the words, he will often more vividly impress on the minds of his people, his scholars, his household, the real meaning of what they have often read and heard. The term 'was minded' seems to me to be a very happy rendering of Coúλeobaι in Matt. i. 19, and one which might be adopted in all the passages where the word occurs. Though the term is slightly archaic, it has the compensating advantages of dignity and clearness. Now there are seven passages in which, according to Robinson's Lexicon, botherba is used for θέλειν. In all these passages a deliberate purpose or intention is appealed to on the part of the agent, which is overlooked in the A.V. This will show itself, if in quoting these passages we substitute the expressive term 'was minded.' The passages are these; Luke xxii. 42, 'If thou art minded to bear this cup away from me'; Heb. vi. 17, 'In which God · being more earnestly minded to show to the heirs of the promise the unalterable character of his purpose, interposed by oath'; James i. 18, 'Of his own mind he made us children'; 2 Peter iii. 9, Longsuffering to us-ward, having no mind that any perish'; Matt. xi. 27, Luke x. 22, 'No one knoweth who the father is except the Son, and he to whomever the Son is minded to reveal him'; 1 Cor. xii. 11, ‘Dividing separately to each one as he is minded.' The rendering given in the A.V. of several of these passages gives countenance to the ideas of arbitrary power and of wanton caprice, which men of imperfect education or perverse minds often ascribe to Him who has reasons for the counsel of His own will; though of these reasons feeble mortals are necessarily very incompetent and ill-qualified judges. The distinction in meaning between these verbs is not, perhaps, of primary importance; though if a difference is insisted upon, it is on every account desirable that we do not from deference to great names acquiesce in what is erroneous or incorrect. Writers on Synonyms often assume that the line of demarcation is more rigidly marked and regularly observed than usage warrants. More important is it for the general reader to remember that in above 100 passages the force of the original is impaired by the capricious and arbitrary use of the verbs will,' 'would,' in the translation of θέλειν, and βούλεσθαι. In some of these passages the A.V. expresses with sufficient clearness the force of the original. This is the case with Mark x.51, Luke xviii. 41, 'What wilt thou that I should do unto VOL X. K thee?' John xviii. 39, 'Will ye therefore that I release unto you?' The children in our Ragged Schools may clearly understand the request of the leper, 'Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean.' It may be, however, that all will not equally understand the words of the reply to be, 'I am willing, be thou clean.' Persons of fair education will catch the force of Matt. xvi. 24, 25; xvii. 4; xix. 17, 21; to be, 'If any man wishes to come after me'; 'Whoever wishes, purposes, means, to save his life'; 'If thou wishest to be perfect; i.e. if such is thy object and desire.' It would be well, however, if all understood the A.V. to express in 2 Th. iii. 10, 'If any man is not willing to work'; or which would be better, 'If any man refuses to work, let him not even eat'; Matt v. 40, 42, Him who is ready to go to law with thee, him who offers to borrow from thee.' There are, however, very few who appreciate the strength of the warning in 1 Tim. vi. 9. They think it means 'They who will be rich at all hazards, by lawful or unlawful means;' but the caution is, 'They who wish to be rich, they who purpose, or propose it, they who are thus minded.' The meaning of James iv. 4, is, "Whoever therefore is minded, or desires, to be a friend of the world, occupies the position, assumes the character, of enemy to God.' Few, even of our learned men, would give the Greek of 1 Tim. v. 11, where we read in the A.V. they will marry.' The passage is, 'Whenever they live loosely as regards Christ they wish to marry, or they readily marry.' In two passages already cited I have used one English verb to translate the negative with éλew. The negative is frequently used in Greek not merely to deny one proposition, but to affirm the directly contrary proposition. In the third commandment where we read, the Lord will not hold him guiltless,' the sentiment really is 'the Lord will hold, regard, treat him, as guilty.' On this principle the following changes might be made in several passages: e.g. John v. 40, 'Ye refuse to come to me that ye may have life'; Matt. xv. 32, “I am reluctant to send them away fasting'; Luke xix. 27, 'Those who reject my being their King'; Rom. vii. 16, 19, 20, 'The evil which I loathe, this I do'; 3 John 13, 'I am unwilling to write with pen and ink.' The Preacher's Finger-Post. MENTAL INDEPENDENCY IN RELIGION. "And Job answered and said, No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. But I have understanding as well as you."-Job. xii. 1—3. THERE are seasons when irony in speech is most appropriate and telling. It will cut its way into the soul when argument has failed. It was SO now with Job. The Patriarch felt that his arguments went for nothing, and in the bitter anguish of his soul, he speaks now in scathing sarcasm. The man's mental manhood rises up against the twaddling sophistry of the dogmatists who came to comfort him. Though he was bereft of his property, children, and health, crushed to the very dust, he felt unconquerable independency of soul, which he expresses in the text. I have understanding as well as you. Independency of mind in matters of religion is the subject. A man, though crushed in every respect like Job, should not surrender this. That this is man's prerogative, which he is bound to vindicate and develop appears from the following considerations. First From the capacity of the soul. (1) Man has a capacity to form conceptions of the cardinal principles of religion. He can think of God -the soul,- duty, - moral obligation, Christ, immortality, &c. (2) Man has a capacity to realize the practical force of these conceptions. He can turn them into emotions to fire his soul; he can embody them as principles in his life. Secondly: From the despotism of corrupt religion. Corrupt religions, whether Pagan or Christian, Papal or Protestant, always seeks to crush this independency in the individual `soul. It seeks to make men blind devotees, thoughtless limbs of its sect. Dogmatists want to make a religion for you, as the builder your houses, the tailor your clothes; therefore be on your guard, and say to these presumptuous mortals, as Job said, “I have understanding as well as you." Thirdly From the necessary means of personal religion. Religion in the soul begins in individual thinking, "I thought of my ways,' &c. Faith, hope, charity, -neither of these cardinal graces can enter the soul, or grow there without individual thinking. Fourthly: From the conditions of moral usefulness. Every man is bound to be spiritually useful; but he cannot be so without knowledge; and knowledge implies independent study and conviction. Force of thought,force of conviction,-force of purpose, are the essentials of usefulness. Fifthly: From the teachings of the Bible. Men are commanded to use their reason. "Come now and let us reason together," &c. "Search the scriptures,” &c. "Prove all things," &c. Indeed the very existence of the Bible implies our power and obligation in the matter. Sixthly: From the transactions of the judgment. In the great day of God men will have to give an account of their thoughts and words as well as deeds. Let us therefore have the spirit of Job, and when amongst bigots, who seek to impose their views on us, and override our judgment, let us say, "No doubt ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you, but I have understanding as well as you." HEAVEN'S APPEAL TO THE REA SON OF THE SINNER. "Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob." -Isaiah xli. 21. THE text implies :-- First: That the sinner has some reasons for the evil course he pursues. Man is distinguished from a brute, in this, he acts not from blind impulses, but from intelligible motives. The act of every sane man has some reason at its foundation. The good man is distinguished from the wicked in this, the one acts from wise and righteous reasons, the other from foolish immoral ones. Sin has not destroyed men's rational nature. The sinner acts from intelligent reasons. The text implies :— Why Secondly: That these reasons he is bound to state before his Maker. "Bring forth your reasons." bring them forth? (1) The question of a sinful course of conduct is a public question. The sinner has no right to say that his conduct concerns no one but himself. He is a link in the chain of creaturebeing;-the universe is interested in his movements. He has no right to corrupt the moral atmosphere, and to throw away faculties that were made for the good of the creation. "Bring forth your reasons." The universe has a right to know why you are pursuing such a disastrous course. Bring them forth, (2) Because it is the only way of exposing their moral absurdity. They will scarcely bear to be stated. Let the sinner attempt to state them, and he himself will be shocked at their character. Bring them out and they will frighten you. The text implies :— Thirdly: That his Maker will give the statement of them His attention. "Come now and let us reason to gether," &c. (1) His readiness to attend to them shows that your conduct towards Him will not bear investigation. (2) His readiness to attend to them shows the existence of Mediation. He does not attend to the reasons of the lost. (3) His readiness to attend to them shows His infinite condescension. THE MORAL TRAINING OF HUMANITY. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus ii. 11-14. MAN requires training,physical, mental, and moral. The last, is the most important; and it involves, to a great extent, the others. The text throws much light upon true moral training. : First The instrument of true moral training. What is it? Not Philosophy, &c. "The grace of God." What is that? The love of God in Christ. This is the substance of the Bible. (1) It is "the grace of God." It is all Divinity. (2) It is the grace of God to save. "It bringeth salvation." (3) It is the grace of God revealed to all. "It hath appeared to all men." Christ appeared to all. His gospel is designed for all. Secondly: The process of true moral training. (1) The renunciation of the wrong course. "Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts." (2) The adoption of the right course. "We should live soberly, righteously," &c. (3) The renunciation of the wrong and the adoption of the right, with the heart fixed upon the glorious future. "Looking for that blessed hope." This looking implies a deep interest in the event, and an assurance of its arrival. |