OF THE ADVENT OF THE GLORIOUS DELIVERER, TO TURN AWAY UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB III.
James Dodson
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DISCOURSE XI.
ROM. xi. 26. As it is written, “There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.”
That any scriptural truth may be satisfactorily established, it is necessary, not only to bring forward those proofs from God’s word by which it is confirmed, but also to answer those arguments that are urged against it. If any doctrine is revealed in the Sacred Oracles, and has been proved by these infallible standards, it certainly will be possible, though, from the critical reasonings of men, it may sometimes be difficult, to expose the invalidity of their arguments. This is the work in which we are now to engage.
The second branch of this subject is to state the scriptural account of Christ’s second personal advent, in order to prove that it will not take place at the beginning of the Millennium, but at the end of the world; and to examine some of the texts by which those who hold the opposite opinion attempt to support it. Having endeavoured, in the foregoing Discourse, to give that account of Christ’s second coming for the end proposed, our next employment must be,
To examine some of those parts of Scripture, by which the friends of the doctrine of Christ’s second advent at the beginning of the thousand years, strive to establish this opinion.
The first that we shall mention, is the prophecy of Enoch, the seventh from Adam, revealed by the Spirit to Jude, and recorded by him in the 14th and 15th verses of his Epistle, “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These words have been most confidently urged as a proof that Christ will come personally at the beginning of the Millennium, with all his glorified saints, with their bodies raised from the dead, to destroy his antichristian and his other enemies, and to establish his Church in her glory on earth. In many of the accounts of the day of judgment, and of Christ’s second coming, we
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are assured that he will be attended with all the holy angels. There can be no reason for applying these words, “ten thousand of his saints,” or holy ones, to any other than the holy angels. In verse 6th, the condition of the fallen angels, and in verse 13th, the doom of wicked men are so represented, as clearly prove that the coming of the Lord, predicted by Enoch, cannot be realized at the beginning of the Millennium. “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.” The same account is given of God’s righteous purposes concerning the fallen angels, by the Apostle Peter, 2 Epistle, chap. ii. 4. “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down into hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” This is one of the things of which Enoch prophesied, and for the accomplishment of which, the Lord will come with all his holy angels. This cannot be done at the beginning of the thousand years. Satan’s final condemnation and everlasting punishment will come upon him at the end of the little season, but not at the beginning of the Millennium. It is, therefore, impossible that Enoch’s prophecy can be fulfilled at that era. “The judgment of the great day” fixes the time of the Lord’s coming with ten thousand of his holy ones, to the end of the world. This phrase is similar to that of the Lord himself, “The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” The coming of the Lord, which Enoch foretold, will take place at the great day, at the last day. As the condemnation of the fallen angels proves that our Lord’s coming cannot happen at the beginning of the Millennium; so the doom of wicked men, mentioned verse 13, proves the same thing. After enumerating the characters of the wicked, he adds, “To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” This is another of the things about which Enoch prophesied. It is the same with the words of the Apostle Peter; “The day of judgment, and the perdition of ungodly men.” It signifies the same thing with the description of the Apostle Paul; “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” This is also con-
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firmed by the prophecy itself. The purpose for which the Lord will come with ten thousand of his saints, is “to execute judgment upon all.” Not on the ungodly who shall exist on the earth when the effusion of the seven vials shall be finished; but upon all the wicked at the last day. Enoch’s prophecy, therefore, gives no countenance whatever to the idea of Christ’s second advent at the beginning of the Millennium; but clearly proves that he will come the second time at the universal resurrection and general judgment of all men, when time shall expire.
Many promises or predictions contained in the book of Psalms, and in the books of the Prophets, have been produced in proof of the personal advent and reign of Christ on earth during the Millennium. It is impossible to attend to them all, without changing our plan in these Discourses. A few observations on their import and design is all that can be overtaken, and, indeed, is all that is necessary. Those predictions or promises, which are numerous and grand, are intended to predict Christ’s coming in his incarnation, and the glorious consequences of it, in the spiritual salvation of perishing sinners. “Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should be brought unto you. Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”—They are designed to represent the superiority of the Gospel dispensation to the Mosaic economy. They foretold what the Apostle asserted; “For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.”—These prophecies did also describe the triumphant manner in which the Gospel Church, immediately after the ascension of her King and Head, was established in the nations. Of this the Apostle Peter’s quotations from the prophecy of Joel and the Psalms, Acts, chap. ii., the quotations of Paul and Barnabas from Isaiah, chap. xiii. and many others, are incontestable proofs. It was also a part of their design to represent the stability, prosperity, and preservation of the Christian Church among the Gentiles, till the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled.—To declare
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the special privileges and glory of the Church, in her millennial season, is an important end of many of those predictions. But from none can it be fairly proved that Christ’s personal presence with her will be one of her privileges, or will constitute a part of her glory.—In these prophecies very much is revealed concerning the conversion of God’s ancient people, their return to their own land, and their prosperity as a church and nation, in the plains and on the mountains of Canaan. From none of them, however, can Christ’s personal presence and reign among them at Jerusalem be satisfactorily confirmed. For establishing that opinion, no argument can be deduced with any propriety, from these words, Isaiah xxiv. 23. or from any similar phrases. “Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in mount Sion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” Allowing the Divine Person who is mentioned to be the Mediator, which is very doubtful, his reigning cannot be by a corporeal abode in Sion at Jerusalem. The Divine determination declared by the Apostle Paul, and the royal David, should convince us that this is impossible. “For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet,” 1 Cor. xv. 25. “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool,” Psal. cx. 1. These words inform us of Christ’s glory and employment,—he reigns. Our mediatorial Lord sitteth King for ever, and conducts all Divine administrations in the kingdoms of grace and providence. The necessity of this is also declared; “He must reign.” From the nature of his office, and the constitution of the covenant of grace and its promises; for the glory of the Father, his own honour, the protection of his Church, and the salvation of his people, his government is absolutely necessary. We are also informed of the time during which the Mediator must exercise this rule over his Church and the nations. The termination of his reign, in its present form, is not revealed to us by the number of its years, but it is described by a most conspicuous and important event: “Till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” This event will not be accomplished till the end of the “little season,” or the time of the judgment of the great, the last day. Till that solemn period arrive, christians will have reason to say, “But now we see not yet all things put under him.” The last enemy, death, cannot be completely destroyed till all who are in the graves
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shall hear his voice, and shall come forth in the resurrection at the last day. These verses also reveal to us the place where Christ must abide in his personal presence, and rule over all persons and things. “Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Jehovah the Father, in the most solemn manner, said to our Divine and mediatorial Lord, that he should sit on his right hand, on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, until that most solemn and glorious day, when he should put all things entirely and for ever under his feet, “until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” This will not be performed at the beginning of the thousand years, because the spirit of prophecy has spoken expressly concerning a most daring and prevalent rebellion against Christ’s throne and kingdom, as an event which will come to pass in the years of the little season. Since the eternal God has plainly declared that our Redeemer shall sit at his right hand in heaven, till he hath subdued all things under him, and made all his enemies his footstool; how presumptuous must it be in any mortal to hold and propagate an opinion which would bring him from his glory above, to an ignominious dwelling among men, for more than a thousand years before the appointed day in which God will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he has given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. The Old Testament predictions and promises are also designed to furnish us with an account of everlasting and perfect blessedness and purity of the redeemed Church in glory. Many expressions are found in them, so sublime and glorious, as constrain us to apply them, in their highest sense, to the heavenly state. In meditating on them, we will be forced to exclaim, Behold a greater and a more glorious place than even the Millennium itself, is described here. Such are the views we are warranted to take of the Old Testament promises and predictions, and every idea of a personal appearance and reign of Christ on the earth, till the last day, must be erroneous and visionary.
The words of the Prophet Daniel, chap. vii. verses 13, 14, have been urged as a proof of this scheme: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him.” In
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the beginning of this chapter, Daniel tells us the vision he had, in the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon. By the symbols of four great beasts, diverse one from another, the four secular monarchies which have successively ruled and tyrannized over men, were represented to him. In the secular and ecclesiastic tyrannies of the antichristian church and kingdoms of Europe, the last of these beasts, which was more dreadful, terrible, and strong than the rest, still exists. From the 9th verse to the end of the chapter, the judgment and destruction of this beast, the extraordinary display of Christ’s glory, and the exaltation of the Church in her Millennial state, are most minutely foretold. The glorious Judge, even Jehovah the Father, is described, verses 9, 10. And the glory of Christ is stated, verses 13, 14. From verse 15th to the end of the chapter, we have the angel’s explanation of this vision. He informed the Prophet of the prevalence and the cruelty of the fourth beast, and his little horn, over the Church of God, verses 21—25; of the destruction of that enemy, verse 26; of the blessedness of the Church in the latter day, verses 18, 27; and of the universal subjection of the nations to Christ’s sceptre, verse 27. But, in all this prophecy, there is nothing said, nor so much as insinuated, concerning Christ’s personal descent into this world, or his personal reign here below. It is indeed said, that the Prophet saw one like the Son of man, who came with the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him: But this is a thing very different from his descending to our world, and dwelling at Jerusalem a thousand years. It is not said, that he who was like the Son of man went from the throne of the Eternal unto our world, to dwell personally with his Church on earth. Since this is not predicted, when every other thing respecting the Millennium is so distinctly foretold, we may assuredly conclude that it shall never happen.
To the beginning of the Millennium, this part of the vision must certainly refer. The destruction of the fourth beast, his ten horns, and the antichristian little horn that came up among them; together with the erection and establishment of Christ’s kingdom in all nations, are the events which it describes. As the greatest moral and spiritual change, that has ever happened among men, will then be effected; the predictions which announce it are given with extraordinary solemnity. The Prophet, in vision, saw God himself, the Ancient of days, sitting in Divine and ineffable majesty: “His gar-
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ment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened,” verses 9, 10. The two following verses describe the fate of Christ’s enemies, who were judged, condemned, and punished. And the next two verses, quoted above, declare the prevalence of Christ’s kingdom in all the earth, and the extension of his religion and government to all nations. In the night visions, the Prophet saw, and, “Behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion,” &c. Every person will acknowledge that the one like the Son of man represents our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: “He came in the clouds of heaven.” To represent God’s glory and majesty in his operations among men, it is said that “He made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters and thick clouds of the skies;” that “he maketh the clouds his chariot; and that “the clouds are the dust of his feet.” Christ’s dominion and power, in this most sublime vision, are represented by the same figures: “He came to the Ancient of days.” The Prophet saw the Son of man approach Jehovah seated on his fiery throne; but saw nothing of his descent into our world: “And they brought him near before him.” Millions of ministering angels, worshipping God and his First-begotten, attended and conducted him into the presence of the Almighty Father. The end for which this approach was made, is stated in the next verse, “And there was given him dominion and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him.” Then will the Son ask, and the Father will give him, in the most extensive manner, the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. “Then shall the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” In all this, nothing is found sanctioning the opinion of Christ’s personal advent to our world, or his reigning there, during the Church’s prosperity at the latter day. From the beginning, Christ has possessed a kingdom on the earth, and has governed it, sitting on the right hand of God; and he will still govern his kingdom, occupying
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his throne above, even when it shall comprehend, in its extensive range, all the nations of the world.
None of the other parts of Scripture, where Christ is represented as coming in the clouds of heaven, will apply to the beginning of the Millennium; but they will all be verified at the end of time. On two very different occasions, our Lord Jesus uttered these words concerning himself. Having informed his disciples of the total desolations which should come on the temple, they were induced to ask him, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Mat. xxiv. 3. In the latter question, the disciples connect Christ’s second coming with the end of the world, importing plainly that they had no idea of this advent till the conclusion of time. As Christ does not correct this opinion, we may be assured it was no mistake. In answer to this part of their request, he says, in verse 30, “And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.” Since this advent will be accompanied with a great sound of a trumpet, verse 31, corresponding to 1 Cor. xv. 52, and 1 Thess. iv. 16; since, at the time of it, the angels will be employed in gathering together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other,” verse 31, according to Mat. xiii. 39, 41; and since the work he will perform, at his coming, is to confer on his servants a glorious reward, verse 47, and to give his enemies their portion in the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, verse 51, similar to Mat. xxv. 46; the season of it must be at the end of all things here below, and cannot be at the Millennium’s commencement. Before the Jewish council, also, our blessed Saviour spake these words, “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven,” Mat. xxvi. 64. As the unrighteous judges who condemned the Son of God, the false witnesses who bore testimony against him, the band of Roman officers and soldiers who apprehended him, and the other company who were present, when Christ was tried by the Jewish Sanhedrim, to whom he spake these words, will not probably be found among the martyrs and saints who will be raised, according to their opinion, at the beginning of the thousand years; Christ’s words cannot be fulfilled on them at that time; but, as they must all stand before him, and be judged by him at the last day, this will be the time, both of his second advent, and of the realization of this
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threatening on his enemies. This period, therefore, and no other, is that hereafter, when they, and all mankind, shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. For the same reason, the words of the Apostle John cannot apply to the advent which they expect: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen,” Rev. [i.] 7. Having spoken, in the 5th and 6th verses, of the work performed, and the blessings procured for his people, by Jesus Christ, at his first advent, who is the faithful Witness, the first-begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth, in washing them from their sins in his own blood which was shed for them, and in making them kings and priests unto God and his Father; the Apostle, in verse 7, directs our attention to the glory of his second advent. When he shall come the second time every human eye must see him, his betrayers and murderers must behold him, and all in every nation who do not know him savingly must wail because of him. These things cannot happen at the beginning of the thousand years; but they will all be effected at the end of time. From these considerations we must conclude, that Christ’s coming in the clouds, Dan. vii. 13, is figurative; that his coming to turn away ungodliness from Jacob is spiritual; and that his coming at the last day will be his real, personal, corporeal, and second advent.
The concluding verse in the prophecy of Daniel has been produced as a proof of this opinion. “Go thou thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” These are most solemn and comfortable words—words which may be applied to every believer at his death, and words which contain a Divine promise of rest and felicity to their separate spirits, and a glorious resurrection to their dead bodies. This verse can prove nothing concerning the time of Christ’s second advent, but has been urged as a proof of the resurrection of the Prophet’s body, at the end of the Thousand three hundred and five and thirty days, which are mentioned in the preceding verse. They conclude that since Daniel’s body will be raised at that time, the bodies of all the saints will be raised at the same time, and Christ will personally come and reign with them on the earth. Our Divine Saviour has assured his Church that he will raise up the bodies of his saints at
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the last day, and that this day will be the time of his second coming, and of the universal judgment of all men. This fixes the time of the resurrection of Daniel’s body, and of the bodies of all the saints, and of all mankind who are in their graves. The last day of the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days, cannot be emphatically denominated the last day, or, the last day of time; because one thousand years of time, and a little season, must follow after it. Their interpretation of this verse, then, must necessarily be erroneous. Besides, the number of days mentioned in ver. 12, is a precise and definite number; but the days in ver. 13, is an indefinite and uncertain number. At the end of the days, or the end of days; not the end of those days, but the end of time itself. So Daniel was commanded to go his way till the end be; not the time of the end, ver. 4. 9, but the end emphatically, the end of all things, the end of time. Though it could be proved, in the most certain manner, that the days which are mentioned in verse 13, are the same with those in verse 12, it would not warrant us to believe that the Prophet’s body will be raised from the dead when those days will expire. In this case, we behoved to look for a meaning of that clause “thou shalt stand in thy lot,” which would make the sense of this verse consistent with other parts of the Sacred Oracles. And it would not be difficult to find it. At the expiration of the thousand three hundred and thirty-five days, Daniel’s predictions will have a most minute and conspicuous fulfilment. In consequence of this, he will then stand in his lot, as the man greatly beloved, as a distinguished Prophet of the Most High God, as one of his servants whose word he has confirmed, and as one of his messengers whose counsel he has performed, to the conviction and joy of all those blessed ones who shall wait and come to that happy era.
The next part of Scripture to which we shall turn our attention is found in Zech. xiv. 4. “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the mount of olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” The prediction, of which those words are a part, is contained from verse 3 to verse 11, inclusive. It is evident that it has a particular reference to that time when the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in; when all Israel shall be saved; and
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when the Deliverer shall come out of Sion, to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Granting that the Mediator is the Divine Person of whom the Prophet speaks, which is not very evident, it is impossible to understand the first clause of this verse in a literal sense. If it is explained literally, the preceding verse, the latter part of verse 4, and the six following verses, must all be explained in the same way. According to verse 3, the Lord Jesus must go forth in person to battle, must lead on his armies, and must fight and conquer the nations that come against Jerusalem. The division of the mount of Olives into two parts, leaving a valley betwixt them, must also be literally accomplished. Their flight to the valley of the mountains, as they fled before the earthquake, in the days of Uzziah, must also be literally understood. The dimness of the light of that day, and its shining bright in the evening, must also signify the natural dimness and light of this world. The glorious promise contained in verse 10, can signify nothing more than that a perennial stream of natural water shall proceed from the holy city, one part taking an eastern, and the other a western course. And the 10th verse must just signify that the mountains about Jerusalem, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become a plain. Such views of this solemn and important prediction furnish us with ideas that are sufficiently absurd and fanciful, but they are the necessary consequence of our understanding the first clause of verse 4, in a literal sense. This way of explaining the ancient predictions destroys the beautiful and figurative representations of God’s powerful and gracious interpositions in behalf of his church; and therefore it must be rejected as a very false interpretation of Scripture, and as an unwarrantable and dangerous way of exhibiting Divine operations.
The words of the Apostle Peter, Acts iii. 21, have also been brought forward as a proof of Christ’s personal advent, at the Millennium’s commencement. “Whom the heavens must receive until the times of the restitution of all things.” Some who have argued from this verse pretend to correct the translation, as their manner is, by substituting convalescence for restitution. But this is to corrupt the translation. The word in the Greek is literally, and most properly, rendered in our translation. It has no reference to a disease, nor to a person’s recovering out of it; but it has a respect to the condition of that man who has been unjustly deprived of a part of his property, when a suitable compensation has been made
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to him for what he has lost. The Apostle’s words in his sermon may be explained by the following expression in his epistles: “But the end of all things is at hand,” 1 Peter iv. 7. In verse 5, the Apostle assures the saints who were reproached, and the sinners who reproached them, that they must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. “Who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.” By the end of all things the Apostle meant the day of judgment; for after speaking of it, he says, “But the end of all things is at hand.” He also improves the solemn warning to exhort them to the duties of sobriety, watchfulness, prayer, and brotherly love. The end of all things, and the times of the restitution of all things, refer to the same season, the judgment of the last day. The beginning of the thousand years may be the end of some things, and the restitution of some things; but it cannot be either the end or restitution of all things. To the time of the last judgment, and to it alone, the Apostle must have alluded when he spake of the times of the restitution, or the end of all things. The heavens, then, must receive Christ, and he must dwell there, in his human nature, till he comes to judge the quick and the dead at the last day, and to put an end to all things here below. These apostolic declarations meet this opinion with a strong and decided contradiction. In the resurrection of the just and the unjust at the last day, there shall be a restitution of all things. Death, the grave, and the sea, will make restitution of the bodies of the righteous and the wicked, that have been deposited in them. At Christ’s command, they will give up the dead that are in them. Heaven itself will make restitution. From the realms of blessedness, the spirits of just men made perfect, shall descend and reanimate their glorified bodies. The place of misery shall make restitution. From the regions of despair the souls of the wicked shall come to be joined to their wretched bodies; that, having been their companions in sin, they may be everlasting sharers of their punishment. The judgment will also be the restitution of all things. In our Redeemer’s work of judging the quick and the dead, a full restitution will be made to the saints for all the injuries they have sustained at the hands of their enemies. Their innocence will be declared, their character will be vindicated, their state will be acknowledged, a full reward will be given them, and they shall be abundantly recompensed, at the resurrection of the just. It will then be made evident that it is
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a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them who have troubled them. Christ’s personal advent will be realized at the time of the complete and everlasting restitution of all things.
The words of the Apostle Paul are also produced as a proof of this doctrine: “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming,” 2 Thess. ii. 8. The Old Testament prediction which is parallel to this, is found in Isa. xi. 4. “And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” The Prophet and the Apostle are speaking of the same Divine Person, our Lord Jesus Christ, and of his operations at the same era. This is proved from the texts and their contexts. In his context, the Prophet describes the felicity of the millennial Church, and conversion of the Jews. The Apostle, in his context, represents the nature, the manner, and the certainty of Antichrist’s destruction. These are two events which will be coeval in their progress, and instantly follow each other, according to their nature, in their completion. The two expressions of the Prophet, and the first of the Apostle, signify the same thing. The rod of his mouth, the breath of his lips, and the Spirit of his mouth, represent the threatenings of his word against his enemies, and those awful operations of his providence, by which they shall be executed on them. This explanation is confirmed from Hosea vi. 5. “Therefore have I hewed them by the Prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth; that thy judgments,” according to the margin, “might be as a light that goeth forth.” God sent his Prophets to his ancient people, to denounce his judgments against them for their sins, and thus hewed them by his Prophets. When they continued in their provocations, notwithstanding those Divine warnings, he slew them by executing his threatenings upon them, that his power, his holiness, his faithfulness, and his justice, might be displayed among men. In the book of the Revelation we find expressions to the same purpose. “And out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat on the horse, which sword proceedeth out of his mouth.” Our Divine Deliverer has spoken in his holiness, and has uttered threate-
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enings against the enemies of his kingdom and glory on the earth, and he will come at the appointed time, and execute his threatenings on them, for their destruction. The Apostle adds, “And shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” It is well known, and cannot be denied, that, in the holy Scriptures, Christ’s coming is frequently mentioned, when no such thing as a personal advent is intended. In the accomplishment of his promises to his people, he comes to them. And in the execution of his threatenings on his enemies, he is said to come to them. By the operations of his grace and providence he will manifest the glory of his offices and administrations among the nations. He will produce such changes among them, as will destroy Babylon the great, and will exalt his Church like an high palace. For the performance of this work, a personal advent is both unnecessary and unsuitable. To the angel of the church of Ephesus he said, “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of its place,” Rev. ii. 5. To the angel of the church in Pergamos he also said, “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth,” Rev. ii. 16. And to the angel of the church in Sardis, he sent the following message; “If, therefore, thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee,” Rev. iii. 3. It will not be maintained, I suppose, that, in punishing these churches for their apostacy, Christ came to the cities in which they dwelt, in the way of a personal advent. Christ’s declaration to these churches, is as peremptory and explicit in their case, as that of the Apostle’s in the other; and, therefore, the words of Christ, and the words of Paul, must be explained in the same way. By the scriptural account of Christ’s second advent, the time of it is fixed for the end of the world, the last day, and the sounding of the last trumpet; it must then be a vain imagination to explain the phrase, “the brightness of his coming,” to signify a personal coming to the earth at that time, of him whom the heavens must receive until the times of the restitution of all things.
The advocates for this opinion argue from several texts, which speak of the saints reigning and judging; the chief of them are those that follow. “Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom,” Dan. vii. 22. A late writ-
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er on these subjects asserts, that the Ancient of days, mentioned more particularly in verses 9, 10, is the same Divine Person with him who was like the Son of man, who came to the Ancient of days, and was brought near before him, ver. 13. The Ancient of days will be considered, by all sober men, to be the same person with him who said, “Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion. Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thy inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession,” Psal. ii. 6, 8. Daniel’s vision is an explanation of the Psalmist’s prediction. The words of the Prophet, verse 14, describe the accomplishment of Jehovah’s promise to his King; and in ver. 22, the effect, which the accomplishment of this promise would produce on the members of the Church, is declared. Their cause and character should then be vindicated, they should be avenged on their implacable enemies, and all power and rule, both civil and ecclesiastic, should be in their hands. But how all this can be made a proof of Christ’s personal coming to the earth at that happy era, it is impossible to discern. Christ’s words to his disciples, Mat. xix. 28. have also been summoned to witness in this cause: “When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Whatever these words may signify, they have a respect to the Apostles only. At the day of judgment, Christ will sit on the throne of his glory, Mat. xxv. 31. On that solemn day, their persons or their doctrines will be magnified, the former in sitting near the Judge, and assenting to the sentences he will pronounce; or the latter in being part of the rule according to which men shall be judged. But this cannot have any reference to the Millennium. The Apostle’s words to the Church of Corinth, respecting the manner of settling their civil differences, have also been pleaded in support of this opinion. Though God is Judge himself, and though he has committed all judgment to the Son, yet, at the judgment of the last day, the Lord’s redeemed shall have the honour of solemnly consenting to the doom of fallen angels and wicked men. If any other idea is included in the Apostle’s words, it must be similar to what the Saviour says of the Queen of the south and the men of Nineveh. Both of them should rise up in the judgment against the men of that generation, and should condemn them; the former, because she came from a far country to Jerusalem to hear the wisdom of Solo-
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mon; and the latter, because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Solomon or Jonas was there. These things certainly can have no bearing on this controversy. The words in the Church’s adoring song, which she sung to the honour of her Redeemer, have also been introduced in support of this doctrine. “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth,” Rev. v. 10. Every believer, the Apostle Peter assures us, belongs to the spiritual and the royal priesthood. They all say, “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, unto him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever, Amen,” Rev. i. 5, 6. Their privilege and duty as priests must be “to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ;” and their exercise and honour as kings must also be “to reign on the earth.” They act according to their sacerdotal character in the spiritual performance of all religious duties; and they fulfil their work in their regal capacity, when they rule their own spirits, mortify the deeds of the body, resist Satan’s temptations, and overcome the world. These glorious privileges and exalted exercises, constitute that honour which belongs to all the saints. This is the priestly work, and this is the regal dignity of all true believers, in this present world. This is necessary to our reigning in life eternal, by one Christ Jesus; and requisite to our being glorified together with him in the mansions of everlasting felicity. The hopes of a corporeal reign of Christ on earth, and of a temporary reign with him here below, resting on such foundations as these, must vanish as the morning cloud or the early dew.
For supporting this opinion, much dependence is placed on the Apostle’s vision of the Millennium, Rev. xx. especially the 4th, 5th, and 6th verses, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them, and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished: This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a
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thousand years.” Those who believe in Christ’s personal coming to this earth at the rise of the Church’s prosperity, understand these verses in a literal sense; and will not allow them to be explained figuratively. It is an approved rule of Scripture interpretation, that when any part of God’s word cannot be explained literally, without contradicting some other parts of Divine revelation, it ought to be understood in a figurative sense. The literal sense of these verses contradicts the Scriptural account of Christ’s second coming, and of the resurrection of the dead; and therefore they must be explained figuratively. Besides, these verses inform us of a vision which John records in a book which is full of prophetic visions. In every one of them symbolic figures are used to draw our attention to the objects which they represent. No sufficient reason can be assigned for explaining this vision differently from the rest of the visions of this book. But this is not all; for many parts of this vision itself, must be understood figuratively. The 1st, 2d, and 3d verses make a part of the vision, as much so as the 4th, 5th, and 6th. In those verses, which are essential to the vision, we have many figurative objects and figurative actions. The angel who came down from heaven, the key that he had in his hand, the bottomless pit, and the great chain which he carried, are all symbolical objects, and must be explained figuratively. But, in these verses, there are also many figurative actions. The angel’s descent from heaven, his laying hold on the dragon, his binding him a thousand years, his casting him into the bottomless pit, his shutting him up, his setting a seal upon him, and his being afterwards loosed for a little season, are all symbolical actions, and cannot be literally interpreted. If the first three verses of this vision must be explained and understood in a figurative sense; is it not reasonable to conclude that the last three verses should be expounded in the same way? Nay more, conceding to them the literal sense of the last three verses of the vision, they will not be able to establish their opinions, either with respect to Christ’s second advent at that time, or the resurrection of all the saints, or of any of them. Christ’s personal advent to our world is not mentioned in this vision. Concerning Christ’s personal coming at that time the vision is entirely silent. The words of the vision, on which this notion is founded, are the following: “And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand
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years.” Christ’s personal advent to his Church, and his bodily presence with her, as deduced from these words, are unwarranted inferences. All true believers, as we have already seen, are, by their interest in Christ, made kings and priests unto God. As such, they offer spiritual sacrifices to him; they rule their own spirits, and through grace they oppose and conquer their spiritual enemies. The dignity which belongs to all the saints, in every period of the Church, is expressed in words of equal sublimity, and convey ideas of similar grandeur with the words of this vision. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he hath loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” Eph. ii. 4, 5, 6. In the days of the Millennial Church, the antichristian priesthood, and that also of the Jews, of the Mahometans, and of the heathen shall be put down. The despotism of the ten horns, and every other system of tyranny which exists in the world shall then perish from the earth; and therefore the administration of religious ordinances, and the formation and execution of civil laws, will be in the hands of the Millennial Church’s members. On this account, something inconceivably grand and peculiar, both in her extent and influence, will belong to the Church of the thousand years. But their reigning with Christ does not prove that he shall be personally among them. They shall abundantly enjoy the influences of his Spirit, the knowledge of his word, the communication of his grace, the dispensation of his ordinances, and the protection of his providence; and, in all this, he will, in a special manner, fulfil to them his gracious promise, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Though we concede to them the literal interpretation of these words, they will not be able to prove the corporeal resurrection of all the saints, nor of any of them at that time. The following words, “And had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, nor in their hands,” are not a description of a class of saints different from those who had been beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God; but they are a further account of the purity, zeal, and faithfulness of those blessed martyrs. Besides, though even this were yielded to them, they could not establish their position; because multitudes of the saints, who have lived on the earth, have never had an oppor-
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tunity to resist temptations to worship the beast or his image, or to receive his mark in their foreheads or in their hands. This description can apply to none of the saints, but to those who belong to the Church of the twelve hundred and sixty years of Antichrist’s reign. Though we should concede to them the literal interpretation of these verses, they cannot establish the corporeal resurrection of any of the saints. Concerning the corporeal resurrection of the martyrs, the vision says nothing. The vision speaks of the souls of them who had been beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and who had kept their garments clean from antichristian abominations; but their bodies are not mentioned. This clearly proves that this resurrection is figurative. To speak, therefore, of the resurrection of their bodies, is to go beyond the words of the sacred vision, and must be an arrogant and presumptuous adding to the words of the prophecy of this book.
At the 5th verse, it receives the name of the first resurrection, “This is the first resurrection.” This is said of the resurrection of the souls of the martyrs. This name imports that there will be a second resurrection. This second resurrection is mentioned in the beginning of that verse. “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” At the expiration of the thousand years, and at the commencement of the little season, the souls of the rest of the dead shall live. As the souls of the martyrs shall live and reign with Christ on the earth throughout the thousand years; so the souls of the rest of the dead, who were opposed to the beheaded saints, shall live and endeavour to reign on the earth with Satan during the little season. Their leader, their character, their number, their actions, and their end, are distinctly stated in the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th verses of this chapter. In this vision, two resurrections are foretold; the former at the beginning of the Millennium, and the latter at the commencement of the little season. Neither of them has any connection with the general resurrection of the bodies of the just and the unjust, at the day of judgment, at the end of time. Of this resurrection and judgment we have a description in the five verses at the end of the chapter. Then Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. Then shall he sit on a great white throne. Then the dead, small and great, shall stand before him. At that time all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and come forth, some to the resurrection
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of life, and some to the resurrection of condemnation. At that time, the sea shall give up the dead that are in it, and death and the grave shall deliver up the dead that are in them; and they shall be judged every man according to his works. And, at that time, the books shall be opened, and another book shall be opened, which is the book of life, and the dead shall be judged out of those things which were written in the books. The result of this judgment is also declared. For whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire; and all who are written in the Lamb’s book of life shall enter into, and enjoy the heavenly city. From this literal resurrection of the bodies of all the dead, the first resurrection of the souls of the beheaded saints, and the second resurrection of the rest of the dead are entirely different. They differ in their season. Betwixt the first and second resurrections a thousand years must be fulfilled, and the little season must expire between the second resurrection and the general resurrection of all men at the last day. They differ as to their design. The first resurrection will be accomplished, that the world may be filled with saints; the second resurrection will take place, and the world shall be filled with wicked men; but in the resurrection, all mankind shall be judged, time shall come to an end, and all men shall be fixed in their unchangeable state, the wicked suffering everlasting punishment, and the righteous enjoying life eternal. They differ also in the inspired descriptions that are given of them. The objects of the first resurrection, are souls, and the souls of beheaded saints only; they are said to live; this life is called a resurrection; they attain to great holiness, for they are Priests; they are exalted to high dignity, because they are kings; they are with Christ, they live and reign with him, according to his appointment, on the ground of his purchase, and in the enjoyment of his special presence, fellowship and care, and this shall be enjoyed on the earth, only for a thousand years. The objects of the second resurrection, are the rest of the dead; or, in conformity to the other resurrection, the souls of the rest of the dead; they are said to live; they fight against the Church of Christ; and the cause of their life and actions is the deception of the wicked one. But the account of the general resurrection, is essentially different from these. In this vision, John saw the throne of judgment, and the Judge who sat on it. He saw the bodies of
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the dead come out of their graves, whether they had been buried in the earth or in the sea. He saw them all stand before God. He saw the books opened, and the dead judged out of the things that were written in the books. He saw the last enemy destroyed, for death and the grave were cast into the lake of fire. And he saw the states of men unchangeably fixed, when the wicked were cast into outer darkness, and the righteous entered into the joy of their Lord. These considerations authorize and constrain us to believe and assert, that the first and second resurrections must be figurative, and must not be understood literally. And indeed the figures are beautiful, significant and instructive. The Lord Jesus Christ, by his word and Spirit, will raise up in his Church, now extended to all the earth, a generation of saints of the same spirit, zeal and purity as the most eminent of those who have suffered death for his cause, and will maintain them on the earth in the enjoyment of great temporal and spiritual prosperity, for a thousand years. Then all the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him. This change on the inhabitants of the earth will be so universal, so sudden and so astonishing, that no prophetic symbol can properly represent it but a resurrection of the saints. But when the thousand years are finished, and satan is loosed out of his prison, there shall rise up in the earth, through his influence, a generation of men, who shall oppose the interest of Christ, and make war against his people. This mournful alteration on mankind shall be so great, so general, and so rapidly produced, that no figure but that of the resurrection of the wicked can fully represent it. This, or something analogous to it, appears to be the only Scriptural view that we can take of this most interesting and important vision. In the Holy Scriptures, the Spirit of God frequently employs this symbol to represent the quickening of dead sinners, and the reviving of languishing Churches. Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones, and their resurrection, is a satisfactory proof of this truth. The vision is contained, chap. xxxvii. 1—10. I shall only mention the result, verse 10, “So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.” In the Lord’s explanation of the vision to the Prophet, he commands him to say unto them, “Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, O my
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people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you to the land of Israel,” verse 12. For confirming the same truth, the words of the Apostle may be mentioned, “What shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?” Rom. xi. 15. The Prophet and the Apostle are speaking of that blessedness of the Church, and of that period of her existence which are predicted in John’s prophetic vision; and, therefore, as the resurrection of which they speak is spiritual, so also must that resurrection be which he has foretold.
A late writer, to whom I sometimes have alluded already, has written the following sentence: “It must be admitted, unless the resurrection be denied altogether, that the living of the rest of the dead here mentioned,—supposing them the same as those mentioned in verse 12, of which no reasonable doubt can be raised,—is a true and literal resurrection.” From these words it is evident, that the proof of the true and literal nature of the first resurrection depends solely on the identity of the living of the rest of the dead with the general resurrection, mentioned verse 12, of which he says no reasonable doubt can be raised. Now, if it can be proved that they are not the same, this first resurrection, and the second also, signified by the living of the rest of the dead, must be symbolical and figurative. This brings the case to a very easy and speedy decision. It is as evident as any truth can be, that they are not the same. They do not belong to the same period, they are not contained in the same vision, and they are not described in the same manner. The living of the rest of the dead is an event which shall be accomplished at the expiration of the thousand years, the consequence of which shall be, the great increase of wicked men on the earth. It will be inseparably connected with the loosing of Satan out of his prison, it will be produced by his influence, and the effect of it will be a hostile attempt on the camp of the saints, issuing in the instantaneous destruction of Satan and his army. All these things belong to the transactions of the “little season,” and all of them must be fulfilled before any one thing, belonging to the vision of the general resurrection and judgment, can be realized. It is, therefore, impossible that the living of the rest of the dead, verse 5, and the general resurrection, verse 12, can signify the same thing. He further says, “We learn from this passage, that a period of a thousand years intervenes between the first and
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the general resurrections.” This is not a true account of what this passage, as he calls it, teaches us. By the visions in the xx. chap. of the Revelation, we are plainly taught, that a period of a thousand years intervenes between the first resurrection and the living of the rest of the dead, or the second resurrection; that a period of a thousand years, and the period of the little season, intervene betwixt the first resurrection and the general resurrection; and that the period of the little season intervenes betwixt the living of the rest of the dead and the general resurrection. It is, therefore, undeniably evident, that the second resurrection, or the living of the rest of the dead, cannot be the same with the general resurrection; because the little season, with all its important events, must be fulfilled between them. By no class of writers, those who have written in defence of Popery excepted, has a more glaring attempt been made to deceive, than this author has made, by attempting to identify things that are essentially different, and by endeavouring to conceal the years in the period of the little season, which conclude the scene of time.
With a few reflections from this, and the foregoing Discourse, we shall conclude this part of our subject.
1. How imperfect is our knowledge of unfulfilled predictions! This arises from the necessary obscurity of the prophetic language, and the darkness of our understandings. It is otherwise with the language of precept, of doctrine, and of promise. In those parts of Divine revelation, more necessary to the faith, the practice, and the comfort of believers, we find great plainness of speech. But this plainness is inconsistent with the nature and design of prophecy. Its language is necessarily symbolical and figurative; and, of course, not easy to be understood. No more than the knowledge of a general outline of future events, and a probable opinion concerning the time of their accomplishment, can be obtained, relative to any unfulfilled prediction. Of many important circumstances, and concurrent events, the most diligent and anxious student of prophecy must remain ignorant till the day declare it. Nor is any more knowledge of these matters necessary for the real advantage of Christ’s Church, till He, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working, shall have, in the operations of his providence, fully verified the predictions of his word. These things ought to
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fill us with humility in the presence of God, to check our curiosity and presumption in forming our opinions from his word, and to lead us to trust in him, that he will do as he has said.
2. When we misunderstand Divine predictions, and proceed in our speculations about them on our own mistake, it is impossible to say how far our error may carry us. In very few disputes about religious matters, is this remark so strikingly verified, as it is in that which belongs to the second coming of our Divine Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To no author that I have seen is this more applicable, than to a late writer,* who has published two thick octavo volumes on this subject. He explains Ezekiel’s vision of the temple, recorded in several chapters at the end of his book, in a literal sense; and among other things, asserts the following—The whole of the land of Canaan will be turned into a plain, except the mountain of the Lord’s house, which will be raised on the site of Jerusalem, and will be elevated exceedingly. Two new rivers will be created, taking their rise at this mountain, one of them flowing westward, into the Mediterranean Sea, and the other eastward, into the Dead Sea, and going through Arabia into the Persian Gulf. This is his account of the Prophet’s vision of the sanctuary waters. He maintains that a branch of the ancient priesthood shall be restored; that they shall, during the Millennium, offer sacrifices to God, not only peace-offerings, and thank-offerings; but sin-offerings, and burnt-offerings, and trespass-offerings; and that they shall be priests of the sons of Zadok. He affirms that none of the saints’ souls shall be glorified till the first resurrection, when their bodies shall be raised, and they shall be glorified, and reign with Christ on earth a thousand years; and that they are, in some mysterious manner, partners in his throne, and joint dispensers of the efficacy of that one everlasting atonement, in this, its last application to a redeemed world. He also declares that an entirely new dispensation shall be introduced during the Millennium, the laws of which will be different from the laws of that dispensation by which the saints were gathered out of a lost world. He maintains, that the whole race of men being saved as pardoned subjects, or as restored creatures, recovered from the fall and its consequences,
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* Fry, on the Second Advent.
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and for many ages under the rule of Christ and his glorified saints, yet, as Adam fell by the temptation of the devil, while the perfection of his nature was entire and sinless, and did cast off the dominion of his Maker; so the children of Adam, inhabitants of the then renovated world, even supposing the whole corruption of their nature to have been repaired, so may they be brought, by the arts of the old serpent, to engage in mad rebellion against Christ and his saints, and that not a few individuals, but a number like the sand of the sea. How dangerous then must it be to exist on this world at the end of the thousand years! Let this very meagre specimen of his opinions suffice, as a proof of this reflection.
3. Reiterated attempts to propagate the doctrine of Christ’s second advent, at the beginning of the Millennium, must be injurious to the cause of religion. Besides the publications in which this opinion is advocated, a very respectable periodical work has become the vehicle of carrying through the earth elaborate discussions on this controversy; discussions, the far greater part of which are in defence of this sentiment. The object of this Society, even the salvation of all Israel, is equal, in importance and interest, to that of any other Society which is now in existence; but those papers in their interesting work are the dead-fly in their precious ointment. To many this is a matter of most sincere regret, not merely because it is an error, in the defence of which the Scriptures are perverted, Divine administrations are misrepresented, and men are taught to believe a lie; but also for other reasons. Among the friends of religion, it tends to produce division, unprofitable strife, and alienation of affection from one another. It operates powerfully to prejudice many against those who publish the work, and may prevent the augmentation of their funds. It is not easy to perceive how these discussions contribute to “expose” to the Jews the nature and truth of Christianity, to convince them that Jesus is the Christ, to bring them to the saving faith of the Gospel, or to excite those who have received Christ Jesus the Lord, to walk in him. It is impossible to comprehend the necessity that is laid on “the friend of Israel,” to publish so much on this topic, as a mean to testify his friendship to that interesting people. Besides, such contradictions appear in the schemes of the different writers on this subject, in that publication, as render it impossible for any to know accurately what to believe concerning it. “Oh, that they
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would altogether hold their peace,” on this matter, “and it should be their wisdom.”
4. Though different opinions have been entertained and published concerning the blessedness of the millennial church, and though this may perplex serious christians; yet their faith should not be shaken in the belief of its reality. That the Church shall enjoy a long season of great prosperity on the earth, is evident from the predictions of the Prophets, the promises of God, the visions of Daniel, the revelations of John, the prayers of the saints, and the nature of the thing.—In many ancient prophecies, such a glorious condition of the Church in this world, both among Jews and Gentiles, is foretold, as has not yet been realized either under the former or the present dispensation. The unavoidable conclusion must be this; It is yet to come.—In many Divine promises, such purity, peace, unity, spirituality, and extent, in the Church on earth, are exhibited to our faith and hope, as have never yet been enjoyed. From this consideration we are authorized to believe, that the time thus to favour Sion is not yet come.—The visions of Daniel, chap. vii. should also confirm our faith in this matter. His predictions concerning the four secular monarchies, and the execrable triumphs of the little horn over the Church, have been most minutely fulfilled. And shall not the judgment and destruction of her enemies, and the deliverance, the glory, the extent, and the dominion of the Church herself, seen by him in the same vision, be verified in due time?—The same conclusion may be deduced from John’s revelations. As the things which he saw concerning the rise, the success, the reign, the wickedness, and the continuance of the Church’s enemies have been fulfilled; so shall his visions of the blessedness and extent of Christ’s kingdom on the earth have their accomplishment in their season.—The Spirit of grace and supplication has dictated to the saints such prayers as these, “Let the people praise thee, O God. Let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy. Let the whole earth be filled with thy glory. Amen and amen.” To these, and the like requests, the Hearer of Prayer will assuredly return an answer in due time.—The nature of the thing may be improved for confirming our faith of the Church’s prosperity. Since God has been pleased to suffer Christ’s enemies to prosper so long on the earth, is it not reasonable to conclude that he has appointed a time for the manifestation of
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Christ’s glory in the enlargement and felicity of his Church here below?
5. This subject informs us what are the general dispensations of Divine Providence which christians are authorized to expect in time to come. Divine predictions warrant us to look for the following operations of mercy and judgment. The pouring out the remaining vials of God’s wrath, for the destruction of his enemies—the purifying trials and sufferings of his own children, in the midst of those Divine judgments—the enlargement and continuance of those means which are now employed for the illumination of the Jews and the Gentiles—the removal of every obstruction to the propagation of true religion and righteousness in the earth, whether they are found in the civil and ecclesiastic administrations of the kingdoms of this world, or in the blindness, idolatry, and wickedness of their inhabitants—the erection of Christ’s Church in all the earth, when God will give him the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession—the conversion of the Jews, and the continuance of the glory and prosperity of the Church, for a thousand years. Those Divine sources of information, give us reason also to look for a most rapid and extensive defection from the truth as it is in Jesus, and from that holiness which it produces in men, at the end of the Millennium—for a great increase of the kingdom of Satan, during a little season—for a most violent opposition to the Church of God, and furious attack upon the camp of the saints and the holy city—and for a supernatural and instantaneous destruction of that enemy, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. The Divine word also assures us, that after these solemn transactions are finished, the Son of man shall come in his glory with all his holy angels, and shall sit on the throne of his glory, when he shall come the second time without sin unto salvation—that the dead, both the just and the unjust, shall be raised from the graves—that they who are alive, and remain at the second coming of the Lord, shall be instantaneously changed—that they shall appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, and be judged every man according to his works—that a sentence of justification shall be pronounced on the righteous, and a sentence of condemnation shall be passed on the wicked—that the wicked shall depart from the place of judgment to the regions of darkness, that they may endure everlasting punishment—and that the righteous shall ascend with Christ to the mansions of glory, that they may
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inherit eternal life. According to the light of Divine revelation, these are the general transactions which will be performed by the Lord from the present time till the end of the world. But, concerning the manner, the places, the times, and the particular, subordinate, and collateral events, we must remain entirely ignorant, till the day declare them. Let the Apostle’s words sink into our hearts: “Wherefore, Beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless,” 2 Pet. iii. 14.
6. The Church of the thousand years will be prosperous and happy. John saw thrones, and the members of that Church sat on them. They shall live and reign with Christ a thousand years. The visions of Daniel predict the same thing. “The saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever,” when these promises shall be fulfilled unto them: “And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High,” Dan. vii. 18, 27. On the Church of the twelve hundred and sixty days, as well as on the Apostles and primitive christians, Christ’s words have been frequently verified: “But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake,” Luke xxi. 12. With the Millennial Church it shall be entirely otherwise. They shall be the head, and shall be no more the tail. They shall be the supreme and subordinate rulers, legislators, and governors of the nations. The saints shall possess and fill the earth. All authority shall be in their hands, and, therefore, all dominion shall serve and obey their exalted Lord. The Millennial saints shall not only sit on the throne, but they shall stand at the altar: For they shall be priests of God and of Christ. All sacred ministrations shall be conducted by their agency. By them the Gospel shall be preached, the sacraments dispensed, and all the spiritual concerns of the nations shall be managed; “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering; for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of Hosts,” Mal. i. 11.
7. The concluding period of time will be gloomy and trying. The
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Spirit of prophecy denominates it “a little season.” This name, which certainly refers to its duration, is bestowed on it to comfort the saints under this dark and stormy evening of time. The liberation of the grand enemy out of his prison, will produce a very great and mournful change on the inhabitants of the earth. Having been restrained from tempting men for a thousand years, he, and his angels, with redoubled fury and zeal, will engage in their former employment. If he came down unto the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea, Rev. xii. 12, having great wrath, because he knew that he had but a short time; with how much greater fury and rage will he labour to deceive the nations, when, to the shortness of the time, you add the recollection of his dreadful punishment and ignominious restraint for a thousand years. The people whom he will deceive are nations in the four quarters of the earth. They are called Gog and Magog, probably because, by the devices of Satan, they will resemble those nations, who, at the beginning of the Millennium, will impiously endeavour to hinder the re-establishment of the Jews in their own land. To make war on the Church is the end for which they will be gathered. Their number will be great like the sand of the sea. Their operations will be bold and alarming, they will come up on the breadth of the earth, and compass the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city. Their end will be dreadful, for fire will come down from God out of heaven and devour them. The final destruction of their leader will be as terrible as it will be righteous; “For the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” How great shall be the distress and sorrow of the saints, when they shall see the rise, the progress, and the extent of such a defection from the good and righteous ways of God! The wondrous success of the great adversary in turning so many away from the faith of the Gospel, and the life of holiness; and in leading them into unbelief, impiety, and sin, will cause them to weep day and night for these abominations. Their danger will also be very great. But, in the midst of all that wickedness and misery which shall then be on the earth, the Lord will hide his people in his pavilion, he will keep them as the apple of his eye, he will encamp about his house because of this army, and will cause them dwell safely in that beloved city, whose walls are salvation, and her gates praise.
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8. How glorious and solemn will that Divine work be, by which time and all things here below, will be brought to an end! This is the second coming of him who is ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and the dead. As time began with a display of God’s glory and greatness in the creation of all things: so it shall be finished by a manifestation of the Divine perfections, in the final judgment of all his rational creatures, in the condemnation of the wicked, and in the everlasting salvation of the righteous. The Divine Person who shall conduct this solemn trial, in the name and by the authority of Jehovah, who is Judge of all, is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is assigned unto him by his Father, it belongs to his mediatorial office and work, and it will display his glory in that character. He who humbled himself and came down unto our world, by the assumption of our nature, by the subjection and obedience to his own law, and by his suffering and death for our salvation, even He shall come again in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. He will come in his own glory, and in the glory of his Father. He shall sit on the throne of his glory. He will be accompanied with all the holy angels. His work will be glorious. By judging the innumerable multitudes of mankind who then shall have existed in the world, by pronouncing irrevocable sentences on them all, and by the immediate execution of those sentences on every one of them, his glory shall be manifested to angels and men.—To remember daily that we must be there, is of the utmost importance to us all. “For we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. So then, every one of us shall give account of himself to God,” Rom. xiv. 10, 12. Our own eyes shall see the glorious Judge. We shall behold the Divine and important transactions of that most solemn season. Our personal interest in this matter, is infinitely momentous. If we are then found on the Judge’s left hand, O how miserable shall we be! But what shall be our felicity if we are placed on his right hand! Let every one of us comply with the Apostle’s exhortations; “Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your ownselves; know ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates,” 2 Cor. xiii. 5. If we have believed on him as our Saviour, embraced him by faith in all his offices, and taken God in him as our reconciled God and portion; if we have received his righteousness, entered within the bond of his covenant, embraced the
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promises in him, and devoted ourselves to the Lord—if we depend on his Spirit for sanctification and comfort, we may hope that we shall not be ashamed before him at his coming. If we are enabled to prove the truth of our faith by a holy frame and exercise of soul, by endeavouring to speak to his glory, and by ordering our conversation in the world according to his holy law and his blessed example, then we may be assured of enjoying that grace that shall be brought to the saints, at the revelation of Jesus Christ. But if we are strangers to these things, if we live in unbelief and sin, careless about God’s glory and our own salvation, formal and hypocritical in our religious services, having our hearts set on the world as our portion, indulging sinful thoughts, frequently uttering idle words, and living in the commission of known sins, we have great cause to fear that we shall not stand in this judgment, nor be found in that congregation of the saints. Let none, however, despair. The door of mercy is yet open, and the Divine calls to enter are still continued. Consider your ways. Hear Jesus saying to you, “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Turn unto this strong hold of salvation, flee to Christ for refuge, and lay hold on him as the hope set before you. And let all those who have a saving interest in him, employ themselves in looking for, and hastening unto the coming of the day of God.