heresies, when no one ever regarded it as such until long after the days of Origen and Jerome, and when the very fathers who wrote against the heretics taught it?) 9. Does not history show that, as Popery arose, this doctrine was crushed, and was finally condemned in council, because so Jeriously antagonistic to its spirit and pre tensions? 10. Was not the doctrine still preserved and taught by that line of noble witnesses which we alone regard as forming the true Church of Christ,—the Waldenses, &c.? WHEN SHALL JESUS "COME AGAIN"? 66. LET us next inquire, For what purpose shall he come again"? This will not be difficult to perceive, if we read the Bible with simplicity of heart, believing that it means just what it says. What can be more simple than the language of the beloved disciple in narrating the words of Jesus? "I will come again to receive you to myself." This has reference only to true disciples,-to all true disciples in every age, as well as to those he 11. Did not the spiritualizing system of immediately addressed. It has no reference Origen, &c., produce far greater alarm and to any others. None else, of any description, confusion than any ever produced by the shall find any benefit when Christ comes. most rash and indiscreet Millenarians? Foolish virgins, who have no oil in their vesThus, i.e. Did not the fearful consternation sels, shall feel only consternation and dismay. (falsely charged on Millenarians by men“To them that look for him he shall come who should know better) which filled the the second time without sin unto salvation." whole Roman earth at the end of the one thousand years dated from Christ's ministry, and the one thousand years dated from Constantine's conversion, arise from the accommodating, allegorizing system of interpretation which, dating the rise of the millennial age from these periods, was necessarily forced at the close of them to look for the end of all things? 12. Can any important doctrine, only introduced to the Church say in the eighteenth century, be true, if never found in any of the writings of the early Church for several centuries? 13. Is a doctrine to be rejected because it may in some degree, in the hands of others, have been allied with fanaticism or error? And, if so, what doctrine of the Bible could not be condemned? Such questions can be multiplied; but, The preceding is substantially (if not word by word) the article as forwarded, re-written from notes retained. Every Millenarian will understand the reason why I was mistaken in the anticipated "indulgence and courtesy." Comment is unnecessary. G. N. H. P. The wicked are not looking for him. "When the Son of Man shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, he shall send his angels to gather his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other." Saints of the first resurrection only shall "live and reign with Christ a thousand years." The rest of the dead shall not live till the thousand years are finished." The same sentiment is plainly expressed in the 50th Psalm:-" Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." It was with the rewards of the righteous only that Christ consoled his disciples, sorrowing and sad in the prospect of his leaving them. But again he shall come to reign. He reigns now. Ever since all things were made by him, he has been upholding all things by the word of his power. In virtue of his divinity he is king in all the earth and governor among the nations, in his providential dispensations, or kingdom of providence. There is also a reign of grace. Ever since Abel was converted, and wherever the gospel was revealed and a true believer existed, the All acquainted with ancient prophecy may perceive that there are apparently contradictory statements concerning the promised Deliverer. This is what makes the prophecies somewhat hard to be understood. This is what confuses the mind of intelligent inquiring Jews. They lay hold of and build their hopes only on those which speak of the promised One that is to come, as a glorious conquering or reigning Messiah, and overlook the others. Once a Jew, when talking with a Christian on the subject, quoted only those prophecies last mentioned, of which there are so many glowing instances. “But,” said the Christian, "these we interpret figuratively, or spiritually, and not literally." "Then," said the Jew, "you must allow me to understand the 53d chapter of Isaiah only figuratively, and not literally.” affairs of this reign have been managed. But | kingdom; and all dominions shall serve and this is the department of the Holy Spirit,-the obey him." There is a brief notice seldom third person of the Holy Trinity,-to whom adverted to,-a note in the song of the in the scheme of redemption from eternity was redeemed in heaven:-"And we shall reign assigned the work of opening the sinner's on the earth." (Rev. v. 10.) We quote only heart to believe, and applying the purchased one more brief text:-" If we suffer, we shall redemption. But there is another reign to also reign with him." (2 Tim. ii. 12.) Does be inaugurated, the affairs of which are to this relate to the final state in heaven? Acbe personally superintended by Jesus Christ. cording to our idea, God shall be all in all This reign, or kingdom, shall be fully inau- then, and not saints reigning over one angurated when he shall come again and take other. his great power, and reign in all the earth "the King of kings and Lord of lords." This is a very simple proposition to those who take the word of God alone and are not swayed by the opinions of men. There is no room for speculation here. The sure testimony of God must govern us. The Scripture is so full on this subject that the difficulty is to select. Peruse, for instance, the 24th chapter of Isaiah. The whole chapter is an account of the doleful judgment on the whole earth at the inauguration of this reign. And how does it close? In almost the very language which Jesus chose in describing it. "Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients gloriously." The 32d chapter, also, is a display of the latter-day glory: yet a feature of it is, "Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness." Jeremiah, 23d chapter, is still plainer:-"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." See also in Micah a prediction of the Millennium: yet it is said, "And the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth and forever." None doubt of the application of the 72d Psalm:-"He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth." This is enough to satisfy us where this reign or kingdom shall be located. Yet we love to quote the holy writings. See only Dan. vii. 27:-"And the kingdom, and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting This overweening tendency to pass over the literal meaning of Scripture has an injurious effect on Christianity, especially in recommending it to those of Jewish extract or tendencies. And not only so: we think this spiritualizing method of viewing Scripture hinders the success of the gospel in other cases. The true use of Scripture is not. so easily apprehended and remembered by unspiritual minds. This is true in regard to precept as well as to doctrine. We would have it to be understood as meaning precisely what it says, in the one case as well as in the other. Too many in the Christian Church would spiritualize away the very duties of the gospel, supposing they can be Christians in heart while they are very unmindful of its practice. We would have them taught that unless they comply literally, according to their ability, with the duties, which every child may understand, they can have no true comfort of hope, or right to esteem them- may begin to give some of our ideas on that selves true Christians. in other papers. A GRAVE DIFFICULTY. There is one millstone hanging upon the rejection of a literal first and second resurrection, one thousand years apart, which I have never seen lifted off. We read in Rev. xx. 5, 'The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." 66 1. Is it illogical to say that at the end of the one thousand years they will live again? 2. Is it illogical to say that this “living again" at the end of the one thousand years relates to the same as “the rest of the dead" who lived not again at the beginning of the one thousand years? We have only to say further, here, that this mode of interpretation is not only injurious, but unjust. There are some who have a disposition to take the threatenings of the Old Testament literally and the promises spiritually. For instance, they allow that those threatenings uttered in prophecy against some ancient cities and states-the enemies of God's ancient people—were all literal, and point, for proof, to the ruins of Egypt, Edom, and Tyre; but the glorious promised blessings in regard to Jerusalem, Now, let us apply to this text the sternest Zion, Jacob, and Israel were all spiritual, principles of logic and received exegesis. Can and comfortably apply them to themselves those who reject the literal “living again” and to the Christian Church. This is uncan-object to the following conclusions? did and unfair. If we take Egypt and Babylon literally, even so we must take Zion and Jerusalem literally. God can as easily build up Jerusalem, and gather the outcasts of Israel, as fulfil the denunciations against their oppressors. And he will. Let us be ware how we treat the Bible. If we stumble at the glorious promises relating to Christ's second coming, what better are we than the unbelieving Jews who were offended at the humility of his first Advent? It is a false humility in some who seem hurt at the idea of Jesus setting his foot on earth again, where he was so maltreated before. It will be the essence of glory and triumph when he comes not only to receive us who believe to himself, but to bind Satan in the bottom-chapter. less pit, while he and the millions whom he hath redeemed from his thraldom shall live and reign with Christ in the very territory which he hath usurped and where he hath ruled so long. Will it be greater humility for Jesus to come to earth to reign than to come to suffer, the very ideas held out of him in ancient prophecy? "God's ways are not our ways, nor our thoughts his thoughts." Our highest wisdom and best humility will be to receive as little children what he hath been pleased to reveal, and call no man master in matters of faith; "for one is our Master, even Christ." 3. Then, is it illogical to say that this conclusion inevitably follows,—viz. that if they are persons, we have the same persons figuratively dead, yet living one thousand years that they may figuratively live again at the end of said one thousand years? That the dead mentioned in verse 5 are persons, let me prove by bringing together the places where the word occurs in this (a) But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. (b) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God. (c) And the dead were judged according to their works. (d) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it. (e) And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works. (f) And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. The main idea in the question at the head Lastly. Is it illogical to apply to the same of our paper has not yet been touched. Wel word (anazao) the same meaning here which the Holy Ghost has authorized, when, too, | chaos,―sparkling with brighter jewelry than that meaning does no violence to our text, the pristine dewy brilliants of holiness, but plainly elucidates it? bridal-robed in the smiles of Him who redeemed it with his blood, and vocal with his praise, never to be disturbed by the sin of man ;—then this earth will be the fit and final home of the redeemed. In Rom. xiv. 9, we read, "To this end Christ both died and rose and revived, that he might be the Lord both of the dead and living." As the word "rose" sometimes means to rise from a prone position, the This is distinctly taught in God's covenant word revived or relived (anazao) is added to with Abraham, when he says, "I will give fix the meaning,-viz. a coming to life again unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the from the dead, which in Christ's case could | land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land not mean a conversion, or a figurative living of Canaan for an everlasting” (eternal) again, but a true resurrection from the dead." possession; and I will be their God." This Now, this strong word (anazao)—lived again -the Holy Ghost uses when he says, "that the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the resurrection the first." land Abraham and his seed have not yet got; but, to secure the fulfilment of this covenant, God has sworn that he will bring "them up out of their graves that they may possess it." From this covenant with Abraham, and Will some one who rejects our belief of a which was renewed with Isaac and Jacob resurrection of the just and also of the unjust, and their seed after them, it is manifest that and separated from each by a Millennium, this earth is to be their everlasting residence. teach us how this millstone can be removed, | Could God have declared it in stronger terms? that we may believe the truth, if we be in If they are to inhabit the earth forever, after error? Till then, let us hold fast our faith. they are raised from the dead, or Let us seek that "first," that "better" resur-out of their graves," if then it is to be given rection of which the promise is, "Blessed to them for an everlasting possession, it is and holy is he that hath part in the first evident this earth must be the place of their resurrection: on such the second death hath everlasting residence. So says Ezekiel (ch. no power, but they shall be priests of God xxxvii. 25): "And they shall dwell in the and of Christ, and shall reign with him a land that I have given unto Jacob my serthousand years." J. F. H. vant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children” (per come up THE FINAL RESIDENCE OF THE RE-petual generations) "forever" (to eternity), DEEMED. : THE final residence of the redeemed:where is it? Is it on high? Up yonder? Above the sky? On some remote orb? So we are often told. But we are no wiser; for, after all, no locality is designated. The final residence of the redeemed is this earth. That is the doctrine of the Bible everywhere. Not this earth, as it now is, polluted by sin and blighted and banned by the curse, but this earth as it shall be after the devil and his angels, sin and death and the grave, have been "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone," and it is restituted to purity, beauty, and glory surpassing those in which it shone when it emerged from the plastic wing of the Spirit brooding over "and my servant David" (or the beloved, that is, Christ) "shall be their Prince forever (or eternally)." If language could teach eternal residence anywhere, this teaches the eternal residence of the resurrection children of Abraham in Canaan upon this earth; for it is most positively declared by Jehovah that they and their children's children, through unceasing generations, shall dwell therein forever. But all the saved are to be with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom: consequently, this earth will be the kingdom and the final residence of the saints. The same doctrine is clearly taught by Daniel (ch. vii. 27):-"The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens, shall be given to 66 Instead, then, of looking for a home beyond the skies, to which we are to be taken by Christ after the Judgment, of which the Bible says not a word (for it never says that Christ will leave this earth after he comes to judgment), let us be looking for the renewal of this earth, which shall be accomplished at the "times of the restitution of all things which God has spoken by the mouth of all and for which prophets and apostles, according to the promise of God, with one hope and faith looked; for this will be our glorious nacle will be with us, and our communion with him will be more intimate than that of Adam and Eve with him in Paradise before the fall. Here, on this earth, the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, with his glorious Bride,—the redeemed children of men,— will dwell for ever and ever. the people of the saints of the Most High, | final home and everlasting dwelling-place of whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, the redeemed. and all dominions shall serve and obey him." The "kingdom under the whole heaven" must mean this earth, for we know of no other kingdom under the heaven, and the Bible speaks of none, and this kingdom is to be given to the saints. It is peculiarly worthy of notice that this kingdom is not "on high," nor "above the heavens," nor "away up yonder," as the kingdom of the saints is frequently said to be, but “under the heavens." | his holy prophets since the world began," Here the common teaching of men and that of the Spirit of God are in direct conflict. Men say the final residence of the redeemed is on high,—above the heavens,—somewhere dwelling-place forever. Then his taber(but they know not where) in the unexplored regions of space; but Daniel, by the Spirit, positively teaches it is under the heavens;" that is, the kingdom which the God of heaven shall set up upon this earth, and which shall “never be destroyed,” “but which shall break in pieces" and "consume all these kingdoms upon earth," and which shall stand 'forever," or to eternity. The same doctrine is taught by John in Revelation (ch. xi. 15): [We do not hold ourselves responsible for "The kingdoms of this world (earth) are all the views put forth by our contributors. become the kingdoms of our Lord and his The truths discussed in these pages extend Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." over a wide range, and require, of course, It is a common saying, and one often used to that a broad margin be allowed for diversity conceal our ignorance, "Where Christ is, in regard to the detail of doctrines held. there will be heaven." We admit the truth; This question of the locality of heaven--the it is herein taught that the kingdoms, not of final abode of the resurrection saints-is one a world on high, or above the sky, but of about which students of prophecy hold difthis world, earth, are to become the kingdom | ferent views. Our own opinion is that the of Christ, and that here he is to reign for ever and ever, or to eternity and eternity. If, then, Christ is to be on this earth forever, when renewed, and his dwelling-place is to be the dwelling-place of the redeemed, then beyond all controversy this earth is to be the final dwelling-place of his saints. JERSEY CITY. restored earth will be the abode of the restored race,―i.e. of Jews and gentiles, made holy, but not attaining to the resurrection state; it will be the theatre of that kingdom over which the resurrection saints will reign forever, while their own abode will be the New Jerusalem,-a heavenly state, brought into connection with the earth, but yet sepa of them that are saved may walk in the light of it, and the kings of the earth may bring their honor and glory into it." (Rev. xxi. 24.) This doctrine is everywhere taught in the Prophets, the Psalms, the Gospels, the Epis-rate and distinct from it, so that "the nations tles, and Revelation of John; but we shall not attempt at present to present it as exhibited in these. Enough has been said to convince every unprejudiced student of the Bible that this earth, restituted at the time of the restitution of all things, will be the ED.] |