as appear in this generation and preach the authority of man only. The them, without being known apostles, they would doubtless fall under a similar reproach. When our Lord says "He that believeth not shall be damned;"l-When Peter says, "There is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ;"'m and that "without faith it is impossible to please God;"'n and when St. John says, "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness;"o in all these instances their testimony is directly opposed to this mischievous doctrine of Satan; and therefore this doctrine of Satan contradicts the doctrine of God, and brands it as merciless and intolerant. Such is the web which Satan weaves! and thus do his cockatrice eggs when crushed break forth into a viper! For I repeat, that this latter evil has grown up out of the former; it is the circumstance that men, destitute of faith and of spiritual judgment, are first dazzled by the circumstance of seeing around them so many conflicting tenets, and SO much dogmatical confidence in all; and instead of being enabled to perceive, that an enemy hath done this, they are deluded by that enemy to conclude, either that there is no possibility of ascertaining what is divine truth; or that, when it is ascertained, it is but some abstract dogmas of no real importance or practical utility. 3. I must not conclude this subject here, lest it should be inferred by any that I conceive there is after all no rule or test or criterion by which the anxious inquirer, who desires to be right with God, may be guided and assured in these matters, without blindly surrendering his understanding to what may appear to him word of God will afford us such a criterion, and serve at the same time to put to the proof the real disposition of the heart towards God." If any man will do (i. e. wills to do) HIS will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God."P Here is a plain and simple rule. If any are truly desirous to please God, and seek to know what obedience he requires of them, in order that they may render it;—if any can say meekly and sincerely "Did I but only know what is the will of God, then would I set about most heartily to perform it, and give up any thing that stands in the way;"-then he is one who wills to do the will of God, and the Lord is pledged to guide him into the truth. For "good and upright is the Lord; therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide with judgment and the meek will he teach his way." There can be no instance brought forward of a man, who, with a sound mind has sought a knowledge of the Lord's will towards himself, with a real desire to perform it, who has not been brought, after patiently waiting upon the Lord, and following on to know him, to the saving knowledge of the truth in Christ. And this is the sentence of condemnation written beforehand against all those who are not really in heart disposed to do the Lord's will: "that light is come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil !”r I would conclude by affectionately urging upon those who conceive themselves established in the faith, but who may be among the number of separatists or dissenters, two considerations. I presume not to judge them; I rather entreat as a brother, n Heb. XI. 6. o 1 John v. 19. r John III. 19. beseeching them to be very jealous of themselves in this matter. First then, is it not generally asserted by religious professors, that the points upon which good men differ in the church of Christ are non-essentials, whilst in essentials they agree? And if this be the case, are the unity and peace and subordination of the church of God matters of no moment to put into the opposite scale and weigh against these non-essentials? These things cannot be matters of indifference; for they are plainly and largely insisted upon in the word of God. Is it right again, for the sake of nonessentials, to refuse to be subject, but rather to rend and divide the church, when the Scriptures enjoin us-"Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake?" If believers are to submit themselves to each other, and to endeavour to be of one mind, how is this to be brought about, but by those at least, who are sensible of the propriety of such a spirit, first denying themselves in their opinions, or at all events not urging them to the length of division and separation? and what opinions ought they to be so immediately prepared not thus to push to extremities, as those which they are disposed to admit, in their calm and dispassionate moments, are not essential to salvation? I cannot hope that all will be led, who profess Christ, to see their error by what I here urge; but I shall bless God if only one is led to re-examine his foundation in this matter, and to escape rebuke in the day of the Lord's appearing. I say I cannot hope that all will be led to see their error in this matter; indeed I expect the very contrary; and that evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived."s 66 s 2 Tim. II, 13. And the second and last point to which I desire to draw attention is, that it is clearly revealed in Scripture that the last apostasy, or last form of antichrist, will be greatly promoted by professors of Christianity who are heretics and schismatics. In the second Epistle of Peter false prophets are spoken of, who are privily to bring in damnable heresies, denying the Lord that bought them." (Chap. 11. 1.) They are described as moved by covetousness, (vv. 3, 14,) in which respect they "follow the way of Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. (v. 15.) They are farther described as walking in the lust of uncleanness and despising government,-" presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities." (v. 10.) They speak great swelling words of vanity; (v. 18;) they make great talk about liberty, but are themselves the servants of corruption; (v. 19;) and especially they turn to scoff the promise of the second advent of the Lord. (chap. 11. 3, 4.) That they are to appear in the “last days" is also declared in the last cited place; and it is farther apparent from its being said, in chap. 11. 3, that their "judgment, now of a long time, lingereth not." Now whoever will attentively compare the Epistle of Jude will perceive, that he speaks of precisely the same persons, and uses almost the same expressions; and he declares of them, These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit." (v. 19.) And thus as Peter describes them to be heretics, so Jude declares them to be schismatics. If we turn to St. John we shall find him alluding to the same men, who deny the Father and the Son; and he declares them to be limbs of Antichrist;t and farther says-" They t 1st Epl. 11. 22. went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have no doubt continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us."u In this it is again evident that they are separatists; and they are also declared to be false prophets, deceivers, and seducers, in like manner as Peter and Jude describe them.w St. Paul foretels, that men would arise, from out of the bosom of the church, "speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them;"x and appears to describe the same parties in 2 Tim. III. 1-5, as being the men who shall be the cause of the perilous times of the last days. They are likened to Jannes and Jambres u vv. 18, 19. w See 1st Epl. 11. 26; Iv. 1, and 2nd Epl. v. 7. ВЕТА. x Acts xx. 30. ON THE PROPHETICAL CHARACTER OF THE PSALMS. No. III. PSALM V. Verses 1-3. Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation, Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord: in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. In this Psalm David resorts to prayer, and to encouraging himself in the Lord's promises, and in the righteousness of his character, all which form his source of consolation amid the surrounding ungodliness. There is abundant proof however that it is of no "private interpretation," but that it will be particularly suitable for the church during the abounding iniquity of the last days. There are some obscure intimations of the time of crisis in these three first verses. He specially addresses the Lord as his King and his God: a circumstance of which he is reminded by the existing spirit of rebellion against the Lord's anointed," or Christ, as typified in his own person.-Whilst therefore by this title he recognises his God as one who "will be king, be the people never so impatient;" he at the same time glances towards that period when he shall be manifested as king upon his holy hill of Zion, and all things shall be put under his feet for this is a time to which all prophecy, and this title of Messiah, especially looks. There is also a particular use of 66 in his speaking in the second verse, as if he were already engaged in prayer, and crying unto his king; and in the third verse speaking, as if he purposed to defer his prayer until the morning. And the words my prayer," in the latter verse, are not in the original, but it rather means, according to the Septuagint, in the morning will I stand before thee, and shall see.' The whole therefore refers to a great and special time of deliverance from the church's enemies, which the King of saints, the bright and morning star," will give to his people, when he shall roll away their reproach and lift up their heads. The next three verses confirm this view. Verses 4-6. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness; neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. the term Morning in some of the Here the time is plainly adverted to, when the Lord will root out from his kingdom every thing which offends and does iniquity. That "the foolish shall not stand in his sight," is the same as what we have already had in Psalm 1. 5—“ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;"—and it is therefore put in opposition to verse 3, which has just been considered-" In the morning will I stand before thee and will look up ;" and also to verse 7-But as for me I will come into thy house [i. e. into "the congregation of the righteous"] in the multitude of thy mercy; and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. For though the primary occasion of these words is, probably, the determination of the Psalmist to c Isa. xvII. 14. 66 worship in the material temple, (or rather the tabernacle, for the temple was not built in his days ;) yet, as before stated, we must not rest in a private interpretation ;d but must conclude that he, being a prophet,"e looks ultimately at the true temple or house of God, in the midst of whom God hath promised to dwell. Before we pass on likewise we must notice farther, in the sixth verse, another instance of the Antichrist being spoken of both in the aggregate or mystical body, and then in the head-" Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man." And the speaking leasing, (i. e. with plausible, flattering, and deceitful words,) is a special character of the Antichrist, who "comes in by flattering," and of his apostate crew;-with their tongue they use deceit, and flatter with their tongue. (See also verse 9.) Verse 8. Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, because of mine enemies; make thy ways straight before my face. This petition of the Psalmist admonishes the church of one of her great practical duties in the time of apostasy and peril; viz. a humble looking unto the Lord for divine guidance. The enemies of godliness will on the one hand watch for the halting of the Lord's people, and greatly triumph if they fall into any inconsistency and on the other hand there will be great danger, in consequence of the prevalence of specious but hollow principles, that even the righteous may become unconsciously infected by them; for they shall deceive, if it were possible, the very elect.f Alas! we see, in the present day, how dazzled many professors of religion are by these principles, and how unable they are to discern the righteousness d 2 Pet. 1. 20. of the Lord, in numerous particulars of a practical nature that might be pointed out. They are leaning to their own understanding, and are captivated with the wisdom of man; and thus are their footsteps insensibly entangled in the snares of the fowler; and the spurious liberalism of the day, on the one hand, and the spirit of fanaticism, on the other, are leading them into paths that deviate in the end from the righteousness of God. It is most desirable that the Lord's people therefore should be duly sensible of their own blindness, lest they become confident and wise in their own conceits,-that they should rather become fools in order that they may be wise,-and daily look up to God for direction, and to make their path straight amidst the crooked politics and the erroneous religious principles of the day, so that they may have a right judgment in all things." Verse 9. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickednes; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. This verse fully establishes, as before has been noticed, the interpretation given of the sixth verse; and shews that a principal feature of this Antichristian band will be a plausible and specious profession of principles, whilst all is unfaithful, hollow, and selfish within. But what is particularly important to notice here is, that this verse is among the passages quoted by the Apostle Paul in Romans III. to prove that the Jews, as well as the Gentiles, are under sin, and are altogether become unprofitable: for he insists, that because these things are written in the Law, or Old Testament, they are therefore addressed especially to them who were under the legal dispensation, and described f Matt. XXIV. 24. e Acts II. 30. |