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be some standing here, which shall not taste of death till not Son of man come to reward every man according to his works. No; this is not the affirmation, but till the Son of Man be come in his kingdom. (3) This coming in his kingdom as a model, type, and prelibation of his final coming, as appears from the following context, was the transfiguration. On the holy mount, Christ put on his glory, appeared in his kingdom, and gave to three of his disciples a fac simile of his final coming, and his immortal kingdom. I have no doubt that Peter, James, and John, saw Christ in his glory, just as he is now seen in heaven, and just as he will be seen when he comes in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not his gospel. (4) That the coming in the kingdom spoken of in the 28th verse, is a fac simile illustration of the coming spoken of in the 27th verse, to reward every man according to his works, and was seen by three then pressent, after six days, in the transfiguration, will be manifest you read the whole in connexion. It stands as follows: For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily, I say unto you, There be some standing here, who shall not taste death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And behold there appeared unto them Moses, and Elias talking with him.Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.'

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Here then, we learn that three of those present saw Christ in his glory within six days, while all others thep

present died without the sight. (5) That the transfiguration is the event alluded to in verse 28th, as a presentation of his final coming, will appear still further by collating Matt. 16:27,28, 17:1-5, with 2 Pet. 1:16,18.

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the most excellent glory, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount."

Here then we have the prediction, its literal fulfilment, and a commentary by one of the eye and ear witnesses. Peter, one of the favored three with Christ on the mount, calls the transfiguration, (1) The power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2) Says he was an eye witness of his majesty on that occasion. (3) That he then received from God the Father, honor and glory, and was proclaimed to be his beloved Son in whom he was well pleased. (4) Peter tells us all this took place when we were with him, (not at the destruction of Jerusalem,) but in the Holy Mount. Now, if you take Matthew and St. Peter as authority, you must acknowledge that the transfiguration was that coming in his kingdom, which was to be seen by some then present before their death. But,

3. You tell me that the 24th chapter of Matt. clearly teaches that the coming of Christ in judgment took place at the destruction of Jerusalem. Let us briefly examine this portion of our Savior's teaching. The instruction contained in the 24th and 25th chapters of Matt. was delivered to the apostles only two or three days before the crucifixion. As Jesus was retiring from the temple, his disciples called his attention to the beauty and magnificence of its structure. Jesus replied, Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left there one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.' Here he clearly referred to the destruction of Jerusalem. The disciples wishing to know

more of these things and probably partaking of the prevalent opinion of their countrymen, that the Holy City would stand till the end of time, came to him privately as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, saying, Tell us when shall these things, (the destruction of Jerualem) be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and the end of the world,' or dispensation? Here then, is a three-fold question. It relates to the destruction of Jerusalem, the coming of Christ, and the end of the Christian age or dispensation, which began with the labors of our Redeemer. See Luke 16:16. Now, in our Savior's reply, we may expect an answer to each question. From the 4th to the 14th verse, he gives in general the signs which will be common and general till the end of the world, or gospel dispensation. He tells them there will be false Christs, wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and that his followers will be hated, persecuted, and some of them killed for his name's sake. This is all general. These things have been taking place ever since our Savior was upon earth. The last sign which shall indicate the closing up of the gospel age or dispensation, which was opened by the Ministry of Christ and his Apostles, is the universal spread of the gospel. And this gospel shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, then shall the end come,' verse 14. Notice here, (1) that the end spoken of here cannot be the END OF JUDAISM, for that ended as a divine appointment, when John the Baptist began to preach. The law and the prophets were until John, since that time the kingdom of God is preached.' Luke 16:16. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.' Matt. 11:13. (2) Besides, the END spoken of in verse 14, was not to take place till the gospel had been preached in all the world-as a witness to all nations. But was the gospel to be preached everywhere before Judaism, as a valid institution, passed away? Have we in the divine economy two divine dispensations existing as valid, Christianity and Judaism, at the same time? This you will hardly be wil ling to allow, but this position you must take with all the

absurdities which it involves, or admit that the END-the end of the world or dispensation spoken of in the 14th verse, is the END of the gospel dispensation.

The 2d division of the 24th of Matt. begins with verse 15, and closes with the 22d.

'When ye, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand,) then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the house-top not come down to take any thing out of the house, neither let him which is in the field return to take his clothes. And wo unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight may not be in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: For then shall there be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should be no flesh saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lc, here is Christ, or there! believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.'

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Here our Savior tells his disciples about the destruction of Jerusalem, and answers their first question, When shall these things be?' He tells them when they should see the war and desolation spoken of by Dan. 9:27, then Jerusalem was to be destroyed-that they should flee to the mountains with great haste, that it would be a time of great tribulation, such as never had been, and never would be in any other war, that it would he so destructive in its nature, that if prolonged, it would swallow up both Jews and Christians. No flesh would be saved,' but for the sake of the elect, the Church, the war should be shortened.

Having now described the destruction of Jerusalem, our Savior proceeds in the 23d verse onward to the end of the 25th chapter, to answer the question- What shall be the sign of thy coming?'

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Knowing that there would be Judaizing teachers both in the Church, and among the poor blinded, infatuated Jews, who would deceive, if it were possible, the very elect,' by telling them that Christ would come at the destruction of Jerusalem, the Savior begins a description of his 2d personal coming, by telling his disciples that he would not come amid that bloody siege. Hear his warning on this point.

'Then, (When? Why at the destruction of Jerusalem,) if any man shall say unto you, Lo! here is Christ, or there, believe it not,-'BELIEVE IT NOT;' it is a false doctrine, and not to be believed; for, continues the Savior,' there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before." It seems that Christ had on some previous occasion told his disciples, that he would not come at the destruction of Jerusalem.

"Wherefore, if they say unto you, (at the destruction of Jerusalem,) behold he is in the desert, go not forth; behold he is in the secret chamber, BELIEVE IT NOT

Here the Savior is remarkably explicit. He tells his followers to give no heed at all to the cry that Christ would come at the destruction of Jerusalem-that no story-no report--no argument-no affirmation to that effect should receive the least credit. In relation to every pretence of this kind he said twice over, BELIEVE IT NOT.

He then proceeds to give the reasons why they should not receive such reports, and these reasons may be found in the sublime, glorious manner in which he will appear. Hear him.

'For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth unto the west, SO shall the coming of the Son of man be.' That is, his coming will be of such a nature when it takes place, that there will be no chance for dispute, or difference of opinion. It will burst upon the world suddenly and visibly, like lightning. All will see, and all will feel that "the great day of his wrath has come."

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