The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 499

tion thereof. Looking, however, at his coming u taking plRCe at the restitution of all things, we must needs include in our aspirations. after that glorious g011,l of human pro- F"sa every dep on tlMJ way thither. Th686 steps towards the final bltllll8dnesa are ahoWII 111 the N.ew 'l'estament in the tiillowing order : L· The advance of truth and the pro- clamation of the goapel among all nations must take p]ace before the end. 2. The prom.i!MI of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost is very far from complete fulfilment. Oar Lord lives and reigns to bestow this gracious baptism. The Holy Ghost will both train the Church and convict the wor]d. 3. Through the pouring ont of the Holy Spirit Israel is to be restored (Ezek. xxxv.-x:uvii.). 4, The effect of Israel's restora- tion will be ".as life from the dead," and will be followed by the inbringing of the fulnel!II of the Gentiles (Rom. lx.-xi.). 5. Then will follow a long period of millennial n¥1t, during which rlghteo11SUes■, though not abaolutely universal, will be in the ascend• ant.; while :at the same time the tares as well as the wheat will be ripening for harvest (Isa. lx.; Matt. xiii.). 6• .After this, for reasons known only to the great Disposer, the evil one, having Jong been bound, will be "loosed a,,.oain," but only for a season. He will go forth to deceive, This wil1 be his last effort, which will issue in his destruc- tion. The eni>miM of God and of his. Church will one by one be overthrown. 7, '!'hen will come the appearing of our Lord; the general resurrection; 1 the gathering of the natiODI; the judgment; the award-for the wicked, the second death; for the righteous- 8. The inbringing of the new b,eavens ll.nd the new earth, wherein righteousness will dwell. It is for this we long. :tor this believers are waiting, anxiously watching every atep in the process which is to bring about that halcyon calm. Yea, in our eagerness for it, we sometimes wish to push forward the wheels of time. We ask impatiently, "Why is his chariot so long in coming?" We cannot rest while wickedness rides high, nor while tares·ao much abound. Hence our prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Come and complete thy reign. Overturn, and overturn, and overturn. Throw down the wrong; bring in the right, and let the groaning and travailing of the creation cease because of the manifestation of the sons of God I " II. WHY 18 THTB IN SUCH AN ABSORBING DEGREE TBB BOl'E 01' THE Cmracm? We are not careful to disguise the fact that in this respect the Church's outlook is very different from that of some who devote themselves to science, philosophy, and literature. 'l'here are, indeed, men of highest literary and scientific standing. who join heartily in tha prayer, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." .At the same time, there is no doubt that while men generally deem it wise and right to seek and to expect human progress, there is a great divergence among them in their opinions as to what such progress means, and how it is to be secured. The hope of some is that, through the advance of scieoce, the race will reach its goal; that as law comes to be more definitely understood, nature will be brought more thoroughly under control, etc. In distinction from any or all of these, stands out the Christian hope. If we be asked a reason for it, we are pre- pared to give it in a series of considerations which, we cannot but think, are too fre- quently overlooked, Accordingly, we now give in outline the reasons which Christians have for the @nviction that nothlng less than the in bringing of the Christian hope will meet the cravings of our heart.a. 'l'hese reasons are so given as to be taken cumula- tively. 1, We cannot but recognize the superiority of moral considerations to those whioh are merely physical. Doubtless, neglect of sanitary laws may prove a serious obstruction to men. But that neglect is itself a wrong moral act, And the immorality of the neglect must be done away ere the physical ill. can be out off. In a word, the moral anti mental rn1e the physical. 2. We recognize also the immense importance of fflffl over thmgs, or over any combination of things. 'l'here is more worth in one human spirit than in all the material atoms in the universe of God. Nothing can content u1 that fai]s to renovate spirit. 3. The true moral and spiritual advance of men depends on what .they are, rather than on what they know. Loyalty of heart i1 more than the furniture of the intelleot. .And when men tolk about science being the regenerator, we ask-Which soience? We ask-How is it, then, that the most accomplished men are aometime.a the greatest rogues, and that some who are masters in knowledge are slaves to sin? Man is made for God, and only as he becomes God-like is his weal secured. 4:. U is impossible to secure the world's peace while sin reigns in man's nature. Sin is the great mar-plot of the world. But: 5. With all sin put away, what a change would 1 For the meaning of the phrase, "tli.e first reallffllction," .eee our homily thereon. (l'I[. :un.. 1-2L} TilE REVELATION 01!' ST, JOHN THE DIVI.Nlt W