A Sermon On The Second Coming of
Christ
Called Unto Liberty, John Hargrove: 1805
Founding Era Sermons
Sermon
For He cometh,
for He cometh, to judge the earth:—He shall judge the world with
righteousness, and the people with His truth. Psalms
96:13
Various and voluminous
are the treatises, with which the Christian world has been burdened
for ages past, respecting the two grand and interesting doctrines
evidently involved in the text before us: I say burdened, because it
is an acknowledged fact that after all which has been said, or
written on the subject, “clouds and darkness” still rest upon it.
And yet, there are few
articles, I presume, within the ample and sacred circle of Christian
theology, which appear to have a more solemn and irresistible claim
to our pious attention than the doctrines here alluded to—viz.
I. The Lord’s second
advent into the world; and
II. The general or
last Judgment.
Feeling, therefore, as
I do at present, far more anxious to satisfy the sincere enquirer
after truth, than to display any singular talents for extempore
oratory, I have concluded to deviate from my usual mode of public
speaking, and avail myself of some prepared notes on this occasion,
in order to aid a declining memory, and thereby do the more justice
to my subject.
The aggregate number
of all who are justly entitled to the appellation of believers in
divine revelation, may, with considerable propriety, be arranged
under three distinct classes: To wit, the Jewish Church, the past or
former Christian Church, and the New Jerusalem Church; which latter
Church, is now forming, by the Lord, in various parts of the earth,
through the medium of the theological writings of that profound
philosopher and heaven-taught-seer, Baron Emanuel Swedenborg. And,
notwithstanding each of these churches, equally and cordially
subscribe to the divine authority and inspiration of the book of
Psalms; yet it is equally certain that each of them has adopted some
leading sentiments upon the subject, now before us, peculiar to
themselves and distinct from each other.
The Jews still contend
that the Messiah (promised by the ancient prophets) has never yet
made His appearance in this world; but, at the same time admit, that
He will come, at some future period, in all the grandeur of an
earthly prince, and prowess of a mighty conqueror: when He will
establish the ancient city of Jerusalem, as the centre of His future
kingdom and glory.
The former Christian
Church, has always, to the present period, taught, that the promised
Messiah did come into the world, in the days of Augustus Cæsar, and,
that Jesus Christ, who was crucified on Mount Calvary, near
Jerusalem, was that Messiah; who, though now exalted unto the right
hand of God in the heavens, will, nevertheless, make His personal
appearance again on earth, at some future period—in order to judge
all mankind who have ever lived in the world, and assign to each His
eternal abode in heaven or in hell according to the deeds done in
the body: Immediately after which, the visible universe will be
destroyed, and the procreation of the human race cease forever; but
that nevertheless, God will afterwards create a new heaven, and a
new earth, which shall abide to eternity.
The men of the New
Jerusalem Church, however, differ very considerably, from each of
the former churches, in their ideas of the true meaning of the
subject now before us—affirming, that the Messiah, not only came
into the world, “in the flesh,” in the days of Augustus Cæsar, but
also, that He has actually effected His second general advent, “in
the spirit,” not many years ago—by a gracious revelation of the
spiritual sense of His Holy Word, in which, He may be said to have
His more immediate residence; and, that He has thereby effected an
exploration, and judgment unto condemnation, upon all those evil and
false principles, which have too long obtained, and reigned in the
world, and have brought the first period of the Christian Church to
its consummation; and that this is what is signified in the sacred
pages, by the destruction of the former heavens, and the former
earth, and the creation of new heavens and a new earth in their
place.
The Jews have never
ceased to express their astonishment and offence, at the former
Christian Church, for their weakness, or madness (as they call it)
in believing that the Messiah ever yet made His appearance in the
world, “in the flesh,” and that Jesus of Nazareth was He; while on
the other hand, the former Christian Church, now seem equally
astonished and offended at the men of the Lord’s New Church, for
believing that this promised Messiah, or Jesus Christ, hath already
effected His second general advent, “in the spirit.”
The New Jerusalem
Church, however, can perceive no good reasons to be astonished or
offended, either at the Jews, or former Christians, for not having
as yet, adopted the peculiar faith of the New Church, on the subject
before us—confident, that a great degree of our religious
differences on this and other profound passages of the scriptures,
originate in the imperfection, and depravity of our nature, in its
present lapsed and fallen state; while at the same time they also
think it not improbable that part of these differences may be traced
up to the order of divine Providence, whose general design seems to
be, that every created thing, but especially the human mind, should
gradually advance from lesser states of perfection to greater; thus
causing “the path of the just to shine brighter, and brighter unto
the perfect day.”
The progress of gospel
knowledge in the world, has long since been predicted by its blessed
author, under the familiar representation of “a grain of wheat,”
which after it is sown in the earth, makes its first productive
appearance “in the blade,”—next “in the ear”—and afterwards, “the
full corn in the ear”: But notwithstanding we are inclined to view
this spiritual grain of wheat (which was cast into the spiritual
earth, or church, at our Lord’s first advent) as having already
progressed on from the tender blade, to the full corn in the ear;
yet we must be permitted to view it, as still enclosed within its
chaff, from whence we doubt not, it will soon be well threshed out,
by the skillful labors of the men of the Lord’s New Church; so that
when “He whose fan is in His hand,” shall more evidently appear, He
may gather the pure wheat into His garner, there to be reserved for
the daily bread of His future Church on earth forever.
The acquisition of
genuine truth, particularly if it be of a religious nature, is
certainly “more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold.” Yea,
“its price is far above rubies”: It restores the image of God unto
the human soul, and is the Christian’s best shield in all his
spiritual conflicts. Hence it is written, “It is a tree of life to
all that lay hold on it, and happy is every one that retaineth it.”
“Buy the truth, and
sell it not,” was the advice of the sage and inspired king of
Israel; but alas! how few are now willing to purchase it at its
stated price, or to seek for it “as forbidden treasure”; for it is
to be feared, that oft times it lies buried deep, beneath some
stupendous and venerable pile of superstition.
Picture to yourselves
my respected hearers, Abraham, upon mount Moriah, just about to
offer up his son, his beloved son Isaac at the command of God; or
Jeptha, in the very act of sacrificing his beautiful and only
daughter, in order to accomplish a rash religious vow! How
exquisite, how indescribable must then have been their paternal
feelings! Yet what if I say, that feelings still more painful, must
probably be experienced by many of us, before ever we become
possessed of the genuine truths of the everlasting gospel.
Do you ask, “Is it our
very lives then that we must first part with?” I answer, Yes—the
very life of all our beloved lusts, and of all our darling
prejudices, will God first require at our hands—all—all must be
relinquished—perish—die!
Had the many pious and
learned commentators who have preceded us upon the present subject,
paid more attention to the sacred and peculiar phraseology of the
text, and less unto human creeds and systems, we should not have
such an enormous heap of mere fallacies (not to say superstitious
rubbish) to remove out of the way to day, in order that you might
perceive the goodly foundations of “the holy city, the New
Jerusalem,” now descending from God out of heaven; but, as the case
now stands, the sooner it is done the better, though probably, while
we are engaged in the work, superstition may groan out an
“anathema,” and infidelity “laugh us to scorn”: But through the
divine mercy of the Lord, these things shall not move or deter us;
being prompted by a clear conviction of duty, and viewing it as our
peculiar and appointed cross.
And, may I hope my
respected hearers, that during our present investigation, and
elucidation of the passage now before us, you will not be so much
concerned to learn whether what remarks I advance be new or old, as
whether they be true or false? In order to this, however, it may be
necessary, perhaps, to forget if possible, all our former creeds and
catechisms, upon the subject; and while we reject, with manly
boldness, all the jargon and learned nonsense of the schools, let us
thankfully avail ourselves of the friendly aids of reason and
science, which the Almighty hath now so liberally bestowed upon us,
as the willing and useful handmaids to true Christian theology; so
shall we be enabled to draw such conclusions upon the subject, as
shall be worthy of Christian philosophers, and of American freemen.
(Please continue to part 2)
TO CONTINUE :
Introduction
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