p. 170 | THE LAST DAYS by H. L. Hastings

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 1, 1857

THE LAST DAYS.

By H. L. Hastings

FROM A TRACT BY H. L. HASTINGS. (Continued) Third: The last days were to be marked by an extension of the blessings of God to every nation on the earth. The Jewish religion was never intended to be universal in its extent. That were an impossibility. Three times a year must the Jews appear in Jerusalem before the Lord. But none could do this save the dwellers in Palestine and the adjacent countries. The Jewish was essentially a national religion, destitute of that spirit of extension and progression which characterized Christianity. But in "the last days," the "middle wall of partition" was "broken down"—the Spirit was poured upon "all flesh"—in Christ there was neither Jew nor Greek, male or female, bond or free—the yoke of burdensome rites was broken off, and the law of commandments, the hand-writing of ordinances was "abolished," "blotted out," and "nailed" to the gory cross of Christ. The temple worship at Jerusalem gave place to the sincere adoration of those who worshiped "in Spirit and truth," whether in Jerusalem, Samaria, or the uttermost parts of the earth. John iv, 23. The Gentiles became "fellow-heirs" by faith of Gospel blessings. Eph. iii, 6. The whole Church became a "royal priesthood" whose "great High Priest" appeared before God in their behalf. The thank-offerings of ancient times were exchanged for the devout homage of grateful hearts—the sacrifices of bulls and goats gave place to "living sacrifices, holy and acceptable in his sight." The "yoke" became "easy," and the "burden" "light," and the Gospel thus adapted to human necessities was presented to the race. The apostles were bidden to "go into all the world" and, assured of their Master's presence, they were to "preach the Gospel to every creature." They went forth and preached everywhere. No longer circumscribed by the limits of Judea—no longer confined in

their efforts to a single nation, their field was the "world." Standing on Calvary, they had looked out on a world condemned and ruined—standing by the open sepulchre, they believed on him who rose for the justification of sinners, for whom he died—standing on Mount Olivet, they had gazed after the departing Mediator, and Intercessor, and now as the baptism of the Spirit was upon them, faith's eye looked upwards and beheld Jesus enthroned amid the glory of the highest heavens, and sounding in the ears of the perishing race the glorious invitation, "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." Isa. xlv, 22. Inspired with such a message, baptized in such a Spirit, sent forth by such a leader, commissioned for such a work, no wonder that their words prevailed. No wonder that men believed, when added to all this were signs and wonders exceeding human power. No wonder that their hearts were full of courage and hope. Three thousand believed in a day, and that number was speedily augmented to five thousand through the blessing of God, notwithstanding all the malice and the art of enemies. And from that time the gospel has shed light and glory into all the earth. Fourth: The last days were to be marked by a clearer revelation of divine truth than was granted to previous dispensations. The single promise uttered in Eden was expanded into numerous "promises exceeding great and precious"—the types and shadows were no longer needed when the "good things to come" were realized. The law given by Moses was good; but Oh! how much better was "grace and truth" which came by Jesus Christ? The old covenant was good, but this was a "better covenant," based upon "better promises," and furnishing ground for a "better hope," of a "better resurrection," and "a better country." The great problem, "How can man be just with God?" was solved on Calvary. The important question, "If a man die shall he live again?" was answered at Joseph's opened sepulchre—the prophecies grew vivid as they received their fulfillment, and the sacred word glowed with a strange lustre of a double inspiration when quoted anew by the apostles of the Lamb. The kingdom of God was more fully preached, the glorious advent of Messiah more clearly taught, the way of salvation more perfectly displayed—life and immortality were brought to light—the world to come was rolled up in rapturous vision—the holy Jerusalem rose in sublime and blissful prospect—the harpings of the blest fell sweetly on the pilgrim's ear, and the world of bliss, with its joys, its songs, its palms, its crowns of glory, its robes of white, its adoring myriads, its rejoicing angels, its eternal King, and its endless blessedness, were revealed as they never were before, in "the Revelation of Jesus Christ." Were we now standing amid the opening glories of the new dispensation, how should we estimate the anticipated success of the Gospel? Taking as a basis the fact that thousands had been converted in a single day; that there were then five thousand Christians in Jerusalem—that the Gospel was potent to save—that its believers were full of ardor—that the Holy Ghost attended the word; what might have been expected? Surely we might have easily believed that those five thousand Christians could each of them, in the course of the year, bring one sinner to God. Then the succeeding year might witness a similar effort on the part of ten thousand Christians, with a similar result; and proceeding in this moderate ratio at the end of eighteen years the converts would number more than thirteen hundred millions, a number far greater than the population of the earth. And after making every allowance for sickness, old age, and death, the conclusion remains that had each Christian brought a single soul to God every year, the world would have been all converted within twenty years from the day of Pentecost. And what should hinder the accomplishment of this work? Were not the means adequate? Was not the salvation desirable? Did not Jesus die for all? Was he not able to save to the uttermost? Were not the waters of life free? Why, then, might not the children of those days have spent their manhood's strength in a converted world? And

why might not those whose heads were then white with age, have yet beheld the Sun of Righteousness shining in cloudless splendor from pole to pole ere they should depart in peace, having seen the salvation of the Lord? Alas! that after eighteen hundred years of toil on the part of God's faithful servants, facts should wring from our hearts the sad confession, that of the thousand millions that people this rebellious world, probably not one-twentieth are faithful followers of Jesus Christ. And how passing strange is it that after this sad experiment on so vast a scale—this awful demonstration that "men love darkness rather than light"—yet men professing to be ministers of Jesus Christ, will sit in their easy chairs, or stand in their gorgeous pulpits and proclaim the speedy conversion of the world, forgetting that even now the sword of vengeance gleams aloft, and in the midst of "Peace and safety, sudden destruction cometh upon them." 1 Thess. v, 3. And now, having considered the manifestations of divine goodness which were to mark the "last days"—the coming of Christ—the out-pouring of the Spirit—the extension of the Gospel—and the full and lucid manifestation of divine truth, all of which exhibit the amazing love of God to fallen man; we must turn to the other side of the page, to complete the picture of "the last days" by proof from the Scriptures that— II. THE LAST DAYS WERE TO BE MARKED BY PECULIAR MANIFESTATIONS OF HUMAN GUILT, DEPRAVITY AND REBELLION. "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" was the inquiry of the apostle. This course, so abhorrent to every child of God, appears to be the constant and settled policy of this rebellious world. Did God spare man's forfeited existence after the first transgression? and did not man in return fill the world with violence? Did he water the verdant valley of Jordan? and were not the men of Sodom "sinners exceedingly?" Did he deliver Israel from Egyptian thralldom? and did not they rebel and murmur in the desert? Did he crown them with goodness in Canaan? and did not they go whoring after other gods? Did he place his Sanctuary among them? and did not they insult him in the chambers of imagery? Did he send his Son to bless them? and did they not hang him on Calvary's cross? Did he send his Gospel into all the world? and has not the world rejected it, and despised it, and derided it to this day? So always where grace has abounded, sin has also abounded, and especially in "the last days." But more particularly— First: The last days were to be marked by the most determined opposition to Christ. Till there was a true Christ, there could be no antichrists; but as soon as the one appeared bringing blessings, the other followed with curses for mankind. Says the apostle: "Little children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now there are many antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time." 1 John ii, 18. He knew that "the last time" was to be marked by a gigantic manifestation of rebellion and opposition to God, and, as in the very commencement of the Christian dispensation he met on every hand the workings of "the mystery of iniquity," and the many denials of Christ, he could say "this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even now already be it in the world;" [1 John iv, 3] even then the fiendish form of "the enemy" might be discerned stalking amid the darkness and scattering his tares, while careless servants slept. Tares, too, that human effort should never eradicate or pluck up, but which were to "grow together" in all their rank luxuriance until gathered out and cast into the "furnace of fire," by those vengeful angels who shall reap the final harvest of the earth. Even then the warring agencies were in motion, and the spirit of deadly enmity against the Most High was fast developing itself, and by this sad sign they knew that they were in "the last times." This was only one feature of human guilt. A more alarming and melancholy characteristic is—

Second: The last days were to be marked by a widespread and fatal apostasy. It was not enough that Jews must persecute Christ, but Judas must betray him. And the sorrow of Jesus, amid all his cruel mockings and scourgings never rose so high and sunk so deep, as when his sad eye caught a glimpse of Peter denying him with oaths and curses. And was not this the hour (if ever) in which Peter gave his sanction to the Papal Pontiff? Certainly in those bitter oaths and curses we do see something akin to that river of blasphemy that has rolled for ages from that "mouth speaking great words against the Most High." Dan. vii, 8, 25. The grand outlines of this apostasy are sketched by the apostle Paul, 1 Tim. iv, 1-6. 1. "In the latter times some shall depart from the faith." And does not the great apostasy of the Romish Church, to say nothing of the corruptness of the Greek communion, afford an awful verification of this solemn prophecy? "The faith" was in the Bible—Rome has burned it. "The faith" was in the Church—Rome has persecuted it. "The faith" was the Gospel of Christ, and Rome has tried to exterminate it. 2. The apostates were to give "heed to pneumasi planois, vagabond, or wandering spirits." And though the unbelief of the past generation may have cast aside God's warnings concerning evil spirits, do not the recent developments of the malignant and impious influence of seducing or vagabond spirits, coming like vagrants from their "spheres" of darkness, to delude the ungodly, afford us sufficient evidence that the apostles were not mistaken when they taught that a stern struggle was going on between them and the "Prince of the power of the air"—"the rulers of the darkness of this world"? And is not this new development of Satanic spiritual power a key to unlock the miracles and mysteries that have attended the Papal Church in her departure from the faith? 3. Giving heed to "doctrines of devils." These were either doctrines taught by demons (and if so, was it not fulfilled in the visions and hallucinations so prevalent in monkish tales?) or else they were doctrines concerning demons, namely, saint worship—with the Romish notion of departed souls in heaven, hell, and purgatory, so like the doctrines of demons held by the heathens before them. 4. "Speaking lies in hypocrisy." And the marvelous tales of relics, visions and miracles, so fruitful of gold, together with the forgeries, deceptions and pious frauds of rapacious and remorseless Romish ecclesiastics, are sufficient evidence that while "speaking lies in hypocrisy" they had "their conscience seared as with a hot iron." 5. Over the door of every monastery where dissolute monks and friars waste their years; above the gate of every nunnery where incarcerated females are locked in the embraces of lecherous priests; upon the commission of every Romish ecclesiastic, from the lordly Pontiff to the meanest friar—upon the frequent laws and vows that bind them to celibacy, but not to chastity, we may inscribe "Forbidding to marry." While the numerous facts that embellish the Romish calendar point out besides these characteristics, a 6. "Commanding to abstain from meats." Such was to be the character of the apostates of "the latter times," and such have been the characteristics of those whose history is written among the direst curses and abominations of the earth. A somewhat similar manifestation of wickedness is sketched by the same master hand in another epistle. 2 Thess. ii, 3-12. Certain events were to occur before the deliverance of the Church. Hence that day could not come except there come first "a falling away." The "Man of Sin" must be revealed—like Judas "the Son of Perdition," [John xvii, 21.] opposing and exalting himself above God, and sitting in the temple of God, he was to assume the rights and privileges of divinity. Human efforts to remove this "Mystery of iniquity," or to root up the tares from among the wheat before the final harvest, would prove abortive. Matt. xiii, 30. And the usurper was only to be dethroned by the

Lord, who should "consume" him "with the Spirit of his mouth," and "destroy him by the brightness of his coming." The "strong delusions" that encompassed those "who believed not the truth," were to gather their meshes still closer about them, until they should "all be damned," who "had pleasure in unrighteousness," and the veil of darkness would only be lifted from their eyes as they plunged downward to perdition at last. Third: The last days were to be noted for oppression and injustice. I have sometimes fancied the apostle James, risen from his martyr grave, and standing upon some lofty height, overlooking a sinful world, glancing from scene to scene, until at length his eye rests upon the suffering bond-men in the rice-swamps and cotton-fields of the South, as they groan beneath the oppressor's iron hand—and then I have heard from his lips, those burning words that have come rolling down to us through eighteen hundred years: "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter: ye have condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you." James v, 1-6. What a torrent of rebuke! Would to God that every oppressor might read it with tingling ears, and repent in dust and ashes before the Lord. But no, instead of that, from those piles of hoarded silver, and cankered gold, they contribute to send this message to heathen lands! Think of it. This curse of God reprinted by the accursed, (as if Judas should organize a Bible Society, and cast his thirty pieces of silver into the treasury thereof!) But, Oh! how sweetly the apostle turns from the rotting wealth, the moth-eaten garments, and the hoarded gains, to console the afflicted and suffering ones. "Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, till he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned; behold the Judge standeth before the door. Take my brethren the prophets . . . as an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold we count them happy which endure." Jas. v, 7-10. This is the consolation of the afflicted bondman. Not a rotten system of government; not the devices of office-seeking politicians and slymy demagogues; not in the long delayed promise of human help, but "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh!" "The Judge standeth before the door." This is apostolic consolation, and this, better than any other, will enable them to stablish their hearts with an unshrinking faith and a joyful hope. And this is the inspired description of the last days—days of oppression, guilt, luxury, and wantonness. And the groans and sighs of the bondmen shall never cease until the great Emancipator shall "proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of prison doors to them that are bound." Isa. lxi, 1. Surrounded by oppression—remembering those in bonds as bound with them, and convinced by this that we are now in the last days, we look with longing hearts and eyes for the appearance of that great Deliverer, whose coming draweth so nigh. To the sighing bondmen we say, "Be patient unto the coming of the Lord"—soon shall the glory of the ascending day-star guide each child of God to liberty and rest. Fourth: The last days were to be times of great peril to the Church of God. To this fact Paul bears solemn witness in the last epistle that he wrote. 2 Tim. iii, 1-9. "In

the last days perilous times shall come." The professed church in her present deplorable state is accurately described in this inspired prediction of the "last days." Men were to be "covetous, lovers of their own selves." They are so now. They were to be "boasters, proud, blasphemers." They are so now. They were to be "disobedient to parents." They are so now. They were to be "unthankful, unholy"—(not like "holy men of old")—they are so now. They were to be "without natural affection," the warm bond of social life. It is so now. They were to be "truce-breakers"—false to their word—"false accusers" or slanders, "incontinent," or unchaste, with lusts and passions unbridled; they are so now, as every observer knows. They were to be "fierce," and the zest with which professed Christians plunge into scenes of blood and carnage, fighting like devils, is a comment on the prediction. They were to be "despisers of those that are good"—and now a brainless fop, a wealthy scoundrel, a bloody hero, or a fashionable whore-monger, are honored far more than the faithful servants of God. They were to be "traitors"—they are treacherous both to God and man. They were to be "heady," or willful and insolent, "high-minded," not condescending to "men of low estate"—they are so to-day. They were to be "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God"—going to a church feast, but not to the place of prayer, seeking honor of men rather than of God, and making five times the sacrifices to gratify their worldly desires that they will to feed the poor, clothe the naked, or sustain the cause of God. Does not this describe the great majority of church goers to-day? But there is another feature, "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof;" and this feature—this stolen livery of heaven, distinguishes them from the heathen world, and marks them as the professed church of the present day. "Having a form of godliness" but rejecting and disowning its sanctifying, restraining, and controlling influence, "they creep into houses and lead captive" the weak, laden with divers lusts—lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eye and all the rest, and though "ever learning" and appending to their names great titles, yet they are "never able to come to the knowledge of the" stern and solemn truth of God. Thus like Jannes and Jambres, they resist it by traditionary* counterfeits, and they shall soon receive a similar exposure and overthrow. And the solemn injunction of the apostle is, "From such turn away." These are the "perils" that beset the church, even now, in these "last days." These are the dangers that threaten the unwary. O, who can escape them all! Thank God, he "giveth the more grace" to those who trust in him! Fifth: The last days were to be noted for scoffers and mockers at the doctrine of the coming of the Lord. "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 2 Pet. iii, 3-4. "But beloved remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts." Jude 17, 18. And have not these predictions been fulfilled? Have not the scoffers come? Surely, the last days are upon us. There are theological scoffers who locate "His coming" in the past, or spiritualize it till, like the baseless fabric of a vision, no wreck is left behind. There are geological scoffers, who pretend that the dumb rocks dispute their Maker's living word, saying, "All things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." There are spiritualist scoffers, who have learned from the familiar spirits of the dead, that "know not any thing," [Eccl. ix, 5.] or from Satan transformed into an angel of light, that the Judgment is a fiction and the Coming of Christ a fable. There are scoffers with the leer of lust in their countenance, the odor of drunkenness in their breath, and the marks of willing ignorance

in their brutal faces, who blaspheme Christ, and deny his coming, whose damnation now of a long time slumbereth not. (To be Continued.)