Let it follow you to your retirement, and attend you in your business, "behold, he cometh," and I shall see him. And then, O brethren, ask your hearts, am I prepared to meet him? Can there be an inquiry so momentous? Postpone it not. Begin your preparation now. Now we may show you Christ the Saviour, the mild, compassionate Lord: his eye is not now lighted up with fury, his hand not yet stretched forth to destroy. He is still waiting to be gracious. He will blot out your iniquities in his own precious blood, that "cleanseth from all sin." Wash in

it and you shall be clean.

Lord Jesus Christ, and

Believe in the

you, the very

guiltiest of you, shall not be condemned at

his bar of judgment: you shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life.

I make a CLOSING observation.

The evidence of prophecy proves, every day more and more, the faithfulness of God. The researches of modern travellers are continually disclosing heretofore unknown accomplishments of ancient predictions*. The cities and nations which incurred his displeasure, Babylon, Tyre, Edom, are found to have been reduced precisely to the condition threatened. I use the same argument as before, from these facts. Will he, who has been true in his vengeance on his enemies, not be true in the full redemption of his people?

* See Quarterly Review, No. CV. Art. vi., for an interesting account of the exact fulfilment of prophecy respecting Idumea.

He has magnified his faithfulness in recompensing those who touched his chosen seed, "the apple of his eye:" he will surely magnify his faithfulness in rewarding according to its deserts, that world which crucified his Son, "the brightness of his glory." Truth demands that Christ should come again with power.

Con

sistency demands it. If there were never any signs of his approach to be discerned, still it ought to be believed that he would come. But prophecy is even now fulfilling; and from the events of the times as they roll on, we may derive an additional illustration of the fact, that the words of inspired prophecy shall never fail.

And the accomplishment of prophecy assures the believer of the full accomplish.

ment of promise. As regards his own soul, he may expect the accurate fulfilment of this. He is therefore encouraged to place a humble, but unshaken trust, in the covenant mercies of the Lord. Yes! He hath borne, and he will carry; and every saint shall acknowledge with the dying patriarch, "not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord... spake all are come to pass... and not one thing hath failed thereof."

D

LECTURE II.

THE SUDDENNESS OF CHRIST'S SECOND COMING.

LUKE xvii., 26-30.

.

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

IN the last discourse, I argued the certainty of Christ's return, in conformity with prophecy, from the fact of his first