28. “Τ. P.,” Wigan. We have written, more than once, on the subject of eternal punishment, in the pages of “Things New and Old,” and we must refer you to those papers, some of which have been reprinted. We have not read the pamphlet sent by you. Indeed, dear friend, we deem it right to tell you that we never read any books, pamphlets or tracts in which the truth of eternal punishment is denied; or any infidel publication; or any in which the Deity or the perfect humanity of our adorable Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is denied; or such as deny the plenary inspiration of the holy scriptures, given of God in the Hebrew and Greek languages, or any in which the Lord’s dear people or His beloved and honored servants are spoken against. We put all such into the fire, at once, believing it to be the best thing to do with them. We do not feel it to be our business to reply to those books; we leave that for other and abler hands; but we are most fully persuaded that they all emanate directly from the father of lies; and we are not going to read anything of his. Being, by the mercy of God, fully convinced of the truth on all the above subjects, we are determined, by His grace, never to read anything in opposition thereto, but to deal with it in the manner aforesaid; and we make this statement for the information of all whom it may concern, in order that they may spare themselves the trouble and expense of sending us any of the above-named publications.
29. “A. F.,” New Barnes. We believe that Matt. 18:10-14, furnishes the foundation of the precious truth of the salvation of infants. Do you not believe this? Are you not fully persuaded that all who die in infancy are saved? That inasmuch as their little bodies undergo the penalty of Adam’s sin, their precious souls partake of the benefit of Christ’s atonement? Well, if you believe this, why should your heart be troubled as to the destiny of your infant child, in the event of the Lord’s coming? Can you not fully trust that blessed One who, in the days of His flesh, said, with such touching tenderness, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God”? Can your heart entertain, for a moment, the unworthy thought that your gracious Lord, when He comes for His people, could take the mother to be with Himself and leave her babe behind to perish? You ask if we “can tell you of any scripture which shows what becomes of the infant children of believers, when the Lord has taken His church to Himself!” We reply at once, Matt. 18:10-14. “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. “How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in Maven, that one of these little ones should perish.”
Now, dear friend, is not this a precious answer to your question? Is it not divinely calculated to hush all your anxiety in reference to your precious babe, in the event of the Lord’s coming? Will the loving Savior, think you, who uttered these words, ignore them, when He comes for His church? The very thought were blasphemy. Ah! no: beloved, our loving Lord will be fully glorified in receiving to His bosom and taking to his home the infant children of His people, as well as the parents. It is not His will, now, and it cannot be His will, then, that one of these little ones should perish. May your heart find settled rest as to this question, in the eternal truth of God and in the rich and precious grace which shines so brightly and blessedly in Matt. 18:10-14.
30. “ W. Α.,” Faringdon. We cannot insert your article.
31. “J. S.,” Herts. The cup in the Lord’s Supper occupies a position far too elevated to be, in the very smallest degree, affected by the question of teetotalism.
32. “J. W.,” London. To say that “I cannot help sinning,” is to deny the very foundations of Christianity. To say that I cannot sin is a deceit and a delusion. To say that I need not sin, is to state a holy christian privilege. The rendering of Gal. 5:17, in our Authorized Version, is not very felicitous. It should be “That ye should not do those things which ye desire.”
33. “W. W.,” W. In the painful case which you name, we do not believe it to be the right thing for a son to “try and manage a reunion” between the father and mother. If the husband wishes to come back, the wife should receive him. This, we think, is clearly involved in 1 Cor. 7:13. “The woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.” If he wishes to come back, it is tantamount to being pleased to dwell with her and if she be told “not to leave him,” it is tantamount to being told to receive him. At least, so we judge. It may be the Lord is about to bring the husband to Himself; and if so, it would be very sad if a christian wife should prove a stumbling-block, by failing in grace. No doubt, he has signally failed in his duty as a husband, in the act of leaving his wife, even were there nothing more serious; but if he really desires—apart from any management or any influence brought to bear upon him—to come back, we cannot but judge it to be the duty of a Christian wife to receive him, and to seek, “by her chaste conversation coupled with fear,” to win him for Christ. Should she refuse, and that lie should then be driven away into sin or hardness of heart, she could never forgive herself.
34. “E. D.,” Lymington. 1 Cor. 14:34 has no reference whatever to a woman’s singing in the assembly. The apostle does not say, “It is not permitted unto them to sing” but “to speak.” To apply the passage to singing is simply absurd.
35. “R. C,” Plymouth. The marginal reading of Eph. 6:19, is rather more correct than the text. Our conflict is with the spiritual power of wickedness in the heavenlies. Israel’s conflict was with flesh and blood in earthly places; ours is with spiritual powers in heavenly places. The expression “high places” has no such reference as you suggest.
36. “E. J.,” Ventnor. Would you like the Lord to come and find you in a skating rink? Can you ask God’s blessing on your going to such a place? Can you go to the glory of God? Do you think your Lord would be found in such a place? The next time your “fellow believer” asks you to go, just ask him or her the foregoing questions.
37. “R. W.,” Heckmondwike. We could not think of forming, much less of giving, a judgment in any case without having all the facts fully and clearly before us. Ignorance of a single fact might render the judgment not only worthless, but false, inasmuch as that one fact might so materially affect all the other facts as to alter their bearing completely and so reverse the judgment.
38. “Ε. B.,” Brighton. We beg to tender you our hearty thanks for your very kind and encouraging letter. Accept 1 Pet. 5:10.
39. “B. L.,” Lower Norwood. Your narrative has come to hand. We can only say, “What hath God wrought!” His Name be praised!
40. “Ε. P. B.,” London. Scripture is totally silent on the point. We should never think of raising such a question.