Life and Times of David. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. VIMackintosh, Charles Henry
Religion
Life and Times of David. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. VI
Mackintosh, Charles Henry
Theology
This, beloved reader, is at once the cure for legality and levity.
The Cross, in its double aspect, delivers from both. Christ "gave
Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil
world, according to the will of God and our Father" (Gal. i. 4). By
the Cross the believer is as completely delivered from this present
evil world as he is forgiven his sins. He is not saved in order that
he may enjoy the world, but that he may get done with it entirely. We
know few things more dangerous for the soul than the combination of
evangelical truth with worldliness, ease and self-indulgence--the
adoption of a certain phraseology of truth where the conscience is not
in the presence of God--a merely intellectual apprehension of
_standing_ without any earnest dealing with the practical
_state_--clearness in doctrine as to title, without any conscientious
reference to the moral condition.
We trust our reader will suffer the word of exhortation. We should
deem ourselves deficient in faithfulness were we to withhold it. True,
it is not an agreeable task to call attention to practical evils--to
urge the solemn duty of self-judgment--to press upon the conscience
the claims of practical godliness. It were far more grateful to the
heart to unfold abstract truth, to dwell upon free grace and what it
has done for us, to expatiate upon the moral glories of the inspired
volume, in a word, to dwell upon the privileges which are ours in
Christ. But there are times when the true, practical condition of
things among Christians weighs heavily upon the heart and rouses the
soul to make an urgent appeal to conscience in reference to matters of
walk and conduct; and we believe the present to be such a time. The
devil is ever busy, and on the alert. The Lord has granted much light
upon His word for some years past. The gospel has been brought out
with peculiar clearness and power. Thousands have been delivered from
a legal state; and now the enemy is seeking to hinder the testimony by
leading souls into a light, careless, carnal condition--leading them
to neglect the wholesome and indispensable exercise of self-judgment.
It is the deep sense of this that has suggested a word of warning on
"_Legality and Levity_."
* * * * *
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all
men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we
should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He
might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good works" (Titus ii. 11-14).
The veil is rent:--our souls draw near
Unto a throne of grace;
The merits of the Lord appear,
They fill the holy place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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