A REVIEW OF "Scripture, in Testimony of the Truth of the Second Advent, the first Resurrection, and Millennium: with an Appendix, &c. By A LAYMAN." WHEN the Maker of the world becomes an author, (says a celebrated divine) his words must be as perfect as his works; the glory of his wisdom must be declared by the one, as evidently as the glory of his power is by the other; and if nature repays the philosopher for his experiments, the Scriptures can never disappoint those who are properly exercised in the study of them. The Scriptures contain the authentic history of God's Providence ever since man had a being; and of his moral government of the world. In the conduct of God's Providence towards man, there is an uniformity of design, which hath proceeded according to the same laws of eternal justice and wisdom in all ages of the world. Every thing in the Sacred Writings, which relates to the salvation of a man's soul, and which it is necessary for him to know, is plainly revealed: but there are circumstances connected with the state of the church; its persecutions, and the retaliation of Divine justice upon its enemies, which are wrap'd up in figurative language, or symbolical representations. Such is the whole series of prophecy, and which must remain, in a great measure, very obscure till the predictions are accomplished; as they are invariably connected with the rise and fall of empires; the passions of the ambitious; and the oppressions of the unjust. Though after the fulfilment, we can trace the whole through the labyrinth of history, and are astonished in viewing the coincidence of events, which may have embraced a period of five hundred or a thousand years, or a much longer time. The hypothesis assumed by the author, of "A Review of Scripture," &c. neither accords with those prophecies which have been fulfilled, which only admitted of a mystical interpretation, on the principle of a prophetic day for a year; nor agrees with human events, upon his mode of calculation. For it appears to us, that God, in his moral government of the world, deals with men as human agents, and makes use of them as such, to accomplish his own purposes. To maintain that Scripture prophecy, either in the Old or New Testament, admits of only a literal interpretation, is directly opposed to facts. We will instance in the case of Daniel's prophecy of the seventy weeks. This literally understood must have been fulfilled in four hundred and ninety days; which it is certain it was not; but, allowing the figurative mode of interpretation, viz. that a day is put for a year, and, therefore, that seventy weeks of years, or a period of 490 years was intended, the prophecy was clearly fulfilled at the death of Christ, when he was crucified to make an atonement for the sins of all men. The same mode of interpretation must be applied to a time, times, and half a time, or three years and a half, as mentioned by Daniel in the 12th chapter, and are equivalent to the forty and two months, or the thousand two hundred and three score days, in Rev. xi. and xii. A day in the style of the prophets is a year; I have appointed thee each day for a year, saith God to Ezekiel, c. iv. 6. So that the one thousand two hundred and three score days are 1260 years. The difficulty of interpreting the prophecies of Scripture which are now fulfilling, and look forward to some distant period, arises from the uncertainty of the exact time when their fulfilment commenced; and the circumstance in which they orginated. Hence the variety of opinions which have prevailed amongst the learned, in reasoning from different dates; but they have all agreed upon the mystical meaning of numbers, when applied to prophecy. We confess it is a new discovery to us, which this author attempts to support, though we think without any other shadow of proof, than bold unwarranted assertions, in the application of Scripture passages, when he says, "That no part of the Revelation is yet fulfilled;" and that it speaks only of things to come. "That Antichrist," spoken of in Rev. xiii. " has not as yet become manifest, but that he will become so at some future period, shortly preceding the second advent of our Lord." He further says, That all the circumstances described from chap. xi. 7, to chap. xix. 21, only contain a period of forty-two months, literally so called; consequently the book speaks of things, that are to be all accomplished in a short time:" That the "Angels of the seven churches may be individuals of the human race, to become manifest in the latter days, as eminent servants in God's kingdom upon earth." Thus our author has cut the Gordian knot at once, and arrived at a conclusion, different from all other expositors of Scripture prophecy; and what has caused so much labour and toil, viz. to ascertain chronological events; the exact calculation of numbers, and the fatigue of investigation; which, after all, has appeared difficult and doubtful; to him, is clear and easy, without much labour of thought. We give the author credit for his pious intentions, and have no doubt but he is in the habit of reading the Sacred Writings with profit, and enjoys such an acquaintance with religion as constitutes his happiness. But we must guard our readers against novel schemes, and fanciful interpretations of the Word of God, which are calculated to mislead the simple, and unprofitably employ the attention of the established Christian. Upon the subject of the Millennium we differ from the "Scripture Review," &c. and think that prudence as well as modesty requires, that we should forbear all curious inquiries into the nature and condition of Christ's future kingdom; as how satan shall be bound for a thousand years, and afterwards loosed again; how the raised saints shall cohabit with the living, and judge and govern the world; how Christ shall manifest himself to them, and reign among them; how the new Jerusalem, the city and church of the living God, shall descend from heaven to earth; how satan shall at last deceive the nations, and what nations they shall be ;—these are points which the Holy Spirit hath not thought fit to explain; and folly may easily ask more questions about them than wisdom can answer. "The folly of interpreters has been," as Sir Isaac Newton observes, "to foretel times and things by the prophecies in the Revelations, as if God designed to make them prophets. By this rashness they have not only exposed themselves, but brought the prophecy also into contempt. The design of God was much otherwise. He gave this and the prophecies of the Old Testament, not to gratify men's curiosities by enabling them to foreknow things, but that after they were fulfilled they might be interpreted by the event; and his own providence, not the interpreters', be then manifested thereby to the world. If therefore we could confine ourselves to the rules of just criticism, and not indulge lawless and extravagant fancies; if we could be content with sober and genuine interpretations, and not pretend to be prophets, nor presume to be wise above what is written; we should more consider those passages which have already been accomplished, than form conjectures about those which remain yet to be fulfilled. Where the facts may be compared with the predictions, there we have some clue to guide us through the labyrinth; and though it may be difficult to trace out every minute resemblance, yet there are some strong lines and features, which cannot fail of striking every one who will but impartially and duly examine them." THE WORD OF GOD ILLUSTRATED. To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine. DEAR SIR, If you think the following extract calculated to throw light on 2 Thess. ii. 3, 4, or to be any ways interesting to your numerous readers, I doubt not but you will give it a place in your useful Miscellany. I have taken it from a work entitled, "A Defence of the Catholic Faith: contained in the Booke of the most Mightie and most Gracious King James the First, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith; against the answer of N. Coeffeteau, Doctor in Divinity, and Vicar Generall of the Dominican Preaching Friars. Written in French, by Pierre Du Moulin, Minister of the word of God in the Church at Paris; translated into English according to his first Coppie, by himself reviewed and corrected." Some of your readers may perhaps just need to be apprised that King James the First wrote a Confession of Faith against the Roman Catholics, which the Vicar General of the Dominican Preaching Friars, named above, attempted to answer, and that Pierre Du Moulin was employed by the King of England to answer the Roman Doctor. As the book before me was printed in 1610, it contains, of course, many words which are now obsolete. These I have exchanged, in some instances at least, for more modern terms of the same signification; which, with some necessary orthographical alterations, is the only liberty I have taken with it. I have added Du Moulin's Remarks respecting the Pope's being St. Peter's successor, which, perhaps, you may think proper also to insert, though it may not bear so directly on the Scripture cited above.-I am, your's, &c. Wellington, Dec. 10, 1818. A. WATMOUGH. "Of the titles of quality of the Roman Bishop, and whether he be St. Peter's Successor or not. "Mr. Coeffeteau confesseth to the King of England, that the Pope is called GOD, and that he is a god on earth; but only in the same sense that the Scriptures call kings and other potentates, gods. But this is a faint and trifling excuse, and much contrary to the meaning of his Holiness. For in the Old Testament the title of God is expressly given to princes in the plural; but to attribute to himself the name of God in the singular, is a thing that no Christian prince or prelate ever did. The bishop of Rome is the first that hath usurped this title in this latter age. "The New Testament also attributeth the name of God in the singular to none but the Sovereign God, or else to satan, whom the apostle calleth the god of this world,' because in this world he seeketh the dominion and place of the Supreme: and the pagan emperors have also taken upon them the title of God, as Domitian and Bassian Caracalla. And so the Pope in the Canon, Satis,' dist. 96. And in the gloss of the extravagant, 'Cum inter,' he is called Dominus Deus noster, the Lord our God. And in the last council of Lateran, Sess. 2, Divinæ Majestatis tuæ conspectus, the beholding of your Divine Majesty. And in the first book of holy Ceremonies, sect. 7, cap. 6, The seat of God, that is, the See Apostolical. And so likewise Steuchus, the Pope's library keeper, in his book of Constantine's donation, saith, that Constantine held Sylvester for God, and worshipped him as God. In Italy, at the gate of Tolentine, there is this inscription, Paulo 3, Optimo Maximo in terris Deo, To Paul the 3d, the best and greatest god on earth. Of this there are infinite examples. Now that the Pope is not called god in the sense that kings are called gods in the Scripture, appeareth by this, that he doth not only attribute unto himself the name of God, but also those very honours and pre-eminences that belong to none but God alone; for he will be worshipped on earth as God. The last council of Lateran, Sess. 3, and Sess. 10, saith, that the Pope ought to be worshipped by all people, and doth most resemble God. And lest a man should think that it speaketh of civil worship, it expoundeth itself, and sheweth with what worship he should be worshipped, namely, with the same kind of worship that is spoken of Psalm lxxii. 11, Adorabunt eum omnes reges terræ, "All the kings of the earth shall worship him:" where the Psalmist speaketh of that adoration which is due unto Jesus Christ, as Tertullian teacheth, lib. 5, against Marcion, cap. 9. And so the poet Mantuan, who speaketh of the Pope thus: That is, Ense potens gemino, cujus vestigia adorant His power hath two swords in store, "The histories of these latter ages are full of examples of this adoration of Popes. In the second tome (book) of the Councils they would persuade the emperor Justinian that he ought to adore Pope Agapet. But the most remarkable adoration is that which is given him in the conclave presently after his election; for as soon as he is named Pope by the Cardinals shut up in the conclave, he is stripped of his ordinary robes, and others are given him; amongst other things, red hose and red shoes; having a cross of gold, a red girdle with buckles of gold, a red bonnet and rochet. And thus being armed at all points with his red cloak and triple crown, glittering with diamonds, they lift him up as a sacred body, and set him upon the altar; and there the Cardinals kiss his hands and his feet. This is vulgarly called among the Italians Adoratione, which is the more to be noted because they set him upon the altar, which is the place where they place their mass-god, and it is the place appointed for Divine adoration. So that this manner of adoration cannot be taken for civil adoration. By this also it is evident, that as kings are more mighty and powerful than popes in civil causes, if this were a civil worship, it ought rather to be paid unto them than to popes. But so far are they from being worshipped, that themselves are obliged to worship the popes. And if a king should allege places from the Old Testament to prove himself God, among all Christians he would be counted a blasphemer: for the pope taketh this title to himself exclusively, shutting out all princes, |