Addressed to the Rev. Mr. Pym, A. M. and his
followers.

WHEN persons distinguished for their piety and attainments, and occupying the situation of teachers of others, deviate from the common path of instruction, it is proper that their novel sentiments should receive the strictest scrutiny. If they are right, the general adoption of the views they have promulgated becomes a pleasing duty; but if their opinions are erroneous, they should be combated with earnestness proportioned to the talent and influence of their professors.

The county of Hertford, and those counties which are contiguous to it, have for some time past been earnestly invited to adopt some sentiments of a novel character,-

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new.

novel at least to this neighbourhood, although not really From the pulpits of the Established Church,--at public meetings for various religious objects,-in short, at every opportunity, both public and private, these sentiments have been put forth. Converts are made; the minds of multitudes are unsettled; the plain precepts and doctrines of Holy Scripture are thrown into the shade, and Millenarianism is made to appear THE TRUTH, which ought to supersede every other.

We are not now disposed to find fault with the doctrine of the Millenium, although a vast deal of misconception and enthusiasm is brought to bear on that question; nor shall we endeavour to refute the opinion that Christ will personally reign on the earth, believing at the same time, that more might be advanced against than for that hypothesis. Persons may believe both these propositions, that Christ will reign on the earth a thousand years, and that he will reign in person, without injury to themselves or others. The millenarians we have now under our eye are not cortent with this general belief; they assign a precise period when this reign is to commence. For this reason we have styled them PROPHETS, and considering their views to be erroneous, and dangerous in their tendency, we have deter mined to combat them.

The Rev. Mr. Pym, whose name is in all the churches, distinguished by his piety and abilities, is the apostle of this sect in this part of the country, exercising the influence of a diocesan over other communities. His sentiments have

been published, and therefore invite examination and criticism. We shall first make some general observations on the subject of predictions, and then examine the particular prophecy of the divine whose name we have just mentioned. The design of prophecy is, we conceive, to confirm revelation; 66 one of the strongest evidences for the truth of revealed religion is that series of prophecies which is preserved in the Old and New Testaments.”* We see

every reason to believe that this is its principal object, namely, the corroboration of the divine testimony in all ages. As prophecy extends to the end of time, pointing to different events in successive generations, as each prediction is accomplished, the faith of men is confirmed. When the event transpires, its close resemblance to the prophecy is perceived, and we are struck with the solemn fact, "Verily there is a God who judgeth in the earth."

That the chief benefit arising from prophecy is to be derived after its fulfilment alone, is evident from the fact that the scripture predictions are almost invariably obscure. Sometimes the language in which they are unfolded is highly figurative, and apparently capable of different interpretations. In other cases, only some one feature of an event is depicted by the prophet, insufficient, indeed, to gratify man's propensity to pry into the future, yet clearly designating the event when it arrives. And in those instances in which kingdoms are named, as Babylon, Tyre, &c. the time when the things predicted were to happen to them is left undefined.

* Bishop Newton.

How easy is it to perceive the great wisdom of an arrangement like this, and how strikingly does it coincide with the usual plan of the divine government! We beg the reader's attention to the following observations on this subject, destroying as they do, by one massive blow, the presumptuous speculations of those who forget that "the times and the seasons the Father hath put in his own power.

"The prophetic part of the word of God, while it contains some general intimation of future events, is expressed in language, or denoted by imagery, proverbially obscure. This is intended to afford some general knowledge of the future, or it would not be prophecy : but, at the same time, obscurity forms a necessary ingredient. Were it free from that were it like the language of narrative,-it would give such a distinct knowledge of the future event as would lead some persons to use means for the purpose of accomplishing it by their own power, and tempt others presumptuously to endeavour to frustrate it. The infinite wisdom of God appears in his foretelling future events in such a manner, that when they arrive they tally and correspond to the prophecy in a great variety of particulars: while in the mean time the events are so darkly shadowed, that the human agents by whom they are accomplished, are ignorant that in so doing, they are in fact, fulfilling the counsels of heaven.

"Thus God secures the glory of his own foreknowledge, at the same time that he leaves undisturbed the sphere of *Acts, i. 7.

human agency. Were future events so distinctly predicted as to be clearly foreseen, this would either destroy the proof of divine superintendence and agency, or would require such a perpetual miraculous controul over the exercise of human faculties, as would be inconsistent with the state and condition of accountable creatures in a world of probation. It is also necessary that prophecy should not operate as precept; for with some, the will of God clearly foreseen would have the force of a command, and would be fulfilled as such, which would confound human agency with divine. In order, therefore, that the free agency of creatures may be preserved, the time, and other circumstances of an event predicted are permitted to remain so uncertain, that the persons who are to accomplish it continue ignorant of them till the event itself takes place.

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Prophecy is not intended to give such a knowledge of futurity, as to enable even the most sagacious to predict events. Those who have attempted with certainty to assign, beforehand, particular prophecies to particular events, have uniformly failed in their presumptuous endeavours. The design of prophecy is only to afford some general intimation, which may operate either as warning or encouragement. Its chief use is, after the event has taken place, to assure men of the universal providence of God, and convince them of that wisdom which foresees all future events, and that power which accomplishes them when the appointed period arrives. When, therefore, the Divine Being has been disposed to lift, in some