The Day of the Lord by Joseph A. Seiss, 1861

8/20/2019 The Day of the Lord by Joseph A. Seiss, 1861

1/42

~ ~ P m P . P . r A - \ P - ~ P . A P - . q . - L A ~ / L r \ A - . \ -b%,-\

T H

, , , , , . , , , * - * ~ v \ ~

S I l E 1 : 3 f 1 i N SOK

P R I N T E R S P l l I l rADd


2/42


3/42

TIIE

D Y OF

THE

LORD

D E L I V E R E D

I N ST.

JOTIN'S (I,UTilT? :AS) CI IU RC II, I'IITL12T3EI,PIIId,

TIIE TTYENTY-SIXTH

S U S D A Y

AFTER

TIXJITY,

A D 1861.

JOSEPIX A. a m s ,

11 n

I U T I O I L

0,

"LAST TIIICS," "C0SI'I.L I S

LCTITICUY,

"LLCTURCb 9

IIEBRCTS," CTC

P I I I i i l D C I ~ i ' I I I A :

A O I D Y

ShilTTI E Y C ~ T I I S I IS CO., 3 XORTH SIXTII ST.

YD

1 1

T I I L I I ~ X

PUBIICATIOVIOLSC

3

N O R ~ I I

INTII

ST.

1 8 6 1 .


4/42

INa time like ours, when n ot only tho gospel of t he

cross,

u t

even th e most elementary views of God, of riglrt

and light, are foolishness to the Greeks, and often even to

the noblest among them, i t is of paramount importance

t o

be faithful in the simple and fundamental truths ~vhich,

21ow~v~rnsignificant they may appear, are th e foundation

of a11 the rest, and to give

all

honor to trut h with manly

moral and logical energy, not heeding the conten~ptuous

shrugging of slloulders of either friend or foe. -DR.

AUDERLCN


5/42

9

~ f t L e

~ o Y ~ I ,

A LECTUllE

O

11 PETER 1x1

3 14.

l L l i n o ~ i n ghis first, that there shnll come in the last days

scoff'ers, ~va ll ti ng fter t hei r own lusts , ancl saying , Where i s the

promise of liis coming? for since t he fa thers fell asleep, all th ing s

continue a s they

w er e

[ram the beginning of th e creation, etc.-

2 PETERii.

3 14.

A

VERY

iinportant portion of Scripture is tliat ap-

pointed Sor th is day s E pist le, which

I

have reatl, and

upon which

I

propose to malie a few observations.

The object of tllesc writings of

St.

Peter , as s ta ted

by

himself, was t o f urn ish a syilopsis of tlic tea ching s

of b o t h p~oy~l le l sL~LIpostlcs will1 respecl Lo thc

great salvation, and to keep his readers specially

atl

inoiilsliecl as to w ha t tlicy we re to expec t. A n d as

the

substance of

evaligelical doctrine is contnincd in

liis Epis tles in ge ner al, so th e snbstanc e of evang elical

predict ion is conta ined in this c linpter in p a r t i c ~ ~ l a r .

I

cannot enter in to

1111

the deta ils, bu t

will

select

a

few topics wliicli may profitably engage our medita-

tions.


6/42

4

THE

D A Y O

THE LORD.

I. Tlie first I nalne, an d th at which forms the

c en tr e i n g ro up of ~ v ~ ~ l c l c r snd

at

once dctcr-

min es i,lle pcliod to wh ich th e whole subject relates,

is

i h e annou~zcem ent hat hrist s to r tuin again

to ti l earth I t is this d octr inc th at th e wllolc pass-

age is meant to assert, defend, elucidate, and enforce

in its practical bearings. It is a doctrine, also, re-

rnarltably prominent in

Ihc

s ac re d w r i t i n g ~ . A s

a

subject of hopeful

expectation t o

the pions,

and

of

ter ro r to t h e ungodly, i l is the nlost formally , rc-

peatcdly, and constantly affirmed.

To

say noth ing

abo ut th e Old Testam ent, (which is just as full

of

i t

a s tlle New,* but wliicll does not always distinguish

X

There

i q

scarcely

a

propllecy in the Old

Testament

concern-

ing Christ, that llotli not, in sorllctliing or otller, relate to lliv

second coming. -Sir Isuar i\rezufon on Di~lzzel, . 132.

The same oraclcs wliich at te st the first coming of Clirist, as

if impatient to be confined to so narro w bounds, cvcrflom, as i t

wcre, in to t l ~ c uture age, nncl expatiale

on

ilie piincipal facts

and circumslances of hi s secolzrl coming. -I1z~~il on t i l e Prophecies,

pp.

129, 130.

< ' I t mould be very difficult to select an y one en ti re prophecy

fro111 the Old Tc sian ~e nt , upposcd to relate to thi s event, [Mes-

siah's comiilg,] which was in rill ils p? inc?j~ccl ~ U T ~ ~ C Z L ~ U T Sceoln-

plished : ~ t ur Lord's first coming. So Stxr, inclcc l, as any im-

portance may be attachecl to the general expectation of the Is-

raclitish Cl~urchbefore t,hat period, scarcely any of thc things

which tliey loolied for and musecl upon wcrc folfilled a t tlie first

Advent. -.B~.ooks's Elemrnls

o

Pr o i 7 7 ~ e t i ca l l iafe~p~etatio?~,.

119.

Tlie coming of Cl~rists the leading silbjcct of the prophccics,

both of the Old a nd K e w Test,amcnt,, cithcr as relates to liis first

or second coming an d these ar e oft,cn i~itin lat cly onnected to-

gether, especially in the Old

Testament. -Bicke~sletil 's Guide to

he

Propilecics, p.

69


7/42

THE D A Y

O F

TILE LORD.

ve ry clearly betw ern t lle f irst Ad ven t an d t h e scconcl,)

there is l inrdly n cl iaptcr in al l the cvangelicnl writ-

ings ~ v h ~ c hIOCS101 in some

way

refer to i t .*

The

Savior l i imseli ; during his

lifetime,

spoltc largely

of

a period W ~ C I I he mo nrnin g t r ibes of t he ear th

shall see tho Soil of ma11 coming ill th e clouds of

heaven wit11 power an d gr ea t glo ry , niid wh en he

sh all scilcl his angels, w ith a gr ea t sonlid

o l

a

t r u m p e t ,

to gatl ier l iis elect from t h e four winds.

(See

Matt .

xxiv. ,

xxv. L u k e xxi. ) Tl le myster ious l ieavcnly per-

~

I (

W e affirni, that TII RCUT.FYT.R'SN C O R T DArrE-knmG IS

TIIB

VERY ror , c-s~ art v ,rrrl: CIII;KCII.

Tliat i t is so I~clrl ortli i n tlie

New Test:~rnent, s beyond dispute."-Cl~~ist's Seeo? d C rnzi?~g,

y

Rev D. Uiotan,

B.D.

. 14.

I

am sure tliat any individual, who ha s not made t ,l ~eubject

s mat ter of previous investigation, moulil be sarprisccl a t tho

result of an attentive researcl~,by discovcring liow freqnently

tho sccorid conling of tile Lord Jcsus Christ is, in

Scripture,

bronght before the believer's view as an cvcnt x-hich lie ougl~t

t o lrecp in constant ~e eollc ction , o sti~i inIa( e iiin to incessant

watchfulness and until.ing patience in ru ~i ni ng ile rnce set before

him."- 1T71~ile IL the Second ilrl?>ent, 1. 13.

This rrn.s tlic great theme on wliich St,. Paul clrvelt, to animate

the first Christians in their trials and to console llleni in ilieir

afflictions.

. .

.

I t is the principa l topic of tlie A\pocalypseof St.

J o h n ; and to this he especially directs th e atterltion of tile first

Christians."-T'el.y

I2eu J

Jjoptist f'c~gcc~zi's

57zcl

of t i l e Il'oild, p. 1

(' ,I s an inceritive t,o repenlance and holiness to sinners,-as s

motive for watclifalricss, prayer, ze:rl, snd diligellce on t l ie part

of Christ ian ~ninist,e i,s nd peol~lc,-n~ore p~onzineace s.giue?z to it

[t,lie Snvioy's secoriil coming] in the

pnyes of

the Nezo Testclme?it

than f o wy othe?. Tlie apost les never failed to give point an d

pnngericy to their 15-xrnings and exliortntions

by

solemn reference

t,o the cer tainty and suddenness of the Lord 's coming."-Bishop

l r e n s h w 612 the Teconcl Aduenf, p.

220.

l i


8/42

6

THE C A Y

O

TIIE LORI).

sonages wlzo appe ared when h e m ade his trium plinn t

ascension from the Mount ol Olives said to those

who witnessed it, Y e m en of Galilce, why stand

y e g az in g up i n to h e av e n ? t hi s s am e J c s ~ ~ s ,hich

is talien up from yon into heaven, sh all so come in

like m an ne r as ye h ave seen hirn go into heaven.

(Acts

i.

9-11. Pau l declares th a t The Lord h im-

self shal l desccnd from heave11 w ith a shout, wit21 th e

voice of th e a rch ang el, an d th e trui1ip of God. 1

Thess. iv. 16.) In the Bpis t le to the Hebrews we

read th a t Ch r is t uTasonce oirered to b ea r th e sins

of m a n y ; ancl un to tliem tliat look for him sha ll

21e

appe ar th e sccond lim e witliout sin unto salvation.

(I-leb.

ix.

28.) P e te r say s of liiinsclf and his fellow-

apostles, W e h ave riot followed cuniiiilgly devised

fables, wlien we rnacle hnow n ~ u l t o on th e power

and

coming of our Lord Jesus Clirist.

(2

I ' c t e ~

.

16.) Jo hn says, Beho ld, he cometh with clouds;

ancl ev ery eye sha ll see him , ancl th ey also which

pierced him. Ev en so, Amen. (l lev . i .

7.)

Ancl

in th e ve ry la st words which close tlle canon of

Scr ip ture i t i s wr i t ten , I Jesus have sent mine

an gel to testify urlto you tlicse thin gs

i n

the

Churches. Surely I come quickly Amen. (Rcv .

ss ii . 16-20.) I linow not of an oth er doctrine of th e

gospel t li at is ann oun ced .cviLh more pe rsp icui ty

01-

solemnity. Christ 's bi rth of th e V irg in M ary js not

more explicitly and unequivocally asserted, or more

certainly a ttes ted, tha n his re tu rn again to the ear th

a? l itera lly and tr ul y as he went up out of i t . No r

is the re Creed in Christendom, so far as I know,


9/42

TIX

D A Y O

TIIE

LORD.

7

which does not embrace it as an essential part of the

Church's faith.

I

shall come to juclge the quick

an d th e dead, says th e Creed wliicll bears the name

of Tllc Apostles'. I c shall coinc again w ith glory,

say s tlie Xynocl of Xice . W e believe t h a t thou

sh alt come to be our judge, lias been for ages su ng

in the

Te Deum.

T he gr ea t Confes-ion of Au gs bu rg

affirms t h a t C hr is t shall operily coliic again to

judge them th a t arc fot~ncl l lre , ancl to l ife

those t h a t be cl ad , according to thc Creed of th e

Apostles.

Ie ascended into heaven, and tllcre

s i t te th , unt i l he re tn rn to judge a l l men

at

the la9t

d ~ y , ays th e Cliurch of Englancl. W e do believe,

out of th e worcl of God, th a t ou r L ord Jesu s Ch rist

shal l come aga in from Ileaveil, arlcl t h a t :ifter a cor-

poral an d vislble m annc r, as lieretofore h e h a th as-

eencleci, bein g ado rned w ith gr ea t glo ry and mqjesty,

th a t he nzay appea r as Ju d g e of quicli ancl dead, say s

th e Collfcssioli of nel g ia . Anci ~~ T.itl lhe same un-

cqnivocal fulness is this article incorporated in all

ou r hym n-l~o olis an d liturgies, celcbratcil in o u r

sacrecl songs , woven into our very p r q e r s , and ut-

tere d over th e grave s of oa r friends as we collsign

th ei r bodics to th e gronncl. Indeccl, i t is one of tlie

g re a t mountain -pea lis of Christianity,-one of llio

th r e e g r an d p a rt ic u la rs ill ~ v l ~ i c hts sublimest sub-

stance lies.

The

Inc arn atio n, T h e Cross, ancl Yllc

Seccnd Conling ar e th e stem s upon which evcry

thing distinctive in Christianity is suspcnclcil, to

which its whole doctr inal system is adjusted,

anti

upon w hich th e hopes of th e ~ v o rl d depend.

To


10/42

TIIF: DAY O TIIE LORD.

st1

ilie

ou t citlier one of ih esc would be to m angle

the

r

bcrill turfs from elid to e~ lil , o

stifle

the voice of

l ) ro l ) lx ts alzcl apostlrs, to sl?oil lllc noLlcst of Chris-

t l m u tter ances

i n

tlle

clays

of t lie Churcl l s g ~ c a t c i t

puri ty, and to emasculate rcli g~ ou tself .

If C liris tia nit j~ , hen, call teacll ns an y tliing, or

if th e dc cl ar at io ~ ls f tho Xciil7tlzios nl c r t ,111

l.111ifl-

ing

upon

us,

as we profess to bcllcve th a t

tl1cy

clip,

mc m ust accept i t as a t ru th , a nd I-cly ul-ioil ~t

as

all

infallible

verity

that the same Jesus mllo

was

born

a t Bctl.~leheni, rucified on Calvary, and rec eiv e~ l p

illto heaven from 3lIo~lntOlivet is literally and pcr-

so i~a l lyo ret ur n again to th is world, to bc seen with

our eyes ancl llearcl w ith our cars, as h c mas seen a i d

llcnrd in th e clay t h a t he was talicli up. I f th is e

not t i ne , thcrc is

11

t ru th in language , n o inspira-

tion ill tlie Dihle, 11 substance in our faith, no

reality in the Ch ristian s hopes. Th e m ethods of

iuterprctatioii ~vliichcan explain away this doctriac,

or detach it from tlie teasllillgs

a n d

joyous expccta-

tions of th e proph ets and apostles, must, a t the sam c

ra te , s i lc~ice l l tha t ~ v c ave h i ther to heeded as the

oracles of God, a i d lc a~ rcus in

a

world of clarkness

with our only lights sudclenly and forever extin-

guished. I aecoriliagly accept an d declare it, as a

doctr ine

t n t

liluit stalld

o r

fdl l with Chr ls t ianl ty i t -

self, that Jesus is literally and personally, and

w i t h

gre at power alicl glory , to re tu rn ag ain to this world,

once more to treacl tllc localities alrearly hallowed to

his Church

by

his miracles and prayers and tears

an d blood.


11/42

11

A

secoiid point

I

note in the texr, is the pre-

diction that, bq'"o~eC i l ~ i s ~hnll come

n g a i~ z ,a n d

imm ediately p~ ececling ilut p e a t event, l l ~ i s locii-ilze

of h is r e i u ~ n lzull becolne subject

of

cavil, doz~bt,

unbelief, a n d ~evile7r~ent.The apostle urgcs his

rcadcrs to " b e mindful of t h e worcls wliicli w clc

spolten before by th e holy p ropliels, aiid of tlie conl-

m sndrnen t of th e apostles of th e L o rd ancl Savior,

know ing this first, th at I h e ~ e lzall come i n the lasL

d ay s scqfers, zuallci71g after the ir o u n lus ts,

ncl

sny-

ing, 'rV1~ere s the p ~ o m i s ef his coming 2 for since

ilic fathers fell asleep all things conlinue

as they

were." ea rn from these words tllal, i n the times

to ~ v h ic h h c apostle :111~tdes, h e sul ject oS Ch rist's

coming ancl ils acc om p:~nin iciits is to Le agitat ed

and d ~ s c ~ ~ s s e c l ;ha t there will e nlany who ~ v il l ,c

very unfavorably affected toward

it

some of \vliom

will d e r~ y t altogether , sonic rcvlle i t as

a

fool1~11

dream , some agree tliat

it

is t ~ u g l i tn t l le Scriptures

but to

bc

undcrstootl alter

z

m an ne r v ery cliffcrcnt

f rom what the l l tcra l terms im po rt ; ant1 ih ni thcre

~ v i l l e

a

gre a t lzuclc

in

th e miiids of pcoplc

generally

of

susceptibility

to be seriously moved by th is subje ct,

oxeept to rcvi lc i t and to tu rn i t in to r ldic~ile .

A

scoffer is, properly,

an

iizsoleilt ricliculcr, s scorner,

contumelious

rcproacher . Hence, I Ie nr y in loc.)

describes these scorers to be persons who "laugh

s t th e ve ry rnention of C hri st 's seconcl corning, an d

do wha t in them lies to p ~ l t ll oul of co~ m tena ncc

who seriously believe a ~ i d ait for i t ;-who cniinot

deny t l la l there is

a

promise, yet laugh a t 11."


12/42

1 THE

D A Y O F

TEE

LORD

Isa iah

(v. 19 ,

Jcremiall (xvii. 15 , and Ezekiel (xii.

22) had before prophesied

1

similar maniresta

t

ons

wit

refereace to th e same subje ct ancl th e same

tiiiies. A nd C hri st also says,

of

some of his own

proressed servants, th at , as t h c t ime draws near,

t liey wi ll pu t aside th e subjec t, and say , I l y Lord

delayetli his coming, and shall begin to smite their

fcllom-servants, aiicl to cat and clriiik with the

drunlten. (illat t. xxiv.

48-51.)

Star t l ing a lso is it, in illis con l~ectio n, o tllirlli

llom

i n o p e r a t i v e a n d n u l l t l i i s p o ~ v e r f ~ ~ loctrine of

Ch ris l ' s speedy re tu rn h as become in the rc l ig io~ l

f

m ocleri~ inies.

11

is

remarlred

by

a distingnjshed

G e ~ m a i i t l le o l og i a n~ ~ h a t

( ile

secoiid coming of

Ch rist, viewed in coniiection w ith t h e kingdom es-

tnblisllecl

1~yt

upon

earth,

occnpics niuch m ore

p r o m in e ~ i tposition in th c view of t h e Xacrccl Bcrip-

tuxes th an in t h a t of Illc mod ern Church. Tlle

remarl; is unqu estionably tru e.

Ii,may

safely be

said tl iat th ere is no l allother doctrine in th e ~vliolc

Cllristian Creed , of eqnn l prominence a nd im po rt-

ance,

which

is so coldly anci i~ldef iliite ly ap prc -

hcndecl, and so jqjune ly hclcl, by the great mass

even of those wl-io profess and call themselves

Ch ristia~ lr . ' ' People do not exactly deny th a t th ere

is a

promise

t h a t Ch rist xvill come ag ain ; b u t i t is

accepted only with so many allowances, that it can

hard ly be s a d to be received a t all as an efficacious

tru th . hI inis lers a iid expositors have become so

ac-

*

D r . C a r l A u g n s t A u b e rl e n , P r o f e s s or i n

Basil.


13/42

TIi

D A Y

O F

TH

LORD.

customecl to gloss, spiritualize, and accommodate

t

other th ings th e passages wh ich spe ak of i t, nnil so

preoccupy their minds with fignrative, lirovlclcnlial,

and imaginary conlings of the Xnvior by rncnns

of his doctrines, gospcl, ancl Spi rit, t h a t his re al

coming-which is th e only one th e L b l e spealcs of?

an d which x ~ a s ever me ant to pass out of' th e view

of th e Church as ne ar a t hand-has wcllaigl-1 lost

i ts weight ancl place. I t has bccomc to ma ny a

mere fable. W h a t earn est Christ ian docs not see

a nd l a ~ n c n t he wide-sprcacl influences of' ratiolic~lism

a nd r a t i onn l i ~ t i cpl~ilosophy, explaining away th e

gospel Revelations, and even the most clemeiltary

views of insp iration, of God, an d of n~ o r a li tya nd

rig ht B u t t liere ar e no port ions of t lic Sc r iptu re

which ra t ional i sm so mucl~neglects, despises, or

degrades as tlie prophetic portions, and no class of

men whom it reviles with less mercy than those who

ar e so simple as to accept th e l3rophecies in an y thing

like their l i teral terms.

A

few clays ago

I

read, in a

sermon preached and pnblished by a clivilic whose

writ in gs ar e nnm erous and wicle-spread, th at he

clay of judg m en t, an d t h e da y of t h e Lorcl, anel th e

convulsions an d chan ges of na ta re , spoken of in th e

prol~hecies , are

t o

he inter pre ted xvith gre at lnbitude

of signification, as in t h e high st c Z e g r e e j i y z ~ r a L i v e ;

t h ~ t he clay of t li e Eorcl i s s im l~ly day of cala-

m ity , or a season of snff ering; th e clay of jud gm ent,

th e tim e .ivhen th e conseclneilces of' our nctiorls over -

ta ke u s th e end of th e world, often

the

end of

ihe

exis t ing s tate of things; and a new heaven and t


14/42

1 2 TII D A Y O F

TIIE

LORI).

new e ar th , a be tter m oral conclition of tlie hu m an

raceH :: Tlie sanie author, in tllc same discourse,

says, F o r my own part , th e world seeins to nie to

be ye t in it s infancy. To me th ere is 1zotlling in

ilic Xcripturcs, nor in the prcseiil s tate ol things, to

lcsd nzc to apprehend t'he approach of the end ol the

world, Lut every thin g again st i t . Ev en tl ie la te

~ e l i e ~ a b l crofessor Stuart,-for

a

long time, if liot

sti ll, i h c v er y leacler of New En glaii tl csposilioii,-in

his revi c~ v f Duf ie ld 011 th e Secozlcl C on ~ii igo f hr ist ,+

jests an d jeers over tlie w hole sul?jcct, ancl lau glis a t

those who tr~li e l

U P ,

as in l l lc volume he re~r ie~vs ,

as believers in

j17z~tid

ables. Wllen Chrisliali i ty

was in its virgin

puri ty,

th is was anlong th e riiost

vivifying artic les of th e Creed,-the incentive to re-

pm~Lailce, h e iriotivc to f~ iit ll, lle czlcol~ragemczit o

fidelity , tli e iiisp iration of liopc, ancl th e s pr ing of

colistancy ancl zeal, ~ v l ~ i c hivested even rnar ty~ do ni

of te rr o rs ; Lnt in these last days i t l ias bccomc so

po~t-erlessn tlle coilsciences an d he ar ts of nlen tli at

a11177 ser iou s :liid pr ac tica l concern nbont i t is ho oted

as nnscliolnrly T\-enliness,and tlre nttcnlpt l o se t i t

f'ol.tli ztccorclirig to tlie words of t,he H oly G ho st is

riclicnlcd in hi gh ecclesiastical positions as ide ntic al

w ith th e advocacy of atristic legencis th a t mould

disllonor tlie

brain

of even th e Rabbies in ih ei r

~v ild cst lrcnms. L e t a rnnn, constrain ed by liis soleiiin

. - ~ i r n n p ' s&I i scc l l sneoas W r i t ings , p.

203.

j-

I I i n t s o n P r o p h ecy A p p en d ix

t o

2 d

edition.


15/42

TIIE D A Y O TIIE LORD 3

convictions an d acco untabilitie s, lif t up 11is voice to

reasber t it, in its t ru e sc r i l ~ tu ra l igor a nd to bid his

f ~ l l o \ r sbe read y for its speedy realization, ancl pul-

pits an d presses point a t liirii as illore tllan

n

l i t t le

crazed, anci laug hin gly pn l hiin down on the ir rcndy

list ol lu nati c saints whose ldie utterances ti ley say

tirne proved to be b ut dreams. W e looli on, an d

wond er th a t some of tlie best an d most lcarricd me11

that have livcil shoultl be so flippanlly despatclled,

~nd h a t sn ch moiiientous subjects should be so jeer-

in sly set aside. Arid y et \\re ou gh t not to ~v on dc r.

r

1

he Sc r iptures long ago sa id i t ~voulcl e s o; and S t .

I 'e ter , i l l s t irr ing

us

to remembrance, would liave

u s assured , first of all, th a t sncli thin gs tlie last

clay:,

rvould br in g fo lt h. God has not, indeed, left liirn-

sc l f ~v i thout~vitnesscq. Thcrc are those to wllom

tho (loctrin e of th e corning an d liingclo~ii of tlie

Lorcl Jesu s is a l iving p ow er; whose liearts ar e

kilicllcd

with

the blessed pronzisc of h is coinirig

;

w h o , v ~ i t heloqucrit tongues an d ready pens, are

vali:~ nlly ontciiding for th is portion oi' he faith once

delivered to tlic saints

;

anrl who, tlio ug h langhecl a t

and reviled by men, are ye t l .~onorcd nd prospered

of

God. Nor

arc ihcir

words \v ~t lio nt ffect

i ninny

mreli ant1 pious he arts , wllo wi th tllein w ait an d hope

for th e comiiig of th e I~o rcl. C u t th e gre at nlass of

C2iristendom ha s no s yin pat liy w ith tliem, ant1 talics

plcasare

in

twi t t ing th rn i for t l l ~ i r r edul ity alicl

w ant of bett er learning. A nd \vhat is all t l iis bn t

Peter s prophecy

fu@Zling,-the very C hurc h joining


16/42

14 THE D A Y

O

T ~ I E

LORD

in th e r ibald cry, W he rc is the promise of his

coming

? *

111 A

th ird point

I

riotice in this passage is the

im p o rt a n t chro~zological staternelat which i t c ontain s

w ith r d e ~ e n e e o the second comi?~gf the

Lord

I n

rcclconing ~vl-retherGod ha s been slaclc or no t con-

cernin g tllis proniisc, th e apostle urges i t

upon

us

very p articu larly not to overlook tl le fact, bu t to

rem em ber, liat olie clay is witli th e Lo rd as

a

thou-

sand yeam, and

a

thousancl years as one clay.

Moses, in t h e 11ineteenill Psa lm , had maclc a sim ilar

si,atenient ne ar ly two tliousanci ye ar s before. I t

was also a conimon tllin g anlong t h e ancient people

of Gocl to reckon d ay s as ty pi ca l of tho usands

of

ye ars. A11d as th cr e ar c b u t seven

days

(all tllc

rest being hut repetitions of thesc,) i t was held that

thesc seven days represented so m any th o u ~ a n d s f

years, in wllicli tlie ~vollcl, nd Gocl's adminisirations

Tliose \ ~ h o eny th r coming of t he Lord, aiiil the other gr eat

events of which tlie prophets speak, instead of proving illat the

prophecirs shall never bc literally fi~lfilled, re themselves strilr-

in g instances and cxamples of the cer ta int y of their accomplish-

ment; for

St

Peter has expressly propheqietl of these men, mliom

he calls scoffers, that would malie a jeer of the coming of the

Lord. Our Savior himself proplles icd lliat before hi s coming

nien would grow so secure t l ~ n t hey would set a t naught ill1 tlie

signs and tokens oi liis appearance. And it is a rille wit11 me,

the more I hear people deny the coming of Christ, the day of

judgment, and tlie conflagration, vith other things of the like

nature, tlie more to hold on to them ; for their denial

is

to m e

one of th e highest proofs of th e certa inty of those events. -

1finchester s Lectt6~e.r

n

the Prophecier, vol. iii.

p. 151


17/42

TIIE D A Y

OF

THE

LORD.

5

concerning it, would be consummated. They sa id

th a t as th e worltl was six days in maliing, so i t will

continue for six tl-lousand yeare, to complete what

ha s since bee11 un de rta ke n w ith re ga rd to i t ; ancl

that

as God rcstccl the seventh day ant1 llallowcd it,

so tl le seventh thousand years is to be a gr ea t an d

hallove d world-Sabbath, in which th e f inished ~ vor lrs

of gra ce sha ll ex hib it t o Gocl an d fu rnis h to its

subjects a perSect rest.* P au l tells us, also, t h a t

th er e docs rem ain to th e people of God yest,

wllieh Joshna did not give, and th a t th a t res t is a

oupparlo/*o~,-a flabbatlz-iceepi?zg. (I Icb . iv.

8,

9.)

And in the Reve la t ion of John (xx.

4-7

we aye

told of a cert ain thousancl ye ars, fkr down a t t h e

elid of t h e world, at the commencement of wllicll

S at an is to b c bou nd, th e powers of w ickcdnes?

overth row n, ancl t h e saints raised from th e dead,

clncl during wliich the martyrs arc to sit on tllroncs,

and all tlre pious clead to be made blessed ancl holy

as tlle priests of God and

of

Chris t , and to re ign

w ith him,-which answers ex ac tly to tlle idea, of a

Grea t Sabb ath. These sta tements , taken a long with

th is declaration of S t. l etcr, t h a t one clay is to be

* The tradition that the cnrtli, as w e l l as the moral and re-

ligiou? st stc of it s inllnbitants, mere to ~ n d e r g o great change

at t he cncl of six tliousnnd ycals , h as been cletectecl in tlle ~v r i t -

ings of Pagans, Jews, an d Chribtialls. I t i s fooncl in the most

ancient of those comnlcataries of the Old Testamcxlt ~vliichwe

owe to t h e llabbinical school, a n d . preceded by several ccn-

turies the introduction of tile Christian f,~ith. -Bzai~op

Russell

on

fhc lThllennium p. 38


18/42

6

THE

D A Y

OF TIIE LORD

taken as a thou sand y ears, and a thousand yea rs

as

one day, seem vcry well to be ar ou t th e old tracli-

tioa-refcrrecl to E lij ah th e prophet-tliat th c world

sliall co ntin ue for siu tho usa nd years,-two thousan d

ycars voicl, or without the la w ; t ~ v oh o u s ~ i id c ar s

undcr th e l a w ; ancl two thousand un der the Mes-

siah,-and that

t he

seve nth thousand ycars mill b e

h e day of tllc holy, blessed God," " t h e day of

j~ td g m c n t ,

n d

tlie worlrl to come."

It

is very cer-

tai n t lia t a vcry l ar g e proporti011 of th e proibundest

and best C'riristinn tea ch ers lave acce pted i t as prc -

sen ling th e t ri lt h of Gocl, arid re g~ ~ l;l tc clheir faith

on this subject accordingly.

The apostolic

B n r n n l ~ n s ,

he conipanion ol

St

Paul,

(

a good man)

and

1~111 f th e II o ly G host,"

has

luft us

an

Epistle , in which he says, (chap. x i ~ i .

-6,

"G od m ade irl six day s th e worl


19/42

TITI.:

DAY O

TTT

L O R D .

1 7

Jrenceus

whose Cliristiall preceptor was the dis-

tin gu ish ed I'olycarp, one of thos e ang els of th e

Churches to wliom th e Savior in th e Apocalypse

directed one of t h e seven Epistles, also says, I n

wh atever nu m be r of clays th e world was created,

111

th e sam e nu m be r of illonsands of ye ar s t will come

to it s consumm ation. God, on th e si xt h clay, fillislied

the worlrs which he made; and Got1 rested on the

scveiitl1 da y fr o n ~ ll his w orks. Th is is a history of

th e past, an d a prophecy of th e Suture; for th e day

of tlie Lorcl is as a tllousa ad y ears.

Victorinzss, Bishop of Pet taw , who was one of

tlse niartyrs in the persecution

A n 303-313, says,

The t r a c and proper S i~ bb a th ha ll bc lrept in the

seventh m l l l e n n i ~ m t l l e r ~ f o ~ che Lo rd La th assigilcd

to those FevPlz clays indiv idua lly a t h o ~ s ~ ~ l dcars.

Lac tan t ius

wlio lived about Ihc snmc period,

says, L c t th e philosophers, therefore, who rcckon

u p tlionsallds of ages frorn th e beginn ing o l th e

~vorlil ,u nd ers ta nd th a t tlie s ~ n n otal l ias not yet

reached tl le s ix thonsaildtli year; and, whca that

nnnzher s

complete,

a n end m us t be nlacle of th e pr e-

sent st:xtc of th ings , an d th c condition of hum an ity

be monlcled anew for t h e bet tcr. As, the n,

a l l

the

~~rorli-sf Gocl were finisllecl ill six days , th e ~ vo l. ld

mnst co~ lt iuue n i ts present s ta te th rough s ix ages,

t h a t is, six thousancl ycars. A nd again, as, when

his works were finished, he rcstcd oil the seventh

day, and blessed it , i t follo~vs h a t upon the end of

the six thoasandtll year all evil and wicliedncss

mu st be wipcd away from th e e ar th , and justice


20/42

8

TILE

D A Y OF TIIE LORD.

reign for a thousand ycars, and t l le world enjoy

calm an d repose from tlle la bors it

h:~s

o\v so l o ~ g

endured.

Cypi-ian tllc nolecl B i ~ l l o p f C'artllage, who died

a

marhyr to his faith, also says, Iil tlie Divine

ar ra ng rn ie at of th e world, seven clays Tvere a t first

employecl, and in t liem seven tho us ,~ ndyears -we]-e

incluciccl.

It ~vonlc? e cnsy to cite mlrnerons otllcr au tho ri-

tics of this sort frotn anlong tlic ancient Cliristiatl

f athe rs , such as C len icat, J u ~ t i nMarty r , I ' ap i


21/42

THE

DAY

OF

TEE LORD 19

and

conclndes with these words, set oa t in lar ge

letters, line for line :

S A W I X G

OF TJIE SClIOOL OF ELIAS

TIIC

PROPIIET

Six thousand ye ars s l in ll the world s tand

Two thonsnlzcl, void.

T ~ v olionsnnd, the Lnw.

Two il~ousancl,Christ .

These are unto Gocl tlie six days ol thc wceli.

The scventll is t l lc cverlasting Sabbath.

Psalizl XC. 5, ancl

2

Pe ter i ii .

8.

A t l ionsand years are to t l ie Lord as one day. *

islzop atinzer also say s, Tlle hvorltl wa s or-

dain ed of God to continue, as Scr ipt ur e ancl learn ed

nien ag ree, six thousant1 yea rs.

Shal l

WP,

then, receive or reject this cornput

2 011

of the t imes ol th is wor ld?

I

believe tliat me

accept mucli upon far more slender grouizclr. Where

to filzcl scrious objections to it,

I

k i io ~ v o t. H O W

o

confnte it,

I an1

a t a loss. T1.ins God him self

lias colifornied t h e o r d r r of h is pioviclence to it .

1

1

he passages ol Scripture to which I have referretl

rnore thaii harmonize mitli it .

S

tliey do not abso-

Intr ly asser t or rcq uire

it, they sugges t it an d a r e

bes t

i i i terprctcd h y

it.

I t coil1ol.m;: to th a t ty pica l

system upon wllicli ilcarly every tlliiig mas originally

coastrnctecl. It llas becn bcllcvccl aiicl tau g h t as a

revelation

from God by a very large lzumber of the

ablest and most reliable of C hristian trac her s. T he

ancient Jewish Church held i t as

a

set t l ( l verity.

Walch's

Luther , vol xiv.

pp. 1111 1117


22/42

20 TILE D A Y

O TEE LOI1D

And, for one, I feel bouild to accept it, until God

shall teach me bet ter .

I n w hat yea r of ' the ~vorlcl'sage we a rc l iv i i~g , t

is not possible at this clay accurately to ascertain.

Acc ording l o tlle common recli-oning, i t will y et be

about one liundrcd and tl i ir ty-f ive years to the end

of t lie s ix t l iousai~d . B L I ~liere is nothing upon

~ v h i c h cnrilecl nlcn differ mo re th a n on th e siibject

ol chronology. I know of no systein wl~icllcan be

received w ith confidence. Some nialie th e time m ore,

an d soinc less, to t h e cild of th e

six

tliousand years.

Ja rv is calculates ye t one hnnclred an d tweiity y ea rs;

P,r o\v n~ , bout th ir t y Bliss, nhout twen ty Shimc-

all and Snvillc, abou t sc vc i~ Bowcn, five nad F yne s

Clinton, but

one.

Tlle t r n t h is, tliat 17otliiiig ve ry

tlefi~lite s l rno ~~ rii11 th e subject . TVc li-no~v illy th a t

w

are ill tlie evening of th l a ~ tilystic day,-tlic

S atu rd ay of t lic world 's long week. A t an y rate,

Petei- 's rcmarlr is tru e, th a t llc L or d is not slack

coliceriliilg his promise, as sonic men couilt slack-

ness. Th oug h always presen ting t h c clay of t h e

Lord as

YLCU.~.

and really and truly so in vai-ious

i~ np or ta a t espects, y e t so i n tlle highest aiicl fallest

sellse

osily

accortlirig

t o

t h a t s y s t c l~ iwhicl-1 tnlies

a

thousand years

as

one day. Th is was his gracio us

plan from the beginning, to which he lzas all the

time been working, clclaying to execute speedy ven-

geance upon th e wickedness of m en, a nd exercisiilg

upor1 tliein his grea t lon g-su rerin g th at they m igh t

repent and be saved. H e a lways m eant to come,

and to come soon; but he never proinised to

come


23/42

TIIE D A Y

O

TlIE LORD. 21

any sooncr than a t the end of s ix thousand year-

day?,

which a rc only now for ll ie fi rs t t ime ~ ~ c r g i n g

to thcir close.

We may,

accorcliagly, lalie this text

as

ail iuti-

mation that a grcat Sabbath ol' rest nncl glory is in

rese rve for this wo rld, ancl th at , if no special provi-

dcncc slinll come ill to sh o r tc i~ h e tinlc, we m ay ex-

pect it to commence a l t h e conclusion of th e six

thousallcltli year from t he creatio11,-which cannot

an y longer be far off. M ay God ha sten tlle tim e

IV Another point I notice in tile test is the

sfnie7rmzt as

to

the ??zamne~7 which the d a y of the

Lord

shall

be ushel-ed in.

The apostle says il

-\vill come,

lotw with st n cling

th e sltcpticisin alid tlic

scoirs of men, a i d th at i t will come as a t l ~ ie f l l

t h e

iiight.

Pa ul a lso makes th e same s tntcmeat , in

th e same words, as a nia t ter ~v cl l n ilerstood by t he

primitive Christians. 1 Thcss. v.

2.)

And t l ie

Savio r himself has given noticc, Bcholcl, I come

as a tliicf, (E ev . xvi.

15;)

not , i~~c lecd ,ith tlie de-

signs of a thief, but in such time and in sucll

nlanner

as

tile thief comes,-or, as lie elsew here c s -

plains

it,

' ( i n uch n koz/'j.CIA y think not.

(Mat t .

xxiv. 44

.)

That holly will

be

a n 1 1 0 1 ~f tize

~zigiz~,

oth

liter ally an d figuratively. N iglit is tllc time wllen

thieves w ork ; an d th e statenipnt is th at lic will coiile

as hief i n tile wight. W hen th e ~m cn~bocliccl

W o rd of God, a t tlie bcgilining, first came into our

world, i t was ni gh t; for darkness was upon the


24/42

22

TILE

DAY O TIIE

LORD.

face of th e clecp ; and tha t Word was,

Let th r be

Zigj~t nd there was l igh t . W hen t l ia t same W ord

hccame jucarnate, a nd was bo rn into th e world as a

man, i t was in th e night,-while shepherds were

( keeping w atch over the ir flocli: by nig ht. A nd so

his coming in the gre at day shal l a lso be in th e

night . W he the r i t s lia ll be in th e second watch,

or in th e thircl watch, wh ether a t even, or a t mid-

n igh t , o r a t the cock-crowing, o r in the n io ra i i~g ,

we kiiow 11ol. This oilly we lcaow,--that i t sl lall be

(

i n

t h e n ig ht , w hile m allkiiid is n ~ a p t n sleep,

and svorlclly faiicy fecds on golden dre am s. B u t i11

th e figurative, a s well ;IS i l l th e l i teral , night,-in th e

clnrliest ho ur of th e Chu rch a n d of th e ivolld

;

wheii

therc wil l be but l i t t le gci iu inc aposbol ic fc~~tl ind

life i11 tlle enrtli, and tlie virgins, both wise and Sool-

jsl-I ar e slumbel.ing and sleeping; wlien th e powers

of clarklress have put forth their last and most suc-

cessfill attem pts, and unsanctificd hu m an ity is most

deludecl with dream s of security an d progress --then

tlie

clay

of th e L or d sliall come, and th e long-abse nt

Jcsus be again revealed.

That

hour mill also be an uncxpected hour.

Tlic

thicf comes uncxpectcdly. H e does n o t tell th e good-

ma n of tlre housc ~ v hc ii ie will come. I I e tries lo

niakc l iis approacll with as l i t t le intimation of i t a t

tlie tim e a5 possible. A i~cl o of tlrat da y an d hou r

k n o ~ v c t h no m a n , no, no t tlie allge ls of heavcii.

( M a t t , xxiv 36.) As jn tlle day s t h a t were before

th e floo(1 thc y v e r e eat ing an d clrinkiilg, nia rryin g

an d g iving in mar ri agc , un t il t he da y th a t Noe


25/42

THE I)AY OF TIIE LORD

3

entered into the ark, a?xd knew o t until the flood

came, an d tool< the m a11 a w a y ; so sllall also th e

com ing of th e

Son of lnan be." (M at t. xxiv. 38.

Preceding signs tlicre will be,-"signs in th e sun ,

arid in

the

moon, and in the s tars , an d upon the

earth ," (Luk e xxi. 25, 26,)-but no t such signs as

th e unbclicvillg world shall und ers tan d and heed,

(Daniel xii . 10;) for

up

to the veyy time of the

bu rsti ng fort11 of doorn th ey shal l be say ing , Peace

ancl safety."

1Thess. v. 3. The wise, inilccd, shall

understand, ar id "arc not

in

darlincss, that that clay

should overtake

t lz m as a thief." 1 Thess, v. 4.)

Occ npyiiig, watching, wa iting, exp ecting, as tho

Savior coniniands, th ey shall be r c a ~ l y o receive

him , an d to shout, Blessed is he th a t comelh in t l ic

name o l the Lo rd " yea , and to mount up to meet

him a s on eagles' wings. (Isa.

xl 31.)

B u t w ith sudclenness, as well as s tea lth, sl lall t h a t

h ou r com e. T o a ll m hosa h a r t s a r e o v e r c l i a r g ~ d

with surfei ting , and dru nl< en n~ ss, nd cares of th is

life, i t sllall

come unaw ares." Th e destruction

which i t is to brin g to tho gu ilty will be "sudclen

dcstrnction." 1Tliess. v. 3. But cvpli in the case

of those pr eparec3 for i t , i t will corne wit11 a degree

of suddenness. Upon "ull.,"-"all tlienl t h a t dwell on

th e face of the who le eartl-1,"-ivhicl~ would seem to

include the clcront and watchful as well as thc care-

less an d unbeliev ing, tlie Xavior say s, i t will come

a s a sna.i.e." (L u k e xx i. 35.) Quick as the spark

from smitten steel , and sudden as the l ightning's

f lash , shal l i t break in upon th e world . Fo r as

t h e


26/42

4

TIIE

DAY O F

THE

LORD.

l igh tnin g cometh out of the east and

jl sheth

even

ililto th e west, so sllall also th e com ing of th e S on of

man be. (M att ,

s s i v . 27.)

In a nioment, in the

twinliling of an cye, say s tlie :~p ost lc, 1

Cor.

xv.

52,

sliall tlie great tmnslation be effected; and

before we lrliow it we shall be changecl.

There

is

also this otllcr feature attending tlie ope-

rations of tlie thief,-that h e is u ~ u n l l yn the Iiouse,

a n d tlirougli o r well on with his wo rk, before his

presence is discovcrcd. TVc miss v h a t he has tnlien,

we beliold th e depredations lie has wro ugh t, or we

ar e aroused by tlie cracklin g of th e flames his hands

have ignited. A nd so Jes us will pcrliaps he here,

anrl dolng his worlr, bpfore

we become acquainted

wi th the i j c t .

I

suppose th at the f i rs t cvlde~ ice l ic

living saints ~ v il l hav e of liis presence will be

conteniporaiieous wltli tlielr translati011

;

bu t there i s

a t least oiie g e n t transnctioii conliectccl ~ ~ ~ i t hh e

scenes of t h a t ho ur wh ich sEiall precede t h e tra ns -

la tion . Pau l says, W e th a t a re a live and remain

unto tllc coining of th e L or d sh all not

go

efo~e

hem

which a rc a~ le cp ; an d th a t wlleii the Lord s lia ll

descend h e dcnd in Ch rist shall rise first.

L

'Phcss. iv .

15, 16.

1i:very Ch ristian's grave sha ll

be vncaterl, nnd 111s corrilptlble body have put on

~n iino r ta l i ty , cfore one l iv ing sa in t shal l be trans-

la te d. EIcrc, thc n, will be sornetliing carr icd off

before th c world shall find out an y th ing about w hat

has happened; for

I

suppose that tlie rcsurvection

of th e saints will conform to th a t of thei r L ord, an d

not occur visibly to m en in t h e flesh. Wo fa r

as we


27/42

TIIE D A Y O TEE LORD

5

linow, iiobody saw Christ rise, A n d it would scclii

as iS tlie same ste alth were to a llen d th e translation

also. A nian iiz his

Led

shall a ~ ~ ~ a l ~ c ,nd find llis

wife go ne ; an d nnotller sliall call for his Sc~itlif~~'ui

se rv ni ~ l , rid f ind 1-um miss ing; ant1 watcl lers a t t l ~ c

coucli of aflictioii shall look for the ir pa tient, an d he

shall not be, because Gocl llas talicii hlm. It is so

th a t 1i:iioch scelns to ha ve been s to lc ~ i way froni th e

earth . (IIcb. ii. 5. Elijah in liis ascclisioii was

visible to

l l

frien d slid successor oilly as 2 special

Scivor of God which hc could not prom ise in ad -

vance. (2 K ings i i. 10. An d ~ v i t h he s tcnl tl ii iicss

of the uiidiscovcrccl thiel the Szvior, i t seems, will

come an d remove his clloseli saints ~v itli ou t tllcir

most iritirnate eartllly hiencls k no w il ~ g t, cxccpt by

wh at ih cy afterw:trd miss. ELat,h

he n o t

said as

much himself? W ha t are his words

I tell you,

in1 t h a t ni gh t th er e sha ll be tnro in one be d ; th c one

sllall be talien, an d tlic otlicr left. Two sha ll be

grinding tog ethe r; th e orlc shall be talien, and th e

otllcr

lcft.

T ~ v o hall be in the field th e one shall

be talrcn, an d th e oth er left. (L nk c xvil. 34-36.)

W h a t

are me to gat,Ilcr from tliis,

b u t

t h a t

t he

one

shall

iintl

th e oth er stole11 aw ay from lliin wi tho nt

his

knowing i t a t ihc

t i m e ?

The

wiqe virgins

m e t

tlie

Bridegroom, nlid

hntl

already entered in will1 him

t o

tlie feast, before th e foolish ones fo~uiid t out. (' T h e

day

of the Lord corneth

as a thief n

t l z

night "

Solenin a i d afl'ectilig tr u th TVatcl~ ye, there-

fore, and

pray

always, snith your Lord .

(Luke

xs i . 36 . )


28/42

26 TIIE

D A Y O

THE LOZD.

V . Still anotlicr point

I

notice in the tevt is the

terri.c eon$agi.ntion 7uhich

i s

to lake place u;Jzcn

Christ comes.

I t i s remarkable tha t g rca t f ires a rc

eve ryw he re spoken of in conilection w ith th e da y of

Christ's revelation.

Pa ul says, T h e Lorcl Jesu s shall

be revcalccl from heaven wltll liis mighty angels,

n

jlam ing jire taking ve?zgeunce u p o n them t i ~ a t,now

not God

nd

that obey not tile gospel.

( 2

Tliess.

i.

7,

8.)

Ev en ill th e Olcl Tes tanlen t i t mas prophesied,

Beho ld, t l ie day conieth th a t sha ll ba rn as an oven;

and l th e proud, yea, an d all th a t clo irvickedly,

shal l be s lu hb lc ; and the day th at comeil l shal l

burn them np. ( l la l . iv. I.) Yea, saith tIie Lord,

I

will shoirv irvonders in the henvc~lsand iu the

e ar th , blood, and firc, an d pill ars of sniolio. (Jo el

ii.

30.

A n d so we also read, in th c tex t, of fire, an d

very g re at h ~ a t , nd nlel ting, and burning, in th e

a i r and ill tl le c lenients, in th e e ~ r t h

n d

in the

thillgs on th e ear th . More, however, has been made

of thesc fires than , I t hi nk , i s ~ v a ~ r n n t e c ly Scripture.

T h c most explicit passage on tlle subject in all th e

Bible is this from Peter, which is rather s trongly

transla ted, an d so worded in our version as to lead

off

the reader 's imagination l~cyoiidwhat hclieve

to bc the apostle 's meaning.

H e spcalis of t h e heave ns being oil fire, and

as

to pas s aw ay an d b e clissolvcd. People rea d

this, an d begin t o th in k of th e regions of th e sun ,

moon, and stars , alicl so m o ~ u l t p arnong th e orbs

an d systems of creation, un til th e words before

them become

a

pic tur c of tlie en tire w reck of th e


29/42

TILE D A Y

O F

TIIE LORD.

27

whole nia tcr id universe. B u t

I

am

satisfied that

the re was aot2ling of t h e so rl in t h e mind of Pe ter,

or of th e IIoly Gliost by whicll he wrote. Th e wo rd

reilclercd -leavens meails simply t h e atm osp he re

~vl l ichsurround s the ear th, an d does not car ry us

an y furtl-ier th an th e regions of th e clouds an ti

miiicls,-- the air, (Matt. viii.

20;

Rev. xix. 17,)

he slcy, (M at t, xvi.

3,)

the realm of tlic cloucls,

(M att . xxiv. 30; Jam es v.

18.)

The word rcnclered

being on fire simply mea ns inflamed, mad e fiery,

an d may be considered as having i ts irnport in th is

placc exhanstcd by a condition of the atmospliere

in w2iich it is heated, filled with fiery volcanic

emissions, anJ l i t

up

w ith ligh tnings. The worcl

rende red sllall pass a ~ v a y oes not mean, to cease

to exist . I t means, t o pass, as from one place or

s ta te to another

as

where we read, h at no man

m ight pus s by tl iat way, (M att . vii i. 28,) Jesus of

N az ar et h passe ti^ by, (L uke

xviii

37.) A s applied

to the atmosphere, i t expresses a change implying

motion, and that very violent and boisterous, as

tlle accompanying word, rendered with

a

grea t

1 cannot but feel astonished that any serious and intelligent

man should have his mind fettered mith the con~mon-I might call

it the vulgar-notion of a proper destruction of tlre earth. Some

seem to extend the notion to thc mhole solar system, appliecl to

tile idea of an extinction of i t and reducing to nothing; a11d thi s

rlotion has been general, and thus it has gained so strong a hold

upon the feelings of many pions persons t ha t t hey have n ~ a d et

an article of faith. But I confess myself unable to find any evi-

dence for i t in

nature,

reason, or Scripture.-Jolln I'ye Smzlh,

D.D.,

F R S : Geology

nd

Revelation, p. 161.


30/42

8 THE

D A Y

O TIIE LORD.

noise, also indica tes. Tlie additional word rcil-

d e ~ ddissolved is of t h e same gen eral impol t.

I t means to loosen, ~ uz bin d; as where the B:\vior

says of tlie colt, Lo ose hi m ; an d of tlie apostles,

\Yhatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be

loosed in 11c;lvcn. It is used in Acts xsvii .

41

witli reference to t h e brcaliing aw ay of th e hinclcr

]>art

of

t h e

ship

iii which P a u l was -cvrecliecl. I t

r e lc r s liere to the rup tu re of those i l l l i ~ ~ e i ~ ce s

mliicli now ho ld the v d r i o ~ ~ sar ts of tlic physica l

wollcl in cluiet,-lo a, fi-ceing of tlie elements

to

rusli

ancl clash ahont

in

de st ru ct iv e commotlol; niicl m i-

resbrainilil fnr y, jus t as th e Psa lnii st clcscribes t h e

scene

:- O u r

Goti slinll come

;

a fire shall clevonr

belo:-e him,

ncl

i sha ll be v e ~ yenzpestuous .j.o7~?zrl

abo ut hzn ~. (Ps. 1. 3 . Tli is is th e ~v ho lcesteilt of

t lie tcrm s concc r i~ing he fa te or ( ( ihc henvens.

A n d even in wllnt is said of lic ea rth tlic ivord

docs n ot 11cce;;snrily mean t h e en ti re globe on w llicll

we clwell. \\re oftell speak of t l ~ eC ~ T ~ / Lv i t l l o ~ ~ t

nieaning the wliole planet. W he n any violcrlt

p

he av al o r agi tat ion of th e surface of t h e cart11 occnus

i l l

a

par t icular d i ~ t r i c t r country , we say, Li~eeclrtl~

shooli, an d call

it

an ea~thclnalie,-wllcli real ly i t

~ v z

only the crus t

of

the eartl i , and that in oilc l imited

locality.

It1

the n ight- t ime wc say, tlze ear th is

wrapped in darliiiess, when i t is less tliali one-half

of the earth that is so cnsl~routlcd. The snine worcl

is also frequently trnlislaled ln?zfZ,C O Z L ~ ~ I ~ ~ / ;xs, ( ( tlie

~ o L ~ ~ ~ R o v

i th noisy

r r ~ s l ~ i a g .

Cra l~me l . ~

ib le

roads,

i n

~ I P nwner of

a

lenpcst; Dc

Wette,

' (vtzt Gel bi~sc7~.


31/42

TITE

DAY

O THE

LORD.

9

land of Geniicsaret, (Marl


32/42

30 THE D Y O TIIE LORD

except as every constltnent element of the ear th is

fouild in any given portion of i t ; just as we find the

elelnents of the ocean in any drop from the ocean.

The relcrcnce, plaiiily, is only to such Iusihlc and in

flammable substances as may be subject to the action

of thc judgmeiit-fires, without determining ally tl-ling

as to the extent of the coaflagration.

Tlie word

rendered shall melt is very mucll the same as

that just before trai~ilatecl dissolved, and is nearly

everywllere else ill the Scriptures translated loosed.

The additional word reildercd with ferveilt lieat

is tlie participle of a verb signifying to be J~ealecl, et

olzji~e,n$amed. The plain grammatical mcallilig of

tlie phrase is, that certain clcmeiltary substances-of

the earth shall become loosed and disiategratecl by

being heatcd and set on fire, as in the case of great

and violenl volcanic crnptious, when vast floods of

fire and lava are ejected horn the earth, filling mllolc

countries will1 darliness and destruction.

Ancl in such a conditioil of things we can easily

conceive what is mc,znl by tlie otlier pllrase, ('the

worlcs that arc in the enrtll shall be burned. Our

xrersioli reads, c~ll he worlis;

bub

this word

all

upon which some lay so much stress in this con-

nection, is not in the original. It is ail acldition of

the translator. Tliere is no reason to believe that

all the works that are in the earth shall be bnraecl.

Of course, as f


33/42

THE

D A Y O F

TIIX LORD.

3

13nt, as t he re is nothing to show th a t th e b urning

an d fusing of th e e ar th is -to be un iversal, so the re is

no reason to believe that this dcstruclion of the

worlis th a t ar e in i t i s to be

universal:

the one is

commensurate w i th th e other , and in ne i ther case do

the words imply universali ty.

The statement which the apostle gives coilcerning

i h e

o ject

of thcs e fires also bca rs ou t th e conclusion

th at the y ar e not to be universal. They a re for

the perdit ion of ungod ly m en; th a t is, for th e

ternporal clestrnction,'K and the precipitation iiito the

tornlcnts

of a llo the r world, of t ho sc upon whom

Ch rist 's pa rticu lar veiigeance is to fall in tliat notable

day of th e Lord. T h e ung od ly mea here spokeil

of cann ot ta k e to

be

all classes of th e unrcgeaernCe,

including evcrybocly not found worthy to cscapc the

grea t tr ibulat ion of those times. Th e Scripture s

teach that t l iere wil l be cverl Christian people, in

tliat clay, mlio will not be counted worthy, and who

shall be left when Ch rist has take n to himself

tliosc found fit for the iranslnlion.

Tllc parable of

t lie ten v irgins is proof ci~o ugli on thi s point .

Fi ve of these virgin s were foolish; b u t the y wcrc

still virgin^, and also had the oil of grace in their

lamps. Th ey do not, therefore, ra nk with

('

ungodly

men, an d thosc em inently wiclied an d blasphemous

people who are everywherc singled out as the

sub-

jects of t h e g r e a t destructioli. These, th en , 8,nd

The Geneva version reads destruction, instcnd of “per

dition; De Wette,

Untergangesn ove~thmu.


34/42

3 TIIE DAY OF

TIIE LORD

many others, shall bc left upon th e earth, in the

flesh, ~vhclz Chr ist comes, ancl sh all pass ov er, a s

Noall an d his fam ily over t h e flood, to be th c subjects

of that new order of tllings which is then to be sct

up. Th e victims of the sc jndgment-fires a r c to be

only the actually and flagraiitly wiclied, men dis-

tinguished for their impiety and rejection of the

claims of God,

confederates

in

wrong, adherents of

tlle beast aiicl ihe fi~lseprophet, and despisers and

blaspheniers of the gospel of Je su s; as ~ v c ead in

various passages of 8cripburc.* F o r th e da y of

th e Lor d of hos ts shall be up011 eve ry one th at is

proud and lofty, and LIPO~I every one that is l if ted

u p ; and lie shall be brou gh t lo~v. (Is a, ii . 12.) And

that these characters may receive this their doom ill

the most signal manner, wc read that thcy nre to bc

marvellously draw n togethe r b y P rovidence, (Zech.

xiv. 2 ; Rev. xvi. 16, as the wiclied Jctvs in the

cncl of th eir s ta te were gathcrecl togeth er w ithill th c

walls of Jern sale m , an d, a t a molncnt whe n they

least expect i t , i h c Lo rd will plead against them

with pesti lci~ceand with blood, and mill rain upon

illern an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, aiid

fire, and brimstone, (Ezek. xxv iii. 3 2 ; and the i r

flesh shall consunle away while th cy s tan d upon thc ir

feet, and tlieir eyes sha ll consume away in th ci r holes,

and their tongue shall consumc away

ill

their

mouth, (Zech. xiv.

1 2 ; )

whilst their leaders are

Sce

Dan.

vii.

10,

Matt.

xiii.

41,

4 ;

2

Thess.

i

7

8 ;

tev

xvi. 13-1 0 xix.

19,

20.


35/42

THE

D A Y

O F TEE

LORD.

ca st alivc into t h e lake of fire bu rni ng wit11 bri m -

st one ; so fulfilling tllc ivorils of tlle

P~a lm ,

xxxvii.

20,) The ~vickeclshall perish, ancl the cllernies of'

Iho Lord shall be as the fat of lambs

:

they sllall

consume; iiito smokc shall they consume awny "

Aricl so also shall it be

with

all their worlis.

Nor are these judgment-fires tllcli first to

bc

created. Tiley alread y exist, storecl away in tllc

nlysterious constitution of nnturc. Onr version

speaks of tile heavens ancl the ear th ~vhicl la r c

I ~ O T V ,s 1~ ep t n s tore , reservecl ~ u i t o i re . B u t

many translate the apostle 's words

t o

mean tha t i t

is theJire tliat is stored. According to thi s rende r-

% Dr. E. E. IClliott, au th or of tlle admirable worlr called JIora:

Apocu lyp t i cz , (vol. iv. p. 1'32, 4th edition,) mikes the follo~ving

note on this point :

The h e a ~ e n s nd {lie earth mllich now arc (c.e, contradis-

tinctively to thosc tlist were over~vllelmcdby the floocl) are by

the same mord

stored wilil re,

(so

I

understand the phrase,) 'being

ltcpt unto the clay of jndgment,' &c. I t i s only by this ren der ing

or the r ~ O ~ ~ a n ~ ~ / ~ ~ o / ~ c v o ~vps that the apostle's cvidc~lllyntcnclcd

anti tlicsis car1 be cxpressccl, bctwcen th e old worlcl stored with

water , by which, as t i l i n s t ~ t i m en t u l i t y , t s t i ts appointed tirrie

perisllerl; and the present world

stored w ith .fire,

by which

it

i n

it s time, is also to perish. Besides that , i n the received sense,

T E ~ ~ U ~ ~ I ~ L D ~ ~ V O Ls a mord not n ~e rc ly ~ipcrfluous ut inappropriate;

' s tored

up

being a phrase 11sec1 of things laid aside from present

use, which certainly onr present c:irth an d atmosphere a rc not.

Compare, as to llic

water , Ps.

xsxiii. 7 , (Sep t . , )

rlEcsy EV 8 ~ a a z l p o i ~ .

a,f iu~uovr.

siicl, as to the

re,

Job xxviii. 5 rcnclcrcd by the

Clialdee, 'Uencath the earth is Gehen~za.' Also 1s:liah xsxiii. 33:

Topliet is ordninetl of old : for tile king it is prep ared: he ]lath

made i t deep and lar ge: the pile thereof is fire, and much wood:

the breath of the Lord,

si

a stream of Isrinistonc, doth kindle

it. '


36/42

34 THE

D A Y

O F THE

LORD.

ing,

this passage furnishes a remarliable i l lustration

of how th e Scrip tures hav e anticipated th e

dis-

coveries and induction s of modern science, A ll th e

clenielits nroulid us are full of la te nt fire. T he ear th

we tread on is n, globe of im prison ed Gre. F o r cvcry

fif ty feet you penetrate into its interior yon have th e

ten lpcrz~turea degree warmer tha n a t the surface .

you w ere to bore oil i n ~ v a rd owards i ts centre,

you would no t reacll the d ep th of one liunclycd miles

before com ing to a n inte nsit y of hca t which would

fuse tl lc hardest substances of which the earth is

composed.

Scientific men, accordingly, assure

us

tha t unde r a t l l in crust, proportioned to th e whole

mass ab out as th e ti re t o the wlzecl of a wagon, th er e

seethes

a

whole w orld of fires, str ug gl in g for ven t,

an d he re an d thc rc showing tllcmselves from volcanic

c Similarly Tel.tullian, Apol. 4 7

: Gehennam,

q u z est

ignis n-cnni

sziblewa~lei ad pcenanl t i~esaurus.' I n mliich view of th c j e r y

interi or of the ea rth, other fat hers agreed: as Jerolne on Jonah

ii.: 'Infernis in media t e r r a essc perhibctnr. '

Wherever, in Europe an d America, the tempcrnture of t he

ai r, tho watc~ .s, nd th c rocirs in deep excavations has been ascer-

tained, i t ha s beell founcl higlicr than t,he nican temperature of

the climate s t thc surfacc and the cvpcriment has been maclc in

hunclredv of

places.

It

is fnm~r l

,on, tlla.t,

t,he heat increases

rapiclly as me descend belom t hat point i n thc eart h's crus t to

1~7hicll lie sun's hca t cxtends. Thc mean ra te of increase ha s

been stated by tlle British Association to bc

o n e

d e y e e of P a h ~ e n -

heit for e v e y olly- zre.feet. A t this rute, LL

I C X O W N

K O C I C S 11-OULI

IIIET,T AT TIIE

DCPTlI

O F ABOTI r SIXTY NII.l3S. Sllall F C hence Con-

clude t,hat all the nlattcr of the globe below

this

tlliclrness is

actunlly in a melted s t a te? Rlost geologists linve not seen how

such a conclusion i s to be avoiilei1. -l'rof. Ilititeheock's Lecture on

the

Future

Condit ion nd Destimj of

t he

E a r t h .


37/42

THE

D A Y

O F THE

LORD 35

eratcrs . A nd i t is s imply the letting loose of tl-lesc,

with the tempests, and earthqnalics, ancl convulsions

in earth and air which, must needs attencl snch a11

evcn t, th a t th c apostlc liere sets bcfbre us. TVhilsl

th e dcsccnding Sav ior shall be revealed in clouds,

thu nd er, and terr if ic l ightnings from above, th c f iery

flood from b en eath sha ll br ca k opcn i ts prison-cloous,

a n d a ivar of loosed elemcn ts ensue,

at

~vll ich l lc

whole ca r th and h e a ~ e i i s ha ll sha lie , the sun bo

darliencd, and thc rnooli become as blood, whilst

ea r th 's r igh t fu l K in g sha l l r ide upon i t d l , sweeping

out before liis clrcacl chariot-wheels the cnlininateJ

st re n g th of hell's moizstrons usu rpa tion s

VI.

B u t

I

pass to ailother topic.

The

apostle

speaks of

n e w heavens nd

nezo

earth wlzcrein

clwelleth ~2ghLeousness.

IIc seems to be clclivcring

himself upon this point in the name of all liis fellow-

apostlcs. f I e speaks of th is licw ord er of th in gs as

the conlmon Christian expectation.

I

rcceivc

it,

therefore, as

a

doctriilc of Christin nity,

tliat

there

ar e to be new heaveris and a new earth. Nay ,

t h e ap ostlc gocs f ~ ~ r t l l e r21e say s t h a t God hin~ sc lf

llns promised n e w lleitvcns

and a n e w

ear th . Nor

will it be hard to find the record of that promise.

T h e word of th c Lo rd, b y 1sai:th th c prophet, (lxv.

7; xvi. 22, lorig ago was, Beho ld, I create new

heavens an d a new earill ancl the former sha ll not

be

rcmembercd , nor come in to mind. B ut be ye g l d

an d rejoice forever in th a t which

I

create . For

the nctv hcavens and thc new ear th , which

I

will


38/42

6

THE

D A Y

O TIIF

LORD.

nzalie, shall remaill before me, saith the Lord.

Tlierc lins been s t r o ~ i g ispositiori in nicn, some-

how,

t o

spiritualize and explain away this promise,

2s cvcry thing clse relating to tlie kingdom to come.

Somc tell us Lliat it is nothing but poetic figure.

L e t m e a s a r c y ou t h a t i t is l it er a l P e t e r

quotes i t as lite ral reality. Wlleri he spcalis of the

heave ns arlcl th e ear th wh ich a rc now, lie mealis the

litera l l ieavelis and earth . Th e burnings and loosen-

i n g ~ f wllicll he would liave liis readers s tan d in

awe are l i tera l burnings. Tlic changes th at he pre-

dic ts are changes th at arc to occur in t lle m ateria l

ea rt h we siaacl on, a n d i n t h c a ir ~ v e r ea th e, w i ill

no more figure ahout t lcm tll:t11 about the waters of

the flood. A nd dire ctly from these saddening clesola-

tions he paises to t he subjecl of th ei r rcpar atlon,

con-

l lec t ing the p lon~ise f tlic ne\v hcavclis and earth

with

I hc b ~ e a l r i n g ow n oi' tllc p r e s ~ ~ l t~c ,~vc r l snd

ea rth, auil fortifies himself ngairist re gr et s over tlzc

oiic by tlle cxccllcncies which he anticip ates in th e

o ther . And if he is not spealii~igwith equal li teral-

ness of both, i t is useless to coafide in t h e ce rt aint y

of language. Besides, what arc figurative heavens

ancl ea rth in tlie place of th e lit er al an;l rea l ones

a n d wh at can a spir i tual rcparatiorl do for a natura l

tlesolation lV111 a swcc t ivorcl in th e ea r mcild

a

rcr it in a ga rm en l? Fro m a l l the te rms , surround-

ings, ailcl conilnon lams

of

speech ancl association be-

longing to tlie case, th e apost lc can ~ n c a n o o ther

tha n a l i tera l new licavcns and earth . An d wh at

propl-lets anaosulced, and Pcter lookecl for, John in


39/42

TIIE D A Y O TIIE LORD

7

vision saw, not in symLol, but also ill literal reality.

Fo llow ing irnlllecliatcly upon liis desc ription of th e

juclgmci~l-scenes,we fiiid this record

:-

And

I s a w

a new Eieavell ;incl n new earth; for t l lc i irs t hcavcn

an d tlie first onrill were p ase cl nrzray. ( I lev. sx i .

1.

I clairn, Ilicrcfore, lhat these new lleavriis aild

ea rt h a re to be, an d th a t it is one of the consolatioils

of a C h is t i a n to expect them.

N or arc tvc to suppose th a t they will be qui te

ot he r heavens an d cart11 th au tliose me ha ve a t

present. G re at cliangcs ar e to be macle, b n t no t a

11cw crcntioa, sep ar at e an d dlst inc l from t h a t wliicll

now is. I'cter says of

t h e

worlcl before the floocl,

t h a t i t

periahecl. 13ut i t was no t the ea i t l i t l i ~ t

perished. I t was only th e orde r an d constitution oC

tliirigs upon it. I t .cvas th e sam e ea rth afte r tllc

flood th a t ~t wa s before, th ou gh sornewhat altcrccl

i11 it s configuralioa an d inl iab ita i~ ts. A nd as tlie

pe rish ing i11 t h e one case is cited as correspon ding

to the

dissolution

ancl passing away

in

the other , I

cannot bu t take th e n c ~ v eavens ant1 ear th to be ,

s irnply , the pres fn t h c a ~ e n s nd car tl i

renezucd;

t h a t

is, maclc

IICW

again,-brougllt back to the ir origin al

excellence. T he sam e law will, donbiless, holil nlilcc

in all tlcpartm ents of rcdeniption , ancl t h e method in

one be tlie same in all. Red em ption I-ins tlire e t rr ri -

torieq : tlie soul, tlic body, an d th e m aterial world,

of x~rhich h e body forms a par t. 111 two of thcse,

a t least , i t is not God's m ~ tl i oc ?o destroy the old

and to put ail eiltircly 11em crcnlioll i11 its place.

The new mnn is sim ply th c old m an renewec1,-


40/42

8 TEE

D Y O F

THE L O R D .

tlle same heart brougllt undcr new influences and

put inlo a ne~rr

condition.

The risen and glorified

bociy is the same corlupt and dying body we put

into tlie grave, only transfigured and fashioned to

ariother pattern, wit11 new attributes. t is the

snrnc soul af ter regeneralioii t h a t i t was belore re-.

geiicratioi1, wit11 the sanie inlierent constitntion.

W e cal l i t

( a

new crcnturc. W e say, old thin gs

h ave passed a ~ i ~ ~ l y ,nd bellold all things have bc-

come ne ~v . B u t i t was th e same Tau1 af ter t lle

scenes of Dam ascus as before ; a t least, as to all th e

e lements of l ~ i s oilstitu enl nntu rc. Tlle risen hocly

of Clirisl was th e same th at w as crnciiicd, with even

th e nail-prints a i d tl ic s ide-wound wllicli i t carr ied

with i t to th e grave. I t had new qualit ies nllcl

;idapttitions but

it

was the same body.

It

is t l l is

corrul3tiblc th at m ust pu t o n i i i c o r r ~ ~ p t i o n ,nd

( his ~n or t a l ha t m us t p a t on immor ta li ty . And

as ill thcse two dcp artm cnts

I

conclude i l will bc in

tllc oilly remaillilig one,-that t l ~ e ew lleavens aild

e a rt h a r e l o be ~ l o t l l i ~ i gnore nor less t ha n the pre-

s ~ u tieaveiis and earth, subjectccl to

new

and re -

ge ilera ting iilfluenccs, evolvin g new qn alili cs, and

at3aptlng the in to be tllc fit abode of tlie recleemcd.

R ed cc~ ne d neli can har dly

bc

collsidered leclcemcd

w ithou t t h a t redemption being exteildecl to th e

~ n t ~ t c r i a l orld with which Lliey ar e by essential

aature so closely uelntcd.

But I

callnot coriceive of

,z redeemed m ate ria l world other tha n as of a re-

deemed man, in ~vliicl-1lle co ntin uity of essential

na tu re is sim ply modified, not brolccn. Th e Sa vio r


41/42

TIIE

D A Y O F TI-I%,

LORD.

39

llinisclf ha s also d ropp ed a word up011 th is s ub jcc t

whicli sets i t in cry clear l igh t. I t is found in

Matt. xix. 25 He there refers his followers, for

the reward of their sacrifices for his sake, to t'lic:

tim e when tlle 8011 of rnan

sliall sit in tlie tliroile

of his glo ry.

The Son of

mail

is never sl?olieii of

as s i t t ing, or

t o

sit,

011

the th ron e of his g lory, exccpt

at his corniilg

n t

the

encl

of th e p res en t orde r of

t,liings, usually called lie end of th e world. A i d

yet he calls this session upon his throne, nlicl ending

of t h c prcsen i xvorld, an d liis aclm inistr,ztio~ ~sn t h a t

connection,

TIIE

R E G I ~ K E R A T I O N ~ - ~ ~ ~

r~lingencsia

-the renovatio11-the nza liil~g f th in gs new again.*:

T h i s application of tile mord re,yene~nlio?z, irt this p:hssagc,

docs not so clcal.ly appear in most of our English Bibles.

U r .

Campbell has made the following criticism in the case:-

(

The clause

cv r l ~ u L s y . / ~ v s ~ ~ n ,

ere, nlny be constrnccl citlicr

wit11 the preceding words or vi t h the followil~g. I n the former

of these mays our trnnslato~s xvc understood theln, and I-lave,

tliercfore, rendered the verse,

I

say nnto

y o n ,

that yc ~ h i c h

hare followed rnc in th e regeneration, whcn the Son of man sllnll

sit in t he tltrone of liis glory, ye also silall si t npon tmelve thrones,

judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' I tl~inlr, n the contrary,

tliat the words ought to bc understood i11 the lat te r way, a nd have,

therefore, translated them in thi s nxmncr :-lI say unto you, th at

at tile re?~ovtrlion, hen the Son of man shall be seated on his

glorious throne, ye my followers, sitti ng nlso upon twelve thrones,

shall juclge tlic twelve tri bes of Israel.'

-l 're2imi7znnj Uisse~tutio?zs

tv1d i l i ~ l eson the Go,ycl.r,

b y

George CYunzpbell,D

n., vol. i.

p.

460.

The Syrinc Kc~vTcstn~ncr~t,,ccording to 1Inrilock's

Literal

Tr:rnslation, very clcnrly coineidcs w i t h this rendering :- Jcsirs

ssid unto them, Ve~ily say to you, that, as for you who have

followed me, when the Son of nlan shall sit on the throne of his


42/42

14

~ x 4 : D A Y

OE

T ~ I E ,ORD.

th is gr ca t an d terr ib le da y of th e S avior 's coming,

to t h e sccnes o l desolation ivliicl-1 a re to a tt en d it s

introduction, ancl to th c glories which i t is to br in g

to th e believing anil faithful, a n ~ 1 rilxving from tliesc

th e conside rations wit11 wh icli to ma ke liis adino-

nitions effective, 11c balies his stand in the presence

of tlie whole Cliristiall C hurch , a nd n ia l~ es hi s as

liis select, last, and most solcmn appeal

:- TV~IERX-

FORE BELOVED, SEEING T I I A T

YE

1; 1< FOR SUCEI

TIIISGS

R E

D I L I G E N T T I I A T

Y E

I I A Y

BE

FOUND O F

I t IN

1N

PEACE, W r T H O U T SPOT, AN B T ~ A ~ S I E L E S S . ' '

A

subject capable of suc h a use as this i t is p ro fm c

an d blaspliemons bo stig m atiz e as a illatter of mcrc

speculation . Coalcl an y iliin g be inorc solemn, or

touch more deeply upon the profoundest vitalities of

re l ig ion? Lc t us then , take i t du ly to hear t , and

so mnch the inore as me see tlle day approaching.

JIappy th nt niinister .ivlio ~ 1 ~ ~ 1 1ash ion h i s e~ l io r ta -

tions to i l lis apostolic mo del; and happ y tl iat man

who sllall model liis cxpectntioils and his life accord-

ing to th is

apostolic

cx l~or ta t ion

The grncc of our Lord Jesus Christ

bc

with you

all. Amen.

Documents

The Day of the Lord by Joseph A. Seiss, 1861