O love! beyond the reach of thought, That from the realms of glory brought

The Lord of life with men to dwell! For men to die!-the crimson stream Flow'd from his body to redeem

Our souls from sin, and death, and hell. O then to Him thy soul commend, The faithful, never-failing Friend. Now thron'd on high, and Lord of all, Bright angels at his footstool fall,

Or tune their harps to Jesus' name: Yet saints on earth, with those above, His pity share, and praise his love,

Who is from age to age the same. Mercy and truth their steps attend, And He will be their faithful Friend. If gathering clouds around thee roll, And sorrow's night oppress thy soul,

Yield not to unbelief or fear; The morning hours are on their way, And with the sweet return of day, Shall hope and joy again appear; And songs of gratitude ascend To thy unfailing, faithful Friend. Kindly he chastens whom he loves; 'Tis thus the faith of each he proves, And purifies from sin the heart: The path thy weary feet have trod So long, though rugged, leads to God; Then bid thy every fear depart: Soon shall the mortal conflict end And thou, with joy, behold that Friend. LYSIAS,

"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." JOB.

Creation's task completed, to the heights Of heaven the Everlasting bent his way, While from unnumbered and harmonious choirs

Of cherubim, and seraphim, and thrones, The loud hosannahs pealed:-'Twas thus to harps

Of gold, ethereal sang the angelic throng: He comes! he comes! The glorious work complete,

Heaven's Potentate assumes his lofty seat! Through all the worlds around

Let heavenly anthems sound, And grateful each existence tune his praise; Let the bright morning stars together sing, And, lauding him, their sweetest concert

raise,

While listening hosts proclaim, With reverence his blest name, And with enraptured awe, their fervid homage bring.

Let all the sons of God in brilliant throng Proclaim his glory with celestial song ;

The wisdom of his deeds, The highest praise exceeds That loftiest, brightest angel, knows to give;

CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 283.

Another world created by his might, Another creature formed by him to live, So far his wondrous name,

Is above angel's fame,

As from the depths of hell is the pure æther's height.

In light ineffable he takes his place!
Rejoice, rejoice, ye pure angelic race!
In awful state alone,

Girt round with princedom, throne,
Archangel, angel, cherub, seraph, power,
Virtue and domination, far as heaven
In vast expanse, outspreads its brilliant
bower,

He reigns, the King supreme, Each seraph's endless theme, While to him, wisdom, honour, glory, might, are given. H. W.

1. Palingenesia, The World to Come. Paris and London. 1824. 2. Letters by Basilicus. Reprinted from the Jewish Expositor for 1820, 21, 22.

3. The Coming of the Day of God, &c. By an humble Expectant of the Promises. Dublin and London.

4. Scriptural Doctrine of the Last General Judgment. By J. E.JONES, M. A. Gloucester. 1823. 2s. 5. Letter to the Rev. J. E. Jones occasioned by his Sermon on Modern Millenarianism. By JOHN BAYFORD, Esq. F. S. A. Author of "Messiah's Kingdom." 6. Practical View of the Redeemer's Advent. By Rev. JAMES HALDANE STEWART, M. A. &c. 1825.

7. Messiah's Kingdom, a Brief Inquiry into the Second Advent. By JOHN BAYFORD, Esq. London. 8vo. 10s. 8. Predictions and Promises of God respecting Israel, a Sermon on the Baptism of Mr. Alexander, late Reader in the Jewish Synagogue. By the Rev. J. HATCHARD, A. M., Vicar of St. Andrew's, Plymouth. 1825. 1s. 6d. 9. Conversion of the Jews, a Sermon delivered in All-Saints' Church, Manchester, after the public Baptism of a Jew and his two Children. By the Rev. C.BURTON. 1824.

10. Discourses_on Prophecy. By the Rev. JOHN DAVISON, late Fellow of Oriel College. Second Edition. London. 15s.

ONE of the great evidences for the Divine origin of revelation, may be considered to be its prodigious variety of topics, in correspondence to that endless versatility with which He who framed the mind of man knew it to be endowed. To the simple and contemplative mind, the holy Scriptures open sublime descriptions of the

works of nature, and "through nature lead to nature's God." Again; the beauties even of poetry and composition are afforded, as if to direct the most elegantly moulded mind to a consideration of those truths which the poetry illustrates, or the eloquence enforces. Others, more studious of man," the proper study of mankind," find an allurement to the doctrines and precepts of Scripture in the details of character which it presents, in the course of histories most stupendous, which it unfolds: and none, it must be owned, can have a fuller claim on the attention and admiration of mankind, than those histories which exhibit the personal character and office of the Son of God himself. To some, and those perhaps the wisest and best of our species, the simple view of the mercies of God as revealed in the Gospel, will have afforded the highest motive and guide to action. Their aim will have been deeply to impress upon their own minds, and the minds of others, those blessings of salvation which are beyond all price; as preachers, to urge without ceasing that incessant call to sinners, "Be ye reconciled to God;" and as Christians of whatever rank, to press forward the great designs of benevolence, " peace on earth, and good will to men," of which they find every variety of example in the character of our Great Exemplar.

But there is one department more, the department of prophecy, which possesses with some persons a charm superior to all others, and indeed, it must be owned, of the most edifying kind. Their evidence for Christianity is not so much its other miracles, whether of mercy or power, as that which has doubtless the highest claim to be called miraculous, the delivery and fulfilment of Divine prophecy. The correspondence of

prediction and event presents a line of investigation, and an order and force of conviction to their minds which they feel perfectly irresistible. And it is not to be questioned, that the Almighty framer of worlds, and of his own blessed word, has in a singular manner consulted and gratified this very taste in his rational creatures. Prophecies of successive temporal events have been concurrent with the Divine dispensations in all ages. The great predictions respecting the Messiah himself, were delivered with a view to the striking effect to be produced by their accomplishment. The glow of expectation previous to his predicted coming, was at once important and salutary. Other prophecies likewise, previously or subsequently delivered, of glories yet future, which are to signalize the Messiah's reign, have awakened, and do still awaken in the hearts of many, the same glow. And that nothing in this department might be wanting to complete this effect, even on minds the most variously constructed, the circumstance of exact numerical calculation has been superadded, so that neither imagination shall exceed, nor exact judgment despair, in investigating times and seasons; so far as those times and seasons are put within our own power of inquiry.

Far be it from us to condemn that which God approves. We dare not pass the slightest censure on that which has evidently been the employment and the solace of many faithful and sincere Christians in every age. The sober and serious investigation of prophecy is even more than a help; it is, according to our means and opportunities, a duty. It tends to raise the mind to heavenly things. It works a separation from earth, and earth-born speculations. It produces a holy disinterestedness as to objects of mere secular worth. It arms the mind against the influence of passing events. It relieves it of many

uneasy and doubtful apprehensions. It teaches it reliance on an unseen but infallible Providence, ordering all things in heaven and earth. It both results from, and promotes a strength of faith, a brightness of hope, and a fitness of acquiescence in the Divine proceedings. It is greatly serviceable in producing a minute attention to the word of God. No student of prophecy can fail of close and realizing views of some parts at least of Scripture. And the study of prophecy has then produced its full measure of benefit, when it is connected with a study as attentive of the doctrines and morals of the sacred code; and has formed as it were a bridge or a portal into the sacred inclosure of Divine love, Christian tempers, and a holy practice.

We say thus much, to justify our early resumption of the subject of prophecy, after having so lately reviewed the interesting Crisis of Mr. Cooper. And perhaps, if monitory notes were not required to mix in the general accordance of our feelings with the prophetic commentators, we should not have so soon again invited our readers to similar discussions. We hold that prophecy should be made strictly subsidiary to its two proper and intended purposes; one, that of affording evidence to the sacred and saving doctrines of Divine writ; the other, that of furnishing an incentive to present duty, by a consideration of future prospects*. But

Mr. Davison, the eminent author of a very distinguished work at the head of our article, to which we hope more particularly to allude, in our continuation of this review in a future Number, has hinted at end of prophecy, more especially as viewwhat might be considered another distinct ed in connexion with the sublime moralities with which it is ever accompanied in the sacred code. "Let the predictions of prophecy," he says, "for a time, be put out of our thoughts; and let the phetic books be read for the pure theology which they contain. With what feelings of conviction they are read by the religionist, he is instructed and elevated by the disit is not hard to tell. He perceives that coveries made to him of the Supreme

pro

this study, like every other, may be perverted from its purpose, by the pride and perverseness of man. It may become the minister of mere curiosity, or of mere presumption. It may be made an arena for the display of dexterity, in the use of intellectual weapons. It may be made the watchword of party. It may sound the note of discord and turbulence. And the very discussion of the signs and modes of the Lord's approach may be amongst the means used by the great enemy of souls for rendering us unmindful of his approach, or at least unprepared to meet our Lord.

And this is a danger more particularly imminent in the discussion of prophecies of which the fulfilment is wholly future. Here one great object of prophecy is not yet developed. It affords no evidence to the truth of Divine writ. Revelation itself is, on the other hand, compromised, or at least suspended in its authority, till the accomplishment arrives. The mind undrilled by patient investigation, and slow comparison of predictions with their supposed events, has only to invent facts in correspondence with supposed predictions. In this process, the imagination has clearly the upper hand of all the other faculties. It is that faculty most needed in the pursuit of oracles as yet hidden in the roll of futurity. But it Being, and of the kind of worship and obedience required from himself, and these discoveries made with an authority and a commanding power which argue them to be, what they are given for, a law of life and practice; doctrines, not of theory, but of self-government and direction; the most useful therefore to himself, and the most worthy of the source from which they profess to come. On this head I cite the words of Origen, who does not overstate this persuasive force of the prophetic writings, when he says of them, that to the meditating and attentive reader they raise an impression of enthusiasm,' (a true and rational enthusiasm, like a spark of their own inspiration), and by his perceptions convince him, as he reads, that these compositions can be none of the works of men which have obtained the credit of being the oracles of God.'”

is that faculty which is of all others the most liable to lead astray the decisions of the understanding, and to warp the affections and tempers of the heart. Hence erroneous judgments maintained with warmth, are always the rock of which such expositors have to beware. The check which others find in the stubbornness of facts, compared with their commentaries on prophecy, must with those persons be derived from within their own breast. One great benefit, as we have observed, being necessarily absent from their investigations, (namely, that of strengthening the evidences of our holy faith by the correspondence of fact with prediction), they must doubly regard the remaining benefit they have to offer; which is timely to warn mankind of their duties, to control their conduct in preparation for the future, and to lead them to circumspection, watchfulness, and prayer. They are to "stand upon the tower and watch, to see what God will say unto them;" not indeed as prophets, but as sincere though fallible expositors of his word;" and what they shall answer when they are reproved."

On this account, we regard the volume of Mr. Stewart, which stands No. 6 on our list, as deserving notice and commendation. It assumes the very ground we are speaking of. It goes upon what is future: but it goes upon it for the sole and exclusive purpose of preparing its readers for the advent of their Lord. It guards, whilst it assumes the supposition of his near approach; and makes the time and the manner of the event in every way subservient to the great practical consideration, "Who may abide the day of His coming? who may stand when He appeareth? We shall reserve room for some practical extracts from this interesting and important volume; important from the time of its publication, and interesting from the matter it contains, and the spirit in which it treats it.

The direct subject of this, and

most of the other works before us, is the second coming or advent of our Lord; and, viewed in connexion with that most true, but as yet future, and most mysterious of all periods in the annals of prophecy, the MILLENNIUM. And the first particular observation we feel it strongly our duty to reiterate upon the minds of considerate Christians is this, that it is future; and that, being so, it is unquestionably in some sense hidden from our eyes. There can be no analogy sensible to us between events that are future, and events that are past in the evolutions of prophecy. The view that we have of the past is, and must be, of a totally different kind from that which we can form of the future. The prophetic commentator may write a very interesting and edifying history of past events, in connexion with predictive declarations: witness Rollin, Prideaux; above all, Newton; and other direct commentators on prophecy. But it would be unreasonable to look for any such delineations of the future. It would be presumption to anticipate even the political course of the world for a single day; and how much less its spiritual or providential course for unknown years to come! The prophecies never in the nature of things could have been intended for an orderly journal of futurity. And, whatever, in explaining them, tends merely to captivate the imagination, and gratify curiosity, may be considered like one of the prophetic almanacs, as carrying ipso facto its own contradiction along with it.

Not only is the manner, but the time also, of future events hidden from our eyes. It is, and it never can be for us to know future times and seasons, which God hath put in his own power. And it is not a little remarkable, as applied to this view of the case, that periods so well defined in themselves as those severally of the 1260, the 1290, the 1335 years in the roll of prophecy, should yet, at this late period of

the world, remain unsettled with respect to their actual place in the map of time. Reasons respectively alleged to be the most cogent are offered for their commencement and consequent conclusion, at very different eras. Certain limits are laid down, it is true, by the all-wise Disposer of prophecies and their events, within which it might appear that all parties have strong reasons for agreeing to place those periods. But it would be impossible for the careful and judicious reader not to allow, that within these limits much uncertainty prevails; and that humility and patient waiting, with respect even to those more obvious calculations, is at present our safest course and highest duty. It was probably under some such general impression that a very sanguine expositor of future prophecies, the author who stands first at the head of our article--and who has, as we think, with singular infelicity, embodied a very extended series of prophetic arrangements in a running page of measured lines-has endeavoured to fix the difference between offering diagnostic symptoms of our Lord's approach, and the presumption of defining the actual time of his arrival, in the following specimen of his versified prose. The instances, however, which he adduces, appear to us to be at least questionable in their application. Abraham, Moses, and Daniel were themselves the subjects of direct and immediate inspiration.

"Behold! a woman travaileth

Fit emblem this!

And prominent in holy writ to mark
The period of the world's deliverance
From greaning of corruption-day and
hour.

Unknown to man or angel-previous signs
And diagnostics, so discernible
That hypocrites alone regard them not!
Such was the Saviour's language; yet his
church,

Professing to believe and follow him,
Deem it presumptuous to watch the times
And ascertain the seasons, though the
Lord

Without a previous warning. Thus a Hath said, he will do nothing upon earth

time