Mr. Miller's published writings comprise his Sixteen Lectures on the Prophecies, his Life and Views, of about three hundred pages each, and a number of pamphlets, tracts, etc., comprising reviews of his reviewers, expositions of Scripture, etc.
Dr. Jarvis remarked that he had "often been edified by his excellent and pious observations on the necessity of being in readiness to meet our Judge." -- Sermons, p. 58. He instanced the lecture "on the Times and its Duties," and that "on the Parable of The Ten Virgins." A portion of the latter has already been given; the remainder of the book is devoted to the former, and a few other selections.
_______________
"The Times and Its Duties
"'The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.' (Romans 13:12)
"The apostle in the context exhorts his Roman brethren to good works, to a holy life in conformity with the law, -- the royal law, which teaches us to love God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves. He then gives the text as one of the most prominent reasons why we should conform to the requisitions of the law: because the night is far spent, and the day is at hand.
"I shall, therefore, in explaining the text,
"1. Show What The Apostle Means By 'Night And Day.'
"2. Show The Propriety Of His Admonition, 'Cast Off The Works Of Darkness.'
"3. Attend To His Exhortation, 'Let Us Put On The Armor Of Light.'
"1. Explain The Terms Night And Day
"Night and day are used in this passage to illustrate a moral or spiritual idea, which the apostle wished to communicate to his brethren at Rome, and through them to us. 1. Night, in the natural world, is that portion of time in which the face of the natural sun is hid from us, or that part of our earth on which we dwell, in accordance with certain infallible laws of nature, such as light and the vivifying influence of the sun, or the revolution of our earth upon its axis. 2. Night in the moral world is like night in the natural. God is the fountain of all light, life, and holiness, and without his vivifying influence we are left to grope our way in moral darkness. We cannot see things clearly, but we stumble upon the dark mountains of infidelity and doubt. This great Sun of light, life, and holiness, is governed by as immutable laws as the natural sun, yes, and ten thousand times stronger, and more stable; because natural laws may change; 'heaven and earth may pass away,' but not one jot or tittle of his word or law shall ever fail. One of these unchangeable laws is, that God cannot look upon sin with the least allowance. Witness the withdrawal of his countenance from Adam in the garden when he sinned, and the beginning of the night spoken of in our text. Adam, like the natural world, turned from God, and all was darkness. He broke the holy law, -- 'thou shalt not sin,' -- and he and all his posterity became involved in a moral night, with only now and then some glimmering star, -- some Abel, Enoch, Noah, some patriarchs and prophets, -- or a changing moon, -- the church, -- to shed a glimmer upon this moral night, that may haply lead us to a blessed hope of the glorious appearing of the Son of Man. The ancient prophets and apostles all prophesied of the glory that should follow; these were stars in the night of moral darkness. The church, which Christ in his flesh set up in the world, has sometimes, like the moon at its stated seasons, shown her full round face, and has given strong evidence that there was a sun, although hid from the immediate view of the world, and that she looked, by faith at least, upon the glorious Sun of Righteousness. At other times she has been veiled in a cloud of smoke, or error, which rose from the bottomless pit. Sometimes she has been made gory by the persecutions which have assailed her; for the faithful have waded through trials, changes, afflictions, and death. Yet one thing have they all shown by these things, that this is not their continuing city; but that they seek one to come, whose builder and maker is God. But the apostle says in our text that this night (of moral darkness) is far spent, and the day is at hand; which brings us to consider,
"Second, what we may understand the apostle as meaning by Day. Natural day flows immediately from light, or the great luminary of the heavens, the sun. Just so the moral day. Wherever God by his immediate presence dwells, and light, life and righteousness are enjoyed, there is day. The gospel is sometimes compared to the sun and light, and where and when that is enjoyed, it is sometimes called day, as in Zechariah 14:7, 8; Psalm 95:7. 'To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.' (Hebrews 3:7)
"But that the apostle did not mean this gospel day, is evident from the text immediately preceding: 'For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.' 'For the night is far spent,' etc.; strongly expressing it to be future. Now if it meant the gospel day, why did the apostle call the time in which he wrote night? Surely, if ever the gospel shone in our world, it was in the apostles' days. Then, before the antichristian beast, and the smoke out of the bottomless pit, arose on the earth, and darkened the sun, and filled the world with corrupt sentiments, and the minds of men with heretical principles, -- before the obnoxious vapors of the doctrine of devils filled the moral air, and the moon was turned to blood, and the stars fell to the earth, -- this day must have been, or we must look for it in the future.
"That the apostle does not mean the gospel day, is evident, also, from the fact that he gives instructions to the Roman Christians how to obtain the gospel armor, which was to be as light to them during this night of moral darkness; for if it had been day their armor of light would be of no more use than a candle at noon.
"Again. The day spoken of cannot mean death; for death is nowhere in Scripture called day, but the reverse. 'The night cometh, when no man can work.' -- John 9:4. Then I know not what day the apostle alludes to, unless he has reference to the great day when 'Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.' That this day is what the apostle meant, is evident, -- 1. Because it is a day of salvation, as he says in the context -- 'For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed,' and 'he comes the second time without sin unto salvation.' Again, 'I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.' 'To the end he may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.' It is evident that he means this day, also, because the Sun of Righteousness will then live and dwell on the earth, and he shall be the light thereof. (See Malachi 4:2): 'But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.' Again, in Psalm 68:18: 'Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.' Zechariah 2:10: 'Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord, and many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in the midst of thee.' Again, (Revelation 21:3): 'And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.' This is the day, my brethren, which the apostle Paul alludes to in our text; and if he could say, eighteen hundred years ago, 'The night is far spent, the day is at hand,' surely, my brethren, we may say now he standeth at the door. And I do most solemnly believe that the day of the Lord is near, yes, very near. 'Let us, therefore, cast off the works of darkness.' This brings us to our second head, -- to show,
"2. The Propriety Of The Admonition, 'Cast Off The Works Of Darkness.'
"What, then, is meant by works of darkness? In the first place, it is an abhorrence of light, for fear our sins will be brought to light, or made manifest. 'We love darkness rather than light, because our deeds are evil.' These characters may be known by their anxiety to destroy the main principles of the word of God. Sin, in their view, is nothing more than a misfortune; salvation is only the good deeds of man; Christ is only a man that set good examples; atonement is only the forgiveness of our Adamic sin; and punishment is only the evils of life! They always are very uneasy, and often angry, if future punishment is mentioned. And we may know they are wrong; 'for anger rests only in the bosom of fools.'
"Again, there is another class who work the works of darkness. These are those who are ignorant of the righteousness of God, and go about (as the apostle says) to establish their own righteousness. These may be known by their complainings. Nobody is right but themselves; they are always justifying their own ways and condemning others; they will ever be framing some plausible excuse for neglect of any duty, and condemning others for the merest trifle. They are strange characters. You may preach to them of their crimes, and they will give it to their neighbor; you may admonish them, and they regard it not. They are so completely shrouded in their mantle of selfishness that nothing makes any impression upon them. Preach law, they have kept it; preach gospel, they need it not; preach duty, they will throw in your face a host of excuses. Their coat of mail is like the hide of Leviathan, -- no arrow can pierce it; and I have thought that nothing but the trump of God will ever awake them. Well did Christ say to such characters, 'O generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?'
"There is another class, whom the apostle calls 'worldly-minded sinners,' who 'work the works of darkness.' These may be known by their anxiety for the world, and their disregard for all the means of salvation. Visit them, and their whole mind is on the world; they can talk freely and flippantly of their farms, their silver, their cattle, and sheep; but not one word about salvation. They can go into a long detail of their plans to gain property; but talk to them of the plan of salvation, and it will be very insipid and dry. The week is spent in hoarding up treasures, and the Sabbath in counting their silver and casting their accounts. They never visit the house of God without some worldly motive in view. They search their accounts oftener than their Bibles; they study more how to obtain the world than eternal life. In one word, they are glued to the present evil world; and, when the day shall come, they will, with the rich man, lift up their eyes, being in torment.
"There is still another class, and they are those who seek for the honors of this world more than to honor God, having men's persons in admiration. In their works of darkness you may discover them; they are deceitful; their words are smooth as oil, and with their lips they use deceit. They flatter but to destroy; they deceive but to betray; they pretend to be friendly to all, yet are friends only to themselves. They never talk plainly or open-heartedly, brutal ways wound in private. There is no meanness which they will not stoop to do, to obtain their end. Solomon says, 'He that knoweth and dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him, when he speaketh fair believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation.' 'But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.' -- Revelation 21:8. If these things are so, then surely the apostle has done well to admonish us to 'put off these works of darkness;' and O! my hearers, we should do well, yes, we should be wise, and that, too, for ourselves, to obey the injunction of the apostle; 'for the night is far spent, the day is at hand, when every man's works will be tried so as by fire.'
"3. We Will Now Examine The Apostle's Exhortation, 'Let Us Put On The Armor Of Light.'
"The Christian, in this night of darkness and error, is compared to a soldier on guard in the night, and in time of war; and how apt and instructing is the allusion! In the night, on guard, a soldier must have his armor all on; he must not lie down; he must keep awake, not sleep, stand at his post; he must watch the approach of the enemy, hail the approach of a friend, understand the use of his armor, have in readiness the watchwords of the camp; and he will watch for the dawn of the morning with as much anxiety as a bride for the return of the bridegroom. Just so with a Christian in this night of moral darkness. He is called to watch, and to have on the armor of light. He must stand up, and, having done all, must stand. He, too, must keep awake, as says the prophet (Isaiah 51:17): 'Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem.' He must not sleep, as Paul says, (1 Thessalonians 5:6): 'Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.' He must watch his enemies both outward and inward; he must hail and rejoice over one sinner that repenteth; he must learn and understand the use of his spiritual armor; he must be ready with the word at all times, so that he may give the reason of his hope with meekness and fear. And, if he is a good soldier of Christ, he will watch for the dawn of the morning when the Captain of his salvation shall come the second time without sin unto salvation; when his enemies will all be slain, and the shout of victory be heard by all the righteous dead, and the last loud blast of the trump of God shall proclaim universal peace in the kingdom of Christ.
"Then how happy will that soldier of the cross be whom, when his Lord comes, he shall find with his whole armor of light on! So doing, 'stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.' The truth will make you free. It will strengthen you to combat error; it is allpowerful, for God is truth, and He hath all power in heaven and earth. You will never be afraid that your cause will not prevail; for truth is mighty and will prevail. You will never want to use carnal weapons, for the holiness of truth will forbid the thought; and that man who resorts to carnal weapons to support his cause, may depend upon it he is not on truth.
"'And having on the breastplate of righteousness.' This, too, is the armor of God, prepared for us by Christ himself. This righteousness will give us confidence, that we shall not be afraid to front all enemies, even death itself, knowing that in him and by his robe we shall be justified from all things wherein the law could not justify; for we, being weak in the flesh, could not justify ourselves by the works of the law; but Christ becoming the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, we, therefore, may have confidence, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before us; and such need not be ashamed before him at his coming.
"'And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.' This teaches us that we must walk after the example of John, who prepared a people made ready for the Lord, and Christ, who fulfilled all righteousness. How necessary, my brethren, that our walk be found according to the examples of Christ and the apostles, that our feet may be shod with the gospel of peace, that we may be ready to enter in through the gate into the city!
"'Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked.' This is an important part of the armor. Faith is able to carry us through all the trials of life. By faith we receive and enjoy all the rich promises of God. By faith we live upon his Word, as the children of Israel lived on manna in the wilderness. By faith we please God; by faith we believe in the day spoken of in our text; and through faith we shall be able to subdue kingdoms, work righteousness, obtain promises, stop the mouths of lions, quench the violence of fire; in one word, come off conquerors through Him who hath loved us.
"'And take the helmet of salvation.' This is our hope, and the evidence of this can be obtained only by our diligence in the calling, and by our love for the Author of our salvation. How do we know that we are in a state of salvation? Answer. By our hope. And how do we know our hope is a good one? By its being founded on the grace of God, and not on our works. Then the speaker, say you, has contradicted himself, for he has just told us that hope was obtained by our diligence, and that part suited his belief exactly. You have mistaken me; I did not say our hope was obtained by our diligence, but the evidence of its being a good one. Will not smoke ascend, and will not water run down? If you have a good hope, you have a good heart, and from that heart will proceed good fruits.
"Again: 'The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.' This, being our only rule of life, and the only means of trying the spirits, may be truly compared to a sword, for it cuts off all false rules, doctrines, spirits, and leaves nothing but 'thus saith the Lord.' And here, again, we may try ourselves. In every trial do we fly to the Word of God for direction? Do we square our lives by its rules? Is this Word our law-book, our directory? And, like David, can we say, 'How love I thy law?'
"'Praying always with all prayer, and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.' These constitute the whole armor of light, or of God, as the apostle calls it in (Ephesians 6:13). Here, again, is another rule to try ourselves by. Is prayer a solemn, an interesting, and soul-reviving duty? Do we, in trials, in afflictions, in joy and sorrow, in light and darkness, in coldness and warmth, find peace, comfort, consolation, and reconciliation, in this duty? Or do we pray to be seen of men, or to stop the gnawings of a guilty conscience? Or do we neglect this weapon altogether? Let God and our own consciences decide, and let us decide quickly and justly, for the 'day is at hand which will try every man's work, whether it be good or evil.' -- 'Let us, then, put on the whole armor of light.'
"Improvement
"1. By our subject we learn that the night of sin, error, darkness, and every evil work, is almost spent.
"2. The day is near when all these things will be brought to light, and every evil work will receive a just recompense of reward.
"3. We are admonished to cast off the works of darkness. And,
"4. We are exhorted to put on the armor of light."
_______________
"The Kingdom Of God
"'And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.' (Daniel 2:44)
"Much has been said and written on this by different commentators. Different sects and partisans have seized this text, and applied it to their sect, and proved, as they verily believe, that their sect is the true kingdom of God, which will stand forever.
"The Catholics say it was set up in the days of the Roman Caesars, and thus claim for the Pope St. Peter's chair and the kingdom: that to the Bishop of Rome were the keys of this kingdom given at the demise of St. Peter, and that the popes have been the successor and earthly head of this kingdom ever since. The Baptist writers, many of them, say the same, and claim a descent from the apostles for the Baptist church, -- making the church what the Catholics do the Pope, -- and try to show a regular succession of the church, as the Catholics do their popes. They also claim believers' baptism (immersion) as an initiatory rite into the kingdom, and that none are citizens of this kingdom until they comply with this requisition. The Episcopalians, or some of them, claim this same kingdom to have been set up in the days of the kings of England; and, therefore, the kings or queens of England are the accredited head of the episcopacy, and rulers over the visible church. The Presbyterians say it was set up in the days of Luther, among the German kings; the Quakers, in the days of Fox; the Methodists, in the days of Wesley; the Shakers, in the days of Ann Lee; and the Mormons, by Joseph Smith.
"All writers seem determined to have an earthly kingdom, and an earthly head to that kingdom. (1 Corinthians 3:3, 4): 'For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?' Or, as is properly said by James (James 3:14-16): 'But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not; and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work.'
"And now permit me to show that this kingdom is neither 'earthly, sensual, nor devilish;' but I shall show --
"1. What It Is;
"2. Whose It Is;
"3. When It Is; and,
"4. Where It Is.
"1. What It Is.
It is heavenly; for the God of heaven sets it up, that is, exalts it. It is evidently a holy kingdom, for the will of God is to be done in it as in heaven. Luke 11:2: 'And he said unto them, when ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.'
"It is a righteous kingdom. See Romans 14:17: 'For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost.'
"It is an everlasting kingdom, -- 'shall stand forever,' says our text. Psalm 145:12, 13: 'To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.' (Daniel 7:14, 27): 'And there was given him dominion and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.' 'And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.' (Hebrews 12:28): 'Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.' (2 Peter 1:11): 'For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' (Revelation 11:15): 'And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.' (Revelation 22:5): 'And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.' "As there cannot be two kingdoms, and both stand forever, we must naturally suppose, by the texts which I have quoted, that it must be a glorified kingdom; and, indeed, the last text quoted proves it to be in the New Jerusalem state. See, also, (Psalm 24:7-10): 'Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. ... Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.' (Psalm 145:10, 11): 'All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power.' (Isaiah 2:10, 19, 21): 'Enter into the rock and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the rugged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.' (Isaiah 4:2-5): 'In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem; when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory shall be a defense.' (Isaiah 24:23): 'Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.' (1 Thessalonians 2:12): 'That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.'
"If it is a glorified and an eternal kingdom, it cannot be an earthly or mortal kingdom. It is an immortal one. Christ says, (John 18:36): 'My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence.' It cannot be an earthly kingdom. And again, (1 Corinthians 15:50): 'Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.' If this be true, it cannot be in a mortal state. But I will prove it immortal. (Matthew 8:11, 12): 'And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' (Luke 13:28, 29): 'There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.'
"This can never be in a mortal state; for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, together with all the prophets, have passed from the mortal state. Then we may well conclude that the kingdom spoken of in our text is a heavenly kingdom, holy, righteous, and everlasting; an eternal kingdom, where the subjects of the kingdom will shine as the sun, and all the heirs be glorified, and corruption be changed into incorruption, and the mortal to immortal. Then death will be swallowed up in victory.
"How foolish and ridiculous is the idea that 'it shall not be left to other people,' if the subjects are not immortal! If deaths and births continue as now, in one hundred years death would conquer the whole kingdom, and in process of time would change every subject from those who received it at the beginning, to their descendants; and in the fullness of time, according to the temporal millennial doctrine, the devil will be let loose, and conquer a large number of children, which have been literally born in the kingdom, the number of whom is as the sand of the sea-shore, and transplant them out of the eternal and everlasting kingdom of God into the kingdom of the devil, and there excite them to make war against their sires in the beloved city.[1] If our learned men can reason no better than this, I would advise them to go where they can get a little common sense, before they undertake to teach people who know their right hand from the left. And were it not for the influence they obtain by newspaper puffs, for which the editors make them pay well, they would obtain no more influence than their writings deserve. But let us now inquire concerning this kingdom.
"2. Whose It Is.
"a. I answer, it is God's kingdom. (Acts 14:22): 'Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.' (2 Thessalonians 1:5): 'Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.' Both of these show that the kingdom of God was not then come; but believers were exhorted to be faithful, and endure sufferings and tribulation, that they might be counted worthy to obtain the kingdom of God when it should come. Therefore, none will pretend that a temporal millennium is here alluded to, or that the gospel church is here meant; for these brethren were already counted worthy to belong to the church.
"Again, (Luke 14:15): 'And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.' Now, I ask, is every one blessed who eats bread in the church, or in the gospel day? If so, what can the text mean (Luke 13:26): 'Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets?' Every unbiased mind must see at once that the kingdom of God, of which our text speaks, is not temporal, but eternal; not earthly, but heavenly.
"b. It is a kingdom given unto Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, when he leaves the mediatorial seat, gives up the redeemed church to God the Father, and the mediatorship becomes subject to God. Christ having performed all the work which the Father gave him to do as Mediator, the mediatorial kingdom, or kingdom of grace, is given up, and the kingdom of God set up; and Christ then sits on the throne of his father David, having put down all enemies, and all authority and power, against his rightful reign on earth; having dashed the kingdoms to pieces like a potter's vessel, burned up the wicked, cleansed the earth, and raised the saints. Then the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever. Then Jesus will be God blessed for evermore; and his kingdom will fill the whole earth and his tabernacle will be with men, and he will dwell with them, and be their God, and they shall be his people.
"Now you will ask for my proof. This is right; and in my soul I wish you would be as particular with all who preach the gospel, and demand their evidences. We should have less error in our world, and more truth.
"First: see (Daniel 7:13, 14): 'I saw in the night visions; and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.' This proves the kingdom to be given to the Son of Man.
"Second: see (1 Corinthians 15:23-28): 'But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.' Also, (Psalm 2:9): 'Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.' (Psalm 5:3, 6): 'My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing; the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.' (2 Peter 3:10): 'But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth, also, and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up.' Also, (verse 13): 'Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.' (Revelation 11:15): 'And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.' (Psalm 47:2, 9): 'For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.' 'For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.' (Zechariah 14:9): 'And the Lord shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.' (Romans 9:5): 'Whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.' (Revelation 21:3): 'And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.' These texts prove the remainder of what I have stated above. We may further inquire, To whom is the kingdom given?
"Third: I answer, it is given to the saints. See (Daniel 7:21, 22, 27): 'I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.' 'And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.' (Luke 12:32): 'Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.' (Matthew 25:34): 'Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.' (James 2:5): 'Hearken, my beloved brethren; hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?' (2 Peter 1:11): 'For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' These texts prove abundantly that the saints are to possess and inherit the kingdom; and that it is the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ.
"3. I will now show When It Is they will enter this kingdom and inherit it forever. Not in this present world; for in this world they are to suffer persecution; also, they are strangers and pilgrims in this world. (2 Timothy 3:12): 'Yea, and all that will live godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution.' (1 Peter 2:11): 'Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.' (Hebrews 11:13, 14): 'These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country.' Also, verse 16: 'But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city.' "But it is at the coming of Christ with power and great glory, when he shall come in the clouds and in his kingdom. See (Daniel 7:13, 14): 'I saw in the night visions; and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.' (Matthew 25:31-34): 'When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from the other, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.' (1 Thessalonians 2:12): 'That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.' (1 Thessalonians 3:13): 'To the end he may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.' (2 Timothy 4:1): 'I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.' Also, (verse 8): 'Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.'
"It will be after the resurrection; for when Christ comes he will reward his saints with his kingdom, as we have proved. (Matthew 16:27): 'For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.' Then the kingdom of God is not yet set up? No. But our text tells us it will be set up in the days of those kings. What kings? I answer: the ten toes, of which he had just been speaking, are a representation of ten kingdoms, into which the iron, or fourth kingdom, should be divided. Compare (Daniel 2:41, 42, with Daniel 7:23, 24): 'And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potter's clay and part iron, the kingdom shall be divided, but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.' 'Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall arise after them: and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.'
"Then our text more than implies that these ten kings are to be in existence until Christ shall come and dash them to pieces, and they be destroyed by the brightness of his coming. (2 Thessalonians 2:8): 'And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.' Also, (Daniel 2:45): 'Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain and the interpretation thereof sure.' These passages are as simple and as plain as words can make them. And I am bold to say, that no one will, or can, consistently with common sense, deny that these ten toes do denote ten kings; and I have never yet seen any but scoffers, skeptics or infidels, who would deny it. If these ten toes do represent ten kings or kingdoms, as all good expositors do admit, there can hardly be a shadow of a doubt but we are on the very close of the kingdoms; for they have now existed more than 1300 years, and this is a greater proportion than other parts of the image have borne with reference to time. And had we no other rule, we ought to be near our watch-tower night and day, lest he, Christ, come and find us sleeping.
"4. I will now show Where This Kingdom Is To Be. And, a. It is to be under the whole heaven. See (Daniel 7:27. Philippians 2:9, 10): 'Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.' b. It is to be on the earth. (Psalm 2:8): 'Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.' Also, (25:13): 'His soul shall dwell at ease, and his seed shall inherit the earth.' (37:9): 'For evil-doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.' (Verse 11): 'But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.' Also, (verse 22): 'For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.' (Isaiah 60:21): 'Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.' (Revelation 5:10): 'And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.' 3. It will be called a new earth. Isaiah 65:17: 'For behold, I create new heavens, and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.' (Isaiah 66:22): 'For, as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.' (2 Peter 3:13): 'Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.' (Revelation 21:1): 'And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea.' Also, (verse 5): 'And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write; for these words are true and faithful.'
"By the proof thus adduced we see that the kingdom spoken of in our text is not earthly; for the kingdoms of the earth are broken to pieces and carried away, and no place found for them. It is not sensual, -- man ruling over man, or tyrannizing over his fellow; but each will do as he would have others do unto him, and each will love his neighbor as himself. It is not to be wondered at, then, that a rich man cannot easily enter this kingdom, nor one who lords it over his fellow; for the meek only can inherit it. This, too, shows why kings, captains, and mighty men are destroyed in the great battle of God Almighty; for those spirits and principles cannot exist in the kingdom of God. We learn, too, by this view, why the earth is cleansed by fire; for the proud and all that do wickedly must be consumed out of it. See (Matthew 13:41, 42): 'The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.' This, too, accounts for the scoffers in these last days; for they well know, if the kingdom is to be a righteous one, they themselves can have no part in it. We also learn by this why some of our doctors of divinity and professors, some of our reverends and clergy, some of our editors and Christian teachers, as they wish to be called, are so strongly opposed to this doctrine. They know, if Christ should come, he would not regard their high-sounding titles nor their dogmatical teachings; they know that the great aim of some has been to seek honors of men and worldly profits, and their trade is in danger. The spiritual reign and conversion of the world has been their hobby, and they hug to the foolish idea of converting the world to their dogmas and faith by means of money and sectarian missionaries. As well may they undertake to dip the ocean dry with a fireman's bucket as to convert the world with their sectarian motives and party creeds. How can men be so ignorant as not to see that every convert only makes the rent worse, and every year divisions and subdivisions increase? Can a kingdom thus torn and divided stand for 'millions of years,' -- as one of the sectarian editors lately proclaimed, -- and our dear Saviour be correct, (Matthew 12:25): 'And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand'? We know they cannot be true.
"Every discerning mind knows that, at the present time, the Roman church are making two proselytes to the Protestants' one; and all must agree that, of those converted by Protestants, one-half, or nearly so, are mere nominal professors. Well may we say, 'millions of years' must pass away before our world could be converted. But I ask, what man of common sense, who has read and believes his Bible, can for a moment believe that 'millions of years' must intervene before Christ will come? How different did the apostle Peter preach from this! (1 Peter 4:7): 'But the end of all things is at hand; be ye, therefore, sober, and watch unto prayer.' Also Christ, (Revelation 22:12): 'And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.' And (20): 'He which testifieth these things saith, 'Surely I come, quickly; Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.' Likewise (James 5:8, 9): 'Be ye also patient; establish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned; behold, the Judge standeth before the door.'
"Much more Scripture might be produced to show we are on the end of the world. Yet the Scripture is fulfilling to the very letter by those scoffers of the present day, who say, 'Where is the promise of his coming?' and, also, who 'say in their hearts, My Lord delayeth his coming.' And some of them are so awfully daring as to publish openly and boldly to the world that he will not come this 'million of years yet.' Strange infatuation! It is time for all who sincerely love our Lord to awake from their slumbers, trim their lamps, and be ready; for the Bridegroom is at the door. Why will you be so backward in believing God's word? Can you not discern the signs of the times?
"I beseech you, O sinner! do not hear to those who will deceive you. Look for yourselves; read, study, and consider for yourselves. You may depend upon it, every important movement of the nations, of the church, of sects, and societies, of the world, denotes the end of all things at hand. A few more days to be numbered, and time will be no more. Regard not those teachers, who are crying peace and safety, when sudden destruction cometh; that say, 'My Lord delayeth his coming.' Be warned by one who feels for your souls. I ask not for your honors, nor for your money; let them perish with the world. I ask you to escape for your life, your eternal life. O save, save your soul! Think of that world which will never end, of that state which will never be changed. Think, my dear friend, of your own good; buy the truth, buy oil, buy wine and milk, without money and without price. Come, ye poor, take hold of the riches which can never perish; eat, O! eat and drink of that food which can never cloy, which, if a man eat of, he shall live forever. Come, ye sick, here is health for you; ye lame, you will find strength; yes, weary ones may find rest, and captives go free. The bars of the prison-house will be broken, and the shackles of the slaves will be unloosed. Captain Jesus is knocking at the door; King Immanuel will soon come in."
_______________
A Scene Of The Last Day
"The supposed reflections of a sinner, witnessing the solemn events which immediately precede and follow the second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ and the conflagration of the world."
"'Ah! what means that noise? Can that be thunder? Too long, too loud and shrill; more like a thousand trumpets sounding an onset. It shakes the earth ... See, see, it reels! How dreadful! how strange! .. Another phenomenon to frighten poor, ignorant fanatics. I will not be afraid. Let Nature play her fantastic gambols. My soul's too brave to shake, too big to be afraid. When the stars fell like hailstones I stood unmoved, and laughed at others' fears. They passed away, and all was calm again. It was one of nature's freaks. So oft of late has nature played her tricks, methinks 't is natural. There was a time when superstition reigned. The world would then have said -- ah, yes, and believed it, too -- that these denoted war, bloodshed, and great convulsions among men; but now the world has become more wise; they are not fools and cowards, as our forefathers. ... Hark! another sound, more long, more loud, more dreadful still! Rock, rock! the world is rocking men, like babes, to sleep. I will not yet be scared. This may be natural. The wind is pent up in the bowels of the earth, and, in seeking vent, makes all this uproar. These noises in the earth and roarings of the sea, which have of late made timid mortals shake, by this philosophy are all accounted for. I am not shaken yet. Nature will work her own cure; and, while these Christian fools are trembling under their vain imaginations of these sights and signs of the great last day, I stand un ... A third great blast -- a shout, a cry! What means this wild roar? I'll go and see. ...
"... 'Ah! I thought it so. Aurora borealis!' [Speaking to the multitude.] 'Ye fools and cowards all! why do you make ado about this so common sight? Have you not often seen, within a few years past, the heavens almost as brilliant as now, -- what the vulgar illiterate called "fire, and blood, and pillars of smoke;" and then it passed away, and nothing was left but to ridicule each other's fears? And so now; this will soon pass a---
"... 'But it increases. See, see, how brilliant! The very clouds are bright with glory. It rolls and gathers to the zenith. ... Hark! hark! another sound, more deep; a fourth, more loud and long; a second shout! 't is like the human voice; it is the wind, the electric fluid in the air. See, see! the heavens do shake! the clouds, the light, the air, are trembling yet. ... And yet the light rolls on, the cloud grows brighter, and the rays diverge from yonder point. An eye! an eye! how like the All-seeing Eye! I will not tremble yet. These coward souls shall never see me sha----. What! yet another crack! How deafening to the ear! Another shout! ... Sure, that was a shout of men; I hear them still. The mountains shake and tremble on their base; the hills move to and fro; the compass-needle has forsaken the pole, and leaps towards the zenith point. The sea has fled its bounds, and rivers backward in their channels run. What can this mean? Is nature in a fit? ... The light! the light! it still approaches nearer to the earth -- and brighter, too; it dazzles my weak sight. Is it a comet, or some other orb, that has strayed from its track, and, by the laws of gravitation, is approaching to our earth? Now for the laws of nature here's a struggle! and if that other law, repulsion, does not repel its force and drive it back, then surely this poor, dark, sublunary globe must be drowned in a sphere of fire; and where will mortals ... Another sound! a dreadful blast, a hundred-fold more loud than former trumpets! This shakes my soul; my courage, too, has fled. What but a Gabriel's trump could give such sounds -- so loud, so long, so clear? ... Look! see! the sun has veiled his face; all nature heaves a groan, one deep-drawn sigh, and all is still as death. ...
"'The clouds -- those vivid clouds, so full of fire -- are driven apart by this last blast, and, rolling up themselves, stand back aghast. And, O, my soul, what do I see? A great white throne, and One upon it. His garment is whiter than the driven snow, and the hair of his head is like the pure wool. See fiery flames issuing from his throne, rolling down the vault of heaven like wheels of burning fire. Before him are thousands and thousands of thousands of winged seraphim, ready to obey his will. See Gabriel, the great archangel, raising his golden trump to his mouth. The last great trumpet sounds, -- one heavenly shout, -- and in a moment every angel flies, each different ways, in rays of light, to this affrighted globe. The earth now heaves a throb for the last time, and in this last great throe her bowels burst, and from her spring a thousand thousand, and ten thousand times ten thousand immortal beings into active life. And then those few who had looked on the scene with patient hope, were suddenly transformed, from age to youth, from mortal to immortal; and thus they stood, a bright and shining band, all clothed in white, like the bright throne which yet appeared in heaven.
"'While I stood gazing on this heavenly band, I saw the winged seraphs, who had come from the great white throne when the seventh trumpet sounded, standing among them. "All hail!" they cried, "ye blood-washed throng -- arise, and meet your Saviour in the middle air." They clapped their wings, and the next moment all the air was full of the bright seraphs and their train of immortals whom I late had seen spring from the earth. I saw them pass through the long vista of the parted cloud, and stand before the throne. Then I beheld one, like the sons of men, came on a cloud, whose rays of brightness filled the upper vault with radiant streams of light, more brilliant than a thousand suns. He came before the throne, and then I heard the shout of the celestial host, which filled the upper regions with a sound that echoed down to earth, and made the dark spirits in the pit of woe shriek out in lamentations of dread despair. It was a shout of victory. A thousand harps were tuned, and soon the heavenly choir sang hallelujah to the Lamb of God. Thrice they repeated the grand chorus, and thrice with shouts of these young immortals did the arch of heaven echo back to earth this shout of victory; when suddenly the cloud, which late had parted to give this view to earth, rolled up the vault of heaven its dark and sable mass from the horizon, until it closed from view the great white throne, and Him that sat upon it, and wrapt this globe in darkness, such as covered Egypt when Moses stretched his rod over the land of Pharaoh.
"'The air now became stagnated with heat; while the dismal howlings of those human beings who were left upon the earth, and the horrid yells of the damned spirits, who seemed to have been driven from the middle air by the cloud which shut down its impenetrable veil upon the world, filled my soul with horror not easily described. I thought myself in the dark pit of hell, which I had often made a ridicule of in former days. But soon a flash of lightning showed me that I was still on earth, and then a peal of thunder, which shook the globe to its very centre, and made this earth to tremble like a poplar leaf; while flash after flash of vivid lightning made darkness visible, and roar after roar of the approaching thunder made horror still more horrible. The air, if air it could be called, became impregnated with a sulphureous flame, that choked the lungs of man and beast, and seemed to hush in silence those dismal yells and moans of wretched mortals in this wreck of matter. I asked death to rid my suffering frame from torture; but, ah! death now denied me aid. I now remembered all the warnings of my former days, and these enhanced my pain. I remembered, too, the Scriptures, which spoke of this great burning day, which I had treated as a fiction to frighten weak and silly mortals. I saw, and now believed -- but O, too late! -- that all that God had promised had been, was now, and would be, literally fulfilled. My conscience now spoke terror to my soul. I now began to repent; but O, it came too late! I cried for mercy; but where was mercy now? When last the heaven was open, and I had seen the Judge upon his throne, Mercy had veiled herself; and when the immortal band had left the earth, I saw her leave the globe, and wing her way up to the throne of God; and, as she left the world, I heard her voice proclaim, "It is finished." I knew her work was done; and yet my tongue cried mercy! I saw, when the flash of lightnings gave me chance to see, a thousand damned forms of demons, grinning out horrible delight. I heard, between each roar of thunder, their tauntings and horrible imprecations.
"'The heat became severe; combustibles began to burn; when suddenly the heavens began to rain a shower of hailstones. I fled for shelter to a shelving rock, and there secure I lay. The air became more clear and cool. I now could see the inhabitants left on earth flying for shelter in every direction; some wounded by the hail, and with their horrid oaths crying for help to their more fortunate companions. But there was no regard for others' woes -- each one sought shelter for himself. The hail increased, until nothing but rocks and caverns of the earth could stand before it. The buildings, temples, and proud palaces of kings were all demolished, and lay a heap of ruins. The forest trees and groves were scattered upon the plain; and nothing stood the storm, of all the works of man. The face of the earth was covered over with ice, as though a hundred winters had reigned predominant. The eye could rest on nothing but one wide waste of frozen heaps of hail, with now and then a solitary human being wandering among the ruins of the once inhabited cities, half chilled to death, seeking for shelter, or to satisfy a craving appetite, cursing and blaspheming the God of heaven for the plague of the hail.
"'The storm had ceased. The sun had appeared behind the broken clouds, far in the west, with now and then a faint and sickly ray, that made the desolation still more desolate. The beasts that were upon the face of the earth were all slain, except a few who had burrowed in the earth. The fowls of the heavens were scattered over the earth among the slain; and of all the feathered tribe there was nothing left but scattered carcasses. Bodies of human beings were underneath the ruins in every place, some dashed in pieces, some without heads, and some whose limbs were severed from their trunks, and in every form that death could prey upon the human frame. Some, still in life, though wounded, filled up the dismal scene with moans, and groans, and shrieks of wild despair.
"'The cloud, which but recently had covered the earth with darkness, and had discharged its contents of massy balls of ice upon the world, now rolled its broken columns to the east. The sun was sinking in the western horizon, as if it hid itself from this vast desolation. And when the cloud rolled half way down the eastern sky, there opened to the view another sight, -- more grand there could not be, -- a city! Its walls were great and high. The foundation appeared to be the great white cloud, on which the throne was placed when first I saw the light. This city lay four square upon the cloud. The height, the length, the breadth appeared equal. The walls were made of jasper, more pure than gold that is seven times purified. It shone more brilliant than crystal. Twelve manner of precious stones garnished the wall. Each several stone outshone his fellow; and yet the polish of the stone was such that each reflected back the rays his fellow gave, and, thus commingled, formed one general mass of rays of light and glory, increasing with every reflection twelve-fold, and thus increasing, for aught that I can tell, to infinity. Twelve gates I saw -- three on every side. These gates were made of pearls; each pearl a gate, and every gate a pearl more brilliant than a sun. All the streets were gold, so highly polished that they shone as it were transparent glass. I saw no temple there; but I beheld such glory as my eyes never saw before. It was the Great I Am, Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb of God, that filled the city with such rays of light, that if the sun, and moon, and stars had all combined, they would not have compared with it, any more than the small glow-worm could with the sun in his meridian glory. I wonder how I did behold such rays of glory, and yet they dazzled not. But yet, I now bethink myself, while I stood gazing, this thought was whispered, as I imagined, to my mind -- "All this you have lost for your rejection of the Lamb, you see, the light of yonder city!"
"'At this my soul was filled with horror, and madness seized my brain. I cried to the rocks to hide me from the view of him whom I had thus rejected. But rocks were deaf. I then fled to the mountains, and called on them to fall upon me, and hide me in the bowels of the earth, or crush me into non-existence. But mountains had no pity on a wretch like me. I turned my eyes away, that I might not behold the sight again; but still the view was plain. I shut my eyes, determined to shut out this hateful vision; but, O, the form was printed on my brain in lines of livid fire! Which way I turned, the city lay before me. I saw, or thought I saw, the glory, harmony, and happiness of the citizens; and every view added rancor, enmity, and envy to my soul. I gnashed my teeth with pain; I raved and roared like a wild maniac; and yet my reason told me I was sane, -- these things were real. I cursed and swore, -- blasphemed the God of heaven; yet every oath returned upon me, and was like a dagger piercing to my heart. I called on death to rid me of my pain: but death obeyed not. I thought of suicide, to rid myself of self; but then eternity -- O dreadful thought! -- would rush upon my brain, and fill my mind with horror inconceivable. I tried to hope that things would change, or use would reconcile me to my lot; but hope had fled, and this I saw forever! No hope of change for better; for all that hope of change that I had ever had, I treated with disdain, -- yea, worse, with ridicule and contempt. I saw the very nature of the holy law required my banishment forever. And all the time of probation which I had formerly enjoyed, I saw was on this express condition, -- to be prepared to meet this very time, when holiness and sin, happiness and misery, would be forever separated; when he that is filthy would be filthy still, and he that is holy would be holy still. I knew that God himself had told us this; but yet I listened not. Filled with my own vain thoughts and vainer lusts, I trampled on the commands, warnings, and invitations of the God of heaven, -- and here end all my hopes! Ah! could I hope to be happy, on the condition of being holy too, I would cast it from me: for in my very soul I abhor, I hate the very name of holiness. I should be willing to be happy; but to love others as I do myself, -- and then to love that God supreme above all others, and even above myself, -- I will not, cannot, shall not, here submit.
"'While my mind thus passed from bad to worse, and every avenue of the heart was filled with evil passions, I saw the city still drew nearer to the earth; and from its rays had poured such a flood of light and heat upon the earth, that the hail melted, and the streams and fountains of water dried up. The tops of mountains soon began to burn; the rocks began to melt, and, with their lava, filled up the streams and vales below. This was not like the former heat which I had recently experienced before the storm of hail; no sulphureous smell, no suffocating heat, like that. It was a flame more pure, -- a searching, cleansing, penetrating flame of fire, -- that searched in every nook and corner of the world, and pierced the very bowels of the globe; that penetrated every crevice, crack, and cavern of the earth, and then descended to the bottom of the deep, the sea, and thus destroyed all that had life, and all on which the curse of sin was found. The monuments of man, that long had stood the shocks of ages, now mouldered down to dust. The works of art, the "proud-capt towers and gorgeous palaces," and all the modern pageantry of pride and show, were by this flame to ashes turned. The cities, villages, and towns, which once had filled the world with human beings, and all the seats of science, where man had long been taught the ancient fables and the vain philosophy of the former generations, and also learned the more modern customs and fashions of the day, to lord it over others, who had not thus been blessed, as they supposed, with this great ray of light, this mortal-cast, manmade wisdom, -- these all did melt away, and not an eye could see or finger point where once they stood. The battlements of war, -- the pride of kings, defense of nations, and the boast of warriors, -- which longer yet had stood the ravages of time, and now, for ages back, had claimed the name and title which mortals give, "impregnable," -- who, from their gaping sides, had poured at times such showers of missiles upon the approaching foe, that many a gallant ship, with all her crew, had found a berth beneath the watery wave, or scattered in fragments into the middle air, and many a brave and fearless hostile band had left their bones to whiten on the plain; -- these, too, had sunk beneath this powerful flame, and there was not a fragment left to tell where once they stood.
"'I saw the cloisters of the Roman monks, and the dark cells of the nuns, which long had kept from view the secret crimes and midnight revels of their murderous, cruel, lustful inmates; -- I saw the darkwalled chamber of the Inquisition, filled with its means of torture, that had, in ages past, drenched all its walls in blood, now hung, in solemn mockery, with images of Christ, with likenesses of angels, and pictures of the Virgin Mary, blasphemously called "the mother of God;" -- all were consumed by this pervading flame. I then beheld it approaching where I stood. My flesh began to quiver on my bones, my hair rose up on end, and all within me was suddenly turned into corruption. I felt the flame when first it struck my person; it seemed to pierce through all the joints and marrow of my frame, dividing soul and body. I shrieked with pain, and, for a moment, I was all unconscious. The next moment I found myself a spirit, and saw the mass, of which my body lately was composed, a heap of ashes; and, although my spirit yet retained a form like that which I had dropped, yet half the pain was gone, and a moment I seemed to live again for pleasure. But the next moment, turning from the loathsome lump of ashes, I saw the flame, and in it saw the form of the Most Holy. I fled as on the wings of the wind, and skimmed the surface of the earth, if possible to escape the sight of that All-seeing Eye; and, as I flew, I soon found many thousands more unhappy spirits like myself, seeking for the same object. We fled together, and every moment added to our numbers scores of these unhappy beings; but still the same most holy flame pursued, until we found no place on earth could hide us from his view. We then launched forth into the lower air, and sunk, and sunk, and sunk, until we came to this dark gulf; and here we found this pit, where light can never enter; and, glad to find a place where holiness will never enter, we plunged in here. And when we left the light, and sunk into this dark and dismal place of wretchedness and woe, we found ourselves enclosed on every side in chains of darkness, that all the demons and spirits of the damned can never break, until He who shut us up will please to let us loose again. And then we know there is another place, which lies far beneath this dark and dismal pit, that, if he conquers then, will be our last abode, -- A Lake Of Fire And Brimstone.'"
_______________
"A Vision Of Death
"I saw, -- whether asleep or awake, I cannot tell, but this I know: I saw the dark and dismal door of Death. It was narrow as the grave; and only one could enter at a time, and tread its winding steep. Yet thousand passed the door. At its threshold, all left their earthly idols. Some cast a wishful look, as they pushed forward, and shrieked. Some lingered trembling, and some rushed forward regardless of the consequences. There were seen all ages, all ranks, and all conditions, passing towards the door.
"I saw the drunkard quaff his bowl of poison, burst open the door of death, and stagger in. I heard a curse, a groan, a fall, a hollow, dismal sound, and all was silent as the tomb.
"Next came a voluptuary. He laughed, he danced, and leaped the fearful leap. The door closed on him. I heard a trembling cry. Spectators shuddered and turned their eyes away, and nothing more was seen.
"A selfish miser came, loaded down with bags of gold. His head was white with care. His look was fearful with despair. Envy was his only attendant. He staggered to the door, laid down his gold, and wept. A dismal cloud enveloped him. A laugh was heard. And, when the cloud was gone, gold, miser, -- all had disappeared.
"There came a man of honor. On his brow wreaths of victory were twined. His step was stately. At his nod many bowed and fawned. He, too, must pass the gate. He touched the secret spring. The door wide open flew. Darkness enveloped him. The multitude shrank back, to follow some other leader. And nothing now was seen, save a few dried leaves of laurel.
"There came a giddy youth. His eye was sparkling. His step was light. Many a jocund story hung upon his lips. While looking on the world, he backward ran against the door, and fell. I heard a piteous moan, a distant shriek, and silence reigned again.
"I saw one other come. Hope sat upon his brow. He smiled and wept; but, with a forward look, he traced the path, while in his hand he held a little Book, and often read. I saw he had a glass that penetrated the dark abyss, and left a ray behind. I heard him sing. 'T was not a song of earth, but soft and sweet like the melodious sounds of distant music on a summer's eve. He passed the door of death; and, like the setting sun, whose rays have chased the flying clouds away, he passed to rise more glorious on the morrow."
_______________
"On Jeremiah's Lamentation
"How doth the City, once so full of fame,A Fragment. -- An Allegory
Now silent sit and mourn her widowed name!
She, that was great among the nations far,
When kings and princes brought their gold to her!
She weepeth sore. The midnight hears her moan --
Her tears fast flowing, as she sits alone.
Her friends are foes. To fill her general doom,
Her lovers, children, sink into the tomb.
Judah afflicted is, a slave of old;
She's gone a captive, -- to a servant sold.
Her people, scattered through a heathen land,
No rescue have they from the spoiler's hand.
O Zion! mourn thy state, because there's none
To spread thy feasts, or call thy children home.
Thy temple's empty; all thy teachers sigh
In bitterness, to hear thy maidens cry:
'The Lord Jehovah hath this wonder wrought,
For her transgressions are these judgments brought'
Zion's fair daughters, all their beauty fled!
Her princes fallen! all her heroes dead!
Jerusalem once great, how changed the scene!
Her sorrows double, make her anguish keen,
When recollection calls her mercies o'er, --
The pleasant things she had in days of yore.
Her foes approach; her people all are slain;
She cries for help, -- alas! she cries in vain.
Behold the envious! how he taunting says:
'Where are your Sabbaths and your solemn days?'
The nations that have known and heard her fame
Despise her now and publish all her shame.
Her downcast look, her end, her bitter sigh,
Are not regarded. No Deliverer's nigh.
Behold, O Lord, how her afflictions grow!
Her enemies have magnified them too.
There walk the plunderer's and the murderer's band,
No place so sacred can their rage command.
Her people sigh for bread; they seek in vain
Their pleasant things for meat. They cry again:
'Look down, O Lord! consider all my ways;
How vile am I, how sinful all my days!
Ah! what is that to you who pass me by?
Does any sorrow with my sorrow vie?
The Lord in judgment hath afflicted me;
From his fierce anger whither shall I flee?
In every path my feet have found a snare.
If I return, it's desolation there.
And my transgression, like a yoke, is bound
Upon my neck. My crimes are twisted round.
My strength is weakness. Lord, how can I rise,
Delivered over to my sins a prize?
The Lord hath trodden, by a mighty host,
My old and young men, humbled in the dust.
For these I weep; my tears are streaming fast;
No comfort near, nor desolation past.
In vain I spread my hands; for there is none
To comfort me or bring my children home.
The Lord commands; in terror I am bound,
And all my foes encompass me around.
O righteous Sovereign! lo, how just thy cause!
For I've rebelled and trampled on thy laws.
Hear, all ye people, and my woes behold;
My virgins captured, and my young men sold.
I call my lovers, once my hope and pride;
But they despise me, and my sighs deride.
My priests and elders, while they seek for bread,
Give up the ghost, and slumber with the dead.
Behold, O Lord, in me is sore distress,
My heart is troubled, and I find no rest;
Abroad the sword, at home is naught but death,
I sigh, a rebel, with my every breath.
There's none to comfort, though they hear me sigh
"The Lord has done it all," they gladly cry.
Behold the day the Lord has called his own,
When they, like me, shall come before his throne.
There all their sins and wickedness shall be,
And do to them as Thou hast done to me.
For my transgressions and my soul's complaint
My sighs are many, and my heart is faint.'"
_______________
"On Time
"You ask me, sir, to tell the cause
Why nature changes in her laws;
And why, in youth, time lags so slow,
But flies so swift as old we grow.
"I'll tell thee, friend. Lay not the blame,
Nor call old time 'a fickle dame.'
She heeds you not, nor will she stay,
To stop your progress or decay.
"When you were young, like other boys,
You sought anticipated joys;
And when for future years you pined,
You thought not of those left behind.
"You watched for years, for weeks, and days
To come, to bring your wished-for plays;
And, with our future good in view,
Time lags behind to me and you.
"We measure not by running sands,
Nor by the clock's revolving hands;
But think old time must run and fly,
To bring our wished-for objects nigh.
"But, when we to the object come,
We think old time must cease to run,
And be obedient to our need:
To walk or fly, as we shall speed.
"So the vain youth, to imitate
Follies and vices of the great,
Longs for the day of liberty,
When he from guardians may be free.
"Old time revolves at slowest pace
When we're most eager for the race.
In youth or age, in hope or fear,
He walks or runs, till death draws near."
_______________
"How blessed the thought -- the Day of To-morrow!Note:
When Glory's bright Sun shall banish all sorrow;
When the trials of life shall be over; and never
Draw us from our love, for ever and ever.
"I long for the day! The night has been dreary.
To tarry and pray, the flesh becomes weary.
I long for the voice, God's servants awaking,
That soon shall announce that that day is breaking.
"O, then shall our eyes refrain from all weeping,
And our eyelids no more shall be heavy with sleeping,
When death is disarmed of his trident of terror,
And sin has no charms for ever and ever.
"Let weary ones sing! How can they be fearful?
Since Christ is our King, our hearts will be cheerful
I long for the day, 'mid this wreck of commotion,
To land me safe home in eternity's ocean."