is not of God, and this is that spirit of antichrist," &c. And in his 2nd epistle he says, "Many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come [ex homenon, is coming] in the flesh; this is the deceiver and the antichrist." 2 John, verse 7, "There is here, in the apostle's language, a change," says an eminent writer, "which should lead us to tremble at the idea of in any way denying a future coming of our Lord to our world in the flesh." Most extraordinary! surely if Christ is coming again to our world in the flesh, the world and the church equally are ignorant of it. Who believes that Christ is coming again in the flesh? Is this the reason why he retains the appellation "Son of man?" "When the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father," &c. "Then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds," &c. "The Son of man coming in his kingdom," &c. Is it because he is to come again in the flesh that the angels say, "This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go up into heaven?" Acts i. 11. Yes, Christ will come again in the flesh; but, as Paul says, "All flesh is not the same flesh." Our present flesh is corruptible, dishonoured, weak, and natural; but the resurrection flesh, like that of our Lord Jesus Christ, will be incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and spiritual; so says Paul, Cor. 15. Still the flesh and blood of Noah's earth, in which men eat and drink, marry and are given in marriage, cannot inherit the new earth, in which they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels. We shall all be changed, [not annihilated] the animal flesh for the spiritual, the weak for the powerful, the humble for the glorious, and the corruptible for the incorruptible.

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We have one instance of flesh and glory, in the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus on the holy mount. He had said, six days before it, that some standing with him, meaning Peter, James, and John, should not taste of death till they had seen the Son of man coming in his kingdom, that is, till they saw the Son of man as he would appear in his kingdom when he came the second time. He was accordingly transfigured before them. "And his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as light. Moses and Elias, the one changed and the other raised from the dead, appear with him as first fruits of that great harvest which will be reaped when he comes to raise the dead, and change the living of his people. The whole scene is intended

doubtless to teach us that he will come in the flesh glorified to organize his kingdom, and assemble in one all the dead and the living who have feared God since the world began.

Peter, at the end of his life, recurring to this glorification of the flesh of Christ, says, in his 2nd epistle, " For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his grandeur. For he received of God the Father honour and glory, when there came to him such a voice from the excellent glory, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him.' And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him on the holy mount; so we have the prophecy [touching the grandeur of his future kingdom] made more sure,' &c. The Jews and apostles were disappointed at the humble appearance which the kingdom put on in its present form; but Peter felt that all the grand sayings of the prophets would be yet realized when Christ came in the flesh, glorified as he saw it on the holy mountain.

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2 Peter, chap. 1. At his coming, therefore, the whole earth will be filled with glorified humanity, having a capitol called the Beloved City; for both Daniel, in his 7th chap. and John, Rev. 19th chap. show that this power or coming of the Lord Jesus is anterior to his kingdom in its everlasting, mountain, or millennial form, and not posterior to it.

Seeing the prophetic history up to his coming is now most certainly almost exhausted in any view which we may choose to take of it, may we not, with the greatest propriety, raise the midnight cry, and shout

"BEHOLD THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH !"

In short, the Lord Jesus is speedily coming in his own proper person, body or flesh, from heaven to raise the dead, change the living, re-organize his kingdom, and spread it in all its grandeur around the world.

Brethren, let us go out to meet him; the first appearance of him will be "in the clouds." Keep your eye from this time forward on the clouds, for you know not what hour the Master cometh, Eternal life and eternal death hang upon that eventful moment, and he has said to all, "watch." W. S.

PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD. THAT it is the duty of a scriptural church to employ the

gifts of its qualified members in the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, is a point which none who have received their system of religion exclusively from the word of God, will controvert. Not that the matter is to be considered a church ordinance; for church ordinances have nothing to do with them that are without, nor are they dependent for support on the presence of the world. But this has entirely to do with the world; is executed for their sake, and cannot exist without their presence. The word of God describes the disciples of old as attending to this thing, without asking the consent, or seeking the favour of any man or men; and relates the practice as being the duty of every disciple wherever situated.

That the disciples of old understood the matter in this light, is conclusive from their conduct. Shortly after the ascension of Jesus, we find that some, who were indeed officers, but the duties of whose offices did not at all embrace this performance, zealously and effectually engaged in its as, for instance, Stephen, the wisdon of whose speech none were able to resist.-Acts vi. 10. He was by office a dea con and every informed person knows, that preaching is no part of a deacon's charge. Wherefore, when he engaged in proclaiming the gospel, he acted, not as a deacon, but as a disciple; understanding it to be his incumbent duty and exalted privilege, as such, to hold forth the word of life, His perseverance in this practice having honoured him with the first share in martyrdom for Christ's cause, a violent persecution arose, supported by Saul of Tarsus, afterwards the indefatigable apostle of the gentiles, by which all the members of the church at Jerusalem were scattered abroad in different directions. Concerning these it is said, "They that were scattered abroad, went every where preaching the word."-Acts viii. 4. Had it not been the duty of these disciples to preach the word, they would certainly have received apostolic correction. But so far from that, God seems to have designed to honour their efforts at this time, independent of the apostles: for the apostles alone were permitted of God to remain in Jerusalem, (Acts viii. 1.)

All disciples have equal authority in the scriptures for this line of conduct. No one, however learned he may be, can produce any licence which is not common to all the saints; except a superior gift be a licence, which, though it be, yet does not set aside the use of gifts that are inferior. Accordingly, Paul, writing unto the Philippians, declares

that the circumstance of his bondage stimulated many of the brethren at Rome to proclaim the gospel without fear. "Many," saith he, "of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear," Chap. i. 14. Here, then, may all the saints ascertain their duties, from a performance of which no power, person, or punishment should be able to cajole or affright them.*

In reading the apostolic testimony, we observe that this excercise was never accompanied with any act of worship in the primitive age. In every instance it is represented as being commenced and concluded without any ceremony, except on some occasions, the beckoning of the hand, which was a Jewish custom. This is compatible with the view before given of divine worship, as being a matter peculiar to the church of God, in a state of separation from the world, and as only performed aright in an assembly of the saints. But this is a thing distinct from worship, and no way dependent for support on an assembled church; and therefore should be kept separate, distinct, and independent. no man should separate what God hath united, so neither should any unite what God hath separated.

As

PAgainst this, many plausible objections, arising, not from the scriptures, but from prejudice, may be adduced. And these objections will be multiplied, when it is remarked further, that there is no example, in all the recorded sermons of the apostles and their brethren, for the practice of taking what is called a text. The apostles and their brethren, proclaimed the heavenly message both without worship and without a text. And therefore every censure pronounced against the same practice, is a censure against

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Among many other errors respecting the order of Christ's house, is that of supposing, that preaching to the world is a duty belonging to church elders. And, accordingly, such person devote all their exertions to this particular, to the neglect, both of the duties of their office, and the ordinances of Christ. But it should be recollected, that all the pastoral duties respect the church of God; and that all the directions in the epistles to Timothy and Titus, which respect the pastoral office, are said to be limited to the assembly of the saints. 1 Tim. iii. 5. But this matter having been shown to respect the world, no elder should engage in it as an elder. As an elder he should preach the word to the church, when the church should be assembled as a church. But in this case there is no church assembly necessary: nor is it requisite that any christian should be present besides the preacher. A pastor is not a proclaimer to the world, but an overseer of the flock of God.

the wisdom of the Holy Ghost, who directed the apostles to proceed in this manner. All that believe the apostolic example in preaching it.

H. ERRETT.

HINTS ON SELF-IMPROVEMENT.

The ends and advantages of study.

THE human mind is the brightest display of the power and skill of the Infinite Mind with which we are acquainted. It is created and placed in this world to be educated for a higher state of existence. Here its faculties begin to unfold. The object of training such a mind should be to enable the soul to fulfil her duties well here, and to stand on high vantage-ground when she leaves this cradle of her being for an eternal existence beyond the grave.

There is now and then a youth, who, like Ferguson, can tend sheep in the field, and there accurately mark the position of the stars with a thread and beads, and with his knife construct a watch from wood; but such instances are rare. Most need encouragement to sustain, instruction to aid, and direc. tions to guide them. Few, probably, ever accomplish any thing like as much as they expected or ought; and one reason is, that students waste a vast amount of time in acquiring that experience which they need. As I look back upon the days when I was a "student," I can see that here I went wrong, and there I mistook; here I missed a golden opportunity, and there I acquired a wrong habit, or received a wrong bias; and I sometimes sigh that I cannot go back and begin life again, carrying with me my present experience.

Doubtless, multitudes are now in the process of Education, who never will reach any tolerable standard of excellence. Probably some never could; but in many cases they might; the exceptions are few; and probably most who read these pages do feel a desire, more or less strong, of fitting themselves for respectability and usefulness. They are, however, ignorant of the way; they are surrounded by temptations and dangers; they soon forget the encouragements, and thus oscillate between hope and fear, resolution and discouragement.

You may converse with any man, however distinguished for attainments, or habits of application, or power of using what he knows, and he will sigh over the remembrance of the past, and tell you that there have been many fragments