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Monday after All Saints' day (Nov. 6th, | of a mark of silver; and if any shall be 1525). But when the anabaptists with altogether disobedient and rebellious, their leaders had disputed for three they shall be dealt with severely; for whole days from morning to night, with we will protect the obedient and punish Ulrich Zuingle, Leo Jude, Caspar Groot- the disobedient according to his deserts man, and others who defended infant without further forgiveness. Let each baptism, in our council house and in one act accordingly. the great church, where we ourselves, with many men and women, were present, every anabaptist almost having expressed his sentiments without hindrance or rebuke, it became clear and manifest by true and certain testimonies of holy scripture, both of the Old and New Testaments, that Zuingle with his coadjutors overcame the anabaptists, overthrew anabaptism, and proved infant baptism to be right.

"Besides, in the discussion itself, it clearly appeared that the authors of rebaptism, by whom these gatherings and sects were first raised, and for which they strive, were actuated in this affair by a bold and shameless mind and not by a good spirit; that they instituted re-baptism in order to gather around them an assembly and a sect against God's command, in contempt of us also who fill the office of civic magistrates, to the planting of every kind of disobedience, and to the destruction of Christian love to neighbours. For they always regard themselves, as we have already said, as much better than other Christians,-yea, as without sin; the which their words, actions, appearance, and life, clearly testify. Therefore we ordain, and it is our will, that henceforward all men, women, young men, and maidens, abstain from re-baptism, and from this time practise it no more; and that they bring the young children to be baptized. For whoever shall act contrary to this public order, shall, as often as it occurs, be punished by a fine

“And all this we confirm by letters patent, sealed with our city seal, and given on St. Andrew's day [Nov. 30], anno 1525."

The Zuinglian church at Zurich, where this proclamation was made, was at this time only about five years old, and was itself suffering from the greediness and oppression of the papists; truly a lamentable thing that such a people, who so short a time before had in many things purged themselves from the leaven of popery, and who were opposed to the tyranny of the pope, should, nevertheless, in this particular continue one with papists, oppressing others who were not of the same faith with themselves.

But still, what would this affliction have been if they had confined themselves to this proclamation, since the first offence of not baptizing a child, might be atoned for by a silver mark &c.? But it was not confined to this; inasmuch as some years after, and in particular in 1530, when they became bolder, they made a statute that the anabaptists (so called) should be punished with death.

The preceding account is extracted from the Dutch Martyrology, which is in course of preparation for the English public, and may be expected to appear shortly as the sixth volume issued under the auspices of the Hanserd Knollys Society.

SERMON ON BEHALF OF THE BAPTIST COLLEGE, BRISTOL,

BY THE LATE REV. JOHN FOSTER.

From his own unpublished Notes.
"Thy kingdom come."-MATTHEW vi. 10,

It was the complaint of a pious man of old, "We cannot order our speech by reason of darkness," but accompanied by a most pertinent prayer: "Teach us what we shall say," (Job xxxvii. 19.) And the ample revelations since his time may be considered very much in the light of instructions what to say to the Almighty. In how many things, in consequence of these revelations, we know what to say!

The apostles made the same request to our Lord, "Teach us to pray;" and if, in this matter, any one thing were more certain than all others, it would be, that we are specially and pre-eminently certain to be right in making the petitions which He taught. That in the words of our text stands nearly the first. And this looks like an admonition against confined and selfish feelings even in religion. We are plainly taught that, together with our own welfare, we should take a concern for the cause of God (which is for the wel fare of man) over the whole world. This is what our Lord came for, and they who profess to be his disciples should in some measure enter into his spirit and grand purpose.

What is our notion of the kingdom of God? This petition will have been pronounced by many hundreds of thousands this day. I wonder how many of them will have had a distinct idea of the meaning? Suppose we could have stopped them, to say, 66 God's kingdom come? why come? Is not his kingdom here? Is not all the world-all the creation—his kingdom? Is there a sense in which this world is not his

kingdom yet?" Yes, lamentable as it is, that is the truth of the case. It is evidently a much more strict and peculiar idea we are to form of his kingdom, when we think of it as to come. It must, as the first and lowest thing implied, be a kingdom in which the Great Sovereign is known and acknowledged. Now, then, imagine a great number of inquirers to go into many distant parts of the world, and to ask, “Who is your spiritual King, your God?" Think what answers such an inquirer would have. Barbarous names of things deemed God-fit names for devils, idols of wood, stone, metal-men (the Lama of Thibet), rivers; seldom any thing so noble as the sun or stars. "What! have you never heard of Jehovah ?” "No," they would answer, "who or what is he?" There, then, the kingdom And this is speaking of

is not come. an awfully large portion of the human race.

But, not to go so far abroad, into those utterly dark and dismal regions. Look at the Christian world around us. Is the kingdom of God come? The kingdoms of men are come, long enough since! Is it not strange if the kingdom of God come the slowest and last, even in England? Is it come? What would be the signs that it is? One would be, that generally among our people there should be a frequent, habitual, serious thought of him in that character; that young and old, rich and poor, whatever they are thinking of else, it might be sure and evident that they are very often thinking of the Almighty King. Now, is it so? And accompanying this

thinking of God, there should be an earnest, profound concern for his favour. Is it so ?

It would be a sign, again, that his kingdom is come, that in all things there were a reference to his will, and the utmost care and what it is. Is it so? with this, a practical

diligence to know And consistently conformity to his will. Is it so? We might name as signs, a looking on the sins and crimes among men, considered as in reference to Him; a general conspiring zeal and endeavour to promote his cause; a spirit of uprightness and charity among men toward one another; a prevalence of contrition for sin; a grateful reception of the great revealed expedient of reconciliation; on the whole, some evident resemblance of earth to heaven.

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How imperfectly, how little, is the kingdom of God come! But yet it is coming, and it is to come. The whole strain of prophecy declares it shall come; though we cannot know with what speed, or how soon in full prevalence. But how? and by what means? The one only power is the Almighty Spirit. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this." But the means? For one thing we trust that the great movements and changes in the world will be made to conduce to this end. (France.) How many are contributing in such events, to a cause they are little caring for, or thinking of! "He thought not so."

But, looking to great events may tend to put it out of our minds to think and ask, "And what can we do?" How humble sometimes pride itself can be! "We are feeble, insignificant; we can do nothing." But are we then nothing, when it is for God? Do we say, "Let his kingdom come by his own power, but we dare not do any thing." Let us remember, this is not a case like that of the ark and Uzzah, where it was wrong to touch. We can do something in this VOL. XII.-FOURTH SERIES.

cause.

It is a thing among us, and in

a measure, committed to human hands. We can take a thoughtful concern; we can pray for the progress; we can declare for it on all occasions.

But how much more than all this men can do for any thing they like, and have a passion for. What astonishing exertions and sacrifices men will make! Suppose it be some 'distinction and advancement in society. In competitions with one another; what enormous sacrifices in the present season of elections!

Now there are practical means and expedients for promoting the cause"the kingdom" of God; schools, biblesocieties, missions, erecting places of worship. But our present attention is called to the one great and most important mean for promoting the good cause the employment of preachers. This has been evidently appointed of God as the grand mean; (the Bible of It began course to accompany it). with the apostles, and has been in action to this day. May we not hope that great good has been done, even this day. It has wonderfully extended and multiplied, but is wanted to a still greater extent. There are many parts of England still where there is a scarcity of faithful, useful ministers. Aged ones are laid aside and dying; some are taken away comparatively in youth, and in the midst of their usefulness. New congregations are forming. And can there be too many voices employed, if they speak well? Moses wished that all the Lord's people were prophets. We may well wish that wherever there are people willing to hear, there should be men to speak to them. But then the best and greatest thing there is in the world, one would wish it might be spoken for well. And how should that be done but by men whose minds are well instructed, well stored, well exercised?

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It is on the strength of this that we venture, just once in each year, to plead before you in behalf of an institution in your immediate neighbourhood. We can bear testimony to its excellent working. We trust it will be a most excellent school of teachers, for generations to come; thus advancing the kingdom of God. But it is to be supported by the friendly aid of those who care about that kingdom. Now, would any in this company say, if asked, that they don't care? Would they say, that it is no good to themselves or others to hear? Would not most say, that they do care? But, if that be true, should not those persons do something to prove it more than saying it? unless they really cannot

spare any thing. And you will llow us to say, that when we see an assembly of respectable appearance, well-dressed, it is not easy to believe that there is nothing to spare for the cause of God, if there were a good will. It is very desirable that persons-our young friends especially, should not feel as if exempt from all duty to contribute to good things-that they need not care who supports them-that it is no concern of theirs. I would not offend, but allow me to observe, can this please Him of whose kingdom we profess to desire that it may come? And it will be at last no pleasing recollection, “I contributed nothing, or hardly any thing, to the coming of that glorious kingdom."

THE APPEARANCES OF CHRIST AS THE ANGEL JEHOVAH.

BY THE REV. JOHN ROBERTSON, M.A.

In the Old Testament the Messiah is frequently known by the names, Word, and the Angel Jehovah, or Angel of the Lord. While we admit that the term Word frequently means any declaration made by God to the people of Israel, yet there are many passages of scripture in which a personal Word is implied. We refer to the following,-Gen. xv. 1, 4, 5, 7-9; 1 Kings xix. 9; 1 Sam. iii. 21. Christ is frequently revealed as the Angel Jehovah ; and in the sequel I shall refer to the appearances of Christ as the Angel of the Lord.

WE read in scripture, that no man | dwells in the light unto which no man hath seen God at any time, and we also can approach. read that Moses, Aaron, and the elders, saw the God of Israel. We reconcile these apparently opposite statements by saying, that we must make a distinction between the invisible and the manifested God. God the Father has always been invisible; God the Son has been revealed, not only when he was incarnated, but previous to his incarnation, in the days of the patriarchs and the prophets. But was not God the Father revealed in the Shechinah? We grant that the Shechinah was a representation of God the Father, as the high-priest a type of Christ ministered before the Shechinah. Now Christ, the anti-type, cannot be said to minister to himself, to make atonement for himself, hence that bright cloud could be no symbol of the second person of the Trinity. Still, no eye has seen God the Father, for he

I. In former times Christ appeared as an Angel of Love and Pity. Hagar, a poor outcast, is obliged to fly from the face of her mistress. Behold her ready to perish in the wilderness by famine, or by a ravenous beast. The Angel of the Lord pities Hagar in her great dis

tress. "Whence comest thou? whither | on behalf of the Israelites when pursued by Pharaoh and his host! Frequently did this Angel come to the assistance of David. Have we experienced his aid in delivering us from trouble? In our extremity has he been a refuge ?

wilt thou go?" In the day of her trouble she is encouraged by God. Hagar is grateful. "And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also looked after him that seeth me;" that is, according to a commentator, Have I found God here also in the wilderness, as I have done oft before in my master's house. We recognize the same compassion in Christ when he was manifested in the flesh. A man is put out of the synagogue; the Lord pities and receives him. Jesus has compassion upon the poor malefactor. On the way to Calvary Christ had, perhaps, seen this poor outcast; he looks up to heaven, and a gracious influence descends, which melts the heart of that criminal. On the cross this sinner prays, "Lord, remember me," and the compassionate Saviour instantly replies, "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

II. In former times Christ appeared as an Angel of Interposition. When Abraham is sitting in his tent, he receives a command from the Great Invisible, the Father: "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." Without hesitation Abraham obeys. After three days' journey he arrives at the place, and makes preparation for the awful sacrifice. As one remarks, "Forgetting the bowels of a father, and putting on the awful gravity of a sacrificer, with a fixed heart, and an eye lifted up to heaven, he takes the knife, and stretches out his hand to slay his son." Be astonished, O heavens, at this; and wonder,O earth! But just as the stroke is about to be inflicted, the voice of the Angel Jehovah, the Son of God, is heard,— "Lay not thine hand upon the lad." How graciously did this Angel interpose

III. In former times Christ appeared as an Angel of Encouragement. In consequence of the hatred, envy, and jealousy of Esau, Jacob must leave his country, his father's house or tent, and go to Padanaram. At the end of the first day's journey, there is no tent, no house, in which he may rest for the night. In the open field he sleeps, and stones are his pillows. We pity Jacob at night, but we envy him in the morn ing. He sleeps, he dreams, and in his dream he is encouraged by the Angel who delivers from evil. "I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest." In similar language he encouraged the disciples, "Go, preach the gospel to every creature; and lo, I am with you always." My fellow Christian, how encouraging-the Lord with us! "I am with thee."

IV. In former times Christ appeared as an Angel of Communion. When Jacob was returning to the land of Canaan, he was informed that Esau, whom he had offended, was meeting him accompanied by four hundred men. Jacob being alarmed places his household in a posture of defence; and this being done, he retires to pray. And that Angel again appears. We are told by Hosea that he had power over the Angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him. During the season of the night, and until the break of day did he hold intercourse with that Angel. With Abraham he frequently held communion, and with Moses at the burning bush, and on other occasions. Communion with Christ constituted the happiness of our first parents; commu

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