and affections of the individual saved, for it meets him in every step of its conquering energy, as an intelligent and accountable agent, and while it does not coerce him, it will not leave him, unless he leave the truth, or let it slip, but will make him a conqueror through him that loved him, and make him at last the happy subject of the annunciation, Unto him that overcometh will I give to sit down with me on my throne, even as I have overcome, and am set down with my Father on his throne.'

How futile, then, is the objection rebutted in the commencement of the 6th chapter, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.' Having thus shewn that we are not to sin because we are not under the law but under grace, the apostle further reminds his beloved brethren at Rome that the two antagonistic powers were yet in the field, and warns them as to the servitude and results of each, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness, and then in the 17th verse breaks out into a burst of gratitude, God be thanked, that though ye were the servants of sin, ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.' Beloved friends, here is the grand turning point in that God-glorifying transition. With the heart man believeth unto obedience. Abraham obeyed God, and being strong in faith, gave glory to God. So does every one who obeys from the heart that form of doctrine which was deliver to the saints, and being made free from sin, all such th become the servants of righteousness. Say, then, is not a God lorifying transition? Once they were dead in nd sins, under the dominion of sin. This w nd their character was a walking accordi of this world, according to the prince of t r, the spirit that now worketh in the cl lience, but obeying from the heart, they h rother with Christ, raised up togeth Jaces in Christ

and affections of the individual saved, for it meets him in every step of its conquering energy, as an intelligent and accountable agent, and while it does not coerce him, it will not leave him, unless he leave the truth, or let it slip, but will make him a conqueror through him that loved him, and make him at last the happy subject of the annunciation, Unto him that overcometh will I give to sit down with me on my throne, even as I have overcome, and am set down with my Father on his throne.'

How futile, then, is the objection rebutted in the commencement of the 6th chapter, 'What shall, we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer, therein? Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.' Having thus shewn that we are not to sin because we are not under the law but under grace, the apostle further reminds his beloved brethren at Rome that the two antagonistic powers were yet in the field, and warns them as to the servitude and results of each, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness, and then in the 17th verse breaks out into a burst of gratitude, 'God be thanked, that though ye were the servants of sin, ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.' Beloved friends, here is the grand turning point in that God-glorifying transition. With the heart man believeth unto obedience. Abraham obeyed God, and being strong in faith, gave glory to God. So does every one who obeys from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to the saints, and being made free from sin, all such thus become the servants of righteousness. Say, then, is not this a God-glorifying transition? Once they were dead in trespasses and sins, under the dominion of sin. This was their state, and their character was a walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, but obeying from the heart, they have been quickened together with Christ, raised up together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Once they were sunk in the very lowest state of moral defilement, carried away unto dumb idols, even as they were led, with all the

concomitant and consequent immoralities, but now they are washed, now they are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Once they were foolish and disobedient, deceived, and serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another, but with rapture they beheld the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man, and therefore exclaim, 'not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.' In short, they have a rich experience of the fact that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made them free from the law of sin and death, that being emancipated from sin and become servants to God, they have their fruit all unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. And is not this, we again ask, a God-glorifying transition? So affirmed the primitive Christians, for when they heard that Saul preached the faith he once destroyed, they glorified God in him. Oh that the multitude around us were not only almost, but altogether such Christians as he, then would we glorify God in them, and with them look for that blessed hope, and the coming of the great God our Saviour, who, when he appears the second time, shall be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe.

Williamfield, Edinburgh.

W. N.

REVISION OF THE BIBLE.

Concluded.

We have thus shewn, so that the English reader may perceive, that the common version does not furnish the true answer to the important inquiry, 'What must I do to be saved?' so clearly, fully, and unmistakably as it should do. And we plead for revision under the deliberate and solemn conviction that the masses in this so-called Christian land are ignorant of the way of salvation; that not one in fifty of the religious teachers around us understands the gospel of the grace of God;' and that this is attributable, to a certain extent, to the errors and imperfections of the common version. We say to a certain extent, because there are some who can read the original, who persist in the errors of the common version. If such an one stands up before a congregation, and reads, Rom. v. 15, 19, or Heb. ix. 28, 'many' instead of all, knowing that the apostle is speaking of all, he thus misleads his

unlearned hearers. If Paul said that the favour of God, through Jesus the Christ, has abounded to all men, and I know this, shall I not sin against God if I read many for all; should I not be guilty of taking from or corrupting the word of God? Alas that there are so few who 'give the sense, and cause their hearers to understand'! What incalculable mischief has been done by the erroneous rendering of Matt. xx. 16! The great teacher did not say, 'Many are called, but few are chosen;' but that the called, i. e., all who make a profession, are many, compared with those of them who are approved. Literally, The called are many, but the approved are few, or fewer. How is the English reader to perceive that, in 2 Cor. viii. 1, Paul is informing the brethren at Corinth that a very large or liberal contribution had been made by the congregations of Macedonia. Possibly this might be gathered from the heading of the chapter. Or some light might be obtained from the marginal reading of verses 6 and 19; but the learned know that the grace of God,' in such a connexion, signifies a great gift, even as a city of God' (margin of Jonah iii. 3) is an exceeding great city.' And so of Trees of Jehovah,' 'Zeal of God,' 'Corrupt before God,' 'Fair to God,' &c.

A revised version would make the basis of Christian union far clearer; and if it does this, and nothing more,-if it should bring together all those who have named the name of Jesus our Lord, and who love him in sincerity, its promoters would be amply repaid, however great the anxiety, the labour, and the sum of money which it may cost.

We plead for revision, also, on account of the frequent omission (in the common version) of the definite article; for this is undoubtedly another source of error. Particularly so in such passages as Eph. ii. 8, which should read-By grace are you saved through the faith, &c. Some, indeed, perceive no difference between faith, and the faith. But it is clear that Paul makes an evident distinction, e. g., We have believed that we might be justified by the faith.' 'The faith' is, in one word, Christianity. A great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith,' Acts vi. 7. The mission of the Apostle to the Gentiles was to bring them-even all nations to obedience to the faith,' Rom. i. 5; xvi. 26, &c. The Scriptures are able to make men wise to salvation through the faith of Jesus the Christ, 2 Tim. iii. 15. 'The faith,' of which Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, is the author and finisher-rather, the leader and perfecter- The faith,' includes belief, repentance, baptism, the fellowship, the breaking of the loaf, &c. Let us therefore contend, earnestly so, for the faith once for all delivered to the saints, and plead for the truth, the whole truth (not excepting an article or an adjective), and nothing but the truth!

Revision is also required for the sake of Atheists, Infidels, and others. If asked why they disbelieve and disregard the book, they affirm that it abounds in contradictions, falsehoods, absurdities, and impurities. Now, it must be admitted that the common version is chargeable with such things to a certain extent, and we may tell such persons that these contradictions, &c., are not in the original, or an effort may be made to show them how they may be corrected or reconciled. But how much more convincing would it be to give them a version in which these things should not appear, and which should,