The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-12-21

pliers have not been able to give
such proofs and arguments as would
produce all the wished for satisfac-
ton; but in their efforts for satisfac-
ton, we read what are the movings
of the constitutional desire of the hui
man mind, through all ages and all
nations of the earth.
And this superior future good,
which has in all ages and countries
been subject of human desire and
speculation, God has made subject
of special revelation. To his servants
through whom he chose to reveal
the counsels of his will, God, at sun
dry times and in diverse manners.
made promise of future unalloyed
good; and of a divine parsonage, who
should be the medium of that good
to the human race. Unto our first
parents God gave assurance, that a
seed should arise from their progeny,
who should bruise the serpent's head.
(Gen. iii. 15.) The serpent was there
used as an emblem of the evil which
was just introduced into the world,
and the plain sense of the testimony
is that evil should be overcome and
destroyed. To Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, God promised that in one
who should be raised up of their de-
scendants, should all nations, and
kindreds and families of the earth be
blessed. Gen. xii. 3; xviii. Is; xxi.
49, Job, of the land of Uz, under
the oppression of sore grief, and in
the hope of the victory of good, pro-
phesied, saying, II know that my Re-
deemer liveth, and that he shall stand
at the latter day upon the earth: and
though after my skin worms destroy
this body, yet in my flesh shall l see
God" Dob. xix. 25.) Or, as the
marginal reading is: "After | shall
awake, though this body be destroyed,
yet out of my flesh shall l see God"
David sung of the promise of God,
to give unto his Son the heather for
his inheritance, and the uttermost
parts of the earth for his possession.
And of him all the prophets bare
witness, that he should be the cove
nant of life unto the people of Israel,
and the salvation of God unto the
the ends of the earth, even that the
desire of all nations should come.
IL. This promised seed of the
woman, this promised seed of Abra
ham, this promised Redeemer of man,
this promised covenant of Israel and
salvation of the world, this promised
desire of all nations, is Jesus Christ.
The Jews stand condemned by
their own Scriptures for rejecting
Jesus of Nazareth. Their prophet
Daniel testified that it should be but
seventy weeks, which, according to
the rule for reckoning prophetic
time given in Eek. iv. 5, 6, is four
hundred and ninety years, from the
commandment to rebuild Jerusalem,
till the coming of the Messiah. dan.
tx. 23) And here the prophet Hag-
gal certified, that the Redeemer, the
desire of all nations, should come
while the second temple, which was
then building, should be yet stand
ing. He brought the word of the
Lord to the builders of the second
temple, saying, "Yet once, "-as if he
had said, the Old Testament church
has but one stage more to travel.
Five stages were now passed,-from
Adam to Noah, thence to Abraham,
thence to Moses, thence to Solomon's
temple, thence to the captivity; and
now yet one stage more, which is the
sixth, and then comes the seventh, or
sabbath of the Messiah's kingdom.
"Yet once, it is little while, and will
shake the heavens and the earth, and
will shake all nations, and the desire
O all nations shall come; and will
fill this house with glory, saith the
Lord of hosts" Hence it is seen
that this promised Saviour, the de-
sire of all nations, was to come while
that house should be standing; for
in connection with his coming, that
house was to be filed with glory. But
that house has now long since been
demolished, and the very foundations
thereof ploughed up. Where then
is the Jews Messiah? He came at
the time appointed. "He came unto
his own, and his own received him
not" "And because they knew him
not, nor yet the voice of the prophets,
which were read every Sabbath day
amongst them, they fulfilled them in
him."
The time when Jesus came is man.
ifestly the time to which the prophets
had pointed, as the time for the COM