the Lord alone-that can safely and satisfactorily "direct our paths." But, if there be one state more enviable than another, whilst we are on pilgrimage, and considering what we are as well as where we are, we believe it to be the state embodied in that precious portion, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee." D.

Pilgrim Papers.

ANOTHER.

THE Connexion this one word stands in is worthy of the attentive consideration of the Bible student. In 2 Corinthians xi. 4, we have it thrice mentioned: "Another Jesus," "Another Spirit, "Another gospel." This suggests to the mind Satan's great power of imitation, so that he can simulate "another Jesus," "another Spirit," and "another gospel," whereby "the Bride," "the Lamb's wife," may be deceived as to the true Bridegroom, the right Guide, and the one Gospel.

There is something very awful in the thought of being mistaken as to the Person of Christ, the work of Christ, and the truth of Christ. Many talk of "Jesus only," and yet append so much of their own carnal notions to his Person, work, and salvation, that it is "another Jesus," and not "the Christ of God." A Jesus who needs the help of fallen man in salvation, or nothing vital can be effected; a Jesus who died for all the world, and yet lets the sinner He has bought go to hell; a Jesus who turns suppliant to His creatures, and craves ineffectually of man the favour of saving them; a Jesus who offers salvation, and leaves it to the sinner to accept or reject—this we distinctly say is "another Jesus," and not the Christ of the Scriptures, nor "the Christ of God."

We read of vagabond Jews, in the Apostles' day, who made use of the name of Jesus to call over them who had evil spirits, saying, "We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth." But the evil spirits knew better than to be ruled by this sort of second-hand religion. So the answer given by one of them was in this wise: "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye?" It was "another Jesus" these Jews made use of a Jesus to serve their turn-and the evil spirit detected the fraud. In every age may be found "false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ," who preach "another Jesus;" and the poor sheep, as Jesus calls His people, because of all animals they are the most silly, the most defenceless, and the most prone to wander, are too often deceived by those who preach "another Jesus," and drawn into errors that "drown the ungodly in perdition," but from which final destruction the elect are preserved, brought to repentance, and to the light of truth.

Said Luther "In the name of Jesus Christ, all errors in theology are introduced by Satan." He makes use, in all ages, of "men famous in the congregation, men of renown" (Numbers xvi. 2), to spread the errors that he invents. To start a doctrinal error in the name of the devil, or in the garb of practical unholiness, would be something akin to a burglar blowing a whistle before he opened the door with a skeleton key. But when an error is broached in the name of "Jesus only," and in the dress

of superior sanctity, then the pagan cry is repeated, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men, "and the poor silly sheep open their eyes in admiration upon these models of perfection, and open their ears with delight when all the doctrines that offend the natural mind are removed in the exhibition of "another Jesus," who loves all, died for all, invites all, and offers salvation to all, if they will accept it. Opposite to this is the Scriptural Jesus-the "Head elect of the Church of God” (Isaiah xlii. 1), who came down from heaven to do the will of God, and declared, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and no man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him." And this same Jesus, who declared, "I lay down my life for the sheep,” rose from the dead as the first-fruits of the Church, and is "exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins." "This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should lose nothing." But these doctrines offend the natural mind, even as we read in our Lord's day, when He declared a second time, "No man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father.” Then we read, "From that time (or saying) many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him." They wanted "another Jesus," that would please the world, even as His carnal brethren petitioned, "If Thou do these things, shew Thyself to the world, for neither did His brethren believe in Him."

Salvation secured in Jesus for a chosen people is an odious doctrine to the world, and rouses the wrath and vindictive enmity of Satan; his art is to set forth" another Jesus," to entrap the elect, if possible, and make his ideal Christ attractive to "the world that lieth in wickedness," and so keep sinners in peace through his device of a general scheme for universal acceptance, which quiets the carnal, gratifies the pride of man, and flatters him with the false hope that he can turn to God whenever he has a "convenient season.'

But in these words of the Apostle we have presented to us, further, "another spirit;" and truly this marks distinctly the character of our religious age. It is not the Holy Ghost who is set forth as the Testifier of Jesus in convincing of sin, righteousness, and judgment, in taking of the things of Christ and showing them to the poor sinner; but "another spirit," which is the spirit of Satan in the form of free will; and this ever accompanies the preaching of "another Jesus." A universal Christ and man's free-will invariably go together, creature ability is sure to crop up, and thus "another Jesus" may be easily detected. When Jesus, "who was declared to be the Son of God, with power according to the spirit of holiness," is preached, sinners receive grace, whereby they see themselves as lost, and they need a Saviour who can save. The power is His, the work is His, and they feel their need of the Holy Spirit to reveal to them all Christ has done, according to the promise, "He shall lead you into all truth, for He shall take of mine, and shew it unto you.' But many will acknowledge that the Spirit of God must begin the work, and yet will set man to carry it on. This is the real meaning of those appeals to the Lord's bondaged people to exercise simple faith, to take the promises of the Gospel, to rest upon the letter of the Word; all this is to be effected, not by the Spirit of God, but by "another spirit." Man's ability is the idol of the day that all the world worshippeth. It was so in the beginning, as the first-fruit of the fall, and continues in the heart of every sinner till the Lord, by sovereign grace, breaks down

the will, and makes him, by the teachings of the Holy Ghost, lie as a poor dependent at the feet of a dear Redeemer, who is exalted a "Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins." This is not the work of "another spirit," but the operation of God the Holy Ghost. But further, we have brought before us "another gospel." The Apostle, writing to the Galatians, says, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel" (i. 6). The whole teaching of this epistle is to open up the Apostle's meaning of "another gospel." To reduce it to a small compass, we have a question put which touches the root of the matter: "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" Was it you or God who begun? Was it by works or faith? The answer settles the question.

The Gospel is good news of a salvation wrought out by Christ, and wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God. This is the character of the Gospel, which means "good news;" but a gospel clogged with conditions, a Christ offered to dead sinners, a salvation that hinges on the will of man to accept, a redemption that lets sinners drop into hell, a love without power to pluck brands from the burning-this is "another gospel;" not the Gospel of the grace of God, that meets the sinner in his lost state, follows him, step by step, in the regeneration, secures a certain and complete salvation, and brings him to glory in triumph, founded upon electing love and redeeming blood. This is gospel-"good news"—indeed. The Apostle, in brief, gives us the outline of the true Gospel in these words: "Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father." Here we have a summary of the doctrines of grace, the Gospel, or "good news," in a few words, of an effectual salvation wrought out by redemp tion, and based upon the will of God. The Apostle solemnly declares, "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed;" and, to show the world's estimation of this true Gospel, he adds, "Do I seek to please men? If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Those who preach "another gospel" often bait the hook with bits of truth that deceive the simple, and they listen to error till they like it. Such ministers have their reward in followers and flatterers; but true servants of Christ, who preach the "good news" of a personal and efficacious redemption, whereby sinners are-" delivered from this present evil world, according to the will of God," must be content to take their stand by a despised Jesus, to have for their companions the few, and, whatever be their denomination, to belong to a "sect that is everywhere spoken against." This is the cross all God's living family must take up and carry, if, by divine grace, they are made to reject "another Jesus," "another spirit," and "another gospel."

L.

If thou art a vessel of gold, and thy brother but of wood, be not highminded. It is God that maketh thee to differ. The more bounty God shows, the more humility He requires. Those mines that are richest are deepest; those stars that are highest are smallest; the goodliest buildings have the lowest foundations. The more God honoureth men, the more they should humble themselves; the more fruit, the lower the branch on which it grows. Pride is ever the companion of emptiness.

LETTER OF REPLY TO "AN OPPONENT OF THE DOCTRINES

OF GRACE."

The

MY DEAR SIR,-As the calumniators of the doctrines of grace, of all denominations, invariably denounce them as "unjust and horrible," allow me, as a loyal and attached minister of the Church of England, to draw your attention, in the first place, to our XVII. Article, to which all our clergy at their ordination have given both their assent and consent. following quotation expresses a sentiment the very opposite to yours:"The godly consideration of predestination, and our election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members, and drawing up their minds to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God," &c., &c.

You will perceive, from this extract, that it is only "godly persons who derive comfort from the doctrine of election, and, as we know that the generality of mankind are not godly or spiritual, and also that Christ's flock is a little one, it is consequently confirmatory of the Article itself that the doctrines of grace should be calumniated as unjust and horrible." These doctrines can only be understood and received into the heart by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, or, mentally, by deep philosophical study. The first is the free gift of God; the latter is seldom undertaken. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." This is, indeed, the case with those who regard the doctrines of grace as "unjust and horrible," for they do not understand them. Nor is it human learning or wisdom that will bring them to a knowledge of them; for "man by wisdom knew not God," and it is by "the foolishness of preaching that it pleaseth God to save them that believe.' "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant." Our blessed reformers and martyrs held these doctrines, and sealed the truth of them with their blood. Laud was our first Arminian archbishop, A.D. 1633, and he was imbued with the spirit of a Papist, being a violent persecutor of those who contended for the faith. The Scotch are considered a deep-thinking, religious people, and their national religion is Calvinistic-Presbyterian.

I am convinced that the chief cause why men do not perceive the absolute necessity of salvation by God's free and sovereign grace is, that they are too hardened by the fall of Adam to experience the effect of it. If they felt in themselves the workings of an evil and corrupt nature, and had any clear views of God's holiness, they would know that they were utterly unfit for the kingdom of heaven. This, however, they never do feel till they are born again of the Spirit; and then they experience the conflict, even unto their life's end. It is true that the new nature, which is of God, cannot sin; but "that which is born of the flesh is flesh," and remains sinful and corrupt to the last, though subdued by the Spirit. The Papists and their followers hold rightly the fall of Adam, but teach that all who are baptised by them of water are regenerated, and receive new spiritual life, which, however, they may lose again. Now, if this priestly baptism washed away the guilt of Adam's sin, and restored the

baptised to Adam's state of perfect innocence and purity of nature, then the trial of Adam's obedience might be renewed in his offspring on equal terms, but not otherwise.

If Adam, in his perfect, unfallen nature, did not keep one command of God, it is not likely that his fallen children can keep ten. They teach also that a child obtains both its election and redemption by baptism; for all the baptised are the elect, and all those without "the pale of the Church" are lost. According to this plan of man's device, a child's regeneration, election, and redemption, all depend upon the parents' bringing it to the font.

We teach that God has made an infinitely wiser provision for the safety of His children than this; viz., that out of the fallen race of Adam-all dead in trespasses and sins, and under the curse of the law-He chose, according to the good pleasure of His will, a people for Himself, even before the foundation of the world. These He gave to His Son, and Christ, in order to satisfy the justice of God, entered into covenant with Him to redeem them with His blood, dying "the Just for the unjust." These chosen and redeemed ones He also quickens by His Holy Spirit, and they are all "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." Here we have perfect Trinity in Unity, and without any contingency in the salvation of God's children.

We teach that all God's elect are brought to a knowledge of their lost state by nature through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and that they then offer unto God the sacrifices of a broken spirit and a contrite heart, crying out, "Behold, I am vile, and abhor myself in dust and ashes!" So far from imagining themselves better than other men, they feel that it is by free grace, and by free grace alone, that they can be saved at all. Then it is that the doctrines of free and sovereign grace become a Gospel to them, and Christ becomes precious to their souls. It is only when they feel themselves utterly unworthy, and that they can do nothing, that "the Lord frankly forgives them all." This is the work of the Holy Spirit, from first to last, though God frequently pleases to make use of man's instrumentality in the preaching of the Word. Every truly converted person will admit that "by the grace of God he is what he is,' and this admission is a conclusive answer to the whole controversy. This grace is the unmerited favour of God, which He bestows on whom He will; viz., on His elect; and these, in due time, He makes what He wishes them to be; else why doth the Apostle enquire, "Who maketh thee to differ? what hast thou that thou hast not received?"

An unconverted, or partially enlightened, man, unacquainted with the perfection of God's attributes and the holiness of His law, may thank God that he is not like other men; but, in God's time, every child of God will cry out, "Unclean! unclean! God be merciful to me, a sinner!" The more a man grows in grace, the more unholy he feels himself to be, and that he can only be saved like a poor criminal who receives a free pardon from the sovereign. Any other feeling than this, or notion of free-will for good, is nothing less than Pharisaical pride.

You inquire, "Why preach the Gospel to the heathen? or what is the use of preaching at all? Why not conclude that all Mahommedans and other non-Christian nations are the non-elect?" To which I reply that God's decree respecting both them, and others, is secret to us, and as it "pleases Him by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe,” He has given us a command to "preach the Gospel to every creature.'

EE