pass. Although such predictions may be variously misinterpre- ted before their fulfilment ; yet when fulfilled, the agreement be- tween the prophecy and the event is seen to be such as to render the divine origin of the prophecy a matter of certainty. Thus with regard to the first advent of Christ, the Old Testament prophecies rendered it certain that a great Redeemer was to ap- pear ; that He was to be a Prophet, Priest, and King ; that He would deliver his people from their sins, and from the evils under which they groaned ; that He was to establish a kingdom which should ultimately absorb all the kingdoms on earth ; and that He would render all his people supremely happy and blessed. These predictions had the effect of turning the minds of the whole Jewish nation to the future, in confident expectation that the Deliverer would come ; of exciting earnest desire for his advent ; and of leading the pious portion of the people to prayerful prepa- ration for that event. Nevertheless, of all the hundreds of thou- sands to whom these predictions of the Hebrew Scriptures were made known, not a single person, so far as appears, interpreted them aright ; yet, when fulfilled, we can almost construct a his- tory of the events from these misunderstood predictions concern- ing them. Christ was indeed a king, but no such king as the world had ever seen, and such as no man expected ; He was a priest, but the only priest that ever lived of whose priesthood he was Himself the victim ; He did establish a kingdom, but it was not of this world. It was foretold that Elias should first come and prepare the way of the Lord. He did come ; but in a way in which no man did or could have anticipated.
It follows, from what has been said, that prophecy makes a general impression with regard to future events, which is reliable and salutary, while the details remain in obscurity. The Jews were not disappointed in the general impression made on their minds by the predictions relating to the Messiah. It was only in the explanation of details that they failed. The Messiah was a king ; He did sit upon the throne of David, but not in the way in which they expected ; He is to subdue all nations, not by the sword, as they supposed, but by truth and love ; He was to make his people priests and kings, but not worldly princes and satraps. The utter failure of the Old Testament Church in interpreting the prophecies relating to the first advent of Christ, should teach us to be modest and diffident in explaining those which relate to his second coming. We should be satisfied with the great truths which those prophecies unfold, and leave the details to be ex-
792 PART IV. Ch. in. — the second advent.
plained by the event. This the Church, as a Church, has gene- rally done.
§ 2. The Common Church Doctrine.
The common Church doctrine is, first, that there is to be a second personal, visible, and glorious advent of the Son of God. Secondly, that the events which are to precede that advent, are
1. The universal diffusion of the Gospel ; or, as our Lord ex- presses it, the ingathering of the elect ; this is the vocation of the Christian Church.
2. The conversion of the Jews, which is to be national. As their casting away was national, although a remnant was saved ; so their conversion may be national, although some may remain obdurate.
3. The coming of Antichrist.
Thirdly, that the events which are to attend the second advent are: —
1. The resurrection of the dead, of the just and of the unjust.
2. The general judgment.
3. The end of the world. And,
4. The consummation of Christ's kingdom.
§ 3. The Personal Advent of Christ.
It is admitted that the words " coming of the Lord " are often used in Scripture for any signal manifestation of his presence either for judgment or for mercy. When Jesus promised to manifest Himself to his disciples, " Judas saith unto Him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world ? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me he will keep my words : and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John xiv. 22, 23.) There is a coming of Christ, true and real, which is not outward and visible. Thus also in the epistle to the Church in Pergamos it is said : " Repent ; or else I will come unto thee quickly." (Rev. ii. 16.) This form of expression is used frequently in the Bible. There are, therefore, many commentators who explain everything said in the New Testament of the second coming of Christ, of the spiritual manifestation of his power. Thus Mr. Alger, to cite a single example of this school, says : " The Hebrews called any signal manifestation of power — especially any dreadful calamity — a coming of the Lord. It was a coming of Jehovah when his vengeance strewed