Page:Darby - Christianity Not Christendom.djvu/36

 formed the bond and link, and who by their works were to obtain salvation at the end.

Now this was really the Judaism against which the apostle so earnestly contended, and which met and harassed him in his service in every place, which would have a derived, ordained ministry, disowning the power and title of the Spirit, and the true Lordship of Christ, and teaching justification by works, apostolic succession, and the observing of days, and months, and years.

Was this departure from Christ to be expected at once, or was the successional continuance of the outward body that which was secured by the Lord’s promise? What does the word declare? Heresy fully contributed its part; but, whatever was the cause, was the continuance of the body under God’s approbation contemplated or not? Let us see what was the state of things even before the apostle’s death. “All they which be in Asia have turned away from me; all seek their own, mot the things of Jesus Christ; the mystery of iniquity doth already work.” So Paul. Peter says, “The time is come that judgment shall begin at the house of God.” Jude, “False brethren have crept in unawares.” Was this to be remedied? “These are they,” he says, “of whom Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, The Lord cometh, with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment.” So John, “Ye have heard that antichrist cometh, and already there are many antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time.” All this before the apostles were gone—Peter, expecting no proper successional care, writing that “they might have these things always in remembrance;” Jude having “to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints;” James telling them “to be patient to the coming of the