MR. taylor's third reply. 261 



The Gospel standard. An extract from Neander. 



convince all who affect a gospel standard, that, like " the in- 

 spired Apostle/^ they sliould "give place by subjection — no, 

 not for an liour^^ to those wbo would bring their conscience 

 into bondage. I would conjure tbem by every regard for 

 bonest construction of language, by every sentiment of venera- 

 tion for Bible authority, to "be strong in tlie foitb; not gi ving 

 heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men that turn 

 from the truth.'^ 



Although the space may not with propriety be spared, I 

 cannot resist the temptation of here placing in juxtaposition 

 with the declaration that " human authority will not satisfy/' 

 and as an appropriate commentary on it, a passage from one 

 of the most profound and venerated of modern theologists : — 

 need I name the learned Neander ? 



^^St. Paul expressly declares all sanctifying of certain seasons, 

 as far as men deduced this from the Divine command, to be 

 Jewish and unevangelical, and to be like returning to the 

 slavery of the law, aud to captivity to outward precepts. Such 

 was the opinion of the early Church. At first the Churches 

 assembled daily for prayer in common, and for the public con- 

 sideration of the Divine word, and the common celebration of 



the Lord's supper and the agopæ Just as the 



unevangelic made its appearance, when men supposed the ex- 

 istence of a separate caste of priests in the Church, which stood 

 upon Divine right — when they forgot the common Christian 

 priesthood in the consideration of this peculiar caste of priests, 

 and when they introduced a contrast between secular and 

 spiritual persons amdng Christians, — so also in this matter, the 

 unevangelic appeared, when men supposed certain days distin- 

 guished from others and hallowed by Divine right — and when 

 they introduced a distinction between holy and common days 

 into the life of the Christian, and in this distinction forgot his 

 calling to sanctify all days alike. The confusion between the 

 Old and the Xew Testament notions manifested itself here in 

 the same manner, and at the same time, as that which relates 



to the priesthood The festival of Sunday, like all 



other festivals, was always only a human ordinance; and it was 



and to frustrate rather tlian enforce the commanclments of God." 

 [Christ. Doctrine, Book ii. chap. 7.) 



