or that he will blot out the world whose dust his onlybegotten Son wore upon him, or that he will destroy the planet which was the birthplace and the tomb of Him in whom he was so well pleased. Redemption cannot involve the destruction of what existed before redemption was necessary, nor consistently repeal any existing laws which were ordained before man fell. Besides, the Scriptures tell us, in so many words, that "the earth abideth forever." (Eccles. i. 4.) They also locate the fulfilment of some of their sublimest promises upon it. (Ps. xxxvii. 11; Ezek. Xxxvii. 25-28; Dan. vii. 26-28; Matt. v. 5.) We read of no giving way of the earth under the feet of these virgins when they went to the dispensers of grace, and when they returned. Though the Bridegroom had come, it remained just as firm under their feet as ever it had been.

Nor have I any idea that Christ's coming is to cut short the continuance of the race upon the earth, any more than the earth itself. God covenanted with Noah, not only that he would never again smite every living thing as he had done, (Gen. viii. 21,) but that, while the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest shall not cease. (Gen. viii. 22, ix. 8–16.) But if seed-time and harvest are to continue as long as the earth remains, and "the earth abideth forever," I take it that there will be people on it forever, to sow and reap, or there would be neither "seed-time nor harvest." Nay, there is a clause in that covenant which says, "NEITHER SHALL ALL FLESH BE CUT OFF ANY MORE." (Gen. ix. 11.) The

Scriptures also speak of "generations of eternity," or "eternal generations;"* which implies that the

* Gen. ix. 12; Isa. li. 8; Dan. iv. 3, 4; Ps. cxxxv. 13, cxlv. 13, cxlvi. 10; Joel iii. 20.

"That the expression, generations of eternity, denotes generations that are to continue in an endless series, is clear from the frequent use in the Scriptures of the continuous generations of mankind as a measure of eternity. Thus, in the expression, Isa. li. 8, My righteousness shall be to eternity, and my salvation unto generation and generation,' leolam-to eternity-is used as a parallelism with 'unto generation and generation;' and the declaration, 'My salvation shall be unto generation and generation,' asserts its eternity as absolutely as the expression, My righteousness shall be (leolam) to eternity,' ascribes eternity to that. This is confirmed, moreover, by the inconsistency of a different construction with the Divine perfections. It is as contradictory to God's own eternity and unchangeable goodness, wisdom, and purpose, to deny the eternity of his salvation, as it is to deny the eternity of his righteousness. The expressions are used in a like parallelism in Dan. iv. 3, 34:—'How great are his signs! And how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion unto generation and generation.' 'And I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is unto generation and generation.' That these are parallels is made indisputable by the exhibition, in the first, of the kingdom, and in the other, of the dominion, as olam, everlasting; while in the first it is the dominion, and in the last the kingdom, that is unto generation and generation.' The expression 'unto generation and generation' is used, therefore, as equivalent to eternity, and assumes, accordingly, that the generations of mankind are to continue to succeed one another throughout the unending future. In Ps. cxlv. 13, eternities, and every generation and generation, are used as equivalents. Tby kingdom is a kingdom (kal-leolamim) of all eternities, and thy dominion in every generation and generation.' As the dominion corresponds in duration with the kingdom, its continuance in

race, as God originally constituted it when he gave the command to "increase and multiply," is to continue perpetually.

These virgins were, indeed, separated when the Bridegroom came. Half of them, being ready, fell in with the joyous procession, and entered the place prepared for the feast, and so passed into the glori

every generation and generation of mankind is identical with its continuance through all eternities. Generation to generation' is used as the equivalent to eternity as the measure of God's name and reign. Jehovah, thy name is (leolam) to eternity; Jehovah, thy memory is unto generation and generation,' Ps. CXXXV. 13. 'Jehovah shall reign to eternity; thy God, O Zion, unto generation and generation,' Ps. cxlv. 10. Here generation and generation is exhibited as the measure of God's eternal reign, as absolutely as eternity is. This use of the expression is in effect, therefore, as absolute a declaration that the generations of mankind are to continue to succeed each other forever, as a direct affirmation that they are to continue in an endless succession would have been. As they are to be commensurate with his reign, they are to be as eternal as his reign is. And, finally, they are used by Joel (iii. 20) as equivalents in predicting the perpetuity of Judah's residence in their national land:-' But Judah shall dwell to (olam) eternity, and Jerusalem to generation and generation.' These passages, like the promises to Noah, thus explicitly teach that the generations of men are to continue to succeed one another forever, and are to be a measure, in their perpetual series, of the round of eternal ages. To maintain that this is not their meaning, is not only to contradict the plain equivalence of the endless generations of mankind to eternity in these delineations of the Divine kingdom and reign, but is to exhibit God as having used a measure of the continuance of his kingdom, his dominion, his name, and his memory, that is wholly incommensurate with and altogether misrepresents them; which would be inconsistent with his veracity and wisdom."-Theol. and Lit. Journ. ix. 180-182.

fied life; the other half, not being ready, were simply left behind, and that at no other place than where they were before the Bridegroom came, and where their generations are to continue forever.*

The object and surroundings of Christ's second coming, as set forth in the Scriptures, may be comprehended under the following statements:—

First. He is to come to complete the redemption of his people, and to exalt them to a participation in his own glory. In one respect, redemption is already complete. As regards absolution and acquittal, and our hopes and titles under the covenant of mercy, the work has been done. But there is a vast deal which exists as yet in mere expectation and promise. God's people are all still under age, and embarrassed with various disabilities, which must be removed before they can enter upon the fruition of their covenanted portion. Some are yet in corrupt and dying bodies, and others holden of death and the grave. These must be raised, and those must be translated. None have as yet been openly approved or admitted to their anticipated reward. They are sons of God, but hidden sons. (Rom. viii. 19.) They are heirs, but the inheritance has not yet come into their possession. (1 Peter i. 4.) They are the betrothed of the Lord, but they are yet in waiting for the return of Him whose absence still delays the

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It is remarkable that we never find the expression ovvτελεια του κόσμου: the word αιων indicates the time of the world, which passes away, whilst the world itself remains."— Olshausen in Matt. xxiv. 3.

marriage. He is, therefore, to come again to the earth, to take his true people to himself, to perfect their release from all present disabilities and privations, to raise from the dead those of them that sleep, to translate those of them who are alive and waiting for him at the time, to share with them his glory, and to give them honor, blessedness, and dominion as the reward of their labors and sacrifices for him here.

Second. Christ is to come to judge the nations, and to destroy from the earth all usurpers, confederates in evil, and wicked powers, plucking up every plant which the heavenly Father hath not planted, and gathering out of his kingdom every thing that offends. (Matt. xiii. 41, 42.) Antichrist is then to be visited for his blasphemies, and utterly overthrown, with all the potencies leagued with him. (Dan. xi. 45; Zech. xiv.) The Man of Sin is then to be cast down and destroyed. (2 Thess. ii. 8.) The False Prophet is then to be thrust into the lake of fire. (Rev. xix. 20.) Satan is to be bound and shut into his proper hell. (Rev. xx. 1–3.) And all them that have oppressed and afflicted the earth are then to have their dominion taken away and their kingdoms scattered like chaff to the four winds. (Dan. vii. 9.)

In this, of course, will be involved many and terrible commotions, and dreadful revelations of the vengeance and almightiness of that God whose laws the powers of the world have been so long setting at defiance. It will be attended with "distress of nations," "wars and rumors of wars," "famines,