The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-03-20

be said by POstmillensrisn that the pas
sage does not mean that the present place o
Christ's spiritual presence is heaven eXciu
sively, but that at some time in the future
God will send from heaven Christ's spiritua
presence, or His Holy Spirit, IN greater
pOwsr; l answer, the passage does not sag so
Expositors have been confused in their minds
in reference to the meaning Of this part Of
the passage under consideration, because they
have interpreted the first part of it to refer
to a re0ival of religion. The word translated
'blotted out" means to mark out, erase, OBJ
literate. The word translated refreshing
means breathing again, rest and may more
properly refer to the perfect rest which re-
mains to the people of God, than to any im-
perfect rest of the Church in its present i'm
perfect militant state. In the phrase " from
the presence of the Lord the word trans.
lated presence is used seventy y-eight times in
the New Testament. Fiftysix times it is
translated face. Seven times ii is translated
person. Seven times it is sEa2sl9 ted pgSaeacs.
Three times il is translated couatenasce.-
And once it is translated OutsOard appearance.
0ace, appearance, once fashion, and twice,
before. Ia every instance, unless this pas
sage in Acts is excepted, it means an out
ward visible appearance of person or thing.
The word restitution means a restoring to q
previously existing coalition When man
is restored to health, be obtains that which
he once had, and had lost. When property
is restored, it is property which was once
possessed. When Christ healed a mans
withered hand, it was restored like as the
other.
The following | consider to be the plain
meaning of the whole passage. Repent and
be converted, so that your sins may be en-
tirely obliterated from your souls, in the
day of perfect rest, the time when ali things
will be restored to their original perfect state,
time spoken of by all the holy prophets,
even the time of the return of Christ to the
earth from heaven where he is now retained.
To the prophets then let US 60 to learn what
is foretold of that blessed time. Before en-
tering upon the examination of Someof theae
prophecies, will make few preliminary
statements which think will aid Us in the
Interpretation of them.
The passages of Scripture which foretell
Christ's first coming to suffer, and those
which foretell His second coming to reign,
are oftentimes so blended together in the
same chapter or sentence, that it is not easy
always to separate them, and declare posi-
lively that this refOrs exclusively to His first
coming, and that to His second. There are
some passages which evidently refer to both
events. So also, there are passages in which
the description of suffering, imperf ct, yet
an upconquered Church, and the description
of the Church when she has gained the vic
tory over all her foes, are 30 blended together
in the same chapter or sentence, that it is
difficult to decide that this refers to the
Church in the former condition, aud that, tC
the Church in the latter condition. The jews
saw in their Scriptures Messiah coming tc
reign, and overlooked or misinterpreted those
which foretold His coming to suffer. W.
may 60 to the other extreme, and fail to SET
the full import of those prophecies which
speak of the final triuppha of Christ and Hi
Church. P. 7. P.