Therefore, the age which is "according to the prince of the power of the air,"—in other words, "this present evil age," is the age of this world, and there will be no other until the world ends.

V. In Luke xx. 34, 35, the children of this age are contrasted with those of the age to come, and in that we are told they "neither marry nor are given in marriage." But all admit that, so long as this world continues, marriage will be honorable. Therefore,

with the next age there will be a new world.

VI. At the end of this age all the wicked shall be destroyed; because, in addition to what has already been said,

First. Probation will be over; and we can hardly believe God will permit the continuance of the human family, much less an increase, after the age of probation is past.

Secondly. The harvest then takes place. When harvest comes, sowing time is over. Not only are the tares already sown to be gathered, but the devil is to sow no more. Thus, we see, there can be no further. addition to the depraved family of Adam; in a word, no more births—no more marrying or given in marriage—that is, the end of the world will have come. Matt. xiii. 39.

Thirdly. We are explicitly told that "the field [to be harvested] is the world (kosmos,)" Matt. xiii. 38.

Fourthly. It also says explicitly, "all things that offend, and they which do iniquity"—all the tares which the wicked one hath sown—all that destroy, or corrupt the earth—shall be gathered out of the kingdom, not by conversion, but to be cast into the fire. Matt. xiii. 41; xxiv. 30, 31; Rev. xi. 18.

Fifthly. Then, also, the earth itself is to be destroyed, as we have already proved; and, as the righteous alone shall be caught up to meet the Lord, all the wicked must perish.

All the righteous changed and caught up, and all the wicked destroyed, the world, of course, would be at an end; and all this is to be at the end of this aion, or age.

THE EXACT TIME FOR THE END IS APPOINTED. "Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." (Mark xiii. 32.)⁕ So it seems the Father had then appointed not only the period, but the day and the hour. Indeed, I cannot conceive how it could be otherwise, inasmuch as God is omniscient, and inhabiteth eternity. Therefore, when a certain fixed hour in the age of the world arrives, the end will inevitably come, whether men are scoffing, or waiting in humility for the event. "At the time appointed the end shall be."

PROPHECIES OF THE TIME FOR THE END CAN BE UNDERSTOOD BEFORE THE END.

I do not now say there is any such prophecy; but merely that, if there is, it was intended to be understood before its fulfilment. A Presbyterian clergyman lately told me that "such prophecies may have been intended for the edification of the saints in glory, and not to be understood in this world." This is certainly a new view of the Bible; but it was the only refuge to which he could resort. There is nothing useless in the Bible. Therefore, every such prophecy was intended to be of use either in this world or in the world to come. If of any use here, it must be understood, and understood beforehand; for "what is the value of a chart that would not tell a seaman where to find his

port until after he has arrived? One man says he reads the prophecies for devotion, and not for instruction. Now, a knowledge of the time for the end would undoubtedly be favorable to the devotion of Christians living just before the event; but there is no food for devotion, so far as I can see, in a mere declaration, in unintelligible language, that the end shall be at a certain time. But was a part of the Bible intended for the saints in glory? I answer,

*For other references, see Ps. cii. 13, 16, 18; Is. xl. 2 (margin;) Dan. viii. 19; x. 1; xi. 35; Hab. ii. 3; Luke xxi. 24; Acts i. 7; xvii. 26, in connection with Gal. iv.

I. If one person may conclude that certain prophecies were intended for the saints, simply because he does not understand them, every person may, with equal propriety, conclude that every doctrine and every other portion of Scripture, not understood by himself, was designed for the saints. Now who shall tell us how much of the Bible is for this world, and how much for the saints? Come, draw the line, and make the separation. I wish to know just how much I must believe; for I tremble equally at the thought of rejecting any of the revelation made to me, and of prying into any of the revelation made to the saints. We could almost wish their portion had been put in an appendix.

II. Will the Bible be saved when the earth is destroyed, and be carried into the New Jerusalem, there to be read by the saints? If you say nc--that Christ himself will be their Teacher; then, I ask, why should anything be put in our Bible for the especial use of the saints? Will they call to mind in another world what they have read unintelligibly in this? I fear that many—yes, the vast majority—read these prophecies so seldom, and with such a want of relish, that in another world they would know nothing about them without another reading, which would be impossible if the Bible is not carried into that world.

III. But of what especial use can the one class of prophecies, respecting the time for the end, be to the saints? The fulfilment will have taken place; and, so far as I can see, such a prophecy will then be only a parallel with all other prophecies, the fulfilment of any one of which will prove, to the saints, the wisdom, and power and goodness of God, just as much as the fulfilment of this one. I repeat it, of what especial use can a prophecy respecting the time for the end, more than any or all others, be to the saints?

IV. Christ and the apostles frequently speak of the prophecies as if they were intended to be of use in this world for instruction. Thus Peter says that the prophets who searched what manner of time the Spirit of

Christ which was in them did signify, were informed "that not unto themselves but unto us, they did minister." If they were ministering to glorified saints, they were ministering in part to themselves, since they are to be glorified as well as we. I It does not say, "that not unto men, but unto glorified saints, they did minister." 1 Pet. iii. 11, 12.

Again, he says, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy [more sure than the evidence in verses 16 and 17;] whereunto ye [not the saints] do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts." If of use to the saints, it is after the day dawns; and if not to be understood beforehand, prophecy is not a light shining in a dark place (the future.) History would be the only light, and it shines after the events. 2 Pet. i. 19. It is the "word of prophecy," and not the events fulfilling it, which Peter calls a light.

Again, he says, verse 20, "that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.” IF He was writing about Christ's second coming, and he does not except those prophecies which refer to the time of the advent, if there are any such. See, also, Luke xvi. 29—31; xxiv. 25; Rom. xvi. 25, 26; Rev. i. 3—10; x. 5—7; Jude 14—18.

V. In Deut. xxix. 29, we are told that "things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of the law." Will any one say there is any prophecy which is not a revelation? But if a revelation, it belongs to us and to our children, and not to the saints. For if it belongs to the latter, then some of the words of the law are to be done by them, and not by us. John xvii. 17.

VI. Paul says, (2 Tim. iii. 15—17,)" ALL SCRIPTURE [including prophecies respecting the time for the end, if there are any such] is given by inspiration of God, and is PROFITABLE for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, [he does not add, for the edification of glorified saints;] that the

man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." See, also, Rom. xv. 4. Then such parts of the Bible, if any, as refer to the time for the end, as well as all others, are in some age of the church, profitable, and necessary towards thoroughly furnishing the man of God unto all good works. John xvii. 17.

Objection I. We are told in Dan. xii. 4, that prophecies are sealed. I answer, things which are sealed in the sense of being hidden from the church during all the periods of its existence, are not written, as we learn from Rev. x. 4. The Bible was intended for the church to the end of time, and contains things appropriate to each period of the church. The prophets ministered not unto themselves, but unto the church at these different periods. (1 Pet. iii. 11, 12.) Now the things written for one period may be sealed from all living before that time, as not belonging to them—in two ways: 1. The Spirit may not direct the attention of Christians to the prophecy in its proper connexion with other passages which explain it or does not otherwise open their minds to understand it. 2. The understanding of it may depend upon the occurrence of certain foretold events. Thus it might be foretold that after six different events, strongly marked and well defined, the end shall occur very soon. We are not informed how far distant from each other these events shall be; only they are so clearly defined that, when they occur, we shall recognise them. At the utterance of the prophecy no one could conjecture even about the time for the end. It is "sealed till the time of the end." But in due time the Providence of God unseals it, and men behold the terrible day as just ready to dawn. Now, I am willing to grant that some prophecies have been, in a greater or less degree, thus sealed, until the several periods in the church have arrived, when the understanding of each several prophecy was necessary towards thoroughly furnishing the man of God living at that time, who is thus enabled to find "things new and old" in the Bible.⁕ The

*1 Pet. i. 12; Eph. iii. 5, 6.