Second Advent, or certain features of it, as currently held and zealously taught by many at the present day, to this ordeal, and thus to judge how it agrees with the general faith of the church, as set forth in the standards of highest authority. Millenarians vaunt the antiquity and catholicity of their views. They profess their doctrines to be not only the doctrines of the Bible, but of the church in her best and purest days, and as taught and defended by her greatest teachers. Indeed, were we to believe some of this school, to question their dogmas is to doubt not only the voice of the church, but the very voice of God himself, and to incur the guilt of disbelieving divine revelation. It is boldly taught that the reason men do not believe the doctrine of Millenarians is because they do not believe the Bible. The biblical view of this important subject we do not intend here to discuss, but to compare the prominent and distinguishing points of Millenarianism with the creeds of the church.

There is a special propriety in examining this subject at the present time. The pulpit resounds with the doctrine of Christ's speedy coming to reign in person on the earth. The press teems with publications-volumes, tracts, and occasional sermons-inculcating the same views. Passing events are seized hold of to illustrate and confirm the oracular utterances of the pulpit and the press; and if individuals "be not shaken in mind, or troubled," it is from no lack of repeated announcements and warnings.

With considerable difference of views in some of the details, Millenarians are generally agreed on the following prominent and distinguishing doctrines, viz. 1. That the Second Advent of Christ will be pre-millenial; and 2. That he will reign in person, with his glorified saints, on the earth, a thousand years prior to the general resurrection and final judgment. Some have held and taught a very gross view, and placed the happiness of that period chiefly in sensual gratifications and enjoyment. Justin Martyr may be cited, as perhaps the best, and least objectionable, representative of the system in ancient times, and substantially followed by the advocates of

this doctrine at the present day. In his dialogue with Trypho the Jew, Trypho inquires: "Tell me truly, do you believe that this place, Jerusalem, will be rebuilt, and do you expect that your people will be gathered together and rejoice with Christ, and with the patriarchs and prophets, and with those of our race, and of those who became proselytes before the coming of your Christ?"

Justin replies: "I and many others hold these sentiments, and believe assuredly that this will come to pass. ..... I and those Christians who are in all things orthodox, understand that there will be a resurrection of the flesh, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, built and adorned and enlarged, as the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and the rest declare" (Dialogue with Trypho, chap. lxxx).

The two points stated may be regarded as the fundamental doctrines of the system, and upon these its advocates are united. They discard the idea of the world's conversion by means of preaching the gospel, with the accompanying influence of the Holy Spirit. They do not expect the heathen to be given to Christ for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, while he remains in heaven at the right hand of the Father. But they announce the coming and personal reign of Christ as the great hope of a groaning and perishing world. They look for no deliverance or salvation for our race until he comes in power and glory to establish his kingdom and reign over the earth.

It is easy to see that the truth on this subject must be of very great importance in the work of evangelizing the world. If our actions are to be moulded by our views, and our works in any degree correspond with our faith, then is it of vital importance whether we believe in the power of the gospel and the Spirit of God to regenerate the world, or whether we must look for some other agency for the accomplishment of this grand design. If the world is not to be converted to Christ, and sinners saved, by the foolishness of preaching, then we should know it, and should cease to look for such results. If the coming of Christ in person be indeed the

grand remedy, then our attention should be directed to this as our only hope and confidence. But if Christ will not come until the end of this world, and then for a very different purpose from that of reigning here in person on the earth, our duty is to labor and pray that all the ends of the earth may see his salvation, and turn unto the Lord. The difference between us and Millenarians is one therefore of the highest moment doctrinally and practically, and in regard to which the church cannot afford to be indifferent.

There have been two periods in the history of the church especially prolific in the production of creeds or confessions. The former in the early ages, particularly from about the time of the Council of Nice, A.D. 325, and extending some centuries onward, or from the beginning of the third to the seventh century. The latter, the period immediately connected with, and succeeding, the great Reformation of the sixteenth century. The intervening period added very little to the confessional stores of the church.

We begin our comparison with the creeds of the former period, giving special prominence to the three ecumenical or general creeds-the Apostles', the Nicene, and the Athanasian. These have had a degree of authority awarded to them, that, next after the word of God, must challenge our respectful attention and regard.

1. The Apostles' Creed.

This, if not absolutely the oldest written creed of the Christian church, at least claims to be, and probably is, the oldest in substance and fact. Giving little heed to the fable of Rufinus as to its origin, we may, nevertheless, admit it to be truly Apostolic. Long before we have any satisfactory evidence of its existence in writing, we are assured that it was engraven on the hearts and lived in the consciousness of the followers of Christ; and that it embodies the faith of the first disciples of our Lord. It has been recognized by the Catholic, Greek, and Protestant churches, and is perhaps better known, and more frequently repeated throughout

Christendom than any other composition, except the Lord's Prayer. In simplest form and fewest words it expresses the faith of the church in her earliest years, and now, after the lapse of ages, and when extended over the earth. Its well known words touching the Second Advent of Christ in our own tongue, are: "From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead." The Textus receptus of the original has : Greek, ἐκεῖθεν ἐρχόμενον κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς. Latin, inde venturus judicare vivos et mortuos.

Upon this article, the learned and judicious bishop Pearson, in his Exposition of the Creed, says: "That the end for which he shall come, and the action which he shall perform when he cometh, is to judge "; and that he, "at his coming shall gather together all those which shall then be alive, and all which ever lived, and shall be before that day dead: when, causing them all to stand before his judgment seat, he shall judge them all according to their works done in the flesh."

As this creed was designed to express the great doctrines of redemption, and as it was in the heart of the church during the very period when some would have us believe that Millenarianism was almost universally received, and as it took its definite written form just after the most flourishing period of that system, it must appear strange that it could find no place in such a summary of the Christian faith.

2. The Nicene Creed.

The Nicene Creed is better known, and more generally recognized than any other, except the Apostles', and in the Oriental church it has entirely superseded that confession. It has in its original form καὶ ἐρχόμενον κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ VEKρOús, and in the amended Nicaeno-Constantinopolitan xal πάλιν ἐρχόμενον μετὰ δόξης κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς, “ And will come [again with glory] to judge the quick and the dead." Between the Apostles' and the Nicene there is even a verbal agreement, and the meaning is clear.

3. The Athanasian Creed.

This creed, usually fixed about the close of the fifth or beginning of the sixth century, and the next most important symbol of the early church, has the following: Inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos. Ad cujus adventum omnes homines resurgere habent cum corporibus suis. Et reddituri sunt de factis propriis rationem. "Whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account of their works."

An examination and brief analysis of these venerable confessions of the church, on the point under consideration, will give the following results:

1. All agree that Christ our Lord will come again. This has always and everywhere been a prime article of the Christian faith. Christ has come once in the flesh, but he is still to the church the ὁ ἐρχόμενος.

2. All agree that the object of his coming is "to judge the quick and the dead." This they testify with one voice; and, as preliminary to it, all confess the resurrection of the dead.

3. All imply, and one (the Athansaian) distinctly states, that this resurrection and judgment will take place at his coming (ad cujus adventum). No other view could be gathered from the language of these creeds; and they have been so understood by all who had no peculiar theory of their own to support.

4. All are silent about any pre-millenial coming, or personal reign, or any of the peculiar doctrines of Millenarians, and clearly enough inculcate directly the contrary. They simply know Christ coming to raise the dead, and judge the world.

In vain will any one seek for any shadow of countenance or support for Millenarianism in these early exhibitions of the Christian faith. By their silence they give no encouragement to such a doctrine, and, by a fair and natural interpretation of their language, they teach truths directly opposed to the entire system.