then had an opportunity to gain an advantage over him-to make him afraid, and ashamed to acknowledge that he had been one of his followers. Peter's denial should be a warning to all of us to take heed to watch and to pray, lest we also be tempted to deny him. Our Saviour was often injured by his friends then-so it is now. How frequently do we see those who profess to love him, dishonor him by a sinful compliance to the practices and fashions of the world, and in every thing which is calculated to draw away their affections from that Saviour who has done so much for us - who submitted to such dreadful sufferings on the cross, that we might be saved. Let us en deavor, Christian sisters, to live nearer THOUGHTS ON THE COMING OF THE LORD. I HAVE Some thoughts and reflections | bled, neither by spirit, nor by word, to offer to your readers, on the coming nor by letter, as from us, as that the of the Lord. I will not say, here, the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no man second coming, as we have several com- deceive you by any means, for that day ings of the Lord referred to and spoken shall not come, except there come a of in the Bible, on various occasions, falling away first," &c. And Peterand for different purposes; but that "Beloved, be not ignorant of this one coming which is to immediately pre- | thing, that one day is with the Lord as a cede the millennium, and to introduce thousand years, and a thousand years as it; that coming and universal triumph | one day;" and "the Lord is not slack of the gospel which the early Christians concerning his promise, as some men seemed to be so anxiously expecting, count slackness.' And that the predicand earnestly and ardently looking for- tion of the coming of the Lord was inward to, as the final triumph and con- tended to affect the faith and hope of summation of the Christian religion; the Christians, we learn from John, in and in the joys and glories of which it his first Epistle: "Beloved, now are seems they were, in some manner, to we the sons of God; and it doth not participate. That it was a matter of yet appear what we shall be, but we great importance to the disciples of know that when he shall appear we shall Christ, as affecting their faith, hope, be like him, for we shall see him as he and consolation, we learn from the is. And every man that hath this hope manner in which it is spoken of by the | in him, purifieth himself, even as he is Apostles in the Epistles. That they pure." It may be, also, that the man(the first Christians) then viewed it as ner in which predictions are linked tovery near-as close at hand-we there gether in epitome-as in Matt. xxiv.— also learn. And we see and know, too, may have caused the early Christians that infidels have seized upon this ap- to regard the coming of the Lord as parent failure of prophecy, as an objec- near at hand. tion to the inspiration of the Apostles and of the Bible, and as a pretext for their opposition to that divine volume and rejection of the Christian system. But Paul settles that in one of his Epistles to the Thessalonians - -"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be trou In the thoughts and reflections I am now about to offer, I shall very probably, to some extent, cross your own views, or what have been your views, on this subject, and probably those of many others, perhaps of the large mass of the brethren. My object is, not to elicit controversy or discussion on this subject, but merely to offer some thoughts on it to them, for their con come sideration and reflection. In conse-ings of Christ, and the glory that should quence of the views entertained upon follow. Unto whom it was revealed, it, on both sides, I am disposed to think that not unto themselves, but unto us, they that it has been much misunderstood, did minister the things which are now and correct apprehensions of it thus reported unto you by them that have prevented. On the one hand, it has preached the gospel unto you, with the been regarded as an entirely literal reign; Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; and on the other, as purely spiritual. which things the angels desired to look Perhaps somewhere between the two, into." And, in addition to this, the may be the correct view, if it can lie metaphorical and symbolical language between them. That our Saviour will with which the prophecies are generally be here on earth, during the millennium, clothed, and particularly, such preliving and moving as a man among dictoins as those of the coming of the men, we have no idea of. And that, on Lord, make them still more difficult of the other hand, his reign will be purely being clearly understood beforehand. a spiritual one, we are just as far from But to come directly to our subject. being disposed to believe. What, then, it may be asked, will it be? To this I reply, that I regard it as difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain what it will be, from the Bible. Like other predictions of things future, many of which have been fulfilled, it is not necessary that we should know exactly-should be able to ascertain clearly and definitely, what the coming of the Lord will be, to reign during the millennium. Predictions of this character, for some wise purpose-perhaps because it is impossible or unnecessary for us to fully see into and apprehend them-are left somewhat indistinct and shrouded in mystery; but distinct enough, sufficiently revealed, for us to form a sufficient conception of them, for the purpose for which they are predicted. Like the distant mountain, the bold outline of which we can easily and clearly trace, but cannot fully see all its features, so as to determine and describe every thing about it, until we nearly approach or pass it so we can indistinctly see things through a prediction, and trace their general outlines so as to form a sufficient apprehension of them, but never clearly comprehend them in their details and features, until the prediction is fulfilled and past. Then we can look back and compare the fulfilment with the prediction, and trace the perfect analogy between them. That such was the (obscure) nature of the Jewish prophecies concerning the first coming of the Lord, we learn from Peter: "Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you; searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, did signify, when it testified beforehand the suffer There is to be a coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign on earth during the millennium, and a union of him with the church, which have not yet taken place. This we think very clearly predicted in the 19th chapter of Revelations which, as it more clearly approaches the time, is, perhaps, the clearest and most circumstantial prediction we have of His coming. Let us look at that prophecy a little. In the 18th chapter we have the prediction of the extraordinary messenger, down from heaven," or in the church, who was to exercise a great influence, and to enlighten the earth with his glory or knowledge; and who, Dr. Clark says, is probably to be some great reformer of modern times, that shall be instrumental in restoring the true and pure religion of Christ to the world. | This messenger proclaims the downfall of spiritual Babylon the Roman Catholic church; or rather, is the great instrument, in the hands of God, of its overthrow. Pure Christianity rapidly spreads, and the numerous church (" a great voice of much people in heaven") is heard exulting in her overthrow, and in the spiritual reign of the Lord. "And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, (people) and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." The time now approaches for the coming of the Lord, and the church is prepared to receive him, and with him to enter upon the millennial reign. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him, for the MARRIAGE of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints." Here, then, is a union of Christ with the church at the millennium, which has not yet taken place under the Christian dispensation; and of course, of a nature and character, different from the union of believers with Him in becoming disciples, or any other union of the church with Him now; but, as we have remarked, which we cannot distinctly apprehend, and will not, perhaps, until it shall have taken place. We can only see the outlines. This union takes place at what is called the marriage supper of the Lamb. " Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb." The preparation for this purpose, which is to take place under the present dispensation, and be perfected at its close, is also referred to by Paul, in his Ep's tle to the Ephesians, and where this same illustration of a marriage is introduced: " Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it to himself (at the millennium) a GLORIOUS church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." And then he speaks of such a union as a mystery: "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church." And Peter, also, in reference to such preparation, though probably in reference to heaven itself: "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." But to return. John then proceeds to describe this coming of the Lord: "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns." This may, perhaps, be called his second coming, in contradistinction to his first, when, at the beginning of the Christian dispensation, he entered upon his spiritual reign, or reign of the Holy Spirit; and when the gospel first went forth in its primitive purity. "And I saw, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him; and he went forth conquering and to conquer." John does not say here he " saw heaven opened," but merely that he "saw." There was but one crown at first; one martyr--the Lord himself; and one victory; now there are many crowns, many martyrs. And in connection with this he says, in the next chapter, that he "saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God." The Lord now goes forth as the Avenger, to destroy with his judgments the impenitent and disobedient wicked, who remain on the earth, who have had the offer of his salvation on the terms of the gospel, and persisted in refusing it, and who have gone over to the ranks of the apostacy. "And he was clothed in a vesture dipped in blood. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations-and he shall rule them with a rod of iron-and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." Then follows a physical destruction, of which that of Jerusalem was but a type, and which can find no parallel but in the inevitable fury of the deluge! The beast and the false prophet-the Roman Catholic and Jesuitical powers array themselves in combination with the wicked against him. Sectarianism is swallowed up by Romanism, or arrayed on its side: "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army." But they were all taken and destroyed: "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." Paul, in one of his Epistles, alludes to this final destruction of the Man of Sin," whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his MOUTH, and shall destroy with the brightness of his COMING." The balanceof the wicked are all destroyed: "And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth; and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." Then follows, in the next chapter, (the 20th) the binding of Satan and the millennial reign. There is a union of the Lord Jesus Christ now with the church, such as had never been before; and a reign of him, the martyrs and saints with him. But as we remarked, he will not be as a man among menas one of our earthly kings upon a throne. It will not be a literal and personal reign over men. in this sense at least. His appearance, whatever that may be, will be of a different character, altogether different from what he was on earth, or perhaps any conception we can form of it. When Paul saw him, it was in a light above the brightness of the noon-day sun. And John saw him "clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow -and his eyes were as a flame of fireand his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace—and his voice as many waters-and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword—and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." He was in his glorified state. After our Saviour ascended to heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to be with the church in his absence-to be her guest, to superintend her affairs, and to "reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.' Now, having accomplished the purposes for which he went to heaven, he will leave the mediatorial throne and return to earth, as we have seen and shown, and with the Holy Spirit, will remain with the church during the millennium, down to the "end of all things." So, now, Jehovah will be completely developed and manifested in his tri-unity and relations; and God, the Word, and Holy Spirit, will be with the church as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, through this blissful and glorious period. Another dispensation will now be introduced, or a modification of the Christian. Man will be restored back to his primitive state of sinlessness and union with God, as before he fell. There will be no sin, guilt, misery, pain, &c. or perhaps death, during all this period. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain," saith the Lord, "for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover “All shall know me, from the least to the greatest." As baptism is in order to the remission of sins, and as there will be no sin during this pe 66 the sea. B riod, there will be no need of baptism then. Hence there must be a new dispensation, or a modification of the Christian, and baptism will be discontinued. And as the Lord's supper is designed to represent his sacrifice for sin, there will now be no need of that either, as there will be no sin. Hence said Paul to the Corinthians: "As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come ;" and we have seen when that coming will take place. But what this dispensation or change will be-its nature, character, &c.—it is impossible for us to tell, as it is to tell what this coming of the Lord will be, or what this union of the Lord with the church will be, in its nature, character, &c. It is sufficient for us to know that these things will be, and that all will be for the best-for the highest happi-` ness and greatest glory of man on earth. No wonder the first Christians Spanxiously waited, earnestly desired, and ardently expected, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and this glorious consummation of the Christian economy? How glorious and happy will be the lot of those who shall be living here on earth then, and shall be witnesses of these things, and participate in the blessings of this glorious reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. "He that testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.' J. R. HOWAard. [The preceding article was originally addressed to Brother Campbell, and is selected from his periodical for November last. We have read it with much pleasure, not because we perceive evidence for the truth of every assertion therein made, but because of its freedom from that un-Christian spirit of dogmatism which pervades the writings of a certain class, on this subject more especially. The future developments of the kingdom of Christ, in their particular phases, are not within the grasp of human minds, and were incomprehensible even to the apostles themselves. We may all learn one important lesson from Brother Howard's address to cultivate and mature our spirits and characters, in view of the solemn realities of the Lord's coming, that we be not put to shame at his appearing.]—J. W. NOTES OF LECTURES BY A. CAMPBELL. No. XXVI.-THE FIRST ORATION DELIVERED IN THE CHRISTIAN KINGDOM. WE have shown on a former occasion | siah to death. This, to a Jew, was an the person by whom it was delivered, argument ad hominem, since they had and that he was guided by the Spirit in employed to kill their Messiah, the very so doing. It is of great importance to men they despised. To crucify does us to notice the arrangement followed, not always mean to kill, but it does in and the course of argument pursued in this place. The next point he makes is, this discourse. Peter then brings for that God has raised him up. The pain ward testimony, and afterwards exhorts, here spoken of is the power of the grave, the point of his whole discourse being, and not physical pain. The quotation "Save yourselves." We have recorded from David, in the 25th verse, is a misin this chapter, but a mere skeleton of construction of the passage, and should what he said on the occasion, as the read, "I placed the Lord always before 40th verse plainly declares. He begins my face," instead of "I foresaw the by explaining the phenomena at which Lord always before my face." The the crowd were wondering: for this 27th verse shows us that he was to rise purpose he quotes Joel, and some other in a short time, for his body was not to passages of Scripture, showing that it be in the grave long enough to decomwas a thing foretold long before which pose. Notice, that David is brought in would happen. The 22nd verse begins here as a witness, and that all the aposthe oration proper that which pre- tles have done, thus far, is to bring up cedes is mere explanation. The book testimony. gives us the argument on both sides of the question; and where none is given, we presume none was offered. Peter challenges the nation. He says, "Men of Israel, hear these words," &c. Jesus was approved by God among youhow, Peter? By signs, miracles, and wonders which had meaning. The point in the challenge is, "Ye yourselves know" what I now state is the truth. They made no reply. This, then, was an extorted concession from the peoplenishing fact, that God had raised up that what he said was true. He next explains the mystery, why Jesus delivered others from death, but fell himself into the hands of his enemies. How does he do this? He says that he was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, and that this was done in accordance with their ancient oracle. The word determinate, as used here, means to set forth—that is, he was delivered in pursuance of a previously declared purpose. The word know has four meanings: first, causative, to make known, and this is the signification it has here; second, declarative, to declare a thing; third, to perceive and understand; fourth, a metaphorical meaning, viz. to approve, all of which may be verified from numerous passages of Scripture. The wicked hands spoken of here are the Roman soldiers who put the Mes In the 29th verse Peter says-Do not be angry, men and brethren, if I apply this testimony of David's a little different from that which is usual among the Jews. Let me freely speak to you. This prophecy has reference to Christ, David's son, and not to himself; for David is dead and buried, and his body did see corruption, and we can now point out his sepulchre. In the 32nd verse he announces to them the asto Jesus from the dead, and that they were witnesses of his resurrection, God having directed their attention to this spot, &c. Peter has now proved two things namely, that Christ was dead, and had risen. The next point is, where is he? The 33rd verse tells us that he is exalted to the right hand of God, is seated upon the throne of the universe, has received from the Father the promised Spirit, and has poured this outwhat is it? That which you now see and hear. Humanity now reigns on the right hand of God, and in the heavens. Over what and whom? Heaven and earth. The word exousia, not dunamis, expresses the power he exercises. Ghost in old Saxon, signifies guest. Hence the Spirit became a guest in the church. Humanity ascends to heaven to reign, and the Spirit comes down to earth to dwell. Beautiful antithesis! In the |