Page:The Last Judgement and Second Coming of the Lord Illustrated.djvu/169

 the destruction of Judaism and the commencement of Christianity. Hence we find the Apostle Paul saying, "Now once in the end of the world hath Christ appeared." In the end of what world? certainly not of the natural world, for that remains; it seems clear then that what is referred to is the termination of the Jewish world, i.e, the Church, for it was at the end of that, as a Divine dispensation, that "Christ appeared." Hence we learn that the end of the antediluvian Church was treated of under the figure of the destruction of the earth, and that the termination of the Jewish dispensation is spoken of in language which seems to imply the dissolution of the universe; and, therefore, we conclude that similar descriptions, found in the Word and referring to historical Christianity, ought to be similarly interpreted. As the figures are alike, their signification cannot be different; they, consequently, must point to the end of corrupted Christianity, and not to the disruption of the natural universe, as it is commonly supposed. This we will also endeavour to illustrate.

The disciples, after having been told that the buildings of the temple would be thrown down, went unto the Lord privately, saying, "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" From the answer they received it is clear that the Lord did not regard them as having inquired about the destruction of the earth, for He proceeded to describe events which are utterly inconsistent with such an idea. He speaks indeed of "the end," but He does not add "the world" to it: that He contemplated as still remaining, for He admonished those who were in Judea to flee into the mountains, and to pray that their flight might not be in the winter, neither on the Sabbath-day; what personal