We will therefore, first take a general view of the prophecies respecting the moral state of the world, under the gospel dispensation?  Then a more particular view of the great declensions which were to take place, with a special reference to the state of religion at the approach of the latter day glory.

The Savior, in person, and by his Spirit, gave general intimations to the apostles, of the times which were to pass over them, and over his church.  When they were ordered to preach the gospel in all the world, beginning at Jerusalem, they were forewarned that the Jews would reject their testimony, and persecute them, as they had persecuted their Lord—­that soon after “there would be great distress in that land, and wrath upon that people—­that they would fall by the sword; be led captive into all nations, and that Jerusalem would be trodden down of the Gentiles, till the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled.”

The comforter which was to “teach them all things,” not only explaining the nature of Christianity, and causing them to understand it, but also to unveil futurity before them, taught them, that after the Jews had rejected the gospel, the Gentiles would receive it, and the church grow and become great; that a falling away would afterwards follow, which would spread wide, and continue for a longtime, till it became nearly total; that when such was the state of the church, Christ would come, take the kingdom, and reign on earth.

Such were the outlines of futurity, relative to Christianity, as sketched out before the apostles.  But if we descend to particulars, and examine the prophecies with attention, we shall find that the defections, which were to take place antecedent to the reign of the Redeemer, were to be of two kinds—­that they were to arise at different times, and from different sources—­that one was to be a corruption of religion, the other a rejection of it—­that the former was to antecede and prepare the way for the latter.

This will be the subject:  of another discourse.

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SERMON IV.

The Declensions of Christianity, an Argument of its Truth.

Luke xviii. 8.

“When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

That the coming of the Son of man, is here intended of Christ’s coming at the commencement of the latter day glory, hath been alleged in the preceding discourse, and several considerations adduced in proof.  Additional evidence will arise from a view of the prophecies relative to the great declensions which were to take place in the church, during the gospel day.  These, we observed, are of two kinds, one, a corruption of religion, the other its rejection.

The intimations given of them in the new testament, are chiefly found in the writings of St, Paul, Peter and John.  They are noticed also by Jude.  The two former suffered martyrdom under Nero.  When the time of their departure drew nigh, they had separately a view of the then future state of the church; “particularly of the declension which were to take place in the kingdoms of this world, shall become the kingdom of our Lord and Christ.”  St. John had the same opened to his view in the isle of Patmos.