Olympas. Who were present at this dedication, Éliza?

Eliza. Both the parents of the child, and the good old Simeon, to whom it had been revealed by the Holy Spirit that he should see the Messiah before he died. He came in at the dedication of the infant Jesus; and, taking the babe up into his arms, he blessed God, and said, "Now, Lord, thou dost dismiss thy servant in peace; for mine eyes have seen the Saviour whom thou hast provided in the sight of all the world—a LUMINARY to enlighten the nations, and to be the glory of thy people Israel." And looking into the face of his mother Mary, he said, "This child is set for the fall and the rise of many in Israel, and to serve as a mark of contradiction, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." Anna the prophetess at this moment came into the temple, a pious widow, of 84 years old, who served God in fasting and prayer night and day. She also glorified God, and spake of the child Jesus to all in Jerusalem who expected redemption.

Olympas. What next do we learn, William, concerning the child Jesus?

William. Nothing more till he was about twelve years old, when, having delayed in Jerusalem after the return of his parents from the observance of the feast of the Passover, he was found by them sitting among the Doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions. His parents sought him for three days, during which time he had been thus engaged; and when asked by them why he had left them, he asked the mysterious question, "Did you not know," said he, "that I should be at my Father's house?"

Olympas. Father's business, is it not, William ?

William. In the common Testament it is business, but it is marked as supplement; and as the question was about place, and not business, I heard you say that the supplement ought to be house, for that was implied in the form of the sentence. His parents, however, not being able to comprehend his answer, we may be allowed to hesitate about its meaning. Olympas. That does not follow. The style is plain enough. He certainly spoke of the temple as his Father's house. This was what they did not comprehend. Tell us, Susan, what is the next event or incident recorded of Jesus?

Susan. We next read of his baptism. Olympas. Where, James, did this happen? James. At the Jordan. Olympas. Can you tell us the position and character of this river, Susan ?

Susan. In my sacred geography I read a good deal about it, but I cannot relate it all.

Olympas. I see your geography is at hand: read the description of it that we all may hear it. Susan. "The river Jordan is a stream about 90 feet broad. The head of it, as Josephns

informs us, is a round lake on Lebanon, called Phiale, which is always full, never increasing nor diminishing. From thence it runs under ground about fifteen miles, and comes out in a deep stream from a cave at a place formerly called Panium, afterwards Cesarea; and passing about fifteen miles through marshes and a dirty lake called Semechonites, it falls into the lake of Genezaret, a little below the city Julias. The lake Genezaret is about fifteen miles long, and five or six miles broad. It has several names, being sometimes called Genezaret, sometimes the Sea of Galilee, sometimes the Lake or Sea of Tiberias, from the city of Tiberias, the capital of Galilee, which is situate on the western border of the lake. In like manner it gets a name from other cities, and from the countries or regions around it. It lies in a direction nearly north and south. From the south end of it the Jordan rushes out, and, entering what is called The Great Plain, it runs from north to south, in a channel about thirty yards or ninety feet wide, at a rate of about two miles in an hour, till it meets and loses itself in the lake Asphaltites; alias, the Dead Sea, or Sea of Sodom.

"The great plain between the two lakes is about thirty miles in length, and about fifteen miles wide. Formerly the Jordan overflowed its banks annually, near forty perches on each side. This was overgrown with bushes, and was a harbour for lions and wild beasts, which were forced out when the river rose.

"Modern travellers inform us that the case is now different: by the rapidity of the current the channel is now deepened to at least nine feet; so that it contains all the water at the swelling, without overflowing the banks as it formerly did.

"The great plain is bounded by huge barren mountains, both on the east and west side. Those on the east begin at the city of Julias, where the Jordan enters the lake Genezeret, and stretch southward to the lake Asphaltites. Those on the west side form a continued ridge from Bethsau, or Scythopolis, to the south end of the lake Asphaltites, which is about seventy two miles long, and about twenty miles wide. This ridge on the west side of the great plain and the Asphaltite lake, is what is called the Wilderness; by which term they did not mean a tract absolutely uninhabited and desert, but in general uncultivated and thinly peopled, such as pasture grounds generally are. The southern part of this ridge is what Matthew calls the hill country of Judea.

'Bethabara, or House of Passage, was near that part of the Jordan where the Israelites, under Joshua, miraculously crossed it into the land of Canaan.

Olympas. Who baptized Jesus in the Jordan, Susan?

Susan. John the Baptist.

Olympas. How many rites were performed on Jesus, William ?

William. Three-circumcision, dedication,

and baptism. But our school-master tells some of our class that baptism now stands in room of them all—that in baptism we are circumcised and dedicated both. I cannot comprehend how baptism can be three times as much to us as it was to Jesus. Had he so

understood it, I think he would not have deceived the people by keeping up three ordinances as though really different, while in truth they are all one and same.

and

Olympas. Circumcision, dedication, and baptism, are three distinct ordinances. They indicate and signify very different ideas; no sacred writer has ever regarded them as occupying the same ground or filling the same place in any institution. But you have in the fact of the circumcision, dedication, and baptism of Jesus, an insurmountable argument against those who teach that the last is a substitute for the first two. Circumcision was a patriarchal institution; dedication, a Jewish, and baptism is a Christian institution. Things that are as distinct as three dispensations should never be confounded, nor identified with one another. Our Lord honored every divine institution in existence at his time, and these three were all in being then, and of divine authority. Let us learn to imitate him in his devotion to the honor of our Father and our

God.

A. CAMPBELL.

THE ATONEMENT.

HEBREWS IX.

No impression is so wide-spread as that of making atonement by sacrifice. The most rude and the most polished nations have had their altars, their victims, and their priests. It is the stamp of Omnipotence upon the hearts of sinners, showing man's alienation from his God-proclaiming that God is offended, and needs to be appeased. This deep impression-this conviction of sin, has prompted man to offer sacrifices, and set him to work by every art and device to placate the Deity. This fact all history attests.

Two systems of atonement have existed from the beginning of one, God is the author of the other, man the offender is the inventor. Sin is a departure from the will of God. Sacrifice is intended to hide sin-to cover it, and to mark the change of the sinner's heart. In sacrifice there is first an expiation of sin, and a test

of love and obedience to God. The idea of substitution is at the bottom of the entire sacrificial system: that is, there is a transfer made of the guilt or punishment of the offender, to the victim slain and offered as a sacrifice. Atonement always supposes variance and opposition, and the of fender aims to appease, by his offering, as Jacob did when he sent the presents before him to his brother Esau: "For he said I will appease him by the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face, peradventure he will accept of me" (Gen. xxxii. 20.) The Lord said to Israel by Ezekiel, "I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. That thou mayst remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord" (Ezekiel xvi. 13.) The Septuagint reads the latter expression thus, "Because of thy confusion when I make a complete atonement for thee, according to all that thou hast done" (Thompson.)

Atonement must not be confounded with its effects, as is often done. Redemption, reconciliation, pardon, justification, &c. are effects flowing from the atonement: they are not causes. "We have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins." " Being reconciled to God through the death of his Son." "Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." "And not only so, but we joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." Here the word is katallagen, not katmos, and should have been rendered reconciliation, as it is in the margin. Strictly speaking, we cannot receive the atonement—we can receive its bene

fits, pardon and reconciliation. God only receives the atonement; and hence it is said of Christ, that "He offered himself without spot to God." The death of Christ was necessary as a sacrifice to God, in order that God might be just while he justified him that believeth, and cometh to God through him.

We may now inquire, why is the sacrifice of Christ efficacious? An answer will be found in the character of the types under the law, and in the character of the antetype. Under the law everything offered in sacrifice was to be free from blemish. And of Christ, as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world, the following remarks are made :- "For he hath made him to be sin (a sin offering) for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." "For Christ also hath once suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." "For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, and separate from sinners." Sin comes from Adam -justification from Christ. Now proud philosophy inquires, how can we receive sin from one, and pardon from another? I answer, that such is the scripture statement, and those who do not believe it can reject it. What if we cannot explain it, there are many things true that we shall never be able fully to understand. Infidelity only ought to stumble at a scripture statement; but unfortunately some men explain away, or reject plain declarations of scripture that will not yield to their boasted reason. Jesus Christ was not only free from sin as a man, but he was also possessed of a divine nature. What he does, therefore, may well be efficacious! We are poor judges of human merit how much less competent are we to judge of the merits of Christ's

death? Of him it is said, “Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.' "Sacrifices and offerings thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me." "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."

God never appoints superfluous means to bring about his ends. "Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." There is virtue in his atonement: not merely because it was of God's appointment, for the sacrifices under the law had this, as well as the sacrifice of Christ. "God laid on him the iniquity of us all." "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes we were healed." "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering fov sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands."

The death of Christ is the procuring cause of our salvation. The gospel publishes the fact to the world. Faith brought in contact with the heart of a sinner, destroys the love of sin, and quickens the love of God, and leads man to obey him, as King, through whom he has pardon, and the promise of eternal life. No substitute can be had for the atonement– none for our faith in Christ: nor will tears, prayers, or strong cries to God,

J. H.

SCRIPTURE DIFFICULTIES.

NO. XXII.

The Conforter, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost (John xiv. 16, 17, 26: xv. 26; xvi. 7, 13.)

In no case is "reverence and godly fear" more necessary, than when a weak and erring mortal endeavours to ascertain the office and work of the Holy Spirit of God on this earth.

It would be endless to notice the numerous and many-shaded theories, speculations, and extravagances written and spoken respecting the Holy Ghost: consisting, as they do, for the most part, of inferences from detached words, and of misapplications — all showing the difficulties met with in this great subject. I only attempt a solution, by a concise exhibition of the truth, in the obvious and natural way of a comparison of our Lord's promises, with the apostolic account of fulfilment.

Monitor to convince, instruct, admonish, and warn; and a Comforter to support, confirm, console, and delight. In this great office, He, as the Spirit of truth, had to display and attest the truth, wisdom, and will of the Father and the Son to mankind; and, as the Holy Ghost, had to abide with, and dwell in, the children of God.

The Son who " came from the Father" had been all this to his disciples while with them; and in announcing his departure, promised "another Parakletos, who also " proceedeth from the Father," and who should, at His entreaty, be sent by the Father in His name. This, however, could not be done until He was glorified.

"If I depart," Jesus said, "I will send him."

The work of the Holy Spirit is set forth in, and limited by, the promises of our Lord to his apostles, contained in these 14th, 15th, and 16th chapters of John's gospel ; and we 66 and do not the truth" if, in our teaching, or prayers, or practice, we add to, or take from, His promised and appointed work.

err

What the Holy Spirit was not to do, is thus stated: 1st, "He shall not speak of himself." Accordingly we do not find in the divine writings either example or precept for preaching of, or praying to, the Holy Spirit. 2nd, He was not to be given to the unconverted, for the Lord positively says, "the world cannot receive" Him: nor can an instance be found of His having (in answer to any prayer) been poured out upon, or given to, a | single unbelieving “ Jew, Turk, Pagan, or Heretic."

What He was to do is very distinctly stated. He was to do certain things for Christ-certain things for the apostles - certain things for the world-and certain things for disci

Do we ask, what was the Spirit of truth to do for Christ? The answer is furnished by himself: "He shall glorify me"-" He shall testify concerning me." The Divine Spirit was indeed an Advocate for Jesus! His claims to be the promised "Christ, the Son of the living God," "the King of Israel," although proclaimed by John, affirmed from heaven by the Father, and attested by mighty miracles, were disallowed, scorned, and even accounted blasphemy by his own people; and for maintaining these claims, he was persecuted and mocked, and finally executed as a hateful impostor. But He assigned to the Parakletos the all-important work of sustaining and establishing his high claims before heaven and earth. Having arisen from the grave, and having conversed forty days with his disciples, he ascended to his native heaven, and, welcomed by the Father, took his rightful seat as King, Messiah, and Saviour, at the right hand of God, amid the loud acclaim and lowly adoration of the angels of the presence, to reign till all enemies should be subdued or destroyed. But how should all this which passed in heaven be positively known upon earth? Amidst heaven's unspeakable glories, the exalted King forgot not his poor and feeble few upon earth; but, having from the Father received the promised Spirit, sent him, or shed him forth upon them in such ample measure, that, although illiterate fishermen, they were in an instant perfect masters of all languages; and although ignorant and fearful in themselves, they were at once filled with the wisdom of God, the mind of Christ, and the holy boldness of ambassadors from the court of heaven: and the Divine Spirit in and by them testified and demonstrated by miracles, to the conviction of thousands there and millions thence, that the very same Jesus of Nazareth who had been rejected and cruelly crucified as a "deceiver,"

then was seated supreme upon his holy hill of Zion, adored by all in heaven, invested with universal authority, and made Lord and Messiah, to give pardon, and salvation, and eternal life to men. Thus entirely and successfully was Jesus "justified by the Spirit."

Do we also ask, "What the Holy Spirit was to do for the apostles ?” 1st, He was to bring all the words of Jesus to their remembrance. How many words of grace and wisdom— how much advice, instruction, and consolation-how many thousands of commands and ten thousands of precious promises, uttered by lips that spake as never man spake—had they heard, and quite forgotten! Yet all were to be restored by the promised Parakletos; and, as in a moment, on Pentecost, the tablets of their memories were perfectly re-imprinted with every truth, doctrine, command, and promise of their departed Lord, fresh and thrilling as when spoken. 2nd, He was to guide them into all truthto show them the things of Christ, and to teach them all things. A few short days before, we hear these apostles ignorantly asking, "Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" But on Pentecost all such dark-mindedness was instantly dispelled by the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, shining fully into their hearts. Then the whole of the truths concerning his birth, life, sufferings, death, atonement, resurrection, commission, exaltation, and coronation the nature of his kingdom, his doctrines, his laws, his subjects, his mediatorial reign, and the ultimate judgment, with its eternal rewards and punishments— were all known and understood: and thus fully qualified, they entered upon their soul-ennobling duty of turning sinners from Satan to God, with all the energy and joy which can arise from the certainty of truth, the love of Jesus, and the deep sympathy of