Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 331

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324 LIFE OF PAUL . obeyed,willleadmen to deny ungodlinessand worldlylusts,and to live" soberly, righteously, and godly,inthispresentworld." But the enemy of allrighteousnesshastaken theworld captive,and hasledthem tomake void the law of God. As Paul foresaw,thepeople have turnedaway from the plain, searching truthsof God's word,and,havingitchingears, they have heaped to themselvesteacherswho present to them the fablesthat they desire. These teacherstrample under theirfeet the fourthcommandment , and insteadof the day which God hasblessedand sanctified,theyhonor a day which he has not commanded ,and upon which he did not rest. The firstday of the week ,whose sacrednessrestswholly on the authorityof the papacy,"theman of sin," isobservedas a holyday by Catholicsand Protestants alike, instead of the day which God has setapart, and upon whichhe has placedhis blessing. Thus the Creator of the world is insulted,and Satanlaughsintriumphat thesuccess of his devices . With the growing contempt for God's holy law, thereisan increasingdistastefor religion, an increaseofpride,loveofpleasure,disobedience to parents, and self-indulgence; and thoughtful minds everywhereanxiouslyinquire,What can be done to correctthesealarming evils? The answer is found in Paul's exhortation to Timothy: " Preach the word ." In that word are the onlysafeprinciplesof action. Itisa transcript of thewillof God ,an expressionof divinewisdom . Itopenstoman'sunderstandingthegreat problemof life. It willprovea guidetoallwho heed it,so that theirliveswillnot be wasted in