honour of Him, of whom we can but again and again say, "Oh, How great is His goodness, and how great is His beauty!" THE WAYSIDE NOTE WRITER ON THE Beloved, we know not what the Lord name; had comforted some poor trembling brother or sister in the Lord. And when we add to this the felt presence of the Holy Spirit enjoyed, and the fact that we have in our possession upwards of 150 testimonies received from all parts of the United Kingdom, yea, and even from the East Indies, that the Lord hath blessed our feeble "Wayside Notes" to the profit of immortal souls, we can but come to the conclusion that He is about to drive us into the work of the In the meantime, we wait His will. upon us. forget Bow Road. EFFECTUAL CALLING. LOOK at Jeremiah xxiv. 7, and xxxii. Į devil (Jas. ii. 19), be willing for God to 38-40; Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27; Psl. work holiness in him? No! most cx. 3. assuredly no! Now, I ask, if God will give a new heart, will we not have it? If God will take away the resisting principle, will we not let it go? What is this but to change God's truth into a lie-His omnipotence into weakness, and His glory into the idol of man's free will? But in the passages we have just quoted there is a declaration or promise of God, by His mighty power, to do that for poor man which he cannot do for himself;-they are God's absolute promises, with no ifs, no perhapses, no peradventures, no conditions whatever Some, no doubt, would interpret such attached to them, but sheer dead lifts to passages, as conditional offers of God to the poor lost and undone sinners_given men-e.g., "I will give you a heart of to Christ from all eternity! "I will, flesh; I will take away your heart of and they shall," is language that needs stone, if you are not unwilling, or if you no explanation to any but professors have no objection, or if you ask me,' "dead in trespasses and sins." I will &c. But what outrageous mockery is work, and who shall let it?" says the this! what tampering with God's truth, Lord Almighty (Isa. xliii. 34); and if what impertinent obtrusion of wretched God has declared of any people under man's amendments and suggestions is heaven, "they shall not depart from me, here! Can a heart of stone ask or pray we defy all the Arminians in the world to God? Can a heart that is enmity to show us how that people can be lost! against God be willing for God to im--Five Sermons on Five Points, by Rev. prove it? Can the devil love? or can W. Parks, B.A. man who, by nature, is worse than a It is the hardest thing in the world to take Christ alone for our righteousness. Join anything to him of your own, and ou unchrist him.-Wilcox. Although we shall bless and praise God through eternity, we shall only thereby acknowledge the debt we owe, but not pay an atom of it.-Romaine. THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF UNION WITH CHRIST, BRIEFLY UNFOLDED FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE BELIEVER. (Continued from page 599, last volume.) THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE UNFOLDED. 66 III. WE come, then, in the last place, to regeneration; and that, consequently, it dispose of our third question: What is in the act and moment of regeneraare the results of this union? And these tion that we are united to Christ. (3.) results it will be necessary for us to That regeneration, essentially considered, distinguish as proximate and ultimate; is the importation of a new element into understanding by the proximate results human nature (not according to the of our union with Christ, such effects usual view of Evangelical writers, "a as are produced in us, and on us, during principle of grace infused into the the continuance of our present life in soul," which element, otherwise the the flesh; and by the ultimate results of resurrection life of Christ, is distincthis union, those further effects which tively termed, in the Scriptures of the will manifest themselves only when we New Testament, "the Spirit," or the shall have entered on a future state of Holy Spirit." We now advance existence. For oh, beloved reader, this another step, which is to show that, as union with Christ, our risen and the necessary effect of this, the man ascended Redeemer, is a marvellous who was originally by creation a thing. Its issues may be bounded only dichotomous (or two-fold) being, consistby the life of Jesus, and its full de- ing of body and soul, becomes a trichvelopment is reserved for the blessed-otomous (or three-fold) being, consisting ness of heaven. It is a seed sown in time, but which shall bear its fruit only in eternity. It is the rise of a little stream, which for a time flows on slowly and with difficulty, sometimes "sparkling out amid the fern "-sometimes apparently almost dried up, then sinking altogether into an underground channel, where no eye can trace it, but to re-appear expanded into a majestic river, and mingle its glad waves with the wide ocean of Jehovah's glory. 1. Let us then consider for a little while, first, the proximate results of our union with Christ; that is, the results which accrue to us therefrom while we remain in this world. Somewhat on this point has unavoidably been anticipated; but we have throughout these papers preferred the lesser evil, as we deemed it, of some slight degree of repetition, to the greater one, of failing to bring each great point in our subject clearly and prominently before the reader. Still adhering to this method, we shall commence by recalling to the reader's remembrance the steps in our argument, which we have already endeavoured to prove. They are as follows:-(1.) That we are united to Christ by a participation of His resurrection life. (2.) That this life is imparted to the believer in of body, soul, and spirit; and this we may call the intrinsic proximate result of our union with Christ. The question-of how many parts does man (by nature) consist? is one on which there has existed a considerable diversity of opinion. The "Athanasian Creed," however, explicitly asserts that "the reasonable soul and flesh (i.e. body) is one man." And, in exact agreement therewith, the Catechism of the Westminster Assembly declares, that Christ the Son of God became man, by taking to Himself a true body and a reasonable soul." The guarded accuracy of both these venerable documents is worthy of our special notice. A distinction has sometimes been made between the "reasonable soul" and the "sensitive or vital principle;" and some heretics have maintained that Christ took the latter, but not the former. This is a distinction, however, which neither the Creed nor the Catechism recognize— both asserting, with equal plainness, that the soul of Christ was a reasonable soul." The same opinion has been maintained by the most eminent theological writers of more recent times. The constituent and essential parts of man (as) created by God," says Dr. GILL, are Two, body and soul. These 6 the man lives on, in his natural and unregenerate state, a dying body, with a soul that is ' dead in trespasses and sins.'"* Man, then, not merely in popular estimation, but according to the judgment of most orthodox divines, was created a twofold being; nay, we want surely nothing beyond the plain declaration of Scripture to assure us of this truth, when we read, "So God formed man out of the dust of the ground (there is his body), and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (there is his soul), and man became a living soul" (Gen. ii. 7); or, as St. Paul significantly expresses it, "A soulical man." appear at his first formation: the one was made out of the dust, the other was breathed into him; and so at his dissolution, the one returns to the dust from whence it was, and the other to God that gave it; and, indeed, death is no other than the dissolution, or disunion, of these two parts."* Or, to take a theologian of a very different stamp,-"The Holy Scriptures, and even those of the Old Testament," says Professor KNAPP, "constantly teach that man consists of two parts, body and soul-e.g., Eccl. xii. 7. The dust returns again to the earth, of which it is a part; the spirit returns to God, who gave it' (Mat. x. 28). Fear not them who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul,' &c. Nor can Such is the natural man; such was we suppress the conviction, that there Adam, and such is every man who is is within us a nature different from the "naturally ingendered of the offspring body, and superior to it-an enlivening of Adam." But what is the Christian? and quickening principle through which Wherein does the believer differ from we possess the power of feeling, think-the unbeliever; the regenerate man ing, willing, and acting. But, notwith- from the unregenerate? It is not, as standing this conviction, there have we have already intimated, that (accordalways been different opinions with re-ing to the opinion held by the vast magard to the constituent parts of human jority of the evangelical school) in the nature. Some have maintained that moment of regeneration a divine influeither the soul or the body is the only ence is exerted upon the natural soul of essential part of man; while others have the man; that the soul is animated by maintained that it consists of three es- a new life-that the soul, damaged and sential parts, body, soul, and spirit. polluted by the fall, is renewed and puThis opinion had its origin in the caba-rified; not perfectly, indeed, but in so listic and platonic philosophy."+ large a measure and degree, that there With this theological teaching, modern exists in the true Christian no longer an physiology is in perfect harmony. Pro- entire sinful nature, but only the refessor MILLER, a most competent wit-mains of it;† not "the flesh," but only ness, remarks ;- -"Let it be remembered its relics-some few members of the that man consists of two parts; the mor- "crucified," or rather "drawn and tal and immortal; body and soul. The quartered old man," in which a fastformer, fashioned by the wonder-work- expiring spark of life may still survive; ing hand of God out of the dust of the in other words, that man was not earth, to be the soul's tenement, and to created "flesh," but only became " flesh" obey its will, having served the allotted after the fall; thus confounding the space in time, returns to the earth from New Testament sense of the term as whence it came. Wearied with labour synonymous with "human nature in the and worn by disease, it sleeps in death, and rests in the till the resurrecgrave tion. The latter is at first breathed by the Spirit of God into the house of clay, and the two live on together, not in purity and perfection of life, however; for in both there is the taint and deadli ness of the fall. The child grows up, * " Physiology in Harmony with the Bible." undertake to become our spiritual guides, of "We hear continually from those, who 'the remains of corruption,' of 'the remains of indwelling sin,' that 'the old man remaineth in us in a measure,' and such like vague and indefinite expressions, calculated to lead us to infer that some portion of our inward corruption is gone, some of the members of the old man (as it were) amputated, and that by increased exertions of our own, with the natural condition," and the popular the powers, passions, and infirmities theological sense of "the principle of corruption" existing in human nature as fallen, and which is also called "indwelling sin." thereunto belonging; and, secondly, of that which no other man except a real Christian possesses, viz., that which is born in him, and sustained in him by the Holy Spirit of God. And what is that? I answer, in the words of the Lord, That which is born of the Spirit is spirit' (John iii. 6). Hence, the apostle calls the Christian a spiritual man (TVEνμatikòs), as distinguished from all others, who are called natural or soulish men, (xiol), 1 Cor. ii. 66 No, beloved; this we hold to be an entire, and, in its far-reaching consequences, a most disastrous mistake. We believe that no change, no amelioration, no renovation is effected in the soul by regeneration, but that a new principle, or, if you will, a new nature, is added to the man; that principle or nature being "the spirit "-"the resur- By a true member of the true Church rection life of Christ." And we do not of God, then, I would be understood to hesitate to say that to confound "soul mean a man or woman who possesses, and spirit," though a less gross is not a not only a human body with all its wants, less fundamental error, than to confound infirmities, and lusts, and a human soul soul and body." If the one is ma- with all its capacities, but also a heaventerialism, the other is carnalism; if the born spirit, with all its holiness: a man one degrades man to a lump of perish-or woman in whom this spirit does not able matter, the other degrades the Christian to the level of the flesh. 66 Some of our readers who have never studied this subject may, however, as we fear, regard this most important distinction of soul and spirit" as the cobweb of our own brain; it is, therefore, a great satisfaction to us to be able to adduce the opinion of one of the most eminent evangelical ministers of the day on this point, not only on Paul's principle of one of your own poets," but because he has expressed this truth far better than we could hope to do so. The Rev. Dr. M'NEILL, in his able and valuable work, "The Church and the Churches," writes thus:-" For what is a member of the Church of God? What is a Christian indeed? The question is a simple one, but a scriptural answer to it is wrought with most excellent wisdom. A real Christian is an immortal, compound being, consisting of two essential parts; first, of that which other men consist of, body and soul, with blessing and grace of God, more will be rooted out and cut off, till at length we shall thus be meet for glory. A little leaven will leaven the whole lump; and we shall 'all come unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.' Is not this, for the most part, the usual method of exhorting believers to the indispensable duty of sanctification? The Scriptures, however, reveal no such method."" The Two Natures of a Believer." By a Layman. D. 128, 129. acquire such an ascendancy as to resist effectually, and at all times, the desires and motions of the natural body and soul. This would be perfection; and in whom the natural body and soul do not acquire or retain such an ascendancy as to overbear effectually, and at all times, the motions and desires of the Spirit, this would be unconverted nature. But a man or woman, in whom nature born of Adam, and spirit born of God, both live, and live contrary the one to the other; so that the Christian cannot do the things that he would do. To will is present with him, the spirit is willing; but how to perform that which is good, he finds not; the flesh is weak. With the mind he served the law of God; with the flesh the law of sin' (Gal. v. 16-18; Rom. viii. 18, 25). The spirit would be holy; nature cannot. Nature would be unholy; the spirit cannot. The spirit would be like God; nature cannot. Nature would be like Satan; the spirit cannot. A bird of paradise is detained in a cage of fallen humanity. The cage cannot kill the bird, the bird cannot free itself from the into its own likeness; it flutters and cage, neither can it transform the cage falls back; it sighs for liberty, and flutters again; it quiets itself in patience, and sighs in hope of deliverance; and thus it must flutter and sigh, and sing and wait, till the cage is removed."* *First edition, pp. 214, 216. 66 re To every word in this admirable pas- last days as soulical (4vxikoì), having sage we subscribe with heart and hand. not the Spirit"-they further teach us But to proceed: that the Scriptures that all men alike do not possess both do recognise a true generic distinction the "soul" and the " spirit;" but, on between the "soul" and the "spirit" the contrary, that only those who " of man, is placed beyond all doubt by ceive the things of the Spirit of God," such passages as 1 Thess. v. 23; Heb. in other words, true believers, have the iv. 12; Jude 19; and especially by the latter; while the great mass of manvery explicit language of 1 Cor. ii. 14, kind are but "soulical, having not the 15, referred to by Dr. M'NEILL. When Spirit." And, therefore, it does cerPaul prays for the Thessalonian believ-tainly appear to us, that to confound the ers, that "the very God of peace may two things, call them principles or nasanctify them wholly, and that their tures, as you will, signified by these whole nature, spirit, and soul, and body,* terms, would be as erroneous in doctrine be preserved blameless unto the coming as the confounding of the terms themof our Lord Jesus Christ "—when he de- selves in Scripture language is in apclares to the Hebrews, that "the word pearance. Although we may supof God is quick and powerful, and pose," says an ingenious writer, “that sharper than any two-edged sword, there is no difference between soul and piercing even to the dividing asunder of spirit, we should be startled were we soul and spirit, and of the joints and to use the one instead of the other. marrow" he clearly intimates that the For example, how strange would it ap"soul" and the "spirit" cannot be the pear if we were to speak of a man same; inasmuch, as he thus distinguishes losing his spirit' (Matt. xvi. 26); or the one from the other. And, moreover, to say, that there were added to the when the same apostle tells the Corin- Church three thousand spirits' (Acts thians, "The soulical man (vxixòs ii. 41). Still more startling would it be ǎveρwπos) receiveth not the things of to use the word soul for spirit, saying, the Spirit of God; for they are foolish-He saw the soul of God descending like ness unto him: neither can he know a dove, and lighting upon him '(Matt. iii. them, because they are spiritually dis-16). They were terrified and affrighted, cerned; but he that is spiritual (TVEV- and supposed that they had seen a soul' μATIKòs), judgeth all things - and (Luke xxiv. 37). 'Ye know not what when Jude speaks of the mockers of the soul ye are of' (Luke ix. 55). In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my soul, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Cor. v. 4). When the unclean soul had torn him' (Mark i. 26)." * دو * We agree with the opinion of VITRINGA, that the word ookλnpov, which is translated "whole" in this passage, is not to be taken as an adjective, but as a substantive; and that the "whole" is to be understood as in opposition with "spirit, and soul, and body;" these three being, in fact, a detailed account of what constitutes the "whole" of regenerate mau. (To be continued.) "The Stars and the Angels," pp. 334. SMOOTH STONES FROM ANCIENT BROOKS. As long as there is fuel in the heart for a temptation, we cannot be secure. He that hath gunpowder about him, had need keep far enough off from sparks; he that is either tender of his credit abroad, or comfort at home, had need shun the very shadow of sin; and he that would neither wound conscience or credit, God or the Gospel, had need hate the garments spotted with the flesh. God lades the wings of private prayer with the sweetest, choicest, and chiefest blessing. Ah! how often hath God kissed the poor Christians at the beginning of private prayer, spoken peace to him in the midst of his prayer, and filled him with light, joy, and assurance upon its close. BROOKS. |