COND time," Heb. xi. 26. Paul wrote this epistle, according to common consent, in the year of our Lord 61, and therefore directed the mind of the Hebrews to a future appearing, as "For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, yeile might receive the promise; for yet a LITTLE, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry," Heb. x. 36.

It is then the second coming or appearing of the Lord that is meant, and agrees with what the Lord told his apostles (Matt. xxiv). In addressing the Jews, he says, "Behold your house is left unto you desolate, for I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord," Matt. xxiii. 38. After the Lord had spoken to the Jews of his coming, in the hearing of his disciples, they it is said departed from the temple, and the disciples pointed to the building of the temple, when the Lord told them there should not be left" one stone upon another that should not be thrown down. These things gave rise to the inquiry of the disciples as they sat upon the Mount of Olives, "Tell us, when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of thy COMING? and of the end of the world? Or, as the question is put in Mark xiii, "Tell us when shall these things be, and what the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled ?" Or, as the question is varied, " But when shall these things be, and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?" Luke xxi.

These questions stand thus

When shall these things be? What shall be the

sign of thy coming? And (the sign) of the end of the world? The Lord gives a brief answer (verse 34) to the men of that age concerning these coincident events: "Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." Or, as it is varied, "Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man COMING in his kingdom," Matt. xvi. 23. For the present,

I am Mr. Editor, your's &c.

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ΑΜΕΝ.

LETTER XII.

MR. EDITOR,

IN

In my last letter, I referred to some of the sayings of Christ to his apostles, wherein he plainly told them of his coming, and connected this with the end of the world, and the destruction of the temple of the Jews at Jerusalem. All these events are inseparably connected and joined together, and no subject was more emphatically impressed upon the minds of the apostles.

It was the cordial with which their Lord and Master cheered the spirits of his servants, as he sent them forth to fight in the great battle-to conflict, to wrestle-with the spiritual wickedness in high places. On the one hand he told them, "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake." On the other hand he said, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I

said unto you, I go away, and COME AGAIN UNTO YOU. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father," John xiv. 27.

The coming again of the Lord was to terminate their labours. The warfare would be accomplished. Their stewardship and their occupation ended. Therefore the Lord told them, "Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth COME. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when HE COMETH, shall find so doing,' Matt. xxii. 42.

These quotations not only go to prove, that the second appearing or coming of Christ, and the end of the world, and the destruction of the temple of the Jews, are inseparably connected as to their fulfilment; but also prove that at the same time the apostolic office was to cease, yea that all the offices of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, and all the gifts connected with these offices, for the perfecting the saints, for the work of the ministry by the faithful and wise servants whom their Lord had made rulers over his household, that all should terminate and cease-when their Lord should come - so that all these things are governed by this great event, and furnishes the only answer that can be given to the question. How do you prove that there is not apostolic succession? That there is now no priesthood, no rulers, bishops, priests, deacons, ministers, pastors or teachers? All these offices were to continue till the second appearing or coming of the Lord, and no longer. If then it can be shewn from the scriptures

that this event did take place according to the predictions of Christ, and the uniform testimony of the apostles, that the end of the world meant the end of the Jewish age or dispensation, and that the coming of the Son of Man was at the time the temple at Jerusalem was destroyed; we overthrow at once all the structures of man's devising, connected with the systems of priesthood, power, rule, authority, either under the name of successors to the apostles, or ministers and presbyters.

It is needful, therefore, that I should endeavour to shew what evidence Revelation affords as to the coming of the Son of Man, and also the time of this coming; for upon this event the whole question of apostolic succession and power rests: there is a succession or there is not, and this must be determined by the evidence afforded by the written word.

Before however I proceed to quote the authority of the scriptures on this subject, I may be allowed to shew how much the subject of the coming of Christ has occupied the attention of the ablest writers, both christian and infidel. Gibbon, in his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,' brought forward this subject as an objection to christianity. "In the primitive church," says the historian, "the influence of truth was very powerfully strengthened by an opinion which, however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, has not been found to be agreeable to experience. It was universally believed that the end of the world and the kingdom of heaven were at hand. The near approach of this wonderful event had been predicted by the apostles: the tradition of it