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30 can remain just and save them —not for any worth or merit in them, for they are insolvent, and have nothing to pay. |But He is my surety —my all in all. Then to them Christ and him crucifi ed, arisen, and asqended far above all principalities and powera-ascended on high,, in heaven, at the right hand of the father,over mating intercessions. He has never failed, nor never will. Then, when we can lay hold and claim the promises, it is de lightful work. We should ever adore Him for his loving-kindness apd teqder mercies bestowed upon us. to Jesus Christ and never tire. In the world we have tribulations, but in him we have peace 5 and it so sure that neither moth doth cor rupt, nor thieves break through and steal. Yes ; neither can the incendiaries of earth burn it. It is of too pure a nature to burn. You might as well try to burn Jehovah, for it is hid in Him—for the life of Christ and his church are inseparable. It is impossible for one to fall away—that Christ has • pilt his blood for—if it can be made to appear that one has finally been lost—that Christ shed his blood for them—he has not accomplished what he died for. But we are not those that so view it. He came to seek and to save that which was lost, and he has accomplished what he came to do, to a jot and tittle. We want to worship a God that hath all power, both in heaven above, and on earth beneath. And what he hath said, will stand de spite all the wicked imaginations of man. Man is but vanity at best. If the work of salvation be longed to man, I pity the work. It would be like Mr. Wesley’s man he converted, mere botch work. I hope you will pardon me for this resuming my pen. I hope I love to think upon His name, and sometimes write. When you see proper throw my traoL unJoriLo table, and all will be right with DAYID F. P. MONTGOMERY. EDITORIAL WM. L. BEEBE, ) “Editors J. L. PTJRINGTON, J COVINGTON, GA. : : : FEB. 15,1860. REMARKS ON HEBREWS XIII. 1. Brother A. Tomlin desires as to extend, according to our light, on the text now before us, which reads as follows : “Let brotherly love continue.” Though we claim no superiority over our brethren, yet we are willing to give such light, or views, as we have of Soripture, so far as opportunity, and ability may be affored us. The language of the inspired Apostle in our text, presupposes the existence of a certain relationship which justified him in the admonition to his breth ren. It was not in a natural sense he used the ad monition, for though they were his brethren in a fleshly relation, yet it was in a spiritual sense only , he addressed them as “ holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle, and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” Chap. iii. 1. ffe learn that their manifest existence as children of God, signified that God was their heavenly Father, Mad that they had a spiritual existence in the Son- Ship of oar Lord Jesus Christ And as they were the SOUTHERN BAPTIST MESSENGER. children of the new covenant, or Jerusalem which is above, and had, therefore, a heavenly Mother, they were the sons and daughters of the Lord God Al mighty. Hence the expression holy brethren was ap plicable to them, and not to them only, but also to all the family of God, whether Jews or Gentiles, in every nation, kindred, and tongue, Even in our day the followers of Jesus, which are scattered abroad, are entitled to the same distinguished appellation. But another important consideration must be con sidered relative to this people. In this relationship brotherly love exists, and the question arises, from what source does it come ? We answer from the same source that all spiritual blessings come. Says Paul, “ Blessed be the Gps and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual bless ings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame be fore him in love.” This love existed in the bosom of the eternal Father before time began. Its origin is in God, so to speak. Itis of the same nature in its intrin sic properties with the character of God. God is love, and he that dwellethin love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. His love to his people is called an everlasting love. He loved, and chose them in the person of his dear Son. Grace was given them in our Lord Jesus Christ before the starry heavens were spread abroad, or the earth, the seas, and fountains of water were created. His Omniscient eye saw them all involved in sin and death in the transgression of the earthly Adam; yet He loved them, and provision was made for them in ther covenant Head and Representative. His love was manifest in the redemption of His peo ple, when Jesus was delivered for their offenses, and raised again for their justification. He not only loved them when they were dead in trespasses and sins, but it is called, emphatically, his great love wherewith He loved them, or us, and his quickening them togeth er with Christ in the manifestation of tus areqt lovo to them. It is with loving-kindness he draws them. Upon this principle the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto them. We love him, says John, because he first lov ed us. If we love him who begat, even God our Fa ther, we love them also which are begotten of him. They are our brethren and sisters, heirs together of the grace of God, and of that inheritance which will never fade away. While the saints derive their nat ural, or earthly existence from Adam, as natural life was given to all the human family in Adam, so they derive their spiritual existence from Christ, as eter nal life was given them in Christ their spiritual Head. Therefore the saints can adopt the language of Paul, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me : and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” “ Hail sacred union, firm and strong, How great the grace, how sweet the song! That worms of earth should ever be One with incarnate Deity! One in the tomb, one when he rose, One when he triumphed o'er his foes, One when in heaven he took his seat, While seraphs sung all hell’s defeat.” The word let in our text, signifies to allow or per mit brotherly love to continue, or in other words, not to prevent or hinder it. The idea is, that the saints are not to allow any obstacle, or difficulty to arise among them in a way which is calculated to hinder the free exercise of love one to another and to im pede their travel together in a church relation, as the followers of Jesus. They are to love one another as brethren, and allow that love to flow freely with out any obstacle to prevent. They are to be kind and affectionate towards each other, as the Lord's dear children. Sometimes, when the flesh predominates, they be come carnal, and wordly-minded, and manifest a very bad spirit. Take, for instance, a church where broth erly love and fellowship once existed, and peace and harmony abounded, just as soon as jealousy, discord, and an evil spirit shows itself, those that are the most guilty will resort, often, to self-justification in their own defense, ancl condemn that in others which they are the most guilty of themselves. Crimination, and recrimination will necessarily follow, and if per sisted in, a church will soon get into disorder of the worst kind, and perhaps perish out, and lose its visi bility. In this way the cause of Christ is dishonor ed, and the enemies will say, tauntingly, “ Aha ! so we would have it.” Those, who have’caused all the trouble, will contiue to manifest a hard, unyielding spirit, while the innocent, feeble lambs of the flock, mourn and grieve in sdfcret places. There is a great difference between the old'man’s being m id, and the new man’s being grieved. How important it is for brethren to bridle their tongues, and to act calmly and dispassionately in all their movements, and espe cially so at the time of any agitation, or excitement. A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievious words stir up anger. James says, “ The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that itdefileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” The Apostle further says, “ Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.-r- Mj vicUucu, irtcac tnmtpr Ttvc ro to OC. When the saints let the corruptions and evil pro pensities of their fallen nature have the ascendency, peace, quietness, and brotherly love in the church, immediately disappear. How important, then, is the admonition in our text. And how wrong it is to allow carnal reason to assume the control of our judg ment on revealed things, so as to reason on them as we ■would on natural things. Because we cannot com prehend the deep things of God, only by revelation, and divine teaching, how wrong it is to be unrecon ciled to them, and to oppose them. The more the saints know of the deep things of God, the stronger they are in the faith, and more deeply cemented ip their love towards each other. The saints are to let brotherly love continue by a spirit of Christian forbearance towards each other, each expecting the same in return. The object, in all cases, should be to reclaim a brotherwhenheerrs, and not to condemn him by impugning his motives, and oensuring his conduct. But this forbearance will not admit of any violation of the law of Christ in his chureh. The doctrine, faith, practice, and dis cipline of the church must be steadily maintained. Any departure therefrom is a violation of the solemn admonition of the Apostle. Brotherly love only ex ists where the Spirit of Christ is manifest. And it continues only, as the strong beer the infirmities of the weak, and administer to the comfort apd edifica tion of the poor, and feeble of the flock. And cer tainly the weak should consider the position of the strong, who desire, and require hearty, healthy food for their nourishment and support. It is not expect-