first, that which is contained in the passage now read.

Premising that it is not intended to enter into the question of their Inspiration lately mooted: a discussion which-even were it compatible with the purpose of these Lectures just announced-I am happy in deeming unnecessary in this place, where it would be but to recapitulate the evidence of one of "those things which are most surely believed among us ;" and, to those who acknowledge the Divine authority of the New Testament, established beyond question by the express statement of an Apostle (2 Pet. i. 21) that "the Prophecy came not of old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost:" as we confess of Him in the Creed'Who spake by the Prophets.' And so "moved"so over-ruled both as to the matter and words of their revelations—as to give utterance to things of which they did not see the full import: as the same Apostle says again (1st Ep. i. 10-12), speaking of "the Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time," -"Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired. and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed that, not unto themselves but to us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that

have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven". . . “things” which it is therefore our privilege to seek to apprehend in humble and prayerful dependence on the teaching of that Spirit; and which, in proportion as they are apprehended, constitute the fullest and most convincing evidence-internal evidence of the Inspiration of the Prophecies which reveal them.1

To proceed

That the prophecy before us is a prophecy of "the coming of Christ's kingdom" (as stated in the contents of the chapter, or Translators' preface, in our Version) is universally admitted; as to which it is, indeed, most explicit, embracing at once the Time, the Means, and the Result of its establishment ; which order will be followed in the remarks on it now to be offered. And—

I. First-THE TIME: "It shall come to pass in the last days."

By this expression the Jewish Commentators have always understood the days of the Messiah :

1

To the simple-minded believer-"simple" in the Scripture sense, Ps. xix. 7; cxix. 130; and unversed in controversy—it is sufficient proof of the Inspiration of both Moses and the Prophets, and the Old Testament Scriptures generally, that our Lord repeatedly endorsed them: as in Luke xvi. 29" They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them :" John v. 39, "Search the Scriptures," &c: taken in connection with the undisputed fact that the books of the Old Testament, so endorsed, were the very same that we now possess. The Jews, it is well known believed in the plenary Inspiration of those "Scriptures;" and He thus confirmed them in this belief. Those who have

as, (to quote one of them), the learned Rabbi Kimchi says on this place- Wherever the latter times are mentioned in Scripture the days of The Messiah are always meant.' But as we have learned that the coming of The Messiah, which they looked upon as one, is twofold, the question arises-To which does it refer? Whether by "the last days" are intended the last days of the Jewish Dispensation issuing in his first Advent? or the last days of this Dispensation to issue in His Second? And presumptively speaking we should certainly decide for the latter:-that these words occurring in the Prophets absolutely, without any qualifying terms limiting their reference to one particular age, must denote the close of that period which is the subject of Prophecy-the consummation at once of Revelation and of the Redemption which is its theme: in a word, "The Time of THE END" or "The End of the Days," as that consummation is designated in the great chronological

occasion to go farther into this question will find it satisfactorily discussed in Horne's Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures,' Vol. IV. Part I. and the works there referred to. "Hengstenberg's Christology of the Old Testament.' 'Sermons on the Prophecies of the Messiah as interpreted by the Jews before the coming of Christ by E. Harold Browne, B. D. Norrisian Professor of Divinity, Cambridge, 1862. 'The Authenticity and Messianic Interpretation of the Prophecies of Isaiah,' by the Rev. R. Payne Smith, M. A., Sub-Librarian of the Bodleian Library, Oxford, 1862. Essay III. of Aids to Faith;' by Dr. McCaul: &c.

1 See Bp. Lowth in loco.

With which agree also Rabbis Aben-Ezra and Ben Melech. And Abarbanel of this prophecy

It belongs without doubt to the days of the Messiah.'

prophecy of the Old Testament-the Book of Daniel.1

And, accordingly, when we turn to the New Testament we find the phrase invariably so applied: that, so far from the Apostles speaking of " the last days" as come, they still speak of them prophetically, as future, and equivalent to "the end of the world;" which expression, however, in Scripture does not denote (as popularly used) the end of the material world, but "the end of this age;"2 introducing the coming of Christ and that final age with which the Bible closes-" the Dispensation of the fulness of the times."

Thus in 2 Peter iii. 1-4: "This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?"

And the Apostle Paul, of the same period, 2 Tim. iii. 1," This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come" (same Greek).

1

Chap. xii. 4, 9:—the time of the resurrection of the just see ver. 1-3; and ver. 13.

2

ovvtéλeia toũ aiŵvós, Matt. xiii. 39, 40, 49; (different from ver. 38, where кóσμoç): xxiv. 3; xxviii. 20; the only places where this phrase occurs.

3 Év soxáτais nμépais-same as Sept. of Isa. ii. 2.

As also, in another parallel passage, the Apostle Jude writes (ver. 17, 18, of his Epistle) only substituting "the last time:"_" But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts." To execute judgment on whom he had just before said "The Lord cometh with myriads of His saints."

And the Apostle James in like manner (ch. v. 3) says to certain rich oppressors of the Christian poor-"Ye have heaped treasure together for "the last days."" While to the latter-those oppressed and defrauded by them-he says (ver. 7), “Be patient therefore, brethren, to the coming of the Lord" thus again identifying this event with those days."

66

the

The only exceptions (not to multiply quotations) being two, and these apparent only. The one, opening passage of the Epistle to the Hebrews,— "God, who at sundry times [or in sundry portions] and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by His Son." Where, were the original the same as in the passages just quoted there would be an unquestionable warrant for understanding by "the last days" the days of the

1 εν εσχάτῳ χρόνῳ.

2 ἐν ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις, as before.