in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory."

'Tis a remarkable saying which follows, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." It is as if the Savior anticipated the crisis which was before his "words." They are in danger of passing away-nay, they are passing away when he comes down and says, "No, heaven and earth must pass away first, must pass away instead ;" and they are straightway changed, and his waning words catch new light and fire from his face, and shine more brightly than before. It is as it were a struggle between his works and his words, in which the latter are victorious.

We are fast approaching the position of the Grecians on the plains of Troy. Our enemies are pressing us hard on the field, or from the Ida of the ideal philosophy throwing out incessant volleys. There are disunion, distrust, disaffection among ourselves. Our standard still floats intact, but our standard-bearers are fainting. Meanwhile our Achilles is retired from us. But just as when the Grecian distress deepened to its darkest, when Patroclus the "forerunner" had fallen, when men and gods had driven them to the very verge of the sea, Achilles knew his time was come, started up, sent before him his terrible voice, and his more terrible eye, and turned straightway the tide of battle; so do we expect that our increasing dangers and multiplying foes, that the thousand-fold night that seems rushing upon us, is a token that aid is coming, and that our Achilles shall "no more be silent, but speak out," shall lift his

"shall take unto him his great power and reign." And even as Cromwell, when he saw the sun rising through the mist on the

**

field of Dunbar, with the instinct of genius, caught the moment, pointed to it with his sword, and cried, "Arise, O God, and let thine enemies be scattered," and led his men to victory, let us accept the same omen, and breathe the same prayer.

Nor does it derogate from the Bible to say, that it must receive aid from on high to enable it to "stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." It has nobly discharged its work; it has kept its post, and will, though with difficulty, keep it, till the great reserve, long promised and always expected, shall arrive. It was no derogation to the old economy to say, that it yielded to the "New Shekinah"-it had accomplished its task in keeping the fire burning, although burning low, till the day-spring appeared; nor is it a derogation to the New Testament to say, that it has carried, like a torch in the wind, a hope, two thousand years old, till it now seems about to be lost in the light of a brighter dispensation.

And while the hope is to be lost in its fruition, what shall be the fate of the volume which so long sustained it? What has been the fate of the Old Testament? Has it not retained its reverence and power? Is it not every day increasing in clearness? Has not the New Testament reflected much of its own radiance upon it? Do they not lie lovingly and side by side in the same volume? And why should not the New Book of the Laws and Revelations of the Prince of the Kings of the earth (if such a book there were) form a third, and complete the "threefold chord which is not easily broken ?" And would not both the New and the Old Testament derive glorious illustration from the influences and illuminations of the Millennial

Day! *

* To these views of the probable personal Advent of Christ, objections may be anticipated. It may be said, for instance, "Do you not in one place of the chapter lay little stress upon miracles; and in another expect every thing from a future miraculous interference?" But what have we said, after all, save that the miracles recorded in the New Testament have not converted the world! But why should not other miracles, if conducted upon a grander scale, and accompanied

But the "scene is mingling with the heavens." Pisgah is past. Mount Zion itself is appearing. The city of God is bursting into view. But who shall describe that sight? Prophets have seen the skirts of its glory, and fallen down as dead men. The changes and birth-pangs which shall usher in these new heavens and that new earth, we can not even conjecture; of the nature of that new theocracy, we have but dim conceptions; and our words being necessarily faint, must be few. Suffice it, that it shall be a just government. It shall judge "righteous judgment." It shall judge, no longer by the outward appearance, but by the heart. It shall be a government of souls, as well as of bodies. It shall be a government of commanding mildness-overbearing love. It shall be a government securing for the first time perfect liberty, brotherhood, and equality to the nations. It shall be the first government that ever united all interests in its care, and made all men equally happy under its dominion. It shall unite the race into

with Christ's personal presence, effect a stupendous change upon it The raising of Lazarus did not move the obstinacy of the Jews; but surely the raising or changing of all men would convince all men of the reality of the Savior's power. What doubt but must expire in the blaze of judgment? Surely there is a difference between miracles wrought during a state of probation, and miracles wrought to bring that state of probation to a close. It would seem, too, that punitive purposes are more contemplated in the miracles of the last dispensation, than those of conversion. Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to every man according to his work." We can retort, too, upon our opponents, by saying, "You admit that the agency of the Spirit has not accomplished the work of converting the world, and yet you expect that event from a different measure of the same agency."

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It may be said next, "But might not the Spirit perform all the work?" We answer, undoubtedly; but, first, if a Pentecostal revival take place, it will, in all probability, like that of old, be accompanied with miracles, and why not with the additional marvel of the Son's appearance; especially as, secondly, we find the promise of his coming so frequently connected in Scripture with the destruction of his enemies, and the advancement of his Church. If no Pentecostal revival be sent-if the Church is to proceed at its present creeping and crippled

one band of laborers, to develop the riches and beautify the surface of the planet. It shall unite the churches into one great throng of worshipers," with one Lord, one faith, and one baptism."

How beautiful, then, shall seem, renewed and glorified, this "great globe, the world!" The promises of ten thousand days of loveliness in the past, of innumerable mornings and evenings, or nights trembling all over with starry pulses of glory, shall be realized in the permanent aspects of earth and of sky. The prophecies of all genuine poets, since the world began, shall have a living fulfillment in the general countenance, and character, and heart of man. Nor shall the spirit of progress and aspiring change be extinct. To meet the new discoveries below, and the new stars and constellations flashing down always from the Infinite above, or drawing nearer and becoming brighter in the mystic dances of the heavens, men's minds must arise in sympathy and brighten in unison. Who shall picture what the state of society, and what the progress of hu

rate-when, we ask, is its Millennium to dawn? Shall it ever? No alternative can we see, but Jesus advenient, and prayer and work done in this prospect, or despair.

We have in the text anticipated objections which might be urged to our belief in a "Forerunner." Such a being would answer the same end with the Baptist. He would encourage the friends and check the foes, till the hour for the Divine Man should strike. He might, in some measure, prepare the Church, if not the world, for the Advent, although both, in some measure, it shall, according to Scripture, take by surprise.

But to defend this ancient "hope" of the church is not our special purpose. We recommend those who are ignorant alike of its grounds and its grandeur, to read Edward Irving's Preface to "Ben Ezra," a production little known, but in power, simplicity, and dignity, not equaled since the apostles fell asleep, or equaled by the Areopagitica 、of Milton alone. And when shall George Croly, or William Anderson, write a great apology for this "hope that is in them," in a style which shall at once rebuke sciolists, convince inquirers, and blow a blast of mingled music and thunder to a sleeping Church and a gainsaying world?

man souls, at that astronomical era, when the Cross shall shine in our southern heaven, and the Lyre shall include our Polar star amid its burning strings? Must there not then break forth from our orb a voice of song, holier than Amphion's, sweeter than all Orphean measures, comparable to that fabled melody by which the spheres were said to attune their motions; comparable, say, rather, to that nobler song wherewith, when earth, a stranger, first appeared in the sky, she was saluted, by the "Morning stars singing together, and all the sons of God shouting for joy."

Changes more stupendous still may follow. These skies may be entirely dissolved. This earth, notwithstanding all her wondrous history, may be removed like a cottage. The whole universe may be thrown into a new mold, or be used as mere scaffolding to some ulterior building of yet grander purpose, and more spiritual symmetry and beauty. The sun may "sleep on in his clouds, careless of the voice of the morning." The red eye of Sirius may shut upon his old battle-field. The Wolf may

no more

"With looks of lightning, watch the Centaur's spear."

Orion may no longer pass in slow and martial pomp as a sentinel through the midnight heavens. The Milky Way may have shut its two awful arms, and ceased its dumb prayer. But let not the heart of the Christian tremble. His safety is independent of all materialism. His Savior "made," and shall survive the "worlds." His soul, too, bears on it the stamp of absolute immortality. His earth may sink under his feet; but the Pilot of the Galilean lake shall be there, and shall save the crew of the dear vessel. His skies may wither; but there is a spiritual firmament forever o'er his head, which shall get brighter every moment. His Bible may not be found in his hands; but its truths shall be engraven on his heart, its pictures shall be written on his imagination, and the memory of its old powers and glories shall never decay. And what though