CONTENTS. 000- PAGE 4. All the five points altered 5. The alternatives from the alteration Section III.-The Redemption of the World 8. The Righteousness and Atonement of Christ Section IV.-The Final Objects of Redemption Para. 9. The Final Objects of the whole-the Restitu- tion of all things, and Compensation in Glory 10. Restitution on each of the five points 11. Scriptural Proofs, this the intended Position. . 5 & 46 5, 46 11, 47 11,47 22. Settlement of his family-Delay by sin 23. The Son of God-Man, of that family Section VIII.-Glorification prepared Para. 25. The dispensation of the Gospel 26. The contemporary wrath on the Jews 29. Jews sanctified by the Spirit-Settled at 30. Commencement of Gentile restoration, and 31. A gradual development required INTRODUCTION то PROPHETICAL RESEARCHES: BEING A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE DIVINE PURPOSE CONCERNING THE WORLD, AS IT MAY BE GATHERED FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE, HISTORICALLY AND PROPHETICALLY. PART I. THE GENERAL VIEW OF THE WHOLE. Section E. THE ORIGINAL FORMATION OF THE WORLD AND MAN. 1. It pleased God to create man and the whole machinery of nature for man. While this creation is said to be "in the beginning," that beginning must have reference to the earth which began, not to the Creator who is without beginning or ending-Eternal. If time be considered to be a mode of existence by succession of instants, there was a time before the world began. Of the events which may have occurred in the time before the world was we can know nothing, unless the Eternal One may have pleased to inform us. He has informed us at least of one great event, which bears importantly upon the destiny of man. There was an apostacy amongst the angels. One seems to have been an archangel, and to have led a multitude of others :-" they kept not their first estate," and they are "reserved unto the judgment of the great day." (Gen. iii. 1, 15. Rev. xii. 9. Jude 6.) 2. Our information concerning the original condition of man can only be gathered directly, from the two first chapters of Genesis; though perhaps some addition may be made inferentially from other parts of Scripture. We know certainly (1) that man was "very good," being made in God's image, after God's likeness. (Gen. i. 26, 27, 31.) We know (2) that it was intended that he should have dominion over the creatures of God upon the earth, animate and inanimate. (Gen. i. 26, 28-30.) We know (3) that the occupation of man was intended to be "to dress and to keep the earth." (Gen. ii. 5, 15.) We know (4) that man was not made to be subject to death, since death was only a condition, to result from certain prohibited conduct (Gen. ii. 17.); and of the two trees which were originally planted, and which appear to have had a sacramental character, the tree of life was one, of which if man had eaten, even after he had sinned, he would not have died, since such was the condition which the eternal will of God connected with the eating of that tree. (Gen. ii. 9; iii. 22.) We know (5) that the natural intercourse between man and his Creator was one of open communication; if not by sight as well as speech, at least by some medium of knowledge, by which man could positively realize the special presence of God, upon the occasions when He pleased to make man sensible that he was present. (Gen. i. 28, 29; ii. 16, 17, 19; iii. 8—19.) Section EE. THE FALL OF MAN. 3. The apostate archangel contrived to introduce a discordant element, by which the harmony of the excellence of God's work was marred. By his temptation through the woman, man was induced to prefer his own will to the will of God; and by disobedience to incur the penalty of death. Having had the knowledge of good, he added to it the knowledge of evil. (Gen. iii. 1—7.) The result of this was the necessary infliction of deaththe curse upon the earth, by which its fertility was reduced, and the dressing of it made difficult (Gen. iii. 17-19)-the banishment of man by God, so that open communication was no longer maintained-and the enmity of man's heart to God, so that intercourse with Him was no longer desired. (Gen. iii. 8. Rom. viii. 7.) 4. By this change of condition, every one of the five points stated in Section 2, were materially altered. (1) Man ceased to be very good, and became corrupt and bad. (Rom. iii. 10-12.) (2) The dominion given to man over the creatures of God, animate and inanimate, was greatly diminished; and what remained was left to be obtained at great cost of labour. Animals became. rapacious, and the earth became sterile, and choked with thorns and thistles. (3) The light occupation of dressing the earth was changed for severe labour under the command, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." (4) Death became the lot of the children of men; and (5) the ordinary communication between man and his Creator was given up, and it became impossible for man to originate it. 5. Whatever else may be included within the meaning of the punishment of death, to which man had thus subjected himself, it certainly involves the separation of the soul from the body, temporarily at least. (It appears plain that the sacramental virtue given to the tree of life would have prevented the operation of the curse in this respect.) The object and purpose of God in creating the earth, was to make it the habitation of man-of the family, for the producing of which He had created Adam, and formed for him the help in Eve. It pleased God |