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To omit, therefore, other testimonies in the Old Testament, some of which in Daniel are in as express terms as possible, let us proceed to the New, where we shall find it much clearer, and where we shall have our Saviour's own words for it-nay, directions to all his servants to pray for it as constantly as for their daily bread, in that petition of the Lord's prayer, "Thy kingdom come." That this is God's kingdom upon earth may, perhaps, be not obscurely intimated, even in the prayer itself, it being not improbable that those words, "In earth as it is in heaven," may refer to all the three foregoing petitions, as well as to the last only; that God's name may be sanctified, and that his kingdom may come, and He reign on earth as now in heaven, as well as that his will may be done in the same manner. But we further prove that it was taken in this sense by our Saviour's disciples, and for a temporal kingdom, thus: "Lord," say they in one place, "wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" not doubting but he would do it one time or other, though not certain whether at that very time; nor does he reprehend them for it as a gross conceit, but only as an unseasonable curiosity. Nay, his answer to them not only grants, but confirms their supposition: "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons," whether this time or another, "which," he adds, "the Father hath put in his own power" (Acts i. 6, 7); agreeable to that in another place, of the day of judgment when the Jews shall be restored; "Of that day and hour knoweth no man, but my Father only (Matt. xxiv. 36). And much the same answer our Saviour gives to the mother of Zebedee's children, when she petitioned that one of her sons might sit on his right hand, and the other on his left, in his kingdom, which none denies they meant of an earthly kingdom. To which He first replies, "Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of?" Can you suffer martyrdom for my sake, since for such, in an especial manner, this kingdom is prepared? They answered, they could. Our Saviour rejoined, they should; but yet to sit at his right and left hand, was not his to give, but was theirs for whom it was prepared by the Father, wherein He owns such a kingdom and such rewards as they desired were really prepared by the providence of God. Further, this kingdom was neither the Christian religion, nor the destruction of Jerusalem, because it was not to come" till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke xxi. 24); and because we still pray for it. Nor is it his eternal kingdom in heaven, because that generation was not to pass away till "all those things were fulfilled," that is, the nation of the Jews, who are called, "an evil and adulterous generation;" they were not to perish before the kingdom shall come which is there prophesied of, they were to continue a nation to the end of the world; therefore, it must be an earthly kingdom.

It would be too long for this paper to take notice of many other texts in the evangelists, or to add any more to what has been said on that in the third of Acts, concerning the "times of refreshing," and "restitution of all things." Let us, therefore, go on to the eighth of Romans, from verse 17 to 22, where are mentioned our being glorified with Christ, and that for suffering with Him; of the glory which shall be revealed; of the creature's earnest expectation and hope, of the whole creation's groaning and travailing, and of its being at length delivered

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from the bondage of corruption. Of all which, if any man can make sense if they take another way, we are extremely mistaken. And to what but this millennium, and great day, according to our hypothesis, can that passage (Rom. xi. 12-15) refer to ? "If the diminishing of them (the Jews) be the riches of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?" What, again, can be plainer for the reign of Christ, after his coming to judgment, and before the end of the world, than that in 1 Cor. xv. 22, 23: "They that are Christ's (shall rise) at his coming; . . . for he must reign (still after the beginning of the resurrection, which is to last this thousand years) till he hath put all enemies under his feet; the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death;" and this, too, after the resurrection; for then, as we read in the Revelation, "death and hell are to be cast into the lake of fire" (xx. 14). The next we will produce shall be from the epistle to the Hebrews (i. 6): "Again, when he bringeth the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." And here the learned Mr. Joseph Mede seems to have just cause to find fault with our translators (who were not infallible) for rendering it, "Again when he bringeth in," instead of "When he bringeth in again his first-begotten into the world," or "When he shall bring in again," the original being, “Οταν δε πάλιν εἰσαγαγῃ τὸν Πρωτότοκον εις τὴν οἰκουμενην ; the word dukovμévny signifying, as all know, the terrestrial babitable world; and that 'tis of our Saviour's future reign and coming into the world, appears from the fifth verse of the second chapter, where the apostle calls it, οικουμένην τὴν μέλλουσαν, “ the world to come whereof we speak," or concerning which he had been discoursing in the former chapter; which "world to come" is not yet put under our Saviour; for "now we see not yet all things put under him; " though we see Him so highly advanced, as for the suffering of death to be crowned with glory and honour. Besides, as the apostle argues, "now," that is at his incarnation, or coming into the world, "we see Jesus made a little lower than the angels; but when God bringeth him again into the world-this "world to come," which He hath not put in subjection to the angels-He then saith, "Let all the angels of God worship him; that is, "Worship him all ye Elohim." (Psa. xcvii. 7), or, as we translate it, "ye gods;" which psalm contains a glorious description of the coming of Christ to reign here, and judge the world. Let us now go on to the 11th chapter of Hebrews, verse 8. Abraham was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, namely, the land of Canaan; this he did not receive while he lived. (See Acts vii. 5): "He gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on." This was intended to him in person; God promised that he would give it to him, and that as distinct from his seed, for so they are named; and he, and Isaac, and Jacob died in faith, as 'tis added, "not having received the promises"-what promise but that of Canaan before-mentioned ?-"but having seen them afar off," namely, at the end of the world; they, as well as Abraham, looking for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God; namely, the New Jerusalem to descend out of heaven, and which, therefore, cannot be heaven itself. Besides, 'tis such a city

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as they now desire," and as God has now prepared for them" (ver. 16), and "provided" (ver. 40), both for them and us together, therefore, not actually given them. And what that "better thing" (ver. 40) is, (better than Canaan then was,) which God hath provided, we learn from the twelfth chapter, namely, "the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, the general assembly and Church of the first-born," (which plainly intimates the resurrection) and that "kingdom which cannot be moved." Thus says Irenæus, when describing the reign of Christ, and Christ Himself restoring to Abraham the promised inheritance. St. Peter's testimony we have already discoursed of; St. Jude is almost a transcript of him; but the 20th chapter of the Revelation is so express and plain, that we think it can never be avoided, wherein 'tis evident that after the fall of Babylon, the appearance of our Saviour in the clouds, and the destruction of Antichrist in the foregoing chapter-after all these, Satan is bound for a thousand years (is he so now, or has he been ever since Constantine?) and after this, "The souls of them that were beheaded (or murdered) for the witness of Jesus, &c., lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." (Ver. 4, 5.) The dead must be taken literally of one as well as the other, and 'tis added, "This is the first resurrection, and the second is described in the 12th verse, "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, &c." If we make the first allegorical, how shall we secure the second? Thus for the

Scriptures.

III. To come to Fathers. Our enemies as good as give us all of the first, and most of the second century; or if they won't we can prove them ours; viz., Papias, Justin Martyr, Polycarp, Clemens and afterwards Irenæus, Lactantius, Tertullian, Methodius (already quoted), and still lower, Cyprian, Nepos, Apollinarius, and many others too long to name. Nor need we wonder that poor Papias is represented as the founder of this opinion and a weak man by Eusebius, though he owns him diligent and expert in the Holy Scriptures, since he and his friends Dionysius, Gaius, and other Antichiliasts have dared, some of them positively, others by consequence, to strike out nearly an eighth part of the New Testament; no less than four entire books from the Canon of the Holy Scripture, because they saw it was impossible to overthrow the testimonies therein for this great truth; namely, the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Second Epistle of Peter, the Epistle of St. Jude, and the Revelation. Against the last of which they bore the greatest spite, as being the clearest against them; some attributing it to the heretic Cerinthus, but all denying it to be St. John's, particularly Eusebius, though herein he notoriously contradicts himself, and though there are such severe sanctions at the end thereof against whoever shall take away any thing from it (the Holy Spirit who indited it no doubt foreseeing what would happen); how much more against those who would take it away altogether? 'Twere too long to insert the words of all the Fathers, confirming this doctrine, which indeed would require a volume; take but two. Justin Martyr

in his Dialogue with Tryphon, tells us, "That he himself, and all other orthodox Christians, believed it, and those who did not, ought not to be

esteemed Christians." But he adds expressly, that there should then be no Jewish observances and bloody sacrifices, but true and spiritual praises and thanksgivings offered to God. And Methodius, before mentioning those who shall rise: "They shall neither die nor marry, but live the life of angels, being employed in good works." Accordingly, Lactantius: "They shall live a heavenly and angelical life." We'll conclude this noble question with a passage from Tertullian, which fully includes all the doctrine of the millennium and first resurrection: "For we acknowledge," says he, "a kingdom promised us on earth, but before heaven, and in another state; to wit, after the resurrection (the first), in the 1,000 years, in the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, which the Apostle calls Jerusalem which is above, and the mother of us all; this Ezekiel knew-this St. John foresaw. There, we say, the saints shall be received at the resurrection, and refreshed with all spiritual good things, in compensation of whatever they have either despised or lost in this world. For 'tis but just and worthy of God, that his servants should triumph there, where they have formerly suffered for his name's sake. And this is the manner of the heavenly kingdom: After this thousand years, wherein will be finished the resurrection of the saints, to be raised sooner or later, according to their deserts; then, the destruction of the world and last conflagration being accomplished, being changed in a moment into an angelical substance, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, we shall be translated into the kingdom of heaven.' (Contra Marcion, lib. iii. cap. 24). Athenian Oracle, vol. i. pp. 282-288. Third edition, 1728.

ANSWER TO THE REV. B. C. YOUNG ON THE MILLENNIUM.

BY R. GOVETT.

CHAPTER III.

DO THE SECOND AND SEVENTH OF DANIEL DESCRIBE THE EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL?

THIS is in effect the question raised by Mr. Young's chapter on ‘The

Investiture.'

In his view, the kingdom which the God of heaven is to set up (Dan. ii. 44) is the Gospel. The saints having judgment given to them, and possessing the kingdom (Dan. vii. 22) is the Gospel. The living saints are to win the kingdom for Christ while he is in heaven. Christ's kingdom and theirs comes and lasts during the time that the previous kingdoms are existing. The kingdom of Christ and of the saints is to consist in the operation of the Holy Spirit in conjunction with his believing people, ruling in individual hearts, silently, secretly, in long tracts of time during this our day of grace. As he says himself-" Messiah's kingdom is not of this world: his subjects are conquered by truth,

moulded into obedience by a spiritual influence, and held to his throne by the cords of love." "Alexander conquered loosely by masses: Christ conquers securely by individuals." (P. 8.) "The Church will . . . . [be] a spiritual element in the social fabric, working out by its own force a new condition of society." (P. 9.)

What is his view of the Roman or fourth empire? All tyranny and evil will be put down through earth's becoming Christian. "While the coming kingdom is certainly different from its predecessors, being not of this world, it seems to point out the ascendancy of the Christian cause (m. i.) above all adverse powers, and such a social elevation of the saints as will enable them to administer justice in the earth." (P. 9, m. i.)

Now our position is the direct opposite to this. We affirm, that the prophecies, Dan. ii. and vii., cannot be fulfilled in Gospel days, but belong to a dispensation of another character altogether. The Gospel is GRACE; but the passages in these two chapters, on which we rely foretell a time of JUSTICE, by means of which, and during which, the saints are to reign together with Christ returned in person, over the earth. During Gospel days, 'tis the reign of Satan, not of the Son of Man, nor of the Son of God. Satan is the Prince of this world. (John xii. 31; xiv. 30; xvi. 11; Eph. ii. 2.) God has given up to the Gentiles the throne which He once set at Jerusalem; and his people Israel, strong in unbelief, are scattered from their land. The saints are to obey kings, and to be persecuted throughout the dispensation. We are now to pray for kings and nations, not to smite them. (1 Tim. ii. 1-3.) The Christian dispensation was a mystery, concealed not from Daniel only, but from all the Old Testament prophets. (Eph. iii. 1-9; Rom. xvi. 25-26.) We quite admit Mr. Y.'s description of the effects of the Gospel to be true; we affirm only, that the consequences of the falling stone, and of the coming Ancient of Days as depicted by Daniel, are as unlike the Gospel as anything can be.

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The germ of all the error he exhibits in this chapter of his book is found in the assumption, that verses 13 and 14 of Daniel vii. are the only ones which speak of the coming of Christ. Those verses (he says truly) cannot tell of Christ's second coming to earth; it is his being presented to the throne of the Father, in order to be invested with the kingdom over the earth. And so far we agree. When he says the scene is symbolic, we deny it. But is it not said, "One like the Son of Man?" [or 'a son of man.'] We answer, yes; but the word 'like' does not make it symbolic. A symbol is an object of sight, which is made to represent something different from itself. Salt is a symbol of friendship; a white flag is a sign of a parley or truce. When he says again, that this presentation has already taken place, we deny it. He holds rightly, that this investiture runs parallel with that of Rev. v., where the Lamb, standing before the throne of God, takes the mysterious book of seven seals. But that has not yet taken place. It cannot, while the churches last; for the throne of Rev. iv. is the throne of justice, while that to which we approach is the throne of mercy. (Heb. iv. 16.) Let us now consider what has further to be adduced under the following two heads :1. THE FOURTH EMPIRE'S LAST DAYS. 2. THE NEW DISPENSATION, as seen in—(1.) the Throne above; (2.) the Second Advent, and (3.) the Kingdom.