We would ask our readers to take special notice of a very outstanding Chapter. We refer to Col. 2. The first part of the Chapter warned the early Church against the mind of man trafficking in the things of God, men bringing their own carnal thoughts to the Word' of God, making them the standard, or norm, of truth, instead of getting their thoughts from the Word of God itself. To put it into present-day language the Spirit of God warns us against Rationalism, Modernism, Higher Criticism and the like. "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition, of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ " (Col. 2:88Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Colossians 2:8)).
The second part of the Chapter warned the early Church against Ritualism, which exalts a certain class of men, called, priests, surrounding them with a. halo of supposed sanctity. We find this full blown in the Romish Church, and in a scarcely lesser degree in this country in Anglo-Catholic circles. We read:- "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come, but the body [the substance, the fulfillment] is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind " (Col. 2:16-1816Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 18Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, (Colossians 2:16‑18)).
We shall see in course these two dangers-Rationalism and Ritualism-working all down the ages. We shall see it in the Romish system, and, when the Reformation came in, declension set in by the working of these self-same evils, producing the same sad results as in the Romish Church. We would ask the reader to keep this in mind as he reads on. These two evils, appeal to the carnal mind-Rationalism to one order of mind, Ritualism to another.
Col. 2 is indeed a notable Chapter, a warning beacon for all time. Its warning sounds in every century, and is sorely needed in this vaunted twentieth century.
To these two evils we might add a third, as set forth in 2 Tim. 3:1-51This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1‑5)—"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall he lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, 'unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." The giving up of all restraint seems to be the feature of the last days, and the more declension appears in the Church of God, the more will there be conformation to the ways of the world. So these features of the last days will characterize the professing Church of God. Dr. Horatio Bonar, the author of the well-known hymn, I heard the voice of Jesus say, made a remark years ago too sadly true, and more than ever true to-day, that, if you want to see the Church, look in the world; and, if you want to see the world, look in the Church.
These three conditions, increasing in volume, in their down-grade movements as the end draws nigh, are preparing for the apostasy of the last days.
(1) Rationalism in the things of God.
(2) Ritualism, putting unscriptural and unholy power in the hands of the priesthood.
(3) Low moral condition in the world, finding its reflex in the professing Church of God.