Page:The Last Judgement and Second Coming of the Lord Illustrated.djvu/329

 the common understandings of men, and places the matter upon a practical footing. It seems evident that they refer to the renewal of the Church among mankind, after a long period of perversion. This renewal is to be effected by the Lord's revealing the true nature and genuine doctrines of His Holy Word: and who can deny that such a revelation would accomplish all that the predicted second coming can reasonably be expected to effect? The design of that event, as in similar cases, must be to communicate some advantage to the Church, and thereby to the world at large. All the special interpositions of the Lord in the affairs of men are for the purpose of promoting some blessing. What other object can He have in view, and by what other means than His Word can it be accomplished? As His coming in the clouds of heaven denotes the revelation of the Divine truth contained in the letter of His Word, so the "power and great glory," by which it is to be distinguished, signify the power of Divine goodness, and the splendour of Divine truth, which such a revelation will unfold. What other power, or what other glory, than that which is contained in His Word can He be solicitous that men should know? The Word is the medium by which the Lord communicates with His people: by that Word He enlightens, by that He judges, and by that He saves them.

To effect such a revelation a human instrument was necessary. The Lord at various times has mercifully made use of suitable persons to communicate His truth to the world; and the employment of these at one period has not set aside the necessity for similar engagements at another. The calling of Moses and Aaron did not supersede the necessity for the raising up the prophets, nor did the mission of the prophets dispense with the call of the apostles; and no one thinks that the selection of the twelve pre-