To the Editor of the Melbourne "Argus"

DEAR SIR

Highly esteeming that quality of sterling worth, in matters of faith, decision of character, which halts not between two opinions, nor hesitates to say with confidence, whether the Lord be God or Baal; I admire the man who boldly avows what he esteems to be the truth, or the one faith, Ephesians chapter 4, verse 5 ["One Lord, one faith, one baptism"], and honestly proclaims his conviction that all who hold it in any other sense than that in which he has been given to understand, and concientiously to believe it as the true import of the truth, or faith which saves the soul of the sinner who comes to God in the understanding and belief of truth, are heretics.

Permit me, therefore, through the medium of impartial columns, to congratulate the true lovers of the Lord Jesus Christ on the arrival of a Christian Brother among us, in the person of the Bishop of Melbourne, who appears to manifest this inestimable trait, decision; for truly such men were wanting among us, "Faithful men are few." Oh! that the Lord of the harvest would send out many decided men into this part of his harvest, seeing that such labourers are few.

True, some have censured the worthy Bishop for his frank and manly avowal of principle in the matter of Priest Geoghegan.

All such I would beg leave to refer to the 1st Epistle of John, chapter 5, verse 2 ["By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments"]; John particularly recommending them to mark, learn, and inwardly digest; to 8 to 12, 19 to 21 verses of the former, and 6 to 12 verses of the latter, comparing them with Hebrews, chapter 7, verses 21 to 28 ["(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore"], chapter 9, verses 24 to 28 ["For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation"], chapter 10, verses 1 to 14 ["For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above, when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth, expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified"]. After which, on deliberate consideration, let them honestly say, whither in the face of these portions, any man who believes his Bible to be God's word, and loves as such, could or would recognise it as a christian teacher, any one who, by professedly offering up the Lord Jesus Christ, (or what he calls by that title) to God, as a propitiation for the sins of the living and the dead, denies the sufficiency, of the one offering of Christ, whereby all set apart are perfected to take away sin? Would there not be, in such recognition, a breach of that command, 2 John, verses 9 ["Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son"] and 10 ["If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed"], a command as important, and as binding, on all the lovers of the Lord Jesus, as "thou shalt not kill." It runs thus, "whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God, he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed." See also I Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 11 ["But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat"].

It is to be lamented that many calling themselves Christians take not God's record of his son, as simply setting forth the only ground of acceptance with God; but mix up with it certain additions of their own, the production of that wisdom which puffeth up, is carnal, sensual, and devilish; and which God has proclaimed to be folly.

It is certain we creatures can know nothing of God, or of his character, which is the same thing, but in as far as he hath been pleased to reveal himself in his works or in his word. To the contemplation of the former, as displayed in creation, wherein was plainly declared his eternal power and God-head; the wisdom of man was devoted for four thousand years, yet failed to learn the knowledge of God, Romans, chapter 1, verses 19 ["Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them"], and 21 ["Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened"], & I Corinthians, chapter 1, verse 21 ["For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe"].

It pleased God, therefore, in the fullness of his wisdom, to reveal himself in the stupendous work of redemption; a work wrought out of full completion by the only begotten Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ; who is fully manifested to be the very glory of God, and the express image of his person, without in any respect sullying the excellency or dignity of the original by the exhibition. For he was God manifest in the flesh. The record we have in the scriptures declares that in this work and in this work alone, is to his creatures exhibited the true character of God, as the just God and the Saviour; herein alone is the fullness of mercy to the vilest and most worthless made plain; while justice, in all the inflexibility of its stern demands, is beheld receiving its full requisition; here the holiness of God shines forth in all its unsullied splendour, while he pardons and justifies the sinner believing in Jesus; here the law is honoured and magnified by a perfect obedience, and all-sufficient atonement on behalf of all the Father gave him, Romans, chapter 3, verses 20 ["Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin"] and 31 ["Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law"], John, chapter 6, verse 37 ["All that the father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out"], chapter 10, verses 11 ["I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep"], 15 ["As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep"], 26 to 28 ["But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand"], chapter 17, verse 9 ["I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine"].

This is the God and Christ the Bible reveals; and he who in any way adds to, or detracts from the character of that God and Christ so revealed, and worships such character, worships an idol of his own fancy, a creature of his own brain, not the God of the Bible; but as Paul saith of all idolators, I Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 20 ["But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils"], he worships the devil.

Praying the Lord's special blessing on the labourers of all his decided, faithful, and therefore despised followers of every name.

I beg to remain, Dear Sir,

Your obliged friend and servant,

J. J. Mouritz.

Collingwood, 19th February, 1848.

("The Argus" Melbourne, 29 February 1848)