struction of Jerusalem and the end of the world. The true explication, therefore, of the phrase, "the end of the world" συντελεία τοῦ αιωνος, must determine the period pointed at both in the question of the disciples, and in the answer of their divine master. Their inquiry was, "When shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" It is admitted that the signs here described did many of them actually come to pass at the destruction of Jerusalem; but it is maintained, that others did not; that the direct judgments experienced on that occasion did not exhaust the plenitude of our Saviour's language, and that at some period yet future, called "the end of the world," these pregnant annunciations are to receive a perfect fulfilment. The point to be determined is the genuine import of this expression. The literalists deny that Texela Toû diavos legitimately signifies the end, dissolution, or destruction of the material fabric of the globe which we inhabit. Had this been the meaning, ou, instead of vos, they say would have been employed.The leading sense of iv in the scriptures is held to be duration, an age, an existing order of things, a dispensation, and that no one perfectly clear and indubitate instance can be adduced in which it is synonymous with xóμos, in the sense of material world. In support of this interpretation they allege Schleusner, and other learned lexicographers. According to them, therefore, the phrase "this world," in contradistinction from "the world to come," implies the present dispensations of grace and providence, as contrasted with a future dispensation, which is to commence with the resurrection of the just. In like manner, "the end of the world" denotes primarily, not the passing away or dissolution of the present physical fabric of the earth, but the winding up of the existing order of things in the political, moral, and religious world, represented elsewhere in the scriptures by the overthrow and perdition of all antichristian powers, and other striking imagery already alluded to. This consummation is to be preparatory to the new and blessed dispensation of the millennium, which is to be an unspeakably more glorious era to the world than is generally conceived. Assuming this, therefore, as the basis of their construction, they say, that our Lord's discourse on the above-mentioned occasion had a leading and ultimate reference to the commencement of the millennium. Those of

his predictions, accordingly, which were not fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, are to be referred to this era, and to no other.

But how, then, it is inquired, are we to understand the graphic and luminous description of the judgment administered by the Son of Man, when he shall sit upon the throne of his glory, with the assembled nations congregated before him, and his equal sentence shall separate the righteous from the wicked, as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats? Is not this the final post-millennian judgment? And is not this the time when the last trumpet shall sound, and the dead be raised ?

The millennarians answer: 1. That as our Lord's predictions concerning the fate of Jerusalem, and the signs of his coming, the parable of the ten virgins, that of the talents, and this account of the judgment in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, all form one connected discourse, delivered on one occasion; it follows, that whatever period of time is intended in one part of the discourse, the same is intended throughout the whole. So that we are brought again to the right explication of the phrase, "end of the world," as the true determination of the time. This has already been attempted to be fixed. 2. That there doubtless is to be a judgment at the opening of the millennial age, and that Christ in Matthew xxv. is describing this judgment. This view of the subject is founded not only upon the preceding requirements as to time, but upon the very character of the judgment itself. It is manifest that in this judgment the decision is predicated upon one leading trait of character alone, viz. that of true christian love or charity evinced in doing good to the brethren of Christ. But how can the heathen who never knew the Lord Jesus, nor were called to show kindness to his brethren, "to a disciple in the name of a disciple," be judged by this rule? They that have sinned without law are to be judged without law; but here is a direct application of the spirit and letter of the law of Christ's kingdom, as may be seen from the scope of the New Testament, and especially from the first epistle of John. Again, although all nations are said to be gathered together before the tribunal, yet they are spoken of as having been previously all mingled together. Up to that very time, though essentially different in their nature as goats from sheep, they were all feeding promiscuously together. One point

of the comparison is, "As a shepherd separateth his sheep from the goats, so shall the king separate them one from another." Hence it follows, that the church found on earth at the time of our Saviour's appearing, in every nation under heaven, is the flock intended as the object of this judgment. It extends not, it is affirmed, to the dead: the sheep among them that slept, had long ago been placed at the King's right hand; they came with Christ on this occasion, appearing with him in glory. The goats, also, whom death had cut off from the professed church, were gone to their own place." The flock, therefore, now separated is the same as the field where the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest. And the scope of this representation is to teach us that the decision and discrimination then made will be regulated by the genuine influence of christian love, or the want of it, in those who are the objects of the judg

ment.

Although the literalists generally maintain the doctrine of a universal judgment at the end of the millennium, yet they do not admit that the expression "the day of judgment" ought to be, as it usually is, instinctively referred to that period. The true import of the expression is to be determined by tracing its scriptural origin. The phrase does not once occur in the Old Testament, though of frequent occurrence in the New. And the learned have shown, that it is still more familiar in the Rabbinical writings of the Jews than in the New Testament. The expression, however, must have been derived from a scriptural source, and though the precise words may not there occur, yet the truth on which they are founded, must be contained in the compass of the Old Testament scriptures. Now it is strenuously contended that the passage in Daniel, above quoted, is the true source to which it is to be traced, "The judgment was set, and the books were opened." Consequently, whatever time was really intended by the prophet, or rather by the Holy Spirit, in that vision, that is the time which we are to understand by "the day of judgment." But it has been shown that Daniel's judgment sits, when the beast is destroyed and his body given to the burning flame, or, in other words, at the beginning of the millennium. Therefore the day of judgment is to be assigned to the same period.

Another grand reason that urges the literalists to the adoption of their peculiar views of the second advent and its

E

related doctrines, is the insuperable difficulties which in their opinion embarrass the prevailing belief. The following, for example, may be noted. The state of things subsequent to the millennium is thus described in the Apocalypse, the only book in the New Testament which informs us of the chronological order of events. "And when a thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them." This, according to the common theory, describes the state of things immediately anterior to Christ's coming to judgment; of course, according to the same theory, the entire scope of our Lord's discourse with his disciples, contained in the 24th chapter of Matthew, except the predictions concerning Jerusalem itself, are to be referred to the same season. But the slightest comparison, it is said, will evince that the two descriptions of this are wholly inconsistent with each other. In the one, we see the church of the saints collected together, en masse, in a holy rendezvous, and there, as a city besieged, encompassed by their enemies. In the other, they are dispersed all over the earth: "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." In the one, we are told that the coming of Christ will be in a season of abounding tranquillity, security, luxury and ease, when they shall be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, as they were before the flood, the wise and the foolish virgins alike slumbering and sleeping, the servant saying to himself that his lord delays his coming, and all giving way to supineness and unconcern. In the other, we see every thing in action; the numerous hosts of wicked men banding together against the saints, and beleaguering the place of their refuge. In the one, we hear the Saviour saying, "nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh shall he find faith on the earth?" intimating that a great part at least of his professing people would be sunk in spiritual torpor, and taken by surprise when he did come. In the other, we see the great body of the pious in a situation utterly at variance with this representation.

For as they shall now have passed through the millennium, they will of necessity understand, from the book of Revelation then in their hand, as it is now in ours, that this assault of Gog and Magog is to take place; and why should they not prepare for it? especially if they believe that this invasion is but a signal for the revelation of Jesus Christ, their avenger from heaven. Besides, as they are said to be gathered together at this eventful crisis, and as there is no intimation of their employing warlike weapons, or of their fighting against their enemies, must we not suppose they are calmly relying upon divine protection, and by prayer and supplication beseeching God to interpose in this awful emergency? And if so, surely the great mass of the church at this time cannot be void of faith. Can a spirit of sevenfold slumber have seized upon the camp of the saints and the beloved city, at this momentous season, so that the Saviour's words will then be fulfilled; "For as a snare shall that day come upon all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." Is it conceivable, that this can apply to the church, when the mustered legions of Gog and Magog are in full view? The truth is, the whole genius and character of the periods described by Christ, and by John in the Revelation, are utterly dissimilar; and, probably, were we to search the whole bible from one end to the other, two periods more unlike to each other in their main attributes, could not be pointed out. Can the popular sentiments, then, relative to the second coming be retained, encumbered as they are with these insurmountable difficulties? Can the conclusion be avoided that that sudden coming is indeed to precede instead of following the millennium?

7. A sixth argument, confidently relied upon, in support of the Medean interpretation, is built upon the import of the several terms employed in the New Testament to signify the Saviour's advent. These are Amoxas, revelation, 'Eriparia, appearance, and Пagoveía, coming or presence. The first of these words, 'Anas, occurs in the following passages; (1 Cor. i. 7.) Waiting for the REVELATION of Jesus Christ." (2 Thess. i. 7.) "At the REVELATION of Jesus Christ with his mighty angels." (1 Pet. i. 7.) "Might be formed unto praise and honour and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (ver. 13.) "Hope for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the REVELATION of Jesus Christ.

The second, 'Eripava, occurs (2 Tim. i. 10.) in reference