CHAPTER XX.

THE SECOND ADVENT OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND OF THOSE EVENTS FOR WHICH HE SHALL BE REVEALED.

THAT Our Lord Jesus Christ will appear again in our world, for the accomplishment of certain purposes, is a truth plainly revealed in the word of God. Israel's prophets did not only prophesy of the first, but also of the second Advent of our glorious Redeemer. I do not intend, in this work, to notice all those prophecies which have an allusion to the second appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. No, I shall only select a few from the many, and shall give my understanding of the same in as few words as possible. I shall first take into consideration what our Saviour and the apostles have said on this subject, and secondly, I shall have recourse to those prophecies which the prophets have uttered on this very important subject-when I shall call the attention of the reader to those events which our Saviour shall come to accomplish.

Our Saviour, in the 24th chapter of Mathew, 13th chapter of Mark, and 17th chapter of Luke, speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem, and also of his coming, or personal appearance, in this world; and as he was in the world, or upon the earth, at the time he spake those prophecies, we cannot believe otherwise than that he alluded to his second personal appearance. And as

these two subjects, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the coming of Christ, have been recorded so through each other, many conclude that Christ, in speaking of his coming alludes altogether to his coming to destroy Jerusalem-which notion or opinion can be easily confuted by paying strict attention to the whole tenor of those

prophecies. For example--It is certain, that at the destruction of Jerusalem, the sign of the coming of the Son of Man was not discoverable in the clouds of heaven; that he did not, at that time, send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and gather his elect together from the four winds--from one end of heaven to the other. Then, of course, those prophecies remain yet to be fulfilled.

And again-The apostles have also spoken more or less of the second appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul, in his epistle to Titus, in admonishing the brethren, writes thus-ii. 13, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ." And in Hebrews, ix. 28; "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second time, without sin unto salvation." It is very clearly revealed, that when our Saviour shall come, that he can and will be seen by all the inhabitants of this earth; that his coming will be as visible as the lightning: "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the westso shall the coming of the Son of Man be." Mat. xxiv. 27. "Behold, he cometh with clouds! and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, amen." Rev. i. 7. Here it is expressly declared, that all eyes shall see him, and that the disobedient and rejectors of the Gospel shall also see him; it is added, they also which pierced him. And in the Acts of the apostles, i. 10, 11: "And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go

into heaven." Now, it is certain, that our Saviour ascended to heaven in that same body in which he rose from the dead, and that he will come again in that same body; and it is also certain, that he was seen by his apostles after he rose from the dead and when he ascended to heaven, and our Saviour gives us plainly to understand, that he shall be seen when he comes: Mat. xxiv. 30, "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the carth mourn; and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and glory."

Now, it is plain from what I have stated, that when our Redeemer comes, he shall be seen by saint and sinner-yea, by all the inhabitants of the earth. But as it respects the precise time of his coming, God, for wise purposes, has not seen proper to reveal it-it is a secret. Our Saviour declared, Mat. xxiv. 35, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man; no, not the angels of heaven," but my Father only." But our Saviour has given us certain signs or tokens, by which we can have knowledge of his near approach, and sudden appearanceand for the benefit of the reader, I state some of those signs which do predict the coming of the Son of Man.Mat. xxiv. 6, 7, 29: "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places." 29th verse: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken." Luke, xxi. 25-27 verses: "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and upon the earth-distress of nations, with

perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory." And after our Saviour had given those signs, he solemnly warned his disciples to take instruction from the same: Mat. xxiv. 32, 33 verses, "Now learn a parable of the fig-tree when his branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh; so likewise, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door."

Reader, we have had the most of these signs-that is, if not in America, in other parts of the world; and we may have them again, or we may not; for it is not said how often they shall be seen before the coming of Christ. And as we have had them, it would be great wisdom in us to be in a state of readiness, not knowing when the Master may come.

Again From reading the Gospel, it appears to me it will be a very dark time, as it respects the state of religion in the world, when our Lord Jesus Christ shall make his appearance. And what confirms me in my belief is, the way things now work in the world. At this time the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ is almost shrouded in darkness -things are only growing worse and worse-ripening fast for the sickle of destruction. Reader you may rely upon it, the darkest time will be just before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The power of deception is now great but will be greater at that time-though this is not the general belief. No, for the general opinion is, that the religion of Christ is in a very prosperous state But the word of God, and common observation, declare aloud, that it is a wrong conclusion. Yes, I will venture to declare, that there is more pride now in the world,

than there was at Christ's first coming. The power of deception will be so great, that numbers will oppose Christ at his coming. Our Saviour gives us an idea of the state of the world at that time, when he declared, Luke, xvii. 26-30: "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the Son of Man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise also, as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded : but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed." And that there will be but little evangelical faith, at that time, is more than intimated in those words of our Saviour-namely, "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth." Luke, xviii. 8. Thus we may believe, that when Christ shall come, there will be but a small number when compared to that great body which do make a profession of religion, that will be in a state of readiness to meet their Lord and Master. Yes, only here and there one shall be found having on the wedding garment of righteousness; and they will be in a suffering state. Yes, the true church of Christ, after the prophesying of the two witnesses, (see Rev. xi.) will have to pass through a scene of affliction. Many will, no doubt, have to seal with their own blood their testimony for the word of God; and many, no doubt, will fall from the true church, "as a fig-trce casteth forth her untimely fruit when she is shaken of a mighty wind." Rev. vi. 13. For then it is, that the church of Christ will be completely shaken, But all those which are sound in the faith, and well founded, will be able to stand. The children of God,