THE Primitiur Standard. EARNEST CHRISTIANITY-PEACE-TEMPERANCE-AND THE VOLUNTARY PRINCIPLE. No. 1. Contents. LONDON, OCTOBER, 1853. DIVINITY PAPERS. Primitive Christian Experience ... ... 5 5 6 8 BR Advertisements. 11 ... ... ... 12 12 ROWN'S IMMENSE BOOK STORE (Established 1819), 130, 131, and 132, OLD-STREET, St. Luke's, London. 150,000 volumes always on sale. Mr. BROWN begs respectfully to direct the attention of Ministers and book-buyers generally to his unequalled stock; consisting of English and Foreign Books, both new and second hand, in all branches of Literature, more especially in Theology; CATALOGUES, with prices affixed, may be had gratis, and forwarded post-free on application. NEW BOOKS supplied at a discount (for cash only) of twopence in the shilling from their published prices. Colonial and Foreign Orders, containing a remittance, faithfully executed. BOOKS purchased. 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Let us suppose that in one of those too long periods which now seem to be matters of course in the church, and are denominated with such resignation as periods of declension, that by some strange metempsychosis the soul of some good brother should in his sleep be abstracted, and its place in the body be supplied by the soul of some primitive saint, warm from the exhortations and teachings of Peter, Paul, and John; and suppose the good brother, thus inwardly transformed, goes to lead in the weekly church prayer-meeting Would not his exhortations and prayers, and the general style of his appearance, strike his neighbours as something entirely new? While they hear him, with Paul, exulting that in all things he is more than conqueror through him that loved him; that he is led by the Spirit of God, and the Spirit itself beareth witness with his spirit that he is a child of God, an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ; that he is persuaded that neither height nor depth can separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus his Lord; that he has become dead to sin by the body of Christ, and that being dead to sin he can no longer live therein; that his heart condemns him not, and therefore he hath confidence towards God that he keeps Christ's commandments, and dwells in Christ and Christ in him, and hereby does he know that Christ abideth in him, by the spirit which he hath given him; that he is born of God and overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even his faith. Cannot our readers imagine, that though every word of this is quoted from Paul and John's account of ordinary Christian experience, if spoken out with honest fervour as the present experience of brother X., it would produce quite a sensation in a church prayer-meeting? "Why, what's the matter with brother X., to-night!" says one. "Quite waked up seems to be very much revived!" says another. "Has there been any special interest up where he has been visiting, that's set him on this track?" says a third. "He has some enthusiastic notion in his head!" says a fourth; "what does he mean by being 'dead to sin,' and 'having overcome the world?' Very dangerous notions. I'm afraid he is getting unsound-or may be it's all nervous excitement." But if the meeting is astonished at brother X., brother X. is no less astonished at the meeting. He listens to a long prayer, the whole drift of which seems to be to lament the want of any particular interest in religion, and to confess a very urgent and decided interest in the things of this world, and he really pities the brother for having unaccountably come to such an alarming state; but he soon finds by appearances that the good brother is in no way alarmed or distressed, and discovers also by the drift of the remarks that follow, that this state, though acknowledged truly lamentable, is to be the understood order of things in the church, till there comes another revival. Much to his astonishment, he finds himself thus addressed-" Why, brother X., what has come over you ? What is this state of feeling you express? you must be in a most uncommon state of mind! What do you mean by being in Christ and Christ in you-being dead to sin, and overcoming the world ?"-to which with equal surprise, he replies-"Why, brethren, what do you mean, by not being in this state? Is not Christ also in you? Are you not dead to sin and alive to God? Are you not led by the Spirit of God! What, know ye not that the Lord Jesus is in you, except ye be reprobates ?" "Why," insists another, "this is strange language-it is something that I cannot quite get at it seems to have some scriptural warrant, too; but pray tell us how you came to feel so!" "Why, here is the New Testament-the holy apostles, Peter, Paul, and John-pray, how else, according to them, should one feel?" replies X. "Well," says another, "I know there are many such things in the Bible, to be sure, but it isn't very common for people to attain to them. I'm sure its high above me. I'm in a very cold state, for my part, I know. I feel condemned for it, every day." and cold! And did you not to-night say in prayer, that the "Cold!" says X.; "you, a son of God, you an heir of God, world attracted you so strongly that you could scarcely fix your thoughts on God? How is it that the world can have such power over you, if Christ is in you and you in him ?” "But that is what I don't feel," replies the other. "This is a very unusual mode of presenting the subject. I am not conscious of any such union to Christ as that you express. "I sometimes think myself inclined To love Him if I could; But oftener feel another mind, Averse to all that's good.'" lamentable chance art thou thus fallen ? Such a state, doubt"Ah, poor brother!" says X., in astonishment, "by what less, fills thee with anxiety and agony.” does cause me some anxiety, at times; but I can't say I expect "Well, I can't say as to that," replies the other. "I think it much in this life. I hope the Lord will cut short the conflict in death." "For my part," says another, "these heights and depths are not for me. Ministers, and men who have leisure to study and examine the Bible, may have them; but for me, I am so pressed down with care and business that must be attended to, that it's impossible for me to get into this state. I hope Í have a general purpose to serve the Lord, but my business engagements wont allow of much spiritual attainment." "But," says X., "what does being fervent in spirit mean, while one is diligent in business? Does not fervent mean, burning, ardent with love to Christ ?" "Well, I suppose we ought to," says the other; "but, you know, nobody ever does as they ought to. I never saw the Christian that dared to say as much as you did to-night-that their conscience did not condemn them-that they were dead to sin, and had overcome the world. That looks to me like perfectionism!" Christians-How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer "But, my dear brother, does not Paul say in the name of all therein ? and, likewise reckon ye yourselves dead to sin, but alive unto God. Now, he did mean something by this-what do you think it was? Did it not mean that his heart was so drawn and absorbed by Christ, that all temptation to worldlihe was dead; whereas he was alive to God-warm, active, ness had lost its hold on him, and affected him no more than if ardent in spiritual things? In the same way he crucified with Christ, yet I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Don't you feel the full meaning of this ?" says, I am month last year, in the revival, that I felt very much engaged, "Don't think I ever did. There was a time, for about a and had great enjoyment; and I think the world seemed to lose its hold of me a good deal; but somehow that feeling all went down, and I lost it. You know how it iskeep steady till we get to heaven." -we never shall "But pray, brethren, what does the apostle mean, when he says, Be ye steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord ?" X. says "Well-yes, that is our duty, to be sure; but somehow we don't come up to it-nobody does." We need not pursue the image farther. Our readers can carry it out for themselves. But will not every one see that the apostolic and primitive Christian experience is so high above what is at present expected or attempted by the mass of the church, that a sudden translation into it would be like a new conversion? Would not the individual who found himself raised to it from the level of what is commonly called a creditable Christian profession, feel himself in a new world, and speak of himself as having in fact come out of darkness into marvellous light, and from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the children of God? H. B. S. |