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among ourselves, but in scripture language, contradicts this use of the phrase. The prophets, and the Baptist John, testify of him who was to come-to come where? Ans. To come to his own, who did not receive him. But it is entirely a work of supererogation, to attempt the proof that two and two are four, and precisely as useless would be the labour, to maintain that the phrase does not, either in common parlance, or scripture usage, necessarily imply any thing beyond the present state of being. Of itself, therefore, it proves nothing, nor can it prove any thing, to the purpose to which you would apply it, without the most perverse obstinacy in the use of terms-and a pertinacious adherence to a tenet, at the expense of unquestionable and irresistible facts. Under these circumstances, you must perceive, that for the support of the tenet to which you consider it as pointing, it is worse than useless. Perhaps you will be disposed to inquire, to what then does it point? I answer, to me it is obvious, that it points to the wrath which should come upon the land of Judea, and especially upon Jerusalem. My authority is founded on the scripture use of the term wrath. Thus in the Gospel History by Luke, ch. 21:

"For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people."

Now what was the wrath which should come upon that people? Answer.

"And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."

We have now seen in what that wrath consisted, and we have seen that it should continue until the

times of the Gentiles should be fulfiled; and in the eight succeeding verses, we learn that the highly fig urative language of the east, is used to describe the events which were coming on the earth. The coming of the Son of man in a cloud with power and great glory, was a sign that the Kingdom of God, or gospel dispensation, was nigh at hand. The time, however, was completely settled, as appears by the 32d verse, and applied to that generation in which the Messiah predicted, in the days of the Apostles, and at the destruction of Jerusalem, as is most couclusively settled by the 20th verse.

"And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh."

In this verse the token is given, which should precede the desolation of Jerusalem, or the manifestation of that wrath which is noticed in the text. In the 21st verse a caution is given, the reason of which appears in the 22d---for there shall be great distress, and wrath upon this people- This people, was the Jewish nation, as is too evident to admit a controversy. But still you may inquire, how were any to escape this desolation? Most clearly, the belief of this testimony would lead them to follow his direction-to flee from Judea, as did the primitive believers, who remained at Pella, while the unbelieving Jews in attempting to save their lives, lost them, in the dreadful horrors of the siege. What more is wanted to evidence that the wrath mentioned in the text, was to be executed at the time and place to which I have already alluded? The language of the context does not warrant any other interpretation. Let us then leave these vain imaginations, and cleave to the fair and obvious meaning of scripture, as interpreted by scripture. Seeing then that these days of vengeance to which Christ alluded, were then present, and that

my

the fulfilment of all things written by the prophets were to come upon that people, I now ask, in turn, what has that event to do with us, except as matter of history, and a proof of the divine authority of our Saviour's mission?

In examining the correspondent account of this declaration given by Mark, we learn that the discourse was delivered to four of his disciples, and that privately. See Mark 13: 3, 4.

"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, over against the temple, Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?"

It thus appears, that the text is not part of a general discourse, but merely a portion of his answer to a few of his followers, and specially intended for their instruction. How this can be pressed into the service for which you have cited it, is for you to answer. No important tenet can claim support on so slight a foundation, with any prospect of success. If the indolence of our fathers has prevented them from examining into these subjects with due caution, I trust a spirit of inquiry is now awakened, which will redeem our race from the slavery of mind by which our ancestors have been enthralled.

Yours in truth,

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Dear Sir, I have just received yours of the 24th inst. containing the remnant of your opposition to the doctrine of Universal Benevolence. But I ask

nay, I entreat you to introvert the mental vision, and

to say, in an exchange of circumstances with the Jews, whether you would not repeat the language of Cain"My punishment is greater than I can bear." Well may they use this language, and add, what sorrow is like to my sorrow? From the days of the Apostles to the present age they have been hunted and peeled, banished and persecuted, a bye-word and a reproach: nay, are they not to this hour, in our own enlightened and liberal country, a proverb in the mouth of fools? Add to this, the unparalleled sufferings which came upon that generation to which John alluded, and view it, as you ought, in a national point of light, and you will no longer be disposed to consider the wrath mentioned in Mat, 3: 7, as having the least connexion with any other subject than the destruction and dispersion of that stiff-necked and rebellious people.

But I shall add a few words to strengthen the position in Letter 10, to which your attention is particularly invited. The intimation of wrath to come, was made to Jews, as are a very great portion of the threatenings in the New Testament, without any general application to men as sinners. But to this I have before alluded, in noticing the parables of our Lord, which most obviously refer to the same event. Little therefore now remains, but to adduce further proof, that the phraseology of scripture justifies the views already given on the subject.

That Daniel alludes to this very event, has already been shown at large, by comparing Daniel 12: 1, with Mat. 24: 21, on a former occasion, and the coincidence of language used in other portions of scripture will now be noticed. Paul, in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians, 2: 14-16, says

"For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: Forbidding us

to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.”

You will be pleased to bear in mind the expression of Daniel," and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time; and at THAT TIME thy people SHALL BE DELIVERED, EVERY ONE that shall be found written in the book." That this prediction met its event at the destruction of Jerusalem has been fully shown in a former paper, as already noticed, and is corroborated by the expression of our Saviour, which adds to the description of Daniel, as to the distresses of the time, by saying, "Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved." Such was the frantic zeal, the stubborn valour of the Jews, that neither famine, nor pestilence, nor intestine division, could open their eyes to the utter ruin of their city, till their destiny was read by the flames of their temple. the causes which shortened the horrors of the seige, and saved some from rotting and burning in Gehenna, with the immense number of their fellow citizens, it is not now necessary to speak.

Of

Those who were written in the book, the believers in Jesus, escaped to a place of safety, and were every one delivered. But it is time to attend more particularly to the words of Paul. Speaking of the near approach of the dreadful catastrophe, he says, "the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

What

them? the Jews, as is obvious by the construction of the passage. The Thessalonians are represented as followers of the churches of Judea, and suffering from their own countrymen, the same as did the believers in Judea from the unbelieving Jews. These Jews are next described as killing the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and persecuting the apostles, and of

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