The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-09

the Sermon on the Mount Is decidedly
controversial. This famous discourse is
really a powerful protest against the
wrong views and the wrong practices OF
the leading theologians Of the period.
II becomes important, therefore, that
we should know something Of the char
acter OF the errors which prevailed
among the Apostolic churches. in order
that we may understand the controver-
sial writings which were aimed at those
errors. That various and serious errors
of doctrine and Of practice did widely
prevail among the churches. even during
the lives OF the Apostles. IS abundantiy
attcsted BIZ the Eplstlcs Of Paul TO the
Corinthians, Galatians and Thessaloni-
abs. as well as by the letters Of Peter,
James, Jude and John.
II IS worth our while. therefore. 70
note the names and the tenets Of some OF
the earliest sects which arose among the
churches OF the Apostolic age.
One Of the earliest and most powerful
Of these scots were:
THE JUDAIZERS.
They hold that Christianity was only
an onshoot Of Judaism; that the ceremo-
Mai law Of Moses was stil binding upon
all Christians: that CIRCUMCISION
was necessary. and that even
Gentle converts were still SUBJ
iect TO the Mosaic law. II was 10
settle dispute raised by this sect that
the so-called Apostolic Council was held
In Jerusalem. (See Acts XVI
An extreme party OF the Judaizers OBJ
tanned the name OF the Ebionites These
went so far as 10 reject the doctrine al
the divinity Of Christ. and 10 contend that
he was the son OF Joseph. Unitarianism
you see. Is not modern.
In direct antagonsm 70 tho Ebionites
we're the Marcionites. named for Marcion.
their leader. This party rejected the Old
Testament altogether. They held that u
was exclusively a Hebrew book and that
II was no authority for Gentle Chris
tians. They taught that the God Of me
Old Testament was different being from
the God Of the Ncw-the first being a God
Of pure Justice and the last God OF
pure love. There was probably dash OF
Paganism I'm these notions Some OF the
Marcionites wandered into Gnosticism,
and the sect IS sometimes classed with the
Gnostics. While the Ebionites denied the
Divinity Of Christ. the Marcionltes d'-
MED His proper Humanity-that Is, they
held that His human form. In which lie
lived on earth. was only an appearance,
and not a reality.
manitv Of Christ. and as a logical result
of this they denied the generally received
doctrine Of the resurrection. Their view
OF the resurrection seems 70 have been
that Il meant the new life Of the heart,
produced in The living believer. by the
spirit OF Christ They seem 10 have re-
garded the resurrection as identical with
regeneration. In Second Timothy. second
chapter 18th and 18th verses. there seems
10 be reference 10 some such view. as
held by certain heretics Of Pauls day.
The passage reads az follows: And their
word will eat as doth a canler: Of whom
Is Hymeaeus and Philetus; who concern
ing the truth have erred. saying that the
resurrection is passed already; and over
throw the faith Of some"
WERE SPIRITUALISTS.
The Gnostics were spiritualists. In
their theology pure spirit was God. and
matter was the source Of every thing
corporal and visible. as well as the
source OF all evil And as man was made
up OF matter and spirit, so his life was a
strange mixture Of good and evil. The
spirit was all right; and the body was
all wrong We may be tempted 10 say
here, with POlonius, though this be
madness, yet there's method in it," In
deed IL is curious TO note the odd blend
all these sects.
The Ebiointes magnihed the law: and
the law was and is important in its
place, that is. the place assigned it by
Paul In Galatians, third chapter, twenty
fourth verse, the "Paidagogos" the
school MASTER that leads ms 10 the
Great Teacher. IL is true that Moses
was "A great inspired prophet. but the
| Ebionites erred in pushing this view 10
-. do na
necessity of an atOnement by a Divine
Saviour and hence TO get rid of the doc
trine Of the divinity OF Christ. Men VIII
never believe in any greater Saviour
than they think they need. Some one
| has said that the Universalsts believe
| the God II too good to damn them: and
| that the Unitarians believe that they are
| too good TO be damned.
The Marcionites We're right in holding
| that the Christian was free from the
burdens Of the ceremonial law; but they
were wrong in pushing their view so far
| as to teach that Christ had abolished the
| whole law. This landed them in what Is
now known as "Antinomianism."
The Gnostics were right in regarding
| God as pure spirit; but this view did no
warrant them In their conclusion thai
| matter was the source OF all evil; for tho
| Scriptures teach-and our own experience
| confirms the teaching-that a perverse vii
is the source OF many, II not OF all oul
transgressions, and there is no reason FOL
| believing that Satan himself is corporal.
Now. when these and other contendlns
| sects began 10 disturb the harmony Of
the early churches. it became a matter
OF immense importance that they should
| have some wel-dehned and authoritative
| standard OF doctrine, faith and practice
| The Apostles were all dead, and coult
no longer be called upon personally t6
settle between the conflicting views. IL
| meet this emergency, the various Apos
| tolic writings would very naturally be col
| lected into one volume, and that volum'
received the title OF the New Testament
or New Covenant, as ii was often called
TO distinguish II from the Old Covenant
revealed through the patriarchs ana pro
phets. .r,,,ro--
The careful Sitting of the writings, how
ever Il may be disregarded by some, and
| denounced nv others has been OF I'M