these days," and entered particularly into the subject of the millennial blessedness, or restitution of all things. His testimony upon that subject is doubly valuable, because it comprises the promise, upon which the faith of the apostles concerning that blessed hope" was built, and Christians know that there is no shadow of turning with God, where his promises are concerned, being all yea and amen in Christ.

CHAPTER IV.

ZEPHANIAH, a contemporary with Jeremiah in the first years of that prophet, commences his prophecy with a prediction of the judgments coming on Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, which he foretels in very forcible language in the first chapter. He calls that visitation "a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress," (ver. 15,) and "the day of the Lord's wrath;" (ver. 18,) which is, therefore, to be considered as typical of the time of trouble," which is now at hand, and of "the great day of the Lord," which "cometh, as a thief in the night,"3 upon the children of darkness.

1

1 Daniel xii. 1.

2 Malachi iv. 5.

3

1 Thess. v. 2: 2 Pet. iii. 10.

In the second chapter we meet with exhortations to repentance, and threatenings of judgment against the Philistines, Moabites, &c.; but no direct reference to the latter day, until we reach the third; and here the prophet passes from the narrow boundaries of the then visible church, and the nations which were brought in contact with her, to a more remote and more extensive view of her condition, when the Lord "will gather the nations, that He may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them his indignation, even all his fierce anger, for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of his jealousy."

The next passage (ver. 8,) contains the following promise. "Then will I turn to the people (or 'peoples' i. e. the Gentiles) a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve Him with one consent." As I have elsewhere stated, this passage conveys to the mind an intimation that, in that day, God will remove the curse of Babel, that all "peoples" may call upon the name of the Lord with one language, (even the Jew's,) and "with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1

In the next verse the return of the dispersed Jews is foretold. "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my

1 Romans xv. 6.

dispersed, shall bring mine offering:" the offering of themselves, in body, soul, and spirit, as living sacrifices, "acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." In that day, the Lord will take away out of the midst of them those that rejoice in their pride, and they shall no more be haughty because of his holy mountain. Thus the Lord will fit them for their blessed estate by making them humble and meek, which is the feature of those who "shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." No longer shall they be puffed up with pride because of their spiritual privileges and fancied superiority over the other children of Adam, as in the days of old. "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man,” was their boast in our Lord's day upon earth, and thus they were haughty because of God's "holy mountain." Then, however, the Lord himself will take away their pride, they will learn of Him, who was meek and lowly in heart and shall find rest unto their souls.1 The difficulties of the next verse are removed by Dr. Homes' translation. "I will cause to remain in thee a people that is humble and meek, or poor in spirit, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." 2

Matthew xi. 29.

21 will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.' (Zeph. iii. 12.) This last clause of trusting in the name of the Lord, con

The remainder of the chapter speaks so plainly of the restoration of the seed of Abraham and of their future blessedness, that he who runs may read it; and therefore no comment of mine can be required by any who, in humbleness of mind, will consider the passage.

HABAKKUK next claims our attention. The first chapter foretels the judgment, which should fall upon the people by the hand of the Chaldeans. The second shews how the Lord would requite the Chaldeans for "the violence of Lebanon ;" and, whilst the destruction of literal Babylon is predicted, we may herein discover that Babylon the great, who, in after ages, should make all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication," was foredoomed of God to destruction. In this chapter, however, we find a passage familiar to the ears of every one, who has listened to the addresses of public speakers at our anniversaries of existing societies for the last twenty years, and which their ears have almost as often heard unscripturally applied to the success which shall crown their very feeble

tains the very life and power of godliness; and for the first clause, whoever can well weigh the Hebrew, will confess, that the words may equally and better be rendered, 'I will cause to remain in thee a people that is humble and meek, or poor in spirit,' as Arias, the Septuagint, and the Syriac and Arabic render it." Resurrection Revealed, p. 202. See also Matt. v. 5, and Pole's Syn. on Zeph. iii. 2.

exertions. I The words to which I refer are these. "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." The accomplishment of this word is yet future; as all will acknowledge: the When and the How are the present questions. As it respects the first, the Scriptures furnish us with a reply. They inform us that it shall be "when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus

1 Let not the reader think that the writer of this work is opposed to existing societies. He has long considered it, and still considers it, a duty and privilege to be officially connected with them; but, as a minister of the truth of God, he is entirely opposed to the practice of dragging in the sacred Scriptures, contrary to their meaning, to support any cause, however good, by giving unscriptural encouragement to expectations which have been unscripturally raised in the minds of men. Existing societies have their proper work, and proper gift of God for that work, one after this manner, another after that. But they arrogate far too much to themselves; and their advocates, who uphold such a practice, are but false friends, when they speak of these societies" evangelizing the earth." Evangelizing the earth indeed!! What society amongst them all can say, with truth, of any ten square miles of its most flourishing operations, that it has evangelized that? And if not that speck of ground, how much less shall it evangelize the whole earth! This the writer is persuaded they never will do, because the Bible teaches that it is reserved for another agency. Indeed, the aspect of our societies should teach us all this lesson, for what society there amongst them all, which is not crying out for very need? Surely, the cause of this is, that the Lord has rebuked us for our pride.