NOTICE. On further consideration, the Editor has determined to resume the Cover; as well as to continue the four pages of matter which have been given in the last two numbers in lieu of Cover. By the addition of these four pages and by increasing the quantity of matter on each page, the Friendly Visitor now contains nearly twice as much reading as it formerly did; and is not outdone, in point of cheapness, by any of the cheap penny publications of the day. The Editor hopes that a still increased circulation may make up for the heavy additional expense of these alterations; and he will be obliged to his friends if they will assist as far as possible in the way of advertisements for the Cover. Evening. Eph. 1. 4 Peter 1. 2 1 John 2. 1, 2 1 Cor. 6. 20 1 Tim. 4. 10 2 Cor. 1. 3, 4 Heb. 4. 12 Cor. 10. 16 2 Cor. 5. 19 1 John 4. 19 Col 1. 12, 13 James 1 13,14 Gal. 5. 1 Rom. 11. 36 Phil. 2. 11 Heb. 3. 13 1 Tim. 3. 15 1 Peter 2. 21 Rom. 5. 8, 9 Eph. 5. 8 1 Thess. 4. 11, 12 1 John 2. 17 1 Peter 3. 15 Rom. 12.9 FOSTER, PRINTER, KIRKBY LONSDALE. THE FRIENDLY VISITOR. No. CLXXVII.] JUNE, 1833. [VOL. XV. ON THE WORDS ANATHEMA MARAN-ATHA. "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha."-1 Cor. xvi. 22. It seems to have been the practice with our translators, when they found foreign words employed by the sacred writers, to leave those foreign words untranslated; thus we have Ephata, Talitha cumi, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani. In these instances, however, it must be observed, that the Evangelists having uniformly added an interpretation, to translate that interpretation was sufficient; to translate the foreign terms also, would have been a superfluous repetition. But this reason does not hold good with respect to the passage under consideration. No explanation of the words Maran-atha is given by St. Paul: yet our translators have foreborne to translate them; and not only so, but they have left also the word Anathema in its original Greek. A short account of these words may therefore be acceptable. Anathema signifies "accursed," and so it is rendered Rom. ix. 3. Gal. i. 8, 9. In Maran-atha we have in fact three words, Syro-chaldaic; the first is Mara, and signifies "Lord." The readers of missionary reports will have observed a relic of this word still in use. They will recollect the terms Mar Dionysius, Mar Athanasius, Mar Philoxenus; where Mar is a title of dignity annexed to the respective names; the letter n, is part of a pronoun signifying, our; and the two last syllables, atha, are a verb which signifies cometh. Thus the full meaning of the whole verse is, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed; our Lord cometh." This is one of the most awful passages in the New Testament. When Paul says to the Galatians, "If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed," the denunciation is sufficiently awful; yet it extends to comparatively few. But the passage before us comprehends multitudes. There are multitudes who preach no false doctrine, yet do not love Jesus Christ. Of every man who labours under this fatal defect, Paul tells us that he deserves to be accursed: and connects that curse with the coming of the Lord; thus intimating, that he does not mean a curse merely on the man's basket and on his store; but a curse in that awful day when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of his Son. And it must be remarked that the apostle's language is such as to express his consent to this Anathema, his approbation of the sentence-he puts his amen to it; says, so be it. And is there something uncharitable in his so speaking? Does the language seem cruel and hard-hearted, arguing a want of tenderness and compassion for sinners? Before any of you, my dear readers, allow such a thought respecting the apostle to enter into your hearts, mind you do this-shew your love to the souls of men by the same substantial proofs by which he shewed his. Learn like him to spend and be spent in order to bring souls to Christ. Like him, encounter perils by sea and land, by day and night, from robbers and from false brethren. Pray like him continually for the conversion of sinners, for the sanctification of believers. Rejoice before God over those whose faith and love are manifest; and weep over those who are enemies to the cross of Christ; and when you have attained to this; and attained to it up to the very measure of St. Paul; then turn upon him, and charge him with uncharitableness, because he could say of the man who loved not Christ, "Let him be AnatheBut far indeed from uncharitableness was he who could call God to witness that he had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart for his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh; and who could even wish himself accursed from Christ for their sakes, using the very word Anathema which we have been considering. No, it was not want of love to man, but the greatness of his love to Christ, which made him thus speak. What! are all our affections to be engaged on the side of man? Are we to have no regard to Christ, none to God-no ma." zeal for his glory, no indignation against his enemies, no taking on his side in the controversy which he has with them? Surely our minds are then in the best state, when they are most completely in unison with the mind of God; when that which pleases Him pleases us also. The salvation of the righteous should delight us; the conversion of sinners should cause joy to us as it does to the angels of God; and the condemnation of the enemies of Christ should not displease us. It is what He, the righteous Judge, sees to be good, who then are we that we should be offended at it? The saints in heaven are not offended; nor shall we when we arrive there. We shall then say, "righteous art thou, O Lord, and true are thy judgments;" and when the Judge of quick and dead pronounces sentence on those who "saw him an hun gered, and gave him no meat; thirsty, and give him no drink; a stranger, and took him not in; naked, and clothed him not; sick, and in prison, and visited him not;" we shall then be ready to add our Amen, and to say, so be it-We, that is, if we be numbered with his saints, the ten thousand times ten thousand saints, who shall attend their Lord when he cometh to judge the world. But O! what if we should not be found in that company, but in the larger company of those who shall wail because of him! Then at his coming he will pro nounce an Anathema; and it will be upon us and all the angels of heaven will add their Amen to it: and all the hosts of the redeemed will add their Amen to it: even our friends and kindred, our parents, children, husbands, wives; those who had known us best and loved us most on earth, will add their Amen to it. And why? Is it because there is less charity in heaven than on earth? No, but because the charity of heaven is in no case rebellious against the will of God. And now let every reader ask himself the plain question, do I love Christ? Must this question in many instances be an swered in the negative? Is it too clear a case to be denied? Oh! then it is too dreadful a case to remain in. As surely, dear reader, as any of you are void of the love of Christ, so surely are' you under an Anathema, which, if you repent not, will light on you at the coming of Christ, and abide on you to eternity. Rest not then till you are delivered from this awful condition. Let neither your health, nor your estate, nor your business, be of so much moment with you as to keep you from this care of cares. I do not mean that you should neglect your health, or neglect your estate, or neglect your business: but all these things which are only for a time must be secondary to that which is for eternity. Remember, the day is drawing nearer when the Lord will come, and pronounce the final sentence; and if then, with whatever seeming good qualities, you are found void of the love of Christ, glorified spirits who judge according to truth will applaud your condemnation. Oh! then flee from Christ as a Judge, to Christ as a Saviour; go to him who died for you, who even now stretches out his arms of mercy to receive you, and he will not cast you out. But do you love Christ? Cherish the sacred affection with all care; and prove the genuineness of it by keeping his commandments. Let not any sin be harboured, let not any darling lust be spared. Nay even in lawful things exercise a holy jealousy, that none set up for rivals or divide your heart with Christ. Let your Saviour reign supreme; and never think that you know enough of him or love enough. Strengthen that love by prayer for the supply of his Holy Spirit, by attending the means of grace, and particularly by waiting on him in that ordinance wherein you shew forth his death till he come. By so doing you prove that the words Maran-atha dwell upon your mind, and are entertained in your firm belief. But in your case, and in your thoughts, they are not connected with Anathema. For the curse is from you taken away: Jesus has delivered you from it, being made a curse for you. When he comes he will come to you with salvation: your labours, dangers, temptations, sorrows, will then be all ended, and enter into the joy of your Lord. you will |