present dispensation. The utmost that our post-millennial brethren themselves can say is, that this doctrine may be inferred from the passage. The question we would affectionately urge upon these brethren, and upon our readers, is this: If Christ knew that the world was to be subjugated to himself, and the bright, glorious era of millennial blessing ushered in, by means of the evangelic labours confided to his disciples and their successors, can we suppose that he would have left us to gather this, by doubtful inference from the terms of one single passage? Supposing the anticipations of our brethren to be just, how are we to account for the silence of our Lord and his apostles on the subject? The Saviour knew well the continual stimulus which would be needed to the prosecution of the evangelic enterprise, and by other motives he carefully supplies that stimulus. If he knew that the issue would be as our brethren suppose, how is it that he does not explicitly say so, and urge this as an encouragement to patience and industry and zeal? Those who expect the world to be converted by the blessing of God on the preaching of the gospel during the present dispensation, do not fail to urge this anticipated result, as a powerful stimulus to exertion; and they object to the pre-millennial doctrine as weakening the hands of God's servants by withdrawing this stimulus. If Christ had been of the same mind as these brethren, would not his instructions and exhortations have borne, in this respect, the same impress as theirs? How is it, we again inquire, that they do not? Read the Gospels, the Acts, and the Epistles, from beginning to end, and leaving aside the three passages we have named, where is there a word from which any one could gather the idea, that the writers expected the millennium to be introduced, as the result of the labours which originated with them in their day? The three passages referred to give no sanction really to such a thought. When fairly examined with their contexts, they all decisively give their voice against it. But waiving this for the present, and leaving these three passages aside, we are bold to affirm as to all the rest of the New Testament, that no one could gather from it, that its writers expected the arrival of millennial times prior to the Lord's return. They do not place the prospect of the millennium before the soul. But we go further, and affirm without fear of contradiction, that they do place the Lord's coming before the soul. Whether it be exhortations to watchfulness

and readiness, as in the first three gospels, or as comfort under the sorrow of our Lord's absence, as in the fourth, or as the one hope of the church after it had been formed by the descent of the Holy Ghost, as in the Acts and Epistles, it is the one, great, prominent object throughout, with which the future is filled, and to which the eye of the saint is directed. As addressed to the hopes, affections, and conscience of the saints, or as addressed to the fears of the ungodly, the second coming of our Lord is the one great theme of the New Testament, as regards the future. Reader, is not this the case? How can it be accounted for, if the post-millennial theory be correct? What that theory brings prominently into relief before the soul, the New Testament passes by in silence, save in such references to it as place it evidently beyond, and not before, the coming of the Lord. What the post-millennial theory places far in the distance, the New Testament brings forward most prominently, and presses continually, in connexion with every movement of the renewed affections, and every detail of the christian's walk. Remember, we only reason thus, after presenting numerous positive proofs from scripture of the doctrine we maintain, that the coming of Christ is pre-millennial, not post-millennial. But having presented these, it is but due to the subject, and due to our readers, to press upon them these inquiries, as to how else scripture could be understood. The Old Testament treats largely of the millennium, but, as shewn in previous numbers, it is always in connexion with Israel's restoration and judgment on the wicked. Old and New Testament alike prove that these judgments take place, and that Israel is restored, in connexion with the coming of Christ. Every anticipation of millennial blessing in the New Testament either presents it thus, or fully harmonizes with the passages which do so present it. But as the present, not the future dispensation, is the chief subject of the New Testament, it is Christ's coming which it presents and proclaims throughout; and all its descriptions of the interval which precedes that event, are such as exclude the idea of a millennium prior thereto. Not only have our post-millennial brethren to refute all the positive evidence which has been advanced in favour of the doctrine they reject: but, on the ground that their own doctrine is true, they have to account for the total silence of the New Testament regarding it as well as for its being so written as to suggest at every turn, the

imminence of an event, which they maintain to be even now certainly at the distance of more than a thousand years!

We add, as a sample of the way in which the New Testament treats the subject of the Lord's coming, and as a passage moreover, of the deepest practical importance, our Lord's words to his disciples in Mark xiii, 33—37 :

“Take ye heed, watch and pray for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye, therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch." What can be more striking or impressive than this passage? Christ's people are represented as servants whose master has gone on a far journey, having previously made every arrangement for the well-being of his household, giving every man his work, and setting the porter to watch. The time of the master's return is unknown-but all are to be in constant readiness. By night and by day each one is to be at his post and awaiting his master's return. And lest any private or exclusive application of this should be made, our Lord concludes by saying, “What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch.”

The Lord grant to us all that unfeigned reverence for his holy word, and that simple faith in its declarations, to which he has promised the sure guidance of his Holy Spirit. And may He awaken where it exists not, and confirm where it exists, the bright hope of his own return in glory.

LONDON: PARTRIDGE AND OAKEY, PATERNOSTER Row.

DUBLIN

ROBERTSON, GRAFTON-STREET.

(Price One Penny.)

No. 12.] Plain Papers on Prophetic [Dec. 1853

and other Subjects.

WAITING FOR CHRIST:

OR, THE PRIVILEGE OF THE CHURCH TO BE ALWAYS EXPECTING HER LORD.

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No one can deny that the natural, obvious sense of such expressions as "looking for the Saviour," "waiting for God's Son from heaven," "looking for that blessed hope," is that of actual, habitual expectancy of Christ's coming. Neither can it be called in question, that numerous passages of God's word, if read by themselves, and left to make their own impression upon the mind, would at once be understood as inculcating this attitude of expectancy of Christ, upon all who are his. They could not be understood otherwise, if read for the first time, and read with an unbiassed mind. "And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord." Luke xii, 36. "Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. i, 7. "Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." Phil. iii, 20. The Thessalonians had "turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven." I Thess. i, 10. "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Tit. ii, 13. "Unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Heb. ix, 28. "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly; Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Who can question, that the natural, evident sense of these passages is, that it is the place of the church to be continually in the posture of expectation of her Lord's return? Add to these the passages in which, again and again, the Apostle, referring to that event, says, "re which are alive and remain," "the dead shall be raised, and we shall be changed," and we see not how the conclusion can be avoided, that the Holy Ghost intended the saints to understand, that within the usual term of human life, the coming of their Lord might take place,

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and they thus, without passing through death, be transformed and glorified.

But while such could scarcely fail to be the impression made by all these passages on an unbiassed mind, it is on the other hand to be admitted, that we are not to read passages, or selections of passages by themselves, but to consider the complete testimony of God's word. The word of God is one vast, comprehensive, and consistent whole; and we must not so understand any of the parts of which this whole is composed, as to set them in contradiction to the other parts. Satan could quote an isolated text of scripture to our Lord; but his reply was, "It is written again." Now it is freely admitted, that we ought to hear and to weigh, whatever may be urged on this ground of its being written again. "The scripture cannot be broken.” It must be in harmony with itself. The natural, obvious sense of the passages quoted above, and of many kindred passages, is what we have seen it to be, if taken by themselves. But if any should urge, that other passages exist, imperatively requiring that these should be understood with some restrictions or limitations, we are surely bound to give such scriptures the fullest consideration; and should they be found to have the meaning and force attributed to them, we ought surely to be subject thereto, and in the light of the latter passages correct our primary and mistaken apprehensions as to the former. The Lord grant to us that we may have nothing to maintain but his truth and his glory; and may he give us true subjection to his word in everything.

There are those, then, who affirm, that "if the one set of passages, taken by themselves, might seem to imply that Christ might come to-morrow, or any day, even in apostolic times, there are whole classes of passages which clearly show that the reverse of this was the mind of the Spirit.' What are those passages, or classes of passages? We are told in reply, that they are "those scriptures which announce the work to be done, and the extensive changes to come over the face of the Church and of Society, between the two advents." Now this is very intelligible language, and supposing it to be sustained by scripture quotations, very convincing also. If there are scriptures announcing work to be done, and changes to transpire, which obviously and necessarily required the lapse of more than a lifetime, or as has been said by some one, "of many life times," ere the second advent should take place, then clearly the passages which speak of waiting and looking for that