" clergy, proceeded to quote various Nov. 13, 1850. P.S. Finding that my lengthy communication must be divided, I may perhaps be permitted to add a few further observations, explana tory of the views above expressed. a modern body of professors, to There are few readers of their Bible who will not admit that in perusing the Old Testament prophecies, they find it very difficult to carry out what I may call the distinctive principle of interpretation. Some commentator or other tells us that such a chapter or passage refers exclusively to the last age of the world,-the inbringing of the Jews -or the like. We attempt to read it on that principle; but ere long are stopped by some verse expressly declared in the New Testament to have been fulfilled at the first coming of the Lord, or in his kingdom and patience. Let me give one or two instances in addition to those to which I have already referred. And first we may turn to that memorable prophecy in Zechariah, (ch. xii.I0,) which has been made to take the lead among those passages said to predict the conversion of the Jews: "I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem." &c. Now passing over the undoubted fact that the evangelist John (ch, xix. 37.) expressly informs us that one of the soldiers, (a Roman soldier be it observed,) with a spear pierced Jesus' side, that this very Scripture "might be fulfilled";-the immediately following clause in the prophecy informs us when this day of mourning was to take place, viz.-“ In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for separa tion for uncleanness." The next prophecy to which I would direct your attention is one nearly as well known as that just considered, occupying the xxiv. and several following chapters of Isaiah, (for they evidently form one continued prophecy.) Now that twenty-fourth chapter, which speaks of "the earth reeling to and fro like a drunkard, and being removed like a cottage," when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously,"-is almost uniformly referred for its fulfilment to the times of restitution of all things"; but if an exclusive application of this sort is to be gone into, what are we to make of those wellknown sayings which are interspersed throughout the same chapters and same prophecy, concerning the glorifying the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea-from the uttermost parts of which are heard songs 66 even glory to the Righteous One"? or of another part of the same, that "in this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things-of wines on the lees well refined." Or of that song, A vineyard of red wine-I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment"? But I hasten forward to a concluding instance, to which I beg the particular attention of all who feel an interest in the subject, or in the sober consistent interpretation of the word of God. I allude to the last nine chapters of the prophecies of Ezekiel, containing a most minute description, in vision, of the house and temple of the living God, in all its measurements, and with all its furniture and ordinances, as well as a new division of land among the tribes. It is admitted on all hands that no such temple as this ever was or could be built; and that in particular" the latter house," built by Zerubabel and Joshua, was not framed according to the pattern shewn to Ezekiel. I can hardly suppose any of your readers extravagant enough to enter into the views propounded by some, that the Jews, who, they say, are soon to be restored to their own land, will yet build such a temple as the prophet describes. No, Sir-Depend upon it, any interpretation of these chapters but that which the apostle James gave before the assembled elders and church of Jerusalem of the building again of the tabernacle of David which had fallen down, will lead into a maze of perplexity and error. The true interpretation of the whole is to be found in the concluding words of the prophecy in question. "And the name of the city from that day shall be 66 THE LORD IS THERE." From what day? The day of the gospel-the day which Abraham saw afar off and was glad. The day when "He bring eth in the first begotten into the world, (i.e. into the new creationhis New Testament Church) and saith, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee." This conclusion of the prophecy indeed comprehends and explains my whole subject. The city is the Zion of the Lord of Hosts, to which says Paul to the churches of the saints "ye are." It received its name as soon as the "Lord was there," reigning before his ancients gloriously, when the word was given, Let all the angels of God worship Him." It retains that name Now and FOR EVER: for "God is in the midst of her, and will establish her for ever," Even where two or three are gathered together in His name, there is He in the midst of them; and therefore small and despised though it be, the name of the city is, "The Lord is there." True is it, indeed, that never will that glorious name appear 60 truly applicable as when the whole family in heaven and earth shall be gathered together,-when we who are alive and remain shall be caught up, together with the dead in Christ, in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air," when the great voice shall be heard saying, "Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them," and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." Who can deny that the name of the city then will be, "the Lord is there"? But we see that, as Joseph said to Pharoah -"the dream is one"; there is no dividing it; it is fulfilled IN THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD. To what extent the minute details of the Prophecy may be fulfilled when "the meek shall inherit the earth," that day will declare. But as yet "we walk by faith not by sight"; for " eye hath not seen, (nor can it see) nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." THE CHURCH OF GOD. (Continued from page 16.) Part VIII. CHARITY OF LOVE.-Prominently brought forward in the New Testament.The spurious kind current among religious professors.-True Charity, or the love of the truth, contrasted with its opposite.-The life and soul of the Christian religion. "It is now time, after having said so much on the Hope, to say somewhat concerning the LOVE OF CHARITY of the Gospel, which the Apostle emphatically calls the end of the commandment' AS CHARITY is so much celebrated in the New Testament, it was to be expected that all who wish to be esteemed christians would lay claim to it. Accordingly we find sectarians of every denomination talking much about the excellence of charity! and, generally speaking, they all either plume themselves on the progress they have made in the attainment of it, or at least take it for granted that they are perfectly agreed with the Apostles about it. But different, very different indeed, is that charity which is so much spoken of in the world, from that which the Lord and his Apostles treat of. By the former, some mean liberal ity, or rather very scanty alms to the poor. But the Apostle distinguishes charity from the greatest liberality that man is capable of; for he supposes that a man may bestow all his goods to feed the poor, and and even sacrifice his life, by giving his body to be burnt, and yet be destitute of charity. Some, again, make charity consist in a kind of politeness and complaisance to be adopted when we speak or write of the opinions and actions of their neighbours-It is that deference and respect which every good natured, or, as the phrase is, every good-hearted man pays to another-Or it is, in religion, what French breeding commonly is in society, a circulation of compliments, promoted by a desire of being praised in return which is common to the human kind. There is in the charity of this polished and enlightened age a reciprocity, as it is termed, fully better known, and oftener practised in religious, than in political matters. For example, say the Episcopalians to the Presbyterians, though we are differently minded from you, in regard to certain particulars about church government, and perchance about some points of doctrine too; yet we charitably believe you are very good christians, and we presume you entertain the same charitable opinion of us. Yea, say the Protestants of this age to the professed sons of the church of Rome, though you and we disagree in many things, as well in regard to doctrines as practice, yet we have charity for you, and admit that you are christians as well as we. O, by all means, return the Papists, christians, why not believe that you are christians! and, if christians, why not have charity for you? Well, say the grumbletonian Dissenters, a set of sad hypocritical dogs you the clergy of the established churches are:-You share among yourselves the honours and emoluments conferred by the states which patronise you, and will not admit us to participate with you-You subscribe what you cannot believe, and recite what you utterly condemn-You are highly criminal, if you are not apprised of many abuses which prevail; and no less so, in not using your endeavours to rectify them-Yet, as we must have charity for all men, so we charitably believe that you are christians after all. Nay, say the Methodists, it signifies nothing what church any man Lelongs to. Our method of Christianity is equally adapted to the members of all churches, whether established or dissenting; and to all of them our charity goes out with equal freedom and ease. Mr. Jeb went still farther-He proposed a kind of free and easy intercourse between God, and men of all religions; Pagans, Mahomedans, Jews, Christians, &c. To all of them his liberal charity extends her comprehensive arms. And to crown all, a certain anonymous author has lately favoured the world with an elaborate treatise, in which he says he has proved the salvation of the whole human race; and not of them only, but of the devil himself, and his apostates of the angelic order. But the greatest wonder of all is, that this proof is said to be produced from the Scriptures. WE may here adopt Dr.Priestley's words, and say of this author, His manner of proving his favourite proposition from the Scriptures, would authorise our proving any doctrine whatever from them. According to him, there is no meaning in the words eternity, for ever and ever, for evermore, &c., &c., at least no such meaning as has heretofore been understood both by ancient and modern writers. The final result of this author's doctrine is, that we ought to extend our charity to the devil himself; for though he The book is entitled THE SALVATION OF ALL MEN.--Dilly, 1784. L is not yet, he shall be, it seems, some ages hence (how many indeed our notable discoverer has not informed us,) as good a christian as any of the human race! Now Sir, methinks we have got to the ne plus ultra of what is commonly called charity. And of this charity, I also think, we may fairly say, Her embraces, like those of a prostitute, being common, are not worth courting. Though her lips drop as an honey-comb, and her mouth is smoother than oil'; yether end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death: her steps take hold on hell.-Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death,'* Leaving this prostitute, therefore, to the embraces of the multitudes, nations, and tongues, within the pale of the church of Rome, and the younger harlots descended from her, let us bestow a few thoughts on Apostolic CHARITY. Without commenting on every verse of Paul's admirable chapter on this charity, one peculiarity is sufficient to distinguish her from all that men have agreed to call charity. Apostolic charity, as I term it, by way of distinction, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth. The ancient adage, Noscitur a socio, is strictly applicable to charity. To understand whether a man has the same meaning to that word which the Lord and his Apostles had, no more is needful than to learn what he holds for truth. I have already had occasion to observe, that what is stiled in the New Testament, THE TRUTH, is the divine testimony concerning Jesus, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' Apostolic charity is the inseparable companion of this Truth-It is the object of her complacence. Every property of apostolic charity bears some relation to the truth; and every thing offensive to her is either inimical to, or inconsistent with the truth. The poorest and most despicable wretch who holds the truth, she regards as a prince in the kingdom of heaven, as one of the excellent in the earth-The wisest philosopher who despises that truth, the most devout divine who opposes it, and the most amiable member of society who is a stranger to it, she cannot delight in. No vicissitude or fluctuation in human affairs affects her. The taste of the world is, and must be perpetually changing: But her taste is eternally the same. In dark and in enlightened, in barbarous and in polished ages, she has the same propensities, and the same aversions. Wherever the truth is believed, there she rejoices even among the basest of menWhere the truth is not held, there she cannot delight, there she dwells not. not. In a word, she is just the reverse of modish charity. The latter, as I have said, is like a common prostitute. The former, on the contrary, is a chaste virgin to Christ. She breathes benevolence to mankind in general, influencing her followers to do good to all men; though her complacence is always confined to them who are of the truth, and only for the truth's sake. She flatters not, like the other; but admonishes or rebukes, as occasion requires, without respect of persons. For though she suffers long, and is kind, imitating the divine long-suffering and tender mercies, yet she never suffers sin in her children, but labours to bring Prov. v. 3-6. and vii. 27. + Cor. xiii 6. Οὐ χαίρει επι τε αδικια συγ χαίρει δε τε αλήθεια, |