IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I ■- IIIIIM j50 i^ IIIM !lf m M 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 ■• 6" ► V} ^ /}. ^3 m ^. w 'm ?. ^e. ^. Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (7!6) 872-4503 ^V ^V L1>' \\ % .V 4>\ <.\ % '" signifie "A SUIVRE". le symbols V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartas, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent §tre filmds & des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clichd. il est film6 d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illuslrent la mdthode. 'ata elure, a D 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ,;» -■^«^^p^^ # ' I » ** # #.*- #■ >■?«''■ '! . I ,A».ii ■'-"•pipPipiJiip'!! f I , !l'^lJUUUUI|il.p.ii)Qi!«pi 1 ,..! -. mil^lipilll- . ,|l„ '*" THE SUBJECTS OF THE .^ MILLENNIM; TRACED IN THEIR DOWNWARD PROGRESS FROM THEIR ANCESTRY THROUGH THE THREE PRE-MILLENNIAL DISPENSATIOJJS |^* Sofletjiifi; toltj A SCRIPTURAL VIEW OF THE NEW JERUSALEMf COMING OF MESSIAH; SACRED NUMBERS, AND SIGNS OF THE TIMI3 ; THE END OF THE WORLD, AND THE LAST JUDGMENT; AND Scriptural Views of the MillenPiial Ckr(|. BY THE REV. DONALD M'DONALD, MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. "And I saw another ans^el fly in the inid^t of heaven, hnving the everlasting Gospel t» reath unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nitioii, and Icindred, and tongue id people. Saying with ^ loud voice, Fear God, and give [.'lory to Hiin ; for the hour of Hh judRmenl is come: and worship Hiin that made heaven, aiid earth, and the sea. and tti« fountains of waters." Rev. xiv. 0, 7. • preat and CHARLOTTETOWN: ^ PRINTED BY J. D. HASZARD, PRINTER TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. ^ipf ' ■ IIP '"lUPi f ' «v ^ I % « PROLEGOMENA. Having watched the progress of events in the world, with great anxiety, I have at last been induced to commit to paper what I could learn from the Holy Bible with regard to the present times, as well as with regard to very important future events, which are certainly near at hand, to be realized in their full accomplishment. The views wiiich I have given in the following Treatise, are more of a general character, than of a specific, restrained application, on account of the present intermixed, blended con- dition of society in the world, as tares and wheat in the same f:cld, the world : and where any marked application is made, it is made under the Scriptural names and characters which are jTiven to us, by inspiration of God, in the Holy Bible ; and not by any names and characters by which the present Nations and Churches, and denominational fractions of Churches, are now distinguished from one another in the records and chronicles of contention, animosity, and sectarian stril'e. One reason, among many, I shall give for that mode of hand- ling the Word of God, on so important a subject — that many who intermeddle witli the affairs and conduct of others, are apt to be blindfolded by prejudice, and to be led thereby into griev- ous errors, and to "speak evil of the things they understand not,'' — such as the conduct of the Reverend M'Millan, of Cardross, Scotland, of the Free Church of Scotland, with regard to me, and the doctrine which I have been preaching extensively 1 this Island, and in other Colonies thereto contiguous, lor the last twenty years, with undeniable success. — And unless the Free Church of Scotland are determined to hold up their lacords, wherein that abominably false, if not blasphemous report of M'Millan, of Cardross, is, according to the testimony of the Halifax (Juardian, Newspaper, engrossed, they would a^- •a * m I r 11 11 fin . I THt SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM traced in their downward progress from their ancestry through the three pre-millennial dispensations. '^S. FIRST DISPENSATION— ANTEDILUVIAN. Text, Matt, xiii, 37. — "He answered and said unto them, he that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man ; the field is the ivorld ; the good seed are the children of the kingdom ; but the tares are the children of the wicked one ; the enemy that sowed them is the devil ; the harvest is the end of the world ; and the reapers are the angels f 4*c." That a peculiar people are distinctively marked, in all parts of the Scriptures, which h^Ve illusion or reference to that blessed period or era of the Church's history, as well as in the text^ under the designation and character of good seed, as the chil- dren of the kingdom ; in contradistinction from anotl.er order of people, given under the designation of zizania, or tares, cannot reasonably be denied : the subject of my text, therefore, cannot be properly treated ; nor can its component parts be properly illustrated and discussed^ without commencing the history of the two seeds as early as their first appear- ance in the world, and without tracing them in their 2 % *;^ i:;^ B THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. i"r;;!']' K^^A^^"^«'' '■■''-? ^ay be found in conlinued development in the Holy journey may be long and tedious; yet the"importa7t cone „s,on may suffieiently compensate patie'^,t a."d diligent research: the mind of the student «ui be prepared by useful Scriptural knowledge to enter with zest and gratification on that more glorious Tnd win ""' ^''""'^''- ^'"'°'y- '^"««' Millennium and wil be more capacitated for comprehending the atipat 'd "''"' "'"' "''°"^''°"' ^'^ ''"P^"-"y My purpose is not of so daring a nature as to presume to dire mtn the secrets of the Almighty, in eareh of the origin of good and evil; but merely to trace them m their downward progress in the great human family, from their first appearance i^ nan, and ... the serpent ; as marked distinctively bv the sacred penmen, during their history in the HolV Shthrst;!'"^ ""'"""°"^' '"' p"'"-^^ °f "- raw ,^"'"''"'' ''''.'"■'" °^ "^^ '"="«"''' «'«ation, was comp.eted in s,. days ; and I believe the wo k of for iu'^n r. ' °""P-^ ''' P*^"""^^' "' dispensations for us completion as represented by those six days. We have already passed through nearly throe dispensations, or ages of the Church's history ; and are therefore making near and rapid appr,4ches towards the fourth, or Millennium ; but aslh?!;:?! vest, or end of the world, is antecedent to the Mil- lennium It must be considered a highly important era .n the history of the human family, and worlhv 01 our most serious attention. ' 111 the ascending gradation observable in the various objects in the vast creation, we are elevated in contemDlation. until ln<,» in (i.„ .._c.l ■. . mensuy of the wisdom and power of our Almighiy and are made to reflect, with rapturous Crc&toi ;uM. )e found in ibie. The ! important )atient qnd )nt will be 3 to enter e glorious illennium ; ending the upatieniiy :ure as to mighty, in lit merely !ss in the arance in ctivejy by the Holy )ds of the tion, was ; work of msations, six days, ly three 5ry; and proaches the har- the Mil- nportant worthy in the elevated able im- Imighty pturous FIRST DISPENSATION. 3 amazement, on the original design of our Maker, in constituting the innumerable parts of the creation as conspicuously displayed in their organization and adaptation, in fheir several locaiions, to that original design and purpose,. In the Bible we find that God, who made all things, saw that every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good-^that he made all things for himself; that for his pleasure they are and were created : but in our researches on the scale of as- cending gradation from the inferior parts of the creation, we can arrive at the satisfactory conclusion, that although God made and pronounced them very good, that he gave to man a more exalted condition than he gave to any other of his creatures ; for he made man in his own image, after his own likeness, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and he became a living soul. Viewing man, therefore, thus constituted in the image of his Maker, and still part of the creation, although capacitated for higher and more noble purposes, we have ascended to the highest object on the graduated scale of the creation; and consequently we find man exalted above all the other parts of the creation, and by his superior con- stitution and intellect, destined, not only for nobler purposes here, but also for high and glorious en- joyments hereafter. Adam vvas made in the image of his Maker— he was made a living soul-r-his soul was constituted With rational faculties — and these faculties were a reflex of the attributes of the Godhead— and was thus constituted the connecting link between heaven and earth ; and therefore God gave him domirrion over the creatures, and rendered him resnop.Rihle to himself alone for all his actions ; in which he was to be guided by a law put into his mind, and written on his heart, by the finger of God, as was afterwards THE SUBJECtS di* tHE MILLENMIUM. i \k llff written on the tables of stone, by the same finger of God ; and now on the fleshy tables of a new heart. Adam, being thus constituted, ^id placed lord over the lower creation, and being made in the image of his Maker, was endowed with intellectual facul- ties for receiving and comprehending the divine communications he might be entrusted with, as might be necessary for him in the high and exalted station in which he was plac.ed— that, having domi- nion over the creatures, he might be qualified to keep them in due subordination to him who made them : and that he might be rendered capable of holding fellowship and holy communion with his Maker in the power of the divine life, which was bestowed on him alone of all the creatures which the Lord God had made— the law of his God was in his heart, that thereby he might be guided in the several departments of his duty to his Maker; and for keeping him always in remembrance of his own subordination to the Author of his being, and of ail his rational enjoyments, as well as of his depen- dence on him, for every thing that might be conducive to his happiness, in the high and exalted condition m which he was placed on the scale of the creation —and in this condition, God made proof of the understanding, wisdom, and judgment, which cha- racterized and distinguished him from the inferior animals, over which he was constituted lord and master, by bringing the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air, which the Lord God formed out of the ground, to Adam, to see what he would call them ; and whatsoever Adam called every livino- creature^ that was the name thereof— and even although thus highly and pre-eminently constitntp.d, endowed, qualified, and honoured with dominion over the creatures, God saw that it was not good that the man should be alone ; therefore he made an help meet for him. } us : e finger of new heart, laced lord I the image tual facul- the divine with, as nd exalted i^ing domi- Lialified to who made capable of with his which was res which 5 God was ded in the aker; and )f his own and of all lis depen- conducive condition e creation >of of the i^hich cha- lie inferior lord and I, and the led out of vould call ery living and even >nstitntfiH dominion not good i made an FIRST DISPENSATION. 5 Hitherto all things appear very good, as originally pronounced, free from all appearance of evil, and all adapted for the purposes of him who made them all for himself, and for his own pleasure : and al- though evil appears soon after, yet no mention is made by Moses, the inspired penman, of the origin of evil ; prudence and Scripture, therefore, dictate a limit to curiosity, with regard to a subject which the Bible does not enable us to trace beyond its first appearance in the world : whosoever, therefore, may be tempted to pass the line of permission, may be tempted, as Adam and Eve were, to eat the for- bidden fruit, and feel the sad consequences of his temerity as they did ; " Be not a novice, lest thou fall into reproach, and the snare of the devil.*' " Be not wise above what is written." These and such precautions are mercifully placed before us in the holy Bible, for restraining our curiosity, lest we should provoke God to wrath, and he should slay us : whosoever therefore would understand man's inability, constituted as we are with limited capaci- ties, to embrace within his grasp infinite incompre- hensibility, would find his safety in contenting him- self with the extent of revelation which it pleased our Maker to vouchsafe, rather than to launch forth into the unexplored, unknown regions of speculation, vain philosophy, and sophisticated propositions of the heathens, who knew not God. Those, who be- lieve in the inspiration of the holy Bible, are not left in the boundless field of fancy, to roam uncon- strained beyond the limits of revelation, to be lost in the fathomless abyss of dangerous uncertainty : the extent of revelation which an all-wise God saw meet and sufficient for his creatures, ought to be -w..-iios«;,icu suiuuicui, as uroa nas m ins unerring wisdom considered it : *' Be not wise above what is written j" for God saith, *' I will destroy the wisdom THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. w h > of the wise, and will bring to nought the understand- ing of the prudent. Where is the wise ? wherei is the Scribe ? where is the disputer of this world ? hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this world?" The incommunicable name, Jehovah, signifies self- existence, and it would be vain, and even impious, for short-sighted man to attempt to search for farther knowledge of God in his glorioUs being and attri- butes, in his works and his Ways, than he has been pleased to permit man to know — it would tempt the Spirit of God-^it would be charging God foolishly, as if he withheld from man any thing that he might know. It ought to be considered sufficiently satis- factory fof us to know that a more extensive revela- tion is mercifully granted us than the deepest re- search of the most profound philosophers among the heathens could attain to, by all their theoretical speculations, abstruse propositions, and logical de- ductions ; for " Jesus Christ abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel." Enlightening has ever been, from the creation of the world, in apparent progression — advancing, as it pleased God, from the plenitude and splendour of eternal, infinity, uncreated light, to emit, and infuse into the souls of intellectual beings, such portions as might tend to his own glory, in the progressive ad- vancement of the plan of his providence and grace : therefore, '' revealed things belong unto us, but secret things belong unto the Lord." It is revealed to us that sin entered into the world, and death by sin, for that all have sinned ; therefore it is a melancholy consideration that death hath reigned from Adam ; and that even the heirs of promise have fallen under the power of sin, and dominion of Satan ; and, consequenliy, under the power of death, both temporal and spiritual, as their condition in the world doth clearly prove — are natu- ! I< [JJI. FIRST DISPENSATION. nderstand- se ? wiierd his world ? lis world?" unifies self- 1 impious, for farther and attri" ; has been tempt the 1 foolishly, ; he might ntly satis- vc revela- eepest re- 's among heoretical ogical de- eath, and > Gospel." ion of the ng, as it sndour of nd infuse ortions as essive ad- id grace : • us, but into the 3 sinned ; hat death the heirs sin, and inder the I, as their are natu- rally dead in sins and trespasses— the children of wrath even as others. Man is naturally guilty before God, and deserving of punishment and wrath ; for although we cannot trace evil to any original source, yet it is found early manifestmg its baneful, pestilential influences on the fair and spoiless creation.—" The serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made :" and by infusing into the hitherto unpolluted ear of unconscious, unsuspecting Eve, the malignant, virulent poison of his satanic nature' deceived her ; and thus tempted her, by the unhal- lowed desire and lust then created in her infected mind, to eat of the forbidden fruit— forbidden to Adam under the displeasure and wrath of his Ma- ker, and even of death : for, saith God, in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Eve being deceived by the serpent, ate of the forbidden fruit, and gave to Adam, and he did also eat ; and thus forfeited the favour of his Maker— forfeited his claim to his former pre-eminence and privileges, in the rank and station in v/hich God had, at his crea- tion, placed him— lost the innocency, and righteous- ness, and holiness of his nature— forfeited life itself and became a debased, fallen, sinful man, stript of the image and likeness of his Maker. The effects of evil are thus found wofiilly afflictive, and disas- trous in its first entrance into the world ; and con- tinues to this day to be lamentably felt by the whole creation, in a multiplicity of complicated maladies and diseases, and miseries, and death itself at last' to finish the melancholy picture of man's sorrowful' and painful life on earth ; but whence evil originally sprung, is left a secret: and no human \ni^]]^nt ^o» penetrate the veil of secrecy ; but must "be content" in doleful lr.mentations, to behold it in its first intro- duction w/ip the world j in its baneful effects on the 8 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. %i' m H, . fair and beautiful creation, in its first exerted, des- troying influences ; and in its continued ravages on all parts of this lower creation — the problems and theories of philosophy are unavailing for the disco- very of what God saw meet to conceal — it would be a daring and a dangerous effort of the human intel- lect to attempt to pry into the secrets of the Al- mighty, beyond the revelation which he was pleased to grant, through the instrumentality of the holy Bible — the efforts of the most sublime philosophy would prove ^'•uitless and abortive — and the most learned of men would be constrained to retire from such a field of speculation and research, with aching head, rueful looks, and disappointed hopes. Man's presumption would meet with its own reward, in the self-abasement of the creature in the presence of the Creator, on account of his ignorahce and total ina- bility to find out the Almighty unto perfection : for " His path is in the sea, and his footsteps are not known." And, therefore, the deep things of God are beyond the reach of all philosophical research. It is undeniable, that good and evil do exist in the world ; but to trace them to any origin, is far beyond the power of the human intellect. The glorious name, Jehovah, leads us to a self-existent being, whose attributes are displayed in the works of cre- ation, of Providence, and of grace : and thus in him we find the great first cause of all good ; but this v/e obtain by the declarations of the holy Bible, but not by philosophic research — we are told that sin entered into the world, and death by sin, for that all have sinned — thus, then, evil is found to have en- tered into the very constitution of the fair creation of God ; and it has been the lamentable tale of all ages and generations, that evil abounded in their day. Ask not why it was permitted to enter into, and to exist, in the world — it is suflicieiT* for us to v FIRST DISPENSATION. 9 know that it does exist — that its malignant power and influence are painfully felt — that, uncontrolled, its effects are destructively potent — and that no hu- man power is suflicient counteraction against its devastating, sweeping sway : therefore we find that our merciful Creator has provided an alUsuflicient counteracting remedy, for abolishing death, and for bringing life and immortality to light, by the Gospel: it would therefore be far more prudent and profitable for man, to search into the nature and baneful ef- fects of evil, and to look for the prompt application of that counteraciing remedy which God has merci- fully provided, than to spend precious time in fruit- less search after its origin. In consequence of the existence of evil, the attri- butes of the Godhead are brought into action, in opposition, until all evil shall hp.ve been destroyed, and until the counteracting remedy shall liave been successfully and extensively applied ; and until the full development shall have been made ; and until the will of Jehovah, in permitting evil to enter into the beautiful work of his hands, shall have been abundantly and triumphantly displayed — then the knowledge of the glory of God shall cover the earth as the waters cover the channel of the great deep — then shall the attributes of the Godhead, which are understood to be wonderfully accommodated to the various conditions and exigencies of the creatures, be gloriously displayed — then shall the fanciful scep- tic cover his shame-suffused face, and recede with confusion into the dark dens of his own created imagery — then shall the Infidel horribly tremble, and shrink back into utter darkness, in convulsive agony, from the brightness of the shining of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, who is the bright- ness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person. And then shall the morning stars sin^ 10 THE SUB«C« 0* ,„, ft.LL.»N,^M. •ogethti in short, the gt„Z7t "' """ *'""" ^'oud for iov ' nevertheless omP;"„', °"f.7°t of the creaL^; •vWch are found aUachii^^ "[ complicated evib for displaying the glory of Cni- ""u'' "'g^n'^ed, "n.ty of his divine Ittr bu°e3 and' ,1" "'^ '=.°"''^'«'" "ghteous character of himl? ? constrtirte the good: and it woiilH h» ™ "'^'^ I"^de 'Scnr all very condition in ISJ'T'''^^' '"' "'' '" «''e 'hings could beolZ«u/T'^' '° '=''"'^«'^e hoir "•retch of the hLIn ZtctT u' '^"^ ^^—^ the revelations ,vhich God h. ^ f """^ ''^^°"'' -'he ancient, erudite and hi .■""' ^^'''^^ '" 8^»« losophers, wee pe Lit ed ^^^ ^ ''™"'P"'''«'l Ph'^ s'rengih of scholastic easonn/''''?f' f'^'^ """ost ons, in pursuit of knoZwo ^J." '"§«=«' deducti- «ason and human "?adom^'; f/"*"^ ''''^' '''"""n •he secrets of the aS? "i'^ accomplish ; but by his own SpirU ";|h/r°"'? ""'^ *"= '«'««'cd dom ;" but Jesus Chri^T? '^^^^ '^^^ "'''e'- wis. and brin^lifeanHin 1 °"^ <'°'''<' abolish death The AthV :"p Coh ''^ « "S'" hy the GosS.' 'earned and talented schn "'f ?'"°"Sr •!.« most 'hey hved; andve ihelti ' °^ ""' "§« '" '^'''ch greatly humiliating Shim' a'nd^.r""^' ^'""""gh <]«"-ements, to erect nn!^; • '""■■ '"""'»' ac superscription "To ,h» "''"' "'« following Apostle Paul thp^° ""''"'""" God;" but thi "fe and ^r:l:^yT^r^Jrk '^"'l ^^^g"' satisfactorily the sunerior?.„„f^- ^°'P^'' P'oved •he philosophy of Ip m ' /. """""^ revelation over on earth-S il.T, ' '''•■"■"^'' ^"^ 'a'ented men and philosonhL^ , """' ''"'"^ "f human research -^on,ofGod,?heU^;SorL'„rw:;: FIRST DISPENSATION. n God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." Paul, therefore, could triumphantly declare to the sage, erudite Athenian philosophers, " Him whom ye ignorantly worship, declare I Unto you :" clearly proving the superiority of the revelations of God over the most exalted, and the most profound, and perfect hdman philosophy. It would, therefore, be the wisdom of beings, constituted as we are, with limited faculties, to avail ourselves thankfully of the revelation afforded us, and to apply with more assiduity and perseverance to the study of the Holy Scriptures, wherein are contained such developments of the attributes of God — of his works and ways— of his merciful mode of procedure in the dispensations of his Providence, and of his grace— and of the ultimate end he had in view in his eternal counsel and will, in ordering all things as they are revealed to our limited capacities. This mode of procedure would be found to tend more to the glory of God, and our own eternal inte- rests, than to waste our time and talents in unavail- ing and fruitless seardh, after divine knowledge, in any other way. A knowledge may thus be acquired of ourselves ; of our condition in the world ; of the provision graciously mkde for us ; and of our grounds of hope of future happiness— our conceptions of divine things would thug be elevated above the un- profitable, unsatisfactory lucubrations, and conclu- sions of the vain philosophy of nature— the pride of the heart would be humbled ; and our view of oui* dependancy on a merciful and gracious God, would be expanded; and of our great reason of thankful- ness to Him for all the manifestations of his good- tiess and bounty. ihe Bible presents to our view the effects of man's disobedience and transgression, as manifested m the fallen, prostrate world, lying enveloped ii^ 13 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENmOM. fdX.ry!:Su,'eci^on7";% ""P^'^^'io". erro., and baserf f„r f ",'' '^efi'ed— corrupted and de- the d~k n,f '"'7"hc'"'i"g misery and distress- horrid Lt 'ft,/*'? ^""I?'"'!" of habitations of avar ce ewi«~ "^ Pro^nity, impiety, pride, of the 'merdi ' r', '^'TH """^ «"P«''i'io"' «corn world ieS n wSs;."':'?''"''" ""^^ "'""^ condition of .h« u • ' ""'' ^' '"stances of the eth after 0!?"''^""'''^"'' "'^reis'none that seek! tl ey a7e ,0^.1 ?'^ '""' '»" «<*"« »"» "^ ">e way, afre &'''"' ""Profitable ; there is non^e ooetii good, no, not one. Their thrmt U .r. ^e-tTh'etoi- "'? ""='' '0"S-^he C'L mou I "i, f .1^ r °" "'^ *'P° == '""ler their lips: whose ^wl o S .? Mo"r=7"'^ '''".^'-- = «heir . " saith inav h» , ■ ""'^^' ""= '"" : 'hat every mouth woefu,^ felien S'thy hi^ an^d' Za Ld'-.t tion When thou wast endowed in the fair and ri^htP thestonpVnV.r"' '°."'^ most fine gold changed! tne stones of tue sanctuary are poured out in the top FIRST DISPENSAtiON. 13 of every street ! And not only is the sad consequen- ces of the fall, and the natural condition of fallen rnan, depicted in dismal colours in (hose passages of Scripture; but even after means are used orThim, and some progress is made in the acquisition of use- ful knowledge, the same humiliating picture of de- pravity is still presented to our view, by the faithful pen of the inspired Apostle Paul, as in the following passage, as referring to the perilous times of the latter days :— ■'' This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come : for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, bias phemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affectionj truce breakers, false accu- sers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of plea- sures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away/'— 2 Tim. iii. 1. These pictures of the depravity of human nature, are melancholy indi- cations of the prevalence and baneful effects of evil in the world. What can be more disgusting and horrifying to the reason and judgment of the pious spectator, tuan the many scenes of debauchery, drunkenness, and lasciviousness, with which the wicked world abounds ? The horrifying carnage in the field of battle, to those who have witnessed the tremendous onslaught, cannot but cause them to turn away with doleful reflections on the movincr cause of such awful murderous practices; and coi> strain them to subscribe to the evident truth, that sm entered into the world, and 'death by sin, for that all have sinned." Let vain man, therefore, lie p.^..i.«.v;uciuic iiiii auar oi me eternal, unchangabie, mhnite Jehovah, and cry, « unclean, unclean, woe unto us for we have sinned." Not only is the de- pravity of human nature glaringly, and dolefully, if' \ I 14 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. and conspicuously displayed in such scenes of shameful degradation, but man is also sunk deep in Ignorance of divine, and spiritual things-^the con- cerns of his soul are held, by depraved, sinful man. in less estimation than the guilty pleasures which arc more congenial to his depraved taste; although all those things bring guilt and condemnation o°n the precious soul. This is the consequence of ignorance of the real nature of evil, and of its sad effects in time und in eternity, and also of the counteractim- remedy which a merciful God has been graciously- pleased to provide-— not laying to heart that th'c wages of sin is death, and that the gift of God is eter- nal life through Jesus Christ ; and therefore there is no fear of God before his eyes. Man was originally constituted in the image of God— the rational faculties of his soul were a reflex of the divine attributes from which they emanated, and were originally intended to act in subordination to the supreme attributes from which they were de- rived, to the glory of God, who, for the wisest of purposes, bestowed them on man. God made all things for himself, for his pleasure they are and were created ; but, alas ! the fall deprived man of the ability which he originally had when he came from the hands of his Maker, a scion of heaven— his inteU lectual faculties became benighted, polluted, and aepraved— became alienated from the life of God— his iniquities separated between him and his God. and his sins hid his face from him, that he would not hear— and thus was man cast out into the open held, < 3 the loarthing of his person- an outcast from the Crod that made him in his own image, and for his own pleasure— the Holy Creator loathed the — "-.cuiux^, ior ne is ui purer eyes man lo behold iniquity, and he cannot look upon sin— ini- quity dwelleth .not with him, and fools stand not in FIRST DISPENSATION. 15 ?r? his sight— and his final sentence against evil proves his abhorrence and detestation of the wicked and all their evil actions.-^" The wicked and all the nations that forget the Lord, shall be turned into hell." Let yam man. therefore, cease to boast of the hi^h capability of the natural huijian intellect, and of the vast progress of the mind in the acquisition of use- lul knowledge, whilst his attention is wholly bent on natural and temporal pursuits, which profit not the soul; but let him look at his ovfn deformity, and giastly unseemliness in the faithfulest of mirrors, the Holy iiible, and consider the distance to which the introduction of evil into the world, has removea him trom his original condition. This mode of self- treatment would be more beneficial and profitable to him, than to View jiimself in tho false and flaiterine: mirror«, which the sleight and cunning of vain and self-conceited men conjure up from their own store ot self-approbation. Spiritual knowledge and reve- lation are, to human acquirements, as light is to darkness— the one is the will of God, graciously re- vea led to man by inspiration, and the clear teaching of the Holy Spirit: whereas the other is only the creation of fancy, and the elaborate deductions of human reason— the one is reitealed religion ; but the other, natural religion-^the one is positive and satis- factory : whereas the other is doubtful, inconclusive and uncertain— the one from God • but the other horn short-sighted man-^and "the natural man f^^.^'iveth not ,he things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned"— in short' the vvisdo-n of Gc J is foolishness with men ; and the wisdom^ of men is foolishness with Pod. He that is eth all things, yet he himself luai of ao man. judged 16 tilE SUBJECTS OP ftiZ MlLLGNfJlUM. i I i Here, thePj lies the difference between the Hea-» then Philosopher, and the Spiritualiy enlightened child of God : and this distinctive difference affords a clear demonstration of the deplorable consequences of the introduction of evil into the world, and the necessity of recovery from that condition, and from all the evils that are the consequences of sin. When sin entered into the world, and death by sin, man Was deprived of the life of God, which was originally infused into him, when God breathed the breath o[ life into his nostrils, and he became d living soul ; and in this condition, ever since the fall, all mankind are ushered into the worlds alienated from the life of God ; and must continue in that state of alienation, until it please a merciful God to restore life again, through Jesus Christ, to the fallen heirs of promise, and thus restore them to the divine favour and love. Although good f^nd evil undeniably exist in thfe world, yet they are not blended together; but are kept distinctly separate— their opposite natures pre- vent their amalgamation and union ; and must stand so in a contrasted condition, as long as they are permitted to exist in the same world. And indeed, without contrasted objects, it is impossible for us to conceive what material creation could be— human language vvould cease to exist; for all the objects in the creation are distinguishable by their opposites good is distinguishable by its contrasted opposite, evil— white, by black— light, by darkness— high, by low — long, by short — broad^ by narrow — sweet, by bitter, and so on, through all the objects in the creation. And even the attributes of the Godhead illustrate this necessary condition of creation : justice «.ijw xij^i-^y luwuiu ijfVur uc urougni lo ine view oi reason, without objects requiring their application and exertion: and thus, in consequence of the FIRST DISPENSATION. J J existence of good and evil in the world, the dorl ous Jehovah exhibits and reveals the co-eJiln. f thn attributes of Trinity, adapting he\"7^„=«°f conv itself in its debasing des^ovinlTi •lestrucve influences, and direful elec s-o^pS and counteractmg every thing that can K He^d good-opposing and resisting the holy desLc „ 1 aspirations of the human sout-and even nn "'' 'he very goodness of heaven, when extendedTln^ evil oppressed creation : and therefore b.c. ^ " the Holy Bible, where the dist nctTon i, IT'^-^u,^ observable, their contrasted posiZ nfl?"''''? erects, must be separately considered ?ll l"'' ""^ commandments of God ks well a, ifrJ "'^ ""'' of rewards and punishments ; and indee?:i"''rr revealed will, shows the discrim.nau'on and dk ^ made between good and evil-l„ot "nlv in th'"" ihe present world, and ia ib. .v^.u - ""^^ '" f I » JH THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNI UM. bauched, abandoned wretches among mankind— the conscience cannot approve of it— the pious and the lust cannot approve of it— and God, who is all goodness and love, ca'Uiot approve of it; for he hates tiic wicked every day— he is of purer eyes than t© behold iniquity, and he cannot look upon sin— ini- quity dwelleth not with him, and lools stand not iH his sic^ht : good, therefore, is uniformly accompanied by its'due reward ; whereas evil brings punishment and misery in its train : thus, then, the distinction is observable between good and evil, not only in their natures, characters, influences, and eflccts, but alsa HI t^ieir final treatment, by rewards and punishments, awarded by a holy, a righteous, and a just God. Thus, then, he who separated the light from the darkness, and called the light day, and the darkness iiicTJif and who made the firmament to divide the waters above the firmament from the waters below the firJiiament, and it was so, separated also good from evil : therefore the distinction must be scrupu- lously observed in our treatment of the doctrines of the Holy Bible, so as not to handle the Word of God deceitfully. When this distinction is not attended to, the Holy Scriptures are perverted— the under- standing is overclouded— the revelations of God are shut out ; and the mind is left to wander m the mazes of bewildering uncertainty: and thus the cracious purpose* of God are counteracted and frus- trated, to the prejudice and dishonour of the revela- tions K)f truth, which are afforded us for our guid-^ ance and encouragement, and to the subversion of the faith and confidence of many, who are thus misled, and turned out of the way, in the cloudy and dark day " Woe unto them thai call evil good, aim good evil ; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness ; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter ' Woe unto theru that are wise m their owa FIRST DISPENSATION. 19 eyes, and prudent in their own sialit ! Woe unt< . .em , ha, are migh.y ,o drink .vine, and ^entf «.reng i. ,0 ,„,„gle strong drink ; whi;h justTfy the vv.cked for reward, ;^d take away the righteousness of the nghteous fronPhim ! Therefore as the fire de voureth the stubble, and the flame eons^eth fhe chafl-, so the.r root shall be as rottenness, and heir hlossorn sl,all go up as dust, because the^ have ca away the law of the Lord of Hosts, arid de' pised the word of the Holy One of Jacob " ' "^^P'^^" Ahhougl, g^od and evil are thus proved to be the opposaes and the contrasts of each other, and al- l.ough heavy woes are denounced against the work- <.;rs of ,n„,u,ty, yet such is the perversity of tV .'.spostlion ot fallen, depraved man that he na^uranv chooses the evd, and refuses the good, even under yo.ks, tor, 'because judgment is deferred, the hear s of men are set in them to do evil," and now pas„ige, llns is the condemnation that light hath come mto the world, and men choose darkntls rather than hght, because their deeds are evil ''The «oes winch are thus authoritatively denounced plainly show the necessity of strict discriminatbn and distinction between good and evil, not onlv^n mndhng the Word of God, but also in ^v" ry del,. beTaust 7 '7' 'f ""°""'' -^Pon^ible cTeSe" because they that have cast away the law of the One of r°''!: '""* ^f P'^"^^ "'« ^°^d »f "«= Holy Jno of Jacob, are they that change the order of destruction, and who subvert the right wavs of G^d xne renexol the attributes, and the im^-e of God God rcf,'"''}'''^' ""'' '"^ glory of the incorruptTue tiwe raan, and to birds, and to creeping things. !» 1 ■? 20 THE SU TECTS OF THE MILLENKlUSfr clear li .f cl( id (li lemarcation and distinction, as observable in the whole economy and arrangement of the Holy Scriptures, with regard to good and evil, is absolutely necessaiy for our gnrdance and safety, and for keeping our att(|^ition undeviatingly to the perfection of the attributes of the glorious Godhead, from which our rational faculties are de- rived, that we may still progressively advance in the knowledge of the only true God, and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, which is everlasting life ; that we may know him, whom to know is life eternal. As we iiave undoubtedly the near prospect of the great harvest, or the end of the world, when tlie ziza- nia or the tares are assuredly to ne gathered into bandies to be burned, and the vvlieat or the good seed into the garner, it is surely necessary that a clear Scriptural distinction be undeviatingly obser- ved in all our expositions of the sacred text, which I have prefixed to the work in \\\ud\ I am now en- gaged. And, for thi'j purpose, 1 find it necessary to commence as early as the first discovery of evil in the world, especially as it is discoverable in its na turc, influence, and baneful eiiccts, and progress in the human character.— It is sufficient for my pur- pose to commence where God fixed the distmction between good and evil, without rUtempting to pry presumptuously into t!ie secrets of t!ie Almighty, tbr the origin of good and evil, but content mys-elf with the character given in {!ic Bil)!e of both, from their first appearance, and first exerted influence and efiects. It is declared in the Holy Bible, that after the first eflects and influence of evil were mournfully discovered, that God marked the line of distinction oetwuen them, saying, " I will put enmity between iliec and the woman ; and between thy seed and her seed. And the Lord God said to the serpent, IIRST DISPENSATION-. ion, a» because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all catt e, and above every beast of the field : upon thy belly shah thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all he days of thy hfe. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed : it shall bruise thy head, and thou Shalt bruise h,s heel." Enmity therefore in conse- quence of the co-existence of good and evil in the creation, has, by the unchangeable decree of God been put between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, as well as between the serpent and the woman themselves; and no power in hea- ven, or in earth, or under the earth, shall be able to alter what is thus unchangeably fixed by the fiat and sure decree of him who changeth not. That unal- terable decree therefore must be considered valid and in force now as at the beginning ; for the pre- sent age rnust testify against evil, as much as any of tlicages that are past— an interminable distinction and separation must be maintained still between good and evil, not only in the nature and character ol things, and in their influences, operation., and effects respectively, but also between the doctrines of the Holy Bible, which have peculiar and respec- tive reference to them both, in all places where thev respectively occur. How daring then is the attempt even now in the beginning of the very harvest, when th- tares are still permitted to grow amon^ the wheat although destined to be gathered into bundles to be burned, to invent plans for obviating their des- iiny— or to attempt to alter the decree of the Al- mighty with regard to them— for their fate is deter- "iZiu'l' ^^^^'"y l« unalterably fi.ed by the ^.n..„„gcaulu decree ot ^od. The plans of "false xatT/' ."^^'■'^^'1' ^y '''^'''^^' those that handle the deceitfully, would with the wheat, fur the glorious harvest home^ or 22 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. Millennium, shall yet be found to be, fruitlessly and unavailingly, counteracting the purposes of Jehovah, and opposing the counsel of his will : but all his counsel shall stand, for his decrees of reprobation arc equally unalterably fixed, with his decrees of appro- bation : for as the same enmity which the Lord God put originally between the serpent and the woman, and between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the v/oman, does still exist ; because of the existence of good and evil in the world, a separation and des- truction of the tares, or the seed of the serpent, are fully determined and decreed, and shall surely be accomplished. The same abiding enmity, in all the generations of the seed of the serpent, as far as sa- cred history enables us to trace it, is cleaily observ- able. "In its first exerted influence it split the human family — it caused jealousy and revenge to be fostered in the breast of one brother against another—it con- tinues still the same in its character and murderous eflfects ; under wliatever shades of ditTerence it may appear, its malignity is not meliorated, nor changed ; nor is it possible to effect any change towards good on that which was never intended of God for reco- very ; but has been destined and decreed for utter destruction by the fiat of him who cannot change, or swerve from his determinate purposes. The malignant enmity of the seed of the serpent shewed itself murderously in Cain, when he slevv his brother Abel, because he was more righteous than himself; and because God accepted Abel's ofTering, and rejected his. Their dispositions and characters were well known to God, therefore he had respect to Abel and his offering, but to Cain, and to his offering, God had not respect. Cain was placed under the curse, because he slew his brother Abel ; and because no part of the Scriptures of truth show the removal of the curse either from himself or from f"^ ••11 lessly and Jehovah, ut all his oation arc of appro- Lord God e woman, lie seed of existence and des- rpent, are surely be in all the far as sa- ly observ- he human e fostered r— it con- nurderous ice it may changed irds I for re CO . for utter change, or le serpent e slew his eous than s offering, characters id respect nd to his as placed her Abel ; ruth show ilf or from FIRST DISPENSATION. '23 good his offspring, it must be considered as perpetuated in the line of the genealogy of his family, until they shall be finally destroyed and obliterated in the des* truction of the tares. In the history of the family of murderous Cain, down to the flood, the same malig- nant enmity continued— -it originally proceeded from the serpent, in which it made its first appearance, to Eve ; and its effects and sad consequences have ever since been universally felt ; Adam and his whole off- spring to this day have drunk of the baneful draught originally infused into the human nature by the serpent. At the time of the flood, it brought evil into hu- man society which could not be healed or remedied —God's purpose with regard to the distinction and separation of good and evil in the families of Seth, and of Cain, was thwarted and contravened, and therefore, " God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Gen. vi. 5: than which sentence, human language cannot adduce a stronger instance of the complete- :iess of the depravity of the human heart, and of the total alienation of man from his Makci, and from all good ; and therefore, '' it repented God that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.^' But we must not consider the whole human family as comprehended under the term man as expressed in that awful sentence of depravity, or that the whole were involved in that unparalleled picture of corruption. I have already shown that evil divided the human family ; therefore we have to follow them in their history as two divided bran- ches of the original family, with opposite characters, purposes, and designs. The family of Cain, marked m malevolence, and malignity of disposition and cha- racter, placed under the curse of God ; and the 24 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUJf. u •II 1 ♦ » family of Seth, in which family all the types of Christ appeared, in their successive generations downward, and of whom came Christ according to the flesh : I must therefore treat the two families, in the farther prosecution of the historical delineation, in the contrasted characters of good and evil. ^ It may be supposed that I intend thus to consider God a respecter of persons : if I was to allow my- self to fall into the common error of amalgamation of good and evil, and to blend together the two sepa- rated families, then I would consider myself as hold- ing out that God is a respecter of persons, in the indiscriminate application of his favour and wrath, as would require to be the case, if the distinction of good and evil were not particularly observed. I have already shown the existence of good and evil in the world, with their characters and effects, as well as the danger of indiscriminate treatment : because God wisely put a mark on Cain to distin- guish him and his offspring from the family of pro- mise — the family of Seth: these distinct separations were, according to the purpose of wisdom, to be continued and maintained. It is clearly discernible that the two families, thus separated, are distinguish- able by disposition and character; and we can clearly see, as described by the sacred historian Mo- ses, that the intermixture of the two families, by marriage, was the cause of the flood. " And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose," Gen. vi. 1. Let the distinction be now observed still, at the time cf the flood, and close of the first dispensation, and marked clearly by the lan- guage of inspiration, and my proposition is demon- strated in satisfactory conclusion— that the two 1 FIRST DISPENSATION. Sf5 families, on account of good and evil, were kept distinctly separate, according to the original purpose of him who separated evil from good, and who put a mark on wicksd Cain, for preserving the family of promise in their uncontaminated, unadulterated con- dition, as originally designed. The appellation was given to Cain by his mother, as soon as he was born. " Adam knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord," Gen. iv. 1. And this 's he of whom the Lord speaks in the sixth chap- ter of Genesis. And the Lord said, my Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he' also is flesh • or according to the Gaelic Bible, for that he is flesh only, yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. "^ When Cain slew his brother Abel, God placed him under the curse, and put enmity between tlie woman and the serpent, and between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent— thus then Cain entailed on his descendants the curse under which he was placed himself, and the enmity and malignity of dis- position which was natural to himself— he was the first grain of tares, or zizania, which by procreation ever appeared in the world : and as has been the case with the other progenitors of the world, producing after their own kind, so did Cain ; so that in his line 01 ancestry, may be expected the tares. A mark of distinction was put on Cain, and may be lound in the offspring, or tares, as declared and proven ,n the Scriptures throughout ; and as exem- pntied in the parable which I hafe prefixed to the work— the character and disposition of his offspring are especially discove'nl)lf " historv of , Ut, those periods uf the approbation of God mankind, when the approbat tion and dis- punishmcnts ; as in the marked del are marked by rewards and iverances of his •26 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. \U I ■'W people, and in the destruction of his enemies. The wrath of God is always denounced against the work- ers of iniquity ; for, says the Scripture, "The wicked, and all the nations that forget the Lord, shall be turned into hell." The wrath of God was therefore denounced against the man Cain in his offspring, and not against the descendants of Seth, termed the sons of God, because in them was to be perpetuated the line of the ancestry of the Saviour of mankind- Adam begat Seth in his own likeness, and in his own image, and the genealogy of Jesus Christ is regis- tered, in the Holy Bible, in his line of descendants, so that it was the manifest purpose of God to pre- serve that line of descendants uncontaminated and unadulterated, until the proofs should appear indu- bitable that Jesus Christ, according to the human nature which the eternal Son of God assumed, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, was the promised seed of the woman, who was to bruise the head of the serpent. The sons of God, or the descendants of Seth, being wofully polluted and corrupted, by their long continued familiarity, and sinful interchange of pro- hibited hospitality, and courteous intercourse, be- came justly partakers of the awful temporal calamity imd judgment, the flood, which God in i)is just indig- nation poured out on the whole earth. Noah alone, nnd his family, of all the families of the earth, were saved, because he found favour in the sight of ii merciful God. Noah being ihc undisputed descen- dant of Adam in the line of the genealogy of the family of Seth : and he and his family being typical of Christ and his Church, were saved from the just judgment of God in the Aik: and to serve the purpose of God for the preservation of the undispu- ted descent of Jesus from Adam in the true line of promise ; as well as to afford a sufficiently clear illustration, in that figurative deliverance, of God's lUM. Tiies. The t the work- 'he wicked, d, shall be IS therefore s offspring, termed the )erpetuated mankind — . in his own St is regis- 3scendants, Tod to pre* inated and )pear indu- Ihe human ned, in the 5ed seed of he serpent. s of Seth, their long ige of pro- ourse, be- ll calamity just indig- oah alone, arth, were sight of a FIRST t)lSPENSATION. '47 purpose to preserve and deliver the family of pro- mise, in the Ark of the Covenant, when the wicked, the tares, the children of the wicked one, shall be overwhelmed by the flood of the wrath and ven- geance of Almighty God. I cannot comprehend under the malignant cha- racter given to man, Gen. vi. 5, any but the offspring ol Cam, whom his mother, no doubt, by divine di- rection, called man at his birth. " And God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts or his heart was only evil continually." That evidently is the malevolent disposition of the serpent and his seed, on account of which God put enmity between the serpent and the Woman, and between the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman. It ma- nifested first its murderous malignity in Cain, and has continued to show itself in the same malignity, from generation to generation, in his posterity j^'until Jesus Christ challenged the self same disposition in his enemies among the Jews, whom he called ser- pents and generation of vipers, and whom he left stigmatised under the term zizania, or tares. The evil seed first showed its diabolical malignity m Cain, and continued to show itself in his posterity from generation to generation, as a natural unavoid- able inhentance. The people called the sons of bod, at the beginning of the chapter, must be ex- cepted from the doleful catalogue of the seed of the serpent; for God would not surely instruct, by mspn-ation, his servant Moses to call people in so depraved and corrupted a condition as is described in that passage, the sons of God— people in whom no trace whatever of the image of God can be found —in vviiom nothing can be discovered but absolute wickedness, and consummate epravi every imagination of his heart was on heart — ly evil Sd THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. fii continually." The line of promise, fron. wlioin all llie prinio.i^enitors of Jesus as the son of man came, and of wiiom Jesus himself according to the flesij came, never were permitted to degenerate to such absolute depravity ; but were ever preserved under the protecting, preserving care of God, until tiie seed of the woman, who was to bruise the iiead of the serpent, should appear in manhood in the world, which can be plainly seen in the first chapter of [ Chronicles, in God's manner of tytiiing his own family, or the children of promise. Adam, Setli, Enocli, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, Henoch, IMethu- selah, Lamech, Noah, ten generations before the flood ; and in the same chapter is seen another list of ten generations, from Noah after the Hood, to Abraham ; thus showing the line of promise in an uncontaminated, unadulterated condition, through twenty generations: and the same mode of tytiiing the family of promise is continued, as observable in the first chapter of the Gospel by Matthew, where thirty principal heads of families in the line of pro- mise are again chosen and recorded in succession as God's tylhings : and thus fifty principal persons are marked out as the line of the descent of the seed of the woman unto zadoc, or zedec, which signifies righteoMsness or justice— clearly pointing out the near approach of him, who is, in Scripture language, called the Lord, our llighteousness : or the true Melchizedek, which is first, by interpretation, the Jving of llighteousness— and after that the King of Salem, i. e. King of Peace. Now the number seven expresses the Church of Christ, or his Mother Mary ; and we therefore fmd, after the number fifty, which is an miportant number to be understood, that in the line of genealogy, Mary appears the seventh ; and answering to the typical position of Noah, as the eighth, or head of his family, consisting of seven lUM. FIRST DISPENSATION. 29 til whom all man came, o the Hesli ate to such rvod under itil tlie seed lead of the the world, hapter of I g his own Jam, Scth, z\\, IMethu- beforc the motljcr hst 2 Hood, to inise in an 1, through of ty tiling servnble in lew, where me of pro- 2cession as )crsons are he seed of h signifies g out the language, the true ation, the le King of iber seven lier Mary : fty, which that in the !nth ; and [h, as the of seven persons, Jesus the Son of IMary makes liis appearance in thn worUl. The hne of the descent of Jesus in manhood, therefore, must be considered ditterent from the dismal character which we find uniformly given to the uncovenrnted, corrupted, depraved wo.ld, called the seed of the serpent, and finally called zi/aniu, or tares : vve are not therefore left to conjecture with regard to the two contrasted fami- lies of mankind in their downward progress, until the Shiloh came as prophesied. The sons of (iod, mentioned in the sixth chapter of Genesis, were the seed of the woman, the family of promise, from whom he who is pre-emineriMy the seed of the woman, came, although they were greatly polluted and corrupted, at that time, by their si'nful inter- course with men, the seed of the serpent, the pro- geny of cursed Cain. They neglected to observe the line of demarcation which God placed between the two families of Cain and Seth, and thus went a whoring after strand flesh, polluted tliemselves, and therefor^ j"'^^'y became i)artakers of the temporal judgment, the flood, by which the world that then Wets, being overwiielmed with wntcr, perished : the iv/o seeds iiad at that time intermixed — the purpose of God was counteracted — the holy seed in the line of promise was poHiited, and the seed of the serpent becanu: men of renown, contrary to the prohibitory dcclai-ation of God, '-' The seed of the wicked shall never be renowned." Those interdicted marriages of the Sons of God with the daughters of men, coun- teracted the wj^e and gracious [)urposes of God, with regard to the genealogy of Jesus Christ, as may be easily understood, when we consider ihe neces'- sity which God laid himself under of fulfilling his jTomises to mankind, in sending liis Son Jesus into the world, made of a woman, made under the law, that he might taste death for every man : and that 30 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MlLLENNIi: ai. M he might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is the devil — the distinction between good and evil ceased to be observed by the Aimily of Seth, the sons of God ; and therefore the two famihes which liad, from the time of their separation, been kept distinct, as is seen by the clear hne of their gene- alogy, were by those intermarriages which they be- gan to practise, blended together, with the exceptioti of Noah ;ind his family, God's people, and conse- quently brought upon themselves the just judgment of a righteous God : they became a mi.ved, mongrel !)reed ; and their daring iniquity brou^jht down upon them the jusl displeasure of God, and tlie signal judg- ment which was poured out upon the whole earth? Two distinct catalogues of the generations of the two families, in their separated condition, are given, as registered by divine appointment, in the fourth and fifth chapters of Genesis, dearly demonstratmg the continuation of the distinct separation of the two families down to the period of taeir unpardonable intermixture, by marriage, when the sentence of God's disapprobation is passed against them on that account, as expressed iu the following passao-es : "And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth ; and it grieved him at his heart ; and the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have cre- ated from the face of the earth ; both man and beast ; and the creeping thmgs ; and the fowls of the air ; for it repenteth me that I have made them ; but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Here then the clear line of distinction is again drawn — the disapprobation and approbation of God are declared — evil is threatened with condign punish- ment and destruction, while iJ^nnrl 15 snAolnllu morb^i^i out as the object of the grace and protection of God: the dignity of Jehovah, as lawgiver and dispenser of justice asserted and maintained: and the world FIRST DISPENSATION. 31 ready to be overwhelmed under the displeasure and wrath of a righteous and a just God. I have thus endeavoured to show the distinction between good and evil, during the antediluvian dis- pensation to its termination, by judgment ; and con- sequently the enmity which God put between the serpent and the woman, and between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, is clearlv demonstrable in continuation unto th^t awfully eventful period, the flood ; and then the error inta v.liich the sons of God had manifestly fallen, by marrying the daughters of men, brought upon thie world the just punishment related. The descendants of Seth are indubitably termed the sons of God, in contradistinction to men, or the family ©f Cain under the Curse ; and therefore by preserving Noah from the intermixture which was then prevalent : the line of genealogy in the family of prouiise, was preserved uncontaminated, that the lineage of Jesus might be shown, traced up to Adam m the family of God, that the pron^ises through him might be made sure to all the seed; and conse- quently we have for confirmation of our faith the line of ancestry delineated concisely in the first chapter of first Chronicles, and in the book of the generation of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham, commencing with the first chapter of Matthew, so that, as the seed of the woman was promised, we can trace Jesus from Mary the woman, to Seth, who was the son of Adam, wno was the son of God. Thus then we may behold the v/isdom and providence of God graciously displayed in his preserving care of the true seed, that Jesus, the seed -^» w.,^ T,v...ttii, .ujj^iii wc lifacuu Hi u.ii me generations of a family, separated, and preserved distinct from the progeny of Cain placed under the curse, so that Jesus, the seed of the woman; promised to -^ bruise ■:WW^' I f 32 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. ^ ; ihe head of the serpent, might, with the strictest propriety, be called ihe son of man, the man Christ Jesus. The Lord God who knows what is in the heart of man, knew Cain's natural disposition, and had not respect to his ofibring; but he had respect to Abel and his offering— Cain's was of the fruit of the ground; but Abel's offering was of tlie l^ock— \bel and his offering were typical of Christ and his Hock, the Church ; but Cain and his ofVering had no refer- ence either to Christ or his Church ; and therefore could not be accepted in the sight of God, who in his wisdom and love, was beginnin- by these in- stances, to reveal his will for the .salvation of man- kind by Jesus Christ. Every thing which had refer- ence to the great salvatior,, as well as lo the Saviour himself, was to be respected and accepted, in the whole economy of the plan of salvation, is developed in the Holy Bible; and every thing wliich had not reference thereto, w;is to be disapproved of, and 'o be rejected ; and what could not be done, in faith and belief of the promises of Gai, to be accoa,p}i,herl through Jesus Christ, could not have reference there- to, and therefore had neeessariJv to be rejected :\s not done for the glory of God. What I have written, may be sufFicient to prove that, even before the malignant, mnrdcrous disposi- tion ot Cain was proved in action, by the killin^r of Ins righteous brother Abel, God knew him, and therefore hM not respect to him, or his oliering: and this is suihcient for my purpose to prove him of the seed of the serpent ; and in the delineation of ins progeny, the same proof, as far as proof is requi- red Jor my ^present purpose, shall be conclusively s.iown ; ana t.ms tlio tarey among the wheat may easily be recognized, and proven to be the descena- u.n{% of Cain, and therefore the seed of the serpent ; ■y UM. FIRST DISPENSATION. '4d le strictest man Christ he heart of id iiad not 'espect to fruit of the 3ck — Abel 1 his Hock, J no refer- therefore h who, in ' these in- n of man- had refer- le Saviour -d, in the developed h had not of, and lo 3,, in fuit.'i jrnplibhcd nee there- ejected MS t to prove s disposi- kiIJi!jjT of him, and oiiering: ve him of eation of is recjui- iciusively leat may desccnd- serpent ; I and this will show the cause, in the primitive view thereof, of their disapproved condition, in the \vhole line and genealogy of the progeny of wicked i^ain, and the ultimate cause of their destruction will be, as in the case of their primogenitor Cain, their own consummate wickedness. The mark of the curse was not put on Cain, although God had not respect to him and his offering, until his wicked na- ture and disposition manifested themselves in his murderous action : and so, in consistent analo; 'gy» shall be the fate of the tares, which are undoubtedly to be soon gathered into bundles to be burned, when the good seed shall be gathered into the garner. His murderous act was sufficient test of the depra- vity of Cain ; and was sufTicient justification of the sentence under which ho was necessarily subjected. ^' Every imagination of the thoughts of the heart of man is only evil continually." I have already trea- ted this doleful picture of depravity as exclusively applicable to the descendants of wicked Cain ; as the descendants of Seth are still, as in the beginning of the sixth chapter of Genesis, called " the sons of God;" where the doleful picture of the depravity and malignant disposition of man, Cain, has manifested Itself in his wicked progeny. And as the intermix- ture of the two families could not, in so short a pe- riod of time, obliterate and destroy every principle of good in those termed the sons of God, we must consequently consider the flood a temporal calamity and judgment on ♦'le whole earth, and not the final sentence of eternal judgment ; and therefore we must be confined to the cause and effect of what is declared by the sacred historian. My intention in these illustrations is to point out the existence, progress, and effects of good'and evil m the creation, and the distinction and discrimina- tion which the Holy Bible exhibits, so as to arrive 34 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNlU3f. at the conclusion which the Bible warrants, with regard to the tares or zizania, and the wheat or good seed, m the parable. This close research is abso- lutely necessary at this period of the progress of events in the world, when by many clear, indubita- ble signs of the times, we may warrantabiy consider ourselves in the midst of those awful and portentous transactions which indicate that the harvest is fully commenced, as predicted in the parable of the tares, and the wheat or good seed, by Jesus Christ. The pre-millennial important transactions, which are re- corded in the Bible, as signs of the times, I believe are m progress, and rapidly and perceptibly advan- cing ; and therefore I have considered it necessary to commence, as I have done, at the very first ap- pearance of evil in the fair creation of God, that a rationally spiritual view might be given of this world-terrifying subject. I have much revolved this subject in my own mind : I have studied the Holy Bible with regard to It, with intensity of desire : my understanding has been greatly enlightened to understand the Scrip- tures which refer to it ; and it has been the theme of my dehght and joyful anticipation for a consider- able number of years: I have cIbo freely given what 1 freely received ; and the divine blessing has, to many accompanied the communications which I have been enabled to make. I was reviled, mocked and traduced, on account of the views of this sub- lime subject, which I was constrained to publish • I was enabled to endure it, knowing the end of the l^ord ; and that the subject would soon become the topic of general consideration. Jt is now beginning to be the subject of delight to some, and of horror to GkVB£^mrm «V S^^acious premonitions and promises ot Jesus thnat, are now becoming strongholds, and lortihcations of defence from unnecessary alarm, to nuM. irrants, with beat or good irch is abso- progress ol" ir, indubita- bly consider d portentous vest is fully of the tares, hrist. The liich are re- 3s, I believe tibly advan- it necessary ery first ap- God, that a en of this in my own h regard to landing has the Scrip- i the theme a consider- given what ing has, to IS which I d, mocked, of this sub- publish; I end of the >ecome the ' beginning )f horror to d promises ^hoids, and ' alarm, to FIRST DISPENSATION. 25 those who make the Word of God their trust. "Be ve not dismayed at the signs of the heavens as the hea- then are, is one of those premonitory instances of encouragement recorded for our preservation, from those panics of fear and alarm, which cannot Vail te trouble the quiet and peace of all who fear not the Lord, and who make not the God of Jacob their trust. Hut I must restrain my mind and mv pen a little longer, irom this approaching delightful part of the subject, m order that the subject may be regularly and scnpturally traced and delineated, and be brought to a clear, satisfactory conclusion. I have proposed to follow the history of the two families descended /rom the parentages I have pointed out' with the view of proving that the seed of the serpent aru. the seed of the woman are continued io the descendants of Cain and Seth ; and I find it neces- sary to follow them in their downward pro^r^^ss through the intermediate generations fceiween ihe time of^those two primogenitors and the time wheu Jesus Christ marked the descendants of Cain and designated them tares, sown in the field amonc the good seed, the descendants of Seth, and again placed them under the curse of reprobation, to be at t le day of the harvest, gathered into bu-ndles to be burnt, when the offspring of Seth, the good seed, iihali be gathered into the garner. I am led to this course of treating this highly im- portant subject, from a belief, that the six days in .Which God created the heaven, and the earth, and tf^ie sea, and all things therein contained, have a rnanifcst reference to six corresponding periods, or [dispensations nf fho r*!,. i^^^uiL-^.. :^^.. . 1 . shall complete tlie work of the spiritual creation: and the seventh day on which God rested from all ttw works, and was appoiflted io his people for My i •■ 36 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLKNNIUM. resting, I understand to refer to the seventh dispen- sation, or the eternal rest of the creation, after the restitution of all things ; and therefore my purpose is to observe this biblical arrangement strictly in view, and to treat the highly important subject on which I have entered, according to the grand design manifestly observable in the Holy Bible, (hroughout those successive dispensations, as far as it is neces- sary for my present purpose to trace events. As the tjiird dispensation must be allowed to be near its close, I cannot satisfactorily step into the fourth, or Millennium, without entering on the course of research at its commencement, lest I should be found to be like those w!io enter not in by the door, but climb up some olherway, entering on the subject without a sure foundation, and build- ing on the sand. I use this why also of treating the subject for sufficient confirmation, with regard to the reasons which may safely be assigned for the fate and destiny both of tares and wheat, as proposed in the parable. And according to the proposed jour- ney, the ending of dispensations, and not the end- ing of the material creation, as some allege, will be | found to be the rational conclusion we shall have arrived at : for if successive dispensations are yet iu future expectation, we are not surely to look for a termination of the material creation incompatible with these views, in the middle of a series of success- ive dispensations, which, we must conclude, are pre- figured by the series of successive days, in the which the Lord God completed the work of the material creation': therefore the ending of the gospel dispen- •» sation, and the fulfilment of all the prophecies there- with connected, may be understood as the interpre- tation and meaning of the he simteleia touaionns, or the end of the world mentioned at the end of the gospel by Matthew, and in all parallel places which 1 NNIIJM. tventh (lisperi- lion, after the 3 my purpose int strictly in mt subject on grand design le, throughout fis it is neces- r'ents. allowed to be step into the ering on tlio jment, lest I ) enter not in way, entering Dn, and build- Df treating the regard to the 1 for the fate s proposed in roposed jour- not the end- allege, will be ive shall have 3ns are yet ia to look for ;i incompatible es of success- lude, are pre- , in the which the material ospel dispen- )hecies there- the interpre- lou aionos, or le end of the places which FIRST DISPENSATION. 37 refer to the same subject : but I do not at all doubt that the end of the world, or dispensation under which we now live and act, shall be by awful judg- ments on the earth. When Peter referred to the end of the first dispensation by the flood, he applied the word ho kosmos, the world, to the awful judg- ment by which the wicked perished, rather than to the ending of the dispensation itself; and we find the same word, world, often used by the sacred writers, in the same view and acceptation. My views of the awful judgments that may assuredly be expected and dreaded at these very times, and are indeed deplorably experienced and felt by many, in many parts of the world, and under various and doleful aspects, are succinctly comprehended in the awful account which is given in the language of prediction by Jesus Christ, in the twenty-first chapter of the gospel according to Luke, and answering to that denunciation in many parts of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments. " And there shall be signs in tne sun, and in the moon, and in the stars ; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity ; the sea and the waves roaring ; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things that are coming on the earth : for the powers of heaven shall be shaken, and then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory." Jsuch views are sufficiently satisfactory and conclu- sive ; and although I must defer the further consi- deration of them at this early period of the work, yet I consider it of advantage to my readers, for encou- ragement to them, to hold out to their view the great and important events which are near at hand to be realized and experienced, as comnftusatinn (^r tUc tediousness of the journey of researih, and of patient mvestigation. * 39 111 'III THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLE.VjriUM. ill I III :; i I have found it necessary to trace the disrupted ^TMiian family as two distinctly separate branches of the same original stock^thc one good, but the other evil, on account of the prevaihng wickedness of bain s posterity, as a rejected branch, on account of the horrid crime of their father Cain, who slew his righteous brother Abel ; as well as by reason of the continued enmity and wickedness observable in the whole race, as they may be traced in all their history in the Bible throughout the inspired pages thereof: but although Cain's race have been marked by male- volent dispositions and signal judgments: the des- cendants of Seth, the other division of the human iamily, liave been specially distinguished by the ap- probation and favour of a truly discriminating God • and the patriarchal line in that family from God to Jesus, is purposely chronicled in the Holy Bible, in order to pecuharize them as the holy covenanted lino through which the Saviour came ; but the other family IS distinctively marked, by the disapprobation and judgments oi God upon them, from their cursed murderous father, Cain, in all the generations theiecf unto their distinctive family designation, tares. This account of them shall, in the progress of the family delineation, be kept distinctively in view, until the climax of their final perdition shall be arrived at, in the certainty of Scripture testimony. Before the Hood, the first general judgment on the race, their character of wickedness is sufficient vindication of God s righteous dealings with them ; as well as in the after judgments which are narrated in the Holy Bible. '' Every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart is only evil continually," is the cause of the destruction of the world by the deluge-the distinc- uon wnica vjou nas proved, by the chronicles of the lamily of promise, to have been his original purpose and design, according to the counsel of his own will FIRST DISPENSATION. 39 was disregarded, and a gr >ss mixture took place, contrary to his will and settled purpose ; and there- fore the whole mongrel, blended breed, of necessity, had to be swept from off the face of the earth, as a iolemn and an awful warning to the after genera- tions of mankind on earth ; but their own history in the Bible will show—awful as the premonition and judgment were— whether they had the desired ef- fect, or not. Man is naturally prone to every thing that is evil, and to do good has noJinowledge ; and therefore purgings and renovations have ever been found necessary in the Creation. Evil has ever con- tinued to predominate ; and therefore judgments, as the inevitable consequences of iniquity, liad to be poured out on the earth, for the wages of sin i« death; and therefore, when the measure of the wickedness of the Antediluvians had arrived at its highest cli- max, God poured out his judgment, the flood, on the whole earth. The generations of the families of the descend- ants of Seth, from God their Creator to Noah, are ten ; and that chronological list terminates in that patriarchal head ; by which mode of distinction the true line is preserved in its unadulterated, unconta- minated historical progress during the Antediluvian dispensation, or first period of the Church's history in the Bible. The Lord's design and purpose might not, at that early period, be clearly understood ; they were left without excuse, by the dealings of a righteous, a just, and a holy God, with guilty Cam, the first perpetrator of the horrid crime of murder ; and by the mark of reprobation and curse which the Lord God put upon the guilty perpetrator, as well as by the division, at so early a period-, of the human family, on account of the first appearance ot the enmity, which the Lord God put between the »5erpent and the woman, and between the seed of the i 1 4f .1 40 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. serpent and the seed of the woman : that distinction between the two branches of the human family, du- ring the first part of its history, until men began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them ; and until the sons of God, the descendants of Seth, became defiled, polluted, and depraved, and coveted the daughters of men, because they saw that they were fair, and pleased their vitiated taste. They took them wives of all which they chose, and committed a crime which brought down the signal vengeance of God on the whole earth, the last judgment of that dispensation. Noah alone found jrrace in the eyes of the Lord. SECOND, OR MOSAIC DISPENSATION lii'i! m After the world that then was, perished by the flood, and the waters of the flood were assuaged, the Ark rested on mount Ararat, and Noah and his family, with all the creatures which were preserved with him in the Ark, issued forth, again to replenish the earth ; and as I have treated evil and good in the disrupted human family as distinctively marked by disapprobation and approbation, and by the un- removed interdict of God against the blending of the two separated branches by intermarriages, which took place a short time before the flood ; it may be necessary here to advert to God's directions to Noah, for the reception of the creatures which were preserved with him and his family, when all the other inhabitants of the earth perished by the flood, in order to have a distinctive view of them as the replenishers of the earth, all after their own kind. 1 IM. SECOND DISPENSATION. 41 distinction amily, du- 1 began to re born to endantsof aved, and they saw ated taste, jhose, and the signal , the last one found lTION. }d by the mged, the 1 and his preserved replenish d good in ly marked >y the un- ending of ^es, which it may be jctions to hich were n all the the flood, ^m as the n kind. God who directed Noah to build the Ark for his own preservation, because he found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and for the preservation of his laniily, directed him to receive into the Ark, for their preservation also, the animals, clean and un- clean, in the order in which he should send them : and after the waters were abated, and the face of the earth, which had been long covered with water ap- peared, Noah sent them forth without any marked distinction, approbation or disapprobation, until the case of trial and proof took place, and the unavoid- able discovery of character and disposition was made. When, after the flood, and the soil was fit for seed, Noah planted the vine in the earth, and drank of the fruit thereof, and was overcome with wine, and lay exposed in his tent. This instance of weak- ness and imprudence, in the conduct of the venera- ble Patriarch, may find criminators among the thoughtless and inconsiderate ; but be that as it may, a great and important end was obtained there- by — a necessary discovery was made by a circum- stance, which, viewed it in itself, was surely blame- able in Noah, who but lately had witnessed God's retributive justice, in the jusl judgment which he had poured out on the whole earth; but considering it in connection with t!ie discovery which was made of the dispositions of his own sons, we niiist view it in connection with its useful results, and drivv the veil of charily over the Patriarch's weakness and indis- cretion. The distinctive discrimination had agaiii to be made between good and evil, among the new replenishers of the earth, in order to place evil under disapprobation and curse, as it was before the flood, as well as to discover, in disposition and character, the line of the genealogy of the family of promise. and consequently we again discover the malignant disposition and enmity of the seed of the serpent in !l 1 • I 4U THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. profane Ham, one of Noah's sons : for widely lifferent from natural filial affection, and delicate tenderness towards his venerable father, on account re,r„r.K''"""r'l'' "1°^ ^ "^' 'P''^^^' "-hen (he rest of. the wicked of the earth perished by the wL"!!"^ f''^^ "'=" "^^ destestable conduct of pardonable, unfeeling disrespect, and mockery of the exposed condition in which he saw his venerable fa her, who had for the preservation of the after replemshers of the earth, found grace in the eyes of the Lord, informed his two brothers of what he saw. as It to gain them over to join profanely with him,' m doing that which even the profligates of the world would criminate and condemn. ,iu'i"v "'^" T^ ,"'"' "^''^y "'"^ "'« disparity of \IT T !u'' J=''™'='«'- «">°"g the three sons of -\oah, after the flood, as the branches of the original .A T"^u''^ '"""* '" contrasted disposition vervtrr? before the flood; and also the disco- very of the two seeds m the same family, as it was m the family of Adam, that the separation may again be distinctively made, at the commencement t( a new era of the history of the human family on the .ni'L^T ''^ his profane and malignant conduct towards his venerable fathrr, was discovered the enmity which God had originally put between the serpent and the woman, and between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman; and thu, exliibited himself in so wicked a condition as to vinl .hcate the justice of God in the continuation and perpetuating of the curse upon Cain's posterity, iihem and Japhelh, with filial tenderness and deli- -^acy towarus tlioir venerable lather, took a cloth bv 1 lie I wo corners, and moved backward and laid it •nodostly and respectfully over their father, and they SBCOND DISPENSATION. 43 saw not their father's nakedness. Here then is clearly discoverable the disparity of disposition and character among the sons of Noah, or between good and evil, in the new replenishers of the earth. Whether Noah knew or discovered that disparity of disposition in his sons, previous to the discovery of the wicked and malevolent disposition of Ham, as It appeared in his profane treatment of his ex- posed father, is not mentioned in the Scriptures ; nor is it necessary for my purpose to enquire, even Hhould such intelligence be accessible for me to ob- tain. Secret things belong unto the Lord, but re- vealed things belong unto us. The distinction was not made until the contrasted dispositions of Noah's sons were made to appear in their conduct and ac- tions, in order that the justice of the sentence of i)lessing on the one, and the sentence of the curse, as originally, should be pronounced on the other by tlie prophetic spirit of God in Noah. The curse is not denounced against Ham, although he was the profanely guilty person, but against his son Canaan. "Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he This imposition of the curse upon the son, De. instead of his guilty profane father, by whose dispo- sition and conduct a discovery is made of the work- ing and effects of the virulent seed of the serpent, proves, beyond the power of contradiction, the in- troduction of the seed of the serpent into the world after the flood, and consequently the necessity of distinction and separation between the two seeds, still in perpetuity. If the curse had been imposed upon him who had egregiously sinned, the matter might be left to rest there, as the consequence of the declared act, without transferring the guilt of one person to another ; but when the curse is denounced against the son of the guilty, we must consider it the original curse on Cain, perpetuated in his line THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. of descendants: the two seeds are distinguishable m thesr natures and effects, in the fearful collision o\ opposite interests and pursuits of mankind in the world— in the direful persecutions and sufferings of llie pious and godly in all countries and ages of the world ; and also in the discriminative procedure of the Judge of the quick and the dead, in His righteous dispensations of rewards and punishments. When Noah awoke from hir- wine, and understood what had been done by his sons, he prophetically pronounced the blessing on him in whose line of progeny the family of promise was to be perpetuated, in their hnoal descent from generation to generation, until thn Sfuloh should come. The very lan^ruage m whicfi tiie blessing was pronounced, proves the descent ol Shem from CJod, and that therefore in his ottspnng the family of promise was to be perpetu- ated. '' And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said. Cursed be Caiman, a servant of servants sha' lie be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem ; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the lents of Shem ; and Canaan shall be ins servant," Gen. ix. 2\. The prophecies and predictions of the patriarchal ctges, although generally, in the primitive sense, they had immediate and direct reference to the individu- als to whom they were applied, were not confined in their full meaning to those ; but were to be extended to posterity until the lime of fulfilment should come. The blessings therefore of the patriarchs, although pronounced over individuals, yet as these individu- als were important characters, and were intended to be the patriarchal heads of a numerous line of illus- trious progeny, as the Church of God, the blessings and promises delivered to them, were to be extended M. SECOND DISPENSATION. 45 iguishable I coliision nd in the Ferings of ^es of the cedure of righteous iderstood )heticalJy e line of petuated, neration, lanefuawe oves the are in his perpetu- nd knew And ho nts sha' essed be II be his he sliail arhall be triarchal ise, thev iidividu- I fined in xtended Id come, ilthough id if id u- nded to of illus- lessings stended through them to the many generations to come, according to the will and purpose of God thus de- clared and revealved : and in like manner the curses of (jod were entailed on the offspring of the wicked, as in the case of Cain and Esau, and ultimately of the twelve tribes of Israel, which curses are not yet removed after the lapse of eighteen hundred years : now this is the proposition I have engaged myself \o demonstrate and prove, in order to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion, with regard to the tares and the wheat ; because I believe the harvest is not only fully commenced, but considerably advanced: the tares a gathering into bundles to be burned, and the wheat into the garner : if that should be denied, what rational account can be given of the unparal- leled miseries, and lamentations^ diid woes, and dis- asters, in consequence of plague, pestilence, storm, hailstones, earthquakes, and famine, which are sadly and dolefully felt throughout the world, more aw- fully and more extensively than ordinary — these arc signs of the times, which have been mercifully registered in the Holy Bible, as premonitions, that men might fear the Lord, and flee to the Ark of the Covenant, there to be preserved as in the secret of Jehovah's pavilion, as in the hollow of his hand, until these evils should be overpast. The imposition of the curse on Canaan, :i place of his already cursed father Ham, as of the seed of cursed Cain, has by many been considered an act of injustice to the son ; but that act proves rather that Moah was prophetically directed to continue the curse, underjwhich the murderer Cain was placed, on the evil wicked seed of the serpent in perpetuity, until thev should finally be destroved from off *hp face of the earth, to make room for better and more profitable inhabitants. w mn .i 46 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. 1^ Noah, who lived hundreds of years before the fiood, had, no doubt, familiar intercourse and con- verse with the sons of God, the descendants of Selh. " who was the son of Ad^im, who was the son of God ;" and no doubt, ht^d also a thorough know- ledge of those denominated men, or the cursed off- spring of Cain, of the seed of the serpent, both be- fore the blending together of the two separated families by interdicted marriages, as well as of the licterogeneous, mongrel multitude immediately be- fore the flood ; and no doubt therefore could form a correct and accurate estimate of character, so as not to be mistaken >vith reoird to the opposite disposi- tions and cfiaracters of the two contrasted famihes :. and tliey were therefore truly and correctly discri- nnnaied, not only by correct estimate of disposition, character and conduct, but also by the prophetic spirit, as their future history plainly and convincingly shows. The wisiiom of God is gloriously displayed in every circumstance and transaction which are re- corded in the Holy Bible : and although many things are recorded therein which give offence to the car- nailj^-minded, yet "All Scripture is given by inspi- ration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, fur reproof, for correction, for instruction in righieou-s- ness; that the man of God may be perfect,, thoroughly furnished unto alt good works." The inspired lan- guage of the Bible contains in itself a pure, a holy and spiritual meaning, and is wonderfully adapted to every condition and exigency of mankind, in the diflerent stages '>f their progress, to more and more advanced perfection ; and therefore what may ap- rous, and even contradictory, must, when the know- ledge of what was at first offensive and incredible is enlarged, by study, and matured spiritual enlighten- SECOND DISPENSATION. 47 sfore the and con- I of Selh, ie son of 5I1 know- irsed oif- hoth be- separated as of the ately he- ld form a so as not J disposi- families :. ly discri- ^position, 3rophetic vincingly >layed in are re- ny things the car- by inspi- rine, for ghteou-s- oroughly ^red lan- e, a holy adapted d, in the ind more may ap- i _: le know- edible is lighten - jng, far ever disappear ; or rather the ignorance and prejudice from which those unworthy views of the Scriptures proceed, shall be scattered, and for ever dissipated : as the shining light dispels the clouds of darkness, so shall enlarged knowledge of the glo- rious truths of the Holy Bible for ever banish everv unworthy tiiought and prejudice with regard ta them, from the pious thought and mind. And therefore, although the condition of Noah may appear, to the false delicacy af many, highly reprehensible ; yet, when we view the effects of the transaction upon the sons of the exposed Patriarch, in the discovery of the contrasted dispositions and conduct of the primogenitors of the numberless mil- lions of rational beings who descended from them, as the second replenishers of the vacated earth, the vast importance of those early testing transactions will appear ; especially when we consider the abso- lute necessity of marking good and evil again in distinctive contrast ; that the after generations might learn to choose the good, and refuse the evil; and that a sure foundation might be laid, by the prophe- tic spirit, for the future observation and practice, by the pions and godly, in all ages. My original intention, as repeatedly declared, is thus strictly observed, hy keeping clear in view this line of demarcation of disposition and character in the two distinct lines of descent from Cain and Seth, in order to travel in the historical line of two con- trasted families in which good and evil are discover- able, so as to arrive at my proposed object and des- tination, by a well connected chain of historical facts : by keeping therefore still in view the two separate lines of descent from Cain and Seth, and by allowing Japheth his own allotted portion to dwell in the tents of Shem, 1 have now fixed my attention on two f-lncipal primogenitors, for the i 48 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM. commencement of a new dynasty, just as I had two heads of the two contrasted separate famihes of the antediluvian world or dispensation; therefore my object now is to trace them in their recorded pro- gress of replenishing the earth ; and to make as correct an estimate of the dispositions, characters, and actions, as their historical features and aspects, furnished by inspired penmen, shall enable me; or shall supply me with materials from historical facts. The tenth chapter of Genesis, as the repeated mention which is made of them, in their several lo- cations, still enables me to trace them in their down- ward progress, until I can view them with satisfaction ^spreading forth, and becoming great nations, and filling the whole earth. Egypt "received the des- cendants of Ham ill the line of Mizraim his son, as the name Mizrei, the Hebrew appelhtion of the coun- try now called Egypt, imports ; and as that portion of the earth is, in the Holy Bible, repeatedly called the land of Ham, or Cham, there can be no'dispute with rci^ard to the location of his pro-eny. " And smote all tjje first-born in Egypt, tlK'tniief of their strength in the tabernacles of'Chain," P.s proved m his profane father Ham's disposition a "d conduct : the land of his possession, ^analn" "e- aincd his name, not only at the time of Jacob's Z!Tt ^F'' ''",' "' ""^ '™« ^^'" Abraliam's ItlJTi^, '^'^^<=<="t'ants of Seth in the line of Messed Shem, were liberated from Egypt, and out n possession of the land of promise, CaLn nay iyen long after his offspring were dispossessed by [he descendants of Shem, and by them made UN Ntary, according to the tenor of the curse uoon ^anaan tlirlr <■„(!,„. vuisl upon tamlf nn,"'^'""'"/'S'' '*""'' ">" descendants of lam II possession of Egypt and Canaan, and still nder the curse, and turn my attention to a more 50 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. fH » interesting and exhilarating delineation of character, in the family of Shem, ihe family of enlarged pros- pects, and promised blessings. " Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder," (who took the islands of the sea as his possession, with the pro- mise in anticipation, of dwelhng in the tents of Shem,) "even to him were children born," Gen. x. 21. But to shorten the historical narration, I shall show the location of the descendants of Joktan, one of the sons of Eber : this account of them may be considered sufficient for my present purpose, because it is declared in the passage I have just now quoted, that Shem was the father of all the children of Eber, who was a principal person in the line of ge- nealogy, in the history of the generations of the children of Shem : '• Anil their dwelling was from Meshaas thou goesi to Sephar, a mount of the East." Having thus disposed of them in their several loca- tions, as two distinct families, the one descended of Uam, and the other of Shem, it is not necessary for my purpose to dwell any longer on their conditions in their several locations ; but to pass the interi ledi- ate steps of their history, and to come down to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the twelve sons of the venerable patriarchs, and upon them lay the twelve foundations of the Abrahamic Church. — For, " the walls of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb," Rev. xxi. The twelve patriarchs are now to be considered, in their patriarchal character, the primogenitors of all the people who comprised the twelve tribes of Israel, the peculiar people of God, or in other words, the Abrahamic Chuich: and to be also considered the twelve foundations of the walls of the holy City, the new Jerusalem, seen by John in prophetic vision, SECOND DISPENSATION. 51 -coming down fmm God out of heaven, prepared as a Brule adorned for her husband.^ But it would be premature, and out of place, to ente. fully on this cheering and delightful part of the subject ; althoudi considered it encouraging to point out the twelve toundaf.ons of the walls of the Ne^y Jerusalem, the Millennial City, or Church ; and must still reserve the glorious view that may safely be anticipated, of the Bride, the Lamb's wife, until the triumphant development. Materials may be provided, and ex- posed to v,ew, during the progress of building, until the superstructure, upon those twelve foundations at which I have glunceid, be made to appear in all the grandeur and magnificence of heavenlv beauty Although the history and character of the vener- able patriarch Abraham, alibrds sufficient matter and scope for delightful and useful contemplation as well as abundant matter for the pen of cre„ius' and the pencil of art ; yet the design and limits of this treatise preclude the possibility of the attemot even a (hough ability should not be wanting? • there- iore when as much of his history and character as my design requires, is glanced at, I presume not to arrogate to myself such qualifications, as this sublime sul^ect would require to.do it justice, as well as to pue de.^ired satisfaction to the reader ; I nill there ^ore only cull a kw flowers, and sip a little honey on ,n.y journey of research, lest I should be found to neglect and disregard the needful and the i.seful parts of his history, to the detriment and defect of he subject when there is no cause, why I should [be parsimoniously sparing. I It is absolutely necessary to introduce him as the [covenanted- natHn.-ni.oi k/„,i -r_„ : »'"' as uic i^f -n . • ' r-^^-'"-^-"i nvau ui aii innumerauic line I of .llustnous and l.ighly favoured oflspring: t «- H beenoug . therefore, for my puri>oso, wi.hou iTnl any lengthened eulogy, or descant upon his chamc le? 52 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. ill .I'l ri 'III 'ft,' Mi Wi '4 to give a statement of facts with regard to his history, purposely to show him, as declared of him in Scrip- ture, "the friend of God;" and to show God's dealings with him under that character ; and in cortsideration of the eminent and conspicuous station and condition in which he is exhibited, on the pages of theological delineation : and although it would be both edifying and delightfully useful, to enter into the typical na- ture and character of the multiplicity of circumstan- ces which are recorded in the history of this extra- ordinary and highly favoured patriarch ; yet 1 must defer that consideration until I shall have come to the gospel dispensation, where the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is pleased to unseal, and dcvelope, to a considerable degree, the amazing plan of the eternal counsel of the glorious Trinity, by express, manifest fulfilment, in Jesus of Nazareth, "the seed of the woman," in the pre-eminent sense of the word, of every part of the typical,ceremonial trans- actions, and predictions, which had reference to the times of the gospel dispensation. " For he took away the hand-writing of ordinances which was against us, which was contrary to us, nailing it to his cross." By this mode of procedure, our entrance into the glorious Millennium shall be found to be in the di- rect line of Scripture truth. " To the law and to the testimony; it they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." I do not deem it proper, at this early period of my progress, to bringdown to my assistance those things that were revealed only after the first advent — life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, who is the grand and main object of the ceremonial dispensation : the attention now must be mainly di- rected to those parts of the marvellous economy of the divine plan, wherein God's covenanted people, in contradistinction to all the families of the earth, SECOND DISPENSATION. 53 are found to be included with their venerable patri- archal head, so as to keep a clear view of the line of demarcation, and distinction, between the two contrasted families of Cain and Seth, in every step of my progress unto the ultimate necessary conclu- sion, zizania or tares, and good seed or wheat, that with amazement we may behold the precisely perfect fulfilment of the prediction of Jesus Christ, as con- tained in the following passage, " As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire ; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire ; there shall be waiHng and gnashmg of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the king- dom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear," Matt. xiii. 40. If I therefore can prove, by clear logical deduction, from Scriptural testimony, that the two contrasted families of Cain and Seth are represented by the tares and the wheat in the parable, my purpose is accomplished ; and the doc- trines of the Holy Bible, with regard to the Millen- nial saints, may be more easily comprehended, and more clearly understood. THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT, AND CHURCH. The Church of God is one in all ages, since it was first planted on earth ; as it shall ever continue to be while the world lasts ; yet it is exhibited under va- rious divisions, features, and aspects, during the difterent periods of its manifestation, and history in the Holy Bible ; as well as in its approxim.ation to some future conditions, which are,'during the suc- cessive stages of its advancing progress, hopefully held forth, and joyfully anticipated ; although, at the 54 • THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. '■ ii w m •3 (hi II. ■ ^ it' time, too sublime and exalted for prior conception, it IS ejcactly so in the advancing progress of the arts and sciences— every last invention would appear, at the time of its announcement to the world, to have eclipsed all its predecessors, and to have left no room for future inventions, although the inventive genius IS still m progressive advancement towards greater perfection. In the works of the material cre- ation, order is observed in the regular succession of evenings and mornings ; and in the divisions of the work, ar swerable to these successions of given peri- ods of time, specified in the sacred records, of the glorious transactions of the work of the creation, in which infinite wisdom, power, and goodness are glo- riously displayed, until all was accomplished, and pronounced, by Him who made them all, very good. The same order and regular succession of hVhly important events, is clearly observable in the history of the Church of God, from its earliest dawnings m the world : as the history of the creation is exhibited in the Bible, in six distinct periods of evenings and mornings, called days ; so the history of the Church, or spiritual creation, must be considered answerable to those divisions so stated, to comprise six periods of evenings and mornings, called dispensations: consequently we term the first period, Antediluvian dispensation ; the second we distinguish by the ap- pellation. Mosaic dispensation ; and^he third has ob- tained the name. Gospel dispensation, because the law was given by Moses; but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ: we speak of these periods, or divi- sions of the Church's history, with much familiarity and precision, because passing events have already marked out those successive periods with incontrover- tible certainty: these succeeding divisions were point- ed out before their commencement by circumstances which were intended and given for that purpose, in .a:... JW. SECOND DISPENSATIOK. 55 inception, of the arts appear, at I, 10 have ^'e left no inventive t towards iterial cre- cession of ons of the iven peri- ds, of the eation, in s are glo- hed, and ery good, of highly be history wnings ki exhibited lings and 3 Church, iswerable X periods nsations : ediluvian 'f the ap- d has ob- cause the uth came J or divi- imiliarity D already ontrover- ;re point- mstances irpose, in order to continue the expectations and anticipations of the human mind extending still to futurity as promising developments might in the progression of events be legitimately applied. Specially great and highly important circumstances were from time to time alluded to as determining special divisions. The destruction of the world by the flood was foretold and threatened long before the judgment was put in execution. " The world that then was, being overwhelmed with water, pe- rished ;" and thus terminated the first period or dispensation of the Church of God on earth ; after which we denominate ihe next period of the Church, Mosaic dispensation ; because the law was given by Moses by wliich the Church was constituted and ruled until the grace and the truth came by Jesus Christ, by which the third period was pre-eminently distinj^uislied from both preceding dispensations ; yet, although circumcision was observed and incul- cated as an indispensaWe duty by Moses, it was given and enjoined to Abraham as the permanent sign and seal of God's Covenant with him and his seed from generation to generation as an everlasting co- venant ; therefore we are indubitably authorized to commence our calculation with Abraham as the patriarchal head of the Mosaic dispensation church, which may safely be called the Abrahamic Church : and as God's covenant with Abraham was intermi- nable in its nature and prospects, it was not limited, or restricted to any given period ; but was, even by the wording and tenor thereof, unrestricted to any after period with regard to Abraham's seed or off- spring: " To be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee, in their oeneralions. for an everlastinc covenant," we cannot limit the duration of the Abra- hamic Church to the Mosaic dispensation ; although, during that dispensation, the offspring of that -^•" 56 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. m venerable patriarch, were, in contradistinction to all ZlT'Tn'^i *^«/^^th, the peculiar, covenanted peopje 01 Cjod. As Isaiah terms them under the Mosaic dispensation, " The seed of the blessed of tiie Lord, meaning Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their offspring with them, he perpetuates the view with regard to them: and in connection and accord- ance wuh him, Peter in his eminent sermon on the day o h'entecost, introduced the same view into the gospel dispensation, in saying, " the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar otl, as many as the Lord our God shall call." There- tore the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant were intended for Abraham's seed without limitation. Now the Lord had said to Abraham, Get thee out of thy country, and Irom thy kindred, and from thy father s house, unto a land which I will show thee • and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great ; and thou Shalt be a blessing: and Lwill bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." These promises and threatenings are not yet, in their full accomphshment, exhibited in the world, according to their ultimate extent, in all the complication of his- toncal events to which we can have access, by the most diligent research ; therefore the great and im- portant crisis must still be regarded as in the womb ot futurity: the Abrahamic covenant expressly al- ludes to It; or in other words, includes in its con- struction the great and eventful transactions, which many are, at the present time, making the topics of their anxious meditation, and the themes of their prayerful contemplation and research : the doctrines , -~-i-ij aj^^ijr lyj incau iuiier aays, cannot be properly advanced or applied without extensive knowledge of the tenor and amplitude of the SECOND DISPENSATION. 57 covenant which God made with Abraham ; and re- newed or repeated to Isaac and to Jacob,and confirm- ed to their seed after them for ever; I shall therefore give more of the inspired language by which the co- venant IS ratified, than is usual in the ordinary way of quoting Scripture proofs ; purposely for present- ing to the view more extended anticipations in the very terms of the covenant, in order to obviatethe necessity of having frequent recourse to the Bible for Scripture proofs. '' So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him ; and Lot went with him : and Abram was seventy and five years old, when he departed out of Haian. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their sub- stance which they had gathered, and the souls they had gotten in Haran ; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan ; and into the land of Canaan they came. And Abram passed through the land into the place of Sichem, into the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was in the land. And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him." The line of demarcation between the contrasted families of Caiiv andSelh, was hitiierto exhibited on a small scale • and ojten by the palpable disparity of disposition and character, and by many other discriminating marks, they were kept separate— by the manifest discovery ot the enmity which God had put between the two seeds— the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman ; but in the language in which the covenant IS communicated to Abram, who was now separated Iron, his family and kindred, as God'ssecond tvthin« ot the family of promise after Noah, the lineof dis- tinclion, as originally intended to be drawn, is thus again a second time observed, and to be continued so, as facts prove, until the line of the genealogy of iMMVWMWMIIMpaMl 58 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. •■ ^:|! Jesus should be completed by His appearing in the flesh, as pre-eminently the seed of the woman speci- ally alluded to in the garden of Eden : and there- fore 'i.lthough in after times the children of Israel were, on account of their departure from the living God, and their joining themselves with the idolatrous nations among whom they dwelt, after the evil ex- ample of the sons of God, or the descendants of Seth before the flood ; yet the promises of restora- tion are abundantly copious; and thus God uni- formly dealt with them as his own covenanted peo- ple. ''And when Abrani v. us ninety years old and nine.the Lord appeared to Ahran;, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God: walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly ; and Abram fell on his face : and God talked with him, saying. As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and ihou s;halt be a father of many nations. Neither shall tliy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham : for a father of many nations I have made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and make nations of thee; and kings shall come out of thee. And T will esta- blish my covenant between me and thee, and thy .seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlast- ing covenant, to be a God unto thee, and thy seed after thee. And I will give unt thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be liieir God. And God said unto Abra- ham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou and thy seed after thee, in their generations. This is my covenant which ye shall keep, between me and you, and thy seed after thee. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations. And the uncircumcised, SECOND DISPENSATION. 59 whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, ihat soul shall be cut off from his people ; he hath broken my covenant." Here now the discriminating mark of approbation is given to Abraham, and to his seed after him — the sign of God's covenant with him, and his seed after him, for an everlasting covenant: as the mark of reprobation, was put on Cain, after he had killed his righteous brother Abel : and which mark was clearly distinguishable in God's dealings with his offspring when the measure of their iniquity was full, so as to vindicate God's retributive justice in the just judgments which were poured out on them, on account of their own sins — such as the flood : the destruction of the Egyptians : of the Ca- naanites: the Sodomites, and many other minor judgments, by which God's justice demanded the punishment of incorrigible sinners. After the flood, Noah, no doubt by divine direction, perpetuated the curse upon the oflspring of profane Ham, in a most decisive manner, by the transference of wicked Ham's punishment to his son Canaan: and as given in the tenor of the covenant, in the transterence of the land of Canaan, held in possession by the des- cendants of Ham, to Abraham and his seed for ever. The covenants of promise placed an impassable barrier before tlie reprobated race of murderous Cain whicii was found impossible to be removed — neither God's covenant nor the sign and seal was ever pro- posed or off*ered to any of Cain's line of descendants — the covenant, with its sin^n and seal, and all the privileges and blessings attached thereto, were pecu- liarly restricted to Abraham's seed : and further, to show their absolute reprobation, God is never called thfiir Gnri- luU nnifr. of Abraham, of Isaac, arid of Jacob." " To be a God unto thee, and thy seed after thee." And the sign of the covenant was so expressly enjoined, that God's -■Ai4m&!mmKmi^iM>si 60 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. 1 displeasure for the neglect thereof, was to be shown by the severest punishment to the uncircumcised person. " And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations. And the uncircumcised man child, whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cutoff from .his people, he hath broken my covenant." And not only the children of their own families must be circumcised, but also he that siiould be born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which should not be of his seed, must needs be circumcised. And thus the purpose of God, with regard to the distinction and separation of the two contrasted families of Cain and Seth, whose dispositions and characters I have been mark- ing as a cause of division, was interminable by the nature and tenor of the covenant of circumcision. Sarai also, as she was to be the mother of the cove- nanted people of God, had a distinguishing mark of approbation conferred upon her: "And God said unto Abraham, as for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai ; but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mo- ther of nations, kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart. Shall a child be born to him that is an hundred years old ? And shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee ! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son in- deed ; and thou shalt call his name Isaac ; and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlast- ing covenant, and with his seed after him." Here again the distinction is clearly observable, in the different treatment of the two brothers, Jshmael and Isaac: Isaac's father and mother were both SECOND DISPENSATION. 61 of the truly ascertained line of prorfiise ; but al- though Abraham was Ishmael's father, yet his mother Hagar was an Egyptian of the seed of Ham; and therefore the direct line of succession could not legitimately be extended in the offspring of the ^on of Hagar, or in other words, Tshmael's progeny could not be God's covenanted people ; and therefore, God said "In Isaac shall thy seed be called." It was neces- sary for the Wisest of purposes to preserve and keep the heavenly seed unalloyed and uncontaminated until the Shiloh should come, that His genealogy and lineage from God His Father should be proved in the strict legitimate line of ancestry to Mary His mother ; and also that the promises of God might be sure to all the seed. Therefore that the determinate coun- sel of God might stand ; and that His watchful care for that purpose over the promised seed of the wo- man, in its downward descent through all the inter- mediate generations from God to Mary, and her holy ciiilu Jesus, might be in due time revealed, a prin- cipal person, or patriarchal head of every successive generation is recorded by inspiration of God in the First chapter of Chronicles from God to Abraham, comprising Twenty generations, and those principal persons thus chronicled, are of the descendants of Seth ; and are thus exhibited of two series or classes: each class containing Ten principal persons given in indubitable, legitimate descent oy ordinary generation from God, who made man in his own image, after his own likeness : and also the Tenth person of each class is prominently distinguished and marked out by the wondorfully merciful dealings of God with them, as in the cases of Noah and Abra- ham, God's own tv things of his own covenanted family of promise. Thus the line of legitimate pedigree is exhibited in the Chronicles of inspiration free from intermixture or contamination, that the MIP 62^ TilE SUBJECTS Or THE 3I1LLENNIUM. I purposes and foreordination of God, with regard to all the seed, might in due time be gloriously deve- loped and displayed. Having thus traced, according to tiie inspired records, the genealogical descent of Abraham in a clear legitimate line, by the appiicatbn of the same rules of investigation I find, that the same discrimi* nating distinction is made with regard to his descen- dants : they are classified and tythed until Christ, after him, as in tJie previous part of the history of his family. Although Lshmael was the elder son of the cov- enanted Patriarch ; yet on account of his mother Hugar's descent from the Egyptian line of ancestry, he could not succeed his flither, as the next cov- enanted head in the line of legitimate succession; but he said " In Isaac shall thv seed be called ;" shewing plainly the determinate counsel of God to preserve the holy covenanted line free from contaminating connection with the reprobated family of cursed Cain : \a order that the seed of the woman, in all the successive ordinary generations thereof migiit be shewn in its extensive se{)arated condition: and that the promises might be seen in their amplest fulfilment to all the seed, through Him who is pre-eminently and sovereignly the seed of the woman, even Jesus Christ. We have now arrived at a most important period of the genealogical tree of the most illustrious portion of the human race, where we find Abraham when old and well stricken in years, exacting an oath ot the principal servant of his household, that he would not take a wife to his son Isaac, '' the child of pre- mise," of the daughters of the Canaanites among whom ■''-■* they t he would go to his coun- try and to his kindred, and to take a wife to his son Isaac from them. In the strictness of his injunctions SECOND DISPENSATION. 63 )reserve is plainly observable the tenor of God's covenant with him religiously attended to, in his care for the legitimacy of his descendants. All intermixture of the two contrasted families of Cain and Selh, on account of which the antediluvian inhabiters of the earth perished by the deluge, was, by the divine peremptory mandate, religiously and scrupulously to be avoided ; not only lest they" should corrupt and blend the holy seed of promise, and again bring upon themselves the displeasure and wrath of God ; but also lest the purposes of God should be frustrated with regard to the promises contained in the terms of the covenant ; and lest thereby the heirs of promise should be deprived of the security and certainty which the well attested chronological line of descent is ever highly calculated to art'ord. And by this strict observance of the tenor of the covenant,tlie certainty of the genealogy of the promised seed of the woman was preserved ; and therefore it might be truly said of Jesus Christ, that^ he was the "son of David the son of Abraham," pre- eminently " the seed of the woman :" '• the Word made flesh;" and "Jehovah our righteousness;" who was "in all things made like unto his brethren, "of iho same seed ; lineage and descent ; but "Head over all to the Church which is his body the fullness of him who filleth all in all;" for "in him dwelletli all the ful- nes of the Godhead bodily :" but the further consi- deration of this part of the subject must be reserved for the dispensation to which it belongs, that accor- ditfig to the original design, the genealogical train of descent in the federal line of Abraham's offspring may be delineated : and in so doing, it is proper to remark the fidelity of Abraham's servant' in acting up to the binding nature of the oath strictly imposed upon him by his master. By his conduct he seems to have some knowledge of the binding «4 THE SUBJECTB OF THE MILLENNIUM. nature of the covenant itself : as well as belief of the purposes of God towards the descendants of Abra- ham as a federal people : and it is plain, that he had a belief in the God of his master Abraham, and in His overruling Providence, in that he supplicates his favorable dealings with his master's son Isaac, in granting him such direction as he required, for ac- complishing his object in choosing a wife for his master's son Isaac. He does not supplicate his favourable countenance in his own name, or in his own behalf ; but as a trust worthy ambassador, he treats the important business entrusted to him with simplicity, candour and fidelity : and in his asking a sign from the God of his master Abraham, he shews solicitude and desire commensurate with the nature and importance of his own mission ; and alto^'-ether declarative of his purpose to commit the choosing of the damsel to God, that his master's purpose might be fully accomplished. And thus he sub- mitted tiie cause to God himself, that he might be led to understand the choice of God among the daughters of his master's kindred. He was, no doubt, directed of God in all the steps of his conduct in this most important business, tiiat the choosing a wife for Isaac, '-the child of promise," might be seen to be of God and not of man, that every doubt with regard to the purity and legitimacy of the line of promise might be obviated, and' every objection might be removed, by the clearest and most satisfac- tory evidence and proof. Therefore after obtaining the desired answer to his prayer to the God of his master Abraham, in the sign which he lequesled, he gave a true and faithful account of the purport of his commission, ar ! of the sacred nature of th.e obli- gation under which he was placed when so impor- tant an aftair was entrusted to jjim by his master Abraham. SECOND DISPENSATION. 65 jf of the f Abra- t he had and in ates his aac, in for ac- for his :ate his in his lor, he Ti with sking a shews nature ^gether loosing )urpose e sub- [2fht be ig the 'as, no oiiduct ising a )e seen t with hne of jection Uisfac- ^aining of his ed, he )ort of I ohli- impor- master He used as an able and masterly politician every argument that might bear heavy upon so important a subject, that by persuasive eloquence he might gain the affections of God's chosen one, in favor of his master's son [saac ; as well as that he might ob- tain the permission and sanction of her father's house and kindred for Rebecca to accompany him to become Isaac's wife ; and that he might thus perform his oath imposed on him by his master Abraham. In his able and successful advocacy he did not neglect or omit to declare t.iat Kaac his master's son, was the son of Sarah their own kins- woman, whom Abraham had led forth with him as his lawful wife, when at the commai] of God he himself went forth from his father's house and kin- dred, to sojourn in a land which God would show him. Here then is powerfully and beautifully deli- neated the legitimacy of Isaac, the heir of promise, to the kindred of Rebecca, the chosen one of God, !)y the faithful messenger whom faithful Abraham bound under oath not to take a wife to his son of the daughters of the Canaanites among whom they dwelt ; but to go to his country and kindred, and to take a wife to liis son from them. His journey was prosperous, because the whole transaction must be considered and admitted to have been according to the unerring counsel and foreordination of God : and it is recorded, not only to show to the after-genera- tions the high esteem and veneration in which the covenant of God was early held ; but also to prove the federal genealogy of the line of promise in all the generations thereof, until the fulness of the time should come, and the gracious purposes of God might be clearly and fully elicited, in the manifesta- tion of his Son Jesus, " made of a woman, made under the law ;" and that the purposes of God ac- cording to the free election of grace, might stand. 6 66 THE SUBJECTS OF TilE MILLENNIUM. Abraham's servant's oath vvns strictly attended to, and satisfactorily performed ; and a wife of the kindred of his niaslcr Abraham was obtained for Isaac his master's son, who is now to be regarded as the federal head of God's people, according to the tenor of liie covenant vvliich God made with his father Abraiiam. I have dwelt the longer on that part of the subject, as the circumstances related therein are given with wonderful precision and fulness in every part of the liighly important narration, in order to elucidate the perfect accomplishment of the iicavenly design ; and for the preservation of the successive generations of the federal [)eculiar people of God free from the pollutions of the idolatrous, uncircumcised Canaan- ilcs among whom they dwelt. Thus far I have been enaliled to follow out my original design, and to demonstrate my oiiginal pro- position, as manifested in God's dealings wiih a people which can clearly be traced as a peculiar people; chosen out from all |)eople ; preserved from contamination and adulteration of admixture with the family or descendants of Cain, of whom Ham and his posterity were ; and continued in the pro- gress of their historical delineation distinctly marked out by the dealings of God with them as a peculiar people. Isaac, having thus obtained the chosen one of God to be his wife, took her into his mother Sarah's tent, and she became his wife. Rebecca was for a season barren ; but Isaac entreated the Lord, and the Lord hearkened, and Rebecca con- ceived ; and the children strove within her, and she said, " If it be so, why am I thus ; and she went to enquire of the Lord ; and the Lord said unto her Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of peoples shall be separated from thy bowels : and the r. SECOND DISPENSATION. 07 inded to, I of the lined for arded as ig to the with his J subject, veil with It of the idate the ign ; and ations ot from the Cuuaan- V out my ;inal pro- s wiih a peculiar vcd from [ure witli )m Ham the pro- / marked pecuhar n one of ! motlier Rebecca ated the !cra con- , and she she went unto her anner of and the one people shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger." Although it may appear to be a digression from the train of historical arrangement, yet I conceive it to be a necessary parenthesis, to give a few reasons (or the repeated preference given to the younger before the elder brother : Abel was preferred before Cain, although Cain was the elder brother: Isaac before Ishmael ; and now Jacob before Esau : and afterwards, in the family of Joseph, Ephraim, by divine dneclion of the hands of the aged patriarch Jacob, is preferred before Manasseh. Not only are we to consider this mode of the divine procedure merely because it was the divine will of Him who made tliem ; but we must consider it absolutely I necessary lor illustration, as typical circumstances may have direct reference to things and transactions of more value and importance than the typical ob- jects and typical transactions by which they are shadowed forth. It is said in Scripture, " There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body ; and that which is spiritual was not first ; but that which IS natural, and afterwards that which is spiritual;" and lliereforeas the transactions which are recorded by inspiration of God, during the two first dispensa- tions, were highly figurative and representative, beautifully siiadowing forth great and glorious events, the younger must, of necessity, be preferred before the elder. 'J'he body was first made; and then the soul, not being material, was infused with its intellec- tual faculties ; and thus man was made a living soul ; yet the soul must be preferred before the body, being of a more excellent substance. " That which is born of the flesh, is flesh ; but that which is born of th.e spirit, is spirit ;" and although that which is born of the flesh comes first into existence in the world, yet llwt which is born of the spirit must of necessity be 68 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. preferred, on account of its neiture, spiritual endow- ments, purposes, utility, and ultimate destination. *' The first man is of the earth, earthy ; but the se- cond man the Lord from heaven;" therefore in these beautiful figurative consideratioiiS, " the elder" must of necessity "serve the younger:'' and not only this, but " when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, it was- said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger," ns it is written, " Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated," We have now therefore arrived at a new feature in the historical events I have been hitherto tracing : hitherto I had not to delineate contrasted characters in twin brothers ; but luid to treat their history as two distinct families descended from two distinct primogenitors, Cnin and Seth, in their pro- gressive increase, and miinifestly contrasted charac- ters : and although the case of the twin brothers may appear a case of anomaly — twins of opposite dispositions and characters — yet it is not safe to pry with idle curiosity into the secrets of the Almighty : but content oiaseives with the answer of God to Rebecca the mother, when in amazement she was constrained to apply to God for the solution of her doubts. — Rebecca was satisfied with God's answer, and so ought every one who reflects on the nature of the subject. God's answer to her was, " Two nations arc in thy womb, and two manner of peoples shall be separated from thy bowels." The future history and cliaractor of t!ie two nations which were then in her wonib clearly verified, by their disposi- tions and conduct, the prediction of God. Esau was profane, and sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for a mess of potage : and altho\igh " aiier- \ ? SECOND DISPENSATION. 69 endow- ination. ; the se- in these r" must ot only by one, ing not or evil, n might I, it was^ gcr,'^ as- 1 have I t a new hitherto [jlrasted at their •om two leir pro- charnc- brotheis :>pposit»; G to pry [ni"htv : God to she was of her answer, :■ nature "Two peoples J future ch were disposi- . Esnu brother '• alier- wards he sought repentance carefully with tears, there was no room for repentance" left : the birth- right was sold, and a legal transference was made ; and although he desired that the deed of transfer- ence should be cancelled and rendered null and void, yet by the Providence of God overruling events, neither the birthright, nor the birthright of blessings could be recalled. In Jacob it pleased God to continue the line of the covenanted family of promise ; and therefore his father Isaac was won- derfully and providentially guided in the act of pro- nouncing the blessings of the covenant over the younger son Jacob : indeed in the whole transac- actions, both of Pvebecca and Jacob, we can clearly discern an all-ruling Providence. I do not intend, therefore, as it does not belong to the character of this work, to enter upon any lengthened disquisition of the justice of this act of confirmation, both by God and man, of the birthright which was early trans- ferred by a legal transaction from Esau to Jacob ; but content myself with the declaration of God be- fore the children were born, that '-'the elder should serve the younger," and his after-sanction of the deed of transference. It was a legal deed, and therefore sanctioned and ratified. God knew what he had made : and had every right to dispose of his creatures, and of his free bounty, according to his own free will and pleasure. He knew for what pur- pose he had made them, therefore the deed of trans- ference was just and equitable. And now I shall leave Esau in possession of such blessings as his father Isaac was directed of (}od to bestow D.^ a fatherly bequest, in the same manner as hic fqfl-jor A Uvn Uo rv^ >n i.>r.4'...,„^»,l .^C /~^~-i 4- I .i Ik! £aiii-_t iiLrjuiidiii vrds iiisii utjiuu VJI VJUU tO DcStOV'f on his own elder son Ishmael, and proceed to trace the covenanted blessings in the lineal descent of Jacob's federal possession. ■■m^ 70 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUlf. Jacob was tried and approved of God, as we read in his beautifully embellished history ; but my object is to prove the continuation of the enmity which God put between the serpent and the woman, and be- tween the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman : and here I may safely mark it between Esau and Jacob without any reference to moral cha- racter, as the twin brothers strove in the womb of their mother ; and as God declared to her that two nations were in her womb. In process of time, when their dispositions and characters were deve- loped, by manifest designs, purposes und actions, their mother remarked the rooted enmitv of Esau against his younger brother, and dreaded its awful effects, premeditated murder ; and therefore for the preservation of Jacob's life, she prudently and wisely forewarned and tenderly admonished him to avoid his brother Esau, and to flee from his presence. *• And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him : and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand ; then will I slay my brother Jacob. And these words of Esau, her eldest son, were told 'o Rebecca, and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice ; and flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran, and tarry with him a few days until thy brother's fury turn away ; until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him ; then I will send and fetch thee from thence ; why should I be deprived also of you both in one day." Here again we see the murderous disposiiion oi wicked Cain in Esau ; although he was prevented, by the merciful interposition of divine Providence, from perpetrating his maliciously premeditated ^) I ' SECOND DISPENSATION. 71 tlesign. His murderous propensity was not the sudden effect of temporary passion, but sprung from the deeply rooted malignity of his serpenf iC di? >o- sition — proceeded from the evil principl'. wlii^rM ma- nifested itself against his twin brother /bil.-' they were yet in their mother Rebecca's wou* , and which had at the time of its development, *or pre- tence, his being deprived of the birthrig il blessing which he justly forfeited by his profane treatment and sale thereof. Such false pretences are too often still advanced by the wicked against those who arc mdre righteous than themselves, when they are inca- pacitated by the working of the same malignant principle of nature from concealing their base, unjus- tifiable designs.. Such was the character of Esau as developed in his wicked premeditated plot against his brother; and such were God's merciful dealings with righteous Jacob : in the line of Jacob therefore we can con- spicuously trace the covenanted blessings ; and therefore the successive progress of the seed of the woman, in contradistinction to the seed of the ser- pent, which uniformly evinces its malignant nature, whensoever its virulence and violence are stimulated and prompted into action by natural stimulating causes: but to dwell no longer on this picture of depravity, I shall turn my attention to the beautiful history of tried and approved Jacob, and make some cursory remarks on God's gracious, merciful, and bountiful dealings with him in the ditFerent vicissi- tudes and trials which distinguish him from the ordi- nary condition and character of worldly men, when the incidents come into collision with the contrasted *' And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him. Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, Arise, go to "% i ' 12 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. i { i .f' M :ri* Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother'* brother, and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy motlier's brother, and God Almighty bless, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; and give the blessings of Abraham to thee, and to thy seed after thee, that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. And Isaac sent away Jacob ; and lie went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebecca, Jacob's and Esau's mother," Gen. xxviii. 1. " And Jacob went out from Beersiieba, and went toward Haran, and be lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set : and he took of the stones of the place, and put them for his pillow, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on tiie earth, and the top of it reached to heaven ; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed : and thy seed shall be as the'dust of the earth : and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south : and in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with diee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land, for I will not leave thee, untd I have done that which I have spo- ken to thee of." The covenant of God with Abraham is confirmed thus with Isaac and Jacob, in the strong and indu- bitable terms thus expressed by the mo'utli of Him who cannot change or alter His own unchnnf?eab!ft purposes and unalterable decrees : it stands the'^refore • ■ SECOND DISPENSATION. 73 and i i on the sure foundation of the veracity of the word of God. And we find it therefore estabhshed and sure to all the seed. And consequently, ac- cording to the tenor of that covenant, our views of the subjects of the Millennium Hiiist be guided and established ; because ii is in consequence of God's covenants, the peculiar people of Jod were in all ages contradistinguished irorn uil tiie other inhabit- ants of the earth : they vvcr'.^ tiic heirs, in successive generations, of the original possessors of the peculiar privileges and blessings of the covenants which God was pleased to make with tlt^m, and their seed after them, in then- generations in perpetuity ; and there- fore the blcssini;s of God's covenants become tiie inalienable right and prerogative of Abraham's seed, until they shall have been gathered from the North and the South, the East rind the West, to sit down in the kingdom of God, with tlieir progenitors Abraham, Isaac, and Jaeob ; and with '• the general aisembly of the Church ol the first born which is written in heaven." This covenanted people there- fore are by the Scriptures promised the glorious Millennial reign with Jesus Christ — because, as con- cerning His humnnity, He " h tiie Son of Man, the man Christ Jesus," '' bone ol otir bone, and liesh oi our flesh," " tlui son of David, the son of Abralian);" and therefore his covenanted people are his breth- ren, to whom he shall reveal Ins Father's nauic, as saith tlie Scripture : " For hoth he which sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one : for vvhieU cause he is not asiiamed to call theni brethren, say- mg, 1 will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee." Heb. ii. 11 12. Therefore his covenanted people are his brethren, of the same lineage, of the seed of the woman, and destined to bo " heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ" of the same heavenly *^i if 74 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. i inheritance, and blessings and glory : and as Abra- ham Jmmanly speaking, was licad over all, to his own desconclants and offspring, the Mosaic Church, so IS Jesus Christ the true covenant l^ead, spiritually considered, "head over nil, to (he Church, the (ul ness of h.rn who fiileth all .n all," from age to age to endure---^ w.ih Abrnluun and his seed for evef, as to^nXlr^'"^'"'''^"'''"^''' '"'"■'' ^''^ Promises of God But it would be premature to dilate to any extent herenrri/?' ^^e subject at present, or to'discuss ere at fu 1 length what belongs to a future part of the subject; I shall therefore make as few digres- sions irom the main, leading topics of the subject, as 1 can Without maiming or curtailing the line of de- meat.on of the characters of the two contrasted iamd.es of Cam and Seth, that I may the sooner arrive at the main development of the wonderful r)Ian oi Ifov.dence which 1 have underlakcn to trace trom the first appearance, exerted influence, and contrasted characters, of the seed of (he serpent and of the seed of the woman, in their downward nro^ gress m the great universal family of mankind in'ihe world, until we arrive at their designation of tares and wheat, as m our text, and also to their final tiosimation. Having thus far established my original proposition as to the contrasted characters of the family J' pro- niise which vvas ever the covenanted family of God, and of the family of Cain, which never weie, in any generation thereof, admitted into the privileges of the covenants of God's people, I shall in this place s III remind my readers that we left the oflspring of Ham located in F.gypt, and those of his son under the curse in the land of Canaan, which received his name and long continued as their possession, until ^..^y forleiteu ad right imd claim to it by their un- ■''"' "'''^ «^'"t me (iown dither ; out God sent me before you to preserve lives." Here 78 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. we have a beautiful view of God's providential care over his own covenanted people to whom Joseph restricts this instance of (he divine favour and provi- dential care — but God sent me before you evi- dently restricting that instance of providential favour to himself and them nu comprisinij: the whole cove- nanted family — multitudes^ no doubt, partook of the beneiils of this interposition of divine Providence : but no one can deny but the special aj)plication tl>ereof was to the people who were then t'le only covenanted, i. e., to tiie twelve palriarch^, their fami- lies, and their venerable father, so that the divine procedure mii»ht be seen in accordance with tlie tenor and terms of the Abrahamic covenant, and that his people's dependence might be placed in ihe Lord their God. After Jacob, with the twelve puriaichal heads of the -twelve uibes, his sons, had beeti a sojourner in Egypt for several years, lie died ; and his body, in recnembranee of covenanted promises of Canaan for inheritance to himself and his seed after him in their generations for an everlasting coveiKint, was brought U|) from Kgyf)t, and was buried with great pomp, and grievous lamentation, in the land of promise. And Joseph also, to confirm his bjethren's belief in their future restoration to the land wliieh God gave in covenant to their Fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, gave them charge concerning his bones, to carry them u})»»with them, when the i.ord should visit them to put tiiem in possession of the land of {)ronnse — the land of Canaan — ''aland tlowingwith njiliv and ijoney, which is the giory of all lands." Tliese transactions were typical of Jcsus's descent into Egypt, th;»t the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saiih, " Out of Egypt have I called my Son,'' and this also signifies the spiritual descent and recovery of the peopi" of God Irom EgyJian bondage (( mm SECOND DISPENSATION. 19 and the slavery of sin and Satan, which part of the subiect shall be treated in its proper place. lo.^T""",'" """.''""' ^'"'S "°»« >vhoknew not Joseph, the enmity burst out wl,ich lay Jiitherto concealed, from a remembrance of the wonderful preservation of life which was effected by the w.sdom found ... Joseph ; or perh.nps more properly o.. ac^ coun o the power and authority which Joseph law- iully held over then., .n virtue of the hii^h office in which he was installed by the king, whose dreams he had .nlerpicted to the great benelit of the whole i.at.o,. for the preservation of .nan a.id beast-but ot'T/ " r''"'.*'''""r'"'''""^'' ''i'««'o«e. who knew not Joseph, a,.d proof was .nade of the dispositio.. 01 llan, s posterity, that the inherent cnmitt of the w.cked desccn.lants of Cain, and Ham, the Egypti- ans burst out w.il, redoubled fury and violence, with Hicrcas.ng virulence, and with indon.itable murde- rous sway, unlil the sighs and the cries of God', people under hard bondage and overwhelmh.g ana until he came down to deliver ihein andSLT.T '^ ".""^ «n'»^«««d «o.ds, i:, tl.a atstiny shall be eflecled m the binding of " the I;^n , w eat"h noM° '" '""■'i;' ""' "'« «°'l'ering of 1,: . .. w - V. «uauu} ill Qii iUi lnji taui 7 moun- 80 THE SUBJECTS Or THE MILLENNIUM. 'f The offspring of Ham were at that time not only tyrannizing over the people of God in Egypt, and treading them cruelly under foot, but were also in possession of their lawful inheritance which God was pleased to grant by covenant to " Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,and their seed after them, for an everlasting inheritance:^' and now that a full, indubitable dis- covery and proof of the malijjnant, inimical disposi- tion of the adverse family of Ham, was made, it was a righteous thing with God to reward them accord- ing to their evil deeds: the Egyptians on account of their cruel and tyrannical treatment of his people, and the Canaanites for their abominable idolatries, sodomy, and sorceries, by the which they had greatly dcfded and polluted the heritage of God's people, which had long before that been covenanted to Abraham and his seed after him, by Him who had the sole right of disposal, for " the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, and the cattle on a thou- sand hills :" and therefore God plagued the Egyp- tians, and repeatedly hardened the lieartof Pharaoh, that he should not let the people go, until the mea- sure of the iniquity should be full, and tiiat the vin- dictive wrath and power of God siiould be shown upon him, and his people. They always deserved the punishment due to their sins and iniquities ; but God often bears with the very wicked, "until they have tilled up the measure" of their sins that the abhor- rence of God and his justice and wrath against evii works may be more conspicuously displayed in their final punishment and extirpation. When therefore, the time for the deliverance of his people was fully come, their sighs and their cries which " ascended to the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth" were heard, and he came down to deliver them, and to "bring them forth by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm," lo ''conduct them by the hand of Moses and Aaron SECOND DISPENSATION. 81 dis- 5> through the Red sea," and through the dreary barren ;;hovvJ.ng wilderness" to the "land of promise," a *'iand flowing with milk and honey." It IS to be observed here that sufficient proof was made of the mahgnant disposition of the Ei^yptians the descendants of Cain; although originally placed UHder the curse, and although in consequence of that curse, God would have been just in extirpating them from ott the face of the earth long before thai time, yet he will have his justice made manifest to the children of men, in taking signal vengeance on his enemies when his abhorrence of sin, and his justice in punishing it are most conspicuously manifested • therefore he delayed the flood, until the earth was grievously polluted by abounding wickedness. Pie delayed also the punishment of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah until - the cry thereof had ascended unto heaven." And here also in the case of the i.gyptians, until the sighs and cries of his people oppressed and overwhelmed by the wickedness of cj I "r. ^'^ ascended to the ears of tiae Lord of Sabaoth therefore God took signal vengeance of their adversaries by overwhelming Pharaoh and his mighty host in the Red sea, and delivered his own covenanted people from under their cruel tyranny and oppression. ^ ^ But that the justice of God in the signal vengeance on the Egyptians may bo clearly observed, we must vyere considered by us oi the seed of the serpent, or ^le descendants of Caii., still under the curse which lllnTr-^T'''''^ "^'''^ '^'^ murder of righteous nml.ni hi ^'" ^^''^' P^"««&<^^^itor : this assertion is curt n?r^' P:''^"' ""' ""'^ ^y '^' '^"«^-I of the curse of Cain to Canaan, Ham's son, after the flood enmitT ^['^"TP^'''^^ ^^ ^^^•*' '^^'^ malevolent enmity, and indomitable serpentile disposition ; as 82 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. I N M well as by God's difPerent treatment of tlitm and hk own peculiar people, the children of the covenant. In vindication therefore, of his own justice, God took signal vengeance on Pharaoh and his mighty host, when their depravity and wickedness had reached an intolerable and unpardonable pitch of insolence and presumption against the Majesty of heaven and earth. God is a righteous judge, and it is " a righteous thing with God to take vengeance on his adversa- ries." ''He is waiting to be gracious, there is mercv with liim that he may be feared, and plenteous re- demption ;" yet when the cry of the iniquity of the wicked escendeth to His ears, and the sighs'and the cries of the oppression of His people asccndelh be- fore Him, He will surely come down to deliver them, and in vindication of His own inalienable preroga- tive. He will surely '' reward the righteous and punish the wicked." God is the moral governor of the universe, and judge of the quick and of the dead ; and surely the judge of all the earth, will jadge righteous judgment: the wickedness of the wicked provoketh the merciful God to wrath; for "they are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression ; they speak loftily." " They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walk- eth throiighout the earth :" " their hearts are dp- neitful above all things, and desperately wicked ;'' and their very actions testify against them as expref- sive of the malignity of their serpentile dispositions. Cain slew his brother Abel, because he was more righteous than himself — Esau deliberately premedi- tated assassination and murder. The Egyptians feared the people of God, because they beheld the favour of God manifestly and distinctively bestowed on them, in that "tiiey beheld that they were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and muhiphed tnd wnx«ci SI. SECOND DISPENSATION. s:^ Ti and h/g covenant, lice, God is miprlitv ncss had ) pitch of [ajesty of righteous adversa- i is mercy iteous re- ty of the s and the ndelh be- ver thetn, preroga- ;ous and ►vernor of k1 of the irth, will ss of the rath ; for incerning set their ^ue vvalk- 3 are dp- -vicked ;'* s expre?* positions, t'as more premedi- Igyptians held the )estovved 'i fruitful, d wnxfd exceeding mighty ; and the land was filled with them." They could not but understand that thev were more highly favoured than themselves ; and were more the objects of peculiar regard ; therefore they gave vent to the mali£?nity of their murderous, destructive disposition. Their jealousy could not be concealed ; but showed itself "in their cruel treat- ment of God's people, whom they made to serve in hard bondage, and to destroy every male child that should be born to them. The wicked have always a show, or pretence, of .justice, as a covering or excuse to their wicked ac- tions— -a seeming palliation of their sinful, guiltv proceedings. Wicked actions bear their own stamp and character on their impudent front, and require some plausible pretence of necessity or justice in vmdication : this is not only necessary for the wicked for concealment of the depravity of their malevolent disposition— their internal villainy— by which thev are instinctively prompted toperpetrati the basest oY actions, but it is also necessary for procuring a tem- porary respite from the painful lashings of the guilty conscience, as well as for preserving tlieir already doubtful character from the animadversions and reprobation of their neighbours around them, or from the public disapprobation and calutaniation even of a censorious world. Cain's pretended reason for killing his brother Abel was, "that God had respect to .Abel and his odenng, l)ut had not respect to him and to his ofler- ing,"— " Esau hated Jacob because of the bles«?in"s wherewith his father had blessed him: and Esa^^u said m his heart, The days of mourning for my fa- ther are at hand ; then will I slay my brother Jacob." The King of Egypt, in like manner, premeditated evil agnmst the people of God, and perpetrated much loranticido; because the Lord had "^biessed / \ #f^ ^>. # %. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 7 A .v^. 4^j .^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 IIM 1111121 |5 = = 2,2 2£ 1.8 1.4 11.6 o* o^f Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14S80 (716) 872-4503 84 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. i them ; and they beheld with jealous eye their rapid increase, and growing prosperity. And Pilate knew and declared his belief that it was from jealousy the Jews delivered up Jesus to be crucified. The Pha- risees also beheld with jealous eye His grov/ing fame, and felt His influence too heavy a counter- balance to their own ; and therefore used every pre- tence in their power to murder both his character and himself. Their malevolent disposition uniformly manifested itself against the holy, immaculate chu- rac:er of the best of men, the ''holy child Jesus;" l3Ut " they feared the people ;" therefore by pretend- ing great zeal for the law of Moses, and the tradi- tions of the fathers, they accused him : but finding that they could not prevail in their accusations in that way, they brought heavy charges against him with regard to the kingdom, as if he had intentions of overturning the existing constitution, and of taking violent possession of the reins of government by means of his superior popularity with the people : such were their pretended reasons for their unde- served measures of persecution, inimical treatment, and unabating malevolence, against " the Prince of life;" but failing even here, they condemned Him for what they deemed and construed into blasphemy against God : still pretending zeal for God and his holy laws, they passed their malevolent sentence against the Son of God, the Great Lawgiver himself. Now the enmity is clearly observable hitherto which God originally put between the two seeds, as repeatedly shown ; and therefore my proposition is clearly demonstrate^ and fairly established, as far as I have examined the character of the two contrasted families, as exhibited in the prominent instances on which I have treated : and lest the inimical dispo- sition thus exposed should be considered incidiental, individual depravity, and not family character, hear 4 SECOND DISPENSATION. 85 leir rapid ale knew lousy the rhe Pha- grov/ing counter- rery pre- character iniformly late chu- [ Jesus ;" pretend- ;he tradi- it finding lations in linst him ntentions , and of ^ernment ! people : eir unde- eatmeni, Prince of Him for iasphemy \ and his sentence himself. hitherto seeds, as )sition is as far as )ntrasted ances on il dispo- cidiental, ter, hear Moses on the subject, and be instructed from his experimental declarations, as the word of inspiration, to Pharaoh, when declaring authoritatively God's message before him. After Egypt had suffered grievously under the plagues which God had poured out m wraih upon the people of his curse, the des- cendants of profane Ham, Pharaoh's repeatedly har- dened heart seemed in some degree to relent, and he seemed inclined to allow the people to worship the Lord their God in Egypt : but Moses was better acquainted with the inimical disposition of the de- praved, malicious family of Ham, to believe any good will or good intention in the race towards the people of God, to have induced Pharaoh to make this seemingly favorable proposal; and therefore could not be ensnared by that pretended show of relaxation of former cruelty and severity.— He well knew that the proffered kindness was an involuntary extortion, ratner than genuine benevolence, towards himself and his people, or any real piety toward God or his worship ; and therefore he said to Pharaoh, " It is not meet so to do ; for we shall sacrifice the abomi- nation of the Egyptians to the Lord our God : lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?" Here then the enmity is proven between them as two mighty nations of opposite dispositions, princi- ples, and religious systems and tenets— the one wor- shipped the only living and true God ; but that was abomination to the other, because of the enmity of their hearts and minds against God, and consequently against all goodness. Moses was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, but was educated in the court of Pharaoh from very childhood, as the son of Pharaoh's daughter, and could not be ignorant of the temper and disposition of the Egyptians ; for surely forty years social intercourse and fellowship with the mmmm II ea THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. nation, as the reputed son of Pharaoh's daughter, ought to be considered sufficient time and opportu- nity for ascertaining the character and disposition of the Egyptians, in a national point of view, and for drawing a true and correct picture of the horrid de- pravity of character which evidently proceeded natu- rally from the intuitive inherent disposition of the whole race, as the descendants of profane Ham. And it may not be improper here, to show the indo- mitable nature of the hatred and enmity originally put between the seed of the serpent and' the seed of the woman, and consequently the unchangeable nature of the enmity, ansvverably to the unchange- able nature of the decrees of Him who said, " I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed." Pharaoh had in his court to a certainty one of the family of promise, the descendant of Adam, in the line of Selh, Noah, Shem, and Abraham, and ail the filthy corruptions of the court of King Pharaoh could not make so deep an impression on the heart or mind of Moses, as to naturalize him into Egyptian disposition and character: and Jesus Christ as assuredly had in his court of Apostles one of the opposite family, Judas Iseariot, called by Him '-a devil." "Havel not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil." And here then the contrast is most pointed and special — Moses of the true line of promise, and Judas Iseariot of the reprobate race of Cain ; and the result of the experiment is the same — Judas Iseariot was as im- pervious to good as Moses was to evil. The seeds could not be changed, neither could their natures and family connection be changed : therefore my proposition with regard to the continued contrast between the descendants of Cain and the descend- ants of Seth, is sufficiently established to my own satisfaction, and I trust to the satisfaction of every -,-! UM. ! daughter^ id opportu- sposition ot vv, and for horrid de- ;eded natu- lion of the "ane Ham. V the indo- originally the seed of changeable unchange- id, " I will )nian, and aoh had in 5f promise, eth, Noah, corruptions •t make so of Moses, )sition and had in his nily, Judas iave I not vil." And :i special — ias Iscariot jsult of the ^vas as im- The seeds 3ir natures jrefore my d contrast e descend- to niy own n of every SECOND DISPENSATION. ^ candid unprejudiced student of the Holy Bible wh* may follow my steps in this most important research and enqu.ry^the proofs I have advanced are S ted, because 1 hare hitherto confined my research o ^reat leading, prominent, distinctive charac'erist c features in tiie historical incidents in the woTeat contrusied families of the earth~tne family of Cah -nd the family of Setii-this I considered neceS tor arriving at a fair conclusion with regard to Go7s distinctive dealings with the nations of the earTh in manifestations of favour and displeasurelapl obi" ^rUerva;"''"^'/'"^--"^'^^^' -^ puniZen « --•preservafion anddestruction- election and repro- jec^rbut'afsoT' '"^^ '^ "^T ""''''' '' ^^^^ ob- jects, bu also to ascertain who may hopefully look at tfiese latter days, for the blessed Millennial S ages, honours, and royal dignity of saints to ^' re gn exultation, the new song, - Thou art worthv to tak* '"stsU "Vr^"^ '^' "^^^ ^'--^^•- ^^- thou Hast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thv Wood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and peoDle and nation ; and hast made us unto%ur GodTin s nd priests : and we shall reign on the earth^' fe V. y-lU Iho proofs f have hitherto advanced I have said, are limited, although a muhip ic ty 'o fqual ly pertinent instances might have been adduced pose 1 had originally m view, and as leadin^v beacons Holy^BTbir ^r'""'"'^^^^-^"^^'^ y^-^^ student ol' faction .,' "'^'l '""^ ^'"^ ^^''"^^^^ '"^^'"^d ^or «ati^ faction and edification to enquire into that hitherto much-neglected subject^the visible dispa l ?f constitutions, dispositions and character o^^ the iiie justice of God m his merciful dealings with the It 1 ! II 88 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. one family as his own peculiar people, and in his threatened judgments and vengeance against the other family, as the enemies of all righteousness, is a marked elucidation of the original proposition, viz : that the tares, the children of the wicked, sown among the good seed by the dev.l, arc the descend- ants of Cain under the curse : and that the good seed, the children of the kingdom, sown in the field, the world, by the Son of Man, are descended from God through Adam, Seth his son, &c. The necessity of good and evil in a created, material, dissoluble world, may be considered sufficient vindication of God's dilFerential treatment of the creatures which he hath made ; for as there is " a God that judgeth in the earth" virtue must be rewarded, and vice must be punished, according to the unalterable laws of equity and justice ; and as there is an absolute, ne- cessity for good and evil in the material, dissoluble creation, ask not, sceptic^ Why was not the race of Cain received into covenant with God, as well as the descendants of Seth ? As well may it be asked, Why should the guilt of the original sin of Adam be visited on the whole human race ? as to ask, Why should the guilt of Cain's murder be visited on his descendants? — as well may a beggarly brat quarrel with his station and condition in society, and ask, Why did not God bring me into the world in royal dignity, of the blood of nobility, rather than in this humble, servile, and ignoble condition ?— and as well might tiie brute beasts quarrel with their irrational, perishable state ; as any of the human race arraign the justice and wisdom of God on account of any part of His plan of creation and providence, or of His grace: " Nay but, O man, whoart thou that repliest ai^anist God ? Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus ? Hath not the Potter power over the clay, of the same lump E« SECOND DISPENSATION. 89 to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour ? Wnat ! if God willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured, with much, long suffering, the vessels fitted to destruction; and that he might make known the riches of his glory on ihe vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles ?" Rom. ix. 20. The plans of Providence are unalterably deter- mined from of old, and therefore the fate and destiny of all are unalterably decreed; ^ for God, who sees the end from the beginning, does not require practical proofs of individual conduct or character for ena- bling him to decide the fate and destiny of his crea- tures, as short-sighted man would require : *' Known unto Him are all His works" from the beginning: nevertheless He is pleased to reveal to His servants reasons for His moral proceeding of justice and judgment. *' And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do: ^seeing that Abra- iam shall become a great and mitrhty nntion, and he nations of the eurtli shall be blessed in him. For I know him, that he shall command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the L.ord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him ; and the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous ; 1 will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me. and if not, I will mow. n Now, we find that ijie persevering, importuntte pleadings of Abraham, the friend of God, could not be heard in their behalf, because the wickedness of that place, which was devoted to destruction by the m^ Wff^ 90 1 1 ' ,tt i rm SUBJECTS 0. tue m.ll.»n„„. very uborninably^ne oC td 7' 7' T^'' ^'«' ''imssif just in airHil,! 'i "'^'^^f'"" God shows ilis way! Puti' ' ''""''"S'- and righteous in all of Abraham, in ICf T.T ''°"'\'^'' "•« P'«dings 'l«clared ,o h m .hi SoH„ ' '".'^"^' ^°' ^"'^ had 'ion, but his pLXf iTe rbetZr' l^ '"^.^'f-' ous; allhouah he conid n^, ".' ''^"'''' of "le righte- 'ion, single out any favoul K °'" ''"""- P^«^"'"P- God in favorable Jnlua'n biifal^r' '''""'■ "'"■ individuals, to the eZtl ^''f"^^<'"y particular 'vould shov; unpardo'nb le ?lfi°^ "" °"'^^^- That fiable purliahtv „nh • '''"'.^''"ess, and unjusti- righteous Jud^e w it'h v hn "' '''^''«"°^«t''« e pleadings or God had to destruc- tive righte- g presump- plead with ^ particular ers. That id unjusti- haracter of l^le to the ding; and hole place it. ''And I also des- ad venture wilt thou r the fifty from thee 90US with be as the he Judge mn oath 5t to take Pg whom ; but to take one \l knew the two d knew destroy ere the e curse; and therefore his pleadings with the Lord were not in their behalf, but in behalf of Lot, his own bro- ther's son, who was, as well as himself, a descendant of " Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God ;" and thus in affinity to the family of promise, who were in the direct line of the genealogy of " Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abra- ham." And thus we find that the pleadings of Abraham, the father of the faithful, and " the friend of God," could not be heard or attended to but in behalf of that righteous person, who '* was vexed with the iilthy conversation of the wicked : (For that righte- ous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the un- just unto the day of judgment to be punished." Lot and his family alone, of all those large, populous and wicked cities, obtained the favour of God, and were delivered. As in the cases of Cain, and Ham, al- though they were under the curse, yet God will have His justice vindicated; and therefore He delayed the sentence of judgment upon them, until full proof was made of their dispositions, by their intolerably profane and wicked conduct — until their own actions manifested the virulence of their satanic natures, and clearly proved the justice of the sentence of God upon them : so was it now in the case of the So- domites, their wicked descendants : and so was it afterwards, in the destruction of the Egyptians and Canaanites their brothers, not only in iniquity, but also in their lineal descent from the same wicked parentage, Ham and Cain both placed under the curse of God. In all these instances of awful judg- ments, the justice of God is clearly vindicated in signal vengeance upon those wicked and taking « ^ 93 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLEKNIUM. mZU .":'', '"/'r ?^« '"-■f"'-^ "''. ""= Lord sen! familv h!f , ■"' '^"'I'' ^y "'^ ''»"d Lot and hi, mor ah "^ "•""",''•' '''^'"■°^"^'' ^odom and Go- rfisrpprobatit"''f '^'^^^ifi'-'',"<'"«-approbation and Si -^I'^ra'-'ers n.nd dispositions, causes and effecls, were requisite for the purpose I had ori"ln- mrerin^:!' "V '" ^'l"- "'« '"-"- "f blndi^g^he vl ich t ,. T^'f' '° '-'" '-'"""^''' =""' '■'« •""""« in world: u,: l;Lv:s^"^^^ ""'"'^ -''°^"- on J'-"' J",?' "' ',''^5='="''«n's of "Cain the wicked bunKd "''" Vr''' «^"«=''^'' ""° "bundles to be crcs of thJir "■■■"'?" "^ ,'='"'^'"="='> «"d the sad Godwt, ";'■" ""''"^'°"^ly "i<=l'ed conduct, and trod » righteous licaiiaent, -n tlieconlinued pro-^ress cemlants .y or.hiiary generation, of Cain the mur clea hno of r ,'"'"" ' ""^ ""= ^ood seed, in the s a^o, of ,1 ^'"^' <="v«„ants, from Seth in all the ^,^U r^T'' "'"'' ""^y ''^^ «^hibited in he, milennial condition and glory, as "the Bride tl e Lam , s wife," are also lo be traced in the gene- alogicai hue of the generation of Jesus Chrifras ecorded in the first chapter of first Chronic^ and mis.s and the glorious prospects which are in their scattered condition certainly lield out to them alone Jlf. so beauti- es of the Lord sent )t and his I and Go- one from ation and - dehver- ticularly, luses and d origin- iding the anner in into the i of the ! wicked es to be the sad uct, and progress rticuble, tlsG des- lie mur- )d, until , in the all the )ited in 3 Bride 3 gene- rist, as es, and ' : and le pro- n their I alone SECOND DISPKNSATIOX. 93 of all the people that dwell on the whole earth. ml purpose was merely to illustrate the subject by adducing some prominent parts of the history of those two specified families — or two clearly contrasted portions of the great human family, I had not to interfere with the history of the other divisi- ons of the human family ; although I believe, at the time the ciiildren of Israel were delivered from the bondage of Egypt, and put in a conspicuous manner, as the peculiar people of God, in possession of the land of promise, the earth was inhabited to a great extent by great and mighty nations, possessing ex- tensive fertile portions of the globe, as the geography of those locations still proves, because I do not be- lieve they are included in the awful doom of those who, in the parable, are designated "tares;" nor can they be comprehended in the term " good seed," to enter with them, on a parity of condition, into the blessings of the covenant, as millennial saints, '* to, reign with Christ," when " he shall come to be glo- ^ rified in all his saints." No mark of reprobation was put on Japheth, but he was to dwell in the tents of Shem — nor could I include, in the awful doom of the tares, Ishmaeland his offspring ; for although his mother was an Egyp- tian of the reprobated race of Cain, yet Abraham was his father ; and Abraham prophetically prayed lor him, and obtained of God blessings for him and for his offspring: although not the blessings of the covenant which were reserved for Isaac, " the child of promise," and his innumerable descendants. Nor can I include Esau, " the father of the Edomites," and his descendants of mount Seir, with the tares, because Isaac prophetically conferred blessings on him also, although not the birthright blessings, which Jacob by the providence, direction, sanction, and confirmation of God, obtained. Let and his offsnrine: I I 94 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM II >^ nlso, the Amontes and Moabites, must be excepted because he was Abraham's brother's son, of the same family by paternal descent, and because he experienced such special and hi-hly distinguished iavour, when he perished not with them that perish- ed when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah deslroymg^ them with lire and brimstone from l-eaven There is nnotlier family also descended rem Abraham by Ketuiah, which are more apt to be overlooked than the other famihes I have men- tioned, as exceptions from the class and fate of those who are desi^<,^naterl - tares." because they cannot be included historically with the descendants of Cain under the curse. ^- When the children of [srael were on their iournev Irom Egypt to Canaan, the land of promise, favour was shewn to those who had anv degree of con- sanguinity and affinity to (he j:ord's people; for |Ood commanded his people not to molest those na- ^' tions, but to pass peaceably through their territories- and a so declared to his people that he would not give t.iem the breadth of their foot of their land for as a special favour lie had given it to them, althou-h not by special covenant, as he had given the land of Canaan to the children of Israel. Those families therefore, as Patnnrciial heads of widely rxfendcd ramifications or branclnnos, mav bo considered as receiving special prophetical blessirgs for their de- scendants although not of the real covenanted bles- ^uigs of the peculiar people; but if we turn our attention to the rondition and prospects of Cain's race, we can fum no alleviation or removal of thl original curse ; bu.rontinued mali.cinitv of nature in tliemselvcs. and undeviating, unreia^icd punishment as the certain conseq,ionce of their own unabated wicked practices and conduct. ■ / ■ , ^ , ^ SECOND DISPENSATIOJf. 95 > Although the Israehtes in their journey were com- manded not to molest those nations I have thus re- ferred to ; yet when they approached the Amorites and tiie Canaanites, they were commanded to destroy them and to rescue the land of promise, which God gave by oath and covenant to ''Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their seed after them, in their gene- rations by an everlasting covenant." Those nations held usurped possess-on, and therfore the Disposer of all events saw meet to dispossess tliemon account of their ever growing wickedness, which had then provoked the righteous displeasure of God against them, and not only so, but his people were strictly and expressly commanded to purge the land of the pol- lutions of those filthy idolatrous nations, and to de- stroy the whole race of cursed Canaan from the face of the earth, which seemed to groan under th« weight of their horrid iniquities, that they might not corrupt themselves, should they spa.'-e them, live among them and blend together by inter-marriages, as they did at the close of the first dispensation, and thus provoke God to bring a second destroying flood or other heavy judgment upon them for adulterating the holy seed, which God purposed should be kept pure and unc;intaminate(l from the seed of the ser- pent, at least, until " the seed of the woman," prt- eminently so, should come, so that His iienealogy could be traced in the holy line throu2:h all the n^ nerations of the covenanted ancestry, up to Adam, and to Goci, His own father. Now although the Lord wrought signal delU'er- nnces for his people, yet they often grieved Hin Spirit by their proneness to fall away, from the com- manded observance of his laws and ordinances, to the base and shaineful idolatrous practices of the heathen among whom they dwelt. " Ye stift'-necked «nd uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do nlwavs .■ ;j;.: 96 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do yet "The Lord remembered H ham His servant," and often ye j» and did notd covenant and Abra- restraii id H is wrath, estroy them utterly; but the others had no covenant of protection ; therefore God dealt with them according to the equity and justice of His own laws, as the moral Governor of the universe, dispensing reu'nrds and punishments in righteousness " according to to the counsel of His own will." His own covenanted people were often still-necked and rebellious it is true, yet the Lord had respect to His own covenant, and maintained inviolate the faithfulness and veracity of His own oatii, and cove- nanr, and therefore restrrjned his wrath that He would not destroy iheni. " Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. Son of man, whenj the House of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way, and by their doings : their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their Idols wherewith they had polluted it : and I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries : According 'to their way and according to their doings I judged them. And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my Floly Name, when^ they ^n\d to them. These are the people of the Lord, and they are gone forth out of His land. But I had pity for mine Holy Name, which the House of Israel had profaned among the heathen whither they went. Therefore, say unto the House of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sakes, O house Holy N ame's sake, which ye oi isfaei ; uui lor mine have profaned amonj And I will sanctify my great Name, which the heathen whither ye wen was UM. SECOND DISPENSATION. 97 ,so do ye." land Abra- His wrath, others had God dealt itice of His ! universe, hteousness will." till-necked respect to 'iolate the and cove- h that He >rd came he House lied it by way was d woman, d for the , and for : and I hey were ig to their jed them. whither /hen- they he Lord, 3ut I had of Israel ley went. hus sa'ak O house which ye ye went, hich was is #1 profaned among the heathen, which ye have pro- faned in the midst of them ; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean : from all your fil- ihiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you:'* Ezek. xxxvi. J 6. The dealings of God therefore with his own people, whom he chose out for his own name, as a peculiar people, from among the nations, are always in the merciful remembrance of his cove- nant, while the rest of mankind are treated accord- ing to circumstances, by the inflexible laws of equity and justice : and thus the reason of differential treatment may be partially observed in man's differ- ential treatment of his own children and servants in the house. God expressly commanded his people, at the time when they were to be put in possession of the land of Canaan, to clear the land of the vile, idolatrous nations which dwelt there ; and it greatly displeased God that they did not obey his voice to destroy ut- terly the whole race from before them, for He knew the inimical disposition of the descendants of Ham, the Canaanites, to all goodness, as the people of His curse ; and their unalterable adherence to their sorceries and idolatrous practices, and that closa converse and social intercourse with them would greatly tend to corrupt His people, who were but recently emancipated from the bondage and pollu- tions of the Egyptians, who were also the people of God's curse, as the descendants of Ham, the Ca- naanites were. This far we can clearly trace the contrast between those two families as the descendants of Cain and 4»* 98 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. I Seth, their two primogenitors, in their own dispo- sitions, characters and conduct ; as well as in God's ditterential treatment of them both, in all the rami- fications, positions, and conditions in which they are remarkably exhibited on the pages of sacred history, t^gypt and Canaan were early taken possession of by them; and we behold the Lord's judgments rioured out upon them, after they had been many centuries located there. Their own wickedness was made to appear, that the Lord might vindicate His own justice in inflicting upon them the deserved punishment of their own flagitious sins and ini(iuitie8, which they daringly committed against tiie Lord of Hosts. They were formerly placed under the curse 01 Cain, and when the disposition of their ancestors manifested itself in them immediately after the flood and when the measure of their iniquity was full! Ood punished them for their own sins, which natu- rally proceeded from the innate, habitual depravity ot their hereditary serpentile natures. Now, the Lord had kept the Twelve Tribes forty years in the wilderness, in a condition of separation trom all nations, until all who were above twenty years ot age, when they received the law at Mount Sinai, died, or fell under His displeasure in the wil- derness, that the disobedient might be held up in after times, to those who should live ungodly! as ensamples of admonition and warning, and that God's abhorrence of wicked practices niight be kept in remembrance by his people : the children which were born to them in the wilderness entered into the land ot promise, although their parents could not enter because of unbelief:" and alihough they were not as conversant with the filthy and beastly sorceries, and abominable idolatries of the land of hgypt, as their parents were, yet God would not permit them lo take possession of the land of , •-•.'^,. SECOND DISPENSATION. 99 promise, until they were circumcised, and until thus the covetiiint of circumcision was renewed, and the sign and seal thereof was appHed, and was behev- ingly received: and as the Passover was instituted and kept bcforo ihey removed in haste " out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage ;" the two ordinances were henceforth to be religiously ol)served in all gen<;rations throngliout the twelve tribes, and all the families and divisions of all the people of ihn covenant, who were now put in pos- session of the land which God promised on the ve- racity of His oath, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the blessed of the Lord. These ordinances, which were not vouchsafed to any of the other nations of the world, were intended, as distinctive ordinances, to preserve the peculiar people, in complete separation, from all the heathen nations around them, on account of whose idolatrous practices the Lord drove out theCanaanitish nations from before them, " lest they should likewise pro- voke the Lord to wrath," and he should drive them )Ut also. These ordinances implied in ihem al?o typically, objects of a more exalted nature; but as it would be an unpardonable digression from the line of the proposed object of enquiry, to enter fully on the nature of these instituted ordinances in this place, I have merely introduced them in order to show still the line of demarcation, and the uniform purpose of God to observe the laws at distinctive government according to original principles and de claralionsto that eflect. The sign and seal of the Abrahamic Covenant was neither appointed nor permitted to any other nation. l)ut. "' \f*l«-«.l Ik.. _ .1^ pnviie^u uiju prcfoga- I tive of one people only, that they might be unto the Lord, " a chosen generation, a royal priest-hood, an holy nation, a peculiar people ; that thev might 100 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. shew forth the praises of him who called them out of darkness into liis marvellous lighi." This des- cription was applicable to them as a typical people in the typical sense, but realized spiritually in the people whom they typified. The Sechemites were induced by carnal motives to receive the sign of the covenant of circumcision, but as they had no legal claim to any of the privi- leges and immunities of the covenant, their receiv- ing of it was highly reprehensible, and was deemed a profanation and prostitution of the ordinance ; and therefore their profane, unhallowed use of it, was punishable by death, that others might fear and abstain from the like profanation and prostitution. The distinctive, discriminating sign of God's covenant with His own people, if it should be thus misapplied, would have a tendency to counteract the wise purpose of God in appointing it, and to break through the barrier thus placed to prevent the intermixture of the people of God with the nations ; and the flood-gates of blending, anarchy, and con- fusion, would again be thrown vide open, to the reversing of God's purposes ; therefore an example of warning is nlaced before the nations, lest their daring presumption might lead them also to so aw- ful an act of profanation, and of prostitution of the appointed ordinances of God, and bring heavy judg- ments upon themselves, as did the Sechemites. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram also, and those who joined in thei- rebellion, perisiied on account of their intermeddlinjjs with sacred things, for which they were not ordained or appointed of God : there- fore ordinances of exclusive distinction were ap- pointed for the people of God, and persons were also ordained and appointed for their administration, and therefore any deviations from the laws which God established relative thereto, were strictly M. SECOND DISPENSATION. 101 them out riiis des- al people ily in the 1 motives umcision, the privi- ir receiv- s deemed dinance ; ise of it, fear and tution. if God's 1 be thus }unteract ;, and to 3vent the nations ; md con- 1, to the example lest their o so aw- m of the Lvy judg- es. ose who 20unt of )r which i : there- vere ap- ins were istration, ,'3 which strictly forbidden, and hehious encroachments upon the prerogative and province of consecrated servants of God were often punished with deserved severity and judgment. Jeroboam, the son of Nebat also, who made Israel to sin, and his altar, upon which he presumptuously offered sacrifice, are other instances of the effects of the daring encroachments of the wicked upoli the sacred functions of ordained, consecrated men ; and their disregard of God's distinctive laws, which he hath appointed, for the accomplishment of his pur- poses and irreversible decrees, to the satisfaction and approbation of enlightened reason, " to the praise of His own glory ;" as well as for confirmation to His people of His righteous government, and of His good and gracious purposes towards all who fear and obey Him. Even the covenanted people of God continued not steadfastly in the observance of their distinctive prerogative; but often violated God's laws, which were appointed for their good, and which showed the distinction between them and the uncovenanted heathens, and consequently brought upon themselves the severity of God's judgment. "They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them : but were min- gled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them : yea they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils. And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters] whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan : and the land was polluted with blood. Thus were they defiled vvith their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions : therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against His people, insomuch that He abhorred His own inheritance: and He gave them into the hand of the heathen, and they tM 102 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIU3I. y m i II i^K IB I^B M ! In that hated them ruled over them :" Psahn evi. 34. This prophecy of David was in its full extent veri- fied in the final dispersion of the twelve Tribes of Israel, throughout the whole earth, as monuments of the iust judgments and awful curses of God upon them, denounced and recorded in the twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy, and which had been read for centuries in their Synagogues or Temples, as pre- monitions from God, lest that siiould come upon them which was proplietically denounced. Amos also prophesied, in plain, unequivocal lan- guage, of the same final dispersion : " For, lo, I will give commandment, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a •ieve, yet shnll not the least grain fall upon ihc earth." They were not only scattered abroad, agreeably to these heavy denunciations, but they were trodden under foot of the Gentiles : " And he gave them into the hand of the heathen, and they that hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brougiit into subjection under their hand :" Psalin cvi. 41-42. , The ten Tribes of Israel revolted as early as the days of Rehoboam, King of Judah, the son of So- lomon, the son of David. "Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin," led away the ten Tribes of Israel, from all connection with Judah, and fixed the seat of government at Samaria, and there set up the calves of Bethel as objects of wor- ship, anc instituted festivals similar to the feasts which God had instituted and appointed to be cele- brated at Jerusalem, the place where God appointed that His name should dwell, and where it was ap- pointed that his people should offer unto the Lord their stated commanded offerings: and thus left Rehoboam but the tribe of Judah and the remnant that was left of the tribe of Benjamin, which ceased 1 1 i s&».. rji. SECOND DISPENSATION. 103 n cvi. 34. ftent veri- Tribes of uments of God upon Uy-eighth been read es, as pre- 01110 upon vocal lan- For, lo, I ) house of >ifted in a upon I ho \ abroad, but they s: "And , and they ' enemies uglit into n-42. . rly as the )ii of So- he son of y the ten h Judah, laria, and s of wor- Iie feasts ) be cele- ippointed t was ap- the Lord thus ieft I remnant :h ceased lo be reckoned among the tribes after its almost annihilation at the battles at Gibeah of Benjamin. In this condition of separation, under various fea- tures and vicissitudes of fortune, were the ten tribes of Israel, until, about seven hundred and twenty years before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, Shalma- neser, King of Assyria, carried them away captives, and sent them beyond Babylon, according to th« word of the Lord by the mouth of his prophet. " In the same day shall tlie Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the King of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet : and it shall also consume the beard :" Isa. vii. 20. And Stephen also*, in his inimitable sermon, in do- fence of the truths of the Gospel, corroborates the sayingb of the prophets. " Yea, ye took up th« tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your God Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them ; and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.:" Acts vii. 43. Those prophecies and prediction* were accomplished upon them in full measure : and they have not been recovered or brought back to their own land until this day ; but have been under the awful severity of the curses and judgments of God upon them, as may be read in the twenty- eighth chapter of Deuteronomy. The tribe of Judah and the remnant of Benjamin alone were left at Jerusalem in the land of Judea, that the prophecy concerning them might be fulfilled. " The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from be- tween his feet, until Shiloh come ; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be:" Gen. Con- sequently when Jesus Christ was manifested in the flesn, the sceptre was well nigh departed from Judah. iiie Holy Land was become a conquered colony, tributary to the Roman power and yoke. We have then the tribe of Judah and the remnant IF'}.!' 104 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIU3I, ■ • N of Benjamin preserved in any degree of separation from the general blending of the holy people with tlie uncircumcised heathens in the farther prosecu- tion of the subject, as the ten tribes of Israel disap- peared and discontinued from being a people and nation, centuries before Judah were also carried away captives from their fatherland and countrv ; but the fate of the ten tribes differs widely from that of Judah.—The ten tribes are cast away, but Judah IS only scattered. " If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?" Rom. xi. 15. The ten tribes were cast away, so that they are blen- ded together with the idolatrous nations of the earth; but Judah, or the Jews, are scattered abroad, but not generally blended with the nations— the ten tribes have lo£;t all knowledge of themselves as such - —have long been without circumcision and Pass- over—and every discriminating mark by which t..ey could be distinguished; but the Jews, or Judah, although not free from mixture, are still, in their scattered condition, a recognized people— preserved from the general mixture, which is the fate and con- dition of the ten tribes, by the distinctive ordinance of circumcision which was appointed for that pur- pose. The Jews have their Jewish rites, and their Jewish Sabbaths, and thc'r Talmud, however incor- rect it may be, through the ignorance and frailties of people in their sad condition ; yet they have long looked to it as the standard of their revered Rabbies.' The Jews have also been made the repositories of the sacred oracles of God, the Bible, — " unto them were committed the oracles of God :" Rom. 3. But although the ten tribes of Israel are thus cast away, yet their covendnted privileges are only sus- pended for a season— their covenanted rights are undoubtedly secured to them by the veracity of I UM. SECOND DISPENSATION. 105 separation •eople with r prosecu- rael disap- eople and so carried 1 country ; from that but Judah )f them be ; receiving m. xi. 15. ^ are blen- the earth; >road, but -—the ten is as such ind Pass- ^hich t..ey )r Judah, , in their preserved and con- ordinance that pur- and their i^er incor- railties of ave long Rabbies. iesofthe lem were thus cast only sus- ghts are acity of God's word ; and although they are now dry bones, buried in their graves, yet the Lord has promised and shall assuredly perform it, that He shall bring the dry bones together, bone to its bone ; that he shall put breath (spirit) into (hem, and that they shall arise a mighty nation — the whole House of Israel. The Lord has promised, and He shall assu- redly perform it, that He shall open their graves, the idolatrous nations among whom they are amal- gamated, or blended, out of sight and ken, and bring them to the Land of Israel, in a more exalted condition, and the enjoyment of more glorious pri- vileges, than their first condition, rank and states, could possibly afford. *' Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink ; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air : for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor ga- ther into barns : yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they ? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature ? And why take ye thought for raiment ? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow ; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, vvas not arrayed like one of these :" Mat. vi. 25. But of that parable, which undoubtedly applies to the scat- tered tribes, more may be advanced in the proper place : for I must leave them for a shori time in their sufferings and great tribulations — trodden un- der foot of the Gentiles, until the forty two months be fully accomplished upon them, and the times of the Gentiles be fully come : and still wait with ear- nest expectation for the manifestation of the Sons of God; and hopefully anticipate their ingathering from the North, and the South, from the East and 106 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. from the West, to sit down in the kingdom of their own Father, with Abralmm, Isaac, and Jacob, and with the general assembly of the Church of the first- born which is wirtlen in heaven ; again the peculiar people of God in higher condition and favour than language now can describe.—" Eve hath not seen, nor ear iieard, neither have entered into the hear! of man the things which God hath laid up for them that love him"— when the unclean and the uncircumcised shall no more pass through thom fo? ever— when sorrow and sighing shall flee away — and when all tears shall be wiped from all eyes and when there sliaii be nothing to hurt or to des- troy in all his holy mountain. I have hitherto confined my attention chiefly to the rise and progress of God's covenanted people through the two first dispensations, which truly abound in a multiplicity and profusion of sublime and glorious subjects for contemplation and delight- ful study : but on account of the object I had origi- nally in view, 1 could only travel hastily through, and sip a little of the honey, and cast an admiring eye upon the grandeur and elegance of the land- scape and stupendous fabric, and pass ol in silent homage to the Great First Cause of all things, the wise Disposer of all events : and join the heavenly throng in aspiring ejaculations and songs of praise to Him whose attributes are gloriously displayed in the grand d^ ign observable throughout, and in the con- sistency of all the parts of the whole plan of Provi- dence, as observable in the Holy Bible. " O Lord ! how manifold are thy workfj ! In wisdon hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches :*' " for tiiou art a great God, a mighty and a terrible." — i.i^« uii. ^ixjiiKJvs m iioijtifss; leaiiui m praises, doing wonders— great fear is due unto thee in the assembly of thy saints." "As we have heard, so have % riuM. SECOND DISPENSATION. 107 lorn of thfir i Jacob, and of the first- the peculiar favour thau Ih not seen, ;o the heart laid up for an and the gh thorn for flee away — all eyes — rt or to des- 1 chiefly to ited people vhich truly of sublime ind delight- I had origi- ly through, in admiring r the land- er, in silent things, the e heavenly of praise to lyed in the in the con- n of Provi- " O Lord ! 1 hast thou les:" "for errible." — in praises, hee in the rd, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of Hosts, in the city of our God : God will establish it forever. Selah. We have thought of thy loving kindness, O God ! in the midst of thy Temple. According to thy name, O God ! so is thy praise to the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. Let Mount £ion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her, tell the towers thereof, mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces, that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever ; He will be our guide even unto death." Tracing the progress of Zion, the city of our God, tlie Church, in contradistinction to another city, or Church, or idolatrous nations, among whom the tribes of God are mixed hitherto, has often occupied my attention with delight, and joyful anticipation of their final deliverance and complete emancipation ; buc alas ! the doleful notes of lamentation often fol- low the pleasures of joyful anticipation; adverse cha.iges uniformly attend the happiest moments of our earthly enjoyniep- tence,. and they cannot but say, with me, that it is time to be in reality alive to the great importance of the subject. In my hasty glancings over tht two :i 11^ THE SUBJECTS OF TIIE MlLLEIVSlUIff. preceding Dispensations, I kept in view a clear line ijS demarcation and distinction, between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, in the most necessary and prominent parts of their history and (rfiajacter, as far as that was competent for the plan I originally proposed to follow ; but after the twelve tribes of Israel, whom, during the continuance or their liistory I uniformly found to be the seed of the woman.— the good seed, the children of the king- dom, — were scattered abroad, and dispersed among- all luUions, the national distinction and contrast ernded with the ending of the commonwealth of Israel, and we have since to trace their eventful liistory and character from denunciations, predic- tions, and prophecies of future returning prosperity, and favorable acceptance with God. The national distinction of the tares also — the des- cendants of Cain, Ham, and Canaan his son — has ceased, as they are mixed in the field, the world, with the wheat, or good seed, declared in the parable to be the children of the Kingdom : and the condi- tion and destiny of the tares, or children of the wicked one, sown among the good seed, or chil- dren of the kingdom, are clearly and awfully pre- dicted in many pnrts of the Bible. And now, as my original proposition and object was to keep in view a clear line of distinction be- tvveeii the two contrasted families, as the Word of God, and their own dispositions and characters warranted: and as the express prohibition and inter- dict of the Word of God against the interniarriagei; cj the two families are uniformly expressed in the V/ord of God, the signal judgments of God, both by the flood, and by the Inial dispersion of the tiyelvo tubes, were the sad and awful consequences cJf their disrespect and disregard to the prohibitory 1#ws and decrees of Jehovah." And by those rcmark- rj'-' THIRD DISPENSATION. il5 Mc events they were easily traced in their several locations and nationahty — the disparity of God's dealings with them as two contrasted families, marks decisively the continuation of the enmity which God put between the serpent and the woman, and tire seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman ; because God is a righteous and a just God, and renders to every one according to disposition and its eflects. Such conclusion I have been led to, while I could examine and follow them in a national point of view-; and even in their dispersed and intermixed condi-' tion, they are distinguishable from the idolatrous nations among whom they dwelt, by promises of iavour and delirerances which are held out to them alone, of all the nations of the earth, as the covo- nanted f.cople of God, even in their distressed ccr^- dition; because the covenant of Jehovah cannot b« broken— and consequently, by the tenor of the c> venant, the good seed shall be preserved " until i\ui time to favor Zion be come, even the time that was set." They are still known to God, and although they are grossly intermixed with the nations of th« earth, yet '' the eyes of the Lord run to and fro ihrouiihout the earth, and are present everywhere, beholding the evil and the good," and although w« have lost sight ot them, as to the national co'iitrnst which we pointed out, while they were conspici'ons in t.'ieir peculiarly opposite characters and features, ret the Lord will prove to the astonished world Im own_ pertect omnipresence and omniscience, as well as /lis [Kirfect discernment between the evil and th« good, when tfie tares shall Imve. with Ifint «VnaT-\ti )U )een gathered into bundles to be burned, and th wheat, without li iered into the garner. one being lost, shal' have f ave uecn tl6 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. Even in their scattered, dispersed condition, the favourable eye of Jehovah is still upon them, and many gracious promises are held out to them by *he prophe*" of the Lord, from which the conviction is even forced in upon us, that they are still distin- guished by His all-seeing eye ; and therefore we must draw the unavoidable conclusion, that the twelve tribes of Israel are in such a condition that, even as fragments of the loaves which were blessed, and broken, and served out as food to the nations of the earth, they are distinguishable to the all-seeing eye of Jehovah, and preserved yet for glorious manifestations, mercy, and favour, as still the peculiar people of God. The prophets every where bear testimony to these assertions, and a spe- cimen of their language may be given in corrobora- tion : " Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God, Although 1 have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the coun- tries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come :" Ezek. xi. 16. Now, if they were not in being, and distinguishable, they could not possibly realize that promise of the Lord, and the following verse also of the same chap- ter, proves the merciful purposes of Jeliovah towards them, in the last days, as given also by Jesus Christ in the parable of ♦he tares and the wheat. In accordance with these views of favor, the Apostles were confined, in their ministerial services, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, so that a heavenly vision both to Cornelius and Peter was necessary, before the message of the Lord could be conveyed to Cornelius and his family, when the Lord was pleased to show them mercy. And be- sides that high mark of distinction and favor, Apos- tles were divinely directed to address their Epistles to them to continue the impression of God's favor THIRD DISPENSATION. 117 the the and mercy towards them in consequence of his covenant. " James a servant of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting:" Ja. i. 1. And Peter also seems to have had the same views of the abiding mercy of God towards them in his Epistolary address. " Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scatt'-ed throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknow- ledge of God the Father, through sanclification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ : grace be unto you and peace be multiplied :" Pet. i. 1. Therefore, although they at last were scattered abroad, and lost their superiority, and even equality, among the nations, yet they never lost their cove- nanted promises, and prospects of returning favor and prosperity. The ten tribes, as I formerly stated, were taken away captives from Samaria, by Shalma- neser. King of Assyria, about seven hundred and twenty years before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, and sunk deep among the idolatrous heathen, as into their graves — as if buried for ever from human kin, and from the favorable countenance of their own covenanted God ; but Jesus Christ holds out a prospect of recovery for them, when he speaks of tliem in favorable, endearing language. " And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold ; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice ; and there shall be one fold, one Shepherd :" John, x. 16. I am well aware that these other sheep are gene- rally considered the ancient idolatrous nations : but it must be remembered, that in the promises of the covenant, it is said to Abraham—" And nations shall come out of thee :" and also of Sarah, it is said '•She shall be the mother of nations;" therefore the distinction must still be kept and observed between 118 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM 1^' the ancient idolatrous nations, and the many nations o( the covenant descended from Abraham and Sarah. As the ten tribes had, long before that time, been outcasts among the idolatrous nations of the earth, Jesus Christ liad reference to the covenant, when he declared that he had other sheep, and that the terms of the covenant must be extended to them also, therefore he says, " them also I must bring, and there shall be one sheep-fold, one Shepherd.'' The tribe of Judah, the Jews, alone, were at that time under any semblance of constitution and go- vernment as a recognized nation and people, in the fold, the land of Canaan, the only covenanted land they could claim on the whole surface of the globe : tlie rest of his people, the ten iribes, or Ephraim, were outcasts from their fatherland ; yet in virtue of God's covenant, Jesus Clirist, the good Shepherd, claimed not only the fold, the land of Canaan, and the Jews, who, of ail the twelve tribes, then dwelt in it : but his compassion and tender regard are feel- ingly expressed towards tiic poor outcast ten tribes of Israel ; and they are tiierefore included with the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, the Jews, whom ho recognized and countenanced as his people, even ir» their grossly mixed condition, and holds out to them the same prospect of final restoration and covenan- ted blessings. We behold that mutual prospect for all the tribes of Israel, without partiality or any respect of persons, held out, not only by Jesus Christ in person, but also by the mouth of all His holy prophets, of winch a few specimens may be given from their own wri- tings, as handed down to us in the Holy Bible. In f^nlnmnn's snhlirrtp nnrl Inftv nrnnliofir» r>»-o»ror ivk<3n dedicating the Temple at Jerusalem, the place ^ ^M " chose that His name should dwell ther( IXjli I THIED DI3PENSATI0N. sipeaks in plain express terms of what is also foretold by Moses in the twenty-eighth chapter of Deutero- nomy, where the awful, heart-rending denunciations of God's wrath, are portrayed in language which proves what the unspeakable sufferings of God'a ancient, covenanted people have hitherto beea. Moses was commissioned to denounce the evils which have surely come upon that devoted people m full measure; and again, Solomon is divinely commissioned and influenced to prophesy of returrji- ing favor and prosperity, after ihat has come upon them which was threatened : " If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,f and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the euemy, so that they carry them away captives mito the land of the enemy, far or near ; yet if they shall beihink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them cap- tjves, saying. We have sinned, and have done perver- sely, we have committed wickedness ; and so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul,in the land of their enemies which led them away cap- tive, and pray unto thee toward their land which thou gavest unto their fathers, tlie city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name : then hear thou their prayer and their supplica- tion in heaven thy dwelling-place, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them : for they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou .^.n--«^tiiT^ji lui iji uui \ii xjg)|jL iiuiii iiju iniusi 01 me furnace of iron, &c." 1 Kings, vjii, 46, dw;. 120 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM ,' Now, both the misery threatened by Moses, and the prospect of returning favor and prosperity pro- phetically prayed for by Solomon, in the beautifully encouragmg passage I have quoted, are contained in the wonderfully comprehensive parable of the pro- digal son. The abject, destitute condition of Eph- raim, the ten tribes, is fully illustrated in the parable or condition of the prodigal son : and their condition about the very time of their restoration— -the manner of acceptance— and their joyful millennial condition, are fully expressed in the honorable, respectful treatment which the prodigal son met with on his restoration to the favor and loving embrace of his father. Let the thirty-seventh chapter of Ezekiel also be carefully perused, and compared with these views ; a^d let the condition of the dry bones in the valley of vision be carefully considered— and they are very many, and very dry— and learn from thence the condition of the ten tribes— their contradistinction from all the nations of the earth, which are merely their graves, or hiding-places, until the indignation be overpast— and behold also from the treatment of the dry bones, the sure prospect of deliverance for the .en tribes. And observe, again, the joining of the sticks into one in the hand of the prophet, and understand from that the uniting of the ten outcast tribes with dispersed Judah, under the gov- ernment of Immanuel— as one sheep-fold, one Shep- herd— and one King shall be King over them all- even David their King, whom the Lord shall raise up unto them. These prophetic transactions are not yet accom- plished and fulfilled ; therefore we are authorised and encouraged in lur iimir ac- complishment, for they are not placed by inspira- tion of God in the Holy Bible to suit common. THIRD DISPENSATIOlf. * 121 and unimportant events ; but are God's ways of keeping up the distinction between His own covenanted people, and the uncircumcised heathen among whom they dwell, in their outcast, abject, miserable condition, in order to enable us still to trace them in the descriptive character given of them in the Holy Bible, even after we lost sight of them in their na- tional distinction, as the people of God's covenant. Isaiah, also, bears his testimony to the same views, as taught by the same Spirit : — '•' And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people ; to it shall the Gentiles seek : and his rest shall be glorious : and it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Gush, and from Elam, and from Shinar,and from Hamath, and from the Islands of the sea. And He shall set up an en- sign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim :" Isaiah, xi. 10. I understand, then, that the other sheep which the Lord Jesus, the Shepherd, said He had, and promi- sed also to bring, that there might be one sheep-fold, one Shepherd, are Ephraim, the dry bones, the pro- digal son, the ten outcast tribes of Israel ; and not, as many suppose, the ancient idolatrous nations ; and therefore I treat the subject the more particularly as referable to the ten outcast tribes, as they have been long a lost people, blended and commixed with the other nations of the earth, as a people long for- saken of their God, and forgotten of their friends, iim TUB iVBliCtt or TtlB MlLtENNIUM. s ool .. .f'*l"^"°" '""f n°' generally been under- thin^' nf ' !i ."*"{ ""''^ P'"*""'"" "• '^""'^ ^ome- tbing of Judah, showed total ignorance of the brJ T. P'^T"^' "f "'<= 'on outcast tribes of Urael. 1 hey are God's hidden ones, and therefore the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." The time to avor them is come, e-en the time that was set, and tiie.r deliverance and restoration shall be according to the promises of God, held out to lliem in such 1 r nlT I'"' '^•''"'P^'"^ P'-""Wes as the parable of the prodigal son-tlie parable of the tares and the wheat-by which a clear lino of demarcation is observable, as maintained in the whole historical delineation of the two families whose fate and destiny aie herein predicted. To search for the ten outcast Uibes of Israel, as if they were a distinct, separate people, ,„ small or large parcels, or commuS! roves Ignorance of their condition.— To look fo^ then, as a visible, recognizable people, or class, or caste of people, would appear to those who under- stand, by the accounts of the Holy Bible, their ure- «ent commiMd, blended condilion wiih all the nations of the earth, as looking for the bodies of the dtad, which are buried in their graves, somewhere on the surface of the ground. God has declared that he shall open the graves of his people, and cause hem to come up out of theirgraves, and bring them to the land of Israel ; and feed them as a Sheolicrd doth his flock." Surely then, God does not direct men to be at great trouble and expense in searchinir or them in remote, barbarous, or desert wilds, when •e has otherwise determined, and otherwise revealed to us in Hjs holy Word. " Pride, self-consequence, and presumption, drive inany oi tliose who handle this subject far beyond the simplicity of the truth. To their extravagant 'f ''^^samaam THIRD DISPENSATION. 123 fancy, thcie is not enough of the marvellous and sublime; to tlieir depraveil, vitiated taste, the suh- liine, heavenly truths of tlie Bible, are deemed vul- gar, unpolished, antiquated phrases, and notions unsuitable to the present advanced state of society in the arts, and sciences, and philosophic lore : and therefore they overlook, what must appeal to every man of sound judgment, correct taste, and spiritual understanding, and discernment, the most satisfac- tory revelation, in beautiful, sublime strains, of the most important subjects, which could be proposed for llie contemplation of the human iiitellect. Such pride and self-conceit must be humbled, and be brought to the level of the simple truth of the Holy Bible, before they can either know the Lord's pur- pose in scattering and dispersing His people, or the manner in which He has purposed to gather them, and to receive them into favor and acceptance. Some doubt their ingathering — others deny it alto- gether, as an impossibility—while others, for the sake of character and credit, pretend to believe the doctrine of the ingathering, ' and therefore busy liiemselves much about the doctrine, and plans of search, and the means to be used for the desirable object, but are at the same time as ignorant of the sub- ject as those who take no interest" in it. The Lord hipnself has promised to eflect their deliverance in His own time and way. " He tiiat scattered Israel shall gather him, and keep him as a Shepherd doth his flock, for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ran- somed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the good- ness of the Lord, for wheat, and"" for wine, and for ""■! ••" "^"^ rwuii^ ui lilt; iiucK uiiu ui iHC ncru ; and their soul shall be as a watered garden : and they shall not sorrow any more at ell :" Jer. xxxi. I ^si ■vn 124 fHE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. i^HnM ,^'''' '" .^^' ^^^^ Scriptures throughout, ml * . u ^°^^"^"t may be recognized and known, may it not be expected that their ingathering shall be distinguished by extraordinary, supernatural, and special dealings, and manifestations of divine favor and acceptance ? The Scriptures warrant the expec tation PS the pre-millennial signs and preparations TJT u ""^r ^^'' ^ ^'agnitude,^nd terrific dia acter, when the tares are gathered into bundles ^ be burned, and the wheat into the garner. 1 heir ingathering, it may be expected, shall be in its character, and in its concomitant, awful destruc- or d'rU'^ , '1?M ' ^'^"^ ^'^'^'^ ^^"^^^"y anticipated o dreaded The visitation to the covenanted peo- ple themselves will be glorious ; whereas, to their enemies, the tares, by the accounts in the Bible of w]?pn ' tT '^''f ' ,I'r '''''' ^""^^ ^'' t^"'y terrific : «^hen There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon and in the stars ; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity ; the sea and the waves roaring; men s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the An \'^ ' ! ";, T'''''' ^^ ^^^^'^"^'^ ^'^^'^ be shaken, ^nd then shall they see the Son of Man coming? in these things begin to come to pass, then look up, I Z \ "Z'/^"' ^'"^^^ 5 lor your redemption dravv^ •tthn.gh: Lukexxi.25. Such are the tremendous terrific views given in the Bible, of the end of the world, or harvest ; but I must defer their further con- .^ideration until we come to that stage of the procuress when that part of the subject, the sic^ns ol the times,' require to be advanced ; and in the mean time con- t^inue the illustration of the subiprt Hnrino. tUr. n^.,.„i I l>ispensation, as f did through the two former (•'/ joghout, I he peo- known, shall be ral, and ne favor 3 expec- arations i terrific bundles garner. >e in its lestruc- cipated sd peo- their 3ible of errific ; in the iistress waves nd for on the haken. ing in r/hen )k up, dravv- ndous, of the r con- >gress, times, 1 con- ormcr THIRD DISPENSATIDN. tIDn 125 Dispensations, in showing something of the delinea- tion of character and disposition, by which the two contrasted families of Cain and Seth, may be cer- tainly distinguished. I have said that the prodigal son in the parable, and his condition, represent the ten outcast tribes of Israel in every vicissitude and feature of their cha- racter, until they are received into favor— until the lost is found, and the dead is alive. " For if the cast- ing away of them, be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead ? For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy : and if the root be holy, so are the branches :" Rom. xi. 15. The Jews, as to the outward forms of their own religion, never left their father's house; they have still the law and the prophets ;— they o\>- serve the Jewish sacrament of circumcision ;— and thus they serve their father in the field, thouj^h not in the house— they practise according to the Mosaic ritual, although not according to the precepts of the Gospel ; but Ephraim, the prodigal son, the ten tribes have been outcasts, in their graves, the anci- ent idolatrous nations among whom they have sunk out of sight, without Bible, Circumcision or Pass- over, or any discriminating mark of separation, for nearly two thousand six hundred years; and no wonder they should be very many, and very drv, bones m the valley of vision— no wonder they should be ready to die with hunger, like the prodi'-al son ■ but now is the time represented by that part of th€ condition of the prodigal son, when he began to '•come to himself;" a true sign that their '^redemption draweth nish" — that iiu> l.nrA ic Npfrinr^ir,^ u ♦„ their graves, that they may be brought out of their y:raves, and be led to the land of Israel— a "rcat army— the whole house of Israel fH I i2« TDE SUEJ 'Rts OF THE MILLENNllM. Haying thus far established my proposition with regard to the recovery of the ten tribes of Israel, br We from the dead ; I shall return to the doctrinji O.stinction which is ever, even in (heir commiied con< mon obsorvcd between those two contrasted families o Cain and Sell,, that it may be clearlT proved and established, liiat God's omniscience stiM races and marks the on, throughout tlie Gospel Dispensation, as ^u^\ „ hroujhout the two preceding dispsnsations, whe„ by national peculiarities, they were distinguishable. i he distinction is not conspicuous to man since th* 3nlermi.xture took place ; but " the eyes of the Lord run to and Iro tlirougliout the earth, and are ther»- iZ,v''Tl 'T^'"^!'"'' ''<=h°lrf^"g 'he evil and tl« good -beholding the two contrasted families repre- i>ented by tares and wheat. God has them slill pro- served, and visible to Himself ,n His all-scrutiniiine eye, as much in individuality as they possibly could be m their nationality ; for the smallest particle or atom of creation is dislinclly visible to Him " who seeth in secret ;" and IVoih whose all-seeing eyer- '.olhtng can be concealed. David, in the book of 1 salms, gives a beautiful expansion of that subieri, >n Ins sublime eulogy on the omniscience an,l oLC presence ot Jehovah ; the whole may be too ie,lioit, Un the reader of this work, at the time of his oer'.^ «il lhe»*of ; and as access may be had to it at' anv tune ol eonven.ence, a few veises inav sulTice in this l->!.e> '-Whiiher shall I go Iron, Thy Spirl: " "inther shall 1 liee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into |,eave„ Thou art there; if I m^kc mv'bed '", -lU.ehold, Thou a,t there. If I take the winas o( llic morning, ami duell in (he uttermost pans of he sea ; even there shall Thy han.l l.ad n e, and h.y ri.ot h.,,d shall hold me. If 1 sav, suie Iv the <.arkiicss i:iiiVl cover fiwj ; even tl;u ni^ht o Uw :n. jitioD with Israel, by doctrinal :omraiied 'ontrasted )o cletirlr ierice stifl f distino- fis well a.1! ns, vvlieti :u is liable- since tlni the Lord re thert- and tli« es repre- still pro- utinizing »ly could irticle or " '•' who ng eyes l)ook of subjef^t, d omijj,. tedioiw is perik- at any ? in this irit ? or atjcenci my bed i wintiN oar Is of le, niid ely tliK ■ ■ KJ ^ THIRT' MSPESSATION. 127 right about me ; yea, the darkness hidcth not from, Ihee butthe night shineth as the day : the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee. For Thou hast possessed my reins : Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise Thee, for I am tear ully and wonderfully made : marvellous ere Thy ^oTks ; and that my soul knoweth right well :" Pfrii. cxxxix. 7, &c. That is a mite of an inspired wri- ters views and knowledge of the omniscience and omnipresence of Jehovah, which can very oppof- tunely and aptly be applied to the subject of my discussion with regard to the individual existence and visibility of the covenanted people of God to Ills all-seeing eyes. And they must always stand as two distinct contrasted families in His sight, as by reason of their two opposite, innate disposition^ hey never can be blended or amalgamated, so as to lose their peculiar individuality of nature and cha^ racier— good and evil must always continue as two contrasted objects-and therefore the family of Cain, and the family of Seth, although mixed in the same ne d, as tares and wheal, yet retain their innate natures, quahties, and dispositions, in the sight of , ^od, so that their separation, to Him, is no insolu- 15'e problem : to Him all things are possible. The wicked have no covering by which they can con«.al themselves from His omniscience; -'for His eye* are upon the ways of luan, and Ho seeth all his cy>.. Jngs: there IS no darkness, nor shadow of death vvhero the workers of inix|uity may hide themselves--' Job, xx-xiv. 21-2:2. Thus we may easily and satis- -actonly arrive at the conclusion, that the two fnn.l^ lies. althniH'h rriivprl r,-- tis— " ■---.-1 «-k- * • ' r ] i I ~ 'i ' U3 larc.T u;id wheat, in ine sauj-c* Ueld, t.ie world, have not lost their individuality of dispositions and characters in the sight of (iod so that according to the parable of the^are. and 'i|ie wheat, they shall be both dealt with as drclarod by 128 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNlUiL Jesus Christ; « when they shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of live and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of daamation " John, v. 29 : or the tares to be burnt, and the wheat into the garner. '' And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which stanceth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time • and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to sname and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise, shall shine with the brightness of the firma- ment ; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever:" Dan. xii. 1-3. 11. In the farther prosecution of the subject I have to consider the covenanted people as gros'slr intermixed with the nations, and therefore wofullf dehled, polluted, and corrupted, and vetdistinffuisli able in the sight of God, as his own covenanted people. It may be alleged, that the Jews are still a sepa- rate and distinct people and nation, although dis^» persed among the nations; " because to them> were committed the oracles of God," and because thev ^dve an outward show of obedience to the requisn fions ot the Decalogue ; but thev also are a mixed people— the seed of the serpent found its way early to them, as well as to the ten tribes. It is true there was,a remnant claiming alBnity to Abraham, and descent from him, until Jesus Christ, to whom thev , ,.8..;5^ v.iv«ini^, i-v iii3 uvvii omniscience de- tected them, and proved their pretensions to be false. He knew, although the seed of the serpent should lurk in secret places, that their origin was . 4 f I JiL THIRD DISPENSATION. 129 Tih; they n of live ; surrection es to be "And at at Prince >ple; and lever was toe time: ed, every )k. And the earth 1 some to :hey that he firma- usness as ubject, I s grossly ! vvofully tinguisti- 'enanted I a sepa- igh dis^'* im werQ ise they reqHisH a mixed ly early le there nn, and •m they ice d9- to be serpent ^in was from Cain, and that those of their whom he repro- ved for their false pretensions, were the tares among the wheat, while at the same time the malignant poison of their serpentile disposition, rankled in deadly spite against all goodness, and even against Himself, the Prince of Life. " They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them. If ye were Abraham's children ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man who hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God : this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication, we have one father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your father, ye would love me : for I proceeded forth and came from God ; neither came I of myself, but He I sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech, even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are cf your father the devil, and the lustsof your father ye will do : he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth. When he speaketh a he, he speaketh of his own : for he is a liar, and the i lather of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye * believe not:" John, viii. 39. . Let it not be supposed that Jesus Christ, by his reasoning with the Jews in that chapter, when deli- neating the character and depicting the foul extrac- tion and murderous disposition of His opponents, intended to rob God, or to divest the glorious Cre- ator of His inalienable prerogative ; and to invest the evil spirit with the power of creation : nor to hold him forth as the maker of any being that has human faculties and rational human intellect : nor let it be supposed that he meant a renovation of nature, when he speaks of the children of Abraham, as if he meant the spiritual seed in this first charge : " if ye were the children of Abraham, ye would do 10 '' r- ;H' Ml n I r I i i 'H 130 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENN1U3I. the works of Abraham." Now tlie works of Abra- ham are these :— " I know him, saith tlie Lord, that lie will command his chihhen and his housholcl after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do jiislice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that which He hath spoken of him:" Gen. xviii. 19. In that He clearly refers to the covenant engage- ments under wiiich Abraham and his lineal descend- ants, by ordinary generation, were placed. And thus he gives a description of the alluvial, fertile nature of the soil in that quarter, — the kindly, bene- volent disposition of the descendants of Abraham the seed of the woman — in contradistinction to the malevolent, murderous disposition of the descend- ants of cursed Cain — the seed of the serpent. And in the second charge, he alludes to the principle of love to be found in all who are begotten of God, and are His children by the new birth— the spiritual seed of Abraham, on whom the stamp and image of their father is to be discovered and ascertained. " God is love, and they that dwell in love dvvel' in God, and God in them." To those He manifestly alludes, when He says, '' If God were your father,'ye would love me ; for I proceeded forth, and came from God : neither came I of myself, but He sent me." Hereby " He put them to the test of the Word of God, either as the children of Abraham by ordinary generation, or the children of God by supernatural, spiritual generation ; therefore His decision is just when lie says that they are of their own father, the devil. Many passages of Scripture might be adduced in confirmation of the decision thus passed, although thcsimple asseveration of Jesus Christ ought to be perfectly sufficient ; but to show that His immediate followers held the self same views, condemnatory of the assertions of the malicious Jews — " Whosoever THIRD DISPENSATION'. l.'^l of Abra- ord, that lousliold lie Lord, lay br'in^ of him:" engage- Jescend- rl. And I, fertile ly, bene- rail am — )ii to the Jescend- t. And iciple of iod, and tual seed of their " God is iod, and alludes, 'e would )m God ; Hereby d, either leration, spiritual ^'hen lie le devil, luced in ilthough ^ht to be imediate latory of losoever beiievelh that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God : and every one thatloveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him ;" I John, v. J. When Jesus proved their first claim of affinity to Abraham to be false, and unfounded in truth, 'by their own malicious disposition, and murderous conduct, they had recourse to the second argument; anxious to prove their descent either froni Abraham, by ordi- nary generation, or from God, by spiritual genera- tion ; but in both attempts they were completely foiled, and beaten out of both positions — both at- tempts vvtH-e equally futile and abortive, because the principle of love was not found in them: neither could their conduct bear the trial, as having any simi- larity to the conduct of the two classes of which they vainly attempted to prove themselves ; therefore they had to shrink back from their heavenly preten- sions, to the vile and malevolent caste to which it was proved upon them that they belonged. Because, says He, <' If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God : this did not Abraham." And in the other case—" If God were your father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." Thus then Jesus Christ himself drew the true line of demarcation and distinction between Cain's line of descendants, and the oftspring of Seth— Abra- ham's seed by ordinary generation : and as in the parable under the designation of tares and wheat, to be permitted to grow together in the same field' the world, until the day of the harvest. " Lift ud vour eyes '•-—•-../.., . . . . . ^'J fnip triu (^t\\^l in nl or i 1- ii\-iu !3 awOuuy J vv understand Jesus Christ rvest. hiiu unto the imr\ meaning, when He said, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do," to be, as it may otherwise be H I >■'. WUVIWUPJl i ; 132 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. expressed, or paraphrased — Ye are neither of Abra- ham by ordinary generation, nor the children of God by extraordinary generation ; but ye are of your father the devil — Cain the murderer — and the lusts of your father ye will do ; ye shall kill me, as your father Cain did to Abel, my prototype in suffering death ; so the lusts of your father ye will do. Now as I showed above the works of Abraham, by which they were proved, by a negative proposition, not of the descendants of Abraham, it remains for me now to prove the similarity of disposition and character which exists between them and their father the devil, or Cain the murderer. '^ And Cain talked with Abel his brother ; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him :" Gen. iv. 8. The Jews were talking with Jesus, as did Cain with his brother Abel, premeditating his death, as did Cain. " And Jesus saith unto them. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that told you the truth, which I have heard of God ; this did not Abraham." Thus proving their disposition diametrically opposite to the disposition naturally to be expected in the children of the cove- nant — the offspring of Abraham, whom God blessed. *' Ye do the deeds of your father." As Cain did, ye premeditate to do, and ye shall be permitted lo perpetrate the murder, which was significantly typi- fied by the murder of righteous Abel, by your mur- derous father the devil, Cain the murderer; for the Scripture must be fulfilled in my death. These predictions were accomplished, as may be fully and clearly read in the evangelical narration. Cain slew his brother Abel in the field ; so the Jews slew or crucified Jesus Christ, without the walls of Jerusa- lem, under the same pretence, or rather by the same enmity : because the type and antitype were both righteous j and because they, en the other hand, THIRD DISPENSATION. 133 corresponded in enmity, and malice, and in the infernal, murderous disposition of the devil. Although hitherto this way of discussing the sub- ject, appears satisfactory ; yet instances may be given more fully than in ordinary discussions ; be- cause the subject is of vast importance, a full deve- lopment may be required. There are many, who presume to be expounders of the Scriptures of truth, who hold a system, on this subject, wholly reversive of these views which I find opening up to me, as I progress in my present prosperous journey, along the line of connection in the history of these two contras- ted families ; but those counter-systems shall be treated in due time and place as they deserve : in the mean time, I shall adduce two examples of un- doubted authority, where the seed of the serpent, of the lineage of Cain, the devil, were exhibited in the very disposition and character of their father ; and where they were actually patronymically nominated by Jesus Christ, in the one case, and by the Apos- tle Paul in the other. '* Jesus answered them. Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil :" John, vi. 70. I am aware that many attach no fur- ther meaning to that declaration of the woful con- dition of the person alluded to, than as it may apply to the treacherous disposition of Judas Iscariot, with- out any consideration of his origin or descent ; but after tracing the seed of the serpent in the suc- cessive generations of the descendants of Cain, I believe that Jesus made reference to the descendants of Cain, as he did when reasoning with the Jews ; find therefore classed him with his brethren of the same stock ; although we may be allowed to show flPnrPftfi nr Hpni-aviti/ artA nrrrrvaxraiaA rvn.l* nm^^^ the same wicked fraternity. The Apostle Paul, also met and distinguished another of them, when he said, "O full of all subtilty and mischief! thou IM THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. i I < r ; . i id I f f f ' '■ 1 child of the devil; thou enemy of all righteousness; wilt thou not cease to pervert the ri^^ht ways of the Lord ? And now, behold ! the hand of the Lord is on thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist, and a darkness; and he wont about seeking some to lead him by the hand:" Acts xiii. 10-11. Now when disposition, discoverable in conduct and actions, is taken as the criterion of decision, and the Bible used as the rule of judgment, the result, with regard to our present enquiry and research, will be found more satisfactory, than at first might be supposed. The result of the whole enquiry will be found to be, that the enmity which was originally put between the serpent and the woman, and be- tween the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, still exists between them ; and that we have now to trace them in the Bible according to the de- velopment of disposition, conduct, and character, by which alone they are discoverable, until the Lord, by His unerring discrimination, shall mark them for their fate and destiny, at the time alluded to in the parable, Jesus, when disputing with the Pharisees, addres- sed them in their real character and disposition. — *' Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell ?" He knew not only their dispositions and characters, but Ho also knew Iheir fate and destiny. He recognized in them the seed of the serpent. He knew them to be the des- cendants of Cain, and that they would kill Him, as their primogenitor and father slew Abel ; and IhereJ fore it was no difficult thing for Him to know their fate, and to express it, as is significantly done in the awful question, " How can ye escape the damnatiou of hell ?" Thoy were under the curse, as the des- cendants of cursed Cain and cursed Canaan, and it J THIRD DISPENSATION. 135 and as therefore doomed and destined to be gathered into Ijundles and burnt; and how conld they escape? That question stands unanswered in the Bible, and therefore we may, at this day, deem it unanswerable. Plans for converting tares into wheat, may appear pretty generous and gracious ; but if they stand not the test of the Word of God, they must be shuifled out of the way. to make room for the decrees of God, in the fate and destiny of the tares and wheat, as two distinctly separate portions of the inhabitants of the globe. We have no account of any of the Council, or Sanhedrim, of the Jews, who did not assent to His death, but Nicodemus, and Joseph of iVrimathea, who were his disciples, but privately, for fear of the Jews ; and these alone showed sympathy, and kindness, and respect to His memory, in bestow- ing funeral obsequies on His mangled body, which they obtained for burial, and wrapped in clean linen, and laid in a new grave, cut out of tiie rock, where- in no man previously lay. Therefore we may rea- sonably conclude that these two discipl'^s were of His brethren — of the covenanted seed, the descend- ants of Abraham — -tfie children of the kingdom. Their sympathy and kindly disposition, agreed with the character of the rest of tiieir brethren of the same extraction ; and they showed not the virus and subtle poison by which the rest of the Sanhedrim of the Jews made a full discovery of their nature and extraction from their father, the devil, as he who suffered under their malicious, cruel sentence, pre- viously declared. And we have no account, or Scriptural authority, by which we can prove that any of the Sanhedrim of the Jews, who sat in judgment on the blessed, innocent JpSUS WPfe pnu f liinf bu<" what liA rnrmprlir J _ .. J ^ . ._J _ .. « ^ .,,. ,,J declared them to have been — serpents and the generation of vipers — the descendants of their own 'J til Mi m im THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. father the devil—Cain the murderer. And for fur- ther confirmation of these assertions, read the fol- Jowmg passage of the language of inspiration: And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets oi tlic great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Aigypt, where also our Lord was crucified;" Rev. x 8 1 ^^'^^ Vt^'^^ formerly proved that Egypt was the land of Ham, and that Ham was a descendant of Cam under the curse : and that the Canaanites, the descendants also of Cain under the same curse, winch was perpetuated in Canaan, the son of pro- lane Ham, were the inhabitants of the countries where Sodom and Gomorrah stood, the two cities which perished, when God rained fire and brimstone upon them, for their wickedness, and the abomina- tions of their depraved, cursed natures, which mani- lested and proved their extraction from their own lather the devil— and such is declared by Jesus Christ to have been the satanic nature and disposi- tion ot the Pharisees who contended against him • and such was sadly proved to have been the dispo- sition and nature of the council, or Sanhedrim of the Jews, who crucified the Lord of Glory. And now It must be manifest to every one, whose eyes the God ol the world has not blinded, that God by Jesus Christ revealed to John, that they were of the seed of the serpent who crucified Jesus o^ Nazareth. That the covenanted people of God, who were ever strictly prohibited from intermixture with the idolatrous heathen, had admitted the seed of the serpent, by illegal, interdicted marriages with the nations among whom they dwelt; and that therefore the enmity which God had put originally between the serpent and the woman, and between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, now manifested itself afrainat Hun xtrUn. ;« .^— ^ : i ,i . - . __ ,,„„ „,,.^ „ ^^^,^^^^^^^^^.^^^y jj^_ ^^^^ ^. ^.^^ woman, who was originally appointed to bruise the THIRD DISPENSATION. 137 for fur- the fol- iration : reets oi om and EiV. X. 8. was the dant of tes, the curse, of pro- untries cities mstone omina- mani- r own Jesus isposi- t him ; dispo- of the 1 now es the Jesus 3ed of That trictly itrous It, by mong nmity rpent rpent itself f the e the head of the serpent. It made its appearance in all ages and generations of the mankind on earth, as I have shown by adducing and instancing a few pro- minent collateral cases : but against Jesus Christ it seems, that the enmity mustered the whole force and strength of the powers of darkness, in order, if pos- sible, to crush all goodness, and to master the very Prince of Life— the Author of all goodness himself; and to obtain a complete counter-balance and as- cendancy in favour of the Prince of the power of the air—the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. '' Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. lie that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh : the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak to tliem in his wrath, and vex tliem in His sore displeasure:" Psalm, ii. \,Slc. But although His enemies raged tumultuously agamstHim, they could have ''no power against Him except it were given to them from above," as He hnnself declared to Pilate, and as He declares plainly and fully in the following passage:— '*No man taketh my life from me, I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." And again, " [ am the good Shepherd ; the good Shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep." The great city, Jerusalem, where stood in majes- tic grandeur the Temple of God, the pride of the whole earth, where God appointed that His name should dwell, was, at that time, become Sodom and Egypt, through the means of the mass of the people of those perverse and adulterous nations am.ong whom the people of God were interwoven and iii^ corporated, almost to their extinction, while the THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM W"^' people of the nations were occupying their places, and filling up that noble, and once holy city, Jeru- am"^' ^'^'' ^^^ uncircumcised in heart and ears. '' Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of thy terrible one shall be as chaff that passeth away : yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly:" Isa. xxix. 5. And thus on account of the multitude of their strangers, and of their terrible ones, the enmity had arrived at its highest pitch of rancorous malevolence, when Jesus Christ himself was sent by the Father into the world. It never ceased to prove its origin and murderous designs, from its first appearance in the world, until it dared to face, in hostile form and deadly malice, the very Son of God himself. The prophets and messengers of heaven had formerly to encounter the implacable enemies of all goodness ; and at last, although God, in His mercy and compassion, and loving kindness, was pleased to send His only Son Jesus Christ into the world, )et no respect was paid to His high and heavenly origin and descent, al- though He ever maintained that He was the Son of God, sent as the mighty deliverer of His people, Israel. " Hear another parable : there was a cer- tain house holder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a wine-press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country : and when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the hus- bandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another. Again he sent other ser- vants, more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, '""j'"6> ■»-''*^j "J" icvciciici; niy auij. jDui wnen me husbandmen saw the son, they said among them- selves. This is the heir ; come, let us kill him, and THIRD DISPENSATION. J 39 and seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do to those husbandmen r They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their season :" Matt. xxi. 33, &c. The progress of mixture and blending with the nations, which I have been tracing, after all the evils and opposition to the purposes of Jehovah, of which Jesus complained in that parable, had so far advan- ced, that Jesus, who knew their adulterated condi- tion, gave the description of the state of His people, which is expressively contained in the parable of the tares and the wheat. '• The holy seed have mingled themselves," Ezra. ix. 2 : although the Lord decla- res by the mouth of His servant Jeremiah, that " He had planted them wholly a right seed :" Jer. ii. 21. And therefore it is necessary at this stage of pro- gress, to give rather more expanded illustrations of the subject than may be necessary in minor and less important parts of the discussion. For although it be necessary to preserve a distinct line of separation, in the general treatment of the subject, yet there are cases where charges are brought against them as a body politic, although the horrid enmity of the seed of the serpent be not found in the true line of pro- mise, any farther than what is caused by the pollu- tions they must have received from their connection with the uncircumcised heathen nations. The ten tribes rejected the Messiah, when they were separa- ted from the tribe of Judah, of whom Christ came, by Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, and they were led away by him to Samaria, and when he set up the calves of Bethaven as their god, to whom they were taught to give a species of 140 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM worship and godly honors ; and " when all Israel saw that the King hearkened not unto them, the people answered the King, saying, What portion have we in David ? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse : to your tents, O Israel ; now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents :" 1 Kings, xii. 16. And when they vociferated against the holy, innocent Jesus, " Away with him! crucify him! crucify him !" they not only rejected him, but also became guilty of his death, by their mean and servile compliance with the seed of the serpent, whom Jesus himself had marked out as such, whose enmity premeditated His death, when He declared that they were of their own father the devil, and that the lusts of their father they would do. And now was their hour and the hour of the powersjof darkness, and what they maliciously premeditated, they now found means to perpetrate; He came to do the will of his Father, and the will of their father they did, as Jesus formerly had declared to them. "There- fore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh It from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have povyer to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father:" John, x. 17. Peter therefore charged his death against the whole nation, in his all-ccnvincing sermon on the day of Pentecost. "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ :" Acts ii. 'S6. VVliatever number of exceptions tlieremay have been among them, from tlio murderous tares, or descendants of Cain, his death is charged against all the house of Israel, as a national act. And theretbre they are, as a nation which was under covenant to God as their King, charged with a sore breach of loyalty and allegiance THIRD DISPENSATION. 141 It to their lawful Sovereign Lord and King : and we find, that they could not withstand the faithful charge to that effect, brought against them by Peter. The awful deed was perpetrated — Christ was crucified and slain — and whether Peter's hearers on that day vociferated with the rest or not, they could not re- but the charge as a national act, — they could not refer to any protest against the act of their rulers, nor vindicate their own silence; therefore their con- science testified against them, when the charge was brought fully and faithfully against them, and there- fore "they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter, and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" "Shall I crucify," saith Pilate, "your king?" "we have no king but Cajsar," vociferated his enemies ; and at the time of that pub- lic rejection, his enemies were in power, so that his timid followers were too weak and powerless to counteract the awful decision of that in.portant hour. Pilate alone, as far as we are led by histori- cal facts, protested to his innocence ; and when he could not prevail against the weight of their malig- nant rage, which he attempted to contend against, in vindication of his own conduct, he took water in their presence, and, washing his hands, said, " I am clear of the blood of that innocent person, see ye to il ; and they said, Let his blood be upon us, and upon our children :" Mat. xxvii. 24, 25. Awful as that sell-imprecation may appear, more awful have their sufferings, and the sufferings of their children, been, in consequence thereof, for upwards of eighteen hundred years, than human mind can conceive, or tongue utter: Read the cata- logue of thfiir snirf'rlnaa in fhp f u/nn^-'.oirrhilj r,Ur,n^ j_, - — Ci"' '" "" ' •-■SQiis.ii i-iiap— ter of Deuteronomy, and from that, dread a rejection now, as still more awful, as bringing these sufferings in full weight and measure, not only in this world, i 14-2 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM- !jut also in tlie world to come, without end. The sufferiniTs wiiich came upon the twelve tribes in their rejected, scattered condition, as a national catastropiie, have an end, as foretold in many parts of the Holy Bible ; but rejection under the Gospel call, will brinu^ endless misery, without any promise, or prospect of deliverance, either here or hereafter ; as "there is no salvation in any other, and as there is no other name given among men under heaven, whereby we must be saved." When God wrote the second commandment, he had the wol'id revolt of the Jews, and their final rejection of Jesus, in view ; and what the tribes of Israel have long- been siiftering, appears to me to- have been shadowed forth in the language of that commandment. " For I am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and shewing mercy to thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments." If the interpo- lated word, "generation," which is not in the origi- nal, and which is therefore found, in our translation, in Italic letters, were sup[)lanted by the word " dis- pensation," then in the beginning of the third dis- pensation, the iniquity of the fathers would be seen no longer visited on the thousands of the children the Jewish converts to Christianity ; and at the be- ginning of the Fourth, or Millennial Dispensation, it might be expected, that the iniquity of the l\uhers would no longer be visited on any of the children of those Jewish revolters from one end of the earth lo the other; but that they all would be forgiven, and be gathered home, from the North, and from the South, from the East and from the West, to sit down in their heavenly Father's kingdom, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and with the general THIRD DISPENSATION, 143 assembly and churd\ of the first born that is written in heaven, until there should be one sheep-fold, one Shepherd. Thb law was given to them under the second dis- pensation ; the revolt and apostacy from the worship of God, to the mixed, idolatrous worship, as well ai* the rejection of the Messiah, took place also during the second or Mosaic Dispensation ; and therefore the curses that were denounced against their dere- liction of duty, and their declension from the laws, ol their God, fell heavily upon thetn, and have been continued in unrelaxed severity, ns threatenoid by the Lord their God. '' But it shall come to pass, i'f thou wilt nor hearken to the voice of the Lord ihy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes, which I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. Cursed shall thou be in the city, and cursed shall thou be in the field : cursed shalt be thy bas- ket and thy store : cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kme, and the flocks of thy sheep : cursed shalt thou be, when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The Lord shall send upon thee cursmg, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine liand unto for to do, UFitil Ihou h) des- troyed, and until thou perish quickly ; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsa- ken me:" Dent. xmii. 1.3, &c. The enormous catalogue of appalinux and terrific curses which are denounced in that chMpk},-, is too long for insertion here ; but whusoever .It sires a farther knowledge of the miserable condition of iho twelve tribes of IsTael, since they were scattered abroad, will find the heart- rending amount of their unspeakable misery, deplo- rable fate and condition, by perusing and meditating on that doleful chapter. Their condition has been 1 ( 144 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. more deplorable than can be conceived by any who have not been partakers of their unmitigated suffer- ings ; but there is hope in their end, that they shall return, and be at rest— their unmitigated sufferings shall not only be alleviated, but they shall be brought out of all their tribulations, and they shall wash their robes, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb ; and shall yet sing in the height of Zion. The Lord hath visited the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation, age, or dispensation, of the church : he did show mercy to thousands of them at the beginning of the third : and the rest, a multitude which no man can number out of all nations, kindreds, and tongues, and people, shall now at the end of the third, or Gospel age, and beginning of the fourth age, or dis- pensation, the Millennium, be completely emanci- pated ; and the iniquity of their fathers shall no lon- ger be visited upon them. The terms are two, for the righteous visitation of their iniquities upon their offspring or children— to the third and fourth, and the ellipsis filled up, by the translators, by the word generation. I by no means deny, that ordinary ge- neration may be meant in the language ; for the experience of ages, and the similarity of physical disposition, temper, and inclination in the children, seem to corroborate the ordinary translation of the language, in our common form of the second com- mawdment, in the numerical order in which that commandment is found in the divine arrangement of the Decalogue : but I do aver — and it can be clearly proved by corroborating Scriptures — that the mean- ing of ihat heavy denunciation of God against evil works, must be extended to the ages, or generations, or dispensations, in the historical divisions of the .-juirch, as if it should be read : " Visiting the ini- quity of the apostazing, rejecting Jews, upon their rise THIRD DISPENSATION. 145 children, to the third and fourth dispensations." This is considering it as a national jidgment, and not merely as an individual visitation ; because the iniquity of forsaking the living God, and their apos- tacy to the idolatry of the nations among whom they dvi^elt, and the rejection of the Messiah, were nati- onal acts ; and charged against the wholt Jewish nation, by the Apostle Peter, in his sublime, all-con- vincing sermon on the day of Pentecost. " There- fore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ :" Acts, ii. 36. And not only did these national acts of the Jews subject them to the righteous judgment of a righteous, a holy, and a just God ; but they, in their own per- son, and by their own mouths, imprecated upon themselves, and upon their children, the righteous vengeance of highly offended Majesty. <' When Pilate saw, that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am inno- cent of the blood of that just person ; see ye to it. Then answered all the people. Let His blood be on us, and on our children :" Mat. xxvii. 24, 25. These heavy and awful imprecations fell upon themselves, and upon their children, in full weight and measure, as their history plainly and indubitably proves; they and their children have been forsaken of their God ; and all the curses denounced, as I have repeatedly mentioned, in the twenty-eighth chapter of Deute- ronomy, have fallen upon them, in fulfilment of God's holy Word, in their scattered, abandoned condition, of long and painful captivity among all the nations ,^s ,..., ^rti,,„. iiwtti }c liiiS wuiu IflUl 1 laKe Up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel. The virgin of Israel is fallen ; she shall no more rise ; she is forsaken upon her land ; there is none u in .fi^l^^tiliil HG THE SUBJECTS OF THE MfLLENNIUJf. to raisq her up:" Amos, v. 1, 2. "Therefore the Lord, the God of liosts, the Lord saith thus, Waif- ing shall be in all streets ; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas ! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing. And in all vineyards shall be wailing : for I will pass through thee, saith the Lord. Woe ur>to you that desire the day of the Lord ! to what end is it for you ? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him ; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a> serpent bit him ;" Amos, v. [6, &c. Such is the language of the Bible with regard to the day of the Lord, which came upon Israel for their apostacy from the Lord their God, and for their rejection of their Messiah. <«Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed ; and hast defiled thyself in thine idols that thou hast made ; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art even come to thy years : therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries. Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, Btiall mock thee, which art infamous and much vexed. Behold the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood. In thee have they set light by father and mother ; in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger ; in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow. Thou hast despised mine holy things^ and hast pro- faned niy Sabbaths :" Ezek. xxii. 4, &c. Thus then their iniquities have been sorely and grievously visit- ed upon them, to this day, as a nation forsaktn of their God ; but there is hope in their end, that they shall return and be at rest. The iniquity of the fathers has thus been visited on the children, to the third and fourth dispensation, of them that hated the THIRD DISPENSATION. 147 Lord: but the Lord showed mercy to thousands of them that loved him, at the beginning of the third dispensation • and mercy shall be shown to the whde house of Israel, at the beginning of the fourth, or Millennia dispensation ; for the word of God, not only 111 the denunciations of the second command- nient, but in the Bible throughout, extends not the visitations of God's wrath against them, but unto the third and fourth dispensations of the divisions of the church's history. The time is now at hand lor mighty deliverance to the whole descendants of Abraham Isaac, and Jacob,--for the mouth of the i-ora hath spoken it: in remembrance of His own covenant with the house of Israel, He will show mercy unto them. Lift up your heads, therefore, ye scattered tribes, your redemption draweth nigh— the Lord of Hosts will break His yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds ; and strangers shall no more serve themselves of thee: but ye shall vet serve the Lord, and David your King, whom the Liord will raise up unto you. During the Antediluvian dispensation, the two families of Cain and Seth were distinctively known by the appellations, men, and sons of God, as mav be seen immediately before the flood, in the sixth chapter of Genesis " When men began to be mul- tiphed on the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair, they took wives of them of all whom they chose." That displeased God, •' and it grieved Him at his heart that he had made man on the earth:" and because the two seeds were then intermixed, God drowned the world bv the flood ; out spared Noah, a righteous man, and in his iamily the distinction and separation were com- inenced again, and continued agreeably to tlie will or UocJ. I hat separation wn^i necessary, because of us THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNlUIIf. the prefvalence of evil in the world, as a necessary consequence of its materiality and dissoluble quali- ties, and terminable constitution : and because, therefore, enmity was put between the serpent and the woman, and between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, by the irreversible, in- terminable decree of Jeliovah : and because it plea- sed God that His own image should be conspicuous, by contrasted objects, on the creation of His own hands. The enmity could not but exist between the two famihes of Cain and Seth, by reason of their opposite qualities, and the disparity of their physical constitutions, as the very natural consequence of good and evil in the world. I showed formerly that we have no faculties by which we could comprehend how creation could exist as dissoluble materiality, without contrasted objects ; and therefore, although we have to lament, the grievous prevalence of evil, yet, in the midst of our complaints, we have cause of thankfulness, that our merciful Creator has provided a powerful coun- teracting remedy — all-powerful and all-miglity — to stem the tide and torrent of evil, so as ever to keep up an effectual counterbalance, for the honor and glory of His own great and glorious name : there- fore, knowing that merciful disposition of God towards His own covenanted people, it is our duty, as rational beings, who must be held accountable to God for our actions, to exert the faculties with which it has pleased God to endow us, in the diligent use of the means and ordinances of the Gospel ; to act our part aright in the world, leaving the decision of the whole matter with God, the righteous Julge of the quick and ilie dead. The prevalence of evil, and, consequently, of the enmity against goodness, of wJiich I have given a descant throughout the work, eveo during the THIRD DISPENSATION. 149 to a age the intermixture of the two families, since the dispersion of the twelve tribes, and since their woful blending with the nations, cannot be pointed out by family contrasts, yet it can easily be learned, during the Gospel dispensation times, by the language of Jesus Christ, and of His servants, the Evangelists, as con- tained in the Lord's cautions and declarations to His servants, when sending them forth to preach the Gospel, and in many other declarations of Scripture to that effect. Behold, says Jesus Christ, " Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheeps' clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits :" Mat. vii. 15. " Be- hold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves : be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harm- less as doves :" Mat. x. 16. " Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my depart- ing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock :" Acts xx. 28, 29. These evan- gelical admonitions and precautions, prove, beyond the possibility of refutation, the prevalence of the evil influence of the corruptions of human nature, and the prevailing enmity that is in the world, du- ring the Gospel dispensation, as much as during the two former dispensations. The Scripture declares that the whole world lieth in wickedness, in conse- quence of the lamentable prevalence of evil. " Mar- vel not, my brethren, if the world hate you:" 1 John iii. 13. " If the world hate you, ye know," saith Jesus, " that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own : but because ye are not of the world, bnt I have cho- sen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you;" John xv. 18, 19. 150 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLtJNNIUM Therefore, by the fairest possible treatment of the language of the Holy Bible, it may be satisfactorily proven, that the peculiar people of God, the offspring by ordinary generation, and lineal descent from Abraham, have the immediate prospect, in the cove- nant and promises of God, of reigning with Christ a thousand years as the Millennial Saints, to the ex- clusion of all the nations among whom they have long dwelt in misery and unspeakable affliction. Or that, in other words, they are the good seed, the children of the kingdom, to the exclusion of the tares, the children of the wicked one, sown among the wheat by the devil, who are doomed and des- tined to be gathered into bundles to be burnt, when the wheat shall be gathered into the garner, in the day of the harvest, or end of the world. In the discussion of the subject hitherto, I have confined my researches to two principal, contrasted families, those of Cain and Seth, as the tares, and the wheat, without taking much notice of the many nations besides those, which are mentioned in the Bible, as branching families, such as the Ishmaelites, which are descended from Abraham, because they were originally excluded from the blessings of the covenant, for God said, '• In Isaac shall thy seed bo called.** It is true, Abraham was Ishmael's father, yet Hagar, an Egyptian, was his mother, and there- fore he is not mentioned in the line of the genealogy of Jesus Christ ; nor the Ammonites and Moabites, because they were only the descendants of Abra- ham's brother's son. Lot, by his two daughters, and therefore not reckoned in the registry of the gene- alogy of Jesus Christ, as of the elect covenanted people from their original, nor in any stage of the progress of tucif history to this day, and I cannot therefore introduce them for covenanted blessings, since the Bible does not warrant their insertion* THmD DISPENSATION. 151 ^he Edomites also, or descendants of Esau, must not be reckoned with Israel, the descendants of Jacob, because God said, " Esau have I hated, but Jacob have I loved ;" Esau, by his own actual deed, excluded himself, by his profane treatment of the birthright, which he sold to Jacob, and therefore, on no principle of equity could he claim the birthright privileges and blessings, but these were bestowed^on Jacob and his offspring, Abraham had a numerous offspring by his wife Ketura, but Sarah was the mother of Isaac, in whom Abraham's seed were to be called, and therefore she, together with Abraham, was blessed of God, and obtained, together with her Lord, that she should be the mother of nat.ons, and consequently in her, as the mother of nations, we behold the fair image of the Millennial Church of Christ; for in her offspring, as their mother, we have to trace the genealogy of Jesus of Nazareth, and consequently a continuation of the covenanted blessings. From those families I have mentioned, the earth was greatly filled with inhabitants, as we see by the recorded history we have handed down to us in the Bible ; but I have not engaged myself to give any historical account of them, or their ulti- mate fate and destiny. They may serve some fu- t'ure purpose in the work ; but my main object has been, according to my original proposition, to treat the two contrasted classes, the tares and the wheat, according to the text—to show their final fate and destiny ; and to draw the unavoidable conclusion, that the tares are destined to be gathered into bun- dles to be burnt, and the wheat to be gathered into the garner. ^ These two kinds are not now distinguishable to the human view, as nations, or churches, or people ; and no nation, church, or people, can lay claim ex- clusively to the title of the covenanted people of 152 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM. God ; and consequently no nation, church or people^ can be excluded from the honor of containing among them their share of that good seed, the children of the kingdom, which shall have to be delivered out, for completing " that multitude which no man can number out of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, who are to stand before the throne, and be- fore the Lamb in white robes, and pahns in their hands — who are to come out of great tribulation, and to wash their robes, and to make them white in the blood of the Lamb." The tribes of God were to be sifted, as corn is sifted in a sieve among all na- tions, yet the least grain was not to f;ill on the eaiih ; for the promise of ingathering runs parallel with the language of scattering — from where they have been scattered, they are again to be gathered — and He that scattered them shall gather them, and lead them as a shepherd doih his flock. And the people or nation that was scaitered, are the people and nation that shall be gathered: and their own Millennial song, as given prophetically, agrees with these views. " And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art wor- thy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue, and people, and nation. And hast made us unto our God, kings and priests : and we shall leign on the earth:" Rev. v. 9, 10. My main object has hitherto been to trace, by un- doubted Biblical authority, the line of demarcation between two families, the family of Cain under the curse, and the family of Seth, as the elected family of promise, in which line of descent, we have the clear, undoubted genealogy of Jesus Christ, through fifty-seven generations, from God downward to tiie child of promise, Mary's son. This I have done with care, in order to arrive at a satisfactory con- THIRD DISPENSATION. 153 *l elusion with regard to the tares and the wheat in the parable : and I feel perfectly satisfied, that the Bible warrants the assertion, that the twelve tribes, which have been scattered among the nations, are still the covenanted people of God ; and they have the exclusive promise and immediate prospect of mighty deliverance, and glorious covenanted favour, privileges, and blessings. They are, no doubt, in a most defiled, polluted, and corrupted condition, intermixed among the ido- latrous nations ; but many and glorious ar^ Mieir promises. " The wilderness and the solitar} ace shall be glad for them ; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abund- antly, and rejoice even with joy and singing ; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excel- lenc) of Carmel and Sharon ; they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not : behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence ; he will come md save you. Then the eyes of the bHnd shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped : then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and ihe tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass, with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called, the way of holiness - the unclean shall not pass over it ; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shaii be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there : but the redeemed shall walk there. r54 THE SUBJECTS 01* THE MlLLfiNNIUtf. And the ransomed of the Lord shall retnrn, and -come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads : they shall obtain joy and gladness, and "sorrow and sighing, shall flee away :" Isa. xxxv. IIL The Twelve Tribes of Israel still the cwye- nanted people of God, and heirs according to promise. Much of the language of the New Testament would prove unsatisfactory, inconsistent and incon* elusive, without the corroborating testimony of cor- responding, parallel passages and circumstances — and even the parable of the tares and the wheats could not be advanced consistently, with the views which the Scriptures throughout present of an im- partial God, who respecleth not the person of any ; and of a righteous Judge, who shall give to every man according to the deeds done in the body, ac- cording to that which each hath done, whether it be good or evil, without regard and reference to God's covenants expressed in the Old Testament. The foundation and groundwork of the whole edifice, are laid i« the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses ; upon that foundation, the whole plan for the reco- very and redemption of mankind, rests and depends. The whole plan is therein divulged and developed, which we see gloriously expanded, and convincingly displayed, during the whole revelations of God to mankind, to the close of the New Testament, which may clearly be perceived to be a fulfilment of what is laid down by unerring wisdom, unparalleled skill, and perfection of understanding, in divine commu- nications, angelic visions, typical observances, cove- nants, and prophecies in the Old Testament throuf^h- out. Jesus Christ himself refers to all these sources o^ information, with regard to all that he did and tiilRD DISPENSATION. 155 I svilTered in the flesh on earth, as our sure source of knowledge and intelligence, when he says, " These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things nnust be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the Pro- phets, and in the Psalms, concerning me :" Luke, xxiv. 44 ; which passage must be considered a full, uncontroverted proof of what I have advanced : so that it must be observed, as an absolutely necessary rule for every one who would desire a satisfactory knowledge of the things contained in the New Tes- tament, and no safe exposition can possibly be given of the doctrines of the New Testament, without uni- form and steady reference to what is contained in the Old Testament, as every ease may require. "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion. And when they shall say unto you. Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wiz- ards that peep and that mutter : should not a peo- ple seek unto their God ? for the living to the dead t To the law and to the testimony : u they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them :'* Isa. viii. 18-20. Therefore for the satis- factory illustration of the section of the work which I have now commenced, I find it absolutely neces- sary to have recourse and reference to the tenor of the covenants, and prophetic declarations and pros- pects, held forth in the Olr^ Testament, in order to present the covenanted promises of God in their applied and extended bearmgs, and that their fulfil- ment may be anticipated according to the divine purpose, and bequest of Jehovah. *' And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said. By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord j for because thou Irast done this thing, 156 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son ; that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand that is upon the sea shore : and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies • and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed :" Gen. xxii. 17. The Gospel Dispensation is the third division of the history of the church, and of the great plan of Jehovah for the final development of the wise coun- sel of the Trinity for the glorious display of the divine perfections, that the redeemed, exalted cre- ation may admire with rapturous delight, the bene- volent design of the glorious Creator and Projector of the immense fabric of the universe. The exact order and harmony observable in all the divine pro- cedure, and the perfection conspicuous in the exact fulfilment of the whole heavenly structure, by Jesus Christ, who was appointed, in the counsel of the Trinity, from all eternity, for that glorious purpose, in unerring wisdom, and conformity to the original design, and plan of a perfect God ; and to behold and adore with extatic delight and pleasure, the great First Cause of all things, and the wise Dispo- ser of all events. Therefore the successive openings of seals, will be continued until the rational intellect be expanded into full and perfect comprehension, for receiving the glorious views which yet remain to be vouchsafed and communicated to man. The means of divine appointment, by the spiritual application thereof, are fully adequate for the perfecting of the holy, immense design of Jehovah : and therefore, in conformity to the advancement and progress of His purposed plans, the Lord enlightens thti ratioiial intellect and under- standing to understand the Scriptures, that there may be a power and capacity of comprehension, i THIRD DISPENSATION. 15- sufficiently expanded for receiving every additional communication, until the whole revelation be deli- vered and received. Agreeably to these views the covenanted promises of the ancient peculiar people of God, are to be ex- tended through the several successive dispensations, that the same grand plan and original design may be viewed in uncliangeable, unvaried progression, until the whole be perfectly accomplished by him who is the Almighty Creator, and Ruler of the universe: and consequently we may expect, not only the ex- tension, and expansion of the prospect originally presented to our view, in the Pentatuch, or five books of Moses, but also the accomplishment of de- sign, in regular, unvaried progression through the several ages, or dispensations of th.e Church of God, until the whole be accomplished, and the kingdom shall have been delivered to the Father, and the Son shall have appeared in all his glory, and the Father shall have been all in all. Not only were the decendants of Abraham plainly and unequivocally distinguished from all the other nations, by tlie covenant of circumcision, but they were remarkably so, by having it in their power to appeal to their origin and genealogical progress, un- adulterated, and uncontaminated ; free from gross prohibited, interdicted blendmg with the nations, as a people whom God was pleased to elect, and choose out for his own name and glory ; as well as by the exact accomphshment of promised temporal blessings, and painfully experiencing the imposition of threa- tened temporal severe judgments : we have there- fore a distinct historical view of them, as the pecu- liar people of God, not only in their genealogical descent from God, through the respective genera- tions, as exhibited in the first chapter of first Chro- nicles, unto Abraham, in whom commenced this Wnr tn I uiujif 1 1 158 THE SUBJECT3 OF THE MILLENNIUM i »- historical line of the Abrahamic church, or t\i9 covenanted twelve tribes of Israel, and the same line we see continued in the Book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the gospel by Matthew, downward to the infant Jesus, Mary's son, as originally promised in the garden of Eden tlic seed of tlic woman mani- fested in the fullness of time to bruise the head of the serpent. They were highly distinguished not only acc(>rdir>g to these views ; but they were distinguished above all the nations of the earth, as, of all nations, they alone were honoured as the peculiar people of God. *'You only have I known of all the families of th« earth ; therefore I will punish you for all your trans- gressions :" Ezek. iii. 2. Therefore, "tathem pe»- laineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises ; whose are the fathers, of whom as concerning the flosJi, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen :" Rom. ix. 4, 5. No master of distinction '^higher than is ex- pressed in that passage of extensive prerogative could be conferred upon any people or nation, and upon these grounds of distinction I have hitherto been building my whole system of arguments in their favour. And from these instances, and cases of high and exclusive precedence over the nations of the earth, I am still encouraged and enabled to fol- low up these views as still applicable to them even in their scattered, dhpersed, neglected^ despised, and grievously afflicted condition ; because to them alone pertaineth these high distinctions — the adoption and tha glory are still Jieirs ; but in this section of the WOrK, il vvdtuC SliiiiCiuUl for nv ect ixj a.v US! Ill • self of such arguments as may pertinently be drawn from these marks of high distinction and preroga- tive. The covenants and the promises have never THIRD DISPENSATION. liS^* been withdrawn from them, altiiough there hasbeen^ on account of their apostacy, a suspension of privir leges and covenanted blessings, and therefore th^se two marks of distinction will be sufficient to prove them still the covenanted people of God, and heirs- according to promise. Although the depravity, and idolatrous practices, of the people of God have caused the withdrawing of his favour and countenance from f 'lem for a sea- son, yet his covenant with his peoplo cannot be broken, nor can the Lord's purposes to\ward8 them ultimately fail ; for the encouragin,^ declarations, which appear every where in the Jloiy Bible, still prove tho ultimate purposes of God in their favour ; many and indubitable proofs of these assertions may he read, not only in the old Testament, but also in She new. The prophet Ezekiel affords the following beautiful and encotiraging promise from the mouth of the Lord of hosts, " therefore say, thus saiththe Lord God, although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they ihall cqme. Therefore say, thus saith the Lord God, I will even gather you from among the people, and as- semble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel :," Ezek. ii. 16, 17. Thus not only promising to shew them gome favour, which he never promised to any of the nations among whom they have been scat- tered, nor indeed could such promises be extended, on covenanted principles and grounds, because to tbem alone pertain the adoption, the covenants, and tn#i nrrtmiaoo .3.11XX cvt;ii uuiuiv ijicy vvLTu scauefecj there was a promise held out before hand unto them Moses, thi by fter they should be scattered, th< Lord would shew them mercy, even in their scat- > ! i 160 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM, tered condition, and that he would not forget the covenant of their fathers which he sware unto them. And if any one presunrie to exclude them forever from the benefits and blessings of the covenant wiiich God sware unto their fathers, let them pause, and suspend their rash judgment, until they form a more extended intimacy with the tenor of God's covenant with his people, and until they view it in its extended nature and character. T formerly adverted to the Decalogue as the foundation upon which the whole j)lansand purposes of God's revela- tions to man are founded, and therefore I shall quote Moses' language on this subject. "When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger; I call Hea- ven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from oiF the land where- unto ye go over Jordan to possess it ; ye shall not prolong your days uj)on it, but shall utterly be des- troyed. And the Lord sliali scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, Vvhither the Lord shall lead you. And there yo shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hea*, nor eat, nor smell. Out if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with ail thy heart, and with all thy soul. When thou an in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient to his voice; (C^f 4l->»> T r-vA t\-itr dt-kA ICJ Q f-pp»T»ll II j i^rtrl I l-io 1V>'1 not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers, which he sware unto them.'* Deut. iv. 25. &c. I I THIRD DrSPENSATlON. 161 ^get the them, forever jvenant 1 pause, form a r God's 2W it in Drmerly n upon I revela- II quote DU shalt ye shall corrupt likeness of the ill Hea- that ye where- hall not be des- ong the ■ among . And hands, ea», nor alt seek lou seek When re come n to the I voice ; h" TT til rget the them.'* On these and such like declarations of the Penta- teuch, greatly rest the declarations of the Prophets when speaking of them in their scattered condition. The prophet Isaiah gives a beautiful specimen of corroborative testimony to these declarations of Moses ; and indeed all the prophets agree in united evidence and testimony, that the twelve tribes of Israel are still the covenanted people of God, and heirs according to promise, which is the part of the subject I have undertaken to prove in this section. "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment ; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord tliy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me, for as I have sworn, that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth ; so have I sworn that I would not be wrath with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall de- part, and tht hills be removed ; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the cove- nant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that IfUth mercy on thee :" Isa. liv. 7, &c. Isaiah evi- dently refers to the Abrahamic covenant of God, then, and previously, in existence, and not to any covenant made in the time of his prophesying ; and therefore to the decalogue and covenant of circum- cision, which, in the very wording and expression, is declared by the mouth of the Lord to be intermi- nable and everlasting; consequently the covenant still exists, although the privileges and blessings thereof have long been suspended, and withheld from the scattered^ dejected, and afflicted Israel. As to the supposition, that they shall not, according tp the Word of God, be gathered together, and recei- ved into favor, and covenanted blessings and privi- leges, no credit ought to be given to it, as it comes 12 rf'"' :.t I ll^ 16Z THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. m direct opposition to the tenor of (he covenants of promise, and falsifies every declaration of God to the contrary: the repeated mention " ide in the Scriptures of the nations, may I ;:u > .ii erroneous views, and gender systems repugnant to the true exposition of the Word of God : without keeping in view the clear line of distinction which is evidently drawn between the many nations which are nrjl .not- edly descended from Abraham, and which are assu- redly included under the covenant of circumcision, which in its very nature and complexion, is unchang- able and eternal ; and the many idolatrous nations of the earth (although both kinds are now wofully inter- mixed,) who never were intended to be partakers of the blessings and privileges of the covenants of God with his chosen, peculiar people ; and also between the peculiar promises, privileges, and blessings of the covenanted nations, and such blessings as were pro- mised prophetically to Ishmael and Esau, and their offspring, we would be apt to be led to very errone- ous conclusions in our views of the destiny of the once highly favoured people of God ; and might be led to suppose that they might indiscriminately be received into a parity of condition and privileges : and indeed, without paying the strictest attention to «ome particular portions of the Word of God, we might heedlessly be induced to draw that conclusion. The following passage may be presented as a fair specimen of such passages.— When Ezekiel prophe- sies of the restoration of the Holy Land, he writes, *'So shall ye divide iins land unto' you according to the tribes of [srael. And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you and^to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you ; and they shall be unto you, as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among fi VI. THIRD =>iSPENSATION. 163 ^nants of 3d to the [ie in the rroneous the true ;eping in jvidently inJoubt- ire assu- mcision, inchang- ations of lly inter- takers of » of God t)et\veen fs of the ere pro- id their errone- ^ of the light be ately be ^i leges : ition to rod, we elusion. I a fair 3rophe- writes, ding to ss, that ito you which ^all be hildren among the tribes of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye I give him his inheritance, saith the Lord God :" Ezek. xlvii. 21, &c. Now it must be remarked here, that the twelve tribes have the promise, in virtue of spe- cial covenanted right of property ; but the strangers, as sojourners among them, merely by special favour: and besides, the strangers can assert no claim by wiiich they could have the privilege of vote or lot in the division of the land ; for that honor is conferred on them whose right it is, and the stranger is to re- ceive a portion from them. That passage— although upon a superficial view, it might appear to mili- tate against, and overturn my arguments, — rather strengthens and confirms them ; for the Lord gives it to His people, to whom by fight of covenant it belongs ; and ihey are merely, so as to make chari- table provision to the strangers who sojourn among them, directed to give a portion of their rightful in- heritance to those wiio would require maintenance among them ; for the earth is the Lord's and Hegiv- eth it to whomsoever he will ; but His covenant He will not break, nor alter what goeth out of His mouth. l£ the idolatrous nations, the descendants of Cain, Ham, and Canaan his son, from whom they origi- nally sprang, were admitted into indiscriminate par- ticipation of covenanted privileges and blessings, with the many nations which are the lineal descend- ants, by ordinary generation, of him to whom it was originally granted by covenant, all distinction would be confounded, and God's covenant would be null and void ; His promises broken — His servants, the Prophets, and the Evangelists, and the Apostles, falsified ; and the whole plan and economy of the Hible, would be enveloped in gross darkness ; and the whole design and arrangement of the Bible a 164 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM, would be swallowed up in the grand confusion ol* covenants, and prophecies, and promises, and reve- lations. The things that may appear impossibilities to man, are perfectly possible with God ; for with him noth- ing is impossible. It may appear incredible to man, that the most minute object in the creation should be observable in the sight of God ; but it is not the less true on that account. We are ourselves but atoms in the vast immensity of space, yet we do not doubt, that God sees and knows every thing with re- gard to us, as separate particles in the immensity of space: and although it might appear impossible, that God could distinguish, after the lapse of so many centuries, between the different generations of men, so as to separate the tares and the wheat, let the Word be examined, and there abundant proof may be found. " For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, wliich run to and fro through the whole earth :" Zech. iv. 10. And there- fore we find in another place, that all things areooen and visible to the eyes of Jehovah. " The eyes of the Lord are in every pla-.e, beholding the evil and the good :" Prov. xv. 3. These views are not ap- plicable to individual cases merely, but extend also in their general amplification, to nations, countries, and condition and circumstances*; and therefore may be specifically applied to the tares and the wheat. Now, as their fate and destiny are expressly deter- mined, as shown by the parable, and the threatening? not yet put in execution, nor the promises yet ful- filled, the conclusion is fair, that the scattered tribes, *-^ , .s. ,.,c., wi\,injtvi, ixiiciiiiiA;;u £>imu Willi liiC Ua- tions of the earth, are still distinguishable, and dis- ternibfe to the eyes of the Lord, which " run to and I fusion of ind reve- s to man, im noth- to man, n should I not the ilves but 'e do not with re- en si ty of ible, that 3o many 1 of men, , let the oof may of small see the ie seven; ► and fro d there- are ooen eyes of evil and not ap- md also )untries. ore may wheat. y deter- itenings yet ful- i tribes, iiiQ na- nd dis- 1 to and THIRD DISPENSATION. 165 ■• fro through the whole earth,*' and therefore rrirtr be singled out, and separated, and gather^"'' ♦o^e'..ier into one compact body or family; retuined to the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls, tha^ ^Ker ' may be one fold, one Shepherd. "And othei isepi have, who are not of this fold : them ah'- I must bring, and they shall hear my voice ; anci there shall be one fold and one Shepherd :" John x. 16. And therefore we may view the twelve scattered tribes of Israel, as the covenanted people, and heirs accord- ing to promise, who have the legitimate, covenanted claim, and right to the promised inheritance, and all the privileges, and immunities of adoption ; for '^ To them pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises ; whose are the Fathers, of whom as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen :" Rom. ix. 4, 5. It may be maintained from sych passages as the following : " Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear ; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child : for more are the children of the desolate, than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord:" Isa. liv. 1. When Isaiah thus encourages the barren to sing, I under- stand him as referring to the ten tribes that address of encouragement, although they were at that time intermingled with the idolatrous nations ; and al- though the line of contents in the Bible would have it applied to the Gentiles, I may have opposition to that view, as many may still continue to apply the word Gentiles exclusively to the ancient idola- whom the covenanted people of the Lord dwelt, and among whom they were ultimately scattered. But when the scope of the chapter throughout is closely 166 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM > M examined, and compared with parallel views, it will be found to run plainly in accordance with the tenor of the Abrahamic covenant. The ancient idolatrous Gentiles, by n > stretch of ingenuity, can be made to inherit the Gentiles, as the expression runs, in the third verse of the chapter. « For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left ; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make desolate cities to be inhabited." The promise here held out to the barren that did not bear, is undeniably con- tained in the covenant made with Abraham, not only for himself, but more especially for his seed, as may be read. " That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed, as the stars of heaven., and as the sand which is by the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies : and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed ; because thou hast obeyed my voice :" Gen. xxii. 17, 10. Now, " to possess the gate of their ene- mies:" and "thy seed shall possess the Gentiles," must appear to every unprejudiced, candid student of prophecy, to apply to the same identical people, and to contain the self-same promises ; and therefore the prophet held out to the barren that did not bear a prospect which must be acknowledged to run paral- lel with the promise contained in the covenant of old, which was given, upon the veracity of the oath of Jehovah, to Abraham's seed. The second verse of the same chapter points to the magnitude of the promised blessings, as a transcript of the magnitude of the promises of the covenant. *' Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the cur- tains of thine habitation ; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes." Answerable to that is the promise of a numerous offspring to occupy iessii ritory ess thee, and that in multiplying 1 will multiply thy L_ I I M THIRD DISPENSATION. 167 s, it wilJ the tenor dolatrous ! made to 9, in the alt break and thy desolate held out ibly con- not only J as may hee, and the stars 3a shore; enemies : earth be i:"Gen. leir ene- s,"must ident of pie, and ;fore the t bear a n paral- nant of the oath id verse 3 of the gnitude rge the the cur- jen thy rable to occupy 11 bless ply thy seed, as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand that is upon the sea shore." And what are the fourth and fifth verses, but merciful and abundant encou- ragement for them during their aftiicted state of widowhood, during the suspension of their privileges and marriage rights ; but still continued to them under suspension of marriage endowment. " Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed : neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget ihe shame of thy youth, and shall not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker ia thine husband : the Lord of Hosts is his name ; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel ; the God of the whole earth shall He be called." Nothing can be clearer than the application of these most encouraging passages to the ten tribes, in their scattered condition, when the husband's favour could not be obtained, until the time of their widowhood should have an eotl ; which follows, together with the call to more abundant en- dowment than the first, in the eighth verse, v*here the prophet speaks, as if the call had been already given and received, and they reinstated in former favour and love. " For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken, and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God." A more convincing proof could not possibly be adduced, not only in regard of the identical peo- ple, but also in corroboration of the whole strain of reasoning, which I have hitherto advanced. Every idea of an application, therefore, of that chapter to the ancient idolatrous Gentiles, must be laid aside, for they never were under marriage or covenanted engagements to the Lord as the people of His; choice ; but all that Scriptural language which I have quoted, must be exclusively restricted to them to whom it belongs, even to the ten tribes of Israel ; for li } ■u 168 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM. Judah is to be considered the married wife, in corr- tradistinction to Ephraim, or the ten tribes. Judah wa'i only dispersed, and not cast away as Ephraim, or the ten tribes were. Judah, or the Jews, are stiH in the observance, however imperfect, of the Mosaic ntua : and therefore considered not in the desolate, iorsakt n state of widowhood, as the ten tribes, or Ji-phraim, who have long been buried in their graves the heathen nations, completely lost to the human view, and not recognizable to themselves; but there is hope in their end, that they shall return, and be at rest. In the succeeding parts of the same chapter, we have these views beautifully and convincindv expanded. - For a small moment have I forsaken thee ; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a httle wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment: but With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn, that ihe waters of Noah should no more cover the earth • so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee' nor rebuke thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." No Innc^uacre could be desired containing clearer eviden e'' that the whole chapter must, undoubtedly, be applied to the tribes of Israel, even in their cast off, and dis- persed condition ; and that therefore, they are the covenanted people of Cod, and heirs according to promise. For not only is the covenant itself, in the very terms and expression of it, from the mouth of Jehovah of interminable and everlasting duration • but the Prophet Isaiah, in that chapter, from which „ •.■-i.,..vt xt^c,^, u„ uccouni of Us connrmatorv perspicuity, taught of God to remind them, for the^ rw. THIRD DISPENSATION. 169 e, in con- s' Judah Ephraim, s, are still le Mosaic '■ desolate, tribes, or ir graves, e human It there is md be at ! chapter, vincingly forsaken hee. In moment; tiercy on this is as orn, that le earth ; ith thee, ler. For emoved, , neither id, saith nnguage ^^e, that )pMed to and dis- are the ding to f, in the outh of jration ; I which rmatory or their comfort and confirmation, of the impossibility of any infringement, or failure in the fulfilment, of God's covenanted promises. Some may consider the gra- cious promises of favour and deliverance of the cap- tivity of Judah, from the bondage in which they were held in Babylon, the subject matter of general prophecies ; no doubt, their own share of prophecy applies ; but the general scope and tendency of pro- phecy must necessarily be greatly extended beyond that minor consideration : that deliverance from captivity no doubt was in itself, abstractedly con- sidered, a favourable manifestation of divine good- ness and mercy toward the poor captives ; but it is not manifest deliverance to a multitude which no man could number out of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples, as is prophetically promised, at these latter days, when the Lord Jesus shall take unto himself his great power, and shall reign. There was a first recovery and redemption from captivity ; and by considering God's care over the captives in Babylon, and his solicitude for their welfare, and the prospect of deliverance which he held out unto them, after the lapse of seventy years, by the pro- phet Jeremiah, we may draw the safe inference from God's dealings with them, even in Babylon, in favor of the permanent, and interminable nature of God's covenants with his people, which lie chose out of all nations, as a peculiar people, and imasure lor his own name : but the promises in the Biuie 'Ujable and warrant us to extend the views of prophecy mlinitely beyond the narrow limits of that rirst recovery ; for the language of prophecy leads • . v> a second, and a more glorious, and extensive (h.iiverance, not merely out of Babylon, but out of all nations, kin- dreds, peoples, and tongues, by a new and mortt; glorious deliverance and redemption. " And in tiiat day, there shall be a root of Jesse, whicli shall stand L**^"^ ji> ITO THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM. for an ensign of the people ; (o it shall the GentiJeg seek : and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass >n that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and f om fheTf^l "^^r. ^'"""' =>"l.e promise of use iii i.;/. " y I l''^' "^ "'^">' "'it'^ns," heathens or Gen- tttes, svluch bear ti.e same import and e.vplanation fie tTM. le Gentilet! nd it shall lall set his e remnant Jsyria, and I^ush, and math, and set up an e the out- spersed of •th. The J adversa- lim shall Iphraim:'' i quoted, as welt as 3stament, the an* ded from by such i becon- ' God to nugatory (se their id truth: ; paid to II places Y Bible ; ntes, in >fied, by ?s; and raeli^es, imcised r iii the mVwe of or Gen- anation THIRD DISPENSATION. 171 by correct translation and interpretation. Where then is the difficulty of applying to the many nations implied in the terms and tenor of the Abrahamic covenant, the promises we see held forth both in the Old and New Testaments, when we know as- suredly that, in as far as they concern the subject which I have undertaken to discuss, they are the undoubted rights and privileges of the twelve tribes of Israel ? That they are their inalienable, indis- putable, and exclusive prerogative, and birthright, and inheritance, from the Lord of Hosts, by an irre- versible, interminable covenant. We must respect the covenant of God, and not cast the children's bread to the dogs. True, says the gainsayer ; but did not the Syrophenician womii: of the Gentiles obtain her request from the Lord hjs^self, after try- ing her faith ? Yes, when she adti.itted her want of claim, and that the Lord's remarks, with regard to the idolatrous, uncircumcised Gentiles, were just : when she expressed her request, in her own charac- ter and condition, and did not presume, in the Lord's presence, to gainsay His remarks on the low and despicable condition of the idolatrous heathen ; nor to aspire to the prerogative of the children of the kingdom, whose inalienable right it was by covenant, to approach the Lord of glory with their petitions and requests ; and so shall the idolatrous nations, when they shall have come up to Jerusalem to wor- ship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the self-same state of self-abasement, in admitting the disparity of the claims of God's covenanted people, and their own. Woman, in Scripture, signifies church ; and the several churches are to be known in their real character and condition by the descrip- tion and character of the particular woman given in Scripture to represent or emblematize them ; and therefore the Syrophenician woman is introduced in f i 172 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. orrfer that the disparity of the condition, character, and claims of Jew and Gentile might be drawn and we mlilT" '° "'' "" """ "''° =""''' "°' -' "at whll^r f'T" "u' '° '=°"'^"""'^ "" 'he distinctions Which God has been pleased to put between His covenanted people, and all the uncovenanted nations of the earth : especially with regard to the ingather- ing of h.s own peculiar people, as well as to the cove- unbounded mercy, has reserved in store for the oft"- spnng of the seed of the blessed of the Lord • Jor'S??, "'"" '''^"''"^"' "-adoption, and the felory and the covenants, and the giving of the Jaw and he service of God, and the promises ; J'o^^ aZh r, "'' """^ "'■ ""''o™' "^ concerning the Hesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. .1 !V^''' -"""f P ""d^'' '•<=^'e»^ ^ve have not only he difTerential hne drawn by inspiration of God, as well as the continuance of favour, but we have also a satisfactory view of the universality of the cove- nanted proinises of God, both to Ephraim and Ju- dah, or to the ten tribes, and the tribe of Judah and i.enjamin which shall undoubtedly be fulfilled and accomplished in these latter days : ihey are now cast away and dispersed among the nations of the earth - bu they are still the covenanted people of God, and not liid from the all-seeing eyes of Jehovah ; and there shah be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an en«ign of tne people ; and to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious : He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcas s ol Israel, and gather together the dispersed o Judah, which shall be left," &c. And even allowing that the Gentiles mentioned in the first -wsc, shouhi not be included with Israel and Judah ui the rest of the passage, we can clearly perceive UM. THIRD DISPENSATION. 173 character, irawn, and ot err, that listinctions Jtween His ted nations i ingather- > the cove- Grod in his or the off- he Lord ; R> and the ►f the iaw, !s ; whose rning the Icssed for not only i God, as have also the cove- 1 and Ju- udah and illed and now cast le earth ; God, and oh ; and stand for Gentiles shall set mble the lispersed tid even the first id Judah perceive the differential treatment, for it is merely mentioned of them, what they themselves shall do; whereas the promises of covenanted blessings — they shall seek to that ensign, but Israel and Judah shall be assembled and gathered together from all the coun- tries and nations whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. Thus, then, even ad- mitting that the Gentiles were of the slock of the oncient idolatrous nations, the promises of the cove- nant are not held out to them in that passage of the word of God ; but they are unequivocally held out to Israel and Judah. Now in all cases it is necessary to keep in view the line of distinction between the descendants of Cain, and the descendants of Abra- ham, by Hagar and Keturah, and the descendants of Isaac by Rebecca, although twins, because the Lord loved Jacob and hated Esau. The descend- ants of Cain alone were marked out under the curse which he himself was originally marked out under ; and therefore, 1 have all along considered them alone as the tares, which are destined and fated to be gathered into bundles to be burnt. They are mixed among all nations — they are mixed among the wheat in the held, the world, and the all-scrutinizing eye of God aione can discover them, until the wheat is m the blade, and nearly ready for the sickle : there- lore, no nation, or people, or church, can be singled out as tares, else the idea of their mixed condition in tiie field would cease, and the parable, with all consequent views, would lose its consequence and importance in the Holy Bible : and not only so, but 'ill the glonous views which are held out to us in the Bible, with regard to the great pre-millcnnial, mighty doings of the Lord, in gathering His people from t!)e North, and from the South, and from the East, and from the "vest, to bit in the kingdom of their Father, with Abraham, and with Isaac, and with 174 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. *m' m t » m Jacob, and with the general assembly of the church of the first-born which is written in heaven, would lose their character of inspiration; and the ingathering would prove itself to be a mere redundancy in the Holy Bible. But it is not so, for the corroborating testimony of the Bible proves from all quarters thereof its inspiration with regard to its many decla- rations in favour of the subject I am advocating ; and the Ianguage,with regard to God's purposes of mercy, will ultimately be fulfilled to His people, and no re- dundancy in the Bible. Therefore, saith Isaiah far- ther, *< Fear not : for 1 am with thee : I will bring thy seed from the East, and gather thee from the West ; I will say to the North, Give up ; and to the South, Keep not back : bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth ; even ever.v one that is called by my name: for I have created liim for my glory, I have formed him ; yea I have made him :" Isa. xliii. 5, 6, 7. In the same strain run the Scriptures, m all places where allusion is made to the favour of God towards His people, to be manifested in the latter days. " Sing, O heavens ; and be joyful, O earth ; and break forth into singing, O mountains ; for the Lord hath comforted His peo- ple, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forsaken me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb ? Yea, they may forget, yet will f not forget thee. Beliold I liave graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy wails are continually before me. Thy children shall make hasie ; thy destroyers, and they t!mt made thee waste, shall go forth of thee :" Isa. xlix. 13, &c. Now that shows plainly that they are, even in their desolate condi- tion among tlie nations, still in remembrance with their God ; and therefore that they are still the I -rti ff. THIRD D!G?ENSAT10N. 175 e church n, would gathering cy in the )borating quarters ny decla- ing; and )f mercy, id no re- saiah far- vill bring Vorn the id to the far, and en ever.y ; created 1 I have ne strain [iisioii is ^le, to be leavens ; singing, His peo- ;d. But my God sucking 1 on the et will f lee upon itinually le ; thy shall go it shows e condi- ijce Willi still the covenanted people of God, and heirs according to promise. The long continuance of the desolations of Israel, cannot disannul God's covenant with His people, nor can the wide dispersion among the na- tions, obstruct the purposes of the Lord towards His people, when the cry of His people cometh up to his ears, He will come down and deliver them, as in the days of old, when their sighs and their cries, by rea- son of the hard bondage of Egyptian servitude, as- cended to His ears, and he came down and delivered them. " In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of Hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their begin- ning hitherto; a nation m.eted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts, the Mount Zion:" Isa. xviii. 7. That is appointed of old, where God appointed His name should dwell, and the pros- pect of restoration to the same locality by name is held forth to the offspring of them who formerly worship- ped there the Lord their God. Let it therefore be particularly remembered, that, under the Mosaic dispensation, although the Gentiles, who went up to Jerusalem to worship, were permitted that privilege, they were never admitted either into the courts of Israel, or into the courts of the priests, but were always restricted to their own courts, called the courts of the Gentiles : and although many insist that the features and aspect of things are changed by the introduction of a better covenant — that Jew and Gentile have now an equal right and title to the privileges and blessings of the covenant under gospel calls; nay, but that the Gospel dispensation is the dispensation of the Gentiles, to the excl usion of the Jews. The Jews no doubt forfeited, by their own aposiacy, and their rejection of their own Mes- siah, their birthright and covenanted privileges for a 1^ 176 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. i Jl ti ill • > . season ; but the covenant of God could not be bro- ken, nor frustrated in its ultimate purposes and designs : although the sins of his people caused a temporary suspension, that could not ultimately transfer to the idolatrous nations, what God insured by the veracity of His oath to Abraham, and to his seed after him, in their generations, for an everlast- ing covenant ; therefore at the time of ingathering, which is surely at hand, the same mode of treatment may be expected by the Gentiles, who were not per- mitted the high privilege of entering into the courts of Israel, to worship there the God of Abra- ham, Isaac, and Jacob ; but had to be content with the court of the Gentiles, which was appropriated for their use, apart from the court of Israel : in like manner, they must now again be content with an in- ferior station and privileges, and not aspire to the birthright of God's peculiar people. John the Di- vine, who surely saw this distinction, reserved for the twelve tribes of Israel their own prerogative and birthright blessings, and privileges, when he shows the order of things according to God's purpose and appointment. " And there was given unto me a reed lii e unto a rod : and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court that is without the temple leave out and measure it not : for it is given unto the Gentiles : and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months :" Rev. xi. 1,2. As by the law of Moses the Gentiles were precluded from the temple, and from the ser- vice thereof, so in the book of Revelation, which is prophetic, there is an evident continuation in perpe- tuity of the same interdict, and exclusion : and thus their birthright and immunities are reserved for the .-.j^m^^^r^^ir^A r\o(\r\\t\ t\f d r\A nlfhrniah n siic:npnfiinn r»f eighteen hundred years has taken place in their M. TIIIKO DISPENSATION. 177 3t be bro* DOses and caused a jltimately >d insured and to his 1 everlast- ^atheringj treatment e not per- into the of Abra- itent with propriated 1 : in like vith an in- )ire to thfi n the Di- sc rved for jative and he shows rpose and nto me a .d, saying, I the ahar, court that lire it not : I holy city months:" e Gentiles n the ser- 1, which is 1 in perpe- and thus ed for the tension of 3 in their drcumstances. I shall quote also another passage of the holy Scriptures in corroboration of the same proposition. "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Zion,and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder ; and I heard the voice of harpers, harping with their harps. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts (living beings) and the Elders: and no man could learn that song, but the hundred and forty and four thou- sand, which were redeemed from the earth:" Rev. xiv. 1, 2, 3. But as the forty and four thousand lead us to a consideration of the New Jerusalem, tlie holy city, and as that is best and most satisfactorily done in another section : and as more abundant proofs may be adduced, that the twelve tribes of Israel are still the covenanted people of God, and heirs accord- ing to promise, in the progress of that section I shall continue my researches, and give such statement of faces as the Bible clearly affords. THE HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM. I have read of late, theories, treatises, and com- munications of the students of prophecy, of modern times, on the grand subject of my present anxious solicitude and meditation — the Millennium, and the New Jerusalem : but not having satisfaction, on that very important subject, from either, or all put to- gether, I found it necessary to commit my thoughts to paper, in some kind of arrangement, for the eluci- dation of the subject : and, in so doing, I found that full satisfaction could not be obtained without tracing the progress of events in the grand and 13 J^. r .cu.\^^^^> IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ |2.8 |iO ■■■ M 12.0 1.8 U IIIIII.6 V] A :V > /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ■iT m.' V. % s\ €^ ^ s,'^' 178 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. I I I n » ,i glorious plan and purposes of Jehovah, as He has been pleased to reveal them, in the Holy Bible. • The Mormons, of the States of America, oroposed to build the holy City, New Jerusalem, on the vast plains of the Mississippi ; and the Rev. Mr. Beer o^ the Iree Church of Scotland, went to the other°ex- treme, and produced, and presented to the public an unmtelJigible theory-^a renovation of the old Jerusalem, and a constructing and building of a new Jerusalem in heaven, above tho skies I suppose to be let down mto the renovated Jerusalem in due time. I merely state that from recollection, and I think my memory has not failed me, but of what materials the city was to be composed, I think, he did not state. Therefore the Bible will not coun- tenance his theory ; because the Bible explicitly states the materials. ^ Mr. Miller, and the States' Millenarian Newspa- pers, stated much, but appeared to me to be equally objectionable. Miller has declared in unequivocal terms, that the condition of the Millennial Saints was to be the eternal, glorified condition : but I hope I sha 1 be able, by simple Biblical criticism, to refute all those inconsiderate, over-hasty theories. Mr. Wilson s (of London) researches, did not extend much beyond the English nation : and as in his l^.nghsh partiality, he took no notice of the nation I am of— the Highlanders of Scotland—whose oriental language proves them, in the judgment of every un- prejudiced antiquarian, classical scholar, at all events to be of oriental origin, if not of very Israelitish origin and descent— I shal! take no farther notice of Jimi or his lucubrations, but leave him to enjoy his contracted, monopolizing English opinions In handling so important a subject, it is safe and neces- sary to keep 1. steady eye on the declarations of God -iven in the Holy Bible, and not rashly to give to (r 9 THIRD DISPENSATkON. 179 vain mankind the hasty, crude notions of tl sophy of the world. I shall therefore, as the Spirit of God may be pleased to guide me, and prosper His own work in my hands, state fairly, from the Holy Bible, without paying any attention to the opinions and theories of others, what that holy book affords on the subject. The ways by which it pleases the Lord to reveal His v/ill to the creatures which He has made, are various, but all suited to our capacity of comprehension, in the Holy Bible, He has di- rected, by inspiration, His holy servants, the Prophets and Apostles, to use numbers in such accordance and consistency, one with another, as, by His holy Spirit, He may, at all times, lead the enlightened under- standing to more certainty of the nature of subjects, which would be otherwise, perhaps, inexplicable, and darkly mysterious. Of that nature is the subject on which I have now entered ; and therefore I call the steady attention of my readers to the wonderful effect of numbers, in leading us to conclusions to which, I cannot conceive, how we could be led in any other way, or by any other method, to so clear, and to so satisfactory results, on this grand, import- ant subject. The number one hundred and forty- four thousand, evidently and expressly signifies the twelve tribes of Israel, or God's covenanted people, *' to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory,, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises ; whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen," When John saw in prophetic vision, us recorded in the book of Revelation, the ingathering, and restoration of Israel, he uses the number '* one hundred and forty-four thousand," answering to the square of the number of their tribes, when multiplied into itself. " And there were sealed an hundred ]80 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. and forty and four thousand of all the twelve tribes «f Israel :" Rev. vii. 4. That number is repeatedly Ksed where the twelve tribes of Israel are to be marked out, in the frequent mention which is made of them : and although various other modes of ex- pression are used in the descriptions which are given of them, yet the same numbers are uniformly used. When they are represented as twelve tribes, the square of their own number is exhibited, to mark them out to the reader, so that he cannot be mis- taken, nor be left in doubt as to what class of people the description given is to be applied. When speaking of the Bride, the Lamb's wife, the same identical number is used, to lead us to the class of people of which the Bride, the Lamb's wife, is com- 'posed. When directing our attention to the class of people of which the Millennial church, or saints, who are to reign with Christ a thousand years, is made up or composed, we find John leading our attention to the self-same twelve tribes, by the same number, one hundred and forty and four thousand. And when expressing the view and spiritual prophe- tic vision, which was presented to him, of a holy city, which he understood to be the New Jerusalem', he deviates not, but gives his account, under various aspects, by the same identical number, one hundred and forty and four thousand ; and therefore we need not hesitate ir. our decision on the subject. And therefore I shall treat these several places, where the number of the tribes is used, or the number one hundred and forty and four thousand, in successive order, to confirm the mind with regard to the materi- als of the holy city. New Jerusalem. The first place I have mentioned in the arrangement, leaves no room, by the language vvh'ch is used, for any doubt or hesitation, as to the class of people which are ineant, seeing they are expressly mentioned, not re tribes peatedly e to be is made s of ex- re given ily used. Jes, the to mark be mis- r people When le same class of is corn- class of saints, I'ears, is ng our le same Dusand. prophe- a holy iisalem, various undrcd /e need And ere I lie Er one cessive materi- t place i^es no doubt ch are d, not THIRD DISPENSATIOK. i8( only by their ancient national name, children of Israel, but also by distinct individual tribes, as well as by the number of each tribe which was sealed, which, when multiplied together, amounts to the exact number stated, namely, one hundred and forty and four thousand ; and having thus expressed their r imber, as may be understood from the number of each tribe, which was sealed, he uses afterwards, in other descriptions, the number, without mentioning the people ; because the meaning he would assign to the same identical number, is that ascertained and laid down in the first account. The number one hundred and forty and four thousand, is not to be considered the exact numeri- cal amount of the people, when ingathered, and put in possession of their covenanted privileges, and royal prerogative, but a numbek o be used as the twelve tribes squared for illustration of other views, with regard to them, as shall be seen in the farther progress of the work : for John immediately relates a second part of the vision, or a second vision on the same subject, in which the multitude presented to him is expressed by him as an innumerable multi- tude, " After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multi- tude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, in white robes, and palms in their hands : and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb:" Rev. vii. 9, 10. Now if that passage should be applied to the ancient idolatrous, it would leave the number of tribes too (ew — fewer even than the present number of one tribe — the tribe of Judah, or the Jews ; and thus no room would be left for the reception of the mul- titude, which John describes from his prophetic visions, in other parts of his book, << And I beheld^ mmmm mmm 182 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders : and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thou- sand, and thousands of thousands:" v. H. And also when we find this view of a glorious multitude, agreeing with God's covenant promises to Abraham! ''And the Lord said to Abram, after that Lot was separated from him. Lift up now thine eyes, and Jook from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward • for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth ; so that if a msn can number ihe dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be num- bered :" Gen. xiii. 14, Slc. The covenant promise 6f God to Abraham then, being a multitude, which no man could number, of descendants, we need not wonder that John's visions with regard to God's pe- culiar people, should be in exact accordance with God's promises with regard to them. The greatness of the multitude of the descendants of the venera- ble patriarch Abrahnm^ is given under the oath of God in the covenant which the Lord made with him, in words and language, which agree exactly with the ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, which John sa\ in the vision as above. " And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said. By myself have [ sworn, sailh the Lord ; for because thou h&st done this thing, and hast not with- held thy son, thine only son ; that in blessing, I will bless thee; and in multiplying, ! will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore ; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies : and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed ; because thou hast obeyed my voice:" Gen. xxii. 13» dLc. f. THIRD DISPENSATION. 183 nd about and the ten ihou- 1. And ullitude. braham. Lot was yes, and ard, and T all the :, and to id as the nber the be num- promise ?, which leed not od's pe- ice with reatness venera- oath of de with exactly id, and in the i called ne, and rd ; for n wilh- ising, I luhipjy le sand d shall y seed tecause 3» dLC. Therefore as these two indefinite numbers — the number in the covenant promise, and the number in the Revelation — coincide and agree ; and as there is no other indefinite number found to coincide with either, the conclusion is fair and just, to affirm that John's vision, or God's revelation to John, is nothing more or less than the fulfilment of God's solemn promise to Abraham with regard to his offspring, as the whole New Testament is to be considered the fulfilment of the promises contained and exhibited in the Old. Therefore, I have thesie grounds to believe, that tliose beings which John saw in his prophetic vision, were neither mystical, nor aerial beings, but the very hundred and forty-four thou- sand sealed of all the twelve tribes of Israel ; or the ''multitude which no man could number, out of all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues," which John beheld standing " before the throne, and before the Lamb, in white robes, and palms in their hands :'* and my belief is farther confirmed, with regard to this statement, by their own Millennial song. " And when he had taken li^e book, the four beasts [living beings, Zoon,] and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials fyll of odours, which are the pray- ers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation ; and hast made ug unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth j" Rev. v. 8-10. The next verse would appear, upon ordinary, slight acquaintance with the grand arrangement, and accordance, and coincidence of the plan of God, as exhibited in the Holy Bible throughout, to express some new vision of some other beings, and not a continuation of the glorious 184 ', i.-i '• II in TI1£ SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. I i views which are given of the self-same identical beings, or holy people, by additional prospects held out to them with regard to their Millennial rei-n a thousand years with Christ, as the King of Ws, and the Lord of Lords. Those who are fond of the Inarvellous, may mystify the laneruage above their own comprehension, and that of all human intellect : but by sober consideration, and sound Biblical criti- cism their unintelligible sublime can be reduced, and brought within the reach of rational comprehen- sion. It ,s worthy of being remarked, in this place, that as the number of the Apostles answered to the number of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel they were therefore restricted in their commission to the twelve tribes of Israel. '« These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not : but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel ;" Mat. x. 5, 6. John's commission, therefore, did not extend beyond the limits of the twelve tribes ; and answerablv to that, James and Peter addressed their Epistles ex- clusively to them. " James, a servant of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting :'' Jame? , i. 1 . Peter also addressed one of his Epistles after the same manner; "Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Ponlus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanc- tification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprink- ling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you, and peace be multiplied;'' 1 Peter i. 1, 2. It is more natural, therefore, to consider John as acting in compliance with the terms of his commission, than that he should be led away, by visions of the liord, to other subjects inconsistent with thp nrl^rlnftl — _. identical ects held I reign a f Kings, id of the )ve their ntellect ; ical criti- reduoed, iprehen- lis place, d to the of Israel, nmission ve Jesus Go not y city of 3r to the X. 5, 6. beyond rably to sties ex- rod, and >s which Peter e same irist, to Galatia, rding to jh sanc- s prink- to you, It is acting nission, i of the trio-inal '"O ' THIRD DISPENSATION. 185 terms of his commission. And besides, when he was directed by the Revelations of the Lord, to measure the temple, and they that worship therein, that he is limited, as in his original commission. ''And there was given to me a reed like unto a rod, and the angel stood, saying. Rise, and measure the tem- ple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein ; but the court which is without the temple leave it out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months :" Rev. xi. 1 , 2. As in conformity, therefore, with the other views which the Bible affords us on this subject, we must conclude that none but the twelve tribes were inclitded in this vision ; and John's commission, at that time, ns meant by measuring the temple of God, and the al- tar, and they that worshipped therein, must be un- derstood and concluded to be, that he should keep by the historical line of that peopIe^s promises, as they arc recorded in the Holy Bible, and contained in God's covenants, and the prophetic promises which God held out to them by His holy servants the prophets : and his commission did not authorise him to comprehend in the scriptural line of delinea- tion, any but those who had, under the Mosaic dis- pensation, the high privilege and prerogative to enter the temple, where God had graciously appointed that His name should dwell, and to worship the God of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, in the courts of Israel. And his connnission directed him, in express terms, not to measure the court which was without ;he temple, but to leave it out ; because it was given to the Gentiles: and thus we see, that he was instructed to abide, in his revelations, to Mosaic usages, and not to give any thing lo the public contradictory of other parts of the Book of ineniraiirtn Ar.rl tliaraCnrck lUA inn tr ■•£ioc?rknn I'ki IP ^•^tv9''99 sa-qe-v-BB* A S. IXVft »tIVI \J t\^I v »» \J lit1*\ I \jtx.a\JXivnJ)f ■■ tS6 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. conclude, that where great and precious promises are held out, in the Book of Revelation, that they are advanced in favour of those whose right it is, by God's covenanted promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their seed and offspring. « They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble: for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and tlKJir offspring with them:" Isa.lxv. 23. Peter also, in his eminent sermon, on the day of Pentecost, bears testimony to the same views and doctrine. '* For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, (the ten cast*off tribes,) even as many as the Lord our God shall call :" Acts ii. S9. Therefore we dare not take up the ,Bible, the '* reed like a rod" given to John, and com- prise in our applications of its language, any in the measurement, survey, or line of delineation, but the twelve tribes of Israel, for the privileges, and bles- smgsof the high and exalted condition and states of Millennial Saints, to reign with Christ; they alone are his brethren, as concerning the flesh, he is <'bone of their bone, and flesh of their flesh," being the " son of David, the son of Abraham." He singles them out, when he says, " I will declare thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the church (or assem- bly) will I sing praise unto thee:" Heb. ii. 12. In addition to all these conclusive views, we find them presented to us in language far from ambiguous, where they are represented as acting a part whl^h none but themselves could act. " And I looked, ano, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder ; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps : and they sans as it were a new snni?. hpf^wp thA I O' u. THIRD DISPENSATION. 187 promises hat they t it is, by aac, and hey shall ible : for 4ord, and eteralso, entecost, doctrine, children, r tribes,) II call:" } up the ind com- ^ in the , but the ind bles- states of ey alone is *'bone jing the ; singles name to r assem- 12. In nd them biguous, rt wh>.h ed,anG, nih him i^ing his And I »f many ; and I r harps : throne, and before the four beasts, (living beings,) and the elders ; and no man could learn that song but the hundred, and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; (idolatrous churches,) for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb, whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile : for they are without fault before the throne of God :" Rev. xiv. 1, &c. In that ample, and beautifully descriptive passage, we behold the twelve tribes of Israel introduced, by their number, in a condition of high and eminent qualification and distinction — in a condition of ex- clusive prerogative and privilege — and, by their qualifications, prepared to sing a song which none but the hundred and forty and four thousand could learn. And why could they not learn it, but be- cause they had not experienced the subject of their song ; and because they were not sealed with the hundred and forty and four thousand who were sealed ; and because they were not redeemed from the earth : or according to their song, in the other place, which I have quoted above : " Thou art wor- thy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people ; for these are they which were redeemed from the ea'-th." In the seventh chapter, they, as the servants of God, are sealed in their foreheads : and here they have the Lamb's Father's name in their foreheads : and they in both places sing a song of their own experience, and highly suitable to their high and exalted station. The vision is a prophetic vision ; and therefore the song IB nlart a mrtrttiAf i^ ci.» K» •^^•-■.•..« d,.^ »r C^ I ... auuu Ul \JUU4 «■ 188 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. in the month of Jolin; and is to be understood as the song of the Millennial Saints, when brought into the condition expressed in these prophetic, nnillena- rian songs : now what we have particularly to attend to, in the highly conclusive, agreeing passages, is, in the one case, the number sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand ; and, in the other case, the in- numerable multitude, and the ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. Ten thousand times ten thousand can be numbered ; but the thousands of thousand* cannot be calculated, so as to ascertain the full amount ; and therefore as the evidence, with regard to the multitude that no man could number, has not so clear a certainty of their i being the twelve tribes, in their high and exalted millenarian condition, yet the exact coincidence and agreement of the two passages with regard to their innumerable character, and their being gathered out of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, are sufficiently confirmatory of one another as signified ; and, in the one case, they are repre- sented to be " siandSng before the throne, and before the Lamb, in white robes, and palms in their hands;" and, in the other case, they are exhibited, by their own confession in their song of gratitude, as made " kings and priests unto God, and to reign on the earth ;'' we have, from these coincidences, suflicient warrant to consider the two descriptive views to signify the same identical people. And there is another confirmatory connection and accordance to be observed to exist betweer. one of these, and ano- ther perfectly conclusive view in another passage, which I have quoted, where " they sung a song which none but the hundred and forty-four thousand could learn." Now I signified my belief that these views were the same ; and therefore, as in the one case, none but the hundred and fortv-four thousand irstood as u^ht into , millena- to attend ^es, is, in dred and e, the in- ind tinrics h. Ten ;red ; but dated, so >re as the t no man of their i exalted ncidence egard to gathered )ple, and ; another re repre- id before 'hands;" by their as made n on the sufficient views to there is dance to and ano- passage, a song housand lat these the one hnncnnH THIRD DISPENSATION. 169 could learn the song, the ten thousand times ten thousand, and the thousands of thousands, are the same as the innumerable multitude ; and therefore are given to express the amount incalcuiable of the number of the tribes of Israel in their Millennial glory, as the hundred and forty-four thoupind which were sealed, which is the number of the Bride, the Lamb's wife. The materials of the holy city, New Jerusalem, are thus far convincingly ascertained : or in other words, the people who shall be, in due time, the saints that shall '' reign with Christ a thousand years," are thus far pointed out as the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom that honor belongs as their own royal prerogative and birthright. But still questions may be started with regard to the holy city, New Jerusalem ; because people in gene- ral arc not accustomed to consider a city, and the inhabitants thereof, to be the same. And indeed it may, at first sight, appear paradoxical ; but that arises from the too common practice of viewing Scriptural, spiritual things as if they were common earthly things: but it is no uncommon thing, in the language of Scripture, to use a place for the people of the place : and, indeed, in common language, it Js no uncommon thing. •• And there wenl out unto him all the land of Judea :" Mark i. 5. " The Pha- risees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone Jifter him :" John xii. 9. In these two instances, the places are put for the people of these places ; and the case wo are considering, " holy city," antl " New Jerusalem," are put in the passage for holy people, and a new church, yet in anxious anticipa- tion ; and therefore the people that shall compose that new church, expressed by " New Jerusalem," are lliemRrlvps iho mnlPilRls vvilh whifK ihnt linlv 190 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. ■I I mm i ■■r dHOH i ^ j H; ■ t ; 1 H 4 ^f'\ city, New Jerusalem, shall be built ; nncf therefore I have taken the more pains tr, prove who these peo- ple are, as described in the Holy E^ble, and hitherto I am satisfied, that the olfspring of the ancient, pecu- liar people of (iod, whosr covenant was in their flesh, are to be the materials of that holy city, Now Jeru- salem : the jjundred and forty-four thousand, who were sealed in John's prophetic vision — the Bride, the Lamb's wife. If the Bride, the Lamb's wife, and the holy city, New Jerusalem, cai> be clearly proven to be the same identical people, and these again to be the twelve tribes of Israel, in their in- gathered condition, no reasonable objection can be adduced against my theory and proposition. And ;for that purpose, I shall, as the Lord may be pleased to guide and instruct me by His unerring Spirit, take a view of the contents of the two last chapters of Kevelalion, and show the beautiful con- nection, and the conclusive evidence whicii can be derived from their contents. That may be neces- sary, as the strongest and the mosi convincing proofs are to be found there. What has? already been written, might serve ordinary purposes ; but as the world is full of contrariety of opinions on this sub- lime and glorious subject, farther elucidation of the subject, from still clearer evidence and proofs, may be necessary, in order, at least, to draw the atten- tion of those who may be desirous to form a closer, and a more intimate acquaintance, with so import- ant an inquiry as that before us : as well as to refute, by plain and simple Scriptural authority, the objec- tions of those who may still be sceptical with regard to the Millennium itself, and all the views which the Bible certainly affords, of a glorious era which is still future, but surely near at hand. Should it even be but for satisfaction to one's self, it is a subject whicli deserves serious attention, and ought to call M. THIRD DISPENSATION. 191 lierefore I Jiese peo- I hitherto 2nt, pecu- heir flesh, [cvv Jeru- jnd, who he Bride, ib's wife, te clearly \m\ these their in- )n can be m. And may be unerring two last tiiul con- :!i can be je neces- ng proofs dy beea Jt as the this sub- 'n of the ofs, may le atten- a closer, ijnporl- :o refute, e objec- h regard iiich the 'vhich is 1 it even subject It to call fortii all the energies of the teachers of the reHigion of Jesus most especially, that they might be qualified and prepared to lead those whom they are boond, by every solemn consideration, to instruct and gntde in their search after useful knowledge. We have the fullest and most complete view of the holy city. New Jerusalem, its materials and its condition, in the twenty-first chapter of the Book ol' Revelation, which the Bible can afford ; — indeed, it might well be termed the New Jerusalem history. It is full of the riches of revelation — it is fraught with the sweets of divine beauty and elegance with information and satisfaction to the diligent, en- lightened student of prophecy, as if all the revela- tions of prophecy, in connection with God's cove- nants, were concisely concentrated within its limits. The New Jerusalem seems to shine forth there, in the brilliancy and bright splendour of Millennial excellency — its bright elTulgence difTuses glorious rays of prophetic light and knowledge every where around — it encompasses within its radient circle, the perfect history of the Abrahamic church from its very foundation, resting its weight and greatness on the twelve patriarchs, as the twelve foundations of its walls, with the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. It has the glory of God ; and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jas- per stone, clear as chryslal. And the honour and glory of the nations brought into it. O for the tongue of the learned, and the pen of a ready writer, to describe thy perfections of beauty, and elegance, and excellency ; and the glory of thy heavenly ori- gin, history, and final greatness, in songs of gratitude and triumph, to God and the Lamb, for redeeming love and grace, and glory ! for O holy city, New Jerusalem! thy beauty is perfect : thy name is trans- cendantly honourable. '• We have thought of thy \dl THH SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. loving kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. According to ihy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth : thy right hand is full of righteousness. Let Mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah bo glad, because of thy judg- ments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her: icll the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces ; that ye may tell it to the ge- neration following. For this God is our God for ever and ever : he will be our guide even unto death." Psalm xlviii. 9, iliall n' lor the tlicir <> tings, t confirn new ea the tw( ntcd ar I less, p fesurre nnd bo IJiohnes ilignity ^housar Thei )e obt THIRD DISPENSATION. 195 ence and 11, part in the earth, n — their ice — and one case, thousand IS are put wlioin it renewed, i on the racter of ith these hich are I people, ve tribes 'enaLt of the new glorious id years nanency id years, th hands 9n made the dif- he same J are the heaven 6 Lord, igs new. )rds are is done, the end. water of ding, in ith that viev; of their renovation, acceptance, and glorious condition, is that beautiful, indisputable description jgiven by the Prophet Isaiah : " For, behold, 1 cre- ate new heavens, and a new earth: and the former shall not be r^iuiembered, nor come into mind: but be ye giud imd rejoice for ever in that which I cre- mate: for, biihold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and ifier people a joy. And 1 will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in niy people : and the voice of weeping Jxiiall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of cry- ^ing. There shall be no more thence an infant of Alays, nor an old man that hath not filled his days-: llor the cliiM shall die an hundred years old ; b«t the sinner being an hundred years old, shall be accursed. And they shall build houses, and inhabit tliem ; and ithev shall plant viijevards, and cot the fruit of them, riujy sh.ill not build, and another inhabit; they ;Nhali not plant, and another eat ; for as the days io( a tree are the days of my people, and mine ^<'lect shall loiii;: enjoy the works of ti»eir hands. They ,sli;dl n<»t liibour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble: |lor they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and itJKjir otlspriog with them :'' Isa. Ixv. 17, 6lc. W(; have, frotn these portions of the sacred wri- tings, the completeness of proof and satisfaction to confirm us in the belief that the new heaven and the new earth, and the holy city, New Jerusalem, are the twelve tribes of Israel in a renovated state, cre- ntcd anew after God in righteousness and true holi- ness, parlalung together of the blessings of the first resurrection, and enjoying, in the unity of the Spirit, and bond of peace, the blessings and privileges, in ijiohness of nature, their royal, priestly, and kingly jlignity, and honor, and glory, with Jesus Christ, a thousand years, on the earth. There is s»ill more corroborating testimony to )e obtained from that beautiful passage in Isaiah, 196 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUlf. which shows the agreement of these two bright wit- nesses in all the essentia's of proof with regard to the subject of my research ; 1 allude to their joyful condition, freed from their former sorrow, cngnish. and affliction, which they had necessarily to endure, m their scattered and peeled condition. '' And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weepmg shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying:*' Isa. Ixv. 10. This is the condition of the Lord's people, when He shall have created a new heaven and a new earth ; and shall have created Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. Now, the same description and joyful ac- count is given by John, when, in prophetic vision, jic saw a new heaven, and r. new earth: and saw, in like manner, the holy city. New Jerusalem, com- ing down out of heaven from God, prepared as n bride, adorned for her husband. ♦' And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the taber- nacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor eryiniy, neither shall there be any more pain : for the fo'rmer things are passed away. And he that sat on the throne said, behold, I make all things new : Rev. XXI. .% 4. The coincidence and a<^reement between Jsaiah and John, in their descriptive Inngungo, shew that, whatever Jerusalem God promisetl, by the hand of the prophet Isaiah, to '' create rejoieii.gs, and her people a joy," is the self-same, identical holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, from God, " prepared as a Bride, adorned for her husband :" " creating new heavens, and a new earth, and Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her peoph^ a joy," ifi what John expressed in lerme of the saiav THIRD DISPENSATION. lirT right wit- regard to 5ir joyful , ongnish, endure, " And I )ple : and rd in her, lis is the hall have ind shall r people Dyful ac~ ic vision, and saw, -^m, com- ired as R heard a he taber- vell with 1 himself ■ nd God nd there r erying, e former t on the w: Rev. between Lj;e, shew- by the r.gs, and ical holy heavt-n, for her a new peof)h^ .1 he saiiiv import, although in diflerent words ; Isaiah promises the heavenly change, and John beheld her changed, find in the prepared condition, adorned for her hus- band, as the Hride, the Lamb's wife. Isaiah speaks of a promised work, by which the change was lobe ellected, anSfi fvvplvA nnf riarr>ha ara ir^ compose the holy city. New Jerusalem, there surely can be no difliculty in understanding the views held out by John, when he states that the walls of the 904 if m' m THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. City had twelve foundations ; that is the same as to say, in common language, that the twelve sons of Jacob were the founders of the great and high com- monwealth of Israel : the commonwealth of Israel was composed of twelve minor communities, which, when united, constituted the great aggregated com- monwealth. Therefore as each community sprun^>- from an individual patriarchal head, each commu'^ riity or tnbe had that snmc patriarch as its original foundation ; and thereforn the composed common- wealth had ihe twelve patriarchs as the foundations on whicli It was built: or, in other words, tlie spacious and glorious commonwefilth of Israel, as a mighty edifice, the work of a glorious, all-wise, all- imghly, ever-present Architect or Master-builder, sprung from, and was built upon, the twelve patri- archs, the twelve sons of Jacob: and although always distinguished by separate tribes, yet, as a 'common- wealth, tliey were but one united, compact body, assembiuig three times in the year to worship the Godot their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and to offer sacrifices, and free-will offerings, and the tythes of their substance to Him, according to the requisitions of the Decalogue, the laws of their God. In like manner, although the foundations of the great and high walls of the holy city. New Jerusa- lem, which John saw in prophetic vision, " coming- down out of heaven, from God, prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband," were twelve, yet, when their number is multiplied into itself, it just |)roduces one hundred and forty-four thousand, the exact number of the Bride, the Lamb's wife— the New Jerusalem, as proven above: or the twelve tribes of Israel, united fofrpthnr nc n r>fxnxrxnr.t k«^.. — ■ — ^p) - — . .?.^ ,t t„'"^tftz jj-nvji xj\j\i y g or commonwealth, the building of the Lord. "For we know, that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle wctQ dissolved, we have a building of God, an houso THIRD DISPENSATION. 205 not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven : if so that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened : not for that we would bo unclothed, but clothed ujjon, that mortality might be swal- lowed up of life:" I Cor. v. 1, &c. Now, Paul's solicitude for his kinsmen, his brethren^ according to the flesh, in other parts of his writings perfectly harmonizes with the views contained ?n that passage. '• The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs: heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ: if so be that we suffer with him, tiiat we may be also glorified together. For I reck- on that llie sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall he revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God:" Rom. viii. 16, (fc.c. That passage, together with the other passage which I have fpioled above, may be considered Paul's anxious solicitude for thJ scattered, depressed, and sorely afflicted twelve tribes of the children of Israel ; and a full and lively expression of his fond hopes, that they shall yet, as the sons of God by the everlasting covenant, and vv'lieninaniresled,the sons of God by new creation, .'iiid adoption, and sanctification of the spirit, and' r'le New Testament in tiie blood of Jesus Christ, be gathered together to compose John's holy city. New Jerusalem : this earnest solicitude, and expectation he expresses in most benevolent and forcible lan- guagf, in tiie foilovvlng chapter ; *' I say the truth in Christ ; 1 lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were '206 THV. SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh ; who are Israehles : to whom pcrtaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the cove- nants, 3Md the giving' of the law, and the sei ice of God, and the promises ; whose are the fathers, and and of wlioin, as <;oiicerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen :'' lion) ix. 1, &e. No doubt he had in his writin^M tinonyliont in vi(>w the covenant of God with his people ; and viows them, in the passage I have quo- tod from his wiiiings, not only in their scattered, distressed condition, but also expresses his earnest expectations, and hopeful anticipations, for their recovery and adoption, as the Biide, the Lamb's wife, h a more exalted, and a more excellent state, than (.'vcr they enjoyed, when as a commonwealth, ihey app.eared before God in his holy temple at Je- ru^ialem. 1 am aware that 1 may meet will) op|)o- sition in the application of parts of the texts I liav(' just quoted, to the twelve tribes of Israel — when I would conscientiously give my views of the building we have of God, "an house not made with hands, eter- nal in the heavens," to be the same as the holy city, New Jerusalem. 1 would direct the attention of my readers to the following verse of the same chapter, where Paul speaks of a house from heaven. " For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed tif)on with our house which is from heaven." John ( \presses his views in accordance with Paul's ex- j.ression, when he describes the holy city, New Je- nisalcm as '' coming down out of lieaven from God:" and although Paul spt-aks of the dissolution of our ( arthly tabernacle, in the first verse of the chapter /• I ;,.!» I l>.,..t. r%,tf\irtt\ Ilia I'lnoriinop hptnti^ wo. (ould have a building of God, "an house not made with haiuls, eternal in the heavens :" yet that but strengthens and confirms me in my views the nmiej THIRD DISPENSATION. 207 because he agrees perfectly with John's account of the happy condition of the holy city, New Jerusa- lem ; where he says, '' And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death." And also by Paul's own language, where he attributes to men the qualities and properties of a house. " But Christ as u Son over his own house ; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." Now Paul, in this place, was addressing the He- brews, and being a Hebrew himself, he includes him- self with his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh, for whose welfare, recovery, and redemp- tion, he often uses ihe most sympathizing and en- dearing language ; therefore I ean plainly, consci- entiously, and unhesitatingly ascribe to the twelve tribes, in their glorious, adopted condition on earth, all these views, although they would seem to bo applicable exclusively to glorified beings beyond death and the grave. By many marks in the lan- guage itself which is used, I am fully confirmed in these views, such as " our house which is from hea- ven" — "whose house are we" — *' holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God." and such like expressions. It matters not by what name the church is desrribed, provided such charac- ters are expressed as are suitable, for the church of Christ is designated in the holy Scriptures by above one hundred and forty names, perhaps, the exact number of the Bride, the Lamb's wife, one hundnd and forty four, and each of them expressive of ^onie qualification, grace, beauty, and durability— for in- stance. Assembly of Saints, Body of Christ, Bride, liuildino' of God. — • m.:i.\ ^lililitCIi r Ol uie kingdom, Disciples, Corner-stones, Oautditer of the King, Dove, Elect, Flock of God, Hidden ones, House of God, City of God ;— these are but a few > - m 'm, , mm0tii' m b w w( ffl! 208 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. i t ■ I t • f It i I of the many names of the Church of Christ, even while on eartii: and if any dihgent student would lake the tronbI«j and pains to make up, from the Bible, a hst of the names of the Church, he would, I believe, with astonishment exclaim, the number of the Bride is assuredly oisc hundred and forty-four; for the Church of Christ, the Bride, the Lamb's wife, is mentioned in the Hible one hundred and forty-four times. Wonderful as tiiat may appear, it is no more wonderful than true. Wliether John made al- lusion to that or not, it alTects not our present re- ?5earches ; altiiouudj it is of much confirmation by the corroborating; testimony which it aftbrds. '* A building of God, an house not made with hands, clernal in tlie heavens," cannot be excluded from the list of the Bride's names and titles, in the Holy Bible ; therefore, by whatever name or designation tlie Church of Christ is exhibited, we are noi S3 much confined to the bare name, as to deprive us of the liberty of examining into her cha acter, and qua- lifications at the diUerent periods an stages of her history, from her very twelve foundations — I mean the Abrahamic church, for it is the history of the Abrahamic church I have hitherto been tracing through the historical progress of her rise upon her own twelve foundations, or patriarchal progenitors. And we have now before us, in that twenty-first chapter of the book of Revelation, a most exalted view of her glory and greatness, actually come down f>ut of heaven, from God — actually prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband ; but we must sus- pend our admiration, exultation, and praise of her beauty, and heavenly excellence, and complete our i>'"oof'^ i"j fa -'our *>f the twelve tribes of the childieti of Israel, as clearly and evidently that holy city, Now Jerusalem, now, in these latter days, coming down out of heaven, from God, prepared, according to the promises of the Holy Bi!)lc. THIRD DISPENSATION. 209 , even would )m the ould, I ber of /-four; 's wife, ty-four is no ade al- 3nt re- Lion by . '* A hands, d from e Holy ^nation noi S3 e us of id qua- of her I mean of the tracing )on her enitors. ity-first exalted E5 down d as a ISt 8US- of her jte our hildiGM y, Naw y down : to the i Besides, the twelve gates, and the description which is given of them, together with the twelve foundations of the city, are again introduced under another form and aspect. At the first notice of them they are merely mentioned in the description of the city ; but again they are shown individually in their elegance and beauty: each gate is successively and distinctly described by the name of a pearl, and the number of the pearls collectively amount to the often-repeated sacred number, twelve; or the number of the Bride, the Lamb's wife, or Millennial Church, as if to make a deeper and a more lasting impression on the mind of the reader : but at any rate, the repetition, under these different forms, con- firms and establishes the doctrine beyond the power of refutation or contradiction. The only thing necessary to be explained in this section of the work, is the allusion which is made to the twelve Apostles. " And the walls of the city had twelve foundations, aid in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb." The twelve foundations of the walls of the city, I formerly showed to be the twelve sons of Jacob ; and now we have other characters introduced, as having their names only in those first twelve : but upon the first twelve the walls of the city were founded. It must be re- membered, that I proved that the twelve apostles had their commission to the twelve tribes : " Go ye not in the way of the Gentiles ; but rather go ye to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." And now their names being found in the twelve foundations of the walls of the city, they are thus given and exhibited in conjunction with the twelve patriarchs for the same g,!^... »v.-ii:a %,jsvts3 . wui liic iiiai iiic im;y irnm w^uoni the people sprung, to whom the Apostles had their ex- clusive commssion. The twelve patriarchs were purposed for their place as foundations : and the 15 r 210 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. ii ill Apostles had their commission to the people sprang from these patriarclis. There are other twelve mentioned, in that wonderfully comprehensive cha.p- ter— " twelve angels st nding at the twelve gates of the city" — these also are to be received in our rec- koning of high and illustrious characters, for the same purposes also ; for the carrying on of the saime views in conjunction with the other two illustrious classes of twelves: now the twelve patriarchs were appointed as the twelve foundations, representatives for the Mosaic dispensation — twelve Apostles for the Gospel dispensation — and the twelve angels for the Millennial dispensation, which is the theme of my labours, ac; the wheat which has the promises of God for glorious ingathering, at the day of the harvest, which is fast hastening, when the wheat, or children of the kingdom, shall be gathered into ihe garner ; but the tares into bundles to be burnt. The beauty, grandeur, elegance, and orcellency of the city pre- sented to us at this very place in this chapter, would almost incline me to step out of my present line of discussion, to behold and show forth its splendour ; but I must restrain my over-hasty curiosity, and plead for the patience of my readers, until we shall have fully measured the city and the temple, and they that worship therein, with the reed like a rod ; and until the entrances are clearly pointed out, so as that our entrance may be in triumph and joy. The twenty-second chapter also affords much conclusive evidence on the same line of doctrine I have been tracing, in addition to the full and satis- factory proofs we have drawn from that wonderful twenty-first chapter. " And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either aide of the river, was there the tree of TIIEXD IMSPENSATION. UlL Sprung twelve e chap- 2;ates of ur ree- for the je sairne isjious IS were italives for tlie for the of my of God larvest, hildren garner ; beauty, ity pre- , would line of ndour ; d plead ill have id they 1 ; and as that much jtrine I d satis- iderful of life, Df God (t of it, tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations :" Rev, xxii. 1, 2. Although the Gospel dispensation, succeeding the two preceding dispensations, be given under the em- blematic character of a river, in the first verse, yet immediate reference is made, in the second verse, to the street of the city, still showing an uninterrupted continuation of the same views as contained in the foregoing chapter; but we find the river, or Gospel L It is common, in educational practice, when speak- ing of the progress of pupils or students of any of the arts and sciences, or even theology itself, to make use of the term " edification" — although its strict meaning, according to its derivation or etymology, barely means house-building; and as the Church of Christ, in the Scriptures of truth, is called the house ^f Orf^A /^ QC* «■». ^tifvr niorf-v _..U the term " building a city, or house," cannot be considered inappropriate in the language used to i -^ ■ ■ »e cove- of th» the na- 3 of the 'ed my , whicli ' Bible, 1 of the Lamb'* e every a glori- the pri- 3ut and ; or to D pecu- lan can t doing iting it, vn des- itimate, whom^ »i7gs, as SALExM. speak- any of o make i strict [lology, Lirch of t house .K. U lot be ised to "tHIRD DlSPENSATroN. Q15 I I ii describe the manner in which Israel is to be restored. *' But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know, how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar, and the ground of the truth :" I Tim. iii. 15. The term "buddmgthe holy city, New Jerusalem," shall be used according to that explanation, to prevent repe- titions, repeated explanations, and unnecessary re- dundancies. But a few passages of Scripture whert the term "building," as referable to the church, or holy city, new Jerusalem, occurs in the Bible, may be appropriately applied to the building up of the twelve tribes of the <:hildren of Israel, as I have already proved them to be the holy city, New Jeru- salem, in anticipation of their favourable restoration. '' At the same time"— a time alluded to in the pre- ceding chapter—" saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, nnd they shall be my people. Thus saith the Lord, The people who were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel when I went to cause him to rest. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying. Yea, I have loved ihee with an everlasiing love ; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. And I wdl build tbee, and thou shall be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make iTierry :" Jer. xxx. 1, &c. The prophet Jeremiah in that passage speaks of great favour to be in reserve m the covenants of God, and when viewing the pro- gress of restoration, he expresses it by the lerm " budding the virgin of Israel." Now, the virgin of krael must signify the church in hopeful expectation of deliverance and rrrpnf fnvrvnr . k..» «„ «u — i l at that period of her history, when she wassmall and full of corruption, is termed " virgin of Israel," we surely need not hesitate to conclude, that the prophet ■t LI S16 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. had a hopeful view of the gathering and restoration of the scattered and peeled twelve tribes of Israel, in a purer, and a holier condition than their state then was: not only favour and restoration, but restoration to purity and holiness ; and therefore to the favoui and love of God, who alone is holy, just, and good, who declares that holiness becometh His house well. ** Thy testimonies are very sure : holiness becomes thine house, O Lord, for ever:" Psalm xciii. 5. And the reason for that is, that he himself sitteth on the throne of his holiness. " God sitteth on the throne of his holiness. The princes of the people are ga- thered together, even the people of the God of Abraham ; for the shields of the earth belong unto God : he is greatly exalted :" Psalm xlvii. Under the Mosaic dispensation, their judicial pollutions and defilements disqualified the children of Israel ; and there were also legal purifications, after which form they were reckoned holy, and qualified for all the duties of their stations, and were permitted to enter the congregation of Israel ; and offered, according to the law of the Lord, for their cleansing, and eat of the passover, and other sacrifices, according to the custom. These were all typical, as they belonged to the typical or law dispensation ; but such are not the purifications and holiness which are anticipated by the prophets, and expected by the new dispensa- tion messengers of Jesus Christ, the holy Apostles and Evangelists, but — real holiness of heart, and life, and conversation in the world : therefore when we may hopefully look for a renovation of nature before the commencement of the reign of the saints with Jesus Christ ; and before the New Jerusalem can appear, a holy city, " coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a Bride, adorned for her hus- band ;" and before Zechariah's prophecy concerning the children of Israel, and Jerusalem, can be fulfilled. itoratioin 'srael, in ate then Uoration e favour id good; ise well, becomes 5. And \i on the B throne I are ga- God of ng unto Under ons and el ; and ch form all the to enter !Cording and eat g to the elonged are not icipated ispensa- Apostles ind life, hen we 5 before Its with ;m can heaven er hus* cerning iiaUed. THIRD DISPENSATION. 217 " In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness unto the Lord ; and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea cyery pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of Hosts ; and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein : and in that day, there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts :" Zech. xiv. 20, 21. Before all these things can be realized, there must be a very great change wrought : but to effect so great a change as is absolutely necessary for fulfilling the Scriptures, and for answering the anti- cipations of prophecy, the change must be more than ordinary renovation, and the work and power would require to be great and glorious : and indeed such are the promises of God for that purpose. " Behold I make all things new." And the Apostle Paul cor- roborates that full amount of expectation, which we have presented to us in the holy Scriptures, when he speaks of the beneficial effects of their dispersion to the world in general, and anticipates greater be- nefits to accrue to the Gentiles by their reception and restoration. " I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall ? God forbid ; but rather through their fall, salvation hath come to the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles ; how much more their fulness ? For I speak to you Gentiles, inas- much as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine otiico ; if by any means I may provoke to emu- lation them which are my flesh, and might save gome of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead ?" Rom. xi. 1 1 &c. That is Paul's expectation with regard to Is- rael, at the time of reception and restoration, and surely '' II 213 rtrt subj*:cts or the millennium. he whose flesh they were, and who had experience ot the reception, could not but have adequate ideas ot the manner of reception, by hfe from the dead, which he declares to be tire alone way of divine appointment for the reception of hi^ brethren, his kinsmen according to (he flesh ; and therefore he puts It as a question ''What shall the receiving of them be but hfo from the dead ?" His own restoration was supernatural and glorious, and therefore he under- stands what restoration from death to life signifies. And as he journeyed. Ire came near Damascus ; and suddenly there shined around him a light from iieaven : and ho fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou 11 Tr ^^'''' ^^^ ^'^ *'*°" L^'"^^ • And the L.ord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what will thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him. Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do :" Acts ix. 3-6. That may safely be considered a fair specimen of the commencement ot what 1 aul means, when he speaks of the reception ot Israel ; and what he afterwards experienced must be -considered the full amount of the manner in winch hfe from the dead may be expected for dis- consolate, afliicted Israel. The Prophet Ezekiel givei a very full account of the deplorable condition of the ten tribes; and here I may remind my readers that 1 showed a difference of condition in the afHic- t4ons endured long by the twelve tribes of Israel— |hat 1 showed that the Jews were but dispersed - but the ton tribes were, according to Isaiah, outcast' now It IS the prospect of deliverance for the ten trioes, oy life from the d^iuxl, wiiich both these pro- phetstypwally promise. i m » cperiencc ate ideas le dead> f divine hren, his efore he J of them tion was 2 under- signifies. [Tiascus ; jht from a voice est thou /Ind the t. It is And he ^ill thou to him, )ld thee y safely cement ception !d must iner in or dis* ^zekiel, ndition readers 5 afHic- srael — ersed ; utcast; he ten 56 pro- THIRD DlSPENSATTOIf. 2ID p I Tlie vision of Ezekiel is of a most melancholy nature, as well as of long iJuration for the ten tribes, the outcasts, if we are to consider them in that con- dition of death ever since E/ekicI wrote his prophecy — we have every reason to consider the vision per- fectly descriptive of their condition in general, which will continue so until the same prophecy with regard to their resuscitation and resurrection, shall have been fully accomplished and fulfilled. As some of my readers may not feel so lively interested in the vision as to read it in their Bibles, that they may have it before them in this same book, I shall trans- cribe it, that there may not be interruption in their course of reading, and that they may have frequent reference to the sacred text before them. " The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley that was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about : and behold there were very many in the open valley ; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live ? And 1 answered, O Lord God, thou knowcst. Again he said unto me, Pro- phecy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live ; and ye shall know that I am the Lord:" Ezek. xxxvii. 1, &c. Tlie com- mencement of the chapter gives an intimation of a Meissenger, and of his commission, and the power and au.hority in which he was to act, when the great valley was opened to him, that he might have a full view, at jonce, of the objects to which he was sent, or rather carried out in the Spirit ; and although we 220 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM. are not to doubt Ezekiel's prophetic vision of the open valley full of bones, yet we have to consider nim in his commission and authority as a personifi- cation of Jesus Christ, receiving his commission and authority from his Father, as he declares himself in the latter part of the twenty-eighth chapter of the gospel by Matthew, -All power is given to me in heaven and in earth," and no other could be quali- hed or empowered for so great a work : and even he himself, when asked, Could these bones live> honours the Father by saying, " O Lord God, thou knowest And then when he thus honoured the father, the Father immediately confers the highest honour upon him, by commissioning him to speak to the dead, .vith Almighty voice, and .ause them to iive, as he did at the grave of Lazarus, and elsewhere, as a specimen of the power which was conferred upon him, that he might be qualified to that greatest ot works, to bring the dry bones into life, although there were very many in the open valley, and very ciry. " Verily, verily, I say unto you. The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and the ; that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself. And ho hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man :" John v. 25-27. Now this same Son of man is he who received his com- mission and authority to cause the dry bones to live although personified by Ezekiel : but we are not to suppose, that the prophet of the Lord had not the view of the valley, for he calls it an open valley, Which he describes, with its contents: therefore, having thus premised, we shall treat the subject in sue., a manner thai ihe whole glory may be attributed to Jesus Christ. During the Mosaic dispensation, types and personifications had necessarily to be used I >n of the 3 consider personifi- ission and himself in er of the to me in be quali- and even ►nes live? jod, thou ►ured the e highest speak to 5 them to Isewhere, ronferred greatest although ind very I hour is hear the ear shall , so hath And he ent also, 7. Now lis com- t to live, e not to not the valley, erefore, bject in tributed isation, )e used. THIRD DISPENSATION. 221 1 because Christ, the Son of Man, had not then been manifested in the flesh. But now that he hath appear- ed, and become the Author of salvation to all them that believe, we can introduce Him into the Mosaic or Oid Testament language in the room of all types and personifications, and attribute to Him alone the merit and glory of all things concerning his own kingdom. Therefore we have now in our view the ten I outcast tribes of Israel presented lo us in their most I abject state of destitution, in the open valley, under the metaphorical, or figurative appearance of dry bones — but bones that could be made to hear the word ot the Lord, and be raised to life by the power of the voice of him who was commissioned, endowed, and qualified for that purpose. My reason for restricting that portion of the chap- ter exclusively to the ten tribes, is, that the tribe of Judah have retained Mosaic usages to this day, they have the Bible — the Jewish Sabbath — the circumci- sion, and many other rites and ceremonies borrowed from the Mosaic^ usages; so that they, in the perfec- tion o( the Word of God, could not be termed very dry. — The tribe or Judah, and the remnant of the tribe of Benjamin who joined them, after the tribe of Benjaminn was almost annihilated, in the battle at Gibeah of Benjamin, are they, in fi»eir disjjersed con- dition, whom we now call Jews, in contradistinction to Israel : that distinction in their designations took place, afler Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wlio made Israel to sin, had carried away the ten tribes of Isra»4 to Samaria, and reigned over them there — ever after that disruption of the twelve tribes, they were dis- tinguished as Israel and Judah — and their kings were c«enominatcu tiie kiugs of Israel, and the kings of Judah, so that it is by no means uncommon to speak of all Israel, and all Judah, as the prophet has done in the ctiapler before us, when he says the whole fi^W THE SURIECT3 OF THE MILfcENXIUM. lioiise of Israel. The tribe of Juduli anrl the ren> nant of the tnbe of Benjamin, are they whom we are accustomed to call Jews, distinguished from all other people among whom, in their scattered condi- tion, they now languish ; and among whom they have long sufl'ered witliont claim for k^gal redress of all their unparalleled miseries and sjrievances : but the ten tribes were utterly outcast,^and have been above two thousand five hundred years mixed in among all tiie nations where it has. been their fate and destiny to sojourn.-,The ten tribes thus lost all Idea and knowledge of their patriarchal, heavenly origin— lost then- distinction among all nations among whom they have been sifted, as corn is sifted inasieve, according to the prophecy of Amos con- cerning them : " For, lo, I will give command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, a« corn IS sitied in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.'^ Amos ix. 9. This sifting mav be considered common to the twelve tribes, yet thi' ten tribes are to be considered the dry bones— verv many, and very dry, as shall be proven in the sequel ol the demonstration. The Jews have retained much of their family peculiarities, by which a distinction is stil! maintained ; but Israel, or the ten tribes, are long ago become.|[dolaters—]\Iahomedans— Pagans —Jews, and Christians, so that their family distinc- tions are long lost and f.SVgotten. Tiiev are, in short, blended with all nations, and have learned, and lono- practised with them, their diflerent forms, habit.s and manners, scattered and peeled, accordin^^ to the prophecy upon them. ''Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation melted out ami trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled " Isa. xviii. 2. That is tl leir condition in their scat- tered and peeled, dejected, and forlorn condition— rM, THIRI> DISPENSATION. 22-5 the ren> )fn we are from all ed condi- vom they redress of ices: but ave been mixed in their fate IS lost all heavenly ! nations 1 is sifted nos con- andj and fiiions, as ast grain ting may !, yet tht! es — very le sequel ed much notion is ibes, are -Pagans distinc- in short, md lonii- > habits, g to the ers, to a )le froin out and )oiled :" jir scat- lition — the dry bones in the vision of EzekieK very many and very dry, peeled, and exposed, until necessarily be- come very dry : and these are they who have, in the same chapter, the exclusire promise, and prospect of covenanted blessings, and favour from the Lordoif hosts. " In that time shall the present be brought to the Lord of hosts, of a people scattered and peeled-, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foet, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the Lord of hosts, ihe Mount Zion :" Isa. xviii. 7. That is evidently the purpose for which the commis- sion is issued, and the power bestowed on ane who is mighty; that the dry bones might live — that the present might be brought to the Lord, of a people " scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto ;'' that '* sinews might be put upon them, and flesh,'^ and that the "skin might cover them :" that the " breath might be put in them," and that " they might live, and rise up a mighty army, the whoJe house of Israel." " For," says Paul, as I have already quoted, "If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but Me from the dead." Now that agrees perfectly with the prophecy upon the dry bones. •< Therefore prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel : and ye shall know, that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my peo- ple, and brought you up out of your graves. And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live ; and I shall place VOU in VOiir nwn Innd • fhi»n efinll vo L-nr^,!. that 1 the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord:" Ezek. xxxvii. 12, &c. In that part of the prophecy, a view is given of their 224 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. I 1 ^^B i| H 1 ^^^^■,' I^^K 1 ^HMp ^M ■' 1 ll ^^B I^S' ' f- condition in their darkest and deepest state of con* cealment from all human search, so ihat those who foolishly, though zealously, explore unknown regions of the earth inquest of the ten tribes of Israel, would require to have their graves individually pointed out to them, by Him whose eyes " run to and fro through- out the earth," and have the power of the almighty voice v*'hich called dead Lazarus out ot his grave into life, before they could discover one of the multitude without number, or bring him to the view of man- kind ; but God has given no intimation in all the Bible of any commission, but that given in the chap- ter before us : nor has he given any intimation but of his own power, for that purpose. *• Prophesy, Son of Man, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord." And again, " Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, Son of man, and say to thiiwind. Thus saith the Lord God, Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon the slain, that they may live." That then is the commission of God to Ezekiel,as personifying Jesus Christ; for he was the prophf^t of the Lord, prophesying then of times far distant, and of glorious events then far remote, to be achieved in the latter days, by Jesus Christ, of whom he also prophesied, as the gracious and almighty deliverer of Israel. No doubt the pro- mise of ingathering, in the parable of the tares and the wheat, speaks of angels to be sent, and the sound of that word angel, dazzles the weak eyes and un- derstandings of unenlightened men, so that they mystify that plain and simple parable, as if it meant supernatural, aerial beings descending on golden pinions from the skies ; but the word angel (Greek angclos) means, in plain English, messenger, and what consiiiutes a human being an angel, is, that the angel of the Covenant, Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, dwells in him as the indwelling God: "I will I u. THIRD DISPENSATION. 225 e of con- hose who n regions el, would linted out through- almighty jrave into multitude of man- n all the the chap- ation but [lesy, Son nes, hear Prophesy id say to from the the slain, nmission irist ; for ing then then far by Jesus gracious the pro- ares and be sound and un- hat they it meant golden I (Greek ?er, and is, that J Son of " I will I dwell in them, and walk in them :" And again, *' 1 in them, and thou in me, that they may be mad« perfect in one ; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me :" John xvii. 93. Therefore all the mes- sengers of the Lord, sent forth at the day of the harvest, will give the whole glory of the ingathering of the children of the kingdom to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord and King, and say with Paul, " I can do all things through Christ which strength- eneth me." And again, ** Not I, but the grace of God which was with me." And in another form of words, " To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles ; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory : whom wc preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom : that we may present e\eTj man perfect in Christ Jesus : whereunto I also lafca>iir, striving according to the working which worketh in me mightily :" Col. i. 27-29. All these passages may be easily understood in harmony and consistency with the views prophetically presented by Ezekiel, and show the propriety of ascribing the whole glory of the re- covery and restoration of Israel to the Son of man, although angels and servants are mentioned for the great day of the harvest ; for it is by the power of the voice of the Son of man, the quickening Spirit, that it may be rationally considered the graves can be opened — the dead called out of their graves, and be brought to the land of Israel, agreeably to the promises of God in the chapter, from wnich I draw my present views, on this all-important subject. They are, it is true, the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but he himself says, " I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel:" Mat. xv. 24. And accordingly he saith of his disciples, " As thou hast sent me into the world, so have I sent them into 16 226 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. II the world:" John xvii. 18. The Father sent him not into the world, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel ; and as their commission is a transcript of his own commission, they also were sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel : and as I have al- ready signified, the twelve patriarchs were the twelve principal men of the Mosaic dispensation, as the twelve toundations of the city for that dispensation or period of the Abrahamic church ; the twelve Apostles for the Gospel dispensation ; and latterly, twelve angels standing at the twelve gates of the great city, holy Jerusalem, or the church in its third stage of progress to full eternal perfection. The wheat, in the condition represented as dry bones ! therefore is decreed to be gathered into the garner by Jesus Christ, as Angel of the covenant, and chief head of the twelve angels in the twenty-first chapter of the book of Revelations.— All his servants, at the day of the harvest, are to be qualified and indued with power from on high, and being born of the Spirit, fully authorised to act bv his delegated power, with a sharp two-edged sword in their hands: to bind the tares with fetters to be burnt. '' For the J^ord laketh pleasure in his people : he will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory : let them sing aloud upon their beds : let the kigh praises of the Lord be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand : to execute ven- geance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the P^^P'e; %bind their kings with chains, and their nobles wlTh fetters of iron ; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all the saints. Praise ye the Lord :" Ps. cxlix. 4. ^T ^'^^^*!u^'^ "^^"^ shallbe commissioned more laii tiic ijviii worketh a!l tilings after the counsel of his .. and tiiercfore he receives originally the lii^^h i\( own com wil mis- sent h'nn the house nscript of >ut ID the f have al- he twelve »n, as the pensation e twelve \ latterly, es of the I its third )n. The ty bones, e garner and chief t chapter ts, at the d indued n of the sd power, ands: to ' For the beautify joyful in : let the h; and a ute ven- upon the ind their on them all the ed more I himself wn will ; CO in mis - THIRD DISPENSATION, 227 n sion in his threefold office, of Prophet, Priest, and King, and all his messengers act in his name in vir- tue of their commission from him, and with delegated power and authority, as co-workers together with God ; but the whole power, accompanying the word which they preach must be attributed to God and the glory to Jesus Christ, the Son of man, propor- tionate to the greatness of the work entrusted to him when he was commissioned to prophesy upon the dry bones, and through him, to the Father wlio sent him. As the ancient idolatrous heathen, &c., must be considered the graves into which the ten uibes, who Imve long been entombed and concealed amon«r them, have fallen, from flience they must be brouglft --their outcasting wa# among all nations, and bv then) they have been so completely devoured that a vestige of ihem could not be found, after all the toil, trouble, and cost, which have Seen expended in the search and explorations of men, through many and far remote countries. They are not t« be found by tiie wisdom and exploration of men ; they are outcasts— they are lost sheep, and none can fiid them but the Shepherd of the sheep, who says, Other sheep I have, them also I must bring ; and there shall be one sheepfold, one Shepherd." They are swallowed completely out of sight, among the heathens among whom they have been scattered. •Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge' who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord :" Psalm xiv. 4. In that prophe- tic passage, the mixed, lost, and concealed condition ot the ten tribes especially is depicted in doleful sounds ; but their recovery is i\en\:*rnA ;« i „^g which harmonizes satisfactorily with'\hat"doM!il Plamt. And [ brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teclh:" Job xxix. 228 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUtf. Ill 17. And David delivering the lamb out of the mouth of the lion, and from under the paw of the bear, represents the power of Jesus Christ for the execution of his commission. Therefore He will accomplish His word in bringing His people out of the most secret places where they are hid, and rid them of the fetters with which they are bound : He will break the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron asunder, and bring the people of His love out from the power of the grave. " Fear not : for I am with thee : I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather them from the west ; I will say to the north, Give up ; and to the south, Keep not back : bring my sons from far, and my^ daughters from the ends of the earth : even every one that is called by my name : for I have created ffim for my glory ; yea, I have made him :" Isa. xliii. 5. That is prophesied by Isaich in harmony and accordance with the extent and nature of Ezekiel's commission, to prophesy upon the dry bones, which are very many and very dry, in the open valley. And perfectly consistent with these views is the parable of the prodigal son— the ten tribes of Israel are often to be understood in the representative name "Ephraim," as in the follow- ing passage : " The envy also of Ephraim shall de- part, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim;" Isa. xi. 13. And that view leads me to the consideration of the next step of progress of the marvellous doings of the Lord in the recovery and restoration of His ancient, peculiar people, that the manner of the building of the holy city, New Jerusalem, may be described and shown, as we ad- vance in our delineations and explications of Scrip- ture language, l he joining of the tribes together, after their recovery from the state of dry bones, and out of their graves, is beautifully described in the lUtf. THIRD DISPENSATION. 229 out of the paw of the irist for the )re He will jople out of id, and rid >ound : He the bars of is ]ove out t : for I am Q east, and ► the north, ack : bring n the ends lied by my ry; yea, I prophesied the extent prophesy Y and very consistent ligal son — lerstood in the follow- n shall de- 3e cut off: h shall not new leads )f progress e recovery iople, that city, New as we ad- of Scrip- 5 together, )ones, and ed in the operation of joining together the sticks in the hand of the prophet. " The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it. For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then lake another stick, and write upon it. For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions : and join them one to another into one stick : and they shali become one in thine hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew unto us what thou meanest by these ? Say unto them. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him,even with the stick of Juduh, and make them one stick and they shall be one in mine hand:" Ez. xxxvii. 16, &c. That joining, and the restoration of the prodigal son to his father's favour and house, agree, and are both significant of the same, great and glorious events; and the joining together of the ten tribes, and of Judah, may be illustrated by observations on the parable of the elder brother, Judah ; the joyful recep- tion of the prodigal son, and the jealous reluctance of the other. It may be read in the fifteenth chap- ter of Luke ; where we find that both brothers lived together with their father, until the younger sen, or the ten tribes, Ephraim, received the portion of goods which came to him, and took his journey to a far country—that parable shows the condition of the twelve tribes, living together in the bonds of bro- therly affection, until the ten tribes revolted from under the government of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, and under the guidance of " Jereboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin," by making for themselves the calves of Bethaven to worship them, and to turn away from the living God, to 930 THE SUBJECT* OF THE MiLLgNNIUSf. worship idols the work of their own hands, to pro- voke God to wrath by their evil deeds, and heathen- i»h practices, m which they wearied themselves, and brought upon themselves the curses denounced in the twenty-efghth chapter of Deuteronomy: and thus £.phraim sf>ent the portion in riotous living with ijarlots the idolatrous heathen among whom they dwelt ; but when they were carried away from Sa- maria into captivity by Shalmaneser, King of Assyria, beyond Babylon, that they, as signified by the pro- digal son when he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed swine, were utterly excluded from the common- wealth of Israel, and were absorbed and swallowed 'up of the workers of iniquity, and eaten of them as bread; so that the prodigal son joining himself to one ot the citizens of the country to which he went 18 emphatically descriptive of the state of the ter>' tribes of Israel, in their outcast and lost condition ieeding swine : or in servitude and bondage in their blended condition among the nations. The prodi- gal son is described, in the time of great dearth in cIV "^"/.^"Z ''°""^'*>' ^^ ^^'^h he went, as desirous of hlhng his belly with the husks on which the swine ied, and that may be considered the time when the Gospel begr-9 lomake a heavy impression among the heathen nations where the ten tribes of Israel are in their scattered, outcast, absorbed state. The heathen mythology begins to appear in comparison with the substantiality and nourishment to be derived from the glorious system of christian truths, but as empty, unsavoury, and unnourishing husks, the food of swine : and thus, by the satisfactory, salutary, and alimentary qualities, and essence of the Gospel pre- their former food becomes nauseous, and eveti by that they cannot fill their bellies, according to their M THl&O D18PEN8ATIONt 231 craving hunger, and no man can give them, of those husks, the healhen mythology, what will nov/ satisfy the craving hunger which begins to gnaw their vitais ; and therefore they, as the prodigal son, come to themselves, and begin to think of the only living and true God, their own covenanted Father, and the food of His servants : they begin to understand the comparative condition of the Christians of the Gos- pel dispensation as far more richly supplied with savoury and nourishing food than they can obtain from pagan mythology, and the disgusting h»: ^an sacrifices offered to the idols which they, among ihe rest, have been worshipping ever since they joined themselves to the citizens of the pagan world : and that is what is signified by the prodigal son's coming to himself, and remembering the condition of the worshippers of the true God : and then begins the desire to return homo to the Bible, to the ordinances, and to the religion thereof, as much more satisfac- tory and enriching, than what they now begin to deem but empty husks, the food of swine. Jesus Christ, who knew perfectly the condition of the an- cient people of God, describes it thus by a parable, and assimilated their condition with the description which he gave in the parable of the prodigal son : and also showed plainly, not only that they were again to be received into great favour, to the exult- ing joy and gratitude of their hearts ; but even the very manner of discovery and restoration are clearly laid before us, in that beautiful, descriptive parable, which Jesus Christ issued for that purpose. The prophet Jeremiah also agrees in his descrip- tion, of their return and favour, with the application of the name, Ephraim, to the ten tribes ; and also with the uncuhivated, impoverished condition in the lamentation as follows: "I have surely heard Eph- raim bemoaning himself thus : thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke : turn thou me and I shall be turned ; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after I was turned, I repented : and after that I was instructed, J snjote upon my thigh ; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Jer. xxxi. 18, 19. That agrees with the conaitjon of the prodigal son, and both the prophe- tic view, and the parabolic representation agree, and apply, accord mg to the intention of both, to the dis- tressful condition of the ten tribes of Israel, about the time that the dislike and distaste is propagated in them, of their former nourishment, from what the pagan mythology, and idolatrous rites and practices aflordedthem: and the verse which follows shews plainly that, by their representative, Ephraim, they are God s covenanted people. *' Is Ephraim my dear son ? IS he a pleasant child ? for since I spake against liim, 1 do earnestly remember him Jl; therefore my bowels are troubled for him ; I will surely have mercy upon him, saiih the Lord." In that passage we see, that it is a counterpart of the parable ot the prodigal son, not only as to the misery and un- cultivated condition of the ten tribes, but also as to the cetainty of return, acceptance, and fatherly fa- vour and love, and covenanted endowment in their heavenly Father's house. There is another part of the parable which plainly justifies my assertion, with regard to the prodigal son^s representing the ten tribes,to the exclusion of the tribe of J udah, the account which is given towards the latter part of the chapter, of the elder brother, who is in- cluded in the same parable as the child of the same father, expostulating with his father for th« rpi^icing and feasting which he understood from the servants, and which was confirmed by his compassionate father, entreating him to come and join in the hilarity and ^r. THIRD DISPENSATION. 235 omed to ned ; for jr I was istructed, ^'ea, even ;h of my with the i prophe- jree, and • the dis- el, about jpagated what the practices s shews im, they my dear ! against 5 fore my \y have passage parable and un- so as to jerly fa- n their plainly ^al son^s he tribe le latter ) is in- le same irvants, father, ity and festivity of the auspicious day : for as the prodigal son, or (Ephraim, bemoaning themselves in the dolo- rous plaint, on account of the misery of their condi- tion,) is a fair representation of the ten tribes in their first awakened condition— awakened to a sense of their deplorable state, absent, and in a far distant country, from the God of* Israel, their father's house, and the blessings and privileges, which they then begin to understand, are enjoyed by the truly Christian church of Christ : so the elder brother in his prejudice, and reluctance, misgiving, and disaf- fectionate conduct towards his recovered, res ored brother, may be considered, the Lord's communica- tion, in parabolic revelation, of the untoward con- duct of the Jews, when it shall he proposed to them, by the servants of the harvest, the reapers, to embrace the joyous tribes, discovered by God's revelation to them of their condition, embracing the gospel of the kingdom,and serving andworshipning the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the beauties of holiness, according to his written word : as well as solicited and entreated by the condescending God of Israel, to forgive the long lost tribes their revolt from the commonwealth of Israel, under the guidance and conduct of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: and also their long disrespect and ne- glect of the Bible, its laws, and ordinances, which was the portion of goods which they received in the land of promise, "a land flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of ail lands:" or, in their father's house. The elder brother, the Jews, at the time signified in the parable, will still continue their re- monstrances against those, although tiien recovered and happy, whom they were always beholding as vile idolators, and whom they now find restored in joyful triumph, and lovingly embraced, and they can- not deny it, by the Messiah of the Jews, with the best S34 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. robe, the righteousness of Jesus Christ, put on ; with • - ring on their hand ; and shoes on their feet—the the ify , ^ everlasting covenant made with Je- sus Christ from all eternity: and the shoes on the feet signifying " the preparation of the gospel of peace," in which alone the believer can stand before God. The part of the elder brother's remonstrance vyhich refers to his own uniform conduct and condi- tion harmonizes beautifully and convincingly with the condition of the Jews, even in their dispersed, abject, and long-neglected condition : the Jews have been highly favoured, in that, *'to them were com- mitted the oracles of God," and that they have not been allowed to squander their portion of goods: they have held fast their belief of the divine inspiration of the Bible: they have been always practising, al- though imperfectly, according to the requisitions of its laws ; and ihey have retained its ordinances : and thus the remonstrance of the elder brother that he had never left his father's house; (mosaic dispensa- tion church) but always continued in his service: not as that prodigal who spent all in riotous living with harlots: and not understanding the merciful, forgiv- ing genius and disposition of the gospel of the king- dom, the Jews will thus endeavour to advance argu- ments inconsistent with the spirit and impartiality of the gospel, against admitting, from the idolatrous nations, poor Ephraim, the prodigal son: and one paramount reason, together with that drawn from the amount of service done in their father's field, will be, as that exhibited in the parable ; "And he was angry,' and would not go in : therefore his father came outi and entreated him, and he answering said to his lather, Lo, these manv vears lin I sprvn »li*.«. noith^.. transgressed at any time thy commandment ; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make mer- ry with my friends : but as soon as this thy son was THIRD DISPENSATlOIf. 235 n ; with ;et — the with Je- the feet peace," God. istrance i condi- ?ly with spersed, ws have e com- ave not ds: they piration Jing, al- tions of es : and that he spensa- ce : not ig with , forgiv- e king- e argu- ality of ))alrou8 nd one om the bvill be, angry, ne out, to his noif licw ind yet Le mer- on was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him. Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine ; it was meet that we should make mer- ry, and be glad : for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again ; and was lest and is found." The parable of the prodigal son of itself comprises within its narrow, but amazingly comprehensive limits all that we could desire for information, with regard to the historical part of the condition, from the happy, prosperous, and religious commonwealth of Israel, through all their changes,vicissitudes,misery,and afflic- tion, until they shall yet be seen enjoying their birth- right, covenanted prerogative, reigning with Jesus Christ, their own Messiah, in millennial splendour and glory, sealed with the seal of the living God in their foreheads : but the part which suits now this part of the work, is the complaint that his father had not even given a kid to the elder brother that he might make merry with his friends: and the killing of the fatted calf for the most undeserving — the fat- ted calf killed, signifies Jesus Christ slain from the foundation of the world, become the KSatiour and Redeemer of restored Israel, when the virgin of Is- rael is again adorned with her tabrets, and going forth in the dances of them that make merry : that rejoice in the Lord their Saviour, with joy unspeaka- ble, and full of glory— -the kid, under the law dispen- sation, was offered as a sin offering. "Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace-of- ferings;" Lev. xxiii. 19. Now we read in the scripture, that the sin of Ju^ah was cut in the rock with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: and no marvel, if the elder brother, Judah, should complain, that he had not received, or raiher ob- tained a kid that he might make merry with his ..<^, 236 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. friends, when we consider the unparalleled curses under which the whole twelve tribes had to suffer, on account of their forsaking the God of their fa- thers, and their proneness to the idolatrous practices of the heathens among whom they dwelt; and their not observing and obeying the laws of their God : prospects of deliverance from their appalling mise- ries under those curses, are plainly held out to them in the Bible throughout, where mention is made of the returning favour of God towards them ; and in the book of Revelation, where the restoration of Israel is set forth in glowing language, and the Mil- lennial Church revealed in her established, sealed, adopted condition, as the Church of Christ, is fully declared that all those curses under which they long suffered, are completely taken away. *' And there shall be no more curse : but the throne of God, and the Lamb shall be in it ; and his servants shall serve him. And they shall see his face ; and his name shall be in their foreheads :" Rev. xxii. 3, 4. Now these are the hundred and forty-four thousand — the Bride, the Lamb's wife — the holy city. New Jerusalem— the twelve tribes of Israel in their ac- cepted condition ; but not until the fatted calf is slam for Israel, and also for Judah, after the kid of the goats is sacrificed for Judah, as well as the fatted calf; by the one kid of tlie goats sacrificed, we are to understand Jesus as the sin-offering for the sins of His people : and the same of the lamb as may be seen in the law of the Lord. » And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto the Lord, for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb, or a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and the priests shall make atonement for him concerning his sin :" Lev. v. 6. And also the calf was appointed unto the children of Israel for a sin-offering: « And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a calf for a sin-offering, THIRD DISPENSATION. 237 and a ram for a burnt-offering, without blemish, and offer them before the Lord :" Lev. ix. 2. Both kid and calf are thus found as the sacrifices of the children of Israel : and they are also appointed for a meat-offering, as in the following passage in the book of Numbers :— '• Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid :" Num. XV. U. But in the case of the prodigal son, the fatted calf was for a meat-offering, as if was ap- pointed by his father, that it should be killed, that they might eat and make merry : and the same may be considered in the expressed complaint of the elder brother, that he had not obtained a kid that he might make merry with his friends. Although we must consider the necessity of the sin-offering before the meat-offering ; because their sins would have to be pardoned before they could be received into the family to eat at their father's table • yet we may see, in the complaint, a desire for the benefits of the sacrifice. All these things signify the restoration of Israel and Judah through the atoning efficacy of the sacrifice once offered up for sin, even the sacrifice of the ''Lamb of God which takelh away the sin of the world :" and by the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ, atonement is made ; and by the appli- cation thereof to the souls of men, their sins are washed away. " But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin :" 1 John i. 7. In harmony with the declaration, is that given in the Revelation, where the hundred, forty and four thousand are shown to John in the vision, when the question was put to him by an elder: - Atid one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, ^ir, thou knowest. And he said to 236 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. me, These are they which came out of great tribula- tion, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God,and serve him day and night in his temple : and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them:" Rev. vii. 13. And this latter part of the passage seems to bring out clearly the proof that the great multiludo are the aggregated amount, in indefinite calculation, of the hundred forty and four which were sealed of the twelve tribes of Israel : in the sealing vision, and in the twenty-sec- ond chapter, their number is precise and definite one hundred forty and four — and the word '< thou- sand" is an appendage to the radical number, in the one case, and .jmitted in the other — the sealing is given in both places: and with regard to service, the multitude which no man could number, and the number of the tribes squared in the twenty-second chapter, agree ;ind coalesce ; and the twelve squared, are declared as the twelve branches of the tree of life, vvhicii was in ihe midst of the street of the city, and on either side of the river, wli.oh proves them to be the twelve tribts of the children of Israel ; there- fore I conclude that the indefinite number << multi- tude," "which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb," are the same as the twelve squared on either side of the river ; because the '• multitude which no man could nurnjer," have corne '< out of great tribulation," and have "washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb:" and the twelve squared are sealed, and be- cause tiiere is no more curse upon those marked out by tlieir number in the second case. " And there siiali be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve hitn :" Rev. x.vii. 3. Therefore ihey that have tribuU- le them ire thev kd night ne shall Xer part oof that »unt, in nd four bes of ity-sec- finite — '< thou- , in the iling is service, ind tiie second ]uarcd, tree of ie city, hem lo tlierc- multi- d have in the twelve se the have cashed of the nd he- ed out there )d and I shall t have THIRD DISPENSATION. 239 S/; " come out of great tribulation, and have vished their robes, and nade them white in the blood of the Lamb," are freed fiom all the curses, which arc to be seen in the twenty-eighth chapier of Deute- ronomy, and under which awful imprecations the twelve tribes of the children of Israel fell : and under which they have necesi^irily fallen, and are dejected and in great tribulation, to groan, without hope of deliverance, until the day of the harvest, whwi they should be *' gathered together from the north, and from the south, and from the east, and from th* west ; to sit in their father's kingdom, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;" and with *'the general assembly ot' the church of the first-born which is written in hea- ven." The removal of all the curse.*, and the com- ing out of great tribulations, are the same ; because those great tribulations were the awful consequences of the horrifying curses under which they suffered ever since these curses were imposed, for their own apostacy and rebellion, and under which they have to suffer the great affliciion, until thev are washed and purified from all their idols, and 'from all their filthiness, by the blood which clean«^eth from all sin : and until there shall be no more curse, as seen in the Revelation of God t(J John, as already remarked. The nations must, according to prophecy and reve- lation, retain them among them, and maltreat them, untd the time of the end come—a time of trouble! such as was not since there was a nation even until that prophetic time, piid then they shall be delivered in defiance of all tiie powers ofdaikness, and all the nations, kindreds, people, and tongues, who hav^ with one accord consj ired lo^rether to make their captivity and disnfirsiou ns nfflipjlvo «vi«h u-- ♦-%^ unprovoked, unredressed cruelly, as their licentious heathenish rancour and enmity impt Hed them to afflict. And poorl^snel found no friendly, potent 240 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. hand raised, in pity and compassson, to protect them from cruel, brutal, and barbarous treatment in any part of the inimical, hostile world, where they had to fulfil the prophecies upon them — there was no respect paid to their heavenly origin, parentage, or the favour and protection of heaven which they long enjoyed ; there was no fear upon those heath- en, or even people calling themselves Christians, who showed no more mercy to the poor, dejected, disconsolate descendants of Abraham, the friend of Imiisp nf fs- — "~ r — rael ; and although they are commanded to teach all nations, yet we must bear always ift mind, that Abra- ham, in the covenant, was made the father of many il msbandy ion, and evolting idearing nation, masoning n, in the >mage to jment of )romisc'd ye back- slidings. he Lord sily per- )rity and )f prayer lovah by beaven." eive and i He still their co- reproach rat. inter- I them — to teach form of , that he nations, ', and of • *' leach imanded nongthe n mission !S8 of f S- teach all lat Abra- of many THIRD DISPENSATION^ 1247 fl •nations ; and therefore good caution and goardedness are always necessary in using the term " nations," lest unwittingly we should fall into the disgraceful error of exhibiting parts of Christ's llanguage, in a solemn commission to His servants, in plain contra- diction of other parts of His language to the selfsame servants. The twelve tribes of Israel, in virtue of God's covenant marriage with them, of all the nati- ons of the earth, had the right and privileges of wife and children ; and therefore t^^ey alone had a ri^ .t to approach the Lord Jehovt ^n the language and •affections of His children. To consider God as our Father, vvoiM not, since the fall in x\dam, entitle any of the human race to appeal to God in the language of children ; and even should some be, (I am afraid too many are) presump- tuous to use language to the holy, just, and righteous God, which His own Word does «ot authorise or war- rafit, t^ie presumption will meet with due reward : the Lord will shut out such presumptuous, unwarranted •application — their prayers He has declared He will not regard.—" Behold, the Lord's hand is not shor- tened, that it cannot save ; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear ; but your iniquities have sepa- rated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that ho will not hear :" isa. li.v. 1, 2, And again, " When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you : yea^ when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands ere full of blood :" Isa. i. 15. It is a question then, since the tribes themselves have lost their scrip- tural, covenant warrant, to address the Lord Jehovah, in the authorized lang^mge of the children, and that ail mankind hnrl \ncit tht^ favmir t\f dnA onA ftnuannnf lights, in Adam, to approach the Divine Being, in the warrantable language of the Lord's prayer, who has the warrantable privifege ? all, who by transgres- 248 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. , sion have lost their rights and warrant, He will not hear ; but the form has been used since it was first delivered, and I am far from saying, that it ought not to be used ; but it is my incumbent duty to prove who has a scriptural right and authority so to do. I do not say but the twelve tribes of Israel, even in their present condition, if they could ascertain them- selves to be of the tribes, have the right ; but that they cannot do : but the form was originally given to the believing disciples of Jesus Christ, who could put their Amen to Peter's declarntion, when he said, " Thou art Christ, the Son of (iod :" and also to another part of his language, "Lord, to whom shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life." But the Jfews, far less the outcast ten tribes, will not yet re- ceive their own Messiah ; how then can they use a form of prayer composed and recommended by Him in whom they do not believe? But it is not their ability, or want of ability, we have to do with ; but the right and warrant of using that form of prayer. I have shown that God will not hear the wicked ; and now I have shown, that the whole twelve tribes of Israel are completely disqualified and rendered un- fit, while they disbelieve and reject the Author of that beautiful, concise, and comprehensive form of prayer, which Christ taught his disciples. All man- kind, by being under the original sentence of dis- qualification and disability, (for man, in his natural condition, is prone to everything that is evil, and to do good has no knov/ledge,) — alienated from the life of God — dead in sins and trespasses — is the child of wrath, and the wrath of God abides on him. Now surely every man who can use the reason of man, lYIIlSt P.nncniAnlirillcIt/ nnnff^ca onA tifthr\rt\xrVftArra iUnt such a being as that could not, for a moment, be considered either qualified, or privileged, or autho- rized to approach God, and say, *• Our Father, which THIRD DISPENSATION. 249 s art in heaven ;" although he should be taught tfie form of words, I should like to hear the man's war- rant whom I would encourage, by scriptural autlio- rity, to practise that beautiful, impressive, and com- prehensive form of prayer. '' Who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations : incense is an abomination unto me : the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with ; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting:" Isa. i. 1'2, 13. These were called the rulers of Sodom, and inhabitants of Go- morrah, on account of their wickedness, and there- fore their prayers were rejected ; and so are the prayers of all the wicked on the face of the whole earth : therefore the enquiry is of vast moment, who has the right and warrant lo address the glorious Jehovah in the form taught by Jesus Christ to hig disciples. The dispersed, scattered tribes have loni,' ago lost their covenanted right to make use of that name as their covenanted father — the wicked hea- then never had any right or privilege of the kind, for they never had it in virtue of any covenant wilh the God of Israel ; but God's ancient people, vvlien restored to favour and privilege, as the Bride, tjie Lamb's wife, shall have double claim, and full })ii- vileiiTc throuf^h the merits of Him who shall wash them with His blood from all sin. But the part of that form which suits most immediately our present subject is, after the sublime and holy dox- ology: *' thy kingdom come," because that petition was proposed and dictated in the form, and has been used ever since its delivery, by Jesus Christ, to his disciples : and as the word " kingdom" implies dom come," it would surely be but rational to sup- pose the person thus praying would have an interest in the king himself, before using that petition, else # 250 THE SUBJfX3TS OF THE MILLENNIUM, he could not be deemed sincere: but the view of some futHre prospect is what is -contained in the pe- tition, and the coming of that very object is what is fervently prayed for, by every one who can pray like Paul, with the Spi.it, and with the understanding tilso : now God the Father has intimated a king, and speaks prophetically of anointing him king over a certain object as his kingdom: "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill Zion. I will declare the de- cree : the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son ; this day have I begotten thee." Psalm ii. 6, 7. Thus then a king and kingdom are intimated in the language of prophesy as if the thing was done pre- vious to the intimation given as above. — That mode of expression is common and peculiar in prophecy, €ven when the object is still in the womb of futurity: so it was with regard to the only begotten of the Father, whom he declares, he hath set as his king upon his holy hill Zion, although he was not then, nor for centuries after, born of the Virgin Mary, nor yet manifested to the children of men. The cove- nant of grace was eternal, therefore, when God speaks His word, He speaks truth, He set him from all eternity His king over Zion, His holy hill, and ful- filled His eternal decree in the fulness of time, witfi regard to ihe manifestation of Jesus Christ in the world ; but much still remains to be fulfilled ; for he has not yet appeared the second time without sin unto salvation: He has not yet come, as promised by his servants after the first advent, sufferings, resurrection, and ascension; in power and great glory. "''The four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art,'^and wast, and art to come ; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned :" Rev. xi. 16, 17. , ■ ii-'' THIRD DISFENSATION. 251 Nor has that threatened vengeance upon his enemies, which is prophetically announced in ihe second Psalm, been put in execution. — " Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy posses- sion. Thou shalt break them with a rod yf iron ; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel:" Psalm ii. 8, S. Nor are the tares yet gathered into bundles, to be burnt ; nor the wheat into the garner. The children of the kingdom are yet in their disper- sed condition, therefore all who have an immediate interest in the kingdom, will do well to pray in ear- nestness, and in fervency of Spirit, *' Thy Kingdom come." That the expressions " thy kingdom," and "the kingdom of heaven," are synonymous terms, no one of judgment will feel inclined' to deny : it matters not therefore, whether we use the one or the other, when the discussion of the subject requires the use of them; and as they both signify the Church of Christ, they must appear, upon due consideration, to be considered synonymous with other expressions which are most frequently used to lead our views to the same object. Jesus Christ likens the kingdom of heaven to many objects in his inimitable parables; and those objects are judiciously chosen, as conveying the meaning of what He, in his unerring wisdom, proposes to illustrate: and not only so, but He teaches John the Baptist, and the seventy disciples, to go and teach, and declare that the kingdom of heaven was at hand ; or, near at hand to be mani- fested. — " Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand :" Mat. iii. 2. And Jesus, in his disapproval f\f f PA nnnAfff /vT tV\n. «.>li->..n nf *U^ T^...,^ ^nlll. mt^t^ -^„ »?.•_• ---_-: J v«li-^t. \Jl HJC iUii^iS VI IJJC JCV.O, saiiii UlillJ them, " And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east, and west, and shall sit down with 25-2 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness ; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth :" Mat. viii. 11,12. 1 have introduced that passage, that I might have an oppor- tunity t^ obviate any objections that might be broached against my original theorv, with regard to the good seed, as the children of the kingdom, which IS declared in the parable, to have been sown by the Son of Man. At the tin.e of issuing the declaration which I have quoted, the children of Israel were grossly intermixed with the heathen nations, so that their rulers were declared, by Jesus Christ, whose kingly prerogative they boldly questioned and dis- puted, to be of tlieir own father the devil, and that the lusts of their father they would do: and they were they whom he called '' serpents," and ''generahon of vipers;" and of whom he asked, ''How could they escape the damnation of hell ?" or in other words, the gehenna of fire. Now these could not have been the legitimate children of the kingdom ; but bastards of a spurious race, who had usurped tlie name and prerogatives of the lawful children of their own FatliLr who is in heaven: and therefore when the lawful children should be gathered from the oast, and from the west, those who then held usurped possession were to be dispossessed, and the legitimate children, as co-heirs with Jesus Christ, who is " bone of their bone, and flesh of their flesh," were to be put in possession, and to enjoy regal authority with U\r\ in their Father's kingdom. Having then thus obviated any objection that might, by gainsayers, be started from that pjissage, I shn!! proceed, in due form, in the prosecution of the object I liave imd, from the beginning, in view, namely to shew the holy city, New 'jer? DISPENSATION. 255 c!ear deductions from the Word of God^ that the holy city, New Jertwalem, meant the Bride, the Lamb's wife; and that the Bride, the Lamb's wife, was the hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed with the seal of God in their foreheads : amd again, that these were prophetically shown to John as a "multitude which no man could number, of all na- tions, kindreds, and tongues, and people, before the throne, and before the Lamb, in white robes,, and palms in their hands;" who "came out of great tribu- lation, and washed their robes, and made them whi^e in the blood of the Lamb ; therefore are they be- fore the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple." That is the descent of the hoJy city, New Jerusa- lem, out of heaven, as regards humanity ; and al- though they were not spiritually holy, yet they, as the visible, covenanted church, through whose line of genealogy,the holy child Jesus, as concerning the flesh, came, were blessed of God in their respective, several primogenitors, and therefore are to be deemed federally holy, as the visible charch, in all the stages and periods thereof. As John gives a twofold view of the same object, as the holy city, New Jerusalem, we surely need not hesitate to follow the example set before us, and to give a twofold view also of the people, chosen and kept distinct, as the visible Church of Christ on earth, and first to show their human descent out of heaven from God, before show- ing them in their New Jerusalem condition descend- ing out of heaven from God, prepared a& a Bride adorned for her husband. The first descent ppe- pares and paves the way for the second, or spiritual descent; for I aver, that the twofold view is confined and exclusively apphed to the same objects; or,, in other words, that the descendants of them who posed the old heaven, and the old earth, as com- regards 256 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. humanity, are to be those in whom the New Jerusalem shall undoubtedly be manifested ; but that which is spiritual was not first, hut that which is natural, and afterwards that uuhu l^ piritual : therefore the old jjoavcn and.tlu old cauh had to appear first, and afterwards the new heaven and the new earth, and no sea or river of separation ; but one united, com- pactly built city : or, all things gathered together in one, in Christ Jesus, that He might be all in all. That is a compendious, summary sketch of the des- cending of tile holy city, in its human descent from (iod. Tlie spiritual and new descent follows. Now, to give an adeipiato, full description of the progress ot the descent of the holy city. New Jeru- siijlem, would re((uire to occupy more paper than the plan I have proposed warrants, yet so much may be laid down, as to give the leading ideas, and some assistance to those who may feel inclined to prose- cute the study of the important subject, which is tlie theme of my present researches, more extensively. It cannot be a question whence we ourselves have descended, as rational human beings, when those who can trace themselves to respectable, if not to noble parentage, and royal ancestry, pride them- selves so much in their pedigree and escutcheon. And itideed it is satisfactory and comfortable to be able to look buck upon a line of respectable, unblem- ished, and pure ancestry, as it may tend to stimulate to perseverance in deeds of merit, lest the memory of the noble, the brave, the honourable, or the pious lives of ancestors should be tarnished with crimes, or tiisgraceful actions of tlie ofl'spring of illustrious, or humbly lionest family connections. Thus then we Siiy, he is descended of a noble line of ancestry — ihis we say of a nerson beLi'Ottcn of man. and horn of woman ; but when we speak of the holy city, New Jerusalem, we have to follow the certain and clear ing THIRD DISPENSATION. 257 leadings of the Word of God ; for we have to speak of what IS purely spiritual : Paul, when leading our attention to the receiving of outcast Israel, asks the question, " What shHl the receiving of them be, but life from the dead ?" Kom. xi. 1 5. Tliat is the man- ner ot reception plainly stated, and to be understood m the general scope of the Scrintures of truth ; and It IS that with which we have now to deal. In that view of the subject, we are led to the descent out of heaven from God : for " that which is born of the flesii, IS flesh," and has descended from an original source in a long line of noble, or ignoble ancestry but ''that wliich is born of the Spirit, is Spirit," by an immediate descent from God, pure and holy, bein- begotten of God, and born of the Holy Spirit. Now we have arrived, after our long and tedious journey, at something noble and divine— at something super- natural and heavenly— at a new creation— at a bein^ created after God in righteousness and true holiness : ; Ihat ye put oif, concerning the former conversa- tion, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your niind; and that ye put on ihenew man, which after God is created m righteousness and true holiness •" i:.ph. IV oo.o.i. No wonder, then, when Isaiah spake ot the renovat:on of Jerusalem, that he should m the Word of the Lord, say, '' For, behold, I cre- ate new lieavens, and a new earth : and the former sljall not be remembered, nor come into mind ; but be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I cre- ate, for, behold, 1 create Jer.isalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy m my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voir.n of rrv. ingr; Jsa. Ixv. 17. And no doubt, that is the same identical holy city. New Jeitisalem, which John saw coming down out of heaven from God— a new lb 258 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. creation, prepared, from its very origin and divine; source, as a Bride, adorned for her husband ; for nothing unclean, or that makcth a lie, can enter heaven, and surely nothing unclean, or unfit for the royal, heavenly Bridegroom, could come out of heaven from God ; now that refers to the inner man ip every individual of them that shall be received by hfe from the dead ; and, without any doubt, Paul refers it to them who were cast awav. — " If the cast- ing awuy of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead ?" Every man from Adam downward is spiri- tually dead ; and I'lat is {he manner of restoration to the favour of God, and to a saving interest in J^sus Christ, spoken of by Paul, as well as to a lively hopes of a blessed and a glorious immortality ; for, saith Jesus Cluist, " Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God :" John iii. 3. This, then, is what IS meant by ^' life from the dead :" and this is what is meant by the dry bones coming to life, as I have already sliown, from the prophecy of Ezekiel, That the restoration of Israel is everywhere promised throughout the Bible, by the plainest declarations of I)rophecy and revelation, cannot be doubted; but the way or majiner in which they are to be restored, is where the contrariety of opinions exists; and therefore in u popular work, intended for illustration and for instruction, the way of divine appointment is to be followed, without giving way to vain, con- jectural sur.iiises, or to the many discordant opinions on the subject, that may, in these last days, and perilous times, he advanced, when many are turning their altention to the subject. The safe wav is, to avail ourselves of the advantages we have, and may derive from the j" ■ - ly Bible, wherei ous and c:jrtaia views with rc";ard to tl n are many glori- le res I oral ion THIRD DISPENSATION. 259 for. nf Fsracl, ana to the manner thereof.-" Therefore fear thou no,, O n.y servo.a Ja, A saith the I orj netlher be dismayed, C Israel . for, lo, I will Tve thee from afar, and thy o.,! from the land o ,t rZ :Vr'^ -^''"^ ^'""' • ""' »"d shall bo In rest, and be c|,„et, and nonn shall make hi,n alVai ) Tor I am uMh thee, sai.s !„ Lord, te save thee hough I ma e a full end of all „a ions ,vhi.tr I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a f lleL of hee : but I w,ll correct thee in measure, and wi 'ot leave thoe altogether unpunished :" Jer. xxx To 11 Ihese views hold out to us the manner of eatn,ent to be expeeted by them at the very t me " their return, that he will not leave them alto^ctrer "P".»'fied: and (heir condition under that a.r ec- on ,s fully described in what precedes and follows I passage wluch I have quot'.l, as the fifth erJe .f the chapter. " For thus .saith the f.ord, We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and no of p " , uhciuld- wherefore do I see every man with hi hands on Ins hons, as a woman in travail, and a aces are turned into paleness f" That expressr heir condition at the time of their return, when thev shall hear the voice of trembling, of fear and not i^ peace. When Saul of Tarsus' heard ti.c voice o Sreatly and all who were with him. And so it shall !.e with every one of them whom the Lord .shall .makeu toa senscof hisown miserable and wretched condition: and so it is expressed in the fol owi chapter: '■ I have surely hear.l Ephra:m bemoan iW iM-nself hus ; thou hast chastised me, and I u^ chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed in .!,» .,„!,„-. '• Alas ! for that day is great, so that none is like "ii- ■■ even the time of Israel's trouble; but he shall vedoutofit. For it .hall come to pass in that be 260 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. day, saith the Lord of Hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him : but they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them :" This chapter does not only foretell the return of the ancient people of the Lord, but it most evidently alludes to their own experience of the sore and grie- vous affliction, under conviction, to be endured by every one who shall have returned unto the Lord in the power of the spiritual life ; for none can be re- turned from death to life ; and from the bondage of sin and Satan, who shall not have to experience such as is expressed in the chapter before us : and as 1 hlavc stated, that none can see the kingdom of God except they be born again, that operation is alluded to in ilic sixth verse : '• Ask ye now, whether a man doth travail with child ? why do I see every man with his hands on his lions, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?" The same views are given from the twelfth verse, and down- ward. '' For thus saith the Lord, Tiiy bruise is in- curable, and thy wound is grievous." When man is quickened to a sense of the misery of his condition he finds himself in the sufleriug condition expressed in this chapter ; for all his lovers have forsaken him, and seek him not : for the Lord hath wounded him with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of his ini(|uity ; because his sins were increased. He is, by the ope- ration and vvork of the Spirit, convinced of his guilt and misery, and there is none to plead his cause, that he may be bound up : and he has no healing medicine. And he charges his sins heavily against him, and even seems to reproach him for liis woful lamentation and a^^'onizin^T^ r(MP.')];iini!in's^ Wliv criest thou for thine affliction ? Thy sorrow is THIRD DISPENSATION, S61 is guilt I i incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity : because thy sins were increased, I have done these things nnto thee." — Their sins were the cause of their trembling, and fears, and crying for their afHictions, which they had now to endure. They, prodigal hke, had left their father's house, and, as it is beauti- fully described in that parable, they squandered the portion of goods which they had received from the best, and most benevolent of fathers, in riotous living with harlots, t!ie idolatrous heathen under whose power they had servilely fallen ; and who have been long permitted to rule over the once peculiar people of God, to whom he was, by his own covenant, married. The reason then for their fearful trem- blings, and afHictive cries, will be the proofs they shall convincingly have of their own sins, and multi- tude of their iniquities, not only in their riotous, prodigal life, spending the best of portions with har- lots, but also when they shall be made to understand that they committed two great evils in forsaking the living God, the fonniain of living waters, and in hewing out to thems-lves cisterns, broken cisterns, that could hold no water. "Thus saith the Lord, Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things ? the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing. Will a man leave the snow of Le- banon which Cometh from the rock of the field ? Or shall the cold flowing water that cometh from ano- ther place, be forsaken ? Because my people hath forgotten me, they have birnt incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, in a way not cast up : to make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing : every one that passeth by shall be astonished, and wag his head. 1 will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy ; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity ;" Jer. xviii. 262 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM. 1.), &c. The day of their calamity has been long-, in their scattered conditimi ; then, at the time of return u shall be the time of Jacob's trouble. " Alas ! for tliat day is great, so that none is hke it : It IS even the time of Jacob's trouble ; but he shall be saved out of it." It might be supposed that, when God shall show them flivour, IJis favour would bo shown, without subjecting ihcin to such pamful sufl'erings, so ihat the lime of their return, h Jhe day of Jacob's trouble— a day unparalleled 'in vSacred History, for there is none like it— no other day is a day of sore travail and birlh. Could the wood of Lebanon be prepared for the eleqnnt, spa- cious temple at Jerusalem, without feeling the keen edge of the axe? neither can a man repent without feeling the poignancy of remorse and contrition Without bitter pangs of sorrow and nfllietion. No wonder, then, if the poor scattered tribes be sorely allhcted, wlien their eyes shall have been opened to behold the enormity ot' the guilt of the sins in which they have loFig wallowed, and whicli thev have com- mitted against the God of their fathers,'and against Jesus Christ, tiie Messiah of the Jews— when they shall hear, as did tlie great persecutor, Saul of Tar- sus, Tribes, lrii)es, why persecute ye me ? No won- der if pangs and sorrow should seize upon them, as a woman in travail, and all .aces should be turned into paleness : " it is even the day of Jacob's trouble ; but he shall be saved out of it." "Therefore ali they that devour thee shall be devoured ; and all thme adversaries, ev(My one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all tliat prey upon thee will f give for a prev. For 1 will restore health m^o thee, and I will hea! Ihee of thy wounds, saith the Lord ; because they called the(3 an outcast, sayi:jg, This is Zion. whom no man seeketh after." f have remarked a palpabli! F>1 THIRD DiSPENSATION. 263 •distinction, in the language of Scripture, between the Jews and the ten tribes of Israel, so as to give a distinction in the application of the word, the Jews, or Judah, I have remarked to be signified when the terms "dispersed and ''scattered" are used ; and the ten tribes, or l^phriam, when ''out- casting," and " oasling-cff" are employed to express them severally in their peculiar conditions: now according to that, those who are described in the chapter I am in the consideration of, must be under- stood to be tiie ten tribes, and that day of trouble, of sore travail, affliction, and doleful wailing. And that again is perspicuously exemplified in the rueful meanings of the prodigal son in the parable: when the dearth came upon him, hear his plaint and resolution. "And when he came to himself, he said, IJow many hired servants of my Other's have bread enough, and to spare, and I perish with hun- ger ! I will arise, and go u:ito my father, and will say unto him. Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants:" Luke XV. 17. That is the parabolical exemplifica- tion of the condition, and desires, and resolution of the ten tribes of Israel, at the time of their return from all their wanderings, in dispersion, and in their captivity among the nations, among whom they have been sifted as corn is s-ft^^rj in t, sieve. And as that is a general exemplificatiu*^ we may apply it tO all individual cases, so that we know the manner in which each shall 'x, prepared and adorned for the Bridegroom : a* u dierefore when we view them col- lectively, the experience of one is the experience of the whole multitude. When we also look at the noise and shaking among the dry bones, we have a vvonderi'ul view of the elTect of the Gospel of the k ingdom, whea the Lord himself shall send His 264 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. Word With all-quickening power to the dead soul, to revive it, and to bring sinews and flesh and skin upon them, and shall breathe upon them, and say, Re- ceive ye the Holy Ghost : that is an exemplification ot the manner in which they shall be aroused from their present apathy and unconcern. View along with that the manner of the reception of the prodi- gal son, and you will have a more extended view of the mode of preparation of the holy city, New Jeru- salem. "And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his fatlier saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him." The action of coming is first attributed to the awakened prodigal ; but the tprd shall have the whole glory of his coming to himself, for the son of man prophesied upon the dry bones, before there was either noise or sliaking. " So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I pro- phesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone:" Ezek. xxxvii. 7. Now, in that description, of the power of the Word of God, when the Son of Man prophesies, we have a fuller, and a more complete view of what enables the prodigal son to come to his father : he came, but by what power and guid- ance ? surely not his own ; for in a third case it is more complete still. '^ Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel." As if It were said. Ye shall come up out of your graves ; but, -'I will cause you to come up out of your graves;" and as if it were said, Ye shall come into the land of Israel ; but, "I bring you into the land of Israel. The same mode of treatment is perfectly justifiable in the case of the prodigal son— he came to hjs father, but " When he was yet a great way off, ijis laincr, sm: hmh and had compassion, and ran THIRD DISPENSATION. 26S .jj and fell upon his neck, and kissed him." Now, I ask, who performed the journey, the prodigal or his father? The answer surely is easy— the prodigal was yet afar off, '' when his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." The whole journey was performed by his father, as the prophecy was upon the dry bones, so does the all-quickening power of the Word of God bring every sinner of the ten tribes to life, and to themselves, before any of them shall ever desire to come home to their father's house, or move out of their graves : and therefore we must attribute the whole glory to Jesus Christ, as Saviour and Redeem- er, for He shall not give His glory to another, nor His praise to graven images. '' Tiicre is no salva- tion in any aIk.., and there is no oilier name given under heaven, arnonir men, whertby we must be saved:" Acts iv. 12. And the same is clearly to be understood from the language in the thirtieth chapter of Jeremiah, where he clearly shows the des- titute, indigent condition of Jacob. — " For thus saith the Lord, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. There is none to plead tliy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicine." And besides, before there is any men- tion of aflliction, '' they heard a noise of trembling, of fear, and not of peace." So that these passages at,'r,bute to the Son of Man the whole glory of his own doings, and ascribe to him the whole glory of Alpha and Omega, the beginning and tlie end of the ingathering of the twelve tribes of Israel. The pas- sages I have been considering, show that the coming mentioned is actually a bringing : and as John saw New Jerusalem coming down out. of heaven from God, by following the same mode of reasoning, the view resolves itself into this, that he saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, in its progress, coming to the 266 THE SUBJECM Op THE MILLENNIUW. Wl • , ?*t.^ generation, of the twelve tribes of TZ ■ V? ''^''*'^" ' ''"' "° one ^^o">d venture, Arm,n.an-I,ke to affirm that they themselves came Jown Irom God, as if a succession of beings had power m themselves, to come and to succeed Ihe precodmg generatif>n : therefore in spiritual thing. U ,s the same mode of descent; they are, begotten l( God, and born of the Holy Ghost, without a°,y effort or commg on their part, but as they are operated upon and brought ; and yet it is perfectly cotrect in language, to say that what was brought, came : it is so used )„ the holy Scriptures. Jesus Christ saith, Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy ladtn, and I will give you rest." But He accom- panies His call with such power as to effect the purpose for which He gives them : for instance, "I vv.i bring the blind by a way they know not; I will lead Ihem in paths that they have not known : I will r. h,"^^?' ""';' ^"'""^ "'^"'' ""'' '^'■ooked things St aight. These things will I do unto them, and nSt fors Kc them - Tsn. .lii. |6. In that passage, as n all others, tne Lord himself promises to bring them to lead them, and to shine ; and yet they inav be seen commg, as you would say of a rider, that you saw him corning, and yet he was carried in his com- ing. • O /,on that bringest good tidings, get thee lip into the high mountain ; O Jerusalem, that bring- est good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength : lift I tjp be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah. Behold your God ! Behold, the Lord will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shal feed his (lock like a Shepherd : he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with jouiig:- xl. y. Sucji ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ e.\pres- THIRD DISPENSATION, 267 (( «ion made use of, bearing the same import as to the commg down out of heaven from God of the holy city, New Jerusalem. It is the Millennial Church in progress of constitution, by its Maker; for he says, thy Maker is thy husband, and he alone can collect, and organize, and constitute the twelve tribes of Israel into that elegant form, to which the atten- tion of my readers, in due time and place, will be led. It IS a city or church, which hath Christ for its foundation, and the twelve patriarchs, with the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb therein, the foundations of its wall, and which hath the whole tvvelve tribes as the living stones thereof, and Jesus Christ as the chief corner stone. It is a buildin^^ which we have of God, ''an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." That then is the holy city which John saw in the Revelations of God, and which he describes in wonderfully glowing lan- guage—in the beauty of holiness, and in majesty most bright: and its coming down out of heaven expresses beautifully its divine origin, and divine descent out of heaven from God : and its being pre- pared ''as a Bride adorned for her husband," ex- presses also, in appropriate style, her qualifications, and spiritual graces. Therefore every one of tho members of the body of Christ, must be as He is himself, that is, born of God ; or, in other words, begotten of God, and therefore descended out of heaven from God the Father—a heaven-born babe —an invisible, spiritual being—an emanation of divine, uncreated nature and attributes— a perfectly formed, organized, and endowed man child— pre- pared and qualified to receive the communications of the great Head of the Church, or Body, as it may please the Giver of all Good to bestow ; and to im- rt th nsirr the <^rkmmnnir.o«;--.»^« I i 1 ic riiay receive to the rational intellect of the human soul. " And not 268 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. holding tlie Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment, ministered, and knit together, incroascth with the increase of God :" Col. II. 19. We find, then, that every individual mem- ber of the body of Christ cometh down out of heaven from God, not only by human descent, by ordinary generation, in a purely covenanted line of descent from God, to the Man Clirist Jesus, the Son of Mary, the seed of the woman, as is proved by his genealo- gical descent out of heaven from God, in a pure, covenanted, unadulterated, unblemished line of ancestry ; but also, as he now hath ascended in a spiritual body from the grave, that every member of his body, the churcli, must be born again, else he cannot seethe kingdom of God. "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is na- tural ; and afterwards that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy ; the second man is the Lord from iieaven. As is the eartiiv, such arc they also that are earthy : and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesli and blood cannot inherit the kingdom ot God ; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.'' " The kingdom of God" is one of the appellations of the invisible or spiritual church of Ciirist. And Paul saith, that '^ the kingdom of God IS not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost :" and Jesus Christ saith, " The kingdom of God cometh not wiih obser- vation. Neither shall they sav, Lo here! or, lo there ! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you : ' Luke xviii. 21. Thus, then, the kingdom of heaven— the church, or holy city. New Jerusalem— cometh not with observation, because it is purely spiritual— invisible spiritually ; or, a being of divine, spiritual descent out of heaven from God— begotten m God, and born of the Holy Spirit ; not subject to THIRD DISPENSATION. 269 human observation, either in its coming, or its after sojourning in the clay tabernacle, the human consti- tution, or composition — but perfectly perceivable, and recognizable by every one in whom he dwells ; because man is perfectly conscious of the gracious change he himself has undergone ; conscious of the indwelling of an invisible being of whicii he had no consciousness before that new birth was experienced by him; conscious of a being who hates sin and every defilement of nature; whose aspirations are toward home, to the Author of his being ; whose aim is uni- formly to promote the interests of the kingdom, the salvation of souls, and the glory of God ; a being who cannot subsist on husks, but whose food is milk and lioney, and the choice of die wheat — the sincere milk of the Word — the honey from the rock — •' meat out of the eater, and the sweet out of the stron" ;" a being whose long white raiment is the righteousness of Jesus Christ ; a being in spiritual life, who has the faith, which is '• the substance of things hoped for. and the evidence of things not seen," (Heb. xi. 1), and who shall never die; a being begotten and born of God, who never sinned, and who cannot sin, but doth maintain himself, by the grace of God, from all filthiness, and impurity, and sin. — '^ Who- soever is born of God doth not commit sin ; for his seed remaineth in him : and he cannct sin, because he is born of God :" 1 John iii. 9. In short, ho is a l)eing that came dowfi out of heaven from God, formed in his own image, fitted for his service, and prepared for every good word and work : " For we are his workmanship, created in Jesus Christ unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them :" Eph. ii. 10. Such are a icw of the qualifications and characters, by which every child of God is distinguished and mnrked out in tlie Holy Bible ; and such then is the descent of 270 THE SUBJECTS OF THE JnLLENNIUM, CWcir'll '"l °^ ''", 'n''^ "f ^^''^'^'' "'« -visible. l,!] , , ,^'"i"s "lerely an almagmoiU of ild of r"';' ''r"!""""""^ °f "'« i""" "-"-t!°e ',' , "/, <^'™'-'li« l.eaven-l,orn bal.c-t|,e bcsottei. o he .a,l,or ,1.0 l,elr of Go.I, a,,.! ,l,o joim ei "111. Jesus CInist-wliocan never sin— who can never pensi, Uu u|,o sl.all forever reign with Christ, in llic kin-Jon, of his own Father of !„ I ",°"';^?," "™"""' "•■ "" i'l^lividunl member of lie body 01 C hnst ; but •■ As the bodv is one, and bath many members, and all the members ..f that one b„d3^_ bemg many, are one body, so also U UiriM tor by one Spirit are we all baptized into o.ne body ; wuethcr we be Jews or Genlil, s, w.ietiier driiiK into one Spirit. For the body is not .u,c member, but many :" 1 Cor. xii. 12-14. That per tK-n o t e lyord of God brings u,, our vi cw fl^m ndivKluahty to an indefinite mnliitu.le-the whole Host of saiiils ; but a view is given by Paul bv a negative propo.ilion, containing reproof, of the' man- "erin which the head and the body are united to- ^lether, as well as of the manner of the growth of the >ocly. -And not holding the Head, from whiel, all the body by jomts and bands having t^ourislnnent '"mistered and knit together, mcrousel!, with th,' increase o( God :" Col. ii. 19. J have .heady shovv i' l.iat every ind,vi<|ual member of that bodv comnh 'lown out ol heaven from Go.i, |>r..,,areci ior the i.ord s gracious antl wise purposes ; and as every i.Klividual has been clearly proven lo come down out of heaven from God, being begotten of Ilim, and Lorn ot the Holy Spirit, the account and history o f one member, is the account and historv of the whole body, or Church, or Bride, the J.amb's wife, or holy eity, ftew Jerusalem— the scaled h,,,,,) i ' ..-J uiiu JUIl k THJRD DISPENSATION, 271 i^jur thousand, the twelve tribes of Israel. And when they are -gathered from the north, and the south and ihe east, and the west, to sit down in the king- dom of their own Father, with Abraham, Isaac, an^d Jacob ; and with the general assembly and Church of the first-born that is written in heaven," the erand crisis shall have been arrived at; for the mvstery of Cxod sliall have been finished, and time shall be no ionger. I he prophecy shall have been fulfilled— the seals shall have been opened-the graves shall have been opened-the dry bones shall have been rean,mated--the mighty army, the whole house of Jsrae, shall have been made to appear: and then Israel and Jiulah shall have been joined to-elher under one Head The envy of Ephraim shall have departed, and the adversaries of Judah shall have been cut of}-- Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. But thev shall flv upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west and spoil them of the east together: they shall lav their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children ot Amnion shall obey them. And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river and shall smite it in the seven streams and make men go over dryshod. And there shall bean highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, rom Assyria ; hke as it was to Israel in the (Jay tuat he came up out of the land of E-vpt •" Isa XI 13 .^c. -And the sticks whereon ihou writest shall be in thine hand before their eves And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. Be^ hold I Will take the children of Israel from amon-^ the heathen, whither they be gone, and will rrathcT them on every side, and bring them into their own land. And I will make them one nation on the 111,......,. ^., icfuw] ,, ujiu une Iv vJng shall be kini?. t.o, P-'^^n^H ^IHi IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 !g I.I 1.25 ~ Ilia 1 1^ M 2.2 U III 1.6 % <5>J r^'^ ■# Photographic Sciences Corporation # ■1^^ iV ^ ^s\ % V O^ rv^ ^ <^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 mmmm *272 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. them all : and they shall be no more two nations, •neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:" Ezek. xxxvii. 20, &c. *' Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way betore me : and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in : behold, he shall come, saitli the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he approacheth ? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's sope : and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver : and he sliall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an oflTering in righteous- ness:" Malachi iii. 1, of paths to dwell in. God, who seeth the end from the beginning, knew that Adam would break the covenant he had made with him ; and therefore he provided, from all eternity, a remedy for perishing sinners, by the appointment of His own Son, as Mediator between God and men, for the purpose of effecting a reconcilialion between God and men, and for recovering us from all the miseries consequent on the fall, and for reinstating us in favour with our offended Maker. The covenant of Grace was rati- fied between Fatlier and Son from everlasting ; and was therefore prior to the covenant of works which was made with Adam, although not revealed to Adam, until he had broken the other, as he required not the knowledge of any covenant, but that which was made with himself, until he had failed to observe the terms of slipuliition, and was in extreme destitu- tion, stripped of the original righteousness and inno- cency of his nature, and under the shame and guilt of sin, trembling, and fearful in the presence of his offended Maker ; dreading the execution of a righ- teous sentence upon him, Adam stood naked before God; but, behold, the merciful compassion )f God towards the lapsed, sin-ruined pair — and not only toward the first pair, but towards an innumerable^ multitude of their descendants. We all sinned in Adam, and fell with him in his first transgression. *' Wherefore, as by one man sin entered i:Mo tlu! world, and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" Rom. v. 12. And as we had all sinned in him, we were all guilty with him, and sin brought spiritual death, with all its awfully miserable consequences; but God in his threatenings upon the serpent, declared that he would put enmity between the serpent, and the woman, whom the serpent decei^%d,and between the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman, and he i .,fi:.t{i«i;«ii 280 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM. should bruise the serpent's head, and the serpent should bruise his heel. That is a promise, not only of power over the serpent, to the seed of the woman Eve, but of power in all generations to her seed, and especially to Him who is pre-eminently the seed of the woman, born of the Virgin Mary, and who was mani- fested in the flesh, the Son of God with power. That promise was stripped of the veil of obscurity under which it could not but be covered, by the gradual and regularly uncriising developments of after-ages, until at last the promised seed appeared in Judea. There is a passage in the Proverbs of Solomon with regard to the Saviour, which may escape the notice and conception of ordinary readers; but because the eternal existence of the Son of God, as God, is clearly set forth, although under the designation " Wisdom,'" I shall insert it, although long, in this place, that the attention may be early attracted by it. Wisdom is the name under which lie is intro- duced in that portion of the Word of inspiration ; but the Apostle Paul seems to copy from that same place, when he says, " But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redetnption :" 1 Cor. i. 30. In that passage of the New Testament we understand the Apostle's meaning; and wo do not therefore hesitate to apply it to the Sosi of God, in the other passage. " 1 was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the eartii was. When there were no depths, f brought fortii ; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled ; before the hills, was I brought forth ; while as yet Ho liad not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there : when He set a compass upon the face of ths der^lh ' Wh<^" Via ooiai^WcVmA lli<> olr»iirJc! ohnvo • THIRD DISPENSATION. S81 when He strengthened the fountains of the deep : when He gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment : when He ap- pointed the foundations of the earth : then I was by Him, as one brought up with him : and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him; rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights were with the sons of men :" Prov. viii. These are some of the many proofs of his divinity and eternal existence. He is denominated there the Wisdom of God ; and He is termed the Logos, the Word, in the Gospel by John, first chapter. " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. And all things were made by Him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." We find in the same chapter that that same Word was made flesh. — '' And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld llis glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." This, then, is the Scriptural view which is universally presented to us in Ihe Bible, with regard to Him, whose second advent will be as clearly (although it is yet future) proven from the same source as His first manifestation in the flesh. " And, without controversy, great is tlie mystery of godliness : God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit,, seen of angels, preached unto the Gen- tiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory:" I Tim. iii. 16. These passages exhibit the Messiah in such high and heavenly character as might deter any God-fearing person, both from writing on,. or from using. His glorious names, titles, or jsttributes in our imperfect human language: and indeed it i» of the great condescension of our Maker towards us, that the privilege should ever be granted, after we had, b) If iUa fnW 28« THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. or regaitl ; and had entailed on ourselves the dis- pleasure of God, and all the miseries of this life, death) and the pains of hell for ever : but the mercy of God is gloriously displayed in the humiliation of His Son Jesus Christ, "who took not on him the na- ture of angels, but took the seed of Abraham;" "who being born in the form of God, thought it not rob- bery to be equal with God ; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made m liie likeness of men ; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the dcatii of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name; that lit the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things un- der the earth ; and iht.t every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Fa- ther:" Phil. ii. 6. Behold, then, what the sacred records contain of the high and dignified character of Him who is the theme of my present writings: and remark the amazing love which constrained our blessed Saviour to humble himself so low as to veil for a season the splendour of His glory in the frail mortal body. But our condition required it ; and as he undertook our cause from all eternity. He willingly offered himself to the Father as our friend and mighty deliverer, to satisfy the justice of God, by vicarious sufferings, to obey God's law, which we had viola- ted and transgressed, and by offering Himself onco a propitiatory sacrifice fur sin, make re onciliation be- twef n God and men ; and to open a way for us to escape from the wrath to come, that we might not perish with them that perish forever in their sins: for whosoever believeth on Him, shall not perish, but «hall obtain eternal life. THIRD DISPENSATION. 283 Such then was the merciful purpose of God to- wards us, that "Ho spared not His own Son, but de- livered him up for us all," even unto death ; that " by his one offering up ol himself He might forever perfect them that are sanctified." In that manner, then, " It became him for vviiom are all things, and through whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of liieir salvation perfect through suflerings. For both He who sane- tifieth and they who arc sanctified are all of one : for which cause He is noi ashamed to call them bre- thren. Saying I will declare thy name to my bre- thren ; in the midst of the church will 1 sing praise unto thee." Heb. ii. 10. For our sakes then He become poor, that we through his poverty might be rich. He engaged himself thus to the Father, to execute the purposes of his grace, and to magnify the law, and to make it honourable, and satisfy jus- tice, that we might be saved, and be raised up to the joys of the redeemed in light. And when He had. ifulfilled all that was written concerning him in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and the Psalms: and had tasted death for eveiv man, He ascended to his Father, and to our Father, to prepare a place for us ; with the promise left on record, that he woulc! come again, and receive us to Himself, that where He is, there we may be also. He thus ap- peared in the world, finished the work given him to do then on earth, and sufiered to the utmost exactions of justice, until justice was satisfied : and as " He died for our sins, He arose again for our jus- tification," and " ascended up on high, leading cap- tivity captive, and giving gifts to men ;" and He is therefore, highly exalted by the right hand of God the Father, •' a Prince and a Saviour, to give repent- ance unto Israel, and forgiveness of sins." ;) 284 THB SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. , His seraphic, angelic, and cherubic manifestations, through the eternal Spirit, to the children of men were many, uniformly continued, and tested and proven by their consequences : He appeared to Adam under the character and title of his maker : to Cain, as his judge : and made Himself known to Adam under the glorious name, the Lord God, at the time when he turned him out of the Garden of Eden for breaking his covenant, after giving the first intimation of the coming of Messiah into the world, to bruise the serpent's head, and to suffer His own heel to be bruised. He went by the Spirit in the days of Noah, and preached to the spirits or sons of God, who were in those days in prison, by their inter-marriages with the daughters of men, and who consequently caused the wrath of God to kindle against them, for corrupting the holy seed with the descendants of Cain, who were under the curse which was originally put upon their father, the devil, and consequently brought upon the world that temporal judgment, the flood. He communi- cated His purpose to Noah, under the character of friend and mighty deliverer from the deluge by which the world, that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. He appeared unto Abraham, and entered into covenant with him, to give to him, and to his seed after him the land of Canaan, for an everlasting covenant ; and gave him instructions to receive and continue in his oflspring the covenant of circumcision: and repeatedly manifested himself to him for his encouragement, and for strenghening his covenant expectations and hopes ; and for giving typical views of a better covenantand of surer promi- ses. He app-ared also, to Isaac, and to the servant of his father, wiio was pet under oath by Abraham not to lake any of the daughters of Canaan to his «on to wife, — God in his care for the pure line in THIRD DISPENSATION. 285 which Jesus descended, from His father, concern- ing his humanity, warned, and gave signs to his friend's servant with regard to the Lord's choice. He appeared to Isaac and confirmed with him, also, the covenant of circumcision ; and thus encouraged him to continue in the footsteps of his father Abraham, and to continue his dependence upon his promises to His Father, and now renewed and confirmed by the oath of God to himself. He appeared, also, to Jacob under various ways.—In the appearance of a Ladder, with the foot on the Earth, and the top in Heaven, signifying his human and divine nature, and that he was to be the connecting covenant be- tween Earth and Heaven ; as well as that through him we should have access lo the Father ; and that all the angels, the messengers of God, should be sent down from heaven by Him, as represented on the ladder, with the messages of God to the sinful children of men: that they should be all begotten of God, and born of the Holy Spirit, and ihat they should thus be found to come spiritually down with the communications of God from heaven by Jesus Christ. With Jacob, also, he confirmed and renew- ed the covenant of circumcision: with David, also, he conferred and thus continued the views of His covenant.— He appeared to Moses in the busii ihat burned, and was not consumed ; and announced Him- self to hnn as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, under the incommunicable name, I AM, and after mamfesling His power on the rod which he held at the time in his lumd, and upon his hand, also, He commissioned him and sent hinj down to Etiypt to bring the Lord's '^ people out of tiie Jand of'^Egypt, out of the house of boi.Jage, with mighty hand, and slrciched out arm." In short, ail liie seraphic, che- rubic, and angelic manifestations that were made to the children of men, before His incarnation and 5?96 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. conception in the womb of the Holy Virgin Maiy, and the birth of the woman, as the seed of the wo- man, who came down out of heaven to bruise the head of the serpent, are to be attributed to Jesus Ciirist, the Son ofGod. " Then I was by him, as one brought up with liim ; and I was daily his do- hght, rejoicing ahvays before him ; rejoicing in the habitable parts of His earth; and my delights were with the sons of men." And when ihe fulness of time was come, the Spirit of the Lord God came upon Mary, and tlie power of the Highest overshadowed her : and she conceived, and brought forth the Holy Child, Jesus. At that all-important time, Shepherds WjCre watching their flocks by night, and it was revealed to them from heaven, that the Messiah was born. " And there was iii the same country shep- herds abiding in the field, keeping vratcii over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon tiiem, and the Glory of the Lord shone round about them ; and thev were sore afraid. And th« Angel said unto them, Fear not, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all peo- ple. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a si^rn unto vou : ve shall find the Bab« wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men. And it came to pass, as the x^.ngels were gone away from tliem into heaven, the shep- herds said one to another. Let us now go even to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. And when they THIRD DISPENSATION. 287 had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds." Luke ii. 8. That, then, is the Scripture account of the con- ception, birth, and manifestation of Jesus of Naza- reth, in his first advent : and not only was hit first advent thus confirmed by many and indubitable ei\- dences, and testimonials ; but he manifested himself the Son of God with power. — The Scriptures wer« amply and satisfactorily fulfilled in him during his sojourning and tabernacling with men on earth. — He was announced and preached by his immediate forerunner, John the Baptist, who bore testimony that He was the Son of God, by his seeing fulfilled the sign which God had given to him. It beho*ed that he should descend into Egypt,that the Scripture might be fulfilled. "Out of 'Egypt have I called my Son." ]\fat. ii. 15. He gave hearing lo the deaf, sight to the blind, speech to the dumb, power of limbs to the lame, cleansed the lepers, and cut out the devils ; commanded, and the raging of tht elements and the siormy vvafes obeyed his voice; healed all manner of diseases, and raised the dead ; tbolished death, and brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel ; fulfilled the law and made it honourable, and thus wrought out perfect right- eousness for us, l)y his own obedience even unto death ; bare our sins on the cross ; put avray »in by the one sacrifice of himself: expiated the guilt of our sins; satisfied the Father's justice, and made reconciliation between God and man : made inter- cession for the transgressors ; obtained for us tn abundant entrance iniu his kingdom and glory. And as he died ior our sins, he arose again for our justi- fication ; and is highly exalted by the right hand of God the Father, a Prince and s Saviour, to gi»a repentance to Iirael, and forgitenesiof fici. StS8 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM. His first advent was in humiliation, to be obedient unto death, that he might save us from our sins and might re-esiablish us in favour with God : to glorify the Father, and to obtain all power in heaven and in earth ; but his second advent shall be in power and great glory, with all his holy angels, and ten thousand of his saints. — He came the first lime to suffer under the power of his enemies ; but he shall come the second time to judge his enemies, and to give rewards to his servants, the poor in spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.- — To them that mourn, for they shall be comforted. — To the meek : for they shall inherit the earth. — To them who do hun- ger after righteousness : for they shall be filled. — To the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy. — To the pure in heavt, for they shall see God. — To the peace-makers : for they shall be called the children of God. — To them who are persecuted for righteousness' sake : for theirs is the Kingdom of Heave»j. — "To those whom men revile, and persecute, and say all manner of evil of them falsely for his sake. These shall be made to rejoice, and to be exceeding glad ; for great is their reward in heaven ; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before them. Mat. v. He shall come to lake unto himself his great power and shall reign. His first advent was expected according to the promises held out in the prophecies. He was promised of old : Moses spoke of His coming when he said, " The Lord ihy God shall raise up unto the a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me ; unto Him sliall ye hearken," Deut* xviii. Although that prophecy necessarily implied in it the firsi advent, yet it must also, from the want of accomplishment of the part of tlie holy prediction, which relates to the reception, by them to whom he came, be extended to the second, who is now THIRD DISPENSATION* S89 to be expected in these latter days ; for John testi- fied against them, and the historical facts corro- borate his complaint of non-reception. " He came to His own, and His own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that be- lieve on His name : which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John i. 11. 12. 13. Now such was the condition of them who received him — they were born of God : and such will be the condition of them who shall receive him at his second coming : but of the multitude in the promises of the word, those that received Him at His first advent, were merely a small specimen of His merciful dealings with His ancient people, the twelve tribes of Israel. Moses promised the Prophet like unto Him, and of their brethren, to be raised up unto them : " and as Moses verily was faithful in ail his house, as a ser- vant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after, so christ as a Son over His own house ; whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." Heb. iii. 5. 6. In that manner then he was like unto Moses according to the pattern ; but at His first coming His treatment of His people 1.2-2. And not only is there the cioarest and the most indubitable promises of re- r^overy and rc-ujiioii ; but, as if to prove, that partial lialhcriiigs, and deliverances were not the full amount of the meaning of the scripture, after awfu! exterminndiic; judgments arc dt-nuuiiced against Go- and Macr){», ami the many confederated nations who s?hall lol!o V :ii :,!icir train, the Lord pro:yii#ts dclivtjr- f THIRD DISPENSATION. 291 ance and complete recovery to all his people : "VVi.cn I l.ave brought them again from the people and gathered them out of their enemies' land, and am sanctafied m them in the sight of many nations ; then thcmt/i'^rr'''^^^"" ^''^ ^^^^' which c'aused hem o be led into captivity among ti,c heathen • >ut 1 have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. No^ will 1 hide my face any more from them : for I have poured out ,ny Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith he Lord God/ Ezek. xxxix. 27.-These Ihh 1' have never yet been realized by the people of the l^ord s covenant, according to these views, which are held out to them by ,he veracity of the ^ord of <^od, anci the credibility of the scr.pfurcs has ever ^iepended jo.aily upon the fulfilment of the pro- pliccy; ford the promises to the twelve tribes of Israe should not be tulhlled, the scriptures would great y lose their respectability as the word of God • and these n.en would hesitate to depend on anv promise there for themselves; but God will not ai- low li.s word to b. talsitiod, and therefore the second advent may be certainly expected and depended upon, according to the written word of God. Many Miorc promi.es which are not yet fulfilled, mi-ht be advanced Iron, the books of prophecy ; but these iv-w liistanrcs may suffice to shew, that a second advent of Messiah is yet future, with regard to the ivvelve tribes of Israel. o ^» lo int ^"'ij'gliis sojourning on earth, in the flesh he Irerjuemly alluded to that very circumstance, these I'ond aovent : ami it appears lo have been a theme of f numpiiant exuhation with him: He afierwards made Jnentionol that important event lor the emronrrur^- nienl of nis sunenng. dejected [)eOide, - Acni Irsu^ s..d unto theru.Venlyl say u.to you, tl^.tve, who •» -ne in i;..' rogcnerasion, wheii'the Snu w «92 THE SUBJECTS OF THE NILLENNlUtf. of mnn shall sit on the throne of his glory, shall ilso sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Mat. xix. 28. That may be confined and restricted to the days of their ministry as twelve apostles sent out commissioned, and set over the Jewish converts to Christianity ; but, there is more implied in that passage, upon which it may not be necessary to enter at this time; but, hear His own glorious accou:.t of His coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. "Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the de- sert ; go not forth ; behold, he is in the secret cham- bers, believe it not. For as the lightning com^jth from the east, and shineth even unto the west ; so, also, shall the coming of the Son of man be. For, wheresoever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be dr kened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall . from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power aning ? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were since the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by tite word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of t'le water and in tho water, whereby the wr)rhl that then was, being over- flowed with water, perished ; but the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judg- ment, and perdition of ungodly men." ii. Peter, iii. :i. — " When t'.Mi Lord Jesus siiall be revealed fronr heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, takinsr ven2:ean''je on them that know not God, and thnl obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesui? Christ ; who shall be punished with everlasting des- truction from the presence of our Lord, and front the glory of his power. When he shall be glorifieci in his saints, and admired in all them that believe (because ouv testimony aniiong you was believed) iw THIRD DISPENS4TI0N. 295 ihatday. ii. Thes. 1. 7 — For he shall come to judge the world in righteousness. " And the times of this ignorance, God winked at; but now com- mandeth all men every where to repent ; because he hath appointed d day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man wnom he liath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Acts xvii. 30 " For as the Father :>ath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to avc life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. John, V. 2(). *' For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son : That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. ^ Ifo that honoureth not the Son, iionoureth not the Father who hath sent him." John v. «!2. i23. I have thus, then, exhibited a mass of agreeing tes- timony in proofof the second coming of Messiah; as well as the purposes for which he shall appear the second time, both as regards the wicked, and the sauits ; but although the quotations I have advanced may appear tedious and cumbersome to some, yet the word of Gml, in harmony and strict agreement, shall prove tremendous condemnation to those on whom he shall come unexpecting and unprepiired : for they shall be overtaken, as quoted above, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage: and this is the condemnation, that light hath con»o into the world, and men choose darkness rather than light, because thcii deeds are evil — and they will not come to the light, lest their works should bo reproved. '' For every one that docth evil hnteth the light, neither cometh to tlie lii^ht, lest his deeds should be reproved : but he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." John iii. ii. But f96 THE SUBJECT! OF THE MILLENNIUM. the continuing of the children of the night, and of darkness, in ignorance of those great and gL.ious events, will not the least invalidate the testimony of the Scriptures, but rather confirm them ; because they are found to be fulfilled and verified in them : then we have the clearest, and the most corrobo- rative proofs of the second advent, not only evinced in the evil conduct, and stubborn unbelief of the children of the night and of darkness ; but also, by the expectation of *' that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, which is assuredly not to be found in the children of the night and of darkness. i It may be observed that we have, as it were, come insensibly, and easily, to use othei terms of recogni- tion, to signify the same objects which were formerly denominated tares, and wheat ; but the condition, and not the radical nature, is produced by the ser- vants, although the masier himself, who knew them distinctively, had a right to exhibit them in their real, actual nature, in the parable of the tares, and the wheat: which may shew,that we have no authori- ty to judge of men, but by their works ; and by their reception, or rejection of the glorious truths of the Gospel: and that we must abide by the rules and ex- amples laid down for us; therefore we have no right or authority to call any, tares, or serpents, or genen tioii of vipers, although he who knew whence the> came could positively speak of them according to tiii;ik descent and lineage ; for He is the Omniscient God, whose all-seeing eyes run to and fro ,throughout the earth ; and are every where present beholding the evil, and the good. — We may take it from the vera- city of His Word, that at the time of his coming to give rewards, and to impose the pains and penalties of his holy laws, the discrimination shall be complete and correct according to his own om- THIRD DISPENSATION. 297 niscience: and the sentence of the judge of the quick and the dead shall be according to the naost strict, and impartial justice. " Who will render to every man according to his deeds : to them who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory and honour, and immortality, eternal life ; b'lt unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey ^mrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, tribu- lation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first and also of the Gentile : For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law ; and as many ns have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law :" Rom, ii. 6. Many por- tions of the Scriptures, which speak of the first com- ing,include in them views which cannot be extended to the second ; and those Scriptures which p/omise a coming after his suflft^rings in the flesh, resurrec- tion, and ascension, are to be wholly rest/icteJ to the second advent : a^d many other doctrines connec- ted with the second advent are to be found embodied, and involved in doclrines that refer specially to the first appearing in the flesh ; but when concomitant circumstances are attached to the promises of his coming, which cannot be recognized as belonging to the first, we must transfer them to the second. Such may be considered the promise of the promulgation of the gospel mentioned with many other signs of the times in the twenty-fourth chapter of the gospel by Matthew. — The disciples put a double question to Jesus, and he answers both in the same discourse with them. " And as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us when shall these things be ? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world." They put their question not only for obtaining information concerning his prediction of the throwing down the 598 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. slones of the temple, so that one stone should not be left upon another: their question is not confined to ihat present prediction ; but another subject, which seenfis to have been familiar to them fronn former in- structions, is immediately proposed by them at the same time for his solution, namely, his own coming and the end of the world ; now that cannot be ap- plied to the first coming, because tfiat was already past, he being present with them v/hen they put their question to him : and his answer also as regards the promulgation of the gospel proves not only his soli- citude about that most desirable object ; but by giving many signs, he implies in the views which he adyances,ns signs, the end of the world, and not nigh because all these had to be accomplished, he says, but the end is not yet; now it would require no in- considerable len^ tli of time to bring about those things which he enumerated, before all could be ac- complished.and yet the end. vvus not come. "And the gospel of the kingdom .shall be preached in all the world as a witness unto all nations ; and then shall the end come." Before h.c dismisses the subject, the second coming is descrii)ed as his answer to that part of tfie double question |)ut to him by his disciples. "And ilien shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven ; and then shall the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." That language was spoken by liim, whose second ad- vent may shortly be looked for, even while he was yet on earth Wilh his disciples, and let the sceptics, whose vulgar and heathenish theories contain not this glorious and necessary doctrine, take pleasure in their unsatisfactory, unsavoury, aiid unprofitable reveries, and visionary speculations ; but tde tribula- tions of those times, and that soon, shall surely sweep away the refuge of lies, and then shall they "enter TtllRD DISPENSATION. 299 1 into the rocks, and hide themselves in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty. — and they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and lor the glory of His majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall east his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which ihey made each for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats ; to go into the clefts of tiie rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth :" Isa ii. But lilt ye up your heads, ye tribes of Israel, for your redemption dravveth nigh: and then ve shall not It * ook towards the mountains of Samaria, nor towards Jerusalem to worship the God of your fathers, for they that worship the Father must worship him in Spirit and in truth ; for such worsliippers the Father requiretfi to worship him. At the time of the ascension. a vision of ancelsap- peared unto them who were wimesses to him of all that he did and snfi'ered, and gave their testimony, not only of his ascension, but also declared that he should come again ; thus giving confirmation to all prophecies on that subject, as well as to his ovvn plain and positive declarations that he would come again to them. '-And while they looked steadfastly to- ward heaven as he went up, beliold, tv\o men stood by them in white apparel ; which aho said, Yemen of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? this sanie Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye liave seen him go into heaven:" Acts i. 10, 1 1. 'Now that cheering and consolatory promise of tlie second advent did his disciples receive from the mouth of the angel im- mediately after his ascension, before they who saw him ascend had ceased L^azin^un into heaven : while I . t 300 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. the one subject was filling their hearts with joy and consolation, the ether was announced by the mouth of an angel from heaven, to strengthen their belief of his own promises, while he was yet with them. Ah things were then accomplished with regard to His manifestation in the flesh, his holy ministry, suffer- ings, death, resurrection, and ascension; and no doubt, the credibility of all things which he spake unto them could not but be greatly confirmed by their being witnesses of His ascension; and likewise by the corroboration which his promises, often re- peated, now had received by the saying of the angel, that He should so come in like manner as they had seen Him go up into heaven : therefore as the evi- dence was so perfect and complete to the chosen credible witnesses, who recorded all things for our edification and instruction, that the proofs and pro- mises were unhesitatingly received and believed by them, so that they returned to Jesus alone, from the mount called Olivet, and continued with one accord, in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren, wailing a promise which Christ gave them after his resurrection from the dead, and a little time before his ascension, that they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost. "And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Fa- ther, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water ; but ye shall be bap- tized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore *K^ i;.^,r.l,^.,^ tn T'^rn'^P A pH lip snid imtO thcm. it is not for you 'to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is THIRD DISPENSATION. 301 come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight:" Acts i. 4, &c. Now it plainly appears, that they gave implicit credit to his promise of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, as is proved by their continuing assembled together in Jerusalem in prayer and sup- plication until the day of Pentecost was come, when they had full and indubitable proof of the veracity of His word of promise, by their being baptized by the pouring out of the Spirit of the Lord upon them, ac- cording to the prophecies, which Christ meant by the promise of the Father, which he said they should re- ceive. After they had been commanded to tarry at Jerusalem for that promise, they shewed their belief of all things,as may be concluded from tlieir desire to know more. To know whether he would, at that time, restore the kingdom to Israel. That was an expression of their belief in the promises of restoration to Israel: they did not hesitate to declare their be- lief in the restoration by Jesus Chirst, but their ques- tion was, with regard to the time of the great and glorious event: tiiey had received instruction with regard to the restoration ; and ilso with regard to the elevated and dignified condition in which they then would appear, sitting on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel ; and therefore two circum- stances may be regarded as the objects of their anxious solicitude: the restoration of the ancient j)LcuIiar people of God, of the same stock with them- s(;jves; but also their own exaltation, dignity, and superiority ; and yet the time was the object of their greatest solicitude ; and therefore their question re- garded that. Will thou at this time restore the king- dom* to hiacl? He did not invalidate the fact by w 1)! THK SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. any denial of the object of their qiu siion, but merely said unto them, that it was not foi ihcin to know the times and the seasons which the Father put m his own power, and thus the certainty that the kingdom should be restored, at the time appointed of the Fa- ther, stands uncontroverted. And, ihat then, is the main object of his second coming to restore the king- dom to Israel, as well as to take unto himself his .rreat power, and to reign : when the Saints shall bo prepared, as a Bride, adorned for her husband,to reign with Christ a thousand years. John saw, in prophetic vision, the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God prepared, as a Bride adorned for her iiusband. And surely the second advent of Messiah may, as as- suredly, be looked for as the advent of the holy city, the new Jerusalem, which I i)rovcd in a former section without possibility of refutation, to be llit; twelve tribes of the children of Israel ; when croated anew after God, in righteousness and true hoi less. That would aecessariiy be their condition, before ihey could be in a prepared condition to reign with Jesus Christ after the second advent, when he shall come with power and great glory, with all holy angels, and ten thousand of his saints to judge the woild ;n righte- ousness. '' For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of tlui arc!i- an V .«^ u ^ J —) . and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head ; he heard the sound of the trumpet and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him: but he 308 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MlLLENNIUlfr H that takelh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned ; if the sword come and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity ; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand :" Ezek. xxxiii. 1, (fee. O watchmen 1 let the consideration of that penetrate your hearts and souls, as a warning blast, from the author of these words ; lest the blood of any perishing sinner should be required at your hand, for the day of the Lord is at hand. *' But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth ? for he is like a refiner's fire, an4 like fuller's sope :" Mai. iii. 2. I shall quote one passage more to assist us to the meaning of the important passage, with which I have commenced this investigation, with regard to the Archangel, and the trump of God : the passage I am about to quote, refers to tlie same subject, although under the veil of prophecy. "Torn you to the strong hold, ye pri- soners of hope : even to-day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; when I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, und raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and jnade thee as the sword of a mighty man. And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south. The Lord of Hosts shall defend them ; and ihey shall devour, and subdue with sling-stones ; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine ; UDd they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar. And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his oeoole : for thev shall be as the stones of a crown, lilted upas an en- sign upon his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty ! Corn sha!l make the THIRD DISPENSATION. 309 But rf not the if the X them, i will I (xiii. 1, of that g blost, lood of r hand, ^10 may i stand r's fire, quote of the nenced ;el, and ' quote, i veil of ye pri- t I win dah for up thy '] jnade e Lord o forth ow the south, i ihey ; and wine ; lorners n save or thev an en- >dnes», ike the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids :" Zech. ix. 12. That portion of Scripture is very plain and expHcit, with regard to the Lord's deal- ings, not only with His own covenanted people, but also with regard to His wrath against their enemies; but the part of the passage which assists to lead js to the meaning of the other passage, is " and the Lord shall blow with his trumpet." The form of expression only differs: the meaning is ihe same. In Thessalonians, as quoted, the form of words is ** the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with H shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God." When ^echariah wrote his prophecy, the views were darker with regard to the Lord's coming down from heaven to assume the hu- man nature ; but Paul knew that he had come down, and had died for our sins, and had risen again for our justification, and had ascended, and had left many promises that he would come again ; and there- fore joined with the sacred writers to describe the dignity of the Son of God at his second coming ; as well as the effects of His mercy to some, and of His wrath and judgments upon others, in short, that He shall come in power and great glory. To come with a shout, signifies His triumphant entering upon the throne of His government when His people shall ac- knowledge Him as their King, such as is common at the coronation of the kings of this world ; from which the term may have been borrowed. The voice of the Archangel may be considered the same as the voice of the Son of God, as in the following passage.—" Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour IS coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God ; and thev that hear shall live:" John v. 25. Where can any ditterence be marked in meaning between these two expressior.s, although the wording is not the same. The Arch- I l*i»' *t 1! 'i " III tt- I' "1 310 THE SUJiJCCTS Of THE MILLENNIVK. Bngel 9nd the Son of God are the same ; and there- fore the voice in both places is the same ; and tlie effect in both places is the same. — In both places ihe dead are raised to life — and although the Apos- tle adds othercircumslances, yet the simple meaning i^ found in Jesus' own words in John's Gospel. And we havft a corroboration of that explication in the effect of the same voice of the same person upon the dry bones, where there was a noise and a shaking — and where they arose a nriij;hty army, the whole house of Israel. Now where the view is given in full description, is the place to which we have to re- fer the whole for a safe solution ; and there we have the whole amount of the meaning in the oiher two pa'ssages: and whatever mysterious views may he entertained on the passage, where " the Lord him- self shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God : and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" they may easily be resolved into this, that His covenanted people who are described as in their graves, shall be brought up out of their graves, as promised in the thirty- seventh chapter of Ezekiel ; and " then, we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so siiall we ever be with the Lord." Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin, which joined the remnant of them, the tribe of Judah ; and therefore when Paul speaks of the dead in Christ in that passage, I understand bv that his covenanted ten tribes, which are to be brought to life when the Son of man pro- phesies upon the dry bones, with the voice of the {Son of God, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, the Gospel sound, in which U K^, t \yi> i« wvt V w ^« J 4l 1-.. I . I'liti J 1 1 4. 1 U i UiiUCiolUilU by the expression, " we that are alive and remain, shall be cauglit up together witl^ them in the clouds; THIRD DISPENSATION. 311 \ therc- Eind the places 3 Apos- leaning i\. And in the pon the iking — 3 whole fiven in e to re- ve have her two nay be rd hiin- vith the )f God : y easily people wrought thirty- j which ogether the air: iul was emnant i when isage, I , which an pro- of the el, and which t. 1 •emain, clouds. to meet the Lord in the air : and so shall we ever be with the Lord,'' that when the ten tribes are reco- vered or received, as Paul expresses it in his Epistle to the Romans, eleventh chapter: " If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be,biit life from the dead?" that when the ten tribes are ihus received by life from the dead — spiritual life from spiritual death — the tribe of Judah and the remnant of Benjamin, of tvhich Paul was, shall be changed, and joined, as ex- pressed by joining the sticks together, to be one, in the Prophet's hand, before tl»eir eyes. " And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whi- ther they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel ; and one king shall be king to them all : nei- ther shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions : but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them : so shall (hey be my people, and I will be their God;" Ezek- xxxvii. 21. " So shall they ever be with the Lord :" 1 Thes. iv. 16, 17. Now I trust that is a satisfactory solution of any mystery which might appear to cover, under seal, the true, simple meaning of the views comm':3nicated by the Apostle Paul in the passage which I have been considering, and comparing with other syno- nymous views given by others of the sacred writers, which must be found to correspond and to agree, 17 licii liicy i.!cui ui iiic sasijc suusv^ui, aii A ^n^A same times or time ; because they are all taught of God. <^ It is written in the prophets, and they shall 312 THE SUBJECTS OF ?HE MILLENNIUM. i \ W i! itli be all taught of God. Every man therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life :" John vi. 45-47. That is the life therefore, which Jesus gives, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and shall live. Thsy are alive, and believe on him, and shall never die. At His second coming, He prophesies upon the dry bones, and they shall live. " For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God : and the dead in Christ shall rise first : then w^ which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Another synonymous passage, where some may be apt to apply the views to the resurrection of the body, without any regard to the resurrection of the souls of men, that are dead in sins and trespasses, I may advance, but many parts of the Scriptures refer wholly to the quickening of them who are spiritually dead : of that description ure the two passages I am now comparing; the first of which I have explained by my uniform rules, and the second reads thus : " Behold I fehew you a mystery ; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an e;ye, at the last trump ; (for the trumpet shall sound ;) and the dead sJiall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mor- tal must put on immortality. So when this corrup- tible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory, O death, where is thy sting ? O ce, that cometh Father, Father, veth on Thut is he dead lall live. 11 never es upon ne Lord utf with umo of t: then ught up \\e Lord Lord/' may be of the 1 of the )asses^ I es refer iritually ;es I am [plained is thus : I not all lent, in for the 5 raised ''or this tis mor- corrup- mortat brought allowed ig? o T&IRD DLSPENtATIOCr... 3]S grave, where is thy victory ? The sting of death is sin ; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ :" 1 Cor. xv. 51 , &c. Now, let us apply this to the soul, in place, as is too common, of neglecting the belter part, the soul, and of apply- ing it to the body only ; because the concerns ol the precious soul ought to be our present subject of consideration. The first resurrection refers to the soul, especially, and upon an extended scale, as it concerns the reception of the ten lost tribes by " life from the dead ;" and must be considered, of a most glorious nature, and attended with awful, and stu- pendous circumstances : but these are the views which are held out to us, at the time of the Second Advent of Messiah. " Behold, I shew you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump ; (for the trumpet shall sound :), and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be chang- ed." Passing in the mean time the common view, r shall apply that to what shall be the great transac- tions of the restoration of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. They did not all sleep ; they are not all dry bones ; they are not all in their graves ; they are not all Ephraim, prodigal son.-^No, for Judah and the remnant of Benjamin, are awake ; they have the Bible, and forms left them ; they are not prodigal Ephraim, they never left their Father, although they serve him in the lleld, a prey to the wild beasts, and wallowing in blood, " let his blood be upon us, said they to Pilate, and upon our chil- dren ;" and ♦h'^refore the graves of the ten tribes must be opened, and they must be " received by life from the dead." The dead ten tribes must be raised incorruptible, and the Jews must be changed. Then Ephraim and Judah shall be reunited under one 314 ITHE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM. i 9 king, not to be divided into two kingdoms, any more at all ; and they shall be God's people. Artd the Lord shall be their God, forever; and they shall reign with Jesus Christ a thousand years ; when this corruptible shall have put on incorrupti'on, and this mortal shall have put on immortality ; and when that is brought to pass which is written, Death is swal- lowed up in victory : when the iniquities of the fa- thers shall no longer be visited upon the children : when they shall be all forgiven, and shall be no lon- ger under the law, but under grace, and sin shall have lost his strength ; when there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. And they shall see His face ; and His name shall be in their foreheads. O redeemed tribes, well may you sing, **0 death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory ? The sting of death is sin ; and the strength of sin is the law ; but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Such is the doctrine of the Bible, with respett to the ancient people of God at the time of the Second Advent of Messiah, and tho^e who can receive it, let them receive it; for the tare^ and the wheat are growing in the same field, the world ; but the time is at hand-^the harvest is nigh. These things, and thousands of thousands of great and terrible events are at hand, when the Bride shall make herself ready to go forth to meet the Bridegroom, for he is near at hand; and "then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle. And His feet shall stand on 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 THIRD DISPENSATION. 315 of the mountain shall move toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains ; for the valley of the moun- tains shall reach unto Asal : yea, ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, King of Judah. And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee :" Zech. xiv. 3, &c. " For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels ; and then he shall re- ward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom :" Mat. xvi. 27. Three of them, who stood there, saw him transfigured, as may be read in the next chapter, about six days after ; and that may be considered a specimen of the glory and power in which He shall appear, the second time, without sin unto salvation. He repeatedly showed himself alive, after His resurrection, to His disciples, and showed His mighty power in the great draught of fishes, as well as His compassion for His servants, whom He had for a season left disconsolate : and also showed them that without Him they could do nothing. He ate a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb, in their presence. Let it not, there- fore, be thought paradoxical, that He should yet manifest himself. 316 THE SUBJECTS 01' THS MILLENNIUM. SACRED NUMBERS, AND SIGNS OF THE TIMES. The Divine Author of the Bible uses various ways of illustrating the subjects, and events, by which He is graciously pleased to reveal His divine will to mankind ; to lead us to a knowledge of Himself, his laws, and his purposes ; as well as to lead us to some conception of our own fallen, sinful, and dependent condition ; in order that our attention may be drawn to the Author of our being, to the provision which He has graciously made for us, both for time, and for eternity ; and to the duties which are required of us to perform, as rational, accountable beings : and for these wise purposes, there is presented to us, in the holy Bible, a wonderful arrangement of the subjects which we require to know for our guidance in the pursuit of useful knowledge. The plan of salvation, through Jesus Christ, is beautifully and brightly displayed there: the manner of access to the Father of our spirits, that we may live, is clearly illustrated, in simplicity and truth ; and an historical, genealogical line of the descent, and pedigree of Je- sus Christ, the Author of our salvation, is afforded us in the chronological register of inspiration, by periods distinguished by simple numericals : as also a clear line of the pedigree of the human ancestors of tiie Messiah, which evidently is purposed for a twofold object : the hne of pedigree, as I have men- tioned, is divided into classes of lens, by enumerating downward, by chief heads of the families, which are thus used. In the first chapter of first Chronicles, the first division of ten, appears from God the Cre- ator downward to the flood, ten generations. Adam, Sheth, Knosh — Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered — Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech — Noah. The second calcula- tion of ten is also found in the same chapter down- iES. s ways which will to self, his some endent drawn which le, and squired beings : 1 to us, of tlie lidance )lan of ily and cess to clearly jtorical, 2 of Je- flforded lion, by as also icestors d for a 'e men- lerating lich are onicles, he Cre- Adam, ienoch, calcula- f down- THIRD DISPENSATION. 317 ward after the flood, cor innencing with Noah's pious, heaven-approved son, Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah — Eber, Peleg, Reu— Serug^ Nahor, Terah— Abram. That calculation of principal heaven-approved per* sons, is tithed in the tenth person, whom God takes as His own tithing, thus marking those families the lineal pedigree of Hio own people, in whose line of descent the pedigree of His own Son, Jesus Christ, according to the flesh, was intended to be preserved pure and uncontaminated, until He should be born of Mary, whose genealogy is also chronicled through the same pure and unadulterared line of descent from God. Two divisions, or classes of tens, are thus found in the Old Testament; and in the New Testament, in the first chapter of the Gospel by Matthew, we find three divisions, or classes, marked out after the same plan of unerring wisdom and pro^ vidence. Passing Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are typical of Jestis Christ in His threelold ofl[ice of Prophet, Priest, and King ; and as Jesus is descended of Judal), we begin the next enumeration and clas- sification from him, Phares, Esrom, Aram — Amina- dab, Naasson, Salmon — Booz, Obed) Jesse — David. And God found David a man according to his own heart, and he chose him, as God's tithing, still mani- festing iiis heavenly favour, and fatherly care, in marking out the pure line of the pedigree and gene- alogy, of Him whom he had promised, as pre-emi- nently the seed of the woman, and in that pure line from David ; Solomon, Hoboam, Abia— Asa, Josa- phat, Joram— Ozias, Joatham, Achaz — Ezckias. Ten principal persons, and the tenth again chosen, us God's tything. From llezekiah downwards, still in the samo distinmiicslipri linn nf CnmiUr #TAr>#^nU.,.. . Manasses, Amon, Josias— Jeconias, Salathiel, Zoro- babel— Abiud, Eliakim, Azor— Sadoc. Now, the meaning of the name Sadoc, or Zedec, is justice, or :3I8 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. righteousness: and the Apostle Paulinterprets the word Melchizedec, which is compounded of tne Hebrew Melee, king, and Zedeo, righteousness ; and therefore Sadoc is the chosen of God, as the last ty- thin"- which God purposed ever should be chosen in that°manner, and perhaps, in any manner whatever; because Mary, who is an emblem of the Church of Christ, was the next principal person, who was to be brought forward in that distinct, pure, and unadulte- rated^line of genealogy from, God, the Author of our being. And it is allowed by all divines that the num- ber seven, among the sacred numbers, signifies perfec- tion, rest, church ; and therefore God when he had finished the works of the creation, rested from all his works on the seventh day, and blessed, and hallowed the sabbath day: and commanded the children of Israel, by the hand of Moses, to " Re- member the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days Shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of liie Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidser- vant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy oates : for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day : wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day. and hallowed it." Exo(ksxx. The seventh day thus was appointed of God for holy resting all that day, and it is the Jewish sabbath t<. this day : but not the Christian Sabbath, for it was God's purpose to change tlie day at the close of \\\i.: Mosaic dispensation, from the seventh to tiie c!L'!i;h or first day of the Christian week, in honoui ot his -■ ' 1,;^ nvnfif* frnrn the dead, on the ou. Son .lesus v^inu-ii, morning o tian CH maintaine „f tlie eighth day, wliich is since, in Chti' ieulation, the first day of the week : il is d that the aDOSlles theniKelvcs in virtue ol ts the of tne ;; and last ty- 3sen in ilever ; irch of s to be adulte- of our e niim- per fee- he had om all d, and ed tlie ► " Re- y. Six rk : but yGod: »y son, :iai(lser- wiiliin lieaven i rested sed the :. The r)r holy .ball] t<» r it was :! of th^.; w of his on the i\ Chri<- k : il IS irtue of THIRD DISPENSATION. 319 the commission and authority which they held, changed the Sabbath estabhshedby the word of God, in an arbitrary manner, and merely in honour of their Lord and Master ; but that is a gross error ; for God changed the day by the hand of the Prophet Ezekiel, long before Jesus graced and honoured the morning of the first day of the week, by his resur- rection from the dead ; and therefore the apostles, not only introduced the cliange, in honour of their Lord ; but also, by clear scriptural authority, as may be evidently seen by perusing the following passage. " Seven days shall they purge the altar, and purify it ; and they shall consecrate themselves. And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt-oft'erings upon the altar, and your peace-ofTerings ; and I will accept you, sailh the Lord God." Ezek. xliii. 26. 27. The change was then prophetically made by the authority of God : and therefore the change was made, not only in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ ; but also, by divine authority. In the list of genealogy,, whicii I have copied, I iiave exhibited five tithings, or five divisions, of ten each, which amounts to fifty, a very important number for the purpose I have in view ; but to con- tinue the line of the genealogy of Jesus, Sndoc is ihe tenth remarkable oerson, in the fifth series, to which he belongs, and he begat Achim, Eliud, Elen- zar— Matlhan, Jacob, Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Chdst. iNow we find that after reckoning fifty, l)y five distinct series, Mary is the seventh and Jesus the eighth : the line of the genealogy of Jesus, is continued through the male line, and at the close, Mary is introduced as the last person of his pedigree /be- cause the promise was the seed of the woman. Tiiat 320 THE SUBJECTS OF TttE MILLENNIUM. f I line of descent is manifetetly divided into five periods, each period containing ten generations, and by mul- tiplying the number of divisions by the sum of each division, the product is fifty.— From the Creator himself, to Noah, ten generations— From Noah to Abram, ten generations — From Abraham, Isaac. Jacob, and Judah, to David, ten generations —from David, lo Hezekiah, ten generations— from Hezekiah to Zadoc, ten generations— and from Za- doc to Mary, seven generations : and by includmg Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Judah, we arrive at another important number, forty-two ; or six weeks or seven taken six times. Woman is an emblem of church, and whatever character is given in scrip- ture of the woman which is mentioned there, such is the character of the church she is placed there to represent. Mary is styled in scripture. Virgin Mary, nnd the Hoi/ Virgin is a beautiful emblem of the church of Christ, when the sanctuary is cleansed, after the two thousand three hundred days in Da- niel are expired. " And he said unto me, unto two thousand three hundred days ; then shall the sanc- tuary be cleansed." Dan. viii. 14. In this list of genealogy a principal person is pre* eminently marked out as a tenth, or God's tithing of his own family ; thus affording an easy mode of tracing the genealogy of Jesus Christ, from God downward, unto His appearing in the body, as the son of Mary, the seed of ttie woman, 1 have already signified that the numher seven signifies perfection, rest, and church ; and therefore ilui condition of the churcli, eniblematiz iii . suv;ii liich the ed as the book of Revelation. "And I looked,and lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Zion, and with him, an hundred and forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads, and I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps : and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, (living beings, zoon) and the elders : and no man could learn that song but the hun- dred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women (churches) ; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeem- ed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb." Rev. xiv. 1. — The Virgin Mary therefore is a beautiful and a very appropriate emblem and representation of the Millennia Church of Christ. As He was born of her, so He was of the twelve tribes of Israel, " Who are Israelites : to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises ; whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." He is therefore bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh. — He came of Mary, as concerning the flesh : He came of them also, as concerning the flesh, and therefore no other people can scriptu- rally be considered to have been represented by the Virgin Mary ; but the twelve tribes, when the sanc- tuary shall have been cleansed, and when they shall have come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white, in the blood of the Lamb : the hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed with the name of God in their foreheads : the 22 ?fey 322 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. harpers which accompanied, with their harps, the song which none but the sacred number can learn : and who were not defiled with women, for they are virgms. Ft might, without consideration, be supposed that that the end which God had in view, was wholly answered, by giving the above genealogical line of the pedigree of Jesus Christ, according to the flesh ; but from a wonderful coincidence between num- bers and circumstances, we find a farther purpose in the precise statements of these five periods, or five series of principal patriarchal heads of illustrious families, containing ten generations each • amount- in" in all to the highly important number, fifty. During the Mosaic ritual, every fiftieth year, was appointed by God as a year of Jubilee,of redemption, of release, and restoration : the mosaic dispensa- tion was typical— the people were a typical nation —their kings, their priests, and their prophets were all types of Jesus Christ— their Canaan was a typical inheritance, and consequently their liberation from the Eo-yptian yoke of bondage— their journey through the wilderness, and their entering into possession of the land of promise ; must all be considered ty- pical transactions— typical of the final liberation ot iheir descendants from the yoke of spiritual bondage, and the cruel tyranny which has been long exercised over them : forty-two months trodden under foot of the Gentiles. " Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LorlfI, It is come, and It is clone, saith the Lord God; this is the tJay of whicih I have spoken :" Ezek. xxxix. 8. Although this prophecy includes in it the last trumpet of the Mosaic dispensation, yet it has a more manifest refer- ence to the last trumpet of the gospel dispensation, as is evidenced by the scope of the context: but as my present purpose is to trace the progress of reve- lation, by numerical calculation, for a -declared pur- pbse, the fartlrer consideration of these events may he reset^'ed for another section. At the time of the opening of the seventh seal, we find it expressed, in apocalyptic language, that there Was silence in hea- ven, about the space of half an hour : now when one hour is reduced into the next lower denomination, the result will show t-he number sixty, and the half of sixty is evidently thirty: now these are the com- ponent parts of half an hour. And in reading the history of the hdy child Jesus, we find that he main- tained comparative silence in heaven, the Jewish Church, about the space of thirty years, referred to by John, when he spake of the half hour's silence^tt heaven, as may be safely inferred, before he mftni^ fested himself a preacher of righteoursness, sent forth as the angel of the covenant to preach the c^erlast* ing gospel. " And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the ev rlasting gospel to preach to them that dwellon the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, sayings with a foTid voice, Fear God, and give glory to him ; for the hour of his judgment is come ; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters ^" Rev. xiv. 6, 7. As well as before he was manifested the Son of God with power : keeping therefore the consistencv of refer- ential connection, we may safely conclude, that from our starting point, the year one, of the nineteenth 3;V^ THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. nl 'm century, thirty years of silence may be safely com- puted now, in connection with that view, as the first component part of the year fifty, looked wistfully forward to : and that the dawning of the Millennium may be dated from the year one of the nineteenth century, and to continue thirty years, in harmony and accordance with the thirty years' silence, previ- ous to the ushering in of the light of the Gospel dispensation day, by the light which arose upon ihem that sat in darkness, and in the region and shadow of death, by the Sun of righteousness, who is arisen with healing in His wing. The Prophet Zechariah speaks convincingly of that period of twi- light.—" And ye shall flee to the valley of the moun- tains ; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal : yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from the earthquake, in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah : and the Lord my God shall come, and all the samts with thee. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light sliall not be clear, nor dark : but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day nor night : but it shall come to pass, that at even time, it shall be light. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem ; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea : in summer and in winter it shall be. And the Lord shall be king over ali the earth : in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one:" Zech. xiv. 6. That passage describes- not only the twilight between the Mosaic dispensa- tion and the Gospel dispensation, during John the Baptist's ministry and baptism ; but more especially now between the Gospel dispensation and the Mil- lennial dispensation, because accompanying events ^„K r^.^t tUi^oa timoc in nn pfiDRnial manner. At the close of that period of thirty years, the twelve baskets began to be filled of the fragments i THIRD DISPENSATION. 333 of the broken bread, which was served out to the multitude, who ate and were satisfied, by the dis- ciples of Jesus Christ. That the blessing, and break- ing of the loaves may be considered the blessing, by covenant, by institutions, by long continued favour, and commonwealth privileges, and the di- vine instruction they had for many years received : and the breaking of the loaves may, in the same manner, be applied to the breaking up of the com- monwealth of the whole nation, and their disper- sion among all nations, kindreds, tongues and peo- ple. " Have all the workers of iniquity no know- ledge ? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not npon the Lord." Psalm xiv. 4. The Lord's own body is beautifully shadowed forth in the blessing and breaking of bread : and the ga- thering up of the fragments, that a crura should not be lost, may have reference to the resurrection of his holy body from the grave, in the complete- ness of language : yet that does not prevent the ap- plication of the passage to the gathering up of the members of his body for constituting his body the church : It rather confirms the views and strengh- ens the argument in favour of the ingathering, as having manifest correction, the one with the other : as the number of the baskets, having been numeri- cally mentioned, corresponds with the number of the tribes of Israel, the corroboration of that circum- stance, testifies to the truth of the application : Filling the twelve baskets may be safely considered the gathering up of the people of the Lords cove- nant from the places whither he had scattered them. " For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you mlo your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will 1 cleanse 334 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. you." E7.ek. xxxvi. 21. 25. And also another promise of the same kind,, but implying the breaking of the bread. " Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and deelare it in ilie Isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel wilJ gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock." Jer. xxxi. 10. Therefore we need not hesitate to. conclude, that the ingathering of the twelve tribes of the chil- dren of Israel, is to be understood by the parabolic transaction of filling the twelve baskets with the fragments of the broken bread. And in this place a most cheering and, comforting view bursts, in upon us, from the manner of the command, given by Jesus Christ to his ministering servants. " Gather up the frai^ments of the bread, that a crum may not be lost." He knew the divine will with regard to the scattered tribes ; and therefore he observes with the strictest punctuality the order of events, by suiting the action to the divine purpose and will. Therefore we find his care expressed for the very crumba of bread, although the multitude were al- ready satisfied ; and although he could again, by his almif^hty power, bless and enlarge loaves and flashes, whensoever the necessities of his creatures should require such exertion of power in their favour. And therefore vve must consider that transaction a parabolic transaction for strengthening the views of prophecy, and not for the value of the crums of bread When Kzeliiel is drawing nigh the close of iiis prophetic account with regard to the recovery of the people ot God, he shews that the promise was to be fulfilled to all the seed. "Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, wliich caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen : but I have gathered ihem ink) their own land, and have left none ot them any more there; neither will I hidd my face any more from them : for I have poured out my Spirit upon the THIRD DISPENSATION. 335 house of Israel, snith the Lord God." Ezek. xxxix. 28 29. When the number twelve, or twelve baskets are added to tlie number eighteen hundred and thir- ty, brings us to the close of the year eighteen hundred and forty-two, or bee lares cannot be received into the communion of the saints who are to reign with Christ a thousand years ; and that I consider the number, five, as representing them : I am led to that view by the application of tliat number, five, to the brethren of the rich man. " Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house : for I have five brethren ; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said. Nay, father Abraham : but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent, and he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will ihc.y be persuaded tlioughone rose from the dead." Luke xvi. '27.— -From that view, and the same manner of application of the number, five, in other parts of the holy scriptures, I am con- ▼inced that the obstinate unbelief, and ultimate fate and destiny of the tares among the wheat, is sha- dowed forth in that parable; just as much as the recovery, and joyful reception of the ten tribes of Israel, are indicated by the recovery and joylul re- ception of the prodigal son; therefore I cannot re- ceive the number, five, into the calculations of num- bers for the emancipation of the peculiar people of God, the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. Althougii the roinnrhable coincidence of these sa- us to look forward to cre( 1 i>umbnrs evidently leads the year, iit'iy, witl» -hixi-. of thoui^lil and heart. THIRD DISPENSATION. 339 as a year of typical momentous prediction — a year of dreadful forelxjdin^s to the tares ; but a year ofjoyful anticipation to all the wheat, or children of the king- dom ; yet we must not be wise above wimt is writ- ten, lest we might be found to limit the Holy one of Israel. The si<^ns of the times are surely portentous — sorrowfully and awfully experienced, I may say uni- versally, over the surface of the habitable globe ; and cause much trembling and anxiety of heart, even to those who have not drank so deep of the cup of amazement, and sore, pungent grief and distress, as has been the fate of millions, in various quarters of the world, to do; and as m-my are still the me- lancholy instances of the mighty hand of God upon them. '' And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars ; and U|.'on the earth dis- tress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring ; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are com- ing on the earth : for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory ; and when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift your heads ; for your redemption draw- eth nigh." Luke xxi. 25. The portion of the chapter immediately before my quotation, gives the devas- tations of war, as signs of the times. And in other parts of the scriptures, we read of famine, plague, and pestilence, and I believe, the bare mention of those awful signs ought to be sufficient, because we are under those very signs ; and have been for years back, according to the predictions of scripture to that effect, universally sufTering more or less those very evils which the word of God predicts and tlireatens ; therefore I think the bare mention of those thirties that are cominii on the earth, ought to 310 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MlLLr.MNlFM. he sufTicicnt precaution arul warning to ll>e careless and secure; and ought to be sufficient lo sUr u|> all the energies of those whose right it is, for the awakcningof others to a sense of their awful dan- e mnidlut ot the words which were spoken before by the liolv prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: knowing this (irst, thai there shall oon^.e in the last days scoifers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, VVliere is tiie pro- mise of Ins coming? for since the lathers iell asleep, all things contuiue as they were from the beginning of the crealion. For this they willingly are ignorant of that hv the word of Ood the heavens were ol old, and the earlh standing out of the water and m the water : whereby the world that then was, being over- flowed with water, perished : but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, rei^erved unto fire against the day oi md>-ment and perdition of u:igodly men." '2 I eter iii 1 .—The scriptures must be fulnlled, and the scoiTers mentioned by l^cter are themselves a iul- lilment of prophecy, and contribute, by scoHmg, to increase the numbers of the signs ol the times. The Apostle Paul, also gives another statement ot the signs of the times, in exact agreement with 1 eter s SIJ'US bV SCOiielfa'. Xh\:: iwlw.. ^. ; last days, perilous times shall come. V or men shalS be lovers of their own selves, covetou ters, V :roud,blasphcmers,di3obedient to parents,unthanktui THIRD DISPENSATION. 341 tinholy, without natural affection, triicebreakers. false accusers, inconlinent, lurrcf^ desprsers of those that are good, Irnitors, heady, hip:l»ii>inded, lovers of plea- sures more than h)vors of Cod; having a forin of i:,'odrmess, hut denvin- the [jowor tijereof ; irom such turn away." '^. Tim. lii. I. It was not my intenlion to apply llie views vvliich I intended to iidduec to any particular nation, people, or chunish men ts by the laws oi justice and equity. Signs of the times, and sacred numbers, are em- ployed for leading our attention to the great and momentous changes, purgings, and re-organizations of Churches and Kingdoms by awful revolutions convulsion,^, disruptions, and judgments on tiie whole earth. Noah's Ark was a suitable sign to the ante- diluvian world thai, God purposed and decreed to drown, by an overflowing flood, the then inhiibitants of thj earth. Jesus Christ nUo gave signs of t!ie times to His people, whom He left on eartii, by which they should know when Jerusalem was to be destroyed,' and the temple was to be burnt and dila- pidated. The wise understood, aiid took warning ; l)ut the wicked understood not, took not warning, iuui therefore perished. In both cases, at the close of both dispensations, signs were given which might have been understood; but the god of this world blinded their eyes, that they could not see, nor un- derstand, and therefore in darkness they went on, and perished, x^oah was warned of God before the flood — he believed God, and perished not with ihem \hal perished by the deluge. "The earth also was oorrunt before God. and the eartli wns filled with 34'3 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. virtlence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt ; for all (Icsh had corrupted his way upon the earth. Anci God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me ; for the earth is filled with violence throuj^di them ; and. behold, K will destroy them with ilie cuiili. Make thee an ar»» of gopher'wfM>d ; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. **♦ Thus did Noah; according to all that God command- ed him, so did he:'* Gen. vi. 11 , e beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those davs should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved : but lor the elect's sake tliose days shall be shortened :" Mat. xxiv. 15, y Jesus Christ, read in the Gospel ac- eordinj; l<» j.nke, the following passni^^e : — "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations with })erplexity ; the sea and the waves roaring ; men's Jiearts failing them for fear, and for lookincf after those things which are coming on the earth : for the })0wers of heaven shall be slwken. And then shall" they iiee the Son of Man coming in a cload with power and great glory. And when these things be- gin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your lieads ; for your redemption drawclh nigh:" Luke xxi. ^5. Although that chapter foretells the destruc- tion of Jerusalem, and the final dispersion of the Jews, yet it also contains the signs of these times ; because IJis own Second Advent, and the restoration of Israel, arc prophetically announced by Jesus Christ as circumstances immediately connected with the awful events which are given in the beginning of the passage which I have quoted. Although some of the signs of the times may n(U be easily comprehended, yet those signs which are unquestionably, and indubital>Iy passing in their ful- lilment before a trembling, anxious world, ought to be thankfully received as the merciful premonitions of the Hishop and Shepherd of our souls, and ought lo be allowed their full influence upon our niinds, so as to answer the benevolent intentions of Him l)y whom t.hey were delivered. '• Then said he unto them, Nation sliall rise; against nation, and kingdom against kingdom : and great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and fununes, and [>cstilcnces ; and THIRD DISPENSATION. 345 foarfiii Sights and great signs shall there be iVfun heaven :" Luke xxi. 10, II. The sword a'fso seems to be one of the most |)rominenl signs of the limes, for filling up the dismal catalogue of the woes of these latter days ; and by comparing t!ie present un- settled, troubled stale of nations; the overthrowing and revolutionary spirit of the nations of the earth, we are constrained to acknowledge the fulfilment of prophecy in ail these portentous, and heart-chilling revolutions of nations, and convulsions of empires. Taking, in connection with all other signs of the times, tiie limited favour which nations begm to confer upon the Jews — favours, limited as they yet are, which never since their dispersion, have, by any of the nations of the earth, been tendered to them : and that differential treatment of God's ancient, pe- culiar people, will show at least some approximation to the fulfilment of prophecy with regard to their final destiny on earth, when they ahall yet be restored to their long suspended birthiight privileges and in- heritance. " /\nd when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads ; for your redemption draweth nigh:" Luke xxi. 28. — Their complete emancipation and redemption, and full and unrestricted possession of the kingdom are tilings which are every where iii the prophecies ex- iiibited us the sure inheritance of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. Their offcast, scattered con- dition among all the nations of the earth, as denoun- ced in the holy Bible, have for upwards of eighteen iiundred years, amply fulfilled the predictions and prophecies of the Word of God — the miseries which tl;ey have endured, bear testimony to the vera- city of those predictions and prophecies ; and their restoration to privileges aiid iuHnuaitics unspeanaojv superior, in nature and degree, to what they ever enjoyed during their former commonwcallh, ara 346 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. every where in the Rihie, where mention is made of them, clearly foretohl ; aiuJ shall be as ■ ssuredly accomplished as their predicted, denon ced iiiseries, expatriation, sore and griovons tra\ il, • ider the tyrannical cruelty and despotic g'ii im of their merciless oppressors have been enduiod y them in full weight and measure. Thus it shall be seen, that God's <] ali s with his ancient peculiar people, are for signs aod ...r wonders in the earth. " Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion:" Isa. viii. 18 We may therefore safely consider the relaxed severity of nations and kingdoms towards the hosts of the Lord, " trodden under foot of the Gentiles forty and two months,'* as holding a prominent position among the multi- plicity of other conspicuous !»nd undeniable signs of the present times. And in their lecovery will be •een the mercy of God towards His ancient peculiar people graciously displayed, when " the mystery of God shall have been finished, as he haih declared to bis servants the prophets:" Rev. x. 7. THE END OF THE WORLD, AND THE LAST JUDGMENT. The general understanding of mankind with re- gard to the end of the world, is ih.e end of the material creation, and all things therein contained ; but as the Word of God, in which the term, the end of the world, is found, makes several applications of it, we are left to give proofs of our application of that exprrssion, according to ils connection in the several l>i ip tion whic'i it holds with other subjects where it is applied. No doubt the end of tha material creatioii THIRD DISPENSATION. 347 18 the natural view, brcause people are more accus- lomPil to apply the term in that way : but I have chosen, for the purpose I had in view from the be- ginning, the (wo interpretations which appear throughout the work, namely, the end of dispensa- tions, or, ages of I he church ; and the destruction of the wicked, and rewarding of the righteous ; or, the gathering of the tares to he burnt, and the wheat into the garner. And, in that mode of treating the subject, I am fully supported bv the Word of God itself. — "But thou, O Daniel, shut up ihe words and seal the book, even to the time of ihe end : many shrill run to and fro and knowledge shall be increas- ed." That might be supposed > be the end of the material world, or creation : and there is another strongly expressive passage of the same Prophet, which might, without consideration, be mistaken in the same way. "And I heard the man clothed in linen, which wns upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto hea- ven, and sware by him that liveth for ever, that it shall be for a time, times, and an half ; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be fiuisiied :" Dan. xii. 7. The end of the prophetic visions, and accomplishment of predicted great and wonderful transactions, is what is meant, and no end i;f the material creation. The scattering of the })ower of the holy people, in fulfilment of other pro- phecies, had to be accomplished, before what was shown to Daniel, as favourable manifestations, could be fulfilled. The parallel passage in Revelation would be more apt to be considered the end of the world, or creation, and yet it alludes to something of ano- tlier character : it sneaks of the end of time, and for that it might be supposed to be the end of all things iiure below. " And the angel, which I saw stand upon ,^43 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. m tiic sea, and upon the earthjlifted up nis hand to liea- ven, and .svvare by hini that livcth for ever and ever, wIjo created heaven, and the things tliat therein are, and the earth and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there shouhl he time no longer. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets :*' Rev. s. 5-7. That agrees perfectly with the view in Daniel : " And 1 heard, but I understood not : then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these thinf^s? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end :" Dan. xii. 8, 9. Now in both places there is an end determined: in the one, the expres- sion is, the "time of the end," and in the other, " time shall be no longer ;" and both declared by the awfully solemn oath of the angel. Both these cases include the same great events, the finishing to scat- ter the power of the holy people ; and the finishing of the mystery of God, as He hath declared to his servants the Prophets. That is the end of the Gospel dispensation, or age, or world ; and not the end ot the time of this material world. Paul expresses the same idea, " This know also, tliat in the last days perilous times shall come," and Jeremiah expresses the same views by another mode is heart: in the latter days ve shall consider it :" Jer. xxx. -i:.. .^4. Paul speaks (»f she same end. but gives tlu- siyns of the times, bv exhibilinrr a disgusting, melun- cholv view of llie denravcil morals of the pcopN^ tliul TUIKD DISPENSATION. 349 should be at. the last days : and Jeremiah shows the terrific judgments that should bo made to fall on the head of the wicked: and their agreeing testimony we are bound to receive and credit. The Scriptures must be fulfilled, and we need not wonder that the doctrine of the holy Bible with re- gard to the end of the world, the day of judgment, the restoration of Israel, and the subsequent reign of the saints with Jesus Christ a thousand years, should be held up to mockery, when some of the signs ot the times are comprehended in the very condition and conduct of many of the inhabitants of the world, without distinction of church or people : and indeed the Apostle Paul applies the awful characters I have written down, from one of his Epistles to Ti- mothy, to those who actually have a form of godli- ness, but who deny the power thereof. Peter also shows, that the house of God is not to be exempted from their share of the last judgments. — '•' Beloved, think it not strange, concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you : but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suflferings ; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. # * * For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God : and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God ? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner ap- pear? 1 Pet. iv. ]2-lS. If all were to understand these doctrines, and premonitions, and warnings, and be deeply impressed with their awful reality, thtre could not be scoftersin the last days. But how then would the Scripture be fulfilled ? " For ye your- selves know Derfectlv- that tlie dav of tlie Li^rA so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction com-. ■■If, 350 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. eth upon them, ns travail "Pon,a worn" f^ child • and they shall not escape : I Thes. v.^,^. The 'tares are 'in scripture lang"op. termecMhe children of the ni,^ht and «' ^^f "f.^ .^^ ^^^ know not, neither will they understand they wa k nn in darkno^s' all the foundations of the earth are on in OarKnchs. «i ^ ^j nut nf course. Psalm Ixxxn. o, i "'^ ^ . • j »^. the chMrpn of the day and of light, as declared rth^pt S fr-n Thessalonians, of vvh,ch i have ;"idrart.'Butye,brethre„,oreuot.„darkne^s that that day should overtake you as a thitt. re 1' : a Itl e children of light, and the d-ldren of e ♦ rvP tiiP ni'Tit nor oi ciaiKness. Aav ' we are not ol the nielli, nvji ^Tl;efore.ctnsnot_sleepasoo,..s; nUet^u, reuTot L^n? athieltcause they look for i. JromaOm-persnationofits predicted reality; and V l^MW-f of the Lord s declarations with regard r,Lddtnel'»naa^ of character : and rreforethey watch, and keep their g^arment, est u hnnlH be left to watch naked, and they should they ^^''.""'f „■! ac ordingto the admonitions which see their shame, «"^"'7f^° .. g^i.^id i come as ^r;"Bte::dis e'thlrwatcheth, and Ueepeth a thief. «'"'!"'' ^j,„; naked, and they see his „.d.„i,«., .«d '"~;i~i,|„j,,„ii„„d..«..di U:-.4. 1 U 1 1 i Vf ickedly : and Rone o THIRD DISPENSATION. 351 but the wise shall understand." Dan. xii. 10. I understand by the distinction, which is made in that prophecy, the very distinction which I have been endeavouring to maintain from the beginning, be- tween the two contrasted families of Cain and Seth ; or, the tares in the same field, the world, with the wheat, to be distinctively marked and separated at the end of the world, and day of judgment : or at the day of the harvest. And in these views 1 am supported by the context throughout ; for the pro- phet Daniel commences that all-comprehensive chapter with a view of the second Advent of Mes- siah, and the deliverance of Israel. " And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people ; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was, since there was a nation even to that same time : and at that time thy people shall be dehvered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Dan. xii. 1. Should there be no passage but that, to refer to for corroboration of the theory and system of this book, that might be received as clear corroborative testimony of the truth of the system ; the coming of the Messiah, the day of judgment, and the deli- verance of them that shall be found written in the book. Now the people of Daniel, are they for whom the great prince Michael is to stand up ; therefore these are they who are written in the book : in co- venants, in prophecies, and gracious promises of de- liverance. Some may feel inclined to apply that passage to the first Advent, but it will not apply ; because the people of Daniel were not then delivered, every one that should be found written in the book ; and because Daniel was directed to seal up the vision Luc; Ciiu ; aiiu until, uccOfuiiig tu the corresponding passage in the Apocalypse, " the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath decla- 24 352 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. i red unto his servants the prophets." If the mystery of God had been finished at the end of the Mosaic dispensation, and first Advent of Messiah, John would not have spoken of it in his day. And the consequent events agree perfectly with the view I have given, in former sect'ons, of the resurrection of the dry bones ; the descending of the holy city, New Jerusalem, out of heaven from God, prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband ; and the gather- incr of the tares into bundles to be burnt. '' And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament ; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever :" Dan. xii. 2, 3. These passages may also be misapplied, as the resurrection of the dry bones, the opening of their graves, and their rising up out of their graves, have seldom been topics of much consideration. The second resurrec- tion, that of the body, has generally been the subject of discussion, to the utter neglect of the first resur- rection—the resurrection of the soul, and the con- dition of the ransomed, redeemed, and recov<3red people of God. There is no doubt of the resurrec- tion of the bodies of the saints ; for the resurrection of Christ's body from the grave of death, is the first fruits from the dead, of them that sleep. But the neglect of consideration with regard to the resurrec- tion of the soul from spiritual bondage and death, bears a marked resemblance to the conduct of the Jews with regard to the first Advent of their expected Messiah. The appearance He made in His humble condition, did not suit their expectation. They iooKea lor imii, its "c »=» pivmiov-u t^-j ..s^- I'-i his second Advent : and, vice versa, people now, as if they were learning lessons from the disappointed THIRD DISPENSATION. 35'i Jews, grovel too low in their estimation of the second coming, when they overlook the frm i. urrection, the resurrection of the soul, ^and only jjok to the mouldered dust in the graves of thtir ancestors. With such notions, they may find .. jm ^Ives broken off the olive tree, to make room for ti.o dry bones as the natural branches, the mighly . .ny, the whole house of Israel. " For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he also spare not thee. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God! on them which fell, severity ; but towards thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness ; other- wise thou also shah be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in ; for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cutout of the olive tree, which is wild by nature, and wert graffed, contrary to nature, into a good olive tree ; how much more shall these, which be the na- tural branches, be graffed into their own olive-tree:" Rom. xi. 21, (fee. Therefore people now are in the same danger, at the end of the world. Gospel dispensation, that the Jews were in at the end of the world, Mosaic dispensation ; therefore take the warning. The history of the Church, from the foun- dation of the world, is divided into dispensations, and the end of each dispensation is marked by great revolutions, and severe judgments ; and is marked by vast changes, in the condition and character, not only of the world, but of the church also : and the two preceding dispensations were closed with awfully remarkable judgments. The flood terminated the first dispensation, as its history in the Bible imports, as referred to by Peter.—" For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the hea- vens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water : whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished :" 2. Pet. 354 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. iii., 5, 6. And the Mosaic dispensation was also terminated by fearfully disastrous, and signal judg- ments. To observe the analogy and consistency of Scrip- ture, we must look for awful judgments at the close of the Gospel dispensation, t he^rs^ last judgment, or last judgment of the first dispensation, happened at the end of tlie then world, for llic world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But as the second dispensation extended only over the twelve tribes of Israel, or, in other words, as the twelve tribes only can be considered the people oi that dispensation, the second last judgment fell upon them, and their constituted commonwealth was ended — their armies were routed and destroyed—their cities were razed to their foundaiions — their noble city, Jerusalem, with their glorious temple, the pride of the eartii, was destroyed and reduced to ashes — a stone was not left upon another that was not cast down , according to the prediction of Jesus Christ. The peo- ple were scattered, and their commonwealth was en- ded : and thus ended the Mosaic dispensation by such horrifying carnage, slaughter, famine and misery, that the very relation of the people's sufterings, would make man's ears tingle, and his heart tremble. The pro- phetic predictions of the Bible are fully as clear and ample, with regard to the end of the world, or Gos- pel dispensation now, by awful judgments, as they were with regard to the end of the world by judg- ments twice before. The wicked would not then understand nor believe, that the threatened judg- ments were coming on the earth ; and we may con- clude, both by analogy and Scripture, that they will not believe now, although the Judge is already ma- nifesting many predicted tokens of coming events. M: ..„Ulo «r/MM ! Mf» u/ill rntnfi iinon them as a thief in the nis^ht, and then shall they call to the rocks to THIRD DISPENSATION. 355 fall upon them, to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. " And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord; and for the glory of his majesty, when he ari- seth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats : to ^^o into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth:" Isa. ii. 19. Tiiese prophecies shali certainly be fulfilled. The Apostle Peter, after speaking of the perishing of the world that then was, by the flood, introduces the doctrine of the last judgment of the world, or dispen- sation, which was in his own day, that is, the Gospel dispensation ; and speaks in language which might be rationally supposed sufficient to cause tremblin::^ of heart, and to stir up the energies of the secure and careless to examine more closely into the history of those things that are coming upon tiie earth. "But the day of the Lord shalTcome as a thief in the night: in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements sliall melt with fervent heat ; the earth also, with the works that are therein, sliall be burned up:" 2 Pet. iii. JO. This passage would certainly lead the mind to the disso- lution of the material creation, were it not that the analogy of Scripture could not be supported and maintained by such interpretation : and as we have a view in the parable of the tares and of the wheat, at the end of the world, which I have hitherto con- sidered the end of the Gospel dispensation, it will be sufficient for my purpose, as proposed, to consider the subject in as far as it may appear applicable to ?hc proposition under our immediate consideration. The passing away of the heavens with a great noise. 356 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. I' i therefore, may be considered the passing away of nations, and kingdoms, both as it regards church and state, out of their present condition, by fearful, - unheard-of revolutions, distress, and troubles ; and that view is perfectly consonant and analogous to the same subject, treated in the same manner, in other places, although by diflerent expressions: the passing away of the churches out of their present form and constitution, that the city may be built upon her own heap, I find perfectly agreeable to, and consistent with, all the views I have been enabled to take of the subject hitherto. The churnh is desig- nated by many appellations in the holy Scriptures, and by considering the passing away of the heavens with a great noise, the great and important mora? and religious renovation, which undoubtedly may be expected at the close of the Gospel dispensation, to usher in the more glorious and heavenly dispen- sation, the Millennium, we keep within the bounds of reason and revelation ; and we shall have the sup- port and testimony of Scripture, in harmony and consistent analogy, in that view, we have the noise and shaking among the dry bones, as corroborative evidence, because the dry bones, or ten tribes of Israel, are mixed in among all nations ; and how could they be supposed to be separated therefrom, but by noise and shaking, without unde. standing the ex- pression, " the heavens passing away with a great noise,'' to signify great revolutions of nations, and of churches also. The elements which are to melt with fervent heat, must be the elements of the constitu- tion of those nations of the world, and of the religi- ons of the nations, wheresoever those tribes are scattered and intermixed. The manner in which the noise and shaking is declared in prophecy among iyp. r.onsKlered a nnrallel to the kU-. J l-v rv •-> /*v ( manner in which the heavens shall pass away with ^ioc^ "THIRD DISPENSATION, 357 ^ay of :h and earful, • ; and 3US to ler, in s: the nesent 2 built ble to, nabled design ptures, eavens mora! nay be fion, to :lispen- bounds le sup- ny and le noise >orative ibes of lid how om, but the ex- a great , and of elt with onstitu- e rehgi- aes are I which among 1 to the ay with a great noise : and because the Word of God is declared by the prophet to be hke as a fire ; and that it is by the Word of God, when the Son of man pro- phesies, or applies tiiat word, which is described like as a fire, the noise and sliaking is to be among the dry bones ; may we not then consider the elements of the constitution of the heavens, as explained above, to be susceptible of fusion, by the word of God, as fire, when the Son of man prophesies upon the dry bones : by that mode of interpretation, also, tlio earth that is to be burned up, with the works that are therein, must be considered the tares among the wheat: and the same rule of interpretation used, the Word of God must slill be the fire by which the earth, with the works that are therein, are to be burned up, and the earth must be considered the tares which are to be gathered into bundles to be burned. As I do not consider the last judgment of the Gospel dispensation, the eternal judgment, the view I have of the burning of the earth, with the works that are therein, and the burning of the tares, docs not lead me past temporal burning by the word of God, out of the fellowship of the Millennial saints, that they shall not be permitted to join in the new commonwealth of Israel, under the reign of Israel's Messiah, during the thousand years' reign promised to them alone, of all the nations on the face of the habitable globe. These views are supported by the very .language of Jesus Christ, h\ ihe Gospel by John. •' I am the vine, ye are the branches : he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit ; for without me ye - an do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is -'.ast forth as a branch, and is withered ; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned :" John xv. 5, 6. Now, that r»nnnrkt tnr n mumont Vtt :>rl ttio fi I eternal judgment; else how could men be the judges, 358 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. to gather them, and to cast them into the everlast- ing burnings : the metaphor in that passage is beau- tifully kept up and maintained, in which he compares himself figuratively to a vine, and the church to the branches: and precisely as in the parable of the tares and the wheat, the agency of servants is here declared to be employed to gather or bind them, and to cast ihem into the fire, to be burned : and therefore, as the agency of men is used, the agency of the Word of God as a fire, must also be used r therefore I consider these two cases perfectly analo- gous ; and as the end of the world is the time speci- fied, when the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and when the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and when the earth, with the works that are therein, shall be burnt up ; and that it is ai the same time, the noise and shaking sliall be among the dry bones, and that the tares shall be to be burnt, I cannot but consider the views the same in substance. By ap- plying the Scriptures, in a referential point of view, and the various revolutions connected with ecclesi- astical affairs, I regard that passage in the ppistle of Peter, as a manifest prophecy of the great and im- portant events which may undoubtedly be looked for in these latter days, as pre-millennial revolutions, in church a«d state, for the cleansing of the sanctuary. The question which remains to be solved, is, what heavens are to pass away with a mighty noise ? what elements are to melt with fervent heat? and what ^arth, with the works that are therein, is to be burnt i*p ? By observing the same mode of interpretation, we must surely refer that passage to the present church, comprehending all the denominations, and branches thereof, in its wofully disrupted conditiofi, throughout the whole world, for the world is the field, in which both tares and wheat are still afrowiner together. " The heavens shall pass away with a THIRD DISPENSATION. 359 great noise." The present churches, I believe, shall pass away out of their present form, and, " As there- fore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire ; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear:" Mat. xiii. 40. Israel is to be restored, and they cannot be separated from among all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues, without great revolu- tions, both of church and state, in jili parts of the world. Christian, Pagan, Mahomedan, and even Jewish ; and when the iTcpliet Jeremiah declares, in the Word of the Lort!, that, when Jacob is resto- red, the city shall be buiidcd on her own heap, as in the following passage, which certainly applies to the present consideration. — "Thus saith the Lord. Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dvveHing places ; and the city shall be builded upon iier own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. Anri out of them sliail j^roceed thanksgiving, and the voice of them that make merry : and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few ; 1 will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established befo'e me, and I will punish all that op- press them. And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them ; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me : for who is this, that engaged iiis heart to approach unto me? saith tiie Lord. And ye sl)all be my people, and I will be your God:" Jer, XXX. 18, &.c. In that clear description of the 360 THE SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM. recovery of Israel, the city is to be builded upon her own heap: now since I have, in another part of the work, proved that the twelve tribes of Israel are re- presented by the description which John, in the twenty-first chapter of llevelation, gave of the holy city, New Jerusalem, comini^ down out of heaven from God, prepared as a Bride adorned for her hus- band ; we need not hesitate to conclude, that Jere- miah speaks of the same events, for the materials are the same : but what we have in view are the revolu- tions which must necessarily take place, before the city can be builded upon her own heap. The hea- vens must therefore pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth, with the works that are therein, shall be burned up, at the time of the restoration of Israel. Her own heap, as applicable, in a special manner, to Israel, may be considered the ruins of the common- wealth of her former grandeur, and opulence, and renown, and ancient magnificence ; nevertheless the last judgment, at the time of their recovery, as con- comitant events, shall be of so awful and tremendous a character, that the like never was, since there was a nation, even until that same time. '' And at that time shall Michael stand u[), the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people ; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was, since there was a nation, even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book :" Dan. xii. 1. That makes the tremendous judgment, and the deli- very of Israel, coeval and concomitant circumstances; and therefore those who look for glorious deliverance, and royal elevation, for the peculiar people of God, are directed, in the second Psalm, tc join trembling with their mirth, or joy ; and to kiss the Son lest he be angry, and they also perish from the way. " But *HiRD DrSPENSATION. 361 Avho may abide the day of his coming? and who «hall stand when he appcarelh ? for he is like a refi- ner's fire, and hke fuller's sope : and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver : and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may ofier unto the Lord an oflfering in righteousness:" Mai. iii. 3, &c. In many parts of the Scriptures, this subject is exhibited truly in terri- fic language, as an awful warning to the thoughtless, listless world : and in no place, is it more awfully de- picted, than in the prophecy of Ezekiel ; in which overwhelming misery, slaughter, and devastating de- struction, form the doleful picture which he presents : and indeed all the sacred writers contribute, each his own portion, to fill up the catalogue of wretchedness and misery, attendant on the other events of the last judgment, which, incontrovertibly, shall close this present dispensation. The description is truly over- powering to the human mind, yet for warning, and not in exulting triumph, over the most wretched of profligate sinners, do I transcribe the concluding parts of the heart-sickening account given by inspi- ration of God, of what shall be the fate of the wicked at the last day, the end of the dispensation, and per- dition of ungodly men. "And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord God, Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble your- selves, and come ; gather )y)urselves on every side to my sacrifice, that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. Ye sliall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan. And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. Thus ye shall be filled at my table with liorses and 362 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. ch^iriols, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord God. And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judg- ment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God, from that day and for- ward :" Ezek. xxxix. 17, &c. Dismal and tremen- dous as that picture may appear, it will lose nothing of its full import of disastrous events, although the words and expressions used are highly metaphorical and figurative: and it may be observed plainly, by the following part o( the same chapter, thai all these judgments are to fall upon the world, at the time of the recovery and restoration of Israel to the favour of God ; and to their birthright and covenanted pri- vileges, and immunities. I have already shown, that the Antediluvian and Mosaic dispensations, or ages of the church were closed by awful exterminating judgments, which were drawn down on the people of those two dispensations, by the lamentable apos- tacy and wickedness which tlien prevailed. It is a righteous tiling with God to take vengeance ; and tlierefore in assertion of His inalienable prerogative, as moral governor of tiie universe, He punishes the wicked and rewards ihe rigiUeons: this is not only true with regard to minor, individual cases; but the world has often witnessed awful manifestations of his retributive, just judgments, on a larger and a more extensive scale, commensurate with the extension, jimplitude, and highly aggravated character of nati- onal apostacy and depravity. Jn the midst of wrath, also. He remembers mercy; for His tender mercies are over all his other works ; and therefore in the discriminate application of the laws of justice and equity, we find exemptions from general, national, exterminatinor iudLaiients, of which we read in the Bible. " When God saw that the THIRD DISPENSATION. 363 wickedness of man was great in the earth ; and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually," and determined to destroy the world by the flood, "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord," and therefore he provided for his safety. ''When the cry of the wickedness of Sodom and Go- morrah ascended to the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth," and when he came down to destroy them, Abraham interceded with the Lord, in language expressive of God's righteous character : " That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked ; and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ?" Lot was exempted from the fearful overthrow, and perished not with the wicked, who perished. And even by the decisions of conscience, wiiere there is a knowledge of right and wrong, the retribu- tive justice of God is vindicated, and its verdict is generally proportionate to the extent of crime and guilt. " And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice, ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech : for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt : if Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and seven fold :" Gen. iv. 213. The neglect of warn- ings and premonitions greatly aggravate the guilt of ciiniinal actions. Cain was guilty of murder, and he declares, that his punisfiment was greater than he could bear ; and yet Lamech did not lay it to heart : the premonition had not llie due effect upon him to restrain him from the perpetration of the same horrid crime, for which Cain was marked and stigmatized. Tliese remarks are intended for premonition and warning, in these latter days, when the judgments of (Jod are in the earth, that the inhabitants of the world may learn righteousness. The guilt of sin in 364 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MlLLENNiUM. Kh these latter daysoftlie gospel dispensation, must be greatly aggravated, by the premonitions deducible from the retributive judgments against the sinners of the latter days of the two preceding dispensations. The tiood was threatened one hundred and twenty years, while Noah was building the ark ; yet tiiey took not warning. The dispersion of the twelve tribes of Israel, by which their commonwealth was ended, and the awful curses which came upon them, were denounced of old, as recorded in their overwhelm- ing amount, in the twenty-eighth chapter of Deu- teronomy ; and yet they took not warning. And still more awful judgments are now threatened, and pending over the heads of the wicked, and shall they also reject the premonitions and warnings whicii are sounding loud in their ears, from the tremendous examples thus set before them, in the fate of the people of two dispensations, by which both were closed and terminated, and ^provoke the Almighty to wrath? Can the scorners still delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge ? Can still set at naught all the counsel of tlie Lord they And will they still none of his reproof? Then alas! let them hear the word of the Lord, and tremble at the sound of the dreadful judgments they are, by their obstinate impenitence and unbelief, bringing upon themselves. '' I, also, will laugh at your ca- lamity ; I will mock when your fearcometh. When your fear cometh as desolation, and your deslruciion coineth as a whirlwind ; when distress and anguish cometh upon you ; then shall ^hey call upon me, but I will not answer ; they shall seek me early, but shall not find me : for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord." Prov. L i>G. — The people of the antediluvian dispensation, had not before their eyes the awful example of re- tributive justice, which the people of the Mosaic THIRD DISPENSATION. 365 dispensation had, in the destruction of the first race of transgressors, who were drowned by the deluge of water, and perished. But the transgressors of the gospel dispensation are left doubly inexcusable : the premonitions, by exterminating judgments on the world twice inflicted, leave them under a two- fold greater responsibility -in that respect ; and be- sides, the advantages attainable, under the clearer light of the Gospel dispensation, are greater than what could be attainable, under the two former ; and putting all these considerations together, neglect and obstinate rejection of warnings must be considered more reprehensible now than at any former period ; and therefore, keeping the righteousness of God's dealings in view,we need not wonder at the fearful ac- cumulation of threatenings, which the Bible exhibits, against the wicked of the last days of the gospel dispensation. The apostle Paul gives a clear and pertinent view of the subject under consideration ; and also alludes to the superior comparative advan- tages of the gospel times. " Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience, received a just recompence of reward ; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them who heard him ? God also bearing witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers mirScles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will." Heb. ii. 1. The accumulated exterminating judgments of the last days of the Gospel dispensation, therefore must be awfully terrific, when we must inevitably consider them in a progressive ratio commensurate with the wit hi OUiiit V> e SUV ..a ON ^^r> ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) h^ A / i/j % % 1.0 I.I 1.25 |50 ""'S^ If 1^ IIM 2.0 U i 1.6 /:< vi -^ r ,% 7 >^ Photographic Sciences Corporation ^ #s "^^ -^^^ m^ 6^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y 14580 (716) 872-4503 MP 366 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. |! I '•I iM ■- Lamech as quoted above ? if the people of the former dispensations were avenged sevenfold, surely the transgressors of the Gospel dispensation, seventy times sevenfold. If retributive justice was absolute- ly necessary for exterminating the wicked of the two former dispensations, surely the cry of the wicked- ness of the present age, by comparative measure of justice, must subject the obstinate, refractory, un- prepared sinners of the present age to redoubled wrath and vengeance. If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner ap- pear ? " For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven ; and all the proud, yea,and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble : and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of righte- ousness arise with healing in his wings ; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked ; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of Hosts." The dis- crimination of punishments and rewards, is distinc- tively observed in that passage, as in all other parts of the Bible which treat of the same subject, ex- pressly as in my text. — " As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire : so shall it be in the end of the world. The Son of man shall send fortii his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth,as the sun in the king- dom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." Mat, \iii. 4.— Would the people, in general, of the present times be more prepared, or more inclined to receive Christ, than the people ilffmmwim'^ THIRD DISPENSATION. 367 were at his first Advent ? Would not the builders of our day, in their generation, be as apt to reject him, at this his second coming, as the builders for- merly were ? Could he take the kingdoms of the world as they now are, in their present condition, and make them the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ? *< And the seventh angel sounded ; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdonjs of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever :" Rev. xi. 1 5. Would the kingdoms of this world, in their present condition, be fit sub- jects for spiritual jurisdiction? Hear the terrific verflow- neck, to nd there causing 'Hf-' '\WiJU.1I U»«A kAAn _ 372 THE SUBJECTS OF THE MILLENNIUM. ! ' harvest for the tares, and anotlier for the wheat : the same time is given for both ; and there is only one harvest ; and the same reapers, and the same sickle, for there is only one sickle for the whole har- vest, and for the hand of the reapers : because there are not two sickles in existence, and that confines the view to the Word of God, as the means in the hand of the angels, or messengers, or servants, for binding the tares into bundles to be burned, and the wheat into the garner. " And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air ; and tliere came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying. It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnnings ; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not,since men vi^ere upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell : and great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent : and men blasphemed God, because of the plague of the hail ; for the plague thereof was exceeding great :" Rev. xvi. 17-21. 1 do not consider it either prudent or profitable to attempt to give any particular applica- tion of the distinctive language of the passage I have just quoted, but still to keep up my original propo- sition of discriminate treatment of contrasted cha- racters, by the equitable, just, and righteous judg- ments of an All-discerning God : and still to declare that thedecision of the Lord shall surely be accord- ing to truth, and that the Lord shall execute righte- ous judgment. "Say to the righteous that it shall be well with him ; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked I it shall be ill with %€ THIRD DISPENSATION. 373 wheat : is only e same ole har- le there :onfines s in the mts, for and the h angel came a rom the ces,and a great pon the i. And and the came in e cup of id every t found* heaven, nd men he hail ; :" Rev. udent or applica- ;e I have lI propo- ited cha- us judg- ) declare J accord- e righte- it it shall t of their 3 ill with him ; for the reward of his hands shall be given him:'* Isa. iii. 10, 11, In that view I am directed by the manner in which the vial of the seventh angel may be considered in its unlimited, unrestricted applica- cation: poured out into the air: now whether we consider it applied spiritually to the churches, or naturally to the atmosphere around the earth, its character of universality is the same : and 1 believe that it may be considered in both these senses : the atmosphere encompasses the whole globe of the earth, and no part excepted : and the twelve tribes are to be taken out of all nations, kindreds, peoples, and tongues. The tares are therefore mixed with the wheat in the whole field, the world ; and at the time of the binding of the tares into bundles to be burned, it may be easily understood that the cup of wrath must be universally poured out upon churches and slates, throughout the whole world. The universality of the last vial of God's wrath, in* its application in the natural view, has been already extensively, if not universally felt, in plagues upon man and beast, as well as upon the productions of the soil : the vial has already commenced to show its power, and sad effects, from the atmos; lere of the earth, and also from the atmosphere of the churches : plague and famine have already, not only in one country, but, I may say, in all countries, been sadly and wofully felt : and the cup must be wrung out to the very dregs. -'For thus saith tlis Lord God of Israel unto me. Take the wine-cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it. And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. Then took I the cup at the Lord's hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the Lord had sent me : to wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the m 374 THB SUBJECTS OP THE MILLENNIUM. princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an as- tonishment, an hissing, and a curse ; as it is this day; Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people ; and all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkc- Au ^"*^ Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod, Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon, and all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea, Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners, and all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert, and all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes, ?nd all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth : and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them. There- fore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel ; Drink ye, and be drun- ken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you. And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink :" Jer. XXV. 15-28. These universal judgments might be supposed to be the work of a short period of time at the end of the seventy years mentioned in that chapter, when the Jews were to be emancipated and delivered from the captivity of Babylon, but the universality of the views prevents us from restricting those great and important events to that inconsiderable transaction : and as there is a succession of vials poured out, and as the seventh is the last judgment upon the whole earth, it is with that we have to do in our present a iii j j a ft i t i. ai i Ts a. il » « Kf hosts, And it the fa- ihip the shall be up, and be the iieathen rnacles. be pun- eep the 'he pro- er from lalem — Ih Him, pon the the dis- accom- ns after t up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. " After them shall Sheshach or Babylon drink." By considering, therefore, the arrangement of these matters in Scrip- ture, I find it safer, and more in accordance with the arrangement of doctrines, as I have been enabled to trace, and connect, and contrast the circumstances I have adduced, to follow the same rules, in speak- ing of the awful judgments of these last days, with- out special application to any given nation, or church, or community, either political or ecclesiastical. The Lord's quarrel is with all nations, for the con- troversy of tZion, and all nations shall drink of the cup of the wine of his fury, and of his fierce wrath ; '• and Sheshach shall drink after them." " Come near, ye nations, to hear ; and hearken, ye people ; let the earth hear, and all that is therein ; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indig- nation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. And all the host of hea- ven shall be dissolved, and tfte heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven : behold, it shall como down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse to judgment:" Isa. xxxiv. 1-5. The univer^ saiity of these awful views of judgment cannot be disputed : " For it is the day of the Lord's ven- geance, and the year of recompenses for the contro- versy of Zion:'' Ua. xxxiv. 8. "Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a feeble heart» Be strong, 380 SCRIPTURAL VIEWS OP THE l! fear not: behold, your God will come with ven- geance, even God with a recompence ; he will come and save you :" Isa. xxxv. 3, 4. " Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey : for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even al! my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy :" Zeph. iii. 8. That is the end of the world, and the last judgment — the close of the Gospel dispensation. If SCRIPTURAL VIEWS OF THE MILLENNIAL CHURCH. When I began to look out for a certainty of the subjects of the Millennium from the original primo- genitor, Adam, I considered the length of the jour- ney that must unavoidably be performed, too tedious both for myself and my readers ; but I considered, at the same time, that a desirable object might be obtained — an object which should fully compensate the labor and fatigue of long and tedious travelling. 1 considered the object I had in contemplation, if attainable according^to my anxious expectation, de- serving of all my attention, and patient investigation. The subject is lofty and sublime, and much disre- garded, if not sceptically rejected ; but by abiding by the plain and simple testia^ony of the Word of God, the desiruole satisfaction is truly attainable. The reed like a rod, when given to John, as in the eleventh chapter of Revelation, enabled him to measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein, and to make the distinction, according to his coininission from the angel, between what he was directed to measure, and what he was not to measure. " And there was given me a reed ^ li MILLENNIAL CHURCH. 381 like unto a rod ; and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the teniple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But tlie court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not ; for it is given unto the Gentiles : and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months:" Rev. xi. 1,2. My main endeavour from the begin- ning was to follow the survey and measurements already made and recorded, and the satisfaction and delight which I obtained from contemplating the landscape, and extended prospect, preserved my mind from drooping languor, when viewing at the distance the lofty and strong bulwarks, and ramparts of Zion, and her grand and graceful towers and tur- rets. And methought I heard a whisper within, saying, " Walk about Zion, and go round about her : tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces ; that ye may tell it to the ge- neration following. For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death :" Psalm xlviii. 12-14. 1 was not disobedient to the heavenly voice ; but have been casting my mite into the treasury of heaven. When I was ied to walk about Zion, where to begin was the diffi- culty ; until 1 was led to commence my journey where her history begins: I saw this necessary, although the impetuous desire would tempt me to dash heedlessly into the centre of her broad squares, to behold her beauty, and to walk on her streets, which are of pure gold, as it were transparent glass. But my impetuosity and unlawful desire were res- trained, upon reading the following announcement : " Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber :" John X. 1. And as 1 found it necessary for myself, as an individual, to travel the road, and to find, and to 382 SCRIPTURAL TIEWS OF THE enter in by the door, into the sheepfold, experience taught me that it was <^xpedient that, cs a guide to others, I should, for their safety and triumphant entry into the city, commence, as I have done, at the very commencement of the road, and keep a steady eye on the door, until, by near approaches, obstacles should be surmounted, and dangers should be avoided, in order to enter in by the gates into the city. I have already proved, by the Word of God, that the holy city, New Jerusalem, is the bride, the Lamb's wife — that the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, are meant by both terms — and that the preparation, so as to be adorned for her husband, signified the ho^y descent from God, by their being individually created anew after God in righteousness and true holiness: or, that is the purpose of God «fe that they shall individually descend out of heaven from God, by being all begotten of God, and born of the holy Spirit — or, by the first resurrection, being recovered from the power of spiritual death, and restored to the favor and love of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. That is what John's vision of a holy city descending out of heaven from God, pre- pared as a bride adorned for her husband, must be considered scripturally to signify : and therefore every individual member of the holy community must indubitably undergo that preparatory change, ijefore he can possibly be admitted into union with the holy and glorious head of the whole body the ehurch, in order to enjoy the blessings and privi- leges of the kingdom of heaven, to reign with Jesus Christ: for nothing uncle' i, or that maketh a lie, shall enter into that holy, pure, and spiritual king- dom : " The Son of man shall send forth his angels, (messengers) and they shall gather out of his king- dom all things that ofibnd, and them which do ''^^UtStt-/ MILLENNIAL CHURCH. SS'S iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear :" Mat. xiii. 41. Now those who shall be the subjects of His kingdom, must inevitably be sanctified, and purified, prepared and qualified for giving unreserved homage, and willing obe- dience to Immanuel, as the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords : in short, they must be prepared and qualified io '* love the Lord their God with all their heart, and soul, and strength, and mind ; and to love their neighbour as themselves.'^ " Awake, awake : put on thy strength, O 2ion ; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city : for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircum- cised and the unclean:" Isa. Hi. L Therefore the people who compose, or comprise Jerusalem, the holy city, are themselves individually, and collect- ivelv, purified, and made white, and tried, as it is expressed by the Prophet Daniel : " Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried ; but the wicked shall do wickedly : and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand:" Dan. xii. 10. These vieWs must be extended to every individual of those that are to comprise the church of the approaching dispensation : that necessary re- formation, purification, and sanctification, was exem- plified gloriously on the day of Pentecost, and during the primitive ages of Christianity, at the commence- ment of the Gospel dispensation, when the iniquity of the fathers ceased to be visited on the thousands of the children who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ: for God showed mercy to thousands of them who loved him, and kept his commandments, as promised in the second commandment — " Visiting the Iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the 26 Si^ SCRIPTURAL VIEWS OF THE ii third and fourth generation," or age of the church's history: at the beginning of the third, or Gxjspel dispensation, God showed mercy to thousands of believing, penitent Jews ; and at the beginning of the fourth generation, or age, God's purpose, as re- vealed in His Word, is to show mercy to the whole multitude of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, wtlhout exception ; for 'he Word of God will not carry the visitation of the iniquity of their fathers beyond the commencement of the fourth generation, or dispensation : and therefore, " There shall be no more curse : but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it ; and his servants shall serve him. And they shall see his face ; and his name shall be in their foreheads :" Rev. xxii. 3, 4. The mystery of G?od shall be then finished : then the aath of the angel, whom John, in Revelation, saw " stand upon the sea and upon the earth, and who sware by Him who livcth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and liie things that therein are, and the earth,, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer," shall be fully verified. That is " the time of the end" spoken of also, for the same gracious purpose, by the Prophet Daniel. As the iniquities of their fathers, who rejected and crucified the Son of God, and who imprecated the guilt of shedding his blood upon themselves, and their children, by saying, " Let his blood be upon us, and upon our children." was not to be visited upon them, as a national visitation of vindictive jus- tice, but to the tliird and fourth dispensation, tlic reftioval of all the curses threatened in the 28th chap- ter of Deuteronomy, which fell upon them, on ac- - .... a f. ^ V,».SUJ3l Tiuiionai revoii, ano naiKin.jl departing from the God of their falliers, shall undoubtedly be transacted, us a nuliona! manifcstution of niO>rrv, and 1 1 MILLENNIAL CHURCH. 385 hurch'9 Gospel ands of ning of !, as rej- i whole Iren of iod will fathers eration, II be no D Lamb e him. shall be stery of 3 angel, the sea ini who 3n, and ind the 1 things me no le time racious ed and ed the 3S, and e upon visited ive jus- on, liic 1 chap- on ac- parling idly 1)0 'V, and fulfilment of the Word of God, at the time which God decreed for their emancipation and final deli- verance. ** And it shall come to pass in that day, that the nr»ountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim. Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom fihall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have sh-^d innocent blood in their land. But JudaU shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to Generation. For I will cleanse their blood that f to n have not cleansed : for the Lord dvvelleth in Zion Joel iii. 18-21. In that mode of cleansing, before Judah can dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from gene- ration to generation, is implied and signified, the completeness of the work of purification, for quali- fying thern to dwell for ever, and from generation to generation, where it is declared, by the Propiiet, God is to dwell, for God dwelleth in Zion — Zion iind the kingdom of heaven are the same, and we tind the same idea expressed by Jesus Christ him- self, as part of the j>reparalion of the holy city, New Jerusalem, that she may appear adorned as a bride for her husband. " The Son o-f man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom every thing that offendeth, and them wjjicii do ini- ^\\\\^j :" Mat. xiii. 41. And the subsequent condi- tion, in con«5equence of that mode of cleansing, that Judah may dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from gene- ration to generation, is sublimely and beautifully expressed by the Prophet Isaiah : " Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion ; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the iioly ciiy ; for hcncefoitli there shall no more come into thee the uncircum- cised and the unclean :" Is. Iii. I. That is to be the 386 SCRIPTURAL VIEWS OF THE 'r- permanent condition, or state, in which the holy city. New Jerusalem, the bride, the Lamb's wife, the twelve tribes of Israel, shall be maintained, in strength, stability, and beautiful garments, by the Lord who dwelleth in Zion : for He is gloriously en- dowed and qualified for the work entrusted to him by the Father. *' Behold, lue Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him ; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall fwcd his flock like a shepherd ; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young :"Isa. xl. 10, H. That is a view of the manner of the Lord's treatment of His people, when He shall come, in power and great glory ,as well as His after treatment, when He shall dwell among them — when they shall see His fece — when His servants shall serve Him — and when His name shall be in their foreheads. His qualificati ns are mentioned by the Prophet, as personifying the Lord himself, as well as His Gospel transactions. •• The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me ; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek : he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound j to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of ven- treance of our God ; to comfort all that mourn : to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness ; that they might be called Trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that he might be glori- fied :" Isa. Ixi. 1-3. Not only does He come to judges the quick and the dead ; but He comes and his rewnfii is with Him, and his work before Him. lie conies to beautify the meek with salvation : to UILLENNIAL CHURCH. 38" ic holy ^ife, the ned, in by the usly on- to him II come 3r him ; I before 3rd ; he ry them that are V of the ?, when lias His them — servants ill be in ntioned himself, Spirit of ird hath J meek : irted, to 3ning of laim the of ven- lurn J to ive unto ourning, aviness ; ousness, be glori- come to nes and ire Him. tion : to beautify the place of His sanctuary, and to make the place of His feet glorious. He " comelh to make up His jewels, and He shall spare them,- as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." Names are used in the Bible, by which Israel res- tored are to be understood in high and exalted con- dition of favour and acceptance: and the nearness to the glorious God of heaven and tiiviU expressed by those names and designations, seems to carry the view of their condition above the lUrriOst extent of the powers of the humnn intellect to understand ; but that is exactly what might be expected, when the change is not any human renovation, or refor- mation of mornis, or of condition as regards earthly or worldly circumstances merely ; but a spiritual transformation, by which they are to be qualified to act in discharge of holy and heavenly duty, as in the immediate presence of the high and Holy One of Israel. But He who niade them, has engaged him- self, as declared by various views given in the holy Scriptures, to (it and prepare them for the sphere of action in which they are designed to move: although the terms by which they are designated in the Bible may seem inapplicable to the human condition of any beings, however exalted, in this transitory state; yet when the views are especially applied to the in- ner man, we must relinquish the thought of the application of that spiritual description, which is given of their glorious condition and nearness to God, to the sinful, human, mortal body or fiumc,an(l ■carry the views inwardly to a being begotten of God and born of the H'oly Spirit, which must ilfelf be lioly, and be a spiritual, heavenly being — for saith Jesus, '* Wiiat is born of the flesh, is flesh, ami what is born of the ISpirit, is Spirit:'^ and as in' the vision of John, when he speaks of the holy city, New Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, he 3BS SCRIPTUIIAL riEWS OF TilTS is to be nnJergtoof! as e heavenly superiority over &l\ the other creatures of this lower world j and in angehc equality with »pirituaK glorified beings, for whose heavenly society and feltowshipy they are pre* pared and cjjaliffed. — And not only so, but to hold an intimate fellowship and communion with the glorious God who gracBously condescends %o bring them to that . 'harness of condition, through Jesus Clirist, to himself, that they n>ay honor and glorify the God thai made them, and prepored,. and adorned them for that very purpose. In all ages of the Church, God gracfoosly vouch- safed to bring some to that nearness to himself in spiritual approaches, so that in the vision* of the Lord, wonderful,, incredible, and iin intelligible things were presented to their view : incredible and wnin- telligible to others who were not qualified by spiritual enlightening for comprehending spiritual views : just so iT>ay we suppose to be the condition purposed and declared for the Church oi God on the earth, al- though that high and gbfious state may be incredi^ ble and unintelligible to the sceptical Pliilosophers of this vain, pompous, and dark heathenish workl. But spiritual things, although expressed in the lan- guage common for expressing carnal, earthly views and objects', have their meaning in spiritual reality m themseives : the bngu.iige common to nrankind is tised in accomn>odali(>n to our weak and human capacities: and yet the utmost exertions of the human mii^d are incapable to fully comprehend those glorious, heavenly visions, which have often been presented to the view of the servants of the Lord ; and the way in which the Apostle Paul MlLLEHKlJkL CtltJRCH. 389 hat Xhcf repared, suitable ion they niy over ; and in ngs, for are pre* rhoki an glorious them to hrist, to he God ed them ' Touch- Bself m 9 of the le things vd »nin' spiritual ws : just >sedand irth, aU incredi>* phers of 1 world, the hn- \y views d realty unkind is \ human of the- prehend ire often s of the lie Paul lexpresses that incapacity in man for such sublime and heavenly objects, is sufficiently expressive of the views I have given of heavenly objects, and the in- capacity of the human intellect for comprehension. '• But we speak the wisdom of