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Who but God could foretell their history? "This weapon alone out of God's armory can through all the sophistries and opposition of men."

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God forbid then that we should despise prophecies. 1 Thes. 5:20. (πроpηreías-Prophecies.)

"O Earth, Earth, Earth, hear the Word of the Lord." Jer. 22:29.

CHAPTER XVII.

A Practical Doctrine.

We have asserted that this truth of the coming of the Lord is eminently practical. In proof of this, we here 'append the following references, to show how Jesus and the Apostles used the prophecies of His coming again as a motive to incite us.

1. To watchfulness,-Mat. 24:42-44; 25:13; Mark 13:3237; Lu. 12:35-38; Rev. 16:15.

2. To Sobriety,- 1 Thes. 5:2-6; 1 Pet. 1:13; 4:7; 5:8. 3. To repentance,Acts 3:19-21; Rev. 3:3.

4. To fidelity,- Mat. 25:19-21; Lu. 12:42-44; 19:12-13. 5. Not to be ashamed of Christ,

6. Against worldliness,

Mar. 8:38. Mat. 16:26-27

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14. To pastoral diligence and purity,— 15. To purify ourselves,

16. To abide in Christ,

17. To endure manifold temptations

severest trial of faith,

1 Tim. 6:13-14. 1 Pet. 5:2-4. 1 John 3:2-3.

1 John 2:28.

and the

1 Pet. 1:7.

18. To bear persecution for the sake of our

Lord.

1 Pet. 4:13.

19. To holy conversation and godliness,- 2 Pet. 3:11-13. 20. To brotherly love,1 Thes. 3:12-13. 21. To keep in mind our heavenly citizenship,

22. To love the second coming of Christ,

23. To look for Him,

Phil. 3:20-21.

2 Tim. 4:7-8. Heb. 9:27-28.

24. To confidence that Christ will finish the work,

25. To hold fast the hope firm unto the end,

Phil. 1:6.

Rev. 2:25; 3:11.

26. To separation from worldly lusts and to live

Godly,

Titus 2:11-13.

27. To watchfulness because of its suddenness,

Lu. 17:24-30.

1 Cor. 4:5. Mat. 19:27-28.

28. To guard against hasty judgment,-
29. To the hope of a rich reward,-
30. To assure the disciples of a time of rejoicing,-

2 Cor. 1:14; Phil. 2:16; 1 Thes. 2:19. 31. To comfort the apostles in view of Christ's departure from them,- John 14:3; Acts 1:11. 32. Practical faith in the second coming, is a crowning grace and assurance of blamelessness in the day of the Lord,— 1 Cor. 1:4-8. 33. It is the principal event for which the be

liever waits,―

1 Thes. 1:9-10.

34. It is declared to be the time of reckoning with

the servants,

35. Of judgment for the living nations, 36. Of the resurrection of the saints,37. Of the manifestation of the saints,

Mat. 25:19. Mat. 25:31-46.

1 Cor. 15:23.

2 Cor. 5:10; Col. 3:4. 38. It is declared to be the source of consolation to those who sorrow over the dead who sleep 1 Thes. 4:14-18.

in Jesus,

39. It is declared to be the time of Tribulation to unbelievers,

2 Thes. 1:7-9.

40. It is proclaimed every time the Lord's Supper

1 Cor. 11:26.

is celebrated,Such are some of the uses made of this doctrine in the New Testament. It is employed to arm the appeals, to point the arguments, and to enforce the exhortations. What is there more PRACTICAL in any other doctrine? We would that we had space to give the passages referred to in full. But it will be a greater blessing to you, dear reader, if you will go to the Word and search them out.

We have made no distinction between those passages which refer to the Rapture, and those which refer to the Revelation, both classes being equally used as a motive for the practical purposes mentioned.

The following outline and arrangement of Scripture has been taken principally from a little pamphlet published in London. It is a concise view of the pre-millennial coming, with plain proof-texts of the same, conveniently arranged for reference and study. As the texts cited are necessarily brief, it will be found of great profit to read the context of each in the Word.

In connection with the diagrams on pages 72 and 225, we believe it will enable every prayerful reader to apprehend the order of events that pertain to the coming of Christ, both as THE BRIDEGROOM and as THE KING.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE COMING OF THE LORD

And Some Subsequent Events in Their Connection with the Church's Future.

"Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth is come,. things to come." John 16:13.

He will show you

THE LORD'S
PROMISE.

His Faithfulness.

The Hope of the Church.(b)

"I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself." Jno. 14:2, 3.

"I go away, and come again unto you." Jno. 14:28.

"A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father." Jno. 16:16. "I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice." Jno. 16:22.

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise." 2 Pet. 3:9.

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope (a) without wavering; for He is faithful that promised; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching." He. 10:23, 25.

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"For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." He. 10:37.

"The coming of the Lord draweth nigh."

James 5:8.

"Surely I come quickly: Amen."

Rev. 22:20.

"Unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation." He. 9:28.

(a) So the Greek.

(b) All believers of the present dispensation. 1 Co. 12:12, 13, 27.

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