Oriental form of the religion of Jesus, and ended in the Greek or Orthodox Church. Further illustrations of the transformations which Christianity has undergone, are drawn from the Christianity of the Fathers. The state religion of Constantine, and the reaction from this, which resulted in the monasticism of the West. In view of the brevity with which these matters are treated, the comprehensiveness is quite remarkable. The conclusion is everywhere the same, that orthodoxy is a figment, that none are orthodox, that only the right spirit is within the reach of all. But if none are orthodox there can be no heresy. And if there is no heresy, there is no place for religious persecution, no reason in exclusiveness. The hope of neither individuals nor churches is in the theosophy of the Greek Church, the formalism of the Roman, or the dogmatism of the Protestant, but in rising to a higher plane, into a purer atmosphere, the plane on which Christ lived, the atmosphere which he breathed, in taking his attitude, and nourishing our life from broad and general principles rather than from particular dogmas, forms, or methods of belief and life. J. W. CHADWICK. EXAMINATION OF THE TERMS USED BY PAUL IN TEACHING THE CHRIST-DOCTRINE. Ο BY THOMAS MCCLINTOCK. To understand clearly the doctrine Paul teaches, it is obvious we must have a correct perception of the meaning of the terms he employs, and the facts to which he applies them. The totality of the Christ-doctrine, as he exhibits it, may be regarded as embraced in the term GOSPEL; which signifies good news or glad tidings. Of this gospel God is the beginning, the centre, and end; it all flows from him, has its fulness and completion in him. It is emphatically "the gospel of God," the good news concerning God; which implies his being, character, and various operations. To il lustrate these operations most of the terms used by Paul and his fellowbelievers are employed. Thus, as Jesus did previously, they preached it under the figure of the good news of "the kingdom of God," its essential element being God's government of the human mind. It was "the gospel of Christ,' because "Divine unction," God manifest and operating in man, was the very substance and subject matter of it. In short, it was "the gospel of the grace of God," because, like every other blessing, it flows from God's favor, from the love and goodness of God. And, indeed, of what blessing, physical or mental, temporal or eternal, can we conceive, that is not comprehended in the "glad tidings of God"? But the term most employed by Paul, as expressive of the work of God in man's salvation and perfectability, is the term Christ. Now here it must be borne in mind, that at the time of the advent of Jesus, and for several centuries anterior to the ministry of Jesus and Paul, an idea had become prevalent among the Jews, founded, it would seem, on some passages in the writings of their prophets, that a distinguished personage would shortly appear, a prince of the lineage of David, who would deliver them from their enemies, especially from the Roman yoke under which they were subjugated, and "restore the kingdom to Israel," investing the Hebrew commonwealth with a glory surpassing all former times, and all other kingdoms, so that "all nations" would desire to "flow into it," acknowledging Jehovah as the God of the whole earth, and the Jewish ritual and worship as his law. To this anticipated Prince the epithet "Messiah" or "Anointed One," was, by common acceptation, applied in preeminence of all his predecessors. This historical fact gives a striking significance to the peculiarity of the teaching of both Jesus and Paul. And that, in their views and inculcations on this subject there was a remarkable coincidence, I shall have occasion to show in the sequel: in fact, that Jesus was the first to inaugurate the doctrine in regard to the Christ or Messiah, which Paul so abundantly preached, and amplified with every shade of meaning and variety of application, which his fruitful mind suggested to be pertinent or useful. In inculcating what he perceived to be the essential principles of true religion, it was evidently Paul's desire, as it had been the work of Jesus before him, to bring those among whom he labored to a spiritual and practical recognition of Divine things; and, sharing with his Jewish countrymen a belief in the Prophetic writings, the great point with him was, to convince them, and ali others that had imbibed similar views, that the Messiah, the great character they were expecting, had really come, and was in their midst. Not as a temporal prince to establish a splendid external kingdom, as they imagined, but as a spiritual governor of the minds of men. To de liver them, not from their outward enemies, (except as a consequence,) but from all that wars against and debases the soul. To do away ALL en mity and reconcile in one body, one loving fraternity and fellowship, all nations of the earth, Jew and Gentile, "Barbarian, Scythian, bond and free;" of which body the spiritual Messiah, Divinity operating in man, should be the governing power, clothing it, not with the glory of worldly kingdoms, but with the radiance of Divine properties and principles. Thus constituting, in deed and in truth, a "reign of the Heavens," in its sublime and spiritual import. term To illustrate the work of this Divine Governor, in addition to the "Anointed One," (Christ or Messiah,) which would naturally be the most prominent, a variety of other figurative terms, to some of which I have already referred, are employed by Paul and his colaborers; as, "Son of God," "Word of God," (Logos,*) "Spirit of God" or "Holy Spirit," 66 Spirit of Christ," (that is, of the anointed,) "unction from the Holy One," etc.; all descriptive of the various operations of the ONE infinite, omnipresent, indivisible, ever-working God. In order to a clearer understanding of the subject, let us come now to a more particular examination of the scripture application of the term Christ, especially as used by Paul and his most intelligent fellowbelievers. This application may be comprized with sufficient definiteness, I think, under three principal heads, viz. 1. God in action. 2. God in action in man. 3. Personally, to the subjects of this action-those who are recipients of the unction of God's spirit, and hence are denominated "the anointed." To each of these applications we will briefly advert. 1. Christ is God in action, as in creating, sustaining, and governing the universe. Examples: By him (Christ) were all things created that 66 * A word, I think, borrowed mainly from the Platonists, and other antecedent and contemporary philosophers. are in heaven, and that are in earth, 20. "God, who at sundry times, and visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by him, and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist." Col. i. 16, 17. “God created all things by Jesus Christ." Ephes. iii. 9. Now, the Creator of all things, he who was before all things, and by whom all things consist, cannot be other than God, in the absolute sense of the term. And to suppose that the "all things" created were the property of another, or of a distinct part of God himself, were absurd, since it would be to suppose God to disposess himself, in whole or in part, of all things a fact as impossible as to annihilate himself.* 2. Christ is God in action in man,illuminating, influencing, governing, developing, strengthening, redeeming, reconciling, sanctifying, justifying, and glorifying. Examples: "God was manifest in the flesh," (i. e. in man.) 1 Tim. iii. 16. "That which may be known of God is manifest in them, (Jews and Greeks,) for God hath showed it to them." Rom. i. 19. "It pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his son in me, that I might preach him to the Gentiles." Gal. i. 15, 16. "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Col. i. "Christ lives in me. Gal. ii. 27. In infinite God there can be no twain. This we logically assert from the inherent principles of our nature. The human mind has no faculty by which it can recognize a plurality in an infinite intelligence, an infinite love or an infinite power. In the absence of such faculty, to suppose a plurality in the Divine nature, a truth intended for our recognition or belief is absurd. Moreover, to suppose such a proposition embraced in these, or any other declarations of Paul, would not only be highly derogatory to his good sense, but an inference altogether unwarranted; since he plainly asserts, that God created all things by Jesus Christ, viz. by the action of his own infinite all-pervading power. This construction of his meaning, strictly harmonizes with the scope of his writings every where. in divers manners, spake in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Heb.i. 1, 2. "The God of this world has blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, (of course infinite, God operating,) should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake, (or, on account of Jesus.) For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. iv. 4, 5, 6. Here Jesus Christ, "the anointed Savior," God operating in us, is represented as a mirror, in the face of which, by God's shining in our hearts, "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God," is presented to us. For it is by this operation only that we obtain a knowledge of the character and perfections of God, and are ourselves changed from glory to glory." That this is Paul's meaning appears from the context preceding. He had been showing that the glory of the Mosaic law, whatever might be their estimate of it, is eclipsed by the superior glory of the gospel. And using, as he says, "great plainness of speech," he tells that Moses put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished," and that the same vail remained over their minds "in the reading of the old testament, which vail is done away in Christ," obviously because in the spiritual or Christ administration the reality is attained: and hence, when their hearts should "turn to the Lord," the vail would be taken away. "For,” says he, "the Lord is that spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty" viz. for the appropriate " exercise of every faculty God has given us. "And we all with open face beholding as in a glass (a mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as "by the spirit of the Lord." Here, again, all terminates in God in action. "All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light; for whatsoever does make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Ephes. v. 13, 14. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." 1 John i. 5. "I will write my law in their minds." Heb. x. 16. "The spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ," viz. with all the "anointed." Rom. viii. 16, 17. "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us", etc. Tit. ii, 11. The light, the spirit, the Christ, the grace, the law written in the mind, are thus in the gospel economy the same thing, under different figures, and with reference to different operations. "It is God that worketh all in all." Cor. xii, 6. I "Grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ." Ephes. iv, 5. "From whom (Christ) all the body, by joints and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together, increases with the increase of God." Col. ii, 19. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phil. iv, 13. "Our sufficiency is of God; who has made us able ministers of the New Testament, (the spiritual administration ;) not of the letter but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life." 2 Cor. iii, 5, 6. "I bow my knees "I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might, by his spirit, in the inner man; that Christ (God manifest and acting in man) may dwell in your hearts by faith, (the recognition of God's indwelling presence would be in proportion to man's faith in his operation,) that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend, with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, (the love of God is manifested by his action in us, as by that we have revealed to us his holiness, goodness, and every perfection; and those who receive the "unction from the Holy One," partake of this love: it is "the love of the anointed,") that ye might be filled. with all the fullness of God." Of course, according to their finite capacity, and this would increase in proportion to the right use of the talents received. To elucidate his views still further on this important subject, he adds: "Now unto him (God) that is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (God's power) unto him be glory in the church, by Christ Jesus, (that same saving power manifest in man,) throughout all ages, world without end." Ephes. iii. 14–21. But he goes on, chap. iv. 4-7., making assurance doubly sure, as regards the doctrine he teaches: " There is one boay, and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and in you all. But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ "—obviously, according to the measure of God's action in us, and that measure, as before observed, will ever be in proportion to our capacity to receive, and that capacity graduated by our fidelity. "All things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry.of he justified, them he also glorified." Rom. viii, 30. "Are changed into the same image (of righteousness and holiness) from glory to glory." 2 Cor. iv. 18. "Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, in the name (the virtue, energy, power) of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the spirit of our God.” I Cor. vi, II. "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love him. But God has revealed them to us by his spirit: for the spirit searches all things, yea the deep things of God." I Cor. ii, 9, 10. It will be seen, in all these instances, and uniformly throughout the new testament scriptures (so called), that God is the efficient actor, the Fountain from which all Divine operation proceeds. He is manifest in the flesh—reveals his son in Paul— speaks to us by his son or spirit, (equivalent terms when applied to Divinity)— lives in us by his spiritual presence and influence; illuminates us by his light; writes his law in the mind, unfolds us from glory to glory, in proportion to our fidelity and obedience; constitutes us his children, heirs of the Father's inheritance- the good things he has in store for " those that love him," and which are "revealed to us by his spirit;" is our strength and sufficiency in every good word and work; his action in us the " ointed savior," by which he "reconciles us to himself" redeems from evil, sanctifies, justifies, and glorifies. an To illustrate this use of the term "Christ" by Paul, I might transcribe a large part of all his epistles. This is the great theme which was the burden of his ministry-God manifest in man-God's presence and action in the human mind. To this, in all his letters, he continually calls the attention of his readers, as the life and very ground-work of all true religion, of all Divine knowledge. "Other foundation," says he emphatically, "can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." I Cor. iii, 11. And this, with Paul, is not an abstraction, a notion or fancy about a savior that saves by means of a substituted or vicarious righteousness. It is a living principle that has existed from everlasting. It evidently appears also to have been similarly regarded by his fellowlaborers, as the foundation and test of doctrine and practice. To cite now only one instance from John: “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ (the anointed savior) is come in the flesh, (viz. in man, as a recognized fact in spiritual experience,) is of God and every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God." I John, iv. 2, 3. I will close this division of the subject by a passage from Paul to the Corinthians, chap. xii., where all "spiritual gifts," are indubitably referred to the operation of one and the same Divine spirit. the same Divine spirit. As a significant prelude, he asserts, ver. 3., "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit :" which sufficiently evinces, that, in Paul's view, the recognition of the savior, the redeemer, the Lord or governor in the new covenant or Christ-administration, is not an abstract notion, to be derived from historical records, or speculative theological schemes, however or by whomsoever concocted, but a matter of spiritual experience, which ali may realize and know for themselves. He then proceeds: "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit. And there are differences of administration, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit with. For to one |