Do post-millenarians dissent from applying this simple test to the pre-millenarian side of the question, and consent to apply it to the advent subsequent to the millennium? Consider the logical consequences: 1. It would not then be a question of relative order, as it is now. For, as the advent did not occur at the beginning of the millennium, it must, of course, occur at the end of it; and it would then be a question of belief or disbelief of the Word of God; inasmuch as the advent is predicted to take place either at the opening, or at the close of that dispensation. 2. The general unpreparedness of the world at that time, as the supposition is, would show that general disbelief of what is distinctly revealed in the Word of God will characterise the close of the millennium.

As it would be impossible to compress within the limits of this. article the examination of a tithe of the passages of Scripture which we deem decisive in settling this great controversy respecting the relative order of the millennium and the advent, we must be content with the consideration of only a few, and these chiefly from the sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ. It will be remembered that we are not discussing the general subject of the millennium, nor the general subject of the advent, nor the numberless collateral and more or less dependent questions which are usually treated in connection with the general theme. All these are more or less important in a general discussion, but they are purposely excluded from this. The settlement of the great question now under immediate review will necessarily dispose of many of the collateral issues.

How did our Lord represent the relative order of these two great events? While it must be admitted by all that he did not use the term millennium, yet it will not be denied by any that he often referred to a coming state or dispensation, when, as all, perhaps, will agree, the millennial prophecies will be fulfilled. His kingdom will come, and his will shall be done upon earth as it is in heaven. He will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity. The righteous shall yet shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The meek shall inherit the earth. The apostles will yet sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Isarel. The obedient and the faithful shall yet enter into the joy of their Lord. We are not now called upon to give the precise signification of these various representations of the coming glory and blessedness of the true disciples. Perhaps even millenarians might not exactly coincide in their views of the particulars included in the general representation of the coming felicity. But the good time coming must include the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. It must then embrace the millennial blessedness promised to the church in this world. To suppose that our Lord overleaped and overlooked the millennial state, as of

too little consequence to be referred to, and contemplated only what we usually call heaven, or the eternal state, will not be admitted by any true millenarian of either of the two kinds contemplated in this article.

With this restricted view of the general subject, let us for a little consider the great prophecy respecting His coming, and the end of the world. [Not kosmos, but aion.] Leaving untouched innumerable topics, which might unnecessarily detain and embarrass us, we consider only these :

1. Here is a chain of prophecy that stretches through the whole breadth of this dispensation, beginning chronologically with the first persecution of the infant church, and extending down to the coming of the Lord at the end of the aion, when the Master returns to reward the watchful and the obedient, and to punish the disobedient and the disbelieving.

2. There is not the slightest indication of any such condition of general virtue and blessedness as the Scriptures authorise us to expect in that age, dipensation, or state that we denominate the millennium.

3. Instead of all becoming holy and harmless, the unfaithful and the unbelieving continue so until the end, and are found by the returning Master eating and drinking with the drunken, and smiting their fellow-servants, and screening themselves with the plea, "My Lord delayeth his coming." Is there any millennium here ?

4. The days of persecution, distress, and tribulation continue until the last; so that the signs of the Lord's coming follow "immediately after the tribulation of those days."

5. The day of the Lord, or the coming of the Son of man, overtakes the unbelieving, unwatchful, unprepared generations by surprise, as they are eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, as the Noachian flood came upon the wicked antediluvians and took them all away. The Lord will come "in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. i. 8), as the fire-storm fell upon Sodom and consumed them in ther lusts.

6. There is not in all this broad prophecy, that covers the whole dispensation, extending down to the end of the aion [as long as the Gospel commission continues, Matt. xxviii. 20], the slightest intimation of such a state of the world, or of the church, as the millennial prophecies give us reason to expect.

7. Closing up the long-continuing aion, during which wickedness and the wicked continue until the end, the Lord suddenly comes to reward and punish.

Thus have we explored the whole breadth of this dispensational sea. Launching out on the first advent side of it, we have sailed

*Matt. xxiv., and parallels.

in search of the millennial isle; but we have not discovered it. We know where it is indicated in the modern charts; but we have traversed every Scripture parallel of longitude and latitude in that vicinity, and have not found it. We have found the Second Advent on the farther coast; but there is no island of Paradise this side of it.

Is there any millennial indication beyond the advent?

1. We find, in connection with the advent, a gathering together of the elect from the four winds of heaven. So here we have the proper subjects of the expected blessedness.

2. We find them redeemed from all the tribulation which afflicted them through all the Gospel aion until the close of it. The Lord has added to his description of the signs of the advent these words of instruction and cheer: "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." So here we have assurance of the good things that follow.

3. That state is of the nature of a kingdom. When the Son of man is revealed from heaven, coming in his glory, he will sit upon the throne of his glory, and speak and act as "the King." This will be in perfect accord with all the prophecies of the millennium; for it is almost invariably represented as a kingdom-the Son of David reigning upon David's throne. "The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David." (Luke i. 32.) Sec, also, the whole of the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, and the almost innumerable parallel passages.

4. Then our Lord is careful to fix the time of the introduction of the kingdom, showing that it is not to be expected until the period of the advent: "So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the KINGDOM OF GOD is nigh at hand." (Luke xxi. 31.) Is not this the period when "the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him ?" (Dan. vii. 27.) Is not this indeed the fulfilment of that petition which the Lord has put into the heart and mouth of the church, "Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven ?"

5. So here we find the saints associated with the Lord, after his advent, possessing the kingdom, which comes in connection with the advent. Here is the consummation of the millennial prophecies, relating both to the King and the happy subjects of his dominion. They do not go to find the kingdom; it comes to them, in fulfilment of prophecy, and in answer to the petition in the Lord's prayer. The kingdom is "under the whole heaven." When the kingdom comes, the will of God is done on earth, as it

* Eltheto, from erkomai, to coME; never to extend, or to increase.

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is in heaven." Now the saints reign with him." Now "the saints shall judge the world." Is not this the Bible millennium ? 6. But where do we find this millennium? What is its chronological relation to the advent? Is it before? No. No. Is it after? Yes. Who teaches this? Christ. Let us continue sitting at the feet of this Divine Teacher. With reverential docility let our ears be attentive to the words of his lips. Lord, we would know unto what the kingdom of heaven is like. Not the kingdom of heaven in heaven, but the kingdom of heaven upon earth: the kingdom in that stage or dispensation when Thy will is done on earth as it is in heaven, We would understand the relations of the kingdom to the present dispensation; the origin of the present admixture of good and evil; whether this state of things will continue until the end of the present economy [aion], or whether, previous to the end, all the wicked shall become obedient to Thy commands, and all wickedness be cleansed away. Speak, Lord, for Thy servants are waiting to hear. D. D. B.

I cannot feel that love may reign
Joy-crowned in me on earth again;
I only hope

That in some other happier sphere,
The dear affections thwarted here
May find their scope.

I cannot hope that woe no more
May wound my heart as heretofore;
I only trust

That all God's reasons for my lot,
The reasons which he telleth not,
Are wise and just.

I cannot trust the whispered thought
That life will yet bring all I sought;
I only build

My faith on this assured decrec,
That all which God intends for me
Shall be fulfilled.

I cannot build on self-made plan,
Of works I choose to do, and can;
I only ask

That he to do whose will I live,
May with my daily portion give
My daily task.

I cannot ask to 'scape the fight
In which wrong wrestles here with right;
I only pray

That I upon right's side may be,
And that my God will fight with me,
And win the day.

I cannot pray to miss my cross,
And share of common grief and loss;
I only long

To hear, beyond earth's moans and cries,
And join, above her silent skies,

The triumph song!

* H. L. M. (Author of "Angel Visits.)

IT

NATURE AND ITS LEANING.

T is a common saying that "Nature is nature," and true of man as it is of the brute. Do what we will, nature will run its course. Civilisation or education may arrest or tone down the brutality that clings to man in his natural state, but grace only can change it. One said, when pleading for her own civilised and highly

C