dice, to prescribe to us what portions of God's word are profitable, and what are not. On the contrary, we have seen declared the blessedness of those who take heed, &c."

"If the reader of these remarks happen to be a minister of the word of God, he is affectionately entreated to consider his responsibility; how he is bound, as a faithful minister, to deliver the whole counsel of God; and especially in regard to the Apocalypse, not to take away from nor add to it. And is it not to take away the words of this prophecy,' yea, to take away all the words of it, when ministers systematically abstain from bringing forward its contents?" "It is a leaven of popery, to suppose that any class of beings are, by the mere circumstance of birth, rank, wealth, office, or education, privileged to monopolize any portion of the word of God.

"It must be admitted, therefore, that that system which deprives prophecy of the degree of importance (whatsoever it may be) which the Scriptures assign to it, must be so far wrong: and whatsoever is wrong in doctrine, must be, to that extent, mischievous in practice, however plausible. . . . Faith is, in a measure, deprived of its food; though faith, it is true, regards the past and present as well as the future, (Heb. xI. 1, 3;) but Hope never can be called into action but by the consideration of things future; and it, therefore, ceases to be an active principle in the heart, so soon as futurity is withdrawn from its contemplation. The great water-floods are evidently arising and increasing fast upon us; and the church is rapidly passing into the dark and cloudy day of tribulation. In the opinion of all thinking and intelligent men, some awful and portentous crisis is at hand; and how is the true church to be comforted in the midst of it, or guided through it, but by taking heed to the more sure word PROPHECY; which is specially a light intended for a dark time, until the day dawn and the day star arise in our hearts. 'The lion hath roared; who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken; who can but prophesy?' Amos III. 8."

"When Jesus quoted the prophecy of Daniel, he said, 'Whoso readeth let him understand.' This part of revealed truth can do us no good, but in proportion as we understand it. 'Now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass ye might believe.' John xiv. 29. If I know not the meaning of the voice of the prophet,' he that speaketh is a barbarian unto me.'

The author of the Physical Theory of Another Life well observes: “It is very true that Christianity has suffered damage by vain and presumptuous intrusions into its mysteries; but it may also be injured, and perhaps in a more fatal, although more silent manner, by a cold withdrawment of all attention and all curiosity from the high themes of meditation which it involves. In fact this is the very danger to which our religion is now exposed; nor is a too eager regard to things unseen by any means the fault of our times.

No. XXII.

EXTRACT FROM AN ESSAY ON PEACE BY W. S. CHAUNCY.*

We presume that there is no section of the Christian church which doubts the absolute perfection of the New Testament dispensation, as a code which, when accompanied by the influences of the Holy Spirit, can supply not only the spiritual wants, but promote both the individual and national happiness of the human race. But while we possess the cheering evidence of supreme wisdom and love, it would be irrational, independent of the declarations of prophecy, to limit the term in which, or the varied means whereby, God will accomplish the ends of this dispensation. Hence we clearly infer, that notwithstanding its superior excellence, as "the power of God which effectually works in them that believe,"-yet has he, for the wisest sovereign purposes, permitted its simplicity to be corrupted, its profession sullied, and its authority perverted, to promote ends completely opposed to its divine spirit and tendency. In no respect has this perversion appeared more awfully or destructively, than in the adoption of the principle of WAR;—a principle whose basis is, unquestionably, the partial aggrandizement, not the general happiness of man; whose consequences are his inevitable “destruction and misery ;”—yet whose "life" the Redeemer "came to seek and to save." In this respect, the Christian world, with little exception, has not imitated his gracious example, neither appreciated nor reciprocated the common blessings to be derived from "his inestimable love and mercy:" so that it is a useless opposition to the spirit of Christianity, to appeal to the practice of the Christian world.

The fall of man was followed by a series of dispensations, designed to effect his restoration to the favour of God; but these, ordained to be effected through man's own instrumentality, have been necessarily tardy in their operation. It is not more surprising, therefore, that the justice and necessity of war should have been equally maintained, as other principles and practices, in manifest opposition to the Gospel.

A people were chosen who were to preserve the worship and oracles of the true God; and thus war became indispensable between them and the idolatrous nations by whom they were surrounded, both for the preservation of the former, and the chastisement of their disobedience to the divine will. The prevalence of idolatry among them was the dominant cause of their repeated wars; their hardness of heart wholly indisposed them for the blessings of permanent peace; and which, could they have obtained, it may be doubted whether the knowledge of the true God would not have become gradually lost. The time arrived when their ritual observances were to be exchanged for the more spiritual dispensation of the Gospel; a system of "peace and good will towards men,"—of universal charity. This declares, that "the powers that be are ordained of God," in common with other sovereign acts of his providence; but no reason can be thence deduced, that kingdoms may be forcibly

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and violently retained by bloody contests, under the unjust assumption of divine approval. "God putteth down one and setteth up another," according to the measure of national iniquity, and for other special ends. If the Jewish dispensation, notwithstanding its locality, was not maintained, but through the frequent miraculous interpositions of the Almighty, it should excite no surprise that the Christian dispensation has not maintained universal purity of profession. The former was political; the latter is spiritual; the former was ceremonial; the latter is simple, and consequently less harmonious with the corrupt nature of man. The former was typical and temporary; the latter is substantial and perpetual; so that its ultimate universal adoption is not affected by the tardiness of its advancement, or the comparative fewness of its true members, which cannot obstruct the fulfilment of God's designs.

At the promulgation of the Gospel, the existing powers were not opposed or condemned by any direct or specific injunction in relation to war; at least, so far as was calculated to excite general attention. But while the duty of lawful obedience to governments was enjoined, a spirit adverse to every passion which could generate war, was as clearly to be deduced from it. Thus while Christianity recommended itself to the consciences of its followers, political interference on their part was restrained within necessary bounds. The Romans, who, after a lapse of ages, so hardly endured the extinction of their idolatrous rites would not, at the same time, have received an open declaration of the unlawfulness of war, as being no less than a threatened extinction of their political existence.

Though" all men" were" called on to repent, believe, and obey the Gospel, yet its universal adoption, especially in relation to peace, was declared to be far distant. Not only the persecutions which overtook its followers during the primitive ages, but the papal usurpation of its authority which succeeded these, as well as the subsequent desolations of the Saracens and Turks, were all foretold, as, doubtless, necessary to preserve it in its original purity among the few who have remained faithful in the wilderness, during the lengthened predicted period. See Rev. XII. 6. In reference to these things our Lord says, "It must NEEDS be that offences will come, but woe unto him by whom they come;" also, "Think ye that I am come to send PEACE on earth, I tell you nay, but a SWORD:" yet he adds, on another occasion, "ALL they that take the sword shall PERISH by the sword." And the numerous prophecies relative to the last days clearly evince, that the unrestricted favour of God shall not become universal till the glorious period arrive when "the work of righteousness shall be PEACE," and "the nations learn war no more."

THE END.

This Work contains Extracts from eighty-five Authors, and References to about twenty-five.

The principal extracts are from :-Brooks,-Bickersteth,-Sir Isaac Newton,—J. Cox,—Wood,—Robert Hall,—Frey,—Apology for Millennarianism, -Begg,―Fry,—Bagster,-Physical Theory of Another Life,-Granville Penn, -Bishop Newton,- Krummacher,-Hawtrey,-Hartley,-Cunningham,—

Goodwin,—Mede,—Keith,-Owen,-Rabett,-Topaldy,-Blackwall,-Lowth, -Bishop Lowth,- Harmer,-Cruden,- Fowler, -Burder,-Bogue,-Usher, —Noel,-Gill,-Tyso,-M. Luther, Irenæus,-Jerome,-Eusebius,-Lactantius, Methodius,-Origen,-Tertullian,-Anonymous,-&c., &c., &c.

The shorter extracts are chiefly from Vitringa,-Calmet,-Jortin,-Piozzi, -Savary,—Tull,-LaBruyer,-Rauwolf,-Sale,-Horsley,-Watts,-Young,

-Hurd,-Cowper, &c., &c., &c.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY JOHN WILSON, RED CROSS STREET,

and violently retained by bloody contests, under the unjust assumption of divine approval. "God putteth down one and setteth up another,” according to the measure of national iniquity, and for other special ends. If the Jewish dispensation, notwithstanding its locality, was not maintained, but through the frequent miraculous interpositions of the Almighty, it should excite no surprise that the Christian dispensation has not maintained universal purity of profession. The former was political; the latter is spiritual; the former was ceremonial; the latter is simple, and consequently less harmonious with the corrupt nature of man. The former was typical and temporary; the latter is substantial and perpetual; so that its ultimate universal adoption is not affected by the tardiness of its advancement, or the comparative fewness of its true members, which cannot obstruct the fulfilment of God's designs.

At the promulgation of the Gospel, the existing powers were not opposed or condemned by any direct or specific injunction in relation to war; at least, so far as was calculated to excite general attention. But while the duty of lawful obedience to governments was enjoined, a spirit adverse to every passion which could generate war, was as clearly to be deduced from it. Thus while Christianity recommended itself to the consciences of its followers, political interference on their part was restrained within necessary bounds. The Romans, who, after a lapse of ages, so hardly endured the extinction of their idolatrous rites would not, at the same time, have received an open declaration of the unlawfulness of war, as being no less than a threatened extinction of their political existence.

Though “ all men” were" called on to repent, believe, and obey the Gospel, yet its universal adoption, especially in relation to peace, was declared to be far distant. Not only the persecutions which overtook its followers during the primitive ages, but the papal usurpation of its authority which succeeded these, as well as the subsequent desolations of the Saracens and Turks, were all foretold, as, doubtless, necessary to preserve it in its original purity among the few who have remained faithful in the wilderness, during the lengthened predicted period. See Rev. XII. 6. In reference to these things our Lord says, "It must NEEDS be that offences will come, but woe unto him by whom they come;" also, "Think ye that I am come to send PEACE on earth, I tell you nay, but a SWORD:" yet he adds, on another occasion, "ALL they that take the sword shall PERISH by the sword." And the numerous prophecies relative to the last days clearly evince, that the unrestricted favour of God shall not become universal till the glorious period arrive when "the work of righteousness shall be PEACE," and " the nations learn war no more."

THE END.