the whole of the New Testament. In 20 (out of 21) of the Epistles it is never once alluded to! From the

prominence given to it by man, one would imagine the New Testament to be filled with it. It is not a question

of one subject being important, and another not; but it is a question of proportion and relation; and certainly

if the Scriptures contain twenty references to the one subject of the Lord's Coming, to one reference

concerning another, we may say that God has settled for us what He deems profitable for us, and important.

And is it nothing that the Father has revealed to us the things which He hath "prepared for them that love

Him?" Is it nothing that Jesus has assured us that He is coming to receive us into that place which He has

gone to prepare for us? Is it nothing that the Holy Ghost has caused Holy men of Old to write these things

for our learning and has been sent on purpose to "guide us into all truth," and to show us "things to come"

(John xvi. 12, 13)? Alas, alas, the need for these questions shows us the character of the times: and shows

how the Enemy of the Word of God is succeeding in his one great object. What has been the great device of

the Enemy from the very beginning till now? Has it not been to deny, pervert and hide the Word of God?

What was it that caused the overthrow of the old world? Disdain of the Prophetic warnings of Noah! They

thought Prophecy was of no importance! But "As it was in the days of Noah....as it was in the days of

Lot....even thus shall it be when the Son of man is revealed" (Luke xvii. 26-30, Matt. xxiv. 37-39). Israel

received warning after warning from God's inspired Prophets; but it was of no importance they thought; and

so men say to-day, but their end will be the same, and the word that God hath spoken, the same shall judge

them in that day.

Note again, the words of our text, "We have a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye

take heed (as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day-star arise) in your

hearts." I call your attention to the parenthesis in which I place this clause, and connect the words "take

heed" with the words "in your hearts." We have many examples of such parentheses in the Scriptures.1

Where this parenthesis is disregarded, the day-dawn and day-star rising in the heart, is usually explained as

meaning conversion. But this explanation infers that prophecy should be well heeded until conversion, and

then it may be neglected; but this clearly cannot be the meaning! The parenthesis must be observed if we

would get any sense from this passage. No wonder that the verse should come to be taken as though it said

prophecy is a dark place which ye do well to avoid! for people do call it dark indeed, and most certainly they

avoid it. But the Holy Spirit describes this world as the dark place, and states that this word of prophecy is

the only lamp in it: the only light that can show us where we are and whither all is tending.

See Eph. i. 19 ("according...all in all") to end of chapter. Then ii. 1 takes up the theme. So that it reads thus:

-- i. 19, "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe" (.......) ii. 1 "even you

who were dead in trespasses and sins."

See another illustration in Eph. iii., Sermon No. 5.

An important example is found in I Cor. xv. where, if verses 20 to end of 28, are put into a parenthesis, the

sense reads on thus -- If there be no resurrection then they which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished,

and in that case, what is the good of anyone being baptized into Christ to take the place of those who have

only perished (This is the force of the word translated "for" see Rom. v. 6, 7, 8. Gal. ii. 20. Eph. v. 25.

Philemon 13. Heb. ii. 9. I Pet. ii. 21, etc. where it means instead of, or taking the place of).

We ought to observe that these parentheses generally arise from introverted para llels in the structure of the

Originals, e.g., Gen. xv. 13, "Thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them,

and they shall afflict them, four hundred years."