that his seed do, or will, possess that land as long as God exists? If not, then the objection is given up. Again, the covenant of circumcision of the flesh is called an everlasting covenant. Will the objector contend, that the covenant of circumcision in the flesh is now in force, and that it will remain in force as long as God exists? It is evident, from scripture, that these ordinances and this covenant are removed, and succeeded by a covenant which is called a better one; see Heb. viii. 6, 7, 8. "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah." Chap. ix. 10, the apostle argues, that the ordinances of the first covenant were imposed on the people until the time of reformation. Gen. xlviii. 3, 4. "And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me; and said unto me, behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee, for an everlasting possession." And he further said, in the blessing of Joseph, The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills. Exod. xl. 15. "And thou shalt anoint them (Aaron's sons) as thou anointed their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office; for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations."

Lev. xvi. 34. "And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins once a year; and he did as the Lord commanded Moses." The reader may learn the abolishment of the priesthood, that is here called an everlasting priesthood, from Heb. vii. 11, 12. "If, therefore, perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law." Jonah ii. 6. "I went down to the bottom of the mountain; the earth with her bars was about me forever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God." Many more passages might be quoted, to clear this point of argument, if more were necessary; but depending some, as we ought to, on the candor of our reader, we forbear to be tedious.

In the next place, we will take notice of a number of scriptures in connexion, all of which have been erreneously applied to the future and endless misery of mankind. See Mal. iv. 1. "For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." Matt. iii. 10. "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore, every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire." Verse 12. "Whose fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn with un

quenchable fire." Chap. v. 29, 30.

"And if thy

right cye offend the, pluck it out and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee, that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." Chap. xiii. 30. "Let both grow together until the time of harvest; and in the time of harvest, I will say unto the reapers, gather ye together, first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn." The whole of the 25th, which is too lengthy to be written at large. Thess. i. 7, 8, 9. "And to you who are troubled, rest with us; when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in a flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power." There are a number more scriptures of the like nature of the above quoted, to which we should be glad to attend, were it not for swelling this work too large. We will, however, after we have answered these in their order, take into consideration some others of a different kind. Those which we have quoted, respect that dispensation which is represented by fire. Therefore in all the passages recited, it is evident the same fire is intended. "For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven.” In this same chapter, this day is called the great and dreadful day of the Lord, who promised to send Elijah the prophet before that day come, whose business should be to turn the hearts of the fathers, to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest the Lord should smite the earth with a curse.

We inquire, first, concerning the coming of this

prophet, in order to fix on a time for the commencement of this day of the Lord. That Elijah and Elias are the same, in scripture, no doubt will be entertained. Then turn to Matt. xvii. 12, 13. “But I say unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed; likewise, shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the baptist." By this scripture it ap pears, that the promise of the coming of Elijah the prophet, was fulfilled by the coming of John the baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elias.

This evidently justifies the belief that the great and dreadful day of the Lord, to which the prophet alluded would soon follow the coming of John the baptist. Agreeably to this fact we find all which is written in the New Testament on the same subject. By a careful attention to the instructions of Jesus, we shall find that all those scriptures were fulfilled in the generation in which he lived in the flesh. Matt. xvi. 27, 28. For the son of man shall come in the glory of his 'Father, with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the son of man coming in his kingdom.' Respecting this passage we desire the reader to notice the following particulars; 1st-Jesus speaks of his coming in the glory of his Father with his angels at some time then future. 2d. He is careful to state, as the principal fact communicated in this passage, that when he should so come as he had described, he would render unto every man according to his works. Here we have a statement of a certain time, which would be a day of Judgment, in which

every man would receive according to his works. This day of Judgment is unquestionably the day of judgment elsewhere spoken of in the teachings of Jesus and his apostles. 3d. Jesus is careful to fix the time of this judgment, not to a day nor to an hour, but emphatically does he limit it within the lifetime of some of those to whom he spake.

Of this day 'Whoso

of trial we read again Mark viii. 38; ix. 1. ever, therefore, shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.' Here we again request the reader to observe, that the same particulars, which were noticed in respect to the former passage, are found to be contained in this. Luke ix. 26, 27. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, of him shall the son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's and of the holy angels. But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God.' What we desired the reader to observe in the former passages, he will also notice in this.

Should the objector contend, that the coming of Christ, in his glory, with his angels, to reward men according to their works, as set forth in the preceding passages, cannot be the same with his coming at the end of the world, of which mention is made in Matt. xxiv, we reply, by informing him that if he will so far divest himself of the prejudices, of his education, as to