"The last of these events, namely, the conversion of the Jews, seems to occupy a most prominent place in the prophetic records. Nor can we wonder at this, when we contemplate the distinguished station which this extraordinary people occupied in the initiatory dispensations of heaven. It was only when they "counted themselves unworthy of eternal life," that the messengers of peace were commanded "to turn to the Gentiles;" and when "the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in ;" (Rom. xi. 25, 26.) that is, when the great mass of the Gentile nations, including those which are now sunk beneath the sway of Popish, Mohammedan, and Pagan superstitions, shall be savingly converted to the faith of Christ, then shall the seed of Abraham" look on him whom they had pierced, and mourn." That the first-fruits of the Jews may in the meantime be gathered unto Shiloh, is a fact over which the language of prophecy has cast no darkening shade; and that believing Gentiles are called upon to remember and to commiserate a people through whom all their spiritual privileges have been conveyed to them, is a doctrine which gratitude, conscience, and the word of God must alike enforce.

"Whether this extraordinary people shall or shall not return to their native land I will not take upon me to determine ;--that they shall "all be saved" in the day of Christ's millennial supremacy is a truth which admits of no reasonable doubt or contradiction. It is a very remarkable fact, if they are to return as a nation to Palestine, that the apostolic writings should be entirely silent upon a topic of so much importance. Singular it surely is, that Paul, in discussing the whole question of their conversion, does not drop one hint about a return to their ancient land. Was the apostle ignorant of the destiny of his nation? If he was, who shall claim an acquaintance with it? If he was not ignorant of it, then ought we not to suppose that he taught his countrymen all he knew? But if in what he taught, in a most elaborate argument, there is nothing resembling the doctrine of a return to Palestine, should not this circnmstance induce caution, lest in holding out the prospects of national distinction to a people ever prone to dream of secular honour, we should be, unwittingly, multiplying those agencies which perpetuate their unbelief, and keep them from receiving the kingdom of God? Against this general caution, is no sufficient argument to tell us that the Jews were prone, in the days of the apostles, to dwell too much on mere national pre-eminence, and that therefore Paul did not say any thing in reference to a subject which they were so apt to abuse. If this was right in Paul, it must be right still; for who can say that one feature of the carnality of the Jews, as a nation, has passed away? Or who can affirm that if the doctrine of a literal restoration was liable to abuse, in the Apostolic age, it is not equally so now? Nor will it, by any means, settle the question to say, that the ancient prophets spake so fully on a literal restoration to Palestine, that the apostle did not deem it incumbent to press the subject on the attention of his countrymen. In the first place, this is begging the question; for the very silence of the apostle is a presumption against that understanding of the prophets which induces the belief of a literal restoration of the Jews to Palestine; and, in the second place, if the prophets did indeed teach this doctrine, so in like manner did they teach the doctrine of the true conversion of the Jews to the faith of Christ. But if the instruction of the prophets, on the subject of a literal return to the Holy Land, were sufficient reason for the apostle's silence on this topic; why might not the apostle have observed the same silence on the subject of Israel's future conversion to the faith of Abraham ?"

He then refers to the duration, and lastly to the instruments and means which are to hasten forward the day of Millennial triumph. We would recommend the discourse as a sober, though not novel, view of the subject, and we think in accordance with the scriptures. Mr. Vint, who is well known as a tutor of an Independent Academy at Idle, commences his Strictures with an exclamatory enquiry, What

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is a Millennium?" He then informs us, five Millenniums have passed already, and a sixth is verging to its close. He however then proceeds to the enquiry, what period in the annals of time ought to be designated the Millennium, according to the indications given of it by the spirit of prophecy?' and we regret to see the learned author rests all his arguments on fallible man. One English writer, Dr. Lightfoot, and several on the Continent, are brought forward to prove that the Millennium referred to the introduction of the gospel among the Gentiles; and is therefore long since past. Mr. V. then proceeds to comment on various parts of Mr. Morison's discourse, which being in substance the same with many of his predecessors, seems to displease him. It was our intention to have carefully examined this author's objections; but on a second reading we cannot discover any arguments which the author has brought forward sufficiently strong to demand a reply. Mr. V. frequently refers his readers to a work lately published, by himself, entitled, Illustrations of Prophecy,' originally written by Dr. Towers, a work which we are by no means disposed to accord with. We would only remark, that the promised Millennial glory which we have in expectance, when the Messiah shall bind Satan a thousand years, that he may not deceive the nations, will far, very far exceed any past period of the church. And although the happy time that brought the gospel to the benighted gentiles was indeed an invaluable boon, still we do not hesitate to say, that Satan's power, though in another manner, was not restrained as it will be at that eventful epoch of time, when "the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever."

Appropriating Faith the true Antidote to the Fear of Death. A Sermon preached at Zion Chapel, Chatham, by W. G. Lewis.

Palmer.

The

In this Sermon we are presented with a consistent and scriptural account of the object—the nature—and the effects of faith: on each of which the preacher dilates with much energy and force. eternal appointment of Christ as the head of his church-his suitable- all-sufficiency - tenderness and meritorious sacrifice, are touched with much advantage. On the assurance of faith, and the believer's triumph over death, his remarks are truly spiritual.

ness

The Evangelical Corrector. Palmer.

This pamphlet is an attempt to display the fashionable religion of the day in a humorous and ironical style. While we do not ourselves fully approve of sarcasm in religion, we cannot but smile at many of the author's remarks; and he has certainly exposed much of the enmity that is found to the faithful preaching of the word, in those who lay claim to universal charity and christian candour, but are at the same time most inveterate against the grand and distinguishing doctrines of free grace. The author is evidently a man of natural talent; but we think it would have been better had he not aimed at introducing so many words which his readers may not understand.

POETRY.

"WANDERING STARS."-Jude 13.

THE word of God's eternal truth makes known,
That wandering stars by winds of error blown,
Shall in the canopy of gospel day,

Be seen to lead deluded souls astray:
And now indeed that awful time is come,
When numbers of false teachers wildly roam,
They for a season do their course pursue,
And wander far from God each way they go.
The vessel's bound for dread perdition's port,
Are made their baneful rays destructive sport;
The false delusive light which from them flow,
Doth guide them to the port of endless woe:
They split upon the rock of black despair,
Then sink in fiery gulphs-and perish there.
These hurtful comets in their orbits roll,
Push'd by the devil on from pole to pole;
By his infernal policy they're tost,
Still in the fogs of dark delusion lost;
Bewilder'd thus in fatal errors maze,

They shew their darkness most, when most they blaze;
They wander heedless on from bad to worse,

Until they meet with Sinai's awful curse;

In darkness sinking, then they cease to shine,
Extinguish'd by the floods of wrath divine,

Down from their sockets then they're quickly hurl'd,
And burst asunder in the darken'd world :-
This sure will be the awful end of those,
Who spread their lies Jehovah to oppose;
Of all who fight against the grand decree,
Wherein is fix'd salvation full and free;
This will most surely be the dreadful case,
With all who are not sav'd by sov'reign grace.
O then ye little flock of Jesus fold,
Be ye for God's eternal truth more bold,
And never run toward the sky to gaze
On wandering stars, however they may blaze;
But when they twinkle with malicious ray,
Close both your eyes, and hasten far away.

Ye heralds of salvation who proclaim,
A free salvation thro' the Saviour's name,
Be ye more stedfast to the Lord your friend,
And for the faith more earnestly contend;
You are bright stars held in Jehovah's hand,
To guide the chosen through this darksome land;
O may the beams of truth which you reflect,
Here shine most bright upon the Lord's elect;
To guide them safe into the port above,
Where we shall sail in everlasting love,
And for ever deck the Mediator's crown,
As stars in glory-sparkle all around—
And ever triumph in the God of grace,
Who brought us thus to see him face to face.
Orpington, Kent.

T. W.*

THE

Spiritual Magazine;

OR,

SAINTS TREASURY.

"There are Three that bear record in heaven; the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST: and these Three are One."

"Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

1 John v. 7.

Jude 3.

JANUARY, 1830.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION!

"What think ye of Christ ?"

READER, if thou art under soul concern, and convinced of thy sinfulness, guilt, and apostacy, before the Lord, through the first man's transgression; and the total and exceeding sinfulness of every faculty of thy soul, and every member of thy body, then let me ask thee, where, from what, and to whom dost thou look for salvation, and deliverance from thine own personal and particular sinfulness and guilt? Let me intreat thee to answer this question, it is of great importance.

It is the Holy Spirit alone, who can give thee to see sin, as sin. To apprehend the exceeding sinfulness of it; to see the exceeding guilt and filth of it; to give thee to feel, and perceive, thy person to be the subject of all contained in it: and, by means hereof, to prove in thee, and unto thee, that thou art lost to all eternity, as it respects what thou art in thyself; and that by the deeds of the law no flesh living can be justified. It is the true knowledge, and sound experience of all this, which alone can make way for receiving the gospel of salvation into thy mind and heart: and until thou dost despair of, renounce, and reject all confidence in the flesh, thou wilt not, let thy profession be what it may, build all upon Christ. Nor until thou dost see, that nothing can heal thy wounded soul, remove the guilt of sin from thy conscience, lift off thy mind from all thou art in thyself, but the real spiritual gospel apprehension of Christ, and his blood VOL. VI.-No. 69.

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and righteousness; and until then, thou wilt never be able to perform one act acceptable in the sight of God. What thinkest thou of this?

Is it so, or is it not?

Then let me proceed with thee, and put a short, but the most important question which can be put, by thee, to thine own soul; and upon a right statement of which, thou mayest judge of what thy real state is before the Lord. The question—“What think ye of Christ?"

Let me observe to thee, reader, we must have a certain and infallible rule to guide our thoughts, in order that we may give a right answer to this question. Jesus Christ is a spiritual Saviour; our carnal reason cannot attain to the knowledge of him. We can only know and receive the true knowledge of him from the scriptures of truth, by the Holy Spirit, who indited them. We must have a spiritual faculty, or we cannot apprehend the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not to think our own thoughts of him, but to think of him as the Father doth; whom he hath revealed, set forth, and testified of, in the word of revelation, to which the Holy Spirit bears testimony; from whence he enlightens the mind with a knowledge of Christ; by which he leads to a believing on him; through which he is graciously pleased to reveal him to poor sinners, and thus he is formed in the heart the hope of glory.

Now in this revelation of Christ, he is set forth as God's beloved, his anointed one, in whom his soul delighteth, and in whom he is well pleased, as his salvation to the ends of the earth. It is the revelation which God hath given of his Son Jesus Christ, in the everlasting gospel, that is the foundation of all the true knowledge of him, faith and hope in him, and love to him: the whole of which, in the very essence of it, is contained in these words, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners."

Now, reader, what dost thou know of this? It may be thou art looking off Christ, and never thinking of him, while he is the one glorious object and subject of the ineffable love and delight of the holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity. All the salvation of God, is contained in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the grand invariable subject of the inspired volume. He is Jesus Christ, "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." The gospel is what he is. There is salvation in no other. His person, as God and man in one Christ, as the ever blessed Immanuel, God in our nature, is the one alone foundation for faith and hope in God. His righteousness alone, is the only righteousness which can make a sinner perfect in the sight of God. His sacrifice is the only atonement for sin. His blood cleanseth from all sin. His word is an all-sufficient warrant for believing on him. His promises are suited to every wound, want, case, feeling, frame, sorrow, and temptation, that any poor sinner can possibly be in. His love contains a perfect heaven; and a poor sinner clothed in his righteousness, and washed in his blood, stands before the Lord, and is, in the sight of the Divine Majesty, perfectly