Things New and Old: Volume 13

“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Rom. 5:10.

If ever there was a moment in the which it was important to set forth the great foundation truths of Christianity, it is just now. The enemy is seeking, by every means in His power, to loosen the foundations of our faith—to weaken the authority of holy scripture over the heart and conscience—to introduce, in the most specious and fascinating forms, deadly error, in order to draw away the soul from Christ and His word.

It may, perhaps, be said, “This is an old story.” No doubt; it is as old as the second epistle to Timothy: second epistle of Peter, and Jude. But it is a new story also; and while we do not feel it to be our work, as the conductors of “Things New and Old,” to grapple, in a controversial way, with popular errors and evils, we do believe it to be our sacred duty to set forth and maintain constantly those grand, solid, fundamental truths which are our only safeguard against every form of doctrinal error and moral pravity.

Hence it is that we feel called upon, at the opening of our Volume for 1870, to draw the attention of our readers to that very weighty passage which stands at the head of this paper. It is one of the fullest and most comprehensive statements of foundation doctrine to be found within the compass of the Volume of God. Let us meditate for a little upon it.

In examining the context in which this passage stands, we find four distinct terms by which the inspired writer sets forth the condition of man, in his unconverted state. He speaks of him as “without strength.” This is what we may call a negative term. Man is utterly powerless, wholly incapable of doing aught toward his own deliverance. He had been tried in every possible way. God had tested him and proved him, and found him absolutely good for nothing. When placed in Eden, in the midst of the ten thousand delights which a beneficent Creator had poured around him, he believed the devil’s lie rather than the truth of God. (Genesis hi.) When driven out of Eden, we see him pursuing a career of evil—“evil only”—evil continually—until the judgment of God falls upon the whole race, with one solitary exception—Noah and his family. (Gen. 6-8.) Further, when in the restored earth man is entrusted with the sword of government, he gets drunk and exposes himself to contempt in the very presence of his sons. When entrusted with the holy office of the priesthood, he offers strange fire. (Lev. 5) When entrusted with the high office of king, and enriched with untold wealth, he marries strange wives and worships the idols of the heathen. 2 Chron. 11.

Thus, wherever we trace man—the human race, we see nothing but the most humiliating failure. Man is proved to be good for nothing—“without strength.”

But there is more than this. Man is “ungodly.” He is not only powerless as to all that is holy and good, but also without one single moral or spiritual link with the living and true God. Examine the unrenewed heart, from its center to its circumference, and you will not find so much m one true thought about God, or one right affection toward God. There may be a great deal that is amiable and attractive in the way of nature—much that is morally lovely in the eyes of men—many social virtues, and excellent qualities. Human nature, even in its ruins, may exhibit much of all these; just as the visible creation—this earth on which we live—displays, spite of its ruined and groaning condition, many splendid traces of the master hand that formed it.

All this is perfectly true, and perfectly obvious; and moreover, it must ever be taken into account, in dealing with the great question of man’s standing and condition. There is an ultra way of speaking of the sinner’s state which is much more likely to stumble and perplex the mind than to convict the conscience or break the heart. This should be carefully avoided. We should ever take account of all that is really good in human nature. If we look at the case of the rich young ruler, in Mark 10, we must see that the Lord recognized something lovable in him, for we read that “Jesus beholding him, loved him,” though we have no warrant whatever to suppose that there was aught of divine work in his soul, seeing that he turned his back upon Christ, and preferred the world to Him. But there was evidently something most attractive in this young man—something very different indeed from those gross, coarse, and degraded forms in which human nature ofttimes clothes itself.

Now, we cannot but judge that the man who, in writing or discoursing upon the sinner’s moral and spiritual state, would ignore or lose sight of those moral and social distinctions, docs positive damage to the cause of truth, and neutralizes the very object which we must believe he has in view. If, for example, we approach an amiable, upright, frank, and honorable person, and, in a sweeping manner, reduce him to a dead level, or place him in the same category with a crooked, cross-grained, scheming, dishonest, contemptible character, we only drive him away in irritation and disgust. Whereas, on the other hand, if we recognize whatever is really good; if we allow—as scripture most surely does—a sufficient margin in which to set down all that is morally and socially excellent even in fallen humanity, we are, to speak after the manner of men, much more likely to gain our end, than by injudiciously ignoring those distinctions, which, inasmuch as they clearly exist, it is the height of folly to deny. Still, it holds good—and let the reader solemnly consider the weighty fact—that man—the very best, the very fairest specimen—is “without strength,” and “ungodly.” Nor is this all. The apostle does not rest in mere negatives. He not only tells us what man is not, but he goes on to tell us what he is. He gives us both sides of this great question. He not only declares that, “When we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” but he adds that, “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Here, then, we have the positive activity of evil—the actual energy of self-will. For, be it remembered, sin is doing our own will, in whatever line that will may travel, whatever form it may assume. It may present itself to our view in the shape of the grossest moral pravity, or it may array itself in the garb of a cultivated and refined taste; but it is self-will all the while, and self-will is sin. It may be only like the acorn—the mere seed; but the acorn contains the wide spreading oak. Thus the heart of the newly born infant is a little seed-plot in which may be found the germ of every sin that ever was committed in this world. True, each seed may not germinate or bring forth fruit; but the seed is there, and only needs circumstances or influences to unfold it. If anyone be kept from gross outward sins, it is not owing to a better nature, but simply to the fact of his surroundings. All men are sinners. All by nature do their own will. This stamps their character. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” From the days of fallen Adam to this moment—well-nigh six thousand years, there has been but one solitary exception to this solemn and terrible rule—only One who never sinned—never did His own will, and that is the blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who, though God over all blessed forever, yet, having become a man, He surrendered His own will completely, and did ever and only the things that pleased His Father. From the manger to the cross, He was ruled, in all things, by the will and the glory of God. He was the only perfect spotless man that ever trod this sin-stained earth—the only fair untainted sheaf that ever appeared in the field of this world— “the man Christ Jesus,” who died for us “sinners”—“suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.”

What marvelous grace! what soul-subduing love! what amazing mercy! Oh! how it should melt these hearts of ours! Think, dear reader—think deeply of this love, this grace, this mercy. Dwell upon it until thy whole soul is absorbed in the contemplation of it. We are painfully insensible and indifferent. Indeed, there is nothing more humbling than our culpable, our shameful indifference to a Savior’s love. We seem content to take salvation as the result of His cross and passion—His agony and grief—His ineffable sorrow, while, at the same time, our hearts are cold and indifferent to Him. He left the bright heavens, and came down into this dark and sinful world for us. He went down into the gloomy depths of death and the grave. He endured the hiding of God’s countenance, which involved more intense anguish to His precious soul than all that men and devils, earth and hell could do—He sank in deep waters, and went down into the horrible pit and into the miry clay—all this He did for us “sinners,” when we were “ungodly,” and “without strength;” and yet how little we think of it! How little we dwell upon it! How little we are moved by the record of it!

The remembrance of this should humble us in the dust, before our precious Savior-God. The hardness of our hearts in the presence of the profound mystery of the cross and passion of our Lord Christ is, if possible, a more signal and striking proof of our depravity than the sins for which He died.

But we have rather anticipated what may yet come before us in the further unfolding of our subject; and we shall close this paper with a brief reference to the fourth term by which the apostle sets forth our condition in nature. This is contained in the verse which forms our present thesis: “We were enemies.” What a thought! We were not merely powerless, godless, sinful; but actually hostile—in a state of positive enmity against God.

Nothing can possibly exceed this. To be the enemy of God gives the most appalling idea we can possibly have of a sinner’s state. And yet such is the actual condition of the unconverted reader of these lines. He is an enemy of God. He may be amiable, polite, attractive, refined, cultivated, educated, moral, and even outwardly religious. He may occupy the very highest platform of religious profession—be a church member—a regular communicant—a worker in the vineyard—a Sunday school teacher—a preacher—a minister, and all the while an enemy of God.

How awful the thought! Oh! beloved reader, do pause and consider, we beseech thee. Give this solemn question your undivided attention, just now. Do not put it aside. We appeal to thee, with all earnestness, as in the presence of Almighty God, of His Son Jesus Christ, and of the Eternal Spirit. We adjure thee, by the value of thy immortal soul, by the dread reality of the judgment seat of Christ, by all the horrors of that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, by the worm that never dies, by the awful fact of eternity—an eternity in the gloomy shades of hell—by the unutterable agony of being separated forever from God, from Christ, and from all that is pure and lovely—by the combined force of all these arguments, we do earnestly and affectionately beseech thee to flee, this moment, to the Savior who stands with open arms and loving heart to receive thee. Come to Jesus! Come, now! Come, just as thou art! Only trust Him, and thou art safe—safe forever—safe as He.

(To be continued, if the Lord will.)

Work of Evangelization: Seventh Letter to a Friend

December, 1869.

Dearest A—,

Through want of space, I was obliged to close my last letter without even touching upon the subject of the Sunday School; and, although it involves my extending this series of letters into another year, I must devote a page or two to a branch of work which has occupied a very large place in my heart for thirty years. I should deem my series incomplete were this subject left untouched.

Some may question how far the Sunday School can be viewed as an integral part of the work of evangelization. I can only say it is mainly in this light I regard it. I look upon it as one great and most interesting branch of gospel work. The superintendent of the Sunday School, and the teacher of the Sunday School class are workers in the wide gospel field, just as distinctly as the evangelist or preacher of the gospel.

I am fully aware that a Sunday School differs materially from an ordinary gospel preaching. It is not convened in the same way, or conducted in the same manner. There is, if I may so express myself, a union of the parent, the teacher, and the evangelist in the person of the Sunday School worker. For the time being, he takes the place of the parent—he seeks to do the duty of a teacher; but he aims at the object of the evangelist—that priceless object, the salvation of the souls of the precious little ones committed to his charge. As to the mode in which he gains his and—as to the details of his work—as to the varied agencies which he may bring to bear, he alone is responsible.

I am aware that exception is taken to the Sunday School on the ground that its tendency is to interfere with parental or domestic training. Now, I must confess, dearest A—, that I cannot see any force whatever in this objection. The true object of the Sunday School is not to supersede parental training, but to help it where it exists, or to supply its lack where it does not exist. There are, as you and I well know, hundreds of thousands of dear children who have no parental training at all. Thousands have no parents, and thousands more have parents who are far worse than none. Look at the multitudes that throng the lanes, alleys, and courtyards of our large cities and towns, who seem hardly a degree above mere animal existence—yea, many of them like little incarnate demons. Look at the myriads who pour forth from our mills and factories, sent thither before they know their alphabet, that they may earn money for their parents, who, alas! too often spend their children’s earnings as well as their own in the gin shop.

“Who can think upon all these precious souls without wishing a hearty God speed to all true Sunday School workers, and earnestly longing for more thorough earnestness and energy in that most blessed work?

I say, “true Sunday School workers,” because I fear that many engage in the work who are not true, not real, not fit. Many, I fear, take it up as a little bit of fashionable religious work suited to the younger members of religious communities. Many, too, view it as a kind of set off to a week of self-indulgence, folly, and worldliness. All such persons are an actual hindrance rather than a help to the sacred service.

Then again, there are many who sincerely love Christ, and long to serve Him in the Sunday School, but who are not really fitted for the work. They are deficient in, tact, energy, order, and rule. They lack that power to adapt themselves to the children, and to engage their young hearts, which is so essential to the Sunday School worker. It is a great mistake to suppose that everyone who stands idle in the market place is fit to turn into this particular branch of christian labor. On the contrary, it needs a person thoroughly fitted of God for it; and if it be asked, “How are we ever to be supplied with suited agents for this branch of evangelistic service?” I reply, Just in the same way as you are to be supplied in any other department—by earnest, persevering, believing prayer. I am most thoroughly persuaded that if Christians were more stirred up by God’s Spirit, to feel the importance of the Sunday School—if they could only seize the idea that it is, like the tract depot and the preaching, part and parcel of that most glorious work to which we are called, in these closing days of Christendom’s history—if they were more permeated by the idea of the evangelistic nature and object of Sunday School work, they would be more instant and earnest in prayer, both in the closet and in the public assembly, that the Lord would raise up in our midst a band of earnest, devoted, whole-hearted, Sunday School workers.

This is the lack, dearest A—, and may God, in His abounding mercy, supply it! He is able, and surely He is willing. But then He will be waited on, and inquired of; and “He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” I think we have much cause for thankfulness and praise for what has been done in the way of Sunday Schools, during the last few years. I well remember the time when many of our friends seemed to overlook this’ branch of work altogether. Even now, many treat it with indifference, thus weakening the hands and discouraging the hearts of those engaged in it.

But I shall not dwell upon this, inasmuch as my theme is the Sunday School, and not those who neglect or oppose it. I bless God for what I see in the way of encouragement. I have often been exceedingly refreshed and delighted by seeing some of our very oldest friends rising from the table of their Lord, and proceeding to arrange the benches on which the dear little ones were soon to be ranged to hear the sweet story of a Savior’s love. And what could be more lovely, more touching, or more morally suited, than for those who had just been remembering the Savior’s dying love to seek, even by the arrangement of the benches, to carry out His living words, “Suffer the little children to come unto me?”

There is very much I should like to add as to the mode of working the Sunday School; but perhaps it is just as well that each worker should be wholly cast upon the living God for counsel and help as to details. We must ever remember that the Sunday School, like the tract depot, and the preaching, is entirely a work of individual responsibility. This is a grand point, and where it is fully understood, and where there is real earnestness of heart, and singleness of eye, I believe there will be no great difficulty as to the particular mode of working. A large heart, and a fixed purpose to carry on the great work, and fulfill the glorious mission committed to us, will effectually deliver us from the withering influence of crotchets and prejudices—those miserable obstructions to all that is lovely and of good report.

May God pour out His blessing on all Sunday Schools, upon the pupils, the teachers, and the superintendents! May He also bless all who are engaged, in any way, in the instruction of the young! May He cheer and refresh their spirits by giving them to reap many golden sheaves in their own special corner of the one great and glorious gospel field!

Ever believe me, dearest A—,

Your deeply affectionate

Short Papers on Church History

Having briefly sketched the lives of the twelve apostles, we naturally come to what may be called the thirteenth—

THE APOSTLE PAUL.

In a former paper we have spoken of the “conversion,” and of the “apostleship” of Paul. We will now endeavor to trace his wonderful path, and note some of the prominent features of his labors. But first of all we would gather up what we know of him before his conversion.

It is very evident, from the few hints that we have in the sacred narrative of the early life of Paul, that he was formed in a remarkable manner by the whole course of his education, for what he was to become, and for what he was to accomplish. This was of God, who watched over the development of that wonderful mind and heart, from the earliest period. (Gal. 1:16.) Then he was known as “Saul of Tarsus”—Saul was his Jewish name—the name given him by his Jewish parents. Paul was his Gentile name; but we will speak of him as “Saul” until he is named “Paul” by the sacred historian.

Tarsus was the capital of Cilicia, and, as Paul says, “no mean city.” It was renowned as a place of commerce, and as a seat of literature. The tutors of both Augustus and Tiberius were men of Tarsus. But it will be chiefly famous to all time as the birth-place and early residence of the great apostle.

But, though born in a Gentile city, he was “an Hebrew of the Hebrews.” His father was of the tribe of Benjamin, and of the sect of the Pharisees, but settled at Tarsus. By some means he had acquired the Roman franchise, as his son could say to the chief captain, “But I was free born.” At Tarsus he learned the trade of tent making. It was a wholesome custom among the Jews, to teach every child some trade though there might be little prospect of his depending upon it for his living.

When Paul made his defense before his countrymen, (Acts 22) he tells them, that though born in Tarsus, he had been brought up “at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers.” History speaks of Gamaliel as one of the most eminent of the doctors of the law; and from the scriptures we learn, that he was moderate in his opinions, and possessed of much worldly wisdom. But the persecuting zeal of the pupil soon appears in strong contrast with the master’s counsels for toleration.

At the time of Stephen’s martyrdom, Saul is spoken of as yet a young man, but as consenting to Stephen’s death, and as keeping the clothes of them that stoned him. His conversion is supposed to have taken place about two years after the crucifixion; but the exact date is unknown.

From Acts 9 we learn, that he made no delay, after his conversion, in confessing his faith in Christ to those that were around him. “Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus: and straightway he preached Christ in the synagogue that he is the Son of God.” This new testimony is specially worthy of notice. Peter had proclaimed Him as the exalted Lord and Christ: Paul proclaims Him in His higher and personal glory, as the Son of God. But the time for his pubic ministry had not yet come; he had many things to learn, and, led of the Spirit, he retires into Arabia; remains there for three years, and returns to Damascus. Gal. 1:17.

Strengthened and confirmed in the faith during his retirement, he preaches with increased boldness, proving that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. The Jews, his unrelenting enemies, henceforward, are stirred up against him. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. (2 Cor. 11:32, 33.) He then found his way to Jerusalem; and through the friendly testimony of Barnabas, he found his place among the disciples. Wonderful, blessed triumph of sovereign grace!

Saul’s first visit to Jerusalem about A.D. 39.

The apostle is now at Jerusalem—the holy city of his fathers—the metropolis of the Jews’ religion, and the acknowledged center of Christianity. But how changed his own position since he started on his memorable journey to Damascus!

We may here pause for a moment, and notice in passing the hoary city of Damascus. It is intimately connected with the conversion, ministry, and history of our apostle. Besides, it is conspicuous all through scripture.

Damascus, is supposed to be the oldest city in the world. According to Josephus (Ant. 1:64) it was founded by Uz, the son of Aram, and grandson of Shem. It is first mentioned in scripture in connection with Abraham, whose steward was a native of the place: “The steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus.” (Gen. 15:2.) It is thus a connecting link between the patriarchal age and modern times. Its beauty and richness have been proverbial for full four thousand years. The kings of Nineveh, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Borne, have conquered it, and it has prospered under every dynasty, and outlived them all; but it owes its chief luster and its everlasting memorial to the name of the apostle Paul.

We now return to Jerusalem. After spending fifteen days with Peter and James, and reasoning with the Grecians, the brethren “brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.” (Acts 9:26, 31.) For the moment, the adversary is silenced. Peace reigns, through the goodness of God. Persecution has accomplished the purposes of His grace. The two great elements of blessing—the fear of the Lord, and the comfort of the Holy Ghost, prevail in all the assemblies. Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, they are edified, and their numbers greatly increase.

While Saul was at Tarsus, his native place, the good work of the Lord was making great progress at Antioch. Among those that were scattered abroad through the persecution which arose about Stephen, there were “men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.” (Acts 11:19-21.) A new order of things commences here. Up to this time, the gospel had been preached to “none but unto the Jews only.” When the report of this blessed work of God among the Gentiles reached Jerusalem, Barnabas was sent by the Church on a special mission to Antioch. “When he came, and had seen the grace of God, he was glad and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; and much people was added unto the Lord.”

As the work increased, Barnabas, no doubt, feeling the need of help, thought of Saul; and, led of the Lord, he departed at once in search of him. Having found him, he brought him to Antioch; and there they labored together for a “whole year,” both in the assemblies of believers, and among the people. Barnabas still takes the lead. Hence we read of “Barnabas and Saul.” Afterward the order changes, and we read of “Paul and Barnabas.”

An opportunity soon occurred for the young converts at Antioch to show their affection for their brethren at Jerusalem. A prophet, “named Agabus, signified by the Spirit that there should be a great dearth throughout all the world; which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt at Judea; which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.”

Saul’s second visit to Jerusalem, About A.D. 44.

Charged with this service Barnabas and Saul go up to Jerusalem. As yet, Jerusalem is owned as the center of the work, though now rapidly extending to the Gentiles. But union is preserved, and the link with the metropolis is strengthened by means of the collection now sent. Nevertheless, a new center, a new commission, a new character of power, in connection with the history of the Church, now come before us. Barnabas and Saul having fulfilled their ministry, they return again to Antioch, bringing with them John, whose surname is Mark.

Acts 13 opens up before us an entirely new order of things in connection with apostolic work, and we shall do well to mark the mighty change. The great fact here to be noted is, the place that the Holy Ghost takes in calling out and sending forth Barnabas and Saul. It is no longer Christ upon earth by His personal authority sending forth apostles; but, the Holy Ghost. “Separate unto me,” He says, “Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them......so they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.” Not, of course, that there could be any change as to the authority or power of either the Lord or the Spirit, but their mode of action was now changed. The Holy Ghost on earth, in connection with a glorified Christ in heaven, now becomes the source and power of the work that opens before us, and which is committed to Barnabas and Saul. Hence we now come to

Paul’s first missionary journey, About A.D. 48.

And here, further remark, before setting out with the apostles on their journey, how changed everything is. They start, observe, not from the old center, Jerusalem, but from Antioch, a city of the Gentiles. This is significant. Jerusalem and the twelve have lost position, as to outward authority and power. The Holy Ghost calls Barnabas and Saul to the work, fits them for it, and sends them forth, without the jurisdiction of the twelve.

It will not be expected, that in papers of such a brief character, we can notice the many incidents in Paul’s journeys. The reader will find them in the Acts and in the Epistles. We propose merely to trace their outline; and to give prominence to certain landmarks, by which the reader will be able to trace for himself the various journeyings of the greatest apostle—the greatest missionary—the greatest laborer that ever lived—the blessed Lord excepted. But in the first place, we would notice his companions and their starting point.

Barnabas has been for some time the close companion of Saul. He was a Levite of the island of Cyprus. He had been early called to follow Christ, and “having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” Comparing his liberality with the fine testimony which the Holy Ghost renders to him, he stands before us as a lovely—an exquisite character. And, from his early attachment to Paul, and from his heartiness in introducing him to the other apostles, we judge that he was more frank and larger-hearted, than those who had been trained in the narrowness of Judaism; but, he lacked in service the thoroughness and determination of his companion Saul.

John Mark was nearly related to Barnabas—“his sister’s son.” (Col. 4:10.) His mother was a certain Mary who dwelt at Jerusalem, and whose house seems to have been a meeting place for the apostles and first Christians. When Peter was delivered from prison, he went straight to the house of Mary the mother of John whose surname was Mark. (Acts 12) It is supposed that on this occasion he was converted through Peter’s means, as he afterward speaks of him as “Marcus my son.” 1 Pet. 5:13.

From these notices we learn, that he was neither an apostle nor one of the seventy—that he had not companied with the blessed Lord during His public ministry. But we may suppose he was anxious to work for Christ, and so joined Barnabas and Saul; though it afterward appeared that his faith was not equal to the hardships of a missionary life. “Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.” (Acts 13:13.) He is supposed to have written his gospel about A.D. 63.

Antioch, the ancient capital of the Seleucidae, was founded by Seleucus Nicator, about B.C. 300. Antioch was only second to Jerusalem in the early history of the Church. What Jerusalem had hitherto been to the Jews, Antioch now became to the Gentiles. It was a central point. From this time it occupied a most important; place in the propagation of Christianity among the heathen. Here the first Gentile church was planted. (Acts 11:20, 21.) Here the disciples of Christ were first called Christians. (Chap. 11:26.) And here our apostle commenced his public ministerial work.

We now return to the mission.

Barnabas and Saul, with John Mark as their ministering servant, are thus sent forth by the Holy Ghost. The Jews, in virtue of their connection with the promises, have the gospel first preached to them; but the conversion of Sergius Paulus marks, in a special manner, the beginning of the work amongst the Gentiles. It also marks a crisis in the history of the apostle. Here his name is changed from Saul to Paul; and now it is no longer “Barnabas and Saul,” but “Paul and his company.” He takes the lead; the others are only those who are with Paul. But the scene has also a typical character.

The proconsul was evidently a thoughtful, prudent man, and felt the need of his soul. He sends for Barnabas and Saul, and desires to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer withstands them. He knew well, that if the governor received the truth that Paul preached, he would lose his influence at court. He therefore seeks to turn away the deputy from the faith. But Paul, in the conscious dignity and power of the Holy Ghost, “set his eyes on him,” and, in words of the most withering indignation, rebuked him in the presence of the governor. “Ο full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season......then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.” The mighty power of God accompanies the word of His servant, and the sentence pronounced is executed at the moment. The deputy is overwhelmed with the moral glory of the scene, and submits to the gospel.

“I do not doubt,” says one, “that in this wretched Bar-Jesus we see a picture of the Jews at the present time, smitten with blindness for a season, because jealous of the influence of the gospel. In order to fill up the measure of their iniquity, they withstood its being preached to the Gentiles. Their condition is judged—opposed to grace, and seeking to destroy its effect upon the Gentiles—they have been smitten with blindness; nevertheless, only for a season.”

During this first mission among the Gentiles, a great and blessed work was done. Compare Acts 13; 14. Many places were visited, churches were planted, elders were appointed, the hostility of the Jews manifested, and the energy of the Holy Ghost displayed in the power and progress of the truth. At Lystra, Christianity was confronted, for the first time, with paganism; but in every place the gospel triumphs, and the various gifts of Paid as a workman, most blessedly appear. Whether in addressing the Jews who knew the scriptures, or ignorant barbarians, or cultivated Greeks, or enraged mobs, he proves himself to be a chosen vessel divinely fitted for his great work.

Antioch in Pisidia deserves a special notice from what took place in the synagogue. Though there is a strong resemblance in Paul’s discourse to those of Peter and of Stephen in the earlier chapters of the Acts, yet we discover certain touches strictly Pauline in their character. His conciliatory style of address—the way he introduces Christ, and his bold proclamation of justification by faith alone, may be considered as typical of his after addresses and epistles. None of the sacred writers speak of justification by faith as Paul does. His closing appeal has been a favorite gospel text with all preachers in all ages. In a few words he states the blessedness of all who receive Christ; and the awful doom of those who reject Him. Thereby proving that there can be no middle, or neutral ground, when Christ is in question. “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets: Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in nowise believe, though a man declare it unto you.” Acts 13:38-41.

Their mission being fulfilled, they return to Antioch in Syria. When the disciples heard what the Lord had done, and that the door of faith was opened to the Gentiles, they could only praise and bless His holy name. We must now turn for a moment to Jerusalem.

The effect of Paul’s first mission on the disciples at Jerusalem led to a great crisis hi the history of the Church. The jealousy of the pharisaic mind was so aroused, that a division between Jerusalem and Antioch was threatened at that early period of the Church’s history. But God ruled in grace, and the matter as to Antioch was happily settled. But the bigotry of the believing Jews was unquenchable. In the Church at Jerusalem, they still connected with Christianity the requirements of the law, and these requirements they sought to impose on the believing Gentiles.

Some of the more strictly Jewish minded Christians came down to Antioch, and assured the Gentiles, that unless they were circumcised after the manner of Moses, and kept the law, they could not be saved. Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them; but as it was too weighty a question to be settled by the apostolic authority of Paul, or by a resolution of the Church at Antioch, it was agreed that a deputation should go up to Jerusalem, and lay the matter before the apostles and elders there. The choice naturally fell on Paul and Barnabas, as they had been the most active in the propagation of Christianity among the Gentiles.

The Well Is Deep

“The well is deep.”

Look back into the purposes of God,

And scan Eternity. Trace to their source

His wisdom and His power. Fathom, if thou canst,

His everlasting mercy. Should thy brain

Grow dizzy, and refuse to sound such depths,

Confess thy feebleness, and meekly say—

“The well is deep.”

“The well is deep.” Take for thy longest line

The cords of vanity—the rope of sins

Unnumbered. Choose then the heaviest weight;

Take thee thine own poor hardened heart of stone:

Now plumb the depths of God’s unbounded love.

Thy lead seems light—thy lengthened line run out—

E’en with such instruments thou hast but plunged

Beneath the surface of the tide. Below,

Far, far below, in depths unfathomable,

Springs undisturbed, the ceaseless flow of love,

Embosomed in eternity. Here rest,

And humbly bend the knee, and own again,

“The well is deep.”

“The well is deep.” Mark now the wounded side

Of Him who hung upon the tree. Haste thee

To hide within that cleft; and, as the springs

Of living waters from the riven rock

Gush freely forth, ponder the depths of woe

From whence they rise. Behold that broken heart!

Drink! stranger, drink! and quench thy thirsty soul,

From out of depths which ceaselessly abound.

The more thy need, the fuller still the fount;

The more thy thirst, the deeper still the spring;

No sealed fountain this; no spring shut up;

But, flowing forth to every child of want,

It cries, Come unto me and drink—invites

The heavy-laden to repose—cleanses

Whilst giving life, and gladdens whilst it heals.

The thoughtless sinner, who, at Jacob’s well,

Tasted the living waters fresh from God,

Has yet to learn, through all eternity,

The truth of words she ignorantly speaks

Touching Samaria’s failing earthly spring:

“The well is deep.”

Correspondence

1. “G. G.,” Wincanton. Accept our best thanks for the lines.

2. “A Sinner Saved,” Chelsea. If you could procure a little pamphlet entitled, “A Scriptural Inquiry into the true nature of the Sabbath, the Law, and the Christian Ministry,” it might help you. It is to be had of our Publisher, or Broom, Paternoster Bow.

3. “Lillie.” 1 John 5:18 refers to the divine nature in the believer which Satan cannot touch. See also chap, 3:9. Your second question is entirely out of our line. You had better speak lovingly to the persons who act so inconsistently. We do not quite like the idea of having our little serial turned into a long whip to chastise all sorts of wrong doers.

4. “J. Μ. Ο,” Bath. We trust that no “hurry of editorship” shall ever lead us to pen a single sentence which we have not weighed in the presence of God. We are aware that many of our friends differ from our view of Matt. 28:19: but, notwithstanding that, we are convinced that we have in that passage the proper formulary to be used in christian baptism.

5. “J. M.,” Taunton. Accept our thanks for the sweet lines you have so kindly sent us. They breathe a spirit which we long to cultivate.

6. “Β. A. M.,” London. We most assuredly judge spirit-rapping to be a positive work of the devil. As to people receiving replies from departed friends, we believe it to be the direct agency of wicked spirits, who are allowed of God, in His judicial dealings, to deceive those whose hearts are turned away from the teaching and authority of His word, and the ministry of His Holy Spirit. Luke 16:26 teaches us that none of those who die in their sins can come back; and as to those who sleep in Jesus, the teaching of the entire New Testament goes to prove that they would not come back to this earth to communicate with those who, not content with God’s word and Spirit, turn to devils in order to hear things which God never intended them to know. In short, we believe the whole thing to be an awful delusion and deceit of the devil; and we would most solemnly warn our readers to have nothing whatever to do with it. We cannot believe that any one, having the fear of God in his heart, could have aught to do with such downright wickedness. It stands on the same platform with witchcraft, traffic with familiar spirits, and the heathen oracles. Let Christians beware how they tamper with the works of Satan!

7. “Β. K.,” Gort. You surely do not suppose that we would insert in our pages aught which we did not deem genuine. The narrative of “The Infidel and his Board” was sent to us in print; and, regarding it as a most striking illustration of the over-ruling grace of God, we gave it a place in our pages. What reason could we have to doubt the genuineness of a document bearing on its title page the name of a respectable publisher?

8. “C. Y.” We have always viewed the scene to which you refer, in John 20, as illustrating the calm victory of the Prince of Life over the power of death.

9. “J. G.,” Omagh. Most assuredly a believer can sin. That which is born of God, the new nature, cannot sin; but the flesh in a believer, the old nature, is as bad as ever, and if not judged and subdued by the power of the Spirit, may show itself in various ways, and cut out very sorrowful and humbling work for us. “If we [believers] say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” And again, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and Ids word is not in us.” (1 John.) If we were not liable to fail, what need would there be of a priest or advocate?

10. “D. H. C,” London. “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” We would most solemnly warn you and the “other Young Person” to beware of taking a step involving dishonor to your Lord, and much sorrow and trial to yourselves. May God keep you!

11. “Alpha,” O. Thanks for your letter and lines. The latter contain very precious truths; but it would be impossible for us to find space for the hundredth part of the poetry sent to us. We do not say this to discourage you, dear friend, but simply to account for the non-appearance of your lines.

12. “Rebecca.” We deeply sympathize with you in the matter which you have laid before us. We would encourage you to give yourself to earnest and persevering prayer for this precious soul. Do not be discouraged. Wait on the living God. He will hear and answer. May He bless and sustain you!

13. “W. C. E.,” Chelsea. You are suffering from intense self-occupation. Look off unto Jesus. Take God at His word. You must believe before you can feel. God’s word is the basis of faith, and faith is the basis of feeling. You are reversing this order. Hence your misery. May God visit you with the blessed sunlight of His salvation! To Him we commend you, in much real interest and christian affection.

14. “Inquirer,” Cork. In 1 Pet. 5:2, and, indeed, in the entire epistle, the Christian is viewed as passing through this world, under the government of God, and subject to the same trials and afflictions as his fellow men. It is important to seize this feature of the two epistles of Peter.

15. “E. J. M.,” Belfast. The expression to which you call our attention in the tract entitled “Inside the Veil,” &c, refers, of course, only to Christians after the descent of the Holy Ghost, consequent upon accomplished redemption.

16. “D. W.,” Derry. Your answer to your friend is perfectly correct. May God bless it to her soul! Give yourself, more and more, to prayer and the diligent study of the holy scriptures. Thus you will grow in grace and knowledge. The Lord Himself be with you!

17. “Devonshire.” The terms “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” are not always synonymous, though sometimes they are. Take, for example, Rom. 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Now, we can easily see that “kingdom of heaven” would not do here. This latter is a great dispensational term, applying to the time during which the King is rejected, and the kingdom, in consequence, in mystery instead of in manifestation. The term “kingdom of God” is sometimes applied in the same way. (See Mark 4:30; Luke 8:10.) But, beside this, it has a moral and personal application which distinguishes it from the phrase, “kingdom of heaven,” which latter, we may add, is peculiar to Matthew. Accept our warmest thanks for your most kind and interesting letter. Its tone and spirit are grateful and refreshing—peculiarly so in a day like the present. May God bless you very abundantly!

18. “G. Α.,” London. We must beg of you to excuse our not entering upon your question; it is entirely out of our line. If you could procure a little pamphlet entitled, “A Scriptural Inquiry into the true nature of the Sabbath, the Law, and the Christian Ministry,” it may help you. It can be had of our Publisher.

Reconciled and Saved: Part 2

We have, in a former volume of “Things New and Old,” called the attention of our readers to the important distinction between atonement and reconciliation. They are often confounded through lack of attention to the precise terms of holy scripture. The fact is, they are perfectly distinct, though intimately connected—distinct, as the foundation is from the building—connected, as the building is with the foundation. Atonement is the base on which reconciliation rests. Without atonement, there could not possibly be any reconciliation; but reconciliation is not atonement. The reader will do well to weigh this matter thoroughly, in the light of inspiration. It is most needful for all Christians to be clear and sound in their thoughts on divine subjects, and accurate in their way of stating them. It will invariably be found that the more spiritual any one is, the closer he will keep to the veritable language of scripture in putting forth foundation truth. Unfortunately, our most excellent Authorized Version does not help the English reader on the score of accuracy in this matter, inasmuch as we find in Rom. 5:11 The word “atonement” where it ought to be “reconciliation;” and, on the other hand, we have, in Heb. 2:17, the word “reconciliation” where it ought to be “atonement,” or “propitiation.” However, the two things are perfectly distinct, and it is of real moment that the distinction should be understood and maintained.

Furthermore, we would remind the reader, that there is no foundation whatsoever in the word of God, for the idea that God needed to be reconciled to us. There is positively no such thought to be found within the covers of the Bible. It was man that needed to be reconciled to God, not God to man. Man was the enemy of God. He was not only, as we have seen, “without strength,” “ungodly,” and “a sinner,” but actually “an enemy.”

Now it is the enemy—the alienated, the estranged one—that needs to be brought back—to be reconciled. This is plain. But God, blessed be His name! was not man’s enemy, but his friend—the Friend of sinners. Such was the blessed Lord Jesus Christ, when on earth. “He went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him.” (Acts 10) It was His delight to do good unto all. He spent His life in doing good to those who, after all, preferred a robber and a murderer to Him, and nailed Him to a cross between two thieves. Thus, whether we look at the life or at the death of Christ, we see, in the clearest and most forcible manner, the enmity of man; the friendship, the kindness, the love of God.

But how is man to be reconciled to God? Momentous question! Let us look well to the answer. The passage of scripture which forms the theme of this article declares, in the most distinct manner, that “We are reconciled to God by the death of his Son.” (Rom. 5:10.) Nothing else could do it. The death of the cross—the atoning death—the vicarious sacrifice—the precious priceless blood of Jesus—is the necessary, the absolutely essential basis of our reconciliation to a sin-hating God. We must state this great truth in the most emphatic and unequivocal manner. Scripture is as clear and definite as possible. In order to our being reconciled to God, sin must be put away, and “without shedding of blood, there is no remission.” Heb. 9:22.

Thus the matter stands, if we are to be taught simply by scripture. No blood-shedding, no remission—no remission, no reconciliation. Such is the divine order, and let men beware how they tamper with it. It is a very serious thing to touch the truth of God; we may rest assured that all who do so will meddle to their own hurt.

We are reconciled to God by the death of His Son. It is not by His incarnation—that is, His taking human nature upon Him. Incarnation could not reconcile us to God, inasmuch as it could not blot out our sins. Incarnation is not atonement. It is well to note this. There is a subtle way of playing upon the word atonement, which consists of a false division of the syllables—as though the word were “atonement;” and this atonement is referred to the incarnation, as though, in that mysterious act, our Lord took our fallen human nature into union with Himself. Against this we solemnly warn the reader. It is fatally false doctrine. It is an effort of the enemy to displace or set aside altogether the atoning death of Christ, with all those grand foundation truths which cluster round that most precious mystery.

Is it that we do not hold, as a cardinal truth, the incarnation of the eternal Son? Nay, it forms the foundation of that great mystery of godliness of which the top stone is a glorified Man on the throne of God. “And, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified hi the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1 Tim. 3:16.) We hold incarnation to be an integral part of the faith of a true Christian, nor could we own as a Christian any one who denied it. But it is one thing to hold a truth, and another thing altogether to displace it. It is a constant effort of Satan, if he cannot get men to reject a truth, to displace it, and in this way he gains some of his greatest apparent triumphs. Thus it is with the essential doctrine of incarnation. Assuredly, the Son of God had to become a man to die; but, then, becoming a man is one thing, and dying upon the cross is another. He might have become a man; He might have lived and labored for three and thirty years on this earth; He might have been baptized in Jordan, and tempted in the wilderness; He might have ascended from the mount of transfiguration to that glory from which He had come, and winch He had with the Father from before all worlds. At any moment, during His blessed life, He might, so far as He was personally concerned, have returned to that heaven whence He had descended. What was there to hinder Him? There was no necessity laid on Him to die, save the necessity of infinite and everlasting love. Death had no claim on Him, inasmuch as He was the sinless, spotless, holy One of God. He had not come under the federal headship of the first man. Had He done so, He would have been under the curse and wrath of God all His days, and that not vicariously, but in virtue of His connection with the first Adam. This were an open and positive blasphemy against His Person. He was the Second Man the Lord from heaven, the only fair untainted grain of human wheat on which the eye of God could rest, and, as such, we repeat, He could, at any point between the manger and the cross, have returned to the bosom of the Father—that dwelling-place of ineffable love.

Let the reader seize, with clearness and power, this great truth. Let him dwell upon it. It is a truth of the very last possible importance. Jesus stood alone in this world. He was alone in the manger; alone in the Jordan; alone in the wilderness; alone on the mount; alone in the garden. All this is in perfect keeping with his own memorable words in John 12: “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” Here is the grand point— “If it die.” Unless He was to return to glory alone, He must die. If He was to have us with Him, He must die. If sins were to be remitted, He must die. If sinners were to be saved, He must die. If a new and living way was to be opened for us into the presence of God, He must die. If the veil was to be rent, He must die. That mysterious curtain remained intact when the blessed One lay in the manger of Bethlehem—and when He was baptized—and when He was anointed—and when He was tempted—and when He was transfigured—and when He was bowed in Gethsemane, sweating great drops of blood—and when He was scourged before Pontius Pilate—through all these stages of His marvelous life, the veil was unrent. There and thus it stood to bar the sinner’s approach to God. Man was shut out from God, and God shut in from man; nor could all the living labors of the eternal Son—His miracles—His precious ministry—His tears, His sighs, His groans, and His prayers—His sore temptations and His untold living sorrows—not any nor all of these could have rent the veil. But the very moment that death was accomplished—we read, “The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.”

Such is the distinct teaching of scripture on this vital question. The death of Christ is the foundation of everything. Is it a question of life? He has given His flesh for the life of the world. Is it a question of pardon? “Without shedding of blood is no remission.” Is it a question of peace? “He made peace by the blood of his cross.” Is it a question of reconciliation? “We are reconciled to God by the death of his Son.” In short, it is through death we get everything—without it, nothing. It is on the ground of death, even the atoning death of Christ, that we are reconciled to God, and united, by the Holy Ghost, to the risen and glorified Head in heaven. All rests on the solid groundwork of accomplished redemption. Sin is put away; the enmity is slain; all barriers are removed; God is glorified; the law magnified; and all this by the death of Christ. “He passed through death’s dark raging flood” to settle everything for us, and lay the imperishable foundation of all, the counsels and purposes of the Holy Trinity.

And, now, a very few words as to the effect of the life of Christ in heaven for us. “If while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Be it carefully noted that this refers to His life after death—His life in resurrection—His life in heaven. Some would teach us that it is His life on earth—His fulfillment of the law in our room and stead. This is flatly contradicted by the very structure of the passage, and by the entire teaching of the New Testament. It is not life before death, but life after death that the apostle speaks of. In short, it is the priestly life of our blessed and adorable Lord, whoever liveth to make intercession for us. It is by this we are saved through all the difficulties and dangers, the snares and temptations of this wilderness world. We, though reconciled to God by the death of Christ, are, nevertheless, in ourselves, poor, feeble, helpless, erring creatures, prone to wander, ever liable to failure and sin, totally unable to get on for a single moment, if not kept by our great High Priest—our blessed Advocate—our Comforter. He keeps us day and night. He never slumbers nor sleeps. He maintains us continually before God in all the integrity of the position in which His death has placed us. It is impossible that our cause can ever fail in such hands. His intercession is all prevailing. “We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” The One who bore our sins in His own body on the tree, now bears our sorrows on His heart upon the throne; and He will come again to bear the government upon His shoulders.

What a Savior! What a Victim! What a Priest! How blessed to have all our affairs in His hand! To be sustained by such a ministry! How precious to know that the One who has reconciled us to God by His death is now alive for us on the throne; and because He lives we shall live also! All praise to His peerless name!

Headship and Lordship

It is deeply interesting, and most profitable, to mark the varied lines of truth laid down in the word of God, and to note how all these lines stand inseparably linked with the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the divine center of all truth; and it is as we keep the eye of faith steadily fixed on Him, that each truth will find its right place in our souls, and exert its due influence and formative power over our course and character. There is in all of us, alas! a tendency to be one-sided—to take up some one particular truth and press it to such a degree as to interfere with the healthy action of some other truth. This is a serious mistake, and it tends to damage the cause of truth, and hinder the growth of our souls. It is by the truth, not some truth we grow; by the truth we are sanctified. But if we don’t take a part of the truth—if our character is molded, and our way shaped by some particular truth, there can be no real growth—no true sanctification. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” (1 Pet. 2:2.) “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” (John 17:17.) It is by the whole truth of God, as contained in the scriptures, that the Holy Ghost forms, and fashions, and leads on the Church collectively, and each individual believer; and we may rest assured that where some special truth is unduly pressed, or some other truth practically ignored, there must be, as a result, a defective character, and an inadequate testimony.

Take, for example, the two great subjects named at the head of this article—“Headship and Lordship.” Is it not important to give each of these truths its due place? Is not Christ Head of His body the Church, as well as Lord of the individual members? And, if so, should not our conduct be ruled, and our character formed, by the spiritual application of the former as well as the latter? Unquestionably. Well, then, if we think of Christ as Head, it leads us into a very distinct and a very practical range of truth. It will not interfere with the truth of His Lordship; but it will tend to keep the soul well balanced, which is so needful in days like the present. If we think only of Christ as Lord of His servants, individually, we shall entirely lose the sense of our relationship one to another, as members of that one body of which He is the Head, and thus we shall be drawn away into mere independency, acting without the slightest reference to our fellow members. We shall, to use a figure, become like the hairs of an electrified broom, each standing out in his own intense individuality, and practically disowning all vital connection with our brethren.

But. on the other hand, when the truth of Christ’s Headship gets its proper place in our souls—when we know and believe that “there is one body,” and that we are members one of another; then—while we most fully own that each one of us, in our individual path and service, is responsible to the “one Lord”—it will follow as a grand practical result that our walk and ways are affecting every member of the body of Christ on earth. “If one member suffer, all the members suffer with it.” We can no longer view ourselves as independent isolated atoms, seeing we are incorporated as members of “one body” by “one Spirit,” and thus linked with the “one Head,” in heaven.

This great doctrine is clearly and fully unfolded in Rom. 12:3-8, and 1 Cor. 12 to which we beg the reader’s serious attention. And, be it remembered, that this truth of Christ’s Headship and our membership, is not a thing of the past merely; it is a present reality—a grand formative truth, to be tenaciously held, and practically carried out from day to day. “There is one body.” This holds good today, just as thoroughly as when the inspired apostle penned the epistle to the Ephesians; and hence it follows that each individual believer is exerting a good or a bad influence upon believers at the very antipodes.

Does this seem incredible? If so, it is only to carnal reason and blind unbelief. Surely we cannot reduce the Church of God—the body of Christ, to a matter of geographical position. That Church, that body, is united by—what? Life? No. Faith? No. By what, then? By God the Holy Ghost. Old Testament saints had life and faith; but what could they have known about a Head in heaven or a body on earth? Nothing whatever. If anyone had spoken to Abraham about being a member of a body, he would not have understood it. How could he? There was nothing of the kind existing. There was no Head in heaven, and hence there could be no body on earth. True, the eternal Son was in heaven, as a divine Person in the eternal Trinity; but He was not there as a glorified Man, or Head of a body. Nay more; even in the days of His flesh, we hear Him saying, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone” No union—no Headship—no membership—no vital connection, until after His death upon the cross. It was not until redemption became an accomplished fact that heaven beheld that wonder of wonders, namely, glorified humanity on the throne of God; and the counterpart of that was God the Holy Ghost dwelling in men upon earth. Old Testament saints would have understood Lordship; but not Headship. This latter had no existence, save in the eternal purpose of God. It did not exist in fact, until Christ took His seat on high, having obtained eternal redemption.

Hence, then, this truth of Headship is most glorious and precious. It claims the earnest attention of the christian reader. We would solemnly and earnestly entreat him not to regard it as a mere speculation—a matter of no importance. Let him be assured it is a great fundamental truth, having its source in a risen Christ in glory—its foundation in accomplished redemption—its present sphere of display, this earth—its power of development, the Holy Ghost; its authority in the New Testament.

There Is One Body and One Spirit."

(Eph. 4:4.)

I love thy saints, Lord Jesus!

For they are one with thee; Rom. 12:5

They bear thy holy likeness,

Faint though the impress be: 2 Cor. 3:18

“One body and one Spirit,”

Truth to my soul, how dear! 1 Cor. 12:12, 13

No union so enduring,

No earthly tie so near! Rev. 21:2, 9-11

But were the bond united

To all the world displayed— John 17:21.

The light in beauty shining

O’er all this death-dark shade— Matt. 5:14.

Witness that Christ, the sent One,

Amongst us came to dwell, John 1:14, 18

To do the Father’s bidding,

The love of God to tell. 1 John 4:10, 14.

Mark how the foe confederate

Their banners raise on high, Titus 1:14.

The word of God unheeded,

Or spurned with mockery. 2 Pet. 3:3.

While we are seen half-hearted,

A feeble scattered band, 1 Cor. 3:3, 4.

Who, one in mind and spirit,

For all the truth should stand. Phil. 1:27.

Ο faithless Church! Hath any

An ear to hear the word? Matt. 13:43

Then let him now acknowledge

Commandments of the Lord.” 1 Cor. 14:37

The Spirit’s voice is sounding,

Then fear not to obey; Rev. 3:22

From all of man’s devising,

He bids us turn away. 2 Tim. 3:5

Be Christ our one true center,

The Holy Ghost our guide; Matt. 28:20

“Love in the truth” be flowing

To saints on every side; 1 John 5:2.

One hope our hearts possessing—

Our coming Lord to see; Titus 2:13.

Thus should we dwell, as brethren,

In holy unity! 1 Thess. 3:12, 13.

Short Papers on Church History

When they arrived at Jerusalem, they found the same tiling, not only in the minds of a few restless brethren, but in the very bosom of the Church. The source of the trouble was there; not among unbelieving Jews, but among those who professed the name of Jesus. “Then rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees, which believed, saying That it was needful to circumcise them [the Gentiles], and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” This plain statement brought the whole question fairly before the assembly, and their important deliberations commenced. Chapter 15 contains the account of what took place, and how the question was settled. The apostles, elders, and the whole body of the Church at Jerusalem were not only present with one accord, but took part in the discussion. The apostles neither assumed nor exercised exclusive power in the matter. It is usually called “The first council of the Church;” but it may also be called the last council of the Church which could say, “It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us.” Many, according to modern notions of “essentials, and non-essentials,” will no doubt say, that the mere ceremony of circumcising or not circumcising a child was very unimportant. But not so, according to the mind of God. It was a vital question. It affected the very foundations of Christianity, the deep principles of grace, and the whole question of man’s relations with God. Paul’s epistle to the Galatians is a commentary on the history of this question.

There was no rite or ceremony that the converted Jew was so unwilling to give up as circumcision. It was the sign and seal of his own relationship with Jehovah, and of the hereditary blessings of the covenant to his children. It has been the opinion of some in all ages, that “infant baptism” was introduced by the Church to meet this strong Jewish prejudice. But had it been so intended by the Lord, the council at Jerusalem was the very place to announce it. It would have fully met the difficulty, and settled the question before them, and restored peace and unity between the two parent churches. But none of the apostles or others allude to it.

Before leaving this important and suggestive part of our apostle’s history, it may be well just to notice certain facts which he brings out in Gal. 2, but which are not mentioned in the Acts. It was on this occasion that Paul went up by revelation, and took Titus with him. In the Acts we have the outward history of Paul yielding to the motives, desires, and objects of men; in the epistle, we have something deeper—that which governed the apostle’s heart. But God knows how to combine these outward circumstances, and the inward guidance of the Spirit. Christian liberty or legal bondage were the questions at issue—whether the law of Moses—in particular the rite of circumcision—ought to be imposed upon the Gentile converts. Paul, led of God, goes up to Jerusalem, and takes Titus with him. In the face of the twelve apostles, and of the whole Church, he brings in Titus, who was a Greek, and who had not been circumcised. This was a hold step—to introduce a Gentile, and uncircumcised, into the very center of a bigoted Judaism! But the apostle went up by revelation. He had positive communications with God on the subject. It was the divine way of deciding the question, once and forever, between Himself and the Judaizing Christians. This step was needful, as he says, “Because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage. To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.”

The apostle, then, having attained his main object, and having communicated his gospel to them at Jerusalem, leaves, with Barnabas, and returns to the Gentile Christians at Antioch. The two delegates, Judas and Silas, bearing the decrees of the council, accompany them. When the multitude of the disciples came together and heard the epistle read, they rejoiced and were comforted.

Thus closed the first apostolic council, and the first apostolic controversy. And, from what we learn of these matters in the Acts, we might conclude that the division between the Jewish and Gentile Christians had been completely healed by the decision of the assembly: but we know from the epistles, that the opposition of the Judaizing party against the liberty of Gentile Christians, never even slumbered. It soon broke out afresh, and Paul had constantly to meet it, and to contend against it.

Paul’s second missionary journey about A.D. 51.

After Paul and Barnabas had spent some time with the Church at Antioch, another missionary journey was proposed. “Let us go again,” said Paul, “and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them John whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark and sailed unto Cyprus; and Paul chose Silas and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria, and Cilicia, confirming the churches.” Chapter 15:36-41.

With a journey so important, so full of trials, and so requiring courage and steadfastness—before the mind of our apostle—he could not trust Mark as a companion—he could not easily excuse one whose home attachments rendered him unfaithful in the Lord’s service. Paul himself gave up all personal considerations and feelings when the work of Christ was concerned, and he wished others to do the same. Natural affection on this occasion may have betrayed Barnabas, in again pressing his nephew into the service; but a severe earnestness characterized Paul. The ties of natural relationship and human attachments had still great influence over the mild christian character of Barnabas. This is evident from his conduct at Antioch on the occasion of Peter’s weak compliance with the Judaizer’s from Jerusalem. (Gal. 2) The spread of the gospel in a hostile world was too sacred in Paul’s eyes to admit of experiments. Mark had preferred Jerusalem to the work, but Silas preferred the work to Jerusalem. This decided Paul as to his choice; though, no doubt, he was guided by the Spirit.

Barnabas takes Mark his kinsman, and sails to Cyprus his native country. And here we part with Barnabas, that beloved saint, and precious servant of Christ! His name is not again mentioned in the Acts. These words, “kinsman” and “native country” must be left to speak for themselves to the heart of every disciple who reads these pages. Were we meditating on this painful scene, in place of giving a mere outline of a great history, we might say much on the subject; but we leave it with two happy reflections. 1. That it was overruled for blessing to the heathen; the waters of life now flow in two streams in place of one. This, however, is God’s goodness, and gives no sanction to the divisions of Christians. 2. That Paul afterward speaks of Barnabas with entire affection; and desires that Mark should come to him having found Him profitable for the ministry. (2 Cor. 9:6; 2 Tim. 4:11.) We have no doubt that Paul’s faithfulness was made a blessing to them both. But the honey of human affections can never be accepted on the altar of God.

Having been recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God, they start on their journey. All is beautifully simple. No parade is made by their friends in seeing them off, and no great promises are made by them, as to what they were determined to do. “Let us go again and visit our brethren,” are the few, simple, unpretending words, which lead to Paul’s second and great missionary journey. But the Master was thinking of His servants and providing for them. They had not to go far before finding a new companion in Timotheus of Lystra; and one who was to supply the void caused by the difference with Barnabas. If Paul lost the fellowship of Barnabas as a friend and brother, he found in Timothy, as his own son in the faith, a sympathy and a fellowship which only closed with the apostle’s life. “Him would Paul have to go forth with him,” but before they go, Paul “circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters; for they knew all that his father was a Greek.” Paul, on this occasion, stoops to the prejudice of the Jews, arid circumcises Timothy to set it aside.

Timotheus, or Timothy, was the son of one of those mixed marriages, which have ever been strongly condemned, both in the Old and in the New Testament. His father was a Gentile, but his name is never mentioned: his mother was a pious Jewess. From the absence of any reference to the father, either in the Acts or in the Epistles, it has been supposed that he may have died soon after the child was born. Timothy was evidently left in infancy to the sole care of his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois, who taught him from a child to know the holy scriptures. And from the many allusions in Paul’s epistles to the tenderness, the sensitiveness, and the tears of his beloved son in the faith, we may believe that he retained through life, the early impressions of that gentle, loving, holy household. Paul’s wonderful love for Timothy, and his tender recollections of his home at Lystra and his early training there, have dictated some of the most touching passages in the writings of the great apostle. When an old man—in prison, in want, and martyrdom before him—he writes, “To Timothy, my dearly beloved son; grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day: greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; when I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice: and I am persuaded that in thee also.” (2 Tim. 1:2-5.) He urges, and repeats his urgent invitation to Timothy to come and see him. “Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me —to come before winter.” We may be permitted to believe, that a son so tenderly loved, was allowed to arrive in time to soothe the last hours of his father in Christ, to receive his last counsel and blessing, and to witness him finish his course with joy.

Silas, or Silvanus, first comes before us as a teacher in the Church at Jerusalem; and, probably, he was both a Hellenist and a Roman citizen like Paul himself. (Acts 16:3.) He was appointed as a delegate to accompany Paul and Barnabas on their return to Antioch with the decrees of the council. But as many details both in the life of Timothy and of Silas will naturally come before us in tracing the path of the apostle, we need say nothing more of either at present. We will now proceed with the journey.

Paul and Silas, with their new companion, go through the cities, enjoining them to keep the decrees ordained by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. The decrees were left with the churches, so that the Jews had the decision of Jerusalem itself, that the law was not binding on the Gentiles. After visiting and confirming the churches already planted in Syria and Cilicia, they proceeded to Phrygia and Galatia. They traveled “throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia.” Here we pause for a moment and wonder as we transcribe such words as these, “throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia.” Phrygia and Galatia were not towns merely, but provinces, or large districts of country. And yet the sacred historian only uses these few words in recording the great work done there. How different is the condensed energy of the Spirit, to the inflated style of man! We learn from Neander’s history, that in Phrygia alone, in the sixth century, there were sixty-two towns. And it would appear that Paul and those who were with him had gone through them all.

The same remarks as to labor would apply to Galatia. And we learn from Paul’s epistle to the Galatians, that at this very time he was suffering in body. “Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.” But the power of his preaching so strikingly contrasted with the infirmity of his flesh, that the Galatians were moved even to extravagance in sympathy and generous feeling. “And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes and have given them to me.” (Chap. 4:13-15.) We learn from history that the Galatians were Celtic in their origin, impulsive and changeable in their character. The whole epistle is a sorrowful illustration of their instability, and of the sad effects of the Judaizing element amongst them. “I marvel,” says Paul, “that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” But to return to the history in the Acts.

The character and effects of Paul’s ministry, as related in chapters 16-20, are truly marvelous. They must ever stand alone, on the page of all history. Every servant of Christ, and especially the preacher, should study them most carefully and read them frequently. “The vessel of the Spirit,” as one has beautifully said, “shines with a heavenly light throughout the whole work of the gospel; he condescends at Jerusalem; thunders in Galatia when souls are being perverted; leads the disciples to decide for the liberty of the Gentiles, and uses all liberty himself to be as a Jew to the Jews, and as without law to those who had no law; but always subject to Christ. He was also ‘void of offense.’ Nothing within hindered his communion with God: whence he drew his strength to be faithful among men. He could say—and none but he— ‘Be ye imitators of me as I am of Christ.’ Thus also he could say, “I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

The way of the Spirit with the apostle in these chapters is also remarkable. He alone directs him in his wonderful course, and sustains him amidst many trials and opposing circumstances. For example, He forbids Paul to preach the word in Asia—He will not suffer him to go into Bithynia, but directs him, by a vision of the night, to go into Macedonia. “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Therefore, loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis. And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony.” Chap. 16:9-12.

PAUL CARRIES THE GOSPEL INTO EUROPE.

This marks a distinct epoch in the history of the Church—the history of Paul, and the progress of Christianity. Paul and his companions now carry the gospel into Europe. And here we might be forgiven were we to rest for a moment, and recall the many interesting historical associations of Macedonian conquerors and conquests; and to dwell a little on the plain of Philippi, famous also in Roman history. Here the great struggle between the Republic and the Empire was terminated. To commemorate that event, Augustus founded a colony at Philippi. This was the first city at which Paul arrived on his entrance into Europe. It is called “the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony.” A Roman colony, we are told, was characteristically a miniature resemblance of Rome; and Philippi was more fit than any other in the empire to be considered the representative of Imperial Rome.

To many of our young and inquiring readers, this short digression, we feel sure, will not be uninteresting. Besides, a knowledge of such histories is useful to the student of prophecy, as they are the fulfillment of Daniel’s visions, especially of chapter 7. The city of Philippi was itself the monument of the rising power of Greece, that was to crush the declining power of Persia. Alexander the Great, son of Philip, was the conqueror of the great king Darius; or, the “Leopard” of Greece, overcame the “Bear” of Persia.

In looking back from the time that Paul sailed from Asia to Europe, nearly four hundred years had passed away since Alexander sailed from Europe to Asia. But how different their motives and their objects—their conflicts and their victories! The enthusiasm of Alexander was aroused by the recollection of his great ancestors, and by his determination to overthrow the great dynasties of the East, but, though unconsciously and unintentionally, he was accomplishing the purposes of God. Paul had girded on his armor for another purpose, and to win greater and more enduring victories. He was sent forth by the Holy Spirit, not only to subdue the West, but to bring the whole world into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Christianity is not for one nation, or one people only, but for man universally; or, as Paul himself expresses it in Col. 1, “For every creature which is under heaven.” This is the mission of the gospel, and this is its sphere.

But there is another thing we must notice here before proceeding with Paul’s journey.

Luke, the “beloved physician,” historian, and evangelist, appears to have joined Paul at this particular time. From the tenth verse he writes in the first person plural: “We endeavored to go into Macedonia.” It is supposed that he was a Gentile by birth and converted at Antioch. He seems to have remained the faithful companion of the apostle, till the close of his labors and his afflictions. 2 Tim. 4:11.

Forgiveness of Sins

Present full assurance of soul is the spring of the purest affection and of the freest service. Indeed it is necessary to each of them. The present forgiveness of sins is to be asserted with all confidence.

I ask, What has been the business of the blessed God in this world of ours, if not for the very end of putting us into Such a condition? Our sin brought Him here—and then, the putting away of our sin gave Him His history here, after He had come among us. He died and rose from the dead. For what do I see in that history, the death and resurrection of the Son of God, if I see not the putting away of sin?

As soon as ever sin entered, He was revealed in this connection with us. Not as a Lawgiver or a Judge, but as a Savior. He is seen in the very first promise. It was as a Savior, as the purger of sins, He was revealed then, in the mystery of the bruised heel and the bruised head—and that was His death and resurrection as the Son of God and the Lamb of God. And what, again I ask, do I see in those great facts, if I see not the putting away of sin? How can I, with any reason, with any simplicity of mind, stand before the cross of Christ, and not apprehend the purging of sins there? If I did not apprehend that, everything would and must rebuke the darkness of my soul. Did not the rent veil, accompanied by the rent rocks of the earth and the riven graves of the saints, tell out that the death of the Son of God then accomplished had restored man to God, casting up a highway from the prison-house of him who had the power of death up to the bright heavens, and the throne of the majesty there? Did not the empty sepulcher follow in its appointed day, to bear like witness, and to tell that God was satisfied with the death of Christ, and that it had atoned for sin and made reconciliation? And then did not the gift and presence of the Holy Ghost come, in its due pentecostal hour, to seal the same great fact? And I further ask, What was the preaching, the gospel, the testimony of the apostles immediately afterward, as we have it in the book of the Acts? Surely it is, remission, forgiveness of sins, upon the virtue of the blood or death of Jesus, to all who will receive Him.

All this is truly and indeed so. And now, our souls are to keep this blessed fact, that sin is put away, as in the foreground. It is not to be treated as something which we might be able to descry in the hazy, misty distance, after some anxious scrutiny. It is to be set in the foreground, where the rent veil, the resurrection, the pentecost, apostolic preaching and apostolic teaching have already set it, that we may apprehend it as in the very light of noonday, and possess ourselves of it with all assurance.

Scripture, as one once observed, makes a much simpler thing of the putting away of sin, than our religion makes of it. Scripture puts it at the outset, human religion makes it the great attainment. Scripture puts sin in company with the blood of Christ and it disappears.

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.” Acts 13:38.

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” Eph. 1:7.

My Resting Place

The following lines were written by M. J., who at an early age died of consumption, at Linlithgow Bridge, in humble life. They were found under her pillow after her death.

Shed not a tear for me,

Ο weep not that I die;

I am alone, where I would be,

In perfect peace I lie.

A refuge have I found through grace,