mortar; and further, reject one stone, which perchance may be the head-stone of the corner, or square another, which possibly was intended for the rough work of the foundation; then, I say, however fondly we may gaze upon this masterpiece of human ingenuity, the work will be tottering and the wall bulging, bursting at a moment we shall think not of; and then, "where will be the daubing wherewith we shall have daubed it?"

I say not this with reference to the doctrines of the established church, for I consider them as pure as the care and piety of man could have made them, and I am well persuaded that among earthly churches we might securely say, "hence is the shepherd the stone of Israel." I am alluding only to the additional data necessary to enable us fully to comprehend these doctrines, and one of these data I believe to be that passage of the Apocalypse which tells us of a first and second resurrection.

It is not merely for the purpose of throwing some additional light upon the subject of the salvation of the heathen, that I consider this passage of importance, but as a means also of illustrating many of the obscurities of the bible; for, I would not appeal to prophecy unfulfilled for establishing what I really think capable of strict and logical deduction from the writings

of St. Paul. But still, if the knowledge of two resurrections were revealed to us for the purpose of strengthening, or of illustrating this truth, then I may ask, whether those men may not be said to act the parts of spiritual Sadducees, who can find cause for thankfulness in their own election "to love," but can see no means of justifying God in their hearts for his other election "to hatred;" As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." The Jew indeed might better be excused for judging harshly of the heathen, for he had been taught the mystery of one resurrection only, but what shall excuse the Christian of all his hard speeches which he has spoken against God," whilst he had this greater mystery revealed to him? For that the heathen shall be saved, "every man according to his works," even our Lord himself hath shewed, when he bade us consider who it is that feeds the ravens, who it it is that feeds the fowls. Are not the heathen better than fowls? "Consider also the lilies how they grow." Consider any of God's workmanship. Consider the love with which he looked upon the finished labours of the sixth day; "and God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold it was very good.” And, can he suffer his enemy to triumph? Can he forget to redeem ?

Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her womb? Yea, she

may forget, but he shall not forget." Let us not be "fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken." "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?" Is not "the whole creation groaning and travailing in pain together until now?" And shall it not at length rejoice at the "manifestation of the sons of God?" aye, and rejoice with a more exceeding joyfulness than did the 'morning stars when they sang together" at its birth, and when all the elder "sons of God shouted for joy."

Well then, whenever we would search for deeper knowledge of these mysteries, or endeavour to strengthen the hope that is in us, by recalling to our memory the lively assurances attached to the unfulfilled, and long-expected "promise of his coming," let us neglect no portion of his own testimony, nor deny that we have the spirit of prophecy among us. How else shall we expect to discern the signs of the times, or to note the season of his approach? If indeed we have not the spirit of prophecy among us, let us seal the book, for though light it may be called, it can be no light to us. But what says this very scripture? "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." And surely we have this testimony, we have at least this faithful witness standing here among us. He is our spirit of

prophecy according to the scriptures, and therefore if we receive his testimony as those "that love his appearing," I doubt not, I dare not doubt it, that in God's own time there is nothing secret which shall not be made known.

But, if my voice should seem vain; if the gospel should also seem to testify in vain, at least let us listen to what one of the wisest and the worthiest of your own sons (Sir I. Newton) has said upon this subject: "We "have Moses, the prophets, and apostles, and "the words of Christ himself, and if we will "not hear them, we shall be more inexcusable "than the Jews. For the prophets and apostles "have foretold, that as Israel often rebelled and "broke the covenant, and upon repentance re"newed it, so there should be a falling away "among the Christians, soon after the days of the 'Apostles; and that in the latter days God "would destroy the impenitent revolters, and "make a new covenant with his people." And, he adds, "the giving ear to the prophets is a "fundamental character of the true church; for "God has so ordered the prophecies that in the "latter days 'the wise may understand, but the "wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the "wicked shall understand.' (Dan. xII. 9.)”

Without offering any opinion of my own, I

will now propose for the consideration of the Church this question, Whether the word (pos) which we have translated "part" in St. John's description of the first resurrection, can be supposed to mean otherwise than the "portion of the inheritance" more especially assigned to the saints, and consequently that this resurrection may possibly not be exclusive of a more general and simultaneous co-existence of all the members of the elect church: that is, of all the sons of God, of every dispensation. If so, this seems to identify the first resurrection of St. John with the only resurrection known to our elder brethren. Bishop Newton, indeed, asserts that St. John is the only prophet who speaks distinctly of the first resurrection; but, if the question proposed be answered in the affirmative, may we not rather say that St. John is the only prophet who by express revelation has made known to us the greater mysteries of the second, and has thus opened to Christians a source of deeper information, and thereby called them to acts of faith and hope brighter far than any that the Jews possessed.

If I have been hasty once in proposing this subject, I feel the more diffident in introducing it a second time to your notice, since you have now the prejudices raised by my former impatience to conquer, in judging of my present right to repeat the question. Still, let God