DISCOURSE.

-"I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him."

Ezek. xxi. 27.

As Christ is the end of the Law, so is he the end of Prophecy. It all centres in him. This fact gives it its character, its interest, its importance, its glory. His work, as restorer of what was lost by sin, is the point to which the prophecy directs and holds the attention. But the features of this work are only gradually unfolded. We have, first, a general and indefinite promise, an obscure hint, and then occasional predictions having no apparent connection or order; and, subsequently, others, definite and connected, bringing out all the parts of the work, and giving order, system, and beauty to the whole. We have the rough outline, and then the filling up the chaotic mass, and then the shaping of the whole into order, harmony, and beauty. Often, in the prophecy, great events, though different in character, and separate as to time, are grouped together, and presented to view as though really connected. But increased light, arising

from additional revelations, shows their true order. Sometimes we have the events properly arranged, without any clues as to the times and seasons of their occurrence. These, also, at the proper time and place, are furnished.

But this method is only adopted in regard to the events of the distant future. All the light that is requisite at any one period, is abundantly furnished. The only light that could have been needed, in reference to the distant future, was enough to give form and direction to the faith, and to fix the hope of God's people. And this has steadily increased, as the periods towards which the prophecy directed the eye, have approached. The first great promise, made in Eden, contains, in the smallest limits, the whole truth and history of redemption. The whole of its mysteries, its successes, its reverses, its conflicts, its victories, its glories, are included in that single brief announcement. It comprises, in miniature form, the most stupendous truths, the grandest displays of moral power, the most brilliant conquests, and the highest state of bliss and glory. The Bible is merely an expansion and illustration of that great promise. It will require an eternity to give us the idea in its fulness, richness, glory. But the truth it presented, like the shapeless and unorganized elements of the earth at their creation, was in a chaotic state. It was needful to give it form, order, symmetry.

It was needful to bring out the means by which, and the times and seasons at which, it was to have its fulfilment. This is the work of the Bible. But it was a gradual .work. Its revelations become more and more clear, definite, and systematic. Its light grows brighter and brighter to its completion. We have now the full plan, in all its parts. We have the events and their order, the truths and their classification. But these are not given on one page, or always in the same connection, and yet, in many instances, they are presented in such succinctness, such order, as to make all plain to the careful reader.

The text is a prophecy unfolding the order of the most important events connected with the great work of Christ. It is one of the prophecies relating to order. It stretches over a vast space of time, and fixes the mind upon two great crises or turning points that would occur during that period, and the state of things succeeding each. The first is, the entire subversion of the kingdom of Israel, succeeded by a long and gloomy period of desolation and dispersion; the last is, the coming of Christ to restore the kingdom, followed by the millennial state of bliss and glory. It involves, therefore, a fearful threatening, and a cheering promise. The first is to have its full execution before the other is fulfilled. For how long a period the threatening has been in process of execution! More

than two thousand four hundred years have passed since it commenced! But the work of vengeance is not yet done. The kingdom is yet in ruins. He, to whom it belongs, has not yet come. And, to look for anything but overturning, change, desolation, and depression until that time, is to disregard the Bible, and to cherish expectations most certainly to be disappointed. All this side of that point, will be, to God's people, a period of sorrow, darkness, affliction, and trial; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. When he comes whose the kingdom is, their days of mourning will be ended, and the period of their joys and rejoicings will began.

I propose on this occasion to discuss the following points.

I. The personal reign of Christ on earth. II. The identity of the millennium with

that reign.

III. The preparatory events of that reign. IV. The privileges and enjoyments of that reign.

V. The evidences that that reign is about to begin.

I propose to pass over this wide field of investigation, for two reasons. First, to correct, if possible, the common impression that the only thing that distinguishes the believers in the personal coming of Christ near, is the time. This impression has not been made without effort. The opposers of our views

seem disposed to narrow down the matters of difference to this one point. To this we strongly object. We feel determined that the real points at issue between us shall be kept fully, and in their true light, before the public mind. My second reason is, that I may set before the hearer the true grounds of our faith, and the real basis of our hope. Those who oppose us, either deny or disregard our premises. In most cases, it is the latter. Where this is so, we can look for nothing but opposition. We claim to have a faith that is founded on evidence. And we think we are not so irrational, not so far gone in fanaticism, as not to know that our conclusions are no sounder than our premises -that our faith is no better than the evidence on which it rests. If they fail, or are proved unsound, the system must fail. If they stand, it will survive unharmed the fiercost and most desperate opposition. We wish, therefore, the question to be met on its merits, and to have a decision in the face of all our evidences. But a synopsis of these is all that I can hope to give in the present discourse.

The point in order is—

I. The personal reign of Christ on earth.

This point is vital to the system we advocate. In the system it holds a central position. On it must turn the whole question. For, though the question of time should be