THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH (OR BAPTIST) MAGAZINE, ADVOCATING THE Constitution, Faith, and Practice of the Apostolic Churches. ARTHUR HALL & CO., 25, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1860. PREFACE. WITH no little satisfaction and gratitude, the Editor closes another year of official duty. With satisfaction, that so considerable an amount of valuable reading has been supplied to the pages of the Primitive Church Magazine by a number of industrious and competent correspondents ;and, with gratitude, that amidst increasing temptations to a compromised course of action, the Magazine has been permitted to maintain its integrity in all the particulars for the advocacy of which it was commenced by the earnest friends of gospel truth. It was never expected that a rigid adherence to the doctrines and ordinances of Christ, would secure a worldly popularity. How can a carnal, sensual world, admire that which is spiritual and divine? "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one." If, then, the Strict Baptist cause has proved to be an unpopular one, should that be regarded as a source of regret, or a reason for despondency? Has it not been so in all ages with the truth of God? The world, at the best, is but a sorry judge of divine truth. Even where it takes any pains to understand that truth, (which is seldom the case) it becomes the victim of its own animosity to heavenly things, and by its unchangeable hostility to that truth, it proves the correctness of the awful statement, that "the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Qualify that truth,-sober it down to suit a worldly taste-rub away its rough projections,-hide whatever is special and distinctive,and put prominently forth mere generalizations, and so let the gospel system "become all things unto all men," and the world will pay in applause for whatever is lost to conscience and consistency. It will pronounce that, to be "respectable," which is "open" enough to part with a rigid obedience; and that shall be, in its judgment, the essence of bigotry which presumes to obey God rather than man. |