And this remarkable dispensation so far from being forgotten, is discussed by him with the greatest particularity and exactness. In a word, what glimmered in the writings of Moses and David; what we saw as through a glass darkly, in the prophets, this apostle seems to have shown us openly, without a parable and face to face.

After a short but clear description of such remarkable particulars as were successively to take place in order to usher in that glorious economy, "I saw," says he, "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 I saw the souls of those who were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshipped the beast-and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not till the thousand years were finished."-At the end of this millenium succeeds the second and general resurrection; and the happy interim is evidently the new Heavens and the new earth of Isaiah; the latter days of the prophets; the times of restitution; the times of refreshing of the Gospel; and the golden age of the Heathens. The attendant circumstances are too plainly parallel, the likeness and conformity too strong, for us not to see that they are one and the same thing-Behold here then the long promised kingdom of the son of David; behold his universal dominion in a truly catholic Church. Nor can we turn our eyes on the companions of that happy reign, the noble army of all those that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God; and who had not worshipped the beast, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, whom the Lamb shall therefore make kings and priests, and they shall reign on earth, without exclaiming, here is indeed a communion of saints-a blessed unmixed society of the just, enjoying universal harmony, and a free and uninterrupted intercourse with God their King and Saviour, the holy angels, and each other.-I think it, by no means, either impossible or improbable, that an opinion which had so long and so universally prevailed in the Church; which had borne so large a

share in the hopes, belief, words, and writings of so many of its members; and been patronized by apostles, apostolic men, confessors, and martyrs, should find a place in some of their confessions of faith-rather very improbable it is, that a point by them esteemed of so much importance should be wholly neglected-not impossible that such an one may be this very confession before us ; or at least, that this remarkable and mysterious article (which I think, according to the usual interpretation of it, hardly carries weight enough to be made a distinct article of faith) may have been transferred from such into this creed, at a time when its genuine intention was not, perhaps, thoroughly understood.-Thus far, however, I must think certain, that by the help of this hypothesis, we have a much less intricate and constrained solution of this arIn ticle, than any of those which are usually given us. which opinion I have the satisfaction to find myself supported by the ready concurrence of some persons of distinguished characters for learning and judgment, as well as zealous attachment to the genuine doctrines of sound and orthodox Christianity.

CONCLUSION;

OR, SHORT SUMMARY OF THE WHOLE.

HAVING thus, in some measure, executed my pur. pose, it is high time to finish this inquiry, by drawing the proper conclusion from the whole.

If, throughout this investigation, it has appeared, that, from the beginning of the world, a divine revelation has been made to man, and that revelation has clearly opened up the inscrutable purposes of Almighty God, to reconcile this guilty world to himself, by the death and sufferings of his only begotten Son. That, to this end, he has ordained different dispensations, at different periods, and in different states of the world, wherein mankind, being exercised under different states of discipline and teachings, shall be instructed more and more in the divine will, and his own people be tried, purified, and made white by the blood of the Lamb. That certain fixed ages, periods, or eras, have also been established and foretold by the same divine revelation, in which this scene of mercy, to the children of men, should be progressively effected, promulged, and made perfect in their glory. That at the end of the present age, or period, whenever it shall happen, a more glorious state of things, during another period or age, is to take place, commencing with the second advent of our Lord and Master, together with all his Saints and Holy Angels, to the glory of God the Father: the leading principles of which have been made known to us by the mercy of God, lest

being taken unawares, as by a thief in the night, we might be unprepared for so awful and glorious an event.*

* Edward King observes on this great subject," We may now naturally be led to consider, what is discovered to us in the Holy Scriptures, concerning the second coming of our Lord. An event of the highest and most tremendous importance; and in which we are all most deeply interested. And this inquiry the rather demands our attention; because what has been revealed concerning it, seems to have been hitherto very much misunderstood: and an inconceivable prejudice, on the one hand, of applying the whole prophesy merely to the destruction of Jerusalem; (to which it can only relate in part) and as strong a prejudice, on the other hand, of always conceiving the second coming of our Lord, and the end of the world, with the final destruction of the earth, as being all one and the same event; have utterly prevented what should rather seem to be a right and fair apprehension of the truth. -The error however has not been without extensive consequences and some ill effects. For hence, even the common apprehension, concerning the great day of judgment itself, has, it should seem, become greatly perplexed, and in a degree erroneous; losing much of the influence it should have on the human mind, inasmuch as it has too generally been understood to be a consideration merely of great terror; and a scene merely of rapid condemnation on the one hand, and of instantaneous hurrying and carrying away of those who shall be delivered into bliss, in some remote unknown regions, on the other-Whereas, in truth, although every soul has reason to fear, and to be humbled before God, yet this appointed judgment ought to be considered as a matter even of great comfort, to the serious and sincere, as being the opening of a scene of most wise, deliberate arrangement; and a final perfecting and rectification of all things according to the original promise of God-For the true Scriptural idea concerning this tremendous day (when all that is revealed is duly weighed) must appear to the careful investigator of Holy Writ, to be that of a very long period of time, subsequent to the coming of our Lord, during which all things shall be restored; and every soul of every kind, shall be placed in its proper lot and station according to

Again, it has appeared, that there are certain duties commanded by God to his people, at the approach of this new era, essential to their safety, their welfare, and their happiness, and that, therefore, they have been assured and premonished, that the rise of a government, uncommon in all its parts, and designated by a beast rising out of the abyss, or bottomless pit,-the slaying and resurrection of the witnesses,-the destruction of the Roman government,—the man of sin,—antichrist,—the city of Rome, and the Turkish empire, with the restoration of the Jews, to their ancient city Jerusalem, are given or foretold, as certain signs of its near approach. If the true spirit of the Scriptures, containing this revelation of the will of God to his Churches, has herein been justly developed, and the history of the Church, and the present state of Europe, as connected with it, have been fairly and candidly traced, do not all these, centering in a point, loudly, and as with the voice of an archangel and the trump of God, call on all the servants of the Lord Jesus Christ to take heed to themselves; not to let any man deceive them-but to discern the signs of the times, lifting up their heads and rejoicing, knowing that their redemption draweth nigh.

This is not meant to convey an idea that the children of God will have no part in the extreme sufferings that are predicted, as previously to be inflicted on an unbelieving world. No! Satan is not so easily vanquished

that divine promise made to Daniel-" Thou shalt stand in thy lot at the end of the days"-or rather as it is in the Greek-" And thou shalt arise again to thy lot, at the completion of the days."

Kai anasese, eis ton kleron sou eis suntileian emeron.*

*Mors. of Crit. p. 247-249.

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