Grace free, full, generous, large-hearted mercy and forgiveness, "the kindness of God," is the leading idea in Christianity. And there is no spring of virtue or of service like this.
If an aggrieved one were to come to the man that had injured and insulted him, and stretch out his hand, and declare his full and hearty forgiveness, and desire for reconciliation, what would so bind the man to him as this? What would establish pure, happy, abiding friendship between them like this? Yea, and what would honor and gratify the offerer of all this like its ready acceptance by him who had offended?
And this is found in Christianity. Nay, this is its first great element: the salvation of God, published on the atonement, He Himself has perfected.
"To every proselyte, at first admission,
Full innocence it lends; whate'er his crimes
Before have been, he 's white and free and just,
And equall'd with the veterans of virtue;
First wears the laurels, then begins the fight."
Gambold's Martyrdom of Ignatius.
We may oft learn by the failure of others. Among the reformers, Calvin was remarkable. Of sufficient integrity of heart, through grace, to honor profoundly the word of God, and of energy sufficient to give origin to a system,-in theory, he recognized in many respects the truth of the ministry. In practice, he formed for himself a system adapted to circumstances and to his own peculiar character. More light entered-the word was searched. The energy of the Holy Spirit was in action; and that which Calvin had created as a system, no longer answers either to the creative energy of its author, or to the wants produced by the Holy Spirit. Those who, urged on by the Holy Spirit, have searches the Word, have found themselves, while following the Word and the principles and truths which Calvin himself had found therein, outside of His system in many respects. They followed the Word and not the system.
Of course, thenceforth they became objects of attack. They were innovators, etc., etc.
May Grace keep us free from all systems of our own, and diligent in the study of the Word.