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kings, and Lord of lords." 1 Tim. vi.

13-15.

And they speak of the time of the kingdom and its concomitants thus. "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever." What is this? We reply, "The latter-day" glory. "Are we all agreed upon this?" "Yes, all we all preach it." "Very well, read on." "And

the four-and-twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces and worshipped God, saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art,. and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned. And the nations were angry and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and should

est destroy them that destroy the earth." Rev. xi. 15-18.

Now here, say they, are the coming kingdom (as universally admitted), the first resurrection with its adjudged rewards, and the "gathering out of the kingdom all things that offend and them that do iniquity," put closely together.

Brethren!

Such, then, is the difference. certainly in an age of missions these things may not be thrust into a corner. Consider a moment. Do we need to be told, whatever be our theory of the millennium, that it is a clear doctrine of the word of God, that the church is to look, and long. and wait for the real, visible second coming of the Lord, and that we are to "take heed, watch and pray; for we know not when the time is?" Mark xiii. 33.

See, how the exulting faith and hope of the faithful minister postponed his rejoicing in his converts to Christ, until the joy of that hour," For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in

the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?" 1 Thess. ii. 19. See the yearnings of an apostle that his hearers. may "be accounted worthy to escape all the evils which shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.' -" To the end that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints." 1 Thess. iii. 13. Is it the hour of the believer's death, and his peace and hope in that hour, upon which the apostle's prayer terminates? Nay, but, "I pray God that your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thess. v. 23. What is the object to which the apostles directed the diligence and hope of the people of God ?—" Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be patient and hope to the end for the grace which is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Pet. i. 13. What is it, in a word, to which the longing eye of the child of God has been directed, at every time, when

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he has commemorated the sacrifice of his Lord? Does he not "show forth the Lord's death till he come ?"* 1 Cor. xi. 26. Faith, at the same moment, turns to "the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ,"-and then "blesses God who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for those who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time; wherein she greatly rejoices too, though under manifold temptations, that her trial may be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ." 1 Pet. i. 2-7.

We all consider this point as settled. Indeed, the only wonder is that it need be. repeated. Now, brethren, if it be true, as is stated, that any received view of the king

* An observant reader of the scriptures cannot fail to remark how continually this sentiment is seen cropping out in unexpected places. How could this be, if the same rich vein were not underlying the whole surface of scripture truth?

dom is practically driving out of the church "that blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of the great God our Saviour," who will affirm that this is no important matter? (NOTE C.)

The scriptures, throughout, inform us that when Christ does come, he shall come as a "thief in the night." "When they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction overtakes them and they shall not escape." 1 Thess v. 2, 3. This solemn question, then, is proposed to us. Suppose that Christ were to come now, where would you find an age of the world where both the world and the church were lulled into a deeper security on this subject than just at this moment? Is a man to be regarded as a troubler in Israel, then, if he cry to the secure church, “Be ye, therefore, ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh ?" Matt. xxiv. 44.

But it is replied:-We do admit the doctrine. We expect a kingdom to be set up before the advent; but do we not admit also Christ's speedy coming as a thing possi