x. 16-20; see vol. iii., page 18.) When in such situations, they were not to think beforehand what speeches or defence they should make; for Christ promised, that the proper words to speak should be put into their mouths at the moment they were wanted he assured them that, under such circumstances, it would not be their own thoughts that would be spoken by their lips; but that it would be the Holy Ghost himself who would speak through them-the Spirit of Christ himself would give them both wisdom to think, and power to speak, which none of their enemies should be able to stand against, or prove to be wrong.

He reminded them of the reason why people would be so violent against them (Matt. x. 21, 22; vol. iii., page 19); and told them that the state of things he had then described should be carried on during the generations of which he was now speaking. Many persons should be so offended at the doctrines of the Gospel, that they would think it a duty to inform against their nearest relations who became christians; even their natural love would be turned into hatred. A heathen would not scruple to give up his brother to be punished with death for being a christian, and a father would do the same against a son; and even children would take part against their parents, and procure their condemnation to death. There would be a general hatred against the ministers and people of Christ, on account of their preaching and believing in his name: but nevertheless not the least thing should so injure them, as to prevent all things working together for their real and eternal good. (Rom, viii. 28.) He said this, referring to the expression he had used upon the former oeca

sion-that "the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matt. x. 30; vol. ii., page 22.) Moreover many persons would falsely take to themselves the character of prophets and ministers of the Gospel, and deceive numbers that followed them. Much sin and grievous inconsistency, even in those calling themselves Christians, would be the consequence; and this would increase so greatly, that the christian love of many disciples would be checked and chilled, by finding that the loudest profession of christianity did not secure the certainty of that holy walk and conversation which ought to be its result, (Acts xx. 29, 30. 2 Pet. ii. 1,2. Jude 18, 19.) Our Lord however bid his disciples live in the constant exercise of a patient waiting for the end; for it can only be by patiently continuing to bear, to the very last, all that may happen to them for Christ's sake, that any one will find himself amongst the number of those that are saved. (Matt. x. 22.)

Having thus repeated the warnings and encouragements he had given, when first opening to his. Apostles the great commission of preaching the Gospel, Jesus now stated one particular sign, by which Christians might know when the end of the present order of things was really approaching. Having told them that they were not to expect his coming, and the end, at the destruction of the temple, he proceeded to mention one mark, by which christians could know when they might expect it. As this sign has been misunderstood by some, it is necessary to pay particular attention to the expression made use of by our Lord in describing it. St. Matthew (xxiv, 14) tells us that he said This Gospel of the kingdom shall be

preached in all the world for a witness (or testimony) to all nations ;" and when this shall have been accomplished, and not before, then the present order of things shall come to an end, St. Mark (xiii. 10) states this same thing, in fewer words; but they confirm the right understanding of those used by St. Matthew. According to St. Mark's account, our Lord stated that it was necessary that the Gospel should be published, or preached, among all nations, before the end could take place. When we are considering any passage of Scripture relating to events not yet come to pass, we must take the words just as we find them; without venturing to add thereto any notions of our own. For want of attention to this rule, some have supposed that, before the end of the present order of things, all nations must have been converted to the faith of the Gospel. Nothing however of this kind is said in the present passage; the utmost that can be gathered from it is that a time shall come, when the preaching of the Gospel shall have taken place amongst every nation on the habitable globe, in some generation or other of its history; and to such an extent among each, that it may be a witness, either for or against that people. This must have taken place before the present order of things in the world shall come to an end; and when it has taken place, then the end shall no longer be delayed.

Having given this sign, in answer to the question of the four disciples, Jesus proceeded to draw a practical application from all that he had said, in order to be a guide for the conduct of those Christians who should live at the time of the destruction of the temple: and in doing this he

particularly shewed the danger of falling into the mistake of supposing, that the destruction of Jerusalem was in any way connected with the Lord's coming, and the end of the world. He said "therefore;" to understand the force of which word we must ask ourselves wherefore? and look to that which went before to find the answer. We shall gather it to be this: because about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem many people shall assume the character of the Messiah, saying falsely, that Christ is then come, and the end is at hand-because a long period of time must elapse, sufficient for many wars between nations and kingdoms, and for many troubles and changes to take place in the world; and also sufficient for the carrying out into action of all those persecutions and trials of Christ's Church, for which he had prepared the Apostles when he gave them their ministerial commission;-and because these things must continue until the Gospel shall have been published in every nation of the world, so as to be a witness that God has visited them all, "to take out of them a people for his name. (Acts xv. 14);-because of all these reasons -"therefore" the Christians who should be present at the siege of Jerusalem, forty years after our Lord was speaking, were not to suppose that he was coming again at that time, or that the end of the world was then at hand: for if they were to make such a mistake, they would of course consider that their own safety was as sure in one place as in another, and would accordingly use no means to escape from the danger with which they would be surrounded; which, on the contrary, he strongly urged them to do. This is the plain

meaning of our Lord's argument, in this part of his answer to the disciples' question.

He warned them therefore that, because of what he had stated, when they found Jerusalem surrounded by armies, they might expect that it was about to be destroyed; and then, all the Christians who happened to be in Judea, must immediately make their escape to the hilly country, on the other side of Jordan. The prophet Daniel (in writing the things described by the angel Gabriel as to take place after "Messiah shall be cut off,") states that "the people of the prince that shall come, shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;" and adds that, "for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate:" which latter expression is thus translated in the margin66 upon the battlements shall be the idols of the desolator." (Dan. ix. 26, 27; xii. 11.) The word "abomination" is used in Scripture to express any idol, or image that is treated with religious reverence; (1 Kings xi. 5, 7; 2 Kings xxiii. 13, Is. xliv. 19. Jer. xiii, 27;) and an "abomination of desolation", or an idol" that maketh desolate," means an idol of war-war being the instrument of general destruction and desolation. Jesus said that the besieging armies, which would come against Jerusalem, would carry the idols of war to which Daniel referred; (those who read the prophecy of Daniel would be able then the better to understand, it by comparing the event with the prophecy.) When Christians should see these idols planted in the consecrated ground of the holy city, where no idol ought ever to be admitted, they were to take this as the sign no longer to delay their flight, but to escape at once to the