It animates the conceptions of the Poet and the glowing periods of the Orator. It is held forth as the great incentive to Missionary effort; the glorious reward of self-denial, liberality and prayer in the good work of propagating the Gospel.

But what is the prevailing idea as to that state of coming blessedness? According to the popular theory of the day, the Millenium will not be a new dispensation : it will scarcely be a different condition of things from that which now exists upon earth. There will be, indeed, an enlargement and extension of the Church so as to embrace all nations. There will be a wider diffusion of scriptural truth, and a more liberal dispensation of the influence of the Holy Spirit; but Christ will continue to live and reign in heaven, just as he does now. The only difference between that state of things and the present is—that then a large majority, or, as some think, all the inhabitants of the earth will be truly pious,—whereas, now, but a small part is so.

According to this view, the Millenium will be the reign of the Church, not of the Lord and Head of the Church. The Church will continue to be, then, as it now is, under God, the great illuminator of the world. But this state of things would be as inconsistent with the scriptural accounts of the Millenium, as it would be to regard the Moon as the source of light in the Solar System. We love and venerate the

a

Church: but we cannot receive that formalistic theo logy, which, losing sight of her merely instrumental and subordinate character, puts her in the place of the great Head of the Church, either in the work of our justification, sanctification, or glorification.

Now we ask-is the wide extension of the Church, under its present aspect and relations—all that is to be expected in answer to the petitions we daily offer in obedience to our Lord's command: “Thy kingdom come: thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?” Is this all that is intended by the declaration that the saints “shall live and reign with Christ for a thousand years ?” Is this answerable to the state of things described in these memorable words--" I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne, said, Behold, I make all things new?"* Is a wide extension of evangelical knowledge and influence, as now existing in the Church, all that is intended to be described by this strong language—“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof: and the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it:'* “thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended ?"St

We need give no answer to these inquiries. For, although we have formerly advocated the popular theory ourselves, and do sincerely respect the wisdom and piety of many who continue to be its supporters; yet, we have taken occasion, in this course of sermons, more than once, to express the opinion that, the common belief that there will be a conversion of all nations to the faith of Christ and a state of universal peace and holiness throughout the world for the space of a thousand years, before the second Advent of our Lord,—is, to our view, utterly irreconcilable with what the Scriptures teach us respecting the revelations of Antichrist and the wickedness of “the last days”—and with the prophecies of the awful judgments upon irreligious systems and wicked nations that will usher in the solemnities of our Lord's final coming: that it is also directly opposed • Rev. xxi. 23-24.

+ Isaiah, 60. 20.

а

a

to the clearly revealed truths of the restoration and conversion of the Jews-and to what our Lord has taught us about the mixture of the righteous and the wicked in his Church until the harvest of separation shall take place at his coming—and to the suddenness with which his manifestation at the last day will overtake a thoughtless and unprepared world. We would not willingly wound the feelings of our Christian brethren by uttering a sentence which may be deemed dogmatical or offensive. But we must say that the more we reflect upon the popular doctrine of the Millenium, and the more thoroughly we examine it by the light of Scripture, the more perfect our conviction becomes that it is unworthy of support and credence.

Dissatisfied, then, with commonly received opinions on this sublime and delightful theme of prophetic annunciation, we would now renewedly prosecute our inquiries for the truth. With an awe and reverence upon our spirits, like that with which the soul of Moses was chastened when the command was given "put thy shoes from off thy feet, for the ground whereon thou standest is holy ground,”-we would now endeavour to ascertain what the Scriptures teach us to believe respecting the great day of Christ's “ appearing and kingdom”-his judgment of the world-or, his reign upon earth.

a

a

The only passage of Scripture which fixes the limit of time to the earthly reign of Christ, and which is the origin of the commonly received term Millenium, or period of a thousand years, is that which we have selected as a text : " And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 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 a little season. 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. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection : 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."