PROPHECIES BY CHRIST HIMSELF. No. CCXXV to CCXXX. Sect. 6. As to the Interval between his Death, and the Destruction of Jerusalem; the Uncertainty of that Interval, and the Manner in which he should expect his Disciples to employ it. n No. 225. "Of that m day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as "the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the "Son of man be: for as in the days that were before the "flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giv ing in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into "the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them "all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be: "watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord "doth come. Be ye ready for in such an hour as ye " think not the Son of Man cometh." Matt. xxiv. 36— 39. 42. 44. No. 226. "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, "whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to 66 give them meat in due season: blessed is that servant, "whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. "Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall 66 6 say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming,' and "shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and "drink with the drunken; the Lord of that servant shall 66 come in a day that he looketh not for him, and in an "hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, "and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there m"That day," &c. i. e. "what is here spoken of under the "expression of the coming of the Son of Man.'" n" So," &c. i. e. " it shall find men following their ordinary "pursuits not looking for Christ's coming, and unprepared " for it." "shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. xxiv. 45-51. 66 66 No. 227. "Of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, "but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray, for 66 ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is "as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his "work, and commanded the porter to watch: watch ye "therefore, for ye know not when the master of the "house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock "crowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly, he "find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say “ unto all—Watch." Mark xiii. 32—37. No. 228. Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. Luke xxi. 34-36. No. 229. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no P oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom "Then ;" i. e. " at the time so often referred to by the ex"pression 'the coming of the Son of man:' i. e. it should seem, "the time of the destruction of Jerusalem.'' "The bridegroom ;" &c. "The bridegroom" in this parable is evidently" Christ:" "the virgins," "those who ought to be "ready to receive him :" "the oil," "the preparation they ought "to make for his reception." And the Christian application of the parable is this: that unless the interval between Christ's death and the destruction of Jerusalem is so employed as to 66 tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made," Behold the bridegroom cometh, 66 go ye out to meet him." Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, "Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out." But the wise answered, saying, "Not so: lest there be not enough for us and you, but go ye rather to them "that sell, and buy for yourselves." And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying, "Lord, "Lord, open to us." But he answered and said, "Verily I say unto you, I know you not." Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Matt. xxv. 1—13. 66 [Matt. xxv. 14-30. sets out the prophetic parable of the ten talents but it corresponds so closely with the parable of the ten pounds, which is inserted next, and its object is so manifestly the same, that it is not set out, but the reader is referred to it in the Bible.] No. 230. He (Jesus) spake a a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. " A certain "nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a qualify a man to be received under Christ's protection, he will be excluded, and involved in the destruction. This parable is evidently prophetic. The nobleman is Christ the servants, his apostles and disciples-his citizens, the Jews and the prophetic intimation is, that there will be an interval before what is called the appearing of Christ's kingdom: before that event which is so often called "the coming of Christ" that in that interval exertions will be expected from Christ's apostles and followers, that at the end of it, they will be called to an account, and be rewarded or punished accordingly; and that at that period the vengeance will be inflicted upon the unbelieving inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the Jewish opposers of Christ's religion. kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, "and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, ""occupy till I come." But his citizens hated him, and "sent a message after him, saying, 'We will not have this 66 6 man to reign over us.' And it came to pass, that when " he was returned, having received the kingdom, he com"manded those servants to be called unto him, to whom " he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And " he said unto him, 'Well thou good servant, because thou "hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority "over ten cities,' &c. &c. But those mine enemies, that "would not that I should reign over them, bring hither " and slay them before me." Luke xix. 11-17.27. PROPHECIES BY CHRIST HIMSELF. No. CCXXXI to CCXXXVI. Sect. 7.-As to Christ's judicial Functions their Universality= so as to include every one. r No. 231. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matt. xiii. 47— 50. world; the angels No. 232. The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye, therefore, into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. r"The world" or "the age," see ante note on Matt. xxiv. 3. The original here also is " του ἀιῶνος.”—κοσμου is the word used in Matt. xxv. 34. "The wedding," see ante p. 152, No. 210. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? and he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matt. xxii. 8—13. 66 S No. 233. When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, in"herit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation "of the world: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat, &c. &c. Verily I say unto you, "Inasmuch as ye "have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, 66 ye have done it unto me." Then shall he say unto them on the left hand, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into ever"lasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I "was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, "and ye gave me no drink, &c. &c. Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to the least of one of "these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away "into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life "eternal." Matt. xxv. 31-35. 40-42. 45. 46. * "An hungred," &c. a strong intimation how much of Christianity is practical: what a stress is laid upon works of benevolence and charity! M |