Sam. xxii. 10-12, Psal. xcvii. 2-5, Isa. xix. 1,) great exertions of the divine power, whether for the salvation or destruction of nations, are called the coming, the appearing, the presence of God. Hence it was natural for the apostles, who were Jews, to call any signal and evident interposition of Christ, as governor of the world, for the accomplishment of his purposes, his coming, and his day. Accordingly, those exertions of his power and providence, whereby he destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, abrogated the Mosaic institutions, and established the gospel, are called by the apostles his coming and day: not only in allusion to the ancient prophetic language, but because Christ himself, in his prophecy concerning these events, recorded Matt. xxiv., hath termed them the coming of the Son of man, in allusion to the following prophecy of Daniel, of which his own prophecy is an explication. Dan. vii. 13, 14, ‘I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.' This prophecy the Jewish doctors with one consent interpreted of their Messiah, and of that temporal kingdom which they expected was to be given him. Farther, they supposed that he would erect that temporal kingdom by great and visible exertions of his power, for the destruction of his enemies. But they little suspected, that themselves were of the number of those enemies whom he was to destroy; and that his kingdom was to be established upon the ruin of their state. Yet that was the true meaning of the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven. For while the Jewish nation continued in Judea, and observed the institutions of Moses, they violently opposed the preaching of the gospel, by which the Messiah was

to reign over all people, nations, and languages. Wherefore, that the everlasting kingdom might be effectually established, it was necessary that Jerusalem and the Jewish state should be destroyed by the Roman armies. Now, since our Lord foretold this sad catastrophe in the words of the prophet Daniel, Matt. xxiv. 30, ' And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory ;' and, after describing every particular of it with the greatest exactness, seeing he told his disciples, ver. 34, 'This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled; ' can there be any doubt that the apostles, (who, when they wrote their epistles, certainly understood the true import of this prophecy,) by their master's coming, and by the end of all things, which they represent as at hand, meant his coming to destroy Jerusalem, and to put an end to the institutions of Moses?

"It is no objection to this, that when the apostles heard Christ declare, 'There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down,' they connected the end of the world, or age, with that event: Matt. xxiv. 3, 'Tell us, when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of thy coming, καὶ συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος, and of the end of the age.' For, as the Jewish doctors divided the duration of the world into three ages, the age before the law, the age under the law, and the age of the Messiah; the apostles knew that the age under the law was to end when the age under the Messiah began. And therefore, by the end of the age, they meant, even at that time, not the end of the world, but the end of the age under the law, in which the Jews had been greatly oppressed by the heathens. And although they did not then understand the purpose for which their master was to come, nor the true nature of his kingdom, nor suspect that he was to make any change in the institutions of Moses; yet when they wrote their epistles, being illuminated by the Holy Ghost, they certainly knew that the institutions of

Moses were to be abolished, and their master's kingdom was not a temporal but a spiritual dominion, in which all people, nations, and languages were to be governed, not by external force, but by the operation of truth upon their minds, through the preaching of the gospel.

"Farther, that the apostles, by the coming of Christ, which they represented as at hand when they wrote their epistles, meant his coming to establish his spiritual kingdom over all people, nations, and languages, and not his coming to put an end to this mundane system, is evident from what Christ himself told them, Matt. xvi. 28, There be some standing here, who shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.' And agreeably to this account of the coming of Christ and of the end of all things, I observe, that every passage of their epistles, in which the apostles have spoken of these things as at hand, may, with the greatest propriety, be interpreted of Christ's coming to establish his everlasting kingdom over all people, nations, and languages, by destroying Jerusalem, putting an end to the law of Moses, and spreading the gospel through the world. Thus, 1 Cor. x. 11, 'These things... are written for our admonition, upon whom téλŋ tŵv aiwvwv, the ends of the ages are come,' means the end of the age under the law, and the beginning of the age under the Messiah. Philip. iv. 5,' Let your moderation be known to all men: the Lord is nigh;' namely, to destroy the Jews, your greatest adversaries. Heb. ix. 26, 'But now, once ènì ovvteλeiḍ tôv aiwvwv, at the conclusion of the ages, (the Jewish Jubilees,) he hath been manifested to abolish sin-offering by the sacrifice of himself.' Heb. x. 25, Exhorting one another daily, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching:' the day of Christ's coming to destroy Jerusalem and the Jewish state. Ver. 37, 'For yet a very little while, and he who is coming will come, and will not tarry.' James v. 7, Wherefore, be patient, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.' Ver. 8,

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'Be ye also patient: strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord (to destroy the Jews, your persecutors,) draweth nigh.' Ver. 9, Behold, the Judge standeth before the door. 1 Pet. iv. 7, The end of all things, (the end of Jerusalem and of the temple, and of all the Mosaic institutions,) hath approached. Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.' 1 John ii. 18, 'Young children, it is the last hour (of the Jewish state); and, as ye have heard (from Christ, in his prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem,) that the antichrist cometh, so now there are many antichrists; whence we know that it is the last hour (of the Jewish state).'

"2. There is another coming of Christ spoken of by the apostles, different likewise from his coming to judge the world, and to put an end to the present state of things; namely, his coming to destroy the man of sin. 2 Thess. ii. 8,' Him the Lord will consume by the breath of his mouth, and will render ineffectual by the bright shining of his coming.' This singular event, which will contribute greatly to the honor of God, and to the good of his church, being to be accomplished by a visible and extraordinary interposition of the power of Christ in the government of the world, is agreeably to the scripture style fitly called the coming of the Lord, and the bright shining of his coming. But this coming is nowhere in scripture said to be at hand.

"3. There is likewise a day or coming of Christ, spoken of by Paul, different from his coming to judgment, and from both the former comings; I mean, his releasing his people from their present trial, by death. 1 Cor. i. 8, He also will confirm you until the end without accusation, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Philip. i. 6, ' He who hath begun in you a good work, will be completing it until the day of Jesus Christ.' 1 Thess. v. 23, May your whole person, the spirit, and the soul, and the body, be preserved unblamable unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.' It is true, the release of Christ's servants from their present trial by death is ac

complished, for the most part, by no extraordinary display of his power: yet it is fitly enough called his day and coming; because by his appointment all men die, and by his power each is carried to his own place after death. Besides, his servants in particular, being put on their duty like soldiers, must remain at their several posts, till released by their commander; and when he releases them, he is fitly said to come for that purpose.

"4. Besides all these, there is a day or coming of the Lord to judge the world, and to put an end to the present state of things. This coming Christ himself hath promised, Matt. xvi. 27, 'The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his holy angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his work.'* Now, this being a real personal appearing of Christ in the body, it is more properly than any other of his comings called the day and coming of Christ. And the purposes of it being more important than those of his other comings, the exertions of his power for accomplishing them will be most signal and glorious. On that occasion, likewise, he will appear in far greater majesty than formerly. For whereas, during his first abode on earth, his dignity and perfections were in a great measure concealed under the veil of his human nature; at his second coming, his glory as the image of the invisible God, and as having all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily, will be most illustriously displayed, by his raising the dead, judging the world, destroying the earth, punishing his enemies, and rewarding his servants. Hence this coming is, with great propriety, termed the revelation of Jesus Christ; † and the day of his revelation, when he shall be glorified in his saints, and admired of all them that believe.'

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Thus it appears, that when the apostles wrote, there were four comings of Christ to happen; three of them figurative,

* But see p. 139.

† But see p. 143.