Page:The Last Judgement and Second Coming of the Lord Illustrated.djvu/256

 faith which had its origin in this doctrine is to be directed towards God the Father, because He is supposed to impute to believers the righteousness of God the Son; and towards God the Son, because He is supposed to have suffered the penalty of guilt in man's stead, and so to intercede and mediate with God the Father for the safety of mankind; and towards God the Holy Ghost, because He is considered to inscribe the imputed righteousness of the Son upon the hearts of believers. This proves that a trinity of Gods is substantially acknowledged, however much it may be verbally denied. Moreover, this doctrine enters into and mystifies the sentiments concerning charity, repentance, free will, election, the sacraments, and all others which have their place in the Church. The result of those fallacies which were established by the council of Nice was continued disturbances among the professors of Christianity. Mosheim, speaking of the doctrines of the Church during the fifth century, says, "The sacred and venerable simplicity of primitive times, which required no more than a true faith in the Word of God, and a sincere obedience to His holy laws, appeared little better than rusticity and ignorance to the subtle doctors of this quibbling age. Instead of leading men into the path of humble faith and genuine piety, they bewildered them in labyrinths and contention. Hence arose new matters of animosity and dispute, of bigotry and uncharitableness, which flowed like a torrent through succeeding ages, and which all human efforts seemed unable to vanquish." The same authority, in treating of the state of the Church just before the time of the Reformation, says, "Not only private persons, but also the most powerful princes and sovereign states, exclaimed loudly against the despotic dominion of the pontiffs; the frauds, violence, avarice, and injustice that