calm as from beings that are passionless. Their words are, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory." Those voices are of the angels of love. Listen yet again--there are other voices singing, and their thrilling tone tells that they have suffered, but now are glad; and they sing, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy ways, thou king of saints!" And this anthem is from the saints of the Most High. True is your song, oh, ye sons of light!-true is your song, ye redeemed of God! Heaven has but one song, and earth, with her thousand voices, echoes it again- --THE GLORY OF THE CREATOR. And yet these state churchmen say that God cannot preserve his own truth, without one of their Acts of Parliament to help him with tithes and church - rates! Verily, they 66 are the men, and wisdom will die with them." We will show what their state church has done for the world. J. G. LEE. (To be continued.) "COMPARING SPIRITUAL THINGS WITH SPIRITUAL." NO. II. ADAM AND JESUS. A CAREFUL and minute attention to what the scriptures teach concerning Adam being a figure of him that was to come;-in other words, the wonderful parallel between these two men will be found very instructive. The apostle speaks of it in Rom. v. 12, &c.; and we find the same parallel 1 Cor. xv. in the expressions, "the first man and the second man"-"the first Adam and the last Adam;" where the apostle shows what is come, firstly by the one, and then by the other-our relation first to the one, and then to the other. We may observe, however, that the parallel between the first and second man is rather in the way of contrast than of likeness. There is likeness, indeed, in some particulars; especially in this, that one act of one person in both cases brought after it such amazing results, and to multitudes as well as himself, as may be seen in every verse Rom. v. 15-19. But the contrast is seen both in the nature of the act, and the nature of its effects-the good which comes through the man Christ Jesus to those who are his, being opposed to the judgment which came by Adam on all that are his; that is, on all the human race. Contrast, however, or resemblance, are both alike suited to a parallel between one thing and another, as is most evidently the case here. We have, then, in the first place to consider what is revealed concerning the first man, that we might trace distinctly in what respects and under what considerations he is "a figure of him that was to come." I. We learn that he was made "in the image of God" (Gen. i. 26; v. 1) which consists in three things; namely, his outward form, his intelligent mind, and the faculty of speech. Firstly, that the outward form of man is like unto God, is plain from the fact, that whenever God was pleased to appear to men, this was his form, and he is on this account described as a man (Gen. xviii. 2.) This is one instance among many which will occur to those who know the scriptures. As God invariably appeared as a man, we therefore conclude that no other form could be God's form, if he were pleased to cause himself to be seen. For though form is not essential to God's existence, as it is to that of creatures, yet it must be essential to his appearing, if it is his will to shew himself. Secondly, the mind or spirit of man, as capable of knowing and reflecting upon the things of itself, is indeed in the likeness of God; much so, that the spirit of God is compared to the spirit of a man in SO this respect, namely, its intelligence and self reflection, as it is said, "What man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God" (Cor. ii. 11.) 66 : lay in his preferring his own will to Thirdly, the power of speech belongs to man as a creature with a rational mind, and is inseparable from it; therefore his tongue is called his glory (Ps. xvi. 9) "My glory rejoiceth," quoted by the Apostle, "My tongue was glad" (Acts ii. 26; Ps. xxx. 12.) If intelligence or reason is always united in the form of man, and the gift of speech, and that no one of these things is found apart from the other two in the creation of God, whether | But the evil was, not in the kind of in heaven or earth, then it appears that in these three things the image of God is seen; and it is, therefore, an error to say that man when he sinned lost the image of God, or fell from it for which of these three things did he lose? Besides that, he is spoken of in his present condition as still in the image of God. (Gen. ix. 6; 1 Cor. xi. 7.) II. God having thus made and constituted man he gave him dominion over all the works of his hands. So we read Gen. i. 25, as it is again testified of in Ps. viii. more particularly, where he is said to be crowned with glory and honor, and all things put under his feet; which is shown by the Apostle in Hebrews ii. to mean that he should ultimately have dominion over all things in heaven and earth; though we should not know this to be the meaning of the prophet without the interpretation of the Holy Ghost by the mouth of an apostle. III. God gave Adam a command suited to such a creature as he then was a creature without sin. The command, which is recorded Gen. ii. 16-17, was a test of obedience; but if we consider the nature of it, it does not suppose any sin in Adam that he should desire the thing which he was forbidden to touch. The whole evil thing committed, but in Adam being disobedient to God; and God's judgment upon Adam's transgression sufficiently shows, if we will take his word, whether the offence was small or great in his sight! It is true there was no inherent or moral evil in eating of this tree more than any other tree, except that God had said he should not eat of it; but this very consideration has great instruction in it in more ways than one. It shows, as already observed, that it might be desired by a sinless creature; if there was nothing desirable in it, it could be no test of Adam's obedience, but it was in this very respect suited to Adam as he was. It is also herein essentially distinguished from the commandments of the law, which could not be, as they were not-given to man before he sinned, for reasons which we shall see. IV. God attached a penalty to the transgression of the command given to Adam, and this was death. Gen. ii. 16, "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die ;”—that is, the spirit should depart out of the body, and the body return to the dust from whence it came; including, however, all the sorrow which was henceforth the portion of man in this world; for so it is expressed in the sentence pronounced by God upon Adam after he sinned (Gen. iii. 17-19.) Adam became mortal from this time, or subject to death, which would at last infallibly overtake him—so that in this sense, in the day that he ate of the fruit, he died. V. This judgment of God came not only on Adam himself, but on all mankind with him. Adam was now become a sinner, and thereby subject to death, and all who stand in a natural relation to him being his descendants or seed, came by his transgression into the same condition. The fact needs no proving, that all men are both sinful and subject to death; and the way in which this came to pass, God has revealed in this place (Romans v.) Thus we read, verse 12, "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned;" and verse 19, "By one man's disobedience many were made sinners." Men, therefore, are not subject to death independently of sin, but as the consequence of it; not, however, because they have committed sin, or broken a commandment as Adam did, but through being unclean and unholy in their nature, which "filthiness of the flesh" prepares for, and infallibly leads to, the commission of sin as soon as it can be done. We should distinguish this evil which is in the flesh from transgression, however it surely and constantly leads to it; for transgression is the breach of a commandment, and therefore necessarily supposes a commandment. This distinction will be the subject of the next paper. June, 1849. A. B. LETTER ON THE QUERIST'S DEPARTMENT. THIS is an age of progress and of great production, for realties begin to outrun imagination, and the memory staggers under the novel occurrences of a month. It amuses me to com pare the past with the present — the ancient and the modern part, with the astounding present. By the ancient part, I mean from Julius Cæsar to Queen Elizabeth; and from the reign of that man-like woman to George the Second, I mark the modern part. The great John Locke, of England, writing to a friend in Dublin, remarked, that but for the wide and dangerous sea that rolled between them, and the great hazard and fatigue of the voyage, he would urge him to visit England, but forbore to urge him by enumerating more dangers and difficulties than the most unsailorlike of modern men would think of urging against a trip across the Atlantic! In a late English paper I saw an account of a steam-boat that had crossed from Holyhead to Kingstown in a little better than three hours. For the last three months I have had the pleasure to receive your valuable miscellany in advance of its American namesake. Thanks to prompt editors, printers, and steam. I look it over with peculiar interest, and with great pleasure and profit. In my judgment, from its judicious selections and its numerous original essays, it is second to no paper in our ranks, except its Onomanic parent. I was particularly pleased with the communications of your three Baptist correspondents in the May number. I am glad you treat them with respect, because I can say of Baptists, that with all their faults, I love them still. I remember with how much pleasure I pored over some of the first volumes of the Baptist Magazine, and with what eagerness I read some essays intended to show that since the days of the Apostles there have always lived men to contend for the faith and the precepts of Jesus. My young heart beat for joy as the writer would trace them out in Italy, in Spain, in Bohemia, in the valleys of Piedmont, and in all the fastnesses of the Alps. The querist's department is an interesting part of your paper. As editor, you should sit in judgment upon all queries sent to you, and publish none but such as are wise, prudent, and practical. The first query on the May cover is a speculative query. "It is said in the 18th chapter of Genesis, that three angels visited Abraham, &c.; will the reading of that chapter justify the opinion that it was Melchisedec and two of his companions who visited and addressed Abraham, and not angelic beings?" I do not think the reading of that chapter will justify any man that denies its facts; but although I believe that they were heavenly and not earthly beings, I have my opinion about the Sadducean origin of this query. Either the writer is a materialist, or he has been puzzled with some lucubrations of that very enlightened class. Moses was truly unfortunate, if he meant us to have the opinion that Melchisedec and companions called upon Abraham, that he did not say so. We shall have a strange revelation, if when it is said "The LORD appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre,” we learn from this that it was Melchisedec and not Jehovah ! How could Melchisedec have known that Sarah laughed when she was in the tent door which was behind him? Moreover, two of the three went towards Sodom, and Jehovah still conversed with Abraham, and told him of the destruction of that devoted city. Did Melchisedec destroy Sodom and Gomorrah ?* The 2nd query is of the same genus, but still it contains an idea which is gravely entertained by many believing and faithful men- -"Had the apostles any authority from the Lord, or from the prophets, to elect one to fill the place of Judas the apostate? and can Matthias be considered an apostle, * It would be a difficult matter to prove that Melchisedec (Shem) lived one hundred years with Abraham. Besides, the Heavenly Father appeared to man in the form of man. In this character did he not converse with Adam in the garden in the cool of the day? ED. seeing that he was chosen in the absence of the Messiah, and the only one chosen by men ?" The two-fold character of this query may be answered by one short question, “Was Luke inspired?" If Luke was inspired, and has not reversed their decision, but given it the sanction of his pen, we may ask, "By what authority do uninspired men call in question the acts and doings of the Spirit ?" Peter said that the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of David, had foretold the fall of Judas, and the appointment of another to his oversight "Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein; and his bishopric let another take." After praying for the direction of the lot, and after the selection of Matthias, it is written, "And he was numbered with the eleven apostles." Now I vote that he stay there; and that, after a union so lawful and so sacred was consummated with so much dignity by the Holy Spirit, speaking through David, and acting through Peter, we all of us agree to act upon the maxim, "What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder ;" and further, that inasmuch as after the descent of the Spirit on Pentecost, no objection was made to Matthias, as we say in another ceremony, "Let all hereafter hold their peace.' The 3rd query is less airy and more substantial than the other two: "In what way are we to understand 1 Cor. iii. 12-15, if the work of any one shall be burned, he will suffer loss; himself, however, shall be saved, yet so as by fire ?" Paul is speaking about Christ as a foundation, and his people as established upon him. In Corinth some were falling in love with men, and joining the church from attachment to teachers; these were wood, hay, and stubble. When they would be persecuted for the sake of Christ, and find that they had no love for him, they would give back, and the man who converted them would lose his work; but having himself love for Christ, he would not shrink from his profession by the fires of persecution, but like the gold, silver, and precious stones, would be the purer and shine the brighter by the trial. "Is the kingdom of glory, or the kingdom of God on earth, that which the Apostle says, flesh and blood cannot inherit ?" The connection shows that it is the kingdom of glory. Paul is speaking about the change that will take place at the resurrection, and showing that we have two models, Adam and Christ. We wear the image of Adam here-we are of the earth, earthy. When the Lord comes we shall be raised in his likeness, and Paul, to enforce this idea, and to show the absolute necessity of this change, says, "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." Alas! that men should deny the kingdom of God on earth, and dream of such an earthly kingdom in Heaven! The last query may find its answer above in what is said on query 3. In putting forth inquiries we should always have an eye to some practical good, and should never encourage a vain-glorious wish to show our parts, for almost always it happens that he who thinks he is wise is certainly foolish, and he who imagines himself deep is awfully shallow. I say not this to reflect on the persons who wrote the above queries, but with an eye to showing the necessity of keeping to the bread of life, the real and substantial truths, and facts, and precepts of the word of God. J. H. Richmond, Va. May 16th, 1849. LETTERS FROM EUROPE. NO. XXX. MY DEAR CLARINDA-In my last letter I informed you of my safe arrival at Moree, in the county of Tyrone. This is the residence-and a very respectable residence it is—of brother John Tener, the most prominent of our Irish brethren in the cause of reformation. Many years ago—in the days of the Christian Baptist—a number of copies of that work, and some others then published by me, had been ordered to Ireland. One of these, accidentally, as we sometimes say, fell into the hands of William Tener, a very talented and promising youth, then a resident of the city of Londonderry. A small society of Independent or Haldanean brethren, had worshipped together for several years in the house of his father, Robert Tener, then residing near Dungannon. William, at that time engaged in trade at Derry, got so much inspired with zeal and love for the truth, that he immediately engaged in its advocacy. Enamoured with the views developed in the Christian Baptist, he fearlessly and eloquently became their advocate on all occasions, and successfully too, for the whole society meeting in Tyrone, through his instrumentality, were induced to give them a favorable hearing, which terminated in their general conviction of their truthfulness and importance. This most promising youth was of a delicate constitution, and whilst on his passage to the United States, fell a prey to consumption. His brother Isaac, who was then his companion, had the melancholy pleasure of witnessing his triumphant death, and of seeing his body committed to the mighty deep, in hope of a blissful resurrection when the sea shall give up the dead that are in it. The cause of original Christianity has not much spread in that county, through the want of public advocates -not one, indeed, of commanding talents being engaged in its public advocacy. Brother Henshall, as in Belfast, had, with much acceptance to the community, filled a number of my appointments, reaching from that city to Newry. We had a favorable |