Page:The Last Judgement and Second Coming of the Lord Illustrated.djvu/259

 because of its adaptability to captivate man, who, in his fallen nature, is so prone to accept what is false. The notion exercises a persuasive influence over the mind, and inclines it to yield in a direction which its reason would condemn; therefore, all reason is excluded from the process of this faith. When a man is told, as this doctrine tells him, that the condemnation of the law is taken away by the sufferings of Christ, and that His merits are imputed to believers, he naturally concludes that no virtues are necessary to be loved, and, that if any vices are perpetrated by him, they are no hindrance to his salvation. Who, then, does not see that this doctrine in the professing Church is "the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place"? It paralyses all the reasonable activities of Christianity. The graces of spiritual regeneration, the growth of practical holiness, the development of heavenly justice, the unfolding of genuine intelligence, and the displays of living charity, can have no place in the minds and hearts of those on whom this abomination has fixed its desolating hold. In this then we discover the fulfilment of another prediction which was to be an occasion for the Lord's second coming. This general feature of the prophecy includes most of the unhappy particulars which follow; all of which are in opposition to that lightning from the east, which will manifest His coming whensoever that may be.

Every one must see that the second coming of the Lord is to be preceded by a variety of corruptions taking place in the Church, and that these will furnish occasion for Him to fulfil His promise to come again. It is equally evident that the purpose of that coming must be to restore to the Church that life and light of it which human inventions and authority have perverted. Hence we are enabled to