adverse owner has had possession of the earth, and the strength of sin and subtilty with which he holds his goods, as a strong man armed, how fitting that the power of God should be kept constantly before the eye of faith, among the little flock to whom "the Father, in His good pleasure, will give the kingdom." Here is the might that alone can bind the strong man armed, who keeps his place where another ought to rule; and men may well doubt whether he can ever be ousted from it unless Omnipotence remove him. It is well that we ever bear this in mind, and so we cannot spare it from our prayers. If Christ had left it out, the Christians must have put it in. "And the glory." Could He, who dwelt in its full light with the Father, omit this grand consummation ?

"But the fathers are on our side," say the revisers, "in support of what you call robbery; for they quote the Scriptures in the short form." Do they all do so? Why, the earlier ones do, and we take little notice of the men of the time of Chrysostom, for they come too late." O, indeed! What if these later men had learnt that the earlier ones were accustomed to abbreviate New Testament quotations, as even apostles did some from the Old Testament, and so felt themselves competent to restore what was falling out of sight, had they not as much right to do so as our revisers have? When the heathen empire lost its power to persecute, and Edessa was still devoted to Christ, were no resources opened to Christian inquirers, which were closed in times of persecution? What of hints which critics give us about the Syriac of the time of Chrysostom having a share in producing our excellent Authorised Version? If King James' revisers gave heed to its readings, they might well succeed as they did without the lumber of a haystack of Greek manuscripts. And of these early fathers, and their abbreviations, something may further be said. First, as to a species of Old Testament severity towards their persecutors, through what they saw and suffered, rising up in their souls, and influencing their teaching. The fires of the fierce heathen in which their people perished, made them take strong ground about a "future fire to which the ungodly were to be exposed." So those who report the martyrdom of Polycarp, make him reply to his judge, "Thou threatenest me with fire which burns for a moment, and then becomes extinct'; but thou art ignorant of the future judgment, and of the fire of eternal punishment reserved for the ungodly." Then, when they give his final prayer, there is no petition for his enemies. Does not this show a falling below the standard set up by our Lord, who prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," and, "When He suffered He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously?" This hardening of feeling towards persecutors would affect their references to Scriptures opposed to it. So vices in fashion are lightly passed over when the world condemns them, by teachers who would stand well with their contemporaries. In this way those early fathers might abbreviate Matt. v. 44.

When the pressure of persecution was withdrawn, this might be seen and corrected. It is not shown that the words of Christ in Rev. xxii. 18, 19, were in general use in the churches in that early time, and so the writers might feel less bound to strict quotation. If our revisers are right, somebody has dared to add to the New Testament; and if not,

the revisers have dared to take away from it. On the heads of one party or the other, if not on both, rests the responsibility of taking liberty with God's Word.

And now about the shortening of the Lord's prayer in the references made by early fathers. How early? Do the revisers dare to tell us that they are earlier than the Peschito? Surely not! Even if we grant, which we do not, that this Syriac is a version from the Greek, those manuscripts from which it was made must have been of the very best. Where did the early Christians learn how to preserve their most honoured Rolls? Was it not in the synagogues? Now, kept in a suitable ark, or chest, the very autographs of the apostles would last, in weekly use, a century at the least; for Paul used parchment. Is this unreasonable, when we are asked to believe that the Sinaiticus, after its waste-basket adventures, is some 1500 years old, and two others nearly as old? We have the strongest argument possible on our side; for even paper lasts longer than we require.

Now, to affirm that any translators added the words, "Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory," when the very first autographs were before them, is rather too daring. And then, if every book in the old Syriac was supplied by the apostles, Matthew wrote the full form with his own hand, or Jude, its editor, did it for him, which is just as good, for he was an inspired apostle. Then why do these fathers leave it out? How much of their writings, untampered with, does the ante-Nicene Library contain, can you tell? Not all, but if all, what then? Were these men free from such forms of superstition as might affect their treatment of the Lord's prayer? What of one of the most respectable of them gravely telling why there are just four gospels, and no more? Are you charmed with Irenæus on this point? Do you not feel that he is fanciful? Now, after this, since the number seven runs so marvellously through the Law and the prophets, which were the documents on which the Sermon on the Mount, containing the Lord's prayer, was founded, which prayer has in it just seven petitions, would it surprise anyone to find these fanciful fathers seeking for the wonderful seven, and quietly dropping out of notice the words which rather interfered with their discovery, when they counted the petitions? It is worth inquiry, whether this search for the number of perfection was not made, and something risked to present it in a bold and open reading, when it was discovered?

This we could accept sooner than admit that it had been added by any men after the apostles, under the notion that the seven petitions would be improved by adding two or three ascriptions of praise. And yet, if uninspired men made the addition, we would rather accept the one of three items making just the number of the commandments given from Sinai, than admit the Curetonian reading, which leaves but nine items. Who ever heard of nine being a religiously significant number? In Hebrew usage, seven is perfection; eight, fatness, which often follows maturity; but nine is thought by some to be derived from a word denoting bending, and may be the symbol of old age and infirmity. As such, it would not suit the spiritualizers, if they sought to improve the Lord's Prayer.

And there is no question, but the foundation of such a way of treating

the word was early adopted. And still who can show that it was early enough begun to affect the reading in the Peschito? We hold that its reading of the prayer is original, and so is the one of Matt. v. 44; and on this last text we may challenge the critical world to show any period during which it is supposed the text received the additions now struck out by the revisers, when the Christ-like temper enjoined by them, became so prevalent in the Churches, both Greek and Syrian, that scribes were commanded to insert them, and churches rejoiced to welcome the additions. Surely it was not when orthodox and heretics battled so vigorously against each other! Was it when the Paulicians, to the number of 100,000, or twice that number, were martyred, or when the Waldenses and Albigenses were hunted and slaughtered like beasts of prey? At none of these times would the voice of charity be strengthened.

If Jesus never uttered those words, even His apostles would never have thought of them, and certainly no Churchmen of later date could have risen so high on the wings of Divine charity. Church history goes to show that the men who met in the Jerusalem Chamber are robbing us when they condemn the full quotation. On both the above counts we hold the Revisers guilty of robbery. J. H.

THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE CONCERNING THE SON OF GOD.

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THE designation, "The Son of God," has a distinctive meaning and a doctrinal importance. The term is included in the Apostle John's threefold designation, belief in which is attended with the most blessed consequences. "But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life in His name (John xx. 31). The evangelist here exhibits a Divine sympathy; he desires life (life for evermore) for his readers, and so he directs them to the belief by which this life is to be attained.

The belief to which the evangelist directs his readers, has respect to Jesus, the Saviour. He saves from sin. The Christ, the Lord's Anointed; the future occupant of David's throne, King of Israel, and of the world. The Son of God, the "first-born of every creature," who "was in the beginning with God," who made the world, and all things in it, and who declared and revealed God in all ages.

This precious truth that Jesus is our Saviour has been insisted on in these pages (of RAINBOW); and that He is the Christ, the future King of the world, has been emphatically, and with singular courage, set forth. In the present paper attention is invited to the fact that He is "the Son of God."

I. This fact, that Jesus is the Son of God, was the subject of the Apostle Paul's preaching at Damascus soon after his conversion. And straightway he preached the Christ in the synagogues that He is the Son of God" (Acts ix. 20). Griesbach and the Revised Version

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have "Jesus," and not " Christ," in this passage. Dr. Adam Clarke "He proclaimed also says, that "Jesus" is the genuine reading. Jesus that He is the Son of God." John the Baptist's testimony is to the same effect: He "saw and bare record that this (Jesus) is the Son of God." It would seem that the designation is specific, and involves the pre-existence of the Being thus designated. The Son of God, the Son of the living God, the only begotten Son, the first-born of every creature, are terms that can apply to no other being than to Him who was in the beginning with the Most High. The term in Peter's confession is remarkably suggestive: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." The living God is the self-existent One-than whom is no greater. "The Son of the living God" is peculiar, and forbids the conception of any intervening agent. The Son of the living God has priority of existence, and the apostle uses the term retrospectively. When in the 20th verse (Acts ix.) he identifies Jesus with the Son of God, he looks backward to His pre-existent state; and, when in the 22nd verse he identifies Jesus with the Christ, he looks forward to The two verses, in his reigning as King over Israel and the nations. their reach backward and forward, agree with Peter's good confession, and John's designation at the end of his gospel (xx. 31).

II. This fact that Jesus is the Son of God involves His pre-existent dignity and glory. The acknowledgment of Peter, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,' agrees with that of Nathanael, "Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel," as well as with the designation of John. The terms, "the Christ," and, "the Son of God," are distinct in meaning, though they apply to one and the same Person.

The Christ is the King who shall reign and prosper; shall put all enemies under His feet. He shall have universal sway. He is the Anointed of God. Jesus is declared to be the Son of God, as well as "He the Christ. As the Son of God, He has priority of existence. was in the beginning with God," "the first-born of every creature." In John i. 3, the apostle 1st. The Son of God is the Creator. speaks of the Logos being the Creator. This term, "the Logos," had not been invented by John; the Jews were already familiar with it. The Divine Person, called Memra in the Targums, is called "the Logos" by Philo and the Hellenist Jews, and is identified by the Apostle John with Jesus, the Christ. John takes up the term already in use, and applies it to Jesus, the Christ, personally.

In the Epistle to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul speaks of the Son being the Creator: "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers." Here His creative work is described in detail. And the next clause, "All things were created by Him, and for Him," refers to Him as the instrumental and final cause. And, united with the work of creating, is the work of upholding. He is said to "uphold all things by the word of His power" (Heb. i 3). In Colossians, too, the same passage which declares that 'by Him (the Son) all things were created," declares also, "and by Him all things consist." These mighty works were performed ages before He appeared in the flesh, and hence His pre-existence.

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2nd. Being our Creator, He is to be worshipped. The honour due to

Him as our Creator is often unworthily withheld - withheld, alas! by many professing to be students of the Word. This would not be so if there was more reverential deference to the plain, grammatical, contextual teaching of the Book Divinely inspired. A little more attention also to the circumstances of the Gospel narrative, would be, in a study like the present, repaid by a further insight into the doctrine.

Take, for example, that of our Lord giving sight to the blind man (John ix.). The Pharisees, after questioning the man, said, "We know that God spake unto Moses; as for this fellow (Jesus), we know not from whence He is." The man intimated that Jesus must have the approval of God. "If this man were not of God, He could do nothing." They excommunicated him. But, as yet, the man had not acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God. Up to this time he had not such a conception of Jesus. Now it is important to note this. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and, when He had found him, He would bring him up to this higher conception, for He said unto him, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him? Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee. And he said,

Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him" (John ix. 29-38).

"The Son of God" is a designation involving the pre existent dignity and glory of Him for whom it is used, and the fact that He is the Creator of the world. The man, in acknowledging Jesus to be the Son of God, worshipped Him-paid Him homage. Such adoration usually attended the acknowledgment. "When Jesus and Peter came into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, Of a truth, Thou art the Son of God" (Matt. xiv. 33). The Son came into this world from the Father, having all judgment committed to Him; and men are required to honour Him even as they honour the Father. "He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sent Him." Our homage may be demanded on the principle that He is our Creator. "O come, let us worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our Maker" (Psa. xcv.) The statements in the first chapter of John are literally and historically true; and, being so understood, will be found to explain many portions in the Gospel.

3. The Son of God has been the Revealer of the Father's will in all ages; He is called "the Word" and "the Word of God," because He communicates God's designs to men. As men discover their thoughts and designs to one another by means of words and speech, so God, by His Son, acquaints men with His gracious designs. The knowledge which men have of God is obtained through Him-cannot indeed be obtained apart from His revealing. "Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him" (Matt. xi. 27). The Son hath declared Him (John i. 4, 9, 18). Man, not having seen God, could not declare Him; but the Son was intimately associated with the Father-He hath declared Him.

III. The truth that Jesus is the Son of God is a fundamental doctrine. "These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, ye might have life in His name (John xx. 31). These truths have a doctrinal importance,