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born righteousness, and of spiritual wickedness, were more rife and ten among us, than in any other body of Christians.

What, then, is OUR duty under these circumstances? What but that we should "contend the more earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints?" And this by God's grace we will do. We will not only seek to cou iteract those errors, and to check those evil tendencies, but we will endeavour to build up our fellow disciples in the opposite truth, and to enlarge the sphere of their Christian attainments. We will especially, by God's blessing, take our stand by the doctrines of grace, and maintain the ordinances both in their individual integrity, and in that order in which they have been appointed by the great Head of the church. The principle of adapting the constitution and discipline of our churches to the prevailing errors and taste of the day, we hold in utter detestation, and we cannot but regard those who act upon it, as being on the high road to Rome. Would it not be well, if they would devote a little of that zeal which they so liberally expend on Romish errors and practices, in searching out their own chambers of imagery, and in renouncing whatever there is among themselves for which they have neither precept nor precedent in the New Testament?

In looking forward to another year, the editors of the Primitive Church Magazine once more appeal to their friends for their earnest, individual, and united support. They feel truly thankful for the increased and widening interest which Christians and Christian ministers at home and abroad manifest in their labours. The increased number and value of the contributions of interesting facts and edifying thoughts-calls for our special acknowledgement; and if in every instance we are not able to avail ourselves of the communications of our friends, or their insertion is delayed beyond the time expected, we feel assured they will exercise towards us a measure of patience and forbearance. One thing we do very earnestly desire, it is that our friends would everywhere just now put their shoulder to the wheel, and see if they cannot push forward our sale. The past year, we believe, shews a gradual and steady increase. But then it is too gradual. Now let our friends kindly put out their strength, and let us see if we cannot commence the year 1852 with a sale of at least 1500 copies. This would extend the field of our usefulness, infuse into our minds new energy, and enable us to meet the oft-expressed wishes of our friends as regards the reduction of price. We would also take this opportunity of commending the Strict Baptist Society, and the Baptist Tract Society to the earnest and liberal support of the churches. But more about these when we next meet. Till then we wish our readers health, soulprosperity, and a happy new year.

ROBERT WILLIAM OVERBURY,
HENRY JOHN BETTS.

November 26, 1850.

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"I myself should be a cast-away:" 1 COR. IX. 27; 2 COR. XIII. 5.

THE disciples of Arminius assert, that | even the apostle Paul was not sure of his salvation; for that although he did indeed exclaim in a moment of exultation, "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day," yet, at another time, he acknowledged he was afraid, "lest that by any means, when he had preached to others, he himself should be a cast-away."

If this were true, then on what principle of interpretation could we maintain the inspiration of the Scriptures of the New Testament? If one and the same author may contradict himself on one and the same subject, to which of his assertions are we to attach credence, and which is to be rejected? Where is the weary soul to rest, if the very promises of God, the revelation of his mercy, the love of Christ, the work of atonement, the transforming and constraining influences of the Holy Spirit, may all be just as unstable as the sliding sand? But the apostle Paul never uttered the expression which our translators have attributed to him. It is a gross mistranslation!

This is an unqualified assertion, but as the error has not one mitigating quality, and is not only calculated to

VOL. VIII.-NO. LXXXV.

disturb the peace of the children of God, but has done so in many instances; and has, moreover, furnished enemies with a weapon apparently drawn from the truth itself, it demands the most stern, most uncompromising contradiction.

To enable, then, the English reader to be a competent umpire between the apostle and his translators, and to satisfy his own mind without the shadow of hesitency, I will ask his attention to another passage in which the same word, here incorrectly rendered "cast-away," is there with equal impropriety translated "reprobate." I refer to 2 Cor. xiii. 5, for here, providentially, the context fixes unquestionably the true interpretation.

False teachers had crept into the church at Corinth. For self-interested motives they had set up an authority of their own, and had succeeded in drawing away disciples after them. They had just hazarded a stroke of worldly policy, viz., that of denying the apostleship of Paul, thus endeavouring to reduce his authority to a level with theirs. If they were not apostles, neither was he, therefore each was on a par. They had proceeded further, they had put the question to the test, they had demanded

a proof" of his apostleship.-"Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in

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me." In the former epistle he had re- | laboured gratuitously. He owed service

buked their irregularities, corrected their abuses, commanded the excommunication of a certain offender, and had asserted his apostleship, declaring that his commission and instructions had been derived directly from the Lord himself, and not through the intervention of any man; so that when, after fourteen years' exercise of his ministry, he had gone to Jerusalem, and had conferred with the other apostles, they could add nothing to him. Of this, therefore, the false teachers and their party demanded a proof;" and on this word rests the whole of our criticism, for this is the key to the false transla

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Paul was now on his trial. Proof was demanded, and proof should be given, but what proof would he prefer giving? He might come unto them with the rod, or else in love. He might "have used sharpness, according to the power which the Lord had given him to edification, and not to destruction;" but, preferring to come in love, he tells them, that to spare them he had not yet come to Corinth, and refers them to themselves as the very triumphant proof of that after which they inquired. "Be proof to yourselves. Are you in the faith? What! know ye not your own selves whether Christ is in you, except ye be without the proof; but I trust ye shall know that we are not without proof. Now I pray God that ye do no evil, not that we should appear proved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as without proof." Without proof, then, and not "reprobates," is the true translation of this passage, and we shall now see that without proof, and not "a castaway," is the true rendering of the same Greek word in 1 Cor. ix. 27.

The apostle had just made known to the Corinthians conduct on his part which arose from the very overflowings of his zeal and love; but which, without being guarded by him from the possibility of being misapprehended, had passed then, and at all future periods, as an apostolical sanction of the damnable doctrine of, "Let us do evil that good may come.' He had a right to receive of the carnal things of those to whom he ministered spiritual things, yet he

to no man, yet he made himself servant to all. To the Jew he became as a Jew, -to them that were under law as under law,-to them that were without law as without law. A startling confession, which even before he finished the sentence, he turned aside to guard by the parenthetic statement, that he was "not without law to God, but under law to Christ." And then referring his Corinthian readers to the well-known customs and laws, and the self-denial, discipline, and training of the candidates for the crown in the Olympic games, (vv. 24, 25,) he adds, they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible; I therefore so run, not as at random; I box, not as one who thumps the empty air; I subdue my body and make it my servant, lest that, having preached to others I myself should be without proof,-proof of what? That he himself was under, or in law to Christ; that what he preached he practised; that his works justified his faith, and that he showed his faith by his works. Such, I am fully convinced, both from the ordinary meaning of the Greek words, and from the context, is the true, simple, and scriptural meaning of the passage.

W. I. MORGAN, A. M., M.D. Turley House, near Bradford, Wilts.,

Nov. 10, 1850.

THE FELICITY OF THE DIVINE CHOICE. "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd" John x. 16.

"KNOWN unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the world." How delightful to the humble believer is this assurance, how clearly it proves that there is nothing like chance in the divine mind throughout the whole creation; and no circumstance is so minute in our affairs as to be overlooked, or to escape his complete cognizance. While even the very hairs upon our heads (as Jesus himself assures us) are "all numbered," so that not a single hair is lost by us at any time without the divine

regard, we may be most perfectly assured that nothing can at any time transpire in our experience, for good or for evil, for pleasure or for pain, over which our gracious heavenly Father is not most constantly watchful: and if this consideration were more constantly and vividly present to our view, (as it ought to be) it would not fail to excite in us an undeviatingly devout circumspection; and we should feel a most perfect satisfaction with, and resignation to, the dispensations of the divine providence, whatever might appear to be their mystery, or even their painfulness.

The rebellion of the apostate angels was no surprise to the all-pervading intelligence against whom they revolted; and, like the wilful transgression of our original parents, it was, without doubt, permitted in infinite wisdom, and for the more complete display of the divine glory. But, blessed be God, while the angels that sinned were passed over in righteous sovereignty, Christ, as a Saviour, was immediately revealed to Adam and Eve, and they were led by himself to present those sacrifices whereby his death for their redemption was prefigured. They were doubtless clothed by him with the skins of the slain animals, to shew how they might still appear before God acceptably with the robe of his righteousness, the garment of his salvation.

Abel, beyond all question, presented his offering, by the divine leading, in faith of Christ's atonement: Heb. xi. 4, and Christ was the Lamb of God, slain, in figure, to take away our sins "from the foundation of the world;" Rev. xiii. 8. Enoch even predicted the last judgment by him: Jude, v. 14. Abraham "beheld his day and was glad:" John viii. 56. Moses "esteemed his reproach beyond all the treasures of Egypt:" Heb. xi. 26. Job was raised by faith in him over all his overwhelming afflictions: Job xix. 25. And David, throughout his songs, assisted the church in the celebration of his sorrows and his joys; while Isaiah, Daniel, and all the other prophets, in one way or another, gave "witness to him, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins," Acts x. 43: and thus the Holy Spirit glorified Christ, and numerous sinners were most won

derfully brought to himself in the various ages preceding his mysterious incarnation.

Again, during his personal ministry, though he permitted himself to be rejected by the majority of his own nation, he by his grace effectuallycalled some from among themselves to the knowledge of himself; and they were as perfectly satisfied in attaching themselves to him, as was Nathaniel, when, by intimating to him that he had seen him under the fig tree, Christ most affectionately convinced him of his omniscience, (John i. 48.) In the connexion of the passage at the head of this paper, having described his people as his sheep, who became such by the offering of his life in their behalf, by his call to them individually as by name, and by his superintendence of their Christian course he adds, for the special consolation of Gentile sinners throughout the world, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd."

Christ had indeed a large additional company of sheep among the Jews at this very period, whom he intended to bring into his fold by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit after his glorification; and he had, no doubt, Saul of Tarsus in his view, and multitudes more of the Jews who had never known him in the days of his flesh, or were now his most determined, ignorant enemies; but in these most precious words of our Redeemer, we have ourselves a most particular interest, for he here most clearly refers to those who should be converts to himself from among the Gentile nations, who were the gift of his Father, and whom, in the purposes of his mercy, he was determined to bring to himself, to participate in his present and everlasting salvation.

Yes, here hope rises most delightfully to ourselves; and the words of our Redeemer are not the testimony of a merely general, but of a most particular and certain mercy, to parties now known to himself, and determinately fixed upon to be the participants of his sovereign and distinguishing grace. They from eternity have been his sheep in the divine purpose, and are to be made such manifestly in his own blessed time,

various, but it is commonly through the preaching of the gospel, which is specially appointed with this intention; Mark xvi. 15: "It hath pleased God by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe;" 1 Cor. i. 21. And as this is attended with counsels, invitations, promises, warnings, and threat

Holy Spirit, according to Christ's own promise, by this divine method brings believers to salvation, and leaves all unbelievers without excuse: John xvi. 8— 11; 2 Thes. i. 7—10.

through their renewal by the Holy Spirit after his own most blessed image. He, without doubt, had in his eye Cornelius and Lydia, the Philippian Jailor, and the "much people in Corinth," the citizens of Rome called afterwards "to be saints," the elect Ephesians who were then "dead in trespasses and sins," and the chosen Philip-enings, according to the Scriptures, the pians, Colossians, Thessalonians, &c.&c., and to come still later down through all the intervening ages to our own times, disciples of Christ that inhabit our own most favoured Britain and Ireland, "the isles of the Gentiles," and "the utter- And O what a felicity will it be, most parts of the earth," together with when all the sheep of Christ, both of a multitude more who are now united Jewish and Gentile extraction, shall be with "the spirits of just men made brought together by Christ into the perfect," and others of excellent Chris- same fold, to be exposed no more for tians who still survive; and multi-ever to any of the enemies by whom they tudes yet unborn, who shall be brought successively into fellowship with Christ until the final consummation of all things.

have been here surrounded and harassed. No enemy can enter heaven, and Christ will there completely obtain the desire so forcibly expressed in his intercessory And may not some, at least, of our prayer, Father, I will that they also selves also, through the abounding whom thou hast given me be with me mercy of our Redeemer, be permitted to where I am, that they may behold my lay a humble claim to be admitted glory which thou hast given me, for amongst his Gentile sheep? Paul not thou lovedst me before the foundation of only rejoiced to proclaim that Jesus the world:" John xvii. 24. This will Christ came into the world to save the indeed most abundantly make up for all chief of sinners, but to believe that sal- the sorrows of this present chequered vation by Jesus, belonged to himself: wilderness state; and if we are now one "who loved me, and gave himself for with Christ by a lively obedient faith, me:" he could say, "I know whom I we need not doubt the completion of his have believed, &c. ;" and if we can grace, by the perfect and never ending truly say the same, we may adopt the communication of his glory, according same soul exhilarating language, for to his own most faithful assurance, the sheep of Christ, without exception, "Where I am, there shall also my serhave had "6. grace given to them in vants be:" John xii. 26. "Because I him before the world began ;" 2 Tim.live, ye shall live also:" John xiv. 19. i. 9. Nor may any poor sinner justly consider himself lost on account of his ignorance of his divine election, if he is looking with singleness of heart and real sincerity to Jesus, for this is his own most blessed assurance, "him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out," John vi. 37. But let none who delight in unrighteousness presume

upon the divine election, for all Christ's sheep are chosen in him "that they should be holy," (Eph. i. 4,) and it is the unalterable decree of heaven, that "without holiness no man shall see the Lord;" Heb. xii. 14.

The means by which the sheep of Christ are brought to himself, are

STEPHEN DAVIS.

24, Trafalgar Square,
Peckham.

"BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD."

THERE is danger that you may be. There cling to our natures elements of depravity, even after our introduction into the kingdom of Christ, by which this world may draw us into affinity with itself too close for eminent spirituality.

So peculiar and intimate are our relations to the world, that a too com

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