vengeance, and the ministry of its appointed executioners, to destroy the devoted city, over which, in the prospect of its impending ruin, He had wept.

May it not then have been purposely arranged, that such a degree of obscurity should hang over the prophetical announcements of the precise time of our Lord's second advent, that it could not be determined, with confident decision, whether this event would precede or follow the millennial dispensation? And thus, from the interpretation of such passages being involved in perplexity, there could be no certainty, warranted by the word of God, that the Saviour might not, at any period, suddenly appear. Which uncertainty, as to the proper interpretation of the prophetical statements, (whatever their true import might, by the result, be found to be,) would obviously answer all the purposes contemplated in the exhortation of our Lord, and tend to keep His faithful followers— those who, in a scriptural sense, are ready for his appearing, as to a state of acceptance, by being washed in His blood, sanctified by His Spirit, and clothed in His righteousness, to keep them habitually ready, as to a state of spiritual preparation, by stimulating them to maintain an attitude of uninterrupted watchfulness, in a patient and prayerful spirit, powerfully promoted by the uncertainty, in which they would continually be held, as to the day or hour, when the Lord they loved, and for whom they were looking, would appear!

CHAPTER X.

ADDRESS TO MILLENNARIANS.

I WOULD now proceed to point out, I trust, in a spirit of Christian faithfulness and love, some of the dangers to which your attachment to the millennarian scheme seems to expose you; and to offer you in unfeigned humility, a few hints of affectionate advice.

I. Beware of allowing your peculiar views of the millennarian scheme to assume an aspect of undue, because unscriptural, importance in your eyes; which unquestionably they will do, if they are allowed to be classed with those truths, which are to be believed, as of necessity for salvation-and thus to usurp the place assigned in Scripture, to the doctrine of Christ crucified-taking the words in the full extent of their scriptural import, as comprehending both the atoning sacrifice, and sanctifying influences, of the cross of Christ.

I cannot deem this caution altogether superfluous, as I have reason to believe, that some evangelical ministers, attached to millennarian views, have refused to preach in a brother-minister's pulpit, if not permitted to introduce and enforce, as essential for salvation, their peculiar opinions of the personal reign of Christ. This, I must confess, seems to me a most deplorable error. What! shall a faithful ambassador of a

crucified Saviour, entrusted with the message of redeeming love, the ministry of reconciliation, refuse to deliver that message, and discharge that ministry— refuse to proclaim to perishing sinners the glad tidings of everlasting salvation, through the blood of the Cross, if he is not permitted to accompany the joyful proclamation with his own peculiar views of a matter, which has divided the speculative sentiments of God's most faithful servants, and most honored saints?

Is it not the very essence of the good news, which the gospel proclaims, that "unto us, sinners, is born a Saviour, willing and able to save, unto the uttermost, all that come unto God by him; for that God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, as a propitiation for our sins, that whosoever believeth on Him, with a living faith, that worketh by love, should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Now, is it to be maintained, that an awakened sinner, cordially believing all this, deeply humbled under a sense of guilt, thoroughly convinced, by the Holy Spirit, both of his own sinfulness, and of the perfect suitableness and sufficiency of the Almighty Saviour, revealed in the gospel of the grace of God, even Jehovah-Jesus, clinging to His cross with the grasp of a lively faith, and reposing on his righteousness with the confidence of an undivided trust, while affectionately desirous, from a principle of constraining love, to walk in that Saviour's footsteps, to keep His commandments, to copy His character, and live to His glory-is it, I say, for one moment to be maintained, that such an individual cannot be saved, unless he believe in the pre-millennial advent, and personal reign of the Redeemer, and all the other accompaniments of the millennarian scheme?

Would it not be a very waste of time, to engage in an elaborate refutation of an opinion, so outraging the plainest declarations of the word of God?

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But even where so obviously unscriptural an opinion is not held, if persons, attached to millennarian views allow the enforcement of the peculiarities of their system to be substituted, in the general tenor of their ministrations, whether public or private, for the preaching of the cross, this departure from the scrip-. tural standard will inevitably be followed, as might be expected, by the most disastrous results. The great end of preaching, or the proclamation of gospel truth, even the advancement of the glory of God in the salvation of man, will not be attained by such instrumentality. Whatever may effected, winning souls to Christ will not be accomplished by such means. For what is God's divinely appointed instrument, for effecting the spiritual regeneration and salvation of lost and guilty man? What is it, which displays the love of God, with such overwhelming power of demonstration, and persuasiveness of appeal, as makes it the most monstrous and inexcusable guilt to disbelieve that love, and thus effectually paves the way for the love of God taking possession of the heart of man? What is it, which exhibits the divine condescension and clemency, under such an endearing aspect, that, when once the loving-kindness of Jehovah, as manifested in that exhibition, is, through the Al mighty power of the Holy Spirit, cordially believed, the natural enmity of the human heart against God is immediately subdued the arms of rebellion are instantaneously flung down-softened contrition, and adoring gratitude, take the place of hardened impenitence, and sullen hatred, in the sinner's soul; and all the awful attributes of the Almighty, instead of being regarded with agonizing terror, as the attributes of an angry Judge, arrayed against the sinner, and threatening him with everlasting destruction, are contemplated with joyful trust, as the attributes of a reconciled Father, all pledged and put forth for the everlasting

happiness of the children of His love? What is it, which can alone speak peace to the convinced sinner's soul, trembling under the sense of guilt, and the fear of God's wrath? What alone can tranquillize his terrors, by showing him, how his offended God can extend to him a free and full forgiveness, however deeply dyed, or awfully aggravated, his sins may have been, without compromising, in the least degree, the strictest claims of His justice; because the demands of Jehovah's broken law, and insulted attributes, have been fully satisfied by a sacrifice, of such infinite dignity and value, that higher honour is put upon that law, and brighter glory poured round those attributes, by the salvation of a single soul, through the medium of that sacrifice, than would have resulted from the everlasting destruction of the whole human race, had no such sacrifice been offered up? What alone can enable the trembling sinner to rest his hopes of pardon, and peace with God, on such a firm foundation as this?

Is it not the cross- -the infinitely meritorious cross of Christ, where mercy and truth meet together!— where righteousness and peace embrace each other?

Is it not this, too, which, by the awful and affecting exhibition of the infinite hatefulness of sin, as displayed in the tremendous sufferings, endured by God's dear Son for its expiation, inspires the pardoned sinner with an abhorrence of sin, proportioned, in its intensity, to the depth of his gratitude towards Jesus, as the God of his salvation; and thus at once breathes peace over his spirit, and purity into his soul?

Where alone also can we learn in their full meaning, measure, and motives, the divine lessons of Christian patience and resignation-meekness and humility -forgivingness and love? Where alone feel, in its full force, a divine influence, emanating on our souls, by which the spell that binds us to the world can be broken-the chains of Satan snapt asunder-the