day and night," who knows that God will and must be just, even to the Prince of devils was not the one to stand by, unmoved and uninterested, and see a lawful subject of death thus slip from his grasp. Such conduct would not have been in accordance with his characteristic vigilance and malignity; he must contend for the body, although his opponent be Michael the Archangel, his old enemy and conqueror. The words used in Jude 9, to express this contest, διακρίνομενος (contending,) and διελέγετο (disputed,) both indicate that the contest was one, not involving physical action or force, but disputation, a word conflict. Hence the issue was one of right, not of might. The nature then of the conflict, as herein indicated, would seem to favor the above interpretation: Satan feeling that his prerogatives were encroached upon, by this death and burial of Moses, rose up, not in might, but in right, to contend (diazpww) — i. e. disputed (desleyeTo) for the body. But, as before mentioned, Moses (διελέγετο really died, and therein the law was vindicated; hence the Jehovah Angel, Michael, the exalted Spirit-Prince, "who standeth for the children of Israel, in every conflict that arises," carries out his work in spite of Satan's opposition, and silences him, not by railing and abuse, but calmly and solemnly says "The Lord rebuke thee." Such in substance is the solution of this subject proposed by Kurtz; the merits of which the reader will decide for himself. This much, however, all will concede its marvellous ingenuity, and a degree of plausibility which allows the mind to rest in it, at least until a more satisfactory solution can be proposed. The subject is rather curious than important; and yet a true solution of the difficulties might be the means of throwing more light upon the mission of Moses, and the covenant which he, in one sense, mediated. If Kurtz has done anything towards elucidating the subject, then as he says, "the conflict between the two great spirit-princes, for the body of Moses, which at first sight appeared so strange, acquires the greatest importance in connection with the development of the plan of salvation; and the fact itself, that in spite of Satan's protest Jehovah rescued the body of Moses from the common fate of the sinful children of men, becomes a type and prelude of infinitely greater and more glorious things to come." J. W. N.. ART. V.-Design of the Sacraments. Happily, all Protestant Churches are agreed in the fact that Christ has given but two Sacraments-the Lord's Supper and Baptism. The former was instituted just before his death; the latter after his resurrection, and just before his ascension. - These two ordinances while they were mainly designed, as we propose to show, to embody the two great fundamental ideas which are the corner-stones of the Christian Religion - were intended also to be a bond of union and communion between the various members of his mystical body. But, alas! for centuries they have been the bone of contention, and of endless strife and needless divisions, whereby the energies of the Church have been greatly paralyzed. Perhaps the gravest heresies that have ever cursed the Church have grown out of a perversion of the doctrine of the sacraments - Transubstantiation and Baptismal-Regeneration. These sacraments are the whole gospel in symbol. They typically embody that which is vital to the whole Christian system. Hence their liability to abuse-and, when abused, the mortality of the wound thus inflicted upon the cause of Christ. The tendency of the Church in all ages has been to rest in outward forms; and when these ordinances have been lifted out of their appropriate spheres as symbols, and are made to convey to the souls of men by some mystical power the grace of God, then the Church has lost the spirituality of her religion and simplicity of her ordinances, in endless strife about rites and ceremonies. Much evil has also resulted to the Church from the manner in which these controversies have been conducted. The truth has not been always discussed in the spirit of truth. The pen is too often dipped in gall. We often forget that conviction is slow to reach a mind that is rankling with religious jealousy and hatred. To attempt to convert another by first arousing his prejudices, is about as wise as it would be in a general to attempt to sack a city at midnight-taking care that the first thing he does is to go all around and wake up the sentinels. Besides, "it is a victory for truth scarcely worth obtaining, if charity be left bleeding upon the field of battle." Perhaps no service could be rendered the Church, at the present time, more acceptable than to settle definitively all her controversies touching the Sacraments. And it does appear to us that there is no way in which this can be done so effectually, and at the same time in a manner so exhaustive of the whole subject, as by placing the two together, and running a parrallel between them, showing at once the nature and design of each. During the Old Testament economy there were evidently two very distinct classes of rites, viz.: sacrificial or bloody rites, and lustrations, ablutions" deacopoe Baлtioμo." There were the διαφόροις βαπτισμοις.” yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily sacrifices-morning and evening. Their altars were perpetually smoking with the sacrifice of slain beasts. There were the burnt-offerings, the peace-offerings, sin-offerings, &c. But these could not take away the sins of the people. And they were not without their meaning. They declared in a manner far more expressive than words, that "without the shedding of blood there was no remission." They pointed to Christ, the "True Passover"-"The Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world." Then there were their "divers washings" - the pouring out and sprinkling of water, blood and oil. These seemed to have constituted as numerous and important part of worship as the other. The laver and the altar stood side by side. They were alike indispensable; the priest, before he could serve at the altar, must first be cleansed at the laver. "These were only shadows of good things to come." These good things thus foreshadowed having now already come, of necessity these rites and ceremonies must cease, or give place to others more appropriate to the advanced state of the Church. Under the gospel dispensation "there must of necessity be a change of the law," in regard to the ordinances of the Church. Beyond all doubt, these numerous rites pertaining to the Old, have been simplified and reduced to only two under the New Testament economy-Baptism and the Lord's Supper. The question may arise-why did Christ give two and only two sacraments to his Church? The answer is most obvious. There are two great truths which lie at the foundation of the work of redemption. The fall of man has produced two grand difficulties in the way of our return to God: the first difficulty is legal, and has respect to God; the other is moral, and has respect to man. Since the fall, God has been brought into an altered relation to man; and man has been brought into an altered relation to his Maker. God is angry with the sinner; the sinner is at enmity with God. These two difficulties must be met. Grace must counterwork the effects of sin. God must be reconciled to man; and man must be reconciled to God. He must be restored both to the favor and image of God, which he has lost. He is perfectly unable of himself to do either. He cannot render satisfaction to God's violated law, and so make an atonement for sin; neither can he recover himself to his original state of normal purity. The rock loosened from the precipice can roll by its own weight to the foot of the plane; but it has no power to lift itself to its place again. Man is the offenderGod is offended. Sin is opposed to every attribute of God; and every attribute of God is opposed to sin. The transgressor is held down both by the law of God and the law of sin. To meet these two difficulties, God sent forth both his Son and his Spirit into our world. The first difficulty it was the official work of Christ to meet-i. e. to reconcile God to man; the office work of the Spirit is to remove the second difficulty—i. e. to reconcile man to God. Christ is man's advocate at the bar of God in heaven; the Holy Spirit is God's advocate at the bar of man's heart on earth. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us for our justification, while that of the Spirit is imparted to us for our sanctification. The one gives us a title to, the other a fitness for, heaven. The one pardons, the other purifies. The work of Christ is for us, that of the Spirit is in us. The one is external a change of state; the other internal — a change of character. The one is instantaneous and complete - having respect to the past; the other is incomplete and progressiveand having respect to the present and future. The one prepares a heaven for us, the other prepares us for heaven. It is true that there are many passages in the word of God which seem to ascribe the whole of this double work to Christ alone. But Christ may be said to do in person what he does by his substitute. Indeed, the real sphere of his labors is in heaven; he must ascend up on high. The sphere of the Holy Spirit's work is on earth-Christ only laid the foundation; the Holy Spirit brings up the superstructure. "It is expedient for you," said the Saviour, "that I go away. For if I go not away the Comforter will not come." Moses was commanded to take the blood, and to sprinkle half of it upon the altar and half upon the people thus impressively showing that God must be propitiated, and that the worshiper must be purified. The whole ecomomy of redemption, then, may be divided into two parts1. That which is legal: 2. That which is spiritual. And although Christ is the author and finisher of our faith, yet, we think, it is most abundantly taught in the Scriptures, that while he has reserved to himself, officially, the first department of this great work, he has delegated to the Holy Spirit, his substitute and vice-gerent, the second department of it. Hence it is that he has instituted both sacraments, the Supper, and Baptism. The first has reference to Christ and him alone; while the other has no reference to Christ at all, only so far as it respects the official work of the Holy Spirit. In other words: Christ, as the great High Priest of our profession, has gone into the holiest of all with his own blood, and sprinkled it upon the throne of God, to make reconciliation before God for the sins of men; while upon earth, the Holy Spirit sprinkles the blood of Christ upon the hearts of the people, to purify their hearts from sin. The sacrament of the Supper, then, has reference only to the legal, official work of Christ; while that of Baptism has exclusive reference to his spiritual work-or the work of the Holy Spirit upon the hearts of men. We cheerfully admit that there is a necessary connection and intimate relation between the sacerdotal intercession and regal glory of Christ, at the right hand of God, and the mission and work of the Spirit upon the earth. The application of Christ's work in the flesh, is accomplished in every one of his people, from first to last, by the agency of the Spirit, communicated through his continual intercession. The actual salvation of any soul, as it is by virtue of his meritorious death, which his intercession pleads, so it is through the agency of his Spirit which |