revealed truths are none the less our guide, because man in his pride has become a fool in his attempt to carry out God’s purposes by his own plans carried out in his own wisdom. It is thus that many like David have sought to make the ark of God ride on a new cart, which has been made for it; and have to learn, as those who had gone before them that the ark can only be borne on the shoulders of God’s consecrated priests, who have to come to the service in robes made white in the blood of the Lamb; these and these only come to the great and holy work of carrying out God’s thoughts according to the “appointed manner” and for all others a Perez-uzzah will be found, to mark their presumption and their folly.
CHAPTER II.
It has been seen, how the hopes of many, who had watched with intense interest the development of a truth that might lead to the exhibition of a primitive christianity, had been blighted by all that had taken place in Plymouth in 1845; not from the springing up of erroneous doctrine, but from the introduction of principles of action subversive of the simplest rules of christian fellowship; wherein all are called to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love.” God had weighed much profession of unity and fellowship in the balance of his sanctuary, and, having found it wanting, had openly shown it to be so, and those who were wise learned afresh, that man “at his best is only vanity.” “He that soweth to the flesh, whoever he might be, shall reap corruption,” and “he that soweth to the wind, shall reap the whirlwind,” and so it had proved.
The course adopted in Plymouth, in consequence of what had occurred in 1847, Mr. Darby and his party now set themselves to enforce on all saints, in any way associated with “the Brethren;” and the rules on which they had acted, were hereafter to become the church law of all those with whom alone henceforth they would hold fellowship. Thus they virtually
