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the holy angels." We may observe here, that some, alas! many, are ashamed of Christ; and that all may be said to be ashamed of him, who, inwardly feeling any thing akin to the sense of shame, do not receive him and believe in him, and do not openly acknowledge him in their profession and life. In some unbelieving and impenitent sinners, this shame has a reference chiefly to Christ himself, especially to his lowliness, and to his ignominious and accursed death: Christ crucified is to them a stumbling-block and foolishness. In others, this shame is felt chiefly in regard to Christ's words; they are ashamed to profess his humbling doctrines, and practically to observe his self-denying and holy precepts. But all such persons are here taught that yielding to such false shame as this, however it appear to them to be the way to avoid opprobrium, is the certain way to involve them in merited and overwhelming shame at last, when Christ shall come again.

We are assured that the same Jesus who was taken up into heaven, shall in like manner come again: that is, he shall come literally, personally, in the clouds of heaven, and with power and great glory. He shall thus come at the end of the world, to raise up all that have died, and to judge the quick and the dead. To them that look for him shall he then appear the second time; but without sin, (without sin imputed to him, and without being a sacrifice for sin,) "unto salvation." He shall come in his own glory and in his Father's glory." It is difficult to say how these two kinds of glory are to be distinguished. Perhaps, the meaning may be, that, besides the splendour of the glorified body he wears as Mediator, the Father will bestow on him some additional glory, when he comes to execute, by his commission, the exalted office of judge. And he shall come in the glory "of the holy angels," that is, attended by a retinue of angels, who, will contribute to the noble solemnity of the scene. At this, his second coming, at the last day, he will be ashamed of those who are now ashamed of him: that is, he will not acknowledge them, he will disown them with scorn, he will condemn them, and he will punish them with everlasting destruction from the presence of the lord, and from the glory of his power. Think of this, ye whom a sinful shame prevents from avouching Christ to be your Lord, and from walking in his ways: and, as you would avoid indelible disgrace at last, break through the foolish snare that now binds you. Think of this, ye too who are in any way ex

posed to the reproach of men for Jesus' sake. "Let none of you suffer as an evil-doer, or as a busy-body in other men's matters, but if any of you suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf." When your saviour comes, he will come to confess you before his Father and the holy angels. Whatever, therefore, may befall you, and however many your trials may be, "abide in him, that when he shall appear, ye may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming."

And now, not to return to any of the foregoing topics, let us conclude with considering what may have been the more immediate import of our Lord's declaration to the disciples, and all who heard him, in the 27th verse; and also what

useful hints it may still suggest to us. "But I tell you of a truth, There be some standing here, who shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God" or, as in Matthew,* "till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom;" and, as in Mark,"till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." You will observe that our Lord had just been encouraging his hearers to espouse, and to be faithful to his cause, by considerations drawn from a future state, and the judgment of the great day. These encouragements, however, though unspeakably important, related to a distant period, and an invisible world; and, therefore, in addition to these, he proceeds to direct their attention to something which was to happen ere long, and which some of them were to witness before they left this earth. The phrase, to "taste of death," signifies to die, in the ordinary and literal sense. It is thus represented, perhaps, as a cup to be drunk of, a something that may be tasted: and we read of "the bitterness of death." In Heb. ii. 9, it is said that Jesus should "taste death" (that is, die) " for every man.” Our Lord told those who now heard him, that some of them should see the kingdom of God come with power, or, the Son of man coming in his kingdom, before they departed this life. What, then, was the event to which he referred? It could not be his personal coming at the day of judgment, for that day is still very remote. Nor could it be his coming, as he will come spiritually to reign in the universal spread of the gospel, for that event is still future. nearest event to the moment he actually spoke, which can be fixed on, is his glorious transfiguration; and some have been inclined to consider that as what he here intended. But + Mark ix. 1.

* Matt. xvi. 28.

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that took place, according to Matthew and Mark, who speak exclusively of the two extreme days, six days: and according to Luke, who speaks inclusively, about eight days after this: we cannot reasonably suppose that our Lord would speak of it as a noticeable circumstance that some of his hearers would then be alive. The next event, and that on which others are disposed to fix, is that, after the exaltation of Christ, when the Spirit was poured out from on high, and so many were converted; and that may, perhaps, be considered as included, or, as being the beginning of the fulfilment of this prediction. But, as that happened a few months after the time our Lord spoke, neither can it be considered as at all coming up to the full and natural explanation of the saying. If I knew that some important event was to happen a few months after this, the natural way of speaking of it would be, not that some of you will be alive then, but that most of you will, in all probability, live to see it. We are led, then, to look on that as the true interpretation of these words, which refers them, if not exclusively, yet chiefly, to Christ's coming to destroy Jerusalem, abolish the Mosaic economy, and introduce the full reign of the gospel. This is set forth under the figure of his "coming," that is, his providential coming, as in other places, so especially, in his own striking prophecy in the 24th chapter of Matthew. When Jesus had spoken of the destruction of the temple, the disciples said to him: "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" It is true that there are difficulties connected with a consistent and full interpretation of the whole chapter, and that there is also in it a typical and literal description of Christ's coming at the last day; but, there is no room for doubt as to its applying, in the first instance, to the destruction of Jerusalem. Now, this is just such a period as that, speaking in relation to it, our Lord might be supposed to say that some of those who stood by should not taste of death till they had seen it; that is, that most of them would be dead before it, but some of them would survive it: for, it happened about forty years after the time he spoke. His words, too, in the 34th verse of the same chapter of Matthew, are quite in favour of this interpretation: "Verily, I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." We know that the apostle John, for one, lived till after this period; and some think, apparently with much reason, that this was foretold

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of him by Jesus, when he said to Peter, in the last chapter of John's Gospel: "If I will that he (John) tarry till I come, what is that to thee?" So also, there is every reason to believe that several more of our Lord's hearers (though no more of the apostles) lived till after that awful catastrophe. Such seems to be the import of this passage, as in relation to those who stood hearing our Lord. And well might he refer to that coming, signal vengeance on his enemies, and interference for his friends, and proof of his divine mission, as a reason why men should boldly confess him, and be faithful to his cause. Surely, those of his true disciples who lived to witness these scenes, would be completely confirmed in the faith; and those unbelievers who lived to witness them, and still continued unbelieving, would be left without a shadow of excuse.

But, what improvement should we now make of these words? I would say, first of all, that what few of our Lord's hearers lived to see, we all know to have been accomplished, and therefore, we ought to reap from it all the benefit it is calculated to impart. Let that glorious display of Jesus' power, convince us that he is indeed the Messiah, and that it is vain to look for another. Let us take warning, also, by the vengeance which fell on those who denied and crucified him: and let us feel assured that he, who spared not the natural branches, will not spare us, if we be unfruitful.

Again, the terms in which this declaration is couched, suggests that there will be another glorious illustration of the Son of man coming in his kingdom-of the kingdom, or reign, of God coming with power, when the universal spread of the gospel shall reduce all nations under the Saviour's victorious sway. And, as the Son of man came in his kingdom at the period already mentioned, though there was no personal appearance of him then; so, it is as plain that there is no propriety, but a very great absurdity, in supposing that he will personally appear when he reigns on earth at the now approaching triumph of the gospel. That there are any already born, who shall live to see the splendour of that day, it would be rash to affirm. It seems certain, however, that a progress is making to a most desired consummation, and that more glorious things will soon be witnessed in the world. Let the full persuasion of the coming triumph of your Redeemer's cause, even on earth, now confirm you in your devotedness to him, ye who love his name. Should you die before all the kingdoms of this world become the

kingdoms of your Lord and of his Christ, you will see nobler things in heaven than even such a sight would be on earth. Think, too, of the moment, when you shall see him coming in his kingdom at the last day, to bless and crown all his faithful followers; and say whether you have not every reason to be steadfast. But, indeed, your evidences of the Redeemer's glory, and your encouragements not to be ashamed of him, are not all in reserve: many such are already given you. Yes, his kingdom is come already; he himself is already come with power. He is come to every He is come into every

soul that knows and trusts him.

heart that loves him. He is come to yourselves. Say not lo here, or lo there!-for the kingdom of Christ, the reign of God, is within you. Cherish, then, more and more, his blessed sway. Yield to all the holy laws, and hold fast all the great privileges of that kingdom, which is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Thus, when your days are fulfilled, and you come to taste of death, its bitterness will soon be passed, and you will be translated from the kingdom of grace to the kingdom of glory.

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