as a particular illustration, the phrase Jesus Christ is used 10 times, and has the article before Christ, not once! I have no serious objection to the introduction of the article before Christ; but I do ask brother Harris to digest these facts before he resumes his confidence that we ought to have Jesus the Christ in every instance. But now as to the Holy Spirit, no such remarks can be made. No one can say that Spirit like Christ has in our language become a proper name; and yet, in the original, pncuma is very much appropriated to the Comforter, and I believe pneuma hagion exclusively appropriated to Him-hence the REASON for supplying the article in translating. No one can say that there is any gradual laying aside of the article with relation to the Spirit. Indeed, it is a singular fact that, in the first chap. of Matt., pneuma hagion occurs twice only; both times in relation to the miraculous conception, and, therefore, certainly indicative of the divine Spirit, and yet both times without the article! So different are the Greek and English languages in their idioms, and specially in the matter of the article. As John Taylor says, in his Observations on Greek Emphasis, the use of the Greek Article is a question of greater difficulty. That it has, on many occasions, a restrictive power like that of the English definite Article (the), no one attempts to deny. But it is certain, that, even in connection with nouns substantive, this power cannot always be given to it; and, in almost all other instances of its occurrence, it exhibits no conformity with the English Article.' In conclusion, let every mere English reader avoid venturing any emendation on the sole strength of the Greek Article; and let him refuse to yield any cherished belief on this ground alone, whoever may demand it at his hands. And further, let none of us even make up our own mind on the ramifications of this subject till we have diligently read and studied our Greek Testaments for many long months; and, even then, speak and write with the greatest modesty, or else renounce all claim on the confidence of our brethren. There are some other reflections that have occurred to me in noting the peculiarities of the Greek Article, which might prove suggestive to some of your readers; but being deeply sensible that true humility lies at the basis of all useful attainments, I conclude for the present with the above lessons, and remain, yours fraternally, Huddersfield, May 7. J. B. ROTHERHAM. THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL-QUERIES AND REPLIES. DEAR BROTHER MILNER,-The doing of secular duty of any kind on the Lord's day has caused some little discussion in this quarter. Some say no disciple of Christ should keep a situation where he is required so to work, as too many of us in this quarter have to do. Please give us, through the C. A., what the law of the Lord is in regard to this subject, so doing you will oblige yours faithfully, Berwick, 9th April 1856. W. HAMILTON. Jos. HORSELY will take it as a favour if the Editor will kindly solve the following questions in next month's C. Advocate. Attention will be duly appreciated. 1. Is the Sabbath as instituted by God, given through Moses, binding upon Christians; and if so, how ought it to be observed? 2. Can Christians fulfil the moral law, as some say they can, and others that Christ only did fulfil it? If they cannot, has not God enjoined a task, or required what no man can accomplish? 3. What is meant by God saying, Let us make man, &c.? Hayton, Carlisle, April 11, 1857. The Sabbath, as given through Moses, is not binding on Christians. Neither the Saviour nor his apostles enjoined it. Paul, on the contrary, said to the Gentile converts, Col. ii. 16, 'Let no man judge you in meat or drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath.' Christians are not under law to Moses, but to Christ, Rom. viii. 1-6; 2 Cor. iii. 7-18. Those who mistakenly suppose the law, as given by Moses, to be binding on them as Christians, do in no case obey him. The seventh day, the Sabbath of Moses, we are not required to observe; but the Lord's day-the first of the week-on which the Lord rose from the dead, on which he met with his disciples, on which the holy Spirit descended, on which the accomplished gospel was first proclaimed, on which the church was constituted on this day, most dear to every believer, the disciples met, in their Christian relation, to break the loaf, and attend to all the social ordinances of the new and better institution. In respect to this day, and these its appropriate services, the apostle exhorted the Hebrew believers 'not to forsake the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some was,' and added this solemn consideration for if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin.' Christians, therefore, ought to accept of no situation in which this command cannot be obeyed. But this is different altogether from the prohibiting law of Moses, which forbade the kindling of a fire, or the lifting of a stick under pain of death. There are few situations in life in which some duties, apart from those of the house of God, have not to be performed; but so far as they do not interfere with the apostolic injunctions, there is no law against them. The conversion of the first day into a day of regular, secular work or business, would unquestionably so interfere; and it should, therefore, be the aim of all the faithful to preserve it free from encroachments on its sacredness to the Lord. Christians can fulfil the moral law in its Christian sense. In Rom. iii. 31, the question is asked, Do we make void the law through the faith? and the answer is, By no means. But in chap. vii. 16, it is said, 'Now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, we should serve in newness of Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.' The fulfilling of the law, then, in its Christian acceptation, is the serving of God in the newness of spirit-from a heart, new, renewed, or purified by the faith. See Acts xv. 9; Heb. x. 9-23; 1 Pet. i. 22-25. The faith of the gospel works by loveeven the love of God, which it diffuses through the heart, and so produces love first to God and next to man, and this, as said both by the Messiah and his apostles, is the fulfilling of the law. See Matt. xxii. 36-40; Rom. xiii. 8-10; 1 John iv. 14-21. The man who does not thus fulfil the law is no Christian, That men cannot fulfil it apart from the faith,-the gospel,- -or the grace of God in Christ, is evident alike from history and the apostle's words—that what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God has ac complished in sending his Son, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. So said Paul, I can do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth me.' 'I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me,'-not otherwise. From the beginning of Genesis to the last of the Apocalypse, deity is revealed to us by the three terms, God, Spirit, Lord. These terms express plurality of relation and manifestation to the universe. From Gen. ii. 4, we should say the Lord by whom God made the worlds is addressed, Heb. i. 2. With the divine nature as the human, there is plurality in unity. Intelligences, not sufficiently informed of the human constitution, might wonder at the language of Gen. i. 26, 27, man being there spoken of as God is, both in the singular and plural - let us make man'-and 'let them.' But sufficient acquaintance would remove all difficulty, while speculation might only increase it. So in reference to God-whatever profounds there be in the mystery of godliness there is no contradiction, and it is the part of faith to wait the fuller revelation at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his times shall show the blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen or can see, to whom be honour and power everlasting, Amen. ED. THE YOUNG--QUERY AND REPLY. DEAR SIR,-On the principle that praise and prayer, as acts of worship, are to be confined to Christians, what comes of family worship? What is to be done with the young? Are they to be sent out of the way? Are they not to be allowed to praise and pray ? J. G. All the ordinances of the Christian Church are the fit parts of Christianity as a mediatorial institution. In conserving them to those who, by the new and living way consecrated for the faithful, draw near to God with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, their heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and their bodies washed with pure water, no violence is offered to any one. An expressive testimony is borne to the fact of the Mediatorship and the necessity of faith in the one Mediator, in order to acceptable approach to God in any service; but those without are not judged. It is not said to any, young or old, you are an unbeliever, you are not to pray, you are not to praise On the contrary, we teach that men ought always to pray, but that to do so aright it must be done in faith, in the mediation of the Son of God. Hence we say that an unbeliever should first be called upon to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, as was the unvarying practice of the Apostles; and refusing faith, be informed of his danger. See Acts xiii. 38-52. The same principle applies to the young. A child old enough to pray or praise is of age to believe the Gospel. A child will understand the story of the Cross before it is able to apprehend the meaning of prayer or praise-in truth, their meaning never can be understood till the Gospel is received. Thus the Saviour spoke of the little ones who believed on him; the evangelist includes the children who sang Hosanna to him on his entry into Jerusalem among his disciples; and Timothy from a child knew the holy Scriptures, which, by the faith of Jesus, are able to make wise unto salvation. Why should family worship, so-called, invert the divine order? What hinders those worshipping who can in faith? What prevents them instructing those who need instruction? We cannot doubt that, were the Scriptural order in this restored, a vast increase of youthful disciples would be added to the flock of the good Shepherd. Christian parents, teachers, guardians, try! ED. Poetry. THE LOVE OF CHRIST. On! never, never can'st thou know That wrung his frame at every pore, Yes, man for man perchance may brave A sweet but solitary beam, An emanation from above, Glimmers o'er life's uncertain dream: Dale. Entelligence. A LORDLY BISHOP'S CANDOUR.-'The Lord Bishop of Chester' lately visited St Helen's to consecrate a new church,' when he bore the following candid and important testimony to the truth, much to the condemnation of the establishment of which he is a 'Lord Bishop,' and of all churches not following the model established by the apostles under the guidance of the Holy Spirit: 'But in another, and no unimportant sense, the kingdom of God had an outward and visible establishment in the world. It was our Lord's own appointment that his disciples should be incorporated as it were into a visible society, with ordinances, and sacraments, and spiritual administrations as badges of their profession, bonds of union, and means of grace. Such was baptism, the visible entrance into the privileges of the Christian church. Such was the Lord's Supper, the continual commemoration of the atonement made for sin by our Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross. Such, again, were the holy services of prayer and praise, and public worship, and pastoral instruc tion, and ministerial superintendence which the Apostles, acting under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, established in the primitive churches of their own time, as a model to be followed by all after ages. And thus the whole Christian church was presented to them under the idea of one united body, of which Christ was the head, and all true believers are members-and that not a body held together by the mere framework of outward forms, but instinct with the reality of spiritual life, and pervaded by the free circling current of mutual sympathy in men's hearts. Such was the unity of the church described by St Paul when he compared the church to the members of the human frame, which, being many, yet formed one body: and such was the unity which our Lord himself made the subject of that solemn prayer to his Heavenly Father on the night before he suffered.'-Quo War ranto? WHAT A POSITION!-Dr Cumming, of London, lecturing recently in Belfast on the revision of the Scriptures, acknowledged the meaning of the word rendered Baptism to be Immersion, but exclaimedIf this word were translated, what a position would I and all my brethren in the ministry appear in! What a position indeed! Here a public teacher confesses that the position of himself and his class is such that the word of God must not be faithfully translated. The Dr apprehends the alternative,-a pure version, or the clergy as they stand, a faithful translation, and the unchurching of the clergy, or an imperfect bible and the clergy in their present false position. Thus it is confessed that the ministry of the present day holds its place by the imperfection of the authorised version. Perfect the translation, and the fall of the ministry follows. But no,-the ministry must be upheld-its false position must not appear-for this end the people must not have a pure translation. What is the chaff to the wheat? What are the people to the ministry? What are the laity to the clergy? The Dr has made his calling and election, but he has not made them, sure. He has shewn their insecurity. He decides for himself and class against the bible and the people. But, 'He that exalts himself shall be abased.' Let the people decide for the bible. So shall God exalt them, give them to know the freedom of the man whom the truth makes free, and, by his Son, acknowledge them as his people, his heritage, his clergy, to the everlasting discomfiture of all who, to maintain their own false ascendency, keep the people in ignorance, and the truth of God concealed. OBITUARY.-Died at Dalkeith, May 7, Eliza Young, wife of John Wilson, in the peace and hope of the gospel, after a protracted illness of upwards of two years, which she bore with patient resignation. She was immersed in Brown Street Meeting-house, Glasgow, in 1844 or 1845, and maintained the profession she then made to the end, and departed in the full hope of the glory of God. Printed by J. Taylor, Edinburgh. J. W. www |