the triumphant estate of the Christian church, are so clearly revealed that no one who has faith in the word of God can doubt of their being accomplished at some time yet future. The time for their accomplishment we believe to be come, in the commencement of that series of events which mark the day of the Lord as near at hand; the very dawn of which day will be the termination of the Christian day of grace; the loss of sonship to all who are not previously members of Christ Jesus, who have not already "made their calling and election sure. The Lord is about to "make up his jewels" (Mal. iii. 17); he is about to "gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matt. xxiv. 31.)

Our Lord reproved his disciples, as "fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets had spoken " (Luke xxiv. 25); and reproved the men of that generation for "not discerning the signs of the times" (Matt. xvi. 3); and hath left a standing admonition to his church, not only to watch at all times, as not knowing how soon the Lord may come; but hath commanded them to look out for the signs of his approach: "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, even at the doors" (Matt. xxiv. 42, 32.) The general command to watchfulness was for all generations; the special command to discern the signs of the times applies peculiarly to the last generation; to the last of the Mosaic and the last of the Christian dispensations; to both the type and the antitype; to each of whom it is alike said, “ Verily I Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation:" "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled." (Matt. xxiii. 36; xxiv. 34.)

The signs which we are thus commanded to watch are manifold, and depend upon the situation and the spiritual discernment of the members of Jesus. Some of the signs are so obvious that all may read them; but some are working so stealthily, both in the church and in the world, as to pass unobserved by the generality of Christians, though most easily recognisable when brought under their notice.

Those given by our Lord himself are applicable to the last generation of each dispensation, from the exact correspondence which he knew there would be between the last condition of the Mosaic and of the Christian churches, and the likeness in the judgments which would fall on both, though aggravated to the Christian church in proportion to its increased privileges and consequent responsibility. False Christs and deceivers tempt that generation and the present (Matt. xxiv. 5, 23.) That generation is told of wars and rumours of wars (xxiv. 6); ̋ and

upon this generation shall come the great tribulation "such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be" (xxiv. 21.) Upon that generation, and upon Jerusalem, came "all the righteous blood shed upon the earth" (Matt. xxiii. 35); and upon this generation, and upon Rome the mother of abominations, shall heavier judgments fall, because "in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth (Rev. xviii. 24.)

The standing sign permeating the whole time of the Christian dispensation, though increasing towards its close, is the preaching of the Gospel. "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matt. xxiv. 14.)

And the signs peculiar to this generation, given by our Lord, are immediately after the tribulation, when "the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven (xxiv. 29.) Which last signs were only mystically fulfilled at the French Revolution, when the mystical period of 1260 years ran out; but shall be literally fulfilled when the literal period of 1260 days, assigned to the literal Antichrist, shall have run out. Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn; because the day of grace will be then gone by, and the day of judgment will have begun.

But many signs, peculiar to this generation, are given in the other parts of Scripture; as, in the Apocalypse, where the sucçessive characteristics of the church are given in the addresses to the seven churches in Asia; and where the several oppressors of the church are foreshewn in appropriate symbols; and where the times during which their oppressions continue are given in symbolical numbers; and where the agency by which the last confederacy is gathered is announced, and its overwhelming power declared. On these signs we need not now enlarge, as the explanation of them has always occupied a prominent place in this Journal. It may suffice to advert to those which even worldly politicians behold with astonishment, and acknowledge to be indubitable prognostics of the most important changes over the whole civilized world. The downfall of the Ottoman power is one of these, called in the Apocalypse "the drying up of the great river Euphrates, that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared" (Rev. xvi. 12); and certainly no one would now be surprised at any negociation which might be set on foot to bring about the restoration of the Jews, as a barrier between the contending parties. The increase of the Papal power of late, notwithstanding the increase of Liberalism and Infidelity, is another marked sign of these

times and the alliance of such heterogeneous principles is still more remarkable, and in precise agreement with the declaration that the ten kings of Christendom shall hate the Papacy, and yet agree to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled (Rev. xvii. 17). But the greatest sign of all, to those who are placed in a situation to mark it, is the increased and increasing preparation in the Church, which seems only to go on the more rapidly by the fierce opposition of the champions of ignorance. Points are now received as established truths which four years ago were generally denied, and their discussion forbidden as presumptuous and dangerous: at that time, those who would keep in favour with the synagogue were constrained to come, like Nicodemus, by night, to learn tidings concerning the kingdom of heaven (John iii.); but now there is a goodly company, in every quarter of the land, watching and keeping their garments, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God (2 Pet. iii. 12; Rev. xvi. 15).

And now we would endeavour to second this general spirit of inquiry, by pointing out the path in following which the inquirer will be led to just conclusions, and understand all that concerns him and his generation in unfulfilled prophecy. This path follows the footsteps of our Lord, in order to hear his discourses and understand his parables, not one of which is of indefinite application, or of vague interpretation; but each discourse and parable, taking its rise from the circumstances of those times, was designed to give instruction to the whole church -to the disciples and first converts, in their day and generation; and also to us, in this our day.

66

So,

Every discourse of our Lord took its rise from some passing occurrence, and every parable is linked on to some discourse or occurrence by the copulative" then," "at that time," "in that day," "when," as," "in like manner," &c. The discourse on the mount of Olives, in full prospect of the temple (Matt. xxiv. Mark xiii. Luke xxi.), took its rise from the disciples pointing with admiration to the goodly stones of the building; to which Jesus had replied, "Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down." We have often contemplated with like admiration our beautiful temple, the Church of England, "how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts;" and knowing, from the word of the Lord, that it also shall be overthrown, we would ask, as the disciples did, "When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" We, like them, desire to know how soon, and by what means, our goodly structure shall be destroyed; and whether the demolition of the temple shall be at the end of the world, or some other sign shall precede the coming of the Son of man, and other signs occur

before the end of the world. In answer to the inquiry of the disciples our Lord gives no dates, no signs peculiar to them alone and unknown to the world; but, cautions against being deceived, wars and rumours of wars, and reference to the prophet Daniel," Let him that readeth understand." But, on referring to Daniel, we find that "none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand" (xii. 10); and that they that understand among the people shall instruct many " (xi. 33).

From hence we learn the character of the "faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over all his house,' because he is that "blessed servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing" (Matt. xxiv. 45, 46) and we learn also wherein consists the specific distinction between the wise and the foolish virgins, to whom the kingdom of heaven shall THEN be likened-then, when the Son of man cometh in the clouds of heaven, and when the cry is made to all the virgins, foolish and wise," Go ye out to meet him" (Matt. xxv. 1, 6).

All the virgins expect the coming of the Bridegroom, and all go out to meet meet him at the first call: all have their lamps, and all the lamps burn equally bright at their first setting out: the difference between the wise and the foolish did not appear till afterwards. But the Bridegroom tarried; the virgins grew weary and heavy with watching; and all slumbered and slept, till the oil in the lamps was so wasted that the light grew dim, and was near going out. At this juncture all are suddenly roused from their slumbers by the cry," Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him!" And now the difference appears between the wise and the foolish virgins. The wise virgins had forethought; they had calculated on the possibility of the Bridegroom's tarrying, and on the exhaustion of their lamps if that should be the case: they had therefore taken oil in their vessels as well as in their lamps, to furnish light not only for their guidance to the place of waiting for their Lord, but to welcome his coming with the brilliant light of fresh-trimmed lamps: and these wise virgins only, and none of the foolish, enter in with the Bridegroom, before the door is shut.

Now these indisputable points in the parable will demonstrate, on any possible system of interpretation, the following prophetic truths: First, that the church, consisting both of wise and foolish virgins-all virgins, and therefore all of the church-began their pilgrimage with lamps of equal brightness; and all had oil sufficient to meet the Bridegroom, had he speedily come. Secondly, that the lamps of the wise grew dim in waiting, and needed trimming, just as much as the lamps of the foolish. Thirdly, that the store of oil to replenish the lamps must be laid up beforehand, and carried forth with the lamps: for though it

may be obtained at any time from the store-houses, yet, if provision be delayed till the coming of the Bridegroom, by that delay all will be lost: the door will be shut while the foolish are gone to the store-houses for oil.

If the oil be interpreted of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of the parable is, that, the Holy Spirit, in all his fulness, which shone so bright in the gifts and graces of the Apostolic churches, would, in the drowsiness of the church, slumbering while her Lord tarried, become dim, and seem to be going out; but should become revived in the wise virgins, by a fresh infusion of the Holy Spirit, which these wise ones have never been without, though the time for its manifestation is not till all are called to trim their lamps. If the oil be interpreted of the word of God, which is called a light to our feet and a lamp unto our paths (Ps. cxix. 105), the doctrine is, that the Scriptures, which all alike illuminated all parts of the church, would, in the apathy of a slumbering church, become obscure, and of dubious, partial brilliancy, like a lamp flickering in the socket; till, by another trimming, and a fresh filling from the store-house of the word of God, the church shall be enlightened to welcome the Bridegroom and enter with him into the kingdom of heaven. Now it is universally notorious, that all the efforts of the Papacy have been for ages directed to the one end of keeping the people in darkness, by withholding the Scriptures; and it is equally notorious, to most of our readers, that all the efforts of large bodies of the Protestant churches have been for many years endeavouring to keep their followers in darkness concerning some most important doctrines, by withholding from them a large portion of the Scriptures; although that portion is especially pointed out by the Apostles as deserving of peculiar regard: “We have a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well to take heed, as unto a light shining in a dark place" (2 Pet. i. 19).

Our Lord, in referring to the prophet Daniel, specially tells us to be wise; to be at pains in searching for the meaning: "whoso readeth let him understand" (Matt. xxiv. 15); and we may be assured that we cannot otherwise know the meaning of our Lord's own discourse, concerning his coming and the end of the world. And the book referred to declares that "the wise shall understand;" and that "they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as stars for ever and ever." (Dan. xii. 10, 3).

Having thus ascertained the general purport of any discourse of our Lord, and the final conclusion to which it leads, we may easily gather the order of events, by following the same method of comparison with the context in the Gospels and with the Old Testament prophecies.

The Jews having been chosen by God to be the type of his