the prophets; such as the term of Christ's reign on earth; and some
fruitless attempts of the powers of darkness against his people, after
that term shall have expired.

The coming to judgment cannot therefore be intended in the text.
_There will then be faith on the earth_. But if we consider "that
which is noted in the scripture of truth," respecting the moral state
of the world before and at the time of Christ's coming to reign upon
it, we shall find it answering to this description.

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