152  THAT    BLESSED    HOPE

amply  supported  by  Scripture;  the  entire  Bible  be-
ing on  its  side,  and  the  only  Scripture  that  can  be
quoted  against  it  being  those  few  verses  in  Rev.  20,
But  even  this  one  diminutive  passage  is  not  wholly
set  aside  or  in  any  way  ignored  by  our  method ;  it  is
only,  as  said,  treated  as  a  mystery,  for  the  full  and
satisfactory  interpretation  of  which  we  have  at  pres-
ent no  sufficient  means.  Besides,  should  any  one,  ac-
cepting our  general  view,  desire  also  to  hold  fast  to
some  notion  of  a  millennium,  he  can  do  even  this,
provided  he  first  modifies  somewhat  the  extraordi-
nary glories  usually  connected  with  the  post-millen-
nial conception  of  Christ's  millennial  reign.
3.  All  the  peculiar  duties  connected  with  a  true  or
really  Scriptural  doctrine  of  our  Lord's  final  com-
ing are  provided  for  by  this  method.  For  leaving
out  of  consideration  the  whole  difficult  matter  of  the
millennium,  the  believer  can  now  very  easily  be  al-
ways on  the  watch  for  his  Master's  coming ;  while  at
the  same  time  this  general  view  both  encourages
hope  and  stimulates  missionary  undertaking,  both
at  home  and  abroad,  if  so  be  that  thus  the  world  may
be  got  ready  for  our  Lord's  return.
