8th. An account of the first resurrection, and the subsequent
happiness of all people; with which will be connected ar-
guments to prove that all moral and natural evil shall cease
a thousand years from the earth; and that it was the origi-
nal intention of the Creator to clothe our first parents,
whether they stood or fell,

Page

9th Division embraces a position that man when he fell, lost
his extraordinary power or government over the animal
kingdom, and became exposed to their natural fury, but in ́
the Millennium shall recover his government again,
10th Division contains arguments to prove, that neither the
disposition nor death of the animal creation was affected
by man's fall into sin, as is believed by many, but the true
reason of their death is assigned,
11th. The sentiment which embraces the opinion, that all the
animal creation shall arise from the dead, to be remunera-
ted for their suffernigs, which by some is said to be occa-
sioned by the sin of man, refuted,

12th Division exhibits a view of the vast multiplication of
mankind during the Millennium, and of their political state:
also who they are who will attempt to make war upon the
camp of the saints, called Gog and Magog ; -and why Sa-
tan must be loosed for a little season after the Millennium
is passed by and in what manner it is likely they will at-
tempt their attack of the saints,
13th Division embraces a view of the resurrection of the
wicked dead after the Millennium, and their miserable con-
dition; and endeavours a description of the earth's dissolu-
tion, and in what manner the elements will operate on
each other, so that a general conflagration may take place,
and what shall be its final end,

"And

14th Division embraces a view of the promised new creation,
which is to succeed the destruction of this system.
he that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things
new." Rev. xxi. 5,

250

287

299

305

816

343

$66

INTRODUCTION.

A knowledge of the opinions the ancient fathers entertained upon the subject of a Millennium, is highly interesting, and are presented here as proof that the subject is by no means the growth of the present times. It is pleasing to find our own deductions from the Sacred Volume agree, in any sense, with the writings of the primitive fathers, and of those who have been distinguished upon this subject in modern times. As the ancients of the Christian church believed in the final arrival of a thousand years Millennium, when the religion of the Messiah shall wholly triumph in all the earth, so the humble author of this book most cordially and devoutly espouses the doctrine, because supported by the Scriptures. There has been no age of the Christian church, in which the expectation of the Millennium was not admitted by many divines of the first eminence, though never embraced in any creed as an article of faith essential to salvation. But the captivating hope has ever possessed the bosom of the militant church, before and since the advent of Christ, that his sceptre shall, in the seventh Millennary of time, be swayed in its gentle influences over all the earth.

About the middle of the fourth century, says Mr. Buck, the Millennians held the following tenets: 1. That the city of Jerusalem shall be rebuilt; and that the land of Judah shall be the habitation of those, who are to reign on the earth a thousand years. 2. That Christ shall then come down from heaven, and be seen on earth, and reign here with his servants. 3. That during that period the saints are to enjoy all the delights of the first terrestial paradise.

These opinions were founded upon the 20th chapter of Revelation, from the first to the sixth verse inclusive, and were understood by the ancient Millennarians in the literal sense, who taught, that during the Millennium, the saints on the earth were to enjoy every bodily delight, consistent with innocence and holiness. This opinion is undoubtedly correct, but that Christ will personally dwell on the earth with his saints, who are to remain after the first resurrection a thousand years, is not promised; therefore, in that ex

A*

pectation they were not correct. Though the promise in the sixth verse of the 20th chapter of Revelation, is, that the saints "shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years," yet I do not understand thereby, that the person of Christ must necessarily become visible on the earth during the thousand years. If Christ is the only wise God, and has all power, consequently he reigns in an omniscient sense, not only here, but in all worlds; therefore, when his gospel in our earth shall have gotten the victory, it will not be required, in order that the promise in the sixth verse may be fulfilled, that Christ must be personally with his saints on the earth, but in his spiritual presence only-the saints being in perfect agreement with his holiness and government, are therefore said, by the spirit of prophecy, to reign with Christ during that peculiar term, a thousand years. The opinion of the fathers, both Jewish and Christian, and others, that Jerusalem is again to be rebuilt in the time of the Millennium, for the comfort and glory of the saints, is founded doubtless on the 48th chapter of Ezekiel's prophecy, to which the reader can refer. But this opinion will not bear the test of the most inferior criticism; because the saints, during the Millennium, will have corporeal bodies as well as now, and therefore must occupy space. From which it is at once evident, that if the whole land of Palestine shall become one continued city for the accommodation of the saints, it will be found insufficient to contain them. The whole land of Judea, embracing the ancient grant of that country to Abraham, does not encompass a greater space than two hundred and fifty miles in length by one hundred and fifty in width, which space, if occupied as closely as the city of NewYork, would not be capable of containing a greater population than about five hundred and one millions. Ancient Palestine, if it were one continued city, would be only about three thousand times as large as New-York, which is but a little short of three miles by six, if it were thrown into a parallelogram form; consequently would be as incapable of containing all the saints in the Millennium as the city of London would be of accommodating the population of the globe at the present time.

If, then, so great a city will be too small to contain the saints, how will the ancient city of Jerusalem, even if it should be re'built, contain them? Besides, how are they to be supported if all

are assembled at one place? who shall till the earth? But in reference to the meaning of that chapter, to which the reader is referred, as above, it is more rational to suppose, with Dr. Clark, and others of great eminence, who have written upon this subject before his time, that the whole description given by Ezekiel should be understood as signifying the most glorious state of the Christian church over the inferior glory and darker dispensation of the Old Testament times. This sentiment certainly agrees better with the remark of Christ to the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." St. John. iv. 21. All that was embraced in the Mosaic sacrifices, the temple of Solomon, with its ceremonies, were only descriptive of some good thing to come in the dispensations of the expected Messiah. If the Jews are to be bronght in with the fulness of the Gentiles, what, therefore, can a Jew promise himself by returning to Jerusalem? I confess I cannot see any ostensible reason. If the Mosaic dispensation be again restored, then there would be a reason for their return; but it is a well known fact, that Jesus Christ has made an end of all that first system of worship, which related wholly to the higher revelation of the gospel.

This the Jews will understand—why, then, return to Jerusalem? They will at once percieve, that to be a true Jew, or Israelite, is to possess faith in Christ, and not because they are of a lineage of Abraham. If, then, they become Christian before they go, and acquiesce in the doctrine that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah foretold by the prophets, what value, therefore, can they set upon the land of Canaan above any other country? At once they will percieve, that in this faith they have found Him of whom Moses and the prophets did write, which will answer every purpose far better than to go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. It is, indeed true, that the Jews shall be brought in with the fulness of the Gentiles; but where, or into what, shall they be brought? Why into the faith of the gospel, and nothing else?

Again if there is a time coming when Christ, the true David, of whom David, the father of Solomon, was a type, shall reign king of nations in that peculiar sense that he does king of saints ; then all the earth may be reckoned as the land of Israel, and the inhabitants, the true Israelites (for then there will be none other)