Page053

Page053

T · HE PRACTICAL C'HRISTIAN.


, VOL. I.


THE PB. ACl'l'IClAL ClHB. IS'l'IAN


Is puelished twice every calendar month- at


One Dollar per unnum , payable always in advance


- no credit beyond No. 2 of each volume , Per­Ions


responsible for six copies receive the seventh


gratil. No subscription received for Ie.. than one


year. _


Regular Contributors to the ' Work,- ADIN '


DALLOU, ( Editor and Publishing Agent;) DAVID


R, LAMSON, GEORGE W. STACY, DANIEL S.


\ VHITNEY, WILLIAM H. FUH, SAMUEL J.


!\ lAY.


• All letters, remittances aod communications to


be sent ( post paid) to ADIN BALLOU, Mendon ,


Ma••.


We love nil, hut , can flatter none. Th erefore


we solicit no person to subscribe who is not willing


we should utter ull our moral convictions us freely


as the winds blow und the waters run. To all


such, of whatsoev er DOllie or persuasion, we make


our respeetful salutation, and would say " Come


and see if any good thing can come out of Naza-reth


," .


EXPOSITION OP PAITH.


SECTION 3.


Jesus Christ is the Mediator between God and


men- the. Lord, Judge and Savior of the


world,- wilhoUl whom no lost soul can ob­iain


eternal life.


". Neither i, . there salvation in all. 1f other : for


then is nOlle other name'given under hetlven


among men whereby w; must be saved." Kcts


4: 12.


1. A mediator is one who suirHls betw een


in ord er 10 recon cile two conteudiug pllrlies­uudin


whom hoth parties me et by II Ihir rap­resenunion,


on umi euhle terms, for th e " lIlj nst.


meUl of th eil' ~ I i ffe r~ n ce. The medialor i.


Ilr eslllll ell to he righteoll s IIIHf impurlial- ru


IInd er stlllul th e whole , cllse in 1111 its hearinlls,


IIl1d fihllily to IIrlOpt some . Ier. isive method


wh er eu y the I' end in~ irr ecnneiliation s ha ll ue


dun e uWlly. ' T hns lloe pllrl ies lire lit Illst hro ' t


to loe lit on e with euc h Olher on IIIUlUlIlI)' sat · '


is filctory terms." - .- --..•.


In tld s cllse between , Goll and man, the


whole fllll, lt lies on one side- the sid e of man.


God has been altogether in the right. , man al ·


tog ether ill th e wrong, from first to last. !\ flln,


therefore, not God, mnst yield- must be hro' t


hY. l/ nqnuliftell repentanee of sin haek to that


primeval state in whkh human nalure existed


iu th e morning of crel} tion. Mlln ITInsthe re ·


cUl/ ci/ ed to God, not GOII to man. The chllnge


mnst tak e pluce'wholly in the sinning party. ­And


wilhout . meh a change in th e sinnin~


purlV, the two can never be reconc'ile'a. For


uhhough'God has always gmciously will ell a


reconcililllion, and always heen reudy for its


cnnsulllmution, and has actllllily put iu process


the tmin of mellsures necessllry to thi s grellt


end, yet he never has, : lI1rl nev er call hecome


himselfa sinner for the suke of being at one


with' his s inful creatnres. \ Vhence it follows


thllt he cOlllrl nev er propose 01' IIBsent to any


method of ntonern ent or r el' imciliation, which


did nl/ t hegin hy ucknowledgiug distinctly


, Mmselfto loe in th e R~ ght, and mall in th e


Wrong j 111111 which did not aim to effec t its


result hy resloring ITIIIU from the condilinn of


a reuel 10 the condition of a duitful, slIlunis ·


sive and grateful chillI. To IIceomplish sUI: h


' nn atonement- such a recon ~ i1illtion- of mau


to himself, he foreordained, and in dne tim e


sent forth Jesus Christ j eonstitllting him a pel"


fect Mediator' between himself IIIII I the human


family, to make reconciliutiou and uring in an


immntuule, perfect and endless righteou sness.


\ V e huve ulready partially consid ered the


peculiar qualiliclltions of C~ rist for thi s iIIus ·


trious offic e, in our colltemplmion of his na­ture


as u perfect man imbued with the eter ·


n81 Logos. It was · absolutely nee essary Ihat


he should be t~ n'y; man, allll that he should


partllke in the uctual condition of fallen man,


as it respect ell liability to temptution und evil,


and nlso as it respected snffering an:! death. ­Otherwise


he coulll not .'; uve hall in him self u


complete representation of humun nature, as it


reully exi sted in the unrecouciled state. It


was equully neeessary that lie shou Id be a par ·


talter of the , divine nature j and shOUld by a


perfect ouedience to its dictates, ahide comin­lIally


' in a state of u'ninterrupted ha~ mony


with God. Otherwise he also would have


needed a Mediator, and could not have eX, hib.


De" t'oted to'~ ruth and Righteous. ness.


1\ 1ENDON, MASS., NOVEMBER 15, 1840.


ited in himself a true representation of the lished upon better promises, lb. 8: 6. ";\ nd


atate of harmony' with God, into which man for this cause he is the Mediator of the New


needed to be hrought, But being, as we have ' I'estament, that by means of death for th e re­seen,


himself united on the one hand to God, demption of the transgressions under the- first


and on the other to man, he became the cen- testament, th ey which are called might receive


tre of union to the two natures. So that NOW ' the promise of eternal inheritance." lb. 9: 15.


man has only to be united with Christ hy faith " BUl ye ar e come * jI " to Jesus the Media.


and repentance, in order to partake of true ho- tor of th e new Covenant, and to the testament


liness, and be at one with' the Father. Man is of sp rinkling that speakerhbetter things than


reconciled to God rohen, and only wh en, he thatof Ahel." lb. 12: 24. " And if any man


becomes a true Christian j for in hecoming sin W6 have an lidvocate with the Fnther, Je­this


he renounces his rebellion . ugainst- God, SIIS Chr ist th e righteous: and he is the propi­sincerely


I'~ pents of his sins, and practices the , tiati on for our sins: ' a nd not for oursonly, hut


righteousness of Christin a new and holy life. also Ior the sins of the whole world." 1. John


Wherefiu'e God freely forgives the sins of all , 2: 1, 2. ,


such, anrl receives them in Christ unto him- 2. J esus Christ is the Lord, JIIlIge and Sa­self


reconciled and restored. This is snlva- viol' of the world. The passages a dl! l; ced in


tion hy Christ. This is that atonement 01' re- . the lust Section, particularly those reluting to


ecnciliatlon whieh God husprovidod for us in ' h is I1xa ltnlion to universal dominion, nre, con­his


8, onr without which we ' must 1111 have ut- clu sir e iu showing that he is Lord ofthe world .


terly perished. I s hull nave occnsiou to ex- I might add many oth ers, bui willp~ esent on.


plain this point 1II0rc fully in a subseq uent ly Vu'ee 01" four. ''' T he word which God sent


purt of this exposition, under linother nrticle. lInt ~ the c hildren of Israel preaching peace by


Let it suffice for the present, thut we under- Jcs~ s Chrisl; ( he is Lord of all)." Acts 10: 36.


stand genemlly the nature of Christ's office as " Tile henrl of every ' m' 1I1 is Christ jI jI and


the Mediator between ' God nud-" man. Some the heud of Christ is God." 1. Cor: 11: 3. ­~


flhe texts of Scrip; ure whi ch declare this " For in him rlw ell eth ~ II the fhln ess of the


Mediatorship of Christ , are the followiug:- Go, lI m, ul hodily. A/ III ye are complet e in him,


'; For the law WIIS given . by M, ose s, but grace who is the head of all principality and power:"


uud truth enure by J esus Christ. No man Col. 2: 9, 10. " To us there is hut one God the


hnth - seen God et lilly time; the only - begotten Father, of whom are all things, and we in him


Son who is in the bosom of . the Father, he - and one Lord Jesus Christ, hy whnm nre all


hnth declared him." John 1. Ii: 18. " 111m things, lInll we hy him." 1. Cor. 8: 6. " And


the way, and the truth, lInd the life; 110 man the Lnrnh sha ll overcome them; for he is


~ , '


co," eth nntn the FlIlher but hy me." lb. 14: 6. · Lord of .' orlls nnd King of kings." R ev. 17:


" Therefore heillg justified Ily fi'itJI \\' e have 14.


peace with Gnd thl'llllgh 0111' Lord Jeslls Thllt he is orduined of lhe FRther snpreme


Chrisl jn " hy whom 11150 we IlOve receiv ed the JIHI;: e of th e worlrl, npp ears from the follow.


atollement." ROlli. 5: 1 jI 11. " Therefore if ing lexts. , " T he FlIlher jllligeth no man, but


ully mllll he iu Christ he is a new creatur~ j- hmh committell all. judgment unto the Son."


old thillgs are pllssed IIwuy j hehold ' a ll things Jnhn Ii: 22. " When the. Son of man sha ll


t'l'C ' l, ecoma ncw~. ':'. Aml. uH; hiug..-[ i. c •. in~~, i><. '{~"' il ;!; U. hj ! I~ J: Y 1'.!' J. L. nl LtlLeJ . oly_ nng,: l. with


lIew stute] lire of God, who huth reconciled ns him, then s hllil he sit lIpon the throne of his


unto himselflJy" Jesus Christ, 11011 hath given glory, and befhre him shull he guthered all na.


liS the minislry of recollciliation ; to wit, thllt lions j and he 8hllll separate thcm one from


God was in Christ, reconciling the wor/ rl unto another, as a s hephe rd , divideth his sheep


himself, not illlpnling their tr espn sses unto . ( i'om the goats," & e. !\ Iati. 25: 31, 32. " And


th cm." 2 Cor. 5: li- 19. " BIll wh en the ful- tie COmll/ Rllded us to preAch U'lItO ihe people,


ness of lim e . was come, GOll sellt forth h'i~ Son, and to testify thut it is he which was ol'llained


lllwie of woman made ullder Il, e law, to ~ e- of GoII to he th e Jlldge of quick and dealJ." ­deem


them dlllt were IIIHle" Ihe law, that we Acl s 10: 42. " Alld the times of this ig, lIorance '


might receive th e adoptioll ofsons." . Ga l. 4: 4, God winked at, hilt 1I0W comma lHleth a ll men


5, " llilt now in Christ Jesns, ye who some- ' every wher e to rep ent: hecause he hath ap­time'were


afar off, ar e mlld e nigh hy thp. hlood pointed H day, in the whi ch he will judge, the


of Christ. For he is 0111' pea ce who hllth marie . wor'ld in righteoll slless by thaI mall whom he


bOlh Olle, jI jI thllt he might recollcile ! Joth hath ol'lillin cd, \ vh ereof he hath gh'cn assur­unto


Go. 1 in one hody ' hy th e cross j" " for a,": e nnt o all men, ill that he hath rais ed him­throngl'


him we both hllve IICCP. SS by olle spir- fi'om th e . Iead." Act s ] 7: 30,31. - " III th e Ilay


it nnto the Futher ," El'hes. 2: 13, 14,16,18. wh en God shall jndge lhe secrets of men by


" For it please; t the Fnther that in him sllO', hl , J esns Christ according to my Gospel." Rom.


all flliness . Iwell j and having malle peace 2: 16. " F or we sllnll all stand hefore th ejlldg.


throngh the blood of his Cross hy him to re- ment · seat of Christ." Rom. 14: 10. " For' we


concile ull thingsuillo himself; by him, wheth- must nil appeal' hefi> I'e the judgmcnt. seat of


er things in earth or things in heaven." Col. I: Christ j Ihat e very one may receive the things


19,20. " For there is on e God, and olle Me- done in his hody, acc ording. to that he hath


diator between God unrl men, the man Christ Ilolle, wh elher it ue good or bad." 2. Cor, 5:


J esus; who gllve hilllselfll rnn sopl for all to 10. " I c hnrge thee hefore God and ti. e Lord


be testified in due time:" 1 Tim, 2: 5,6. " Bni J ,~ sus Chrisl j who shall jndge Ih e quil'k lind


we see Jesus, w/ io wllsmade a little lower thnn th e dead ut his appcaring lind kingdom." 2.


tIIe angels for the snff: e"\ r. mg of Ilenlh, crowned ' I" / In. 4: 1. , ,


with glory and honor, thnt he hy the grace of That he is the Savior of t~ e world not only


God should taste . lellth fill' ev ery man." Heh. app ears from numerous testimonies alr eady


- 2: 9. " So al so Christ glorified not himself to qn'otedlnnder preceding / ieads, hu( is explicitly


he made an high Priest; hilt he, thnt said unto Ileclllred in Klleh passages as these . " Thou


him, thou art my Son, today have I hegotten shalt eall his nllme Jesns; for he shall sllve


thee. As' he saith also in another plare thon his people frofp their sins." !\ Iatl. I : 21.-


art a priest for ev er after the order ofMelchiz- " Unto yon is UOI'll this dlly, in the, eity ofDa- .


idec j who in th e dnys of his flesh, when he vill, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Lnke


hnd offered np prayer s nnd supplicatioils with 2: II. " For th e Son of mun is cOllie to se ek


strong crying anrl teal ' s, UlltO HIM thllt was able und to save that which was los I." Ih. 19: 10. ­to


save him from death, and was hearll i/ l tha't " We hav e h ~ lIrd him ourselves, and Imow lhat


he fellred j thongh he were a SOli yet learned this is ind eed the Christ, the Saviol' of the


he obedie~ ce by thetlJings \; hich he sllff. ered : world." John 4: 42. '"" Hilll hath God exalted


and being made perfecI, he becllme the \ vith his OW/ l right hund to be a Prince and a


author of elern& 1 Sulvatio/ l uino all theIII that Savio~," AI,: ts 5: 31. " This ill a faithful sllY­obey


him." lb. 5: 5- 9. " Wherefore he is ing allli wo'rlhy of all aeceptation, that Christ


IIllliJ also to save them to the lI11ermost that J esus clime into th e worlll to save sillners, of


come unto God hy him j se ein'" he ever' liveth whom I alii chief." 1. Tim. 1: 15. " For so


to muke intercession for the/ l~" Iu. i: 25.- all entl'Rnc e s ha ll be ministerell unto you


" But'now hath he obtained a more exeelleut IIbundautly into the kingdom of, our Lord lind


ministry'[ i. e. than that under the Levitical Savior Je~ us Christ." 2, . Pet. 1: 11. " And


. Iispensation] uy how milch 11180 he is the Me- we have seen and 110 testufy, that thlO Futher


diat" or of a better coveua. Ul- i which. was cSlllb.. sent the Son- to be the Savior of tho world." 1


No. 14.


John 4 : 14.


3. Withollt Jews Christ, no lost soul can ob­tain


eternal life. By eternal life is meant a state


of acc eptance and perpetual communion with


God- the state of eterna l salvation from sin


and its c onseq uences. .. An ea rnest or foretaste


of it is enjoyed by all true Ch ristinlUl on earth,


but its full fruition will he enjoyed in the worid


to come. That uo lost soul can be saved with­out


Christ j i. e. without bein g spiritually uni­ted


to Christ, so as thereby to be reconciled to


God and conformed to th e moral likeness of


th e second Adam, is a fundamental truth of


the gospel, already seen, from the vie'ws we


have taken of Christ, to be a nec essary conclu­s


ion. It is positively declared in the pllssage


of Scripture ; t the head or'this Section, lind in


several oth ers. " Neither is there salvation in


any other: for there is none oth er nnme given


under heaven a'mong men wh ereby we must


be sav'ed." Acts 4: 12. " As l\ lo ses lifted up


. the Serpent in the wilderness, eve n so must


the Son of man be lifted up j that whosoever


helieveth in him should not perish but have


eternal life. For God so loved the world, thut


he gave his only- begouen Son, that whosoev­er


believeth - in him s hould not peri sh hut have


everlasting life. For God sent not his Son in­to


the world 10 condemn the world. but that the


world through him mi~ ht he saved. He that


helieveth on him i" not coudemned: hut he


that believeth not is condemned already, he.


cause he hath not beli eved in the nnme of the


only- hegotten Son of God." John 3: 14- 18.


" He', that believethlon th e Son halh ever lasting


life: and he Ihllt believeth 1I0t the S on shall


not see'life j bllt the wl'llth of God ahideth 011


him." Ih .. v, 36, " Anrl thi s is the record, Ihat


God hllth given to liS etemallife. alld he that


hath not the Son of God, hnth 1I0t life." 1John


5: H, 12.


Havin~ tllns present ed th e testimony 0 f


- SCi'ipl u.: e for the est iiblishlll cnt ot lIlil/ I)' PrO,; ­oshiona


concerning 0111' Lord J esus Christ, I


will close this Ct. upler with a fe iv obs ervations


on the IInity of chllracter whieh i/ l all his of­fices


and relutions , listinguillhes Ih is glOl: ious


R · cdeemer. It is wonderful to perc eive that


in sustaining these various offices " · and rela.


tion s, he does so without any chauge 01' incon­sistenc


y of moral , c hara r. ter. He is the Son


ofGml, and as it wer e olle wilh God. At rhe.


sallie lillie he is the SOli o f man, lind as il wer e"


one with man. Yet he . fulfil s nil th e duti~ s of


th ese two relutiolls with a limitless lind undll­viating


precision. T o God he is a perfeet Son;


10 mun he is a ,) erfi~ ct example of wise and


holy hUIllRnity. There is nojar- llo failure


to be th e on e becllu se lie is the OIher. So


whil e he is , Lord, Judge and Savior of the


worhl, he is liMe the less SOli of God, SOli of


mall, and l\ Iediator hetween God an ll men. ­Neither


because he is Lorllllnd Judge of the


worlll, is he less the Savior ofit. Nor because


he if! Savior, is he less its Judge 01' Lord. In


him there is no " yea and nay," hut a uniform


''' yen ~ nd ameli," " yesterday, to'day aud for


eve r." , '


As we tra ce the Evangelical history, nnd


the apostolic testi, mony-- as we c ~ nsider the


propheei es \ vhich went before him, lind the


living reality of his persollal manifeslation


aIDO/ lg men- as we listen to his declarations


811d to those of his inspired followers, concern­illg


what he shall, yet accomplish- we nre


filled. with amazement, with llwful veneration, "


and with adoring love. Such , meekness, yet


majesty; s. uc · h humility, yet gr eatness j such


neal'Oess to God, yet connection with man;


sueh self · sllcrifil: e, yet god~ like ( Ii~ hity ; such


familiarity with mortal cOlltamination, yet jm­1~


l\ culate pllrity ; such innocence, yet sympn­thy


with siuful men; such miraculous pOWel",


yet willing elldurance of insult lind - want j


su ch holines~ l yet pity for th e _ wicklld ; suc h


aUlh() rity to execute judgment, yet forhearance


':"' s uc h power to inflict v en~ eance, yet such a


ren'diness to restore the guilty on repentance;


such terrol' to evil doers, yet such pains- taking


to conv~ rt them; such divill e sonship, yet hu­man


' brotherhood ; sueh mediatorship, high


pri esthood, royalty, judicial infull ibil ity, and


yet such I'ompassiou j therie nil combining.

Page 53 of Volume 1 from The Practical Christian 1840-1841

Ballou, Adin

1840