silver is refined, and try them as gold is tried; they shall call on my name, and I will hear them; I will say it is my people; and they shall say, The Lord is my God" (xiii. 8, 9). It is evident that these two-thirds who are cut off in judgment, cannot be amongst those who are converted and brought into blessing, and that it is only the portion who pass through the fire who are set and acknowledged as the people of God in the land. It is in the land that the separation of Judah into those whom God accepts, and those whom He rejects, takes place.

I will now turn to some of those Scriptures which speak not of the restored blessing of Judah after thus suffering in Jerusalem; but of the restoration of Israel, or the ten tribes, which formed the other kingdom, and went into captivity long before Judah. In Ezek. xx., Israel's restoration is foretold after the prophet has spoken of God's dealings with them of old, and their dispersion and captivity: just as in Isa. xi. 12, we read of the assembling of the outcasts of Israel as well as of the gathering of the dispersed of Judah. At the time when the Lord sets His hand to restore them, they appear to be deeply sunk in corruption and in departure from Him:"That which cometh into your heart shall not be at all that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched-out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you; and I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you from the countries wherein ye are scattered ...and I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face; like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and will bring you into the bond of the covenant: and I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me; I will bring them out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezek. xx. 32—38). This exhibits one distinctive difference between the restoration of Israel and the deliverance of Judah; the rebels of Israel are purged out before they enter into the land, while those of Judah are cut off there. I judge assuredly that we may learn much from the two histories of restoration; the one before us does not stop short of setting the people in their full blessing "in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God; there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me" (ver. 40). The previous detail has been very different, although in the resulting blessing there is union. Now we must bear in mind what the sin of Judah has been: they have rejected their Messiah, delivering Him into the hands of the Gentiles to be slain; and they further rejected all offers of mercy when the Holy Ghost bore testimony to the exaltation of Him whom they had set at nought. It appears to me that in their extreme suffering this will be in some sort visited on them; they will be caused to suffer deeply by the nations, appearing in their midst, as having the wrath of God against them; they will thus be put to public shame and humiliation. The Lord, it is true, at length interposes and delivers them; but it is not until they have been brought to the extreme point of sorrow and suffering. Not so with regard to Israel; we read of no public exposure of them-no discipline executed in the sight of all; but merely of that which is between the Lord and themselves; they being thus led doubtless so to CONFESS as to receive the inheritance upon the promised terms; and then, the rebels being already purged out, the Lord leads them as His own righteous nation (because forgiven by Him) into the land.

Jeremiah thus speaks of the gathering of Israel :-"Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them; I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Ephraim, and Israel is my first born... They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord ;...... and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all," &c. (Jer. xxxi. 8-12, &c.) Their mourning is not in the land, but before they reach it; and in the land Israel has only rejoicings.

The last chapter of Isaiah speaks both of the deliverance of Judah, and of the

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to

"As the

gathering of the whole nation. To the end of verse 4 we see the Jews in their city in a most corrupt state: verse 5 speaks of some who yet are trembling at the word of the Lord, to whom it is promised that he shall appear to their joy: and then follows a prediction of a nation being born at once, As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. ...... Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her all ye that mourn for her. Thus saith the Lord, Behold I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream." [If any were to apply these words of comfort to the Church, what could be meant by the glory of the Gentiles? but it is clear that it is the Jews and their city that are addressed]. "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem." After these promises we are told how this blessing will be brought to pass, just as we have already seen in Zech. xiv. "The hand of the Lord shall be shown towards His servants, and His indignation towards his enemies; for behold the Lord will come with fire, and with His chariots like a whirlwind to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire; for by fire and by his sword shall the Lord plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many." (See 2 Thess. i. 7-9). This will take place when the nations are gathered together. "I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see my glory;" and then after the destruction poured upon them, "I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles :" and then we read of the restoration of Israel, and of any of Judah who may yet remain dispersed; “And they shall bring ALL your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord." And after thus promising full restoration to Israel, there is this pledge given of the stability of their blessings: new heavens and the new earth which I shall make shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain:" in the New Testament we thus read concerning our blessing, "We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Pet. iii. 13). Nothing can be a securer blessing than this; the new heavens and the new earth stand in contrast to all that can pass away or be destroyed, and our confidence in expecting it, is because we know how perfectly secure is our blessing, and that we can quietly wait the coming of the day of God. If the new heavens were to pass away, where would our blessing be? But if the new heavens cannot pass away, then Israel's seed and name must endure for ever. "Behold I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind; but be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy; and I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people” (Isa. lxv. 17—19). If God's promises to us can pass away, then can those which are made to Israel failbut they are secure; and, oh! it is both joyful and glorious to see the blessing of Israel as part of the glory to be manifested of the Lord Jesus. He was crucified with this title, "The King of the Jews," and then, even though it were in scorn, His right was declared. Before His birth, the angel Gabriel gave this promise to the Virgin, “The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke i. 32, 33; see also Isa. ix. 7). Now, has the Lord Jesus ever yet sat on the throne of His father David ? He is now sitting on the throne of God His Father; but that is not the throne of David His father. Let us prize every promise that speaks of the glory of the Lord Jesus: we knowing him as seated at the right hand of God, having obtained eternal redemption through the shedding of His blood, are called to look for Him the second time without sin unto salvation. It is because of His finished work that we are blest, and through the same will Israel be blest likewise; the promises to them are stable, because they rest on Him: and as we know Him as the Head of His body, the Church, so will he yet be manifested as the King of Israel, sitting on the throne of his father David; while the Church's blessing, and that of Israel and Jerusalem, will be the spheres in which the power of His salvation will be for ever displayed.

"Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams, wherein

shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; He will save us. Thy tacklings are loosed, they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail, then is the prey of a great spoil divided. The lame take the prey. the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity” (Isa. xxxiii).

And

THE ONE-MAN SYSTEM.

To the Editor of the Inquirer.

SIR, The January number of the "Eclectic Review" affords no small instruction to those who are examining the workings of "a learned ministry," an educated priesthood, and are comparing its boasted benefits with the free ministry of the Spirit in all believers.

The article which is headed "Reply to a Plymouth Brother," has many subtilties on the subject of the ministry, to be accounted for, apparently, on this ground, that the writer of the article, though disapproving the views of "The Brethren," has no fixed views of his own on the subject. He does not seem to be able to come to any other conclusion than this,-that the matter of ministry in the Church of God is to be classed amongst things indifferent—that peace exists in dissenting churches under the existing arrangements; and that, therefore, it would be wrong to invade that peace by introducing liberty of ministry. This seems to be his real feeling on the subject, for he only partially defends the dissenters, or the "One-Man" system, if, indeed, he defends it at all; for it is pretty clear by his expressions* in a previous article, that he wishes to pass over, as lightly as may be, a subject which it is not very convenient to handle. In my opinion, he most clearly perceives that the oneman system is to be defended by the argument of expediency alone, and that it would be in vain to rest its merits on the authority of the New Testament; hence his light and shadowy sentiments on a theme which to the dissenters is indeed the substance of their whole fabric. In the January number he thus speaks: "Do ministers of the New Testament spring up in a night? or are they gradually matured, by time and exercise? We suppose from this brother's language [alluding to an article in the October number of the Inquirer,'] that he holds the latter; but we do not know. Even if the former were true, it would not quench nor grieve the Spirit, to order that certain persons alone speak in a certain building and at a certain time. For if others were gifted, ever so suddenly, they would find, in another building, and to another audience, the opportunity of using their gifts... Let the new prophets or teachers speak elsewhere; if their powers are remarkable, the church whence they came will hear of it, and can, if it please, make room for them. Its ordinances are not immovable, as those of the Medes and Persians-how much less then is an insult offered to the Spirit by the regulation supposed, if it be believed, that ministers and teachers are not formed without time." Much mystification is here introduced to perplex a very plain subject. The question is this, Åre the Scriptures to be our guide in church order? are we to look in the New Testament for light in this matter, or are we to invent a system out of the ingenious contrivances of our imagination, suited, as we suppose, to the actual state and apparent exigencies of society? If we are to be directed by the Scriptures, we answer, that we know of no ministry "gradually matured by time and exercise," according to the meaning of this writer; for in these words are included the whole apparatus of preparation for the pastoral monarchy of the dissenting churches; the preparation for the ministry, according to the Scriptures, is a knowledge of salvation through the remission of sins, and the reception, not of the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, to know the things that are freely given of God. He that is stablished in Christ, and anointed, and has the earnest of the Spirit in his heart (2 Cor. i. 21), has been taught of the Lord according to the new covenant,

"We have no tears to spare for the absence or presence of a pulpit....if we are too busy in straining out gnats, we shall presently swallow a camel: if we sigh and groan that not all Christians admit of open ministry, our hearts will become hard on occasions really calling for sorrow."—"Eclectic," May, p. 586.

and the effect of this, in the matter of human teaching, is not obscurely intimated where this new covenant is mentioned (Heb. viii. 11).

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Let us suppose these propositions of the "Eclectic" laid before the Church in the days of Paul; let us suppose that some one recommended Paul and the Corinthians, first of all to admit those only to the ministry who were gradually matured by time and exercise”—that is, learnedly educated, and for a long time practised in the construction and delivery of sermons-then to order that " certain persons should alone speak in a certain building, at a certain time"-but that if others were" suddenly" gifted, as they supposed, by the Spirit, they should go and utter their gifts in "another building," waiting for the Church to "hear," by general report, if their powers were remarkable," and then to "make room" for them :what would have been the answer of the Corinthians to such a suggestion? and how does this fantastic imagination represent the order that we find in 1 Cor. xii. ? The "Eclectic," however, assures us that this "supposed regulation" would offer no insult to the Spirit, a sentiment so strange that it may be left without any comment to illustrate fully this writer's apprehension of the things that belong to the Spirit.

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In this same number of the "Eclectic" there are two other articles, "The Dissenting Theological Colleges," and "Porter's Lectures on Preaching," from which I would make a few extracts:

"We beg to state, in limine, that we much doubt the propriety of attempting to carry all the young men who may enter any particular college, whatever their age, whatever their previous advantages or disadvantages, whatever the diversity of their talents, through precisely the same course of training; to set young men, for instance, who are nearly thirty years of age, and who have had little previous instruction, to learn things which they never can learn thoroughly, in which they cannot even make such progress as to secure that mental discipline which is still more valuable than knowledge itself. We cannot help thinking that it would be better, either, if possible, to make such arrangements in each particular college, as to secure a longer course of instruction and more extensive knowledge to those who are likely to derive the fullest benefit from them; or if that be thought impracticable, to induce some of our colleges to restrict themselves to the education of one class of students, and others to the education of another. This, we are aware, could only be done effectually by mutual consent on the part of the colleges themselves; but any particular college has it virtually in its power, to act upon this plan, by refusing to admit students of all classes, whatever their diversities in point of age and talent; in other words, by restricting itself to the reception of such as are best fitted to derive benefit from the advantages it holds out; we advocate this plan above-mentioned, only because we think it the best under all circumstances; that it will secure the greatest possible efficiency on the part of those who can be profitably subjected to a protracted education, and a more useful preparation for the ministry, even on the part of those who cannot; since, upon the present system, by attempting to teach this latter class too much, they often learn nothing thoroughly; they gain neither accurate knowledge, nor, what is still better, the mental invigoration which the acquisition of accurate knowledge never fails to impart. Moreover, the attempt to drag them on, though haud passibus aquis, with those who have enjoyed superior advantages, or possess greater talents, is injurious to both parties; to the one by necessitating them to acquire much that they professedly study, in a slovenly or unprofitable manner; and to the other, by impeding their progress and checking their ardourthe necessary effect of linking them with less strenuous and active associates. fact, the tendency of such a system is inevitably to prevent the fullest developement of the higher forms of talent, not only without advantage, but with detriment to the lower; in a word, to reduce all to the level of a dead mediocrity" (p. 5).

In

Thus much then we learn from all this; that the system, by the admission of its avowed admirers, requires a thorough reform-that hitherto the congregational clergymen have been most unhappily educated; that the clergy of talents and the clergy of no talents have been coupled together without discrimination; that for all those who have not surpassing talents, or who come not to the college already wellprepared, the system offers nothing but superficial instruction, that they are set to learn things" which they never can learn thoroughly," and in which they cannot

even make such progress as to "secure that mental discipline which is more valuable than knowledge itself;" that the clerical students" often learn nothing thoroughly," that the clever students are impeded and clogged by the more ponderous intellects which are tied to their heels, and acquiring all things in "a slovenly and unprofitable manner."

Thus proceeds the "Eclectic," in describing things as they are. "He (i. e. the student for the ministry) has never, it may be, seen the Latin grammar: as to Greek, he is not perfectly sure there is such a tongue; of Hebrew, Syriac, and Chaldee, he knows but little; mathematics are a profound mystery; the symbols of algebra about as unintelligible as Egyptian hieroglyphics; and metaphysics as dark as Egyptian darkness itself. Is it desirable, at this youth's age, to set him upon the hopeless attempt of learning all these things? or is there the smallest rational prospect of his obtaining such an accurate knowledge of any portion of them as shall render them practically available, or (which we will always contend is the greater benefit) confer that discipline of mind, that invigoration of intellect, which is the direct effect of their profound study? No such thing. Even with that year, or two years of preliminary private study which our colleges (so long as they adhere to the present system) wisely enjoin upon such young men previous to their entering upon their college course, such a result cannot be hoped for. What ensues upon his entering college? Necessarily formed into classes with other young men, of younger years indeed, but far more pliable faculties, and in possession of considerable early advantages, it is found that he cannot go on as fast as they can, and that they must check their pace to enable him to keep up with them. The difference is split-a mean is struck, by which both parties are losers. He is never able thoroughly to digest anything; they never have enough to digest: he is gorged to repletion, they half-starved; he acquires a little knowledge of many things in a loose and unsatisfactory manner, while they, finding that they can do what is required of them, with comparative ease, are likely to lose their time, and fall into habits of indolence and dissipation."

Here again is a sad picture of the real state of things in the colleges; intellectual gorging or intellectual starvation seem to be the two deplorable alternatives; the dull in a dyspepsia, owing to repletion; the talented pining for want of food, and at last, it would appear, sinking into "indolence and dissipation; or at any rate, in great danger of coming to such a termination of their clerical education; because, forsooth, they have not enough afforded them to make a pleroma for their capacious minds. Unhappy youths! But do these young gentlemen suppose that when they are thus starved in their intellectual food, when there is not enough metaphysics, rhetoric, Arabic, Greek, algebra, dynamics, botany, and astronomy, that the Scriptures are such small and despicable food as not to be worthy their attention, and that they know all the unsearchable riches of the word of God so thoroughly—are so perfectly acquainted with all the amplitude of its opulence, and are so completely enriched with all the deep mines of its instruction that they can find nothing more there, and therefore must, as a last refuge for their stu pendous abilities, "fall into habits of indolence and dissipation"? Such seems to be the case, if we are to believe the writer in the "Eclectic ;" and an instructive though melancholy lesson it affords us of the overweening vanity, and puerile conceit, engendered by these colleges, both amongst the teachers and the taught.

What more then need we say after all this, of the actual working of the scholastic system, that "Lie in the right hand" of the Congregationalists, from which they are resolutely determined not to be delivered? and is all this miserable mummery of sermon-making, and all these poor artifices of the college to be preferred to liberty of ministry? and these secrets of the academy (now at last brought to light by a chief manager-quorum pars magna fuit) so full of beauty as to persuade us to renounce the injunctions of the New Testament? And which, we would ask, is most to be admired, these academical dilemmas or the words of the Apostle: "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God"?

The "Eclectic" complains, as usual, of the treatment which the young clergymen too often experience from the indocile laity. "Nothing can in our judgment be more preposterous, or even more uncharitable or inhuman, than the criticisms which Christians, whose age, whose knowledge of human nature in general, and whose