am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen; but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God." Will some one who proclaims the end of the world at hand, name the historian that records the accomplishment of this prophecy? and, if no one can do this, as I strongly suspect, then, I ask, how is this prediction to be accomplished after the end of the world, as before explained ? A. CAMPBELL.

IS MILLENARIANISM ACCORDING TO THE ORACLES OF GOD?

[A bishop of a reformed church has sent us the following outline of a series of discourses which he intends to deliver (D.V.) on the subject of the Millennium. Our readers will read and judge for themselves.-ED.]

"What a glorious freedom of thought do the apostles recommend! and how contemptible in their account, is a blind and implicit faith! May all Christians use this liberty of judging for themselves in matters of religion, and allow it to one another, and to all mankind." -BISHOP BENSON.

OUTLINE OF THE SERIES.

THE grace which is to be brought to the just at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter i. 13); comprehendingFirst, the resurrection, and deliverance from the evil contained in, and connected with death. (Romans v. 17.)

Second, Deliverance from the wrath to come, when there shall be no more curse. (1 Thes. i. 10; Rom. v. 9; Rev. xxii. 3.)

Third, Eternal glory, being the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thess. ii. 14; John xvii. 24; Col. iii. 4.)

This is to be at the revelation of Jesus Christ; that is, at his coming and appearing, when every eye shall see him. (1 Cor. i. 7; 1 Peter i. 13; 1 Thess. iii. 13; Rev. i. 7.) Question. Is the coming of the Lord to be at, or before the end of all things;-involving the question of the time of the resurrection of the just, and of their receiving their reward.

Some principles to be laid down as preliminary :

First, That no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation (2 Peter i. 20); that is, the mind of the

Y

Holy Spirit therein is only to be known from himself, speaking in the apostles. (2 Cor. iii. 12-18.)

Second, Therefore, nothing is conclusive which is proved wholly from the Old Testament-on which the apostles are silent much less which is contrary to the analogy of what they taught. This is applicable to the apocalypse, and in its measure even to the words of Christ. (John xvi.

7-15.)

Third, As most doctrines are founded on something written, we have to look to the general tenor of the scriptures, and not lightly adopt the apparent meaning of an isolated passage, contrary to that tenor.

First, To consider, then, when Christ shall come. He is gone into heaven, there to remain until his enemies be made his footstool; and until the times of the restitution of all things (1 Peter iii. 22; Acts iii. 21); neither of which will be till long after the beginning of the thousand years, as is apparent from Rev. x. 7 with xi. 15, xx. 8-10.

It is in heaven itself that the Lord Jesus is a priest for ever; which office, therefore, cannot be exercised on earth, but only in heaven, in the presence of God, as the whole epistle to the Hebrews makes manifest; and, wherein the peculiar encouragement to be derived by believers by his holding that office, consists. (Heb. viii. 4, 5; ix. 11, 12— 24.)

Second, The just to be raised when Christ shall appear; when the last enemy being destroyed, then cometh the end. (1 Cor. xv. 23-26; Rev. xx. 13, 14.) All the just being raised, or changed together, when death shall be swallowed up in victory (I Cor. xv. 23, 51–54; 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17), the resurrection of the just and unjust taking place at the same time (John v. 28; Dan. xii. 2)—at the last day. (John vi. 40; xi, 24.)

Third. The world to be judged at Christ's appearing, (2 Tim. iv. 1.) This is to take place after the thousand years, (Rev. xx. 1; xi. 18) The righteous and the wicked all being judged together, (Matt. xxv. 31.) The same day which shall come as a thief to the unbelieving, being that which believers have to be prepared for, (1 Thess. v. 1; Luke xxi. 34.) That they may have boldness in it, (1 John ii. 28.) When a separation shall take place between the wicked and the just, (Matt. xiii. 47-50.) When the final appointment of each to destruction or life, will be fixed, (Matt. xxv, 46) The same time being appointed for giving

reward to the righteous, and for destroying the wicked, (Rev. xi. 18.)

Fourth. The glory which the righteous shall obtain when the Lord shall appear, (2 Tim. iv. 8;) being the glory which Christ now has in heaven, and identified with that which God intended for man when he created him, (Heb. ii. 7;) where the righteous are to be with him, (John xiv. 2; Heb. vi. 20,) their inheritance being in heaven, (1 Peter i. 4; Heb. xi. 16.)

AN APOSTOLIC CHURCH.

[The following is copied from the first volume of the Christian Magazine, printed in Edinburgh in 1819.]

HAVING occasion, some time ago, to travel in the county of —, I arrived, on Saturday evening, in the town of Being a stranger, I made inquiry of my host respecting the places of worship in the town. He told me there were two Established Churches, a Burgher and an anti-Burgher meeting, an Episcopal chapel, and of late, said he, another meeting has been set up, whose mode of worship is different from all the others. I was curious to learn wherein it differed; but he could give me no distinct answer, only, he said, that many of the town's people did not approve of it, though, he had heard, some of the graver cast liked it very much. Next morning I inquired where I should find the new place of worship he had mentioned, and being directed, I repaired to it. Two persons, whom I supposed to be the elders of the church, soon entered: one of them, after a short prayer, imploring the divine presence, gave out a hymn, celebrating the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: he then read a portion of scripture from the Old Testament, and another from the New. That from the New Testament was judiciously chosen, as illustrating some part of what had been read from the Old. Having mentioned several of the members by name, who were variously afflicted, he called on one of the brethren to pray: he was an aged disciple of grave appearance; his prayer seemed to be the effusion of a heart alive to God-plain, artless, and appropriate. I was particularly struck by the affectionate manner in which he prayed for these distressed brethren; it reminded me of the apostle's description of the body of Christ," Whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it." After again uniting in praise, the other elder addressed the church, in terms which made such an impression on my mind, that, I believe

I repeat his words almost verbatim-" I have now," said he, "brethren, to lay before you a matter peculiarly painful, it is the case of our brother His crime is described in the fifth chapter of the Galatians, the 19th verse. The fall of our brother, I lament to say, is well known to the world, and has caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. By the offence of this person, (for he did not again name him,) the church is called to deep humiliation before God. In this mournful case, we have a striking instance of the fatal effects of unnecessarily mingling with the world. This was the first step of his defection, and it paved the way for all that has followed. When first spoken to on the subject he positively denied it; but has now confessed it to me and two of the brethren." [Here these two brethren simply attested the truth of the statement.] After a short pause he proceeded-" With the law of our Lord and Master in our hands, we can be at no loss as to our duty in this case. That law is explicitly stated in the fifth chapter of the 1st epistle to the Corinthians, from the fourth verse to the end, [which he read.] Here then, you perceive, brethren, there is no alternative; the Lord Jesus commands us, both for this person's good, and that of the body, to separate him from our fellowship." The church, (who I now perceived were sitting together in one place) having signified their conviction that this was their duty, the elder, with much solemnity said, "We then, as a church of Jesus Christ, and acting by his authority, do, in obedience to his commandment, separate from our fellowship." He then prayed, in a very appropriate and impressive manner, for the unhappy subject of discipline, that the ordinance of God which had now been attended to, might be blessed to his soul, in bringing him to repentance-and to the church, in leading them to watchfulness, self-abasement, and continual dependance on the grace of Jesus. After prayer, the ci. Psalm was sung, which formed an extremely suitable conclusion to the solemn service. I never witnessed a scene more deeply affecting. The countenance of every person present bespoke his feelings. How is it, said I to myself, that I have lived so long among Christians, and have never, till now, seen this plain and positive law of Jesus carried into effect? How beneficial are the laws of his kingdom! how much are they calculated to promote the spiritual life of his people, and to awaken the thoughtless and inconsiderate! The church now proceeded to-what I afterwards understood was a stated part of their service every Lord's day

-the observance of the Lord's supper. The simplicity with which this divine ordinance was attended to, was, in itself, edifying. I beheld a representation of the unity of the body of Christ, which I never before witnessed. The words of the institution were read by one of the elders; a few remarks were then made on the nature of the Lord's supper, and on the spirit in which it ought to be observed. He then gave thanks; and then breaking the bread gave it to the disciples, who divided it among themselves. Having again united in thanksgiving, he gave also the cup, and when they had drank of it, concluded with a short exhortation, and singing an appropriate hymn. This part of the service being closed, the elder said, "Let us now, brethren attend to the ordinance of mutual exhortation:" when some of the members spoke, for a few minutes alternately, with much simplicity, earnestness, and evident humbleness of mind. The addresses were, properly speaking, exhortations--calculated to excite to the performance of duty, and to bear, with patience, the various sufferings of the present life: each of them had some relation to the others, and their combined influence was highly salutary. Is not this, said I to myself, an exhibition of what the apostle means, when he speaks of "the body of Christ edifying itself in love ?" The exhortations of the brethren. were followed by an address from one of the elders, in which he briefly recapitulated the topics brought forward by the members, and enforced the duties to which their attention had been called. One of the brethren was again called on to pray. After again uniting in praise, the elder, in a short prayer, implored the divine benediction on all their services, and entreated the blessing of God, while they attended to the fellowship of the saints. The church then sat down, when a collection was made, and the worship closed. The two hours which I thus spent with these dear people, were among the happiest and most profitable I ever enjoyed on earth. I bless God, that unexpectedly I had an opportunity of witnessing the order of a church, which commended itself to my mind, as combining all the ends of Christian association, and of which I had previously formed some idea from reading the New Testament. After an interval the service proceeded, and the time was occupied by prayer and praise, the teaching of the elders, and the reading of the word of God; which last, I observed, throughout the day formed a conspicuous part of their worship.

Being under the necessity of leaving this town early