oftener regarding this glorious hope and speaking of it with glowing expectation, surely our hearts would be more knit together in love, and we should rise to a higher point of devotedness to God our Saviour. What consolatory hopes on the death of our brethren, (1 Thess. iv. 13.) what exceeding joy in the presence of the Lord, (Jude 24.) what a gathering together of the general assembly of the first-born, (2 Thess. ii. 1; Heb. xii. 23.) does the coming of the Lord set before us! Surely here is the Christian's most effectual topic of consolation amid all his trials and sorrows. Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter iv. 12, 13.) Exceedingly inconsistent with the hope of this coming is all bitterness, wrath, malice, and hard censures of our brethren, (Rom. xiv. 9, 10. 1 Cor. iv. 5. Matt. vii. 1—5; xxiv. 48, 49,) it should rather inspire feelings of sympathy, tenderness, love and compassion towards all men.

(8.) I would add another scriptural direction applicable to all, but especially to my brethren in the ministry, TO LABOUR FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS WITH AN ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE JOY which it will give us in the day of Christ. Shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. O what a joy is before holy Paul in the almost boundless results of his labours! a measure of this joy is also before every Christian. Then we shall understand something of the amazing magnitude of saving a soul from death. How often do the Apostles advert to this!—that I may present

28.

you as a chaste virgin to Christ, 2 Cor. xi. 2, that you may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, Col. i. What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming, for ye are our glory and joy, 1 Thess. ii. 19, 20. Feed the flock of God-and when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away, 1 Peter v. 2-4.

O Christians! may many a voice have to testify of us before the presence of the Lord Jesus—' It was thy holy life, thy once unwelcome but patient and persevering exhortations, thy earnest entreaties, thy long-enduring love and forbearance, thy consistent conduct, thy deadness to the world, and thy constant testimony to the Saviour, that at length led my soul to seek him for myself, and so the Lord Jesus saved me from everlasting destruction, and so he brought me to this glory.'

O that we could but more fix our eyes on this joy as an animating motive for exertion. Our Heavenly Master, for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame; and if we would tread in his steps, we must set before us that gladness with exceeding joy, 1 Peter iv. 13, and those pleasures which are at his right hand for evermore, (Psalm xvi. 11.) And among the richest and fullest sharers of that joy will be those who have laboured most for the salvation of the soul. They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. The truly wise in that great day which is coming, will not be those who have most skilfully acquired and most securely possessed the riches, pleasures, and honours of this world, nor those who have most largely investigated

R

"The

the wonders of science, nor those who have most deeply studied even the mysteries of theology: to have gained subjects for Christ's kingdom will then be found to be the way to real greatness and blessedness, and love will then be found to be the truest wisdom. He, and he only, that winneth souls is wise. The sum of the whole is, THE PRESENT LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN is to be A CONSTANT PREPARATION FOR HIS FUTURE GLORY: Nothing is indifferent; as every hour, every thought, and every word, is ripening the wicked for eternal misery, so are they to be ripening him for his heavenly home. These two harvests are maturing at the same time (Rev. xiv. 14-20.) In the language of Dr. Chalmers, great work of Christ's disciples upon earth is a constant and busy process of assimilation to their Master who is in heaven. And we live under a special economy, that has been set up for the express purpose of helping it forward. It is for this in particular that the Spirit is provided. We are changed into the image of the Lord, even by the Spirit of the Lord. Nursed out of this fulness, we grow up unto the stature of perfect men in Christ Jesus, and instead of heaven being a remote and mysterious unknown, heaven is brought near to us by the simple expedient of inspiring us where we now stand with its love, and purity, and its sacredness."

Christian Reader! to you let it be a delightful thought, that the day is rapidly coming on, when, as to the prophecies, they shall fail, for they shall all, in their most glorious extent, be accomplished! Though now we see through a glass darkly, then we shall behold Him whom the prophets foretold face to face: and though we now know in part, then shall we know even as also we are known.

CHAPTER XVII.

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT OF PROPHECY.

GOD has given, through the deep and prolonged researches of his servants, much light into the prophetic writings. The most valuable light has been attained by increased investigation into the track of the older writers, with the farther light that history has afforded. Even the Jewish Rabbis, as well as the early writers of the Christian church, assisted Mede, the Father of modern interpretation. More, Cressener, Sir Isaac Newton, Bishop Newton, Woodhouse, &c. all followed, asking for the old ways, and . walking in them. Some modern works have too much, however, disregarded what previous writers have said, and others have set them wholly aside, as groundless interpretations.

But even by the most defective works, men's minds have been exercised the more to find out the truth, and a hint in a very erroneous general interpretation, has sometimes led to a valuable discovery. So that no candid, diligent student need be discouraged by failures in times past.

The Author has given a much fuller List of writers on prophecy than he intended; but it may have its

many

advantages. Any knowledge of the writings of such varied Authors is calculated to lead us to CAUTION AND MODESTY, in the explanation of unfulfilled prophecy. The great lessons taught by so varied interpretations, have already been noticed. Would there were more of a holy awe on all our minds, of intruding on the glories of him, who takes it as his peculiar character, to declare things to come (Isaiah xli. 22.) and to show the things that are coming, and shall come, Isaiah xliv. 7. We cannot and should not go a step farther than the Scripture leads us, and in the interpretation of that Scripture, it is very needful to keep every thing within that scriptural limit which the comparing of spiritual things with spiritual marks out.

The different interpretations of the servants of Christ are calculated also to guard against a PRECIPITATE JUDGMENT, and a hasty public expression of such a judgment. The first impressions of fresh views are as if a new light had been almost supernaturally given to us; but a little time for waiting may greatly modify these views.

No one can look at the names of the Authors in the following List without seeing, that questions of CHURCH GOVERNMENT and DOCTRINAL VIEWS are unconnected with any particular interpretation of Prophecy. Though, generally, sound scriptural principles are connected with the most valuable views of prophecy, yet it must be admitted that members of the most opposite denominations, and Christians holding very opposite sentiments in doctrine, often concur in the same views; and persons who are of the same denomination, or the same sentiments in doctrine, hold very opposing views of the same pro