

...

I will

give

you,&quot;

he continues,

&quot;

a few in

been expressions which / know to have it was said that the Lord was man but not the

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

2l6

Adam, and

son of *

simply a title

;

that the

name

Son

Man was

His humanity was something

that

that He spiritual Immanity ; man by birth, hut in some other way that He was not man of the substance of His mother, but that He was of the substance of God, His Father that

divine,

was a

did not become

;

that

the expression without father, without mother,

without descent, related to our Lord as man, and that the genealogies both in Matthew and Luke were those of Joseph, His reputed father,

and not of Mary so Him off from ;

that the Scripture has designedly cut the family of Letters,&quot;

man, and from that of

&quot;

Israel.

(&quot;Three

p. 16.)

In August 1862 I received a letter from a minister in England, &quot;Allow

from which

to express to

had in the perusal

make

the following extract

you the great pleasure I have your pamphlet, and my deep

conviction that you have laid the Church under great obligation

its

timely appearance.

the appearance of their deep piety, I went

Plymouth Brethren and though them little more than six months, ;

Among

all the

among

among the

remained among

saw quite enough.

Christians I ever met, I never saw such

intolerance and bigotry private

Allured by

judgment this sect.

such denial of the right of

and such miserable oppression, as

From

personal contact with

many

them, I knoiu that the Plymouths do hold the errors you have so well exposed, and that the real humanity

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. of Christ, as believed in

by the mass of

217

Christians,

regarded by them, with horror, as a fearful

have received

many

important

letters

heresy.&quot;

about

pamphlet and the views of the Darbyite Brethren I consider this

from the

;

my but

one peculiarly interesting and important,

fact that

the writer speaks from personal

experience, as he was once in connection with the sect.

He knows

the opinions they really hold, but which they

are not always honest

thoroughly candid

enough to divulge. If they were would be easy to deal with them ;

but their want of fairness

read on a considerable variety of subjects

has never yet fallen to

which are Jesuitical

truly distressing.

lot

;

have

but

read any works

thoroughly insidious and so entirely

as the

writings of some of the

Plymouth

fraternity.

The following

letter will explain itself.

Mr. Dorman

held an important and prominent position as one of the leaders amongst the

Plymouth Brethren

for

than a quarter of a century.

His eyes have at length chamber of horrors&quot; connected

been opened to &quot;the with that most tyrannical and Jesuitical sect and he has had the honesty and manliness to come straight out. His testimony is of overwhelming importance ;

because his character stands

beyond reproach, and

also because he is thoroughly conversant with all the peculiarities of the system.

His

letter

runs thus

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

2l8

SURREY, December

&quot;REIGATE, &quot;

DEAR DR. CARSON,

12, 1870.

have no

I feel that I

title to

obtrude myself upon your notice, or to take up your time,

which

has, doubtless, sufficient claims

upon

;

have just read your book on The Plymouth Heresies, and on this account I venture to send you

but

In the

a line.

first place, I

may

say that

here and

there I do not exactly agree with your statements I think

so highly of its

heartily wish your book

force

may

and purport that

gain

all

from Christians that you can desire

To me haps

its seal

for it yourself.

possesses a melancholy interest which per

could claim from few besides, because

upon

years ago

the attention

puts

the judgment that I had come to four

viz.,

that I had spsnt twenty-eight years of

most energetic labour in building up what

(now)

believe to be the worst sect in Christendom, instead of

accomplishing the union of sectarian distinctions,

the power and guidance of

under

man s

Christians apart from

all

and placing

all

God s

ministry under

Spirit, instead of

appointment and control

which were

me amongst

the Plymouth

the sole objects that drove

Brethren thirty-two years

since.

say any more about myself, as

I will not,

however,

object especially in

writing to you was to place before you a very striking in so proof that you had not mistaken your point

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM.

219

pertinaciously charging on Mackintosh the heresy of

denying the

humanity of our

proper

Lord

Jesus

Christ Extracts.

Our Lord

&quot;

at all (that

the

Adam

is,

received no nature at

His birth)

the whole in death. I

;

position, nature,

from

the first

Adam

but on the cross did take

and

life,

and then ended

Does Scripture teach thus mean that Christ took a nature on the cross which

He had

not before

Assuredly

made Him

to be sin for us, put

of us all

and more than

all

itself

to Qod,

;

&quot;

does.

God

...

Him the iniquity made Him to be sin

that was in root, as well as in fruit, at enmity

and then, and so judged, that

in all that

and

that,

damned, sin

was, in nature, character, power,

life,

practice. I

do not know Mr. Pressland personally, but if what he teaches and writes are

these extracts from

shallow and

stupid,

and

contain as

many

heresies

as sentences, they are at least his rendering of the

more subtly-stated doctrines of

his great teacher, Mr.

Darby. &quot;

entirely outside every shade

Brethrenism

;

and you

and division of

will probably say, not before

teas time. &quot;Pardon

fully iu Christ,

intrusion,

and believe me, yours

W. H.

faith

DOUMAN.&quot;

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

220

As Mr. Dorman position, as

in early life held an influential

informed, in the Christian mini

and afterwards acted a consistent part as one

stry,

of the

leaders of

the Plymouths,

so very important

testimony

that

sion to publish the contents of

once sent

considered his

asked permis

his letter.

the whole correspondence in manuscript,

with permission to use any part of it I thought This correspondence, I find, was carried proper. &quot;on

in the year 1867 between Messrs. Bessant, Edmonds,

Newman, and Townsend on Pressland on the other

(all

the one side, and Mr.

referred for decision to Mr.

Wigram

;

raise opposition in the

finally

&quot;the

less said

would never

suit to

Darbyite sect against the heresies

which the leaders were trying

better.&quot;

was

but he returned

the documents with the remark, that

upon these matters the

Plymouths).

to promulgate.

passage of Scripture could more clearly establish

the Deity of Christ than that one which says, the Church of God, which

&quot;

Feed

hath purchased with

His own blood/

According to this, Christ must have been both God and man. If He were God and not

man, or man and not God, possibly be explained. this Scripture is

this

passage could not

If Christ be both

perfectly intelligible

;

God and man, but

could

not be true on any other principle. If He were not God, His Church could not be called the Church of

God

;

and

were not man,

could not purchase

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. His Church with His own blood.

His Church was the Church of God

man He had

221

was only as God it was only as

;

This portion of Holy Writ

blood.

tower of strength for the Divinity of Christ. Hence the Unitarians and Socinians have exhausted all their ingenuity in endeavouring to overturn the

present state

&quot;the

says,

the

(&quot;

Carson

s Works,&quot; vol.

father

controversy, with

respect to Acts xx. 28, clearly establishes the reading.&quot;

common

As my

reading of the passage, but in vain.

ii.

p. 405.)

common If I

correctly informed, the Unitarians have endeavoured to

show

title,

Lord,&quot; which they look on as an inferior be substituted for &quot;God.&quot; In this, how might

that

have

ever, they

have

&quot;

been so

But

failed.

serious,

would not

their failure

they had known that a

Darby would come to their rescue by giving matters new turn. Where the best Unitarian critic falters,

Darby at

fearlessly proceeds.

trifles.

me more

horrified sect, I

way

Indeed,

which they

translation, to facility

&quot;Persons

who

which has

it is

the wonderfully reckless

alter passages of Scripture, in the

suit their

this

does not deign to stop

than another with the Darby ite

might, perhaps, say,

there be one thing

respect

own that

interpret, not

views. is

from

They have a

truly their

remarkable.

own acquaint

who have written in the language to be but merely on the authority of lexicons, will jutorprtted, be wonderfully fertile in improvements of the common ance

icith

autlwr*

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

222 version,

and in various possible

almost

every

interpretations

Hardly anything in the common translation pleases them and every new passage.

;

dress that can be given to a passage,

rule

more general than that he who

ing our version, Works,&quot;

but

a discovery

There can, indeed, be no

of the greatest importance.

tyro in

mend

perpetually

criticism.&quot; (&quot;

Carson

vol. v. p. 241.)

do not say our translation of the Scriptures is perfect but it is so wonderfully near perfection that I

;

would caution

readers to take care of all sects

which are found altering the translation in portions which they cannot otherwise manage in accordance with their own peculiar the Darbyites, find

than

change their

such.

tenets.

Some

more easy

own

a great misfortune.

entirely

from

different

Still, the errors of

that

far,

Beware of

incorrect in

word has

a miracle in providence

that matters should be so exact as they are;

who

make such not

know

are

were

translations

allowed

be the

their

Word

and

clamorous for new

usually so

will,

they

a pretty hand of the Bible, that it

altered

makes the passage speak what the Spirit intended. it

our translation are really so few,

amounts almost

the parties

all

some

It is especially so

in passages where the addition of a

the meaning so

people, such as

change Scripture

pet views.

doubt, our translation

This

parts.

of God.

would

we would

[This pre-

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTH ISM. diction

now

fulfilled in

what

New

the

culled

223

Translation.]

Mr. Darby

reckless conduct in tampering with Acts

xx. 28, is so well

put by Mr. Ryan that

shall quote

his words, as they are found in the third edition of his

pamphlet,

same

p. 10.

stamp,&quot;

&quot;

Unitarian critics and others of the

says he,

&quot;have

tried to get rid of this

famous passage, and have ransacked all the MSS. to see if the word Lord could not be substituted for God, in order to avail.

Sinaiticus, St. *

force of the text, but to

confirmed by the Vatican MS., the Codex

and by a host of other

authorities

besides,

;

Paul never, in any of his writings, uses the term

Church

and

weaken the

It is

of the Lord, but always

the Church of

God

;

this is strong internal evidence for the genuineness

of the text, so that few readings are

lished than the received text

Mr. Darby admits by adopting

New

of the

France.

forms

now

better estab

this point, in his

which

amended

also

edition

Testament, which circulates largely in He in do, think you]

But what does he

critics

and

translators

that

another

mode

getting rid of the difficulty has escaped their notice, and instead of the reading, Feed the Church of

God,

which He hath purchased with His own blood, they are to read it, with the blood of His own Son, thus adding the term Son to the ising

text,

and thereby neutral-

and destroying one truth by another

of the

enemy.&quot;

an old plan

readers will thus see that Mr.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

224

Darby, in the most reckless manner, and as scholars well know, without the slightest grounds, plays into the hand of the Unitarian, by adding to the

God what himself.

the Unitarian

Now, what

would not venture

the cause of

all this

Word add

Why

Mr. Darby so anxious about this translation?

owing Christ?

to his deadly hatred It

evident

of for is

Is it

the righteousness of

he could prove that the

Church of God, in this passage, does not mean the Church of Christ, he would find it more easy to argue that the righteousness of

eousness of Christ.

God

righteousness of Christ

means or other?

mean

does not

Is this his

aim

the right

Is it so, that the

must be undermined by some thought better to

sacrifice

insuperable proof for the divinity of Christ

acknowledge His righteousness

mouthism end

Under the

Where

than to

will Ply-

pretence of scholarship,

and the garb of a plausible sanctimoniousness, it There twists, turns, and adds to the Word of God. &quot;

own

a generation that are pure in their

yet

not washed from their filthiness.

generation, oh how lids are lifted up.

shall be abased.

things,

God

...

shall

written in this

lofty are their eyes .

Whosoever any man

eyes,

There

and is

and their eye

shall exalt himself

shall

add unto these

add unto him the plagues that are

book.&quot;

The Darbyites hold some ideas regarding John &quot;This is 24, which are difficult to make out.

xii.

the

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM. special doctrine of

Paul,&quot;

says Mr. Darby

&quot;

;

225

no thought

of a righteousness of law acquired

There

atonement

by another for us. which we lay, which we

for sin, in

had committed as in the

Adam

first

conferring of righteousness on

I repeat, its

his

and being before God in death, in which He in

tory,

grace took it.&quot;

but

;

but closing

it,

its place,

(&quot;The

judgment due

in respect of the

Righteousness of

p. 9.)

God,&quot;

This

sample of Mr. Darby s style of writing. The man who can beat him at rendering a subject unintelligible

fair

certainly deserves a medal.

would be an interesting

point in mental philosophy to ascertain, is

ence in an extensive for

is,

The only way

sect.

him very

that they think

What am

cannot understand him.

above extract

How

did

we commit atonement

did

lie

lay in the sin. will

make

in atonement

of the

How

Well, let us try that, and see

eousness be conferred on sin?

God

can account

deep, because they

do with the remainder of the sentence.

conferring of righteousness on

tory.&quot;

Adam ? Perhaps this is He probably means that

not what Mr. Darby intends.

how a man who

so utterly incapable could attain a position of influ

When

did sin close

in death, in

which

Did God take the place of will not do. id

its

He sin

it.&quot;

How

&quot;But

could right

closing its his &quot;

history

Being before

in grace took its ?

The word

Let us try the word

we commit atonement

how &quot;No

place.&quot;

&quot;sin,&quot;

&quot;atonement&quot;

Adam

then,

again.

How could p

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

226

righteousness be conferred on atonement

God take due

the place of atonement

atonement?

Do you

How

could

was judgment

any child asks me, in regard

I say, I do. It should up be inserted in the Illustrated News as a standing enigma.

this riddle,

&quot;

Hence,&quot;

&quot;

give

1&quot;

proceeds Mr. Darby,

&quot;

there was no connection

of sinners with Christ under law.

except

it fall

it die, it

new

and

Adam, death

What give

does he

him

We He

But

the righteous

the corn of

written on

all that is

yet this is the

of the Adam.&quot;

regarded

this is the

;

has the presumption to undertake a

tion of the Scriptures

readers tell

man who

his sect as the prince of critics

who

Can any

when He has died unto

come amongst the family

mean 1

;

are united to

And

up.

where

of God,

corn of wheat,

die, abides alone

fruit.

alive unto God.

wheat die alone, first

position,

hand

at the right

sin once,

much

brings forth

Christ in His

man,

ground and

into the

new

man

transla

the presidency of the As Mr. Darby is under must have received the gift of writing in he Spirit,&quot; &quot;

an unknown tongue, and therefore turn to Mr. Mackintosh on the same further remind Exodus,&quot;

135,

reader,&quot;

&quot;that

leave

him and &quot;

point.

says he, in

the obedient

life

would

&quot;Notes

of Christ is

not set forth in Scripture as the procuring cause of our forgiveness. ... It is by His stripes, not by His obedient

life,

that

are healed,

and those

stripes

VARIATIONS OF PLYMOUTHISM.

He endured

the cross,

and nowhere

227

Who says,

else.&quot;

Mr. Mackintosh, we are healed and get forgiveness for our sins by the obedience of Christ s life ? You have a wonderful facility in raising up ideas for your oppo nents which you know they do not hold, in order that

you may have an opportunity of appearing to overturn them. Why do you not meet your opponents fairly ?

Why do you

not act like a

you know we do for

by the

life

law for us in His His death

only forgiven, but cent

and

spotless.

but

also,

who

innocent.

life life, ;

and

was not a

life

obeyed the

paid the penalty for our

result is that

are not

are also rendered perfectly inno

who can punish

It is not only,

can lay anything

our charge

are

Your plan can never bring innocence, or

freedom from

guilt.

It is

only a pardon.

continues Mr. Mackintosh, fall

life

of obedience.

and the

not hold

that our sins are atoned

His

of Christ.

atonement, but a

sins in

man ? We do

not hold

into the

ground and

&quot;

die, it

&quot;

says,&quot;

except a corn of wheat

He was

abideth alone.

that precious corn of wheat; and

should have

remained for ever alone, even though incarnate, had He not, by His death upon the accursed tree, removed out of the way everything that could have hindered the union of His people with Him in resurrection.&quot;

There

not a word in this passage to support the

Plymouth views about obedience

;

nor does

any way, as they assume without proof,

refer in

to the

union

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

228 of Christ

and His people.

When

text is as plain as possible.

fairly dealt by, the

demonstrates that,

without dying, Christ could not take His people to

heaven

He had

;

gone there Himself,

He must

have

gone alone ; the cross was essential to the salvation of His people. The passage teaches that if He had not

He would

died,

would

He He

He would

died

much

This

fruit

;&quot;

in other words, that if

save multitudes, but without death

could not save one.

necessary.

have had no fruit; but that dying

bring forth

&quot;

The

cross

was absolutely

the plain import of the text

with the fruit which

to result

;

deals

from Christ s death,

namely, the accomplishment of the salvation of His people

;

but

does not give even so

the subject of the union between If a

ones.

man had never heard

much

Him

as a hint

and His chosen

of the doctrine concern-

union of Christ and His people, he could not pos sibly learn anything either for or against it from this passage hence it is evident that the text does not refer in g the

;

at all to the doctrine. side of the question.

do, that there

not say one word on either

nowhere tells us, as the Darbyites

was no union with Christ

ascension to glory this,

It does

;

till

after

His

and, as a necessary consequence of

that the Christian was never crucified with Christ,

never died with Him, was never buried with Him, never rose with Him, and never ascended with glory.

ments.

Him

no such dreadful Darbyite senti It just demonstrates that the cross was essen-

It contains

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTH ISM.

and that if He had He must have gone alone, circumstances, He could not take His

the salvation of His people

tial to

gone to heaven without a*,

under these

people with Him. that His of His

was

life

229

;

it,

But

useless

does not follow from this

it ;

nor yet that the obedience

was not in the room of His people. The word on that subject. Mr. Mack

text does not say one

intosh

argument

founded on the supposition that

his opponents are foolish

work was

half of Christ s

His

They hold no such

a consistent whole.

;

would take sinners

life

death. is

imagine that the good as the whole that

enough

heaven without His

principles.

They maintain

which Christ did was essential

Their system

that everything

He did nothing in Him that they are

His people are BO united to

vain.

one with

Him in

the obedience of His

in His burial, in His resurrection, into glory.

them He

For them He

to rise

Him

from the grave.

they are united to tion, ascension,

Him

and

lived, for

in His death,

in His ascension

them He

They did not help Him

rose again.

they did not help

life,

and

died, for to obey,

to die, they did not help

But in

as they are one

life,

Him

with Him,

death, burial, resurrec

glorification.

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM. THE

effects of

denying the moral law as a rule of

life

are well exemplified in the recklessness of the state-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

230

ments which are made by the Darbyite Plymouth?. Let us take a few examples by way of illustration. &quot;

When

the statement as to the Jersey meeting was

being read at East

says Mr. Eland,

Street,&quot;

Mr. Mor-

&quot;

was not accepted as authentic and that the statement was so barefaced and unfair that rish stated that

Mr. Stewart printed.

;

own

... He

friends

would not hear

said Mr.

particularly alluded to

of its being

the friend he

Wigram was

and he promised (when called

;

to account) to write to Mr.

Wigram

for confirmation or

otherwise of the statement, and to show Mr.

reply.

refused to

receiving Mr.

fulfil

statement,&quot; (&quot;

Wigram s

letter,

Wigram s

Mr. Morrish

and publicly retracted his

his promise,

Statement of

Facts,&quot;

1 1.)

This plan

which are without foundation, and then retracting them when called to account, is exceed of stating things

ingly convenient.

the 22d of

1862 I wrote to the Coleraine

May

Chronicle as follows

&quot;I

was no

little

receiving a letter from a minister in

informing effects

following 1

my is

letters

by belying

the reply

w hich 7

letters

Mackintosh

that I was writing

character.

The

sent to the minister.

sorry to hear that the lady

effects of

Queen s County,

that a lady has been counteracting the

Mount Mellick should be to Mr.

surprised at

you

refer to at

trying to counteract the

stating that I

had belonged off, and

party and had been cut

letters

through spleen at the

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM. excommunication.

It is

231

lamentable to think that any

a lady should knowingly and wilfully invent such diabolical falsehood, without even the shadow of the shade of grounds for the

name

it,

of Christian

and

same time disgrace

at the

calling herself a Christian.

She cannot be a Christian and

act thus.

far

from

having ever been expelled by the Plymouth Brethren, as this lady has stated, I never in any way belonged to

them

;

never in

in Dublin,

and

life,

except once

make any

use truth

demands

this appeared in the paper,

the presidency of the fight

the

at college ;

never gave them support in any way, because I

You

detested their Jesuitical principles. to

when

was inside any of their places of worship

He knew

&quot;

Brethren,&quot;

are at liberty

of this letter.

one of the leaders

Spirit&quot;

When

&quot;

in Coleraine took

under

up the

had never been in fellowship with but oif

and therefore never was cut

;

he must rescue the lady in some way from her How did he do it ? He says, malicious falsehood. still

&quot;

There

a confounding of Dr. Carson with Mr.

Ryan

in the matter the Doctor refers to about the lady at

Mount Mellick with

;

because Mr.

Ryan was

The

in fellowship

is, that the plain meaning but the was about the mistook right cutting off, lady and substituted Dr. who never was in Carson, person,

Brethren.&quot;

of this

fellowship, for Mr. Ryan,

was anxious

know

who was

exactly

how

therefore I at once wrote to Mr.

in fellowship.

this matter stood,

and

van on the subject.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

232 In reply, he

had the honour, or the be might variously esteemed, of being by the Brethren in Coleraine, or in Dublin, or

dishonour, as cut off

anyivhere in an

&quot;

says,

I never

This placed the Coleraine

else&quot;

awkward predicament,

all his

&quot;

inspiration

&quot;There

&quot;apostle&quot;

a predicament from

which

has failed to release him.

difficulty,&quot;

says Dr. Tregelles,

&quot;which

has deterred some from setting forth true doctrine, in opposition to Brethrenite teaching it is the unscrupu ;

manner

lous (and at times successful)

any one who firmly does

asperse

open attack

comparatively easy

meet

possible to

secret slander

does the worst mischief.

;

How

this. ;

but

and

which they

... To meet it is

often

this it is

can I repel the quiet

some one who, in the semblance of

whisper of

ness, insinuates that I

which

maintain something very

holi evil,

especially if he says that it is too evil to be stated

No man

&quot;

of honour has a fair chance with such parties

as are here referred to.

It is one of the special

marks

of the Darbyite Plymouths, that, if they are unable to

meet a man

fairly

any amount

of falsehoods for the sake of accomplishing

their purposes.

and openly, they will whisper about

Their underhand misrepresentations

regarding personal character, combined with the Jesu itical

way

in which they couch their sentiments in

language which they interpret after a manner peculiar to

themselves, enable them &quot;

elect.&quot;

This will be

enough,&quot;

&quot;deceive

the

very

continues Dr. Tregelles,

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM. *

233

to satisfy straightforward persons as to Mr.

want

of reliability.

word

with

... Mr. Darby denied

found in the sentence

;

that the

... Do Mr. Darby s and without reserve, condemn

there all others can see.

followers definitely,

these false statements?

and do they own that his

assertions on other subjects are habitually as

of credit

but this was

merely one of hia groundless assertions

word

Darby

that the

&quot;

? (&quot;

Five

unworthy

Letters.&quot;)

Mr. Ryan wrote a pamphlet in the form of a dialogue, which he took special exception to certain opinions which were published by Mr. Darby in The Bible in

&quot;

In place of writing a formal Treasury,&quot; to Mr. Mr. reply Ryan, Darby reprinted, as he said, &c., &c.

the articles complained

of,

in order that his readers

might judge of the correctness of the charges brought In the preface to this reprint, Mr. against him.

Darby says

&quot;

Recently an attack has been

made on

the doctrine contained in them, and in other articles, to

which

I will just

now

refer.

The reader

will

them here exactly as they were originally pub lished. ... My only path was to publish all exactly find

had already appeared. Whatever they are, have them here, my reader, just as they were.&quot; you Could anything in the world be fairer than this] as it

Nothing. successful

There

way

fairer

of meeting a charge, if

that of reprinting every

reliable

false,

and than

word upon which the charge

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

234 is

founded.

What, then, does the course adopted by It wants nothing imaginable, it

Mr. Darby want? appears,

law

truthfulness;

except

be a mere

should

however,

that,

with those who repudiate the moral

trifle

as a rule of life.

&quot;

Can the reader

believe,&quot;

Mr. Eyan, in the third edition of his pamphlet, in the face article

this

boasted exactness, one entire

that

The

article

described at the close of His

that,

Bible

containing the famous passage where our

Treasury

Lord

of all

suppressed

says

&quot;

Gethsemane,

going

unconverted Jews

through the

with the

and in

life,

experiences

full letting loose of the *

power of Satan upon them, and, in consequence, the wrath of God staring Him in the face. It is neither fair

nor right to suppress the entire

same time as they

tell his

appeared.&quot;

this charge,

and

at the

cannot deny that the

which was omitted consisted

own

and

I have read Mr. Darby s reply to must say a more contemptible piece

of shuffling I never beheld. article

article,

readers he has given them all exactly

the notes of

he cannot deny that he had an of opportunity looking over it for the press he has to admit that he knows it is his own he cannot deny his

lecture

;

that this very article,

which contained most obnoxious

sentiments, was omitted completely in the reprint

Why,

then, did he affirm three times over that he

reprinted all exactly as they originally appeared

did he find

had

Why

convenient to leave out the one which

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM. was mainly fouud was in

left out,

with

fault

did he

why

Above

when one

readers they were all

tell his

This charge does not involve a matter of mere

opinion

a matter of fact

it is

;

His statement There

of those

and, therefore, there

;

can be no excuse for Mr. Darby it.

all,

235

conduct in regard to

a direct falsehood.

a complete want of honesty in the conduct

who

of pretend to believe in the presidency is shown by the follow

the Spirit at their meetings, as

ing extracts from Mr.

Wigram s

Mr. Eland in

Jersey Case

the

&quot;

Spirit

(at

Darby, on

last

as printed &quot;

Stewart

Mr.

&quot;

Sunday week)

be held at Islington.

&quot;

of a factious meeting to

Again, and again, and again,

he forced himself self-willedly of the Spirit

&quot;

[under the presidency of the Davies Street, after the gospel by J. N.

fhaiuelessly gave notice *

letter,

&quot;

[under the presidency

on the priory,

Lord, and at other meetings.

...

at the table of the I

do not think that

the table of the Lord, or the gatherings of the saints

&quot;

are to be the [under the presidency of the Spirit !] to which a in right speak and obtrude only places &quot;

one to

s self

on others

what extent

there

to be allowed.

do not know

might patience, but certainly a point beyond which the allowance of in it

terruption becomes the sanctum of disorder.

Self-

and human energy [under the presidency of the Spirit!] &quot;cannot be sanctioned beyond a point, and when that was reached, saints

will,

and

&quot;

self-esteem,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

236

were obliged to act&quot; [man acting!] doubt whatever, in my own mind,&quot; .

&quot;

have no

&quot;I

he continues,

that Satan [under the presidency of the Spirit !] has a very large place in the whole thing.&quot; When &quot;

will the doctrine

which assigns superiority

to Satan

under the presidency of the Holy Spirit come to an end ? Can any person imagine that these men truly believe in their own statements ? I have it on excellent 1

authority that Mr. Bellett, of Dublin, had a good plan of

managing the

When any Bellett

Spirit, if I

may

use such an expression.

members addressed the meeting, Mr. frequently made a habit of keeping silence for of the

This, however, did not please the audience,

that day.

as they preferred to hear Mr. Bellett. to

be done

The

ladies of the assembly gave a

ing to the unfortunate ghost

them.

:io

than for the parties

;&quot;

who &quot;

and,

gift,

or as Mr.

you

acting.&quot;

According to

man who

speaks,

the ladies

who

the action of

But

act thus to say, as they do,

the sovereign guidance of the

Darby put

&quot;

it,

festation of the Spirit in the individual is

to edify

effect.

greater specimen of genuine hypocrisy

that they are under

Holy Ghost

good tongue-thrash

who presumed

had the desired

This, of course,

there could be

What, then, was

very effectual method was adopted.

please, this,

an impulse

God

and the Holy

who ;

a mani acts is

;

God

acting through the

Spirit

presiding over

are forming the determination to stop

God

in the

man

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM. Dr. Tregelles informs us that

&quot;

237

there have emanated

from Dublin professed extracts from the writings of the Reformers, and others, in which the liberty has been taken of altering their words and doctrines, so as There is to suit the taste and theology of the reviser.

no intimation given of such changes having been made all appears under some known and venerable ;

name

;

that the doctrines are ascribed to

ancient writer, which really are those of some Brethrenite.

informed that such tracts have

been circulated by thousands. strated

When

remon

having been made of the was told that it had been done

against such use

names of Reformers, I for the honour of God. Verily,

some

modern

Five

&quot;

Letters,&quot;

(&quot;

would never do

for

21.)

such parties to accept

the moral law as the rule of their

life.

In his sermon of 29th January 1865, Mr. Spurgeon charged the Plymouths with holding that it was wrong for the Christian to

make

a confession of

sin.

sooner did this appear in print that the Plymouths

came down upon him

for misrepresenting their views.

The consequence was,

that

Mr.

afterwards published the following

Spurgeon shortly In a former &quot;

sermon, while denouncing the error of the ifrmion

of sin by believers/

that gross heresy to the

have since learned that

noncon-

we wrongly imputed

Plymouth Brethren. the persons

whom we

alluded have been expelled from that body, and

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

238

community from a

therefore desire to exonerate the

which they are not

fault of

have made speak

guilty.

evil

any

but

;

expulsion of the guilty

are sorry to

from our wish

this charge, as it is far

we were

not aware of the

Mr. Spurgeon here

persons.&quot;

acts the part of a straightforward,

honourable man, as

he always does, and confesses the mistake he had but do his opponents act in the same fallen into ;

straightforward

has so

sible for all

manner towards him

many

him

By no means.

things to attend to that

it is impos become thoroughly acquainted with

the peculiarities

Jesuitical

sect

the

Darbyites, and therefore they took advantage of his innocence.

He was

did not confess

sin.

indeed wrong in stating that they I

know

constantly confessing as they.

parties

This

who

are so

quite a pecu

They seem to be very regardless what they say, but they try to make up for their want of truthfulness by their confessions to each other.

liarity of their sect.

The

cry, Confess, confess, confess, is

mouth.

hardly ever out

upon this point They and therefore they are quite right in drawing Mr. Spurgeon s attention to his mistake. Did they deal of their

fairly

not.

are at

loss

;

with him, however, in this matter

They put him

They did

right, in part, regarding the confes

but they omitted the other end of the sentence. They told a part of the truth, but they did not tell the sion,

whole truth.

They

said they

would

confess,

but they

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM.

239

did not inform him that they positively refused to ask

nor did they ; inform him of the distinction which they make between

forgiveness for the sins they confessed

confessing to Jesuitical

God and

confessing to each other.

matter

dealing in this

Their

very apparent.

They obtained a triumph for their system by showing that Mr. Spurgeon was wrong, and that he was obliged acknowledge his error ; but they had not the can dour to inform him and the public that their confession to

a solemn mockery, as they absolutely refuse to ask pardon from God for the sins they confess to eacli other. is

Their withholding of the truth, regarding their refusal to ask the forgiveness of the sins they confess, is just

another example of that deep Jesuitical plan which underlies and pervades their whole system.

It is by by a sanctimonious garb, that they have drawn the simple and the unwary into their

deception, covered

nets.

the 4th of

December

1862, I received a letter

from a friend in Scotland, informing me that he had just been reading a pamphlet, by Mr. Darby, which professed to reply to me.

wrote to

next post, requesting him to forward

friend

by the

his copy of

Darby work with as little delay as possible. On the 8th of December, I got the pamphlet, as well as a Mr.

letter

from

friend, enclosing

a note which he had

received from Mr. Catesby Paget. In that letter my friend mentioned that he had written to Mr. Paget,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

240

informing him that

lie

had sent

and Mr.

his note

pamphlet to me, because he thought I was I found by Mr. being dishonourably dealt with.

Darby

Paget s note that he requested at

once&quot;

the copy of Mr. Darby

had sent him,

actually for sale

continues,

&quot;you

a week or

so,

my s

friend

he had discovered that &quot;If

yet.&quot;

shall

return

&quot;to

pamphlet, which he

you return

was not

&quot;it

it to

me,&quot;

have two other copies in about

one for yourself, the other for Dr. it will be open, of course, for the

Carson, and then

sharpest criticism that can be applied to friend

properly

very

thought

the

it.&quot;

transaction

extraordinary one, and therefore he told Mr. Paget he

had placed the whole

affair

hands.

evident the Jesuits were once more at work

was

but I

;

could not then divine the exact nature of the trick. I could not discover the reason for so

much

secrecy

about a pamphlet which I found, on examination, actually printed at Toronto in Canada.

was

teas

plain,

however, that there must be some very special reason for the great anxiety

shown

to get

back that American

might be replaced in a week or which would be open to the sharpest struck me that there must be two

copy, in order that it so

others,

criticism.

editions

and one

one specially suited for the Plymouthites, for the public.

In the Toronto printed edition, Mr. Darby opens the battle against me with the following remarks :

MORALITY OF &quot;

The

reader

Carson

LYMuUTH ISM.

241

judge of the kind of thing

may

pamphlet]

page assures us

the

[Dr.

by learning that while the first five

thousand, the

first

last,

the very same side of the same sheet, assures us that the

thousand are

do with such

means last

five

first

have

all sold

It is painful to

adversaries.&quot;

Mr. Darby

statements on the

to assert that the

first

and

pages of the cover are necessarily contradictory to

each other, he asserts a thing which he must know to be false. He cannot be so stupid as to confound sale

with

delivery.

lie

its

Coleraine

that

here

most

pamphlet

bears

may,

cannot allow this to pass without were first published in the

cover.

due attention.

this

emphatically charges

letters

Chronicle.

They

excited so

much

that I announced in the Chronicle that I to publish

The a

them

in a

orders for copies that

rate,

entirely copies,

pamphlet had actually sold

and had given orders thousand more. first five

particular price. in to

had

before the

printed,

off five

of the

pamphlet at a came showering

interest

was going

at such

time to be

five

thousand

to the printer to pull

There was not a

single copy

thousand unsold at the time

its

cover

was printed, so that the statement on the cover, that it was the first five thousand, and that the first five thousand was sold before the cover was printed, is absolutely, literally, and, in every sense of the word, true.

therefore Jling back Mr.

Darby s base insinua-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

242 I

tion.

him

beg to inform

that

no Darby ite,

that I do not deny the moral law as the rule of I

life.

have not yet adopted the religion which permits a

man

to tell as

many

falsehoods as will answer his pur

pose, provided only he makes a sufficiently abject con fession to his fellow- mortals, and that, too, without asking

from the Almighty. In the course of a short time, I discovered that my surmise about there being two editions of Mr. Darby s

forgiveness

pamphlet was quite correct. I have got them both. The one was printed in Canada, and the other in England.

Canadian

the

copy,

Mr.

Darby has

moral character, by making a statement, containing an insinuation which I have proved to be utterly false. Of course, if he could

attempted to overturn

satisfy his miserable

dupes that

was a

liar,

he would

go very far towards removing any impressions which my pamphlet might have made upon them. But

inasmuch

as his false insinuations

double force on his

came under

another edition, omitted.

own

against

would

recoil

with

by any chance they

was found necessary to print in which the accusation against me is eye, it

all

probability,

known anything about ment

head,

would never have

the publication of this state

moral character, and would never

have had an opportunity of proving its falsehood, if it had not been for the mistake made by Mr. Catesby to Paget in sending a copy of the Plymouthite edition

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM. who

a friend of mine

243

who

not a Plymouth, and

could not possibly stand such abominable trickery. is the edition which Mr. Paget says was not ready

This

for sale, although I

this district

After hearing of their existence,

got copies.

pick up two of

who

have heard, from a person

saw them, that several Plymouths in

them myself; and

have

managed

have also

obtained a copy of the edition in which the falsehood

about

which

will be

this

is all

moral

character

omitted

open to the sharpest

an intentional

that no mention

trick, is

made

the

edition

That

criticism.

proved by the

fact,

of the false statement con

tained in the other edition having been omitted from this

one

;

that no apology

previous existence

made

;

offered

for

its

and that no allusion whatever

to the subject

the Canadian edition,

by the English copy

had not providentially seen could never have discovered

If I I

that

had been

character

basely traduced in the Canadian publication. Now, I seriously ask my readers what they think of this transaction

or the men,

What estimate do they form of the man, who could be concerned, either directly

or indirectly, in such Could any one proceedings? imagine the devil himself, almost, to be guilty of such devices? Could any conduct in the world be

detestable than that of blackening a

acter without giving

When

man s

him an opportunity

they find themselves unable to meet

char

of reply

argu-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

244

Mount

ments, they follow the example of the lady at Mellick, and try

by a

character

hand

to destroy their effect

which, only for the

false statement,

of Providence,

by undermining

would never have reached

my eyes.

Since I exposed this Plymouthite trick, Mr. Darby

and Mr. Paget have both found

to the point.

now

shall

necessary to return

how

see

they have

far

improved their position. In his pamphlet on Right eousness and Law,&quot; Mr Darby says, I am quite willing &quot;

&quot;

to accept

tion

mean

Dr. Carson

How

contradiction

come it

explanation of the contradic

on the cover of his

true

]

How

Perhaps with Ply mouth s

man

as well as

tains a contradiction.

tradiction, nation?&quot;

The acceptance

&quot;

might

in the world. is alive,

;

but

Mr.

that he is

says the cover con

he thought

how

could he

when he

making a false statement,

contained a con

accept of Dr. Carson

expla

of the explanation proves

that he does not believe in his

the

man

does the

could a contradiction ever be

could not with any sensible

Darby must know,

What

tract.&quot;

could he accept any explanation of a

own

statement.

What

advertisement on the cover with which Mr.

? A Plymouthite lady sent me, copy of the pamphlet, with all her I objections written on the margin of the leaves. did not place much value on her criticisms, but I

Darby

finds

fault

long since, a

was glad to get hold of the advertisement on the The first five thousand of this Here it is cover. &quot;

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM.

245

but copies of the pamphlet have been already sold second five thousand may be had from the author.&quot; ;

Where

the contradiction here

Nowhere.

matter of course, the cover of the pamphlet, contain ing the

title

on the

this cover that it

that

was the

but the second

five

Nowhere.

thousand, and

first five

the copies contained in

all

author

page, and the advertisement

first

was printed after the rest of the Where, then, was the contradiction in stating

work.

on the

last page,

were already sold ; thousand could be had from the It

was every word

true.

There

was not one single copy of that edition unsold at the time that was printed. Hence there is no contra diction

no untruth.

It is impossible,

stretch of charity, to suppose that Mr.

ignorant on this point.

by the utmost

Darby could be

inhabitant of the land of

Tob might perhaps make a mistake here but a man like Mr. Darby, who is accustomed to the public press, ;

could not

Mr. Darby knows right well that there arc

plenty of books subscribed for by the trade, or the

and consequently sold before one line of them printed. Nay, more, he knows that in almost every

public, is

business transaction the sale precedes the delivery.

Suppose a in Dublin,

hammer.

him

man and

goes to the sells

Encumbered

Estates Court,

an estite under the auctioneer s

his return,

lie

meets Mr. Darby, and

that he has sold his estate

has yet given possession

;

the

;

Mr. Darby asks

man

tells if

says, No, he has

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

246

only just sold. Mr. Darby at once, in the most polite manner, informs him that he is a liar, because there is

nothing sold until after

And would be thought of this I am of unprincipled bosh which ?

delivered

What

yet this is the sort called

upon

to meet.

It is utterly impossible,

by any amount

suppose that Mr. Darby

so ignorant as to

not so stupid as that would

sale

with delivery.

come

to,

made

and therefore he cannot get

of charity, to

confound

credit for

his statement through ignorance

;

been intentional and diabolically malicious. I still think continues Mr. Darby, But,&quot; &quot;

&quot;

having

must have

was a

a tract which positively glaring contradiction to sell

declared that

same sold

cover,

sold,

and

that that

already.&quot;

sinuation

was one of the

then and there

to state five

first

Mr. Darby must

contained

this

first

five

thousand,

on the back of the thousand were

know

sentence

all

that the in is

not

true,,

because he knows me.

he did not buy the tract from If he bought the tract from a person who bought it from me, there is no contradic

previously

tion whatever

sell

that same

five

hundred times

part.

Again, Mr. Darby might

and it might be sold and yet the statement on.

tract to another,

over,

the cover would be perfectly true.

Nay, more,

the printer, or binder, had, by any mischance, mixed a

few copies of the two parcels, as they passed through his hands, so as to have the one delivered in mistake

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM. the other,

for

would not

affect the advertisement.

to collect those five

would, after

&quot;

says he,

Dr. Carson

According to this

reliable

excuse for

statement

may

face

him on the

After

five five

capable of

in place of holding

all,

shelf with the simpletons.

continues Mr. Darby,

&quot;

should

I &quot;

know

what was ordered

but I know that a tract was bought which me, professed to be itself one of the first which also declared that the first and thousand,

of Dr. Carson for

explain

Sense again

it.&quot;

contradiction

self-evident

explanation.

nothing,&quot;

So his

head of wit, a thing which he con

Mr. Darby responsible for what he says, place

all

but the thing to be explained remains

contradiction on the

siders a

them

the cover

be perfectly and literally true.

all,

insinuations.

were now

sell

advertisement on

Darby has no shadow of

that Mr.

it,&quot;

the slightest degree

Still, further, if I

thousand copies, and

over again myself, the

247

;

thousand were

ignorant of

&quot;

all

Mr. Darby

sold.&quot;

what was ordered

of Dr.

may

Carson,&quot;

but

he had taken the trouble of asking information from his

own

followers in the north of Ireland, they

would

have given him soine idea on the subject. They could have told him, with bitter anguish and sorrow of heart, that various ministers throughout the country pur

chased

the

pamphlet

such large (quantities for

circulation in their districts, that

it fell

like a perfect

thunderstorm on the heads of the unfortunate Ply-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

248

There

mouths.

nothing remarkable in the fact

that a copy of the

first five

thousand was purchased

Mr. Darby. I have no doubt he might have pur chased hundreds of them. It is possible that even

for

now he

could find some copies for

ministers

sale.

who purchased from me

Some

of the

circulated

their

some sold them amongst their people some put them into the hands of booksellers and one commercial traveller, who afterwards became gratuitously

copies

;

view, as

copies,

with the

have since ascertained, of having the greater

them

part of

thousand

one

a minister, bought

by the

sold

booksellers in the different

towns which he visited throughout Ireland. Under these circumstances, Mr. Darby might have purchased hundreds of them degree

;

but that would not in the slightest

affect the truth

cover of the pamphlet.

of the advertisement

on the

It is quite impossible for Mr.

Darby, or any other man, to shake the truth of it. Mr. Darby says the obnoxious passage was struck out of the English edition of his pamphlet, without his knowledge, by a friend of his own, and at the suggestion of the publisher.

Mr. Darby of the to

trick, if

&quot;This

have made an ample apology inasmuch as he had not

for the

but,

enable

him

so,

he must

still

whole

sufficient

affair

honour

;

be held responsible.

under any circumstances, the trick must It is at the door of his Plvmouthite friends.

Besides, lie

might have cleared

he had been manly enough

still still

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM. amongst the Plymouth?, and

249

just like them.

like to give a stab in the dark,

and

keep

They it

dark.

In regard to what his friend has done, Mr. Darby says, **

struck his pen through the passage, judging, I

suppose, the point referred to beneath I

Now,

notice.&quot;

solemnly ask Mr. Darby, does he really believe he

here stating the truth

does he really suppose, as he

he judged Could any man

says, that his friend struck it out because it

a point

unworthy

notice

imagine Mr. Darby believes he truth

Could

putting if

any argument

to the wall

here stating the

more powerful

be produced, than the

such a fact existed, that

falsehood on the cover of

for fact,

had placed an intentional

If pamphlet ? None. had been guilty of such conduct, my reputation was not worth a farthing. Hence it is impossible to

suppose Mr. Darby believes in his own statement,

when he because

says he thinks the passage was struck out it

was judged

to be

unworthy of

notice.

Mr. Darby had been endowed with sufficiently high and honourable principles to have enabled him to publish an ample apology for the whole

would but

to a great extent

he ;

he hardly goes the length of fully If he imagines I care one explanation.

in place of this,

accepting

straw whether he accepts taken.

dare

affair,

have redeemed his position

him

or not, he

wofully mis

ask no favour of him or any one to

attempt to overthrow

else.

explanation.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

250

It is true in every entirely beyond his power. as such will be and by every honest accepted letter, man who reads it. I have no idea of taking his accept

This

ance of

and

as a

compliment

;

demand

as a right

;

he had been possessed of the refined feelings of

a gentleman, he would have retraced his steps by a

most ample apology. A compliment, indeed, Darby to accept an explanation which he and

for

Mr.

all

the

But Plymouths in the world could not overturn to crown all, Mr. Darby now says, &quot;There is no statement that Dr. Carson told an untruth.&quot; In all !

man mean

the world, where does this

end

The reader may judge pamphlet he says, of the kind of thing it (Dr. Carson s pamphlet) is, by his first

&quot;

learning that, while the first five

same

thousand, the assures

sheet,

are all sold adversaries.&quot;

first

last,

page assures us

us that the

It is painful to

Now,

it is

the

the very same side of the first

five

thousand

have to do with such

would be impossible

imagine

any language which could more directly insinuate that Dr. Carson was a liar, and therefore it was painful to have to deal with him as an adversary on religious This point could not be made plainer. questions.

But the moment Mr. Darby reads

answer, and

and utterly false, a man of honour and prin

finds that his accusation is totally

in place of apologising like ciple, I

he turns round and denies that he ever stated

had told an untruth.

This

truly

Darby

all

the

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM.

251

beyond measure to have an adversary. It is no wonder lie denies the moral law as the rule of his life.

world over.

It is distressing

to deal with such

now turn

to Mr.

have proved to be

strictly

honesty.

Mr.

having entertained

;

form, and

which

letter

have read

It is clear that

and

your

what you

literally a true state

raised a suspicion in his

character

mind

it,

of an opposite

takes shape and

given forth as a proved instance of dis

You have

acted with regard to

letter to

same way. You state how you came A sus tract, and quote my words.

in the

by Mr. D. picion

&quot;

You justly condemn Mr. Darby for making

pamphlet.

a false charge against you.

ment

In a

Paget.

him, he says

received from

you entertain

enters your mind,

it,

takes

form and shape, and though you own you * cannot a possible solution by a discover, c., and propose question which you also

own you cannot

answer, you

pronounce upon it as a proved instance of Jesuitism, and express your sorrow that Mr. Paget proceed

should lend himself, however unwittingly, to disgusting trickery. justifiable to

May

make such a

ask you whether

broad light of day charged as

all that

such

was

charge, based on no other

ground than your own suspicions, and which declare to be entirely false

now

could explain in the

which you have so unjustly and disprove your

disgusting trickery,

charge as easily as you have Mr. Darby

s false

charge

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

252

against yourself.

which

have before

me the Mr

other

copy been able

should have sent you, had

to return

the one

asked

for,

and you would see few correc

in that the original charge against you, a

and three

tions of the press in ink,

new

lines of

pasted over a short sentence needing correction.

new

edition, to

did I

know

which you its

had never

refer, I

existence

till I

seen,

The nor

read your pamphlet.

Whether not,

it has superseded the first edition I know but this I do know, that it would have been a

copy of the original edition, corrected as

have just

which a copy would have been sent you. Can you not imagine the possibility of an edition being printed, and a few copies sold in the ordinary described, of

way, and then, because

was only a few copies that

had got into circulation, a desire being felt sale for a week in order to make a small I

know

that I have done the same with regard to a

controversial tract, and did not think

anything

particularly

dishonourable

was doing

nor Jesuitical

have no wish to place Mr. Paget in position, I have thus allowed him to speak I am himself, and make his own explanation.

thereby.&quot;

to stop the

alteration

false

for

anxious, as far as possible, to release

him from

the

but the only way in which I can see it pos sible to do so, is to suppose that he has become the

charge

;

innocent dupe of others. to believe

what he

Although

so positively

anxious

declares, there are

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTHISM, some things which

not imagine an

could

because only a

few

stopped for a

week

edition being

copies

were

fairly,

but

particular case, just because It

facts.

of the pamphlet

if I

and,

might be

sold, the sale

it is

printed,

alterations.

honestly and

could not possibly imagine

253

asks

make some

or so to

could imagine this to occur

Well,

with

cannot accept.

this

utterly inconsistent

must not be forgotten that the copy which Mr. Paget sent to my friend in

Scotland was printed at Toronto, in Canada, under Mr.

Darby s own eye; and that Mr. Darby to that edition, that

people there, while a

number were

says, in reference

largely to all

&quot;sold

sent to

kinds of England.&quot;

Hence Mr. Paget s explanation cannot apply to the case at all. The explanation of its being withdrawn for correction, because only a

few copies had got into

circulation, cannot be accepted in regard to a pamphlet

which Mr. Darby says was printed under his oivn eye in Canada, and sold largely to various people there, whilst a number of them also were sent to England. Neither can

me to

reconcile the letter Mr. Paget wrote to

with the one he wrote to

me, he says that the

have sent

&quot;

other

friend

&quot;

friend.

In his letter

copy, which he would

had returned him the

first,

would not have been the new edition with the ob noxious sentence

left out,

but the original, Canadian

printed edition, with a few corrections in ink, and a printed

patch

sentence

requiring

correction.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

254

is difficult

This, however,

be returned, he says, that

to reconcile with his letter

friend, in which, after requesting the copy to

it is

&quot;

was not aware when

not actually for sale

yet.&quot;

How

got

could he

say this of the edition which Mr. Darby informs us

was printed under his own eye in Canada, and had sale ? On what principle could it be

met an extensive

said in reference to a

sold out, that

all

cannot see the

work which, perhaps, was nearly was not ready for sale yet ? I

way

reconcile

statements with each other

Mr. Paget s

nevertheless, I

;

own dis

posed to think that he has been taken in by those parties &quot;

who informed him

not actually for sale

a large extent, disposed

that the Canadian edition

yet,&quot;

of.

although

was then,

imagine he has become

the dupe of others without being aware of the exact

nature of their tricks.

In his reply to Mr. Trench, Mr. Darby says

The

to his objections.

told of Brethren that

man

could speak.

first is

Any is

Scripture authorises this if

he likes

;

turn

He was

very simple.

any person in the apparel of a sensible person can see this is

simply maintaining the scriptural admits that

&quot;

rule.&quot;

Mr. Darby

only in the apparel of a

him

to speak.

Mr. D.

man, the

may

but does he honestly believe

believe

it ?

The

remainder of the paragraph from which I have quoted in is left free,&quot; says he, proves he does not. meetings which are not preachings nor lectures, but &quot;

&quot;It

MORALITY OF PLYMOUTH ISM. assemblies of saints,

glory in

Now,

this.&quot;

slips in here the words,

&quot;

who I

person in the apparel of a

clear

scrip

can edify, to do

want

who can The

a totally different case.

the

according

tural rule, to all Brethren

255

so.

know why he

This makes

edify.&quot;

objection

is,

that

&quot;

any

without any regard

man,&quot;

power of edifying, could speak. Why does Mr. Darby not meet this fairly, in place of slyly slipping

to the

in the expression, that he here versialist

can edify

&quot;who

acts

the

Certainly not.

his

letter

1868 to the

lished in Canada, Mr.

honest

contro

most distressing

It is

have to do with opponents of

Can he pretend

?&quot;

part of

this class.

Again, in

Church Observer, as pub

Darby

&quot;

I repeat,

says,

charging

Mr. Mackintosh with denying the true humanity of Christ

been

a foul falsehood, and, after the matter has

sifted, as it has,

a disgrace to those only

bring the accusation, as in truth

accusation against Mr. Mackintosh

always

was.&quot;

who

here characterised

as a foul falsehood, that could disgrace only myself, and

that

it always did so. This is Mr. Darby s assertion. Does he believe in the truth of his own statement?

does not.

If I

wanted

to prove the truth of

accusation against Mr. Mackintosh, I

might have said elsewhere on the subject but ;

object at present.

the dishonesty of Mr.

has here stated

only wish just

refer to all this is not

now

to prove

Darby as a controversialist. that it was always a disgrace to

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

256

have made the charge

was a

tosh, because it to

&quot;

statement

How am

Darby knew he was here making a Just out of his own mouth. In his

prove that Mr.

false

did against Mr. Mackin

foul falsehood:

Law/ he

Kighteousness and

&quot;

says,

Mr. Mackintosh

did overstep the bounds of Scripture statement.

used language open to attack, and I have no doubt his

mind, in opposing one extreme, had gone into the Subsequently he published a declara opposite. .

made a wrong statement, and that condemned wherever it might be found.

tion that he had it

was

to be

have no doubt his mind had overstepped the bounds

of Scripture.

There was a

thought in his mind. it

hold

[root

of unscriptural

a great mercy that

was brought out to light. The true humanity of is a fundamental truth, and His person and

Christ

salvation are

Mackintosh

given up

is,

of course,

be touched.

bound

Mr.

in the Lord to do all

needed to remove any evil flowing from his

words.&quot;

Can you

believe

What

think you of

your eyes

this

Can any man who

this,

most distressing case ? thus have the slightest pre

not

acts

tensions to Christianity

reader?

The commonest man who

walks the streets of London would hardly disgrace himself by such conduct.

Mr. Darby here states that

Mr. Mackintosh overstepped the bounds of Scripture used language open to attack

;

allowed his mind to go

from one extreme on the humanity of Christ

to the

MR. MACKINTOSH S RECANTATION. opposite extreme in his mind,

and the remove

evil

had a root of unscriptural thought

;

which was mercifully brought to light, flowing from which he was bound to

and

;

257

after all

wonderful

asserts, in his letter to the

of course, he

relate

Canadian Observer (which,

would not expect me

to see), that

accusation against Mr. Mackintosh on these points

&quot;

foul

falsehood.&quot;

own mouth,

his

would be

regardless

utterly

the morality of Darbyite Plymouthism

does well

FEEL

Such

life.

to is

MACKINTOSH S RECANTATION.

MR. I

any man

difficult to get

truth.

reject the moral law as the rule of his

&quot;

here see that, judged out of

due

God, to His Church, and to

my own

made a wrong state ment in the first edition of my Notes on Leviticus, The second Man p. 35, in the following passage: conscience, to acknowledge that I

was, as

His manhood, the Lord from heaven.

This

mistake, together with the serious inference deducible

from

it,

passage,

and

who

correct

correct the mistake,

error,

me by a dear and venerable requested me to reconsider the

was pointed out

servant of Christ,

in the second edition.

and added a

but to guard the truth.

not enough.

did

note, not to guard

But

this, I feel,

was

ought to have confessed the mistake,

and should have done

so in the preface to the second

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

258 edition, less of

been sufficiently self-emptied and care I do reverently

had

reputation as a writer.

believe that our blessed

Lord Jesus Christ was made *

of the seed of David, according to the flesh

was truly

excepted.

;

The

man

as I

am, in every respect, sin

reader will find this grand foundation-

truth of Christianity distinctly laid

passages of the

and

flesh

of the substance of the Virgin

blood, as really a

that

first

down

in various

edition (see pp. 36, 37).

I never

meant to teach any other doctrine, and if any expres sion ever dropped from my lips, or from my pen, which might seem to touch the precious, holy, and essential mystery of incarnation, I would utterly re pudiate

it. &quot;

&quot;

H. MACKINTOSH.

MOUNTJOY STREET, DUBLIN, July

The more surprised.

1862.&quot;

examine

this

Mr. Mackintosh

greatly mistaken

says,

&quot;I

as really a

in every respect, sin e.xcepted.

any

the

first.

do reverently believe that our blessed

Lord Jesus Christ was ....

teach

his position by imagines he has improved tenfold worse than at contrary, it makes him it.

document, the more I

other doctrine:

his readers are going to

...

man

I never

as I

am,

meant

Mackintosh imagines this statement, he of accept If Mr.

MR. AfcACKINTOSH S RECANTATION.

must give them

credit for

259

an incalculable amount of

In considering this point, it must be kept specially in mind that Mr. Mackintosh was at one time credulity.

a schoolmaster

at Westport, in the county Mayo. Consequently he must have understood the language which he undertook to teach. We cannot possibly

give

him

as not to

credit for being such a thorough

know

words in the English tongue. that, in using the expression,

as to

Hence, when he &quot;

to teach

tells

The second Man was,

His manhood, the Lord from

meant

ignoramus

the meaning of some of the simplest

heaven,&quot;

any other doctrine

&quot;

Christ was as really a

man

Lord from heaven,

must have a

than that

&quot;

never Jesus

am, in every respect, sin excepted,&quot; he makes a statement which is utterly If I say Christ, in His Godhead, was the incredible. I

as I

putting in His Godhead, and no

stand the language.

tosh said,

&quot;

special object in

man

can misunder

In like manner, when Mr. Mackin

Christ, as to

His manhood, was the Lord

from

heaven,&quot; he must have had a special object in adding the words as to His manhood,&quot; which are not in &quot;

If is

and no man

can misunderstand his meaning. he had no special object in the language he used, he

Scripture,

utterly incapable of writing

on any

subject.

But

he was once a schoolmaster, we cannot give him credit for such extraordinary ignorance. He knew well right

what he was ignorant of

saying.

readers,

ask the simplest and most

they think they could use

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

260

Mr. Mackintosh

language without knowing what sen Could they tell us the ?

timents they were expressing

was leading the professing Church astray on the humanity of Christ, and then slip in the words, As to devil

&quot;

His

manhood,&quot;

having any

He was

design in

the Lord from heaven, without

it I

If they did so without being

aware of what they were doing, would they not have the fear of Bedlam before their eyes ? If they were anxious to teach the doctrine of the proper humanity of Christ, &quot;

And

would they ever attempt to do so by saying, He was the Lord from heaven ?

&quot;

His manhood,

yet Mr. Mackintosh wishes us to believe that he

meant to teach anything else than the real man hood of Christ by the expression, As to His manhood, He was the Lord from heaven.&quot; Those who think pro

never

&quot;

per

may

I cannot.

believe this.

If Mr. Mackintosh to teach

man,&quot; &quot;

&quot;heavenly

heavenly

how

did he call

earthly &quot;

was

How

as seen in the

humanity, as seen in spiritual

and

Him

divine

&quot;

He had

did he say conceived

by the

the Scripture expressly informs us

Holy Ghost, He was conceived by Mary tween humanity,

How

man?&quot;

humanity,&quot;

when

The

meant

statement, that he never

any other doctrine than the real humanity of be correct,

Christ,

us, there

Lord Jesus

&quot;

the heavenly and the &quot;

Be and

Christ,

could be no union.

and the carnal

could never combine

did he say,

How

did he say that

Divine power was about to form a real man,

the

MR. MACKINTOSH S RECANTATION. Lord from heaven

How

&quot;

did

say that Christ was

lie

On what

&quot;

a heavenly stranger

entirely

261

heavenly

grounds did he say that Satan was leading the pro

Church

fessing

did he the

&quot;

the Lord Christ,

God

Why

manifest in

maker and

Lord of the Sabbath, the

the

flesh,

on Christ s humanity

a-stray

us that

tell

sustainer of heaven and earth, spent the seventh day in the dark

possibly

and

come

silent

tomb?&quot;

sane

Mackintosh really believed Christ was, manhood, the Lord from

In order to once more

test

Mr. Mackintosh

&quot;demand

Does he

manhood, was the

now

guarding,

now deny Lord

believe

&quot;as

Hit

present opinions, I

an explicit answer, yes or no,

that

the following

that Christ,

from

deny that Christ had a

Does he now

could

heaven.&quot;

without any evasion, or questions

man

any other conclusion than that Mr.

heaven?

as to

His

Does he

heavenly humanity

Christ

appeared

our

humanity ? Does he now believe that Christ was made under the law? Will he positively declare that his opinions regarding the humanity of Christ are pre cisely the

same

as those

which are held by the Esta

blished Church, the Presbyterians, the Methodists, the Baptists, I

the

Independents, and the

Covenanters?&quot;

put these questions in a previous edition

M. has not found

;

but Mr.

convenient to answer them.

knows, as well as he

is alive,

that his views are not

the same as those which are held by the Christians

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

262

He knows

have mentioned.

he has charged the pro

fessing Christian Church with being led astray by

Satan on the humanity of Christ. believe that he never

meant

trine than the proper

and

Ho\r, then, can

to teach

real

humanity of

held by the professing Christian Church utterly impossible

now

Let us

any other doc

Christ, as

Impossible,

take a peep at Mr. Mackintosh

confes

from another point of view. Let for granted he really sees now that he was

sion, or recantation,

us take

astray,

in almost every word,

on the humanity of that he does

Christ, contained in his various works

not

now

;

believe that Christ, as to His

manhood, was

the Lord from heaven, was a divine man, a heavenly

man, or had a heavenly humanity

in short, that his

understood in the ordinary and of the words it contains, and that legitimate meaning confession

to be

his opinions are

now exactly

the same as those held by

the different Christian Churches ?

sequence his books

and what

He must now

this.

the con

believe that

Simply and pamphlets contain a complete denial of

the Christ of Scripture, the Saviour of sinners.

The

Christ described by the Unitarian has no power to

save any one, because he

not truly God; the Christ

described

by Mr. Mackintosh could not make atone

ment

any man, because he bad no

for

The works Christ

;

the

of the one

works

real humanity.

deny the proper Godhead the

other deny

the

proper

MR. MACKINTOSH S RECANTATION.

humanity Neither of tosh s

of Christ, so that they are

much on If Mr.

real Saviour.

them has a

be true, he must see

confession

allow

a par.

Mackin

Why,

this.

the books which contain

then, does he

still

his heretical

statements to circulate

all

263

Why

will he

? Seeing he has not spread the soul-destroying heresy burned the books, how are we to believe he has changed

from the opinions they contain ? If a confession of his crime was necessary to satisfy his oicn conscience, and

had nothing

do with appeasing

other people,

his

on what heretical

he continue to circulate principle can or recantation, writings? Above all, if his confession, or whatever else he

may

choose to call

it,

was intended

to have a real influence in correcting the evil

which

has been already done by the distribution of his heretical works, why has he not sent it to every jour nal, magazine,

would give

and newspaper in the empire, which insertion

has he not used every

Why

effort to scatter the antidote as

tered

the poison

How

does

widely as he has scat it

come that the

slips

on which he has printed his confession are so few in number that they are more difficult to obtain than five-

pound notes?

How

does

come that

parties

are

for writing to me, begging I will try to find a copy one I obtain could them ? How does it come that only

copy for myself ? How does it come that some parties, as I am informed in writing, have got the loan of the that it would be slip with the express stipulation

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

264

returned without being seen by any one else does

come

that tracts against the

How

righteousness of

Christ can be circulated like hail in a shower, whilst

Mr. Mackintosh

confession

hid

Under such

cir

cumstances, could any

man

really holds the true

and proper humanity of Christ

believe that Mr. Mackintosh ?

If he does, his credulity has banished his sense.

But Mr. Mackintosh says that

at the request

of a

dear and venerable servant of Christ he corrected his error in the second edition of his book.

this point

has been fully handled in an early portion of this work, not return to

I will

it.

perusal of the remarks I

have already made will show at a glance that Mr. M. * guarded his views from the observation of a care &quot;

;

less reader,

them.

but never either corrected or expunged

have specially to request that

as I

do not wish

readers

and carefully examine, pp. 17

will turn back to,

to 29,

to recapitulate their contents in this

section. &quot;

ought to have confessed the mistake,&quot; says Mr. and should have done so in the preface &quot;

Mackintosh,

to the second

emptied and

edition,

careless of

Just think of this

had

been

sufficiently self-

reputation as a writer.

In his writings he has attempted

doctrine of the proper

humanity of the Saviour of has denied and Christ, consequently and when his attention is called to the sinners to overturn the

;

n;atter,

he cannot bring himself to a confession of .

DARBr s

MR.

REPLIES.

guilt on account of the self-conceit

265

which

from

arises

His own reputation is of more im Wonderful portance than the honour of Christ Wonderful Wonderful Besides, he never his authorship

attempted to confess

till

he found that his heretical

the Chris opinions were fully exposed to the view of tian public

then

Who thanks him pamphlet one but his own dupes.

DARBY S REPLIES.

MR.

IN his pamphlets called viewers

&quot;

and

&quot;

for it

&quot;

Brethren and their Re

Righteousness and

Law,&quot;

Mr. Darby

Mr. Ryan, Mr. Cox, Tlie Journal of Propliecy, The Christian Examiner, the London Record, Mr. Trench,

refers to

and Dr. [Carson.

I shall reply to

my own

part,

and

leave the others to look after themselves. &quot;

&quot;

The reader

will

j udge,&quot;

observes

Mr.

Darby,

whether these statements as to Christ, defended by

journals &amp;lt;&amp;gt;r

not.&quot;

and theological names, ought to be denounced Will Mr. D. inform us how names could

defend statements with accuracy.

to as the

come

And

could hardly write one page

yet this is the

head of his

sect,

man who

and who

looked

feels it neces

champion for Mr. Mackintosh, in place of trusting Mr. Mackintosh to speak for him Poor Mackintosh will be permitted to write self. sary to

forth as the

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

266

some soft-sounding twaddle

but when

;

comes

to a

higher branch, such as criticism, he must stand aside,

and allow Darby &quot;

come

forth

Miss Adelaide Newton, Avho says Mr. Darby,

heaven,&quot;

is,

now

trust,

but the character of whose

&quot;

piety on earth has been, I judge, most falsely esti

mated.&quot;

Newton,

name

life

of Miss Adelaide

Mr. Darby, in the well-known grossness

observations. of his nature,

once read the

thoroughly indignant at these barbarous

I feel

may

powerful antipathy to the

foster a

Newton, and may hint his doubts (when a he more than doubts) about Plymouth only of

&quot;trusts,&quot;

the piety and eternal safety of Miss Adelaide Newton, but I am convinced he is the only person who has

read her

life

that does not feel certain she

now

envy not the mental condition of the man who could pen Mr. Darby s most revolting observations. I

glory.

Verily his censure &quot;

Mr.

the greatest praise.

Mackintosh,&quot;

step the bounds

language open

remarks Mr. Darby, Scripture

to attack

and

;

statement. I

&quot;

did over

used

have no doubt his

mind, in opposing one extreme, had gone into the

... He laid himself open to the attack that was made against him by language which, if it might

opposite.

be defended, at any rate gave occasion to those sought occasion.

The charge

founded and unrighteous. trines

imputed

him,

I for

against

Had he

who

him was un

held the doc

one should have objected to

MR. DARBY S REPLIIX hold communion with

Here

him.&quot;

267

a pretty medley.

Mr. Mackintosh overstepped the bounds of Scripture, allowed his mind to run from one extreme to another,

and

open to Dr. Carson s attack, by the he but yet Dr. Carson s charge is un used, language founded and unrighteous Again, if Mr. Mackintosh laid himself

had held the doctrines which his language conveyed, Mr. Darby would have refused him communion, and yet his language

who

sets

might be defended

himself forth as a

make a good shadow ceeds

&quot;The

charge

for a critic.

made

the Virgin &quot;

viewers.&quot;)

Mary.&quot;

The two

(&quot;

heaven, and that the Virgin

does false

Why tion

Mary.&quot;

him

not

was, denying

and their Re

charged

points

man

the

Jesus as truly born

Brethren

Mackintosh were, that Christ

He would

Mr. Darby pro

against

the true humanity of the Lord of

Such

critic.

against Mr.

humanity came from was not formed in, and born of s

(&quot;Righteousness

and

Law.&quot;)

How

come, Mr. Darby, that you knowingly make a statement of the case in each of your pamphlets ?

do you slip in the word born ? When your atten was drawn to its improper existence in your first

pamphlet,

why do you

repeat

in your second?

did indeed charge Mr. Mackintosh with denying the

humanity of Christ, but I never charged him with denying that Christ was truly born of the Virgin, and true

you know that

make

right well.

Why,

a fair statement of the case

then, do

You

you not

surely cannot

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

268

pretend that you are sufficiently stupid to misunder stand the following statements on the seventh page of the first edition of

&quot;

pamphlet

never charged

Mr. Mackintosh with denying that Christ was born of the Virgin, was composed of flesh arid blood, and had .1

human body

this

;

but

I did

and blood,

flesh

from heaven, the

this

charge him, that he calls

human

the Lord

body,

and the

Divine man,

heavenly

humanity; and, consequently, that he makes this flesh and blood, this human body, to be really and truly God.

if this human body was truly was born of the Virgin, it was not

Hence,

God, although

made of her substance.

This

Will

charge.

you acknowledge, Mr. Darby, that you misunderstood that

tion of

you

do, I will forgive

views, as

responsible being.

I would

But

you did not misunderstand

me, on what principle do you represent &quot;

tosh

But s

as to

your misrepresenta

not then hold you as a

feel called

mis

think,&quot;

observes Mr. Darby,

expression objectionable.

&quot;

Mr. Mackin

The second Man

His manhood, the Lord from heaven.

The

was, ob-

jectionableness lies in this, that, in ascribing the title

Lord from heaven, it goes beyond ascribing it His person, being man, and by the expression as to separates the nature and ascribes the title to of the

it.&quot;

What

does he

mean

would

like to see the

man who

could write a more thoroughly incomprehensible sen-

MR. PARLY S REPLIES. tcnce than this.

&quot;

He was Lord

Had he

said,&quot;

269

continues Mr. D. t

from heaven in His

manhood, he would have been perfectly right, and he who denied it would be unquestionably a heretic, but as to &quot;

manhood, and thus the words cannot

separates the

His person who was there in manhood. Dr. C. does not see the difference, and quotes them as in refer to

His manhood, condemning them alike as the

same.&quot;

Yes, Mr. Darby, and notwithstanding your remarks, still

them equally

consider

objectionable,

and

you

had one particle of perspicacity, you would be of the same opinion. Let us try these principles of criti cism on another point about which there can be no quibbling.

According to Mr. Darby

plan of reason

man who would say that Christ in His divine nature was God would be right, but the person who would say He was God as to His divine nature would be wrong. Now, if He is God in His divine nature, He is surely God as to His divine nature. To sup

ing, the

words

pose that the divinity

absurd.

imagine that

the expression,

from

heaven,&quot;

from

heaven.&quot;

&quot;

as to

And

makes any &quot;as

&quot;

would destroy His

&quot;

equally ridiculous to

difference

His manhood, in His manhood, to

He was

not

God

whether we use

He was He was

the Lord the Lord

either in His

man

But Mr. Darby may, his in dark sentence have a special perhaps, miserably in in view the distinction which l.e making object hood, or as

His manhood.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

270

attempts.

does not say that the body of Christ,

separately considered,

God, but he probably holds

that the divine nature and the

human

nature are so

united that they form an amalgam which

The two natures

that they form a being entirely divine.

way

God.

are fused into each other in such a

This

would be as decided a heresy as Mr. Mackintosh s. Christ was perfect man and perfect God but He :

was not God in His manhood, nor man in His God head nor was He an amalgam of two natures fused ;

His divinity and humanity were united, lost in the other. The union

into one.

but the one was not did not

make His humanity

and more

divine.

There

Jesuitical view, which, perhaps,

been before Mr. Darby

another

may have

In place of using the as mortals would language ordinary do, when he says, &quot;The second Man in His manhood, the Lord was, from

heaven,&quot;

mind.

may have meant

that the divinity

was enclosed, as it were, in His humanity. He may have had this sort of Jesuitical reserve in his own mind, but

it is

not an honest

honest writer would

way make a

all his positions so plainly,

would be next

but

intentions

;

down

simply, and fairly, that

impossible to is

of putting the case.

point to lay

misunderstand his

a regular characteristic of the

Darbyite Plymouths that their writings are frequently capable of a double meaning, and that their language will be understood

by those who are

initiated into

MR. DARBY S REPLIES. their system

271

a totally different manner from what

iii

by the public. It is this plan of Jesuitical &quot;guard which makes it so distressing to have anything ing to do with them. Their whole system is one mass of it is

&quot;

deception

and they are quite right

;

moral law as the rule of their

Darby,

asserted,&quot;

says

Mr.

manhood came down from heaven,

that His

&quot;

is,

Mackintosh ever

Mr.

&quot;That

in denying the

life.

as far as I can discern, simply a false

accusation.&quot;

from a Darbyite Plymouth could astonish Mr. Mackintosh said, certainly would do it.

If anything this

me,

as to His manhood, was the Lord from heaven,&quot; and that He had a &quot;heavenly humanity,&quot; was a &quot;heavenly &quot;

Christ,

and was

man,&quot;

&quot;

entirely

heavenly

;

and

are told he never asserted that His

down from heaven

would recommend Mr. Darby

after all this

manhood came

have recourse to the short and easy method of swearing that the black crow is white. There is

at once to

little

use in reasoning with

reckless statements. &quot;was

so,

Mr. D.

but you

Mackintosh

and

men who

The second

will

Man,&quot;

make such

he proceeds,

the Lord from heaven.

Precisely states,

&quot;

tells

right well

not what Mr.

he has added to the Scripture, second Man, us to Hit manhood, was

states, for

u.s &quot;the

the Lord from

Scripture

know

That Scripture states.&quot; That is what the Scripture

heaven.&quot;

&quot;goes

Mr. Darby, however, says the

a great deal farther (in predicating

the nature what belongs to the person) than the ignor-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

272

ance of Dr. Carson seems to be aware proceeds to

have

comment

carefully

already

examined of

Scripture at pages 27-31

will not return to

this

then

portion

work on

the Eev.

in reply to

substantiation,&quot;

of.&quot;

on the sixth of John.

Dr.

&quot;

TranI

Cahill,

Mr. Darby had better

here.

shake hands with Dr. Cahill over this subject, as their views

passing, I teristic

appear to be closely allied. call attention to Mr. Darby

must

inconsistency of opinion.

humanity of Jesus

fundamental

;

&quot;

says,

but he

human and

so separate the natures [the

Still, s

charac

The

true

who would

the divine] in

the person as to touch such expressions as the sixth of John gives, is on very slippery ground. The bread

came down from heaven, and the bread was His

Now,

in words, Mr.

there be any

flesh.&quot;

Darby here

meaning humanity and the divinity were so

teaches that the

united in Christ, that they cannot safely be separated in expounding the sixth of

bread which came

and the

flesh

bread was bread

the case

which he

was

literally flesh,

literal flesh,

That

John

;

and

also that the

down from heaven was literally bread, and the

and that the

literal

was

literal

literal flesh

this is fairly his nonsensical version of

rendered certain by a previous sentence, in &quot;

says,

This union

so true, that

speaks

of Himself as the living bread which came down from The heaven, and declares that this bread is His flesh&quot; italics

here are Mr. Darby

and they point out

his

MR. DARKY

S UKI-LIES.

if it

was

meaning. Now, which came down from heaven, the bread, and the bread was literally

specific

273

literally Christ s fash

was

flesh flesh,

literally

and

was

equally true that the flesh was literally to be eaten,

and that the cannibals who would eat to

have their natural

lives

were

literally

prolonged throughout

all

Not only so, but on Mr. Darby s view of the Christ had no humanity at all from the Virgin

eternity. case,

He had no humanity like ours His flesh came down from heaven. &quot;Hence,&quot; says Mr. Darby, mere &quot;as

human expressions, the divine man and the heavenly man can be used as expressing what is blessedly true, though they may not have the accuracy of Scripture.&quot; I seriously ask my readers, have they any doubt that Mr. Darby

they have,

I will give

.:.

rist s

as great a heretic as

il(-.-l)

the divine and

cannot

Mr. Mackintosh

them another

canif

human

idea.

down from

Mr. Darby

heaven, and thai

natures are so united that they

be separated, without

ground, in the sixth of John

entering on slippery ;

and Mr. Mackintosli

holds such an idea about divine humanity, that, even after the crucifixion,

God the

manifest in the

maker and

tells

flesh,

us that

&quot;

the Lord Christ,

the Lord of the Sabbath,

sustainer of heaven and earth, spent the

seventh day in the dark and silent

tomb.&quot;

Verily, a

more decided pair of heretics never trod the earth. But after all his argument, in proof of the point that Christ s

&quot;flesh

came down from

heaven,&quot;

Mr. Darby

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

274 us

tells

from

&quot;

would be wrong

sentence,

to say

His

flesh

came down

In one Darby he teaches that the flesh came down from

Darby

heaven.&quot;

Darby

heaven, and in the very next sentence, he says

be wrong to say so Mr. Darby,

so,

How

your

would

be wrong to say

literal interpretation of the sixth

of John, in regard to Christ

s flesh,

be correct, and

be true that the humanity and divinity of Christ are

united that they cannot be safely separated in the

sixth of

John

thing, that the

You have

Impossible.

at least as plainly as

plainly taught,

are capable of teaching

any humanity of Christ came down from

you

heaven, and therefore you should honestly stand by

But notwithstanding

it.

your inspiration, rather than

all

follow your literal version of the sixth of John, I will rest satisfied

with the version of

Christ Himself at the 63d verse

speak unto you they are

Darby s

for

and asked,

eat?&quot;

and

life

;

&quot;

How

But Christ

He told them, and

spirit

given

words that

and they are

life.&quot;

Mr.

predecessors, the Jews, adopted the literal inter

pretation, flesh to

spirit

which &quot;The

His

can this left

man

give us His

them without

disciples, that

excuse,

His words were

and, consequently, were not to be under

stood after the Darbyite fashion. &quot;

But Mr.

Mackintosh,&quot;

says Mr. Darby,

step the bounds of Scripture

language open

to attack,

rnind, in opposing

and

statement. I

&quot;

did over

used

have no doubt Ins

one extreme, had gone into the

MR. DARBY S REPLIES.

To have

opposite. said

stated

the opposite to what he

would have been equally

and

Let us look at

Law.&quot;)

275

false.&quot; (&quot;

this.

Righteousness

would be

false,

according to Mr. Darby, to state the opposite of what

Mr. Mackintosh said regarding the humanity of Christ.

Now, what did Mr. Mackintosh say

said Christ

was a divine man, had a heavenly humanity, was en tirely heavenly, and, as to His manhood, was the Lord from heaven.

Mr. Darby, however, coolly informs us would be false, or, in other

that the opposite of this

words, that

would be

place of being a divine

false to say that

man, had a

Christ, in

real

humanity in place of having a heavenly humanity, had a humanity formed on earth

;

in place of being entirely heavenly,

;

was partly of earth in place of being the Lord from heaven as to His manhood, was man as to His man ;

hood.

This

the plain English of the matter, and yet

Mr. Darby would have us believe he is no heretic His ntatement here, coupled with his interpretation of the !

sixth of John, places his heretical views tion.

says in regard to the

beyond ques humanity and divinity

of Christ, that they cannot safely be separated in the sixth of

John

He who would

&quot;

so separate the natures

in the person as to touch such expressions as the sixth

John

keep

on very slippery ground.&quot; Let us and connect it with the previous which he informs us that this union [of

gives, is

this in view,

sentence, in

the two natures]

&quot;

so true, that Christ speaks of

Him-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

276

bread which came douii from heaven,

self as the living

and declares that

human

mere

heavenly

man

What

Scripture.&quot;

human

may

;

man and

the

expressing what

not have the accuracy

could be plainer than this

nature of Christ

so united to

that they cannot be separated.

man

Hence, as

flesh.

divine

be used as

can

blessedly true, though they of

His

this bread is

expressions, the

The

His divinity,

truly a divine

and the living bread which came down from is really His flesh. Consequently His humanity

heaven

must have come down from heaven, and could not have He was, as Mr. Mackintosh ;

been formed on earth

says, entirely heavenly.

His

flesh

having come from

heaven, could not have been formed in the Virgin.

Let Mr. Darby say what able result of his

was formed on

own

earth,

else

he may,

this is the inevit

If the

humanity and did not come from heaven, principles.

argument would be childishly absurd. I have not the slightest doubt that Mr. Darby and Mr.

his line of

Mackintosh both hold the heavenly humanity theory would never have made any

so decidedly, that they

attempt even to cally cloak

it,

&quot;

guard,&quot;

if it

or,

in other words, jesuiti-

had not been that

exposure of

marred their progress in the world. This At the perfectly evident from their own conduct. page of his Righteousness and Law,&quot; Mr Darby,

their heresies is

&quot;

5&amp;lt;Dth

in specially referring to this portion of

work, says,

&quot;

When

first it

was shown

Mr. Mackintosh

to myself, before

MR. DARBY S was publicly in question,

KIM. IKS.

277

was in manuscript, with

an answer by another person. I replied to an inquiry on it Both have gone beyond Scripture but I do not believe either meant anything wrong.&quot; From this ;

plain as possible that the subject was fully

it is as

&amp;lt;liscussed

amongst the Darby ites themselves

;

and

also

that the controverted point was referred to the deci

sion of the infallible Judge Darby whilst the still

The publication

manuscript

it,

work was

under

UK-SI-

circumstances, proves that Mr. Mackintosh held the

heavenly humanity theory opinion

;

and

meant anything wrong. letter to the

that had

a.s

a settled and delilxjrate

also that Mr.

Darby did not consider he But Mr. Mackintosh, in his

Coleraine Chronicle,

anticipated

&quot;

says,

controversy,

I grant you would have

guarded the sentence of which Dr. Carson makes such 4i

mountain.&quot;

Where was Darby has

let

Now, what the

are

controversy

us into a secret.

we to

to think of this?

come from

The opinion was

Mr. al

ready controverted, whilst the work was in manuscript,

by some of the Plymouths, and the matter had to be settled by Judge Darby, whose decision, of course, as the decision of all

an autocrat, must silence in future For the

controversy on the part of his followers.

The initiate^, it did not now require to be guarded. heterodox opinion might possibly be slipped in on the In this way it public without tbeir being aware of it. would gain currency.

But the moment

appeared mi

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

278

the scene, the matter was entirely changed.

came absolutely necessary

then be

the sentiments,

&quot;

guard

in order that the Christian public might not be deterred

The squeeze from without produced sect. which could not be accomplished by the dis cussion which was placed before Darby in manuscript.

from the an

effect

Such

Plymouthism

In his

letter to the

Church

Canada in 1868, Mr. Darby

published in

Observer,

says,

&quot;I

repeat, charging

Mr. Mackintosh with denying the true humanity of Christ is a foul falsehood and after the matter has been ;

those only

sifted, as it has, a disgrace to

accusation, as in truth

Review

always

who

bring the

And

was.&quot;

in his

of the Rev. Mr. Innes, published in Montreal,

he also characterises this charge against Mr. Mackintosh as

foul

&quot;a

charge of his

falsehood.&quot;

a matter

of course, this

Mr. Darby thus in two

levelled against me.

Canadian publications charges my statement as a Does he believe he is here stating the

foul falsehood.

truth

out of his

does not.

How am

own mouth. In his

Mr. Darby

&quot;

says,

I to prove this

Just

Righteousness and Law,&quot; Mr. Mackintosh did overstep the &quot;

bounds of Scripture statement. He used language open and I have no doubt his mind in opposing

to attack,

Sub . . one extreme had gone into the opposite. sequently he published a declaration that he had made .

wrong statement, and that

wherever

might be found.

was

it .

to be

hold

condemned

a great

mercy

DARBY

MR. tliat it

was brought out

S REPLIES.

to light.

have no doubt his

mind had overstepped the bounds Mr. Mackintosh is, of course, bound

279

of Scripture.

all

needed to remove any evil flowing from his

must be evident

extracts that Mr.

the poles.

Darby s statements

man

deal with such a

who

to every person

words.&quot;

have to

Mr. Darby finds great fault with rue for saying

manhood,&quot; &quot;

are as opposite as

a contradiction in terms to call Christ

and

reads these

beyond measure

It is distressing

in the Lord to do

also for

&quot;

Lord

it is

as to

His

the statement that,

making

regarding the divinity of Christ, there are plenty

of proofs that

ing His manhood,

the Lord from heaven

are plainly told

the seed of David according to the

cussion of this point

but regard

;

He was made

would be foreign

the dis

present

flesh.&quot;

purpose, I shall content myself with pointing out the

decidedly Socinian views which are held by Mr. Darby.

Those who have a proper regard for the divinity of Christ will ask no more to satisfy their minds than a bare statement of &quot;Lord,&quot;

says he,

Mr. Darby

Deity of Christ, because is all it

very well.

Seeing

it is it is

Socinian opinions.

used of

Jehovah.&quot;

used as a

must, of necessity, imply divinity.

know from Mr. Darby how to the to

often a clear testimony to the

&quot;is

His

humanity of Deity.&quot;

Christ,

Again,

title

But

the term Lord if it

if it

be &quot;a

&quot;

This

of Jehovah,

wisli to

applicable

a clear testimony

clear testimony to

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

280 His

Deity,&quot;

must the same term, when applied

not always be a testimony to His Deity

How

Him,

can the

term Lord be a testimony to or a proof of His Deity and not be the same at another ? Perhaps

at one time,

Mr. Darby would say so, I

it is

reply,

not the term Lord at could never be Christ is

this

thrown overboard altogether continues Mr. Darby,

divinity of is

view the term Lord

divinity either in Father or Son. itself,&quot;

sentence you

testimony

tell

&quot;

&quot;it

reasoning

man who

and

Christ,&quot;

still

Deity

how

In one

?&quot;

often a clear

certain sign of critical

Christ.&quot;

Powerful

acumen

in the

s &quot;sheer ignorance&quot;

The most ignorant school-boy

and in another you

not a proof

speaks of Dr. Carson

the subject

The word Lord,

not a proof of the divinity of

It is a proof,

His

It.

not a proof of the

the word Lord

testimony to the Deity of

inform us

&quot;

&quot;is

to Jehovah.

a term implying

If so, Mr. Consistency Darby,

Christ.&quot;

clear

&quot;a

testimony to the Deity of

and could never be applied

;&quot;

context.

the Deity, and

testifies to

all.

clear

&quot;a

by the

settled

the context

in the

country would be ashamed of such things as Mr. Darby

Can

writes.

of himself,

&quot;

;

&quot;

man

tells

often a

&quot;Lord

Christ

that

who

be considered

clear

but the word

of the divinity of

about worldly

testimony to Lord, in

Christ?&quot;

affairs

fit

to take care

us in the same paragraph that

the Deity of

itself, is

men were

not a proof to reason

they often do on religious

DARBY

MIL matters, they

281

S REPLIES.

would be placed under

restraint without

delay.

deny His Lordship as man,&quot; continues Mr. Darby, and that in a way in which it is impossible to apply it to Hit GodJiead, is to deny the first great truth &quot;To

&quot;

. promulgated as the foundation of Christianity. God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have .

crucified, both

Lord and Christ.

Darby, the term

Lord

&quot;

humanity of Christ, and If this to His Godhead.&quot; ?

Those who wish

According to Mr.

applies here merely to the

&quot;it

&quot;

impossible to apply

not Socinianism, what

to give Scripture a fair interpre

The meaning of difficulty here. on the the passage hangs application of the word How was Jesus made Lord after His cruci made.&quot; tation can have

&quot;

fixion

Was He

not previously? fested to

Christ.

be what

He was

converted into something Certainly not

He was

professed to be, the

just

mani

Lord Jesus

not made the Lord Jesus Christ, but

He was

proved to be the Lord Jesus Christ, by His resurrection from the dead and His ascension to the throne

His

power.

Matthew informs

charged His disciples that they should that

He was

Jesus the Christ

&quot;

;

and that

us,

tell

&quot;He

man

&quot;

charged

them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son man be risen again from the dead.&quot; And we are

told at a later period, that all the house of Israel are

to be informed that

&quot;God

hath made that same Jesus,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

282

whom ye

have

crucified,

to be heard of again

by His

both Lord and

;

from

resurrection

the

and by His

grave,

ascension to the throne of His glory, that

was what

Israel

was called on

If, as Mr.

Darby

His crucifixion,

after

to take cognisance

was made,

teaches, Jesus

the strict sense of that word,

Christ&quot;

really

professed to be, the Lord Jesus Christ,

and the house of of the fact.

When

Christ.&quot;

was supposed He was never but it was proved, or manifested,

Christ was put to death,

&quot;both

manifest

He never was He was Lord and

Lord and

that

either

Christ before

it.

Lord or

incontrovertible

it,

could not be made, in the strict sense of that word,

Lord and showing,

Christ after

crucifixion, title

Hence, on Mr.

it.

we had no Lord

till

&quot;

in a

apply

till

after the crucifixion

Lord, no

Verily, there

end to Mr. Darby s dreadful opinions. The Lordship of Christ, Mr. Darby proceeds &quot;

New

conferred Lordship, the it is said,

To us

there

Father.

&quot;

Christ

Testament

Lord

Every tongue

as a So-

shall confess

to the glory of

Just think of this

Jesus Christ

is full of.

but one God the Father, and

one Lord Jesus Christ. that Jesus

the

way in which it is impossible,&quot; says Are my readers to His Godhead.&quot;

prepared to swallow such sentiments? Christ,

Darby after

and even then the Lordship was a mere

conferred

Mr. Darby,

Christ

When we

Lord, and that there

God

the

confess that

one Lord Jesus

MR. DAIRY Christ,

UKILIES.

283

are to understand, according to Mr. Darby,

that this

a conferred Lordship.

these circumstances,

we do not

under

course,

Him

confess

God

His Lordship is only conferred it does not belong to Him as a matter of right it does not mark Him as God, but applies to Him only as man. It is a

at all.

;

mere conferred I

would

title.

be the Plymouth Saviour Saviour

Mr. Mackintosh.

manhood

Mr. Darby

admit

&quot;His

which

the term

second

is &quot;

This

may

not mine.

His

right.

Mr. Darby &quot;

says,

That

Lord by God. the

writing on, as

title

not conferred, but belongs to

virtue of -His Godhead.

after

;

but

Lord in His own

by courtesy

by Mr. Darby.

to the Christ represented

Now,

no evidence of divinity.

as soon pray to the table I

of Christ

not

Him

even worse than

man was maJe

Christ as

not

Godhead,

suppose.&quot;

was made Lord

idea of the expression, if

exactly

we must

Lordship as man, and that in a way in if impossible to apply it to His Godhead&quot;

Lord

Man was

&quot;

only a conferred

and

title,

the Lord from heaven,

the

must follow

that the Lord from heaven was a mere man, and not

God.

So much

for semi-Socinian

Darby.

And

his

views here are in perfect accordance with his Socinian translation

the

New

Testament, which

have

referred to at the 37th page of this work.

Mr. Darby fault

with

Mr.

in high

dudgeon

Mackintosh

for

me, for finding

stating

that

the

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

284 humanity

of Christ

How

lie

does

was conceived hy the Holy Ghost.

meet me

Scripture, of course.

Scripture does not always suit him.

such thing.

threw Mr. Cox overboard with a notice of four because his pamphlet

But when

When

favours himself,

despised

;

He lines,

authorities.

he ignores the Bible authorities against me.

suits his purpose,

and quotes human

practically,

human

contained

and when

human

authorities are to be

favours himself,

ings are to be brought forward.

human

In arguing

writ point,

no human authority ; I appealed to the Bible alone. Why, then, does Mr. Darby not meet me with Just because he cannot. the words of inspiration I alleged

has come up to the charge a second time on this point in his Righteousness and Law.&quot; How does he &quot;

meet

just at the

human

authorities again.

dare not open the Bible, because he

against

him

ledge the

;

and he

fact.

knows

it is

not honest enough to acknow

Mr. Mackintosh has said most distinctly

that the

humanity of Christ was

Ghost.

Now,

conceived by the

Holy

the conception was by the

Holy was not by the Virgin. On this view, the Virgin had nothing to do with the The conception, and there was no real humanity. Ghost,

it is

Scripture, &quot;

self-evident

however,

is &quot;

heavenly humanity

very

emphatic

view, for

against

this

says, in regard to

The Tliou shalt conceive in thy womb.&quot; each contradict Mr. and Mackintosh directly Scripture the Virgin,

&quot;

MR. DARKY

The testimony

other here.

Ki.ru

285

r.-.

so plain

and incontro

could not quote one word of vertible, that Mr. Darby still he had not the manli and me Scripture against ;

ness to acknowledge I was right and Mr. Mackintosh

wrong.

was the

&quot;Such

Mackintosh,

humanity

have returned to heaven, personally concerned,

He was

from whence

came, and to which

Mr. Darby disputes the construction I stated

sentence.

Mr. Darby says there is

said,&quot;

heaven whence

&quot;

not

He eays He does not

;

was

so.&quot;

but

it,

Christ that

but

;

it.

He had come,

... I He had come

say,

suppose

from

with Mr. Mackintosh, could return to

Christ makes no such statement If I

came

it,

Yes, Christ undoubtedly says

humanity that I

the difference.

could return.

Christ belonged to heaven, that at least

belonged.&quot;

put on this

not a word of the kind in

he observes,

belonged, and

He I

that this asserts that the humanity

of Christ could return to

&quot;It

Mr.

says

Christ,&quot;

could at any moment, so far as

&quot;that

say,

;

and

such was

this

the

&quot;

Such

heaven.&quot;

makes divinity

could return to heaven whence

all

from came, do I not assert that His divinity came Most certainly I do. And when Mr. Mack 1

heaven

Such was the humanity of Christ that He could return to heaven from whence He came,&quot; does he not assert that the humanity came from

intosh says,

heaven

&quot;

Most certainly he

doe?.

That

this

was Mr*

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

286 Mackintosh

view

s &quot;

expressions, &quot;

heavenly,&quot;

He was

rendered further evident by the

divine

&quot;

man&quot;

&quot;

heavenly

humanity&quot;

the Lord from

man&quot;

entirely

His manhood, Divine power was

as to

&quot;

heaven,&quot;

about to form a real man, the Lord from heaven&quot; the Lord Christ, God manifest in the flesh, the &quot;

and

of heaven

maker and sustainer

spent the

earth,

seventh day in the dark and silent tomb.&quot; Just think of the recklessness of the man who, after all this,

Mr. Mackintosh did not say the humanity

asserts that

came from heaven &quot;Dr.

Carson,&quot;

asserted that

&quot;complains

that

could be no union between

there

as seen in

humanity in us.

says Mr. Darby,

and humanity

Christ,

this side of death there could be

seen

no union

You knoiv right between Christ and His people. Mr. Darby, I made no such complaint. The ^vell of Christ and His people did (question of the union &quot;

)

not then

about

lie

deal with &quot;

before me, and

nor entered on

heavenly

was

I neither

The

it.

Mackintosh

Mr.

humanity,&quot;

and

complained

question I had to

view

about

the

to that I confined myself,

and proved that he held it by the following words Between humanity, as seen in the Lord Jesus Christ, :

&quot;

and humanity

as seen in us, there could be

The

and the carnal

spiritual

earthly

could never

combine.&quot;

plainly assert that our

no union.

the heavenly and the

humanity

No is

words could more

carnal and earthly,

DARBY

MR. anil that Christ s

S KITI.IKS. differs

humanity

from

287 it

being carnal and earthly,

that, in place of

in the fact

it is

spiritual

Consequently, the humanity of Christ

and heavenly.

could not, by any possibility, on Mr. Mackintosh

be real humanity at It

was not our humanity.

was not of

meeting

all.

view,

was in no way allied to us. It was not flesh, but spirit

;

from heaven.

earth, but

In place of

honestly on this point, Mr. Darby slides

which Christ and

off to the consideration of the time at

His people were united a question, which, however important in itself, was not then in discussion. By this

means he

cannot meet Christ.

tries

evade a point he knows he

the spiritual and heavenly

Shame

humanity

Regarding the union of Christ and His people, I may make a remark here. Mr. Darby says, Christ was &quot;

man

not united to

in the

flesh

;

but believers are

by the Spirit when He had accom and taken His place on high as the His work plished the head, and thus became members of man, glorified united to

Him

They were not members of His body as on earth, but as exalted to heaven. . . They are united to Him as risen and gone on high after His accomplished work, by the Holy Ghost sent down His body.

living

from heaven. is

with Christ

otherwise. &quot;

fast

;

...

The union

glorified, It is

of saints with Christ

by the Holy Ghost, but not

vital

and Mr. Mackintosh

in these &quot;

says,

days to hold this this side of death,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

288

there could be no

union

between Christ and His

According to these statements, there was no union between Christ and His people until after people.&quot;

His resurrection

He had

Him

they were one with

;

only after

accomplished His work and taken His place

it was only as risen on high as the glorified man they were one with Him there was no union, or one ;

;

ness, until

Now, what

ascended on high.

result of these sentiments

the

Simply a subversion of

the foundations of Christianity.

these principles,

the believer had no union with Christ in the obedience of His

His

burial,

work on the

in His

life,

and

might

cross, in

because Mr. Darby positively asserts that exalted to to

God s

right

and

this

Christ,&quot;

hand,&quot;

with

&quot;

;

when

Most

soul- destroy ing doc

apostle

when he

We are buried am crucified with Christ. Him by baptism into death. ... If we be dead

&quot;

says,

was

saints are united

&quot;

contradicts the

directly

places the union beyond the

period of the resurrection. trine

that

His death, in

His resurrection

also say, in

with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with

Him.

and of His

are

members

bones.&quot;

His body, of His

flesh,.

The Apostle Paul thought

the

Christian was so completely united to Christ before

His ascension to heaven, that he was actually crucified with Him, died with Him, and was buried with but the Apostle Darby knows mitter stands, and

much

able to tell us,

better

Him

how

;

the

virtue of his

DARBY

MR.

S UEPLIIS.

289

was no unioii whatever until

inspiration, that there

Paul also made

after Christ s ascension into heaven.

another great mistake, for he thought that

members

of His body, of His flesh,

are

&quot;we

and of His bones

&quot;

;

but the Apostle Darby has discovered that it should have been, we are members of His glorified body, of &quot;

His

and of His

glorified flesh,

glorified

Apostle Darby has further given us

very important nature, as

bones

new

&quot;

The

light of a

have already pointed out

at page 281, concerning the conferred Lordship of Jesus.

has shown that there was no Christ on this side the

grave for His people to be united

mended

for saying,

God

&quot;

Thou

to.

Peter was

art the Christ, the

com

Son of

but if the Apostle Darby had been would have reproved him sharply for such a statement. Darby knows that Jesus was not then the the living

there

&quot;

;

lie

Christ, because

He was

fixion.

to be made, in the strict sense

Lord and Christ

of that word, both

a matter of course, then,

after

it is

was no Lord, no

ibly manifest that there

His cruci

incontrovertChrist, pre

vious to the crucifixion, for any person to be united to.

Christ was yet to be made.

Truly, Darby ism, in from being what Mrs. Guin

one way or other, so

far

ness represents

subversive of nearly every doc

it,

trine of Christianity.

&quot;

but,&quot;

Mr. Darby will per

haps say of himself, as he did of Mr. Mackintosh another subject, till

&quot;the

charge of

after the resurrection is

no union with Christ

an unfounded calumny, as

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

290 it

acknowledged on the next page, that we are Your acknowledgment, Mr. with Christ

&quot;

crucified

Darby,

not worth a straw, because the truth of the rendered utterly impossible on

thing acknowledged

the principles which you advocate

union with Christ

&quot;until

of there being

has accomplished His

work, and taken His place on high as the glorified If there be no union till after His ascension man.&quot; into glory, as a matter of necessity the believer could

not live in His

and

burial,

life,

This

His resurrection.

dreadful heresy, and yet the doctrine

anity

;&quot;

would be

&quot;

dictions that

s it

next paragraph proves

looked on as

its

a point

is injured.&quot;

so full of contra

own

His

paternity.

ments are so reckless that

him

credit for

making them

says,

any intention

&quot;All

God s moral

eousness as an attribute this

taken

abstractedly.&quot;

And may

state

give

accurate.

communi as to right

equally true.

attribute, or was in God,

which

impossible

attributes are

cated to or conferred upon .man.

&quot;fraught

be touched,

that, if it

results,&quot;

the entire arch of Divine revelation

Mr. Darby

a most

the destruction of true Christi

and Mr. Mackintosh believes

with such momentous

Darby considers the over

so very important that Mr.

turning of

His

die in His death, be buried in

rise in

That

be imputed,

There can be no doubt of

its

being here unquestionably stated that the moral attri that the butes of God can be conferred upon man ;

MR. DARBY S REPLIES. attribute of righteousness can le conferred

and that an

attribute of

stractedly.

This

wonderful to

yet,

he says,

&quot;

God can be

all

291

upon man

But

unquestionably stated.

relate, in the

;

imputed, taken ab

very same paragraph

an attribute being imputed to us

simple

nonsense, being a contradiction in terms, because an

something which belongs to or being spoken of, so as to be part of himself.

attribute

body has said that the righteousness of puted.

Nobody

tribute of God, or set

Mr. Darby

may

How

any attribute

all.&quot;

to contradict himself,

far his

God

ever thought of imputing an at

like to spoil his reply to himself

mine.

in the

and

have here

would not

by any comments of

conduct in relation to this matter

be consistent with his sanity,

I leave his friends

I strongly advise that a

lunacy commission

to decide.

should be issued to inquire as to the development and health of those portions of his brain which have to do

with the intellectual and moral faculties which render

him an accountable being request

;

and, in the meantime, I

readers to compare his statements here with

the quotations and observations

have made at pp. 45

to 50 of this work. &quot;Dr. &quot;

Carson s objection to

makes me doubt whether he

this,&quot;

says Mr. Darby,

a Christian at

all.&quot;

can assure Mr. Darby that I am not the least concerned about his opinion on this point. I will value his opinion

when

I recognise

him

as a Christian, but not

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

292 till

then.

would be

sider

fact, if

me as a Christian,

he were to praise had me.

afraid the devil

may

well con

a high honour to be abused by him, seeing

that the sacredness of the grave could not protect the

Newton from

Christian character of Miss Adelaide

barbarous assaults. is

or not I

concern to the public

little

not going to dilate upon

myself that I

know

whom

I will tell

him what

it is

It is sufficient for

it.

I will

him what / am ; but I

not.

and therefore

;

have believed.

not trouble Mr. Darby by telling

his

a Christian

of overwhelming importance to myself, but

exceedingly I

Whether

long-faced, sanctimonious parties

not one of those

who

could declare

that I had reprinted all the articles on a particular subject, at the very time that I

and most obnoxious, one

out.

was leaving the main, am not, and I trust I

never will be, a Christian of this Darbyite description.

Lord

I trust the

will always enable

to steer clear of

such Christianity. &quot;

Nobody has

righteousness of

observes Mr. Darby,

said,&quot;

God

is imputed.&quot;

disagreeable to have to deal with a gardless of

what he

states.

Look

&quot;

that the

It is exceedingly

man who &quot;

here.

is so re

It ia not

the righteousness of God, a fact, an existing thing, which is

spoken

God

of,&quot;

this

but righteousness of We have . righteousness.

says Mr. Darby,

quality of

&quot;

gained an immense point in understanding that God righteousness

the quality or character that

God

MR. DARBY S UKJ-LMIS. Himself.&quot; &quot;

question. believe

The

not

righteousness

quality in the character of God, Is

different

Pauline

#.&quot;{&quot;

mean

wholly in the

Doctrine,&quot;

righteousness of

God,&quot;

all

not

&quot;

Christ&quot;

does

read,&quot;

the righteousness of God,

&quot;of

of the imputation of righteousness

and, moreover,

says Mr.

Bell,

How

without works.

&quot;

Christ.&quot;

&quot;righteousness

? The Scripture does not say here stated that the righteousness of God

so.&quot;

or attribute, which

God

imputed

God Himself

;

have

the quality,

that the right

not the righteousness of Christ

that righteousness

;

To the

Through the righteousness of

Christ

eousness of

p. 16.)

says Mr. Stanley,

but never of the righteousness of believer,&quot;

beyond

New ? 1 do

by Mr. Darby,

the righteousness of

says Mr. Mackintosh,

pp. 14 to 28.)

God,&quot;

That, in the Old Testament, the Lord

means a

&quot;

The Righteousness

(&quot;

293

;

imputed to the believer, but the

Scripture does not say through the righteousness of

Christ

and

;

and that we read of the righteousness of God,

of the imputation of righteousness, but never of the

righteousness of Christ; and consequently the right eousness which is imputed, not being the of Christ, all,

righteoumeM must be the righteousness of God ; and, after

Mr. Darby

eousness of

what next &quot;A

God Fie

man who

Mr. Darby,

&quot;

tells is !

&quot;

nobody has

imputed/

fie

said that the right

u-k,

amazement,

Mr. Darby.

a sinner

accounted

righteous,&quot;

because of Christ and His

work.&quot;

says

The

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

294

God

of truth,

but what he

him

it is

righteous, he

in which

God

man anything

plain, cannot account a

in reality

and in

truth.

God

counts

must be truly righteous in the sense

counts

him

author of a falsehood.

otherwise

;

Again,

by God on the grounds of the work of Christ must constitute a perfect

God

made the

accounted righteous of Christ, the

work

righteousness

there

must be nothing wanting. Not only so, but this very work of Christ, as I have pointed out at p. 54, would then be the righteousness of Christ, which the Darbyites so

But the work

decidedly deny. view, as I

have already shown

reader will please refer

to,

a perfect righteousness. is

innocent,

Consequently,

the

can never be made

sinner,

effected

who

guiltless,

righteous

because

already

guilty,

righteous,

by the

that only pays the

requires a righteousness resulting from

the obedience of Christ

ment

Suffering the punishment

law can never bring innocence.

death of Christ alone, penalty.

Mr. Darby s which the

could not possibly constitute

The man who

guiltless.

for the breach of the

of Christ, on

at pp. 45 to 60,

s life,

in addition to the atone

The law must be

by His death.

and the penalty

suffered, in the

before innocence can result.

room

The one

as necessary

views are incorrectly

as the other.

I observe that

put on

by the printing of the word place of the word &quot;obedience,&quot;

this point

eousness,&quot; 1

2th line of the iyth page of

kept,

of the guilty,

&quot;

right at the

first edition.

Mr.

MR. DARBY S REPLIES.

295

Darby makes Christ pay the penalty, but denies the life for His people. Hence there is

obedience of His

no complete righteousness or accounted. is

only a part of

at all to be either

a complete righteousness

accounts a

man

work

deceiver.

eousness.

between us

but His death

God

;

of Christ

whereas

which

He makes

whole

righteousness ;

have.

himself,

must con

but

;

Most cer of Christ

include everything in the

did and suffered, from the

room and

stead of His

the half of a righteousness equal

but

for

God

I do.

work

not.

provides no complete

impute or account has no real imputation

holds that a

and that there

man is

cannot be truly righteous at

His

at all

;

not truly righteous in

righteousness of Christ to him.

real imputation of the

all,

this view, the

man

as he has not got

either in himself or his Substitute. is

God

accounts things

includes nothing in the

cradle to the grave, in the

work

Are our views the same

tainly not.

people

no Darbyite. He is no Mr. Darby makes the work of Christ a right So do I. Where, then, is the difference

exactly as they are.

to the

;

of truth

in this condition,

any man.

of his Substitute

stitute a perfect righteousness.

people.

it,

righteous on account of the

his Substitute, the

work

God

consequently the

;

cannot either impute or account as

imputed

not a complete righteousness

It is

hold that a

not truly righteous in himself; but that there

man is

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

296

real imputation of the perfect righteousness of Christ

him

and consequently

;

Substitute, he

that,

when viewed he

perfectly righteous

in his

innocent.

s God is a deceiver, for he counts a man who is not truly so in any view of the case but my God is the God of truth, for the man whom He counts righteous is perfectly righteous in the work

Mr. Darby

righteous

;

of his Substitute.

essence of justification

&quot;The

that

&quot;

God

Darby, is, ungodly does not mean truly righteous. godly

whom God

What

justifies.&quot;

Mr.

says

faith,&quot;

the ungodly.

j ustifies

I suppose

It is the

mean by

does he

Does he mean that the person is ungodly in If so, it the same view in which he is justified this

knows nothing whatever

proves that he

of true Christianity.

of the Gospel.

knowledge

of the nature

yet ignorant of a saving

And

He makes

His God comes forth with

God

in his right hand, and declares a

lie

bad

as the devil.

very same sense in which he Horrible

The word

man who

is justified is

justification.

may

&quot;justify&quot;

innocent,

man

just in the

Horrible

ungodly.

means

cleared of guilt,

pronounced righteous. The man who on trial

punishment.

still

declared

Pardon is

The

to clear.

not

proved guilty

be pardoned, but the pardon does not

innocent.

words are

yet, if his

honestly spoken, this must be his meaning.

guilty, though But the man who on trial

make him

freed is

from

proved to

MR. be innocent

DARBY

S REPLIES.

is justified.

is justified,

same

tion are not the

Still,

sinner

pardon and

The one

thing.

or right

is just,

The saved

or cleared.

both pardoned and justified.

not pardoned.

declared innocent or guiltless. eous.

297

justifica

forgives the

the other clears, or acquits, of guilt which is proved all guilt. Such being the meaning of the term to ;

&quot;

justify,&quot;

down

how as

does

God justify the ungodly

I will lay

an incontrovertible principle, that the God

of truth cannot justify any man, unless he just

unless he

cannot declare him to be clear of is

make God a declare a

To deny

innocent. liar.

man

blasphemes the

who

says that

God can

not truly innocent,

How,

Almighty.

truly

this principle, is to

The man who

innocent

all guilt,

God

does

then,

ungodly 1 Is the man ungodly in the same of in which he is justified view Most certainly point not. In one point of view he is ungodly in another

justify the

;

point of view he

of the Almighty.

as pure

and

spotless as the throne

Looked on in himself, he

ungodly creature, and requires pardon viewed in the face of Christ Jesus, he innocent, or righteous, and

In himself, he

condemned

but when

;

perfectly

completely

justified.

guilty sinner;

clothed in the righteousness of Christ, he

is as pure viewed in himself, many things can be laid to his charge as he stands in

as the Majesty of heaven.

When

;

Christ, he can exclaim,

&quot;Who

shall lay

anything to

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

298

In Christ he

&quot;

charge

so truly innocent, that he

cannot be truly charged with the slightest stain of

This

guilt. is

a glorious view of the Gospel

;

view of the work of Christ, no

The

his

could be justified.

sinner might be pardoned, but he could not be

cleared

he might be forgiven, but he could never be He might escape punishment, but he could

;

justified.

never say,

When life,

man

but

one which Mr. Darby does not understand.

Who

shall lay anything to

&quot;

charge

Mr. Darby excludes the obedience of Christ

and

ment

&quot;

trusts alone to the suffering of the punish

His death, he excludes the possibility of jus His Gospel is only half a Gospel. It saves

tification.

from punishment, but does not there

man

not a righteous

with guilty creatures.

Such

justify.

in heaven is

his

it is

view

peopled

the result of his denial

of the righteousness of Christ, as resulting from His

obedient

life

and atoning death.

Not only

so,

but he

expressly excludes all idea of innocence in the re

deemed, in the following words, in reply &quot;

point

innocent

&quot;

man,&quot;

says he,

me on this man who

And his ever becoming inno He here completely denies nonsense.&quot;

has never been guilty. cent, is

simply

the possibility of innocence

righteousness or guilt

want

the possibility of justifi

the possibility of acquittal

cation

;

the possibility of

the possibility of freedom from charge,

and in doing

of discriminating

so,

he evinces a lamentable

power.

His brain does not

MR. DARBY S REPLIES.

299

that although a man appear to be able to perceive, who is guilty in himself can never be innocent in him self,

himself, he

truly innocent in another

may be

that although,

;

the saved sinner

and putrefying Christ

when

sores,

even the eye of

and

him

bruises,

so entirely innocent that

see either spot, or wrinkle,

According

clothed in the robe of

Mr. Darby

ignorant of the

an inno

to his idea, there is not

man

arrives at a pardon, but provides

cent, or righteous, or guiltless, or justified

heaven.

who has

God cannot

or any such thing.

Gospel.

when viewed

full of wounds,

righteousness he

to be innocent in

that although, not truly innocent in

taken his place self,

him

quite possible for

his Substitute;

justification. &quot;A

&quot;

man who

made

has

can never become a person

but,

his debts are paid

the consequences of his

has never

by another, he

folly.&quot;

has made

may

is,

&quot;

;

but

we have

indeed, true that the person

;

from a

of thorough thick

debts can never become a person

made any he

made any

is free

Here, again,

proof of great want of perspicacity headedness.

says Mr. Darby,

debts,&quot;

who

&quot;

who

who never

does not follow from this that

not be cleared

of all

debt by the act of

Being a pauper himself, he can never get rid of the debt by his own works, but he may be another.

completely cleared of also true that,

&quot;

by the

act of a friend.

his debts are paid

It is

by another, he

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

300

from the consequences of his

free

matter does not stop here.

the consequences of his debt, but he the debt

itself.

folly;&quot;

but the

not only freed from

from

also freed

does not owe one farthing.

place of stopping short, as Mr.

Darby would have

with merely defying the

he can shout,

free, I

clear

&quot;

jailer,

&quot;

it,

Mr. Darby were possessed of

dis

criminating powers, he would see that his illustration is

Sin

not altogether one in point.

debt,

The man

a crime.

it is

must, in justice, take will give

;

case,

The king

a substitute

for

due

payment from any person who is effected,

cleared both of the debt

The

sequences.

not merely a

the debt

and the moment payment

original debtor

crime.

whom

however,

and

its

the

con

very different with

not bound by justice to accept of

the criminal; and even

he did

accept of the substitute, and thus allow the original to get rid of the punishment, he

him by

of the guilt.

would not be clearing

Suffering the punishment, whether

the original or the substitute, will never bring

innocence or clear of of Christ.

guilt.

is it

with the work

the Darbyite view, the punishment

endured by Christ, and the sinner escapes from hell, but no more; whereas on the Christian principle, the punish

ment

borne and the law

kept,

not only escapes from hell, but he

and the sinner so thoroughly

innocent, in his Substitute, that he can enter heaven,

and dwell

in the presence of a just and holy God.

MR. DARBY S &quot;

man who was

only a

accounted

Ri:n.ii:s.

observes

righteous,&quot;

would be no ground

301

was

truly righteous

Mr.

&quot;

Darby,

there

for

imputed righteousness at know whether this observation arises

It is difficult to

all.&quot;

from extreme stupidity or from an intention to mis lead. Mr. Darby knows quite well that I do not hold that a

man

truly righteous in himself, nor

yet that, being once

made

by having

truly righteous

the righteousness of Christ imputed to him, he requires righteousness of Christ to be imputed a second

the

When

time.

the righteousness of Christ

who

puted to the sinner,

really

never righteous in himself,

then so really and truly righteous that

treat

God can

him, count him, and look upon him as perfectly

On Mr. Darby s

innocent.

principles,

neither in himself nor his Substitute truth

compelled to act as a deceiver, and

righteous, or account

him

righteous,

innocent

but the God of

when

call

lie

him not

truly and honestly so in any view of the case whatever &quot;

&quot;

The work

that

God

in us

we may have a

Now, what

this

have a part?

part in Divine

righteousness.&quot;

Divine righteousness in which we

The Darbyites deny

worked out a righteousness there

says Mr. Darby,

is needed,&quot;

for

that Christ has

His people, and that

such a thing in Scripture as the righteousness

of Christ.

Consequently, this cannot be the righteous

ness which Mr.

Darby refers to. They do not affirm worked out any righteousness for

that the Father has

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

302

Consequently Mr. Darby cannot mean a worked- out righteousness at all. What, then, is the Divine righteousness of which he speaks ? We are com

the Church.

come

pelled to

an attribute

to the conclusion that it is

There

of the Godhead.

which

else left

nothing

According to this, God is to divide His own There can be no mistake in the attribute with, us

could be.

matter, for Mr.

Divine

Darby

&quot;

says, I

righteousness.&quot;

We may

have a part in

must, therefore, call on Mr.

Consistency Darby to reconcile his statement here with the one he

made on

that

his previous page,

bute being imputed to us

I quite agree with

himself.&quot;

that an attribute of that

God

belongs to

impossible for

it is

Him

it, is

something

of,

so as to

Mr Darby it,

and that

man having

the most perfect nonsense; but

of nonsense

attri

in such a sense

to part with

to speak of its being imputed, or of

belongs to, or is in, the being spoken

be a part of

simply nonsense, being a

contradiction in terms, because an attribute

which

&quot;

which belongs especially

it is

a part

a specimen

Mr. Darby and

They do not require to take out a

his followers.

patent for this nonsense, as no person can successfully dispute their

title

their heads with

contradictory statements.

to hold

They ought

it.

shame on account of &quot;

Christ

down

their absurd

and

righteousness,&quot;

Darby at page 18 of his &quot;Righteousness and What sense is there and it is imputed to

says Mr. &quot;

us.&quot;

Law,&quot;

in this

What

imputed

to us

does not say

MR. DARBY S REPLIES.

303

Christ has worked out a righteousness, and

puted to

us.

Godhead the

attribute

imputed to us. But he says and it is imputed to us;&quot; Christ Himself

it is

does not say Christ possesses in His righteousness, &quot;

Christ

or,

and

righteousness,

in correct language,

imputed to us. Could any specimen of greater absurdity than this be found? It is so absurd that it must be specially intended to deceive is

by the sound of words. It is easy to see that the work of Christ could be imputed to man; but no sane individual could imagine that Christ, iu His Divinity

and humanity, could be imputed to man. Hence I conclude that Mr. Darby, by the mere sound of words, intends to mislead the unwary.

the 2ist page of

the same pamphlet, Mr. Darby says, righteousness; and other.

And

Here, again,

The

thus

we have no righteousness

we have

righteousness which

and no other

one.

&quot;I

&quot;Christ

our

other one, desire no is

imputed

the same absurd

us.&quot;

sentiment.

is imputed is Christ Himself, have used Christ s righteous

continues Mr. Darby, a general Divine term, expressing righteousness by Him, and I ness often myself,

&quot;as

have no regret about Exactly so, Mr. Darby, you have done this, but in doing it, you have acted as dis honestly as it would be possible for you to do. An it.&quot;

honest

man

he knows

always uses language in the sense in which will be understood by his readers, accord

ing to the fair acceptation of the words.

But when

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

304

righteousness being imputed, and eousness,

you must do

deceiving, because

of Christ s right

with the

which will be taken out Christian public.

This

ful things connected

the whole system is

makes

the one

couched in the language of de

thoroughly

dealing with Jesuits.

at the

There

must be

that the Jesuitical plan

It is this

&quot;guarded.&quot;

and

disagreeable, to deal with.

;

mind from

your language by the just one of the most dread of

with Darbyite Plymouthism, that

so difficult,

their purpose

full intention of

you know right well that you have

a totally different meaning in your

ception

and of

of Christ being our righteousness,

you speak

same time no

which

so very

satisfaction in

confessed, however,

the only one that could suit

because, if their doctrines were honestly

told, the Christian public would

fly

from them with

the greatest horror.

Mr. Darby proceeds

&quot;

Scripture never speaks of

puted righteousness at all, but of imputing righteous ness, and the difference is very great indeed.&quot; When Mr

Darby

is at

difficulty,

a loss for a plan of relieving himself from a

is first-rate

have been an

at designing one.

architect, as

should

he has great talent for in

vention.

difference

between imputed righteousness and imputing

has discovered that there

righteousness,

an immense

so great a difference that the one is in

Scripture, while the other this difference

not.

There certainly

between the two, that imputed right-

MR DARBY S eousness

means

the

REPLIES.

305

which

righteousness

God

imputing the one involves the truth of the other. This is just the difference between them ; but the distinction can serve

puted

no purpose

to Mr. is

says he,

righteousness,&quot;

righteousness being imputed

&quot;

Darby. not found

&quot;

found.&quot;

;

Let us

Im but see.

Suppose God is imputing righteousness to His people, must there not be a righteousness to impute ? To be sure there must.

which does not to be imputed, ness,

God cannot be imputing a

exist.

and

God

there

thing a righteousness

imputing that righteous

the righteousness

imputing not an

moment His

imputed righteousness the received it?

Well,

Most certainly

degrees above idiocy could dispute tells us there is imputing

Darby

people have

No man two And yet Mr.

is.

it.

righteousness,

but

no imputed righteousness in Because of Scripture Christ,&quot; Mr. Darby continues, &quot;God holds him rela &quot;

tively to his to 1

and judicially

own

him.&quot;

to be perfectly righteous according

divine estimate.

What!

Can

Righteousness is imputed

believe

8th page, Mr. Darby says,

&quot;

imputed righteousness at all he tells us righteousness is &quot;

at the 55th page of &quot;I

&quot;

eyes?

and on the i9th page imputed to man and &quot;

;

word.&quot;

he says, whole soul

Law,&quot;

believe in imputed righteousness with

in- to have to do with such

the

&quot;

;

Righteousness and

in the true sense of the

Scripture never speaks of

really distress-

an unprincipled opponent.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

306

Mr. Darby asserts that

God

righteousness of will he go next?

who

&quot;

Scripture never says the

received

&quot;

receive, by faith,

abundance of grace and of the

in life gift of righteousness shall reign

but this

&quot;

Christ

;

There

now

appears

faith at all connected

or righteousness

of either grace

Darby

sailing,

Where

faith.&quot;

used to be thought that those

by one, Jesus

a great mistake.

with the reception At the rate Mr.

he will soon be over

all

the seas in

the world. &quot;

The blood

make fies

man

him.&quot;

says Mr. Darby,

Christ,&quot;

innocent

;

cleanses

from

sin

&quot;

does not

and

justi

It is quite true that the blood of Christ

alone does not

make

man

innocent.

Nothing can do which

that but the imputation of that righteousness results

from the obedient

life

and atoning death of

This righteousness, however, Mr. Darby Hence his system, which recognises only the

our Saviour. denies.

death of Christ, contains no plan whatever by which a man can be presented before God in a state of inno

pure and spotless. On Mr. Darby s own show in heaven who is in any ing, even, there is not a man As no man but an inno sense innocent or guiltless.

cence

cent

man

could truly say,

charge?&quot;

&quot;

Who

shall lay anything to

the Darbyites cannot honestly venture

They are not guiltless. As would be nearly impossible, however, for Mr. Darby write a consistent paragraph, he says the blood to use these words.

DARBY S

MR. Christ does not

him

him, but

innocent, but

justifies

him

makes him

;

does not

;

proved

man

;

makes it

;

make him guilt The man who is

be innocent is

by the God

is justified

not guilty. of

cleared in the strictest sense of the word.

declared to be just

him

make him innocent

does not

it justifies

In other words,

acquitted because he

In whatever view a truth, he

innocent, but,

&quot;guiltless.&quot;

but

307 &quot;

not justification.

justified is cleared

not forgiven

man

does not justify

guiltless,

Pardon

less.

makes him

;&quot;

make

REPLIES.

;

and

declared, or

viewed, or accounted just by God, just he must truly be in the aspect in which God looks upon him. He is

not innocent, or just, in himself innocent, or just,

;

but he

Christ s righteousness imputed to him. either ignorant of the

he uses

way

for the

perfectly

the robe of

Mr. Darby

meaning of the word

in a Jesuitical

when looked on through

&quot;justify,&quot;

purpose of mis

leading his readers.

The same of the

word

imputed

man

observations will apply to Mr. &quot;

impute.&quot;

found in

Scripture,&quot;

righteousness being

but he denies that the

clothed in the righteousness, that

imputed to him, or placed on him. not hold imputation at

Darby s use

&quot;

says

truly

Hence he does

should honestly give the use of the and not be attempting to word, mislead the public by using with a mental reserva all.

it,

tion, in a different sense

from what

really means.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

308

The righteousness which is imputed to a man is put on him he is clothed in it as in a robe. That right &quot;

eousness might be imputed unto

hath

clothed

hath covered

me me

them

also.

with the garments of salvation. with

He He The

the robe of righteousness.&quot;

Scripture recognises a true imputation, a real clothing,

a genuine robe of righteousness, and a perfect cover

But on Mr. Darby s system, there is no true im no robe of righteousness, no real clothing, no

ing.

putation,

In place of having a true righteousness

true covering.

really imputed, or put on, the

righteous,

when he

word, and

God

It is dreadful to

man

calculated to be

not truly so in any sense of the

thus

made

the author of a falsehood.

think of such a system

When the He surely

Holy Spirit says righteousness imputed, means what He says. He uses the word impute &quot;

its

proper signification,

cal sense.

and not in the Darbyite

genuine righteousness

really

&quot;

Jesuiti

imputed

to the believer, and, then, although guilty in himself,

perfectly innocent, or righteous, as viewed in

the robe of righteousness provided by his Substitute.

According to the use which Mr. Darby of the

word

&quot;

imputation at

impute,&quot;

all.

sion altogether.

there

tries to

no such thing

make

as real

He should cease to use the expres On his principles, there could be no

proper imputation of the righteousness of Christ to the believer

;

it is all

mockery.

Neither could there be

any proper imputation of the sins of His people to

MR. DARBY S REPLII.S. Christ on the cross.

If the sins

309

were not really put

they were not imputed to Him not die under them ; He must have committed

on Christ

For

part, I stand

the righteousness

did

to the glorious old truth, that

Christ

innocent in Christ as

also that the sins of the

lie

he never had sinned

the

imputed

although guilty in himself,

believer that,

suicide.

and

;

redeemed were so imputed

to Christ that, although absolutely sinless in Himself,

He became &quot;

made

sin

as the

sin

&quot;

for us

;

He was

sinner s substitute.

He was

&quot;

made a

curse for us

died under the punishment due to our sins.

&quot;

;

There

was neither mockery nor suicide in this transaction. In his &quot;Righteousness and Law,&quot; Mr. Darby has returned to his floundering on this subject. deal,&quot;

he observes,

unfortunate

upon what

&quot;

when

A great

said about being innocent

the whole

argument depends not found in Scripture. We must .

have Scripture, not

from

&quot;

theology.&quot;

this that Mr. D.

A person would imagine

was a great advocate for adducing But a closer examination of

evidence from Scripture.

his writings will demonstrate clap-trap.

What

that this

all

pure

Scripture did he adduce in support

of Mr. Mackintosh s heresy concerning the conception

by the Holy Ghost? clusively of

human

His Scripture authorities

very willingly resorts to seems, however,

when he

consisted

thing which he is

in trouble.

has a great objection to what

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

310 calls

lie

in other words, reasoning

&quot;

theology

or,

;

on and from Scripture.

This

a remarkably easy

method of evading an argument on Scripture which, if

he were to die for

he could not meet.

it,

a very wise thing for

him

It is also

to ignore reason, the first

which God gave to man, and the chief faculty by which man is to be able to judge of the

revelation

very existence of either

God

or the Bible.

at once join the Rev. Dr. Cahill in stating that

has no part at all in reason a

man

this

man

statement,

of a

man

and

God

being

calls a

guiltless,

in the

&quot;

man 1 He declares him to

him

&quot;

surely declares

from Mr. Darby

man whom He sense in which He

D. believes

being justified before God,

God has not condescended

the

&quot;God

to be a riyliteous

righteous, if

to be justified,

Jesuitical lesson

the

for

he the audacity to speak

&quot;guiltless&quot;

man

If Mr.

innocent.&quot;

has

God holding him

be innocent.

says

how

the less

rate,

he adapted

Mr. Darby proceeds,

reception of Darbyism.

never declares a

At any

religion.&quot;

has, the better

should

&quot;reason

take a

He means what He

justifies is certainly justifies him.

innocent

To speak

of a

man being justified without being declared innocent is something far worse than absurd, because it is using the word dishonestly innocent, or guiltless,

calling a

when he

man

only pardoned.

this sort of Jesuitical dealing be not stopped,

be exposed to the gaze of

all

just,

honest men.

must &quot;

The

DARBY

MR.

continues Mr.

Scripture,&quot;

the righteousness

Why

&quot;

use

scriptural,

&quot;It

and

for the

says Mr. Darby,

alleged,&quot;

righteousness

are

distinct.&quot;

pur

think of

It is truly dreadful to

him

considers un-

and which he could only use

such conduct.

can Mr.

then,

will he be so dishonest

which

expression

pose of deception

pardon

How,

speaks of

Christ s righteousness

&quot;

311

&quot;never

Darby,

Christ.&quot;

Darby say he has used self as a general term ? as

S i:i-:rui:s.

&quot;

Yes,

that

Mr.

and every man who has an atom of sense must see it to be true and it you were to get the whole world for your trouble, you It is no could not prove them to be the same. have alleged

Darby,

that,

wonder you

dislike

what you

No man

upon

Scripture.

possessed of the slightest portion of reason

only pardoned

God

or,

theology,&quot;

could join you in maintaining that the

less,

&quot;

call

other words, reason brought to bear

man who

perfectly righteous, perfectly

perfectly justified

guilt

and no man who believes in a

and honesty, could believe with will God that account, hold, and declare a man you to be truly just and righteous, when he is not either of truthfulness

just or

righteous in any sense

man

sensible

pardon of a criminal of

guilty guilty

;

the

jury.

but the other

innocent.

the world will is

that

No the

the same thing as the not

The one is

the word. believe

forgiven

though

declared just, clear of guilt,

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

312

Mr. Darby has devoted several pages to the considera tion of the question of law.

derstand

all

do not pretend to un

he says, as he sometimes equals the real

high Dutch, or genuine Chinese. He writes in the and he need never fear that any true Darby style ;

man

will be able to plagiarise from I

detected.

could equal

do not think there

him

for muddiness.

tion, however, to say

in the world

not

inten

the question of law

here, as I have already introduced subject,

man

It is

much on

which the reader can

him without being

a section on the

refer to.

But

must

few of Mr. Darby s statements. He says, We are not under law at all. People make this great mistake. Because the moral law is

draw attention

to a

&quot;

and perfect and holy, that, therefore, man This is not necessarily and always under it.

in itself good is

so.&quot;

Mr. D. has gone aside from his usual course and made We cannot misunderstand him his statement plain. here. the

explicitly states that

moral law nor any other law.

a vengeance.

are under neither

This

going

with

should burn the Bible forthwith,

and ignore the necessity of a Saviour. He gives the one the flattest contradiction, and the other he makes useless.

&quot;

know,&quot;

says the Scripture,

things soever the law saith,

saith to

&quot;

that

what

them who

are

under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and We all the world may become guilty before God.&quot; are here told that the

law speaks to those who are

MR. DARBY S KI.I-MKS. under

it,

and that the object of its so doing is, that stopped, and all the world may

mouth may be

every

become guilty before God. extensive than this.

Adam. world

The

313

mouth

If every is to

become is

Scripture

irorW, but

Nothing can be more

includes the whole race of

very

and

to be stopped,

guilty, there can be

not say

It does

specific.

In his

can be exempted here.

&quot;

the

j th&amp;gt;

No man

the world and every mouth.

all

no one omitted.

Righteousness and

however, page 8, Mr. Darby says that this Law,&quot; passage is confined to the Jews, and does not extend, as

it states,

sequence

to all the world

that some

;

and some in the world are not

As a matter

God.

need whatever

and the inevitable con

mouths are not

that are *

this,

there

learn

who

&quot;

that be

They

Scripture

informs

transgression.&quot;

us,

From

most emphatically, that if any man is no transgressor

not under law, he

no sinner is

there

is,

If they are not guilty,

not a physician, but they

Again, the

sick.&quot;

Where no law

exists

&quot;need

says Jesus,

guilty before

of course, these parties have

for a Saviour.

Christ has nothing to say to them. whole,&quot;

be stopped,

become

and requires no Saviour. Where is no room for an

no transgression, there

atonement, no

need

for

a Saviour, and

Christ

The Darby doctrine differs very The apostle tells the Church at

necessarily excluded. far

from Paul

Rome

that he

s. &quot;

delights in the

Law

God

after the

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

314 inward &quot;

man

&quot;

;

and the Church

at Corinth, that

not without law to God, but under the law to

are

Christ.&quot;

Paul and Mr. Darby are at direct variance with each Which are we to follow My lot is cast with

other.

Paul &quot;

Sin,&quot;

says Mr. Darby,

gression of the

law.

&quot;

are told, is the trans

Now, no one knowing Greek

could cite this theological, but fatally unscriptural, translation.

Another passage quoted

the law to Christ

;

but neither here

under

the law spoken

Although I have read as much Greek, Latin, and Hebrew as served my own purpose, I do not pre

of at

all.&quot;

tend to Greek, Latin, and Hebrew scholarship.

therefore, to accept of Mr.

different points of is

one of the

last

Darby s pedantic assertions Greek criticism By no means. I

men

on a matter of the kind,

would follow

for the simple reason that his

organ of conscientiousness to justify

in the world I

not sufficiently developed

in depending on

him

;

and in the next

place, his brain is so coarse in its structural develop

ment

that he could never

become a

really accurate

and

His powers of accurate discrimination thorough are of a low order, and his talent consists chiefly of critic.

mere

brute-force.

measure

;

and

Real

critical

this will be

acumen

seen hereafter

beyond his

when

the

influence of his personal physical force shall have ceased to operate.

Even

the very question at present under

consideration would prove Mr.

Darby

be void of

DARBY S

MR. critical

power.

law,&quot;

this

sin is

change &quot;

expression

&quot;

sin

the transgression of the

Now, what does he

lawlessness.&quot; ?

lawlessness

breaks

all

effect

do we understand by the

&quot;What

When we

&quot;

being a lawless character, do that he

315

places great importance 011 changing

the translation from &quot;

REPLII&amp;gt;.

speak of a

we not convey

man

the idea

so completely reckless in his conduct that

the laws of his country without the least com-

punction, and thus becomes one of the greatest sinners against the law in the whole

community

How,

could this translation improve Mr. Darby

Perhaps, however, he might say lawless

Impossible.

ness means being without law of any kind to,

then,

position?

or under law at

not liable

If so, I reply, the case

all.

would

then correspond with the position in which he places himself in regard to the law of God not under law at all

not subject to

follows, then

this

Simply

a rule of if

life.

What

sin be lawlessness in

Mr. Darby, who denies that he is under the moral law or any other law, is one of the greatest

this sense,

sinners in the world, for the sole reason that he utterly lawless.

man who

sense, the

who

lawless

lawlessness

from law

Further,

not placed under law at

all

the only sinner in existence, because

the very essence of sin sin,

sin be lawlessness in this

the

man who

ought to be clear of sin

;

and

tradiction to the Scripture,

;

if to

be freed

placed under law

this gives the flat con

which

&quot;

says,

Where no

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

31 6

law

there

is,

transgression.&quot;

that, take it as

Mr. Darby s criticism on this point demon strates that he has no claim whatever to the highest

you of

will,

that of a genuine

all talents

says Mr. Darby,

&quot;Christ,&quot;

Him

made

tinder the

But sinners had no connection with

it.

law, andjkept

critic.

&quot;was

was needed

His personal perfection, Now, you are at it, Mr. glory.&quot; Christ did not Darby, require to keep the law as the sinner s substitute but He required to Iwp it for in this place.

and God

for

;

His own personal perfection law was necessary for His

If the

keeping of the

&quot;

personal

perfection,&quot;

must have been personally imperfect without it. Nothing could be more horribly blasphemous than this statement of

Mr. Darby

his second reply,

Mr. Darby

tries to shuffle

follows

bound

&quot;

He had .

Certainly, if Christ

keep

He would

it,

said, as Dr.

out of

perfect

afforded a

when

was under the law and

not have been perfect

it.

Carson in the same sentence practically

does, that Christ required to keep the law to

the

Nothing can be more simple. not a word to withdraw in it. If I had

not kept

There

It is truly awful.

sinner s

handle.&quot;

fairly put,

substitute,

Mr. Darby

are as

might

have

doctrine and mine,

opposite as the poles.

holds that Christ did not keep the law at

all as

He the

but that He kept it, and was on His own account, and that it was

sinner

substitute,

bound

keep

it,

become

MIL DARBY S REPLIES. absolutely necessary &quot;

Him

for

His own personal perfection

317

do so iu order to

&quot;

the

consequently

;

mere neglect or avoidance of a single jot of

it,

even

although that jot might not be essentially moral iu its

own

nature,

would have rendered Christ personally is a most dreadful doctrine. It

This

imperfect.

makes the personal perfection a contingency. to

any such

doctrine,

the law on His

personal perfection

own but

;

hang upon is

not open

Christ was personally perfect

accusation.

in every sense of the word. fulfil

of Christ

however,

did not require to

own

account, or for His

the sinner s

substitute

was absolutely necessary for Him to do so. If not fulfilled it on every point, His substitu tion would not have been perfectly complete. The

He had

imperfection, however, would have applied solely and

exclusively to His substitutionary position, and could not, as Mr.

Darby maintains, have destroyed His mvn

To render

personal perfection. plainer, I

on the

may

When

cross.

matter a

the

little

apply the argument to Christ s position

on the

cross

required to pay

the full penalty of all the sins of His people, in order to

the

order

complete to

the

tionary work

perfection

complete ;

and

His atonement

perfection

He had

not done

not have been a perfect substitute

His substitu

so,

He would

but as regards

His own personal position, the matter is entirely He was personally perfect, and, therefore,

different.

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

318

make any atonement

did not require to

He had come down from

for Himself.

the cross, His substitu-

work would have been imperfect

tionary

but

;

would not have been personally and naturally imper fect, and this makes all the difference in the world.

was made sin

as the sinner s substitute

was not made sin

own

His

According to Mr. Darby

personal

atonement, in place of

would have

making a substitutionary imperfection, in His

capacity is

imperfect

own

just as applicable

In either

Christ.

own

His

individual

The argument

special person. to

account.

principle of reasoning, the

slightest imperfection in the

rendered Christ

but

;

the death as to the

case, it

life

degrades the Saviour in a

most blasphemous manner.

truly dreadful to

think of such opinions being promulgated under the pretence of Christianity. &quot;

does come by comes by its being kept.&quot; If Mr. Darby had more perspicacity, he would see that his own

Righteousness,&quot;

law, if

little

argues Mr. Darby,

&quot;

position differs very little from this plan, righteousness does

comes by the penalty of the cross. As far as law difference

these

imply subjection

that on his

own

come by law, seeing that it the broken law being paid on

two law

concerned, there

cases. ;

They

both equally

and any objection which

could be urged against the one view, could be equally

urged against the other.

In point of

fact,

Mr. Darby

DARBY S REPLIES.

MR. criticism

perfectly silly

unless he

319 prepared to

any sense from either in keeping the law (as

that righteousness can result in

deny the work of

Christ,

man s

written on

heart and revealed) in

life,

or in

paying the penalty for the breach of the same in death. &quot;We are not justified by It is law all the while.

works of

says Mr.

law,&quot;

&quot;

Darby,

by whomsoever done,

If righteousness comes but entirely in another way. by law, Christ is dead in vain. ... If we are righteous

by Christ s keeping the law, it does come by the law, and Christ s death is in vain.&quot; Mr. D. here does all he can to mystify his readers by jumbling up the keeping of the law by the sinner on his own account, and the keeping of

two things are

by Christ on the sinner s as different as

day

The

behalf.

from night

;

and

the proper distinction be observed, the whole affair

becomes as simple as possible.

this plan,

the

Holy Writ can be fairly recon setting them to contradict each

different portions of ciled,

in place

other,

as they

must do on Mr. Darby

principles.

right .which

makes one

portion of Scripture contradict another.

The Bible

interpretation

the

Word

can

of God,

and cannot be inconsistent with

on any subject. Mr. Darby seems to be quite he can only cover his opinions by the mere sound of Scripture, no matter what havoc he may itself

satisfied if

thus &quot;

make

of Revelation. &quot;

know,&quot;

says Job,

acts

that 1 shall be

justified.&quot;

infidel.

How

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

320 do you know sight,

two

these

No.

Job?

that,

They

works

;

&quot;In

&quot;

each

contradict

This

living shall be justified

thy

other?

may is

his

own

the key which unlocks the difficulty

righteousness comes

attempts to

be justified by the righteousness

through which Mr. Darby

man

not said,

are both true, only in a different point of

but he

of Christ.

not

statements

No man

view.

no man living be justified

Lord, shall

procure

the law on his

own

dead in vain as

far as

incapable of seeing.

or, in

by law,

other words,

If if

account, then, indeed, Christ

concerned.

repudiates

work out a

the righteousness of Christ and tries to righteousness for himself.

by obeying

righteousness

undertaking to obey the law himself, he ignores the necessity of a Saviour as much as the Darbyites, who say they are not under

The one undertakes

law.

other denies he of

them

The

under

man

keep the law, and the

such a plan, neither

requires a Saviour, and Christ

this matter. to

thus leave

takes

him

&quot;For

dead in vain.

satisfactory

It represents the utter inability

keep the law he

under

;

but

does not

hopeless, as it points out a perfect

of escape through

Jesus.

it.

Scripture, however,

view of of

work

the

of a substitute,

what the law could not

way

Christ

do, in that

God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, con

was weak through the

demned

sin in the flesh

flesh,

;

that the righteousness of the

REFLUX

MR. DARBY S

321

law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the Here is the whole ques flesh, but after the Spirit.&quot; tion in a few words.

When we

were unable, in con

weakness of the

the

sequence of

to procure

flesh,

righteousness by our keeping of the law,

His Son

law might

righteousness of the

our

God

sent

in the likeness of our flesh, in order that

and

law-keeping

be fulfilled in us,

sin-atoning

tin

through

substitute,

Christ.

Although the question of Sanctification has not been directly mentioned in this controversy, I shall take the opportunity, because of the great importance of the subject, of introducing the opinions held

on the matter.

father

aware, he was the

first

distinction between the progTewive

to point out the

sanctification

far as I

the

and the perfect and

Christian,

complete and instantaneous sanctification in Christ. In his letter to

May &quot;The

4th,

1836,&quot;

&quot;

brother-in-law, dated,

he says in regard to

sanctification here

spoken

Tubbermore, i

Cor.

30,

of appears not to be

wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, which The progressive and never perfect in this world. sanctification here spoken of is that which Christ iVr

that which

made

to us,

and not that we are made by

sanctification of the Spirit

Spirit through the word. in this passage

The

we have not

in Christ, as one with

Christ.

The

performed in us by the

saiietiti-

in our

Him by

ation spoken of

own

faith in

persons, but

His righteous-

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

322

ness through death.

makes us

fit

to go

cannot enter heaven, but as having a perfect holi

ness, as

Christ ours.

It is this that

heaven the moment we believe in the Lord Jesus.

This

well as a perfect righteousness.

To suppose that the that which is wrought

we have

His

Him, whatever

are one with

sanctification here

in us,

spoken

would oblige me

explain the righteousness and redemption here spoken as that

which

that Christ

may

observe

said to be sanctification to us, just as

redemption and

sanctification

For you

in ourselves.

to oi

Now,

righteousness.

which

the

that which

personally in us, then the righteousness spoken of

not that which

we have

Christ works in us

that

is is

in Christ, but that which is,

inherent righteousness.

But the righteousness which Christ is made to us is not the righteousness which He works in us, but which

He in

has wrought for

Him, and not in

us.

have, then, righteousness

ourselves.

respect to redemption.

Christ

In the same way with is

made redemption

us by God, not by enabling us to redeem ourselves, but by Himself paying the price. If, then, the redemp tion here spoken of is not in us, neither fication.

God

the sancti

does not enable us to work a righteous

ness to justify ourselves, nor to pay a price to redeem is, of God, made to us both and redemption. ... we have every righteousness In Him. in short, this passage shows us how thing

ourselves

;

but Christ

DARBY

MR.

S KKPMI.S.

323

What

the believer stands complete in Jesus Christ. ever the law

Him.

before

demands

of us,

has

our account

oil

In this way the Christian stands perfect

God, while in another point of view he

utterly

Who

deficient.

charge of

God s

elect

Now,

and not

in ourselves,

shall

lay anything if

the

are considered as

stand in Christ, as one

with Him, there are a thousand things to be laid to

our charge. ... It

may be

are not perfectly holy

laid to

our charge that

the answer

is,

Christ

wi-

our

This view, however, you will not find any of the commentators. I mentioned it to Mr. Haldane when I saw him last summer, and he adopted

sanctificatiou.

It is quite evident that Christ is

it.

fication to us, just as

made

the sancti-

righteousness and

Most truly yours, ALEX. CARSON.&quot; very kind to me on the subject

redemption.

Mr. Darby

Pastoral Office.

says he does

&quot;not

lets

purpose

Does any

question.&quot;

of the

with a page, and then

going farther

know

one

Just because he cannot.

oil

the

into

reason

the

why

argument on the Pastoral

Office is so exceedingly close to plain Scripture prin

Mr. Darby

ciples that it is perfectly impregnable.

guns are not able Office is

to leave

one of the very

Darbyites ply the obliged to &quot;

a mark on

public

first ;

The

it.

Pastoral

points on which the

but here the leader

answer

all

&quot;

do not

sing

dumb.&quot;

pretend,&quot;

says Mr. Darby,

&quot;

PLYMOUTH HERESIES.

324

the reasoning of Dr.

Carson.&quot;

You

are quite right, Mr.

no use in your pretending to a thing you cannot possibly accomplish. I have been honoured with a considerable number of favourable reviews but Darby.

There

;

the most favourable I have yet

I consider

Mr. Darby

received.

Many parties who speak well of my work my own views but Mr. Darby s reviews

agree with

;

are peculiarly

favourable in this respect, that with

the greatest wish to overturn

cognised champion

been able I

Darby ite

statements, the re

Plymouthism has not

to find the slightest flaw in

have come

scratch.

through

one of them.

the battle without

a single

perfectly invulnerable, because, and

only because,

foundation of

God s

bulwarks are resting on the sure eternal truth.

THE END.

PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND EDINBURGH AND LONDON.

CO.

THE

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF PHRENOLOGY AUK

THE ONLY PRINCIPLES CAPABLE OF BEING RECONCILED WITH

THE IMMATERIALITY AND IMMORTALITY OF THE BY JAMES

LONDON:

C. L.

SOUL.

CARSON, M.D.

HOULSTOX &

SONS.

In this volume the author has taken up a position as startling as it but it is a position which he has well pondered, and one on the Absolute impregnability of which he is quite prepared to rest any reputation he may have yet gained in the field of literature or criticism. He has carried the battle right Into the heart of the enemy s country without fear or dread, and, if his views be found to stand the test of strict investigation, it would be difficult to over-estimate their import ance. His principles being admitted and he believes no man living can overturn them Phrenology, in place of being implicit atheism m.-iterialism,&quot; as Sir William Hamilton has asserted, must then stand out in bold relief as the only system which could by any possibility be Not reconciled with the Immateriality and Immortality of the Soul. only so, but the system of metaphysics which is taught in our Colleges and Universities, and in which all our clergy are compelled to be in doctrinated, must be lowered from its present ostentatious position, because it is a system involving principles which necessarily end in materialism, and thus overturn the doctrine of our future existence. These are bold and serious statements, but they are statements which the author is not afraid to make in the face of all the critics in the world. He has p/-oi&amp;gt;W that Phrenology, and Phrenology nlont, is capable of being reconciled with the Immateriality and Immortality of the human soul. is nesr

;

&quot;

CONTENTS. PIIRF.NOLOOY Tm KM I:IIK&amp;gt;N OF TRUTH PROGRESS OF PHRENOLOGY UTILITY or PHRENOLOGY REPLY TO OBJECTIONS Is THE BRAIN TIIK ORGAN or THE MIND? IH THE BRAIN A COMPOUND ORGAN? INFLUENCE or AGE SIZE, POWEH, AND ACTIVITY TEMPERAMENT .

HEALTH or BRAIN EFFECTS OF EXERCISE THE BKAIN AND SKULL ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE SIZE OF BRAIN.

REVIEWS. We

had come to the conclusion that Phrenology as a science (falsely so called) was extinct, except among the half-educated classes of the community. We wonder any man of sound sense can believe in the possibility of detecting character by means of an organ only very and partially indirectly manifested through its bony covering. We shall not pretend to speak of conclusions, which to our mind must &quot;

be foregone, considering the nature of the subject.&quot; Medical Tiiaesand Gazett&quot;, London. [The forehead of Dr. Chalmers and the forehead of Mr. Joseph Hume, M. P., measured very nearly the same at the region of those organs which are connected with the practical concerns of life but Dr. Chalmers forehead measured more than one inch and a half larger than Mr. Hume s at the orpan of Ideality, which has to do with the ideal, the sublime, and the beautiful. Now, when applied to the thickness of a man s lips, the size of his mouth, the length of his ears, or the turn-up at the point of his nose, one inch and a half might, per haps, make a visible difference but when applied to the organs of the brain, one inch and a half is such an imperceptible measurement that no man of sound sense and high education,&quot; like the editor of The Medical Times and Gazette, could ever think of believing in less than three feet! Ha Ha, Ha!! Ha, Ha, Ha!!! J. C. L. CARSON.] ;

;

&quot;

are convinced that few men -who hare brains will put down this feeling that Dr. C. has succeeded in proving that the Phrenologist, so far from being a materialist, is the only man who can properly and consistently avoid materialism. In the opening chapters the author points out the difficulties that Phrenology has had to labour under from the bigotry and blockheadedness of men, whose chief argu ments consisted in sneers and jibes and wilful misrepresentations. For plain, all-convincing, argumentative power, and really interesting facts, the chapters on the brain the organ of the mind, and the brain a compound organ, cannot fail to please and instruct the careful and con The concluding chapters are as full of instruction scientious reader. This work on Phrenology will hold fast as they are of scholarly lore. for the author that fame which his learning, his argumentative powers, and above all, his bold unswerving close keeping to Bible teachings, have earned for the learned son of a learned father.&quot; Tyrone Constitution. &quot;

work without

&quot;You meet with very great ability,&quot; says the Right Rev. Dr. Alex the common objection that ander, Lord Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, such a relationship between mind and matter, as Phrenology implies, would lead to materialism. The illustrative physiological anecdotes, marshalled by a logical thinker like yourself, are interesting; and you write clearly and vigorously.&quot; (Published, by permission, from a &quot;

&amp;lt;tc.,

private letter.

)

have derived both instruction and extreme gratification from s able, instructive, and most attractive work. Our space unhappily prevents us from entering, as we should wish, into a review of the many interesting topics which our author has discussed in a charming style. A bare enumeration can afford no idea of the highly attractive style in which Dr. C. has treated the whole question, pressing into his service the choicest illustrations drawn from an immense range of professional and literary reading, and actually investing his disqui sitions with all the lightness and engaging interest of a work of fancy, so judiciously have he popular and scientific elements been blended &quot;We

Dr. Carson

In regard to the grand inquiry announced in the title page are convinced that Dr. C. has demonstrated his position that what called mental diseases are in reality morbid disturbances of the brain alone, and that on this hypothesis only can the immateriality of the human soul be maintained. We repeat we have perused with the highest satisfaction this very interesting volume, and we commend it to the study of thoughtful readers, who will find it as engaging an. I entertaining as any novel, from the capital anecdotes and literary selections which Dr. C. has made so happily subservient to the great iectof his researches.&quot; Derry Standard. Edited by James Knight, together.

art-

present volume discusses, with a clearness and power almost peculiar to the gifted author, some popular objections to Phrenology and it would be difficult to find a more interesting and suggestive book As a popular introduction to the study of Phrenology, it has no rival and we commend it as by far the most argumentative and able book we have seen on the subject, and one which must attract attention from &quot;The

;

the higher class of minds.

The Iri,h

(

Wttleyan) Evangelist, Dublin.

very learned work, written with much force and after much Rev. C. II. Spurgcon s Sirord and Troted. This is a work of great interest and merit, on a subject much talked of, but little really studied or understood. Dr. C. rings to bear upon his task the resources of a well-trained mind, a practised pen, and professional reading and experience. In this work he has fully carried our judgment, solved many of our doubts difficulties and imparted to us much interestingand valuable information. We commend Dr. Carson s able, most interesting, instructive, andheartily enter &quot;A

research.&quot; &quot;

v.-i.&amp;gt;t

an&amp;lt;*

taining

book.&quot;-JKc*&amp;lt;erH

Star, Ballinasloe.

a pleasant volume by one of the most effective polemics of That there is a connection, close and intimate, between the powers of thought and the development of the brain is known by the millions who never question the grounds of their belief, as certainly as to the scientific few who have made it a subject of special attention and research. Though Phrenology should be able to give us the original elements of a given mind, it can tell us nothing of the which these elements have combined to form, because it cannot totality decide upon the proportions in which they may have been united. This fact explains the slow progress of Phrenology in forcing its way into popuhr and practical recognition. The famous article by Lord Jeffrey in the Edinburgh Review, even after all Dr. Carson has said against it with inch ability and acuteness, is to our mind conclusive against the claims of Phrenology to take a place among the sciences.&quot; The Evantielieal Vitntu and Prubyttrian Rnitv. [First-the learned editor does not appear to be as near Lord Jeffrey as he imagines. The editor admits that the millions as well as the learned few know there is a direct r, 1 tionship between the power of thought and the development of the brain, whereas Lord Jeffrey declares, &quot;We have never yet known what it is to feel that we think m,an* by of our brnit. There is not the smallest reason for supposing that the mind ever operates through the agency of an// matn-ial orparu, except in its perception of material objects, or in the movements of the body which it inhabits Second The metaphysicians, as rank materialists, may amuse them selves in dilating &quot;on the elements of a in explaining given mind the totality which these elements have combined to n form,&quot; and deciding on &quot;the proportions in which these dements are united &quot;

This

our day.

...

&quot;

but the Phrenologist can afford to look upon the mind as simple, uncompounded, indivisible, immaterial and immortal. J. C. L. CARSON.] &quot;This subject is learnedly discussed in a work recently published by Dr. Carson, the study of which we recommend to all who desire to have a clear notion of it. Spurzheim and others wrote on it but the most conclusive reasoning ever we met is in Dr. Carson s able essay.&quot; ;

News

Belfast

Letter.

we cannot do justice to this work. It is impossible, arguments but those who are should at once in interested psychological and physiological studies Belfast. procure the book.&quot; Banner of Ulster, &quot;

even

are sorry

in outline, to give a digest of his

;

of divinity. &quot;What a pity the author of this work is not a doctor Here is an exhaustive treatise on a subject which years ago commanded It was stoutly affirmed, general attention and animated controversy.

and by many steadfastly believed, that Phrenology had its roots in induced a state of materialism, rendered morality circumstantial, and This objection Dr. C. hesitancy in the inspiration of Divine truth. abun minutely examines, and by arguments, apparently complete, and successfully shows that dantly refutes. He goes even further, soul of the which the basis immateriality upon Phrenology is the only can be upheld.&quot; The Voice of Truth, London.

a gentleman of acknowledged learning and great hope the work will lead Christian philosophers to also to reason logically on one of the most pro that can found subjects engage their attention.&quot; Baptist Messenger, London.

The

&quot;

writer

literary ability.

and help them

think,

the point of view adopted by the author, the well argued. Glasgow Daily Herald. &quot;From

work before us

of this work, is a sufficient say that Dr. Carson is the author it is a vigorous, manly, and able treatise upon the sub does not lead to materialism, A true Phrenology ject to which it relates. but is its best scientific antidote. Any one who desires to see Phreno fearless thinker should and a bold harmonised by logy and Revelation It is truly scientific, and, at the same time, pervaded by read this book of deepest [reverence^ for God s Word.&quot; Primitive Church a &quot;To

guarantee that

spirit

Magazine, London. This is really a wonderful book. Dr. Carson effects his purpose in so cogent, language so lucid, by illustrations so vivid, and arguments that he would be sceptical who would doubt, and a dunce who could &quot;

not

understand.&quot;

Coleraine Chronicle.

to convey the impression this book has made upon ourselves that the Phrenologist is the only man who can avoid materialism. This is the theory with which Dr. Carson startles the thinking world but if ever theory were made established fact, by and lucidly philosophical considerations at once the most profound honour as au transparent, this is what our author has, to his undying independent thinker, accomplished.&quot; Bally money Free Press. &quot;

wish we had the power

;

a vigour and freshness of illustration, of anecdote, and of s writing, which lays hold of the reader s atten mind without wearisome tension on the point under His examination. reasonings and illustrations on the reception of are most truth, the utility of Phrenology, and his replies to objections, &quot;

There

rejoinder in Dr. Carson tion,

and

fixes his

instructive reading, apart from the inquiry into the science under consideration. Those who have been shaken by the sciolism of the materialists, and perplexed by the sophistries of sceptics, will do well to read Attentively these well-reasoned and lucid lectures on the truth of an unjustly censured science, and its perfect accordance with the eternal truths of revealed religion.&quot; The

Morning Advertiur, Lyndon

Edited by James Grant, Esq.

those who wish to master this important subject, the present work is invaluable. give it our hearty recommendatiou. We think the most valuable book ever written upon Phrenology. Dr Carson throws his whole soul into the subject, routs his antagouists fearlessly and takes all their btrongholds.&quot; The Gospel Htrald, London. &quot;It is evident that Dr. Carson is a thoroughly honest believer in the theory he advances, and also that he has based it upon a very careful His work is marked by much ability, and no oue can study of facts. but be the better for studying Aberdeen Free Press. &quot;To

it.&quot;

&quot;The title presents an argument of immense magnitude; and we fearlessly assert that none but drones and mindless persons will leave the book until they have inwardly digested the whole. Dr Carson has done well to apply the lever of his mental and literary power to a subject (Phrenology) so likely to be beneficial to all classes ; yea, to the whole world. Let his volumes on and Punishment

Phrenology

Capital

become regular school-books, library-books, household-books. Let them be fully brought before the millions of the people, and something would be done towards turning this awful desert into a fruitful ti-M &quot;

The harthen &quot;

Vessel,

London.

Dr. Carson

is a vigorous reasoner, with much of the force and clear ness that distinguished his honoured father. He is also a master of

the subject he discusses. The volume abounds in interesting facts, as well as in impressive argument ; and is a welcome contribution to the science of the subject of which it treats.&quot; The London.

Freeman, Dr. Carson has collected a great mass of facts, evidences, and arguments to prov th.it Phrenology is true. What he brings forward includes substantially all that has been alleged in favour of Phrenology, and, perhaps, all that ever will be, and we can recommend this part of the w rk as a clear and able exposition of the position of the Phreno &quot;

The Dtiily Review, Edinburgh. &quot;This is an important work on an important subject. Dr. Carson, from his anatomical knowledge, his scholarship, his acute and inde pendent thinking, and his extensive reading, is qualified to discuss such subjects. We should add, too, that as he i.s a firm believer in Revelation, he is a safe guide in scientific inquiries. A glance at the heads in pages 455 to 459 should convince the most sceptical that Phrenology is not altogether a delusion. On the whole, we have much pleasure in recommending his able work to intelligent readers. It is another proof of his own talents and great mental The He.Hind, Derry. activity.&quot; logists.&quot;

...

&quot;Dr. Carson possesses a mind highly gifted and well stored. His powers of reasoning are of a high order, and he is manifestly imbued with a deep sense of the divine authority of the Sacred Scriptures. The statute-book of heaven is h.s ultimate source of appeal and while he ;

surveys with profound reverence the region of science, alike physical and mental, he subordinates all science to the In this inspired word

6 he cuts away every inch of ground from the materialist and the free-thinker, and shows that the laws of our physical nature are in per fect harmony with the principles of divine Revelation. His chapter on the Reception of Truth is well conceived and admirably constructed. Such a work was wanted to take Phrenology out of the hands of mere empyrics and dabblers in natural theology.&quot; Montruil Herald and Daily Gazette, Montreal, Canada, Jan. 12, 1870. treatise,

&quot;Phrenology has suffered from the character of its advocates in a it has by the arguments of its opponents. It is, therefore, a satisfaction to have the question treated thoroughly as in the volume before us by a qualified writer (himself a medical man of large experience, and an orthodox Christian in belief), who lucidly sets forth what Phrenology really does assume to teach, and exposes the false issues that have been repeatedly urged against it. book like the present, which argues out the question fully and fairly, is invalu able to those who desire to arrive at the truth in the matter. A lucid terseness, an absence of technical hindrances, and a substantial vigour in the treatment of the subject, will commend the volume to the in terested reader.&quot; The Irish Times, Dublin.

greater degree than

&quot;Your name, on which your father shed such lustre, induced me to lay aside other works for yours, and its reasonings and many interest ing facts led me on from page to page.&quot; liev. Thos. Guthrie, D.D.

The editor of the Atlten&um, for reasons best known to himself, made a determined effort to injure Dr. Carson s book by the following criti &quot;If cism any kind of immortality is cultivated in his book, it is immortal hate. Thus, he says, the conduct of Cuvier was mean and Sir D. Brewster s objections are childish, disgusting in the extreme. Another opponent blunders so trifling and miserably insignificant. that it is difficult to know whether he is naturally stupid or wilfully A Baron Bramwell deserves something statement made perverse. by more than mere contempt; it is an outrage on common sense, and a Of Sir W. Hamilton, Dr. C. says, I hardly ever disgrace to the bench. read so much trash, nonsense, and reckless assertion in the same bounds in the whole course of my life. I am surprised that Mr. Combe Such and Dr. Spurzheim were able to keep their temper with him. surprise may be natural in Dr. Carson but it is fatal to his reputation as a scientific writer. This is the more unfortunate, as Dr. C is a man of ability, and could argue well if he could keep his temper.&quot; [Now, Dr. Carson freely admits that it is perfectly competent for a reviewer to find fault with the style of an author, provided he does it honestly and but he denies that in this instance there is one particle of fairly honesty exhibited. A reviewer occupies a responsible position, lie is bound, in honour, to make a fair statement of the case, in order that lie may do full justice to the author on the one hand, and the public on the other. He must not swerve from the path of rectitude to please If his criticisms are well founded, and fairly and honestly either side. put before the public, the author has no right to complain, no matter how severe they may be. But, on the other hand, if through ill-nature, dishonesty of purpose, dislike to truth, or any other cause, he writes a shallow, ignorant, flippant, ill-digested, and completely one-sided review, whether favourable or unfavourable to the author, he is as mean and disreputable as the judge who would sit on the bench and deliver a completely partial and one-sided decision, on account of the bribe which he had dishonestly placed in his pocket. How, then, is it with the editor of the Athen&amp;lt;nim? Has he acted fairly and honestly in the :

;

He has not. In place of quoting at full length the special points to which the language he complains of was applied, and thus putting the case fairly before his readers, in order that they might be able to judge between the parties, he makes a few garbled extracts, and thus distorts the case to suit his own malicious purposes. If he had placed the matter honestly before his readers, Dr. Carson would have been quite satisfied to leave the issue with the public. Take the cases, for example Cuvier, in private society, expressed strong opinions in favour of Phrenology, but the moment he found that Bonaparte dis whirled.&quot; and drew up a report directly approved of his conduct, he Against it. Wan Dr. Carson not justified in saying it was mean and for in a man Curler s position to change his opinions on disgusting science at the nod of an Emperor? The Athenman says, No. A man i.s never to be called mean for &quot;whirling&quot; at the nod of an Emperor. It is evident that the editor of the Athcmtum would &quot;jump Jim Crow&quot; morning, noon, and night, at the nod of an Emperor. Again, Mr. Stone overturned phrenology by the measurement of heads but it, unfor tunately, turns out that when his figures come to be examined by Mr. Combe, &quot;the size of three organs exceeds that of the whole head which contains thorn, and all the other :V2 organs have no size whatever.&quot; If he had measured the remainder of the organs, in all probability he would have made the head a reasonable load for an ass s cart. Was Dr. it is difficult to know whether this man is Carson justified in saying, The Athcnaum says, No. He naturally stupid or wilfully perverse ? is not to be called stupid or perverse. He is a genius of the first water. He would just suit to write reviews for the Athenamm. Baron Brain wcll sentenced a madiunn to penal servitude for life, saying to the man, That you are of unsound mind, I believe, but that is no reason why you should not be punished. I feel bound to sentence you to the same punishment as if you were sane. I am not sure that it is not more necessary to punish a madman than a sane one.&quot; Is this barbarous statement not a disgrace to the bench, notwitlistanding the opinion of the Athnumin to the contrary? When Sir William Hamilton denied the phrenological opinions regarding the internal condition of a cavity in the skull called the frontal sinus, Mr. Combe proposed to settle the question by sawing open a considerable number of skulls, so that the cavity might bt t^n ; but Sir W. Hamilton refused to submit to this plain practical plan. He insisted on keeping the bones whole; and proposed to ascertain everything about the cavity by sticking pint Into To men of sense, it may appear utterly incredible that Sir it ?! William Hamilton should have made such a proposition, but it is absol utely true ; and the editor of the Atlitiwum has attempted to degrade Dr. Carson from the position of a scientific writer, because he has spoken in contempt of such a ridiculously silly mode of practical inv. -tipition. If Sir R. Murchison, the geologist, were about to inspect the internal condition of a cave, how would he proceed? Would he re fuse to enter it? Would he commence to drill holes through the rock, that he might stick pins into the cave? If he acted on this grand Hamilton-^ f/uturwrn plan, how long would he be out of alunatica-ylum ? Such a mode of investigation might suit the occupant (like Sir William Hamilton) of a Metaphysical Chair, where imagination, theory, and visions h.ld the sway, or.it might be in exact accordance with tlimental calibre of the editor of the Athtnwum ; but to men of good practical common sense, it must appear even worse than lunacy, bec.-nse it involves an attempt to overturn and trample down truth by principles which must be known to be false the moment they are an nounced, by every man who is not an idiot. So much for the cases matter?

&quot;

;

&quot;

which the Aihenavm

criticised, but

was not honest enough

to quote.

in a fair position to judge of the moral and intellec tual development of the Atl,fnav.r,i reviewer of Dr. Carbon s book. In the London Lancet of December 10th, 1876. there is an able article from the editor on the reprieve of the convict, Drant. If the learned editor, however, had been actuated by a wholesome dread of the Athena; um and Baron Bramwell, he would not have ventured on the following state ment &quot;The scandal of hanging a sick man for a deed which was, in but the error of pro fact, a symptom of his disease, has been avoided; nouncing the last sentence of the law in a case of madness has been

The reader

now

commitkd, and justice is thereby disgraced. Justice is commonly represented blindfolded but blind folly should not be one of her The absurdity of proceeding to the end of a trial, and characteristics. solemnly declaring the life of a lunatic forfeited, is, and always will be, a farce, and it is one which cannot be often repeated without detracting The practice very seriously from the majesty of the criminal law. of pardoning a person for an offence he did not commit is silly enough ; but the system which permits a man to be convicted and condemned when he is i,ot in a condition to be guilty, and when his offence is plainly an accident of his disease, is something more than ridiculous ;

it is

flagrantly

amiss.&quot;

J. C. L. Carson.]

Third Edition,

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT BY [JAMES London

IS L.

2s. 6d.

MURDER

LEGALIZED.

CARSON, M.D.

HOULSTON & SONS.

Those who are correctly informed on the matter are aware that capital punishment, under British rule, would end at once and for ever, if it were not for the support it receives from the religious community. It, therefore, behoves all Christians to e.\amine the awfully serious position If they have direct and unmistakable in which they are placed. Authority from God for choking a fellow-creature, they are quite right in doing it but if no such authority exists, they are murderers of the deepest dye, when, in perfectly cold blood, they hurl the impenitent sinner into the abyss of Woe. Their position is a fearful one. Have they examined the matter carefully ? They know they have not. Have they read with attention all that can be said on each side of the question ? They know they have not. In perfect blindness, they have believed what they have been told, and taken the whole matter for granted. They would rather hang their fellow-sinners than take the trouble of a Their responsibilities are terrible to think of. The full investigation. great cause of crime of every description is, that there is no semblance ;

of proper punishment for it in this generation. Many of those who oppose the death penalty, would put no suitable punishment in its-

9 place, because they absurdly hold that human nature is too good to require it. The consequence is that they have left the people in an unprotected condition in those countries where the law changed. It is a great wonder things have not got worse, in place ut better. The punishment tor mry crime should he .such as to make the law a terror to evil-doers, and a protection to all who do well. objection to the death penalty is, that it is not by one hundredth put an adequate punishment for the murderer. Hanging would frighten the well-disposed, but it has not the least influence on the Criminal class until after the commission of the i-rim.-. Tin- t-vid. I have collected on this point is unanswerable. If the g-irotters had been hanged, garotting would never have ceased, but this crime was stamped out at once by the lash. The criminal has little fear of sudden death, as he o\. r but he has a terrible says it is only a kick and a struggle and all fear of corporal punishment. Lashing one man through tinDublin would have done more to stop murder than all the hanging they have done. Let the murderer be la-hrd once or twice every year dnrinir his life, and let the law changed to th .-aim- tiling in every .-ni-h The punishment, case, and murder would soon be a thing of the past. too, should be administered in as public a way as it could possibly be This is the only way in which it could become an example. done. have often wondered how men of sense could talk of hanging as an example, as a great moral lesson, so long as they are obliged to per form the deed of death behind a wall. It is perfectly ludicrous to talk of a grand moral lesson which must be hid from view, in order that Un not be driven to crime by a visible example of the moral people may I wonder men are not ashamed of such opinions. lesson. Th. much sentimentalism abroad, that many parties will shudder at the idea of lashing a criminal such a mode of punishment is considered far too It will not be denied that the lash, freely administered hard-hearted. oncela year, would effectually stop crime but our law-makers would rather allow the innocent to be murdered, than inflict pain on the back of the criminal. Murder could be punished by the lash, but never by the hangman. Hanging has *o signally failed all over the world to pre vent murder, that it is a perfect marvel that no nation, as yet, has tried the lash. If it had been tried in time, it would have saved to America, and to the world, those noble-minded men. Lincoln, (larfleld, and Honourable George Brown. The culprit will make a great bluster about defying the hangman but he would run into a mouse-hole, it it !

&amp;lt;

:&amp;lt;

i.-,

;

\&amp;gt;&amp;gt;-

[

;

th&amp;lt;-

;

\s&amp;lt;

&amp;gt;&amp;lt;

possible, for fear of the lash.

REVIEWS. Dr. Carson, with great propriety, lays stress on the uncertainty of Circumstantial Evidence, of which cite, many r-to-b.--forgoU.-n The proot,. as the read, r of Dr Ganon B I illustrations. k are frightfully abundant, that c-ircum&amp;gt;t:ino-&amp;gt; may be ini-ii.i and that their testimony may iiiMillici. n no one in even Court doubts its meaning. Thi- we admit to h.- in it-. -If a very power ful argument. All who know his pr.-\ n.u- production^ w i.l pared to find in thin much keeuuebB of perception uud directness in &quot;

&quot;he

n-v&amp;gt;

1&quot;-

uhm

]

]&amp;gt;n-.

10 stating propositions, as well as acumen and force in defending them. In all these characteristics, Dr. Carson is very like his eminent father and our readers need know no more than this to induce them to give The their attention to this or any other production from his pen.&quot; ;

Freeman, London.

Carson s work deserves a careful perusal, because of the im &quot;Dr. portance of the subject and the ability with which it is treated. &quot;Derry Sentinel.

excellent author bears the &quot;Everything written by the learned and impress of ability, reflective thought, and of extensive information.&quot; Derry Standard. &quot;To those who desire to know all that can be said against Capital Punishment, we recommend this pungent volume. It ought to be read by all the friends of humanity, order, and religion. The chapter on the Scriptural Argument is especially able and trenchant. The work is written by one who evidently writes from earnest conviction, and with a sincere recrard for the authority of Scripture. Dr. Carson s style is eminently lucid. He is as clear, concise, and forcible as his able father.

find it impossible to agree with him, we are amazed at his manner of expression. The opponents of Capital Punishment do well to circulate this well-got-up book by hundreds of thousands. We predict it will pass through many editions.&quot; Baptist Messenger, London.

When we forcible will

&quot;The

author of a book with this strong

title,

make good

his asser

tion, must be a man of singular ability, and have very decided views on the subject. Dr. Carson did not essay a task too difficult for his exalted talents as a convincing writer on any subject to which he brings the

He takes up, one after another, all the force of his powerful intellect. texts of Scripture which have been relied on as sanctioning the punish ment of death, and with the hand of a master, while shirking no respon sibility as a believer in the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, he shows, with the clearness of a sunbeam, that the genius and spirit of Christi He, however, does not anity are totally opposed to the death penalty. content himself with the most luminous exposition of the meaning of the exact words used by the sacred writers, but with all the acumen of the most accomplished logician, he takes up the premises relied on by his opponents, and proves to a demonstration that the conclusions to which they arrive have been arrived at by wilfully ignoring facts, or by importing matters into the discussion which have nothing in the world Ball i/money Free Prest. to do with it.&quot;

In the chapter on the Scriptural Argument, he assails the strong hold which his opponents regard as impregnable, and drives them be He fore him step by step, until they have not a foot to stand upon. gives quarter to none, and never asks it. He has not only the courage to challenge the best men in the rival camp, but he has the ability to vanquish them, and tell them the reason why. The question of Capital Punishment is one of extraordinary difficulty but it has never yet had one who grappled with it so thoroughly as Dr. Carson. Not the least of the great merits of his book consists in this, that it is plain fact and cogent argument from beginning to end so lucidly stated, in clear lan guage, that the conclusions of the writer at once appeal to, and con vince, the understanding of the reader.&quot; Coleraine Chronicle. &quot;

;

&quot;We

commend

this

work

to the careful perusal of the philanthro-

11 It embodies a large amount of powerful and the statesman. Jfettcrn Star, Ballinareasoning, and all but exhausts the subject.&quot;

pist

sloe.

One of their great advocates, Dr. Carson, has published an able and thoughtful work on the subject.&quot; Brljatt Kcicslttttr. &quot;We feel sure that this work cannot fail to serve the noble end for &quot;

it was written.&quot; Tyrone Conttitution. &quot;If this does not greatly assist in making some alteration in our criminal arrangements, it certainly ought to. It is full of evidence and argument unanswerable. Dr. Carson is no superficial writer, no enthu he turns his attention to one of the greatest national siast, no novice and social subjects, and pursues his argument with an amount of abi the highest credit upon the lity, patience, and research which reflects mind and motive of the author.&quot; The Earthen Veitel, London.

which

;

If the enemy s works are not carried by storm, it is not for want of the most brilliant powers of logic and ratiocination on the part of Dr. Carson. We sincerely thank him for this manly, logical, and outspoken defence of what he sincerely believes to be the truth.&quot; The Gospel &quot;

/It

raid,

London.

Carson has subjected the question to a most exhaustive treat ment. No important point is overlooked but the chapter pn the SrrijiWe commend Dr. tural Argument is by far the most important of all. Carson s admirable work to all who desire to master this great publio &quot;Dr.

;

question.

It is certainly the ablest defence of the Abolition of Capital

Punishment that has yet been published. We can give no higher and to give less would be unjust.&quot; Primitive Church Magazine,

praise,

London.

Carson inherits much of the talent of his distinguished and &quot;Dr. honoured father, whose name and fame as a writer are spread over AH a controversialist he had few peers in his day. three continents. His work on Plenary Inspiration stands unrivalled in the provm.-- f Biblical Literature. His essay on Transub.stantiation has never been approached by any writer on polemical theology. His learni heir to much of his genius, and in the work before us has shown him The treatise is exhaustive. In twelve chap self master of his theme. both scriptm.il and ters he embodies the entire chain of argument that our penal code is in every to a demonstration and legal proves &amp;lt;

&amp;lt;l

&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;

i-.

the respect defective and non-sanctioned by. as it is non-suited to, genius and design of the Christian Dispensation. Dr. Carson has be in research and of no amount pre well-digested ^enius ordinary trayed paring this masterpiece of thinking.&quot; The HirtiM ami Daily Gazette, June 1 v Montreal, Canada, &quot;d

Fifteenth Thousand, 2s. 6d.

THE HERESIES OF THE PLYMOUTH BRETHREN. BY JAMES LONDON:

CARSON, M.D.

HOULSTON & SONS.

This edition contains observations on the views of the Miillerites, the Newtonites, and the Darbyites ; the Humanity of Christ Socinianism Plymouthism the Righteousness of Christ Mackintosh Valour ; the Pastoral Office Presidency of the Holy Spirit the Law, a Rule of Life ; Variations of Plymouthism; Morality of Plymouthism; Mr. Mackintosh s Recantation ; and Mr. Darby s Replies to Dr. Carson. The views which are promulgated in this volume, on the great fundamental truths of Christianity, give the work an interest and importance which cannot be limited to any sect, time, or place, but must be as lasting as Christianity, and as wide as the world. ;

;

REVIEWS. Carson, like his illustrious father, seems in his element as a He strikes home, and neither gives nor asks for controversialist. Christian Cabinet, London. mercy.&quot; &quot;Dr.

&quot;

Anything from the prolific pen of the learned writer must command and we have ourselves perused his pamphlet with much in

attention, terest.&quot;

Western Star, Ballinsloe.

&quot;Dr. Carson seems to have inherited not a little of the intellectual vigour of his revered father, and we have no doubt but many who had a leaning to the Plymouth Brethren will thank him for this exposure of

their doctrinal

errors.&quot;

Glaxyoic Examiner.

Carson has done his work with signal ability and logical acuteness, and has brought to light doctrines held and promulgated by some of these Plymouth missionaries, which cannot fail to startle the religious public in this country. Dr. Carson s masterly exposure of these dogmas cannot be too widely circulated.&quot; Londonderry Standard. &quot;Dr. Carson has noticed and exposed this error, and several others, with becoming zeal and singular ability. He writes, in some respects, &quot;Dr.

like his able and upright lather, whose memory will long be embalmed in the hearts of truth-loving and out-spoken saints.&quot; The Voice of Truth.

The work published by Dr. Carson effectually exposes the real char acter of the Plymouthians.&quot; Morning Advertiser, London. &quot;

We wish to recommend once more, before closing the present article, the slashing pamphlet of Dr. Carson. We again commend this lively pamphlet to the reader.&quot; Record, London. &quot;

13 combination of tlir most startling disclosures, conclusive refuta tions, and trenchant attacks.&quot; Baptist Magazin--. &quot;A

&quot;

The heresies loudly

given them, with the of his subject.

an exposure, and this Dr. Carson has and power of one who is thoroughly master

called for

skill

mmtin

C/iurc/t

Magazine.

A well-written pamphlet, containing a complete refutation of some of the dangerous heresies of the Brethren. wish the Doctor would pursue the work, and give to the public a large book on the same He is well able and it is needed.&quot; ; subject. greatly Tyrone a July, 1867. &quot;

&amp;lt;

!.&amp;lt;&amp;gt;,&amp;gt;,

&quot;Dr. Carson has conferred a boon of great value on the whole of the Christian world, by his manly and able exposure of the Plymouth We thank him for his able defence of truth, and for his manly exposure of error. We pray that the mantle of his sainted father may ever rest upon his shoulders. He has done his work well.&quot; Letter in

heresies.

Tlit

Eurthtn

..-/.

)

&quot;Dr. Carson is a thorough He has the in chip of the old block. tensely quick perception of his illustrous sire, and, therefore, is no very pleasant critic where all is not thoroughly sound. No one will doubt what we say who will read this searching pamphlet.&quot; #,

&quot;Dr. Carson has ably combated the principles and reasonings of the Brethren. . On the official orders and ministry of Chinch.-, tinwriter has some excellent remarks. . . This publication is \\ortliy of attentive perusal, and those who are annoyed and tli u pretentious sayings and doings of the Brethren would do weft to promote its circulation as widely as possible.&quot; The Ootpd Herald. .

di&amp;gt;turl&amp;gt;-d

l&amp;gt;y

&quot;We would strongly advise those who wish to understand the Ply mouth principles to procure this vigorous pamphlet by Dr. Carson, lie h:ts forth in clear and energetic language the peculiar views of this new and somewhat dangerous sect, and brings them to the test of the Word of God.&quot; Ihe Jinlwari; Edinburgh.

Of this pamphlet we shall only say, that we wish it had been longer. So far as it goes it is most excellent. We are much indebted to Dr. Carson for Quarterly Journal of Prophecy, July 186:. &quot;

it.&quot;

Dr. Carson s withering exposures not only of their errors, but of their Jesuitical morality, cannot fail to produce a sensation in the religious world.&quot;- Standard, Uerry. &quot;

The peculiarities of Plymouth Brethrenism are thoroughly sifted, scripturally tested, and faithfully exposed.&quot; Jiaptist 31 &quot;

&quot;This is a new edition of a work which we formerly noticed. The style of the author is calm and argumentative, and his opponents can not complain of his zeal having betrayed him int.. inti-inp. -rat.Itp-thn-ii witii an incorrect language. The errors which he chargM opinions as to the work and person of Christ ; and if they arc what Dr Carson says, the Plymouth Hn-ilm-a appn-arh MTV ar i th.u&amp;gt;m&amp;gt;:

th&quot;

&amp;gt;

n&amp;gt;

the Unitarian und &quot;

Socinian.&quot;-

had no idea that they held such heresies

Dr. Carson,

who

a son or

tli-

&amp;gt;

book by rTobbermore, Ireland,

until I read this

and who appears to be a on worthy of such a father one on whom mantle of the deputed Elijah has fallen. This work pr.

tin-

tin- ben thorough exposure, and conipld-- r -futation, of that sect. It proves its author to be a man of no ordinary al&amp;gt;ilitk-s-a &amp;gt;.,uif

&amp;lt;.|

14 man competent for the task he has therein undertaken.&quot; Baptist, Toronto, Canada, September 3d, 1803. &quot;These

The Canadian

Brethren have once and again been combated, but never, we

Dr. Carson believe, with the same success as on the present occasion. is a powerful friend, and a very formidable adversary. He is largely endowed with the intellect, the penetration, we had almost said intui tion, and the convincing logic of his admirable father, the far-famed Dr. Carson. The volume presents an analytical view of the whole subject. As a piece of polemical theology, we attach exceeding great importance to it it is really a book of thought far beyond what might be supposed. A better shilling s worth of sound divinity and convincing logic is no where to be found. By making a physician of the author, his parents have spoilt a first-rate divine ; however, even in that capacity he is not wholly lost.&quot; The British Standard, February 13th, 1863, edited by the Rev. Dr. Campbell. ;

&quot;This is the most exhaustive and thorough refutation of the Ply that has yet been published. Its author, Dr. Carson, wields a trenchant pen. He has applied the powers of an acute mind to fully master the theology and tactics of this most exclusive and We have not space to notice the refuta self-righteous of all sects. tion of the theory that the law is not a rule of life, and other errors that are dealt with in this work in an unanswerable style. Dr. Carson s work is specially valuable for its withering exposure of the Jesuitry, prevarication, and evasion of Darby, Mackintosh, and other Brethren, In Canada, who^are certainly wanting in manliness and candour. as well as in Ireland, there have been instances of Plymouth teachers that that held certain doctrines explicitly denying they had they most clearly and unquestionably taught.&quot; The. Christian Guardian, Toronto, Canada, Nov. 9th, 1870.

mouth Heresies

&quot;We scruple not to close this notice of books with one that is a vigorous and trenchant exposure of one of the chief offences of our It is written with wonderful keenness and fervour. It illus trates eternal principles, and has a universal interest. Dr. Carson shares largely in his honoured father s qualities, and nowhere has he shown them more largely than in this volume.&quot; Freeman, April 14th,

times.

1871. &quot;We most heartily welcome Dr. Carson s able exposure and thorough refutation of the Plymouth Heresies ; and would tender him our cordial thanks for the labour of love to the Christian Church he has in this masterly work accomplished. Dr. Carson deserves the thanks of the Christian world, which we have no doubt he will receive ; and his Ply

mouth Heresies, we venture to predict, will long remain a standard work on this subject.&quot; Nm thern Enxirjn, Wick, December 1st, 1870. It seems superfluous to review a book that has reached its thirteenth thousand, for surely that circulation has put an unmistakable value upon We therefore would just indicate that this is a thorough investigation it. of the whole religion of Brethrenism, and with a critical acumen that nothing is allowed to escape or evade the eagle-eyed vigilance of the author. Many persons will be both grieved and surprised at the start ling revelations of this volume. Unsounduess of doctrine and heretical dogmas on subjects of greatest importance are here disclosed, so that the whole Christian Church is under obligations to Dr. Carson for his masterly vindication of the essential truths of the Christian faith.&quot; &quot;

Baptist Messenger, December 1870.

15 &quot;The writer exhibits marvellous powers as a controversialist. work should be in the hands of every seeker after truth.&quot; ZO/M Sentinel, January 15th, 1871.

His

This work is a masterly performance. It is just the book that needed. . . Every one should read this book.&quot; TV,. Baptist, Toronto, Canada, January llth, 1872. &quot;

&quot;Dr. Carson has a It is a re hereditary talent for controversy. markably vigorous and trenchant criticism of the peculiar doctrines of the Darbyites. Orthodoxy could not have found an abler cham pion than the author.&quot; Vuif,/ Htvitic, Edinburgh, October 31st, L870. This is a most able and seasonable volume, exposing a form of evil in the Church little understood so little understood, that some of our ministers unwittingly connive at it. We would itnmglj .-i.lv is..- them all to read Dr. Carson s volume.&quot; The 11 attlnrord, managed by ministers of the Free Church of Scotland, Edinburgh, December 1S70. .

&quot;

It is not often that there comes under our notice a volume which takes such a firm hold of the mind, that we are driL -.-d on fn.m th- Plymouth page till we reach the last, but Carson s Heresies Brethren did not allow us time to do more than read a portion of scripture at family worr-hip, glance at the war telegrams, and take food (which last we did with ^reat reluctance), till every page had passed under our eye and we have read every part of it a second time with &quot;

j.:i&quot;..

t&amp;lt;&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;&amp;gt;f

undiminished interest and gratification.&quot; Mrttenytr, Nova Scotia, January 1871.

Review

The,

C/u-istian

impress of a mind endowed with critical powers of the The style of the book is Dr. Carson s . original, forcible, argumentative, and convincing.&quot; Fret Pi-em, November 1870. &quot;

It bears the

most exalted character.

own

/fr&amp;lt;//,

have long been familiar with the theological writings of the elder Dr. Carson. We have now the pleasure of being introdur, .! those of his son. Of him and his work we would express n opinion in &quot;We

t&amp;lt;&amp;gt;

a single sentence, in saying that the Doctor is not a chip of the old Aberdeen Free Press, November 1870. block, he is the old block itself.&quot;

have read this book with exceeding satisfaction. . It was evil day for the Plymouths when they fell into the hands of Dr Car. son. His style is so clear and telling and incisive that one is . . . carried along his pages most pleasantly. His logical and argumentative most heartily recommend the powers are of a very high order. &quot;

work.&quot;

The Ecanytlical Witneu and Presbyterian

lievitic,

April 1^71.

The volume we heartily commend to such as may wish to know what is objectionable in the teachings of IMymouthism. and to Mean unanswerable exposure ;of the indefinite, contradictory, inconsistent and oftentimes unintelligible statements in which errors are emIt is only right that both ministers and bedded. people should be alive to the errors, both in doctrine and practice, which hav themselves among the Brethren. For this purpose the volume I.. -for,us is invaluable.&quot; Home a;.d of the Canadian terlan Church, April 1871. &quot;

&amp;lt;&amp;gt;,-d

Carson has done good service in exposing their heresies, pre tensions, and gyrations. Conversant with the Scriptures from his youth having clear views of the revealed doctrines of grace, and &quot;Dr.

p&amp;lt;.

16 the logical faculty in a rare degree, he is keen in detecting and expos ing the slightest deviation from the form of sound words. He writes in a manly, straightforward, trenchant style. Seeing clearly and decidedly for himself, he expresses himself in such a lucid manner, that it seems almost impossible for the weakest intellect to misunderstand him. He has no tolerance for anything savouring of evasion or trickery. Utterly incapable of descending to anything of the sort, he seems the very im personation of honest and fair dealing. Christians have reason to thank him for his book. The perusal of it cannot but contribute to clearer views of the Gospel method of salvation. Even as an exercise for the The Covenantor, December intellectual faculties, it will be beneficial.&quot; 1STO. &quot;It must be evident to every honest and sound heart that Dr. Carson has done a good and noble work in exposing, with such manliness, the Heresies referred to. To us, the richest por ability, and success, tions of Dr. Carson s work are, his clear and unmistakable expositions How full of con of the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. solation is the thought, that whenever any body of professing Christian men have come forward to destroy the &quot;foundation of the faith once delivered unto the saints, God has always raised up a champion who. like David, comes forth in the strength of the Lord, to slay Goliath, and In the name of hundreds of thou scatter the hosts of the Philistines. sands we thank Dr. Carson for the service he has rendered to the cause of Divine truth. His venerable father s mantle has certainly fallen upon him.&quot; Ihe Earthen Vcsstl, London, December 1870.

The controversial mantle of the renowned father has evidently fallen upon the gifted son, and he, therefore, wields the same trenchant pen. He exposes their false teaching with singular ability and tact. His logical deductions from their writings must be astounding to those who have not examined carefully the religious dogmas of these Plymouth True to hisown honest convictions, as thus stated in his pre divines. face, he does expose the errors of the Plymouth sect with an unsparing then brings to bear upon them, with demolishing effect, the pen, and The Doctor s unwavering adhesion artillery of the inspired testimony. to the instruction of the Divine law book, shines out distinctly on every page of his book, and invests his argument with irresistible force. His masterly exposition and defence of the pastoral office in the church as divine in its origin, and as perpetual in its obligations, has afforded us unmingled satisfaction. So delighted are we with his chapter on this subject, that we shall embrace an early opportunity to furnish copious The extracts from it for the instruction and edification of our readers.&quot; Christian Visitor, St. John s, New Brunswick, November 24th, 1870. &quot;

Thirteenth Thousand,

THREE LETTERS ON THE REVIVAL And

also, Sixth

ADDITIONAL LETTERS ON THE REVIVAL

BY JAMES

These

C. L.

IRELAND,

IRELAND.

Thousand,

CARSON, M.D.

phenomena both in a philosophical and and the views which they contain will be found correct, the results of the Revival. They are contained in

letters treat of the

religious aspect

;

when measured by

the volume called Miscellaneous Papers.

REVIEWS. ablest refutation we have seen of the medical theories of The Lancet. Dr. Carson has here completely demolished the hysteric theory of the Revival.&quot; Banner of (fitter. &quot;The

&quot;Dr. Carson proves, in a manner the most conclusive, that the im His views regarding the pression about hysteria Is a great error. physical agency are put with great force and perspicuity.&quot; Mornimj

Advertiser, London.

From the great interest of the subject, and the well known ability of the learned author, these letters are published in a cheap form for general circulation. &quot;Derry Standard. &quot;

The more closely we examine his pages, we are struck with greater force by the ability with which Dr. Carson treats a most difficult sub ject.&quot; Tyrone Constitution. &quot;

&quot;The opinions enunciated Coleraine Chronicle.

are

new, remarkable, and

sound.&quot;

are the result of thoughtful inquiry into the causes of the physicial manifestations. &quot;Christian Cabinet, London. &quot;They

If ever a proposition was prored with the force of demonstration, this proposition has been so by Dr. Carson. &quot;Morning Advertiser. &quot;

seems to be a rational way of accounting for the phenomena Derry Guardian. &quot;Dr. Carson is an enlightened Christian philosopher, whose opinion on a question such as this, would go for as much with us as that of auy &quot;This

referred

to.&quot;

person we

know.&quot;

18 &quot;Dr.

Carson has done immense service by his practical and scholarly Banner.

vindication.&quot;

is esteemed one of the strongest-minded men in Ulster, his letter will commend itself to the best trained and most cautious on the physical manifestations will be held to be His decision minds. final by all who know his high standing.&quot; Witiitss, Edinburgh. &quot;

The writer

and

in &quot;On this point Dr. Carson, one of the most intelligent physicians the North of Ireland, thus writes.&quot; London Review. &quot;Dr.

and

Carson has spoken in the character of a physician enlightened

sanctified.&quot;

Revival, by Rev. Dr. Massie.

man comes forward to attest to the genuineness of it surely is a fact which must tell very strongly in its The Daily Neics,. Kingston, Canada. &quot;Hence the value of Dr. Carson s very striking letter. &quot;Record, London. &quot;When

such a

the Revival, favour.&quot;

&quot;His

pher.

opinions are expressed in the spirit of a Christian philoso ^. Scott, Esq., Chamberlain of London.

Carson appears to have disposed of the assertion that the affec tions were hysteria.&quot; Eclectic Review. numerous errors which have largely &quot;They are calculated to rectify Derry prevailed in reference to the manifestations alluded Standard. We are glad to see these masterly letters taken out of the fugitive columns of a newspaper.&quot; Banner of Ulster. r It needed some pen like that of Dr. .Carson s to vindicate the cause of truth in brief and simple language.&quot; Tunbridge Wells Gazette. It is truly refreshing to turn from the silly pamphlets by Dr. Bushon the Revival, to those from and Archdeacon others, Stopford, nan, &quot;Dr.

to.&quot;

&quot;

the pen of Dr.

Carson.&quot;

Irish Evangelist.

They are clear, cogent, and temperate. The writer is a scholar, a gentleman, and a Christian and the evidence he adduces in support of his views on the disputed points is both strong and convincing.&quot; &quot;

;

Primitive Church Magazine, London.

The writers in the Lancet and other journals are satisfactorily dealt with in these able letters, by one who shows himself at once the man of accurate science and the devout and humble Christian. &quot;

Wesleyan Sunday-School Magazine. &quot;These letters embody a theory of bodily prostrations which Aberdeen Free Press. .. attention.&quot;

entitled to

well

Second Edition,

2s. 6d.

THE PERSONAL REIGN OF CHRIST DURING THE MILLENNIUM PROVED TO BE IMPOSSIBLE. BY JAMES

LONDON

CARSON, M.D.

C. L.

HOULSTON & SONS.

REVIEWS. Dr. Carson is the distinguished son of an honoured father ; and both father and son have proved themselves great in controversy. . . It is a trenchant refutation of the pre-millennial theory; and is ex tremely racy and readable. Confident Millenarians will probably read it with astonishment, and find it a very difficult task to attempt to answer it while those who agree with the author will find good use for his arguments in reasoning with opponents. It is a valuable con tribution to the Millennial controversy.&quot; Daily Review, Edinburgh. &quot;

;

Ills language is vigorous, his style perfectly lucid, and his treat The proof is con of opponents is fair and reasonable. ducted by means of a very able and exhaustive analysis of the principal In our opinion the argument passages bearing on the subject. is so complete and conclusive as to warrant the title of the book.&quot; &quot;

ment

&quot;

Chronicle.

son

need look London.

a vigorous and practised polemic, and his opponents the joints in their armour.&quot; English Independent,

ell to

2V&amp;lt;

known, the 20th chap, of Revelation is the chief strong hold of the Millenarian system. Acting under the belief that, if he can capture It, his aim at proving the personal reign to be impossible will be realised, Dr. C. deals upon the fortress blow after blow, and if it be not shattered in pieces, ft will not be for want of good siege materials, and the forthputting of skill, courage, and energy in their Rarely have the Millenarians met with a more application. trenchant assailant than Dr. Carson how formidable and effective he is, may be inferred by the illustration we have given of his sledge hammer style, and the volume is replete with forcible argumentation from beginning to end.&quot;Dunifriet Standard. He uniformly &quot;Dr. Carson s name is very familiar to our readers. writes with great clearness and strength and whether the reader is prepared to agree with him or not, it is impossible to misunderstand &quot;

well

;

him, or not to respect his intellectual force. Dublin.

The Iritk Ecangelist

Carson has studied the subject thoroughly, and can write upon effectively as well as reverently.&quot; John ff Groat Journal.

&quot;

Dr.

20 The author adduces a great many texts to and reasons upon them in a clear and forcible

establish his position, style.&quot; Belfast News

letter.

He masses his arguments in support of his propositions in an array which his opponents will find impregnable while those who have es poused though in a half hearted and scarcely disguised feeling of trembling the same side of the controversy, must have their fears for Uie stability of their views dispelled, and their doubts effectually dis &quot;

;

Coleraine Cltronicle.

sipated.&quot; &quot;

This

suffices

little

book on a great subject. Still, small as it seems, it and accomplishes what it aims The

for its purpose,

at.&quot;

Watchman, London. a style of logical reasoning which it is impossible to overturn, the author shows that the Millennial sovereignty of Christ upon earth is as completely impossible as it is evidently unscriptural.&quot; BallyFree Press. money &quot;In

&quot;

In the discussion and undoubted

ability

of a difficult subject, Dr. earnestness.&quot;

Carson displays much

Armagh Guardian.

author has evidently studied the subject thoroughly and the courage and ease with which he successively attacks and demolishes the strongholds of premillenarianism are admirable and refreshing North British Daily Mail, Glasgow. must do Dr. Carson the justice to say that he argues the subject with keen and relentless logic, and in our opinion with entire success. He travels over the whole field of controversy, and drives his opponents out of one position after another, till it is difficult to imagine where they can find a foot of ground to stand on.&quot;Glangow Herald. &quot;The

;

&quot;

&quot;We

need only say that the work is written in Dr. Carson s usual from an earnest conviction, and with a sincere regard Scripture.&quot; Baptist Messenger, London. Dr. Carson is well known from various works he has published to wield a pen little, if at all, less scholarly and vigorous than that of his late eminent father. This, his latest work, is certainly a very able production. The terse and lively style, and the clear and vigorous &quot;

style, evidently

for the authority of &quot;

reasoning, sustain the interest of the reader to the end. Start ing from these incontrovertible principles, he follows the premillenariani&amp;gt;ts from passage to passage, dislodging them with total rout from each, until he has not left them a foot of the sacred territory on which to plant their banner. The quotations he makes show that he has mastered the works of the leading writers on both sides of his subject but he writes with such sturdy independence of thought, as makes it sufficiently plain that he calls no man Master. One can easily see that he believes in the plenary inspiration of Scripture from the manner in which he reasons from the very letter of it, yet he looks into it with his own eyes, and with such exercise of his own judgment as, in the case of the parable of the tares and the wheat, for example, sets him at issue with the great majority of the Commentators, though Arnot, we observe, in his work on the parables, very ably defends the same view.&quot; Orir/huil Secession Mcfjazine. Edinburgh, September, 1873 [I am glad to find that the Rev. William Arnot has taken, to a large ex tent, the correct view of this important parable; but I did not derire my opinions from him. If I had done so, I would gladly have acknow ledged the fact in my book. Mr. Arnot s work was published in the .

;

21 year 1866 ; whereas, my views on the parable of the Tares were written ten years prior to that date, and appeared at considerable length, in What was known as the Cooke controversy, through the newspaper press in 1856. My letters were published, by Mr. Morgan, in a pamphlet in the year 1857 and the argument on the Tares will be Jound in the fourteenth letter, which commences on the 81st page. J. 0. L. C.] ;

will require several Dr. Carsons to convince us upon this point though he is certainly one of the most forcible reasoners in the circle of our acquaintance. We fear we are very like the good man who said he was open to conviction, but he would like to see the man who could convince him. Dr. Carson can easily rout us upon a point which is not our forte, but we still believe that the personal reign of Christ during the Millennium is quite possible indeed, we wonder how the brave Doctor can go in to prove anything impouibU, which is not also im moral, so long as the Lord is omnipotent.&quot; Tfte Sicord and Travel, March 1874. [I have here quoted the entire of this review, because I mean to make some observations on it. Nothing could delight me more than to be made the means, in the hand of God, of converting my dearly valued friend, the Rev. C. II. Spurgeon, to my own side of the Millen nial question. I believe he is, beyond all comparison the most emin ently useful man in the world at present. No human tongue could tell the extent of good he is doing in the pulpit and through the press. His influence is immense. I therefore Eternity alone can reveal it. hope and trust he will yet review his position and change his opinions on the Personal Reign. If he should ever do so, 1 am certain he will acknowledge it forthwith, becaus- he is a perfect personification of manliness and honesty. Mr. Spurgeon s remarks concerning the force of the reasoning put forth in my book are as favourable as I could wish and, with the candour which is natural to him, he confesses that I have defeated him upon a point which he says is not h\ijorte. I mu-t how ever, say if I have been able to overturn his arguments, it is not because he has not ability to defend them, but it is owing entirely to the fact that he is on the wrong side of the question, and consequently has no solid ground to stand on. Mr. Spurgeon is not the man to be easily defeated on any subject which has a real foundation in Scripture and the fact of his arguments being overturned. I take as a sure proof that he has been standing on a rope of sand. The defect is in the subject not in himself. But it is the la.st sentence in the review, which I especially wish to remark on, because it involves a principle of Hii,!ic;il interpretation of overwhelming Importance. There is nothing which I am more jealous than the principle! of interpretation, because it will almost invariably be found that errors take their rise from false founda tion principles. Mr. Spurgeon wonders how I could undertake to prove anything impossible, which is not immoral, so long as God is omnipotent. Now, I am not aware of having rested the argument in my book on the of point omnipotence. The Personal Reign is not a question of nouer it is a question of Scripture testimony. It is impossible, because it is inconsistent with, and contradictory to, Divine revelation, and there fore cannot be true. This, and not power, is the line of my argument But leaving this matter out of the question for the present is it a fact that everything which is not immoral is possible to Omnipotent Power? I deny it. Everything in which It the point involved, is possible to omnipotence; but there are many things which, though not immoral, are impossible to omnipotent power, just because they do not depend upon ]&amp;gt;ower at all, and have no more to do with it than with the attribute of Justice. It would be easy, for example, for God, as a ujatt-r &quot;It

;

&amp;gt;f

)&amp;gt;oirtr

2-2

make a stone into a piece of bread ; but no power in heaven or on earth could make it bread while it still remained a stone. It could not possibly be bread and a stone at the same time. The thing is im but because of its own inconsistency. possible, not because of power, for Christ, in Again, it would be a very easy matter, in point of power, His own proper bodily person, to come to Jerusalem ; but it would not to be in Jerusalem for His be possible under any power whatever, body and in heaven at the same time. In His Godhead, He can be every in of the very as a matter His but necessity where present, body must, nature of things, be limited by space, and cannot possibly be in two man could distinct places at once. Further, as my father once said, not swallow the whole of his own body.&quot; This does not rest upon power, but on the i act, that &quot;the container cannot be the contained.&quot; Two of power, to

&quot;a

once talking about everything being possible with by. immediately asked, That was a cracker for them. There would be nothing immoral in the performance, if it could do it, just because it is not a not could but done be Omnipotence only question of power at all. Power is no way concerned in it. The great O Connell was once engaged conducting a trial where a Jew was accused The person charged declared that the man of biting off a man s nose. It was argued that this was impossible. Nothing bit off his own nose. The argument of the Jew is a ish imposshible wid God,&quot; said the Jew. and very common one amongst theologians ; but it is a great mistake, takes its origin in an over-anxiety to defend the power of God. God never requires such a defence. Everything concerning Him is resting on sure principles, and there never is the slightest inconsistency. The mistakes all arise from inaccurate thought. There is nothing in which on the point of power is the element concerned, impossible with God power; but there are many things, although not immoral, which are with the very impossible with God, just because they are inconsistent nature of things, and power has nothing whatever to do with them. We to the we come should always be careful, when interpretation of Scrip as will keep us out of error. ture, to make such accurate distinctions s to Mr. It would be impossible Spurgeon argument, and at the adopt same time successfully oppose the doctrine of transubstantiation.

learned

men were

God when a simpleton, who was standing could He make two hills without a hollow &quot;

?&quot;

;

&quot;

J. C. L. C.]

Price 2s. 6d.

MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. BY JAMES

LONDON

C. L.

CARSON, M.D.

HOULSTON & SONS.

CONTENTS. THE LORD S DAY THRKE LETTERS AND FIVE ADDI TIONAL LETTERS ON THE REVIVAL IN IRELAND THE NEW TRANSLA TION OF THE SCRIPTURES SCIENCE AND SCRIPTURE A CHRISTIAN

THE SABBATH

SPIRIT IN CONTROVERSY.

AUb

1991