the Son of man coming in the clouds, with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. Now learn a parable of the fig-tree; when her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near; so ye, in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Mark xiii. 24-31. Thus does he assert, that he should come at the destruction of Jerusalem.

Luke records the questions of the disciples thus: "And they asked him saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass." Luke xxi. 7. Here all they ask about is the destruction of Jerusalem, and the sign which should foretell it; and yet in answering this, Jesus says, that his coming, and the end, and the destruction of Jerusalem, should all occur at the same time. He says, "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days; for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

For

And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable: Behold the fig-tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves, that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away." Luke xxi. 20-33.

These parallel passages prove incontrovertibly, that the only time about which the disciples inquired, was the time of Jerusalem's overthrow. This is the only time about which Jesus speaks in his reply. This was the time of his coming, and this was the end of the world, or age.

That I am right, is evident from the word rendered world. It is not xóouos, which is used to signify the material universe; but aior, which signifies age or dispensation. It is so used in the following texts. "Now all these things happened

unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition on whom the ends of the world (tả tεhn twv aiwvwv) have come." 1 Cor. x. 11. Again. "But now once in the end of the world (air) hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Heb. ix. 26. Thus it was the end of the Jewish world, about which the disciples inquired. This was to end at the destruction of Jerusalem, or the coming of Christ. Hence Matthew says, "The end is not yet"; "he that shall endure unto the end"; "then shall the end come." But we ask, the end of what? The answer is plain. The end of the Jewish age, at which time their persecutions should be closed. Let us suppose that we are not right; and that one question refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, and the others to the destruction of the universe; how are we to know when the Saviour was speaking of the former, and when of the latter? The usual answer to this, is, that he first answers the question respecting the destruction of Jerusalem, and then respecting the destruction of the universe. We have asked those who give this answer, to put their finger on the text where the subject of discourse is changed. Some have said one text, and some another. The most general answer is, that the subject is changed at the commencement of the twenty-fifth chapter. This, however, is exceedingly unfortunate, for that commences thus: "Then shall the kingdom of heaven," &c. Now then is an adverb of time, and of course must refer to what preceded, which was the destruction of Jerusalem.

But the author of the Lectures under consideration is infinitely more unfortunate. According

to him the Saviour changes frequently the subject of discourse. He says, "Verses four, five, and six refer to the destruction of Jerusalem"; from verse seven to verse fourteen, he is speaking of the end of the material universe; at verse fifteen goes back to the destruction of Jerusalem; and on verse twenty-eight returns again to the destruction of the world.*

he

Now certainly Mr. Miller is very kind to give us all this information, for we doubt whether any other human being would ever have discovered this sort of jumping instruction. But even he is not able to tell exactly in every case when the subject is changed.

Hear him. "From the 15th to the 28th verse Christ instructs his disciples into their duty during the siege of Jerusalem, and also down to the coming of the Son of man."+ There! Was there ever comment like that?

The subject is certainly changed. Yes, that is undoubted. But where? ah, where? Somewhere! And somewhere between verses fifteen and twenty-eight!

Now, is it not surprising, that any man could seriously advance such an idea, and that enlightened and reflecting people will be led by such assertions to believe, that, A. D. 1843, this fair and beautiful world is to tumble into ruin!! For myself I prefer to believe the Saviour, who said, "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,

* See Lectures, p. 11. f Page 11.

even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." Matt. xxiv. 32-34.

There is much other evidence in the twentyfourth and twenty-fifth chapters of St. Matthew to prove, that Christ came at the destruction of Jerusalem. Unless he was thus to come, what mean such expressions as the following? "Take heed that no man deceive you." "Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." "Therefore, be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh." Such is the language of the twenty-fourth chapter. The same is found in the twenty-fifth. Thus Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Now, for what were they to watch? The answer is, for the signs which should foretell his coming. "There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Hence he says, "Take heed, that no man deceive you." Keep your eye on the signs which I have described; always be on the watch for them, and when you shall see the abomination of the desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, then let those in Judea flee to the mountains.

Now it is impossible to avoid the conclusion, that this language had reference to the Christians who were suffering persecutions in Judea. Hence, in Luke it is said, "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." All this language was addressed to those in Judea; to