THE SECOND appearing of CHRIST.

CHAPTER I.

Various opinions concerning the manner of Christ's second appearing.

It is a prevailing belief among the professors of christianity, that Christ will again appear upon earth, and usher in the latter day of glory. But the opinions concerning that event are, perhaps, as various as the tenets of their faith. This circumstance, tho it may be considered as an argument in favor of the event itself, is a certain proof that they are yet in ignorance respecting the manner in which it is to take place, and the work which is to be accomplished thereby. Of course, when the event comes to be made manifest by the real work of the day, what can be expected but that unbelief, opposition and disappointment will follow as the natural consequences?

It is well known that about the time of Christ's personal appearance in Judea, the Jews were in earnest expectation of the coming of the Messiah, who had been promised, from early ages, by the repeated predictions of their ancient patriarchs and prophets. But concerning the manner of his coming, and the real nature of his work, they were left in the dark; and therefore, like natural men, they put natural constructions on all the prophecies which related to his coming. They expected to see a highly distinguished earthly Prince, from the lineage of their kings, ascend the throne of David, and sway the royal sceptre with superior power and dignity. They firmly believed that they should then be delivered from their bondage to the Romans; that all their temporal enemies would then be subdued and brought into subjection; and that their nation would be exalted to the highest pitch of temporal glory.

But instead of the mighty Prince whom they so confidently expected, they beheld a man of low degree, of obscure birth and parentage, whose appearance was, in their esteem, mean and contemptible, in whom they could see no form nor comeliness." Instead of conquering armies at his heels, they saw that his followers were those of the lowest order of the people. Instead of magnificent displays of royal authority, his self-denying precepts and examples were in direct opposition to all their ideas and expectations of temporal glory. Instead of proclaiming war and destruction to their enemies, he preached "peace and good-will to man, Instead of revenging their injuries, he forbid them to render evil for evil. Instead of exalting the glory of their nation, he denoun

ced the utter destruction of their city and temple. And when they were told that this man was the promised Messiah, the king of the Jews, they rejected him with scorn, persecuted him through all their coasts, accused him of blasphemy against God, and of breaking the laws of their country, spoke all manner of evil against him, endeavored to render his name contemptible through the nation, and, as a finishing stroke of malicious envy, they put him to the eruel and ignominious death of the cross, in hopes thereby to put an end to the growing influence of his testimony which they so much dreaded.

Yet after all their endeavors to destroy the increasing reputation of the Savior, to overthrow his testimony, to falsify his predictions. and prove him an impostor, they were defeated in their object. The blessed gospel of peace and salvation which he introduced, had a far more extensive increase after his crucifixion than before; his testimony was more fully confirmed, and all his predictions concerning that rebellious nation came fully to pass. Notwithstanding all this, they refused to yield to conviction or stay their enmity. Their wilful and determined opposition to the Savior and to his testimony tended only to increase their hardness of heart, their blindness and unbelief. They still went on to cry down the testimony, and persecute his followers wherever they could find them.

These facts are generally understood and believed at the present day; and, in all probability, the conduct of the Jews is as generally condemned by the professors of christianity. And what shall be said of these same professors of christianity, with the knowledge of all these things before them, if, in the manifestation of Christ's second appearing, they should be found speaking and acting under the influence of the same spirit which actuated the persecuting Jews? Would they believe that while they were praying for Christ's Kingdom to come, they were actually fighting against it? Will they, like the stubborn Jews, obstinately trust in the religion of their fathers, which they have so shamefully dishonored, and still stop their ears and harden their hearts against the increasing light of God? Or will they candidly listen to the voice of reason, and acknowledge the truth?

The Jews believed that God would send them a Deliverer, according to his promise. But when he came, they rejected him, because he did not come in the manner which they expected, nor do the work which they expected. So in the present day, the professors of christianity are living in the full belief that Christ will come the second time, according to his promise. And why are they not as likely to be disappointed in the manner of his coming, and the nature of his work, as the Jews were? Do they profess to be favored with the word of God? So did the Jews. Do they

profess faith in the promises of God? So did the Jews. Do they profess to enjoy the blessings of divine light, and to worship the only living and true God, while the heathen nations walk in darkness and bow down to dumb idols? So did the Jews. Do they profess to be a people highly distinguished and chosen of God to support and maintain the only true religion? So did the Jews. Is their claim to that distinction greater than that of the Jews? By no means, as will readily appear by a little examination.

The Jews were the seed of Abraham, to whom the promise was made; and tho they had often rebelled against the God of their fathers, who had called them by his name, and had greatly corrupted the law of Moses, which was given for their protection; yet they strenuously maintained the outward ceremonies of the law; as strenuously, perhaps, as professing christians of the present day do the outward forms of their religion; and doubtless with as good reasons too. For the Jews were not so divided into sects and parties; and the ceremonies of the law were, to them, a lawful inheritance: whereas the professors of the present day have no such specific and pointed authority for their religious ceremonies.

For the want of such authority, or rather for the want of a sufficient portion of that divine Spirit which their antichristian fathers have lost; that Spirit which led the apostles into a knowledge of divine truth, and taught them how to worship God to his acceptance; for the want of that Spirit, the religion of modern professors of christianity has been dividing and subdividing into “ names and sects and parties," for many hundreds of years, all professedly founded on the written words of Christ and his apostles. Yet not one among them all is able to say, with certainty, what is the true import of those passages on which they profess to found their contending systems and jarring creeds. Since then, they are so divided in their opinions concerning the religion of Christ's first appearing, which they and their fathers have professed to follow for nearly two thousand years, how can they be expected to agree about the manner and work of his second appearing?

Considering all these circumstances, are they not likely to be more full of unbelief concerning the testimony of his second coming, than the Jews were concerning that of his first coming? The unbelief of the Jews is proverbial. And it is a truth which is confirmed by the experience of all ages, that every renewed manifestation of divine light to a lost world, which has been attended with an increasing degree of the power and testimony of God against the nature of sin, has never failed to meet with opposition from the great body of the high standing professors of religion, who have lived in the day in which the light was given. Is it not then a matter of importance to all who profess the christian religion, and expect to be saved by

it, but who do not believe that Christ has made his second appearance, to beware of rejecting the testimony of those who do believe it, lest they be found fighting against God.

Tho there are many different opinions among mankind concerning the second coming of Christ; yet that which seems most generally to prevail is, that he will appear in person, and literally fulfil those passages of scripture which speak of his "coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory." In this however, there appears to be a material difference of sentiment. Many believe that his reign on earth of a thousand years, will be in his personal or bodily presence; while a still greater proportion seem more inclined to think that he will manifest himself by a universal outpouring of his Spirit upon the nations of the earth, by which nearly all the inhabitants of the world will embrace the christian religion, and enjoy a state of universal happiness and prosperity under the spiritual dominion of Christ. This latter opinion appears to have gained considerable ground within a few years.

But it is the prevailing sentiment, if not the general belief, among those who have embraced this opinion, that tho the thousand years' reign of Christ on earth is to be by his Spirit; yet at the end of this period, he will appear in person, for the final judgment and consummation of all things. Thus, in order to answer their own ideas of the exact fulfilment of the scripture prophecies concerning his coming, they have embraced the plan of two appearances yet future; the first in spirit, the second in person. Hence the thousand years of blessing and prosperity, in which "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea," is to constitute the millennial state of the world, or latter day of glory. This appears very plausible; but what comes next?

*

To render this glorious period the more conformable to human wisdom, it seems that these modern millenarians have calculated to build their millennial paradise upon the old heavens and earth, and to enjoy their old christian religion; not indeed exactly in its present state, but a little more refined, preserving those fundamental principles which were first established by the catholic fathers, and afterwards corrected and improved by the great Reformers; but lopping off those useless excresences which form the distinetion between the most approved and popular sects; so as to reduce and blend all their numerous systems into one, in which they can all agree. This newmodelled, universal system of religion,

* By what authority do they look for two appearances, yet future? The scriptures afford no such authority. His first appearance, predicted by the Jewish prophets, took place among the Jews, who rejected. and crucified him as an imposter. His second appearance was predictel, both by himself and his apostles, to be made manifest by his Spirit, and we have no promise of any other.

they expect, all will enjoy together, in perfect harmony; and with it, the pursuit of those earthly objects which they consider the most conducive to the happiness of man, in his present, natural state; but entirely disconnected with those unfortunate occurrences which now so often disturb and disappoint them in their pursuit of happiness.*

In the formation of such a millennium as this, they seem to forget that God has promised to create "new heavens and a new 66 earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness;" or that "the day of the "Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens "shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt "with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein, “ shall be burnt up.”+ They forget also that, "The Lord hath (6 purposed to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth." Or rather, they put far away this evil day, and place these events to the end of that glorious millennial period, expecting that they will then be fulfilled, not upon them, but upon the wicked. In short, they seem not to know what is meant by the "new heavens and new earth;" nor what is to be understood by the passing away of the first heavens and earth. For such is the force of natural ideas on the mind of "the natural man," who "receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God," that he always inclines to put a natural construction on those prophetic descriptions in the sacred writings, which relate to the second coming of Christ, and to the day of judgment. Hence the ideas of personality and locality in contemplating the coming of Christ; and hence the opinion of his coming in the natural clouds of the atmosphere, and operating upon the natural elements.

The idea of Christ being personally revealed in the natural element of flaming fire, "to judge the quick and the dead, to take vengeance on his adversaries," and receive the righteous into the Kingdom of his Father, is but a counterpart to their millennial plan. And here again, they differ so much in their ideas, and have formed so many different schemes concerning the first resurrection; the resurrection of natural human bodies; the order of trial; the form of decision; the awarding of judgment to the wicked; the nature and duration of their punishment; and many other things of a like kind, that the whole, taken together, is much more calculated to confuse and bewilder the mind, and lead mankind into darkness on these subjects, than to enlighten their understand

* In anticipation of this happy state of religion, and of society, various attempts have already been made, in different places, and among different denominations, to bring about this desirable and long expected event; but unfortunately, like other Babel-builders, they cannot agree who shall be placed on hi h, or whose religion shall have the preemin ence: Of course they soon get confounded and scattered abroad.

t2 Pet. iii. 10, 13.

Isa. xxiii. 9.