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ble in their place, and by no means to be overlooked, the study of them is not indispensable or indissolubly connected with their growth in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To this notion must be attributed, we incline to think, that many really sincere professors of the truth are so egregiously wanting in respect to scripture knowledge, and so much disposed to depreciate the value, and detract from the importance of sound biblical learning.

A very limited acquaintance with the letter of the Bible, however, would convince all such persons of the mistake under which they labour, and shew to them the inseparable connection which subsists between the understanding and appropriation of revealed truth, and the growth and maturity of the christian character.

Upon this point we conceive the Bible to be most full and explicit; a very few passages, only, need here be referred to. To his intimate acquaintance with the holy Scriptures, did the psalmist attribute the superiority of his understanding in the divine counsels, and his stability in the way of righteousness ;-"Thou through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients; because I keep thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments, for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words unto my taste; yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way," Ps. cxix. 98-104. In the beautifully expressive and familiar parable of the sower, our blessed Lord affirms that the "seed" which produces the fruits of righteousness in the heart of the believer, is none other than "the word of God" (Luke viii. 11.); and he further affirms, that the persons who are exposed to the successful temptations of Satan, whose object is to "take away the word sown in the heart," are those who hear it, and it may be, receive it with joy, but UNDERSTAND IT NOT, Matt. xiii. 19. In perfect correspondence with this, the apostle Peter addresses them who are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God," as "being born

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again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the WORD OF GOD, which liveth and abideth for ever," even that word "which by the gospel is preached," 1 Pet. i. 23, 25. See also James i. 18, All Scripture given by inspiration of God being profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.); all things being "written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope" (Rom. xv. 4.); it becomes an imperative duty, as well as an unspeakable advantage, that the word of Christ should "dwell in us richly in all wisdom," Col. iii. 16. We need not multiply passages to this effect, they are almost inexhaustible, and most unequivocally represent the holy Scriptures as the appointed instrument for producing spiritual life in the soul of man, and promoting the sanctification of the human heart, John xvii. 17. "Nor should it be forgotten," says a late writer on the reading of the Scriptures, "that, as the truth of scripture is the instrument of our sanctification, that sanctification is likely to be proportioned to the extent to which we are conversant with the instrument. No influence can make fertile a spot deficient in the proper seed and culture; but what is richly sown and carefully kept in order, by receiving blessing from God, may be productive of a great increase. The Spirit is nowhere promised to supersede our endeavours in obtaining a competent knowledge of the Scriptures; but a thousand promises lead us to hope that where these means are duly attended to, and the necessity of his aid humbly acknowledged, it will not be wanting. The gracious shower falls not indiscriminately. It avoids the rock; passes over the barren sands; and alights upon the well-stored garden."a

Assuming, therefore, that our readers are convinced of the great and indispensable necessity of an intimate and accurate knowledge of the contents of the Bible, to the stability and perfection of the christian character, we proceed to offer a few suggestions, for the purpose of assisting them in their efforts to obtainit.

Various are the directions which have been given to young students, as to the (a) Leifchild's Help to the Reading, of the Scrip tures, p. 11.

order in which the Scriptures should be read. Dr. Lowth and others, have recommended, that the easiest books, as the Gospels and the Psalms, should be first dead and studied, and then those which are more discursive and difficult. But to this method of proceeding, we confess that we are not very favourably disposed, believing that even the Gospels, and much more so the Psalms, can only be well understood and thoroughly comprehended by those persons who have previously obtained a knowledge of other parts of the scripture history, and have a clear perception of the historical connection and immediate application of these divine compositions.

It is true, that the reading of these or any other parts of the sacred writings, if it be prosecuted in a teachable frame of mind, and in humble dependence upon the Holy Spirit, may, and will be rendered the means of personal edification and spiritual instruction. Throughout every part of this holy book there are scattered truths rich in blessings, adapted to every state, and suited to every capacity; but much will be passed over that is not understood, abundant treasures of wisdom and knowledge will remain unexplored and unenjoyed, and innumerable and matchless beauties will be concealed from the perception of the reader of scanty information and contracted knowledge. To such persons the Bible must remain, in a very great degree, "a sealed book," a dead letter, a secret which is not revealed.

We have, in a former paper, spoken of the advantages resulting from the reading of the Scriptures in their historical and chronological order; and this we believe to be by far the best, and indeed the only rational plan that can be adopted, for, the purpose of obtaining a comprehensive view of the Divine economy, the order of the Divine providence, and the real, that is, the intended sense of the language in which the Divine will is expressed.b It is only by studying the Scriptures inthis, their natural order, and proper connection, that the real scope and design of each part can be fully discovered, and the mutual relation and bearing of the whole be distinctly perceived.

Our first object, then, is to lay before our readers such an arrangement of the Bible as is required in the adoption of such a course; and this we propose to do in one or two subsequent numbers.

(b) See p. 248, ante.

CRITICAL NOTICE.

HEAVEN OPENED, or the word of God: being the twelve visions of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, and St. John, explained. By ALFRED ADDIS, B. A. of Trinity College, Cambridge, 8vo. pp. 453. Robins, London; 12s.

WE confess that we were somewhat puzzled upon opening this book, to discover whether the author were in jest or in earnest the subject which he had chosen for discussion seemed to be of too grave a character to furnish matter for sport; but we could scarcely bring ourselves to think that he was in serious mood when claiming to be the individual prophesied of in one of the Apocalyptic visions, as distinguished from all other men, by the possession of wisdom and understanding. But he shall speak for himself.

"To the discovery of the name and the number of the name of the Apocalyptic seabeast of St. John, which we completed on January the ninth, in the eighteen hundred and twenty-eighth year of the Christian era, after it had escaped the ingenuity of near eighteen centuries, this book owes its origin," p. 5.

"We hope that those learned men, who have already formed an opinion upon some doctrinal and other points, concerning which we have thought proper to treat in this volume, may not be so prejudiced against new lights, as to reject, without examination, the opinions of one, who is possessed of such good credentials as we are. For if St. John saw HEAVEN OPENED towards the close of the prophetic drama, (Rev. xix. 11.) to which we are now arrived, it is plain that heaven must have been before shut; and if heaven was to be opened at some time or other, to whom is it more likely that the key of the mysteries of that kingdom should be given, than to that person who, twice in the prophecy of our blessed Lord (Rev. xiii. 18; xvii. 9.) is declared to be possessed of the gift capable of opening it? For if, indeed, the magicians of Pharaoh have, in other respects, successfully contended with the word of truth, yet in the palmary point, concerning which so much ispredicated, they have in vain stretched forth the rod of their enchantments; and they must, therefore, at length acknowledge that the finger of God is against them, and give up their pretensions to understanding :" pp. 6, 7.

It seems, however, that the author has no design to joke on the matter, but is to be understood as seriously deposing to the fact of his own convictions, on the ground of which he claims our undivided attention.

For ourselves, we are free to confess,

notwithstanding that it may expose us to some serious imputations, that in the present times of prophetic illumination we have no confidence in our own competency to try the spirit of the prophets, and to decide upon the conflicting claims of those who insist upon being endowed with this "wisdom" and "understanding." We are mere novices in prophetic lore, unable to unravel

the

arcana of prophecy," or even to determine which out of the thousand-and-one "names" and "numbers of names" that have been put forth, do really belong to the Apocalyptic beast. Leaving Mr.. Addis's prophetic speculations, therefore, to the "wisdom" of others, we prefer to try his pretensions by something which, to us, presents a more tangible form, and is not susceptible of so many ingenious explications. Upon a vital article of the christian scheme, Mr. Addis thus expresses himself.

"That the bride, or church of Christ inhabited by the Holy Spirit, is no other than the third form or Pleroma of the only true God, and that the Holy Ghost, or Comforter, had the same relation to it before its existence, as the Word had to the man Christ before the Word became flesh, is a doctrine which I think is next to being expressly stated by Scripture. In the last discourses of our Lord, and from the common language of the Apostles, it will appear, that the Holy Ghost is no other than the joint Inecclesiazation of the Father and the Son, in the same manner as Christ was the Incarnation of the Father, and that, that very Inecclesiazation produces the third form or Pleroma of the only true God. This is not Sabellianism. The Father in our view of the scripture is God in the universe, the Son the same God in flesh, the Holy Ghost the same God in the church; so that one God exists in three perfect Pleromas of himself at the same time-the ever blessed UNITRY," p. 105.

After quoting John xiv. 16-26; xv. 26, 27; xvi. 7—14; he proceeds—

"Here it is very evident that the Holy Spirit, or Comforter, is no other than the joint Inecclesiazation of the Father and Son. For but attentively observe; and let us be careful how we apply distinctions of persons to a Divine Being, between whose existence and ours there can be no analogy. In another part I shew that the Son is only another mode of existence of the Father. Here I attempt to shew that the Holy Ghost is the joint cohabitation of the Father and Son, with the bride or church. Because things are predicated of the Comforter as of an agent, it by no means follows, that he is a distinct person from the Father and the

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Son, neither does it follow that He is either the Father or the Son. We jump to conclusions too soon, by keeping human comparisons in our heads. The Holy Ghost is not a distinct person from the Father and the Son; nor is he the Father or the Son. he is the Father and the Son united in man. Of such a united being the singular number may be used. The Inecclesiazation of the Father and Son together, produces the third Pleroma of the only true God, the Holy Ghost," pp. 106, 107.

And again,

"But the Father and Son united in a human frame, become distinct and independent of the Father and Son not united in a human frame. They form a new mind and soul to man. The Holy Ghost composed of those two great lights, and lit on the candlesticks of the church, burns of himself in detached quantities, and is modified by the human substance, by which he is kept alive.

The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.' 1 Cor. xiv. 32. The Holy Ghost may be 'quenched,' or go out, from the grossness of the material to which he is applied, 1. Thess. v. 19, i. e. cease to be that, which made him the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the Father and the Son humanized, and yet independent of them not humanized. Rom. viii. 26, 27. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings, which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." He is a new mind or counsellor. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us.' Acts XV. 28. The Spirit and the bride say, Come.' Rev. xxii. 17. Amalgamated with man, 'he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak.' 'He shall glorify me (Christ): for he shall receive of mine. All things that the Father hath are mine,' And so Christ in his prayer to the Father repeats, All mine are thine, and I am glorified in them.' John xvii. 10. And these detached indefinite number of portions of the united Father and Son, are necessarily symbolised by seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, Rev. iv. 5, and by seven eyes of the Lamb, v. 7, as though the Father had been a great fire, from which any number of single flames might be derived without diminishing the original source, and Christ had been the bodily focus of the Father, from whom he derived and transmitted light. And when we consider that our God is a consuming fire,' Deut. iv. 24, Heb. xii. 29; and that the Holy Ghost is symbolised by tongues or flames of fire, we shall inevitably conclude, that the Father is God collectively, and the

Holy Ghost God distributively. And again, when we consider that Christ is light, John ch. i. and the Sun of Righteousness, the light of the world, John viii. 12, and that the light of the body is the eye, Matt. vi. 22, we shall inevitably conclude, that the Holy Ghost is also the Father converged in the Son, and radiated again from him in the church," pp. 110, 111.

Mr. Addis thus expresses his views of the doctrine of the Trinity:

"The scriptural doctrine of the UNITRY; by which doctrine I mean it to be understood, that God or the Father, after having existed up to the birth of Christ in one form throughout infinity, then assumed an additional form, that of the perfect man Jesus, and afterwards a third, the church; so that, whereas hitherto he had existed only in one form, he then began to exist in three at the same time, a UNITRY,i.e. one in three, in three perfect Pleromas, i. e. fulnesses of himself, the Father being God in the universe, the Son the same God in that man whom he hath ordained, and the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, the same God in the bride or church," pp. 292.

Need we offer a single remark on this strange, and incomprehensible, and unscriptural jargon? Is there one of our readers, who has only once read through the New Testament, who will feel the slightest difficulty in demonstrating the utter worthlessness of Mr. Addis's pretensions to an extraordinary share of that wisdom which is from above, and which leads its possessor into all truth?

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Another topic upon which our author has made new discoveries in consequence of being possessed of the gift capable of opening heaven," and "unravelling the arcana of prophecy," is that of the " cond death," upon which he thus expatiates

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"The Second Death.-Everlasting destruction. 2 Thess. i. 9; Rev. xxi. 8 ; xx. 6, 14; ii. 11. The lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death. Rev. xxi. 8; xx. 14. The word death explains what the lake of fire means; for as death means extinction, non-existence, or destruction, the lake of fire means extinction, non-existence, destruction. Thus Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire, and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into it with them, Rev. xx. 14, 15, i. e. there was made an end of all; for if by Death and Hades being cast into the lake of fire means, that an end was made of Death and Hades, so also does the casting of those not written in the book of life into the lake of fire mean, that an end was made of them also. Therefore the Revelation being that part of the Testament of our blessed Lord, last given out by Him, it is a key to all the phrases which he had before used, concern

ing the eternal punishment of the wicked in hell-fire, where their worm dieth [not, and the fire is not quenched, Mark ix. 43-48, which he here explains to be the eternal loss of eternal life, by an eternal destruction or nonentity. Surely it is everlasting punishment enough to be deprived of everlasting life; and when the wicked rise at the end of the thousand years, there will indeed be weeping and gnashing of teeth enough for them, when they see how foolishly they have forfeited the pleasure of being in the presence of our dear Lord for ever, and are cast out of the kingdom, Matt. viii. 12: they will possibly be driven to madness against the elect, and bring upon themselves their own eternal annihilation, by coming up against the beloved city, fire from heaven devouring them, Rev. xx. 9, and involving them in irretrievable ruin. In scripture everlasting punishment is opposed to everlasting life; by which opposition of the word punishment to life, punishment, it may be easily seen, intimates death and destruction; and consequently everlasting punishment, everlasting death, everlasting destruction or perdition," pp. 201, 202.

Mr. Addis then quotes Matt. vii. 13, 14; 2 Thess. i. 7-9; 2 Pet. iii. 7; and Jude 7, for the purpose of shewing that the inspired writers bear him out, in affirming the future punishment of the wicked to be "destruction," an lasting destruction," a perdition;" all which expressions he takes to imply an eternal annihilation!

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The following passage will shew how summarily Mr. Addis disposes of the presumed difficulties, we ought rather to say difficulty, for he has only adverted to this one! which stand in his way.

"The parable, Luke xvi. 23, which makes the rich man in torments in hell, does not necessarily involve as a consequence, that he would be eternally in torment, though it implies, that his sentence of exclusion from heaven would be irrevocable; and that it easily might be, without the other consequence, IF OUR INTERPRETATION of the Apocalypse be followed, which makes the wicked endure, for a short season on earth, after the thousand years are expired, very unhappily, no doubt, and then consigns them to destruction by fire from heaven, as rendered unworthy of eternal life by their rebellion against the holy city. In a parable nothing but the scope of it can prove any thing; for the rest may be fiction: and the scope here is the unavailableness of repentance after death," pp. 203, 204.

Our answer to all this may be very short, since it fortunately happens that Mr. Addis has himself furnished us with a decisive answer to the only argument

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he has attempted in support of his novel theory. "As death," he remarks, means extinction, non-existence," &c., "the lake of fire means,' " &c. A more summary method of proceeding, no one certainly could adopt. The object is to prove that the second death is everlasting destruction, and the advocate bases his only argument upon an assumption which none will concede! But let us see how Mr. Addis elsewhere expresses himself, as to the import of the term death, which he here so facilely disposes of in accordance with his own hypothesis. "DEATH. 1. Conquest, subduement. Rev. ix. 6. And in those days shall men seek death, AND SHALL NOT FIND IT; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. The Italians and Greeks would prefer receiving the Saracens as their masters, rather than experience their continual depredations and hostilities. See DAY, the 150 days, RILL, TORMENT," pp. 196.

Now, if such be the meaning of the symbol here, we would be glad to know wherefore it is that it should not have a like import in every other place in which it is employed in the book of Revelation? A more appropriate phrase, we take it, could not have been found, to represent the completion of the Saviour's conquests, and the entire subjugation of the finally impenitent: "For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet," 1 Cor. xv. 25.

But we must close our ungracious task, and having freely expressed our opinion of Mr. Addis's doctrinal expositions, we feel bound to add, that many of his explications of the symbols of the Apocalypse are well worthy the attention of the biblical student, and are highly creditable to the talents and industry of the author.

PROCEEDINGS OF RELIGIOUS
INSTITUTIONS.

[IN giving an account of the operations of our religious societies, during the past year, we shall follow the order in which they have held their anniversary meetings.]

LONDON HIBERNIAN SOCIETY, For establishing Schools, and circulating the Holy Scriptures in Ireland.

GENERAL VIEW.-During the past year, the schools have increased from 1,046 to 1,352: and the scholars enrolled in these

schools now amount to 76,444, being an increase of 306 schools, and 9,118 scholars, on those reported at the last anniversary.

DAY SCHOOLS.-The day schools have advanced from 520 to 650, containing 47,916 scholars; of whom 19,793 were Roman Catholics, and 28,183 were Protestants ;it thus appears, that above 1,000 more Roman Catholics have been educated in the day schools, in the last, than in the preceding year; while the increase of Protestant scholars has been very nearly 4,000.

SUNDAY AND ADULT SCHOOLS.-The Sunday schools now amount to 408, being an increase of 137 over those of last year, and contain 16,740 scholars, while the adult schools have advanced to 261, in which 10,864 scholars have been enrolled. By far the greater part of the adult scholars are of the Romish persuasion; many of them habitually speak the Irish language; and almost all learn, in the course of one season, to read with fluency, either in English or Irish, the New Testament.

SCRIPTURE READERS.-The society employs at present sixteen inspectors, and fifty scripture readers, being an increase of seventeen of the latter.

HOLY SCRIPTURES.-The society has distributed, during the last year, by means of its schools, and scripture readers, 4,552 English or Irish Bibles, and 18,414 English or Irish Testaments; these, together with the former distributions, amount to above 209,390 copies of the Holy Scriptures.

AUXILIARY SOCIETIES.-New auxiliaries have been formed during the last year in Ireland, at Monaghan, Lurgan, Ballynahinch, Strabane, Newry, Dundalk, Drogheda, Cloghnakilty; and in England, at Hereford, Callington, Maidenhead, Newbery, Spilsby, Camberwell, Blackheath, Gravesend, Birmingham, Chester, St. John's Chapel, Bedford-row, Beverley, and Carlisle.

FUNDS. The gross receipts of the year amount to 7,8091., while the expenditure has reached 8,917., leaving a balance against the society of 1,108/., on the current year's account. The diminution in the receipts of the society, as compared with the preceding year, is more than accounted for, by observ. ing, that in the former year, 4781. was received from the Ladies' Bazaar, and 1531. from the Ladies' School Society, on account of the Female Schools; and that the collection at the last anniversary, was 2361. less than that of the preceding year; while the increase of expenditure is obviously accounted for, by the addition of above 300 schools, and 9,000 scholars, as already stated.

PUBLISHED BY COWIE AND STRANGE, PATERNOSTER ROW; Where Communications may be addressed to the Editor, (post paid.)

SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS THROUGHOUT THE KINGDOM.

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