with him "in heavenly places." If then, Christ is to come in like manner, it certainly follows, that he must come equally out of the sight of natural men, and be equally unknown to the world. Of course, none but his chosen witnesses can have any knowledge of his coming; so that the world must again rely on their testimony, or remain in unbelief.

Again: Christ, by his Spirit, testified to John in the isle of Patmos, saying; "Behold I come as a thief! Blessed is he that "watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."* It is well known that a thief comes privately, in the night, while mankind are asleep, and of course, not on their watch. "For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and "gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, "and his glory shall be seen upon thee." Thus it appears that the time of Christ's coming was to be a time of darkness; (of spiritual darkness to the world, no doubt;) while he was to arise in his glory, upon those who were found faithful to watch and keep their garments-to keep themselves clothed with the garments of righteousness, unspotted with sin.

It is worthy of particular remark, that about the period of the first manifestation of Christ's second appearing, there was a time of great spiritual darkness, which continued for a number of years. And tho great and exalted were the professions of christianity, throughout the countries called christendom; yet the pure and genuine spirit of christianity was scarcely known upon earth. There were, indeed, many who made great professions of religion; yet their works of darkness greatly dishonored their professions; so that they were evidently walking in darkness and discovering their shame, from day to day.

This has become more and more apparent among nominal professors, even to this day; and more especially among the higher classes of professing christians, both ministers and people. And thus we see pride and ambition, fraud and violence, hypocrisy and deceit, luxury and lust, drunkenness and debauchery, with almost every crime that can be named, still carried on under the sanctimonious cloke of a religious profession; while even the common people, who make no profession at all, can see through the deception of their pretended goodness-can see the shame of their nakedness, through the flimsy cloke of such a profession, which is enough to make the heart sicken at the name of a religion which covers such abominations.

Thus Christ having actually come as a thief, in the time of such extensive spiritual darkness, while mankind, who are living in sin, and spiritually asleep, have been utterly unconscious of his coming, and not being, even now, on their watch, cannot discover his ap

pearance. People of this description, who make a great profession of religion, are ever more ready to contend against the true light of God, at such a time, than those who make no such profession. So it was in the days of Christ's first appearance; the Scribes and Pharisees, the chief priests and elders, and all the great and mighty among the Jews, were his greatest opposers and persecutors, while "the common people heard him gladly."

Many comparisons have been made, under prophetic inspiration, and recorded in the sacred writings, to show the nature of the coming of Christ, and the state of the world at that period. These comparisons, tho natural, evidently point out a spiritual work: for the work of Christ's second appearing, being necessarily spiritual, must be represented by natural similitudes, if represented at all, there being no possible way to represent spiritual things to natural men, only by natural similitudes. These, tho they clearly show that the wicked will be taken unawares, in their sins; yet they almost invariably point out a progressive, increasing word. Jesus Christ, in his parables, likened the Kingdom of Heaven to many things which, in their nature, were very different from each other; such as a grain of mustard-seed; the sower and his seed; the good seed and the tares; the leaven; the net cast into the sea; and many other things. But as the Kingdom itself is spiritual, and the work thereof a spiritual work; it could not be literally like any of those natural things to which it was compared; much less like all of them.

The Kingdom of Christ, being a spiritual Kingdom, is altogether beyond the conception of the natural man, until his mind is enlightened by the Spirit of Christ; and therefore the nature of it could not be understood, even by his disciples, who, at that time, were but natural men. And yet the things which Jesus brought up to view, as comparisons, were very apt similitudes, by which he could, with the greatest propriety, represent many things which he knew would be made manifest, during his reign upon earth. So that when the day itself is ushered in, its work begun, and the nature of it understood by those who are in it; then these similitudes appear very striking and appropriate, and must operate on every candid mind, as an incontestible evidence in favor of the present work, and prove, to a certainty, that Christ himself is in it; and that his parables and predictions could not, with any consistency, be fulfilled in any other way.

Thus the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a grain of mustard-seed, which was then considered as the least of all seeds. "But "when it is sown, it groweth up and becometh greater than all "herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the "air may lodge under the shadow of it." This clearly shows

*Mark xii. 37.

Mark iv. 32.

the first operations of the work of Christ, in his second coming, to be, not only very small, but entirely out of the sight of the world; as much so as a grain of mustard-seed is, when covered in the earth. It also shews a progressive and increasing work, like the growth of the seed to a large plant, the greatest among herbs, branching out like a tree, so as to afford a shelter for the birds of the air.

Again, it is compared to leaven. "The Kingdom of Heaven is "like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures "of meal, till the whole was leavened."* This is also a figurative representation of the hidden and progressive operations of the Spirit of Christ, in his second appearing; which is entirely out of sight of the world of mankind, both professors and profane; and yet it is a work which operates with a progressive increase, in every faithful soul.

The Kingdom of Heaven is also compared to a man's sowing good seed in his field, and afterward his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat. This clearly shows that wherever the work of God begins, and the seed of Christ is sown, there the enemy follows, with his secret influences, his works of darkness, to corrupt and contaminate the good by a mixture of evil, intending thereby to dishonor and abase the genuine fruits of the true gospel of Christ, by endeavoring to blend therewith his wicked and corrupt fruits. Evidences of this have appeared, more or less, in every place where the gospel has been planted, since the first opening of the testimony in America; and will undoubtedly continue till the final separation shall take place between the good and the evil, and each shall receive its due reward.

The season of harvest is a very apt similitude of the coming of Christ. "The harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels." It is well known that the work of harvest is a progressive work; and tho it may require the reapers many days to accomplish it; yet every stalk of grain, whether good or bad, when encircled by the sickle of the reaper, is very suddenly cut down; and tho but an instant before, it was majestically waving in the field, without any premonition of its sudden fall, it is henceforth forever separated from the foundation on which it stood, and must now pass through a new scene, and either be gathered to a place of safety, for the use of the husbandman, or devoted to destruction, according as it shall be found to be either good or bad. And such will be the fate of all souls in the great harvest of the world. Thus the useful wheat and worthless tares are used, as plain similitudes, to show the distinction which will be made between those who do good, and those who do evil; and the result

Matt. xiii 33

Matt. xiii 38 to 42. See also Rev. xiv 15 to the end.

Τ

of the parable is a certain token of that righteous and impartial judgment which will reward all souls according to their works.

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a net that was "cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind; which, when it 66 was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the "good into vessels, but cast the bad away." This points out a great and important work which, in its progress, will make a final separation between good and evil. "So shall it be at the end of "the world: the angels (signifying the messengers of truth) shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just."* This

66

has been continually fulfilling ever since the first gathering of the people in America; and these are the people, "upon whom the ends of the world are come."*

The event of Christ's second coming is also compared to the time of Noah, and the days before the flood. "For as in the days "that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marry❝ing and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into "the ark; and knew not till the flood came and took them all away; 66 so shall it be also in the days of the son of man."‡

Noah was called a preacher of righteousness. But it appears that the inhabitants of the old world were disobedient to his testimony which undoubtedly continued during the whole time the ark was building, which is said to be a hundred and twenty years. But notwithstanding their unbelief and disobedience, they were at last overtaken in their sins, and could not escape. The forementioned similitude of our Savior, is evidently designed, and well calculated to show the state of unbelief, disobedience and disrespect to the testimony of truth, in which mankind will be found; and their careless insensibility and disregard respecting the second coming of Christ; and that altho they will be earnestly and repeatedly warned by the preachers of righteousness, from time to time, and in all probability, even from generation to generation, during the time of Christ's reign upon earth; yet they will not believe the testimony, nor turn from their wickedness; but still go on, "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage," seeking their own gratifications, and pursuing their own pleasures, until they are overtaken by judgments which they cannot escape.

Tho the judgments of God upon the wicked are often spoken of as coming suddenly, which is frequently the case in reality; yet in the time of Noah's flood, it rained "forty days and forty nights;" and in all probability, the destruction of lives was not fully accomplished till the end of that period; (for there could have been no use in continuing the flood after its design was accomplished.) So in the present day, many may remain secure for a long time; but the deluge of destruction, tho it may endure many ages, and

Matt. xiii. 47, 48, 49.

See 1 Cor. x. 11.

Matt. xxiv. 38, 39. & Luke xvii. 26.

CHAP. III.] CHRIST'S SECOND MANIFESTATION, &c. 207

operate in many ways, will finally accomplish the work for which

it is sent.

CHAPTER III.

The second manifestation of Christ not instantly universal, but gradual and progressive, like the rising of the sun.

IT has long been maintained that Christ is to come in the clouds of heaven, and that all shall see him. In a spiritual sense, this is true, and accords with his own testimony: "They shall see the "Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven, with power and 66 great glory." Again, when questioned before the Jewish council, he said, "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the "right hand of Power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven," And again; "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."* These and other similar passages are often advanced as evidences that Christ is not only to come openly, in the clouds, but that he will suddenly appear in the most public manner, so as to be seen at once, by all mankind, the wicked as well as the righteous, who have lived in all ages, and in all quarters of the world.

66

But it ought to be considered in the first place, that these clouds are not the common clouds of the atmosphere, but the clouds of Heaven; therefore they must be heavenly clouds-clouds of faithful witnesses of God, who are ready and willing to embrace the testimony of Christ, whenever and wherever it shall appear; and to declare it to the world without restraint and without disguise. "Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their win"dows?-Seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud "of witnesses."t Thus cloud is used in scripture as a figure to express a multitude; and in this sense it was often used by ancient writers, both sacred and profane.

Secondly. As Christ, the anointed of God, is a Spirit, and can only be seen and known in the spirit; therefore his Kingdom must be spiritual and divine; not natural and sensual. Hence, as before stated, his appearance must be in the spirit; and the clouds in which he appears must be spiritual clouds, pertaining to the spiritual heavens; and these things must be discerned by spiritual light for, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the "Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him; neither can he "know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Yet the natural man looks for Christ to come in a bodily appearance,

* See Matt. xxiv. 30. chap. xxvi 64 and Rev i. 7.

#1 Cor. ii. 11.

Isa. Ix. 8. & Heb xii. 1.