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The learned Dr. Benson has observed upon the expression who was ready to judge the quick and dead, "that in 2 Cor. x. 6. the words which are rendered (having in a readiness) signifie no more, than that St. Paul had full power to revenge all disobedience, &c. though it doth not "appear that he ever exercised that power upon the false "Apostle or his faction," Again he refers to "Acts xxi. 13.

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where to express his readiness, not only to be bound, but to die for the cause of Christianity he uses the same lanet guage, though he certainly was not put to death at Jerusalem." He therefore concludes, from these examples, that "having in a readiness," * in the passage under consideration," signifies no more, than that Christ had full power to judge all mankind, though he had not yet exercised that power." If this criticism be accurate, it will follow that the Apostle's language has no relation to any particular time, when he should judge the quick and dead but simply to Christ's being invested with that important office.

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With respect to the Apostle's assertion that the end of all was at hand-the judicious Reader is requested to observe what has before been noticed that the Apostle Peter, in the first Chapter verse 5. speaks of a Salvation which was READY to be revealed in THE LAST TIME that in the 7th verse, he intimates that their faith would be tried with fire, at the reve lation of Jesus Christ, and that, in the 13th verse, he exhorts them to hope to the end-to entertain a firm expectation of the grace which was about to be brought to them at the revelation of Jesus Christ. It was also observed that St. Luke refers this complete revelation of the grace which was to be brought to the Gentiles, to the destruction of Jerusalem. Chap. xvii. 80. As it was in the days of Noahso shall it be when the Son of Man 13 REVEALED, i. e. when the true nature and design of the kingdom of the Messiah shall be fully unfolded.

By a reference to this language of the Apostle Peter, and of the Evangelist Luke-the judicious Reader will, perhaps, be strongly inclined to think that when the former speaks of the end of all being at hand, he meant only to assert the near ap proach of the destruction of Jerusalem. This sense of the

*The Reader will pardon a slight deviation from Dr. Benson's words---' to avoid the use of the Greek Character.

Apostle's

Apostle's language, appears to receive considerable confirmation from the Apostle's subsequent language, in the same chapter; for he again speaks of the fiery trial which was to try them, and of the time being NEAR* when judgement must begin at the House of God, and what is particularly worthy of notice, he says, verse 13. That Christ's GLORY SHALL BE REVEALED, that they might be glad also with exceeding joy.

With respect to the Second Epistle, Bishop Sherlock has observed that," In the first chapter the Apostle endeavours "to re-establish and confirm the hopes of Believers; but he "does it with the air of one, who had been reproached for his "doctrine; We have not, say he, followed cunningly devised "fables, when we made known to you the POWER and COMING of the Lord Jesus, chap. 1. 16. You see here the true "point upon which St. Peter placed the hopes and expec"tations of true believers. In the second chapter he takes "notice of the false teachers who brought in damnable heresies "denying the Lord that bought them; these he threatens "with swift destruction, ver. 1. and tells them that, how"ever they might conceive of the promise of Christ's speedy

coming, yet they would assuredly find that their own "judgment did not linger, nor their own damnation slumber, "ver. 3.-that it would have been better for them, not to "have known the way of righteousness, than after they have "known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. ver. 21. In the third and last chapter, he considers the scoffers, and their irreligious insult, Where is the pro"mise of his coming? ver. 4. He enters into their argument, "and shews them, from what had already happened in the

world, how perversely they reasoned about future things. "He concludes the whole with proper cautions to Christians, "when they consider and endeavour to understand the times "and seasons of God's judgments; and guards, not only his own, but St. Paul's doctrine, t upon this article, the

* Our Translators have used the expression--the time is come---but the Greek is literally that "the time is that judgment must begin, &c. Hardy's Note is---Tempus. sub. instat sc. prædictum â Christo, Matt. xxiv. 21. Luke xxi. 21.

The judicious and attentive Reader, who has considered what has been said upon St Paul's doctrine of the coming of Christ, in the preceding part of this work, cannot fail to be strongly impressed with this remark of the learned Prelate.

"coming

"coming of Christ, (so much was his mind bent to clear "this one point), against the perverse use of the unlearned "and unstable. ver. 15, 16.

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"You see now what is the main, the only great point, in "this Second Epistle; it is the coming of Christ in power and glory, to deliver the faithful, and to take vengeance of the ungodly and unbelievers, as foretold by the Prophets under "both Testaments." And to shew still more fully and distinctly what the nature of the coming of Christ, of which the Apostle treats, in this Epistle is, he says that "if by the "salvation ready to be revealed, and the day of visitation, "and the appearing of Jesus Christ, in the First Epistle, we are to understand the Apostle, as referring to the destruc"tion of Jerusalem, then near at hand; we must necessarily "in the Second Epistle, understand the same thing, by the POWER and COMING of our Lord Jesus. Which POWER "and COMING, was at the time of writing the Second Epistle, so far from being over, that it is treated as a thing to come." See pages 27, 28.

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The present Bishop of London, in his Lectures on St. Matthew, on the contrary, in order to support his opinion, "that when our Lord said, Matt. xvi. 28. Verily I say unto

66. you that there be some standing here, who shall not taste of "death till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom, he "meant only to intimate that a few of them should, before

their death, be favoured with a representation of the glori ous appearance of Christ and his Saints on that awful day. "And this illustrious scene," says the Bishop, "was actually "displayed to three of them, about six days after, in the transfiguration on the Mountain.". In proof of this, he farther says, 66 Indeed, St. Peter himself, who was present at the transfiguration, plainly alludes to it, in a manner "which powerfully confirms this opinion. We have not, "says he, followed cunningly devised fables when we made "known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus ... Christ. That is, our Lord's coming in his kingdom "with power, and glory, and majesty, to judge the world. "And how does St. Peter here prove that he will so come? Why, by declaring that he and the two other Disciples, James and John, were eye witnesses of his Majesty; that is, they actually saw him on the mount, invested with majesty and glory, similar to that which he would assume

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in his kingdom at the last day. For, continues the "Apostle, He received from God the Father, HONOUR and 66 GLORY, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; and this voice, which came from heaven, we heard 66 WHEN WE WERE WITH HIM IN THE HOLY MOUNT. "This is St. Peter's own comment on the transfiguration, in which he expressly compares Christ's glory and majesty "on the mount, to that which he will display in his final "advent, and considers the former as an emblem and an earnest, and a proof of the latter.” *

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Such are the different and opposite representations of two men, who have, in their day, occupied the same exalted station, who have been distinguished for their learning and ability, and who, by their Writings, have shewn themselves, the zealous advocates of the Christian cause. But of two such opposite and discordant opinions, one of them, it is obvious, must be wrong, and as the perspicuity, both of the Evangelist and of the Apostle, is deeply involved in the question, whether the present, or the late Bishop of London has been mistaken; it will be necessary critically to investigate this matter; premising only that no offence is intended against the learned Prelate, who now so worthily occupies that exalted

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This learned Prelate, in his xixth Lecture, in which he has considered the prediction of our Lord concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, has expressly admitted that "the "expressions made use of, the sign of thy coming, and the

end of the world, at the first view, naturally lead our "thoughts to the coming of Christ at the day of judgment, " and the final dissolution of this earthly globe. But," says he, " a due attention to the parallel passages in St. Mark and “St. Luke, and a critical examination into the real import "of those two phrases in various parts of Scripture, will soon convince a careful enquirer, that by the coming of Christ ❝is here meant, not his coming to judge the world at the last "day, but his coming to execute judgment upon Jerusalem ; † " and

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* See the Bishop of London's Lectures on St. Matthew, Vol. II. p. 18, 19. + See Mark xiii. 4. Luke xxi. 7. Matt. xxiv. 4. 5. xvi. 28. John xxi. 22. By the learned Prelate's referring here to Matthew xvi. 28. to prove Christ's coming

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and that by the end of the world is to be understood, not the final consummation of all things here below, but THE 86 END of that age, the end of the Jewish state and polity, "the subversion of their City, Temple, and Govern❝ment." *

Now, if it be granted that the two Epistles of St. Peter were written BEFORE the destruction of Jerusalem-the prediction of our Lord that there would be false Christs and false Prophets, who should precede the awful calamity, seems very naturally to account for St. Peter's assertion, that there would be some who, in the last days, i. e. in the last days of the Jewish state, should say, Where is the promise of his coming? And it seems as naturally to account for his telling those to whom he wrote-We have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our our Lord Jesus Christ, and particularly, as he appears to have said it, as Bishop Sherlock has observed, "With the "air of one who had been reproached for his doctrine;" or of one who was apprehensive of the mischief which might arise from the insinuation of the scoffers, that the prediction of his coming would not be realized. That the Apostle did refer to the approaching destruction of Jerusalem, when he speaks of the Salvation ready to be revealed, and the day of visitation, and the revelation of Jesus Christ, was the opinion of Bishop Sherlock, and can scarcely be disputed; and that he should speak of the coming of Christ, and mention the scoffers, as saying, Where is the promise of his coming, for since the Fathers fell asleep, &c. will be considered, by all good judges of the nature of evidence, as among the most authentic proofs that the destruction of Jerusalem had not yet taken place, and of St. Peter's regard to our Lord's predictions concerning that awful event, as well as of his earnest solicitude to guard those to whom he wrote, against the infidel insinuations of their adversaries.

"coming to execute judgment upon Jerusalem," he appears not to have been aware of the question which he had formerly put, in his xvth Lecture, p. 17. and in his Essay on the Transfiguration of Christ, p. 16, when speaking particularly of this very verse; for, having quoted it, at full length, he says, "Is it not most natural, is it not almost necessary to understand these "similar expressions as relating to the same great event?"

For the true meaning of this verse---See the preceding part of this Work, pages 58 to 76.

* See Lecture xix. pages 139, 140.

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