By the late REV. WALTER SCOTT.
“Scotland, above most nations, had once her ‘burning and shining lights’—men ‘full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgment, and might to declare unto Jacob his transgression and Israel his sin’—who scrupled not to reprove every encroachment of innovation and error. But these, alas, where are they now? And are we not experiencing the fulfilment of prophecy:—’Therefore night shall be unto you that ye shall not have a vision, and it shall be dark unto you that ye shall not divine, and the sun shall go down over the prophets and the day shall be dark over them.’ (Micah iii. 6).
A pure and faithful ministry is the greatest blessing a Church or nation can have. The Reformation Church was sensible of this. Hence the care she took that ministers should apply their doctrine to their times. Thus, in 1648, an Act was passed for censuring ministers for their silence and not speaking to the corruptions of the times. Among other things specified are—contempt of the Word, profaneness, defection from solemn engagements, the sins and scandals of the congregation wherein he lives, and the public sins and corruption of those times; and if any neglected such applications and reproofs they were to be cited, and after tried, deposed ‘for being pleasers of men rather than being servants of Christ.’ And in an Act passed in 1649 ministers were enjoined ‘to be careful to be much in discovering the temptations and pressing the duties of the times, that those who are under their charge, may know what to avoid, and what to embrace and pursue.’
During the agitation between the Protestants and Papists at Augsburg, D’Aubigne records that a Committee of princes proposed to the Emperor Charles to ‘set aside both Papist and Lutheran preachers, and nominate a few chaplains with authority to pronounce the pure Word of God without attacking either of the two parties.’ ‘They shall be neutral men,’ said they to the Protestants. Accordingly this was proclaimed by an Imperial Herald on the Saturday. ‘A thousand different remarks were exchanged in the houses of the citizens of Augsburg.’ ‘We were very impatient,’ said they, ‘to see the preachers appointed by the Emperor, and who will preach (O unprecedented wonder!) neither against the evangelical doctrine nor against the doctrine of the Pope! The result was that after the service the people ‘burst into laughter,’ and, ‘Truly,’ adds Brentz, ‘there was reason enough.’ The sermon was omitted altogether, (History, Vol. IV. p. 135). ‘He that is not with me,’ says Christ, ‘is against me.'”
(From “Essay on Purity of Worship” by the late Rev. Walter Scott, Chesley, Ontario.)