times and seasons" are now definitely made known. Hope, though deferred, filled them "with joy and holy expectation" then, as though "the time of the end,” then actually to human view far distant from them, was nigh at hand; for, even upon the supposition that the interval between the two advents as present to the minds of the New Testament Saints, stretched through a vista of full one thousand eight hundred years, yet if viewed relatively with the entire period of the destined duration of the constituted order of things under the three dispensations, Patriarchal, Jewish, and Christian, it stood in the proportion of considerably less than one third to the whole period. Nor is this in the least at variance with our ordinary conceptions of the proportion of time future with time past of any given period, as of a year, month, week, or day; respecting which, when less than one third remains unexpired, it is common to say, that the year, month, week, or day, "is far spent." This admitted, and we think we are furnished with an illustration of the subject in hand, when applied to the above interval of the two advents, the second ultimating in the establishment upon earth of the kingdom of Messiah; to which, during this interval, the Gentile or Christian economy was designed as preparatory. Thus the following and similar passages:-"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is AT HAND: repent ye, and believe the gospel."1 Hence the Savior, when about to leave his Church 1. Mark. i., 15. during this interval, says to his disciples, "A little while, and ye shall not see me: And again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because, (between my two advents) I go to the Father." And the Apostle Paul, speaking of his return, says, "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Hence also the consistency, prospective of the lapse of this long period of one thousand eight hundred years, of the warning, "Behold I come as a thief:" and of the exhortation," Watch, for in such an hour as ye think not, the son of man cometh :" and of the promise, "Blessed is he that watcheth." Finally, hence the exercise, on the part of the Apostles and primitive Saints, of a watchful, prayerful, patient waiting for, this "day of the Lord." The holy ambition which fired their breasts amid their trials of cruel mockings, and scourgings, and deaths, might be seen in their constant "Looking for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the Great God, even our Savior Jesus Christ; " and their "looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God." " 5 What now, I ask, yes, and ask with religious solemnity — what becomes of the above plea, that the indefinite replies of our Lord to the several inquiries of his disciples respecting "times and seasons were no better than trifling evasions, because predicated of 1. John xvi., 16. 2. Heb. x., 37. 4. Matt. XXV., 7. 2 Pet. iii., 12. the ultimate purpose of God to REVEAL them to his Church? This sentiment, to my understanding, savors of the scoffing spirit of these last times,1 which has for its basis that irreverent and blasphemous assumption of equality with Deity, so forcibly brought to view in the words, "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself!" 2 "But," saith God, "I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.” 3 5 First. It is conceded, that to the prophet Daniel the command was given, to "shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end." And again, "Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." Also, that to his disciples Christ said, "It is not for you to know the times and seasons ;" and that of " that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." But, on the other hand, we would ask you to look at the following and similar declarations, first, of the prophet Amos. "Surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his SECRETS unto his servants the prophets." of the prophet Habakkuk. "The vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the END, it shall speak and not lie though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry." It is also to be re 1. 2 Pet. iii., 3. 3. Ps. 1., 21. 5. Dan. xii., 4, 9. 7. Mark. xiii., 32, 33. 0 2. Ps. 1., 21. 4. Dan. xii., 4. 6. Acts i., 7. 8. Amos iii., 7. 9. Hab. ii., 3. Also collected that the shutting up of the words, and the sealing of the Book of Daniel was limited; "BVEN To," or TILL, the time of the end." 1 In accordance therefore with these declarations, the last canonical prophet of the New Testament, viz., St. John, is thus directed, "SEAL NOT the sayings of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand."2 Now, if we can place our finger upon the time when, and show through whom, and the circumstances under which the very "SECRET " of which the prophet Amos spoke was revealed to the faithful, we shall have fully established the point, that "the times and seasons" have been and are, in these last days, disclosed to the CHURCH. As is now generally admitted, (which admission is based upon the general opinion of the fathers— Irenæus, Origen, Eusebius, &c., and who are followed by the moderns, Mill, Le Clerc, Basnage, Lardner, Tomline, Woodhouse and others,) the Apocalypse was written A. D. ninty-six. In the first verse and first chapter of that book, we read thus "THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WHICH GOD GAVE UNTO HIM." Now, we admit all that can be claimed for the passage, Mark. xiii., 32. "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, NEITHER THE SON, but the Father." We admit that, when the disciples proposed to Christ the question regarding the time of 1. Dan. xii., 4, 9. 2. Rev. xxii., 10. were a HIDDEN MYSTERY the Restoration of the kingdom to Israel, "the times and seasons not given (even) to the SON to reveal:"1 and that too, without at all derogating (as a late writer on this subject supposes 2) from his divine prerogatives. "By the son not knowing, we are clearly taught that he had a real human mind, as well as a real human body. As man, his Divine omniscience was no more put forth than his Almighty power. But as time rolled on, further light was to be given on this point." And now, all the Apostles, save one, having "fallen asleep in Jesus," in the A. D. ninety-six, that knowledge of "the times and seasons previously withholden from the Son, is fully revealed to him. "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which GOD (who, as the Father, ONLY, before possessed a knowledge of) Gave UNTO HIM," (the Son.) But, you will ask, was not this Revelation, thus given to the Son by the Father, shut up in his own bosom? We answer, no. St. John was at that time "in the isle that is called Patmos," "on the Lord's day;" and, being "in the Spirit," "Jesus Christ," who had just received his revelation from the Father, "sent and signified it by his angel, unto his servant, JOHN."4 But, you will say, this Revelation was not designed to pass from St. John to others. Read the following: 1. Bickerstith's time to fav. Zion. p. 8. 4. Rev. i., 1. |