The Spirit of the Pilgrims (Volume 4 ) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1831. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... THE SPIRIT OF THE PILGRIMS. VOL, . IV. OCTOBER, 1831. NO. 10. COMMUNICATIONS. THE GLORY OF GOD, MANIFESTED BY THE CHURCH. The infinite perfection of God constitutes his essential glory. The display of this perfection forms his declarative glory. Many of the perfections of God are displayed in the works of nature, and in the operations of his common Providence. But the brightest display of them all is made through the church, which is " the pillar and ground of the truth."--By the church, I mean the whole body of real believers--all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, and manifest this love by obeying his commandments. 1. The glory of God appears in the selection of the church. An illustration of his procedure in the choice of those who shall love and serve him is furnished by Ezekiel in his description of the Jewish church. " Her birth and her nativity is of the land of Canaan"--a land filled with wickedness and devoted to destruction. " Her father was an Amorite, and her mother an Hittite"-- idolaters, lying under the curse of heaven. " In her nativity, she was cast out into the open field, to the loathing of her person"-- filthy and offensive. " When God passed by her, and saw her polluted in her own blood, he said unto her, Live He made a covenant with her, and she became his." Nothing in the original character of the Jews, then, led to the choice of them, as God's peculiar people. The same is true, of all who compose the Christian church. When God ' looks down on the children of men, to see if there be any that understand, and fear his name, lo they are all gone out of the way; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.' What shall be done ? Shall the world be swept with the besom of destruction ? Shall deserved and undistinguished ruin come upon...