then, your thousands of witnesses to warrant your judgment. But though you could bring as many hundreds of thousands of witnesses, as there may be thousands, speaking the same thing, I will prove by undeniable arguments, they are perjured persons every one, their evidence inadvertent error, or a wilful lie, ignorance or wickedness, and will vindicate the unimpeachable character, and spotless innocence, of the unoffending castaway. Again,

You say, "The chief point, then, is with the word 'castaway,' as to whether its signification is synonymous with the word 'perish.' Here you self-evidently and most lamentably stumble. You have not proved the proprosition from whence you draw this inference. A firm house must have a solid foundation-this is a sand-bank. The chief point is not whether the word 'castaway' is synonymous with the word 'perish,' neither could it be under any circumstances, for they do not belong to the same part of speech; but the whole controversy between us is whether the Greek word adokipos is faithfully represented by the English word castaway in 1 Cor. ix. 27. Your unproved assertion is, that it "has no such meaning, or anything like it-its true import being unseemly, or not in accordance." Surely our very learned translators must have been blockish, if its meaning is not anything like it; I should have thought the arrow to have been directed right at least, though it might have fallen short.

As to the proximity of either of your interpretations to the true sense of the word to be translated, any intelligent person may easily see, for the first might be substituted, with equal nearness to the sense unseasonable; and unserviceable would be much nearer. And by your own method of argumentation for the second might be substituted not in discordance; and would be equally as near the sense of the word. For example, "Lest by any means when I have preached the gospel to others I myself should be not in discordance to the Corinthian manners I censure." But who does not see essential differences here? Who does not see to what boundless extravagance such lax principles of interpretation leads? If such principles are allowable, every man may make himself a Bible according to his humour, every man's may be different, and yet every man profess his own to be a translation; but where should we find the word of God? But I find you have abandoned your former position, and taken up another. For merly you said the true import of the word under consideration was unseemly, or not in accordance; now you say its true interpretation is unapproved or disapproved, assuming Dr. Gill's comment. This surely is not a certain sound, or if it is, the word must be exceeding equivocal indeed, and can boast of that capability of accommodation, which perhaps no other word can. But I must tell you, my good friend, that I detract nothing from your moral worth as an individual in society, nor as a Christian, when I affirm in friendship and candour, that you

Not his translation; that learned man was too wise to meddle with the translation of the word.

have evidenced an entire incapacity for biblical criticism; which will soon further appear.

I will now produce a witness or two in favour of castaway from my superiors. The very learned interpreter Theodore Beza, as Cansabon styles him, in his translation, has rendered the word by "refectaneus ;” which, in the judgment of Littleton, signifies, castaway, refuse, flung away as unprofitable. And, according to Leigh, in his Crit. Sac. the Vulgate Latin, Stephenus, and Erasmus render it by "reprobus," reprobate.

But you are expecting me to notice, what I should suppose you esteem your strong-hold; namely, the third paragraph of your letter. Here you labour under a fundamental error; an error decidedly inexcusable in, and that demonstrates you utterly incapable for, sacred criticism. It appears by your quotation of Dr. Johnson's explanation of the substantive castaway, and reading the passage with that explanation, that you account the word in dispute a substantive. It also appears to be without the compass of your knowledge, that the sentence both in the Greek, and in the English is elliptical. But adokipos and castaway are both adjectives, and the sentences are both elliptical, there being in both a proper ellipsis of the substantive; the very same as "One of the twelve," "with the twelve"-i. e, the apostles. Also, rise, rising, rose, risen from the dead-i. e, from the state of the dead, or from the place or places in which, or where the dead are laid; and ad infinitum. Indeed it is impossible to produce a better example of the proper ellipsis of the substantive than our text affords; and it is so common in both languages that the full construction would almost be deemed a pleonasm. The substantive to be supplied to make the full construction would be δουλος, διακονος, λειτουργος, υπηρετης, κηρυξ, αποστολος, or some such word descriptive of the office the apostle held for a time state, for the good of the church; but not роσwяоv, person, or individual; and then the reading would be, "Lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (that is, according to Dr. Johnson, a useless') servant.*

Wherefore it is demonstrated that there is no cause of condemnation in castaway, that the charges against it are groundless, that the thousands of witnesses against it are forsworn, that Dr. Johnson is a witness for it, and you ought therefore in justice to it, as publicly to publish its acquittal and justification, as you have impeached and condemned it. Judging sufficient has been said on this subject, I certify you of my intention to write no more upon it; and conclude, wishing you a rich enjoyment of the blessings of a certain salvation, and a merciful preservation from a temerarious handling of the precious word of God, Subscribing myself, yours, with Christian regards. I. A.

⚫ I have used this generic word, it being sufficiently explicative of the word to be supplied.

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

DEAR MR. EDITOR,

Hearing a great talk amongst some professors, and some of them too, I trust, the living branches of Christ the true Vine, about what they call a "law work in reality," and knowing by past experience that many of God's dear children are much tempted, harassed, and perplexed, as to whether they ever had a law-work on their consciences or not, I feel a desire, and may the Lord enable me to point out what it means, A law-work, then, in my humble opinion, is began from the moment the Holy Ghost takes a vessel of mercy in hand-stops him in his mad career of wickedness and folly, and convinces him of sin. It matters not whether it be of long or short duration, whether the subject of it be seized with (apparently) all the horrors of the damned, and is driven almost distracted with terror, or, in a more gentle way, the soul being led from step to step to see and feel his state as a sinner before a holy, just, and good God, in whose nostrils all his righteousness is as filthy rags, and brought feelingly (in time) to justify the Lord though he thrust him down to hell, to know by heartfelt experience his own utter inability to do anything to help himself and satisfy offended justice-so that it ends in a manifestation of the Lord's love and mercy in ever so small a measure to the soul exercised therewith.

I say, then, it is my firm belief that though the one is not brought to such depths of terror and despair as the other, and his deliverance from guilt-bondage and slavish-fear be not so conspicuous, 'tis no less real, and in itself the one is greater or less than the other. The Holy Spirit by these teaching each their totally lost, ruined, and helpless state, and their absolute need of a sovereign free grace salvation irrespective of worth and worthiness on their parts; in what way then, can, or why should those of the Lord's family who have been brought through the one, exalt themselves above others that have not been led through the same terrible things as themselves, and in a measure lording it over them; with grief, I must say such is oftentimes the case. God grant it may not generally.

I remember well about two and a half years ago, how my soul was harassed and cast down, fearing I knew nothing about a law-work, having heard and read that it was and must be experienced by every elect soul before the Lord Jesus Christ, in being revealed to them as their Surety, Sin-bearer, and Law-fulfiller-not knowing in my judgment what it meant; and at times it "dashed my very hope." Yet at this time I do trust I knew by soul experience what it was.

For this reason I have been induced to take up my pen, knowing that many of the Lord's dear quickened family find it a great stumblingblock, also because there are some who say to the bruised reeds and smoking flax of the Church of God, "This is what I call a law-work.” "This is the way the Lord teaches his people." "There! what do you think of that?" "Can you tell the difference between law and gospel?" as if theirs was the infallible standard by which the Spirit of God always wrought in the elect. Ah! Mr. Editor, this is not exalting

that precious Jesus who alone is worthy of being exalted, but savours too much of I, GREAT I. Those who can indulge in these things cannot be kept with a tender conscience and a broken and contrite spirit, nor at the dear Redeemer's feet.

That God may keep you and me, and all his dear family with a feeling sense of our unworthiness, vileness, our many provocations, shortcomings, backslidings in heart, and departures from the simplicity of the gospel, and of his great mercy, and tender compassion, and lead us, and keep us low at his dear feet for his great name and mercy's sake, is my soul's earnest desire. Amen and Amen.

AN UNKNOWN ONE.

TIDINGS FROM THE RIVER'S SIDE, COMMONLY CALLED OBITUARIES.

READERS, you are aware that if there be one part in Editorship which we prefer more than another, it is in recording the dying testimonies of departing saints. This really affords us a rich treat; and our readers must excuse the homeliness of the phrase when we say, that we seem as it were to give three hearty cheers—a holy shout, when we hear of one and another of the Lord's dear family being taken home. We do so love to see the devil outwitted, and the saints run off waving the palm of victory, and shouting their triumphs through the blood of the Lamb, that we cannot but-yea, and will-rejoice, even though left in the wilderness ourselves.

Now, here follows two sweet accounts-the one of a dear old pilgrim, having long borne the burden and heat of the day, but indulged to speak a word in his Master's name, and at length so wondrously favoured as to drop in his service-one half-hour speaking to a few fellowpilgrims of the grace and loveliness of his Lord, the next bowing before him and casting his blood-bought crown at his feet! Oh, we should love to die in harness.-The other is a sweet account of a dear child, just the mother's own words, unstudied and free.-Cheer up, some of ye poor, burdened parents; plead on-sigh, cry, groan on-the Lord may be at work with your dear children, and you have no knowledge of Their self-will and rebellion may be but Satan's last struggles. He has overheard your groanings, and, guessing what is the matter, is more on the alert with your children.

it.

MR. EDITOR-DEAR SIR,

THE EDITOR.

This comes with the solemn apprizal of the falling asleep in Christ of Mr. James Rowsel, of Shepton Beauchamp, near South P therton, Somerset, who was, I believe, for many years a respected writer and correspondent in the GOSPEL MAGAZINE; one, who was kept stedfast in the faith, earnestly contending for the salvation and glory of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the person of his bestbeloved Jesus. And this he did much in the face of persecution, receiv

ing the disheartening fruits of opposition from formalists; and like most of God's faithful ministers, from other quarters also. He felt but little, very little of human applause (blessed be God it was not his trial) which waft upon breeze's deception, all her votaries, and drops them in the dead sea of carnal security. But few regularly attended his ministry, and those mostly the Lord's poor, who came a distance to hear him. The cause was maintained by his support, and from his own peculiar resources so that the view of getting a purse and a scrip from his labour, was foreign to his mind. The love of his God con

strained him, if feebly, to declare with full purpose of heart and mind despised doctrines and precepts; yea, all the counsel of God, so far as enabled, in an experimental manner, and in the spirit of the Gospel, revealed in God's most holy word.

This reminds me of his answer to one who bitterly opposed his preaching, and hated the truth of God proclaimed by him, not long before his death, and who was on this as on former occasions upbraiding him for preaching, by saying, "Mr. Rowsel is always worse after preaching." The dear man answered (this was after the attack of paralytic in his tongue,) "If the Lord opens my mouth again, I will preach with double vigour." This he did to the astonishment of many.

In the latter part of October last, it pleased God sorely and sud.. denly to lay his hand of affliction upon him by a stroke of paralytic in his tongue, which so hurt his speech that it was with difficulty his domestics could understand him. His mind was wonderfully supported in this affliction, and much rejoicing of soul at the Lord's near approach was enjoyed by him. Of this, by God's blessing on the medical course, he grew much better; so that by the Lord's unloosing his tongue he again proclaimed His blessed word among the people many times, and the hopes of the little few were much raised that the Lord would longer keep him in the wilderness for their sakes. The disease had many ebbs and flows, his strength much increased, and the presence of God was almost continually with him in holy triumphs. But notwithstanding his increasing strength the Lord's call was upon him, and the voice again and again reiterated in his soul, The Lord is near at hand. So that he would say to his friend when feeling somewhat better, "I am much better, and waiting expectant of another stroke from the Lord to take me off." This expectation was from the Lord, for it took place on Lord's day, January 18th, 1846, in his own school-room, where he met with the Lord's family to break the bread of life among them; and after preaching about half an hour, he left his desk (the pulpit) and came among the people, and talked with them, enquiring of their welfare, &c., the Lord's dealings with them, and proclaimed his goodness to them. This was his customary manner among the few to whom he was particularly attached, and they particularly so to him. Some would stay and take their morsel here, and wait until the afternoon service. This was the case this morning, but he stopped and talked with them rather longer than usual, being about 15 minutes, when he exclaimed, "Oh, what a pain I have in