witness these things, and to share in the calamities; and these things were to be to them, "the beginning of sorrows," and they were to be to them the signs of the approaching 'end'-the destruction of the temple, the coming of Christ, the end' of the world or age.

Another sign was this-" And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations; and then' shall the 'end' come," verse 14.

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If the scriptures afford us proof of the fulfilment of this event during the apostolic ministry, I take it that this will evidence the near approach of the end, or the things signified. Paul, in the year 60, testifies that the gospel had been preached in all the world; speaking of the gospel he puts this question, “But I say, have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound' went into all the earth,' and their words' unto the ends of the world,'" Rom. x. 18. Again, writing to the Colossians, and speaking of the word of truth, he says, "Which is come unto you, as in all the world,' " i. 6; “If ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven ;' whereof I Paul am made a minister," verse 23. This is, I presume, sufficient evidence from the word of truth of Paul's having lived to see this sign come to pass which the Lord had given. "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come. Let it be borne in mind, that the end' applies to the question, When' shall these things be

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-the sign of thy coming, and of the end' of the world.

Another sign is, " When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth, let him understand), then let them which be in Judea, flee into the mountains," &c. Matt. xxiv. 15, 16; so also Mark xxi. 14. And varied thus by Luke, "And when ye' shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies,' then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea, flee to the mountains, &c. For these be the days of vengeance, THAT ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN MAY BE FULFILLED," xxi. 20, 21, 22.

This sign, the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel-" In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate;" or, as it reads in the margin, "Upon the battlements shall be the idols of the desolater:" ix. 27. that is according to Luke, when "Jerusalem was compassed with armies, then know that the desolation is nigh." This was fulfilled when Titus the Roman general besieged Jerusalem, surrounded its walls with his army, and finally planted the Roman eagle upon the battlements of the temple, for "upon the battlements shall be the idols of the desolater." Then followed the destruction of this ancient city of the Jews, and the temple-not one stone left upon another that was not thrown down. And it is further declared, "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall the

For wheresoever the carcase eagles' be gathered together.”

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These signs then in their entire accomplishment, predicated the coming of Christ,' and the end' of the world, or age-they are parallel and coincident

events.

It may be said very fairly that there are other signs-signs in the sun, and moon, and in the stars-and THEN shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, &c. And when shall these be? Matthew says, "IMMEDIATELY after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And THEN shall appear the sign' of the Son of Man," &c. chap. xxiv. 19. And Mark, "And then' shall they see the Son of Man COMING in the clouds, with great power and glory," chap. xiii. 26. See Luke, " And when these things begin to come to pass, then lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh," chap. xxi. 27. "Now learn a parable of the fig tree: When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:' so likewise ye, 'when ye shall see all these things, know that it (or He) is near,' at the doors. Verily I say unto you, THIS GENERATION

SHALL NOT PASS, TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE FUL

FILLED," Matt. xxiv. 32, 33, 34; Mark xiii. 24-30; Luke xvi. 27-32. There is this variation, "When ye see these things come to pass, 'know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.' "

LETTER XIV.

Mr. EDITOR,

In reply to the pretensions of THE OXFORD PARTY respecting APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION, I have in my former letters again and again maintained from scripture evidence, that all apostolic rule, power, office, miracles, were to cease, determine, end, at the second appearing or coming of the Lord; and that this event was plainly made known to the followers of Christ, by the signs given to them, and his express declaration, that some of his apostles should not taste of death, till they saw the Son of Man coming in HIS KINGDOM. "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world," is a favorite text with all parties, Dissenters as well as Catholics, Roman or Protestant, Bishops, Deans, and Precentors, to prove succession— postolic and ministerial. But this passage goes only o prove the end' of the Jewish dispensation. I

have shewn that this passage must be taken in connection with "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following,'" Mark xvi. This is the meaning of the Lord being ' with them' alway, even unto the end of the world. "In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." This was the way that the Lord was with them, working with them, confirming the word with signs following, and this continued all through the apostolic ministry; as long as the office lasted the gifts continued, but when the gifts-speaking with tongues, working miracles, prophesying, &c.-ceased, it was a sure sign that the apostolic office ceased, and the result of this is that there never was any apostolic succession, and that the Lord is not now with any set of men, working with them, and confirming the word with signs following, according to the sense and meaning of that passage," Lo, I am with you alway to the end of the world," Matt. xxviii. 20, connected with Matt. xvi. 15-20. The apostle had a clear perception of this truth, I mean the total cessation of this office, its power and gifts, when he states this fact, "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies they shall fail;' whether there be tongues, 'they shall cease;' whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away," for we (apostles) know in part and we prophesy in part." 1 Cor.xiii. 8. In this it is clear and manifest

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