in their popular sense, I would that holiness of life and conversation, and the scriptural pre-requisites, were alone the qualifications; and then the church would be nearer her pristine state.

Our brother speaks of the apostle NOT FORBIDDING" the exercise of the eldership to one unmarried. But this is dangerous reasoning, and it is just that which is used by " he that the apostacy, who urge that Christ did not say, believeth not (AND IS NOT BAPTIZED) shall be damned." Let us beware of man's wisdom, and not lean to our own understanding. W. PALMER.

London, December, 1841.

REPLY TO W. P.

YOUR remarks are very much like what we should have offered ourselves at one time against such views of this subject as those advanced by brother Crihfield. The question is this: Is it contrary to the laws of Jesus for a man of high intellectual and moral attainments to be elected to the office of bishop over the church of Christ if he have no wife? or, may one having these abilities, and having a wife, be appointed if he have no children? A fair answer to these questions will settle the yea or the nay of this matter. With brother Crihfield "we dare not say (such) a man may not be a bishop;" and we certainly think a man may be "blameless," even in Paul's sense of the word, though he have neither wife nor children.

By" the husband of one wife," we understand Paul to prohibit any from being appointed who had more than one wife; a custom by no means uncommon in his time. Had he meant the bishop must have a wife, we presume he would have so worded it. The phrase having a wife is used to signify the opposite of having no wife; so having one wife is opposed to having two or more. "If any brother hath a wife," &c. 1 Cor. vii. 12. is Paul's language in the first sense, and "being the husband of one wife" in the second

sense.

You ask if the word "let," in verse 12, is not of the same relative importance as in Rom, xiii, 1. "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers." We certainly think it is; for it is a positive law in the kingdom of Jesus, that a man having more than one wife is unfit to be a bishop or ruler; and it is equally positive, that every soul in his kingdom

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must be subject to the higher powers, if they would adorn his doctrine in all things.

We know some who contend that having a wife and believing children is as indispensable a qualification for a bishop, as that he shall not be given to wine, be no striker, not covetous, &c. But we ask, if so, what must be done with the bishop whose wife may die in a week or month after his appointment? Is he to be dealt with as one who, after he is appointed bishop, shall become a drunkard, or turn covetous, or shall marry another wife? If the practice of those alluded to be taken as an answer to this, it is no; for when the bishop's wife dies, he is bishop still, though if he become a drunkard he is excluded. Does not this supposed, though by no means improbable case, shew that we make more of Paul's words than he intended, if we say every bishop must have a wife? or else Paul has omitted to inform us whether a bishop may hold office after the death of either his wife or children.

After all, we prefer to see those appointed to the bishop's office who have wives, providing they shew by the management of their houses and families that they "know how to rule well:" but if such are not to be found in a congregation, and others who are apt to teach and rule, being blameless, can be found, we certainly think Paul commands such to be appointed, though they have no wives.

J. F.

GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.-No. VII. THE phrase now before us is "Grieve not the Spirit." In the common version of the Scriptures, God is said to have been grieved for forty years with the manners of the Jews in the wilderness. Psalm xcv. 10. Heb. iii. 10, 17. Again, the question is asked, (Psalm lxxviii. 40.) "How often did they grieve Him in the desert?" Jesus also is said (Mark iii. 5.) to have been "grieved at the hardness of their hearts." From these scriptures we may easily perceive the meaning of grieving the Holy Spirit. As Israel of old grieved God in the desert, so christians may grieve the Holy Spirit by suffering corrupt communications to escape their lips, or by disobeying his precepts.

Children grieve their parents by their foolish behaviour, and christians are figuratively said to grieve the Spirit when they act in a way unbecoming his presence with them. The Lord was present with the Jews in the wilderness, therefore

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they could grieve him. His Spirit is in the congregation, and therefore christians may grieve him. The Spirit when grieved with Adam, forsook him; when displeased with the Jews, it forsook them. David, when conscious of his faults, prays, "Take not thy Holy Spirit from me!" and the command, "Grieve not the Spirit," implies that christians may also be forsaken by God.

"Quench not the Spirit."-This phrase, like the preceding, is found but once in the New Testament-1 Thess. v. 19. The gift of the Holy Spirit having been like a flame of fire, this figure is most expressive and beautiful. Referring to those gifts extraordinary, enjoyed by many of the first converts, Jewish and Gentile, the apostle could, with all propriety of metaphor, say to them who had any spiritual gift, "Quench not the Spirit," "despise not prophesying," &c. And to Timothy, in the same style, he could say, "Stir up the gift which is in you." The word used in Timothy is anazopurein, blow up this fire-quench it not-put not out this sacred fire in yourself or in others, but rouse it to a flame.

To"walk in the Spirit," and "live after the Spirit," are, in effect, the same as to be "led by the Spirit." Christians who think, speak, and act according to the gospel, are walking after, or according to the Spirit-living according to the Spirit-led by the Spirit. Thus the Platonist was led by Plato-walked according to Plato-lived as Plato directed.

"Strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” Eph. iii. 16. or, "Mightily strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man." Paul implores this blessing from God upon the Ephesians. There is much to be learned from the prayers of the apostles, both for themselves and their brethren, as to their views, their practical views of the influence and aid of the good Spirit of God. That they expected some help from God of some sort, is clearly and fully expressed in all their petitions, both for themselves and for one another. Let the reader, intent on understanding the apostles' views and style, carefully examine their prayers, as if to learn what they expected to be yet done for them. The following specimens will be sufficient to our present purpose:

"On this account I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and upon earth is named, praying that according to the riches of his glory, he would grant you to be mightily strengthened by his Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may dwell in

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your hearts through faith; that being rooted and founded in love, you may be completely able to apprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height -even to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we can ask or think, according to the power which works effectually in us-to him be glory in the congregation by Christ Jesus, during all the endless succession of ages. Amen."

That the apostle expected the strengthening of the faculties of the mind, by the Spirit of God in the hearts of these saints at Ephesus, cannot be doubted; but that this was to be effected by faith, by Christ dwelling in the heart by faith, is not to be questioned. If such petitions were necessary in the age of spiritual gifts, they are no less so in the present time; and that the Spirit of God does in some way by faith work in men both to will and to do, and that he does and may do for us above all that we ask or think, is not to be questioned, if Paul in this passage is to be understood according to what we call common sense.

The thanksgivings, as well as the petitions of the apostle Paul, imply all this and more. When he heard of the faith and love of the Ephesians, he said, "I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance among the saints, and what the exceeding greatness of his power in relation to us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all government, and power, and might, and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come," &c.

The apostles taught the christians by precept or example to pray for the following things:-for eloquence and boldness for those who labour in the word and teaching; for wisdom for themselves; for favour, mercy, and peace for the brotherhood; for the healing of the sick; for an offending brother; for being filled with the knowledge of the will of God; for their own strength and that of their brethren; for the good

2 N

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behaviour of the brotherhood; for the protection and salvation of kings, governors, and all sorts of men; for every promised blessing, and for every necessary thing, either for the present or the future; for themselves and for their brethren.*

These apostolic prayers are full of edification: they are, in comparison of mere didactic communications, as experiment to theory, or as example to precept. The views of the apostles on the subject of divine influences will be found in their petitions, supplications, and thanksgivings. That they expected much in answer to their prayers, and that they and their converts did not ask in vain, need not be argued to those who will carefully examine this matter.

But the phrase "communion of the Holy Spirit," will still more fully illustrate their views. It is koinonia, fellowship, joint participation. We have this word twenty times from the day of Pentecost to the close of the epistles. It is twice applied to the Holy Spirit, 2 Cor. xiii 14. Philip. ii. 1. It is applied to the Father and to the Son, I John i. 3 -6. 1 Cor. i. 9. We have the communion of the Father, the communion of the Son, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, or the fellowship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; for it is the same term uniformly in the passages quoted. The communion of saints; of the blood of Christ; of the body of Christ; denote their joint participation of the influence, presence, and comforts of the good Spirit of God.

We have communion with one another when we mutually give and receive consolation, whether in sentiment, in sympathy, in communication, or in any of the blessings of society. Man was made for communion with God and his fellows, but he lost it in Adam the first. In Adam the second he is restored to that communion; but while in his mortal body his communion with God is only by his Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord.

But we have not yet caught the precise idea expressed in the apostle's benediction-" The communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!" There is suggested in this phrase a participation of the Holy Spirit common to all the members of the body of Christ. It is not some gift or special influence of the Spirit, imparted only to a few; but that

*Will the curious and inquisitive attentively consider the following portions of the apostolic writings? James i. 5. v. 16. 1 John iv. 22. Col. i. 9-11. Eph. vi. 19. Phil. i. 9, 10, 11. Rom. i. 10. Col. iv. 12. 1 Thess. v. 25. 1 Tim. ii. 1. Heb. iv. 16. 1 Pet. v. 10. i John v. 14, 15, &e.