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"it
has been boldly asserted, in the Theological Repository,
under the direction of the late Dr. Priestley, and never,
that I know of, attempted to be contradicted, in any part of
his numerous works, that our Lord is recorded by his
historians Matthew, Mark and Luke, to have declared that his
second earning was one of those events which would happen
during the lives of some of his contemporaries. "
And above all — he points out a fixed
period, beyond which, their expectations of the coming of
the Messiah, would not be delayed. Ye shall not have gone
over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man le come.
This last passage, is probably, one of
those, upon which Mr. Gibbon has founded his opinion that
Christ told his second coming, in the generation in which he
lived — but, you will, I am sure, agree with me, that it is
not easy to imagine, his disciples, in such circumstances,
as have been described, could have entertained any other
idea of the coming, here mentioned, than of the coming of
the Messiah— or of the kingdom, which had been announced to
be at hand ; for, to that coming, it is demonstrable, their
whole attention had been, originally directed. With a belief
that Jesus was the Messiah, they had joined him and had lent
a willing and anxious attention to his instructions, upon
that head ; in the hope that he would give them such
information as they wanted. And the very circumstance of
their having been ^ vested .with a commission to announce
the near approach of the Messiah's kingdom, at the time when
this discourse was addressed to them, naturally and
necessarily led them to understand, the coming of the Son of
Man, of the coming of the Messiah.
Besides ; you will, easily perceive that
if the disciples had understood our Lord, as specking of his
second coming to judge all mankind ; they must, immediately,
and without hesitation, have forsaken him, as an Impostor ;
as not answering their expectations ; for they, then, most
incontestibly, entertained ideas which were totally
incompatible with such an event : Nor is it easy to imagine
how any one, claiming the character of the Messiah; in. a
series of arguments manifestly intended for their
encouragement, under peculiar difficulties;, should have
introduced one which had an immediate and direct tendency to
extirpate every "hope that he was the Messiah, whom they so
earnestly expected. In fine, the whole of the preceding
context, you must be satisfied, compels us to understand
this passage, respecting the coming of the Son of Man ; not
of HIS SECOND COMING, as the Judge of the World — but of his
first coming, as the Messiah. And, that the subsequent
context is a continuation of the same subject, must appear
to you and to every one, who gives it, due attention,
equally evident. |
