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which only the blessing and reward of righteousness and faith will be assigned,)" on such the second death bath no power."-Though temporal death must lay his resistless sceptre on their bodies, eternal death will have no power over their souls," but they shall he priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with him 1000 years, "* that is, a succession of such holy persons, at this choice season, when "God will make up his jewels."+ So Daniel says, "Blessed is he that waiteth

and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days," which probably alludes to the final settlement of things in the kingdom of the saints.

The prophets have seized every image that the imagination of man can grasp, to express the spiritual and temporal bounty of God, and the gratitude and happiness of men, in this highly favored period. "And it shall come to pass in that day, (says Joel,§) that

* Rev. xx, 6.

Dan. xii. 12,

† Mal. iii. 17.

Joel iii. 18.

the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim." And Isaiah, in several places, promises that God will open fountains in the thirsty deserts, and rivers upon the tops of mountains.” which he clearly means, that the most dark and inaccessible places of the earth shall receive the plenteous and fertilizing influx of light, and of the waters of God's spirit.— "Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven."*

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These great expectations have not been fully answered by the first appearance of the kingdom of Messias, nor by the progress it has hitherto made in the world. But by the removal either entirely, or in great part, of the present sources of ignorance and corruption of heart, and from the infrequency of crime, or the shame and punishment of wick

*Psalm lxxxv.

edness being greatly increased, and by living examples, and practical lessons of sincere virtue and primitive simplicity of manners, the gospel will be indeed "written in men's hearts," and Christ, "formed within them,” will have his tabernacle with men, and the whole earth become his temple.

Yet, after all, absolute perfection is not in any thing earthly. Even the happy millennium will most probably be still a state of probation, and a temporary life, preparatory to an infinitely better and eternal state of indefectible happiness in heaven. It is described in such glowing colours and lofty figurative language, because it will be so much comparatively more peaceful, and happy, and fruitful in righteousness, than any former period, as to be deservedly called "a sabbath of rest for the people of God.”*

On them whose happy lot shall fall in these times, "the second death," (that is, the con

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"bath no

demnation to eternal punishment,) power," because of their greater faith and better obedience: which is as much as to say, that there will be comparatively few lost to Christ during the MILLENNIUM, or kingdom of the saints. It will be the time when God will make up the number of his elect, and hasten his kingdom" of the world to come.This FIRST RESURRECTION therefore is not real, but figurative, and seems to import a nearer approach to a state of perfection on earth, (described in the usual stile and language of prophecy,) than our present degeneracy, and the numerous and strong temptations to sin, through the abounding of iniquity, will admit of.

We are told also, (and which is another distinguishing mark of the MILLENNIUM,) that the saints only shall be raised again, but the wicked shall not be raised until the 1000 years are ended. If this interpretation of a figurative resurrection be admitted, this will signify the extreme paucity of ill examples, or even of cold or lukewarm professors of

the gospel. For one spirit and the same zeal will glow in every breast.

The probability that a comparative and not a real and absolute state of perfection is meant, is heightened into almost a positive assurance by the intimation given, that before the end of the world, wickedness shall again lift up its head, and infidelity prevail to a great and dangerous extent. This is represented in figure, by Satan's being loosed again, who during the reign of peace and righteousness (so long as the awful impression of the preceding dreadful occurrences remained,) had been figuratively bound in the bottomless pit, whence all error and wickedness proceeds. Being now loosed, he finds still remaining amongst mankind, a sufficiency of materials fit for him to work upon, and capable of producing great effects. A root of bitterness, though much kept down, seems all along to have still remained in the world. For Satan cannot deceive or seduce the souls of just men made perfect, neither can he create evil by externas force, in the minds of men in a state of pro

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