Surely then we have a hint as to the meaning of our Saviour's word, "IF ANOTHER

RECEIVE.

SHALL COME IN HIS OWN NAME, HIM YE WILL This last head of the Roman Empire will probably be THE FALSE MESSIAH OF THE JEWS, and thus, in very perfect sense, 66 THE ANTICHRIST.” But now, the covenant made, the Jews brought to their land under his protection, the Temple and the sacrificial rites restored: and now again, the covenant broken, and the sacrifice and oblation caused to cease in the midst of the seven years: THREE YEARS AND A HALF ("a time, times, and the dividing of time," will remain, as Daniel predictedf) are left for the full display of all the horrors of the Antichrist's dominion: his gross unparalleled idolatry, his bitter cruelty, his craft, his thirst for blood. Then he shall come to his end; for MICHAEL the great Prince shall stand up for Israel's remnant. Yea, the Lord shall come, and all His Saints attending him, and this "Man of Sin" shall be consumed. But the destruction of Antichrist and the reception of Israel's remnant by the Lord Jesus must be reserved for the next lecture. To enter upon them would oblige us to bring *John v. 43.

Dan. vii. 25.

forward matter which has properly to do with the subjects next in order, viz.: THE ADVENT, and THE JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS.

Let it suffice for the present that Israel will be indeed restored, at least in part, and that in UNBELIEF, under the auspices of ANTICHRIST; that they will erect their Temple and restore their ancient worship; but that their protector will turn speedily against them, and they will endure a tribulation of a kind more bitter than all former trials.

In concluding this lecture, let me impress upon my readers THE GREAT NEED OF PRAYER ON THE BEHALF OF ISRAEL. We have seen already, and in our future lectures shall see more particularly, what great blessings God has laid up in store for the Twelve Tribes in the Millennial age. But they have much to suffer first. We must, then, keep them in remembrance.

Moreover, while we pray for them, let us look well also AT HOME: examining OUR OWN standing before God. For even now are there many Antichrists, forerunners of "THE ANTICHRIST " who shall appear. INFIDELITY is an

Antichrist: POPERY and TRACTARIANISM are

Antichrists: ANTINOMIANISM is an Antichrist:

LUKEWARMNESS is an Antichrist. Let us see that we take not the side of any such, but ever guard our hearts with prayer and watchfulness : ever keep our lives in harmony with the inspired Word: ever KEEP OUR BEST AFFECTIONS FIXED WITH FIRMNESS ON THE SAVIOUR. Oh that in every one of us professed believers there were more DECISION FOR THE LORD! and less room allowed for any man to doubt about us, whose we are and whom we serve. Oh that we were more entirely and more simply looking to THE CRUCIFIED ONE! whose blood alone can cleanse our sins away. For so should we stand firmer; so become more joyous; so delight ourselves more fully in the prospect of that day when Christ shall call His people hence; and so, if we should see the tribes of Israel returning to their land, we should look up and lift our heads expectantly, well knowing by that fore-appointed sign that the Archangel's blast must quickly sound to summon all the servants of the Lord, whose glorious "REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH."

66

LECTURE IV.

THE ADVENT.

Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him; and all kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of Him. Even so,

Amen."-Rev. i. 7.

It will be needful for us to retrace our steps a little, in order that we may deal fairly with the subject which now comes before us. That subject is THE ADVENT.

Uplifting first the mind towards heaven, we must behold our Great Redeemer, there enthroned in glory at the right hand of the Eternal Father. He is a Man, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh; a Man, who once was dead, but liveth, and has been exalted above all the Principalities and Powers of Heaven; a Man, before whose GLORIFIED HUMANITY the angels bow. the very and Eternal God, things and by whom all

* John i. 1-3. Rom. ix. 5.

A Man, yet GOD:* "for whom are all things consist."t

† Col. i. 16, 17.

Since, in the sight of His disciples he ascended up on high, His Session has been there and there, amid unceasing praises, He must sitthe great High Priest-the only "Mediator between God and men - until the day appointed by the Father, when He shall descend once more to Earth for JUDGMENT and SALVA

TION.

In heaven, then, at the right hand of power, awaiting the appointed time, let us BEHOLD OUR LORD as we commence this Lecture. And let us note well the fact,-He shall descend to earth again. HE SHALL DESCEND. That once despised and rejected Lord, who by the hand. of wickedness was crucified, but who by the Eternal Spirit rose again, and then ascended, and now sits enthroned at the right hand of power-THAT VERY JESUS, at the time appointed, SHALL DESCEND, as King and Judge, UPON OUR FALLEN EARTH.

Moreover, it is evident that he will come as MAN; clothed indeed in the perfection of our manhood, but still in its reality. It does not require much searching into Scripture to establish this. In the first chapter of THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES we are told that when Jesus had spoken His last words to His disciples,