title: The saint's inheritance : or, the world to come
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CRAIGHEAD, PRINTER AND ST.-RIXITYPEK, 63 Vury Sired, A cut York. tmp96 025913 SI CONTENTS. Page Chap. I. Introductory, ....... 7 II. The Millennium, ....... 20 III. The Millennium, continued,. 25 IY. Satan Loosed—Gog and Magog, .... 37 Y. The Preaching of Peace a Snare to the Jewish Church, .50 VL The Preaching of Peace a Snare to the Chris¬ tian Church, .58 The Earth Promised to Christ as a Possession, . 72 The Location of the Inheritance of the Saints, 83 The Second Adam, .94 The Earth Renewed,.103 The Two Houses of Israel,.113 The Test or Standand by which to try all Re¬ ligious Teaching, and the way to know the Truth,.134 Christ to Reign Personally on the Earth, . 148 When Christ Reigns on Earth his Subjects well be Immortal, .158 XY. Christ’s Reign continued—his Kingdom to be without end, .166 XYL Infants Lawful Heirs of the Inheritance, . . 179 XVII. Ministry of Angels,. 193 XYHL No Covenants or Promises to Jews more than to Gentiles, .219 XTY. The House of Mansions above—the Holy City TO COME,.239 PREFACE. This volume had its origin in a desire to awaken a lively and more devout interest in the study of the Bible; and in the fact that those deeply interesting Bible truths, made prominent in these pages, are now generally neglected, and in a great measure lost sight of by the church; which are considered of sufficient importance for bringing it before the public. The doctrine that this earth, instead of being annihilated, will be restored to its Eden or pristine glory, and become the habitation of the just, has never been considered heresy by the church; and although it is an old doctrine, made more or less prominent in every age, yet, because of its present neglect, care has been taken to prove, with a “ Thus saith the Lord,” all that has been advanced, which is the reason for the frequent quotations from the Bible found in this book. If the reading of these pages removes the cause of that complaint, of a want of interest in reading the Bible, so deeply felt and deplored by many Christians, the labor of writing them will be well rewarded. And should there be such an interest awakened, as to induce some able pen to do the subject justice, all will be accomplished that could be desired by the Author. Geneseo, N. Y., Oct. 1862. THE SAINTS’ INHERITANCE. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. “ Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” John xvii. 17. The glories of the inheritance of the saints, those great things in reserve for the people of God, the annals of eternity can alone fully unfold. Yet God has revealed concerning that heavenly kingdom much more than is generally taught or believed; and whatever he has been pleased to make known must be deeply interesting to all who hope to have part in that inheritance. The children of God have often been permitted to climb as high, morally, to view, through faith in those “ exceeding great and precious promises,” the glory of God in their inheritance, as Moses on Mount Pisgah, to view the land of Canaan. Those heavenly promises were given that our hearts might be sanctified by dwelling on them, that our affections might be won from those things that perish. “ But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear 8 THE SAINTS’ INHERITANCE. heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”—1 Cor. ii. 9. This text is sometimes quoted as proof that nothing has been revealed of that heavenly state, that here we have no conception of those immortal joys; but the context shows that in this verse the Apostle was speaking of the natural man, and the following verse teaches the very opposite, of the believer. “ But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.” We see, therefore, that God does permit believers to discern in those pre¬ cious promises, at least, “ as through a glass darkly,” those joys which cluster around that heavenly coun¬ try, where they shall mingle with all the pure and the good who have ever graced the earth, beyond the time of toil, pain, and death. Thus he awakens anew the energies of the soul while they are engaged in his service, by the prospect of that great salvation. Speak of the heavenly state in general terms, and all are well pleased, perhaps the adversary would have no objection ; but be particular, make it a reality, talk of “ the redemption of the purchased possession,” tell them that “the whole creation groaneth, and travaileth in pain together until now,” —of “ the restitution of all things,”—of “ the new heavens and the new earth, wherein dwelleth right- INTRODUCTORY. 9 eousness,”—of the voice of the Eternal, saying, “ be¬ hold I make all things new,”—that “ there shall be no more curse,” and many object to the investigation ; they are satisfied with knowing that heaven is a good place. But the above truths, fully exhibited, make the inheritance of the saints a reality to the believer, a place that may be inhabited ; and a tangibility is given for his faith, making it truly “ the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Christians who neglect this subject, lose its ener¬ gizing influence, designed to nerve them while in probation, to urge them onward in their pilgrimage, to sanctify and prepare them for that abode. “It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the king¬ dom of heaven,” said Jesus to his disciples. Can it be that God has revealed that which is not worth the attention of his children? “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be per¬ fect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Truly, “ secret things belong unto the Lord our God ; but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever.” As the knowledge of one science aids in obtaining that of another, so also the subjects which God has revealed are intimately connected, and mutually shed light on each other. “ Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth,” is the blessing which Jesus invoked on all 1 * 10 ' THE SAINTS 7 INHERITANCE. believers as he,was about to leave this world. Who¬ ever therefore neglects any of these truths, not only dishonors God, but robs his own’soul, especially if he neglects a subject about which God has revealed so much as concerning the one before us. Men are not indifferent in regard to a temporal inheritance ; and they are considered wise who gain all the information in their power concerning a country to which they would journey to make it their home for life. How deeply interested then should the Christian be with his everlasting inherit¬ ance ? In receiving it all his hopes are consum¬ mated. The faculties of the mind are not to perish with this mortal life ; should they, our identity would be lost. That indescribable love of home planted in the human heart by the Author of our being, rendering even trivial things around the homestead sacred and endearing, filling the very name of home with sweet¬ ness, will not only live, but increase in the resurrec¬ tion state, endearing and consecrating the blessings of that inheritance, filling with love and sweetness the eternal home of the redeemed. With what jealous care we guard those plants of beauty, and trees of ornament, which perhaps called the united counsel of the family to arrange in setting : with pleasure we nourish them ; our joys increase with their growth ; when they bud, blossom, and spread forth their beauty and their fragrance, our pleasures are still heightened, and the inclosure becomes an Eden where no careless foot may tread, INTRODUCTORY. 11 where no destroyer may enter. What sacred joy arises in the family as under their fostering care they see the homestead improve, becoming more and more beautiful. Who can walk out on this earth of ours in the spring-time of her beauty, with her carpet of green under his feet, with her vegetation arrayed in its royal garments, and inhale the sweetness of her flowers, without rejoicing with gratitude in the work of the Author ? But when we learn in the word of God that although thus beautiful, it is greatly degenerated from its pristine glory, that it is full of corruption, and groaning under the curse of sin, as well as its inhabitants; and that it is doomed to death, to be burned ; our joy is turned to sorrow ; but when we learn still more by those “ precious promises,” that its death is not eternal; that Jesus, the second Adam, has “ purchased the possession,” and promised for it a “ redemption,” a “ restitution,” when he will make it as in its original beauty, “ when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy ;” even as much more glorious as the second Adam is greater and more glorious than the first. And still farther ; when we learn that those to whom it was originally given, who have been adopted into the family of the second Adam, are under him to have it again, when he shall raise them from the dead, and that their inheritance shall put on such excellent beauty under his fostering care, when he shall “make the place of his feet glorious,” our 12 THE SAINTS 7 INHERITANCE. sorrow is turned again to rejoicing, will not the holy family of the second Adam in that day shout for joy still more loudly than the sons of God at its creation ? If so much love and pleasure cluster around our temporal home, and such beauty shines in this corrupted earth, what will be our joy when He shall set his hand again to beautify the earth, and shall make it our everlasting inheritance ; shedding uni¬ versal and unfading beauty throughout the renovated world. “ For ye shall go out with joy ; and be led forth with peace : the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree : and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. 77 This is no fancy sketch, but a part of that word of prophecy, of which Jesus said, “ Not one jot or tittle shall in any wise fail. 77 In accom¬ plishing which he will obliterate every trace of the fall, so that nothing shall hurt or destroy in all God 7 s holy mountain. “ The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them ; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. 77 The object of our Lord 7 s incarnation was to wrest INTRODUCTORY. 13 from the “Prince of Darkness” the kingship of this world ; to cast him out of the possession ; to take the prey from the mighty, and to deliver man the captive, and to restore to him that inheritance which he lost by the fall. But it is not yet accom¬ plished. Truly, “ He was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He has effected that much towards our redemption, and he has given an “ Earnest,” or a Pledge for the balance. The con¬ sequences of sin are not yet removed. The believer is yet under the sentence of death. The ashes of the saints and martyrs are still mingling in the dust, and their redemption will not be completed till he brings them soul and body into that inheritance. And now if he redeem not the pledge, the Christian’s hope will never be consummated ; therefore we stand by faith, and if we die, we must die in the faith, if our hope is ever consummated. But he who has promised is able to fulfil, says the Apostle. “ For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” The Pledge which he has given is truly worthy of Him who gave it. “ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation : in whom after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory,” Eph. i. 13,14. Our 14 THE SAINTS' INHERITANCE. Earnest then, or Pledge, is, that Holy Spirit of pro¬ mise, the promised Comforter. Said Jesus, “ If I go away I will send you the Comforter.” When we believe, we are sealed with that promised Holy Spirit, who is our Earnest or Pledge till the redemp¬ tion of the purchased possession. What an Earnest He has given ! Sealed with the signet of Heaven ; by the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost; who is given as our Earnest; the inheritance is sure. “ Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his,” says the Apostle. “ But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he. that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit which dwelleth in you.” That Earnest, the Holy Spirit given, is to quicken, to make alive, to raise us from the dead, and beautify us with salvation, that we may take possession of our inheritance. There is so much power in the glory of that heavenly country when only seen as “ through a glass darkly,” or, by faith, that the highest honor of kings and all their glory fades before it. “ By faith Moses, when he had come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter ; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” We should love God for what he is ; because he is pure, holy, just, and good ; but where do we see his INTRODUCTORY. 15 goodness as in our redemption, and the redemption of our inheritance through the death and suffering of his only begotten Son ? “ Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long- suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? ” If we lose the knowledge of our inheritance, we are like a traveller who has lost his way : he knows he has a home, but where he cannot tell; he wearies himself on the dark mountains of uncertainty, or he forgets his country and his home and amuses himself in a strange land with the passing events. But the Christian who has his eye of faith firmly fixed, his treasure being there, his affections are there, and the way he knows : “I am the Way,” says Christ: the very progress he makes, gives him energy. As with the Pilgrim fathers : “ they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country. And if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now, they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly.” Many excellent men whom the Church delights to honor, have given this subject that prominence its importance demands, and many ministers still claim to hold that this earth will be renewed and become the habitation of the saints, but excuse themselves from teaching it. Therefore the subject should claim more attention till it stands again in its proper place in Christian theology. The late Dr. Chalmers has a sermon on the new 16 THE SAINTS* INHERITANCE. heavens and the new earth, in which he says : “A great step is gained simply by dissolving the alliance that exists in the minds of many between the two ideas of sin and materialism ; or proving, that when once sin is done away, it consists with all we know of God’s administration, that materialism shall be perpetuated in the full bloom and vigor of immor¬ tality. It altogether holds out a warmer and more alluring picture of the elysium that awaits us, when told that there will be beauty to delight the eye ; and music to regale the ear ; and the comfort that springs from all the charities of intercourse between man and man, holding converse as they do on earth, and gladdening each other with the benignant smiles that play on the human countenance, or the accents of kindness that fall in soft and soothing melody from the human voice. There is much of the inno¬ cent and much of the inspiring, and much to affect and elevate the heart, in the scenes and the contem¬ plations of materialism—and we do hail the infor¬ mation .that after the dissolution of its present framework, it will again be varied and decked out anew in all the graces of its unfading verdure, and of its unbounded variety—that in addition to our direct and personal view of the Deity, when he comes down to tabernacle with men, we shall also have the reflection of him in a lovely mirror of his own workmanship—and that instead of being translated to some abode of dimness and of mystery, so remote from human experience, as to be beyond all comprehension, we shall walk for ever INTRODUCTORY. IT in a land replenished with those sensible delights and those sensible glories, which, we doubt not, will be most properly scattered over ‘ the new heavens and the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.’ “ We are now walking on a terrestrial surface, not more compact, perhaps, than the one we shall hereafter walk upon, and are now wearing terrestrial bodies, not firmer and more solid, perhaps, than those we shall hereafter wear. “ There will be a firm earth, as we have at present, and a heaven stretched over it, as we have at present ; and it is not by the absence of sin, that the abode of immortality will be characterized. There will both be heavens and earth, it would appear, in the next great administration—and with this specialty to mark it from the present one, that it will be heavens and an earth, * wherein dwelleth righteousness.’ ”—Dr. Chalmers's Works , v. 7, pp. 291 to 293, N. Y. ed., 1842. Calvin, in his “ Institutes,” says, “ I expect with Paul, a reparation of all the evils caused by sin, for which he represents the creatures as groaning and travailing.” John Knox, speaking of the reformation of the world, says, it “ never was, nor yet shall be, till the righteous King and Judge appear for the restora¬ tion of all things.” Bunyan says, “ none ever saw this world as it was in its first creation but Adam and his wife ; neither will any see it until the manifestation of the children of God ; i. e. until the redemption or resurrection of the saints.” 18 THE SAINTS’ INHERITANCE. The Rev. John Cumming, D.D., of England, speaking of the glory of the future state says : “ Is that sixtieth chapter of Isaiah a poet’s dream ? Is it a mere transcendental prediction ? I believe these glories, these literal glories, will be in that future state. I do not believe there is anything in a beautiful flower inherently evil ; or that there is any iniquity in a brilliant gem; or that there is anything of God’s curse inseparably from a precious diamond. All this earth wants is, not to have its matter annihilated, or transformed into something airy, visionary, spiritualized; but to have sin and its corrosive poison entirely and utterly purged from it, and to have the consecrating footsteps of the King of kings upon its bosom, and then its deserts shall rejoice, and its solitary places shall blossom as the rose.” The importance of this subject does not appear in the above reasons only, neither because of the sanctifying influence of this truth on the heart, nor because it sheds light upon other important truth, nor because the Christian traveller would be lost with the knowledge only that he had a home and knew not where ; but more especially because the church has once stumbled and been rejected of God, the result of having lost sight of her inherit¬ ance, as the sequel, we think, will show. But simply the belief or disbelief in the true location of the saints’ inheritance cannot affect the heart of any man for good or evil. True, neither to believe that there is one God, which is a part of INTRODUCTORY. 19 the Christian’s faith, and absolutely necessary ; still the simple belief will not make the heart better or worse. Says the apostle James, “ thou believest that there is one God; thou dost well, the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, 0 vain man, that faith without works is dead ? ” The misunderstanding of those promises which represent the earth in such a beautified and glorious state, when “ nothing shall hurt or destroy in all God’s holy mountain,” when “the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick,” applicable only to the heavenly state, has been the cause of their being applied to this mortal life, where they can never be fulfilled. By which means the church has embraced the hope that she will enjoy a millennial day of peace and glory during the time of her probation; the time allotted for her warfare and trials, in this sin-polluted state of the earth, groaning under the curse. True, there is to be on the earth a millennial day for the church. “There remaineth a rest to the people of God,” or as the margin reads, “ a keeping of a Sabbath,” the type of which is found in the seventh day rest, sanctified and hallowed by the Creator, after the six days’ work of the creation. The doctrine has been held and taught more or less • confidently in all ages of the church, and it is the first great blessing in reserve for the saints, as an introductory to their final, glorious, and everlasting inheritance. Therefore, the Millennium shall be first considered in the following pages. CHAPTER II. THE MILLENNIUM. “The people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not.”— Luke iii. 15. The opinion that there will be a millennium, and that it is about to dawn upon the world, is now as prevalent throughout Christendom as was the belief that the Messiah was about to make his appearance in the days of John the Baptist, or of good old Simeon, who had got the witness that he should not die till he had seen the Lord’s Anointed. And pro¬ bably no less true the one than the other. That delightful day, the heavenly and soul-cheering time, the glorious and blessed restitution, is now so inwoven in the heart of the church, that it not only fires up the old man “ while leaning upon his staff” as he worships, but the “ young men who are strong in the Lord,” have the spirit of their worship .quick¬ ened as they catch the melody of the holy theme. Even the children of the church, or the young con¬ verts, unite, while the church prays ardently for “ The set time to favor Zion to come; when the heathen shall be given to his Son for an inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession ; when the sword shall be beat into the ploughshare, and the spear into the pruning-hook, and nation shall THE MILLENNIUM. 21 not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more ; and he shall reign from the river to the ends of the earth; and all shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest; for the knowledge of the glory of God shall fill the earth as the waters fill the great deep.” Thus prays the church at the public ministry of the word, and in her conference meetings—at the monthly concert of prayer, and in her church meet¬ ings—at her covenant, and her class meetings—at the family altar and in the closet. The millennium is the theme of her orators at the great gatherings of the church. The overthrow of monarchies, and the establishing of republics, are pointed to by the Christian republi¬ can as the dawning of the better day. The Evan¬ gelical Alliance, the World’s Peace Convention, the World’s Fair, as great social gatherings of the nations, are looked to with anxious eye as harbingers of the millennium. The opening of new fields in heathen lands for the gospel, and great revivals of religion, are hailed as its morning rays. “And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not,” so now there is a universal expectation of a better day about to dawn on the world. The general diffusion of knowledge and the rapid pro¬ gress of the arts and sciences, have awakened a pleasing hope of glory in the development of the powers of the human mind, beyond the stretch of the imagination to tell how great. The spread of know- 22 THE SAINTS 5 INHERITANCE. ledge, and especially of human rights through the world, causing the general struggle of the nations for liberty, inspires political men with the expecta¬ tion that the world is on the eve of its political greatness, when all men will enjoy those “ inalien¬ able rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi¬ ness. 55 That this earth is destined to a glorious and blessed state, is the general testimony of the inspired writers. God has sworn by Himself, saying, “ As surely as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, 55 and he has specified a special thousand years during which the blessed, and the holy, and they only, shall live and reign with Christ; and it is a sufficient guarantee to the church that there will be a millennium. God has spoken it, and will perform it in due time. Rev. xx. 4, 6. But the great mass who are looking, and even praying for it, may be as sadly disappointed as the Jewish church and the world were at the coming of the Messiah. The Jewish church had been praying for a long time for the Redeemer “ to come to Zion. 55 Even as far back as the days of king Hezekiah, when God said to him, “ Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die, 55 his great complaint was because he should not live to see Christ. Isaiah xxxviii. 10, 11. “I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave : I am deprived of the residue of my years, I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living. 55 His pleading was accepted, his days were THE MILLENNIUM. 23 extended fifteen years. Kings and priests, prophets, and holy men, have desired to see his day. The promise made to our first parents, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head, had been renewed to Abraham, and through his descend¬ ants had spread more or less among all nations ; and in proportion to the light the expectation was uni¬ versal, that the great Redeemer of mankind was about to come. “The wise men of the east” had their attention drawn to the subject, and were on the look¬ out. They learned that God had announced the birth of the long expected Messiah in his providence, by the appearance of a new and wonderful star. “ And lo the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.” The necessity of a Redeemer was so absolute, the expectation was so universal, and so ardent was the desire of the whole world, that one of the titles given him by Inspiration was, “ The Desire of all Nations.” And when he came he was all they could have desired ; the very one they needed. Had the world assembled her wise men to have asked of Heaven some great favor, and had they raised their imaginations to the highest, they could not have asked an equal; nor could the Eternal Father have bestowed a greater. But when the greatly desired Messiah came, did they receive him as their Saviour? No! they were sadly disappointed in him. He was to them as a - root out of dry ground. He had no form or come¬ liness, and when they saw him there was no beauty 24 THE SAINTS’ INHERITANCE. that they should desire him. He was despised and rejected of men. a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and they hid as it were their faces from him ; he was despised and they esteemed him not.” Even the church who had prayed so ardently for him to come, rejected him. “ He came to his own, and his own received him not.” They rejected and crucified him, saying, “ His blood be on us, and on our chil¬ dren.” How Heaven-daring their prayer! How terrible its fulfilment on that devoted race ! As there was a universal expectation of Christ’s coming just previous to his advent, so there is now an equal expectation of a Millennium about to dawn upon the world. But it is to be feared that the disappoint¬ ment will be as much more dreadful than in the days of the Saviour, as the light and privilege of this age are superior. It will be shown in its place, that the first step in error which led the Jewish church to reject her long prayed, for Messiah, was the losing sight of the true inheritance; but first the Millennium will be more fully considered. “ I counsel thee,” says Jesus, “ to anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see.” CHAPTER III. THE MILLENNIUM CONTINUED. “ 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 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 fore¬ heads, 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.” Rev. xx. 1-5. The above, with the five verses which follow in this twentieth chapter of Revelation, is the only por¬ tion in God’s word which directly teaches a millen¬ nium, or a special thousand years’ reign for Christ and his people. Christians generally are agreed as to the fact, that a very holy and blessed state is yet to exist upon this earth, called the Millennium, because a thousand ^ears is specified. And the only impor¬ tant question between those who believe in the mil¬ lennial reign to come, is, whether it is to be in proba¬ tion, introduced by the spread of the gospel till the whole world is converted ; or, to be in the immortal THE SAINTS 7 INHERITANCE. state, introduced by the advent of Christ, and the resurrection of the righteous dead, and restitution of the earth. As this is the only scripture which specifies a spe¬ cial thousand years 7 reign for Christ and the right¬ eous, all agree that its true meaning reveals the nature of that coming millennial glory. Therefore from the different interpretations of this scripture has originated the division respecting the character of that reign. One class of interpreters believe this language to be highly symbolical, designed to teach that there will be a glorious revival of religion, when all the graces of the martyrs will be revived, and all the inhabitants of the earth will be converted, or so generally brought under the influence of the gospel that the church will triumph gloriously over all her foes ; and that Christ will reign, by the Spirit, in the hearts of his people for a thousand years, during which multitudes, more than all that have been lost, will be saved ; so that Christ, in numbers saved, will obtain a great victory over the Adver¬ sary. The other class believe this portion of scripture designed to teach, with other things, the resurrection of the righteous dead, a thousand years previous to the resurrection of the wicked, during which Christ will reign personally with his saints. Believing the latter exposition correct, it will be our object to show that the context sustains it; and that other scripture on this subject harmonize with it. THE MILLENNIUM. 27 The great error, generally, in understanding God’s word has been in supposing it something wonderful and mysterious; coming from so high a source, we are disposed to think it above our comprehension. The simplicity of the gospel, or God’s truth, has often proved a stumbling-block. Though there is a depth in his word unfathomable, yet there is a simplicity which brings it within the reach of the most feeble mind. Those learned expositors who have understood this scripture as a symbolical representation, having given such a variety of expositions, and some of them having changed their views, and still express them very positively, show that the wisdom even of the wise has failed. That the language is to be understood in part or wholly as symbolical is evi¬ dent ; the great chain and key in the angel’s hand should not be understood literally. Being satisfied that the language was symbolical, instead of search¬ ing to see whether God had explained it, they have gone on and given an exposition. The wildest expositions of God’s word which men have been guilty of giving are of those parables, visions, and symbols, which God had already explained. The reader will notice in the text that we have omitted the last clause of the fifth verse, which is the commencement of the exposition that Inspiration has given of this subject. Those persons, who for con¬ venience’s sake divided the Bible into chapters and verses, have by so doing made it in some places rather obscure. Read the following paragraph, or 28 THE SAINTS’ INHERITANCE. five verses, in connexion with the text, and it will be seen that God has given an explanation to the subject. The Revelator having described what he saw. then declares in literal language the meaning. “ This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that has 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. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Thus Inspiration has given a concise exposition of these five verses, divesting-them of that mysticism which a multitude of expositions has cast over them, rendering them sufficiently plain, so that there needs be no misunderstanding of them. And it will be easy to show that thus understood, they harmo¬ nize with the plain teaching of God’s word on this subject. Similar examples are frequently found in the book of Revelation, where an explanation imme- THE MILLENNIUM. 29 diately follows the description of a vision. To adopt such exposition is always safe j and no uninspired exposition, however wise and good the author, can set it aside. History teaches that the church, previous to the days of Dr.Whitby (1716) generally believed that the millennium would be introduced by the resurrection of the righteous dead, and personal reign of Christ; but Whitby wrote largely on the millennium, and so explained this scripture as to make it teach that the millennium would be introduced by the conversion of the world. Since that time many expositors have adopted similar views ; the theory is so pleasing to all that few have been disposed to call it in question. In sustaining the doctrine the scene which John saw and described, and the exposition he gave, have been connected together, and the whole has been symbol¬ ized. Some have gone so far as to symbolize the time also, making each day in the thousand years stand as a symbol of a year, extending the time of the reign to three hundred and sixty-five thousand years, or three hundred and sixty-five millenniums. Some of their expositions have been more difficult to understand than the text itself.* * “ It is well known that Rev. Thomas Scott, the celebrated com¬ mentator on the Bible, published an edition of Runyan’s ‘ Progress,’ with expository notes. A copy of this work he benevolently presented to one of his poor parishioners. Meeting him soon after, Mr. Scott inquired whether he had read it. The reply was, ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘Do you think you understand it?’ ‘Oh, yes, sir,’ was the answer; * and I hope before long to understand the notes.* ” 30 THE SAINTS 7 INHERITANCE. Quite too much of a license to take with the word of Him who said, “ For I testify unto every man that heareth the word of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book/ 7 Rev. xxii. 18, 19. Living prophets with the Revelator have ceased from the church, but in their place God has given the prophecy of the Book of Revelation, with other unfulfilled prophecies, constantly being fulfilled, a living miracle of the truth of the Holy Bible ; and lest these prophecies should be treated as were the prophets while alive, God has set this terrible threatening in the closing chapter of his word. The prophets were tempted to induce them to bring messages of peace, and they were persecuted because they foretold the opposite. “ And the mes¬ senger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets (false prophets) declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good/ 7 1 Kings xxii. 13. But no, he was faithful, and informed the king of the calamity which awaited him and his people. The consequence was that a popular prophet smites him, and the king orders him back to prison to be fed with the bread and water of THE MILLENNIUM. 31 affliction. When God sent Jeremiah, who was greatly persecuted, to inform the church that, “ When they fast, I will not hear their cry ; and when they offer burnt-offering and an oblation, I will not accept them ; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence:” he replies, “ Ah Lord God! behold the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place,” Jer. xiv. 12, 13. Though the prophets could not be prevailed on to proclaim peace for the church in probation, as will be more fully shown ; yet their prophecies have been so symbolized and explained as to make them teach such a time. The plain teaching of the apostle John does not warrant the popular exposition of his prophecy, that the church will triumph in the last days. He says, “ Little children, it is the last time : and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists ; whereby we know that it is the last time,” 1 John ii. 18. How does the beloved apostle know that “ it is the last time ?” Is it because he sees the millennial glory rising upon the world in the spread of the gospel ? No ; but because “ there were many antichrists ; whereby we know that it is the last time.” It was not the increase of holiness but the multiplying of wicked¬ ness, which was an evidence to the venerable apostle that the day of probation for man was passing into its evening shades. This plain declaration of the apostle cannot be reconciled with a millennial reign in probation. 