,transcribed from the #ahdf ,j4         
,hatchard and ,son edition by ,david    
,price1  email ccx#jgdpglaf4org         
,,the                                   
,,time ,,of ,,the ,,end2                
,,or1                        ,,the      
,,world1 ,,the ,,visible ,,church1 ,,and
                              ,,the     
,,people ,,of ,,god1                    
,,at                           ,,the    
,,advent ,,of ,,the ,,lord4             
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,by ,,the                              
,,rev4 ,,edward ,,hoare1 ,a4,m4         
,,curate ,,of ,,richmond4               
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,london3                            ,j4
  ,,hatchard ,,and ,,son4               
,,kingston3 ,,seeley4  ,,richmond3 ,j4  
,,darnill  ,,son4                       
#ahdf4                                  
99 99 99 99 99          ,,by ,,the      
,,same ,,author4                        
,,sermons ,,on ,,the ,,scriptural       
,,principles                    ,,of    

,,our ,,protestant ,,church4--,,price   
#bs4                                    
99 99 99 99 99                          
,richmond3                              
,,printed ,,by ,w4 ,,offord1            
,,brewer',s ,,lane4                     
99 99 99 99 99          ,,to ,,the      
,,parishioners  ,,of  ,,richmond1       
,,surrey4      ,,the following ,lectures
 on the ,world1 the ,visible ,church1   
and the ,people  of ,god1 contain the   
substance of three ,sermons preached in 
the ,advent  season of last year4  ,they
 were written1 and even committed to the
 press  with the full expectation that  
our happy connexion would long remain   
unbroken4  ,but it has pleased ,god to  
open before me another sphere of        
labour1 which ,i have thought it right  
to undertake2 and you must now  receive 
this little volume as a parting memorial
 from one who can never  cease to take  
the deepest interest in your welfare4   
,i should have preferred leaving with   
you something more characteristic of    

the general tenour of my ministry2      
something containing fuller statements  
upon the grand saving doctrines of the  
,gospel1 such as the completeness  of   
the atonement1 the present1 free1 and   
perfect justification of every  poor    
sinner that believes in ,jesus2 and the 
new birth as wrought by the  ,holy      
,ghost in the soul1 and invariably      
accompanied by the fruits of the        
,spirit in the life4  ,these are the    
truths which ,i hope have filled my     
sermons1 and which ,i pray ,god may be  
written indelibly by the ,holy ,ghost   
upon your hearts4    ,but ,i trust the  
subject of this little volume may not be
 altogether  ill-suited to our present  
circumstances1 inasmuch as by directing 
us to  the church's dangers1 it may lead
 us to pray for the church's safety4    
,if  the view taken of ,st4 ,paul's     
prophecy be correct1 we live in times of
  peculiar peril1 and must be prepared  
for a further increase of seduction  and
 apostacy within the visible church4    

,how earnest then should be the  prayers
 of ,god's people1 in behalf of ,god's  
ambassadors6  ,he alone can  make us    
able ministers of the ,new ,testament2  
,he alone can preserve us as  faithful  
witnesses for ,christ4  ,i know well1   
brethren1 that you have  prayed         
habitually for me1 and for that         
assurance ,i most heartily thank  both  
,god and you4  ,and now ,i leave it with
 you as my earnest and solemn  charge1  
that you will not relax those prayers1  
but increase and multiply  them in      
behalf of him who is about to fill my   
place4  ,let his hands be  strengthened 
by the believing intercessions of a     
faithful flock2 let him  go into your   
pulpit borne up by prayer4  ,and may the
 ,god of all grace  shower down both on 
you and him every rich blessing of his  
,spirit6  ,may  we hear the glad tidings
 of your undivided fellowship in the    
,gospel6  ,and  may an abundant answer  
be given to my unworthy though unceasing
  supplication1 8that your hearts may be

 comforted1 being knit together in      
love1 unto all riches of the full       
assurance of understanding1 to the      
acknowledgment of the mystery of ,god1  
and of the ,father1 and of ,christ60    
,,edward ,,hoare4    ,richmond1         
,feb4 #ahdf4          ,,lecture ,i4     
8,,behold ,i come quickly10 was the last
 promise1 8,even so come1 ,lord         
,jesus10 the last prayer1 in ,scripture4
  ,the glorious prospect of this  quick 
return was the constant joy of the      
,apostles and early disciples of  our   
,lord4  ,nor can any thing be more      
marked than the contrast between our    
thoughts and theirs1 in reference to    
this important subject4  ,they were  for
 ever anticipating the time1 and falling
 into error through their  eager haste  
for the coming kingdom2 we are too prone
 to stave off the  thought of it1 as a  
thing distant and uncertain4  ,they     
could not rest  without an eager inquiry
 as to the times and seasons of his     
approach2 we1  on the other hand1 are   

tempted to sit still in listless apathy1
 with the  eye blinded to the facts of  
history1 with the ear deaf to the voice 
of  prophecy1 and so regardless of the  
knowledge really given us by ,god4      
,they lived at the outset of the        
church's pilgrimage1 with a distance of 
at least #a1hjj years between them and  
their joyous hope2 and yet they  most   
eagerly inquired1 8,when shall these    
things be80  ,we live on the very  verge
 of its conclusion1 with the great      
climax full in view2 yet we go on  as if
 the world were to last for ever1       
steeped in apathy the most  profound1   
with reference alike to the event itself
 and to its times4    ,this indifference
 has arisen1 in some measure1 from a    
certain vague  expectation of some      
undefined changes that are expected to  
precede the  advent4  ,there is a       
general idea afloat that there will be  
some notice of  the glorious day2 and   
even thinking persons look for the      
universal  conversion of the world      

before the present dispensation can be  
brought to  a close4  ,in other cases1  
the mind instinctively shelters itself  
behind  the sameness and uniformity in  
the order of society4  ,no man doubts   
that1  at the time appointed1 the sun   
will rise to-morrow1 for the simple     
reason  that1 day after day1 it has     
risen hitherto with exact and unvarying 
punctuality4  ,on the same principle1   
the continuance of the world's order    
deadens the expectation of a change4    
,society remains unaltered in its       
leading features3 pleasure1 trade1 and  
politics1 retain their hold on the      
public mind4  ,the father's interests   
engross the son2 and the natural        
inference is1 that things will continue 
to move on as heretofore1 and  that     
there is little either to be hoped or   
dreaded in the prophetic  promise of the
 ,lord's return4    ,believers therefore
 should study well those portions of    
prophecy which  describe the state of   
the world preparatory to our ,lord's    

return4  ,all  witnesses for ,christ    
should be acquainted with the           
forerunners of his  coming4  ,those who 
watch for him should know the signs of  
his appearing4  ,in studying these signs
 there are three great classes which    
naturally  come under review1 the world1
 the visible church1 and the chosen     
saints  of ,god4  ,into each of these1  
if the ,lord permit1 we will examine    
separately4  ,and may ,he1 who alone    
8teacheth us to profit10 so pour forth  
his ,spirit1 both on the writer and the 
reader1 that all may be 8led into  the  
love of ,god1 and the patient waiting   
for ,christ60        ,,the ,,world4     
,,in what condition will our ,lord find 
society at his coming8  ,what will be   
the spirit of the age8 and what its     
habits and occupations when ,christ     
appears to reign8  ,this is our first   
question2 and it is quite impossible  to
 over-estimate its importance4    ,i4   
,there will be no stop to men's         
pleasures before the advent4  ,there    

will be no startling announcement which 
will prevail to check the  pleasure     
hunters4  ,they will be found pursuing  
their giddy course just as  at present3 
they will not find their souls          
solemnized in anticipation of  the great
 event3 the nearness of the advent will 
not suffice to bring on  repentance3 if 
they are not subdued by the cross of    
,christ1 they will not  be by the       
prospect of his appearing4  ,the great  
machinery of ,god's  providence will    
move on without their perceiving it3 the
 signal will be  already given1 the     
angelic hosts already on the wing1 and  
the door of  grace already closed1      
before there are any such startling     
appearances  before the world as shall  
arouse the mere pleasure hunter from his
  dreams4  ,our ,lord teaches this in   
,matthew1 xxiv4 #cg-ci4--8;,as the days 
of  ,noe were1 so shall also the coming 
of the ,son of man be4  ,for as in the  
days that were before the flood they    
were eating and drinking1 marrying1  and

 giving in marriage1 until the day that 
,noe entered into the ark1 and  knew    
not1 until the flood came and took them 
all away2 so shall also the  coming of  
the ,son of man be40  ,noah's preaching 
was the only notice of  the coming      
flood4  ,the world pursued its own      
course until the very day  that the rain
 began to fall4  ,on the evening before 
they were feasting  joyously1 perhaps   
scoffingly at the toilsome labours of   
the man of ,god2  many doubtless        
laughing at the ark2 when1 unexpectedly1
 without further  notice1 in the midst  
of their festivity1 the storm gathered1 
the door was  closed1 and the           
unbelieving world overwhelmed in        
judgment4  8,so10 saith  the ,lord1     
8shall be the coming of the ,son of     
man40                                   
99 99 99 99 99    ,,ii4  ,nor will there
 he any stop to business4    ,the same  
passage from ,st4 ,matthew describes a  
state of active employment  in the      
world3--8,then shall two be in the      

field2 the one shall be taken1  and the 
other left4  ,two women shall be        
grinding at the mill2 the one  shall be 
taken1 and the other left40 7xxiv4 #dj1 
#da74  ,the men in the  field and the   
women at the mill represent society as  
engaged in their  daily callings4  ,nor 
is this description confined to the     
unconverted  only2 it includes both     
characters4  ,of the two men in the     
field one shall  he taken1 i4e4 caught  
up to be with ,christ as a believer2 one
 shall be  left1 i4e4 to perish as an   
unbeliever in the world3 of the two     
women  one shall be taken as a saint of 
,god2 one shall be left as a guilty     
subject of his wrath4  ,the word here   
rendered 8taken0 is the same as  was    
employed by our ,lord when he said 8,i  
will come again and receive  you unto   
myself20 and therefore all that are     
8taken0 are chosen saints of  ,god4     
,believers1 therefore1 and unbelievers1 
will go out on that very  morning to    
their business4  ,the streets1 as usual1

 will be full1 the  shops open1 trade   
flourishing2 the accountant will be     
found at his desk1  the merchant in his 
counting house1 the tradesman in his    
shop1 the judge  on the bench1 the      
lawyer at the bar1 the statesman in his 
cabinet1 and  the children in the       
school4  ,nor will there be any check on
 their  society4  ,there will be the    
dinner party1 the friendly intercourse  
of  those who love the things of ,god1  
and the empty frivolities of those who  
live in pleasure4  ,men will have their 
balls1 operas1 and theatres1 to  the    
very last2 they will dance on to the    
very morning of the  resurrection4      
,there will be no change in the habits  
of society1 no  alteration in the       
ordinary aspect of the world2 we shall  
be living  together in social life just 
as at present1 with business1 cares1 and
  social duties2 when suddenly--in a    
moment--in the twinkling of an eye--the 
whole shall be stopped by one shrill    
blast of the trump of ,god2 and some    

rejoicing1 some trembling1 some singing 
hymns of joy1 and some gnashing  their  
teeth for woe1 we shall be summoned     
before the ,son of man4    ,these are   
features in the general aspect of       
society1 which only show that  there is 
nothing to prevent the immediate        
appearance of our ,lord4  ,but  they do 
not belong exclusively to any period4   
,for the last eighteen  hundred years   
men have been 8eating and drinking1     
marrying1 and giving in  marriage20 and1
 as far as these points are concerned1  
they may apply as  well to any other    
time as ours4  ,there are however other 
signs given1  which tend rather         
especially to mark our own times as     
approaching closely  to the latter days4
  ,take for example the prophecy of     
,daniel1 which  teaches1                
99 99 99 99 99    ,,iii4  ,that1 just   
before the advent1 there shall be an    
increase of  science and travelling4    
,daniel1 xii4 #d4--8;,but thou1 ,o      
,daniel1 shut up  the words1 and seal   

the book1 even to the time of the end3  
many shall run  to and fro1 and         
knowledge shall be increased40  ,these  
words plainly refer  to the latter days2
 not to the end itself1 but to 8the time
 of the end20  to the last period4      
,now1 of this period there are two      
things predicted  to the ,prophet2 the  
one religious1 the other social2 the    
religious change  is the unsealing of   
the vision1 or the opening of the eyes  
of believers  to truths hitherto        
concealed in prophecy2 the social change
 is the rapid  progress of travelling   
and science throughout the world4  ,it  
is the  latter of these with which we   
are now concerned4  ,at the time of the 
end1  therefore1 there is to be an      
increase of knowledge and of men running
 to  and fro on the earth4  ,now1 ask   
any common observer of mankind1 one who 
looks on life without reference to      
prophecy or religion2 ask him what he   
thinks the most remarkable feature in   
the present aspect of society1 and  he  

will tell you the rapid advance of      
science and increased facility of       
communication4  ,just contrast the world
 at large1 in respect of  travelling1   
with what it was fifty years ago4  ,most
 truly may it be  said1 8,men are       
running to and fro on the earth40  ,the 
leading commercial  feature of the day  
is railway speculation2 the habits of   
society are  becoming materially changed
 through the ease and rapidity with     
which we  travel4  ,thousands and tens  
of thousands have now become travellers1
 who1  a few years since1 had scarcely  
quitted the immediate neighbourhood of  
their native town4  ,nor is this        
confined to ,england4  ,it is the same  
with  ,america1 ,russia1 ,india1 and the
 whole continent of ,europe4  ,look     
again at  science1 at the vast          
improvements in machinery1 at the       
curious  discoveries in every department
 of useful art1 at the rapid increase of
  knowledge throughout the world4  ,look
 again at the connexion between  the    

two4  ,the increase of travelling is    
foretold by the ,prophet in  connexion  
with the advance of science4  8,many    
shall run to and fro1 and  knowledge    
shall be increased40  ,but in ,daniel's 
day there could appear no  such         
connexion4  ,the increase of knowledge  
could give no speed to the  heavy       
motions of the camel4  ,this connexion  
is a discovery of the last  twenty or   
thirty years4  ,the prophecy lay dormant
 for twenty-four  centuries1 when a new 
order of things sprang up amongst us2   
the connexion  foretold in ,daniel's    
prophecy broke in upon the minds of men 
of science1  and the immediate effect   
has been1 that increased knowledge and  
increased  travelling are going hand in 
hand throughout the world4  ,now ,i do  
not  mean to strain this too far1 or to 
represent it as a sign of the  immediate
 approach of our ,lord4  ,it may be     
merely the commencement of a  new era2  
8the time of the end0 may be only       
dawning upon the world4  ,but  thus much

 we may safely say1 that there has      
already been sufficient  change in these
 two respects to satisfy the prophecy2  
that2 if the coming  were to be         
to-morrow1 there is enough to convince  
the most hardened  infidel1 that        
,daniel's words have received a literal1
 complete1 and most  remarkable1        
fulfilment4  ,in this respect1          
therefore1 the world is ready  for the  
advent4                                 
99 99 99 99 99    ,,iv4  ,there is      
reason to believe from the prophetic    
,scriptures that the  nations of ,europe
 will be the first nations of the world 
at the time of  our ,lord's return4     
,it is curious to observe in history the
 rise and fall of the various  nations  
which have successively occupied the    
foremost position in  society4  ,like   
the gleam of sunshine on the landscape1 
civilization and  power have beamed for 
a while upon successive kingdoms1 and   
then left  them to be obscured and      
darkened by the cloud4  ,thus ,babylon1 

,medo-,persia1 ,greece1 and ,rome1 have 
successively swayed the sceptre of  the 
world4  ,this sceptre is now held by the
 ,european nations generally4  ,the     
power is perhaps greater than in any    
former age2 but there is this  great    
difference1 that now it is possessed by 
no nation singly1 but  divided amongst  
several4  ,in former days1 the ,roman   
republic was itself  sovereign and      
supreme2 there was no other which could 
pretend to rivalry4  ,it is not so now2 
there may be proud pretensions to       
national superiority2  but all have the 
advantage of unquestionable superiority 
over the  uncivilized nations of ,africa
 and the ,east4  ,such changes are      
inexplicable on merely worldly          
principles3 there is nothing in nature  
to  explain this rise and fall of moral 
light4  ,the student of history may     
endeavour to trace the causes of a      
nation's gradual decline2 but1 why      
those causes themselves appeared is a   
question which no natural intellect  can

 solve4  ,the student of prophecy1      
however1 is not left in darkness4  ,he  
knows not why it is that an all-wise    
,god has so ordered it1 but he  sees in 
all these changes the exact completion  
of ,god's prophetic  ,scriptures1 and at
 once solves the mystery by referring   
the whole to the  revealed purpose of an
 all-wise and all-controlling ,god4  ,in
 two separate  visions these changes    
were all foretold by ,daniel4  ,as      
history says there  have been1 so       
prophecy foretold there should be1 four 
ruling kingdoms in  the world4  ,we are 
taught this by the vision of the image  
and its  explanation in ,daniel1 ii4    
#ca-de2 and by the vision of the four   
beasts1  in ,dan4 vii4 #ag  ,from both  
we gather the same leading facts4  7#a47
 ,that  ,medo-,persia1 ,greece1 and     
,rome should1 in turn1 succeed to the   
supremacy  of empires held by ,babylon  
at the time of the ,prophet4  7#b47     
,that the  fourth1 or ,roman empire1    
should appear under a two-fold aspect1  

at first  being united like the foot1   
but afterwards divided like the toes4   
7#c47  ,that this fourth empire should  
be the last2 that there should be no    
fifth  arising to supersede it2 for that
 in the time of the ten kings1 its      
second or divided period1 should arise  
the kingdom of the ,son of man4  ,dan4  
ii4 #dd4--8;,and in the days of these   
kings shall the ,god of heaven set  up a
 kingdom1 which shall never be          
destroyed3 and the kingdom shall not  be
 left to other people1 but it shall     
break in pieces and consume all  these  
kingdoms1 and it shall stand for ever40 
,now1 as to the two first  facts1 there 
is an exact correspondence between      
history and prophecy4  ,as  was         
foretold1 ,persia succeeded ,babylon1   
,greece ,persia1 and ,rome ,greece4     
,the ,roman power again has appeared    
under a two-fold form1 first being      
united under the republic and the       
empire1 and then breaking up into the   
kingdoms of modern ,europe4  ,the       

prophecy1 therefore1 by its two first   
facts1 brings the history of the world's
 kingdoms down to our own exact         
position1 and at the same time it       
teaches1 by the third1 that there can   
be no further change before the advent4 
8,in the days of these kings10  i4e4 the
 ,european nations1 8shall the ,god of  
heaven set up a kingdom10  i4e4 the     
kingdom of the saints1 of the ,son of   
man in glory4  ,with  reference1        
therefore1 to the political changes of  
the world1 we are  living under the last
 period of the last empire4  ,there is  
to be no  further shifting of the seat  
of power3 strength and civilization will
 be  found resting with ,europe when the
 ,son of man appears4                   
99 99 99 99 99    ,v4  ,there is however
 one feature of society before the      
advent of which  the same cannot be     
said2 one class of prophecies which do  
not yet appear  to have received their  
full accomplishment1 viz4 those which   
predict a  state of war and tribulation4

    ,we are taught by our ,lord         
7,matthew1 xxiv4 #ba1 #bb7 that the time
 of the  end shall be one of peculiar   
distress3 8,for then shall be great     
tribulation1 such as was not since the  
beginning of the world to this  time1   
no1 nor ever shall be4  ,and except     
those days should be shortened1  there  
should no flesh be saved3 but for the   
elect's sake those days shall  be       
shortened40  ,the passage may have a    
primary and typical reference to  the   
destruction of ,jerusalem2 but that this
 reference is not exclusive  appears    
plainly from vv4 #bi  #cj3 8,immediately
 after the tribulation of  those days   
shall the sun be darkened1 and the moon 
shall not give her  light1 and the stars
 shall fall from heaven1 and the powers 
of the  heavens shall be shaken2 and    
then shall appear the sign of the ,son  
of man  in heaven3 and then shall all   
the tribes of the earth mourn1 and they 
shall see the ,son of man coming in the 
clouds of heaven40  ,the  tribulation of

 those days is here described as the    
last event on earth  before the advent4 
,so again in ,luke1 xvii4               
#cc3--8,whosoever shall seek to  save   
his life shall lose it2 and whosoever   
shall lose his life shall  preserve it40
  ,the passage refers to 8the day when  
the ,son of man is  revealed10 v4 #cj2  
and the words quoted show that the state
 of things  will be of such a character 
as to involve the risk of martyrdom in  
the  faithful confession of the truth4  
,but the words of ,daniel are more      
explicit still4  8,and at that time     
shall ,michael stand up1 the great      
prince which standeth for the children  
of thy people2 and there shall be  a    
time of trouble1 such as never was since
 there was a nation even to  that same  
time3 and at that time thy people shall 
be delivered1 every one  that shall be  
found written in the book4  ,and many of
 them that sleep in  the dust of the    
earth shall awake1 some to everlasting  
life1 and some to  shame and everlasting

 contempt4  ,and they that be wise shall
 shine as the  brightness of the        
firmament2 and they that turn many to   
righteousness1 as  the stars for ever   
and ever4  ,but thou1 ,o ,daniel1 shut  
up the words1 and  seal the book even to
 the time of the end3 many shall run to 
and fro1 and  knowledge shall be        
increased20 ,daniel1 xii4 #a-d4  ,there 
can be no doubt  as to the time here    
referred to3 it is determined by four   
indisputable  marks4  ,the final        
deliverance of ,god's chosen people2 the
 resurrection2  the glory of the saints2
 and the title given to it1 8the time of
 the  end40  ,nor can there be any doubt
 as to the fact predicted4  8,there     
shall  be a time of trouble1 such as    
never was since there was a nation even 
to  that same time40    ,the words of   
our ,lord again teach us that the       
commencement of these  sorrows shall be 
war4  8,and ye shall hear of wars1 and  
rumours of wars3  see that ye be not    
troubled3 for all these things must come

 to pass1 but  the end is not yet4  ,for
 nation shall rise against nation1 and  
kingdom  against kingdom3 and there     
shall be famines and pestilences1 and   
earthquakes in divers places4  ,all     
these are the beginning of sorrows20    
,matt1 xxiv4 #f-h4  ,so the great crisis
 is described in the ,revelation1 as    
8the battle of ,almighty ,god20 ,rev4   
xvi4 #ad4  ,but we are now at peace1    
nor is there at present any open        
combination of the ruling powers against
  the truth4  ,believers may have their 
hearts grieved by the national  support 
of error1 and here and there may be the 
outbreak of a persecuting  spirit2 but  
there is nothing yet of a great         
tribulation1 nothing  approaching to the
 fiery trial foretold in ,daniel's awful
 prophecy4  ,all  this is to come3 how  
soon ,god only knows4  ,persecution is  
now condemned1  but the last ten years  
have witnessed a wonderful political    
revolution in  ,rome's favour2 and it   
may be amply proved from facts as well  

as documents  that she only waits the   
favouring day of power1 to develope her 
old  character1 and make herself drunk  
in the life-blood of the saints4  ,we   
are still at peace3 but we heard last   
year of the cloud in the ,west1 who     
shall say how soon the storm may gather1
 and burst in a thunder-clap over  our  
heads8  ,europe is still at peace2 but  
surely the mine is ready1 the  train is 
laid1 and it needs but the death of one 
aged sovereign to  produce an explosion 
which may convulse the very foundations 
of society4  ,then increased science    
will only produce unknown horrors1 nor  
does it  need any stretch of a lively   
imagination to foresee the onset of such
  days as those described by our ,lord1 
when he said1 8,then shall be great     
tribulation1 such as was not since the  
beginning of the world to this  time1   
no1 nor ever shall be40    ,for such a  
period believers should be ready4       
,every living man will be  swept away by
 the flood1 except the little1 blessed1 

band1 who have a  fast 8hold upon the   
anchor of the soul sure and stedfast1   
and that  entereth into that within the 
veil40  ,nothing then will stand but the
  strong reality of a living union with 
,jesus4  ,well1 therefore1 has the      
voice gone forth as the precursor of the
 conflict1 8,behold ,i come as a  thief4
  ,blessed is he that watcheth1 and     
keepeth his garments1 lest he  walk     
naked1 and they see his shame20 ,rev4   
xvi4 #ae4    ,but1 in what attitude     
shall society be found8                 
99 99 99 99 99    ,,vi4  ,according to  
the ,scriptures1 there shall be a       
general indifference  to the subject of 
his return4    ,of course1 amongst the  
people of ,god1 there will be many whose
 hearts ,god  has led to the patient    
waiting for ,christ4  ,some1 in the     
fervour of an  ardent hope1 may carry   
their longings into enthusiasm2 and     
others1 in the  calm sobriety of a      
,scriptural faith1 like ,simeon and     
,anna1 will abide  waiting for their    

,lord4  ,but such cases will be the     
exception4  ,the great  mass of men will
 be altogether indifferent4  ,they will 
care no more for  our preaching than the
 men before the flood did for ,noah's3  
they will  think it an idle and         
enthusiastic tale1 and utterly disregard
 the whole  matter4    ,some indeed will
 scoff at it4  ,they will challenge     
believers to the proof  of it2 they will
 point to the world's unbroken course1  
and say 8,where is  the promise of his  
coming80  ,they will be ready to raise  
the sneer  against the church's hopes1  
and only notice the blessed tidings just
 to  scoff at them as idle speculation4 
8,knowing this first1 that there shall  
come in the last days scoffers1 walking 
after their own lusts1 and  saying1     
,where is the promise of his coming8 for
 since the fathers fell  asleep1 all    
things continue as they were from the   
beginning of the  creation20 #b ,pet4   
iii4 #c  #d4    ,but this scoffing      
spirit is not described as the general  

feature of  society4  ,it requires some 
attention even to scoff at ,god's       
promises4  ,but the general character of
 the world with reference to this great 
subject will be apathy2 downright1      
dogged1 indifference to the whole       
concern4  ,thus1 in the parable of the  
talents1 8they all slumbered and        
slept40  ,the wise virgins could sleep  
in calm peace1 for they were ready2  the
 foolish virgins could slumber only in  
apathy1 for1 being unprepared1  they    
could only wake to perish4  ,thus our   
,lord says he 8will come as a  thief in 
the night10 when none give the thing a  
thought4  ,the watchman  may cry the    
hour1 but the sleeper sleeps3 he may    
sound the note of  warning1 but the     
sleeper sleeps3 the thief may be within 
the chamber1 but  still he sleeps       
unmoved1 unconscious1 unprepared4  ,now 
this is the  description which our ,lord
 gives of the world before his coming4  
,he  says1 men shall be found sleeping1 
a few blessed servants watching1 but    

the mass sleeping1 unconscious of his   
approach1 unconcerned at his  promises1 
unawakened even by the judgments that   
hurry on as the  forerunners of his     
wrath4    ,the message then for the day 
is1 8,awake thou that sleepest and arise
 from  the dead1 and ,christ shall give 
thee light40  ,it is impossible for any 
man of common observation to be blind to
 the fact that the great mass of  men   
are still slumbering before ,god4       
,quick and energetic in their  business1
 keen in their speculations1 alive and  
alert as to the money  market1 they are 
profoundly insensible to the coming4    
,they are content  to leave the great   
point unsettled4  ,they are hurrying    
before the  judgment seat1 and have not 
yet bowed before the cross4  ,they are  
shortly  to stand before the judge1 and 
for aught they know1 the whole weight of
  ,god's curse still hangs over their   
unforgiven sin4  ,there is no           
fellowship with a ,saviour1 no walking  
with ,god1 no cleansing of guilt in  the

 ,lamb's most precious blood1 no eager  
wrestling with ,god that they may  have 
a full assurance of their name written  
in the book of life4  ,a free1  full1   
complete1 salvation is now offered to   
them2 justification and  restoration are
 promised graciously through the name of
 ,jesus4  ,they are  warned of their    
danger1 and invited to the ,lord for    
safety4  ,yet they  sleep1 they slumber 
on2 and if perchance they for a while   
raise their  head to listen1 it is      
either to scoff at the message1 or to   
sink back  into a slumber more fatal1   
more profound4  ,oh6 that the ,holy     
,ghost may  condescend in mercy to awake
 those slumberers to activity and life6 
,oh6  that the ,spirit of the living    
,god may himself break the spell of that
  fatal apathy6  ,oh6 that in our       
beloved church we may see the fulfilment
  of the ,apostle's prayer3--8,the ,lord
 direct your hearts into the love of    
,god1 and into the patient waiting for  
,christ60          ,,lecture ,,ii4      

,,the ,,visible ,,church4      ,,there  
is nothing more beautiful than holy     
union4  ,it is beautiful in a  family1  
beautiful in a parish1 beautiful in a   
nation1 and above all  beautiful in a   
church4  ,that such a union ought to    
exist amongst the  people of ,god on    
earth none can deny2 that it is the joy 
of heaven1 and  is about to fill the    
coming kingdom with overflowing peace1  
is the happy  conviction of every       
student of the ,scriptures4  ,nor can we
 be surprised  that men of vivid        
imagination and ardent minds should be  
powerfully  attracted by the idea of a  
visible oneness in the church of        
,christ4  ,there is something so truly  
grand and heavenly in the thought of a  
holy  succession of devoted men1        
combining apostolical authority with an 
apostolical spirit1 and handing down    
from age to age1 untainted and          
undiminished1 a complete system of      
apostolical truth1 that it is only      
natural for men to look with reverence  

on such a picture4    ,but1 before we   
are caught gazing on the imagination1 we
 are bound to  pause awhile to examine  
into facts2 and1 before we allow the    
mind to  become unsettled in the ardent 
pursuit of a lovely theory1 it is the   
imperative duty of all sober-minded1    
truth-seeking1 men to look first at  the
 word of ,god and learn whether1 in the 
present dispensation1 there is  any hope
 that the vision will be realized4      
,to decide this point1 we have to       
examine into the predicted condition of 
the visible church of ,christ4  ,the    
question is1 are we warned of a state   
of division1 or are we not8  ,does      
prophecy represent the visible church   
of the latter days as giving an         
undivided and unerring witness to the   
truth2 as dwelling harmoniously 8in the 
unity of the ,spirit1 in the bond  of   
peace1 and in righteousness of life10   
and so prepared to welcome  ,christ with
 a united hymn of thankful joy8 or does 
it foretell a state of  things the exact

 opposite1 viz4 division1 seduction1 and
 vice1 amongst  professors8  ,if the    
former be the state predicted1 we may   
well sink into  despair from its plain  
contrast with present facts3 vice1      
heresy1 and  schism1 are rampant in the 
body of baptized professors2 whatever   
men  think of the cause or remedy1 all  
are agreed as to the fact4  ,if the     
latter1 we may look away from present   
anxieties and1 falling back on  ,god's  
revealed purpose1 may learn1 even from  
the distractions of the  church1 the    
wisdom1 the knowledge1 and the          
unfathomable counsel of its  ,head4     
,may ,god the ,holy ,ghost guide us into
 the path of truth4    ,there are two   
ways in which we might profitably pursue
 our investigation4  ,we might either   
take a wide range of ,scriptural        
evidence1 and give a  cursory notice of 
many texts2 or we might take one single 
passage and  sift it thoroughly4  ,we   
will adopt the latter method1 and       
confine our  attention almost           

exclusively to the third and fourth     
chapters of the  second ,epistle to     
,timothy4  ,three subjects will         
naturally arise in our  examination of  
this prophecy4    ,i4  ,the period to   
which it refers4    ,,ii4  ,the persons 
to whom it refers1 i4e4 whether it      
speaks of men  within or without the    
visible church4    ,,iii4  ,the state of
 things which it foretells4             
99 99 99 99 99    ,i4  ,the period to   
which the prophecy refers is described  
distinctly  7iii4 #a7 as 8the last      
days30 8,this know also1 that in the    
last days  perilous times shall come20  
or1 as it is said1 #a ,tim4 iv4 i41     
where a  similar apostacy is foretold1  
8the latter days30 8,now the ,spirit    
speaketh  expressly1 that in the latter 
times some shall depart from the faith1 
giving heed to seducing spirits and     
doctrines of devils40  ,the exact       
extent of the period expressed by 8the  
last10 or 8latter days10 it may be      
difficult to determine2 but one thing is

 plain2 they must reach up to the       
advent of our ,lord4  ,there is nothing 
else to follow them before his  coming4 
,they may cover a longer or shorter     
period1 but that period is  the last of 
the present dispensation4  ,they may    
commence earlier or  later1 but they    
must end with the advent4  ,the prophecy
 carries us1  therefore1 right on to the
 coming of the ,lord3 it contains a     
picture of  the visible church as       
,christ shall then find it2 it is not a 
description  of its early days alone1   
the first efforts of its infancy2 but   
rather of  its old age1 when man shall  
have done his all1 when churches have   
been  established1 bibles circulated1   
and all done that can be done through   
man's instrumentality2 then--at the very
 end--will the church be surprised  in  
the exact condition foretold in this    
chapter of the ,apostle4                
99 99 99 99 99    ,,ii4  ,the persons to
 whom it refers4    ,does it speak of   
men within or without the visible       

church8    ,upon this entirely depends  
our present use of the prophecy4  ,if it
 is to  be understood as referring to   
the heathen world1 or to those who      
openly  reject the name of ,jesus1 it   
would of course throw no light on our   
present subject4  ,before we can really 
apply it to our argument we must        
ascertain clearly that it speaks of     
those within1 and not without the       
visible church of professed believers4  
,a slight reference to the words will   
suffice to set this point at rest4      
7#a47  ,in v4 #e1 the persons described 
are said to retain 8the form of         
godliness30 8,having a form of          
godliness1 but denying the power        
thereof2  from such turn away40  ,there 
is no rejection of the outward rites of 
,christianity4  ,they are not like      
socialists1 infidels1 or heathen        
idolaters1 persons who make no          
profession of a faith in ,jesus1 but    
they  have all the specious appearance  
of true religion2 they are members      

therefore of the visible church of      
,christ4    7#b47  ,in v4 #g1 they      
plainly lay claim to 8the truth30 8,ever
 learning1  and never able to come to a 
knowledge of the truth40  ,by 8the      
truth0 is  meant the pure truth of      
,christ's ,gospel1 the message of       
salvation which  ,god has given us in   
his word4  ,the study of the truth      
implies an outward  avowal of it4  ,they
 do not attain1 but they profess a      
knowledge of it4  ,so also in v4 #h1    
they are described as 8reprobate        
concerning the  faith30 possessed of the
 appearance1 but devoid of the reality4 
,they  look like men of faith1 but when 
proved by divine tests they are found   
fictitious and defective4  ,they are    
like false coin which cannot stand  the 
refiner's fire4  ,but all this implies  
profession1 and it once more  appears   
that the persons described belong to the
 visible church of  ,christ4    7#c47   
,the same may be gathered from the      
,apostle's charge to ,timothy1 as  given

 in ch4 iv4 #a-d4--8;,i charge thee     
therefore before ,god1 and the ,lord    
,jesus ,christ1 who shall judge the     
quick and the dead at his appearing and 
his kingdom2 preach the word2 be instant
 in season1 out of season2  reprove1    
rebuke1 exhort1 with all longsuffering  
and doctrine4  ,for the  time will come 
when they will not endure sound         
doctrine2 but after their  own lusts    
shall they heap to themselves teachers1 
having itching ears2  and they shall    
turn away their ears from the truth1 and
 shall be turned  unto fables40         
,these words describe the danger as     
falling within the range of the         
church's discipline1 as arising in the  
midst of that very body in which        
,timothy was then called to labour as a 
,bishop4  ,the church at ,ephesus1  with
 ,timothy at its head1 was the type or  
representative of the church in  the    
latter days in the heart of which this  
evil should arise4  ,nor is  this point 
unworthy of our careful observation1 for

 it proves the  important fact that we  
must look for error in the midst of the 
most  perfect ecclesiastical            
arrangement4  ,in the church at ,ephesus
 we see the  church's order in its      
purest and most perfect form4  ,the     
whole was  arranged under ,apostolic    
authority4  ,st4 ,paul himself gathered 
in the  converts1 ordained the first    
elders1 and placed the ,bishop in his   
diocese4  ,there was needed no long     
chain of questionable links to          
establish the fact of ,apostolical      
succession2 the whole came from the     
fountain head4  ,the machinery of the   
church was perfect2 the ordination1     
government1 and discipline were         
,apostolic4  ,bearing in mind1          
therefore1  that ,timothy was addressed 
as the representative of those who in   
the  latter days should fill his office1
 we are brought to the conclusion that  
we must look for the great defection in 
the very midst of ,apostolical  order4  
,the most perfect ecclesiastical        

authority will be insufficient to       
secure the truth4  ,danger will arise   
not merely within the visible  church1  
but within its purest and most          
,scriptural form4                       
99 99 99 99 99    ,,iii4  ,the state of 
things which the words foretell4        
7#a47  ,a wide-spread departure from    
,christian morals4  8,for men shall be  
lovers of their own selves1 covetous1   
boasters1 proud1 blasphemers1           
disobedient to parents1 unthankful1     
unholy1 without natural affection1      
truce-breakers1 false accusers1         
incontinent1 fierce1 despisers of those 
that are good1 traitors1 heady1         
high-minded1 lovers of pleasures more   
than lovers of ,god20 iii4 #b-d4    ,how
 sad a picture1 but how true6  ,it is   
surely drawn from what ,god  foresaw in 
present life6  ,we have here a class of 
men sealed unto ,christ  by baptism1    
and1 while they bear his name1          
dishonouring his kingdom4  ,there is no 
evidence that they are born again of    

,god1 no fruit of the  ,spirit1 no sign 
of his inward guidance4  ,love they     
have1 but it is  absorbed by self1 and  
become hateful4  ,for                   
heavenly-mindedness1 they are  carried  
on by worldly covetousness2 and1 instead
 of wrestling for ,god1  they are       
grasping1 labouring1 speculating for    
money4  ,in the pride of  wealth and    
intellect they grow boastful of their   
successes1 and blaspheme  the ,lord who 
gave them4  ,parents are neglected and  
disobeyed2 and1 as is  usually the case1
 when the earthly parent is set at      
nought1 the heavenly  ,father is        
disregarded also2 for self-confidence   
and self-pleasing reign  in the         
unthankful and unholy heart4    ,natural
 affection falls next1 and the vile     
temper vents itself in savage           
fierceness even against the wife1 the   
child1 the brother4  ,promises are      
broken1 slanderous reports are          
circulated1 wives are neglected1        
profligate companions are adopted2 and  

the children of ,god are despised  and  
scoffed at1 as absurd in their          
peculiarities1 and contemptible in      
their faith4    ,governments again are  
disobeyed1 political factions plot      
against the  state1 dignities are evil  
spoken of2 and1 strong in their own     
conceit1  heady and high-minded men     
regard their own intellect as their only
 guide1  and their own will as their    
only law4  ,meanwhile ,god is forgotten 
in a  wide-spread thirst for pleasure2  
sabbaths are broken in pursuit of       
pleasure1 souls endangered1 and all for 
pleasure4  ,pleasure is the idol2  the  
phantom before which they bow2 the vain 
idea on which they fix their  hearts'   
best love4  ,they are 8lovers of        
pleasure more than lovers of  ,god40    
,such1 saith the ,scripture1 is to be   
the moral character of vast  multitudes 
of professed believers in the latter    
days4    7#b47  ,and now look at what   
may be termed their religious character4
    ,we have already remarked they will 

retain the form of godliness4  ,there   
is no open rejection of the name or the 
outward acts of ,christianity3 in       
appearance their standard is high1 for  
it is a form of godliness4  ,but1  with 
all this1 they deny its power2 they do  
not like its soul-searching  message4   
,they would not for the world be        
accounted any thing but  serious1 they  
are regular and attentive at the round  
of the church's  services2 they welcome 
your words so long as you speak of the  
externals  of religion2 but1 when you   
search into the real matter1 the new    
birth by  the ,holy ,ghost2 pardon      
through the ,lamb's blood2 justification
 freely  given through his              
righteousness2 the deep humiliation of  
those who live  by grace2 the weaning of
 the affections from the world1 and the 
fixing  them unreservedly on ,christ2   
then it is that the natural man rises   
up1  and1 if not by words1 they will by 
facts deny its power4  ,they will live  
as much in the world as ever4  ,they    

will have the form of godliness at  the 
sacrament on ,sunday1 they will deny its
 power by their eager thirst  after gain
 and pleasure through the week4  ,they  
will approve the form  when the services
 are reverently conducted in the church3
 they will deny  the power when called  
upon to cleave anew to ,christ in life4 
,and1 even when there is not this       
cleaving to the world1 there may be the 
denial of its power in conjunction with 
the form of godliness4  ,such is  the   
case when the church and its forms are  
made more prominent than  ,christ and   
his grace4  ,there may be the form of   
godliness in the  expression of peculiar
 reverence for the things of ,god1 in   
frequent  bowings1 in the constant use  
of the epithet 8holy10 and in humble    
submission to the church's teaching4    
,but with all this there may be the     
stopping short of the power of a lively 
faith4  ,the church may be like  the    
painted window disguising the true      
colouring of the sun2 the soul may  be  

resting on the church's ordinances      
rather than the cross2 baptism may  be  
exalted1 and the new birth by the ,holy 
,ghost forgotten2 while the mind        
becomes so subjected to the church's    
teaching1 that it dares not presume  to 
make a fearless use of the sword of the 
,spirit1 which is the word of  ,god4    
,when such is the case1 we have the form
 of godliness without the  power4       
7#c47  ,a third feature of the character
 of the church in the latter days1  as  
here described by prophecy1 is an       
ignorance of1 and aversion to1  the     
truth as it is in ,jesus4    ,in chap4  
iii4 v4 #g1 there is a description of   
future ignorance3 8,ever  learning1 and 
never able to come to the knowledge of  
the truth40    ,in chap4 iv4 vv4 #c  #d1
 this ignorance is turned into actual   
aversion4  8,for the time will come when
 they will not endure sound doctrine2   
but  after their own lusts shall they   
heap to themselves teachers1 having     
itching ears2 and they shall turn away  

their ears from the truth1 and  shall be
 turned unto fables40  ,and this is the 
more remarkable if you  observe that the
 ignorance of truth does not arise from 
neglect4  ,they  are not like persons   
who pass it by as a thing of no         
importance1 who turn  aside from the    
whole matter2 but they are 8ever        
learning40  ,they will  make the thing  
their study1 they will have many books  
and read them1 they  will ransack human 
literature1 they will be able to quote  
human  testimonies1 they will strive to 
unravel the tangled mazes of patristic  
theology4  ,and1 what says the prophecy 
respecting their success8  ,they  are   
8never able to come to the knowledge of 
the truth40  ,why is this8  ,how can it 
be1 that with all this fair form of     
godliness1 with all this  deep research 
and learning1 they are yet outstripped  
by some simple  cottager who knows only 
his bible and his ,lord8  ,the prophecy 
must again  reply1 and it shows that the
 defect is rather in the heart than in  

the  head2 for 7iv4 #c7 8they will not  
endure10 they do not like1 8sound       
doctrine20 and again 7iii4 #h7 8they    
resist the truth40  ,truth is  presented
 and resisted1 and then they will turn  
to fables4  ,they are  blinded1 because 
they will not see2 their mind is turned 
unto fables2  just because their heart  
has never been turned in true repentance
 to the  cross4  ,they are exactly like 
those whom ,st4 ,paul describes as led  
astray  by the man of sin3 8,and with   
all deceivableness of unrighteousness in
  them that perish2 because they        
received not the love of the truth1 that
  they might be saved4  ,and for this   
cause ,god shall send them strong       
delusion1 that they should believe a    
lie3 that they all might be damned  who 
believed not the truth1 but had pleasure
 in unrighteousness20 #b  ,thess4 ii4   
#aj-ab4  ,they have pleasure in         
unrighteousness1 and therefore  cannot  
love the truth4  ,the result is a strong
 delusion1 a judicial  blindness1 an    

incapacity of receiving ,christ4  ,in   
their latter stages  they really think  
they are conscientious2 they are not    
hypocrites or  infidels1 but have       
schooled their understanding into the   
belief of the  fables to which their    
heart is turned4  ,having begun by      
disliking the  truth1 they end by       
believing lies4  8,for this cause shall 
,god send them  strong delusion1 that   
they should believe a lie40    7#d47    
,but there is a fourth remark from the  
prophecy of no small  importance2 viz4  
this2 the apostacy will be found not    
merely amongst  the laity1 but the      
clergy1 i4e4 amongst those who exercise 
the  office of the ministry in the house
 of ,god4    ,ordination cannot effect  
regeneration4  ,the ,bishop's hands may 
give the  pastor's office1 but they     
cannot give the pastor's spirit2 and    
thus there  will be amongst the clergy  
the same leaven of corruption that there
 is  amongst the flock4  ,like priest1  
like people4  ,thus you will observe in 

the prophecy that there is to be no lack
 of teachers in the latter days4  ,there
 will be deceivers as well as the       
deceived1 and men will 8heap to         
themselves teachers1 having itching     
ears20 iv4 iii4  ,nor will these be     
mere upstarts rising up without         
legitimate ordination1 for let us turn  
to  the parallel prophecy1 ,acts1 xx4   
#bi  #cj4  ,these words were addressed  
by  ,st4 ,paul to the elders of the     
church of ,ephesus1 the very men over   
whom  ,timothy presided as a bishop4    
,they are therefore closely connected   
with  the epistle1 the only difference  
being that they are addressed to        
different officers of the same church4  
,it is only consistent therefore  to    
suppose them to relate to the same      
apostacy4  ,nor can there be any  doubt 
as to the ecclesiastical position of the
 persons addressed2 they  had authority 
higher even than ,apostolic2 for the    
command was given them  8,take heed unto
 yourselves and to the flock over the   

which the ,holy ,ghost  hath made you   
overseers40  ,and now what says the     
prophecy8  ,it contains  the description
 of a two-fold danger1 from without and 
from within3 some  shall arise without  
and break in upon the church's fold1 8,i
 know this1  that after my departing1   
shall grievous wolves enter in among    
you1 not  sparing the flock20 v4 #bi4   
,but others shall spring up within1 in  
the  very midst of a rightly ordained   
ministry1 corrupting the faith without  
attacking it4  8,also1 of your own      
selves shall men arise1 speaking        
perverse things1 to draw away disciples 
after them20 v4 #cj4    ,and this makes 
the latter days so pre-eminently        
perilous2 seduction  within is vastly   
more dangerous than attack without4     
,how much more when  it arises amongst  
the consecrated guardians of truth6  ,if
 the defection  were limited to the     
laity1 the believer's path would be     
comparatively  easy2 but here lies the  
danger1 that the truth will be resisted 

by the  very men whose sole office it is
 to teach it2 perverted by those who are
  solemnly entrusted with its           
maintenance2 that there will be traitors
 in  the very heart of the camp of ,god2
 that men holding the church's orders1  
and thereby winning to themselves the   
church's confidence1 will draw away     
disciples after them1 and1 retaining    
their ecclesiastical position1 will     
employ its influence as the secret      
antagonists of the truth4 #da    ,such  
being the predicted condition of the    
visible church in the latter  days1 it  
remains only that we draw from the      
prophecy two or three  important        
practical conclusions4    7#a47  ,there 
is no ,scriptural warrant for expecting 
infallibility in the  visible church4   
,we need not pause to examine into the  
frail and feeble arguments on which  the
 claim to such a gift is based1 nor need
 we attempt to follow  controversial    
writers in their contradictory          
endeavours to ascertain its  seat4  ,let

 that seat be what it may1 whether popes
 alone1 or councils  alone1 or councils 
summoned under pontifical authority1 we 
are prepared  to prove from the         
prophetic ,scriptures that there are no 
circumstances  whatever under which any 
body of uninspired men can claim to be  
received  as unerring authority by the  
church4  ,if ever there has been a      
necessity  for an infallible living     
voice to preserve the truth1 and to cut 
off  heresy by decrees1 that necessity1 
all must admit1 will be vastly          
multiplied in the latter days4  ,then   
there will be the false ,christs        
foretold by our ,lord2 then the three   
unclean spirits will go forth to  seduce
 professors2 then the man of sin will be
 seated in the temple of  ,god1 and     
then1 if ever1 the infallible decree    
will be needful to assert  the truth4   
,but who at such a time is to decree it8
  ,there will be1 as we  have shown1 a  
body of men within the church1          
corrupting the truth1  resisting the    

truth1 turned unto fables1 believing    
lies4  ,are such  persons to be admitted
 to the church's councils1 or are they  
not8  ,are  they1 or are they not1 to   
take a part in the decision8  ,if they  
are1  there is too much reason to fear  
it would be vitiated by their fables1   
that the dead fly would cause to stink  
the apothecary's ointment4  ,but1  if   
not1 how are they to be excluded8  ,by  
what tests is the council to be         
purified8  ,they will all retain the    
form of godliness2 they will appear     
with all the weight of ecclesiastical   
position1 and apostolical  ordination2  
there will be nothing wanting in the    
regularity of their  orders1 the        
validity of their sacraments1 or the    
apparent godliness of  their life2 they 
will subscribe to any forms1 and sign   
any articles2 nor  will there be any    
visible1 tangible1 criterion1 by which  
they can be  excluded from the church's 
ministry or council chamber2 but yet1 if
  admitted1 they will draw away         

disciples after them1 and by speaking   
perverse things will vitiate every      
decision in which they are permitted  to
 take a part4    ,the prophetic         
,scriptures1 therefore1 are in perfect  
harmony with the  remainder of the bible
 and lead us like it to the one         
infallible rule of  faith1 the written  
word of the living ,god4  ,to this ,st4 
,paul directed  ,timothy2 for1 after    
having foretold the seductive errors    
about to arise  and advance within the  
church1 he leads him to the bible as the
 only sure  resting place1 and says1    
8,and that from a child thou hast known 
the holy  ,scriptures1 which are able to
 make thee wise unto salvation through  
faith  which is in ,christ ,jesus4  ,all
 ,scripture is given by inspiration of  
,god1  and is profitable for doctrine1  
for reproof1 for correction1 for        
instruction in righteousness2 that the  
man of ,god may be perfect1  throughly  
furnished unto all good works20 vv4     
#ae-ag4  ,he seems here to  place the   

infallibility of the word in direct     
contrast to the fallibility  of men4    
,in the course of his prophecy he has   
shown that amongst those  who retain the
 form of godliness there will spring up 
many who deny its  power2 but then1     
turning to the written word1 he says1   
8,all ,scripture  is given by           
inspiration of ,god20 every sentence is 
infallible1 every word  inspired4  ,on  
this alone is there any sure footing for
 those that would  stand the shock of   
the latter days4  ,if they lean on      
tradition1 on  councils1 on popes1 or   
even on devoted ministers whose         
characters they  revere1 and whose      
ministry they have found a blessing to  
their souls1  they are leaning after all
 on man1 on man who may fail them at the
 very  crisis of their peril2 but1 when 
they draw truth from the fountain of    
truth1 they may receive it with         
unreserved reliance1 for ,god himself   
has  given it1 and declared by the ,holy
 ,ghost that it 8is able to make us wise

  unto salvation through faith which is 
in ,christ ,jesus40    7#b47  ,the      
people of ,god should not be shaken in  
their faith by the  dangers which they  
observe within the church4    ,in saying
 this1 it is not intended to under-rate 
the deep anxiety of the  times in which 
we live4  ,on the contrary1 we believe  
the conflict now  rising amongst        
professors to be one of so vast a moment
 as to have been  the subject of        
prophetic warning no less than eighteen 
hundred years ago4  ,but1 at the same   
time men should not be soon shaken in   
mind or troubled4  ,our faith should    
rather be confirmed than weakened2 for1 
as the  fulfilment of each prophecy     
gives additional strength to our        
confidence  in the prophet1 so the rise 
of each new danger within the visible   
church  should only add to our unshaken 
reliance on the divine authority1 and   
unaltered infallibility of the word4    
,if the guide through some unknown      
country were to warn us at the outset of

 our journey that1 as we  approached the
 close1 we should find the path narrow1 
the bye-ways many1  and the guides      
divided1 we might feel distressed when  
his words were  verified1 but each new  
danger would increase our confidence in 
his  guidance4  ,so it is with the      
church4  ,the path is narrow1 the       
journey  difficult and dangerous1 but we
 must remember that the ,guide told us  
of  it at the outset1 and the one result
 should be that we trust him more       
unreservedly1 and lean with more        
peaceful security on his word4  ,this is
  the use which our ,lord himself has   
taught us to make of rising dangers4    
,for mark his words3 8,when these things
 begin to come to pass1 then look  up1  
and lift up your heads2 for your        
redemption draweth nigh20 ,luke1 xxi4   
#bh4  ,believers are not to look down in
 discouragement1 but to look up in      
hope4  ,they are to take courage and be 
cheered on to fresh victories2  they are
 to rejoice in the unfailing character  

of the word1 and  witnessing the        
progress of predicted dangers1 are to   
look joyfully for  predicted joys2 they 
are to regard these fearful times as    
forerunners of  their coming glory1 and1
 fear being absorbed in hope1 are to    
watch in  joyful expectation for their  
crowning blessedness at the advent of   
their  ,lord4    7#c47  ,how precious   
are the promises of a ,saviour's        
preserving grace6    ,it has been shown 
that the latter days will be days of    
peril1 that there  will spring up       
seducing teachers even in the very heart
 of ,christianity  in its purest form1  
that no articles or ecclesiastical      
system can avail  to prevent their rise 
and progress1 and that no human tests   
can separate  the reality from the form 
of godliness4  ,as these latter days    
approach1  we are bound to apprehend    
these spiritual perils for ourselves and
 our  little ones2 we must expect our   
sons and daughters1 as they grow up into
  the world1 to be attacked by this     

deadly pestilence1 and1 unless          
preserved by grace1 blighted and        
withered ere the lovely bloom be formed4
  ,in perilous times we live2 for       
perilous times we are training our      
families4  ,oh6 the blessedness of those
 precious promises which assure us  that
 he will keep his own children to the   
end6  ,oh6 the peace of being  able to  
fall back upon those gracious words1 8,i
 give unto them eternal  life1 and they 
shall never perish1 neither shall any   
man pluck them out  of my hand60        
,keeping to them we need not tremble at 
the subtle and  skilful combination with
 which the enemy leads on his mighty    
hosts  against the truth2 nor need we   
shrink from the struggle in the deep    
consciousness of weakness1              
insufficiency1 and ignorance4  ,no6     
,believers6  ye are in the right hand of
 the ,lord2 ye are purchased by the     
blood of  ,jesus1 and loved with an     
everlasting love2 ye are under the      
sacred  teaching of the ,holy ,ghost1   

and by him called1 preserved1 taught1   
and  sanctified2 ye must therefore be   
content to cast away all earthly        
dependencies1 to cease from every arm of
 flesh1 to throw yourselves  without    
either reserve or doubt on ,him who has 
redeemed you by his blood2  resting on  
his word as alone infallible1 and       
abiding in his grace as the  one and    
all-sufficient source of life1 strength1
 peace1 and holiness4  8,of him are ye  
in ,christ ,jesus1 who of ,god is made  
unto us wisdom1 and  righteousness1 and 
sanctification1 and redemption40        
,,lecture ,,iii4  ,,the ,,people ,,of   
,,god4      ,,in considering the state  
of the world as foretold in prophecy    
preparatory  to the advent of our       
blessed ,lord1 we have been led thus far
 to much  matter of a distressing       
character2 we have had to draw the      
picture of a  busy world steeped in     
apathy1 and a professing church full of 
apostacy2  the prospect has in very     
truth been fearful1 gloomy1 and         

disheartening2  but we are now to turn  
to brighter topics1 and draw our        
thoughts to the  beloved family of      
,god's faithful children1 to the little 
band of  justified believers1 to those  
that are new born of ,god1 to the       
blessed  church of ,god's elect3 we are 
to examine prophecy respecting them2 we 
are  to search into their character1    
joys1 and sorrows2 and to gather from   
the  testimony of the ,spirit the       
condition in which they will be found at
 the  advent of our ,lord4              
99 99 99 99 99    ,i4  ,they will be    
found scattered throughout society4     
,our ,lord prayed for his people1 8not  
that they should be taken out of the    
world1 but that they should be kept from
 the evil20 and we are never to  expect 
to find them externally separate from   
the surrounding world4  ,they  will not 
be gathered together in separate states 
and villages2 there will  not be one    
village of unbelievers and another of   
believers2 but there  will be some of   

both classes every where4  ,the tares   
will grow with the  wheat1 and the wheat
 with the tares4  ,this appears very    
plainly from the  prophecy of our ,lord 
already referred to2 8,i tell you1 ,in  
that night  there shall be two men in   
one bed2 the one shall be taken1 and the
 other  shall be left4  ,two women shall
 be grinding together2 the one shall be 
taken1 and the other left4  ,two men    
shall be in the field2 the one shall  be
 taken1 and the other left20 ,luke1     
xvii4 #cd-cf4  ,this passage describes  
the separation of ,god's children from  
the world1 or the gathering in of       
,god's elect2 and the point which at    
present we would particularly observe   
is this1 that up to the very crisis they
 are together in society1 in the  same  
bed1 the same shop1 the same field2     
there is no visible separation1  no     
drawing off from the duties of common   
life2 all are together to the  very     
night of the advent4    ,,ii4  ,and we  
may remark1 secondly1 that the saints of

 ,god will not be  distinguished by any 
ecclesiastical system4    ,there is a   
natural craving in the human mind for   
something tangible and  visible4  ,hence
 the origin of idolatry2 men want to see
 the object of  their worship1 and so   
create for themselves an image4  ,hence 
also the  craving after that which ,god 
has declared impossible1 a visible      
church  free from error2 an outward form
 inseparable from inward grace2 a pure1 
holy1 spotless framework1 which1        
excluding all others1 shall embrace in  
its system the whole of ,god's elect4   
,but this second fiction is quite as    
impossible as the first1 and there is no
 more expectation of seeing ,god's      
elect embodied in a form than of seeing 
,god himself represented in an  image4  
#ea  ,god's children are a scattered    
family2 scattered not merely  as to     
place but as to discipline4  ,in saying 
this we do not undervalue a  ,scriptural
 discipline1 or regard episcopacy as a  
thing which may be set  aside at        

pleasure3 as we find it in the bible we 
give thanks also that we  find it in our
 church4  ,but what we mean is this1    
that ,god's grace is not  tied down to  
ecclesiastical machinery2 that a true   
church cannot command  it1 a defective  
church cannot exclude it4  ,none can    
bind the life-giving  power of the      
,spirit4    ,thus all the descriptions  
of the saints of ,god in the latter days
  describe them not by outward form1 but
 by inward grace2 the  distinguishing   
features are always spiritual1 never    
ecclesiastical2 they  refer to          
character1 not discipline4  ,for        
example3 8,hear the word of the  ,lord1 
ye that tremble at his word2 ,your      
brethren that hated you1 that  cast you 
out for my name's sake1 said1 ,let the  
,lord be glorified3 but he  shall appear
 to your joy1 and they shall be         
ashamed20 ,isaiah1 lxvi4 #e4  ,there can
 be no doubt as to the date of this     
prophecy2 it plainly carries  us right  
up to the advent4  8,he shall appear to 

your joy40  ,nor can there  be any doubt
 again as to the persons addressed in   
it2 they are the  blessed company of the
 saved in distinction to the miserable  
multitude of  the lost4  8,he shall     
appear to your joy40  ,and now how are  
they  described8  ,he does not say      
8,hear ye the word of the ,lord1 ye that
 are  correct in your ecclesiastical    
arrangements2 ye whose ministers are    
possessed of ,apostolical succession20  
nor 8ye that are in communion with  the 
,pope of ,rome20 but 8ye that tremble at
 his word40  ,whoever therefore         
receives in faith the promises of the   
bible2 whoever is brought by ,god's     
,spirit blessing those promises to      
believe on ,jesus1 whoever he be1 and   
wherever he be1 whether he be churchman1
 dissenter1 or even ,romanist1  that man
 is safe1 and the ,lord ,jesus 8shall   
appear for his joy40 #ec    ,it is just 
the same in the book of ,revelation4    
,in that remarkable  prophecy we have   
repeated mention of the saints in direct

 contrast with  the apostacy of the     
latter days3 we have in several passages
 their  portrait clearly drawn1 as if to
 leave no doubt as to their character   
when that last peril should gather      
around the faith4  ,now this            
description is always of a spiritual    
character4  ,the seed of the woman  are 
those 8which keep the commandments of   
,god1 and have the testimony of  ,jesus 
,christ20 xii4 #ag4  8,here is the      
patience of the saints2 here are  they  
that keep the commandments of ,god1 and 
the faith of ,jesus20 xiv4 #ab4  8,these
 shall make war with the ,lamb1 and the 
,lamb shall overcome them3  for he is   
,lord of lords1 and ,king of kings3 and 
they that are with him  are called1 and 
chosen1 and faithful20 xvii4 #ad4  ,in  
all these passages  there is not one    
word of outward form1 they refer        
exclusively to inward  life4    ,but    
still more4  ,a corrupt church cannot   
exclude divine grace2 for we  have in   
this book a full description of the     

great apostacy which is to  swallow up  
all other heresies in the latter days4  
,in chap4 xvii4 and  xviii4 it is       
described under the name of 8,babylon40 
,there is1 we know1 a  difference of    
opinion as to the application of this   
prophecy4  ,it may be  an open question 
whether or not it applies to ,rome4     
,but on one thing all  are agreed--that 
it is a description of a tremendous     
ecclesiastical  apostacy which will be  
destroyed at the advent of the ,lord4   
,now chapter  xviii1 gives a description
 of its fall1--a fall predicted in      
immediate  connexion with the advent3   
8,and he cried mightily with a strong   
voice1  saying1 ,babylon the great is   
fallen1 is fallen1 and is become the    
habitation of devils1 and the hold of   
every foul spirit1 and a cage of  every 
unclean and hateful bird20 v4 #b4  ,and 
the remarkable point is  this1 that even
 in ,babylon1 just at the period of her 
fall1 there shall  be found scattered a 
little band of the chosen saints of     

,god2 for what  saith the angels cry8   
8,come out of her1 my people1 that ye be
 not  partakers of her sins1 and that ye
 receive not of her plagues20 v4 #d4    
,even there1 and even then1 will be some
 of the chosen people of the ,lord4     
,but1 on the other hand1 a pure church  
cannot secure divine grace4  ,a         
,scriptural liturgy1 and ,scriptural    
articles1 cannot secure a ,scriptural   
people4  ,there will be weeds in the    
garden1 as well as flowers in the       
waste4  ,this appears very plainly from 
the parable of the virgins4  ,there  can
 be no doubt of the reference of this   
parable to the visible church  before   
the advent4  ,it is a description of    
those who professed to be  waiting for  
the bridegroom4  ,now we see in the ten 
virgins a perfect  oneness of           
ecclesiastical form4  ,there was no     
visible difference between  the foolish 
and the wise4  ,they were watching      
together2 they professed  allegiance to 
the same bridegroom2 they had the same  

vessels1 and the  same lamps2 the passer
 by could have seen no difference3 the  
distinction  was within1 not without2   
and because the oil was wanting to the  
foolish1  the bridegroom said1 8,i never
 knew you40    ,we are brought therefore
 to the conclusion that the saints of   
,god will  not be distinguished by      
ecclesiastical system4  ,there will be  
nothing in  them which the world can    
see1 except it be the fruit of the      
,spirit4  ,there will be no outward     
form1 which can stamp them certainly as 
the  elect of ,god4  ,they will be knit 
to ,christ by a living union1 but the   
tie  will be invisible4  ,they will have
 the ,father's name written on the      
forehead1 but no mortal eye can discern 
the character4  ,they will be  sealed by
 the seal of the ,spirit1 but there will
 be nothing external to  enable man to  
pronounce with certainty upon their     
safety4    ,and how solemn are the      
thoughts involved in this sacred truth6 
,we have  already found that there will 

be no distinction in society1 that in   
the  same family1 in the same trade1 in 
the same shop1 nay even in the same     
bed1 one shall be taken and the other   
left4  ,but this carries us farther     
still1 and shows that there will be the 
same separation even in the same        
church4  ,two persons will come together
 to the same building1 join in the  same
 outward worship1 make use of the same  
liturgy1 sing the same  praises1 hear   
the same chapters1 listen to and perhaps
 approve the same  sermons1 and kneel   
side by side at the same communion4     
,man will discern  no outward           
difference4  ,and so ,christ will find  
them at his coming4  ,they  will 8both  
grow together until the harvest40  ,then
 and not till then will  ,god separate  
his children4  ,then will it appear that
 the one has been a  follower of the    
,lamb1 the other of the world2 the one  
born again of ,god1  the other          
unregenerate2 the one justified1 the    
other damned2 and all  because the one  

was a believer in the ,lord ,jesus      
,christ1 the other had  the form of     
godliness1 but rested there1 and was    
without its power4                      
99 99 99 99 99    ,,iii4  ,they will    
stand out as witnesses for ,christ in   
the midst of  general declension4  ,the 
ship at anchor will remain unmoved while
 all  around it are drifted down the    
tide3 and this is the position in which 
,christ will find his chosen people3    
they will hold fast anchored in         
,christ1 while all around them are      
drifted off from ,god4  ,we have already
  called your attention to the great    
apostacy foretold within the visible    
church1 and we have only now to remark  
its widespread influence and  effect4   
,this is described by our ,lord3 8,and  
many false prophets shall  arise1 and   
shall deceive many4  ,and because       
iniquity shall abound1 the  love of many
 shall wax cold4  ,but he that shall    
endure unto the end1 the  same shall be 
saved20 ,matthew1 xxiv4 #aa-ac4  ,these 

words foretell a  period of abounding   
error1 abounding sin1 and abounding     
departure from  the ,lord3 abounding    
error2 8,and many false prophets shall  
arise1 and  shall deceive many30        
abounding sin2 8because iniquity shall  
abound30 and  abounding departure from  
the ,lord2 8the love of many shall wax  
cold40  ,the chill shall reach even     
those whose hearts once seemed warm4    
,nor  shall any stand but the heirs of  
,god's salvation4  8,he that shall      
endure  unto the end the same shall be  
saved40  ,all mere professors are here  
described as fallen2 all mere hereditary
 ,christians fallen2 all  ,christians by
 expediency fallen2 all who have rested 
in ecclesiastical1  architectural1 and  
ornamental ,christianity fallen2 all    
those who have had  the form without the
 power--fallen2 all fallen but the      
little band of  those faithful men whose
 names are written in the ,lamb's book  
of life4  ,they will then stand out as  
the rock1 when the storm has washed away

 the  sand that covered it2 unshaken1   
immovable1 and only made conspicuous by 
the tempest4  ,or as the evergreen2     
still verdant1 still beautiful1 when    
the winter's frost has stripped the     
neighbouring plants whose short-lived   
beauty seemed far more brilliant under  
the summer's sun2 so will they  abide in
 the winter time of the church's        
history2 their life untouched1  for it  
consists in a union with their ,lord2   
their beauty undiminished1  for it is   
,his unfading likeness impressed by the 
,holy ,ghost upon their  heart4         
99 99 99 99 99    ,,iv4  ,a fourth      
remark follows at once from this        
position of the saints as  witnesses in 
the midst of general declension1 viz4   
this3 they will be  unsupported by the  
arm of flesh4  ,when all except the true
 saints have  declined from the faith1  
it stands to reason that those saints   
will be  left unsupported by the world's
 influence4  ,this appears also very    
plainly from our ,lord's prophecy3      

8,then shall they deliver you up to be  
afflicted1 and shall kill you3 and ye   
shall be hated of all nations for  my   
name's sake20 ,matthew1 xxiv4 #i4       
,political influence will then be       
against the truth4  8,ye shall be hated 
of all nations40  ,there will be  a     
national opposition to true godliness1  
as there ought to be a national  support
 of it4  ,we must be prepared therefore 
to see all national and  political      
influence thrown boldly into the scale  
of error3 we shall be  taught by the    
sins of those in power not to lean on   
the arm of flesh1 to  cease from man1 to
 rest simply upon ,christ and ,christ   
alone4  ,then ,god's  redeemed will find
 no help from statesmen1 but draw all   
their help from  ,christ4  ,they will be
 forced to cleave to those precious     
promises1 8,i am  with you always even  
unto the end of the world20 8,the gates 
of hell shall  not prevail against you20
 8,fear not1 little flock1 it is your   
,father's  good pleasure to give you the

 kingdom40  ,their union with him will  
be  every day more and more precious2   
their thirsting after him more and more 
intense2 his word1 his grace1 his       
presence1 his love1 will be the         
strength of their hope1 the subject of  
their discourse1 the one source of      
their joy2 and1 forsaken by all other1  
they will cleave only unto him  till the
 blessed day when as the ,king of kings 
he shall come forth for  their joy and  
glory4                                  
99 99 99 99 99    ,v4  ,and this leads  
us to a fifth and last feature in the   
description of  the saints4  ,they will 
be waiting and watching for the coming  
of the  ,lord4    ,it is sometimes      
thought enthusiastic to be speaking much
 of the second  coming of the ,lord4    
,unfulfilled prophecy is thought        
difficult1 and it is  better1 say many1 
to dwell exclusively upon the more      
certain narratives  of the past4  ,but  
not so the ,scriptures4  ,they describe 
believers as  waiting1 watching1 and    

ardently expecting the blessed period of
 their  ,saviour's glory4  ,for example1
 in #a ,thess4 v4 #d1 expectation of the
  advent is the distinguishing          
characteristic of the people of ,god3   
8,but ye  brethren are not in darkness1 
that that day should overtake you as a  
thief40  ,to the world at large it      
should come as a thief in the night2 it 
would find them unexpecting1 unprepared2
 but not so to the saints4  ,they  would
 be on the look out2 the world's night  
would be their day2 the  world's        
darkness their light2 the world might   
see nothing1 but they would  see        
,christ4  8,ye brethren are not in      
darkness1 that that day should  overtake
 you as a thief40    ,and it is very    
important in this respect to observe the
 contrast between  the children of ,god 
and the surrounding world4  ,with       
reference to the  advent apathy1 we have
 already seen1 is to be the leading     
feature of  society4  ,men will be      
unconscious and regardless of its       

approach4  ,but  with reference to the  
world's progress1 even they shall be    
alarmed4  ,they  will be aroused1 but   
not by the hope of ,jesus4  ,for look at
 the  description3 8,men's hearts       
failing them for fear1 and for looking  
after  those things which are coming on 
the earth3 for the powers of heaven     
shall be shaken20 ,luke1 xxi4 #bf4      
,these words describe an undefined sense
  of something coming2 a general        
expectation of some approaching crisis2 
a  feeling of wonder as to what will    
happen next2 a breaking up of former    
confidence1 and a fearful looking after 
those things which are coming on  the   
earth4  ,such will be the mind of those 
who look at things on merely  worldly   
grounds4  ,but now observe the          
contrasted character of the  children of
 ,god4  8,when these things begin to    
come to pass1 then look up1  and lift up
 your heads2 for your redemption draweth
 nigh20 v4 #bh4  ,like  the men of the  
world1 they look for an approaching     

crisis1 but as men of  faith they look  
beyond it4  ,like the world they observe
 the gathering  storm2 but as believers 
they fix their eye on ,him who governs  
it4  ,they  will study history with     
their bibles in their hands2 they will  
see in  each passing change fresh       
landmarks1 fresh signs of their ,lord's 
approach4  ,in the sound of war and the 
advance of error they will hear as  it  
were the distant footsteps of their     
coming ,lord4  ,prophecies will  become 
clearer and clearer to their view1 the  
book being unsealed  according to the   
words of ,daniel1 because 8the time of  
the end0 is come4  ,facts will become   
interpreters1 and difficulties be       
cleared up by the  fulfilment of the    
prophecies2 the signs of the advent will
 become  intelligible in history2 so    
that when ,he comes he will find his    
servants  watching2 looking up and      
lifting up their heads2 waiting         
patiently1 yet  longing ardently2 and   
ready to welcome their reigning ,king   

with the words  long since provided for 
them by the ,prophet4  8,lo1 this is our
 ,god2 we  have waited for him1 and he  
will save us3 this is the ,lord2 we have
  waited for him1 we will be glad and   
rejoice in his salvation40              
,believers6 ye must be found thus       
waiting1 thus watching4  ,time is       
hurrying on2 but the men of this world  
still sleep in apathy4  ,the voice  of  
the watchman fails in rousing them2 the 
signs of the times are  neglected and   
despised by them4  ,but it must not be  
so with the saints of  ,god4  ,ye must  
be listening for his coming footstep2   
watching and keeping  your garments in  
the midst of seducing error and         
abounding sin4  ,as the  chosen of ,god1
 ye must be standing forth for truth2 as
 witnesses for  ,christ1 ye must exalt  
the sovereignty of the word and of the  
,lamb2 as  citizens of the ,new         
,jerusalem1 ye must be strangers and    
pilgrims upon  earth4  ,oh6 may ,god    
grant us all grace that we may be found 

faithful6  ,may ,he hold us in his own  
right hand1 and so make us more than    
conquerors  over sin and error6  ,may   
,he take1 under his especial care our   
wives1 our  children2 our brethren1 our 
dear friends1 with the whole multitude  
of his  scattered church6  ,may ,he     
himself keep them and us in these       
dangerous  days6 that so1 at his coming1
 both they and we may be found amongst  
the  blessed company of ,god's faithful 
saints1 and1 beholding ,christ in his   
glory may be made like him through the  
omnipotence of his grace6               
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,the ,,end4          ,,footnotes4      
#ag  ,for the investigation of these    
prophecies1 see ,newton on the          
,prophecies1 or ,birks on the ,first    
,two ,visions of ,daniel4    #da  ,hence
 it appears that defect in many of the  
church's ministers does  not justify    
separation from its communion4  ,the    
,scriptures teach us  plainly that such 
defect must be expected when the form   

and discipline  are of the most perfect 
character4    #ea  ,is not this a       
fundamental error in the proposed       
,evangelical  ,alliance8  ,it is a human
 scheme for the incorporation of ,god's 
elect4    #ec  ,it is sometimes argued  
from these principles that believers are
 at  liberty to disregard ecclesiastical
 distinctions2 and1 if justification    
were the only object which the          
,christian has in view1 there might be  
some  foundation for the conclusion4    
,but the justified believer is living   
for  a further and higher end1 viz4 a   
perfect conformity to the whole mind    
and will of ,god1 and this latter is the
 standard to which all practical        
questions should be referred4  ,in such 
cases the question is not 8,how  does it
 affect my justification80 but1 8,is it 
agreeable to ,god's will8  and will it  
promote his glory80  ,thus the          
importance of a ,scriptural  church     
discipline is not in the least affected 
by the principle that  grace may prevail

 without it2 nor is dissent necessarily 
justifiable  because the dissenter may  
be justified4  ,all believers are not   
always  right in all things4  ,early    
education1 early prejudice1 or the sad  
defects and blemishes1 which are too    
often seen in the human acting out  of  
,scriptural principles1 may serve to    
warp both the judgment and the  will    
even of the child of ,god4  ,thus it is 
that a man may be safe in his  union    
with ,christ1 and yet wrong in his want 
of union with the ,episcopal  church4   
,thus also we may regard such an one as 
a brother in ,christ1  while we are     
bound to protest against what we believe
 unscriptural in the  system of his     
ministry4