the structure of the gospel itself. God who built this asylum of mercy, this great fabric of trutli, not only struck off this medal-the inscription on the cross-to commemorate the age and circumstances of laying the foundation stone; but mingled these three styles in the edifice itself. The gospel is written in Greek, and Hebrew, and Latin: nobody could write like it now-a-days. There are three distinct nationalities, the slow growth of many centuries, meeting here, and blending in this one production; it is no mushroom forgery of a day, but the growth of ages into "the fulness of times."

In this respect alone we have nothing like it anywhere. We find in it, Hebrew idioms, shewing that it was written by Hebrew men, tinged with the style and thoughts of the Judaism they had abandoned. We see the Greek language used, in the dialect at which it had arrived in those days: we meet with Roman names-centurion, denarius, publican; -all social, commercial, and political terms, indicating a conquering class; whilst the very death on the cross itself, is a Latin inscription, explained only by the presence of the Roman Magistrate. So is the gospel written in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. As the three main orders of Architecture, Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, were the results of three orders of taste and classes of people, forming separate styles that may be blended together; so God in his providence blended the elements of three prominent peoples-religious, philosophical, and political-Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, in the style and framework of the gospel.

It would form a curious and instructive study to detect these various elements in the events and style of the New Testament, and would no doubt richly repay an accurate and learned investigation. We profess not to enter into this province, but simply to indicate it. Besides ресиliarities of words and expressions, there are customs, manners, divisions of time, &c., which plainly shew forth the various elements we have described. The following instance may suffice. In Matt. xiv. 25, we read that "in the FOURTH watch of the night Jesus went unto” the disciples.

The note of Kuinoel on this passage is a simple and incidental illustration of our present proposition, that the elements of these three nationalities are to be found in the New Testament. The ancient Jews says Kuinoel, divided the night into three parts of four hours each; but the Romans (following the Greeks) divided the night into four parts. Hence the Jews being subjected to Rome, imitated this ROMAN METHOD, and themselves also divided the night into four parts, of three hours each; which four parts or watches, Mark distinguishes from each other by their appropriate names. These names we find thus translated in our English version:-"for ye know not when the master of the house cometh; at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning."(Mark xiii. 35.)

This fourfold division of the night, derived from the Greeks by the Romans, and carried by conquest into Judea, is a sufficient indication of the fact here asserted; that the gospel itself is written in Greek, and Hebrew and Latin-has in its own literary structure evidence of the meeting together of these three nationalities at the point of the crucifixion.

6. Finally, respecting these three languages, we have suggested to us

another important lesson,-that Christianity is intended to be THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION. All the various adaptations, coincidences and advantages glanced at in this enquiry, point to this great fact, in which every human being is concerned :—that the religion of Christ IS FOR

EVERY CREATURE.

This was the true "fulness of times," in which the seeming favoritism towards the Jews, became the advantage of the Gentiles; shewing that unto us, and not (merely) to themselves did they minister; in their temple and rites and the preservation of their Hebrew Scriptures.

The fulness was for us;-to fill the wide world. And as the true pledge and augury of this, we find this small and in some respects isolated people (the Jews,) become the centre of history; since by conquest and by foreign settlements, they were absorbed into the universal empire, and branched out into almost every city and place. And all this happened when a new sect arose to follow this crucified Lord;-a sect arising in the centre of Palestine, (when that country was subjected,) so as both to mingle with its conquerors, and lay hold of the pervading and permanent language: being by its own truths and hopes suited to the understanding and wants of mankind, whilst by the gift of tongues, it was proclaimed in every language; and is still being translated and carried abroad as the solitary instance of an encroaching antagonistic and all-conquering religion: confined to no race, imprisoned in no geological boundaries, buried in no single language, but traversing the earth to bless all its inhabitants every one in his own tongue!

Thus we have briefly examined this fruitful question,-the inscription on the cross, first looking at the inscription itself; as involving a false charge of treason, a civil crime, when the priests had really condemned their victim for a spiritual offence. Thus deducing the theory of persecution, and the practice of prelates from the Chief Priests and Pharisees. Secondly, we considered the three languages in which the accusation was written, and found that they would suit no other place in the world, and no other time in the world's history: thus affording another evidence of the historical truthfulness of the gospel.

Whilst further we have learned that only the circumstances which made the languages suitable, rendered the events possible. The meaning and advantage of these three languages as allied to Christianity; including the Roman power; the Hebrew earnestness; the Grecian learning; all indicating both that Christianity was intended to be understood;a matter not of blindness but insight; not of force but persuasion: and that it is to be universal. Whilst in the structure of the gospel itself, as involving the three languages-Greek, and Hebrew, and Latin, together with the gift of tongues, we found a sufficient proof of the justness of these analogies.

Let us then read this inscription, it is in Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, and English: it says to us- -behold the man;-not the King of the Jews, but the Lord of life and glory, who stooped to this ignominy, that he might be preached in all languages.

And on his cross is this inscription-as amongst THE FUNDAMENTALS -that "first of all," "he died for our sins," that it may be declared in every language in the world-"He, by the grace of God, tasted death for every one."

II.

PRIEST'S RELIGION.

HUMAN AUTHORITY AND INVENTION versus CONSCIENCE AND THE BIBLE.

The Scriptures are the only standard of Christian faith and practice: every one is at liberty to examine them; but no one is at liberty to decline this examination: and though we may receive the help of others, we may not rest on their authority, (which is man-worship ;) nor receive as religion, what is not in the Scriptures, (which is willworship.)

PETER'S KEYS, AND THE POPE'S PICKLOCKS: OR, BINDING AND LOOSING.

THE CHURCH OF ROME cannot so much be said to found its spiritual despotism on any passages of Scripture, as to adduce passages in case of need, to palliate her assumptions: accordingly it usually happens, that as her pretensions are a violation of common sense, so her use of Scripture violates common decency. She proceeds on no principle to deduce truths from Scripture, but by artifices seeks to gain over the Bible to the plan which her ambition has marked out.

The keys of the kingdom have long hung at her girdle, to secure all treasures, and lock men up in the cell of her own ignorance; the fisherman's net hangs over the side of her vessel-ready to catch all-both good and bad; all is fish that comes to that net: the tentmaker lengthens his cords to cover the face of the earth; the father confessor has the key to all domestic, personal, and civil secrets, a string tied to every man and woman, by which he can follow them into privacy; so that a true son of the Church, cannot enter into his closet and shut to the door, without shutting the priest in with him. And whatever there may be, in thought or action, which should never be the subject of conversation,-that must be the sacred topic in the confessional.

Should we refuse this; then the Church which possesses the keys, can lock us up in the condemned cell; terrify us with the refusal of the last rites, and consign us to such tender mercies of God, as are not in Church

covenants.

This fearful power is wielded over free-born men, for whom also Christ died;-and the slender foundation for this iron rule, is the declaration of Christ,-"Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt

bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."-(Matt. xvi. 18, 19.) "Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."(Matt. xviii. 18.) "Then said Jesus to them again, peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me: even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."-(John xx. 21-23.)

We have already explained the true nature of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; being nothing else but the solution of the divine mysteries, by the gospel of Christ: a key originally given by the Holy Ghost, to the Apostles; and since published to the world in writing. In other words, the New Testament is the key to the divine purposes.

The use of the keys in this respect, is preaching Christianity. But since another function of authority is assumed, of a very different nature, falsely called "binding and loosing," more properly called "playing fast and loose;" it may be useful to expose this cheat also. For in the Great Exhibition of all Nations, the wares of Rome stand prominently forward, with colourings and pretensions suited to a Chinese sign-board.

The only means of detecting fraud of this kind, is to present the real article alongside the false: truth in contact with error; bring Christ to confront Antichrist, and so destroy him with the brightness of the Saviour's coming;-the lustre of his gospel.

I. We shall therefore first examine the pretensions of Rome; the Pope's picklocks, or methods of "binding and loosing;" II. The true keys of Peter, and the apostolic method of "binding and loosing;"

III. The reason why these keys were given to Peter.

1. The pretensions of Rome;-the Pope's picklocks, and his Church's use of them :-to bind and to loose. To bind heavy burdens on the people, and loose the priests from touching them with their little finger.

Among other improvements and inventions of this age, we have been called to notice long dissertations on patent safety locks, and keys of peculiar construction, that defy treachery; the Pope also has claimed by patent right the key of heaven and hell; that is, of his Church and of excommunication; the two respective ways to these places-according to sign-posts in Holy Latin.

But the intelligent examiner will find that Christ has the only patent key; he "openeth and no man shutteth;" the door to heaven stands open now for ever; or, if in any sense it be closed, Christ has left the "key of his promises," which will secure an entrance since Christ is also the door, and knows his own key.

The most treacherous use to which the Pope's imitation keys are subservient; is in putting men in or out of a salvable state, according to their submission or non-submission to the dictation of a priest. Every heretic, is of course excommunicated ipso facto; but neither is any Catholic safe; since he is dependent for the forgiveness of his sins on the decision of his father confessor; who must first know all his secrets, and then can either absolve him, or enforce a penance ;—either bind or loose.

It is at the peril of a man's salvation, to disobey this; for say they, "whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted, and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."

This the priests claim absolutely for themselves; and so stand to the people in the place of Almighty God. As an illustration of this blasphemous assumption, we need quote only the popular catechism, in which everything offensive to Protestants, is modified with nicer care than is requisite in Italy or Spain.

In "The Catholic Christian Instructed," by the Right Rev. Richard Challoner, D.D., chap. ix. treats of "the sacrament of penance: of confession, of absolution, &c."

an in

Here we are instructed, that "the sacrament of penance" is " stitution of Christ, by which our sins are forgiven, into which we fall after baptism." So the priest has complete mastery over us; baptism is the door into the kingdom, sins after this, expel us, and we can be restored only by the sacrament of penance, by which, after certain preliminaries, we are absolved from our sins by the minister of God." This power as belonging to the ministers of God is proved "from John xx. 22, 23, whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; whose sins you shall retain, &c. And Matt. xviii. 18, Amen, I say unto you, whatsoever you shall bind on earth, &c."

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These passages are quoted by this Right Rev., in proof of an institution of a sacrament of penance, confession, &c., when the writer knew well that no such things are mentioned by the Redeemer.

And his next defence of this pretended institution or wilful forgery is, that "the Protestant Church so understands these texts, in the order for the visitation of the sick, in the Common Prayer-book, where she prescribes a form of absolution, the same in substance as that used by the Catholic Church, viz: our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in him, of his great mercy forgive thee thine offences; and by his authority committed to me I absolve thee from all thy sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." "

This is a strange use of Protestant authority for Popish doctrine : and unfortunately it is of no validity, since this Protestant assumption and blasphemy, was borrowed from the Papists, and therefore cannot be adduced as a proof of the truth of papal doctrine: it only proves that in this respect some Protestants are Romanists. The Church of Christ has received no authority to absolve men from sin; that is the work of God, and he absolves us when we repent and believe in Christ. We are not to believe in or obey his Church; which is a company of those who believe in and obey him.

The pretended "sacrament of penance," is a very circuitous way of obtaining absolution. First, "three things are required on the part of the sinner; contrition, a hearty sorrow for offending God, with a firm purpose of amendment: confession,-a sincere accusation made to God's minister of all mortal sins;" but because venial sins "do not (like mortal ones) exclude eternally from the kingdom of heaven, there is not so strict an obligation of having recourse for the remission of them to the keys of the Church." "Satisfaction,-a faithful performance of the penance