the atmosphere with which we are surrounded, and which is between the waters above, and the waters or seas below. For proof: did not God, while in a great passion, threaten Zephaniah, (i. 3.) that he would consume man and beasts, with the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea which you must acknowledge, could mean no other than the fowls of the air. However, it is a good thing for our worthy Aldermen, that this God is not a man of his word, else they would have fewer dishes for their civic feasts! Besides whenever this God calls to any of his creatures out of heaven, they can always hear him very plainly; 10 which proves it to be at hand, and not afar off. Jacob has moreover assured us, that he has seen the gate of heaven, through which the angels go in and out, by means of a ladder, situated between Haram and Beersheba !!1

As we find on earth, that every kingdom is divided into principalities, provinces, counties, &c., so we find that this heaven is divided also into principalities, thrones, dominions, &c. there being many different ranks and stations in it; else how could every man be rewarded according to his work?12 Some are called great, and some least:13 differing in glory, as one star differeth from another.1 4 Though I cannot see much difference in the stars, save that which is caused by their distance; owing to my not being possessed of the eye of faith, I suppose.

Paul informs us that he was caught up into the third heaven, that is no doubt the third floor; where he heard the lodgers or inhabitants thereof, speak things which it appears he was ashamed to repeat; they being not lawful for a man to utter. 15 If they had been good and edifying, ministering grace unto the hearers, we may be assured that Paul would have communicated them to us. And by what more we learn from him, neither is it lawful for a man to imitate their actions; for no sooner was he arrived there, than they began to buffet him in a most shameful manner. I suppose it was for not giving the messenger of Satan a satisfactory answer, when sent to him; perhaps to know what

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he wanted there? as we read that there are principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places. 16 It is then most probable that this third heaven was Satan's territories, or how should Satan's messenger find him there? or by what authority could he buffet an ambassador of Christ, if he had not been found trespassing on forbidden ground? However, as we find that Paul was a queer odd fellow, being born out of due time ;17 not knowing whether he was in the body, or out of the body, yet possessing two bodies, a natural body, and a spiritual body;18 forming two men, the outward man, and the inward man, or the old man, and the new man;19 being a dead man, and a live man, 20 compounded together, it is therefore most probable that such a being got kicked out of Satan's territories, for being a fool; which he acknowledged himself to be, when he wrote to the Corinthians; 2 1 besides being rude in speech, and contemptible, 22 as no dependance could be placed on him, through hist craftiness;2 23 sometimes he was one thing and sometimes another, 24 serving either party to obtain that which suited best his own interest.

Elijah, we are told, went to heaven in a whirlwind ;25 which probably was the first heaven; it being unreasonable to suppose that the King of heaven would grant him permission to ascend higher, attended with such a storm. That there must be different heavens cannot be disputed, by David saying that the waves of the sea sometimes mount up to the heaven;26 which certainly could not mean the same heaven that the men of Babel were determined to reach ;27 else God would have betrayed the same fear at the waves, as he did at the tower of Babel; which probably, if he had not come down and prevented its completion, might have reached his heaven of heavens !2 8

Should further proof be required to demonstrate that this heaven which the bible God made, is at hand, and not afar off, being the space between the seas below, and the clouds or waters above, it is the short interval of time which elapsed between the conversation of Jesus

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with his disciples, and his entry into heaven.29 proves the ignorance of our forefathers, who taught that this heaven was situated somewhere beyond the sun; nay some even thought that it was placed far beyond the fixed stars! But were this the case, how could Jesus have got into heaven so soon, when you tell us, that a cannon ball would not reach the nearest of these fixed stars, within 2,000,000 of years? Therefore, admitting that Jesus flew one thousand times swifter than a cannon ball would fly from the mouth of a cannon, he cannot have reached this heaven yet, according to their account of it. But, if we admit the Bible account to be correct, namely, that the atmosphere which surrounds the earth, is the heaven that the bible-God made, then the sudden entry of Jesus into it, will seem more plausible; concerning which, I shall speak more hereafter.

Verse 3. "For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

If we look into the "Gospel according to St. Mark,” we shall perceive that he has found out more prophets that spoke of John; for he says, that it is written, "behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee;"30 which words I find, in part, written in the book of Malachi, (iii. 1.) and which Mr Mark has thought proper to connect with the words spoken by Isaiah. (xl. 3.) But if we notice, Isaiah says, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Instead of which, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, have all written, make his paths straight. A clear proof that they copied each other, without regarding the words or meaning of Isaiah; whereas, John differs from them all!3 1

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As Jesus has enjoined all those who read, to understand what they do read, 2 let us inquire what did Isaiah and Malachi mean, when they spake these words unto the people? and what reference can they have to the preaching of John the Baptist?

First, we find that Malachi, like the rest of the prophets, poured forth maledictions on the priests, (so true it is, that two of a trade can never agree, by saying, that the Lord had cursed them,33 because they had not kept his ways, as the messengers of the Lord of hosts ought to have done, but had corrupted the covenant of Levi. 34 Therefore, he tells them, that he will send a messenger, (nothing here about faces) that shall prepare the way before him; that is, before Malachi, for it is Malachi who is speaking, and he expressly says before me. "Then will the Lord visit his temple; and the messenger of the covenant he also shall come, him whom ye delight in, saith the Lord of hosts.”35 Now what relation has this passage to the preaching or person of John the Baptist? How could the people delight in a man of whom they had never heard? For, if John the Baptist was the messenger of the covenant that was promised, he did not come till nearly 500 years after those persons were all dead and buried, according to the Bible chronology. And, instead of the people delighting in him, when he did come, he was only known to them a short time, having been brought up in a desert :3 6 and as soon as he made his appearance among them, he was put in prison for using seditious language, and shortly afterwards beheaded.87

This messenger of the covenant, it is evident, means a teacher of the law, or an interpreter, as Job (xxxiii. 23.) calls them; who says, "that there were one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness;" to whom Isaiah (xlii. 19.) also alluded, when he said, that the Lord sent Messengers to the people in his days; teachers to instruct them in the right way, whenever they should turn to the right hand or to the left. 3 8

Besides, the character of John did not answer the description given by Malachi of the messenger; for he asks, who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire he shall sit as a refiner, and purify the sons of Levi. 39 Whereas, John had nothing to do with the sons of Levi, more than the sons of other people. And instead of sitting as a refiner and purifier of silver, he

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is described as being more like unto an old washerwoman by the river side!

But who was this Malachi? In what age did he live? as we find him placed after all the other prophets: Though, this does not prove that he was the last, as none of the others are placed in a regular order, according to their succession; for Amos, and Micah, who lived in the days of Uzziah and his son Jotham, are both placed after Jeremiah, who lived in the days of Zedekiah, 160 years after the days of Jotham. Also Nahum, Joel, and Jonah, the last of whom prophecied, it is said, long before the reign of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, King of Israel;40 yet they are placed after Daniel and Ezekiel, who lived during the captivity! Neither is it a proof that Malachi lived after the captivity, in consequence of his name not being mentioned in either the book of Chronicles or Kings; as none of the others are mentioned, excepting Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Jonah. But there are some grounds for supposing that he must have lived long before the captivity, (if such a man did ever exist) seeing that he makes no allusion to the captivity, like the others who lived after it. And his language convinces us, that he must have lived at a time when they had their priests and temples, by his saying, that the people had robbed God in tithes and offerings. Therefore, he commands them to bring meat into the house of the Lord, and the tithes into the store-house. 4 1

As I have already shewed you, in my first letter, that this book contains many typographical errors, is it not possible, that this Malachi was the same prophet who lived in the days of Ahab and Jehosophat, kings of Israel and Judah, called Micaiah, 42 who heard the Lord send forth lying spirit into the mouths of 400 prophets? There is not so much difference between Micaiah and Malachi, as between Ozias and Azariah; who are both spoken of as being the same person, viz. the father of Jotham; 43 for if Malachi were transposed, and the letter / changed for an i, it would form the word Micaiah: especially as he promised to send the prophet Elijah to them, who, we are told, was

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