The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-10-02 00:00:00

SERMON OF THE REV. DR. WOLFF ON THE
MILLENNIUM.

?REACHED AT ST. JUDE'S CHURCH ON THURSDAY EVENING.

On Thursday evening last, the Rev. Joseph Wolff, LL.D.,
preached a sermon at St. Jude's Church, on the 141ilienniurn.
At the reverend doctor and extraordinary missionary is no
common man, and, as the subject about which it was an-
nounced he would preach is one not often enlarged upon by
our elergy, wa were induced to attend and take short-hand
notes of his sermon. We do not at all regret our !Minor at
having done so. It is an extraordinary powerful collation of
Biblical authorities and predictions, and affords much food
for thought. Witbout further comment or preface, as we
heard it we lay it before our readers.
The Rev. Doctor commenced :—I have taken for the sub-
ject of my evening meditation the 23rd chapter of the 2nd
Book of Samuel, from the 2nd to the sth verse.
4, Th. ..t .L_ r .. . .

ta ras
in my tongue.
" The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spike to me;
He that ruieth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of
God.

" And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the
sun riseth, even a morning without. clouds; as the tender
grass springing out of the earth by (leer shining after rain.
"Although my house be not so with God; yet he bath
made with me an everlasting covenaat, ordered in all things,
and sure; for this is all my salvation and all my desire, al-
though he make it not to grow."
First of all I will give here a literal translation of this
text, of the 3d verse, as it is translated by a most celebrated
Rabbi, whose translation has been adopted by the eastern
churches, by the Syrian church, and by the Chaldean*, and
also confirmed by Ephraim Serus. It is translated in this
manner. (If there is here a Jew, he will be glad to hear it so
confirmed.) "The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel
!Rite to me, He that ruleth in Adam's form must be the
Just ene"—in humanity—in Adam's form must be the just
one—" ruling in the fear of God." The very text at once
establishes the doctrine which I intend to advocate this even-
ing, namely the doctrine of the personal, visible coming and
reigning of our Lord Jesus Christ here upon earth. Perbon
Jonadan translates it in this way—" The God of Israel said,
the rack of Israel spake to me, -He that ruleth its humanity,
must be the just one, namely Molca, the redeeming Messiah."
Before, however, I go on to improve this more, and to give
my further improves on this important subject, you will per-
mit Inc to make some preliminary observations. Only a few
days ago I was in the conutry with a must intelligent man.
Ho told me, " What ! How is it, that no man of note, of
real talent, ever advocated the doctrine. either the belief in
the natural restoration of the Jews, or the personal reign of
Jesus Christ?" Well, I acquainted him with Bishop Kedar;
be was not satisfied. Bishop Newton ; he was not satisfied.
Then I said Butler—Butler's Analogy. He at once told me,
" I have read Butler's Analogy six times, and I have never
found one singe word either about the restoration of the
Jews, or anything that can lead to the belief in the personal
reign of Jesus Christ." And I have Butler's Analogy here.
And he told me—" If you will show to me, I will at once say
you are right, and if not I will doubt the correctness of your
recollection." Now I have just written out the whole pas-
sage on the subject, where he speaks—in page 371 to 375,
Oxford edition, octavo—where he distinctly speaks of the
prophecies with regard to the extension of the Jews and the
loss of their kingdom; and then he goes on—"'That as seve-
ral of these events seem, in some degree, expressly to have
verified the prophetic history already; so likewise they may
be considered further, as having a peculiar aspect towards
the fuli completion of it"—now mark—" as affording some
presumption that !he whole of it shall, one time or other, be
fulfilled. Thu, that the Jews have been so wonderfully
preserved in their long and wide dispersion; which is indeed
the direct fultillm,g of some. prophecies"—mark, only of
" some prophecies"—" but is now mentioned only as looking
forward to somewhat yet to come: that natural religion came
forth from Judea, and spread in the degree it has done over
the world, before lost in idolatry; which, together with some
other things, have distinguished that very place, in like
manner as the people of it are distinguished: that this great
change of religion over the earth was brought about under
the profession and acknowledgment that Jesus was the pro-
mised Messiah : things of this kind"—now mark—" things
of this kind naturally turn the thoughts of serious men towards
the full completion of the prophetic history, concerning"—
we it ?—" concerning the final restoration of that people;"
—and more, which he must think has not yet been fulfilled,.
newel) —" concerning the establishment of the everlasting
kingdom among them, the kingdom of the Messiah; and the
future state of the erode( under this"—so he did not say he
believed anything like an annihilation of the earth—" under
this sacred government. Such circumstances and events
compared with these prophecies, though uo completions of
them, ) et would not, I think, be spoken of as nothing in the
argument, by a person upon his first being informed of them.
They fall in with the prophetic history of things still future,
give it seine additional credibility, have the appearance of
tieing sotnewhat in order to the full completion of it."—Now
here is the testimony of a man who is generally acknow-
ledged as one of the greatest reasoners that ever lived.
Now there is, 'nee, yes, another consideration with regard
to this doctrin wt.:,:h ought not to he passed over with
silence; namely, it is taught, the Scripture is the only rule
of our faith. A believer, a real believer, and especially a
faithful member of the Church of England, will at the same
time consult the opinion of the Church, and what has been
be;ie:ted in the first ages with regard to this doctrine; whe-
ther :scything in the Church militates against it. or may
rather he interpreted in favour of that doctrine. Well, now,
first rreh regard to the believer of the Church of England.
Let us go at once to this prayer for the dead, in the burial
service: these words—" Beseeching Thee, that it may please
Thee of thy gracious goodness shortly to accomplish the
number of thine elect, and to hasten thy kingdom." To
hasten thy kingdom. What kingdom? Merely a kingdom
in which the souls are happy ? No; a kingdom " wherein
those that are departed in the true faith of thy holy name,
may have their perfect consummation and bliss, both in body
and soul"—in body and soul—" in thy eternal and everlasting
glory." Some other observations before I go over to the
subject itself. Lately, in Egypt, there fell in my hands
some of the writings of a most ancient Rabbi, by which I
was very much struck. The name of the Rabbi, is Rabbi
David Pensimra. He says—" During the times of Jesus
Christ, there were two parties amongst the Jews : one
party (of Jesus of Nazareth, as he expresses biinselt)— one
party tried to expound the chapters regarding the suf-
ferings of the Messiah in a spirituel manner, or rather
in an allegorical manner ; the other party took the
prophecies literally. When Jesus of Nazareth came,
those who understood the prophecies literally became
his followers, because they saw them fulfilled." My dear
friends, I confess I tremble often when I so see so many, who
just are contented with the superficial knowledge of that doc-
trine, that that may be one day the case also when he comes,
that many will not believe, for they leave taken the thing
" spiritually," as he calls it. Now, let us investigate a little
more this doctrine. And coming from Christ, there is not one
single passage in the whole of the Old or New Testament,
which conveys the idea of the spiritual reign. Over the whole
Bible, not one single passage, I repeat it; but, on the con-
trary, it shows forth the personal visible reign of Christ.
Now, try to deny one single proposition that I will now lay
before you, or to disprove; Christ was united to the threefold
office of prophet, of priest. and of king. It is true or not. As
prophet, has he not been visibly and personally manifest,
and " spake as never man spice ?" And there is a multi-
tude were around him—they saw him. And when he pre-
dicted—as to his prophetic office—the destruction of Jerusa-
lem, and his future coming, they also saw him as prophet.
As priest—as high-priest, he sacrificed himself upon the cross
visibly. There he stood; around him were his mother, and
the centurions, his enemies; and the thieves also, and the high
priests, who saw him. This cannot he denied. And thus he
was predicted as king. He has been anointed, but has net
yet executed his kingly office in any way whatsoever. There-
fore, would it not be most absurd to say that he will not as
substantially and as visibly manifest himself as king? and
as be manifested himself as priest and as prophet ? Can this
be denied? Well, now, it is a question. What can we find
first in the Old Testament ? That he is revealed as a visible
king. This every one will admit. For instance, let us go at
once to Isaiah, in the 9th chapter and 7th verse. In the 6th
verse be was expected as a child—" For unto us a child is
born; unto us a son is given." Now it is sa. The Christians
are so very glad to the Jews to show it them. Now, you see
how literally this is fulfilled. And what he is also called is
literally fulfilled;—" the wondeiful Counsellor, the mighty
God"—all literally fulfilled. Now, go to the 7th verse;—
" Of the increase of his government and peace, there shall
be no end." Where? " Upon the throne of David, and
upon his kingdom." So he shall sit upon the throne of Da-
vid, and upon his kingdom. Now, compare with this text
the 102nd Psalm, in the 16th verse;—" When the Lord shall
build up Zion." At that time "he shall"—in Hebrew—" be
shall be visible—manifested visibly." You see the force of
the word—" in his glory." So we see here that he is mani-
fested continually as a king, sitting upon the throne and
" visible." More: go further, to Jeremiah, 23rd chapter.
" Behold, the days conic, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto
David a righteous branch." So here he is a branch: as a
descendant of David he is to be raised; and for what pur-
pose?—" As a king." As king that branch " shall reign
and prosper." So it is all a visible thing—a corporeal thing
—a bodily king, here made. Now, you see, so that it is im-
possible to give to this any thing like a spiritual interpreta-
tion. Further, that this is the Son of David—this branch of
David, cannot be meant in any way in a spiritual manner.
Go to the Romans, where it is explained. In the Humans, in
the Ist chapter to the Romans, in the 3rd verse—" Concern-
ing his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, which was made of
the seed of David,"—Only spiritually ? No, never : it would
be heresy to consider it so, but—" according to the flesh."
Now, go, besides this, to the Acts, in the 2nd chapter and
30th verse, by which you will see positively and absolutely,
that he cannot sit upon the throne of David according to
the spirit—that that is altogether impossible according to the
spiritual interpretation. "Therefore being a prophet, and
knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the
fruit of his loins, according to the flesh,"—now mark, not
according to the spirit, according to the flesh,—"he would
raise up Christ,"—for what purpose? Would it not be ab-
surdity to say—and would it not be a down right addition to.
the word of God, and a complete contradiction—he raised up
Christ according to the flesh to sit on his throne spiritually?
Where is it said ? Would it not altogether he most absurd
to say " he raised him up according to the flesh, to sit on his
throne spiritually ?" I give this to your consideration. When
Trvpho wrote to Justinus Marco—the book was translated
into German and into English by the Bishop of Lincoln—the
Jew asked him " In the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, does he sit on
the throne of David?" Justinus Marco said "We believe
he shall sit on the throne of his father David a thousand
Years." Trypbo asks him, "Do you assert this only to catch
me, to make a Christian of me, or is this your real belief?"
And Justiaus Marco says, "he believes it is the belief of the
whole church ; and he declares all who do not believe it to be
heretics." Clements Alexandrinus declares "he is to sit on
the throne according to the flesh," and adds that " the church
fell into decay the moment she lost that expectation of the
filter, coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, visibly and person-
ally. From that moment the church decayed. This is the
word of Clements Alexandrious. And let us see a more de-
cisive text with regard to the visible reign and corning of
Jesus Christ. Let us consider the first chapter of the Acts
from the first verse—"the former treatise have I made 0
Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,
until the day in which lie was taken up, after that he throuch
the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles
whom he had chosen; to whom also he showed himself alive
after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of
them forty days"—now mark—" and speaking of the thines
pertaining to the Kingdom of God." Now, if a person
speaks, and especially our blessed Lord and Saviour, the Je-
hovah—the eternal Jehovah, for forty days, with his disci-
ples, they must have understood him, whether he means
anything like a reign, or re-establishment of the Kingdom or
'• Intel, and his reigning there, or whhther he will carry them
altogether all away into another region, as it is now believed
by many. Now lilt us see; he spoke with them forty days
of the things pertaining to the kingdom of Gad. "And
being assembled together with them, commanded them
that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait
for the promise of the Father, which, he saith, ye have
heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye
shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost ;" here he fells them
what will tusks place " nut many days hence. When they,
therefore, were come together, they asked of him saying,
Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to
Israel?" Of which now let me give you some example.
You are here; I come here and ask one of vim, "will you at
this time go to London," without having spoken at all about
it, would it not lie quite nonsense? It is extraordinary to
ask you such a direct question without ever having conversed
about it. But, would you not tell me, "why, how do you
ceine to this question ?" So•we see here from this direct
question, that his conversation about the Kingdom of God
must have had reference to this subject, namely, the restora-
tion of the Kingdom to Israel. Now, if they had misunder-
stood him, and if he had never intended to re-establish really
and visibly the Kingdom of Israel and the throne of David,
wuuld he not have told them, von are labouring under a mis-
take, and you have not understood me ? But, further; now