THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S as some g reat one, and will ta lk of His wise philosophy and exemplary life: hu t they n eith er confess Him to be the Only Begotten Son, nor feel th e need of His atonem ent. They reje ct H is revel ation as an absolute au th o rity a t least, tru stin g ra th e r to th e darkness w ithin th em which they call ligh t: and thus, closing th e ir eyes to th e tru e relations of man w ith his Creator, form th eir own conceptions, both of th e Deity and of themselves. This involves nothing less th a n a claim on th e ir p a rt to suprem e wisdom and au tho rity : it is molding an idol ou t of th e ir own imag ination before which to fall down and worship. Nor need we wonder tha£ it leads to a deification of men of tra n scendent intellect or g reat renown. Who has not detected th e w orking of th is leaven in his own circle? Who has not observed th is “ pure Theism ,’’ as it is called, rising to the surface in all the sects of Christendom? Change in R elation of th e Sexes. ■ If th e second cause be righ tly in ferred from th e scanty h in ts given to us, it is also in operation a t th e present tim e: for the female sex has come into a new sphere and taken a more prom i n en t position. The looseness in regard to th e m arriage tie, which has long obtained on th e continent, is spreading in every country as we see from the records of th e divorce courts. There are no t w anting those, who instead of fearing to p u t asunder th a t which God has joined, openly affirm th a t wedlock should be a contract only for so long a tim e as may be agreeable to th e con trac tin g parties. A t th e close of th e previous dispen sation, th e same sin was frequen t among th e Pharisees, who held th a t divorce is perm issable for any reason; even as Rabbi Akibah shamelessly says, “ if a man sees a woman handsom er th a n his own w ife.” Hence th e Lord’s continual mention of adu ltery in His denunciations of th e Pharisees: fo r th e m arriage a fte r divorce which they
602 female sex, and a disregard of the p rim al law of m arriage. 3. A rapid progress in th e mechan ical arts, and th e consequent invention of many mechanical devices whereby th e hardships of th e curse were m iti gated, and life was rendered more easy and indulgent. Also a proficiency in th e fine arts, which captivated the m inds of men, and helped to induce an en tire oblivion of God. 4. An alliance between th e nom inal church and th e world, which speedily resu lted in a complete am algamation. 5. A v ast increase of population. 6. The rejection of th e preaching of Noah, whose w arnings thu s became a savor of death unto th e world, and hardened men beyond recovery. 7. T h e, appearance upon ea rth of beings from the p rincipality of 'the air, and th e ir unlaw ful intercourse w ith th e hum an race. These causes concurred to envelop the world in a sensuous m ist which no ray of tru th could penetrate. They b rough t abou t a to ta l forgetfulness of God and disregard of His w ill; and thu s by removing th e g reat Center, who alone is able to a ttra c t men from them selves, rendered the dwellers upon earth so selfish and unscrupulous th a t the world was presently filled w ith lewd ness, injustice, oppression and blood shed. I t rem ains for us to consider w hether sim ilar influences are now act ing upon society. Universal Spread of Deism We cannot b u t confess th a t th e first mentioned cause is em inently ch aracter istic of our times. In all th e professing churches of Christendom , as well as among Jews, Mohammedans and Pag ans, th e re are countless and ever in creasing m ultitudes who go in th e way of Cain, (Jud e 11 ), acknowledging th e Supreme Bering, bu(t n o t recognizing H is holiness and th e ir own depravity and so denying all necessity of a Media to r between God and man. Many of these are w illing to look upon Christ
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