PREFACE. THAT there is an Age to Come1 before the eternal kingdom is inaugurated, is clear from various parts of the prophetic Scriptures. For on the conclusion of this age in human apostacy and divine judgment, when the Man of Sin will be destroyed, and the ten Gentile kingdoms crushed by the stone falling and grinding them to powder, "the God of heaven "-Daniel tells us in chap. ii. 44—"will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: and it shall stand for ever." This we regard as the Age to Come; which will be inaugurated at the glorious Epiphany of our Lord; and be con 1 Justin Martyr, Dial cum Tryph, p. 313-15. 2 Dr. Hugh McNeill said, addressing a meeting of Ministers, "My reverend brothers, watch! preach the Coming of Jesus. I charge you in the name of our common Master, Preach the Coming of Jesus; solemnly and affectionately, in the name of God, I charge you, Preach the Coming of Jesus." B tinued, in a peculiar form, during the period of 1,000 years, and will then be merged into the eternal kingdom, in which there will be a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness," which shall endure for ever and ever (Rev. xxi. 1—4, xxii. 5). The purpose of the Author is to present, in two parts, the teaching of Holy Scripture in relation to this Age to Come. The first part will contain some short chapters on the National Life of the Age to Age to Come: the second part will contain some chapters on the Church Life of the Age to Come. The chapters will be concise, and limited to the consideration of those points only to which reference is made in the prophetic Scriptures, while mention will be made of the various authors which have been consulted in the composition of the book. And a brief table of Contents will be added to assist the reader who may wish to consult any particular chapter. And may the Holy Ghost, whose guidance and teaching both the writer and reader so much needs, graciously vouchsafe to afford that light and unction, without which, whatever is written can never be of any lasting interest, or raise the soul into hearty communion with God. And should the reader think the teaching of this book is out of harmony with "the true sayings of God," as "noted in the Scriptures of Truth," let him be careful to examine all the proof texts, and mark well the time of the prediction, both as to its utterance and its fulfilment; which may be gathered from a studious and thoughtful consideration of the context, and a careful collation of all the references.1 For by the adoption of this method the Author believes that the harmony will be discovered, and the book will be found to teach only what the Lord has said in reference to those things which shall be hereafter "—in the Age to Come. แ And may God in His mercy so guide both Author and reader in this, and all things con 1 "I count it expressed, when it is either in manifest words contained in Scripture, or thereof gathered by necessary collection."Abp. Whitgift. |