to allow your neighbor to suffer want before
you would dishonor your rules?

12. Astonishing fact, that the world is merged in darkness so great
it utterly disregards the Word of God and the conditions he designed
for our daily living. If we preach to the world faith in God's Word,
the world receives it as heresy. If we speak of works instituted of
God himself and conditions of his own appointing, the world regards
it as idle talk; it knows better. To live a simple Christian life in
one's own family, to faithfully perform the duties of a man-servant
or maid-servant--"Oh, that," it says, "is merely the following of
worldly pursuits. To do good works you must set about it in a
different way. You must creep into a corner, don a cap, make
pilgrimages to some saint; then you may be able to help yourself and
others to gain heaven." If the question be asked, "Why do so? where
has God commanded it?" there is, according to their theory, really no
answer to make but this: Our Lord God knows nothing about the matter;
he does not understand what good works are. How can he teach us? He
must himself be tutored by these remarkably enlightened saints.

FRUITS OF ORIGINAL SIN.

13. But all this error results from that miserable inherent plague,
that evil termed "original sin." It is a blind wickedness, refusing
to recognize the Word of God and his will and work, but introducing
instead things of its own heathenish imagination. It draws such a
thick covering over eyes, ears and hearts that it renders men unable
to perceive how the simple life of a Christian, of husband or wife,
of the lower or the higher walks of life, can be beautified by
honoring the Word of God. Original sin will not be persuaded to the
faithful performance of the works that God testifies are well
pleasing to him when wrought by believers in Christ. In a word,
universal experience proves that to perform really good works is a
special and remarkable grace to which few attain; while the great
mass of souls aspiring after holiness vainly busy themselves with
worthless works, being deceived into thinking them great, and thus
make themselves, as Paul says, "unto every good work reprobate." Tit
1, 16. This fruitless effort is one evil result of the error of human
ideas of holiness and the practice of self-chosen works.

14. Another error is the hindrance--yes, the suppression and
destruction--of the beautiful virtues of humility, meekness, patience
and spiritual harm