iii. 7, the day of the Lord, which is as a thousand years, may take place: or whether there may not be, as some have supposed, a partial fire at the beginning, (2 Thess. i. 7; Rev. xix. 20,) and another more complete at the close of that day, (Rev. xx. 9.) About the order of events foretold, and in what part of that order the new heavens and the new earth will take place, there seems also to be much of that obscurity in which unfulfilled events are purposely left; at least the Author's present want of knowledge prevents him giving any opinion on such points.

Having now cleared our way through the difficulties of this very important hope of the Church of Christ, let us rise above these mists of controversy, and view the subject in the way which the Apostles set it before us. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ: our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, who

I Though the author has hardly attempted to answer objections, he has on every account felt it to be his duty, as far as he had opportunity to weigh the objections made against the præmillennial Advent and first resurrection, by Hall, Whitby, Vitringa, Faber, Hamilton, Gipps, &c. and difficulties which have arisen in his own mind, and he cannot but give his testimony that there is no plain scriptural argument which he can consider as conclusive, against the personal Advent of Christ, before the millennium and the resurrection of the saints at his coming. Many of those which have been judged to be objections, do in truth, tend, in his opinion, when carefully weighed, to confirm this sentiment; other objections only relate to peculiar views of individuals. It appears to him, that we have too much disregarded on the point, the sentiments of the early fathers, which were valuable and worthy of attention, renouncing however what was merely carnal either in the views, or reputed views, of some of them. The general answers which have been given to Whitby, by Rudd, Fleming, &c. and the writings of Mede, Cuninghame, Abdiel's Essays, Begg, Anderson, Greswell and others, contain such answers to the objections, as are conclusive to his own mind, and make it unneces sary for him to enter into controversy.

shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body; we, according to his promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. O let not the differences of Christians keep us from this waiting state of mind; this blessed hope; this heavenly conversation; this glorious prospect. It is a reality; there is for Christ's waiting people a crown of life and glory; there is a kingdom of light and love; and joy and blessedness; the Saviour will return and that speedily, and raise his expecting people to be with him for ever. We shall not be ashamed of our hope. It will exceed our largest thoughts. Brethren in Christ, let us now be faithful to Christ; let us now confess him in the midst of the infidel world! let us now be willing to suffer for his sake. The day of suffering is short, the day of glory is one eternal day. It approaches, it is at the door. Let us, like the racer, eagerly hasten for the prize; let us be diligent, that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless.

CHAPTER XII.

THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST.

Ir is a just remark of Dr. Pye Smith, that "the prophecies respecting the Kingdom of the Messiah, its extension and duration, and the happiness of his innumerable subjects, are, in a much greater proportion, than those which describe his humiliation to sufferings, and his dreadful death."

Indeed, the universal reign of the triumphant Messiah to the glory of God, is the grand result of God's dispensations.-God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The nature of the kingdom of Christ is a subject then of intense interest, and calls for distinct consideration. It has various aspects and circumstances; but still in all its forms the nature of this kingdom is substantially the same in its principle and character at all times. It is the reign of God over his creature man, his supreme ascendancy over the heart,—and man's entire, willing, and joyful submission to him

Man is by nature under the bondage of sin and Satan, alienated from God, and at enmity with him. When a man is born again of water and of the Spirit, he sees the kingdom of God, and enters into it. Satan is resisted and dethroned-self is subdued, and God's will is our rule, our will and our joy. This kingdom is within, and its blessings are righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit is, in the absence of Christ, the great administrator of this kingdom.

However different the extent and outward form of the kingdom; however great its ultimate triumph and glories, this is still its peculiar feature and character-God reigning supreme in the heart of the once alienated and rebellious sinner; and all dispensations are but hastening on the more fully this great result.

The names of this kingdom are varied; it is called the Kingdom of God,' as he is the Originator and Author, and his glory its great object; the Kingdom of Heaven, as it is heavenly in its origin and principles; it comes down from heaven, and tends to unite earth and heaven; it is the Kingdom of Christ, as he is the reigning Monarch; and the Kingdom of

1 There is a very elaborate excursus by Koppe, on the phrase the Kingdom of God, in which he goes through all the principal passages, containing the phrase in the New Testament, whether spoken before the birth of Christ, or by Christ himself, in his life, or his Apostles afterwards, and shows that they must not be understood merely of the Christian Religion or Church, or of the spiritual and invisible power by which Christ defends his Church on earth, but of a kingdom yet to be set up by the Messiah. He first states that the Apostles adopted the phrase from the sacred writings and the familiar discourses of the Jews, and refers to Psalm ii; xlv; cx. Isa. ix; xi; xxv. 8; xxviii. 5, xlii. xlix. 6; lii; liii; Jerem. xxiii. 5, 6; xxx; xxxi; xxxiii 5. Ezek. xvii. 22; xxix. 21; xxxvii. 24. Zech. iii. 8; iv. 12; ix. 9; xiv. 1. Mal. iii. 1.

Hos. iii. 5. Micah iv. v;

Dan. ii. 44; vii. 13, 14.

Israel, as the Jews are to have a pre-eminence arising from the glory of their king, (Isa. lix. 20, 21, and lx.); and the Everlasting Kingdom, as the happiness of those belonging to it will endure for ever.

From the very beginning, the Scripture Prophecies, not obscurely intimate this kingdom, in such predictions as these-the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent: in thee and in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed: unto him shall the gathering of the people be out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion.

In the Psalms of David, and in the promises made to him, we have a clear developement of this kingdom.-See 2 Sam. vii. 10-16; Psalm lxxxix. 3, 4, 29, 36, 37; Psalm ii. lxxii. cx. &c. &c. These promises assured the throne of Israel to David's posterity for ever, by the strongest possible confirmation; and shew that his seed would be the long promised and expected Messiah.

In the Prophets we have a still farther display of the glories and extent of the same kingdom.-See Isaiah xxxii. Ix., &c.; and it was still assured to David's seed, "If ye can break my covenant of the

ix. 24-27. He shews that from these predictions, the Jews expected that the future king or Messiah, was to restore the true worship of Jehovah, from which men in former ages had all gone astray; to strengthen their minds that they may keep it fast; to reform their conduct, expiate the sins of his people, and to suffer much, being neglected by the greater part of his nation; nevertheless that the same Messiah, sustained by divine power, should with splendour and majesty truly Royal and Divine, govern his people, make war against their enemies, and free them from the yoke of a foreign power, and at length claim the empire of the world (in which the Romans then boasted) for his own nation; along with the setting up of the Messiah's kingdom, the Jews expected the end of the present condition of human beings, and the resurrection of the pious from the dead. See Koppe on Thessalonians, and Investigator, Vol. ii. p. 208.