to him the Saviour changes frequently the subject of discourse. He says, "Verses four, five, and six refer to the destruction of Jerusalem"; from verse seven to verse fourteen, he is speaking of the end of the material universe; at verse fifteen he goes back to the destruction of Jerusalem; and on verse twenty-eight returns again to the destruction of the world.*

Now certainly Mr. Miller is very kind to give us all this information, for we doubt whether any other human being would ever have discovered this sort of jumping instruction. But even he is not able to tell exactly in every case when the subject is changed.

Hear him. From the 15th to the 28th verse Christ instructs his disciples into their duty during the siege of Jerusalem, and also down to the coming of the Son of man." There! Was there ever comment like that?

The subject is certainly changed. Yes, that is undoubted. But where? ah, where? Somewhere ! And somewhere between verses fifteen and twenty-eight!

Now, is it not surprising, that any man could seriously advance such an idea, and that enlightened and reflecting people will be led by such assertions to believe, that, A. D. 1843, this fair and beautiful world is to tumble into ruin!! For myself I prefer to believe the Saviour, who said, "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 ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near,

* See Lectures, p. 11. + Page 11.

even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." Matt. xxiv. 32-34.

There is much other evidence in the twentyfourth and twenty-fifth chapters of St. Matthew to prove, that Christ came at the destruction of Jerusalem. Unless he was thus to come, what mean such expressions as the following? "Take heed that no man deceive you." "Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." "Therefore, be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh." Such is the language of the twenty-fourth chapter. The same is found in the twenty-fifth. Thus Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Now, for what were they to watch? The answer

66

.

is, for the signs which should foretell his coming. "There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Hence he says, "Take heed, that no man deceive you." Keep your eye on the signs which I have described; always be on the watch for them, and when you shall see the abomination of the desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, then let those in Judea flee to the mountains.

Now it is impossible to avoid the conclusion, that this language had reference to the Christians who were suffering persecutions in Judea. Hence, in Luke it is said, "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." All this language was addressed to those in Judea; to

those suffering under cruel persecution; to those who were personal followers of Christ, and to those who should live till his coming. At his coming their persecutions should end, their redemption be effected, if they remained faithful, and watched, so as to escape when the last sign made its appearance.

This agrees with what we have in the epistles on the coming of Christ. Thus St. Paul says, "Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand." Phil. iv. 5. Now was Paul mistaken here? About eighteen hundred years ago, he said, "the Lord is at hand." He could not, therefore, refer to a coming now future; for if he had, he could not have said, - It is at hand.

In Thessalonians, he says, "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." Thess. v. 16. Here it is said, the Lord would come as a thief, come suddenly and overtake them, unless they were constantly watching. But how could such language have been used unless Christ was to come in their day? Besides, how are we to understand the following, unless it referred to a coming of Christ in their day? “But

1

ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." Now, surely, such language is not idle declamation; and, therefore, Christ was to come in their day; and unless they walked as children of the light, he would come unexpectedly, and they would be overwhelmed in judgment.

In Hebrews St. Paul says, "Cast not away, therefore, your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience; that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Heb. x. 35-37. Do we understand the apostle here? "Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry"! Can eighteen hundred years be called a little while?

But I must not enlarge, and I need not; for he, that, in view of such abundant testimony, would still persist in saying, Christ did not come at the destruction of Jerusalem, would not be persuaded though he should appear personally, and declare it himself. "Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."

Thus have we taken away the main pillar of this theory. It is built on the supposition, that Christ did not come at the destruction of Jerusalem; that he did not come during the life of some of his first followers; that he was not at hand in the days of the apostles; that he was not to come in a little while, and before the apostles should have gone over the cities of Israel. Consequently, the theory is not built upon the rock of truth; its foundation is utterly fallacious; it contradicts

the most positive and express testimony of the Bible.

But here an objection will be raised. I shall be told, that the passages which I have quoted speak of Christ's coming in the clouds; coming with his angels; coming in power and great glory; coming to judge all nations; coming to separate the righteous from the wicked; and declare, that he should be seen coming in the clouds and in his kingdom, and to be admired of all who believe in him. Now the Lectures before us say, he did not come thus at the end of the Jewish dispensation; that the things here mentioned did not occur; that he was not seen in the clouds and in his kingdom, and that no such judgment did occur! This matter I will explain in my next Lecture; which will be on the questions, How, and for what, did Christ come at the destruction of Jerusalem ? This will cover the entire ground presented by the objection just stated.

66

Before closing this discourse, I wish to call your attention to the following passages of Scripture. Whosoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels. And he said unto them, verily I say unto you, that there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." Mark viii. 38; ix. 1. "For whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. But I tell you of a truth, there be