chapter of James, can fail to see that the author's meaning was that the coming of Christ was then near at hand; when the treasure which they had been heaping together, should be destroyed in the overflowing scourge which was soon to come upon them. And at the 8th verse he says, "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." And so in all other passages speaking of the last days, where the Jews were concerned, it must be understood to mean the last days of their dispensation. I will mention a few passages where the resurrection is spoken of in connection with the last days, or last, or latter day. Job xix, 25. "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall stand at the latter day upon the earth." Isaiah ii, 2. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it." Daniel xii, 13. "But go thou thy way until the end be: for thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." Hosea iii, 5. Afterwards shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their King; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days." John vi, 44. "No man can come unto me except the father, which hath sent me, draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day." John xv, 24. "Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in resurrection at the last day." The above passages show conclusively that the resurrection was at the last day. And I repeat that the end of the world was the last day, be that time when it would. But the evidence upon this point does not stop here. If any thing can be proved by the word of God, I pledge myself to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, that the resurrection of the Jews and all Christian believers, was at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. And I do not know as there is any doubt but

that all the dead, of all nations, heathens as well as Jews, were raised. But it is certain that the just were to be raised before the unjust. And it appears pretty plain to my mind, the elect were gathered together at the coming of Christ with his angels in the clouds of heaven, at the time of the destruction of the Temple. But the unjust were not raised until the Jews, who were the enemies of Christ, were wholly destroyed. This, I believe, was Paul's meaning, when he says, speaking of the resurrection, "afterwards they which are Christ's at his coming, [the righteous.] Then cometh the end, [end of the world or Jewish dispensation,] when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For he must reign [as king of the Jews] till he hath put all enemies under his feet. A query arises here, who were the enemies of Christ? The following in Luke xix, 11-27, is the best explanation that can be given. "And as they heard these things, he added, and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said, therefore, a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a 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 man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, that he commanded these 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. And the second came,,

not sow.

saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man; thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst And he said unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knowest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say unto you, That unto every one that hath, shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me." "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet." Here we must look to other passages, to learn the apostle's meaning. Psalm xlvii, 3. "He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet." Psalm cx, 1, 2. "The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion; rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." By the above, and many like passages, it is clearly to be seen that when the Saviour ascended to his Father, he was to remain at the right hand of God, ti!l his enemies should be made his footstool. These enemies I understand to mean the Jews. When we read in Luke xix, 27th, 'But those mine enemies that would not that I should rule over them, bring them hither, and slay them before me;' we understand it to mean his cruel per

secutors, the Jews; who rejected him and his doctrines, and finally put him to death. But he rose from the tomb, ascended to his father, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And it was at his second appearing, while some who were then living should remain, that he received his disciples unto himself, with all true believers, and took vengeance on his enemies, the Jews. Then it was that the Jews were to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord; and then it was that the righteous were to enter into that rest prepared for the children of God. But at the end of the world, or Jewish dispensation, when the unbelieving Jews were punished according to their sins, those who had not perished by the sword or famine, were driven from their country, and were no longer to be God's servants, or holy people; then according to the scriptures, was the whole house of Israel brought up out of their graves, brought into the land of Israel, death, the last enemy, destroyed, and the reign of Christ, as king of the Jews ended. And all this, as I contend, transpired within forty years at most from the time that our Saviour ascended to the right hand of his father, 'from henceforth expecting till his enemies were made his footstool.' It is contended that the spiritual reign of Christ is in this world. And that it commenced when I believe it commenced, when the Mosaic age closed. But, I ask, have the prophecies that speak of the glorious reign of Christ been fulfilled, from that time to the present, in this world? Certainly they have not! The following extract from a discourse written by a Universalist, will show, I suppose, what that denomination of Christians in general believe upon the subject of the destruction of Jerusalem, giving reasons why that event is so often mentioned in the New Testament.

"An important consequence following the destruction of Jerusalem, was the abolition of the old or Mosaic dis

pensation, and the establishment of the gospel, or new dispensation; which is another reason why the New Testament writers should frequently allude to this event. It is a fact of considerable moment, and one which should be kept in mind in reading the Scriptures, that the reign of Christ, or the gospel dispensation commenced, not with his birth, nor when he entered upon his public ministry, but when the Mosaic age closed and the law dispensation was abolished; and this did not take place until the destruction of the city and temple, and the consequent breaking up of the daily sacrifice and ceremonial worship.Then the christian age was to open, then Christ came in his kingdom, and the gospel was to be established in the earth. Now, an event which was to be followed with consequences so important to his followers, and of such immense interest to the world, would most assuredly occupy many of their thoughts, and it is almost a matter of necessity that they should speak of it and write of it frequently."

Now I agree with this writer, that the reign of Christ, (that is, his spiritual reign,) "commenced, not with his birth, nor when he entered upon his public ministry, but when the Mosaic age closed, and the law dispensatio n. was abolished; and this did not take place until the destruction of the city and temple, and the consequent breaking up of the daily sacrifice and ceremonial worship." So far my views agree perfectly with his. But the writer continues; "then the christian age was to open, then Christ was to come in his kingdom, and the gospel was to be established in the earth." When the writer says, "the gospel was to be established in the earth," he means, I suppose, that the gospel was then established in this world. To this I cannot subscribe. I cannot believe that the pure gospel of God our Saviour, was estabslished in this earth from and after the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. For the scriptures, as well as all