(2.) It is affirmed that a KINGDOM WAS THEN given to the Son of man, and all nations were then brought under his sway; and the saints possessed it forever, even forever and ever. (3.) The dominion, therefore, then given, is not only everlasting, but the kingdom then given is everlasting, or forever and ever. Does this look like a thousand years? How can any man reconcile this view of Christ's kingdom de facto, the one admitted by brother Whedon, with simply a thousand years' reign; and that then it is to be upturned by the rebellion of both the world and the church, to the state it was in before the flood? It cannot be. If we can affirm the truth of anything, we can affirm that the description here given, by inspiration, of Christ's kingdom, and the RULE he then receives, can never be properly applied to anything less than a rule and government WITHOUT END, and without interruption. Take another passage from the Bible. "To the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever." Can there be, then, termination to the throne of CHRIST? No, verily; it lasts forever. Does not this scripture harmonize with Daniel, who says, his dominion, or supreme power and government, shall be everlasting? Does it harmonize with the annunciation of his character before his birth? "And the Lord God shall give (in the future) unto him (Christ) the throne of his father David; and HE SHALL REIGN FOREVER; and to his kingdom there shall be NO END. Does it not harmonize with the passages where both cases are referred to, king de jure, and king de facto? "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment, and with justice, henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." Can expressions like the above be reconciled in any form, allowing language any force at all, or any definite meaning at all, with the RESIGNATION of his kingdom, or rule, or throne, or people, at any point of time whatever? Indeed they cannot. 5. Let it be recollected, also, that in the new Jerusalem, in the new heavens and earth, the THRONE of God and the LAMB is seen; and the river of water of life proceeds from beneath that throne; after the judgment has passed, with all that preceded it; heaven and earth itself had fled away; and all the inmates of the new Jerusalem, of the new heavens and earth, are to serve him. brother Whedon maintain, in view of all these facts, that Christ's kingdom, in its de facto state, is EVER to be resigned? No; much less can he maintain that it will be done in a thousand years, or at the resurrection, or judgment. Christ never surrenders anything but what is essential to the Can probationary state, his mediatorial kingdom, or mercy seat; this, and this only, is given up at the judgment day. 6. All Christ's children, all the children of God, reign wITH CHRIST, in both his states, both as king de jure, and as king de facto. "If children, then heirs, and joint-heirs with Christ." They are also to sit with him 66 upon HIS THRONE, "in its de facto state. But the Bible expressly declares this reign of the saints to be FOREVER AND EVER. Now if they "sit with him," "upon his throne," FOREVER AND EVER," it makes both his reign and throne as perpetual as language can make them; for both are identified as co-eternal. They suffered together, and will be glorified together. In conclusion, let us compare these two reigns of Christ--two kingdoms, if you choose or the germinating state, with the inauguration of Christ at Jordan-and the reception of his kingdom and people at the last, or de facto state. In the first there was little display. The great king, heir apparent to the throne, had his birth in a manger-appeared in human form. John was his herald. His prime ministers were twelve fishermen. His royal entrance to Jerusalem the most humble in the world. His subjects despised, and with himself crucified. They groaned, being burdened, six thousand years. But how is it at the last? His heralds are God's mighty angels, and the trump of God. His ministering spirits ten thousand times ten thousand. He speaks, and the dominions of death tremble, and give up their dead. His redeemed come forth to immortality and life; all that are written in the book, to an everlasting salvation, and all enemies are placed beneath his feet; all rule and all authority are put down; and he appears no longer as heir, but God, and monarch of the world; and his kingdom as perpetual as eternity, passing on without interruption. If human authority will avail anything with brother Whedon, I will add, that Mr. Wesley says, Christ, as Son, in his human nature, must reign FOREVER, after the resurrection; and cites Luke i. 33, to prove it. Benson expressly bears witness to the same. Dr. A. Clarke says, He must be EVERLASTING KING. And our beautiful poet says, "There GOD THE SON forever reigns, Portland, March 2, 1842. G. F. COX. [No. XII.] THE TWO RESURRECTIONS-D. D. WHEDON. ARE THERE TWO RESURRECTIONS? And I think there are two resurrections. this has been so palpable that most writers on, and believers in the New Testament, have come to this conclusion. Many, however, have supposed that one resurrection would be a moral one-and the other literal, or the raising of the body from the grave. Bishop Newton thinks we should be careful in making the first resurrection moral, lest we should be driven to the inference that the last is also. It appears to me that we should be careful, indeed, lest the hope of the righteous be entirely cut off, and God's word be rendered null and void. Before proceeding directly to the question, I wish to make a remark or two on the meaning of one or two words in the Bible, in their connection with this subject, viz., "day"-"last day"-"hour," &c. 1. I begin with hour. What is the meaning of hour, in John iv. 23? "The hour cometh, and now is, when true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." "The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet in Jerusa |