tribe of Benjamin. They know that there are fome of the tribe of Levi among them, becaufe they miniftered in the temple, but they cannot now diftinguish them from the mixed tribes of Judah and Benjamin; but when they are reftored, it is evident from this. prophecy, that at the time of this mourning the tents of Judah will be diftinct: "JEHOVAH also shall save "the TENTS OF JUDAH firft;" confequently Judah will be then diftinguifhed from the reft:-"The land "fhall mourn, every family APART; the family

of the houfe of DAVID apart, and their wives apart; the family of the houfe of NATHAN apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of " LEVI (yea, of LEVI!) apart, and their wives 86 apart; the family of SHIMEI (of Benjamin, Efth.

ii. 5.) apart, and their wives apart; all the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives "apart." Zech. xii. 7, 12-14.

When it is thus declared that this mourning hall take place at Jerufalem, ver. 11. how very inconfiftent is it in the Miffionary and London Societies to endeavour to counteract the decree of the Almighty, and to think that by THEIR exertions they can cause this mourning to take place in London!

In order to become the TRIED STONE, our bleffed Saviour endured the agony of crucifixion ; his hands, and his feet, and his fide were pierced. He complained not, because he knew that thus it behoved Chrift to fuffer, and to rife from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remiffion of

fins fhould be preached in his name among all nations. Luke xxiv. 46, 47. Ifa. liii. Hofea vi. 2. It then behoved him to afcend unto his Father and our Father, and to his God and our God, John xx. 17. in order that the prophecy of David might be accomplished: "JEHOVAH faid unto my Lord, Sit thou on

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my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy "footstool," Pf. cx. 1. When he had spoken unto them the things recorded in the 1ft chapter of the Acts of the Apoftles: "While they beheld he was "taken up; and a cloud received him out of their "fight. And while they looked ftedfaftly toward “heaven, as he went up, behold two men ftood by "them in white apparel; which alfo said, Ye men of "Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this fame Jefus, which is taken up from you into "heaven, fhall fo come in like manner as ye have "feen him go into heaven." Acts i. 66 Be9-11. "hold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye fhall "fee him, and they also which pierced him and alf "kindreds of the earth fhall wail because of him. "Even fo, Amen." Rev. i. 7. In that day when he cometh to make Jerufalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, even a burdenfome stone for all people; in that day when he will make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a fheaf; in that day in which he will feek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerufalem; in that day it is in which he will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerufalem, the fpirit of grace and fuppli

cation,

cation, and then shall they look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn, Zech. xii. 2, 3, 6, 9, 10.

He who afcended from earth into heaven, and is now feated at the right hand of God, until his enemies be made his footftool, Pf. cx. 1. will fo come in like manner as he was feen to go into heaven, Acts i. 11. "Then fhall JEHOVAH go forth, and "fight against those nations (that seek to hurt Jerufa❝lem) as when he fought in the day of battle. And "his feet fhall ftand in that day upon the mount of "Olives, which is before Jerufalem on the east, and "the mount of Olives fhall cleave in the midft "thereof toward the east and toward the weft, and "there fhall be a very great valley; and half of the "mountain fhall remove toward the north, and half "of it toward the fouth."-" In that day fhall living "waters go out from Jerufalem; half of them "toward the former fea, and half of them toward "the hinder fea. And JEHOVAH fhall be KING

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over all the earth: in that day fhall there be ONE "JEHOVAH, AND HIS NAME ONE.""And there fhall be no more utter deftruction, but "Jerufalem fhall be fafely inhabited." Zech. xiv. 3, 4, 8, 9, 11.

We can as it were realize past events, by bringing them to our recollection; and in like manner, if we believe the fure word of prophecy, we can realize those events which the Almighty hath declared fhall furely come to pass; I would therefore requeft the Miffionary and London Societies, and all those who confider the ministry of the house of Levi as at an

endą

end, to meditate upon this fact, that when this mourning takes place, the houfe of Levi hath been again feparated from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with whom they are now mixed. Let them confider that whatever the Almighty hath decreed to come to pafs, is for gracious purposes; let them examine their own opinions with the opinions which were firmly held by thofe in former times, whom they greatly refpect. Do not the members of the London and Miffionary Societies firmly believe, that "he who "hath scattered Ifrael will gather him, and keep him "as a fhepherd doth his flock ?" Jere. xxxi. 10. They certainly are firm in this faith, notwithstanding it was not the faith of many in former times, whom they greatly respect, and whom in fome things they are yet difpofed implicitly to follow; I truft this hath proceeded from veneration to the word of God: "He that loveth father and mother more than me," faith our bleffed Lord, Matt. x. 37. " is not worthy "of me;" and the fame words will certainly apply to the word of God, and who foever prefers the opinions of men, however refpected, above the declarations of the Almighty, in his moft holy word, will have cause to lament.

"These are the words which I fpake unto you, "while I was yet with you, that ALL THINGS "must be fulfilled which were written in the law of "Mofes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pfalms, "concerning me," Luke xxiv. 44. Thefe words are not confined to his FIRST ADVENT, they apply to his SECOND ADVENT alfo, when he fhall

❝fit as a refiner and purifier of filver, to purify the "SONS OF LEVI; and purge them as gold and "filver, that they may OFFER UNTO JEHO"VAH, an offering in righteousnefs :"-they apply to that awful day that "fhall burn as an oven, when all the proud, and all that do wickedly, fhall be ftubble: and the day that cometh fhall burn them

up, faith JEHOVAH OF HOSTS, fo that it fhall "leave them neither root nor branch," Mal. iii. 3. iv. 1. as well as to thofe parts of the Books of Mofes and the Prophets, and the Pfalms, which speak of his fufferings.

Let the members of the Miffionary and London Societies read the last eight chapters of the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, and then let them confider whether it be not a great impiety to contradict the positive declarations of the Almighty: "Thus faith JEHO

VAH; If heaven above can be measured, and the "foundations of the earth fearched out beneath, I

will alfo CAST OFF all the feed of Ifrael for all "that they have done, faith JEHOVAH."-" Thus faith JEHOVAH, David fhall never want a man to "fit upon the throne of the house of Ifrael; neither "fhall the PRIESTS, the LEVITES, want a man "before me to affer BURNT-OFFERINGS, and "to kindle MEAT-OFFERINGS, and to do "SACRIFICE continually. And the word of "JEHOVAH came unto Jeremiah, faying, Thus faith

JEHOVAH; If ye can break my covenant of the "day, and my covenant of the night, and that there

should not be day and night in their feafon; then