moon shall not give her light, the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. There shall also be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. It is supposed by some, and we think with some plausibility, that while these physical events are to be regarded as symbolical of the revolutions and commotions of empires, and of the prevalence of all the evils of earthquakes and famines wont to attend them, they nevertheless will, to some extent, literally occur. Striking atmospheric and celestial phenomena shall be observed, which, being beyond the reach of man's philosophy, may be regarded as the visible symbols which God himself hangs out in the heavens to predict the consummation coming. It is remarkable that, for the last hundred, and especially the last fifty or sixty years, the atmospheric and celestial phenomena have been more marked, frequent, and varied, than in any previous age of the world. There are not many definite accounts of the Aurora Borealis* to be traced further back than about one hundred and fifty years. We have had a series of very marked total eclipses of the sun, that will not occur again for many * The following lines of Lucretius are as near to an accurate description of this phenomenon, as anything we meet in remote antiquity. Nocturnasque faces cœli, sublimi volantes, See also Tac. Hist. v. 13. The description by Josephus of the extraordinary sights in the Heavens, at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, cannot, without assuming too great liberties, as Archbishop Newcome has done, be made coincident with auroral coruscations. See Newcome's Observations, &c., pp. 263, 264. years; and we have had meteoric showers that filled the minds of beholders with wonder. Some astronomers have told us, that they rejoiced to live in these days, for the abundant and extraordinary celestial phenomena transpiring. It is said, that no less than fifteen hundred stars have recently faded from the vault of heaven, and some of them were observed in a state of conflagration. Frightful earthquakes have occurred in different parts of the world. Famines have extensively prevailed, and of the most fatal character, in several nations of the East. A large portion of the population of Great Britain, through oppressive legislation, are actually at this time in a starving condition. France is but a slumbering volcano, and other nations are in a restless and uneasy condition. Ever since the French Revolution, the peculiar signs, both moral and political, which it is predicted shall mark the time of the end, have been developing. In a few words, the nations of the earth are rearing the standard of infidelity; Popery is propagating its abominations; the Ottoman Empire is wasting away; the Gospel is extensively propagated, and has been preached in nearly every nation on earth; the Bible has been translated into more than one hundred and fifty languages; an extraordinary movement has been made in favor of the Jews; the world is sunk in fatal security and indifference, and laughs at the thought of danger; a large portion of the church, like the foolish virgins, has fallen asleep; the spirit of despotism has forged fresh chains to enslave the minds of men, and to oppress the nations of the earth; the preparation is making for a great and fearful crisis; the kings and rulers of the earth are leaguing and conspiring together, and becoming involved more and more in their ambitious schemes and enterprises; and the Lord is sealing his people, pouring out his Spirit, and gathering in his elect. Verily we must be blind indeed, if we cannot discern the signs of the times. The judgment of the Ancient of Days, for aught we can tell, may have already begun to sit in Heaven, and the signs in the sun, moon and stars, distress of nations, &c., may soon be transferred to earth. Already we hear the roaring of the sea and waves; the breaking forth of popular commotions; men's hearts begin to fail them through fear, in looking after those things to come upon the earth; and the powers of the political heavens, or constitutions of governments, begin to shake. All these things have been transpiring, in greater or less activity, ever since A. D. 1792, when, very probably, the twelve hundred and sixty years ended, and the seventy-five years, for the time of the end, commenced; and if so, then lift up your heads, ye saints, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Lord's coming in the clouds of heaven is fore-signified by all these things, and is even at the doors. Fellow Christian! it is your privilege to rejoice. You shall enter into the joy of your Lord. But, impenitent reader, the report of the coming of the Lord should strike you with terror. Prepare to meet your God! "Be wise now, therefore, oh ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."* * Ps. 10-12. CHAPTER XIV. THE SKEPTIC'S OBJECTION. "THERE shall come in the last days, scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."* The phrase, "last days," is used in the Sacred Scriptures; sometimes, indefinitely, to denote futurity; sometimes the general period of the dispensation that should succeed the Mosaic-the gospel days, as we say; and sometimes the period of that dispensation when it is drawing to a close. In whatever sense we understand it here, it is a prediction, that the idea of the second visible and glorious coming of Jesus Christ would be rejected with ridicule and contempt,—and that men would justify their infidelity on this subject, by their appeals to an alleged uniformity and perpetuity in the laws of nature. The prediction receives, at this day, a remarkable accomplishment. During the entire period of the present dispensation, there has been more of incredulity in the world, and of a disposition to scoff at the idea of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah of God, than there was before its introduction. Previous to his first coming, not only were the Jews, but * 2 Peter, 3. 3. the whole world, in expectation of the 'appearance of some great and illustrious personage, who should impart knowledge and diffuse happiness among men. Whatever men thought of their several systems of religion, and however multiform was their idolatry, this was a favorite idea, entertained and inculcated alike by poets and philosophers, priests and people. Since that day, the spirit of scoffing infidelity has presumed much on the ground of the Saviour's outward carriage, and humble spirit, and ignominious death. Perhaps at no period has there been more indifference and practical infidelity on the subject of the second coming of Christ than of late years. The spirit of infidelity has fortified itself by means both of mental and physical science. The event, with its immediate and necessary attendants, as set forth in the Sacred Scriptures, seems to be so entirely miraculous, so contrary to all the known and established laws of nature, so unlike anything that has ever occurred within the experience of any now alive on the earth, or who have lived for centuries, that they cannot believe it ever will be. We will not say, that infidelity on this subject exists precisely in this form in the church; but, it most unquestionably has exerted its influence on the explanations of the Bible, adopted by many learned theologians, taught in the schools, and preached in the pulpits at the present day. The neological writers in Germany, and those in this country, and others who adopt their psychological principles, find it by no means difficult to explain away everything like miracles recorded in the Bible, believing that in so doing they commend it to rational minds; and prophecy itself, after it has been sufficiently generalized, and rendered perfectly vague by the application of false |