too clear to be denied, that there has been a fearful apostacy,- -a falling away from Christ. We see in the Eastern empire, Mahomedanism and the superstitions of the Greek, Coptic, and other churches. We see in the western Roman empire-Popery, infidelity, and nominal Christianity, the greatest part worshippers of images, or baptized infidels. And very probably this spiritual apostacy will issue in avowed infidelity, the full revelation of the Lawless One. This man of sin must be destroyed with the brightness of our Saviour's coming, and the beast and the false prophet be then cast into the lake of fire.

Many awful denunciations, as to the issue of this, may well make the heart of every false professor tremble within him. Our Lord comes to tread down his enemies in his anger, and to trample them in his fury. He separates, at the end of this age, the tares from the wheat, and the foolish virgins from the wise. We learn, from Dan. ii. 44, that the ten kingdoms which formed the western Roman empire, are to be destroyed to make way for the universal kingdom of Christ; and in Dan. vii. 26, 27, speaking of the last enemy of the church, which was to arise out of the fourth kingdom, the prophet says, the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end; and the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom, under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.

These expressions lead us to expect fearful and final judgments on apostate Christian nations. Other passages lead us to view this as preceding or connected with the establishment of the kingdom of Israel. Jeremiah li. 20, 24, in awfully impressive language calls the Jews, Jehovah's battle-axe to break in pieces the nations, and with which he will destroy the kingdoms. The coming of the Saviour to Zion, and the glory of Jerusalem, is connected

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with the judgment of apostate Christian nations, Isaiah Ixvi. Zech. xiv. But awful as these judgments are, they do not appear to destroy all nations. The Lord, says Isaiah, will come with fire, for by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. I will gather all nations and all tongues, and they shall see my glory, and I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow; to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off that have not heard my name.

The combined and condensed view of the whole day of the Lord we have in the third chapter of Peter, in the dissolving of all things by the last fire. The beginning of that judgment is in the land of Judea at the commencement of the millennium, when the Lord's fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem. Isaiah xxxi. 9, (see also Isaiah iv. 5.) The end of this day of the Lord we have in the fire which comes down from God out of heaven on the deceived nations after the millennium, devouring them. Rev.

XX. 9.

The apathy of Christian nations to the future state of the Jews, is a part of that infidelity which distinguishes these last days. The Jews are connected with the most deeply interesting and momentous events of future history. Remember the saying of the King of Prussia respecting the Jewish nation, “I have learned," said he," that no man ever laid his hand upon this people, but he smarted for it." Or rather remember the divine declaration made 4000 years ago, and still as fresh as ever; I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and the glorious result of all, In thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed; and as far as may be, let us come out and be separate from the world lying in wickedness; and, sighing over the abominations which we witness, let us try in every way to save men's souls.

(2.) With reference to the spiritual church, various passages of scripture lead us to expect, in the close of this intermediate kingdom, preceding trials. In Daniel xii. 1 and 10, we read, there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to this same time; and many shall be purified, and made white and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly. The scriptures therefore point out a dark view of tribulation yet coming, that should not be withheld from you. In the words of the late Mr. Cecil," The church has endured a Pagan and a Papal persecution; there remains for her an infidel persecution, general, bitter, purifying, cementing." And he thus describes the democratical infidelity of his day, and it has been more fully discovered in our own day, "It has a malignant eye, a ferocity, an intensity of mind on this point: viewed in its temper and tendencies it is devilism. It takes the yoke of God and man, puts it on the ground and stamps upon it. It is an inveterate, blaspheming, atheistic, fierce spirit." Here, my brethren, seems the last form of the oppressor of the spiritual church. We may be indeed near to its short and oppressive domination. Let us be prepared willingly to suffer with Christ, if we may but reign with him. The suffering time is very brief, the reign of glory is for ever.

The suffering precedes the glory which is to follow. But all these sufferings are so sanctified and blessed, as to be occasion of increased and abounding glory and triumph to the righteous. As tribulation abounds, consolation abounds. They really thus, in the tribulation, as well as by a more direct translation, escape all those evil things that shall come to pass; as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were unhurt in the midst of the fiery furnace. These sufferings work out also for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

And yet further, it is not merely escaping those

things which shall come to pass, but standing before the Son of Man, and beholding his glory, that is, the portion of his faithful followers.

And what is the glory to be bestowed upon them? The scriptures lead us to the idea, that the saints first raised and translated at the coming of Christ are deeply interested in the glories of the millennial reign, and the hope is too plainly revealed, too splendid, too purifying, to be disregarded by us. I will read passages of God's word which shew this. Our Lord said to his apostle. Matt. xix. 28, Verily, I say unto you, ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And again he told them,— Luke xxii. 28-30, Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations, and I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

So the apostle tells the Corinthians (1 Cor. iv. 8), Would to God that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. He tells the Romans, we are joint heirs with Christ: and he assures Timothy, if we suffer we shall also reign with him. Our Lord tells the faithful in Laodicea, To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne. One of the expected rewards yet to be enjoyed by the redeemed is thus stated, Thou hast made us to our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth, See also Rev. xx. *

It is clear that the glorified' saints share the bless

* The author has not attempted to enter into a variety of particulars, as to the nature of the reign of the saints: nor is it needful here to enter into the distinctions between the reign of the millennial kingdom and the everlasting reign of the saints. Both are plainly predicted, Rev. xx. 6, xxii. 5,

edness and glories of the kingdom of Christ. God is in the ages to come to shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ. Watch, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things which shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man, and partake of all the glories of his heavenly kingdom. A participation of the glories of Christ's kingdom is the general expectation of the whole church. St. James speaks of believers as being heirs of the kingdom which God has promised to them that love him; if we are now only heirs, it is clear that we do not possess it.

In all our services, the church of England sets before us this hope. The first instruction in our catechism, is that we are members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven, and the last words pronounced over our departed bodies are a prayer, that it may please thee shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect, and to hasten thy kingdom.

Here then is indeed a truly glorious object of hope, set before all now baptised in the name of Jesus, and brought into his kingdom of grace, a heavenly, a glorious, and eternal kingdom, in which they will reign with Christ, be kings and priests unto God and the Father, and reign for ever and ever. This should be the first great aim of our lives, that we may now know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, if by any means we may attain to the resurrection of the dead.

But, besides this glory of the saints, there is another part of that kingdom for which we pray, thy kingdom come, thy will be done ON EARTH as it is in heaOf which Daniel predicts, the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; and which is expressly foretold by

ven.