And all the prophecies of "the last days" in the Apostolic Epistles (referred to in this Lecture) which—instead of the brightest days of this Dispensation, as they should be on the supposition of an onward progress and triumph of the Christian Truth-are uniformly pictured to us as the darkest. Among which stands out in marked prominence the historical prophecy in 2 Thess. chap. ii., which, dating from the Apostle's days, begins with "the mystery of iniquity"1 then working, and ends with its maturity in the revelation of "that Wicked One whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of " His Coming": the history of Anti-Christianity running parallel with Christianity and ending in "an apostacy" (ver. 1, Gr.) which is only extirpated by judgment. And last,-The great Prophecy of the New Testament -The Apocalypse; which, however interpreted, is also the history of an apostacy matured and judged at the Lord's appearing.' No promise certainly here of the success often anticipated for Christian Missions. But are we therefore to abandon them? If it be not given us to convert the world, are we therefore not to labour for the conversion of the many whom we may count on? Often has it been said, and truly, that the salvation of one soul would be a reward for a life of labour. But, waiving this consideration-even though we should not be required to believe that all the heathen to whom the Gospel has not reached shall perish eternally,-Is there no other motive for seeking their conversion? Rather, Is there not a motive paramount to this in the glory to accrue to God from it? For, Is it nothing that the worship due to Him. should be given to idols and to demons? Nothing in this 1 Or" of lawlessness" (avouías), opposition to Christ's kingdom. The Author may be permitted to refer the reader to his Exposition of the Book of the Revelation' considered as predicting the events to precede and usher in the Lord's Second Coming. to fire the Missionary's zeal-that, where now God is unknown and dishonoured, His Truth should be proclaimed, and His Name confessed and praised? Does this rest with us? Is the great privilege granted to us to be labourers in such a work, and shall we sit idle and fold our arms? Besides-regarding the Gospel as "to be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations" (according to our Lord's prediction already noticed, Lecture p. 22,) there would be an increasing urgency for this testimony being made as "the end" approaches: in view of the opposition and dominant power of Anti-Christianity in "the last days." In this view it is the raising of the standard of the cross to gather out subjects for the kingdom of Christ, and to recruit His army, against the last dread conflict: especially as "the Gospel of the kingdom", the character in which (and not the Gospel of salvation only) it is distinctively said to be then preached for a testimony, when the sovereignty of Christ will be the great question at issue. To the greater honour and glory of the witnessess so going forth in the cause of their Lord: inasmuch as, being called by their mission and testimony to "suffer with Christ," theirs specially is the promise to those who forsake family, and home, and houses and lands, and who risk their lives, for His sake-the promise of reigning with Him in His kingdom when revealed. And last―So only will the Church collectively fulfil her Mission in the world pending the coming of Christ, as (to repeat the definition of it)" a people taken out of the nations to the Name of God," that is, to maintain the revelation of the True God, which is His "Name," in opposition to all false Gods; and His true Religion-as his peculiar people, called by His Name,-in opposition to all false religions. Or, as defined by our Lord, chosen to be "the Salt of the earth", and "the Light of the world", which, it is evident, she is only as a Missionary Church, and in measure as she "lets her light shine before men", and circulates the Truth committed to her trust. Such, in brief, the legitimate scope of Christian Missions; and, it will be admitted, an ample one: and such the Scriptural motives by which this work is commended. Which it is of the greatest importance to apprehend, as otherwise we can look only for that which is the invariable result of acting on a false stimulus,-disappointment and discouragement calculated to break the spirit of the Missionary; and, indeed, to operate against all evangelizing enterprise. While, going to work according to the measure given him, he will not only be contented with the results, but often surprised by success surpassing his expectations. This false stimulus has been largely administered heretofore by the misapplication of Prophecies like that before us-the taking them out of their place as Prophecies of an age to come and applying them to the Church of this Dispensation. An error which has been productive of another and even more serious evil to the Church itself: leading her gradually to lose sight of her calling and mission and to become impatient of her insulated state as a Church: to be ambitious of exchanging the position of a church militant here in earth' for that of a church triumphant, before the time; and to aspire to a Catholicity which is an anticipation of Christ's kingdom, and has contributed more than any thing else to the secularizing of Christianity under colour of a warrant from Scripture derived solely from this perversion of its Prophecies.1 'Catholic' or 'Universal' we truly confess the christian Church to be in more senses than one. First, as embracing persons of all nations, in contradistinction to the Jewish, which was confined to the members of one nation and people. And, again, in respect of its diffusiveness, as disseminated through the earth-' the holy Church throughout the world-having branches in all parts: as in the Apostles' days we read of the Church at Jerusalem, at Antioch, at Cæsarea, at Rome, at Corinth, at Ephesus, at Thessalonica, at Laodicea, at Smyrna, at Pergamos, at Thyatira, at Sardis, at Philadelphia: which,—as being all built on the same foundation, and professing the same Faith, and maintaining the same discipline,-were collectively 'One Catholic and Apostolic Church'. But Catholic' or 'Universal' in the sense of embracing all nations within its pale it is no where promised that it should be: nor could it be and be a Church, which were a part equal to the whole, an election from the mass of mankind embracing the mass! Such an Universality is indeed predicted for Christianity or the knowledge of Christ: but (be it repeated) in a Dispensation which will not be, as is this, a Dispensation of a Church but of a Kingdom: and a kingdom not to be established by Christian Missions, but by the revelation in power of Christ Hims lf-The King. |