from the importance it attaches to the duty of prayer; from the regard paid to it by christians of every denomination by heathen too-and by the universal experience of those, who have its form, and its spirit, it does, to my own mind, appear that we all have reason to regard it as an indispensable christian duty; and as an invaluable privilege-as one, in consequence of which, not only will our own minds be immediately benefitted, by the increased exercise of every pure, virtuous, and happy emotion, and we thus be prepared for the reception of other blessings; but God will be more likely to bestow the blessings we ask, than if we fail to ask them.

As to the complaint of E. C. about the distinction the Orthodox make, of the righteous and the wicked, I would ask, does not the Bible warrant this distinction? and does not our own observation confirm it as a reality? The scores of places in the Old Testament, in which such a classification of mankind is made; the frequency with which the same distinction is made, in similar terms, in the New Testament;-and the fact every where meeting our eyes, that there are some whose predominating aim seems to be, to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly, with God; and others, whose supreme aim is to love their own selfish interests-caring seemingly, for neither God nor man, confirm me in the sentiments, that there are, and ever have been, two great classes among mankind.

But I am extending my remarks on this point sufficiently far. The writer I am noticing, asks :-"Was the coming of Christ spoken of in Matthew xxiv, 3, Acts iii, 20, 1 Cor. xv, 23, 1 Thess. iv, 15, James v, 8, all at the same time?"

My answer to this question is, that the first and last passages, according to my best judgment, refer to that coming of Christ, which took place when he visited, and

overthrew the Jewish nation forty years after his escension; and that each of the other passages, refer to a time still future, in which Christ is to come, (whether visibly or not, no one knows,) to raise the dead and transform the living.

That the passage first referred to, in Matthew xxiv, 9, and that in James v, 8, both relate to the same eventand to the coming of Christ to overthrow the Jewish nation, I presume no one will doubt. To what the passage in Acts iii, 20, refers, is not so clear, though I see no reason to regard it, as referring to the same event, as the two just noticed. The "times of refreshing" spoken of in the 19th, and the "times of restitution," in the 21st, may mean the same thing; and may embrace, in their meaning, all the remarkable dispensations of God, in prospering the Gospel, from the time of Luke to the end of the Messiah's reign. The coming of Christ spoken of in the 20th verse, I should consider as more probable, that which is still future-his final coming, to raise all the dead, and close his work of mediation, than any other. The idea evidently suggested in the 21st verse, is, that Christ will remain in heaven till the times of the restitution of all things spoken of by the prophets, which we believe has not yet closed; and will not be closed so long as any human being remains unrestored to sensible enjoyment of God's power. The 20th verse, in which the coming of Christ is spoken of, naturally leads us to believe, that Christ was not to come, (in the sense of the inspired writer,) until these times of restitution. I therefore take the ground, as probable, to say no more, that the coming of Christ, spoken of in Acts iii, 10, is yet future, and refers to the final consummation of the great work of Redemption.

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The next passage referred to, is 1 Cor. xv, 23. "But every man in his own order; Christ the first fruits; afterwards they which are Christ's at his coming." The

reference of this passage, to a future time, and to a future, literal resurrection, I regard as conclusively established, by the connection, in which it stands. Throughout the whole chapter, the death and the resurrection of the body, are, without doubt, made the prominent objects of consideration. I regret the idea, that the resurrection spoken of is a partial one-such an one as my brother E. C. supposes took place, at the time of Christ's second coming, from the fact that it is represented to be a universal resurrection-a resurrection of all mankind."As in Adam all die; even so in Christ shall all be made alive." verse 22. To make this passage, and those connected, refer to that coming of Christ, which is now past, it must be made to appear, that then, all mankind had actually died, and that all had actually been raised from the dead. But can this be made to appear?

The other passage referred to by my brother, is in 1 Thess. iv, 15, as follows:-"For this we say unto you, by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep, &c." On this passage, I admit that there is a difficulty in referring it to a yet future time, from the fact, that in the above connection, (see ch. v, 1-3,) the idea seems to be conveyed, that the time of Christs coming was near at hand. But I have two reasons for not adopting the opinion, that the coming spoken of, chap. iv, 15, has taken place. 1. What is said in verses 1-3, of chap. 5, does not of necessity, refer to what had been said in the chapter preceding. Although this would be the most natural inference; yet it does not follow, that it would be the most correct. I can without distortion, or wresting the passage, consider Paul as having, after speaking of the final coming of Christ, to raise the dead, directed his brethren to the second coming of Christ, respecting which they were, perhaps, to a considerable degree alarmed; and their fears respecting it, might have

been exerted afresh, by what Paul said of the yet future coming of Christ. I regard it, as at least probable, that Paul changed his subjects, in the 4th chapter, from the third coming, (as I think we may properly call his yet future coming,) to the second.*

*This shows to what absurd and ridiculous shifts theologians will resort to, in order to support their arguments. The amount of all this is, that the inspired writer, after finding that he had frightened them at what he said about the coming of Christ, went to work to smooth it over, and to inform them that he did not mean the final coming. But why, pray, should the church at Thessalonica be so terrified at the thought of the coming of their Lord? This was the very thing which they desired above all things; for then their sufferings were to cease, and they were to enter into that rest, which the apostles continually exhorted them to wait patiently for. Another thing. This was not a verbal address, but an epistle written, and sent by the hand of another. So the way this writer has worked it out, we must suppose that, after the apostle found out that his brethren misunderstood his meaning, and that "their fears were to a considerable degree alarmed," in consequence, he altered his epistle, or caused it to be altered, so as to quiet their fears. In my reply, I lightly passed over this blunder, hoping that he would see the error and frankly acknowledge it. Being willing to spare him the mortification of seeing it dealt with according to its merits. Nor would I now make these remarks, did I not believe that justice demands it. But after all, I do not see but this is about as good an argument as could be made according to his view of the subject. The learned Doct. Adam Clark's remarks upon the same subject, is scarcely less objectionable. He says, "From not considering the manner in which the apostle uses this word, some have been led to suppose that he imagined that the day of Judgment would take place in that generation; and while he and the then believers at Thessalonica were in life. But it is impossible that a man under so direct an influence of the Holy Spirit, should be permitted to make such a mistake: nay, no man in the exercise of his sober reason could have formed such a

But my chief reason, and what appears conclusive to me, for believing that a yet future resurrection is spoken of, is the connexion in which the passage stands. If we look at the 13th verse, we see that Paul evidently, speaks of the literally dead, and of his hope of their resurrec

opinion there was nothing to warrant the supposition; no premises from which it could be fairly deduced, nor indeed any thing in the circumstances of the church, nor in the constitution of the world, that could have suggested a hint of the kind." Here the learned Doct. does not deny that the words would fairly be understood to mean that the day of judgment would be in that generation; but he argues that if they are to be so understood, that the apostle must have been mistaken. And so they must be understood some other way. "No man in the exercise of his sober reason could have formed such an opinion." We will allow that the apostle was "in the exercise of his sober reason," and see if we cannot find that he had good authority for saying that Christ should come in the clouds, and that too, in that generation? We will just turn to the 13th chapter of St. Mark, verse 26. "And then shall they see the son of man coming in the clouds, with great power and glory." Verse 30. "Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done." Yet in the face of such testimony as this, the Doct. thinks, that "no man in the sober exercise of his reason, could have formed such an opinion." And takes for granted, that if the apostle did form such an opinion, he must have been mistaken. I suppose Paul did not doubt but that Christ told the truth, and meant as he said, when he informed his disciples concerning his second coming. But in our day, preachers do not believe it; and so they go on to hunt up some figurative meaning to it, or to make out that that generation does not mean that generation. Some impiously contend that God's holy angels, are the Roman soldiers. But I would ask every man who pretends to preach the gospel of Christ, who authorized you to say that he did not literally come in like manner as he was seen by his disciples to go up into heaven, that is, in a cloud, before that generation passed away? By what authority do you say that