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they will be found true, and to stand the same, to be fulfilled though the heavens and the earth will soon be no more. 36. "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."

This is Christ's answer, short and definite, to the disciples' question, "When shall these things be?" He could tell them the signs of it as they asked, and has done it fully, as we have now seen. But the precise time "when," is, and will be, absolutely unknown to all men, and even to "the angels of God," till suddenly it shall come. The saints, by witnessing these foretold signs, may know when it is close by. When Daniel inquired for this "time of the end," he was told that "the words" were "closed up and sealed, till the time of the end." (Dan. 12: 6, 8, 9.) Christ, when again answering the question, said." It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power." (Acts, 1:7.) And Paul, on the same subject, said, "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." (1 Thess. 5: 1, 2. Prin. 5th and 6th, and References.).

According to these, and other parallel passages, as here understood, all human calculations, with prophetic numbers, to fix the period or time of Christ's coming, and the end of the world, are but a vain attempt to be wise above angels, or above what is written; while the great wisdom we should all rather seek and obtain, consists in being now at once continually and perfectly ready, according to the Gospel, to meet the Lord in peace at his anticipated speedy appearing.*

Mr. Wolf, the Jewish missionary who lectured in this and other American cities two years ago, on Christ's second coming, it will be recollected by many, taught that the year of the event would be 1847

37-51. "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be," &c. &c.

Without room fully to present and examine the remainder of the chapter, this discourse may now close with Christ's own

IMPROVEMENT of the subject.

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Having very fully given the signs of his coming, as desired, showing, when witnessed, that he is " near, even at the doors," he here proceeds further to describe the solemn events of his coming upon the wicked in their sudden destruction like "the flood" of Noah, finding them equally unbelieving and unprepared, also, at their feasts, at their weddings, in their fields, at the mill, &c., then to be finally separated from the saints. These things 1 led him to say to all," Watch, therefore, for ye know not what

while others have computed that it will be about 1866, and others that it will be about 2000, or the seven thousandth year of the world, while the period of the calculation of many others for his final appearing, has already passed by at various dates of scores and hundreds of years ago. Wm. Miller, a Baptist minister, who has been studying the prophecies for twenty years or more, with much interest, and has for some time been publishing and lecturing on Christ's coming to judgment, and the end of the world, has maintained that the period of his thus coming would be about 1839, or 1843. Although this part of his theory is so wide from the 5th and 6th Principles on which this work is founded, it is believed that very much in his instructions, is scriptural and arousing as means of grace, and calculated to rectify many very important popular errors on prophecy, especially in regard to the nature of the coming and kingdom of God taught throughout the Bible. It is also believed, from information in my own excursions, that his writings and labors on the subject, notwithstanding his opinion of prophetic time in fixing the period so definite, have accomplished more in exciting interest on the subject, and the inquiry, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?" than any other American before him. And as it has been extensively published in papers that he has recently acknow. ledged a mistake in his calculation, putting off the great day another hundred years, it seems only as an act of justice to Mr. Miller, here to give the public a brief extract of a letter he sent me, dated at his residence, "Low Hampton," (Washington Co., N. Y.,) Sept. 9, 1839," which extract is as follows, viz. "As it respects the mistake of an 100 years, it is one of our newspaper lies. No truth in it, nor even a shadow of truth. I have contradicted it in public and in print, and they refuse to believe me, or publish my denial. I will therefore request you to deny the report in my name, in as public a manner as you please."

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hour your Lord doth come". "Be ye also ready, [or repent, &c. immediately,] for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh," [to judgment,] and "Blessed is that servant, [or saint,] whom his Lord, when he cometh, he shall find so doing-[as a faithful, continual christian]Verily I say unto yau, he shall make him ruler over all his goods-[a king in heaven]-But and if that evil servant [unbeliever] shall say in his heart [or even secretly desire or think] my Lord [Christ] delayeth his coming, [or the judgment is not near,] and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken, [or, as a natural consequence, to seek pleasure with sin and sinners,] the Lord of that servant [or sinner] shall come [tó judge him] in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of. And shall cut him asunder [cut short his probation] and appoint him his portion [for ever] with the hypocrites [worst of sinners] there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth," [despair and anguish unspeakable.]

And now, in view of all these prophecies of Christ, and their parallels, throughout the Bible, showing us, by important signs in the church, and in the visible heavens, through all christendom, already fulfilled and fulfilling, that the judgment of the great day is actually now at the door; and in accordance with these his corresponding and most solemn admonitions to prepare, will not every man, woman and child, in every profession, business and station, immediately comply, and religiously watch and be ready, having your peace made with God-your repentance for sin genuine and deep-your faith in Christ strong and abiding-your love to God and man ardent and unwavering-your life "all holy conversation and godliness," and your sincere, continual and fervent prayer-" Thy kingdom come”—yea, "Come, Lord Jesus"—" Come quickly."—" AMEN.”

2.18

LECTURE X.

DOWNFALL OF BABYLON; OR DESTRUCTION OF SATAN'S

KINGDOM AT HAND.

Mat. 3:2. Rev. 18:2.

"The kingdom of heaven is at hand:”—“ Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird."

THE DOCTRINE

Now to be vindicated from this text is, that the “ BABYLON" of the Revelation, and of parallel passages in the former prophets, includes the whole body or city of the wicked, of devils and human sinners, which is Satan's kingdom; and that its downfall, as here predicted, is their final everlasting destruction in hell, at the coming of Christ and his glorious kingdom now "nigh at hand."

The plan of the present concluding discourse will be to sustain this doctrine:

I. By an examination of the text, compared with its connexion and parallel passages; and,

II. By an exposition of the chapter in connexion, showing its harmony with this doctrine, and with other prophecies generally of Babylon's character and destruction.

I. In sustaining our doctrine from the text itself, it may be remarked,

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1. That the name of this city "BABYLON THE GREAT," in the text, and in the connexion, THAT GREAT CITY BABYLON," is altogether more appropriate to the kingdom of Satan than to the papal power, or any other city less in number, less in power, less in wickedness, than that of Satan's whole kingdom. As yet, Satan certainly has a kingdom, city, or power, which is numerous as the sand of the sea," (Rev. 20: 8,) and powerful against the saints, and is wicked beyond any thing else, or beyond, any mere part of the same kingdom, and is more aptly called " THE GREAT," or THAT GREAT CITY," than any other city or power of sin which is not "THE GREAT," or "the greatest;" and surely there is no other city of power, riches, pride, and wicked dominion, the name of which is more appropriate to Satan's kingdom than that of " BABYLON THE GREAT."

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2. This same figurative book of Revelation informs us that "the great city"—" where our Lord was also crucified"—" spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt." (Rev. 11:8.) But our Lord was crucified in a city literally called "Jerusalem," leaving us to understand that “ THE GREAT CITY" which crucified OUR LORD," as well as slaying also all the martyrs of "prophets and of saints," (Rev. 18:24,) from the first, is none other than " THAT GREAT CITY" of Satan which truly is guilty of all this hostility and bloody war against the Lord, and against his dear people in the world. Then, as the devil's kingdom is "spiritually called Sodom and Egypt," there is the same scriptural propriety in "spiritually," or figuratively calling it "BABYLON," also, and occasionally by other parallel names of wicked places distinguished in the scriptures for their hostility towards the people of God,

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