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hortations, nor encouragements, can persuade them to flee from the wrath to come. Ignorance, insensibility, self-righteous pride, delusive hopes, depraved affections, satanic influence, so fatally stupify their minds, that they are equally unaffected by the threatenings of God's vengeance and the proclamations of his mercy.

From this passage we remark further, that God bears for a season with those who are discbedient to the word which Christ preaches by his ministering servants. Thus he did with these antediluvians. His patience bore with them during the long space of 120 years, "while the ark was preparing." Thus has he born with similar characters in every age. What instances have we of this among ourselves! How long has he born with us! He acts thus, in order to magnify his long-suffering, that he may have mercy on his chosen at the appointed period, that the ungodly may fill up the measures of their iniquity, and that the finally impenitent may be rendered the more inexcusable.

Lastly, We learn from this passage, that they who continue disobedient to the preaching of Christ by his ministering servants, shall, at death, have their spirits consigned and cast into the prison of hell. This was the miserable fate of those who were disobedient in the time of Noah. Though God bears with these characters for a season, yet he does not overlook their conduct. He marks all their ways: his patience has its limits. With respect to some, it is of comparatively short duration. They who are yet disobedient, are in a most perilous condition. The period of God's longsuffering toward them is very uncertain: it may ter

minate the very next moment! If they should be cut off in their disobedience, by the stroke of Death, their departing spirits would be dragged like criminals, by the authority of God, into the prison of hell: there they would be confined in chains of darkness, in a state of misery, and reserved unto the judgment of the great day! Let every reader examine himself, and beware lest he become a companion of them who were disobedient in the days of Noah!

MANCUNIENSIS.

ON 2 PETER i. 19,

THE difficulty in this passage arises from the seeming reference of the comparative more sure, to the heavenly voice mentioned in ver. 18. How can the word of prophecy be more certain than the voice of the divine Father in the holy mount?

This difficulty ceases when we consider that the use of the comparative degree, in the sense of the superlative, is authorized by the purest classics, as well as in several passages of the New Testament.* There is, therefore, no comparison intended between the certainty of the prophetic Scriptures and that of the voice from The former is introduced merely as an additional ground of certainty and confirmation of faith. "We have not followed cunningly devised fables, we ourselves were eye-witnesses of his majesty, and we heard such a voice from the excellent glory; we have also the more sure word of prophecy."

heaven.

*See, in the original, Mat. xi. 11. xiii. 32. xviii. 1, 4. 1 Cor. xiii. 19. Taken from Isaiah xlii. 1.

Mr. Markland gives the passage a different turn, retaining the proper force of the comparative word: "This voice, saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, we heard in the mount; and we have, by that means, the words of the prophet more fully confirmed.” That βεβαιότερος and προφητικός λόγος are most strictly capable of being thus translated, is shewn by this excellent scholar, from the practice of the best Greek writers.

REMARKS ON REVELATION xiv. 6, 7.

I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and sea, and the fountain of waters.

I BELIEVE it is the general opinion of Christians that the Lord is now fulfilling this prediction. Several Missionary Sermons have lately been preached on this text, and under this apprehension. I was particularly pleased with one I lately read, preached by Dr. Livingston, before the New York Missionary Society, in 1804: and which a friend lent me. The judicious author first endeavors to ascertain the object of this prophecy, and, secondly, the period of its accomplishment. As to the latter, he observes that commentators have either restricted it to what happened at the Reformation, or thrown it into the great mass of events which are to take place after VOL. III.

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the Millenium has fully commenced; whereas it will be found, on examination, both from the order of the vision and its express object, that it comprehends something vastly beyond what was realized at the Reformation; and so far from actually belonging to the millenial period, it is only the appointed means for introducing that state.

Some predictions expressly specify the period when the thing foretold shall take place; others connect the event with something preceding or subsequent. It is thus here. This vision is the second recorded in this chapter; and the time when the angel will commence his preaching must be after what is intended by the first vision, and before the third.

The first vision plainly refers to the reformation;* which happened about 300 years ago. The third vision is the fall of great Babylon. Different calculations have been made when the 1260 prophetic years began, and consequently when they will terminate; but the latest date which can be fixed for their commencement, extends their continuance at farthest to the year 2000, when the Millenium will be fully introduced.

Here then we have two extremes, between which the prediction in question will be fulfilled. It must be after the Reformation, and before the fall of Antichrist. The angel must begin his flight after the year 1500, and before the year 2000. This brings our inquiry within the space of 500 years.

These boundaries will be abridged, when we reflect that 300 years have elapsed since the Reformation, and nothing corresponding to the vision has yet been seen;

* This the author largely shews in his appendix.

nothing in respect to the universality, the power, and success which characterize the preaching of the gospel described in the prediction. Much was confessedly done; but this is another angel, another preaching vastly more enlarged and interesting in its consequences. We are compelled, therefore, to look forward for the accomplishment in the short remaining space of 200 years. We shall perhaps approach nearer, if we attend to some momentous events which are to happen previous to the Millenium: the punishment of the nations which aided Antichrist in murdering the servants of God, the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles, and the fall of the Mystical Babylon.

What changes in the moral world, what revolutions in the civil, are now impending! Attend to each of the enumerated articles, estimate their magnitude, recollect the maxims respecting the procedure of Divine Providence, and then determine whether 200 years are not a short space for the communication of such events? And, if the extensive propagation of the gospel is to precede the conversion of the Jews, the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles, and the destruction of Antichrist, say, Whether we may not indulge the expectation, that it will soon commence, if it be not already begun? We conclude, without hesitation, that the churches are authorized to hope, that "the vision shall quickly speak,. and will surely come; it will not tarry."

With this conclusion, if, now we compare existing facts; if we view the Missionary spirit which has suddenly pervaded the churches, and estimate the efforts lately made, and still making, for sending the Gospel to those who know not the precious name of Jesus, do we

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