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the letters were making brethren uneasy everywhere. Thus urged, I read the letters. They were an elaborate argument on Mr. Newton’s prophetic views, denouncing all who held the views of the rapture of the Church before the end ; and insisting on the evils of applying any part of the New Testament to any but the Church, or of supposing that there were saints on earth subsequent to the Church’s rapture, who could be spoken of in it prophetically. In these, besides accusing the brethren of rejecting “all^[1] the Gospels,” if they held principles contrary to his interpretation of Matt. xxiv., for this was the only and avowed ground, as may be seen in the passage in the note, he declared that if they were listened to, “the foundations of Christianity were gone.” And will the reader believe the reason which so many have swallowed down ? for this is the grand cry at Plymouth still. It is this, “for the foundations of the city are the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” He presses the duty on all, that a categorical reply should be received as to this from all that professed to teach, because ambiguities were to be avoided in the Church.^[2] ”With respect to such passages, we have a right to

↑ “Thus this passage, and with it the whole Gospel, and all the Gospels, are swept away as not properly pertaining to the Church.” Till I found this passage of large inference, I never could conceive what gave rise to this charge of rejecting the Gospels.
↑ It is well that it should be known that, though this is the ground still taken as the reason for denouncing the brethren, Mr. Newton has entirely given up the main point of his prophetic views, insisted on in these letters. The whole of the second letter, to refer to nothing else, is occupied with the proof of the saints of the Christian Church being in the tribulation. Indeed every one conversant with these matters knows that it was a test of the holding of Mr. Newton’s views. We were told what a mercy of God to prepare us for it by testimony. Indeed the fact is too well known to require further proof. People were planning leaving the limits of the Roman earth, to be out of it. Mr. Newton now, both by argument in the Thoughts on the Apocalypse, and in express terms in the Thoughts on the End of the Age, declares that they will not.

[1] “Thus this passage, and with it the whole Gospel, and all the Gospels, are swept away as not properly pertaining to the Church.” Till I found this passage of large inference, I never could conceive what gave rise to this charge of rejecting the Gospels.

[2] It is well that it should be known that, though this is the ground still taken as the reason for denouncing the brethren, Mr. Newton has entirely given up the main point of his prophetic views, insisted on in these letters. The whole of the second letter, to refer to nothing else, is occupied with the proof of the saints of the Christian Church being in the tribulation. Indeed every one conversant with these matters knows that it was a test of the holding of Mr. Newton’s views. We were told what a mercy of God to prepare us for it by testimony. Indeed the fact is too well known to require further proof. People were planning leaving the limits of the Roman earth, to be out of it. Mr. Newton now, both by argument in the Thoughts on the Apocalypse, and in express terms in the Thoughts on the End of the Age, declares that they will not.

[1]

[2]