INTRODUCTION.
IT is always a relief to the mind, in studying the history of the church, to be able to trace with any measure of certainty the silver line of grace, and the operations of God's Spirit in those who have taken a prominent part in its affairs. This was a rare privilege during the long dark night of the Middle Ages; but with the dawn of the Reformation the working of the Holy Spirit became increasingly manifest. The word of God was appealed to as the only authority in matters of faith and salvation; and the great Christian doctrine of " Justification by faith alone" became the foundation and corner-stone of the Reformation in the sixteenth' century. By means of this truth the power of popery was subverted, and the nations of Europe delivered from its tyranny.
Every right-minded Christian, who has studied the great revolution of that period, will certainly not fail in thankfulness to God for the mighty work which was then accomplished by His grace, through the faith and the endurance of the Reformers.
We must ever honor with admiring gratitude those faithful witnesses who labored to spread the pure light of the gospel in opposition to papal superstition, infidelity, and immorality, backed by the power of the civil sword, and in the face of imprisonment and death. The awakening and the agitation of mind were so general, and all in the direction of truth and holiness, that the most unbelieving must own that such a Reform could only have been produced by causes more than human, and of the most powerful efficacy.
But the leaders of that great movement overlooked many of the most important doctrines of the word of God. The vital truth of salvation through faith in the sacrifice of Christ, without the merit of good works, was so startling, so overwhelming, to those who had been educated in the superstitions of Romanism that they seemed to think no further truth was needed. They taught that the atoning work of Christ satisfied the justice of God, reconciling Him to rebellious man, and that all who had the full assurance of faith in this truth were saved. It does not appear that they ever laid hold of the precious truth that it was God's love to sinful man which led Him to send His Son to die in their stead, that they might be reconciled to Him. This is the grand foundation truth of all gospel testimony. Had there been no love, there would have been no Savior-Jesus, no salvation, no glory. But " God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
God never was the enemy of man, and needed not to be reconciled, though He did need and did provide a propitiation for our sins. Many sweet thoughts flow from this blessed truth; the child of faith can fall back, not only on the work of the cross as his resting-place, but on the heart of God who loved him and sent His Son to die for him. In 2 Corinthians 5 we read, " that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." The first word we hear from an offended God after man had sinned, is, "Adam, where art thou?" Man was lost-God was seeking him. This was the first action in the work of redemption; indeed, the grand feature of redeeming love: