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more properly, Mr. D. insists, as a preparation for the covenant of Canaan,-having the same relation to that covenant which later prophecy has to the Christian.

We enter then, into a view of the state of prophecy, contemporary with the promulgation of the Mosaic Law. And here he makes a digression from his immediate argument, into a discussion respecting the state of religion as it was moulded by the Law, in order to illustrate the use and import of Prophecy at that period of its delivery. He considers the Law in its nature, and its sanctions, and its probable religious effect on the people who were the subjects of it,-shewing that the tendency of the Law, though we have so sufficient ground for supposing that it revealed the doctrine of a future life, or that the types and ceremonial ordinances expressed to the Jews, that doctrine of atonement which they prefigured, was such as to form the elements of a Christian spirit and temper. This is a very valuable part of the work, and we extremely regret that our limits will not suffer us to follow out the course of the argument. We earnestly recommend it to the attentive consideration of all who have felt themselves at a loss to account for the introduction of so much ceremonial matter in the Mosaic Law, and we are convinced that they will find whatever scruples they may have had concerning it, converted into admiration and respect. They will find its admirable subserviency, in conjunction with the moral code, to the formation of the religious principles of repentance, and a desire for some better mode of reconciliation to God, set forth with great strength of argument and felicity of illustration.-This introductory survey of the state of religion under the Mosaic Law, enables Mr. Davison to unfold the use and import of Prophecy at that period. As far as the types form a part of the prophetic intimations of the Gospel, he has already considered them in the course of the previous discussion on the nature of the Law, wherein he has shewn, that they must be regarded only as latent prophecies to the Jews. He goes on then, to the prediction of Balaam, delivered at the approach of the Israelites to Canaan,—which, indefinite as it was in its information to that age respecting the character and mission of Christ, was calculated to direct the minds of men to something beyond the Law, not only as describing a person of remote advent, under the authoritative symbols of a star and a sceptre, but as delivered by a prophet of so singular a cast. Supposing even this prediction to have had its fulfilment in the reign of David, (a supposition which cannot well be maintained,) still it would have had the like effect of raising an expectation beyond the Law, and though in itself it reached no further than that age, it would have served as an introduction to the fuller predictions which

contains such a sound defence of the validity of the Irish Episcopacy that we shall lay it before our readers.

"Much has been latterly said on the subject of English ordination, and though I do not mean to charge the whole Roman Catholic Priesthood of Ireland with maintaining the audacious and wilful fals. hoods of Thomas Ward, yet as his opinions, or rather his statements, appear to be in these days raked up from his grave, I have deemed it right to subjoin a few words on the subject, intended to satisfy the minds of those whom plain truth can convince. The Bishops, any four of whom were empowered, in the year 1559, to consecrate Parker, the Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, (from whom the succession of orders in the Church of England is derived,) were Kitchen, Barlow, Scory, Coverdale, Hodgins, Salesbury, and Bale. If it can be sbewn that all these were truly Bishops, then no doubt whatever can rest on the subject of English ordination. Kitchen had been a Bishop in Mary's reign, and consecrated by Romish ordinal. He took the oath of supremacy to Elizabeth, and retained his See. Salesbury, of Thetford, and Bale, of Ossory, had been Roman Catholic Bishops and conformed. Barlow had been a Bishop under Henry VIII., had been consecrated by the Romish ritual in 1535, sat in Parliament as Bishop in Henry's reign, officiated as one of the nine Bishops at the funeral of that monarch, and was three times acknowledged to be a Bishop by public official documents in Mary's reign. Hodgins had been consecrated by Romish ritual in 1537; all the official records of his consecration are yet extant; and what should be conclusive with Roman Catholics, he assisted Bonner in several consecrations in Mary's reign, and held ordinations for him in 1540, 1541, and 1542, Scory had been consecrated by the form of Edward VI., which was the oldest form known; and after he had been deprived of his See, was restored to his rank and office as Bishop, in Mary's reign, by the wellremembered Bonner, without any new consecration. And Cardinal Pole, as well as Bonner, who acted under special directions from the Pope, thus acknowledged the validity of orders conferred in Edward's reign. Coverdale was consecrated under circumstances similar to Scory, and therefore his ordination or consecration was equally valid.

"It could not be supposed that those who planned and promoted the Reformation under the cautious Elizabeth, would have neglected to record all those matters with due circumspection-they were careful so to do, and no facts whatsoever are more satisfactorily established*. The Church of England does not, (and God forbid she should) dogmatically condemn those who deny the necessity of Episcopacy, and this liberality (if it can be so called) which was intended as a recognition of, and bond of union with, the Protestant Churches on the Continent, has been turned into an argument against her by Catholic writers. It will perhaps be a satisfactory conclusion of this subject to

"Whoever wishes to make himself fully acquainted with the whole of these matters, will consult Elrington's unanswered and unanswerable works on ordination."

person a new succession of the priesthood. Prophecy accordingly, it is observed, in this age, bears a civil character adapted to the peculiar emergencies in which the chosen people were placed.

After Samuel it assumes a wider range, in all cases however grounded on some circumstances of the Jewish history. The leading points of that history selected by Mr. Davison for the arrangement of his subsequent observations on this period, are, the establishment of the kingdom of David-the reign of Solomon, including the building of the temple-the division of the monarchy of Israel-the public establishment of idolatry in Samaria-the captivity of that kingdom-the captivity of Judah-the restoration of Judah with the building of the second temple followed by the cessation of Prophecy.

The important aid rendered by Prophecy during the time of David, is shewn in the security which it gave to the kingdom of Israel by clear intimations of the stability of David's throne after the season of agitation which had preceded.

But temporal purposes were not the whole scope of the predictions contemporary with David. In him, as in Abraham, the evangelical and temporal promises strikingly coincide; as the Messiah was to come of the seed of David, so the exaltation of the house of David is appropriately selected as the period of originating the most illustrious prophecies concerning the Messiah. There is also a congruity noticed in this reunion of the two branches of Prophecy at this period, founded on the analogy between the kingdom of David and that of Christ.-This last observation leads Mr. Davison to remark on the double sense of Prophecy, which is dated from hence. The reasonableness of the doctrine of the double sense is argued from its exhibiting a combination of two subjects, distinct, yet strictly related to each other; which, in order to the completion of both, requires a greater skill of prescience, and in fact restricts the latitude of application instead of extending it as well as at the same time opens to our view the harmony of God's dispensations. As this doctrine however is very liable to be perverted by an illdirected ingenuity, as a rule of such interpretation it is added, that the correspondence between the two united subjects should be in important particulars, such as is simple and clear, and also accordant with the whole volume of Prophecy; as for instance in the predictions foreshewing at once the restoration of Judah and the Gospel redemption; or in those conjoining the destruction of Jerusalem and the last judgment.-Mr. Davison then proceeds to argue the wisdom of design in the prophecies of this period; from their triumphant character, which instructed the Israelite in the glories of Christ's kingdom by the fortunes and successes of the house of David; from their being delivered by David himself,

some observations respecting that great controversy which is now agitating the sister kingdom, and which relates principally to the subject treated of in the pamphlet.

Whether the Scriptures shall be read universally by the Laity or not, is, and ever has been, the great point at issue between Papists and Protestants-a point which ought never to be confounded with the controversy which has been so warmly agitated amongst us, whether the Scriptures, when circulated by members of the Church of England, should be accompanied with the authorized commentaries of the Prayer Book and Homilies and the sound expositions of our Divines. The latter is a question which ought only be agitated between Churchmen and Dissenters; but the former is the same controversy which was carried on between our Reformers and the Papists, about 300 years ago, in this kingdom, and which has been recently revived and with much acrimony in Ireland.

We are then fully persuaded, that before there can be any prospect of rendering the cause of Protestantism triumphant in our sister kingdom, the Scriptures must be generally circulated amongst all its inhabitants; and that we are right in this opinion is evident, from the great alarm which the Priests of the Roman Communion, the upholders of unscriptural tradition, have already exhibited. It is, on this point, that all the Irish Protestants should join issue against the Papists, and so long as their opposition is that of Christians, conducted with uncompromising firmness, and yet with charity towards their Papal antagonists, we have every confidence in the advantage which will ultimately result to the cause of truth from the issue of the present struggle.

But though we do not hesitate to declare our opinion, that it is the duty of all Protestants to come forward at this crisis in defence of the great principles of the Reformation, now so pugnaciously assailed by the Papist Priesthood of Ireland; we must add that we cannot, and do not approve of, the Irish Bible Society, a Society which is calculated to throw contempt on Episcopacy, and to excite fresh prejudices on the part of the Papists. Nor do we think it expedient that public disputations should be held with them on this subject. So long as the Scriptures are brought into circulation, we think, that the more quietly and peaceably it is accomplished, the more probable will be the success attending their dissemination.

In what manner assistance can be most effectually given by our Church to the religious necessities of Ireland, we do not pretend to determine, from our ignorance of local circumstances. But we are persuaded, that if the Prelacy of our sister kingdom would open a channel of more regular and frequent communication between the two Churches, the best conse

promulgations wherein God explains his righteous government over the kings and families of the earth, and proclaims the repeal of his most distinguished favour, when the transgression of man has wrought the defeasance of it?" P. 283.

The reign of Solomon comes next in order to be considered. The conspicuous place occupied by Prophecy, at the dedication of the Temple, the prediction which the Temple was in itself of the future stability of the people as conjoined with its own sta bility, the singular union of the prediction of its overthrow, with the prayer of dedication,-the similar predictions of subsequent prophets, and that of Jeremiah, in particular, uttered in the gate itself of the Temple,-are severally noticed, to shew how every part of the history of the first Temple was made a subject of prophecy, in close correspondence with that of the second,—and indeed, with the universal tenor of the Divine appointments, none of which, it is observed, have been suffered to pass away without some special notice of prophecy.

"Whence I infer this general proposition, that it was one office of prophecy to give the adequate information concerning the special institutions of God's covenant; and those things which he had himself ordained were not suffered to undergo any visible change, with a less comment upon them than that of his revealed prophetic word. Accordingly, a religious Israelite had in the prophecies a faithful account of God's government, as it respected his first dispensation, as well as the presages and hopes of a better. And no doubt his study of them, under the frequent shocks and vicissitudes of that economy, was rewarded with many important observations, many supports to his faith and his knowledge, and thereby to his piety and virtue, which to us, in a cursory view of the prophecies as mere predictions, will pass unregarded, or imperfectly valued:-a great reason for looking into them with a more judicious attention." P. 302.

The review of this period of Prophecy, is concluded with a survey of the predicted pre-eminence of the tribe of Judah, which was now strikingly accomplished, arguing to those who admit the doctrine of the double sense, its eventual completion in the person of Christ; but, even if it be limited to the temporal purpose, indisputably serving as a ground of confident expectation to the Israelites of the age, of the future fulfilment of the associated prediction of the coming of Shiloh.

The sixth Discourse introduces us to the state of Prophecy, from the reign of Solomon to its final cessation. It is subdivided into four parts, the first setting forth the temporal prophecy relating to the Hebrew people, from the time of Solomon to the Restoration from Babylon,-the second, the Christian Prophecy during the same period, the third, the Pagan Prophecy during it,-the fourth, the last age of prophecy, from the end of the captivity to its cessation.

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