Notes on the Book of Deuteronomy, Volume I — John Shaqi
Notes on the Book of Deuteronomy, Volume IMackintosh, Charles Henry
Religion
Notes on the Book of Deuteronomy, Volume I
Mackintosh, Charles Henry
Bible. Deuteronomy -- Commentaries
This is perfectly conclusive. Holy Scripture contains all that the man
of God can possibly require to make him perfect, to equip him
thoroughly for every thing that can be called a "good work." And if
this be true as to the man of God individually, it is equally true as
to the Church of God collectively. Scripture is all-sufficient--for
each, for all. Thank God that it is so! What a signal mercy to have a
divine guide-book! Were it not so, what should we do? whither should
we turn? what would become of us? If we were left to human tradition
and human arrangement in the things of God, what hopeless confusion!
what clashing of opinions! what conflicting judgments! And all this of
necessity, inasmuch as one man would have quite as good a right as
another to put forth his opinion and to suggest his plan.
We shall perhaps be told that, notwithstanding our possession of the
holy Scripture, we have, nevertheless, sects, parties, creeds, and
schools of thought almost innumerable. But why is this? Simply because
we refuse to submit our whole moral being to the authority of holy
Scripture. This is the real secret of the matter--the true source of
all those sects and parties which are the shame and sorrow of the
Church of God.
It is vain for men to tell us that these things are good in
themselves--that they are the legitimate fruit of that free exercise
of thought and private judgment which form the very boast and glory of
Protestant Christianity. We do not and cannot believe for a moment
that such a plea will stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. We
believe, on the contrary, that this very boasted freedom of thought
and independence of judgment are in direct opposition to that spirit
of profound and reverent obedience which is due to our adorable Lord
and Master. What right has a servant to exercise his private judgment
in the face of his master's plainly expressed will? None whatever. The
duty of a servant is simply to obey--not to reason or to question, but
to do what he is told. He fails, as a servant, just in so far as he
exercises his own private judgment. The most lovely moral trait in a
servant's character is implicit, unquestioning, and unqualified
obedience. The one grand business of a servant is to do his master's
will.
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