Ques. 4.-Reading Question No. 19 and Answer, in Vol. XIII., No. 11, Help and Food, as remarked, one of the swords was used by Peter to cut off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high-priest.' May this not speak of the judgment which strikes nationally at Israel's hearing, while the other sword might speak of the sword of the Spirit ? To be sure, the Lord in mercy heals immediately, and thereby rebukes man's proneness to take vengeance ; but may not this healing be prophetic of Israel's restoration ? The sword of vengeance was to be put up because " vengeance is mine, saith the Lord." It is to be used, though, by the Lord in due time, while meantime we fight the good fight of faith with the sword of the Spirit; " it is enough." Our dear Lord's reply would not seem to conflict with this thought.

Ans.-While the sword does speak of vengeance and self-protection, we do not see how the other sword could speak of the Spirit, for our Lord's words as to both were, "They that take the sword shall perish with the sword," which certainly could not refer to what is the weapon of the people of God. We think that a careful examination of the context will confirm the meaning given in & former answer. Another brother asks if there "may not be reference to a future dispensation, when the sword shall be unsheathed ?" Notice, however, it is the present dispensation when our Lord is absent, not a future when He will whet His sword.

Ques. 5.-Ought not supreme worship to be offered to God the Father by the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ the Son f Need this interfere with our worship of Christ as our Lord and Head ? Some maintain that all worship should be to our Lord; but if we stand in Him-He being our great High-Priest-and are brought into the holiest through Him, should not our supreme worship be to Him into whose presence we are thus brought ?

Ans.-" That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent Him" (John 5:23). "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father; but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also" (1 John 2:23). "And hath given Him a name that is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9, 10). "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as one dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last" (Rev. 1:17). "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever (Rev. 5:13).

We confess, the precious Scriptures on this theme are so attractive, that we are tempted to go on quoting them in answer to the above question; and surely they are an all-sufficient answer. We merely point out a few of the salient features of these Scriptures. Coordination of the Son with the Father is most prominent; so much so, that we are told one cannot have the Father who denies the Son. But lest it should be said this is only the Son as divine, we have in Philippians the human, humiliation-name of the blessed Lord as that at which every knee shall bow. And this is what gives highest glory to God the Father. Do we want to honor the Father ? It is only to be done by giving equal honor to the Son.

So, in the scene in glory, when the "Lamb as it had been slain" is presented, all heaven-yea, all creation-unites in ascribing the identical honor and, glory to Him as to the Father. And so will it be throughout eternity.

The grave error underlying the question (and such we do not hesitate to declare it to be) springs from unscriptural speculations as to the person of our adorable Lord. That He has two natures is plain from very many scriptures. "The Word was God; the Word was made flesh" (John 1:1, 14). But that there is but one Person is equally clear; and that Person is God. That He is man too, in infinite grace, we know. But let us never allow in our thoughts the slightest cloud upon His Divine Glory. Mysteries there are here, but holy mysteries, before which we bow in the most absolute worship. We have no hesitation in saying that a prying into things which, from their very nature, are beyond our finite comprehension, is a sure way to open the door to blasphemous denial of Christ. We speak strongly, for the subject demands it. We note with sorrow the question, and trust that the writer will be delivered from the snare into which, from the tone of his question, we fear he has fallen.

See what it does. We have no Christ as the object of worship. The Romanist may speak of different grades of worship for angels, Mary, God-in ascending grades;-but if such unholy reasoning is to be applied to Christ, we simply say we have no Christ to worship. He is not God-only an exalted man.

Giving Christ the place which Scripture gives Him, so far from derogating from the Father's glory, and lessening our worship of Him, does but set us at liberty in the Father's presence.

Nor do thoughts like these interfere in the least with the clearest apprehension of the work, offices, and character of our blessed Lord. Beloved, can we contemplate Him in any way- the lowly man of sorrows, walking meekly the path of obedience; the forsaken one, made sin for us on the cross; the High-Priest, who has opened the way for us into the Holiest;-can we see Him in any of these characters without falling at His feet, and, with Thomas, saying, " My Lord and my God ?"

We would most earnestly press upon beloved brethren the immense importance of this subject. We are custodians, down here, of our Lord's honor. We are bearing the ark through the wilderness. Let us remember, it was all gold outside, and had a covering all of blue upon it.