when in his account of Justin's works, he remarks: "He also makes mention of the Revelation of John; saying plainly, (apws) that it was the [work] of the Apostle."

This luminous testimony of Justin, so vouched, (independent of the additional testimonies of Irenæus, Origen, Theophilus, Jerom, &c.) alone outweighs all the fine spun cob-web arguments of the sceptical Michaelis; insidiously* endeavouring to sap the authority of the Apocalypse, by questioning its authenticity; or affecting to leave the point undecided, whether it is to be accounted a spurious production or not, (See this Mag. vol. III, p. 403-404.And who, though he cites this testimony, in his last volume, p. 466, (Marsh's translation) either would not, or could not appreciate its decisive evidence: For Justin was a Samaritan by birth, and a philosopher by profession and practice; "who, according to the eulogy of Photius, approved himself such, by his discourses, by his life, and by his habits;" and he was born about A. D. 89, in the life time of the Apostle: Consequently, from his vicinity, from his age, and from his profession, (becoming a convert to Christianity from conviction, and sealing his noble testimonies thereto, with his blood, " in sure and certain hope of that resurrection of the body," &c which he so strongly expressed by the term, capa.)-He was most abundantly competent to form an unerring judgment on the question.

And this venerable martyr, to confirm the doctrine, appeals immediately after to the declaration of Christ:

They that are accounted worthy of obtaining that life (Te alwvOS EXEIVE) and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage, neither can they die any more, for they are like angels, and are Sons of GOD, being Sons of the resurrection," (Luke xx. 36-37.)

The important distinction between the first and the general resurrection, is likewise taught by OUR Lord, in the following passage, John v. 24-29.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever heareth my discourse, and believeth in him that sent me, hath eternal life, and is not to come into judgment, but hath_migrated (μerabonner) from death to life.

"Verily verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming and

*The term

insidiously" may sound harsh, applied to so celebrated a biblical Critic:-But let the reader look to his obscuration of the famous prophecy of Daniel's seventy weeks; and his disparagement of its Anportance, in THE INSPECTOR, p. 194—200.

is now [at hand], when the [righteous] dead shall hear the voice of the SON OF GOD; and they that hear, shall live, [at the first resurrection]:-For as the FATHER hath life in himself, so gave HE also to THE SON, to have life in himself, and gave him authority to execute judgment also, because he is SON OF MAN.—

"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the sepulchres shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, [at the general resurrection]: they that have done good, unto resurrection of life, and they that have wrought evil, unto resurrection of Judgment."

Strangely overlooking the powerful evidence for the first resurrection, furnished by this luminous passage, compared with the foregoing, some commentators misapply it to the raising of Lazarus immediately after; others, to" the Saints that arose with him," Matt. xxvii. 52, misled by the phrase, "the hour is now [at hand] (DUP 1) which only marks the nearness of the first, compared with the general resurrection, 1 Pet. iv. 5; 2 Pet. iii. 8.) That the righteous dead, indeed, or "they that are CHRIST'S," alone shall hear the voice of the SON OF GOD, at the first resurrection, is evident from 1 Cor. xv. 23; Rev. xx. 4-5; Matt. xxiv. 31. Other commentators dream of a spiritual resurrection, or conversion of the Gentiles to the faith! thus undermining "the resurrection of the flesh."

To guard, as it were by anticipation, against those mischievous perversions of his doctrine, OUR LORD most fully and explicitly unfolds it, in his interesting and sublime conversation with Martha, immediately before the raising of Lazarus; John xi. 23–26.

"Jesus saith unto her, Thy Brother shall rise again, "Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again at the last day.

"JESUS saith unto her, I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE, he that believeth in Me, though he die [here], yet shall he live hereafter: And every one that [then] liveth and believeth in Me, shall die no more for ever."

In this noble and magnificent climax, OUR LORD rises from this life to the next; and from the next, to eternity; but it is miserably obscured by our vague public translation of the passage; "though he were dead yet shall he live," apparently confining it to Lazarus; to whom however, the latter branch-and" whosoever liveth and be lieveth in me shall never die," is literally inapplicable and

impossible;

impossible; for Lazarus died again, and surely all mortals must pass through the gates of death unto eternal life.

The expression 8 μη αποθάνη εις τον αιώνα, is a fine amplif

cation of the foregoing; ετε γαρ αποθανειν ετι δυνανίαι, "neither

can they die any more," Luke xx. 36; but it is elliptical, put for 8 μηκετι αποθάνη εις τον αιώνα, "shall die no more for ever" as the ellipsis is actually supplied in our Lord's awful curse against the barren fig tree, Μηκετι εκ σε καρπος γενηται εις τον αιώνα. "Let fruit grow on thee no more for ever," Matt. xxi. 19: Mark, xiv. 14; and the climax itself is founded on the Rock CHRIST; who is the author of the resurrection to eternal life, to all that believe and obey him, (Acts xiii. 15; Heb. v. 9; John xx. 21, &c.) as being invested by HIS FATHER, with that essential attribute of THE DEITY (falsely supposed by Metaphysi cians, to be incommunicable)→SELF EXISTENCE" TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF," (John v. 26; x. 18;) as further asserted by OUR LORD, at his last stupendous manifestation of himself in glory to" the beloved" and enraptured disciple" "" whom he loved unto the end"-as most deserv ing of his love:

"I AM THE FIRST and THE LAST and THE LIVING;

And I became DEAD; and lo, I AM LIVING FOR EVERMORE:
And I hold the keys of HADES and of DEATH.”

Rev. i, 17-18. See a more correct translation of the whole of this glorious and stupendous vision, in THE INSPECTOr, p. 72, &c.

Our blessed LORD indeed, both "by his Gospel," and by his own resurrection, "illustrated life and incorruption," 2 Tim. i. 10, with a clearness and "assurance,' unknown before, Acts xvii. 31; but He taught no novel doctrine: Martha, we see, professed her belief of a resurrection at the last day; and Paul preached it to the Athenian Philosophers; and this was the prevailing opinion of the most enlightened Jews, especially of the sect of the Pharisees, in that age, (Acts xxiii. 6-8; xxiv. 14-15; xxvi. 5-6); and of the most ancient and eminent Heathen Philosophers. On what that belief was founded, how early it was introduced, and how extensively it was diffused throughout the heathen world, until the primitive doctrine was gradually" spoiled," corrupted and supplanted by " vain philosophy," affecting to be" wise above what was written," or revealed, Rom. i. 22; are curious and interesting enquiries, connected

with the subject, which (God willing) shall be discussed in my next communication.

I cannot dismiss this arduous, abstruse and comprehensive CRITICISM ON OUR LORD'S PROPHECIES, (now cleared, I trust, of a considerable part of the rubbish with which they have been so long encumbered, by the accumulation of sundry "received" but ill founded "hypotheses;" unfortunately still countenanced by respectable and imposing authorities) without once more solicit ing and beseeching the patient and unprejudiced attention of the most learned, and the most enlightened, thereto. What I have written is the honest and conscientious result of no short nor slight research and rumination, and should not therefore, be fastidiously neglected, nor inconsiderately rejected; especially, respecting a subject, not merely of idle curiosity, but of the most serious and awakening importance to all.

Indeed, I cannot help feeling and expressing some degree of disappointment and mortification, that it has hitherto attracted the hasty notice of only one Noviceyour "youthful" and mystical correspondent, Juvenis, whose literary appetite is considerably greater than his digestion; and whose elaborate, but I apprehend, utterly insufficient vindication of his "general and particular principles," detailed in the three last numbers, beginning with March, shall, please GOD, be inspected, for the further elucidation of the subject, as soon as more urgent and important avocations will permit.

SIR,

MAGAZINE.

you did me the honour, some time ago, to insert,

As at the suggestion of my learned and excellent

friend, THE LONDON CURATE, my collation of the Hebrew lxx, and English texts, relative to the receptacle of departed Souls, I trust you will not think the follow

ing table of texts on a much more important subject unworthy your notice.

The phrase abs m, Gen. i. 2. rendered by our Translators the SPIRIT of GOD, is, by the generality of Christian commentators, considered as designating the third person in the Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit, here exerting his creative power. The Jews, on the other hand, ancient as well as modern, consider it as denoting nothing more than a mighty wind; the word 'n' being added as intensive, to denote its vehemence; in the same manner as " Ps. xxxvi. 6, signifies very high mountains, or as bab by Jon. iii. 3, signifies an exceeding great city. See Glassii Philolog. sacra, a Dathio, vol. I, p. 44.

Now, if this latter interpretation were correct, it is probable that, where the same phrase occurs, it would be not unfrequently used in the same sense. Let us see whether this be the case.

occurs no רוח אלוה or רוח יהוה רוח אלהים The phrase

fewer than forty-six times in the sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament, exclusive of the passage in Gen. i. 2. It occurs Gen. xli. 38; Exod. xxxi. 3, xxv. 31; Numb. xxiv. 2; Judg. iii. 10, vi. 84, xi. 29, xiii. 25, xiv. 6—19, . xv. 14; 1 Sam. x. 6, 10, xi. 6, xvi. 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, xviii. 10, xix. 9, 20, 23; 2 Sam. xxiii, 2; 1 Kings xviii. 12, xix. 11, xxii. 24; 2 Kings ii. 16; 2 Chron. xv. 1, xviii. 23, xx. 14, xxiv. 20; Job xxvii. 3, xxxiii. 4, Isai. xi. 2, xl. 7—13, lix. 19, lxi. 1, lxiii. 14; Ezek. xi. 5, 24, xxxvii. 1; Hos. xiii. 5; Mic. ii. 7, iii. 8.

Now of these passages I insist that the following can be taken in no other sense than as signifying that person in the blessed Trinity, who, by his gracious influences excites in us proper motives to action, and vouchafes us his assistance that we may obey his impulse.

Gen. xli. 38; Exod. xxxi. 3; xxxv. 31; Numb. xxiv. 2; Judges, iii. 10, vi. 34, xi. 29, xiii. 25, xiv. 6—19, xv. 14; 1 Sam. x. 6-10, xi. 6, xvi. 13-xix. 20-23; 2 Sam. xxiii. 2; 1 Kings, xxii. 24; 2 Chron. xv. 1, xviii. 23, xx. 14, xxiv. 20; Job. xxxiii. 4; Isai. xi. 2, xl. 7—13; lxi. 1, lxiii. 14; Ezek. xi. 5; Mic. ii. 7, iii. 8.

I have adduced Isai. xl. 7, under this first class, though perhaps 'some of your readers may imagine I ought rather to have ranged it under the following which I term doubtful. But as I find in the 13th verse of the same chapter the phrase indisputably denoting LI

Vol. VII. Church. Mag. Oct. 1804.

the