Some of the early reformers, among whom was Luther, entertained a view similar, in some re spects, to this. To them, at that advanced period of the world's history, it seemed that the mil lennium must have already run its course, and as if, therefore, the coming of Christ and the end of the 'world were nigh. Others, however, recognizing in Papal Rome the mystic Babylon of the Apocalypse, and finding themselves engaged in the very heat of conflict with it, and unable, moreover, to discern, in the dark ages that had preceded, anything like the blessed rest they anticipated for the Church, were led to the adoption of views more in accord ance with those generally entertained at the present day. These may be epitomized as follows :— There are many earnest and devout Christians who maintain it to be the duty of the Church to anticipate the advent as nigh, and to live in daily expectation of the coming of her Lord. Her atti tude (say they) should be that expressed in the words of the apostle: Looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us' (Titus ii. 13). The command of Christ to his disciples is obligatory on his people now—Be ye like unto men that wait for their Lord' (Luke xii. 36). Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come' (Matt. xxiv. 42).
But, how (they ask) can the Church maintain this attitude of expectation, if she believes that a thousand years are to elapse before the advent ? The advent, therefore, must be pr e.rnillennial. Christ will soon appear visibly, to establish his kingdom, and introduce his universal reign. The Church, with her present agencies and instrumen talities, is inadequate to the conversion of the world. Her present work, therefore, is, by the preaching of the gospel to make up the number of the elect. These, at his coming, shall constitute the Bride, the Lamb's wife ;' that glorious Church' which Christ shall then present to himself, having neither spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing.' Then all his enemies shall be put under his feet. The earth shall be purified by fire, and wickedness consumed out of it. Along with the fulness of the Gentiles, the Jews shall be brought into the Church, and re stored to their own land. Then, either in the earthly Jerusalem below, or, as some imagine, in the heavenly Jerusalem visibly manifested above it, Christ will reign with his risen and glorified saints. Then all nations whom he has made shall come and worship before him,' and all the ends of the earth see the salvation of God.' There are others to whom these anticipations, fascinating as they are to many, seem based on erroneous interpretations of scripture. Christ's kingdom (they argue) is not a kingdom of the future merely; it has already come. It began when he ascended, and sat down as Lord of all' (Acts x. 36) at the right hand of the Father. Then he was made head over all things to the Church' (Eph. i. 22). Christ, therefore, reigns now, and must reign, till he bath put all enemies under his feet' Cor. xv. 25). All power in heaven and on
earth' having been 'given' to him, he already pos sesses all that is requisite for the fulfilment of his purposes, and the extension of his reign, visibly and manifestly, throughout the world. His kingdom, which began to be manifested when, on the day of Pentecost, through the outpouring of the Spirit, multitudes were brought to the obedience of the faith, will come with growing power and fulness till it has come universally, and the Father's will is done on earth, even as it is done in heaven.' As to its being the duty of the Church to be look ing and waiting for the coming of her Lord, they maintain that several, at least, of the passages from which this is inferred have been misunderstood, and have reference, not to that real and personal coming which is yet future, but to that spiritual coming, in the exercise of judgment on the Jewish church and nation, which is now past. They affirm, moreover, that even those who maintain this to be the duty of the Church, are themselves unable to fulfil it, inasmuch as, expecting, as they do, certain events to precede the advent, they must necessarily be looking out rather for those events than for the advent which is to follow them. For example, from certain Old Testament prophecies, it is generally maintained by them that, prior to the advent, the Jews, while yet unbelieving, will be restored to their own land ; that after dwelling there for a season in peace, and attaining to con siderable prosperity, a confederacy of nations will be formed against them; that they will be assailed by the armies of Gog ; and that, just in this crisis of their fate, Christ will appear visibly for their de liverance. Then, converted to the faith of the gospel, they will say—' Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord !' How then, can pre millennarians, entertaining such expectations, be looking daily for the coming of the Lord ? They must necessarily be looking rather for those events which they believe shall precede it. But this is precisely the position of post-millennarians, though the events anticipated by them, including, as they do, the millennium, must occupy a much more ,engthened interval of time. The advent, however (say they), is an event of such surpassing interest and importance, that, however far distant in the future it may be, to the eye of faith it should ever appear as nigh. They insist, moreover, on this, as inconsistent with a pre-millennial advent, that there is not, in the New Testament, any passage, having undeniable reference to the advent, in which Christ is said to come for the purpose of reigning on the earth. He is represented as coming to raise the dead, to judge the world, and distribute to men their final awards; but never as coming to estab lish his kingdom, or begin his reign. Why not ? Because (say they) his kingdom is already estab lished, and his reign already begun. The advent, therefore, cannot be pre-millennial. It must be a post-millennial event.