An Affectionate Address to the Children of God Concerning the Second Coming

The writer desires to lay before his dear brethren in the Lord what the GOD of truth himself says concerning the Lord’s future coining to establish his glorious kingdom, the great events by which it will be preceded or accompanied, the state of the world during the Lord’s millennial reign, and the events which Will mark and attend its close.
His object is to remove the prejudices which blind the eyes of many of his beloved brethren, so that they cannot see and receive the glorious truths which the word of God reveals respecting the afore-mentioned subjects.
“Great peace have they that love God’s law: and nothing shall offend them,” says the Holy Ghost. And if my dear brethren did but perceive how much Peace they lose’ by rejecting this part of God’s gracious testimony, and how great a stumbling-block, or rock of offense, they place in their own way by not receiving these truths, sure I am they would search the scriptures daily to see whether the scheme, of prophetical interpretation here advocated be or be not in accordance with Divine truth; and equally sure I am, that if they would patiently investigate the word of truth for this purpose, in humble traceableness of mind, and prayerful dependence upon the Holy Spirit, they would arise from the investigation convinced of the truth, and rejoicing in the happy discovery that the Lord’s personal advent is at hand, and the day of their redemption and the world’s renewal near to come. And the more they studied this large portion of Divine revelation, the more would they perceive how “profitable” it is “for instruction in righteousness,” how calculated to promote holiness in heart and life, and how rich in solid consolation and heavenly hope.
If a regard be had to those parts of the word of prophecy which have already received their accomplishment, it will plainly appear that they have received a literal fulfillment: e.g. how literally have been fulfilled the judgments of God respecting Israel and Judah, and in how remarkably literal a manner also have been accomplished the predictions respecting—the first coining of Christ, in great humility, to be the sacrifice for sin: indeed, a little attention to the subject will spew how ALL fulfilled prophecy has received the most LITERAL accomplishment. Such being the fact, is it not reasonable to believe that what remains to be fulfilled of the word of prophecy will be accomplished in the same literal manner? Let but this simple rule be applied to guide us in our expectations, with regard to unfulfilled prophecy, and have no doubt but that the happy result will be an unanimity of views and anticipations as to those “glorious things” which “are spoken” concerning “the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him.”
Whilst on this important subject, I would add force to my remarks on the literal interpretation of prophecy by the following interesting and convincing anecdote: —
A sermon was preached, a few years ago, in London (St. Clement Dane’s Church, in the Strand). Among the congregation were two Jews. After the sermon a discussion arose in the vestry on the subject of a psalm which contained a prophecy respecting the restoration of the Jewish nation. The clergyman denied the interpretation of the national restoration. One of the Jews, who spoke for both, interposed and said, “Then how can you wonder that we deny what you call the incarnation?” The Jew then asked for a Bible, and Opened it at that passage which contained the address of the angel to Mary: “And, behold, thou shalt conceive hi thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” He then invited this clergyman to go on with him through the passage. The clergyman went through the first three or font clauses, and the Jew allowed the literal interpretation to pass but; when he came to this passage; “And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he Shall reign,” &c., “That is,” said the clergyman, “he shall reign in the hearts of his people.” “Is that so?” said the Jew, “and not at Jerusalem where David reigned? Then I deny that Mary had a son; it signifies only that the Messiah was pure from his birth; that is the meaning of the virgin having a son. I take your mode of interpreting this verse, and I carry it back to the former verse, and deny the incarnation.” “But,” said the, clergyman, “We believe in the literal interpretation of this; because the event has shown it to be literal.” Then said the Jew, with an indescribable mixture of scorn and contempt, “Hall, you believe because it is done: we believe because God spoke.’“ O let us, my dear brethren, take God at his word; let us believe the word which the Lord has spoken; and Snot bend the words of eternal truth to meet our prejudices and preconceived opinions; lest by so doing we be tempted and ensnared to turn the truth of God into a lie, to his dishonor and our souls’ loss. Suffer the word of exhortation; while intreat you to give a close and prayerful consideration to the following texts. ‘They are but a’ few in comparison of the large number which might be adduced; but they will be found sufficient to show that the future coming of the Lord in glory will be, not, as the generality of Christians suppose, at the end of the Millennium, but at the commencement; and to usher in that glorious era of the world’s regeneration and of the saints’ perfected glory. That, therefore, his corning is near at hand, and speedily to be looked for, and daily to be anticipated; and that “blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments” (i.e. “unspotted you to give a close and to them, who look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” How inconsistent it is for any of our dear brethren not to be looking and longing for the coming of that blessed and “holy One, whose voice is harmony, whose smile is life, whose will is law, and whose law is love;”—at whose coming the forms of nature shall be renovated in beauty, and all the graces of heaven shall attend and adorn the Spirits of men. The eye shall be satisfied in seeing, the ear in hearing, and the heart in loving; man shall be restored to his right position in the world, the world— to its right position in the universe, and the illimitable universe shall break forth into joy and praise over a world which was lost but is found! (Psalms 98; Isaiah 44:23.)
In the anticipation of so glorious a consummation of the Christian’s divinely-taught prayer, who would not exclaim with the writer just quoted, “O thou who art the Joy of the universe, the Savior of the lost, whose right it is to reign, come, wear thy many crowns. Thy saints are waiting for thy coming! The earth groans for thy coming! Heaven is silent for thy coming! Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.“ Amen..