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ject calls for it, to afford the reader a means of investigating Prophecy without that perplexity which was previously complained of.

We hope likewise to make the Investigator and Expositor more of a repertory of information, by giving

1st. Expositions of various Scriptures, bearing on the subject of Prophecy ;

2ndly. The views of approved Interpreters of former times; including Translations of portions of the earlier Fathers; and Extracts from more recent interpreters, or the substance of their works condensed;

3rdly. Reviews of the Works of modern Writers; so that the Reader may be apprised of their contents and character ;—

4thly. Information of every description, (critical, documentary, political or otherwise,) which we may deem calculated to aid or interest the Reader.

And more especially do we hope and pray, that the Work may be made instrumental, in a ten-fold degree, in arousing the attention of Christians to take heed to the light of prophecy; to consider the signs of the times in which we live; to make practical application of the Word of God to the important events which are so rapidly passing around us; and to stir up the ministers of the Gospel to put their people in remembrance of the things spoken before by the prophets of the Lord; lest haply the day of the Lord do after all overtake themselves and their people as a thief in the night, (contrary to the assurance given to those who are instructed in the times and seasons, 1 Thess. v. 1—4,) and find them asleep, or off their watch, when they ought to be "looking for him and loving his appearing."

At the same time however that we wish to divest our publication of

its controversial character, it must not be inferred that we purpose to exclude all that militates against our own opinions; or to prevent reply when sentiments appear countenanced by ourselves, which our readers may be enabled to disprove. Our great aim and object is to elicit TRUTH, and to search and inquire what is really the mind of the Spirit revealed in the word of Prophecy. We are sensible that this is not to be attained unto, in such a manner as to afford confidence and satisfaction, without considering well what can reasonably be advanced on both sides of every disputed point. Were we left, indeed, merely to follow our own taste, we should, for ourselves, prefer the Investigator in its previous controversial form, and conducted on its former principle. For besides the numerous and able articles it contains on general prophetical topics, our attention has been drawn, by the discussion to which it has given rise, to various important subjects and considerations, which we think would probably not have been weighed by us. Besides which, the ground of many opinions and interpretations has been thoroughly discussed and sifted ; and while we are thereby enabled to regard some points as more decidedly confirmed, and not to be successfully disputed against by the wit and ingenuity of men; there are others, which we used to take for granted, that we have now been led to conclude cannot so well stand before a well directed and searching criticism.

We shall therefore consider it our duty to bring from time to time before the Reader those opinions which have been, in various ages and in different sections of the Church of Christ, seriously entertained; and though these opinions will necessarily be in numerous respects at variance, we think that the becom

ing gradually acquainted with them will in several respects be useful, and tend to promote a more complete understanding of the subject. And though we conceive that the Holy Spirit can at any time "shew us things to come," and may vouchsafe to unlearned individuals the right and true apprehension of a prophecy, which may have been hidden from ages and from generations, and from the wise and prudent in our own age; yet the ordinary mode, by which the Spirit teaches, is through the aid of those helps and means which that same Spirit has himself divided to men in the first instance, for the use of the Church and for the perfecting of the saints. We would therefore neither despise, nor reject without inquiry, the wisdom of former interpreters; nor would we turn a deaf ear to the objections made to many of their statements by modern interpreters both sides deserve attention; and to become acquainted with them will frequently prevent us from the dogmatical conceit that we are advancing something original ourselves; and will teach us likewise from what source many plausible modern theories, and objections to the ories, have at different times arisen.

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II. As regards the Year on which we are now entering, we are naturally led to consider, whether the necessity, importance and interest of the Work in which we are engaged may be said to have diminished; and whether the signs of the times are such, as to form any considerable argument for its continu

ance.

The state of political parties, and the warfare of principles, have long been such, as to form an unprecedented era in the history of Europe, and even of the world. We have been permitted to conclude another

year of strife and excitement; but such is nevertheless the prospect before us, that men of all parties and of all opinions, religious and political, appear to concur in the conviction, that human affairs are still rapidly hastening forward toward some important crisis. As regards indeed the nature of that crisis, great diversity of sentiment exists. Some view it as a general break up of the social system, introductory to that great tribulation which is to usher in the coming of the Lord. Others regard it as the break up of worn out political systems, which is to terminate in halcyon days, in which the happiness of mankind is to be wonderfully perfected by the general influence of democratic principles, and the partial banishment of religion; who, though she may be tolerated in the closet, or at the family hearth, is no longer to be in any way allowed to utter her voice abroad, or in connexion with the affairs of the state. A third party, viewing only the missionary efforts which are simultaneously going forward, consider that we are gradually but rapidly gliding by their means into a millennium of piety and universal holiness to the Lord. Now the BIBLE is the only source from which we can form any thing approaching to an accurate judgement of the real character and tendency of the events that are passing around us. word of Prophecy is specially a light for dark and troublous times:a and it is by its rays alone that the believer can derive solid comfort, and understand the peculiar duties which devolve upon him, and the peculiar dangers which he has to guard against: and more especially it behoves the priests, the ministers of the altar, to remember that they are placed as watchmen in Israel ;—that

a 2 Pet. 1. 19.

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it is their appointed office to tell their people "what of the night;"" what they see coming;"-whether it be " a sword" or " peace." (Ezek. XXXIII.)

Such is the duty of the ministers of religion: would that we could say that it were so generally acted upon, even by the devout portion of them, as to render useless the continuance of such an incentive to the study of prophecy, or of such a help to it, as we trust "The Investigator and Expositor" will approve itself. Many, we rejoice to say, have indeed had their attention earnestly drawn to the subject since our work com. menced; and the increase of sober conviction on this head is cheering: but there are still many who are grievously neglectful. When members of their flock would seek knowledge at their lips, and have inquired concerning prophecy, saying, "Read this I pray thee," the answer has been like those of old: "I cannot for it is sealed;" or I am not learned:"b whilst some, instead of candidly acknowledging their inability, have systematically discouraged the study of prophecy, or have treated it as a portion of the word of God not worthy of being ranked among the 66 all Scripture" that is " 'pro

fitable."

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It is indeed to be regretted, that some, who have evidently taken up the subject of prophecy, have indulged a dogmatical spirit which has disgusted, whilst others have fallen into insobriety that has alarmed; but these things are nothing more than what generally accompany the revival and earnest preaching of all doctrine. It is the constant proneness of erring human nature to run into extremes or extravagancies; and there is no subject whatsoever, which Satan has not endeavoured to disparage

b Isa. XXIX. 11. 12; 2 Tim. 111. 16. e Rom, VIII. 24.

by similar means. In the mean while however, the duty and responsibility of Christians remain the same, and God's Word remains the same: it plainly shows that we are liable, on the one hand, to be rebuked as hypocrites, if we are unable to discern the signs of the times; it declares, on the other hand, the blessedness of him that readeth (viz. the minister) and of them that hear (viz. the people) the words of that prophecy given in the Apocalypse.d

We may truly say then, in regard to our Work, "Is there not a cause ?" We cannot be wrong in endeavouring to incite our brethren to so much attention to the word of God, as will render them more watchful, and stir up the hope that is in them. This consideration is doubly cogent when it is remembered, that hope has exclusively a reference to things to come: "for we are saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope : for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for ?"e To take away therefore that portion of God's word which relates to things to come, is to remove the very food of hope, and to quench one of those three cardinal graces which were to abide in the Church throughout its period of trial.

Moreover, whatever may have been the disappointments of the Church, through false alarms having been raised at times of the Lord's coming; and however frequently its hope may have been deferred, until the heart of some may have become sick ;f it is not the proper remedy for this disappointment to let the Church fall into supineness and neglect of prophecy. The argument that pious men have been mistaken, would hold as good the very hour previous to the actual appearing of Jesus, as is does at the present day;

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and were it heeded therefore, the Church must inevitably be taken by surprise. It is declared however to be the special privilege of believers, that that day shall not overtake them as a thief; but that they shall be aware-not of the actual " day and hour," but of "the times and seasons."g And this can only be effected by turning to the prophecies, and ascertaining what withholdeth," and what are to be the signs of the times immediately to precede our Lord's advent.

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There are however circumstances which must create a considerable and particular interest in the minds of some, as regards the year on which we are now entering. Many have declared it to be the year in which great events shall come to pass. Bengelius, an eminent German expositor, has placed the beginning of the millennial reign of Christ in 1836.* John Wesley, in his exposition of the New Testament, brings to an end the time, times, and half a time of the Beast in 1836, and likewise the "little season" in which Satan rages with great wrath; though Wesley appears to be only a follower

of Bengelius. The Rev. W. A. Holmes, Chancellor of Cashel, terminates in 1836 five different important epochs; and proceeds on principles quite independent of Bengelius, and apparently is unconscious of the views of that writer.† Mr. Wolff likewise, the eminent Jewish Missionary, discovered a singular tradition among the Dervishes of Persia, respecting an expectation of the coming of Christ in 1836. In answer to a question put to one of this class, when he was at Meshed in 1831, the following short dialogue took place

J. Wolff-Why dost thou not speak?

Dervish, After the religion of Jesus shall be manifested, then I shall speak. J. W. When shall this be?

Der. After that Jesus shall have
been upon earth as you now are.
J. W. When shall he appear ?
Der. Five years hence.
J. W. What shall then happen?
Der. (In a melodious voice)
Thousand hearts shall then be one,
The Lamb and the Wolf shall together
lie down,

And Jesus shall then lay down his life.‡

* No expositor on the Continent has enjoyed more of popularity than Bengelius ; arising perhaps more from the circumstance of his publishing his works in German instead of Latin-which rendered them accessible to so much larger a class of readersthan from any superior understanding of his subject. Prophecy is not now, in any shape, popular on the continent; but almost all those who do attend to it are followers of Bengelius. A great number of persons of this description emigrated from the kingdom of Wirtemberg in 1818, under the impression that great judgements were about to fall on Germany. They settled at Miloshna, near Ekaterinaslov, and in other places in the east of Russia. We are informed that there are several thousands now existing at this place only, who have recently been visited by a Missionary of the London Society for promoting the conversion of the Jews, and that there are seven congregations of them also in Georgia, all of which are waiting in lively expectation of the Lord's advent in 1836.

† See a Review of Mr. Holmes's Work-"The Time of the End"-in Vol. iv, of the Investigator, p. 109.

See his Journal recently published, p. 130. This tradition as, regards Christ's laying down his life when he shall appear, seems to rest upon some confusion of the circumstances of the first and second advents, gleaned from the Holy Scriptures. The expectation prevails extensively among Mahometans, that their great Imam, Mohde, shall appear again, and cause their religion to prevail, and that he is to be immediately preceded by Jesus. Some sects of them consider that Mahomedanism is, on the contrary, destined to wane before Christ at his coming, and to disappear.

g 1 Thess. IV.

We candidly confess that we ourselves place no great reliance on the computations either of Bengelius or Mr. Holmes, neither on those of the Persian dervish; and so far as the year of the Advent of our Lord is concerned, we greatly question if it will be given to any to know that before hand: though we conceive, as we have previously intimated, that a knowledge of the times and seasons, and a watchful observance of the signs of the times, will enable the Church to be fully persuaded that her redemption must be at hand.* The circumstance which serves chiefly to attach any particular interest to these opinions is, the coincidence of several apparently independent interpretations and traditions in one year; though some of these are so manifestly erroneous and extravagant, as to deprive them in our estimation of any weight. We might be induced to consider more carefully the views of Bengelius, were we not led, in our own case, to the conclusion, that certain events (e. g. the slaying of the Witnesses, Rev. x1) have not yet come to pass; which events must occupy a longer space of time than the year we are entered on can allow them. We are willing to admit, that many able interpreters and critics have concluded that the Witnesses have been already put to death, and are now

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risen and if we could but feel convinced of this, it would remove from our minds one principal ground of hesitation which we experience in regard to some other systems of interpretation, which assign dates now near at hand for the termination of various events; but which dates we cannot bring ourselves seriously to entertain, until we have first seen those events to which we have alluded come to pass, or begin to come to pass.†

There is another event apparently at hand, which we view with different feelings; viz. the conclusion of the sixth Millennary of the world. The expectation, indeed, that at the end of the 6000 years the Millennium should commence, is not supported by any direct testimony of Scripture with which we are acquainted; but it is so very ancient and general a tradition in the Church,

having been maintained by the Jews anterior to Christ's advent, by the Christians of the two first centuries, and by the most judicious of our Reformers, that we cannot help regarding it ourselves with feelings of great interest. Now the Jews reckon, that they commenced the year 5996 from the Creation on the 25th of September 1835, which brings us within four years of the period named: but the correctness of their chronological computation

* Compare Matt. xxiv. 33 and 36; see also Luke xxI. 29 and 31.

+ Inclining as we do to the views of Presbyter in the former series of this Work, we conceive that the "three days and a half" (Rev. x1, 9) relate to mystical time. If however they can be proved to be literal time, then we shall be compelled to admit, that the 1260 days of verse 3 is also literal: in which case, we should be obliged further to contend, that the period of prophesying in sackcloth had not yet come to pass, neither many other events, which must occupy more than a year. We believe that the beast of Rev. XI. which slays the Witnesses, is not the same as the beast of Rev. XIV: at least, that the former is exhibited under a different aspect from the latter. We must own nevertheless, that we cannot lose sight of the view taken of the Witnesses, given by E. at Vol. 1. p. 185, of the Investigator. For excepting one particular, (viz. the viewing the Witnesses as continuing to prophesy in sackcloth after their resurrection,) the application of the events there brought forward to the language of the prophecy appears to us so complete, as to incline us at least to the opinion, that those events may have a two-fold fulfilment, the one in mystical time, the other in literal time, and by a different class of events. To this subject however we shall have an opportunity of recurring hereafter.

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