Christ’s coming to judgment, is often foretold in every part of the new testament, to pass over the intimations given of it in the old.  But none of these can be the coming of the Son of man, referred to in the text.  That it cannot refer to his incarnation is evident, from the time in which the declaration in the text was made.  His coming in the flesh had been then accomplished.

Neither can it refer to his coming to punish Jewish apostasy and ingratitude; or to his coming to judge the world in righteousness, because the moral state of the world at neither to those periods, answers to the description here given. Shall he find faith on the earth?

The ruin of the Jews by the Roman armies, happened about thirty six years after Christ’s crucifixion.  Long ere that time the spirit had been poured out, and many had embraced the gospel.  The apostles and evangelists, had gone, not only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but also into the way of the Gentiles;” had called “those who were afar off, as well as those who were near; their sound had gone into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.”  Neither had they labored among the Gentiles in vain.  St. Paul spake by the Spirit when he declared to the Jews that the salvation of God was sent unto the Gentiles, and they would hear it.  His word was verified.  “Many were added to the Lord, and the number of the disciples was multiplied.”

Such was the state of the world, at that coming of the Son of man.  Faith was then to be found on the earth, if not among Jews.

When Christ shall come to judgment, we have reason to believe, that faith will also be found on earth; and more than at that period we have now considered.

The scriptures of both testaments, abound with predictions of the universal prevalence of religion, in the latter days; of the whole worlds rejoicing under the auspicious government of the Prince of Peace; of restraints laid on the powers of darkness, that they should not deceive and seduce mankind.  And though we are taught that “the old serpent will afterwards be loosed, for a little season, and go forth to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth,” we have no intimation that the main body of the Church will be corrupted by his influence, or injured by his power.  His adherents may “compass the camp of the saints, and the beloved city,” but will make no attack upon them.  “Fire will come down from God out of heaven, and destroy them.”  By some special, perhaps miraculous interpolation of providence, the people of God will be protected and delivered.

St. john, who gives more particulars of the latter day glory, than those who had gone before him, fixes the term Christ’s reign on earth a thousand years, which he represents to be those next preceding the judgment.  And agreeably to the statement which he hath made, a numerous body of saints will then be found to welcome their Lord, and rejoice before him at his coming.