that he was required to bring to the altar of a crucified Redeemer, whom he has rejected, neither has he been reconciled to his brother Jesus, or offered his gift, Matt. v. 24, to God who gave it, therefore he will soon be cast into prison; 25 ver., from whence he will not return until he has paid the uttermost farthing, 26 ver.,; xviii. 34. His disciples preached Christ of contention, not sincerely; Phil. i. 15, 16, which is a sign that his kingdom will not stand, see Matt. xii. 25, 26. He has been enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and made partaker of the Holy Ghost, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, Heb. vi. 4, 5, and has fallen away and crucified the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame, 6 ver., by engrafting, on the Gospel, the worship of images which is the worshipping of angels, together with the intercession of saints, and other idolatries. His persecution of the people of God, by means of his instrument, the Church of Rome, putting the two witnesses to death, Rev. xi. chap., and falsely accusing them, when they were guided by the Spirit of God, is blasphemy. For this reason, the seven-headed beast, which is his likeness, Rev. xii. 3, is called by the name of Blasphemy, xiii. 1. The way in which Jesus was made bread for us, and bruised, was between two mill-stones; Satan being one, and the kingdom of God, which is the truth as preached by Jesus, being the other which Satan laid hold of, Matt. xxvi. 61. Luke xxii. 65, 71, and by this means, through the false accusation of the Jews, caused his death. By his death and resurrection he made atonement for our sins, and is, therefore, made the bread of life, by his righteousness being imputed to us. Satan, 2 Cor. xi. 14, has made a deceitful use of our bread, the Gospel and Jesus, to make bread for his followers, by bringing it into contact with his own inventions of images and saints, &c. He is thus made bread, as he requested of Jesus. This is the meat that perisheth, John vi. 27, and those who eat of it will perish along with it. Prov. ix. 17. Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant, see Prov. xx. 17. The Scriptures are compared to water, John iv. 14, and bread, vi. chap. He has taken of both in secret, and it is now revealed, Mark iv. 22. Luke viii. 17. Satan requested to be made bread, and his request has been complied with, but not to his liking. The offer was made that he should bring his gift, the gift of the Scriptures, that are spirit and life, to the altar a crucified Redeemer. This he rejected, and has made himself bread in his own way, together with his angels. While professing to receive Jesus, he has mixed his poison with the corn of wheat, and rendered it unfit for living food. His poison is the poison of adders, Psalm cxl. 3, the poison of the tongue, James iii. 8. It is the poison of Roman tradition. His bread is as large as ours, because he professes to receive the Gospel, but having mixed it with the poison of councils and writers, it is refused by the followers of Jesus, the Shepherd, who know it; while the multitude willingly ignorant of the fact, through their own wickednesses, devour it greedily. Satan is transformed into an angel of light, and his ministers as the ministers of righteousness, false apostles and deceitful workers, transformed into the apostles of Christ, 2 Cor. xi, 13, 14, 15. Jesus is bread, and we being many are one bread, 1 Cor. x. 17, therefore it was necessary, that, as Jesus was put to death, the church which is this body, Col. i. 18, 24, should be put to death also. This has been done in fulfilment of the prophecy of the two candlesticks, which are the two churches, after a period of 1260 years, Rev. xi. chap. vic To be a servant to Christ, who is made Lord of all, Acts x. 86, angels and authorities, and powers, being made subject unto him, 1 Peter iii. 22, was galling to the serpent, and he would not submit. In preference he took the nether mill-stone to pledge, and will not restore it. Ezek. xxxiii. 14. Again when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; 15. If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing any iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. 16. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him; he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. From the descent of the Holy Ghost until now, more than eighteen centuries, he has failed to do these. He will not restore again the onethird of the stars of heaven, Rev. xii. 4. the ten thousand angels, (being one-third of the total amount of the forces of the two hostile kings, see Luke xiv. 31; Psalm Ixviii. 17, and the same with the ten thousand talents, Matt. xviii. 24; of silver, Esther iii. 9,) whose affections and allegiance he has robbed God of. He is a thief and a robber, because he will not enter into the sheep-fold by Jesus who is the door, John x. 1, 7, 8, 9. He has not restored the pledge, as is testified by his Roman Church, adhering still to all her abominations; and this is confirmed at Rev. xx. 2, 3. There is no secret hid from him, Ezek. xxviii. 3, and his fault has been told him alone, Matt. xviii. 15, by Jesus and the Father, in the dark and hitherto hidden meaning of the Scriptures; and he has been entreated to confess his fault, James v. 16. He has not done so, therefore Jesus has taken with him the three witnesses; the Scriptures that are spirit and life, (see John xii. 48) and the two witnesses, the two candlesticks, which are the two churches, Rev. xi. chap; that in their mouth every word may be established, Matt. xviii. 16. The Serpent has neglected to hear them, therefore it is now being told unto the church, 17 ver. The church is the body of Christ, and they are many members. 1 Cor. xii. 12, 20. Jesus is the head, Col. i. 18, and they being many are one bread, like himself, because they are members of his body, flesh and bones. Eph. v. 30. They are the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, because they abide in the truth, John xv. 4, and walk in the truth, 3 John iii., and worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. John iv. 23, 24. The disciples of Jesus have been a little flock until now, Luke xii. 32, like the two little flocks of kids. 1 Kings xx. 27. Israel and Judah first, Media and Persia afterwards, and now England and Scotland. The case will soon be reversed. The stone, the Kingdom of God will soon smite the Image on the feet. Jesus is now coming out of the prison, Matt. xviii. 30, into which the Serpent will be cast, v. 25. The head of the latter is now being put between the mill-stones, Jesus and the Spirit, shining forth in the gospel, and it will be bruised. There is a common saying with us in England when a man is obstinate, and will not, or cannot be convinced, that, He wants grinding over again. Many of these apparently trivial sayings will be found to agree with the figurative style of the Scriptures, that are expressed in the figurative language of the East. Jesus and the Spirit, as flour and water combined, were made into unleavened bread, and baked in the oven for them that would receive them. He who receiveth Jesus hath the Spirit also.. forms ow‡ erf 1 Cor. xii. 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. " * The twelve tribes of Israel were represented by twelve cakes laid upon the pure table. Lev. xxiv. 5, 6. And it is written of one of them, Hosea vii. 8, Ephraim is a cake not turned. ogni edt thÅ 2 bed He was only half-baked, as is commonly said of any one in England, who is not thought to be sufficiently sharp. He is called a soft cake. Our unleavened bread has been turned, and baked on both sides, and it is good and substantial food, enduring unto everlasting life; and"} thus it is The word of God, the Old Testament Scriptures, was made known, “ through the prophets, and underwent the ordeal of the oven-the wicked, see Hosea vii. 4, 6, 7, heated by the baker, the Serpent." They felt the fire of the traditions of the Pharisees, for the wicked tongue is set on fire of hell. Jas. iii. 5, &c. They were afterwards turned upside down by Jesus, who is the end of the law, Rom. x. 4, and fulfilled the law, by loving his brother the Serpent, xiii. 10. Then the mild requirements of the Gospel were substituted in its stead. In its turn the Gospel also felt the heat of the oven, Ps. xxi. 9, the heated hearts, and fiery tongues of the Pharisees, who prevailed and put the Messiah to death, by means of false witnesses, perverting the meaning of his words. Matt. xxvi. 61, 65. The Gospel has also since felt the fire of Roman tradition. In this way has our bread been turned and thoroughly baked. It has withstood the scorching fire of the oven, and exists as food for them that are perishing for lack of bread. A figurative expression with us, is to say, when a person has suffered ** any particular hardship, He has been in the oven. Jesus during his public ministry, made allusion to himself as one of the lilies, that should be cast into the oven the day after, which is also typical of a year. Matt. vi. 30. Luke xii. 28. He is the lily of the valleys, Sol. Song, ii. 1, and he feedeth among the lilies, ii. 16; vi. 3, which are his disciples arrayed in white like himself, Rev. vii. 13, as they are also sheep like the Lamb of God, and branches of himself the vine. Whenever the angels partook of the hospitality of man it was with unleavened cakes, see Gen. xviii. 6, 8; xix. 3, and the offering of Gideon was of the same. Judges vi. 19, 20, 21. The Israelites were forbidden to use leavened bread at the Passover, which was called, the feast of unleavened bread. Exod. xii. 15; xiii. 3, 6, 7; xxiii. 15, 18. Deut. xvi 3. The following show when they were commanded to use unleavened bread. Exod. xii. 8, 15, 17, 18, 20; xxxiv. 18. Lev. vi. 16; xxiii. 6.!!! Num. xxviii. 17. Deut. xvi. 3. Ezk. xlv. 21. Unleavened bread is bread of affliction, which will now be considered. " In Asia, the Karens had descended from the mountains in former *" times, and had been oppressed by the Burmese. Some of them escaped again to the mountains, living upon roots, &c., when they perished by hundreds, and those that remained were reduced to slavery, and their women defiled. In the address of one of the Karens to Lord Auckland, the English Governor General of India previous to 1842, he said "Formerly we dwelt in the midst of a thorn bush, but in thee welk "dwell as on a mat spread out to sleep upon. The Karensa nation "of Slaves, a people of the deepest poverty thou hast freed from TM** "Taxes. Freely thou hast bought us, and then given us our liberty "for nought." As. Mag., July, 1844, p. 282.) .51 an 26) % Me This is parallel with the case of the Israelitish slaves, in bondage to the Egyptians, Exod. i. 14; ii. 23; vi6,0. Deut: xvi. 6. Exod.s 6, &c.; xiv. 12, who would not let them go, iii: 19; iv 211. 3% any moh They dwelt sing a thorn bush, Numsxx15, with the Lord, Deut. xxxiii. 16, who went down into Egypt with them. Gen. xlvi. 4T SÁT DOG F Exod. iii. 2. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of li fire out of the midst of the bush and he looked, and behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. The Egyptians were the thorn bush, to which the wicked are compared, Micah. vii. 4. Num. xxxiii. 55. Jud. ii. 3.- 2 Sam. xxiii. 6.5 Prov. xv. 19. Isa. xxxiii. 12. Nah. i. 10. As the angel appeared in a flame of fire, it was a type that he came with anger to rebuke the Egyptians, see Isa. lxvi. 15, for their oppression of his people; but yet, not to consume or destroy them. Their first-born were to be slain, and Pharoah and his host overthrown in the Red Sea, because the bush burned with fire; but they were not to be exterminated, as the bush was not consumed. In explanation, see Exod. xxxiii. 3, 5. Lam. iii. 22. Mal. iii. 6. Deut. iv. 24; ix. 3. Heb. xii. 29. Deut. vii. 16. Exod. xv. 7. Num. xi. 1 ; xvi. 35; xxi. 28; xxv. 11. Deut. ii. 15, 16.⠀⠀ Josh. x. 20. 2 Sam. xxii. 38. Moses, in his Songs, told the Israelites that the Lord had bought them, Deut. xxxii. 6, and redeemed them, Exod. xv. 13. See also 2 Pet. ii. 1. 1 Cor. vi. 20; vii. 23. Heb. ix. 14. Exod. xv. 16. Ps. lxxiv. 2. Acts xx. 28. He purchased them with his own blood. The sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham was a type, Heb. xi. 17. Gen. xxii. 10, and the Ram caught in the thicket by his horns, 13 ver. (the thicket being the wicked. Jer. iv. 7. Isa. ix. 18; x. 34,) together with the Lamb slain annually at the Passover, the beginning of every year, of Jesus the Lamb of God, John i. 29, 36. Rev. v. 6, &c., slain from the foundation of the world. Rev. xiii. 8. See Rom. iv. 17. For it was determined when sentence was passed on the Serpent. Gen. iii. 15. In the address of the Karens where they said, Freely thou hast bought us, it is plain they took a comprehensive view, and generously alluded, in the figurative style, to the English blood spilt in battle when the Burmese were defeated; and by which they were afterwards delivered from slavery. The English gave them their liberty for nought. And the Lord said to the Israelites Isa. 1. 1. Which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? "Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves. The Lord gave them their liberty for nought, and planted them in the land of Canaan, Exod. xv. 17. Ps. lxxx. 8; xliv. 2, where they would have retained their natural liberty for ever, had they followed his injunctions. Judges ii. 1, 2, 3. Disregarding these, they sold themselves to do evil, 1 Kings xxi. 20. 2 Kings xvii. 17. Isa. I. 1, and then the Lord sold them into the hands of their enemies, the neighbouring nations. Judges ii. 14 ; iii. 8. ; iv. 2 ; x. 7. 1 Sam. xii 9.el and ester, 23 The Karens, as slaves, had no property. They were, A people of the d deepest poverty. Like the Israelites, their taxes were their labours Exod. v. 4, &c. The English gave them their liberty for nought. The Lord also gave the Israelites their liberty, when they found themselves free on Baal-zephons strand. Exod. xiv. 29, 30. No man ever gave to NA the Lord. Rom. xi. 35. He gave the Israelites the land of Canaan, Gen, xvii. 8 ; xlviii, 4, Deut. xxxiv. 4, with their liberty, and has given them and us still more. He has given us Christ the Messiah, who has b purchased his congregation with his own blood, and given them the glorious liberty of the children of God, Rom. viii, 21. Luke iv. 18. 1 Cor. viiis 9; x. 29. 2 Cor. iii. 17. Gal. i4. v. 1, 18. 1 Peter ii. 16. 2 Peter i 19, and his Gospel is the law of libertyto Jasp iv 25 i 19. Shortly also, will be the redemption of the purchased possession Ephes 4 suit Rom. viii. 23. To wit, the redemption of outobodytow.ow vix 2.968 B bine 1 John iiii. 2. We know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Heb. ix. 28. Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. As the angel appeared unto Moses in the bush it showed that Isa. lxiii. 9. In all their affliction he was afflicted. Because the Lord went down into Egypt with them, Gen. xlvi. 4, and out of the four hundred and thirty years they sojourned in Egypt, Exod. xii. 41. Gen. xlvii. 4. See also Gen. xlvi. and Exod. i. they were afflicted four hundred years. Gen. xv. 13. Exod. i. 11, 12 ; iii. 7. 17; iv. 31. Deut. xxvi. 6, 7. Acts vii. 34. That they might remember their affliction in Egypt, from which the Lord had redeemed them, they were commanded when celebrating the passover Deut. xvi. 3. Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction. That they might remember the day they were thrust out of Egypt. Exod. xi. 1; xii. 39. The Messiah eat of the unleavened bread at supper (Luke xxii. 15.) with his disciples. By this act he showed them, that he not only eat of the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, which he distributed to them, but also of the bread of affliction and sorrows. Heb. iv. 15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. For he was afflicted, See Isa. liii, but especially the fourth and seventh verses, as well as the four Gospels. These show how he was continually thwarted by the Jews, and at last put to a shameful and an ignominious death, 1 Peter ii 23. Matt. xxvii. 39; xxvi. 38. Mark xv. 32. Luke xxii. 44. John ix. 28. Lam. of Jeremiah. Lam. iii. 1. I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. i. 12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. It is also the bread of affliction for Christians, who are not exempted from affliction, any more than their Master was, as well as the Israelites of old. See Matt. xxiv. 9. Mark iv. 17; xiii. 19. 1 Cor. iv. 12. 2 Cor. i. 6; ii. 4; iv. 17; viii. 2. Phil. i. 16; iv. 14. 1 Tim. v. 10. 2 Tim. i. 8 ; iii. 11; iv. 5. 1 Thes. i. 6; iii. 7. Jas. i. 27; v. 10, &c. Heb. x. 32, 33. 1 Peter v. 9. It was also the bread of sorrows for the Israelites, see Ps. cxxvii. 2. Exod. iii. 7, as it is for Christians, 2 Cor. ii. 7; vi. 10. 1 Thes. iv. 13. Rom. ix. 2. Phil. ii. 27, but the time cometh when there shall be no more sorrow. Rev. xxi. 4. The ground, typical of the righteous, Matt. xiii. 8, 23, was cursed for the sake of the first Adam, Gen. iii. 17, (but this curse was not repeated after the flood, viii. 21,) who was the figure of him that was to come. Rom. v. 14. The ground was to bring forth thorns and thistles, and the righteous are not exempt from sin, any more than the wicked; viii. 17. Gal. iv. 14, but they do it unwillingly, like Paul, and grieve at their imperfections. The punishment was, 1 Gen. iii. 17. In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. |