I have now said all I purpose saying at present on the subject of the misapplication of scripture by J. F. even so? Where now are the ancient misapplication No. 3 dispose of this. kingdoms of Egypt, Ammon, Moab, It certainly affords not the slightest Edom, Philistia, Tyre, and the re-proof that few Gentiles will be saved nowned empires of Assyria, Baby- at the coming of the Lord. lonia, Medo-Persia, Macedonia, and Rome? Have they not all vanished away like smoke, and they that dwelt therein died in like manner? See what wide-spread plains of desolation there are, which were once thickly peopled! and then say if this remarkable prediction, so far as these nations are concerned, has not received a most literal accomplishment. 6. Jer. iv. 23 to 25. It is passing strange how J. F. can see in this passage any proof of his new-broached theory. Nothing can be clearer, from the whole context, than that the prophet is predicting the destruction that should come upon Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and the desolation of the promised land, when God's judgments should have overtaken it, and rid it of its inhabitants. Let those enterprising travellers who have explored it testify if it is not even so. Permit me now to throw a few obstacles in the way of J. F.'s theories. 1. He affirms "the destruction of the wicked, and the conflagration of the heavens and the earth, at the coming of the Lord.” Now, how will J. F. reconcile this statement with the following passages: Ezek. xxxvi. 36-37-38, xxxix. and 21, to the end; Zeph. iii. 19, 20; Zec. xiv. 16-19. From these passages it is evident that both the Israelites and the heathen will be in existence, not only when the Lord comes, but for a long period after his coming. Again: Is it not said by the Psalmist, in reference to the Lord, "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.' But if they are all to be consumed, how can he have them for an inheritance or a possession? Again: J. F. virtually refutes his own proposition by admitting the return of the unbelieving Jews to the land of Canaan. He says they will return when the Lord comes, and that they will continue in unbelief until that period. Now, if they continue in unbelief until the Lord comes, how will they escape the 7. Isa. li. 16. And pray, J. F. what secret is Isaiah here revealing? Not, surely, that the saints, who are alive at the coming of the Lord, shall be caught up into the air to escape the flames of a burning world, and then descend to re-people the new earth. Is not the prophet rather revealing the secret of God's providential care over his ancient people, whom he had "covered with the shadow of his hand," and most wonderfully preserved amongst the nations; and that their heavens (their political and national existence), which have so long been covered with black-general destruction of the wicked? ness and clothed with sackcloth (the And if they do return at that period, emblem of grief and mourning), may notwithstanding their unbelief, then be "planted" again, and their founda- what becomes of J. F.'s theory of the tions laid? Then shall the Lord rejoice destruction of the wicked? over them, to build and to plant, and their seed and their name shall be as stable as the new heavens and the new earth in which they shall dwell. 8. Isa. xxiv. 6. The remarks on will he reconcile this statement with J. F.'s sixth proposition is, "There will be a new heavens and a new earth in the Millennium." Literally new, the old ones having been consumed and vanished away. How the scriptural declarations, that the saints shall "reign with Christ a thousand years," and that they shall reign ON THE EARTH, and have power over the nations, to rule them with a rod of iron, and break them in pieces as a potter's vessel. (See also Psalm cxlix. 5 to end.) Now, how can either Christ or the saints "reign on the earth," and sway the sceptre of universal empire and dominion over the nations, if, when they come to reign, the earth be consumed, and the nations destroyed? J. F.'s seventh proposition is, "There will be a time previous to the new heavens and the new earth, while the old ones are being destroyed, that there will be neither men, beasts, nor birds to be seen." It will be soon enough to throw obstacles in the way of this proposition when something tangible is brought in support of it. Nevertheless, I opine that, unless J. F. can dispose of the objections to the two preceding propositions, he will not be able to establish this. J. F. doubts concerning the change of the living saints at the coming of the Lord. What, then, will he make of the Apostle John's statement, "that when he (the Lord) shall appear, we shall be like him; and Paul's, that the Lord Jesus Christ shall change the vile bodies of the saints, and fashion them like unto his own glorious body?" John iii. 2; Phil. iii. 21. Now, both John and Paul speak in general terms. They do not say that the vile bodies of the SLEEPING saints ONLY shall be changed and made glorious like unto the glorified body of the Saviour; but they employ terms which include all the the saints: "When he appears, WE shall be like him ;"" he shall change OUR vile bodies;" and this quite agrees with what is said both to the brethren at Corinth and at Thessalonica. Again: When the Lord comes with his saints, will not that be the period of their triumph? Why, then, should not the living saints share in it? Besides, how incongruous it would appear for the resurrected and glorified saints to be swaying a sceptre of iron rule over their living brethren on the earth. J. F. contends for the return of the Jews: so do I; and not only of the Jews, but of both houses of Israel. J. F. says they shall return "when the Lord comes, and not before.” But is it not evident, from Zec. xiv. and Ezek. xxxviii. and xxxix. that they shall have been in possession of the land some time before the Lord comes; and that his appearing is not to be the signal for their return, but for their deliverance from the overwhelming power of the armies of the opposing nations, who shall think to make an easy prey of them, and lead them again into captivity? The Apostle Paul does not say that they shall not return before the Lord comes; but that "there shall come out of Zion the deliverer, and shall turn away UNGODLINESS from Jacob." "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born," Zec. xii. 10. Thus it seems they shall be in the land; and when they recognize in their deliverer him whom they rejected and pierced, they shall grievously mourn for their hardness of heart. I now close my remarks, and commend the subject to the serious and candid examination of J. F. and the readers of the Harbinger" in general. 66 I remain, dear brother, yours in one hope," the " JOSEPH WILSON. Halifax, June 16, 1848. CORRESPONDENCE. likeness of his death, burial, and resurrection. Until you can show that all the Apostle says in the passage is literally true, the Scotch Baptists will consider baptism to be only a figurative representation of that by which sins are forgiven and washed away, and not the instrumental cause of their forgiveness, so zealously contended for by you and your friends. But you might contend, with as much plausibility, that the bread and wine used in the figurative institutions of the supper are really and truly the body and blood of the Lord; for both Jesus and Paul affirm that the bread is his body and the wine is his blood; while no more is intended than that the bread and wine are representations of his body and blood. MR. EDITOR-In your number of the Harbinger for this month you bring a very serious charge against the Scotch Baptists in your remarks on what "Frater" says to P. C. Gray. You affirm that the Scotch Baptists have an inveterate hatred and unmistaken opposition against baptism for the remission of sins, although it is repeatedly commanded by the Holy Spirit. The amount of their hatred is, that they consider you and your friends are in error when you and they affirm that baptism is the instrumental cause of the pardon of sin. On the other hand, the Scotch Baptists consider baptism to be a figurative representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They think no other view of it will harmonize with what Paul says upon that subject to the church of Rome, in the 6th chapter. The Apostle says, as many of us as have been baptized into Christ, have been baptized into his death. We have been buried, then, together with him by baptism into death, and raised with him. Now, surely the Apostle would not have affirmed all this unless it had been really true that this connection with Christ was signified to them in their baptism. I may now ask you, Mr. Editor, if it can be said, in truth, that believers, when baptized, are baptized into Christ's death, if his death is not represented in baptism? Again; how can it be said, in truth, that they are buried together with him by baptism into death, if the burial of Christ is not represented in baptism? Once more. Can it be said, in truth, that they are raised with him in baptism, if Christ's resurrection is not represented in bap-instrumental cause of the pardon of tism? It is evident, then, that Paul considered that the whole gospel was represented in baptism, viz. the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ; and that believers were planted together in his visible kingdom in the Now, baptism is evidently a figurative institution; why should it not be explained upon the same principles as we explain other figurative institutions. Paul affirms that the Rock in the wilderness was Christ, while it was only a figure of him. In the Revelations made to John, it is affirmed that the seven stars are seven messengers of the congregations, and the seven lamps are seven congregations, while they were only representations of them. Sarah and Hagar are termed two institutions, while they only represented two institutions. Instances of this kind are numerous in scripture, of affirming to figurative representations the things that only are true of what was represented by them. To conclude: As no figure can possess any moral worth, and as baptism is evidently a figurative institution, it is inconsistent, both with scripture and common sense, to maintain that it is the sin; while it is neither more nor less than a figurative representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, through which sins alone are pardoned and washed away. Dear Sir, by giving this a place in your next number, you will much oblige, A SCOTCH BAPTIST. REPLY TO A SCOTCH BAPTIST. Dear Sir--You will, we doubt not, agree with us, that divine truth, when clearly presented to the mind, is penetrating and momentous "quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword." It is so in this world, but how much more so when we stand in the visible presence of Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead at His appearing in His kingdom. Then its majesty, purity, and immutability will be fully realized both by saint and sinner. This ought to be the case, in some degree, in the present state of being. In the remarks we have to make, we shall take it for granted that neither our correspondent nor ourselves, nor any of the brethren with which we both stand connected, desire to be deemed in error in our views of the character, work, and institutions of the great Messiah. Being equally sincere and upright, the Bible is read to ascertain the mind of the Spirit as therein revealed, that we may stand complete in all the will of God. If we are then finally mistaken, it will not be for the want of a Bible or sincerity, but of faith in that which is developed; or because we allow the traditions and commandments of men to occupy that place in the mind which alone belongs to Christ and his truth; or, it may be, that knowing the truth we refuse to practice it. These are prevalent causes of delusion in the present day. You will please to observe, that in our remarks on what "Frater" says of Brother Gray, page 214, the term "Scottish Baptist" does not occur. Indeed, Scotch Baptist in England, and English Baptist in Scotland, with all other human ecclesiastical distinct ions, have lost their charm in our estimation. Would to God they were obliterated from society, and more especially from among the followers of the Lord! If the Christian name, faith, and character, with the true organization of apostolic Christianity, were substituted in place of human ecclesiastical distinctions, much would be accomplished towards realizing a better state of things in the kingdom of Jesus. We wonder whether there were Corinthian Baptists in Jerusalem, and Jerusalem Baptists in Corinth, in the apostolic age, each antagonistic to the other, yet each claiming to be the body of Christ? Is Christ thus divided? Surely not. The writer seems to think that as a body we are in error because we speak of baptism as the instrumental cause by which a sinner obtains the testimony of God for the remission of sins; while again, on the other hand, speaking of baptism only as a figure of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, he and his brethren are, in this particular, following the whole truth. Baptism, therefore, on this principle, is simply a command to be attended to by those who are already in a state of pardon and justification before God. It is also expressive of the determination of the immersed to walk in newness of life. But what this newness of life is, if the parties were previously in a state of pardon and justification, appears to us difficult to define. It must be obvious that the whole of divine truth, as well as Christian institutions, are but the instrumental means appointed to accomplish an important end, viz. the salvation of the sinner. Amid all the instrumentality employed to accomplish various purposes, the Bible is the only instrument by which we can obtain a knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ whom he has sent to be the Saviour of sinners. By the term figure, type, or emblem, is intended the transfer of one object, either in word or action, to represent another object. Thus the figure in thought, when clothed in words, becomes a figure of speech. The type is that species of emblem by which one object is made to represent another mystically it is, therefore, only employed in religious matters. All the remarkable events under the law were types either of Christ or of his institutions. Now in the gospel dispensation, baptism and the Lord's supper are typical and instrumental. The former has regard to man who, although changed in heart, is in a state of sin-the latter has regard to man in a state of pardon. The gospel in the concrete contains the power of God to the salvation of every one who believes it. The proclamation of the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God-that he died for our sins, was buried, and rose again for our justification, constitutes the only foundation of human hope. The mere belief of this fact will save no one. He who believes and is baptized, shall be saved. The Christian system, in the first instance, has more to do with the mind and conscience of a sinner than with his body. The former must be enlightened and purified, and so prepared to control and govern the latter (Titus ii. 11, 12.) The heart of a sinner being quickened, or begotten by the Word of Truth, the blessings of pardon and peace are eagerly sought after-blessings which must be conveyed into the mind (Heb. x. 16) in some real or imaginary form. How is this to be accomplished? Some suppose by earnest prayer-others by sprinkling water, and prayer--others, again, by a stream of the Holy Spirit, without either words or institutions, descending into the sinner's heart and imparting peace to the troubled conscience-a fourth party speak of an appropriating faith that Jesus is the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, and therefore, without any act or deed on their part, all is right; and lastly, others, be cause their feelings have been operated upon by some external circumstances, causing happiness and peace, are taught to consider themselves born again, their feelings alone being the evidence by which they can decide this important question; but he that trusteth to his own heart is pronounced by God to be a simpleton. Now turning from all these imaginations of men, let us examine the teaching and practice of the Apostles of the Lord, who were appointed our infallible guides on the great subject of salvation, and who were furnished with every fact, command, promise, and institution of the Christian system. Being filled with the Holy Spirit they commenced the work of giving gospel law to the nations, that the world might be blesseed in the seed of Abraham, and all nations call him blessed. Every kingdom or dispensation must have a commencement, and a starting point. Hence time, place, law, and the obedience of law, claim our attention. The laws regulating the Jewish theocracy were promulgated from Mount Sinai; and to this law, as well as to all the previous circumstances connected with the history of their nation, the Jews were commanded constantly to refer (Malachi iv. 4) until the coming of Messiah. When he appeared a new law was given, not for the Jews only, but for the whole world. This law, in fulfilment of ancient prophecy and the command of Jesus, was to go forth from Mount Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, (Isa. ii. 3, Luke xxiv. 47) which were literally fulfilled and established when the last Pentecost of the Jewish theocracy was fully come. The Apostles and disciples of the Lord were assembled with one accord in one place, when on a sudden there was a sound from heaven as of a rushing violent wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. The Apostle |