“Apocalypse 1:3. For the time is at hand, signifies that the state of the church is such that it can no longer continue to have conjunction with the Lord. There are two essentials by which conjunction with the Lord is effected, and hence salvation,—the acknowledgment of one God, and repentance of life. But at this day, instead of the acknowledgment of one God, there is acknowledgment of three; and instead of repentance of life, there is repentance of the mouth only that one is a sinner; and by these two there is no conjunction: therefore, unless a new church rises up, which acknowledges these two essentials, and lives them, no one can be saved. On account of this peril, the time has been shortened by the Lord, according to His words in Matthew: Then shall be great affliction, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor shall be; yea, except those days should be shortened, no flesh would be saved (xxiv. 21, 22). That at hand, or nearness of time, is not meant,