The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-02-20
FoE THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

agree IN the opinion tnat the As1ie nOiA
of Daniel, I" the man of sin" or "mystery OF
iniquity" of Paul, and the "two'horned
beast" with its "image," of John, represent
Papal Rome,-its civil and ecclesiastical
power. 1t is not necessary to my argument
that should prove this to be the true inter
probation. l need only to prove that anti
christ-whoever he may be-Will be in ex-
istence when Christ comes. To avoid a
lengthy quotation, beg the readers of this
article to read carefully Rev. XII: 1913,
and the 18Th and 10Th chapters. The pious
aud learned DR.. Ramsay, in his Spiritual
Kingdom" best exposition of the first
eleven chapters of Revelations | have ever
read-agrees with most commentators in
making the time when the kingdoms OF this
world shall become the kingdoms of Christ
REV. XII coincide with the time when the mar
riage of the Lamb is celebrated, Rev. XIX
This is undoubtedly the correct view, which,
being generally admitted by all parties, viii
be taken for granted. But DR.. Ramsay diff
fers from the Post millennialists, in that ne
regards the time of the fulflment of these
prophecies to be at the coming Of Christ, In
stead of at the beginning of millennium
occurring during this diapensstion. Most OF
those who hold the latter view pass over III
comparative silence those verses in the chap
rers above named which refer to tho judg-
meuts that will overtake the inhabitants OF
the earth at that time, which they suppose to
be at least thousand years before Christ
comes. They must perceive the difficulty of
reconciling them with their theory. They
are compelled to hold that the phrase "the
time of the dead that they should be Judged
does not allude to the literal resurrection OF
either the righteous or wicked dead. Clarke
says that the phrase simply means that God
will at that time avenge their blood" Vi
course, according to this view, the reward"
then bestowed on the prophets and saints,
aud them that fear God both small and great,
is not the reward bestowed at the coming OF
Christ, but reward given to the prophets
and saints, then living on the earth, consist
ing in the happiness of seeing and enjoying
a great and long continued revival of religion
On the phrase "The marriage of the Lamb
is come," Clarke only says, "After this over
throw of idolatry and superstition, and the
discontinue of anti.christ, there will be a
more glorious state of Christianity than ever
was before" We do not learn from him nor
from any of these interpreters, what is meant
BY &" and his wife hath made herself ready"
The words blessed are they which are call
ed to the marriage supper of the Lamb, are
interpreted to mean, Blessed are all they
VINO hear the gospel, and are thus invited to
lay hold on everlasting life" The destrue-
ton visited at that time upon them (the
persons) which destroy the earth, and espe-
cially upon Babylon, and those (persons) who
were "partakers of her sins" and will "re'
ceive of her sins, is represented by these
interpreters as only the destruction Of an
nti.christian system. Thus Brown in his
book on the second advent, commenting on
Daniel vii, and Revelation xix, says, con-
corning the little horn of Daniel and the
beast of John, "As the imagery of the triaI
is that of the last judgment, it was tit that
his end should be represented as consign'
ment of him to hell,fre. -. Systems in-
deed-kingdoms-public partieS-cannot 60
to hell, strictly speaking. Yet as the trial
Of them is real, so the destruction of them is
as truly judicial IS ever the perdition of IN
cody men will be at the great day" In
other words, in that blessed time coming be.
fore the coming of Christ, the human agents
of the Devil, and those who were partakers
of the Gins of the great who're will not re.
ceiye of her plaques, but will be converted,
while the perniciOus system which they en-
braced will be ''cast alive into lake burning
with fire and brimstonel" By this interpre.
tation, we can understand who those are who
will "reioice over" the fall of Babylon, but
we cannot understand who they will be who
will be weeping aud wailing" and crying
g alas, alas" when they see "the smoke Of
her burning"
1t is fatal to this Interpretation, that al
the time in which its advocates lay these
scenes, the dead are Otjudged, the prophets
and others are not rewarded, the destrOyers
of the earth are not destroyed and the Lambs
wife is not ready for the marriage. The
Bride of Christ is His entire Church, His
whole mystical body. We will not stop to
prove this fact SO universally admitted by
orthodox divines. But the Bride will not be
ready at the time stated in Revelation xix,
If, after that time, there is to be millennium
Of thousand years during which millions
are to be converted. The true view of the
passages of Scripture under consideration is
thus given by DIR. Ramsay, "'The kingdom
of this world is become our Lords and His
Chri8t's; and they shall reign forever and
ever. Two things are here most clearly
taught. First, that this kingdom or reign,
is here on this world, and over it; and Sec
ond, that of it, there shall be no end. 1t is,
then, nothing less than Christ's everlasting
reign over the complete body of His redeem
ed. and that on the renovated earth :. :.
This view of the triumph must include,