weak however to storm the city, he withdrew his forces; and in the interim which followed between this and the arrival of Titus, an opportunity was given to the Christians to escape, which could not humanly-speaking have been foreseen. They fled in haste to Pella, and suffered no harm during the dreadful scene which followed-not a hair of any head was hurt. THE FIGURATIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE CHANGE FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW THEOCRACY. But in those And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: for false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. The last sign which was to precede the establishment of the new theocracy, was the destruc tion of the holy city, and especially of its temple. The mention of this accordingly is followed by a description, which, agreeably to the interpretation of the old prophetic language, may be explained of the change of dispensation now to be finally and completely accomplished. Lest however the early Christians, swayed by long rooted prejudices, should conceive that Christ's reign so established was to take place by his presence in the flesh once more amongst them, he first warns them against this misconception, by repeating his prediction concerning false Christs, and adding, " and then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not." Many impostors, he tells them, would take advantage of the erroneous notion, and delude many, (as actually was the case;) but that Christ in this new kingdom of God was not to be "here," or "there." There was to be no local temple or kingdom. hour was come, when neither to the mountain in Samaria, nor yet to Jerusalem, should be attached the presence of God; but the true worshippers were to worship Him in spirit and in truth. So "when he was asked by the Pharisees, when the The kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation; neither shall they say lo, here, or lo, there, for the kingdom of God is within you.” He was indeed, according to the promise made to his disciples, to "come unto them ;" and, in remembrance of this, the apostle who survived the signs of his fixed residence with his Church exclaims, Even so, come, Lord Jesus;" but He was to come as God manifested by the Spirit-to be within "the Church, which is his body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all"." After what has been already said of the import and character of the prophetic figures here employed, it will be unnecessary to point out their fitness to the present occasion. There is one, however, against which an exception may be takenthe image of the angels sent to gather" the elect from the four corners of the heavens." But even this is not inapplicable to the event which took place on the establishment of Christ's Church, when God by his " angels," or ministers, selected and called various nations into his kingdom. The term angel is by the inspired writers applied Ephes. i. 23. Luke xvii. 20, 21. to those so sent, and the term elect, to those so called. St. John, for instance, uses the term angel" in the sense of bishops: and the term "elect" became even more familiar in Christian phrase. For the frequent use of this latter term there was indeed a further reason. God's former kingdom consisted of persons selected out of the world; set apart, and made His peculiar people. In speaking therefore of the new theocracy-the spiritual Church-the persons composing it were fitly designated by a title, which pointed out their claim to be the successors of the Jewish Church, in all the privileges of God's elect. At the same time, the sending forth of God's angels to gather together his elect from the four winds of heaven, carries with it, to us at least, so much more of the character of a description of the day of judgment, that many interpret it also of that day; some apply it wholly in this manner. The mention of this difference of opinion naturally leads us to the next point proposed for consideration, namely, Rev. ii. and iii. SUPPOSING PARTS OF THE PROPHETIC LANGUAGE USED BY CHRIST TO BELONG PROPERLY TO A DESCRIPTION OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, WHETHER SUCH PARTS CAN BE RECONCILED WITH THE DECLARATION OF CHRIST CONCERNING THE PERIOD OF THE WHOLE PROPHECY'S FULFILMENT. On this question turns the main difficulty, the only difficulty indeed which the prophecy involves. If the language of the prophecy, according to the interpretation proposed, seems to be fully explained in reference to the change of dispensation which was consummated and legally sealed by the abolition of the temple-service, then the whole did take place within the period prescribed. But if any portions of it suggest, and seem designed to suggest, a more awful scene which is yet to be realized, how are we to reconcile the apparent inconsistency? While He who delivered the prophecy preached Truth as the characteristic of his doctrine, and has confirmed, by all that can give confirmation to the candid, his own pretensions to be " the truth," the difficulty can occasion no faltering of faith; no |