584 APPENDIX TO PART III

the Holy Ghost which has been sinned against no Holy Ghost; and if, further, their doubt of the Reality of all heavenly influence which has not borne visible fruit lead them both into acrimonious schism and into neglect of the right use and honour of God’s ordinances (if not into presumptuous sin), then I would pray them to answer the following questions faithfully and thoughtfully, to answer them in writing, and to take pains to support their answers, not by reasonings about God’s attributes, not by their own conjectures as to what God must do or cannot but do, but by the plain words of Scripture.

(1.)Whom does Christ mean by the “Salt of the Earth”? What is the “Savour” of Unregenerate persons? Why are they “good for nothing but to be cast out” when they have lost it?¹

(2.) When Christ says that a man “believes,” does He mean that the man half believes, or does not believe at all? When He says “for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away,”² would you desire to interpolate the text and read “for a while pretend to believe”? and does “fall away” mean the same thing as “stay away”?

(3.) What is the meaning of Esau’s selling his Birthright? Is the true view of the case that he never had any Birthright to sell?³

(4.)In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, what is the meaning of their taking their lamps, and going forth to meet the bridegroom?⁴ Is “going forth” the same thing as staying at home? Is expecting a Bridegroom, being expected by him and desiring to be with him, the same thing as caring for no Bridegroom, and not believing that any will ever come? What were the lamps, and what is the meaning of their going out? What was the Oil, and why did it take time to buy it?

(5.) In Luke xii. 45, does “that servant” mean “another servant,” and not the “faithful and wise steward” of verse 42? Is the word “servant” said of Men in general, not of Christ’s servants? Does the servant who thinks his Lord is long in coming signify a person who acknowledges no Lord, and expects none? Does “Begin to eat” imply that he had never refrained from eating? and does the phrase “appoint him his portion with the unbelievers,” imply that his portion was originally and always among them, and that he was an Unbeliever himself?

(6.) What is the meaning of the Unclean spirit going out of a man-of his house being swept and garnished? and⁵

(7.) What plough is it which unconverted persons put hand to and look back?⁶

(8.) In John xv. 2, what is the meaning of a Branch in Christ, and in the 4th verse is the counsel or command “Abide in Me” wholly superfluous, and the “except ye abide in Me” an impossible supposition? In the 6th verse, what is the meaning of being cast forth as a branch?

(9.)The whole XVIIth Chapter of St. John is a most anxious prayer of Christ’s that His Father would protect those whom He Himself was now about to leave. From what “evil” is it that He prays they may be kept, in the 15th verse? Then, and in the Lord’s prayer, the words being the

¹ [Matthew v. 13.]

² [Luke viii. 13.]

³ [Genesis xxv.]

⁴ [Matthew xxv.]

⁵ [Matthew xii. 43, 44.]

⁶ [Luke ix. 62.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]