DEDICATION.

ΤΟ

HENRY DRUMMOND, ESQ.

My dear friend and brother in the Lord,

I THINK myself happy in the opportunity of presenting this discourse to you, and under your auspices, to the church of our Lord and Saviour.

1. Because it is a personal gratification to myself to bear a public testimony to my warm affection for you, a gratification, of which I must not be deprived, either by false delicacy, or any fear of being misunderstood or misrepresented. My affection towards you is associated with the noblest enjoyments of this world, and the brightest

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hopes of the world to come; and while I meditate on the subject of the discourse now presented to you, I retrace those hours of affectionate and friendly intercourse, when the high and holy themes of our common faith occupied our attention, and cemented our mutual attachment.

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2. Because I rejoice thus to express the gratitude which I, in common with many others, feel towards you, for the services which have rendered to the cause we have at heart; as well as for the affectionate kindness and unwearied hospitality with which you have cheered us, while searching into the mind of the Spirit concerning things to come.

3. Because, that in connexion with the subject of this discourse, you are evil spoken of, by those who love expediency better than truth, and court the popularity of a fashionable (because worldly-wise) religion, rather than the honour which cometh from God only. Yes, you are evil spoken of, and that falsely, as I have been able frequently to prove in

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private, by those who have neither moraj courage nor divine faith to act simply upon principle, uncaring consequences," but are continually speculating upon probable effects as their rule of duty. In this I have in some degree shared your reproach; and I earnestly pray to God to grant unto us, that while on the one side we never either act or speak for the purpose of offending men; we may, on the other side, never for a moment be deterred by the fear of offending, from pressing forward in the direct and plain, though narrow path of revealed principle.

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4. Especially because I know that you are well acquainted with the Scriptures of God concerning the Times of the Gentiles," and are also a diligent student of all that is revealed concerning the approaching advent and glory of the King of the Jews. My brother, "believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest." Wherefore I beseech you to examine what I have written, with the holy severity of a mature and dis

passionate judgment in the light of the infallible word of God. To interpret Scripture truly is our object, and not to defend any human scheme ingeniously; and I trust I may venture to say, in the words of a much valued friend of ours, that any opinions which we have formed on these momentous topics, "will be as readily retracted, as they are conscientiously entertained; as far and as soon, as they shall be proved to be either defective or redundant, according to the standard and balance of the sanctuary."*

Believe me,

My very dear friend,

Your's always,

With faithful affection,

HUGH Mc NEILE.

* See Preface to Palingenesia.

Albury Rectory,

May 26th, 1828.

PREFACE.

THE following pages contain the substance of a Sermon which was preached some months ago in the parish church of St. Clement Danes, in the Strand; and again on Monday the 12th instant, at St. John's chapel, Bedford-row. In its original form, this discourse composed one of a connected series on the prophetic scriptures; and the Author had no intention of publishing it, until he could command time for the correction and arrangement of the whole series.

Impressed with the exceeding importance of the subject discussed in it, rendered more urgent by the existing circumstances, and generally received expectations of the Christian church; he very gladly availed himself of an opportu