opium,) thus writes of the original publication thirty years ago-" Edward Irving's introduction to Ben Ezra is one of the purest and most beautiful pieces of English. It was quite restoring to me. It is in the full-flowing manner of our old writers, yet without imitation. I shall always say Edward Irving is a noble creature."

Even the opposing Eclectic acknowledges its "spirit of genius, and magnificence of language"-(April 1850.) "Milton's ink might have written it, and a martyr's blood sealed it "-(July 1854.)

"A production not equalled in power, simplicity, and dignity since the apostles fell asleep; and never did the pure and lofty spirit of Edward Irving look nobler, and speak in higher tones, than in his preface to Horne on the Psalms."-(Bards of the Bible, pp. 91. and 316.)

"Apart from Edward Irving's doctrinal peculiarities, there is always much that is valuable in his writings, and this selection is no exception. It gives many aids to biblical interpretation." (Clerical Journal, 22d August, 1859.) 66 The present volume shews the seeds of all the religious movement which has distinguished English Christianity during the last thirty years, including the rise of a more learned theology, and shewing the way to sublimer views than the religious world had been accustomed to for genera-, tions."-(Literary Churchman, 1st November 1859.)

The Review last quoted contains so many extraordinary, but I think not extravagant, eulogiums on the above republication in particular, and Edward Irving's ministry in general, as to induce me to enclose the said Review entire, for your leisure use.-With grateful respect, dear Sir, your humble friend, OLIVER LYNDALL.

HULL, 3d May 1860.

P.S.-Since writing above, I have just received a new work of G. G., "Alpha and Omega," which in two chapters, "the future, and the consummation," reinforces the Second Advent doctrines and duties, though less elaborately and controversially than in "Christianity and our Era."

Poetry.

THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB IS COME.

Ascend, beloved, to the joy,

The festal-day has come;

To-night the Lamb doth feast His own,

To-night He with His Bride sits down,

To-night puts on the spousal crown,
In the great upper room.

Ascend, beloved, to the love,
This is the day of days;
To-night the bridal-song is sung,
To night ten thousand harps are strung,
In sympathy with heart and tongue,
To the Lamb's mighty praise.

The festal lamps are lighting now
In the great marriage hall;

By angel-hands the board is spread,
By angel-hands the sacred bread
Is on the golden table laid;

The King his own doth call.

The gems are gleaming from the roof,
Like stars in Night's round dome;
The festal wreaths are hanging there,
The festal fragrance fills the air,
And flowers of heaven, divinely fair,
Unfold their happy bloom.

Long, long deferr'd, now come at last,
The Lamb's glad wedding-day;
The guests are gathering to the feast,
The seats in heavenly order placed,
The royal throne above the rest;-
How bright the new array!

Sorrow and sighing are no more,
The weeping hours are past;
To-night the waiting will be done,
To-night the wedding-robe put on,
The glory and the joy begun ;—
The crown has come at last.

Without, within, is light, is light;

Around, above, is love, is love;
We enter to go out no more,
We raise the song unsung before,
We doff the sackcloth that we wore;
For all is joy above.

Ascend, beloved, to the life,

Our days of death are o'er;
Mortality has done its worst,
The fetters of the tomb are burst,
The last has now become the first,
For ever, evermore.

Ascend, beloved, to the feast;

Make haste, thy day is come.

Thrice blest are they the Lamb doth call,

To share the heavenly festival,

In the New Salem's palace-hall,

Our everlasting home!

NOTICE.

All readers of this Journal are most earnestly besought to give it room in their prayers; that by means of it God may be honoured and His truth advanced; also, that it may be conducted in faith and love, with sobriety of judgment and discernment of the truth, in nothing carried away into error, or hasty speech, or sharp unbrotherly disputation.

BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.

THE QUARTERLY

JOURNAL OF PROPHECY

OCTOBER 1860.

ART. I.—THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST, AND NATURE OF THE AGE TO COME.

(Continued from p. 262.)

CHAPTER V.

On the duration of this blessed and glorious state.

THE duration of this glorious state of things which now comes under consideration, is of the greatest importance in this department of prophecy. It is, indeed, the main pillar on which the prophetic fabric rests; and consequently demands the most impartial and attentive examination.

The author's decision on this topic was not made till every method had been used that is deemed necessary to guard against an erroneous conclusion. The passages that any way relate to the subject were repeatedly investigated in the most deliberate manner, they were attentively and impartially compared with each other, the different bearings and views of which their language would rationally admit, were distinctly marked, and the consequences necessarily resulting from either side of the question, were frequently and deeply revolved. The most powerful and satisfactory evidence arising from a long and assiduous use of those means, induced the writer to conclude in the firmest manner, that its duration will be ENDLESS.

But as the reader will probably feel much difficulty in acceding to this conclusion, it will be necessary, in order that

his mind may be completely satisfied on the point, to enter pretty fully into the subject.

The sections of this chapter will consist of arguments drawn from particular circumstances contained in various portions of Scripture, which prove the perpetuity of the glorious state described in the third and fourth chapters.

I. Argument from passages in which the endless duration of this state is either clearly expressed or necessarily implied.

In perusing the scriptures brought forward in this section, the reader is particularly requested to keep in view the following points:

First, The existence of the human state, as clearly expressed in most of them.

Second, The endless duration attached to the circumstances connected with that state. And,

Third, The indissoluble union of these ideas. Any attempt, indeed, to separate them, would make complete havoc of the meaning of the passages in question.

1. Isa. xlv. 17, 18," But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited."

There is no rational cause to doubt that this passage primarily refers to the future temporal salvation of Israel as a nation. Their exemption from shame and confusion must be considered as referring to a temporal state: otherwise, by referring it to the eternal state, it would render the parts of the description perfectly dissimilar, and destroy their proper relation to each other. It also greatly weakens the sense; for surely it needed not a prophetic impulse to discover that there would be such an exemption in heaven! But that there should be such a blessed state enjoyed by men on earth, was a revelation worthy of God.

This salvation is expressly termed "everlasting,” and “world without end," or, according to Bishop Lowth, "to the ages of eternity."

The extent of these expressions will be considered in a subsequent part of this section. The latter verse, although not so explicitly as the former, appears to contain the same ideas.

The earth having been created and formed to be inhabited, and established for this purpose, seems to be a strong presump

tive proof that it was never made to be literally burned. But

we pass on.

2. Isa. lix. 21, "As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for

ever.

The people with whom this covenant will be made evidently are the Israelites, after the Lord shall have poured His Spirit upon them, and shall have put His law in their heart, as well as in their mouth, and they are made a holy nation unto His The continuance of their national holiness is the principal idea contained in the passage. The human state is expressed in the words, "thy seed," and "thy seed's seed;" and the endless duration of that state in the phrase, "From henceforth and for ever.

name.

3. Isa. lx. 15, "Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations." Or, as Bishop Lowth translates it," a joy of perpetual generations."

The city of Jerusalem, and probably the whole land of Judea, is addressed in this passage by way of personification; and her past and still present desolations (during which it is said, "No man went through thee," that is, no Israelite or Jewish inhabitant) are contrasted with her future excellency and glory. And the eternal duration of its splendour, including the prosperity and happiness of its inhabitants, is expressed in the most explicit manner. And that it refers not to the eternal, but to the human state, is most indubitable from the closing words," a joy of perpetual generations."

4. Isa. lx. 21, "Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever."

No state other than that which is human can be considered as intended in this passage, without imposing on it the most unnatural and insignificant meaning. And it is clear that no other than the literal land of Canaan can be meant. The following words in the 22d verse fully ascertain this:-"A little one shall become a thousand;" signifying that they shall greatly multiply in the land; "and a small one a strong nation." As it refers to the same people, state, and circumstances as ver. 15, it is natural to conclude, that the duration implied in the term "for ever," has the same extensive sense as in that verse.

5. Jer. xxxii. 39, 40, " And I will give them one heart, and