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(Continued from col. 245.)

Essay III.-Of the Calling of Abraham, and the grant of the land of Canaan to him and his posterity. IN the xiith chapter of Genesis, at the beginning, we are informed that Abraham received a command and promise to this effect, before he left Ur of the Chaldees: Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

This calling of Abraham was not only of the greatest importance in itself, in as much as that, by means thereof, provision was made for maintaining the purity of the church of God, in opposition to the prevailing idolatry of the times, but also, in that it was emblematical of the gracious sovereignty of God, in effectually calling all Abraham's spiritual children from the kingdom of Satan to that of his own dear Son. But there seems to have been another, a higher, and yet more important object, if we may so speak, to be obtained by it; and that was, the accomplishment of that promise, on which not only the purity, but the very existence of the church depended. That Satan, who had seduced and ruined mankind, should himself be ruined and destroyed by one born in our nature, was evidently foretold in that well-known passage, "The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent," Gen. iii. 15. As yet, however, the promise had remained in its original and general form, till God assured Abraham, that he intended to make him the illustrious progenitor of this most illustrious personage. Hence his descendants, particularly that branch through whom the promised seed was to come, were to be separated and distinguished from all the other nations of the earth. And that this end might be the more effectually obtained, the great founder of that peculiar people was himself separated from his kindred and his father's house, long ere any of them were yet born.

The next transaction with Abraham respects the promise of the land of

Canaan. It took place, first, upon Abraham's arrival in that country, and afterwards upon his separation from Lot. The first is contained in the 7th verse of the xiith chapter of Genesis, the other in the next chapter, from the 14th to the 17th verse inclusive. And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land, ver. 7th. And (chap. xiii. ver. 14th,) the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward, for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. Arise, walk through the land, in the length of it, and in the breadth of it, for I will give it unto thee.

Concerning the first or literal meaning of this promise, as Dr. Macknight observes, there can be no doubt; as little can there be any doubt concerning its fulfilment to Abraham's natural seed, according to that meaning. But it appears to me a very important question to ascertain what might be the design of God, in granting any particular region of the earth as a temporal inheritance to his people. If he had had no particular or special design in it, but meant merely to assure them, that, in addition to the salvation of their souls, he would also provide for their bodily wants; might not the general promise that was given to Noah, or something of a similar nature, have answered the purpose?

In speaking of the calling of Abraham from his kindred and father's house, we observed, that one principal reason of this appeared to be, to mark him out in an especial manner as the great progenitor of the Messiah. And we conceive it was expressly to prepare the way for the accomplishment of this grand event, that ever the land of Canaan was promised for a possession to him and his posterity. Had it been part of the plan of God, to have fulfilled the promise concerning the seed which was to be the Saviour of the world, immediately, or within a very limited period after it was delivered, there would have been no necessity for such a grant of temporal possessions as we see here to have been given. But when it was not to be accomplished till many generations afterwards; not till Israel had multi

therefore be explained by other passages of a similar nature, where the same word occurs, concerning the duration of which there is no doubt. It is the same word in the Hebrew, namely, bw, which is used frequently to signify time indefinitely, as well past as future; and which occurs in all those passages, in the Mosaic ritual, where the various ordinances are said to be given for a satute for ever. Hence, though the same word donotes eternity, in the strict and absolute sense, when applied to sub

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plied and increased as the dust of the earth; yea, not till He who was to come should be typified in all his threefold offices-by a regularly instituted priesthood—and by a succession of prophets and kings, who should both verbally, and also by their actions, describe his character and work in all their parts; and thus, that he might not only be distinguished as the seed of Abraham, but the distinguished Personage of that seed,-such a constitution as that of a temporal inheritance became absolutely necessary. That the above view is correct, ap-jects which will evidently bear that pears, further, from the circumstance, meaning, (as the eternity of God, for that the promise was not given to instance, Psalm xc. 2.) yet when emAbraham as a solitary individual, but ployed in the vague or general sense, to his seed likewise. And it is further as in the case before us, its true signi corroborated still, when it is consider-fication can only be ascertained, either ed, that by the event, it appears, that by ranging the subject to which it is it was rather for the sake of the seed, applied, with that class of subjects to and that at a considerably distant which it naturally belongs, or by experiod, than for Abraham himself, amining the history of providence, in that the promise was given. Neither order to determine whether the event, Abraham, nor Isaac, nor Jacob, ever | to which it alludes, be already past, or inherited this promise, or saw it ful- is yet to come. For various reasons, filled. Yea, were they not distinctly afterwards to be specified, I would told that they never should, nor any of class the everlasting possession of the their descendants, till four hundred land of Canaan, here guaranteed to years had run their round! Gen. xv. | Abraham and his descendants, with 13-16. Why, then, was such a pro- the statutes and ordinances instituted mise ever granted or introduced in the by Moses; all of which, it is well covenant with Abraham? Was is not known, though likewise termed evera new thing in the church, to which lasting, were abrogated and done nothing similar ever had been, or away by the coming of Christ. If should be in any succeeding period to this arrangement be accurate, it will the end of the world? Does it not, hence follow, that the Israelites' posthen, appear almost to a demonstra- session of the land of Canaan, though tion, from the singularity of the cir- termed 'eternal' in the grant, would cumstance, on the one hand, and likewise terminate at the same time. from its occurring at the time that Accordingly, when we have recourse to the promise of a Saviour was restrict- the other method of determining points ed to a particular family, on the other ; of this nature, to wit, the investigation and when to these are added, the of history, which is, in other words, an special care which Providence always illustration of the eternal purposes of manifested in securing their posses- the Almighty; we have it confirmed sion of that land till the Saviour came; by incontestable evidence; that the that this was the particular design for event is not to be sought for as yet to which the promise of it was given? come, but as past, long ago. Facts have determined, and that nearly two thousand years since, that the descendants of Abraham were not for ever, even in this world, to possess the land of Canaan; but were, after the grand purpose, for which it seems to have been given them, came to be accomplished, removed from it into different regions of the earth, and have thus continued ever since, dispersed through

There is but one thing, that I know of, which seems to militate against this view, that is, the land of Canaan being promised to Abraham and his descendants for an everlasting possession. The clause' everlasting' seems, no doubt, to extend their possession of that land far beyond the period to which we have referred. But it ought to be observed, that, as it regards a subject, which in its nature cannot signify an absolute eternity, it must

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See Park's Heb. Lex. under by. II, &c.

out countries, to which they have now no natural or instituted right, more than the people among whom they sojourn.

be a literal restoration of the land, and that without any apparently specific end now to be obtained by it, but there would be also a restoration It is true, that it was for their un- of the Mosaic worship and ritual, the belief, and for the horrid sin of cruci- royalty of David, and, in one word, fying the Lord of glory, that the Jews, all the peculiarities and appendages, the natural branches, were broken off, which pertained to the former dispenand the Romans permitted to take sation. It would imply, too, that away their place and nation. But the believing Gentiles would have may not this be considered, not only also a right to it as well as the Jews; as a signal punishment on that nation, for if the Jews, the natural branches for the wickedness of their conduct, were broken off because of unbelief, but also as the means by which God and the Gentiles grafted in by faith; intended to fulfil the purposes which and if, when the former shall, through he had formed before the world began? faith likewise, be made partakers of Nor would this have been any new or the sap and fatness of their own olive, uncommon plan of procedure with shall be restored to the land of CaGod, but the same on which he seems naan; it would imply, I say, that the to have acted from the beginning. believing Gentiles, too, who are now When he intended to put the descend- made all one in Christ Jesus, had also ants of Abraham in possession of the a right to the same inheritance. Yea, land of Canaan, for instance, it was it would imply that God was really not till its original inhabitants had unfaithful to his promise, and that he filled up the measure of their iniqui- had actually suffered it to fail, in the ties; and that, when they were driven case of the many thousand Jews, who hence by the victorious armies of believed in the first preaching of the Israel, his judgments, evidently in- gospel, who, instead of being thus flicted on them for their wickedness, distinguished on account of their faith, were so blended with the plans he had were involved in all the calamities predetermined to accomplish, that, un- common to their unbelieving countryless we had been informed of them, or men. In short, it would imply that taken the events for our interpreters, there is always to subsist in the church we could not have distinguished the of Christ, a distinction between Jews one from the other. In like manner and Gentiles; that the middle wall of does this seem to have been the case partition has never yet, nor ever will with the Israelites themselves. When be, broken down; or else, if it be, and the purposes for which Jehovah seems that both are on a level, and made one to have given them a place in Canaan, in Christ Jesus, as the scripture ascame to be accomplished, and he in-serts,-that all who are thus distintended to remove them hence, it so hap-guished as the true Israel of God, to pened, that in the ordinary course of his providence, he needed but signally to punish them for the crimes of which they had been guilty, and his purpose was effected.

Nor would it be any argument to the contrary, to say, as many have done, that, as it was on account of their wickedness and unbelief that the Jews were cast off; so, whenever they shall see their sins, so as to be humbled for them, and shall turn unto the Lord, they shall be again restored to their own land. Were the persons who espouse such sentiments but duly to consider the matter, they would soon perceive many and insuperable difficulties attending the idea of a literal restoration, which are all happily removed by taking the fact simply as it stands. There would not only

whatsoever nation they may have formerly belonged, shall be joint partakers in this blessing, as a common interest. And hence it will come to pass, that they shall be gathered from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,-not in the kingdom of heaven and of glory, the blessed antitype of Canaan, but in the literal Canaan,--and that for the purpose of returning to what the apostle styles, the weak and beggarly elements of this world. Gal. iv. 9.

All this, we say, would be manifestly implied in taking the restoration of the Jews to their own land, after they are

Ezek. xvi. 59–63. xxxiv. xxxvii. 21-28. * Jer. xxx. 9-11, 24. xxxi. 1-9. xxxiii. Hos. iii. 4,5. Amos ix. 8-15. Micah iv. 1, 2. Acts xv. 16-18. Rom. xi, 25-31.

fathers, they find that the Saviour himself had long ago freed them from that obligation, by declaring "that the hour cometh, and now is, when men shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father; but that the true worshippers should, in every place, worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him."-John iv. 21, 23. The fulness of the Gentiles being thus come in, and every one calling himself by the name of the God of Jacob,-the Jews, now converted by the same truth, retain no longer their ancient enmity to the Gentiles; but seek a place in their communion, and count it an honour, as well as a privilege, to be incorporated into the same body. And thus, though dispersed as they are, whenever the happy change shall take place, they will count themselves at home; and instead of looking and longing for a restoration to the earthly Canaan, they will have their eyes directed to that better and heavenly country, of which Canaan was only the type; and with patience wait the Lord's time to be transported thither.

made one with the Gentiles, by faith
in Christ Jesus, in a literal sense.
But is it possible that any can thus
understand it? Would it not, then, be
better to consider the restoration of
the land of Canaan entirely in a spi-
ritual sense, as a prophetic representa-
tion of the conversion of God's ancient
people to the Christian faith, and, ex-
tending our ideas beyond the narrow
limits of the land of Palestine, consider
Canaan, in this sense, as comprehend-
ing the heathen nations also, which
are given to Christ "for an inherit-
ance, and the utermost parts of the
earth for a possession?" And thus,
do we not perceive, by the admirable
providence of God, one most beautiful
design running through all his plans,
from the beginning to the end? First,
in calling Abraham, in selecting his
descendants, and in giving them his
statutes, commandments, and ordi-
nances, and, along with these, certain
worldly possessions, which might keep
them together, in one place, till a cer-
tain end, he had in view in all this,
should be obtained; and then, when
his grand purposes were thus answer-
ed, suffering them, in the same admira-
ble manner, to be scattered throughout
all the regions of the earth, and there
to remain in their dispersed, cast-off,
and forlorn condition," without a king,
and without a prince, and without sa-
crifice," &c. Hos. iii. 4. till the ful- No.
ness of the Gentiles should come in.-
And then, when the gospel had pene-
trated into those dark and dreary re-
gions into which the Jews had strayed,
like prodigals from their father's house,
and by its blessed influences changed
the whole face of nature, so to speak,
from a waste howling wilderness, into
the garden of Eden;-the Jews, struck
with this miracle, begin to recollect
themselves. In it they see their sin,
which was the cause of their disper-
sion; and, along with it, the mercy of
their ancient God, unmerited and un-
solicited, extending to others no less
criminal and wicked than themselves.
With them, therefore, they cast in their
lot, saying, like one of old, "Whither
thou goest, we will go; and where
thou lodgest, we will lodge," Ruth
i. 16. "for we perceive that God is in
you of a truth."-1 Cor. xiv. 25.

And hence, instead of needing to engage in long and wearisome journeys, ere they could worship in an acceptable manner the God of their

76.-VOL. VII.

(To be continued.)

THE CAMERA OBSCURA.
(Continued from col. 238.)
VIII.-The Abuse of Charitable

Institutions.

"Now sounding tongues assail his ear, Now sounding feet approach him near, And now the sounds increase :And, from the corner where he lay, He sees a train profusely gay, Come prankling o'er the place." PARNELL. IT was very truly said, by one whose name I need not mention, that the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. I dare say they always have been very wise but, be that as it may, if they are not so in an eminent degree in the present day, they will fare but sadly. Benevolence, and something like religion, are, as I have had occasion before to observe, at present very fashionable; and if these said children of the world did not, in enjoying the pleasures of this world, keep up a tolerable appearance, by being, in some measure, benevolent and charitable, they would not hold so high a place in public estimation as they at present do. Of this they are well aware, and

Y

modating schemes that they could have devised.

There has, for ages past, been a most appalling contest kept up on the theatre of this world, between God and the enemy of mankind; and the sages of Lackworth have invented a plan by which it may be undoubtedly decided:-viz. that the belligerent parties, or adherents of each opponent, should be gathered together to dance away their wrath on a ball-room floor, and kick off the warring principles to the regions of oblivion. Thus there is a propriety in the thing, which, I am persuaded, has not been always fully perceived!

But notwithstanding these advanta

therefore they attempt to reconcile appearances, which they perform in the following manner.-In building their edifices (for sight) if religion will not fit in its place, they cut a little off it, and if a peculiarly awkward stone from the other quarry (i. e. the world) come in their way, they hide it behind one of a fairer appearance, or put it towards the top, that it may be out of sight; and if a hole should unexpectedly present itself, they cover it over with fashionable sophistry; and to crown the whole, they plaster the front with a coat of false names and deceptive appellations, that completely hide all defects. Now, I am persuaded that my readers will join me in applauding this conduct; for how-ges, there are some evil-disposed peoever deceptive it may at first sight seem, there is nothing which proves, in a more satisfactory manner, the honesty of the individuals of whom I am talking. They are but doing their duty to their master. They profess to obey some one, and this being a very conspicuous part of their service, it is their duty to do their master's work to the utmost: and as for the deceptive part of the thing, deception is one child of a numerous family which their master has, and therefore, in following his steps, they are only paying a small tribute of respect to the father, by cherishing his offspring.

66

Now, our town being, as I have before had occasion to notice, a very praiseworthy place, has, among other very exemplary things, founded a certain society, called a lying-in charity," and a very benevolent institution it is. This, the good matrons around us have, for years back, supported in a very laudable manner. Lately, however, a very numerous company of individuals, ycleped worldlings, sat themselves down to consider in what manner they might draw some amusement from the said institution, and at last, after much mental toil, they hit upon an expedient, which, pleasing them most wondrously, was forthwith proposed to the managers of the charity, Now the rulers of the charity had been long contemplating in what manner they might increase their income, and as the proposed plan promised such an increase, they immediately closed with it. The plan was, to have an annual ball, the tickets to be ten shillings each; and, in my opinion, it is one of the most accom

ple in the world, who object to this mode of collecting money ; but we having, in the first place, set them down as saints, enthusiasts, fanatics, methodists, and over-religious, lovers of God rather than pleasure, &c. &c. must wave the consideration of their objections, knowing beforehand that they must necessarily be unworthy of attention.

There is, however, one plan which these opposing people have invented, that deserves notice on account of its superior absurdity. I have heard it whispered that some of the respectable matrons before alluded to, wished to have a public collection made after the preaching of a sermon, rather than before the celebration of a ball. Now, there are many powerful reasons against this plan; and the first is, that as the sermon must be preached on a Sunday, and the collection made on that sacred day, and as it is wrong to attend to secular concerns on the Sabbath, it would be irreligious to support the lying-in charity in this manner;-while, on the other hand, as dancing shews forth the power of God, inasmuch as it demonstrates that the heels of some persons are as light as their heads, it has a manifest tendency to religious subjects.

were

But there is another very considerable objection. If a sermon preached, it would confine the honour of working for the good of the charity, to one man,-viz. the parson; but in a ball room, a numerous company may participate in the work, as nearly a hundred people can move in concert for the benefit of the institution.

In addition to this, there exists a

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