and, by them, we are informed what events we are to expect shall mark the end of the age.

From the foregoing review, what is the sum of the matter? We have endeavoured to search out the testimony of the prophets to either advent of the Lord, and we have found that our search has not been in vain. The very first with whom we meet, "Enoch the seventh from Adam," foretold in the time of this world's childhood the glorious epiphany of Christ. Of the one or other, or of both, Noah, Abraham, Jacob have testified, and Moses in the law, David in the Psalms, and the prophets have written with more or less distinctness; and when from these we have passed to the inspired men, who accompanied with the Lord, or by Him were called and wrote after his ascension, we find the universal voice is raised to proclaim unto the ends of the earth his return in glory.

But as, in the very opening of the sacred history, we meet with Enoch, bearing witness to this all-absorbing truth, so in the last revelation which God has made to man, we discover this doctrine not only taught with equal distinctness, but the fearful events which are coming upon the earth, and which are to wind up this present state of things, predicted with alarming accuracy. And what is the object of such precise previous

information? To warn every man, to whom it is sent, to prepare to meet his God.

effect upon ourselves?

Has it this

By-gone generations have each performed its part upon the scene of this world, and passed away; but in so doing they have been connected with a more extended scene, in its length and breadth, than was opened here before them. Is it not so with ourselves? Each one of us has his appointed place, and allotted duty; but, when our place shall know us no more, and our season for duty shall be passed, have we no concern with what shall succeed? Every thing with which we have been connected is connected with eternity, and that gives to all and every thing its most important character. And so it is with those who have performed the most important parts in the tragedy of man. Thrones and dominions, principalities and powers have appeared, and passed away. The oppressor and the oppressed are gone; but is there no trace to be found in any record of the atrocities of the one, no echo yet to be heard of the groans of the other? The book of God's remembrance has noted the one, and in the day when the books shall be opened the echo of the other shall sound in the judgment. "The Hornish Sovereignty" of Rome has exercised its unrighteous dominion in Christendom, and deluged the earth with the

blood of the saints. That night of suffering is passed; but the day has not yet dawned, and before the end come her deeds of darkness may yet be permitted to be perpetrated once more against the saints for a little season. The false prophet has slain his tens of thousands to uphold a lie in the earth, and by propagating his hellish doctrines, been preparing eternal denizens for hell. But that dominion also is wasting away, and Jehovah is taking off that yoke from the necks of men. And is that all? Our brother's blood erieth unto God from the ground, and the day is coming, yea, now is, when "the earth shall disclose her blood and no more cover her slain." Then with a fearful retribution will He visit 66 every enemy that hath done this evil in the sanctuary;" then will He prove how " dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." The seed of Abraham, his friend, have long been a bye-word among the nations, and have groaned under a heavy bondage: their cry has been all by night, would God it were morning and by day, would God it were evening! But this voice of wailing shall cease, and be turned into joy; and this dark night shall come to an end, and be changed into day at the glorious epiphany of our Lord. And, if all these things shall be consummated in that season; if the groans of this sin

1 Rev. xviii. 24.

burdened creation shall then be hushed: if the tears of suffering and sorrowing humanity shall then be wiped away by God himself: if the wicked shall then cease from troubling, and the weary for ever be at rest: if every unsettled account shall then be righteously adjusted, should not the dawn of that day be watched with more diligence and earnest desire than theirs "who watch for the morning?" Should it not form the great end of all our labours, as ministers of the Lord, to prepare men for its rising; and as individual Christians to become such manner of persons in all holy conversation and godliness, that we may not be ashamed before the Lord at his coming?

66

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot and blameless." 2 Pet. iii. 14.

APPENDIX.

I SUBJOIN Sir Isaac Newton's description of the prophetic earth, as it is commonly called.

"The whole scene of sacred prophecy is composed of three principal parts: the regions beyond Euphrates, represented by the two first Beasts of Daniel: the empire of the Greeks, on this side Euphrates, represented by the Leopard and the He-Goat; and the empire of the Latins, on this side of Greece, represented by the Beast with ten horns. And to these three parts the phrases of the third part of the earth, sea, rivers, trees, ships, stars, sun and moon relate. I place the body of the fourth Beast on this side of Greece, because the first of the four Beasts had their lives prolonged after their dominion was taken away, and therefore belong not to the body of the fourth. He only stamped them with his feet."-Sir I. Newton on Apoc. p. 276.