no dilemma, no shade of difficulty, save to him who starts with ignoring the scriptural definition and account of the church of God. And the notion of Christ's coming to the earth only after the millennium, so far from being "the belief which clears all up," (p. 79), is sheer error. For the vision of the great White-Throne judgment is in fact no coming of Christ, but a going of the dead before Him; no return of the Lord or of any one else to the earth, for there is no earth to come to. "I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them." proves most important distinctions, not merely between the church and the millennial saints, but between those of the Old Testament and either. It never speaks, on our view any more than Dr. Brown's, of any portion of the church not rising and reigning with Christ. On the contrary, it proves that many saints beside the church, shall reign with Christ when he comes. (To be concluded in our next.) Original Contributions. TION AS A HOPE OF THE CHURCH. THE great fact of the coming of the Lord, however important in itself, is rendered much more important from the events that are connected with it in Scripture. One of these events is the resurrection of the Saints. The following hints on this subject may be useful in directing the meditations of the children of God: : I. The resurrection of the saints is connected with the advent in the following passages:-1 Cor. xv. 23; 2 Thess. iv. 16; Rev. xx. 5. The resurrection of the wicked is never placed at the advent, in the Holy Scriptures. II. The fact that the resurrection of the saints takes place at the advent, accounts for the importance which the Scripture gives to that great event. The following comparison between the atonement and the advent will explain what I mean. Let us take all the texts as they occur in the Epistles, and see what the result may be. Rom. ATONEMENT. ADVENT. 2 The "Supplementary Remarks" demand small notice THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIRST RESURRECfrom us; for we have already stated the sound view of "the church," and it differs too decidedly from that of Messrs. Bickersteth and A. Bonar, and even from the Duke of Manchester's, to claim our interposition in their battles. For, although his Grace rightly made its starting point to be the ascension of Christ, he very wrongly uses Archdeacon Hare's citation of Olshausen to prove that regeneration belongs essentially to the New Testament a delusion which one had hoped was confined to the author of "Nehushtan," and his wretched "Teaching of the Types." Salvation is not possible in any dispensation, by external operations of the Spirit; he always quickened souls, as he ever will, by the Word of God. Nor is it a question of excluding the Old Testament saints from the scene of glory which we shall enjoy with them in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. viii. 11). But common privileges, either of grace or of glory, cannot disprove the plain testimony of the Word, that the baptism of the Spirit (as distinct from regeneration) was not experienced before Pentecost; that on that baptism depends the body, the church wherein Jewish and Gentile differences are unknownthe distinguishing feature of the present economy; and that the millennium will see another condition where these distinctions reappear with many features of the times before Pentecost, and with others peculiar to the new age. There are, thank God, many mercies which essentially pertain to all saints of all ages; but these must not be abused to deny differences which God's sovereignty has affixed to the various dispensations as it has pleased him. Heb. xi. 40, taken naturally, stands in the way of Dr. B. How, will the reader guess, does he explain it away? They without us could not be made perfect—that is, without Christ and the Spirit!! whose proper economy ours certainly is. (p. 84). Well, this is no pleasant fruit of post-millennial interpretation. It is a bold figure, in expounding a plain doctrinal statement, to treat "without us," as equivalent to without Christ and the Spirit. Besides, it is in no way the meaning even thus: for the Holy Ghost lays down two things; 1st, that God has provided some better thing for us (i. e. clearly something better than "the promise," precious as it was, for which all the Old Testament saints were waiting); and 2nd, that the Old Testament saints were not to be perfected, (viz., by resurrection glory,) apart from us. Thus, the Word of God, while showing ample ground where we all meet, is decisive that the elect are not to be jumbled together in a single indiscriminate mass, and Phil. Col. 1 Thess. 2 Thess. 1 Tim. 2 Tim. Heb. Jas. 1 Pet. 2 Pet. 1 John Jude Rev. .... 4 59 3 1 4 6 2 2 12 68 Thus it appears that the advent of the Son of God is more frequently introduced in the word than the atonement itself. This is accounted for by the fact, that the first resurrection, the destruction of antichrist, the judgment of the nations, the translation of the saints, the restoration of the Jews, and the latter-day glory, are connected with it. III. Why is the advent presented to us in Scripture as the great hope of the church? I answer for this, among other reasons, that it brings us the glory of the resurrection. Then the saints shall be gathered to the Lord, 2 Thess. ii. 1; 1 Thess. iv. 17; Matt. xxiv. 31; The Mark xiii. 27; Ps. 1. 5. The reign of death is broken, | for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh," v. 8. What the dominion of sin and Satan are destroyed, and the is it that makes us rejoice in the trial of our faith? It whole family of the first-born ones is gathered around is that it may be found unto praise, and honour, and their redeeming Lord. This is, indeed, a high and im- glory at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. mortal hope, which may well brighten the eye and fill the i. 7. What causes us to gird up the loins of our mind, heart with joy. Then, he shall change our vile body, be sober, and hope to the end? Answer it is the that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body; grace that is to be brought unto us at the revelation of and the whole man, body and soul, shall be like him the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. i. 13. Peter connects in his glory. sobriety and watchfulness with the hope of the advent, for he says, "The end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer, iv. 7. faithful pastors are exhorted not to be lords over God's heritage, but to be examples to the flock, and the motive is, "When the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away,' 1 Pet. v. 4. These are specimens of the use which the Scripture makes of the advent as a mighty and controling motive over the life and conversation of the believer, and they might be largely increased. If, then, the advent and the resurrection of the saints be kept out of view, or preached with reserve, the saints of God are deprived of one of the most powerful motives to holy living mentioned in the Scriptures. V. The following are the principal passages that bear on the doctrine of the first resurrection:-Dan. xii. 2; Luke xx. 35, 36; xiv. 14; 1 Cor. xv. 23, 42—45; Phil. iii. 20, 21; 1 Thess. iv. 16; Rev. xi. 18; xx. 5. Study these carefully and you will perceive the following facts:-1st, That the resurrection of the saints is distinct and separate from the general resurrection of the dead. 2nd, That it takes place at the advent, whereas the wicked do not rise at that time, nor have they any share in the glorious resurrection of the saints. 3rd, That this blessed resurrection, and not death, is the Scriptural hope of the church. IV. Hence, the advent becomes a great motive in the life of the believer, and influences his conduct in various ways. Do you long for the conversion of the Jews? Then pray that the Deliverer may come out of Zion and turn away ungodliness from Jacob, Rom. xi. 26. Is it our duty to put off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light? Then the motive is, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand," Rom. xiii. 12. Is not waiting for the coming of the Lord, a sign of the abundance of gifts? 1 Cor. i. 7. What is the motive for building right materials upon the right foundation? The advent, 1 Cor. iii. 12, 13. What prevents us from rash and hasty judgment? The advent, 1 Cor. iv. 5. Do you love the scaling of the Spirit of God? Then, that is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, Eph. i. 14. Do you long for your heavenly citizenship? Then look for the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven, who is to put you in possession of it, Phil. iii. 20. What is the motive for moderation and sobriety of conduct? Paul enforces it by saying, "The Lord is at hand," Phil. iv. 5. Is mortification of the members a christian duty? Then, the motive is, that Christ who is our life is coming in his glory-mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth, Col. iii. 4, 5. What are the two great duties for which the Thessalonians are praised? Giving up idolatry, and waiting for Christ from heaven, 1 Thess. i. 9, 10. What is the motive that sustains the minister and the missionary in their labours of love? Paul answers, "What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 1 Thess. ii. 19. Why does Paul pray that the Lord may make you abound in love one toward another, and toward all men? Answer: it is to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints, 1 Thess. iii. 13. How does Paul comfort the saints over the loss of their dead or martyred brethren? Read the splendid passage, 1 Thess. iv. 14-18, and you will find that he directs them to the Lord's advent. It is the motive for watchfulness, 1 Thess. v. 2; Rev. iii. 3; xvi. 15; 2 Pet. iii. 10; Luke xii. 39, 40; for seeking the heavenly rest, 2 Thess. i. 6, 7; for stedfastness of mind, 2nd, But it is said, this doctrine is a novelty, not 2 Thess. ii. 1; for patience, 2 Thess. iii. 5; for keeping found in the creeds, nor entertained in the purest ages our heavenly trust, 1 Tim. vi. 14; for diligence in the of the church. Answer: I deny both these assertions, holy ministry of the gospel, 2 Tim. iv. 1; for fighting and appeal to Greswell on the parables, and the testithe good fight of faith, 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8; for taking joy-mony of Justin the martyr, that this, our hope, was the fully the spoiling of our goods, and bearing persecution the prevaling opinion in the ages immediately succeeding with patience, Heb. x. 34-37; for hearing him that the apostles. speaketh from heaven, Heb. xii. 25, 26. How does James comfort the saints who are defrauded and unjustly treated? He says, "Be patient, stablish your hearts, VI. There are certain prevalent delusions on this subject, to which I would call your attention for a moment. 1st, And first, it is supposed, that the coming of the Lord and the resurrection of the saints, are far distant events, with which we have little or no concern. This is a fearful delusion, and tends to lull the church into a fatal security. The position of the believer in the New Testament, is that of waiting, hoping, and longing for the coming of the Lord. There is but one event in Scripture between the apostolic church and the advent -the coming of antichrist-and that, as I believe, has already taken place, so that the coming of the Lord and the resurrection of his saints may be near at hand. Are ye ready to meet him? Do not shrink from the enquiry, but meet it fully and freely in the light of God's holy word. 3rd, There is a fatal practical delusion in the minds of many men as if the present state of things was to continue for ever; that civilisation is sanctifying the nations, that the progress of the arts and sciences, especially the mechanical, is gradually turning nature into grace, the world into a church, and the earth into a paradise of God. This is the master-delusion of Satan in these times, and it contradicts the Word of the Lord at every turn. When the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth? As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of man! Man says light, and God says darkness; man speaks of progress and human glory, God of apostasy and terrible judgment; man points to the advancement and perfectibility of the species, and God to the coming of Christ and the resurrection of the saints! Which is true I must leave you to judge. 4th, Finally; it is often asserted, and I have heard it in London, that these views are adopted mainly by enthusiasts who wish to become prophets, or weakminded speculators in whom the imagination prevails over the judgment. Answer: was Sir Isaac Newton wanting in judgment, or Bishop Newton a dreamer? I assert fearlessly, that the modern defenders of these doctrines in the British Isles, are a body of the most vigorous thinkers as well as the most consistent humble believers in the empire. I need not mention names in this place, but if I wished to do so, they are near at hand. The literature on this subject, during the last forty years, is immense: it is estimated that above 200 volumes have issued from "the Brethren press alone. The spirit of the nation has been awakened from a kind of lethargy, in some degree at least, and the glorious hope of the kingdom is resuming its ancient dominion over the children of God. We are far from wishing to cherish the spirit of vainglorious boasting; we would rather, with the hope of his coming in our hearts, be deemed fools and enthusiasts, than, without that hope, the wisest and most judicious of men. Be it ours to receive with meekness, the engrafted word; and, in all the simplicity of faith, to hold forth to a perishing world, the faith of the bleeding cross, and the hope of the heavenly crown. "Waft, waft, ye winds, his story, And you, ye waters, roll; It spread from pole to pole. Till o'er our ransomed nature, The Lamb, for sinners slain, Redeemer, King, Creator, In bliss, returns to reign." THE STONES OF THE BIBLE.-No. I. THE SINAITIC TABLES. G. profane history. For, it is proper to take the literal before the figurative, in order that the latter may be clearly understood. Such, indeed, is the order of creation and revelation; first the natural, then the spiritual; first the lifeless, then the living stones; first the stone tables, then the fleshly tables of the heart. Stones, physically speaking, are well known to be only pieces of rock separated from their native masses, either by the action of atmospheric causes, or by the operation of aqueous, igneous, or mechanical agents. The use of Scripture metaphors borrowed from the nature of stones, has not perhaps met with the same degree of careful research which that of some other natural phenomena have received. On this supposition, we take up the consideration of the stones that were first employed as tablets for the permanent record of the laws of God, the lithographic decalogue first promulgated by its Divine Author from the top of Sinai. The ten commandments were first uttered by the mouth, and then written by the finger of God, "on two tables of stone." From the history of this promulgation, related in the Book of Exodus, it is evident that these tables of stone were real, and not figurative. The circumstances connected with their history is very remarkable. The reader will recollect that there were two different sets of these tables of stone, the one set being made by God himself, and the other set by Moses. The Divine Creator, the Great and Eternal Jehovah, in his love and pity towards fallen man, condescended to hew out the first two tables of stone, to smooth them on both sides, and to write upon them all the words of the law of God, namely, the ten commandments. There can be no doubt that the language in which the words of the law were written, was the Hebrew, the nation to which they were first addressed; and through that nation, they have since been addressed to all the nations of the world. The walls of our churches now exemplify the fact, that every man in this country may read in his own tongue, "all the words of this law." The scriptural statement that it was by "the finger of God," that the ten commandments were written on the tables of stone, is manifestly a figurative one, and it simply means that this was done by "the power of God"; but in what manner this power was exerted, we are not told. This figure was previously used in the narrative relating to the plague of lice; the magicians of Egypt not being permitted to imitate this miracle by their enchantments, were obliged to confess their want of power, by saying, "This is the finger of God." The power of God was exerted, both in the preparation of the tables of stone, and in the engraving of the words of the ten commandments upon them, after they were prepared. In Exodus xxxii. 16, we are told that "the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the WE propose to give a series of short papers illustrative writing of God, graven upon the tables." Easy, indeed of the stones mentioned in the Bible. These stones are would it have been for the great Creator of the world, to of a twofold nature, real and figurative. Our proposal command the two tables, with the ten words upon them, will accordingly lead us into many curious and interest- into existence in a moment, by the word of his mouth, ing disquisitions; and they may tend to bring some im- by his mighty and instantaneous fiat, which portant Scripture truths into greater prominence than employed in the creation of light; but he willed a heretofore. We shall commence with the most remark-different mode of procedure, in order to teach a lesson able real stones that ever were spoken of in sacred or to his people, and through them, to all mankind. By was this preliminary process, Moses himself was instructed second tables of stone, yet God wrote upon them as he how to perform that which he was so soon commanded did upon the first, thereby acknowledging and ratifying to do; and through him, the great lessons of order and the divine mission of his servant, and shewing an regularity in working: of industry and skill in adapta- approval of his fidelity and zeal in the cause of truth tion and of progression in secondary causes towards an and godliness, and of his sincere obedience to God's end were taught to the chosen race. From their records, commandments. these lessons have gone through all the world, teaching the great truth, that progression is the law of creation as well as of revelation, of nature as well as of grace. The first two tables of stone, the workmanship of God, were broken in pieces by Moses, who cast them out of his hands beneath the mount. This extraordinary action was evidently the result of his holy anger at the idolatry of the Israelites; for when he descended from the mount, he found that they had turned aside from the worship of the true God, to that of a golden calf! How wonderful was the forbearance of God on this occasion! Here was the work of his condescending power destroyed in a moment! Yet the Lord was not wroth with his servant for the effects of his sudden zeal! How unlike the conduct of man! How different from what his would have been on such an occasion! So true it is, that the Lord's ways are not like our ways, nor his thoughts like our thoughts. The breaking of the two tables of stone was no doubt permitted to take place, that the people might be taught by this, the exceeding sinfulness of their sin. This action, viewed symbolically, was an emblem of the evil which the children of Israel had perpetrated. It was an indication that the infraction of the first commandment, of which they had been guilty, was tantamount to the breaking of the whole law of God. The Scripture saith that "he that offends in one point is guilty of all"; and it is plain that if God be not duly honoured and worshipped, according to that commandment, the keeping of all the other commandments is unavailing in his sight. The allegory is this: as Moses literally broke all the commandments at once, at the sight of their idolatry; so the children of Israel spiritually did the same, by their infraction of the first commandment. The principle of the sin which they committed is broadly stated in Deuteronomy xxvii. 26, and is cited by the apostle Paul in Galatians iii. 10: "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." Notwithstanding the dreadful sin of the Israelites, which was signally punished on the spot by the slaughter of 3,000 men, the mercy and condescension of Almighty God were again most wonderfully manifested, by the command given to Moses, to hew out other two tables of stone like the first, and also by his promise to write on them all the words that were in the first two tables which he had broken. Thus we see that the sin of man could not prevent the free operation of the mercy and goodness of his Creator. The law, indeed, although proclaimed on Mount Sinai, and specially given to Israel under awful sanctions, was, through that people, intended for all mankind. God had promised to Abraham, that in him and in his seed, all nations of the earth should be blessed. Israel's sin, therefore, could not frustrate God's intentions. Remarkable, moreover, is the circumstance, that although Moses prepared the Both sets of "the two tables of stone" were unquestionably cut out of the rock of Mount Sinai; the first in an extraordinary manner, by the power of God; the second in an ordinary manner, with tools, by the hand of Moses. Of this rocky mountain, the following description has been given by a modern traveller: "The aspect of the country round Sinai is magnificent. The mountain itself presents a striking scene. To the right, a great range of hills, commencing with Sinai, extends farther than the limits of the visible horizon; these hills are almost destitute of vegetation, but they present a majestic form. Sinai has four peaks: that on which Moses once stood, is situated in the midst of the others, so that it cannot be seen from the bottom of the mountain. It is supposed that the hill called St. Catherine is the real Mount Horeb. In order to reach the top, it is necessary to ascend rocks of a vast height, imposing to the eye, by their form and their magnitude. summit is a small peak of only about fifty feet in circumference. This hill is the highest in the whole range to which it belongs; but from its top, as far as the eye can reach, nothing is visible but chains of naked mountains, separated from each other by ravines or narrow vallies." The What a sermon on rocks, ought this scene to have suggested to the traveller! "Here," might he have said to himself, "here, is the mount on which the Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and announced the glorious tennet of the immortality of the soul! here, he declared that he was the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob! He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Here, is the ground that was rendered holy by the immediate presence of the everlasting God; and here, did Moses receive his wonderful mission for the redemption of Israel out of Egypt. Here, stands the rock which, when smitten by the rod of Moses, gave forth water for the people to drink; that rock which was the figure and type of Christ, the spiritual Rock, the Rock of Ages, the Rock of his church." Again, "There," might he say to himself, pointing to an opposite peak, "there, is the Mount of Sinai, on which Jehovah, the Eternal God, descended in fire and smoke, with the sound of a trumpet and an earthquake; and there, he spake with the voice of words, which they that heard them entreated that they should not be spoken to them any more. There, were the words uttered, of which the sound was so dreadful, that the people feared lest they should die, when the Lord himself talked with them from heaven!" The words which the Lord spake, were the ten commandments, which were written in the two tables of stone, and graven therein as with an iron pen in the rock for ever! These words are indeed well known; but alas! they are too often forgotten! Can we do better than give our readers the following short and easy paraphrase, of what should be engraven on their hearts? THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. II. Thou shalt not make unto thyself, III. Thou shalt not take the holy name, IV. Thou shalt remember still to keep Who earth and heavens, and swelling deep, V. Thou shalt thy parents honour here, So thou on earth, secure from fear, VI. Thou shalt not kill, nor ever bear, For deeds of blood, though hid with care, VII. Thou never shalt, that horrid crime, Remember the appointed time, When God, the Judge, will sit. VIII. Thou shalt not steal, nor rob the poor, IX. False witness, thou shalt never bear, X. Thou shalt not covet, nor desire, Such is a simple paraphrase of the ten command- that she had broken the first commandment, when she When the strivings of the Spirit of God in the heart "Love's unextinguished ray shall burn, W. ROME AND JERUSALEM.-The report is assuming a little more consistency relative to the translation of the seat of the Papacy from Rome to Jerusalem. It is now declared that this question has already been most seriously examined; even so far back as the time when the bishops met to determine on the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, a large number of the members, and Pius IX. himself were favourable to the project. A person whose opinion is relied upon, adds, that he will soon give more circumstantial reasons for the probability of the He forgets to say rather, "which spiritually is called Sodom, "translation of the holy See to the cradle of Jesus Christ.' and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified." What light would such an event throw upon prophecy; and how many apparent disagreeing points would it reconcile !—From Paris Correspondent of "Christian Times," July 16th. for drawback on paper used in printing Bibles, Testaments, and BIBLES. In 1855--56, the sum of £9,094 was paid in England Prayer-books, and £1,209 in Scotland. In 1854--55, £9,958 was spent in England, and £2,088 in Scotland. |