mustard seed." Rom. xiv. 22: "The faith which thou hast, have thou for thyself before God." Philemon 5: "The faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus." If our translators had used the noun trust, (which has the same meaning as the noun faith) instead of faith, for pistis, then they might have used the verb to trust, instead of the un-English and false translation, to believe on, or to believe in, God or Christ, for pisteuo; and instead also of the correct, but cumbrous expressions, to put faith in, or to place faith on, God or Christ. They gave this verb trust, in the margin of 2 Tim. i. 12, as a true translation of the word pisteuo, and as perhaps a better translation of it than the word believe is; and by doing so, have somewhat reluctantly admitted that it expresses, in that case at least, the true meaning of pisteuo. How clearly, if they had used trust, and to trust, instead of faith and to believe on, would they have expressed the true meaning of many passages, which, by the course they have adopted, (a course so favourable to a system requiring only assent to a certain creed), they have made obscure, or have so distorted as to make them express a false meaning. If I try to show the effect of using these terms trust and to trust, and other terms derived from them, as the proper terms to translate pistis, pisteuo, and their derivatives, I shall probably appear to some persons to be giving a new gospel; although doing no more than giving the true meaning, as I have endeavoured to show, of the very words which God has used in the Greek tongue. The truth on this subject is so very important, that I ask leave, in spite of what some may think, to give a few illustrations. Wherever trust, to trust, to intrust, occur in the following passages, they are translations of pistis and pisteuo. Where any Greek word derived from these, occurs in the following passages the Greek word itself is added after the translation. Those who can say, in words so often used in the Psalms, "I trust in Thee," will rejoice to find that the gospel-message is but a repetition of words which are also used there so often, "Trust in the Lord." Mat. xviii. 6: Jesus said of a little child: "Whosoever shall make stumble one of these little ones who trust in me." Mark i. 14, 15: "And after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming God's good news, thus: The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is come near; repent ye, and trust in the good news. John ii. 23, 24: "Many trusted in his name, seeing his signs, which he was working. But Jesus himself did not intrust himself to them, because he knew all men." John iii. 14, 16: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up; Observer, April 1, 76. that whosoever trusts in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that every one who trusts in him, may not perish, but have eternal life." John iii. 18: "He who trusts in him, is not condemned; he who trusts not, is condemned already; because he does not trust in the name of the only son of God." John iii. 36: "He who trusts in the Son, has eternal life; he who disobeys the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God remains on him." Rom. iii. 2. 3: Paul says that among the advantages of the Jews was this: that they were intrusted with the oracles of God. For what if some did not trust (apisteo)? Will their want of trust (apistin) make useless trust in God?" Rom. iv. 5: “In the case of one who works not," (to claim salvation as a debt due), "but trusts on him who pronounces just the ungodly, his trust is placed to his account with view to righteousness." Rom. iv. 20, 24: Abraham "did not doubt the promise of God from want of trust (apistia), but was strong in trust, giving glory to God." "Wherefore it was placed to his account with view to righteousness." And "it will be placed to the account of us who trust on him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead." Gal. ii. 16: "Even we (Jews) trusted in Christ Jesus, that we might be pronounced just by means of trust in Christ, and not by means of works of law;" ii. 20: "The life I now live in the flesh, I live by trust in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." 2 Tim. i. 12:"I know in whom I have trusted, and am persuaded that he is able to keep me unto that day." 2 Tim. ii. 13: "If we trust not (apisteo), he remains trustworthy (pistos), he cannot deny himself." Mat. xiii. 58: "He did not many miracles there, because of their want of trust" (apistia). 1 Tim. i. 13: "I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in untrust," (apistia). Heb. iii. 12: "Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of untrust, (apistia), in departing from the living God;" iii. 19: "We see that they could not enter in because of untrust," or "want of faith" (apistia). 1 Cor. vi. 6: "Brother goes to law with brother, and this before the untrusting," (apistos). 1 Cor. vii. 14: "The untrusting husband; "the untrusting wife." Mat. xxv. 21: "Well done good and trusty (pistos) servant." Gal. iii. 9 Those who exercise trust, are blessed with trusting Abraham (pistos)." 1. Tim. vi. 2: Let not those servants who have trusting masters (pistos) despise them, because they are brethren; but let them do them the more service, because they are trusting, and are beloved." The trusting, not those who are only believers, are the true disciples of Christ. Dr. Johnson gives 66 Observer, April 1, '76. the word truster as a good English word; and it is the person who is a truster and not merely a believer, who has promise of salvation. I have given so many illustrations in order to show how the word trust and its derivatives adapt themselves to all the varieties of meaning expressed by pistis and its derivatives. What then, with these renderings before us, is that faith or trust which has the promise of salvation? I think it evidently is-Habitual active Trust in God, through Christ, for Salvation. He who thus trusts in God, intrusts his whole self to God, in hope that God will save him. He intrusts himself to God by doing whatever God prescribes. This obedience is not only a result of trust, it is a part of a life of trust, of the acts and operations of trust itself. It not only proves that faith exists, it is itself a part of it. James says that obedience is the soul of faith or trust, just as the spirit is the life and soul of the body. Jas. ii. 26: He says, that "by works, trust is completed." The root of it is in the head, but the plant of faith is not completed till it bears the ripe seed of obedience. Paul calls his whole life of action a life of trust; and speaks of himself as having thus intrusted to God Himself, as a "deposit to be kept" from all perils by Him. The necessity of obedience to the existence of salvation through faith, is shown also by the words "obedience of, or, to trust: see Acts vi. 7; Rom. i. 5; xvi. 26: They imply that trust requires obedience, an obedience which is the expression of trust, instead of an expression of claim. They imply that we do not possess that practical trust which has promise of salvation, unless we are like those who "obeyed from the heart the form of teaching, to the control of which we have been delivered," Rom. vi. 17: Unless as Peter expresses it, we "commit our souls to God as a deposit by well doing." (1 Peter iv. 19.) How foolish the person would be, who, having a hundred pounds to deposit, believed that he could receive interest for it from some company, though he never deposited the money with that company, but kept it locked up at home; and who supported this foolish expectation by saying, that he had full confidence in the trustworthiness of the company, and that this kind of faith in it, was all that was needful to secure him interest for his money; that the deposit of it was needless. Baptism, for instance, is the act appointed by God for intrusting ourselves to Him through Christ, that we may be saved; and he who knowing this, refuses to deposit his all with God, in God's own way, cannot say that he "knows in whom he has trusted, and is persuaded that God is able to keep safely his deposit," for he has refused to make the deposit in the form which he knows God requires. It is to be feared that such a person has no better ground for expecting salvation, than a man has for expecting interest from a company with which he has never deposited his money. "As the body without the spirit is dead, so trust without works is dead also." (James ii. 26.) W. NORTON. THE THRONE OF POWER.-No. III. (Gen. xxviii. 11, 12.) THERE are no purple curtains round the bed, The heights and deeps of earth have closed their lips- But what a vision came to inward eyes! A Ladder from the earth to cloudless skies Is thronged with angel spirits, strong and fair, Which issues from the throne of power, and holy light. And hearken for the sounding of His feet. No discords of mortality and time Can break the peace pervading and sublime. How bright they shine, how gloriously they reign! But dream not that the demons have their way. And works in wisdom as He works in love. G. G. THE PARDON OF SINS AND BAPTISM. AMICABLE DISCUSSION.-LETTER SEVEN. Regeneration (as taught in the New Testament) is exclusively a spiritual act, and has nothing to do with immersion in water. THE term Regeneration, or the New Birth, is one met with in the New Testament, announced with startling explicitness by the Lord Jesus Himself, and referred to afterwards frequently by His Apostles. It is variously described as being Born of God, Born from above, Regeneration, Created anew in Christ Jesus, and being made sons of God. It is something upon which salvation is dependent, without which no one can enter the kingdom of God. We have it most distinctly enunciated by Jesus Himself in these words: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Except a man be born of water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." Before proceeding further I would ask attention to the meaning of the phrases "cannot see the kingdom of God," and "cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Whatever may be the aspects in which the term "the kingdom of God" is presented in the Scriptures, we will find upon reference that the uniform signification of the phrase "cannot enter," or "shall not enter the kingdom," iscannot be saved. Thus Matt. v. 20: "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."-vii. 21: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."-xviii. 3: "Jesus said to his disciples, Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."-xix. 23, 24: "A rich man shall hardly Observer, April 1, '76. enter into the kingdom of God. His disciples were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?" Mark ix. 45: It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire."-See also Luke xviii. 24, 25; Mark x. 23, 24, 25; Acts xiv. 22. From these passages it will be seen the phrase "enter into the kingdom of God" means to be saved, to enter into life, to enter heaven, the antithesis of being cast into hell. Well, this much is clear-Jesus says, Except one be born again, he cannot enter. Unless he is born again, he cannot be saved, cannot enter into life, into heaven. What is this new birth? Let us again refer to Scripture. John i. 13: "Born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."-1 John iv. 7: "Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God."-James i. 18: "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth." 1 Pet. i. 23: "Being born again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever."-1 John v. 1: "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God."-ii. 29: "Ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him."--Passages might be multiplied, but these are sufficient to show the Scriptural doctrine respecting the new birth. It is an operation of God alone, whereby the sinner dead in trespasses and sins is made alive in Christ Jesus, vivified by the Spirit of God, through means of the word of God, wherein the believer in Christ Jesus is made a son of God, the evidence of which is apparent in every one that doeth righteousness. Not one word in all this about baptism. It is not once, in the whole of the New Testament, even as a figure, associated with the new birth. The ideas respecting the two, their metaphors and illustrations, are kept quite distinct. Baptism is never spoken of as a birth, and the new birth is never associated with baptism. I am aware there are some who affirm otherwise. The disciples, in common with the Anglicans and Romanists, do so. They have the support of the opinions of many commentators, who, however, cannot give Scripture warrant for the assumption. We find the following passages referred to as countenancing this view-John iii. 5; Tit. iii. 5; Ephes. v. 26. There is, further, John i. 12, in which, as far as I am aware, the disciples alone claim to find room for the assertion. Let us examine these as succinctly as possible. John iii. 5: "Except a man be born of water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." I have already shown the latter phrase means to be saved. It is claimed (E. O., page 60,) that the water means baptism, making the meaning, Unless any one is Observer. April 1. '76. baptized he cannot be saved. I deny this is the meaning-1st, because there is not one word in the context referring to baptism, so that the claim is a mere assumption; 2nd, the verb employed (gennao, to generate,) refers to parentage and offspring, and not simply to emersion (parturition), for which a different word altogether would be required (tikto, to bring forth); 3rd, Jesus always, after making use of a startling paradox, gives an explanation of its meaning, and in this case, as in others, He shows, "this spake he of the Spirit." Tit. iii. 5: "God according to his mercy saved us by (dia) the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Not one word here of baptism. Washing (not bath) is the proper translation; it refers not to immersion, but ablution. Ephes. v. 26: "Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, in order that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water in the word." Not a word here of immersion: it is cleansing, by ablution, in the word; the effect, the removal of every spot and blemish from His bride the Church (ver. 27). With respect to John i. 12, I can only meanwhile draw attention to the fact that it is an unjustifiable act of interpolation to introduce the idea of baptism here at all. Recurring now to subjects already so far considered, I am pleased to find that at last we are to have some passages of Scripture brought forward in support of the proposition and statements made, that (1) Baptism includes the remission of sins-and (2) that the repentant sinner receives pardon not on believing, but (3) subsequently in the act of Baptism. To passages of the word of God, I trust I shall ever be ready and careful to give every consideration and patient examination whilst I must decline answering the endless series of enigmas and riddles which are thrown forward instead for my solution. We really must keep the points of difference as declared in the opening propositions distinctly before us. I must therefore respectfully decline leaving these to launch out upon a disquisition in reply to such questions as that urged upon me in last letter. Will he please tell us what was intended by the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven' given to Peter?" (With respect to the tone and temper of that letter, I will only say, I am grieved to see it, and trust it may be found possible in future to avoid-in the investigation of the will of the Lord as declared in His word-any ebullition of feeling inconsistent with His Spirit.) In the first two letters in reply to mine-not one single passage of Scripture is quoted in which Baptism is referred to-in the last one there are three 1 Peter iii. 21, Mark xvi. 16, Acts ii. 38. To the first, quoted as Baptism does also now save 66 us," I reply that these six words no more give the meaning of the passage than do the seven, Baptism does also now save us not." I will show this in due course. Mark xvi. 16, is an apocryphal addition to the Gospel. I am pledged to prove this at the conclusion of present discussion. Acts ii. 38: I have already shown (E. O. page 72), is parallel in expression with Mark i. 4. I am asked my reasons for confining the promises of salvation to repentant sinners who believe in Jesus-they are 1st, that as Jesus stands in antagonism to sin, he who in heart turns to Him must turn from sin, (repentance, change of thought.) Jesus said, Luke xiii. 3: "Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish;" again, Luke xv. 7: "Joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth," and 10: "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." When similar passages are produced respecting Baptism, I will acknowledge it stands in a similar relation to salvation, but not till then. I will now deal with the assertion that faith is perfected in baptism. It is stated thus: "I base it (pardon) upon a faith complete because perfected in God's appointed way, and such was the case with Abraham and others." "Abraham's faith was perfected by offering Isaac upon the altar." Very good; then Abraham's pardon, according to this theory, was bestowed upon him when his faith was completed by this specified act. James ii. 21: "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered his son Isaac upon the altar; 22: "by works was faith made perfect." Again (in E. O. page 56), "We find justification ascribed to works. "The justified are saved and the saved are justified." All very conclusive, but the fact has been overlooked, that this perfected faith on which pardon is said to have been based in Abraham's case, had place six and twenty years after the time of which it is written "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.' [Do read Rom. iv. 1, 8.] and fifty years after his faith had already been "perfected" by the act of obedience, in leaving his native country at the call of God. When then were Abraham's sins pardoned and when are the sins of the believer in Christ pardoned? Is he justified once for all, or at each successive act of obedience during upwards of fifty years? The case of Noah is similar. Now let me ask is there nothing better to advance from Scripture in support of the statement that sinners are saved in the act of baptism? There is not. The doctrine is utterly foreign to the word of God. There is not, I repeat, a single passage in the whole of the New Testament which says so; and terrible is the responsibility of those who cast aside the words of Jesus, to trust in their own vain reason ings. I hope again to show more fully that, God pardons the believer in Christ Jesus-justifying the ungodly not through works, not through baptism, but solely through faith. With respect to the confessedly wilful alteration of my first proposition, I ask the reader to compare pages 56, 73, (5th), and 86 of the E. 0. to judge, (1) whether or not the altered terms are put forward as my propositions; (2) whether this is fair controversy; (3) or an unjustifiable manœuvre to snatch an apparent triumph. Edinburgh. H. MCINTOSH. "THY LIGHT BREAK FORTH AS THE MORNING." THE light which breaks over nature in the morning is Silent. As it rests on the busy city, and causes it to wake to activity and life, its influence is silent; it glitters on every dewdrop, it reflects itself in every lake, it crowns the wave of the sea with silver; but there is no echo-its influence is silent. So the influence of the Christian character is silent! Its dependence is entirely upon Christ, its strength is alone derived from Him, its reward is looked for in a brighter world, its progress marked not by noise, but by success-not by outward show, but by deeds; glorifying God by patient endurance and trust when more active duty is denied. The light of the morning is also Calm and Pure. It rests on many a lonely hut, it gilds many a wave of sorrow, it falls on many a home of bereavement, it is reflected on many a tearbedewed cheek; but its ray is always calm, always pure. So the Christian's light is calm and pure. Trials which may come to disturb the surface of life, which rend the heart and subdue the spirit, will be met with contentment and peace; and if called to pass through the fire of affliction, he knows in whom he has believed, and that these sorrows which are but for a moment work out for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. difficulty and temptation come in his way, he is confident that his Saviour, having suffered, being tempted, is able to succour them that are tempted. The Christian's life is calm, because he knows that all things work together for his good, and that he can meet every difficulty and every trouble with a glorious promise; and it is pure, for nothing impure or unholy can dwell in its light. If But the light of morning is Joyous. It gladdens wherever it rests! It opens the closed flower, bids the daisy unfold its petals, revives the drooping plant, brightens the landscape, Observer, April 1, "76. rests even on the churchyard, and throws a halo of glory around the silent resting-places of those committed to the ground in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life. So the Christian's character is joyous. Nothing makes life so happy, so true, so real, as the acceptance of Christ as our own. It gives promise not only of the life that now is, but of that which is to come; it takes all that is good and noble in this life, and blends thoughts, affections, and desires into the belief of the future; it hallows family relationships by a hope of reunion in a world where parting is unknown; it sanctifies affection by pointing to a world where love will be pure and holy; it gives man the hope of realizing hereafter what he most prizes now. And this morning light goes on to a more perfect day; it may be feeble at the early dawn, but going from strength to strength, the shadows of earth will soon be past, every cloud that hid from view the Eternal will soon be rolled away, the mists which have hung over the valley will soon be dispelled. Soon a far fairer morning O'er greener hills shall rise, And a far fresher sunlight Look down from bluer skies. -Nature's Parables TO THE VICAR OF ST. BARNABAS, "Rev." W. T. Hobson.-SIR,-In the E. V. of Feb. 15, I inserted, with my answer thereto, a question which you now say you put in writing for Mr. Green to send to me. In a second paper, addressed to him, but intended for me, as its contents indicate, you characterise my printing it as a great impropriety. You also complain that I did not insert the part referring to "Manx Churchman." But, sir, it is very difficult to exercise mercy toward some people, because they take advantage thereof for further wickedness. It was purely in a spirit of favour that I omitted reference to Manx Churchman. Over the signature "A Manx Churchman," you are understood to have published in the Isle of Man Times, attacks upon myself, which various of your townsmen unconnected with and unknown to me recognised as yours, and which they exposed and denounced in your public prints as impossible to have emanated either from a Christian or a gentleOn the right hand and on the left you are recognised as the writer of these letters, and when denounced as such, Manx Churchman denied that they emanate from a vicar, and variously sought to conceal the parentage of the discreditable offspring. Now, sir, the paper you handed to Mr. Green contains sufficient proof that it came from the same brain as the letters-the same construction of sentences, the same form of question and demand, the same going out of the way to designate us by nick man. |