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Josiah Priest
(1788-1851)
View of the Expected Millennium...
(1st ed.: Albany, 1827; 6th ed 1828)

  • Title Page   Index   Introduction
  • Div. 1   Div. 2   Div. 3
  • Div. 4   Div. 5   Div. 6
  • Part 2

  • Transcriber's Comments

    •

    (This web-page is still under construction)


    Wonders of Nature (1826)  |  American Antiquities (1833)

     


    click here for high resolution image of Josiah Priest's Divine Dispensations Chart
     



    A


    VIEW


    OF  THE  EXPECTED


    CHRISTIAN  MILLENNIUM,


    WHICH IS PROMISED IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, AND IS BELIEVED
    TO BE NIGH ITS COMMENCEMENT, AND MUST
    TRANSPIRE BEFORE THE CONFLAGRATION
    OF THE HEAVENS AND THE
    EARTH


    EMBELLISHED  WITH  A  CHART,  OF  THE
    DISPENSATIONS  FROM  ABRAHAM
    TO  THE  END  OF  TIME.


    And they lived and reign'd with Christ a thousand years. -- Rev. xx. 4.
    "The time of rest, the promis'd Sabbath comes --
    Six thousand years of sorrow have well nigh
    Fulfill'd their tardy and disasterous course." -- Cowper.

    BY  JOSIAH  PRIEST.


    SIXTH EDITION.


    ALBANY:
    PUBLISHED FOR SUBSCRIBERS
    Loomis' Press.
    1 8 2 8.




     
    [ii]









    NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW-YORK, TO WIT:
     LS BE it remembered, that on the twenty-fifth day of June, in the fifty-first year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1827, Josiah Priest of the said district, hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit:
    "A view of the expected Christian Millennium, which is promised in the Holy Scriptures, and is believed to be nigh to its commencement, and must transpire before the conflagration of the heavens and the earth; embellished with a chart of the dispesations from Abraham to the end of Time. And they lived and reign'd with Christ a thousand years. -- Rev. xx. 4.
    'The time of rest, the promis'd Sabbath comes --
    Six thousand years of sorrow have well nigh
    Fulfill'd their tardy and disasterous course.' -- Cowper.
                 By Josiah Priest."     In conformity to the act of congress of the United States, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned;" and also, to the act entitled "An act supplementary to an act entitled 'An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving and etching historical and other prints."
    R. R. LANSING, Clerk of the district court 
    of the United States for the northern district of New-York.   



     



    [iii]




    I N D E X.


    1st. An account of the term Millennium, its import and meaning, . . . 13

    2d. Shall show that such a period was expected, by the proponets, the Jewish Rabbins, and doctors, as the grand ultimo of the Messiah's reign on earth -- and is now in expectancy, by the churches, according to the scripture promises, . . . 16

    3d. Shall give a view of the wonderful signs of the times which preceded the great deluge and the birth of Christ: a curious and interesting account of Herod the Great, who put to death the infants of Jerusalem. Also a minute description of the Ark, and of the animals saved in it -- proving it amply sufficient to contain all the scriptures state it did, . . . 53

    4th. Shall exhibit the signs of our own times which clearly, indicate the Millennium nigh at hand, but must be preceded, by one of its effects, of the power of the great God; such as man has not witnessed since the world began, . . . 79

    5th. Shall represent the probable state of the wicked part of mankind, just previous to the Millennium; in which division will be given an account of Rome pagan and Rome papal, which subjects are signified in the 13th and 17th chapters of Revelations, . . . 87

    6th. The way and manner considered, in which God will probably remove the wicked from the earth, that the Millennium may commence, for they shall not see that glorious sun arise, nor enter that land of promise, . . . 162

    7th. Will show when the Millennium will come, by a view of the ancient Jewish Sabbaths, an exhibition of which is exceedingly interesting, in reference to that day. And as analagous to the same point, shall present a view of natural and supernatural periodical recurrences. And shall give an illustration of the three visions in the book of Daniel as far as they refer to the time when the sanctuary shall be cleansed, or when the Millennium shall arrive, . . . 181

     



    iv                                               INDEX.                                              


    8th. An account of the first resurrection, and the subsequent happiness of all people; with which will be connected arguments to prove that all moral and natural evil shall cease a thousand years from the earth and that it was the original intention of the Creator to clothe our first parents, whether they stood or fell, 050

    9th Division embraces a position that man when he fell, lost his extraordinary power or government over the animal kingdom, and became exposed to their natural fury, but in the Millennium shall recover his government again, 1187

    10th Division contains arguments to prove, that neither the disposition nor death of the animal creation was affected by man's fall into sin, as is believed by many, but the true reason of their (zzzle,-tth is assigned, 299

    11th. The sentiment which embraces the opinion, that all the animal creation shall arise from the dead, to be remunerated for their sufferings, which by some is said to be occasioned by the sin of man, zzzreflited, . . . 305

    12th Division exhibits a view of the vast multiplication of mankind during the Millennium, and of their political state: also who they are who will attempt to make war upon the camp of the saints, called Gog and Magog; and why Satan must be loosed for a little season after the Millennium is passed by: and in what manner it is likely they will attempt their attack of the saints, . . . 316

    l3th Division embraces a view of the resurrection of the wicked dead after the Millennium, and their miserable condition; and endeavours a description of the earth's dissolution, and in what manner the elements will, operate on each other, so that a general conflagration may take place, and what shall be its final end, . . . 348

    14th Division embraces a view of the promised new creation, which is to succeed the destruction of this system. "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things new." Rev. xxi. 5, . . . 366



     



    [ v ]




    INTRODUCTION.


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

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

    These opinions were founded upon the 90th chapter of Revelation, from the first to the sixth verse inclusive, and were understood by the ancient Millennarians in the literal sense, who taught, that during the Millennium, the saints on the earth were to enjoy every bodily delight, consistent with innocence and holiness. This opinion is undoubtedly correct, but that Christ will personally dwell on the earth with his saints, who are to remain after the first resurrection a thousand years, is not promised; therefore, in that expectation



     


    vi                                                   INTRODUCTION.                                                  
    they were not correct. Though the promise in the sixth verse of the 20th chapter of Revelation, is, that the saints "shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years," yet I do not understand thereby, that the person of Christ must necessarily become visible on the earth during the thousand years. If Christ is the only wise God, and has all power, consequently he reigns in an omniscient sense, not only here, but in all worlds; therefore, when his gospel in our earth shall have gotten the victory, it will not be required, in order that the promise in the sixth verse may be fulfilled, that Christ must be personally with his saints on the earth, but in his spiritual presence only -- the saints being in perfect agreement with his holiness and government, are therefore said, by the spirit of prophecy, to reign with Christ during that peculiar term, a thousand years. The opinion of the fathers, both Jewish and Christian, and others, that Jerusalem is again to be rebuilt in the time of the Millennium, for the comfort and glory of the saints, is founded doubtless on the 43th chapter of Ezekiel's prophecy, to which the reader can refer. But this opinion will not bear the test of the most inferior criticism; because the saints, during the Millennium, will have corporeal bodies as well as now, and therefore must occupy space. From which it is at once evident, that if the whole land of Palestine shall become one continued city for the accommodation of the saints, it will be found insufficient to contain them. The whole land of Judea, embracing the ancient grant of that country to Abraham, does not encompass a greater space, than two hundred and fifty miles in length by one hundred and fifty in width, which space, if occupied as closely as the city of New-York, would not be capable of containing a greater population than about five hundred and one millions. Ancient Palestine, if it were one continued city, would be only about three thousand times as large as New-York, which is but a little short of three miles by six, if it were thrown into a parallelogram form; consequently would be as incapable of containing all the saints in the Millennium as the city of London would be of accommodating the population of the globe at the present time.

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



     


                                                      INTRODUCTION.                                                 vii.


    are assembled at one place? who shall till the earth? But in reference to the meaning of that chapter, to which the reader is referred, as above, it is more rational to suppose, with Dr. Clark, and others of great eminence, who have written upon this subject before his time, that the whole description given by Ezekiel should be understood as signifying the most glorious state of the Christian church over the interior glory and darker dispensation of the Old Testament times. This sentiment certainly agrees better with the remark of Christ to the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." St John. iv. 24. All that was embraced in the Mosaic sacrifices, the temple of Solomon, with its ceremonies, were only descriptive of some good thing to come in the dispensations of the expected Messiah. If the Jews are to be brought in with the fulness of the Gentiles, what, therefore, can a Jew promise himself by returning to Jerusalem? I confess I cannot see any ostensible, reason. If the Mosaic dispensation be again restored, then there would be a reason for their return; but it is a well known fact, that Jesus Christ has made an end of all that first system of worship, which related wholly to the higher revelation of the gospel.

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

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



     


    viii.                                            INTRODUCTION.                                                                


    shall in spirit and in truth worship the Father in every place -- so shall his will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. If any can prove that there is a necessity that the Mosaic economy must be revived, that the Messiah's kingdom may be facilitated on the earth, then we might, yea, ought to believe, that the Jews shall again rebuild their ancient cities, and dwell in the mountains of Israel. But as we know that system, once glorious in its place, shall never be revived, so neither is there any reason why the Jews must again be restored to their country rather than to any other on the globe. There is, however, a degree of probability, halt zzzi f tt,,c-, Ottoman power shall be broken, and such government as may stand in their place should not oppose them, the Jews who dwell in the Turkish countries, may go to Jerusalem, because it is the Land of their fathers. But if such shall be their disposition, and it is ever accomplished, how is this to further their conversion to Christianity? It would, in my opinion, rather retard than jasten it; because a revival of the Mosaic laws, with all its ceremonies, is the nastiest aim of the Jews in all the world. But if they receive the gospel, and accept of the Messiah of Nazareth in those countries where they now are dwelling, their restoration will in this way be accomplished, and the prophecies fulfilled, which respect their return in a spiritual sense, when both Jew and Gentile shall by the gospel be changed to what the Saviour and St. Paul designated as the constituent qualifications of a real Israelite or Jew.

    4th. Some Millennarians have supposed, because Christ said on a certain occasion to his twelve disciples, that they should sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, that the Apostles shall thus sit judging the twelve tribes of Israel during the Millennium, See Matth. 19, 08. "And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in the zzzregene-i-,ttion, Fallen the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye who shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

    Their arguments are, that the Apostles never on the earth enjoyed that promise, and must, therefore, sit on those thrones in the Millennium. But this surely is easily otherwise interpreted; for, observe, this was to take place wheat the Sort of Man should it in the throne of his glory. When, therefore, did he commence



     


                                                          INTRODUCTION.                                           ix.


    this sitting in the throne of his glory? I answer, immediately after his ascension from earth to heaven. A few days only, therefore, had elapsed, when, after that event, the twelveApostles ascended their promised thrones. But how? I answer, in the following manner: After the resurrection of our Lord, (see Luke 24, 49) he said to the twelve, "But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." This very power with which they were to be endowed, was accomplished on them, when, on the day of Pentecost, after his ascension, the Holy Ghost descended and sat on them in the form of eleven tongues of fire. This was their exaltation to the promised thrones, when they received power to preach the gospel understandingly, which, till then, they had not fully comprehended This was their exaltation to the thrones of the Apostolic power, to preach the gospel to every creature, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, in confirmation of it, and to establish a new system instead of the old. This was their exaltation to the twelve promised thrones, to have power to pull down the old system of Mosaic sacrifices, and now useless observances; to confound the Jews in argument, as did St. Stephen, and to denounce judgment against them -- thus judging the twelve tribes of Israel, because they rejected the true Messiah.

    5th. Some have thought that the judgment day is to take place at the end of the next century, or when the earth shall be 6000 years old from the creation, and ttiat,@ifterwards the MilleDpiUM is to succeed. But certainly neither of these positions can be true; because we have no warrant, either in reason or from the Scriptures, to believe, that Satan is to be loosed from his prison, and to trouble the saints after the judgment day. But that the Millennium shall transpire before the general judgment, there is abundant proof. See Rev. 20.

    6th. Others have supposed that all the righteous Jews, patriarchs and prophets, are to possess the land of Canaan after their resurrection from the dead. They allege, as a reason, that the ex tent of the promised land was never possessed by them, and, therefore, must yet be literally fulfilled in the Millennium. But it appears to me, that land is of little worth to such as have tasted of the higher bliss of a heavenly state; and further, the sentiment would seem to compel the spirits of just men made zzzperfvq



     


    x.                                                 INTRODUCTION.                                                       
    to an alarming retrograde of being, from a heavenly state back to an earthly one.

    7th. Some Millennarians have imagined that Elijah the prophet is yet to come, as a forerunner of the Messiah's second advent. They disallow that John the Baptist was Elijah, because, say they, he did not do the work foretold of him by Malachi, "which was to turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers." Mal. iv. 6. This work is supposed by them will be accomplished by the real Elijah, when he comes as a forerunner of the second advent of Christ. But that opinion has its refutation in the assertion of Christ, who well knew whether John the Baptist was Elias or not. "But I say unto YOU, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed." Matth. xvii. 13.

    8th. It has been supposed by some, that when the judgment day shall arrive, that it will continue a thousand years, and at the same time the Millenium is to commence, and also to continue the same length of time. But how can these two amazing eras in the destinies of the living and the dead, the holy and the unholy, be blended together? It appears to me that such an arrangement would destroy the perfection of both a judgment day and a Millennium -- for the latter would necessarily be mingled with the terrors and horrors of the former; and, consequently, would have a mitigating effect, while the former would distress and disturb the mold influences of the latter; so that each would act on the other in a paralyzing manner, and render them totally migratory as to effecting the purposes for which both are appointed, and in their proper and distinct Places will surely take place.

    9th. An opinion has been entertained, that the symbolical river which Ezekiel saw in a vision iSSIliDa out from under the eastern gate of the temple, shall be fulfilled by the breaking forth of a literal river of very salubrious water in the country of Palestine zzz-if, er the temple is rebuilt; @ilid is to have its commenceyyiei)t at that temple, and is to flow down through the desert country into the sea. This river, says that opinion, is to furnish the inhabitants with fishes of the most excellent kinds, by its liealiing the ocean wherever it shall mix with that of the seas. But I believe the text, which is Ezekiel, chap. 47, verse 9, furnishes no ground for the supposition, that the fishes there alluded to are art; such is



     


                                                      INTRODUCTION.                                                  xi.


    a literal ocean produces; but as the ocean, or vast bodies of water, are taken to represent multitudes, nations and people, en-masse, so the mention of fishes in that verse signify individual persons, and the river itself represents the light of revelation from heaven during the four great dispensations, from Abraham till the end of the next century, which is four thousand years. See the Chart, and also the Second Division of this book, for a more enlarged view of that significant river.

    10. Some Millennarians have thought that the saints and martyrs, at the time of the first resurrection, will arise from the dead and remain on the earth, for no hi-her purpose than to possess and exercise a secular dominion over the nations. I know of no Scripture which favours such all opinion, except the following Rev. 5, 10. 11 And zzzbast malde us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign oil the earth." But this I understand as spoken by way of anticipation, and contains a prophecy, tl)-,it finally the Christian cause should triumph on the zzzc,@tith. And further, it may signify that which every Christian knows to be a fact, namely, that when Christ has set up Iii,,i kin-,Joii-i in the lieavt of a believer, that he is at once free from the zzzi-eigi)iiiu power of sin, and whereas he once was a slave to this monster, he now zzzha,, the victory, through the power of Him in whom he has believed; therefore, of such an one it may be said, lie reigns on the earth. But, I conclude, the verse alludes to the Millennial state, as anticipating its glories, but not as retaining the righteous dead after their resurrection, to share in a state of things, though glorious for the time being, but infinitely short of the undescribed glory the saints shall possess after their resurrection, which will certainly unfit them for any degree of bliss this side of heaven itself; but the saints, who, at the time of the first resurrection, are alive, are they who shall have this victory, and shall reign on the earth.

    There is another verse, which, at first sight, perhaps, might suggest the foregoing idea, namely, a reign of the righteous dead on the earth. See Rev. zzz00, latter clause of verse zzz.4. 11 Neither had received his mark upon their forehead, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." But in this we observe there is no promise that the righteous dead, of whom it is spoken, are to reign zzzoti, the earth at all; buti simply are to reign with Christ a thousand years and signifies, that while, till living



     


    xii.                                                  INTRODUCTION.                                                  
    saints on the earth are reigning in the Millennial state a thousand years, so they in heaven shall reign with Christ till the thou- sand years are finished, at which time the church below and above shall be for ever united in glory.

    Having given a variety of opinions concerning the Christian Millennium, of both ancient and modern times, I proceed to present the humble views of the author of this book. He does not attempt any explication of the prophecies, farther than such portions of the sacred word as strictly relate to the Millennium, and the period of its commencement, the manner of its introduction, the consequences which will follow both its approach and consummation, as well as the glories and happiness of the saints during the interim of a thousand years.

    As I have said nothing particularly in this work respecting the great battle of Armageddon, as hinted at in Rev. 16, 16, "And he gathered them together into a place, called, in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon" –- I will just observe, that it will probably consist of an universal civil war, occasioned by the diffusion of republican politics. The charms of popular government have zzzsmiled from the face of America as front the face of an angel, and filled many countries with an inextinguishable desire to shake off all monarchical authority. Two vast parties already exist, and their interests consist in the one upholding the fancied rights of kings, while the other more righteously aims at revolution -- which will not be brought about but by the pouring out of blood. The word "Armageddon" or "chormahgedelion," signifies a great destruction of armies gathered together for battle; and when it shall be fought, it is not unreasonable to suppose truth will be the victor, when the subject shall be for ever at rest.

    There are some however, who believe that this great battle will be realized not many years hence, occasioned by a collision of religious sectarian interests. But the present charitable conduct of the different churches toward each other, argues a vastly different consequence. Others suppose that infidelity under various forms of profession, will league together for the destruction of all real Christianity; -- this is even possible, and while civil war on the subject of government may be prosecuting, infidelity may then endeavour a destruction of religion -- See Appendix page 400.



     

    [ 13 ]





    THE EXPECTED CHRISTIAN MILLENNIUM.


    FIRST  DIVISION.

    The word Millennium -- its meaning and sanctity.

    The thousand promised years we soon shall see,
    When earth in righteousness shall whelmed be --
    And men with heaven shall then familiar grow,
    When sighs and cries shall ever cease to flow.

    The word Millennium is descriptive of a lapse of centuries, consisting of ten, and is derived from its antecedent Millenary, or a thousand years. The word is not found in the Scriptures, but seems, by a unanimous consent of the Churches from early ages, to have been, by way of anticipation, applied to that thousand years in which it is believed the Christ of God shall really and positively be believed in by all nations of the earth. And that he shall reign triumphant, leaving subdued all opposition to His government, and destroyed all the works of the devil, a jubilee shall succeed, a holy sabbath, a rest of the globe, which has these thousands of years been torn in the tumultuous sea of the corruptions and depravity of men. Its sanctity shall consist in the total absence of all evil, both moral and natural. The evils which now afflict, shall not then be known at all. There shall not then be any wars,



     


    14                                     EXPECTED CHRISTIAN MILLENNIUM.                                    


    strife among nations shall cease a thousand years. All evil passions, coveteousness, cruelty, luxury, ambition, pride, vanity, wrath, self-will, haughtiness, treachery. conceitedness, hatred, malice, envy -- these shall not then exist. There shall he none poor, nor rich; none sick, nor in affliction of any kind. There shall be no crying nor sighing, nor death, nor any that lack knowledge, such as heaven approves. The knowledge of this world, which is now mixed, in many instances, with much imperfection, yet is come at by intense application and slow degrees, which, however useful at the present time, are but so many proofs, that man is fallen, and benumbed by the paralyzing power of sin But then he shall awake, shall be recovered from this opiate delirium, and shall possess knowledge by intuition, as Adam unquestionably did before his full. A necessity for the administration of human government will be totally superseded by the effects of righteousness, which shall then cover the earth "as the waters cover the face of the great deep." Such, then, the sanctity of that day; the great jubilee of heaven on earth; the expectation of the Church, which is founded in the Scriptures of truth. In that inimitable prayer which God our Saviour taught his disciples, this expectation is plainly recognized, inasmuch as he said, when ye pray, say "Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy WILL be done on earth as it is done in Heaven." Who will disputebut his will is done in heaven by every individual; so we should pray, expect and believe it will be done on earth. If then it is possible, in the economy of grace.



     


                                        EXPECTED CHRISTIAN MILLENNIUM.                                     15


    that God's will shall be done on earth as it is done in heaven, what may we not expect that is not glorious, happifying and divine? If there is no sin in heaven, neither shall there then be sin on earth -- is there no death there, neither on earth -- is there no poverty nor imbecility of intellect in heaven, then on earth there shall be none, for these things are the effects of sin.

    Victory shall be obtained on the wry ground where the adversary, for so many ages, has triumphed over the once perfect man. He shall be restored, therefore, to his primitive happiness, in respect to the presence or the approach of any evil.

    Anciently, before the time of the Messiah, the doctrine of a resurrection of the human body was But obscurely understood or believed: a few only seem to have had a tolerable idea of such a thing; but the Saviour demonstrated the fact.

    So in reference to a Millennium, as yet many see this thing as it were through a glass darkly; but the power of Christ can, and will demonstrate, that he is able to accomplish it, as well as a resurrection of the human body. And there is not a doubt to be indulged, but he will commence the Millennium by a resurrection of all the dead in Christ, for it is written, they "shall rise first," and also, "blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection." But I forbear, at this stage of the subject, to enter farther into a view of the glories of that day, but shall, in the proper place, attempt to do so, which will more fully establish the expected sanctity and effects of that emancipating jubilee.


     

    [ 16 ]





    SECOND  DIVISION.


    Will show, that such a period was expected by the Prophets, the Jewish Rabbins and Doctors, as the grand ultimo of the Messiah's reign on earth, and in all ages has been the expectation of the Christian Churches, as well as of Christendom at the present time, according to the Scripture promises.

    As from the bubbling fount on Eden's plaint,
    Four rivers pour'd their floods to the four winds --
    So once the Prophet saw, beneath the temple's door,
    A broader river flow, and sweeter waters pour.
    This glorious and eventful day has been expected, both of Jews and Christians, in every age since the days of Abraham, to whom was made a promise, that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed.

    There cannot well arise a doubt, but the prophet Ezekiel had a view of the increase of the MESSIAH'S kingdom, and of the Millennium, in his notable vision of the temple, which he saw an angel measure, who has marked with great precision the progress of the knowledge of God in the earth, by the description he has given of it, under the similitude of water, or a great and flowing river, to which the grace of salvation is often compared in the Scriptures of truth. See Rev. xxii. 1, 2. where the same idea is corroborated, "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God



     


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    and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and which yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." This last idea of the verse (the healing of the nations) establishes the fact, that this river relates to the earth, and not to eternity, as some suppose.

    I will give the quotation verbatim, from Ezekiel 47th Chap, from the 1st to the 8th verse inclusive, upon which I build the sentiment, that this view which he had in the vision, of the waters coming out from under the eastern gate of the temple, has a definite allusion to the kingdom of the Messiah, and the progress of a knowledge of his salvation, in both the Jewish and Christian Churches.

    Verse 1st. -- "Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the fore-front of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.

    Verse 2d. -- "Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the outer gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

    Verse 3d. -- "And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ancles.



     


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    Verse 4th. -- "Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.

    Verse 5th. -- "Afterward he measured a thousand and it was a river that I could not pass over; for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.

    Verse 6th. -- "And he said unto me, Son of man hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.

    Verse 7th. -- "Now, when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

    Verse 8th. -- "Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea; which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed." The first discovery of these waters by the prophet was under the threshold of the eastern gate of the temple, from whence they gently issued, which are to be understood as referring to what God revealed to Abraham concerning the way of salvation, when he thrust him out from the house of his father, Terah, the Syrian, to go, he knew not whither.

    "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that 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 shall be a blessing." -- Gen. xii, 1. 2.



     


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    To these promises, therefore, the issuing of this gentle stream of water from under the gate of the temple refers; and also to the promise made to the woman, that of her seed there should arise One who would bruise the serpent's head, which promise is now renewed to Abraham, that in him shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

    The vision of this temple and waters, is a symbol of the plan of salvation, which none but God could suggest; and comprehends at a glance, the law, the sacrifices, and the Gospel, with its concomitant glory and final spread over the globe.

    The angel, therefore, when he began his measurement, had his eye fixed on Abraham, and those promises of God, as being the threshold, or door of hope, from whence he began to measure this river of life.

    The angel who showed these things to the prophet, had in his hand a measuring line, and measured from the threshold of the gate, along the course of the stream a thousand cubits, at the end of which the waters were found as deep as to the ancles.

    From this place he again measured a thousand cubits, at the end of which, the waters were as deep as to the knees.

    From thence, he again measured a thousand cubits, and the waters were as deep as to the loins.

    And from this he continued to measure another thousand cubits, at the end of which the waters had become a great river, in which one might swim, but too wide to pass over.

    From this place the river continued its course, and



     


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    I passed down in the desert, and from thence into the sea, whose waters shall be healed, thereby causing a great multitude of fish to be brought forth.

    The sea here mentioned, is a symbol of nations, multitudes, and tongues.

    See Revelations, chapter xvii. verse 15. -- "And he saith unto me. The waters which thou sawest, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues;" who shall be the subjects of the healing power of these waters, whose numbers and extent of country are compared to a sea or an ocean, covering the whole earth; for, observe, it is too great, and too wide, and too deep, to be passed over at all.

    In attempting to give an exposition of those verses, which inform us of the conduct of the angel, who measured with a line this river, by cubits, a thousand at a time, I shall assume the positions of adapting the measurement of this river to the measurement of time, as referring to distinct dispensations of God's providence, in revealing, from time to time, and from age to age, to the Patriarchs, Prophets and Apostles, and to his Church, in every age, his purposes of grace in the earth.

    My desire in so doing is, to trace these waters, or this river, through the various periods of its measurement, to where they are represented by the prophet, so enlarged and extended, as to present to the view of such as look for the coming of Christ on earth spiritually, one universal ocean of His glory and holiness among men, which, when accomplished, is called the Millennium.



     


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    From sacred chronology, it appears that Abraham, the great Patriarch of the tribes of Judah and Israel, was born two thousand years (lacking four) before Christ, and two thousand and eight years after the creation, (three hundred and fifty-two after the flood) which brings the life of Abraham half way between the creation and the advent of Jesus Christ.

    Inasmuch, therefore, as God begins with Abraham more fully to disclose his good purpose towards man than he had previously done, it becomes the prophet to view Abraham as the threshold of the gate of that temple, from under which the fountain of this river proceeds, and accordingly the angel commences to measure the river at that place, in company with the prophet.

    The method pursued to measure this very extraordinary river, which is noticed in many other parts of he Scriptures, is singular and interesting. It would seem this glorious angel laboured to impress the mind of the prophet, that as he had measured this river by cubits, so must be measured the several dispensations of the increase of the knowledge of God in the earth, till it shall become embosomed in the great sea of universal holiness. These cubits cannot be understood to signify any thing else but years; a thousand cubits, herefore, mean a thousand years. And as illustrative of this opinion, we will notice, that the present mode of measuring latitudes and longitudes on the surface of the earth, to ascertain degrees and distances, is very similar to the way the angel adopted to measure that river. His cubits were the symbols of years, as our



     


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    minutes are the symbols of miles: and as seconds are the integral parts of a minute, which by the astronomer is used as a symbol for a mile, so are inches the integral parts of a cubit, which by the prophet is here used as a symbol for a year.

    The first measurement, therefore, of the first thousand cubits, is considered a grand symbol of a thousand years, and extends from Abraham to the building of the first temple at Jerusalem by Solomon, which was finished exactly at the end of three thousand years from the creation; and is, therefore, a thousand years, lacking a mere fraction, from the birth of Abraham till this house was finished.

    During this thousand cubits or years, God gave to Abraham several glorious and gracious promises respecting the Messiah, who should come into the world through his lineage. These promises were made to him by the everlasting God, through the medium of supernatural vision. See Gen. xv. 12. "And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abraham; and, lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him." And also at verses 17 and 18 it is said, "And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In that same day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham."

    The Lord also, in a supernatural way, gave to Abraham a son, when both he and his wife were past the time of life, and also supernaturally preserved that son from death by the intervention of an angel's voice, who cried from the air just above where he was bound on Mount Moriah to be slain and sacrificed.



     


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    And to Isaac, Jacob was given, to whom God also conversed in vision. See Gen. xxviii. 12, 13, 14. "And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the 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 in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed."

    And to Jacob was given the twelve patriarchs who went down into Egypt where Moses was born, and from thence the whole nation of the Jews, consisting of about three millions of souls, journeyed towards the country of the Canaanites. During this journey, the whole nation were carried as it were upon the wings of a great eagle; for God divided the Red Sea and let them pass over safe to the other shore.

    At this place also, the angel of the covenant stood between the two hosts in the form of a pillar of cloud. That side which looked towards the Egyptians, had the appearance of blackness or darkness, which involved their whole army in the shades of night. But that side which looked toward ms people, the Jews, shone with the brilliancy of a lambent flame, and gave them light till the morning rose, when it again assumed its cloudy aspect.

    From this sea, in the process of years they came to Mount Horeb, at which place the angel of the covenant,



     


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    who is Christ, came down on that Mount in great glory and with terrible thunderings, and gave his people a law of righteousness.

    A lapse of not many years after the giving of the law, Moses stood on the top of Mount Pisgah, and from thence he saw the promised land, the land of his forefathers. At this place he died, and was hid in a valley of the mountain.

    To him succeeded the government of Joshua, who led the armies of Israel from conquering to conquest, till all Canaan was subjected to his arms.

    To Joshua succeeded the government of the elders, who had known him, and to them that of the judges, till the time of Samuel, the prophet, who anointed Saul, a Benjamite, to be king over Israel.

    And next to Saul came David, the king, to whose throne Solomon was exalted: who built the first temple, which Ezekiel in his vision saw spiritualized, when the angel measured the temple, and showed him the waters of salvation, which come out from under its eastern gate.

    Thus far has this descriptive and supernatural river of revelation flowed, whose waters are found at the temple as deep as to the ancles.

    If the disciples of Christ, who, after being a long time with Him, who spake as never man spake, and had seen that he was raised from the dead after his crucifixion, and had heard the Saviour say, "My kingdom is not of this world," yet could say after all this, to their risen Lord, "Wilt thou not at this time restore the kingdom?" Which question evinced extreme



     


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    ignorance of the nature of the Messiah's kingdom. I say, if such ignorance was manifest, even among the Saviour's disciples, at that time, it may, therefore, with great propriety be said, that a knowledge of this river of life was only as deep as to the ancles, in the days of Solomon.

    Here, then, at Jerusalem, by the means of Solomon, did God build a house of prayer for his saints, and in the midst of opposing nations, establish the worship of himself; and here is finished the first measurement of the first thousand cubits or years.

    From this house and downward, these waters became more profluent; for, from the mouths of prophets and kings, flowed abundance of these healing waters of revelation, who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

    Thus by the angel is measured a second thousand cubits, or years, which, from the finishing of the temple, brings this river to the advent of Christ, in the year of the world 4000, zzz at which place, according to the prophet, the waters were only as deep as to the knees of a man.

    But some have supposed, that at this place, it should be considered, that this river of healing acquired its greatest magnitude and width.

    But not so; because its effects, as relates to the whole world, were then but partially commenced, nor were the days of miracles yet ceased, but continued three hundred years after, till the time that the Roman emperor, Constantine, became converted from heathenism to the Gospel.



     


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    The history of the Church from Christ till Constantine, furnishes many wonderful accounts of miracles being granted to confirm the character of Christianity in the view of a heathen world. On these accounts therefore, this river cannot be contemplated at the birth of Christ, such as Ezekiel saw it, in his vision, which was, at the time of the fourth measurement of the cubits, a great river, which could not be passed over, so wide it had spread its waters, in his view, through the nations of fallen men.

    But from the birth of Christ, at Bethlehem of Judea, these waters became more redundant; for, the ministry of the Messiah, the calling of his disciples, his death, and resurrection from the dead, and ascension to glory, the gift of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, and the subsequent preaching and success of the Gospel, by the Apostles, greatly enlarged the glory of this river of life.

    But its waters are now more frequently stained with the blood of martyrs; the Jews persecuted Christ, in his disciples, till God, in his holy wrath, cut them off by the Romans, and Destroyed them, as a government, from among the nations.

    But from a knowledge obtained, that, in the siege of Jerusalem, by Titus, not one Christian lost his life on this account, the Gospel became more popular and less persecuted, for a while, by which means it was preached in many countries with power and great success, and thus became a river as deep as to the loins of a man, and poured itself over many parts of the Gentile nations. Asia Minor and Greece, the



     


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    continent and Isles of Europe, became its recipients, till the times of the dark ages, when the Roman Catholic superstitions covered and obscured the face of this river, as with Egyptian darkness, for the space of a little more than four hundred years. In the days of Constantine the great, Emperor of Rome, and his immediate successors, the Pagan religion of the Romish empire was -abolished, and Christianity took its place. From those times, and downward, the system of Christianity was more and more corrupted by the fooleries of a papal domination, till the year one thousand, at which time a total darkness, a universal eclipse of Gospel knowledge pervaded all countries. However, there were undoubtedly many who feared God in humble life, such as the Moravians, and all along these ages, though but little known.

    From the time Constantine, the Roman Emperor, became a Christian, which was in the year A. D. 306, or a little before, we number a succession from Pope Marcellus till Pope Sylvester II. in the year A. D. 1000, of one hundred and six Popes; among whom, in the year A. D. 851 was the famous female Pope, Joan, who filled the papal chair two years. Here, then, is a most frightful chasm in this rope of sand, which the spiders of the Roman Catholic Church have spun, called a legal succession, which they are very fond of climbing: and holding fast to this, they dangle about in the light of the strange fire of their own kindling.

    Also, from the year 1000, till 1460, there are numbered down to Pope Pious II. seventy-two. And from



     


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    him, till 1824, when the last Pope was elected, are forty-two more, making in all, from Constantine, two hundred and twenty Popes.

    From the birth of Christ, therefore, till the time oi the commencement of that great darkness, was the third thousand cubits, or years, according to the measurement of the angel, in Ezekiel's vision.

    But as soon as these years of darkness were passed by, and the mist and smoke of the bottomless pit were blown away by the winds of Heaven, this glorious river was again seen to disembogue, from beneath those mountains of error and wickedness, with augmented force and majesty.

    About this time, (before the time of Luther) the Beghards and Lollards, of glorious memory, began to stir up some of the remaining sparks of the hallowed fire; and travelling over several countries, discipled many to their opinions, sowing the good seed, which finally eventuated in the great reformation. This reformation, to truth, under God, was first promoted by the following illustrious and ever memorable ministers of the new covenant. METHODIUS, and CYRIL, two Monks, or Ministers of the Greek Church or, as it is expressed in the history, two Greek Monks. These were the founders of the Moravian Churches in Bohemia and Moravia, but were afterwards associated with the followers of John Huss. History gives the account, that this people and Church in Bohemia, in the year 1459, made a settlement, at a certain place near Celesta, a hilly, and undoubtedly wilderness country; and that they there cast off all superstitious ceremonies. and worshipped God in primitive simplicity.



     


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    But the historian states, that the beginning of this Church displeased the devil. They were, consequently, persecuted by the Romanists, and were compelled to disperse among the mountains, in the depths of winter. And in order to prevent themselves from being tracked in the snow by their persecutors, they used to walk one behind the other, arid the hindermost of them to haul the bough of a tree along to obscure their track. It appears that this people were horribly persecuted and destroyed, and all their ministers taken away, so that they were, in this respect, destitute. But they assembled at a place in the mountains, and there chose, by common suffrage, certain persons whom they called elders. This thing being done at the several places, those persons so elected formed a synod, at a place in the wilderness, where they ordained ecclesiastical laws, by which they were to be governed.

    But the question arose, what shall we do for ministers? but after debate it was resolved that they would inquire of the Lord, by casting the lot, whether a presbyter could ordain a presbyter without a bishop. And after seeking to the Lord, by prayer, fasting, and tears, they obtained, as they supposed, from Him, by scrutiny of the lot, a decision that it was lawful for a presbyter to ordain presbyters, and thus secure to the next generation a Gospel ministry. Thus did the Moravians, whose conduct proves, that their idea of succession was not by them esteemed as absolutely essential to constitute a legal ministry.

    It appears that these Moravians were a similar kind of Christians with the Waldenses; for at this time,



     


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    they had in common council agreed to become joined with each other, and so become one Church; but were, by the papist's persecutions, prevented at that time. The premeditated union appears to have been amicably desired by both the Moravians and Waidenses.

    After these, came the famous Wickliffe, and next to him came Jerome of Prague, in 1414, and these, not long after, were followed by Martin Luther, who vfas aided by the amiable and able Melancthon. And in 1525, a Lutheran establishment was erected throughout a greater part of the German Empire, and the yoke of Rome broken off.

    But to these were added, in following years, Calvin, Erasmus, Cranmer, Lambert, Coverdale, Hooper, Rogers, and a host of others, who are now in the heavens above, who aided in shaking off from the consciences of deceived men, the chains of hell, which had been imposed by mercenary wretches, in the form of councils, conclaves, and conventions.

    But by the labours, preaching, sufferings, and martyrdoms of many, a great and effectual door was opened, through which this healing and saving river, poured again its glorious and widening flood upon the nations.

    These, as so many commanders of as many fleets, rode sublimely upon the pelucid waters of this river of life, which was now become a river, in which thousands might swim; waters which could not be passed; which is, in fact, the very river that is now pouring its healing flood over all countries, at the present time,



     


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    and is carrying its light, life and health, to these very desert places, seen of Ezekiel, in the vision, and healing them of their vanities, and will eventually flow into the great sea of the Millennium, when righteousness shall cover the earth, as the waters do the great deep, and all the fishes, i. e. all the inhabitants of the earth shall be righteous.

    Here, the multitudes of the deep, their different species and kinds, are used by the prophet as symbols to represent the different kinds of men, who are distinguished from each other by their stature, shape, complexion, language and manners. And as the great sea is the habitation of the former, according to their kinds; so is the dry land that of the latter, according to their kinds. Now, as an immense river, possessing salubrious qualities, of the highest possible degree, is here supposed as flowing into a vast ocean of stagnant and unhealthy waters, which is thereby healed and made more prolific, and the fishes of that ocean become better in consequence; therefore, such a supposed river is taken by the prophet as a symbol of the river of life, which he saw had begun to flow at Abraham, and from thence was enlarging, and would continue to enlarge, till its golden waves should finally dash over all the face of the globe, as once the great deluge overwhelmed it, and was, probably, a type of that event. Thus shall be healed, (agreeing with the symbol) all nations whom these waters shall finally embrace, as the ocean does its fishes. To this sense, agrees the 10th verse of the 47th Chapter of Ezekiel, latter clause. "Their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the



     


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    fish of the great sea, exceeding many," so that whatever description of men, with respect to stature, language, or manners, who may then exist, are eligible to the sanctifying effects of this water of salvation. So cried the Lord Jesus, when once at a feast of the Jews, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink," and again, "The water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life." Thus we argue, that if a portion of this river shall be in the soul of each saint, "a well of water springing up into everlasting life," then indeed, there will exist the integral parts of a sea of righteousness, in all such as have part in the Millennium. And as particles of water are the integral parts> of an ocean, when amalgamated together, so will be each individual saint, at that day, an integral part of that sea of righteousness, which is to cover the globe, as the waters do the great deep.

    "And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh." -- Ez. xlvii. 9.

    And thus was finished the fourth measurement of the river, which was, from the beginning of those years of darkness above noticed, and was found to be a thousand cubits, or years, from thence, to where these waters became spread into many rivers, encompassing the whole earth with their glorious flood, as once the general deluge covered the globe fifteen cubits and upwards above all hills.



     


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    We have now followed the angel, and the prophet who saw this river measured, from the fountain to the sea, and believe it applies with great beauty and fitness to the four dispensations; namely, from Abraham to the finishing of the first temple by Solomon; from thence to the birth of Christ; from Christ to the beginning of the dark ages; and from that period to the end of the next century, when the Millennium will commence; which will exactly accomplish the four dispensations from Abraham till that time, so distinctly shown to the prophet, as comprehending four thousand cubits, or years.

    Having now presented the reader with the prophet's views, which I presume to call his expectations of the universal glory and knowledge of the Messiah's kingdom, O shall next proceed to adduce other evidence, that the Jews expected such a day, found in the writings of their Rabbins, whose expectations of it seem very clear.

    But before I proceed with these, I shall notice the eleventh verse of the same Chapter, where the prophet Ezekiel has given his account of the above noticed river. The verse is as follows: "But the miry places thereof, and the marshes thereof, shall not be healed, they shall be given to salt." From which it is evident that Ezekiel saw, in his vision, that there would be some place's whither this great river should not flew, called marshes and miry places. This, at first sight, would seem an objection to the doctrine intended to be promulgated in this work, namely, that the water ot the river of gospel life shall flow over the whole earth. This difficulty we proceed to remove.



     


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    The promise is, that whithersoever the waters of this river shall come, every thing that liveth shall be healed: but where they do not flow, they will not heal. It is a well known fact, that Papal Rome is now, and has ever been, more impervious to the rays of true gospel light, than even the veriest heathen who have yet been visited. It is not contained in the promise of the healing effects of this river, that it shall at all flow over the miry and marshy places, but it shall heal only where it shall come, and is received and believed in; for faith is the only condition of salvation which is ever accompanied with works corresponding.

    It is no argument that Papal Rome has at all received the Gospel, because they are numbered among Christian nations, and the reason why is, because they have perverted its truths, and turned the grace of God into lasciviousness, by the numerous idle and abominable inventions of that deluded people.

    Papal Rome, then, and its vile sanctuaries, are the miry and marshy places which shall not be healed, because they do now steadfastly resist the light, by preventing the Scriptures having a free circulation among thorn; except in their own mutilated manner, and those in Latin.

    Heathen countries are zzzfoiuid by the Scriptures, poor, blind, naked, and ignorant; therefore, they are eligible to its teachings.

    But the Roman Catholics it finds already wise in their own conceits; therefore, they remain blind and unhealed, because they say they see, and are in no need of additional light, nor of a physician.



     


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    But if this river of life is to envelope the whole earth, and to extend its influence to all people, why then shall not these marshy places be healed? how can this thing be, if all people are to be righteous? The mystery of these marshy places being given to salt, is to be explained as follows:

    In all ages, or rather in ancient times, it was a custom with conquerors, when they had razed a city to the ground, to sow it with salt, as a token of total and everlasting ruin. This custom is undoubtedly alluded to by the prophet, in this place, when he saw, in vision, these miry places given to salt. Papal Rome, must therefore be destroyed by the direct power of God, before the time of the Millennium shall come, which he shall cause to be effected by the agency of fire. Papal Rome, which has ever been a sink of sin and a place of mire te all such as put their trust in her creeds and counsels, a place of stagnant marshes, diseased doctrines, and traditions of men.

    The celebrated Calmet, a Roman Catholic commentator on the Scriptures, makes this same verse to point out the Protestant cause, as the miry places foreseen of Ezekiel. But this all Protestants know is false, be cause by the fruit the tree is known.

    It is perfectly natural, therefore, to apply them to Papal Rome, because they suit the symbol, which is mire and marshy places, in a striking manner.

    But they shall be given to salt, and never be healed, but destroyed.

    What else can be the meaning of the following Scriptures, which by all protestant theologians are made to



     


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    apply to Papal Rome. See Rev. xviii. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. "For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double. How much, she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning."

    From which we may plainly understand, that the overthrow of the country where the Roman beast has his seat and throne, shall be burned with fire, after the manner of Sodom and Gomorrah.

    And as Abraham stood .afar off and beheld the smoke of the whole country ascend up, so shall many at that day, stand afar off and lament the overthrow of that great city and country.

    This is also the sentiment of that truly great and good man, the Rev. David Simson, M. A. See his plea for religion, the new edition, printed 1812, page 160, as follows: -- "It is remarkable, that all the country about the city of Rome, is a kind of bitumen, or pitchy substance. And in the year of our Lord 80, a fire burst out from beneath the ground, in the middle of the city, and burnt four of the principal temples, with the sacred buildings of the capital. Italy is indeed



     


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    a store-house of fire. And when the 1260 years spoken of by St. John (see Rev. xi. 2d * and 3d.) shall be accomplished, Rome itself, with all its magnificence, will be absorbed into a lake of fire, and sink into the sea, to rise no more for ever." Here, then, instead of healing those marshy places, which for ages have poisoned, with their noxious vapours, the atmosphere of common sense, and the more glorious atmosphere of a revelation from heaven,, they are to be destroyed by fire at an earlier stage of time than the general judgment. But my reader may here inquire, if such shall be the fact, how then are these miry and marshy places to be given to salt in token of their everlasting ruin. Thus I answer, a 'city among men, is generally a depot and repository of arms, and is called a strong hold on that account. Therefore, when the besiegers had overcome any such place, they anciently did, at some particular times, sow the place of its foundation with salt. See Judges ix. 45. "And Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he took the city, and slew the people that were therein, and beat down the city and sowed it with salt."

    From this custom, the prophet has borrowed the idea of those marshy and miry places being given to salt, but of a vastly different kind of salt from that used by men on any such occasion, which shall consist of liters, fire.

    Now, as those marshy places are supposed to be embraced in the dark arcanum of the papal machinations

    __________
    * The Jews reckoned invariably, 30 days to a month; the 42 months, therefore, multiplied by 30, will produce 1260 days or years.



     


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    it Rome, they are considered the city and strong hold of devils. And since it is the great God who shall then fight against them, and overthrow their city by fire, after the manner of Sodom, it was proper for the prophet to say, those marshy places shall be given to salt, and I will add, the salt of fire, because it is God, and not man, who shall be their conqueror.

    This sentiment is supported by our Lord. See Mark ix. 49. -- "For entry one shall be salted with fire." Upon these words, I have read the following comment: -- "Here may be seen the greatness, multiplicity, and eternity of the pains of the damned. They suffer without being able to die; they are burned without being consumed; they are sacrificed without being sanctified; are baited with the fire of hell as eternal victims of Divine Justice. We must of necessity be sacrificed to God, after one way or other, in eternity; and we have now the choice, either of the unquenchable fire of his justice, or of the everlasting flame of his love." -- Clark, copied from Quensel.

    This I believe a just interpretation of the miry and marshy places, which shall not be healed, but shall be destroyed before the Millennium commences; and can therefore be no objection to the universality of the waters of life, which the prophet saw flowing over the whole globe.

    But I resume the subject of proof, that the ancient Jews expected the Millennium.

    The following is an extract from the Rabbinical writings of the Jews, among which are found their



     


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    account of the prophecies of Eldad and Medad, two of the seventy elders, who prophesied in the camp of Israel, in the presence of Moses. But of those two it is said, that they continued to prophesy when the others had ceased, which occasioned one of the young men to run to Moses and complain of what he thought was indecorous; but was reproved by Moses, who said to the young man, "Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets." Num. xi. 29.

    The Jewish Rabbin who has noticed the prophecies of Eldad and Medad, is Jonathan Ben Uziel, whose account is found in an ancient Jewish book, called the Jerusalem Targum, I will give his account at full length as follows:

    "And there were two men left in the camp, the name of one was Eldad, the name of the other was Medad; on them the spirit of prophecy rested."

    Eldad prophesied and said, "Behold Moses the prophet, the scribe of Israel, shall be taken from this world, and Joshua the son of Nun, captain of the host, shrill succeed him."

    Medad prophesied and said, "Behold quails shall arise out of the sea, and become a stumbling block to Israel."

    Then they both prophesied together, and said, "In the very end of time, Gog and Magog, and their army shall come up against Jerusalem, and they shall fall by the hand of king Messiah. Behpld a king shall come up from the land of Magog, in the last days, and shall gather the kings together, and leaders



     


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    clothed with armour, and all people shall obey them, and they shall wage war in the land of Israel against the children of the captivity; but the hour of lamentation has been long prepared for them, for they shall be slain by the flame of fire which proceedeth from under the throne of glory, and their dead carcasses shall fall on the mountains of the land of Israel, and all the wild beasts of the field, and the wild fowls of heaven, shall come and devour their carcasses; and afterwards, all the dead of Israel shall rise again to life, and shall enjoy the delights prepared for them from the beginning, and zzz skrJ.1 rsccivz the reward of their works."

    zzzr!".3 conjoint Erochccv of thase two zzzr.roahels. in reference to Gog and Magog, and their armies, who in the last days were to invade the country of Jerusalem, refers to the same thing with Ezekiel, though delivered many hundred years before his time. This invasion was by Antiochus, about three hundred years after Ezekiel had prophesied of him. This prophet, and the two others, Eldad and Medad, agree almost exactly about the manner of their destruction. The two conjoint prophets state, that they shall fall by the hand of king Messiah. This should be understood of Christ, who by St. Paul is said to follow the Jews, (Cor. x. 4.) and guided them, and breathed upon them the spirit of courage in battle, as in the case of Judas Macaheus, who terribly overthrew the armies of Antiochus; and hence, by the spirit of prophecy they said they shall fall by the hand of king Messiah. And further, they stated that they should be destroyed and



     


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    slain by a flame of fire, which should proceed from under the throne of glory. This was said in reference to the signal manner in which they were destroyed. See Ezekiel xxxviii. 22 -- "And I will zzzphad against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hail stones, fire and brimstone." Thunder with lightning, mingled with the rain and great hail, is meant, undoubtedly, such as fell upon the Egyptians in their plagues, which ran along on the ground. And their carcasses were to fall on the mountains of Israel, and all the wild fowls of heaven, with the wild beasts of the field, shall devour them. This was all literally fulfilled in the destruction of Anliochus, who attempted to destroy, root and branch, the Jews. He was called Gog, and his country Magog, and they fell on the mountains of Israel, by the hand of king Messiah, who employed Judas Macabeus as the terrible instrument of the ruin of Gog and Magog. [See 1st. Mace 1st. chap.]

    But these prophets extended their views further than this event, even till the lime when all the dead of Israel shall rise again to life. Although the Jews have, at several times in the process of ages, been recovered from a captive state, from among their enemies, yet they have never had a time of peace and prosperity, of sufficient universality and duration, to warrant so strong a figure as the resurrection from the dead of all Israel. This view, therefore, extends to the time of the first resurrection spoken of by St. Paul and by St. John. See I Cor. xv. 23; Thess. iv. 16; and Rev. XX. 5. --



     


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    This first resurrection I apprehend, as spoken of by those two prophets, and the thousand years of his (that is Christ's) subsequent reign on the earth, as spoken of by St. John, should be considered, in a more emphatic sense, to be the days of the Messiah, than any other time since his advent. Because then this government will be universal and particular, and without any opposition, for a thousand years. To this opinion, Rabbin Elieser, one of the ancient Jewish doctors, agrees, by saying that in the house of Elias, the prophet, there was a tradition, that the righteous whom the holy blessed God should raise from the dead, should not return again unto the dust but for the space of a thousand years. And again, when the question was proposed among the Jewish Rabbins, how many the days of the Messiah should be, they answer, the days of the Messiah are a thousand years, and unquestionably refer to the same thousand years with St. John after the first resurrection, and agrees with the view of those two prophets.

    As to the validity of those prophets, I think there can be no doubt; for the scriptures bear ample testimony to their veracity. We see that in the eleventh chapter of Numbers, their names are mentioned, and associated with the seventy elders who prophesied on that memorable occasion, and that the spirit of prophecy rested on those two in a remarkable manner, for they were more zealous than their fellows, and continued to speak when the others had ceased.

    We see that Eldad's prophecy was fulfilled, which was, that Joshua should succeed Moses in the government of Israel. -- Deut. xxxiv. 9.



     


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    Medad's prophecy was also fulfilled, which was, that quails should arise out of the sea, and be a stumbling block to Israel. -- Num: xi. 31, 32, 33.

    The reader will perceive, that the use I wish to make of Jonathan Ben Uziel's account of Eldad and Medad's prophecy, is to establish the fact, that the latter prophecies of those two prophets relate to king Messiah's kingdom, or to the Millennium, and to the resurrection of the just, at its commencement, and will as surely be fulfilled in their time, as were their prophecies respecting the exaltation of Joshua, and of the quails which became a stumbling block to Israel. We will now bring forward the testimony of another Jewish Rabbin, by whom we shall prove that the Millennium was expected by the Jewish Church.

    This Rabbin's name is Eliezer, the son of R. Jose, of Galilee, and his remarks are found in a Sanhedrim folio book, in which a question is found proposed, saying, how many are the days of the Messiah? The answer is -- There is, in the house of Elias, a tradition (and Paul says to Timothy, Keep the traditions) that the righteous whom the holy blessed God shall raise from the dead, shall not return again to dust but for the space of a THOUSAND YEARS, in which the holy blessed God shall renew the world. A plain intimation this, that the waters which Ezekiel saw in his vision shall not only heal all nations of their depraved natures, who are alive at the commencement of the Millennium, but that also the world shall be renewed, i. e. shall be delivered from all natural and moral evil, as it respects the saints during the thousand years of the



     


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    days of the Messiah. But when all Israel shall arise, their tradition goes on to say, that they shall have wings like the wings of eagles, and shall fly above the waters. This view of the Targum, respecting all Israel, who shall arise from the dead, and are to be capacitated with wings, and shall fly above the waters, is to be understood of their belief in the resurrection of the righteous, to which St. Paul agrees, when he says to the Thess. iv. 16. "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."

    But they shall not return again to dust, but for the space of a thousand years; not that the Targum means that when the thousand years are finished they shall again return to" dust, but that during that thousand years the earth shall be renewed to its original blessedness, and its inhabitants to original holiness. Indeed many of the prophets bear their testimony, some in a greater, and some in a less degree, to the came expectation.

    Thus we see Moses recording, from the very mouth of the holy blessed God, "But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled ivith the glory of the Lord." -- Num xiv. 21.

    How plainly does this signify, that, in the view of Him who sees all things at a glance, a time should come, when a disordered earth should be filled with the healing healthful glory of the Lord.

    David, the sweet Psalmist king, seems frequently to anticipate the final universality of the Messiah's kingdom



     


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    on the earth. "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." -- Psalms ii. 8.

    "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king." -- Psalms xlviii. 2.

    "Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our God, shall bless us: God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear him." -- Psalms kvii. 6, 7.

    "Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him." -- Psalms lxxii. 11.

    "And blessed be his glorious name forever, and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and amen." -- Psalms lxxii. 19.

    To Isaiah the prophet, the Lord has spoken plainly of the kingdom of his son. Many places in the book of his prophecy, declare that his government shall be from the rivers to the ends of the earth, and that all souls then on the earth shall come to have a saving knowledge of his grace.

    "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above all hills, and all nations shall flow unto it." -- Isa. ii. 2. From which nothing can be clearer, than that a time must arrive, as the zenith of what the Saviour began to do (when he made to the woman her first promise, that her seed should bruise the serpent's head, this shall be done,) when Satan shall be shut up in the bottomless pit, and a knowledge of the Lord consequently



     


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    shall cover the earth, as the waters cover (the face of the sea. At that time they shall have "beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." This then is the expectation of Isaiah, and should be the firm and certain expectation of all saints, who shall not then be disappointed; for then "Violence shall no mart be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders, but thou, shalt call tny walls salvation, and thy gates praise. Thy people aiso, shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever. A. little fine shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time." -- Isa. Ix. 18,21, 22.

    By the spirit of "inspiration, the prophet Jeremiah looked beyond the sorrows of his countrymen, to zzzA'hora was committed the oracles of truth, (he first testament, and after whose name all saints are called Israelites, not because they are descended from the lineage of Abraham, but because they are the household of faith. The prophet, therefore, looks through the long vista of ages, to the time when Jerusalem, spiritual Jerusalem, Mount Zion, shall be built in the tops of the mountains, and all nations snail (low to it, which zzzstmll no like the temple, its glorious type, "be plucked up, nor thrown down any more forever." -- Jer. xxxi. 40. "Therefore, they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock, and of the herd; and their soul



     


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    shall be as a watered garden, and they shall not sorrow any more at all." -- Jer. xxxi. 12.

    The Jews, nor their country, nor yet their city, for glory and strength excelling all others, have ever yet arrived to any such state of happiness as spoken ot above, by the prophet Jeremiah; it is therefore undoubtedly spoken of the times of the Millennium, when Jerusalem, in the spiritual sense, shall be built, and is called the New Jerusalem, which cannot be pulled down or overthrown, nor its inhabitants sorrow any more at all, strongly intimating that its citizens shall not suffer either from natural or moral evil, any more, as they formerly had, in the days of probation. The prophet Uaniel is declared, in the scriptures, to he a man greatly beloved of heaven; this was said to him by the angel Gabriel, at a time when he prayed and made his confession to God. And because he was beloved of the Most High, he was pleased to make known to him, in a vision of his sleep, zzzth«: times which should pass over the nations of the globe, and also over the saints, how they must suffer from the tyranny of the beasts which he saw arise out of the sea, and strove together, which has actually come to pass in the several eras of time. But beyond all these, he saw a more glorious vision, which cannot be understood otherwise than of the Millennium. "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should



     


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    I serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not he destroyed. But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever; even for ever and ever. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High." -- Dan. vii. 13,14,18,27.

    It is evident that this kingdom shall be on the earth in the latter days, (which are even at the door) because in the last quoted ver«e, are the words, "under the, whole heaven" and therefore, is qualified as belonging to the earth.

    From what has been advanced on the preceding pages of the second division, I feel justified in believing, that the ancient Jewish Church did expect, that when the Messiah should come, he would finally involve the whole earth in his kingdom, and that peace and great glory should be the concomitants of his reign for one thousand years. But why the idea should obtain of so definite a term of years, in the early age of the Church, is deeply interesting; but we see the same doctrine taught by the holy St. John, who wrote as lie received it from the angel of Jesus Christ.

    I shall next proceed to prove, under the same division, that the Christian Church have ever taught the expectation of a Millennium.

    St John, the Revelator, speaks of that great day, as a day in which Christ shall come to be admired of his saints, who shall then take the kingdom, and possess it for ever.



     


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    In order to prove that the Christian Churches, iu the days of St. John, believed that a Millennium should come in the latter days, I have only to transcribe the seven first verses of the 20th Chapter of Revelation, which I proceed to do.

    Verse 1st. -- "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand.

    Verse 2d. -- "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and satan, and bound him a thousand years.

    Verse 3d. -- "And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed for a little season.

    Verse 4th. -- "And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them; and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

    Verse 5th. -- "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection."

    Who can speak plainer than St. John does in those two last quoted verses? stating, explicitly, that between the resurrection of the righteous dead, and the resurrection of the wicked dead, shall be a lapse of a thousand



     


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    years, which is the Millennium contended for in these passes.

    Verse 6th. -- "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, for on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

    Verse 7th. -- "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison."

    It is thought that these scriptures show, as clearly and as definitely as can be desired, that the primitive Church did expect the Millennium.

    Six times in the course of seven verses, has the Evangelist, in the most plain and emphatic manner, declared that a certain thousand years shall come, when the great Shepherd of the sheep shall walk in their midst, and that his spiritual presence shall be with them a thousand years. This, therefore, is the Millennium which is to come.

    "This doctrine of the reign of the saints after the destruction of Antichrist, was the opinion of the whole orthodox Christian Church in the age immediately following the death of St. John, when Polycarp, and many of St. John's disciples, were yet living, as is expressly stated by Justin Martyr; and is a testimony of sufficient strength to convince any who rely at all on the authority of antiquity, that this doctrine was believed by the primitive Church, who unquestionably founded it upon Rev. xx. from the 1st verse to the 7th, inclusive." -- Second Advent, page 503.

    The Christian Churches have, in succeeding ages, held the doctrine; many able theologians and fathers



     


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    have maintained the opinion; and at the present time the expectation pervades Christendom; and every individual bosom possessing any share of scripture knowledge, and regarding it as truth, expects the promised Millennium.

    The heathen also, of many countries, anciently entertained opinions equivalent to this, who were doubtless indebted to the Patriarchs and Prophets from Noah and downward, for their ideas, though vastly adulterated with their own fancies by some of them.

    A description of the changes which await the earth, are very clearly hinted at by Plato. In the end, he states, the world shall be plunged into an eternal abyss of confusion, but God, he says, will again appear, and resume the reins of ihe empire, and restore order. Is not the new creation here hinted at, though obscurely, by this great philosopher? See Rev. xxi. 5. "Behold I make all things new."

    Virgil has expressed an opinion, which, in the aggregate, agrees with the opinion of this book as it respects the Millennium. He says, A child of a superior order is soon to descend from heaven to earth; and at his birth the iron age will cease, and the golden age be restored; crimes will be banished, and the world shall be delivered from all its fears, and become fruitful as at first, and produce every thing every where.

    Seneca declares a sentiment, which seems to favour the opinion, that before the Millennium, (as contended in this work) all sinners shall be destroyed, to prepare its way. He says, "Haste and come, last and great day, when the heavens shall fall into confusion,



     


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    their ruins crush the impious set of men, so that a better race may arise; such as they were heretofore, when Saturn reigned over the beginning of the world." Here is a hint at the state in which our first parents existed, before they fell by sin, and were banished from Eden.

    The Chinese ancient books have an account, that an extraordinary person, called by them the Saint, or second person in the trinity, is to reign, and in his kingdom he will not allow any wicked men to be there, but they must be banished into the dark abodes of beasts and monster?, leaving none to be the subjects of his kingdom but heavenly and upright people.

    Plutarch says, that the Persian Magi hold, that there will come a time when Arimanius, the evil spirit, or satan, will be banished from the earth, when it shall, therefore, become beautiful, when men shall be happy and their abodes become transparent, and shall all have the same life, language and government.

    Thus it is plain, that from very early ages, the expectation prevailed, that a better state of things was finally to succeed this bad State, so acknowledged to be by all. Yes, even Infidels.

    Having shown that the Prophets, the Jewish Rabins and Doctors, the ancient Christian Church and lathers, and even the very heathen, have expected the Millennium, I now proceed to exhibit the signs of the times which went before the flood, and before the coming of Christ, and also the signs of our own times, which denote the Millennium nigh its commencement.


     

    [ 53 ]





    THIRD  DIVISION.


    Our next endeavour shall be, to give a view of the signs of the times which preceded the great deluge and the birth of Christ -- and an account of Herod the great, who put to death the infants of Jerusalem. Also, a minute description of the Ark, and the animals saved in it -- proving it amply sufficient to contain -- all the Scriptures state it did.

    Before the whelming flood, when Enoch liv'd,
    God signin'd by signs, his spirit griev'd --
    So from his glorious Heav'n where now he reigns,
    He show'd the coming Christ by mystic signs.
    The reason why a view of those times are presented to the reader, is to prepare the mind for a view of the signs of our own times, which signify the Millennium nigh its coming.

    The signs of the times, which were eminently calculated to arouse the antediluvians to the expectation of severe judgments, to be poured out upon them, was, in the first place, their own great wickedness, corruption and violence. Of these things they were reproved and threatened by Enoch, the first prophet, who was the seventh from Adam, and was translated from earth to heaven by the miraculous power of God. We have in St. Jude, an account of his manner of reproof, which strongly indicates that those times were highly fraught with fearful forebodings, that great wrath was in waiting for those abominable nations who had so thoroughly corrupted their ways in the earth.



     


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    The manner in which he communicated his reproofs of their doings, was, no doubt, at their public assemblies of riot, confusion and idolatrous worship; where he, in some commanding situation, harangued and fore-ivarned them of impending judgments, and said, "The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, for their ungodly speeches, which they have spoken against Him:" namely, against the Lord God of Adam. For there is scarcely a doubt, but they constantly reproached and reviled his name, for what they might erroneously esteem severe in his conduct toward Adam and Eve, because he drove them out from Eden, for their sin.

    The local situation of Eden, was, most certainly, well known to the antediluvians, for they must have frequently conversed with their, great progenitor, Adam, concerning it, who had informed them of its delights; which might have inflamed them with a spirit of covetousness to possess it again; but this being impossible, they raged against the Lord, and spake injurious words against him on that account.

    Of their works, therefore, the holy Enoch reproved them, and perhaps told them, that if God had so severely judged Adam, they might not expect to escape some signal punishment.

    At which rebukes they were, unquestionably, enraged, and no doubt proceeded to lay violent hands upon him, to take away his life; but in the midst of their fury, God caught him up from their sight.

    He was a man in the prime of life, being three hundred and sixty-five years old when he was translated;



     


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    but had walked with God three hundred years, consequently, was born again at the age of sixty-five. This holy man, who had been among them a preacher of righteousness, as Noah was, in after years, was no doubt translated in open sight, as was Elijah, near the fords of Jordan.

    This circumstance should therefore have been received of them, as an evident sign, that God sanctioned Enoch, and consequently condemned them.

    But what avails the signs of Heaven with the ungodly -- the translation of Enoch should have been to them as a voice from the ETERNAL, informing them that they were in imminent danger, since God had so suddenly and miraculously removed that good man from among them.

    Not many years after the translation of Enoch, there was given to the antediluvians another sign from Heaven, which was the preaching of Noah, who declared to them that God had determined to destroy the earth by water; for God had said to Noah, "The end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with violence; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth."

    This surely was a novel doctrine, which was by no means worthy of the attention of the wise ones of that day, who, probably, began to philosophize upon the subject, and to say, how can this thing be, since the waters every where cleave to the lower parts of the earth, and cannot, therefore, climb the hills, and from thence overflow the globe.

    Neither is there water sufficient in the clouds of heaven,



     


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    if every drop were drained, to flood a globe like this: they were not willing to suppose, that God, who out of nothing made the globe with all its seas, could as easily create an addition of water, sufficient to drown the world.

    And again, why should he do so? they might say; surely we have done nothing to offend him -- he is far from us, and cares not what we do -- it is beneath the notice of a God. But if he does, how can he find fault? are we not as he would have us? did he not create us? we have done only as we listed, and acted in accordance with the passions he implanted in us himself -- therefore, he must be pleased, instead of being offended with us, when we live as we list.

    There are many of the same sect at the present day, who do not wish to confess that they are fallen from original innocence, who will, if they continue in that fatal error, fall into, not a flood of water, but of fire, according to the Scriptures.

    Therefore, Noah and his preaching were rejected, who no doubt, notwithstanding, took all opportunities to reform them, and to bring them to repentance, as Enoch had done before him, but without success.

    The people of that age, are they to whom Christ preached by Noah, in spirit, while they were in prison; which prison is to be understood as relating to the fact, that they were under condemnation; for God had said, "The end of all flesh is come before me." And the one hundred and twenty years in which Noah was building the Ark, is to be considered only as a respite of their lives from immediate death; therefore, during this time,



     


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    they are spoken of as prisoners, or spirits in prison, and under the divine arrest. This idea is beautifully corroborated in Genesis, where it is written "My spirit shall not always strive with man, for as much as he is flesh, yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." -- Gen. vi. 3, in which Christ, by his spirit, in Noah preached repentance to those nations, precisely as Christ, by his spirit, preaches to the people by his ministers at the present day.

    The strange news, concerning a man, whose name was Noah, had probably spread far and near, that he was, in fact, building a large vessel upon dry land, to save himself and family from drowning, excited, no doubt, a general curiosity to visit so strange a person, and to see his vessel, and to converse with him about it, and to ridicule his work of needless precaution.

    Upon this principle, it is reasonable to suppose, that immense assemblies, from time to time, visited him during the one hundred and twenty years, at which opportunities this great preacher of righteousness endeavoured to convince them of their sins, and assured them that he was not building this vast vessel but at the express command of God, for the saving of his house and every species of beasts, that the earth should not be desolated when the flood should be dried up.

    In this way, therefore, they were all warned of their danger, for God is just, and gives to every soul time and opportunity, according to his day and ability, to secure a place at his right hand.

    But suppose the antideluvians had all repented, or a half of them only, at the preaching of Noah, then



     


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    God would not have drowned the world, but would have saved them from that destruction, as he did the great city of Nineveh, when they repented at the preaching of Jonah, though he had said, in an unqualified manner, "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown:" the threatenings and promises of God, relating to men, are always to be understood as conditional while man is a probationer.

    But the building of the Ark continued to progress, and the time drew nigh when the prophecies of this singular character were to be fulfilled, to his honour and everlasting renown; or to fall to the ground, to his great shame and confusion.

    No doubt, he had suffered abundance of ridicule, for his strange preaching and his stranger work, and perhaps, added to that, persecution, for they of his generation were a violent race of rebels against God; and had not his special providence protected the Ark, it is very probable they would have burned it, as often as Noah, with all his power, could have built it.

    The Ark at length was finished, and six days were allowed to Noah and his family to remove into it, and to bring the several kinds of animals, and put them in their places, and to store away food for man and beast, for on the seventh, God would pour out his rains from Heaven, for God had said, "Yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth." -- Gen. vii. 3.

    How wonderful a sign was this -- the huge vehicle



     


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    stood finished in their sight, when from the hills and fields came all beasts with fowls, by sevens and by pairs, male and female, voluntarily to the Ark, and went in last of all, Noah and his family went in, and God, by his invisible hand, shut and fastened the door!

    Perhaps at this juncture, there were gathered together immense multitudes, to see the strange spectacle of a man's shutting himself up on dry land, to keep from drowning.

    But while they mocking and wondering stood, to £ ee from whence a flood should come, far in the south black clouds began to rise and send along the heavens In frightful haste.

    From the north, and from every point of the four winds, it was evident a dreadful storm was gathering unusual thunders began to rive the heavens, and terrifying lightnings to flash around; anon, the rains began to pour, the earth to tremble, the sea to spout its waters in tall cataracts to the stormy skies, through the opening fissures of regions sinking to the depths beneath.

    But it is probable, the millions of those countries thought this storm of no long continuance, but would be soon assuaged, as other storms had always been. But after several days of continual storm, and anxious expectation that the rain would cease, their hopes began to fail them, and horrors, instead of hope, possessed their souls, lest the fatal prophecy of the venerable Noah was indeed fulfilling. But there stood the steadfast Ark in its place -- the waters already risen and involved its keel -- every where the flood increased



     


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    with hastening fury -- the vallies, it was evident, were fast filling -- from the hills, whole rivers began to pour, bearing the earth, in many places, with trees and all their load, with roaring fury, to the: vales beneath. Now, terrors began to seize their unbelieving souls, and fearful forebodings to shake their self-begotten confidence, while they fled from their houses, or their tents, in all the country where they dwelt, to the nearest hills or mountains. -- But still the flood pursued, and in awful haste climbed up their sides, enveloping the tallest trees beneath in a deep of dreary waters. As far as the eye could reach, nothing but one extended inundation could be seen: houses, with all the works of man, lay floating on its rippling tide, with beasts of every kind struggling in the waves with mighty death.

    Far from the former haunts of man, on the mountains' rough and rugged sides, were seen crowds of men, with feeble women and children, climbing up, disputing as they scrambled through the tangled woods; whole droves of fleeing beasts, that bit and tore them as they fled, each aiming at the highest point of land, to save the precious life.

    Oh, what a sight was this to pitying angels, and to suffering men, that while they climbed, the weaker fell behind, worn down with the descending storm, they fall and roll downward to the black waves beneath, or sit in dead despair, till the unpitying flood engulfs them in its foam. But here, there is none should doubt, though mercy was denied the body, yet to the soul that sweetest balm was given, to all that mercy



     


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    sought, and bewailed their sins. But soon the highest hills were sunk beneath the flood; the race of man was extinct, except the eight who now outrode the prevailing waters, safe in the wondrous ark, the labour of more than a hundred years, and perhaps of more than a hundred men; a history of which we shall now give. See Clarke's Commentary.

    When God said to Noah, make thee an Ark of gopher wood. And this is the fashion which thou shall make it of. The length of the Ark shall be three hundred cubits, which is, five hundred and forty-seven feet: let it be remembered that the ancient cute was nearly twenty-two inches, which 'was ascertained by Mr. Greaves, who