made. He saith not to seeds as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ." Gal. iii. 6. Hence the blessing was not confined to the seed of Abraham, but extended to all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. But what does it embrace? 1. Among numerous other mercies, this blessing pre-eminently comprehends the true knowledge of God; an interest in his salvation, the sanctification of his Spirit, and the hope of eternal life. Mark the primary design of this heavenly vision; it was to establish in the family of Abraham a solemn testimony for Jehovah as the only living and true God, in opposition to all the infamous rabble of heathen polytheism, and thus eventually to disseminate the true knowledge of God to the ends of the earth. "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord," was a truth not only solemnly declared by the law of Moses, and subsequently adopted as the sacred motto of their religion; but it was early written on the heart of their faithful progenitor. Hence he builded an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him, and called upon the name of the Lord. To declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people, his tabernacle was erected in Shiloh, and his temple in Jerusalem. "For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised among all gods:.' and Israel was commanded to say among the heathen, that "the Lord reigneth." How much need there was for this testimony we may clearly perceive from the awful sketch which the apostle draws of the theology of Greece and Rome, after all the efforts of philosophy and the studies of nature for 4000 years. (See Rom. i. 21-25, and 29-33.) Hence the unquestionable necessity of some divine teacher, to instruct them in the knowledge of the true God; and such a teacher was the blessed Jesus, who was emphatically called the "light of the world." He spake as never man spake. He clearly revealed and gloriously illustrated the harmony of the divine attributes, in the salvation of perishing sinners. In his sacrifice for sin,"mercy and truth met together, righteousness and peace embraced each other." He gave himself a sacrifice for sin; and thus brought in an everlasting righteousness, which is unto all them that believe. And what is all the wisdom of the schools without the Bible, which reveals this? What are all the speculations of philosophy and the doctrines of science without this? They are only the momentary gleams of a meteor, followed by the thicker darkness of midnight, which too frequently proves fatal. For "the world by wisdom knew not God; and imagining themselves wise, they became fools." Proud of the humble taper which they had kindled, they despised the Sun of Righteousness himself. Going about to establish their own righteousness, they submitted not themselves to the righteousness of God." And thus they became the most bitter enemies of the cross of Christ, even of Him" in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed." 66 Hence the first object of our divine Redeemer was to restore the true knowledge of God which had been completely lost. Hence the necessity and the value of the revelation made in the Holy Scriptures to the ancient church; and hence the similar necessity, in the present day, for their widest circulation, wherever they are not freely possessed and believingly obeyed. For the communication of this allimportant knowledge, the word of the Lord went forth from Jerusalem, and many ran to and fro, and the knowledge of God and his Christ was greatly increased. Believers were multiplied, heathen temples were forsaken, their sacrifices neglected, and their priesthood abolished. Men were astonished at the superstitions of their fathers, and abhorred the gods whom they ignorantly worshipped. They believed that God had commanded all men every where to repent, and that salvation was in none other than in him" in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed." Hence, however valuable the knowledge of the unity and perfections of the living and true God, it is insufficient to confer eternal happiness, without faith in that Redeemer, through whom God is reconciled to guilty men. Those, therefore, who are blessed in him, know him. . 2. As their salvation from sin and death-their only hope of mercy. All had sinned, and come short of the glory of God. The dreadful sentence," the soul that sinneth it shall die," and "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them," was faithfully executed. Ages passed on, and it still hung over the heads of an apostate world. But Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." If you then be Christ's, then are you "Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Gal. iii. 12. 29.) It was on this account especially, that the devout Zecharias rejoiced at the birth of the forerunner of Christ. "And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest; for thou shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways. To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke i. 77-79.) And " as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name." Hence they are no more under the curse, for "there is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." The sentence is reversed, and the curse is turned into a blessing; for Christ has died, and by his one offering for ever made atonement for the sins of his people. Thus, "as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Hence "we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." This blessing becomes our's, through that faith which is his gift, and which works by love, and purifies the heart. Hence, 3. Those who are blessed in our Redeemer, enjoy "sanctification through the Spirit," as one of the prime blessings of his salvation. Nothing is more manifest than the polluting influence of sin. Whatever it touches it defiles. In a moment it transformed the pure spirits of heaven into demons, and man, created in the image of God, into a lost sinner! Thus he delights in what God abhors, even in sin, though miserably defiled by its influence, depraved in nature, and polluted in life, how abominably impure must he appear before himin whose sight the heavens are not pure," and "who charges his angels with folly." His noblest powers are perverted and ruined. No longer is his heart the residence of Deity, nor his understanding the receptacle of his truth. His will is in opposition to God's, and his conscience is no more a faithful witness for him. All is alienated ; all is polluted; and nothing but the regenerating influence of the Spirit of God, creating the soul anew, can restore him to his original beauty and glory. But when the truth enters the heart, it converts the soul, and restores its powers to their proper and legitimate use. The love of God pervades the heart, and the man" dies unto sin and lives unto righteousness." He now hates what he formerly loved, and loves what he formerly hated. "Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new." Happiness, to which before he was an utter stranger, is now richly enjoyed in that "peace which passeth all understanding," and that good hope, through grace," which shall never make him ashamed. He is now holy unto God, and devoted to his glory. It is now his meat and his drink to do the will of his heavenly Father. And in the humblest manner to advance his kingdom among men is his noblest honour. Thus he daily bears more and more of the image of his Lord, and is fast ripening for his eternal home, where all shall be purity and love, joy and bliss. For, 4. Those who believe in Christ, in whom "all the families of the earth shall be blessed," enjoy "an inheritance among the saints in light." Divinely instructed in the knowledge of God, blessed with pardon through the Saviour's blood, and sanctified by his Spirit, they advance as "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ," in "glory, honour, and immortality." As Canaan was of old the land of promise to Abraham and his seed, so heaven is now to all true believers. They also may say, "Come with us; we are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you." But Canaan, with all its fertility and beauty, was a very imperfect type of heaven," the inheritance of the saints in light." There all shall be purity and love, joy and bliss, without end. "Into it nothing shall enter that defileth." All who possess it shall ever acknowledge, that "by grace they were saved," for their everlasting song shall be, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain; for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign" in glory everlasting. And though the Jordan of death rolls between us and this inheritance, yet "He is faithful who has promised" to be "our guide even unto death." Hence we may rejoice and sing, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me." He, in whom I am blessed, trod the vale before me, and now exclaims, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life;" 66 Come up hither and dwell with me." 66 How happy will the world be, when "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" in Him! Ignorance, superstition, and idolatry will be known no more. Salvation, through the blood of Christ, will be universally proclaimed, and the sanctification of his Spirit, and the hope of eternal life, will be generally possessed. "All nations shall call him blessed," who is the "Prince of peace," and "eternal life." Who would not, then, labour and pray for the advancement of that period! Our earliest and latest prayer should be "Thy kingdom come." Our ceaseless efforts should ever be directed towards it till all "shall know the Lord," and the earth become but the precinct of heaven; one great temple to show forth his praise, in whom “shall all the families of the earth be blessed" for ever and ever. J. C.-M. ANALYTICAL AND HISTORICAL NOTICES OF CHURCH DURING the past year there appeared in this Magazine, a series of papers, occupying nearly fifty pages, entitled Moral and Ecclesiastical Statistics of London, and supplying a more perfect list than has ever yet been published of the Parish and District Churches and Proprietary Chapels connected with the Establishment, and of the Chapels, Meeting Houses and Synagogues belonging to those classes of the community who do not adhere to the episcopal body. These papers were closed by "A Summary," bringing out several important facts alike interesting to the polemic and the philanthropist, but it did not enter on an analysis of the various religious denominations and the relative strength of each. This desideratum is now presented to the reader in the accompanying paper, where the whole, being reduced to a tabular form, will show at one view the number of places of worship belonging to each denomination, and the extent of accommodation provided in them, and will prepare him for the historical and statistical facts that will be submitted to him. It is perhaps necessary, before we enter into the further consideration of these figures, to observe that they are to be viewed in a twofold light; and first as they simply relate to destitution and provision. It is admitted on all hands, that attendance on public worship in one form or other, is essential to the well-being of society, and the questions then are, What accommodation does our population require? And to what extent is accommodation provided? În the Introductory Essay to those papers, various physical and social reasons were assigned why church and chapel accommodation for one half of the population would be sufficient, and as the cities and boroughs of the metropolis contain 1,434,868 souls, so there should be accommodation of one sort or other, for 717,434 persons. We say, as statists, "of one sort or other "for whatever form of religion the laws may establish, and however desirable it may be that the people should conform thereto, still it would be an absurd waste of public money to erect costly churches to meet the entire wants of the population, when it may be that more than half of those capable of attending public worship, turn aside from the episcopal service to the synagogues of the Jew, the mass-houses of the catholic, * Congregational Magazine for February, 1837, page 73. and the chapels and meeting-houses of the Dissenters, Methodists, and Friends. Here we pronounce no opinion as to the respective merits of conformity or nonconformity, but repeat that such an expenditure of public money would be alike prodigal and unjust. The second question is, "To what extent is accommodation provided?" Thus showing that there are 243,473 persons in our great city who are capable of attending public worship, but who are unprovided with the required accommodation. The shortest way to supply this deficiency would be to obtain another parliamentary grant of a million sterling, to erect 243 new churches. As, however, this will not be easily obtained, it has become the duty of the dignitaries and members of the episcopal church to prosecute those reforms, and make those efforts which may overtake a part of this religious destitution. It was stated in the article upon The City of London," that in 1833 the Corporation recommended to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London to take down thirteen churches, and to consolidate the benefices. The necessity of this measure will appear from the following facts. North and south of Cornhill, within the superficial space of one-sixteenth part of a mile, there are fourteen churches standing and in use. Again, north and south of Old Fish Street, there are seven churches within an area of not more than one-fourth of the former space, three of which stand within a hundred yards of each other, and the site of a fourth lies in the midst of them. In the former district the population may be estimated at 6000, who, were they all churchmen, would only require two churches, each accommodating 1500 persons, and in the latter district the inhabitants are not more than one moderate-sized church would accommodate. So that in those districts alone there are eighteen churches more than the existing population requires. Such anomalies as these require to be reformed, and it is surprising that the prelates who possess the power to recommend such changes to the Privy Council have not attempted to effect them. In 1665, when the population of the City of London was far more dense than at present, Captain John Graunt, a Fellow of the Royal Society, made the following remarks "of the Inequality of Pa rishes" in London: |