PROPHECY
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

of his blood to be upon them. He took the kingdom from them;—and gave it in its offer, to a nation or people bringing forth the fruits thereof;—and broke up their nation and scattered them to the four winds of Heaven.

The good news of his kingdom, however, were not to be announced to any, till Israel had fully and finally settled the question, whether they would receive him. This done, and being rejected by them, he sent it to the Gentiles. God from that day began to visit the Gentiles "to take out of them a people for his name."¹ He has been ever since affording to them an opportunity to obtain the benefits of his sway, and to inherit the kingdom of. heaven. Individuals embrace his offer; and God is making up his elect church, out of every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue and people, who shall live and reign with Christ. Not a nation as such receives him, and hails his dominion. The political governments of earth are corrupt; and the authority of Jesus Christ is set at naught. He is giving them ample time, as he did the Jews, to say whether he should reign over them. In the mean time he will have the Gospel preached for a witness through the whole world. Every nation shall have an opportunity to say whether they will come under the sway of Heaven. When that Gospel shall have accomplished its circuit round the globe, the time of forbearance will cease.

For near two thousand years, God forbore with the Jews; and gave them the offer of his kingdom. For near two thousand years, he has done the same with the Gentile nations. And now, that Gospel has nearly delivered its testimony throughout the globe. It has

¹  Acts, Ι5.14.

found its way among the rude tribes of Laplanders and Esquimaux; and penetrated through the northern snows almost to the very pole. It has travelled through the valleys, and over the mountains, and on the table land, and the wide plains of central and eastern Asia. Through the whole extent of our continent also, stretching almost from the northern to the southern pole, it has sounded its gladdening notes. There is scarce a nation of Europe, Asia, or America, in which it has not been preached. It has visited the numerous isles of the sea. It has sailed round the continent of Africa, and established its Missions from the Cape of Good Hope along both its eastern and western coasts. Long since did it find its way into Egypt, and Nubia and Abyssinia. And last of all, but not the least wonderful, it has restored to their native land some Mendi captives thrown on our shores, and presents the marvellous and interesting prospect that ere long, even the unexplored regions of Central Africa, shall hear the glad tidings of salvation. Verily, we have in these things a spirit-stirring and portentous sign of the coming of the great day of God, when, if the nations will not embrace his Gospel, and submit to his sway, He shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces, as a potter's vessel.

10. A further sign we notice of the coming of Christ, is the spread and prevalence of the spirit of despotism, of Popery, and of infidelity, among the nations of the earth; thus preparing the way for the last convulsive scenes of revolution, and of the conspiracies, among kings and their armies, against the peace and happiness of the world, and the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. These are the symbolical frogs, the unclean spirits of demons, which John saw "come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of