The Power of Christ's Coming.
SAYS E. Bickersteth, D. D., The certainty and the nearness of the Lord's coming, and the duty of waiting for it, are now, blessed be God, much more generally acknowledged and realized. I trust that the hearts of Christians are becoming more and more established in this solemn reality. That it is not a mere careless repetition of words when they say, We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge; and when they say in the creed, He sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. Doubt not of the fact at all. Be expecting it, and be waiting for it; earnestly desire to be ready and prepared for it. Lord, we believe; help thou our unbelief! Oh, may we live more and more in the light of this coming judgment, and accustom ourselves to view everything with constant reference to it. The bringing near of the final judgment, and the realizing of the wrath then to descend on the wicked, and the promised glory then to be bestowed on the righteous, are full of weighty influence on all our duties. The solemnities and infinite magnitude of the judgment, its irreversible issue, and its eternal decision of our future state, as inhabitants of hell or heaven; and the assurance that the Judge now standeth at the door, cannot fail to quicken every one who receives God's testimony in simple faith.