Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 1.djvu/139

 presence of the ," of times "of the restitution of all things," and of the more glorious establishment of 's kingdom; and in earnest looking for the promise, they offer up the prayer of the Church that would be pleased to raise up His power and come among us, and with great might succour us. But, while we hope for the promise, we must not forget the threatening; the Baptist spoke of 's coming with His fan in His hand, and of the separation which He would make between the chaff and the wheat; (comp. Mal. iv.;) but what were the days of vengeance upon the Jewish Church compared with those which we must expect, when the time is at length come that judgment must begin at the house of, and the heavenly Reaper thrusts in His sharp sickle and reaps the earth? "The , whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple; behold He shall come, saith the  of ; but who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth?" We find that when was coming nigh to Jerusalem, on the day of His triumphant entry, because they thought that the kingdom of  should immediately appear, He added and spake a parable; it was the parable of the talents. (Luke xix.) And so, when we are disposed to indulge in bright anticipations of coming glory to the Church, let us rather turn our thoughts inward to our own individual privileges and individual responsibility, remembering that the kingdom of is within us, and that to whomsoever much is given, of him will be much required. And especially let us remember that among the gifts given to us, for which we must give account, are, the New Commandment of love, the Inspired Word of, written for our learning, and His duly appointed Ministers sent before Him to prepare us for His coming.