great falling away from the ancient faith and practice of the gospel; when the bulk of professed Christians would "not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts would heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. And should turn away their ears from the trnth:" valuing the tradition of men more than the commandments of God. It is then, fellow immortals, your duty and interest, as the apostle John teaches, "not to believe every spirit, but to try the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world." But you may ask, how are we to try them? The same apostle informs us: "We (the apostles) are of God, he that knoweth God heareth us (the apostles), and he that is not of God heareth us not. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." O! then be persuaded to come at once to the teachings of the ambassadors of Christ, and receive from them the "truth as it is in Jesus." "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Paul says, "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." And he further informs us that he, the chief of sinners, is set forth as a pattern to all succeeding ages, of the way in which the long-suffering mercy of God flows to the ungodly. Are you, convicted sinners, willing to be saved after this pattern? If so, consult Acts xxii. 1—16, where is given by himself an account of this all-important matter. As you value your immortal souls, despise not the medium God has appointed to grant to the believer in Jesus the forgiveness of sins. If it could be said of those who made light of John's baptism, that "They rejected the counsel of God against themselves, not being baptized of him," with how much greater force may these words apply to those who reject the baptism appointed by the Son of God.

But are you, poor perishing sinner, deterred from receiving the heavenly truth by your concern for the final state of the unbaptized? Our Lord's words to Peter should meet your difficulty, "What is that to thee? follow thou me.' In so far as infants are concerned, they are neither saved nor condemned by the gospel. No. The gospel of Jesus condemns none but those who reject it. Infants cannot do this, therefore by it they are not condemned. The gospel

saves none but those who believe and obey it. Infants can do neither, therefore, by the gospel they cannot be saved. They are, indeed, saved through the merits of a crucified Saviour. But with the gospel (which is glad-tidings, and to them can be no tidings whatever), they can have nothing to do, nor, of course, with any gospel ordinance. And with reference to adults, it is only those who "know their Lord's will and do it not that shall be beaten with many stripes." O! may every one who has received the Sacred Record, be deeply impressed with its solemn statement, That if any man take from the words thereof, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the Holy City." "Christ is become the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him.” "Ye are my friends (says Jesus) if ye do whatsoever I command you." In conclusion, we would note a few passages of the Word of God, for the serious consideration of all who would become "students" in the school of Christ, and we pray that they may be disposed of in a scriptural manner.

Mark xvi. 15, 16; John iii. 5; Acts ii. 37, 38; Acts viii. 12, 36, to the end of the chapter; Acts xxii. 1-16; Rom. vi. 1—5; Gal. iii. 26, 27; Eph. v. 25, 26; Col. ii. 10-14; Heb. x. 16-23; 1 Pet. iii. 18, to the end.

Yours, &c.,

HUGH LAUder.

QUERY AND REPLY.

QUERY.

A CONSTANT, and possibly, a benefitted reader of the Christian Messenger, is desirous to call the attention of the editor to the scriptural mode of CONCLUDING the administration of the Lord's Supper. Matthew xxvi. 30 states, "And when they had sung an hymn, they went out." Mark xiv. 26, makes use of precisely the same words. In the account given by Luke, the Supper was followed by some exhortations from our Lord to his disciples and solemn warnings to Peter, and then it is added, (xxii. 39)" And he came out and went, as he was wont, to the Mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him." From these three testimonies, (for that of the evangelist John is not specific), it appears that this ordinance was not concluded

either by prayer or benediction; they simply "sung an hymn and went out."

The editor of the Christian Messenger will perhaps have the kindness to refer to this subject in the next number. Beeston, November 8th, 1844.

REPLY.

H.

"THE ordinance of the Lord's Supper was not concluded either by prayer or benediction: they simply sung an hymn and went out."" This is the difficulty with our friend H., on which I beg to remark that, when the Lord first exhibited this commemorative institution to the view of his disciples; the first day of the week as a day of public worship; the fellowship, or contribution; the prayers of the apostles; nor the benediction recorded 2 Cor. xiii. 14, were not any of them in existence. It is not for me to say at what time the intercessory prayer of our Lord, (John xvii.) was presented, whether before or after he exhibited the emblems of his dying love; nor does it matter, seeing it contains no allusion to this event.

come.

The Holy Spirit was promised to the apostles to bring all things to their remembrance, whatsoever Jesus said to them before or after his resurrection; also, to show them things to They had this heavenly treasure in their earthen vessels. They were invested with full power, from the day of Pentecost, to give the whole will of Christ to the nations; and it is recorded of those who first received their doctrine, that "They continued steadfast in the teaching; in the fellowship; in the breaking of the loaf; and in the prayers of the apostles:" (see the new version) and they were to do this till Jesus returned. The apostles then, were Jesus lawgivers to the nations, and he that despiseth, (their teachings) despiseth not man, but God who gave to them his Holy Spirit. 1 Thess. iv. 8. The question then, is, have he apostles left us a perfect example, how, or in what order, the disciples should attend to Christ's institutions? If the order be not found in Acts ii. 42, in vain shall we look for it

prayers

in all the New Testament. We learn, then, that the and teachings of the apostles are applicable" to all the saints in every place, who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, both their's and our's." 1 Cor. i. 2. Paul, in taking his leave of the church at Corinth, pronounced what is called "the benediction ". -a most comprehensive and invaluable summary of true prayer; and in comparison with all human composition, we may truly say, "what is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord." So now a congregation of saints, after commemorating the Lord's death, and when about to separate, perhaps never all to meet again in this world, may, with the greatest propriety, unite in prayer, and treading in the footsteps of the apostles, pronounce this or any other benediction found in the Book. 2 Cor. xiii. 14; Heb. xiii. 20, 21; Jude 24, 25. I do not say that prayers should not be offered up in public by the disciples only at that time. Prayer may be presented at other times-but at this period it is both scriptural, edifying, and must be well-pleasing to God. Query.-Would any of the above prayers or benedictions been appropriate, had they proceeded from the lips of the Saviour the night on which he instituted his own commemorative ordinance ? I think not.-ED.

THY KINGDOM COME.

MR. EDITOR.-As we think our excellent brother J. D. in his Scripture Difficulties, No. XII., has failed in his remarks on this part of what is called "The Lord's Prayer," we propose to lay before you some thoughts on the subject. Daniel says, "In those days shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom." In the four evangelists it is not less than twenty times called " the kingdom of God," and as often "the kingdom of heaven." In the new version it is rendered "reign of heaven," intimating a very important distinction, for the Jews were God's chosen people, and the kingdom was his; but it consisted only of a relation maintained by law rigorously exacted, and in its nature temporal. The new institution consists of a state of favour, and is properly

spiritual-agreeing with the terms of the promise, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them: I will be their God, and they shall be my people;" from which it appears to be God's kingdom. But in Col. i. 13, we are said to be "translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son." Again, Luke xix. 12," A certain nobleman went into a far country," &c. Now it is agreed that the talents (or pounds) given and taken account of, very properly represent the judgment day: if this be correct, Jesus has not yet received the kingdom, but is coming to receive it. Psalm cx. 1. "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." This, certainly, is the language of God to Messiah. The passage is quoted 1 Cor. xv. 24; but not being clear in our common version, we will here give Wakefield's version of it: "Then will the end be, when God the Father delivereth up the kingdom to him, during which he will destroy all dominion, authority, and power, for he must reign till he hath put every enemy under his feet, and so the enemy death will be destroyed." Our brother has taken this passage from the common version, as if Christ would deliver up the kingdom to God-but if so, what would remain for Christ to inherit? In Heb. i. 2, he is said to be "heir of all things:" and in Col. i. 16,"all things were created for him." If, then, Jesus at last, when the kingdom will be fully prepared, were to give it up, were would be his inheritance? But if God, who hath put all things under him, give up the kingdom to him, he will inherit all things, and God will be all and in all.

Brother J. D. notices Luke xxii. 29, where it is said, “I appoint unto you a kingdom," &c.; clearly showing an advancement to a state of honour, but does not decide to what state he refers. One thing seems clear, it does not represent the experience of the apostles when executing their mission here; nor does it appear that Paul expected it when he says, "If in this life only we have hope, we are of all men most miserable;" but it was surely intended to stimulate their expectation when it was shown to John, that in the foundations of the New Jerusalem were found the names of the

twelve apostles. They, indeed, do now sit on thrones judging, being the only legislators in the kingdom of God. But this, like all Christian encouragement, is never held forth as the full reward. They said, "we have left all and