1 heart is overgrown with thick fat; he's not to blame; he knows not what he loses; he is sunk so deep that he sends no more bubbles to the surface." Here the distinction is carefully made between "vitium" and "culpa," between the blemish of disposition or character for which a man is not to be held responsible, and the faults in life for which he must in justice be called to account. And it is plainly indicated that that may be excused in one man which cannot be passed by in another; that Natta may be par doned when the nobleman must be censured; that faults inherent in the character call for lighter blame than those which are allowed to grow up and to become parts of the man. The distinction is not a trifling one, and the fact that it is so well drawn shows a wise and discerning judgment." In the other passage to which allusion was made, the last which we shall quote, and to which we need add no notes, our author sums up in few words the duties of life from the Stoic standpoint: Mount, hapless youths, on Contemplation's wings, And mark the causes and the end of things: What station here 'tis given us to adorn; How best to blend security with ease, And win our way through life's tempestuous seas; We sincerely hope that we have not wearied the patience of our readers. Our purpose will have been attained if we shall have suc iii. 30. The difference in the meaning of the two Latin words is well given in Macleane's note. We are astonished to find Conington utterly ignoring it; he renders "stupet hic vitio," by "he is paralyzed by vice," and "caret culpa," by "he feels no reproach!" Surely the Corpus Professor must have been napping. Gifford also has entirely missed the point of the contrast. iii. 66, Gifford's translation. ceeded in awakening an interest in the writings of one of the most right-minded and instructive of the old Latin poets. We feel sure that the Christian scholar cannot afford to be unacquainted with the Stoic philosopher; for while he can learn something from him, he can add something to what he has taught, and can lead the Porch to the Mount of Blessing and the Cross, that it may find the full answer to those problems which the God of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews, helped it so long ago to solve in part. SAMUEL HART. THE THEOLOGY OF THE LOST WORD AND THE MANIFESTATION OF THE DIVINE NAME. The writings that compose the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Canon, are pervaded by a unity of thought and fact, amidst a diversity of conditions, which is as unique in the history of literature, as is the career of the Jewish people in the chronicle of nations. It is without a parallel, or even a resemblance in the mental or religious development of any other people. The nearest approach to it is the Sacred Classics of the Chinese; but their's is the unity of purposed repetition, and not a unity combined with growth. Their whole spirit is embodied in the saying of Confucius, who claims only to be "a transmitter not a maker," one who is "fond of antiquity, and seeks knowledge there." The best praise of any work, with them, is that it reproduces most nearly what has been said before; and the highest aim of their typical "superior man" is, to recall the past unchanged, and so fix this that it shall remain unchangeable. The writings which are collected in the Bible, show, on the contrary, a continual and intended progress. Each writer not only adds something to what has gone before, but speaks mainly because he has somewhat to add. Yet his "word" always fits into that which has preceded it, has an essential connection with this, cannot be adequately understood apart from it, and sheds a new light backward on some part of what has been already written; is, in fact, a true and legitimate growth of the same spiritual life. The later differing from the earlier, only as the bud, blossom, and fruit differ from each other, and from the seed; all being involved potentially in the germ; and all pervaded by the one common life, which has unfolded each in its due place and order. The main features of this unity are so clearly evident, that the world unconsciously has recognized it by its very title of "the Bible"—that is, "the Book"-implying thus, that notwithstanding all the diversity of circumstances, variety of authorship, and fifteen centuries of time which are combined in it, yet it is one "Book" in spirit, one in its accepted basis of fact, and even by its opponents is treated and criticised as essentially one in truth or falsehood. Besides these general characteristics of unity, there are also many subtler trains of thought that do not lie upon the surface, but which run through the various portions of these Scriptures, and testify, in even a more wonderful manner than those usually recognized, to one common source of origin and one common spirit guiding all its authorship. Some of these are wholly within the text, and show themselves in ever growing force and number, to all zealous students into the full connection and significance of the different portions of the Bible; while there are others that are dependant for their explanation, still more for a true apprehension of their value, upon a comparison of the contents of the Scriptures with facts and lines of thought, outside of their own letter. One of this latter class, which though often alluded to is seldom recognized in its full import, is the use of the Divine "NAME" throughout the Bible, and the relation it bears to God's manifestation of his "WORD," in both the Old Testament and the New. That there was great importance attached to "the Name" of God is evident from the mode and frequency with which this expression is employed in every part of the Hebrew Scriptures, and far more than is commonly noticed in the Christian Canon. In the Old Testament "The Name of the LORD," or "in the Name of the LORD," is applied continually, under circumstances that imply the high regard attached to it in the opinion of the writer. It often stands as a mode of personification of the Divine Being Himself, or as the self-active energy of some of His attributes; is in fact only another way of saying that "God" or the LORD does thus and so; and hence must be regarded, in very many places, as a true synonyme for God. Take for example, among the many illustrations of these uses that may be found in every part of the Old Testa 3 6 1 ment, these: "The Name of the God of Israel defend thee;" "Save me by Thy Name;" "Some trust in chariots, but we will remember the Name of the LORD;" The Name of the LORD is a strong tower;" "I will put My Name upon the children of Israel;"" "He shall build a house for My Name;" "Where I record My Name I will come to thee;" "Why should My Name be pol luted ;""Not take the Name of the Lord Thy God in vain;"" "Provoke Him not, My Name is in Him." There is no need to multiply quotations where almost every leaf will furnish similar expressions. The few that I have cited, will establish fully the high place attached to "the Name" among the writers of this portion of the Bible. Nor did this cease with them; it still continued to the times of the New Testament. "The Name” or “in the Name," occurs almost as often in the Gospels and Epistles, as in the Prophecies and Psalms; and although here connected with the person or the acts of Jesus, it is used with the same reference to a Divine preeminence, carries the same dignity of Lordship with it, and expresses in the New Testament, as in the Old, an ACTING PERSONALITY and POWER, such as can really belong to none but the Divine. "There is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved;"""Father glorify Thy Name," "I have manifested Thy Name;"" "In My Name cast out devils;"""The devils are subject to Thy Name;" "Do a miracle in My Name ;"""Might have life through His Name;"" "Hallowed be Thy Name;" "Baptized into the Name." 12 99 18 16 The peculiar use thus made of the Divine Name was not, as it is usually regarded, a mere form of speech, or mode of Oriental Rhetoric; but was, in fact, the expression of two elements of thought, neither of which, from our modern point of view, is very easy to appreciate, though both were universally accepted by the Jews, and enter deeply into the whole Biblical conception of the nature of God's revelation of Himself, and the medium by which that revelation was to be effected. 2 'Ps. xx: 1. Ps. liv: 1. 3 Ps. xx: 7. vii: 13. Б Prov. xviii: 10. Num. vi: 27. 2 Sam. Ex. xx: 24. Is. xlviii: 1. Ex. xx: 7. 10 Ex. xxiii: 21. 9 "Acts iv: 12. 12John xii: 28. 13John xvii: 6. 14Mark xvi: 17. "Luke x: 17. 16Mark ix: 99. John xx: 31. Matt. vi: 9. 19Matt. xxviii: 19. |