Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

THE SECOND ADVENT:

OR,

WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES TEACH RESPECTING THE SEC

OND COMING OF CHRIST, THE END OF THE WORLD,
THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, AND THE
GENERAL JUDGMENT?

It is the sole aim of this brief treatise, to present the testimony of the Scriptures upon some of the most important points relating to the great subjects above named, with one or two unavoidable inferences. All allusion to any other source of argument, or to the opinions of any particular sect or uninspired writer, will be studiously avoided. It is my wish, so far as possible, to shut myself up alone with the Bible, excluding every sound of theological controversy or speculation, divesting myself of every prejudice, and even forgetting, for the time being, my own most cherished opinions. Truth is of infinitely higher value than the excitement of controversy, the triumph of victory, the pleasure of sympathy, or even the pride of consistency.

The subjects in question are, without dispute, among the grandest themes of Christianity; and they are, in a peculiar sense, themes not of natural religion, but of revelation. Question Nature upon them never so ear

nestly, and she will return no answer. For every, even the slightest, intimation concerning them, we are entirely dependent upon supernatural communications.

Nor are they themes of mere curiosity or lofty speculation, but of the deepest practical and personal import. They present problems relating to our future eternal history, without a satisfactory solution of which it is impossible to enjoy a moment of rational peace.

That the testimony of the Scriptures upon these important subjects may be the more clearly seen, and the more readily appreciated, it will be arranged under a series of propositions with subordinate heads. The quotations will follow our excellent received version, with an occasional remark upon the original text, and will be made without omissions, except where notice is given by the familiar sign (. . .).

In respect to the nature and degree of the evidence furnished by each quotation, the reader will, of course, judge for himself; and I have supposed that, in general, he would prefer to do this, without the tedium of a minute running commentary, or of protracted remarks. He will observe that, to passages furnishing direct proof in and of themselves, a few have been added which furnish such proof only in connection with other passages; and also a few which afford only circumstantial evidence or striking illustration. To the intelligent and candid reader, there can be no need that I should suggest the unreasonableness of requiring each separate passage to sustain by itself the whole weight of the argument, or of supposing, because he finds that some weak outpost can be taken, that therefore the citadel is indefensible.

PROPOSITION I.

THE SCRIPTURES OFTEN SPEAK OF A SECOND, BUT NEVER OF A THIRD, COMING OF CHRIST.

The quotations in support of this proposition will all be taken from the New Testament. If the Old Testament contains any intimations at all of a second coming of Christ, they are not sufficiently explicit to be made the foundation of an important argument. Nor, with the abundant evidence furnished by the New Testament, could there be any necessity of resorting to them, however explicit they might be. After the first coming of Christ, we find the predictions of a future (that is, of a second) coming alike frequent and express, continually recurring, in the most unequivocal terms, from almost the beginning of the New Testament to its very close. But, with all this frequency and explicitness of mention, combined at times with general particularity of description, we nowhere find the least intimation that this coming was to be otherwise than one and final; we nowhere find the slightest allusion to any third coming.

It will be observed that our proposition contains a positive and a negative part. No one, of course, will expect any citations in support of the latter. It is impossible to produce examples of what does not exist. And, in making citations, under distinct heads, in support of the former, many examples will be omitted, to avoid need

less repetition. No apology will, I trust, be deemed necessary for so much repetition of the same passage in different connections as a proper treatment of the subject shall seem to require. And, while I have endeavoured to avoid both extremes, I have supposed that all who hold the Bible in due regard would sooner forgive excessive than deficient quotation from its inspired pages.

I. Our Saviour often speaks of a future coming of his, but never as though there were to be more than one such coming.

Mat. xvi. 27, "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels."

Mat. xxiv. 37, "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

Mat. xxv. 31, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him."

Mark xiii. 26, "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory."

Luke ix. 26, "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."

Luke xii. 40, "Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not."

Luke xvii. 30, "Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."

Luke xviii. 8, "Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

John xxi. 22, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?"

II. Our Saviour answered inquiries in respect to this coming.

Mat. xxiv. 3, "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives,

« AnteriorContinuar »