wished, wherever they may have been scattered. And they did actually return— vast numbers of them at least-built their temple again, and enjoyed more or less prosperity till Christ came, who was its glory

and end.

3. Does not the return of the Jews to Palestine, to build up again their temple, conflict with express declarations of the gospel, and otherwise appear absolutely absurd? Think of it. Prophets raised up, and prophecies uttered over two thousand years beforehand, that the nation of the Jews shall return to Palestine, and build up Jerusalem so that it shall equal in magnificence Boston, or New York, or even London !-with a wonderful temple, in its structure, gold and other appendages-for what? Why, to worship God in-to worship the true God-the meek and lowly Jesus. How does such a theory look beside the plain Quaker-Methodist-Moravian? How does it look to any Christian? Yet such an idea is entertained-entertained in face of the express sayings of our blessed Lord; "The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. And the hour now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him." And would not such a theory as we are contemplatingwould not such a movement in the provi

dence of God as the return of the Jews to their former land, accomplish the very thing which Christ came to destroy? He came to make both Jews and Gentiles ONE- -to break down the middle wall of partition, and to make of the twain one new man. What conflicts with the plain testimony of the gospel cannot be true.

4. The fourth argument I offer is, that the Jews have no more title to Palestine than have the Gentiles; because the original promise to Abraham was a general one, and given before circumcision; "In thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed." It was given before circumcision, that he might be father of the Gentiles; and circumcision was added that he might be father of the Jews also. But the promise was given to both Jew and Gentile, through FAITH; and they only which be of FAITH are blessed with faithful Abraham. And this covenant of faith in Christ, the law which was four hundred and thirty years after, could not disannul. 2. The promise was given to Abraham in person, and to his seed, which was Christ: unto thee and "to thy seed will I give the land," which seed, the apostle says, was Christ: 'not to seeds as of many, but to thy seed, which is Christ." But it will be recollected that neither Abraham nor Christ ever owned a foot of land in Canaan. Christ had not where to lay his head; and "to Abraham he gave none inheritance in it,

66

no, not so much as to set his foot on; yet he promised he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him." But Abraham and others "died in faith, not, having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth!" And these things plainly declare that they sought another country"-one out of sight-whose builder and maker is God. For had they been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have returned. But these things show plainly that what was promised to Abraham and to Christ, was a heavenly kingdom," shadowed out by Canaan. For Abraham and Christ both became heirs of the world. Had even Joshua given the Israelites the promised land or rest, God would not afterward have spoken of another rest. But there remaineth yet a REST or Sabbath to the people of God. Now, whosoever "have been baptized into Christ, and have put on Christ, are children of God by faith." And if ye

66

be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE. I cannot illustrate the subject better than in the language of another, who has said the Bible speaks of "three habitable worlds." The first was given to Adam; the second to Noah, for he became heir of the world through faith; the third, through a figure,

was promised to Abraham. The first was before the flood; the second after the flood; the third is the new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, and to which all are heirs, joint-heirs, who have faith in Christ.

I conclude, then, if the land of Palestine was promised to Abraham and to Christ, neither of whom ever possessed it, they must either come back again to inherit it as it now is, or they are to possess it in its new and purified form under the new heavens and earth; either of which implies a resurrection, and at once confutes our hope of the carnal Jews' return, and establishes the truth that with the millennium there is connected the resurrection of the dead, and the presence of Abraham and Christ.

Let me conclude, then, by asking the reader if he does not join me in saying, if it be probable that the ten tribes were not, as a general thing, deported from their own country as captive; if they were permitted to return after the fall of the Assyrian empire, by Cyrus and succeeding princes; if the prophets who have predicted their return, prophesied before their return from Babylon; and if at the time they were restored from all the tribes, indifferently, and built their temple, and flourished in Jerusalem; if Christ came to break down the middle wall of partition-to break up the division between the Jews and Gentiles as

distinct nations; and if the original promise was never given to any but to Abraham and Christ, and to those who believe with Abraham; is it not probable that no restoration is intended in the Scriptures, other than what has already taken place, or may be claimed equally by the Jew and Gentile? Thus I judge, and thus I think the prophets testify. G. F. COX.

Portland, Me., Dec., 1841.

[No. V.]

THE NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH THE CHRISTIAN'S HEAVEN.

Of the specific character of the millennium, further than we have advanced already, it will be difficult for us to speak with certainty. We have but few beacon lights to guide us. One thing, however, we think we have fixed without a reasonable doubt; namely, that the millennium spoken of in the Bible, cannot take place in the present organized state of the world, or of its inhabitants. Man must be new-made, and so must be the world he inhabits. Of this the Scriptures speak abundantly in all those places which are relied upon as pointing out a millennium. "Behold I create,' says Isaiah, "new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not come into mind."