pointing out the state of wickedness, carnal security and unbelief, yea, and contemptuous scoffing, which should prevail in his church in the last days, and upon which he should come as a thief in the night, as the flood came upon the world in the days of Noah, when they did eat and drink, married wives and were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all;-likewise, also, as it was in the days of Lot, when they did eat, drink, buy, sell, plant, and build; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Thus, brethren, have I laid before you all, or almost all, the passages where this period of the last latter days is referred to; and brought under your consideration the various mysteries of the Divine Providence which are then to proceed and run their course: and the result of the whole seems, in few words, to be, that "the last days" is a form of expression used to denote the conclusion of that long season of trial and of oppression which the Jewish people were destined to undergo at the hand of Divine Providence; and the troublous morning of that long day, during which they should begin to realize all the blessings of the New Covenant, and to be irradiated with all the glory of Messiah the King;-the latter days, namely, of that long period of time, during which they should be given up to captivity and oppression, and after

which they should find their might again, and come up to the prey in the day of the Lord's vengeance, and of Zion's recompence; the latter days likewise of that lesser, though also long, period during which the church should be under Antichrist, and at the end of which she should rise in the glory of the resurrection morn.

In improvement upon the subject, I observe, how utterly repugnant to the language of the Holy Spirit used in the Old-Testament Scriptures, it is to interpret the last days of which our text discloseth the fearful character as referring to the last days of the Jewish dispensation, when every thing fell out directly the reverse of all these things which are to happen in the last days of the Holy Scripture. I observe, secondly, how vain it is to refer the last days to the conclusion of the Millennium, long after the Jews are brought in, long after the nations have been all converted, long after wars have ceased, and every other mystery written in the Prophets hath been accomplished: because as the other is far too soon, this is far too late, seeing it is in these very last days that all those things are to be accomplished which draw on the restoration of the Jews, and the blessedness of the whole earth. The last days of the prophet Jacob is a time when all the twelve tribes of Israel are conquering and overturning; of Balaam, when the sun out of Jacob is scorching up his enemies; of Daniel, when the Jews are restored

with great distress both of themselves and the nations; of Ezekiel, when Gog and Magog come up against them; of Jeremiah, when Edom and Moab and Israel's captivities are restored; of Hosea, when the chosen seed return to serve David their King and his glory; of Job, when he riseth to look upon his Redeemer; and of Daniel, when he shall stand in his lot. It will not do to bring all these things into being one thousand years before the last days, seeing they are every where declared to happen during these last days. Therefore, thirdly, we are forced to admit that the last days are the shutting in of the present, and the ushering in of that glorious dispensation to which we are looking forward; and being necessarily driven upon this conclusion, we have nothing left for us but to make the best of it; and seeing that judgment is appointed of God in his own wisdom, and deserved by us for our frowardness, yet in his grace revealed before hand, we should do our endeavour to bear in mind how the tide sets, and not say it is flowing to the west, when it is setting directly away from it. But this is exactly the present case of the church, to think that we are steering full sail into the pacific and blessed region of time, when we are hurrying headlong, and as it were absorbed, stern foremost, into the jaws of an almost inevitable whirlpool. How much it is the duty of every man who loves the church, and is convinced of this fatal delusion, to speak out his conviction with all bold

ness, and warn his brethren with all lovingkindness, I leave you to judge. And this is what I have undertaken, and shall in these discourses prosecute, endeavouring to read upon the face of the times those very characteristics which are here described as belonging to the latter times.

Finally, my brethren, I pray you to observe how distinctly these things are written in the Scripture, how a simple reference to the concordance, and a mere perusal of the texts as they occur, will serve to clear up these prophetic matters over which it is the custom of self-sufficient men to cast so much doubt and ambiguity. I have done nothing more in this discourse than to peruse and set down in order certain texts of Scripture; and yet, I have no doubt, there is hardly a man present, who is not convinced that the events of the last times are, the judgment of the nations or Gentiles for all their oppressions of the saints, the restoration of the Jews, and the glory of the holy mountain, the glorious advent of the Lord, the resurrection of the dead, the blessedness and pacification of the whole earth. And now, though you know not when these days are to come, yet you can give me the more earnest heed while shewing you, as I proceed to do in these discourses, that the clearest evidences of them are even now revealed in the midst of us. These texts of Scripture which we have examined will enable you to confute a whole platform of society orators, who hope and speculate about the future according to their proud imaginations and vain wishes, not

according to the oracles of God: but what is more, it will enable you to do your part to set the deluded people right; and if not, it will give you the ground of many a mournful complaint unto God, of much sorrow and affliction on account of the blindness of the church. And oh, dear brethren, if these things are so, as we believe them to be, what manner of persons ought we not to be in all godliness and honesty! How watchful! how loose to the world! how ready for our change! how afflicted for the church! how hateful of the spirit of Antichrist, which winketh at all abominations! how desirous of Christ's coming, seeing things are waxing worse and worse! how true to our trusts, seeing the King is at hand! how diligent over the house to have it all in readiness! how very careful of our garments! how watchful against temptations! how prepared to resist them! how wise, how considerate! how full of faith and holiness! For, remember, there is a time when the door is shut and no more admission found: a time when there is no more buying of oil! They could not enter into Noah's ark, who would not be warned by Noah's preaching. And so I believe it will likewise be found, in that day, which shall come as a snare upon all that dwell on the earth. Therefore, give heed to these things, seeing that now, by more than the space of two years, I have given you warning of them. The Lord prepare us and make us ready. And, oh, may that day not overtake us as a thief!