plicit agreement, and visible union of God's people, in extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion, and the advancement of Christ's kingdom on earth, pursuant to fcripture promises and prophecies concerning the last time.” In which he produces the evidence from scripture, that fuch a day is yet to come. And in a pofthumous publication of his, intitled "A history of the work of Redemption," this subject is brought into view, and particularly confidered. There is alfo extant, a fermon on the Millennium, by the late Dr. Bellamy. And other writers have occafionally mentioned it. And this fubject appears to be brought more particularly into view in the public prayers and preaching, and in conversation, in this age, than in former times; and the doctrine of the Millennium is more generally believed, and better understood. This is rather an encouragement to attempt farther to explain and illustrate, this important, pleasing, useful subject, in which every chriftian is so much interested, than a reason why nothing more fhould be faid upon it. The subject is far from being exhausted; and as the church advances nearer to the Millennium ftate, we have reason to think the predictions in divine revelation respecting it, will be better understood; and the minds of chriftians will be more excited to great attention to this subject, and strong defires to look into thofe things, and to earnest longings and prayers for the coming of the kingdom of Chrift, as it will take place in that day. And all this is to be effected, by means and proper attempts and exertions. "Many fhall run to and fro, and knowledge fhall be increased." The prophecies of events which are yet to take place, cannot be fo fully understood before thefe events come to pafs, as they will be when they are fulfilled; and there is great danger of making mistakes about them. And it is certain, that many have made mistakes, fince they have made very different and oppofite conftructions of the fame predictions; and therefore all cannot be right. So far as the prophecies which refpect the Millennium of which there are many, can be understood, and the real meaning of them be made plain, by a careful and diligent attention to them, and comparing them with each other, men may go on fafe ground, and be certain of their accomplishment. And whatever is a plain and undeniable confequence, from what is expressly predicted, is equally revealed in the prediction, as an event, or cir cumstance cumftance of an event, neceffarily included in it. But every opinion respecting future events, which is matter of conjecture only, however probable it may be in the view of him who propofes it, ought to be entertained with modefty and diffidence. The following treatife on the Millennium, is not defigned fo much to advance any new fentiments concerning it, which have never before been offered to the public, as to revive and repeat those which have been already fuggefsted by some authors, which are thought to be very important, and ought to be understood, and kept conftantly in the view of all, in order to their having a proper conception of the church of Chrift in this world, and reading the fcriptures to their beft advantage, and greatest comfort: Though perhaps fomething will be advanced, respecting the events which, according to fcripture, are to take place between the present time, and the introduction of the happy state of the church, which have not been before fo particularly confidered. SECTION SECTION I. In which it is proved from Scripture, that the church of Chrift is to come to a state of profperity in this world, which it has never yet enjoyed; in which it will con tinue at least a thousand years. THE first revelation of a Redeemer, in the prediction spoken to the serpent, may be considered as implying the destruction of the kingdom of the devil in this world, by the wifdom and energy of Christ. "He fhall bruife thy head, and thou fhalt bruife his heal.”* Satan has bruifed the heal of Chrift, in the fufferings and dishonour he has been inftrumental of bringing upon him, and in the oppofition he has made to the interest and church of Chrift, in this world. And it is natural to fuppofe, that Christ shall bruife his head in this world, by destroying his intereft and kingdom among men, and gaining a conqueft over him, in the ftruggle and war which has taken place between the Redeemer and feducer of men. And by the Redeemer's bruising the head of the ferpent, is fignified that he will not destroy him by the mere exertion of his power, but that by his fuperiour wifdom, he will confound and defeat fatan, in all his fubtilty and cunning, on which he depends fo much, and by which he aims to disappoint Christ, and defeat him in his designs. And by this he will make a glorious difplay of his wifdom, as well as of his power, while he discovers the craftiness of fatan to be foolishness, and disappoints him in his devices, carrying all the counsel of this cunning froward enemy headlong. If all this could not be gathered from this paffage, confidered by itself; yet that this is the real meaning, will perhaps appear, from what has already taken place in accomplishing this prediction; and from other prophecies refpecting this, fome of which are to be brought into view in the sequel: Without which the full meaning of this first promife could not be known. B In Gen. iii. 19 In order to bruise the head of the ferpent, in this fenfe, most effectually; and turn his boasted wifdom nnd cunning into foolishness, and entirely defeat him in this way, he must have opportunity and advantage to try his skill and power, and practise all his cunning, in opposing Chrift, and the salvation of men. And in this way be overcome and wholly defeated, in the ruin of his intereft and kingdom among men; fo that all his attempts fhall turn against himself, and be the occafion of making the victory and triumph of the Redeemer greater, more perspicuous and glorious, in the final prevalence of his kingdom on earth, by drawing all men to him; and destroying the works and kingdom of satan in this world, and setting up his own on the ruins of it, and fo as to turn all the attempts and works of the devil against him, and render the whole fubfervient to his own intereft and kingdom. And thus the coming and kingdom of Chrift will be, "As the light of the morning, when the fun rifeth, even a morning without clouds ; as the tender grafs fpringing out of the earth by clear thining after rain." When the fun rises in a clear morning, after a dark night, attended with clouds, rain and storms, the morning is more pleasant, beautiful and glorious, and the grass fprings and grows more fresh and thrifty, than if it had not been preceded by such a stormy night. So the profperity and glory of the church, when the fun of righteousness fhall rife upon it, with healing in his beams, will be enjoyed to a higher degree, and be more pleasant and glorious, and Christ will be more glorified, than if it had not been preceded by a dreadful night of darkness, confufion and evil, by the wickednefs of men, and the power and agency of fatan. The words above cited, are the last words of David the Prophet, and sweet Pfalmift of Ifrael, and are a prophecy of the glorious event now under confideration. "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel faid, the Rock of Ifrael fpake by me. He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. morning, when the fun rifeth, even a as the tender grafs fpringing out of the earth, by clear fhining after rain." The first words may be rendered fo as to give the true sense more clearly. "He who is to rule over men (i. e. the Messiah) is just, ruling in the fear of God." The words must be 2 Sam. xxiii. 2, 3, 4 And he shall be like the morning without clouds; in in our tranflation, are not in the original, and the helping verb is, which is commonly not expreffed, but understood, in the Heb rew, should have been fupplied; "He that ruleth, or is to rule over men, is juft." This is evidently a prophecy concerning Chrift, his church and kingdom, when he fhall take to himself his great power, and reign in his kingdom, which shall succeed the reign of fatan during the four preceding monarchies, which were first to take place, which will be more particularly explained, as we proceed in examining the prophecies of this great event, The latter day glory. And that these words of David, are a prediction of the reign of Chrift on earth, after the long prevalence of fatan and wicked men, is farther evident from the words which follow, relative to the fame thing." But the fons of Belial fhall all of them as thorns be thurst away, because they cannot be taken with hands. But the man that shall touch them, must be fenced with iron, and the staff of a spear, and they fhall be utterly burnt with fire in the fame place." Exactly parallel with this prophecy, is that of the Prophet Malichi. "Behold, the day cometh, that fhall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, all that do wickedly, fhall be ftubble, and the day that cometh fhall burn them up, faith the Lord of hosts, that it fhall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name, fhall the fun of righteousness arife with healing in his wings; and ye fhall go forth and grow up as the calves in the ftall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they fhall be afhe's under the foles of your feet, in the day that I fhall do this, faith the Lord of hosts."* But to return from this, which may feem to be fome digreffion, or anticipation: The great and remarkable promife, fo often made to Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, and more than once mentioned by the Apostles, will next be confidered. This promife was made to Abraham, and of him, three times. "In thee fhall all the families of the earth be bleffed."+ "All the nations of the earth fhall be blessed in him ""And in thy feed fhall the nations of the earth be bleffed." And this fame promise is made to Ifaac. "I will perform the oath which I fware unto Abraham thy father-and in thy feed fhall all the nations of the earth be bleffed." And to Jacob. "In thee and in thy feed, fhall all the families of the earth be Jacob. Mal. iv. 1, 2, 3. B 2 |