We wish our readers to go with us to the Bible, not to prove the correctness or incorrectness of any interpretation of particular prophecies, nor to examine subjects connected, as many wise and good men believe, with the future destiny of Israel, such as the Millennium and the personal reign of our Lord during its happy years but to trace, briefly, the gracious designs of our heavenly Father, (whose gifts and calling are without repentance,") which are yet to be fulfilled in the history of His ancient people and through their instrumentality, to a dark and unhappy world.

66

We cannot read the Old Testament carefully without being struck, forcibly, by the fact that a very large proportion of its prophecies and nearly all its history refer to one peculiar people. Many contend that all the prophecies about the restoration of the Jews, were fulfilled when part of the nation returned to Canaan from Babylon; that, therefore, there are no promises in store for them as a nation, and that such as speak of good things to come, for Judah and Israel, for the land of Israel, for Zion and for Jerusalem, are to be applied only to the Church. This is the Roman Catholic view, and on this she founds her claim to dominion over all Churches, and indeed over all nations; and the Pope asserts his right to deprive sovereigns of their dominions, and to absolve their subjects from all allegiance, and as in the case of Henry VIII. and Queen Elizabeth, to curse and excommunicate even the mightiest monarchs who dare to think for themselves. "The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted." Who is spoken of here? The

Protestants

say,

"the

Pope says, and many Church;" and the former, in days gone by, could bless the Armada of Spain and send it forth with the proud title of invincible, towards the dominions of a heretic Queen, to destroy, or convert, a heretical nation. But of whom speaks the prophet? Of a people, distinct from Gentiles, or nations, whose sons come from far, whom the ships of Tarshish shall convey, their silver and their gold with them, whose walls the sons of strangers shall build up: yet who had been forsaken and hated and desolate. The Church is chiefly Gentile, composed of men of many nations, and therefore cannot be the object of this promise. The context determines the question, and points not to Rome, nor to England, not to any Gentile Churches, but to the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

The Lord said unto the prophet Jeremiah (chap. i. 10), "I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." The Pope, in his bulls of excommunication against Henry VIII. and Queen Elizabeth, applies these words to Peter and to his successors, the Popes of Rome. Now is this a correct application? Was Jeremiah either Peter or the Pope? God said, I have this day set thee over the nations. Now what Protestant will follow the Pope in such a misapplication of Scripture as makes God, when he addresses Jeremiah, mean Peter and the Pope? Now the same principle of interpretation is adopted when we make Israel, Judah, Zion, Jerusalem, the land, mean neither Israel, Judah, Zion, Jerusalem, nor the land; but the Church.

We reject this principle. Some call it spiritual. We think it allegorical, fanciful and false; contrary to the principle on which we interpret fulfilled prophecy, and leading inevitably to the conclusion, that when God speaks of one particular people by name, he means that people only when we can trace the fulfilment of prophecy respecting them, in their unbelief, their fall, their punishment; but means a perfectly distinct body or individual, when he speaks words of comfort and of promise, that, in short, when INFINITE TRUTH says one thing, He means another.

Our space does not allow us to commence our quotations from the Scripture prophecies this month. We hope to do so in our next, and by searching the Scriptures, gather from them the greatest encouragement in our prayers and labours for Israel.

BIBLE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

CHAPTER LI.

In the pages of Jewish history, a most remarkable character next comes before our notice, in the person of the prophet Elijah. And in recording the principal events in the reign of Ahab king of Israel, we do not consider it out of place to give a short sketch of the life of one who forms so prominent a part in the history of the Jewish nation. Elijah is introduced in the sacred history about the year B.c. 910, without any mention of his extraction or parentage. The first account which is given of him is his delivering an unwelcome message from the Lord to

the king of Israel, and threatening a drought upon the land. From this may be apprehended, that many former warnings had been despised. This judgment was inflicted as a punishment on the Israelites for their rejection of the prophet; for when they saw that the rain was granted, or withheld, according to his word, they would be taught that his commission was from heaven; for God's indignation is sure to be roused at the improper treatment of those whom he sends as his ministers. For three years and a half, "the heaven was shut up, and great famine was throughout the land.” Terrible as the effects must have been, still the people remained impenitent. Ahab and Jezebel, with their subjects in general, instead of turning to the Lord with contrition, sought the life of the prophet, as if he, and not their own guilt, had caused their calamities. But he was protected from their rage, and supported by a continued miracle, though he could not but partake of the public distress. The very course of nature was overruled, that his bread might not fail, yet it pleased God to put his faith and obedience constantly to the trial, and to require the most decisive evidence of his sincerity in the most difficult circumstances. The Lord commanded him to flee from thence, and hide himself by the brook Cherith, which should supply him with water, and the ravens should supply him with meat and flesh to eat. This promise did not disappoint him, and he remained in that situation until the brook dried up. But the Almighty power which supported him did not forsake him, and he was directed to go to Zarephath, a town of Phenicia, where a poor widow of Gentile extraction would support

him. He accordingly went and met the widow whom he sought, just as he entered the city. She was gathering a few sticks, in order to bake the last mouthful of meal for herself and her son, expecting that they must shortly perish with hunger. He entreated her to minister to his necessities out of her small pittance, at the same time assuring her that her wants should be supplied, though invisibly. She complied with his request, and was rewarded for her obedience.

For a long time she and her family, with the prophet, were miraculously supported. It might constantly seem to them that they were eating their last morsel. But there still remained se cret resources, so that "the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail."

66

During Elijah's residence with the widow, her son was taken ill and died. The poor mother, considering the calamity as a judgment inflicted by the prophet for her sins, hastily desired him to depart. But in answer to his fervent prayer, the soul of the child returned to him again, and he took him to his mother, saying See, thy son liveth." Thus the Lord was pleased to honour his servant, as well as magnify his own power. Before that time there is no record of any such miracle being wrought on the earth, which renders Elijah's asking, and confidently expecting, such an event to take place, a most illustrious instance of confidence in God. At length he was desired to quit this retreat, and go to the court of Ahab, the Lord intimating that he would shortly deliver Israel from the miseries of the famine. He obeyed without reluctance, though in the prospect of difficulties, dangers, and even death.

Upon meeting the prophet, Ahab began