erected in Jerusalem, and to the worship to be offered in it. We offer no conjecture on the probable design for which the institution of sacrifice is again to be restored during the Millennial age, which must have a retrospective view to the death of Him who "has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God," as those under the former dispensation were prospective. Of this nature is the Lord's Supper, and it is in remembrance of Christ till He come; but whether it is then to be superseded by the institution of sacrifice, we pretend not to determine. But that sacrifice shall yet be offered to the Lord is so unequivocally fore told as leaves no doubt on our mind of its truth. Part of this evidence we shall endeavour to submit, unrestrained by the tide of prejudice which is known to exist upon the subject. Believing the word of God to be of supreme authority, we unhesitatingly appeal to its statements as evidence the value of which the opinions of men will never diminish, and our faith in which their opposition should never induce us to forego. "Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them, and I will place them, and multiply them, and I will set MY SANCTUARY in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them; yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my SANCTUARY shall be in the midst of them for evermore." Ezek. xxxvii. 26-28. This is the conclusion of the prophecy in which the future union of the two kingdoms of the literal Israel and Judah is symbolically represented by the joining of the "two sticks," after which "they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all; neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols;" from which time THE BELOVED "shall be their Prince for ever: ver. 22, 23, 25. That it relates to future times is therefore obvious; while it also explicitly declares the re-erection of God's Sanctuary among them. And when thus rebuilt, it shall not again be thrown down, but shall continue " evermore."

By the prophet Isaiah, the Lord declares, that the glory of Lebanon shall be used in ornamenting this His House: "The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee [Zion]; the firtree, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of MY SANCTUARY, and I will make the place of MY

FEET glorious" Is. lx. 13. In considering the context at large, we have already endeavoured to show its application to the literal Israel, and its reference to Millennial times. For what other Sanctuary than a literal one can such materials be used? The particular trees here specified are trees high in estimation both for utility and ornament, and are therefore adapted to "beautify" a literal Temple.

The second temple was greatly inferior to the first in splendour, as we read (Ezra iii. 12), "Many of the priests, and Levites, and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the First House, when the foundation of this House was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice.' And concerning it, the Lord says to Israel, by the prophet Haggai, "Who is left among you that saw this House in her first glory? And how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?" Hag, ii. 3. But he comforts them with the promise of one which shall excel the First: "For thus saith the Lord of hosts, Yet once it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, and the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the Desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this House with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. The silver and the gold are mine, saith the Lord of hosts; The glory of this latter House shall be greater than the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts." ver. 6-9. The Desire of all nations, it is universally admitted, is here used as a title descriptive of the Saviour; and the prophecy is generally referred to the period of His First Advent, although the commentators have laboured under the utmost difficulty to make the prophecy accord with such an interpretation. The fact they cannot deny, that the Second temple was much inferior in splendour to the First. This difficulty they seek to evade by departing from the material glory of the First, and referring to the moral glory of Christ having been in the Second as a Teacher. But this is not only to destroy altogether the prophet's contrast, but also to overlook the fact that the prophecy itself marks its reference to this very point. When it is said, "the glory of this latter House shall be greater than the former, we would naturally understand the prediction to refer to the same kind of glory, the difference consisting not in the nature, but in

the degree of it; and that, therefore, if it was a material glory in the one case, that so it would be in the other. And this view is confirmed, when we observe that it was in the same respect that the Second House was inferior to the First. To this natural comparison between the First and Third House we are, moreover, limited by the language of the prophecy itself. By it we are taught that to the material superiority of the latter House the prophet really does refer: "The silver and the gold are mine, saith the Lord," and He says so only in reference to the glorifying of this Latter House. It is therefore a glory, to the increase of which these precious metals can contribute, which is here spoken of. This was the kind of glory in which the First Temple far excelled the Second, and it is the glory in which the latter will be greater than even the former: "the silver and the gold are mine, saith the Lord." In addition, however, to this material superiority, the Lord promises to "fill this house with glory"-a promise which evidently refers to the glory in which He will manifest Himself, and is altogether distinct from that glory of the First temple, in comparison of which the Second was "as nothing." It has also been supposed, from the prophet's speaking of the latter temple as this House," that he referred only to the second temple. But while Haggai expressly speaks of the latter, as excelling the former, and speaks of the second as greatly inferior even to the first, he views all the three as still God's "House." He does not introduce them as distinct Temples, but as the same Temple in different states and at different times. Thus, of the second Temple he asks, "who is left among you that saw this House in her first glory?" Now while he thus views the first and second temples, as still the same "House," consistency requires that the second and third should also be regarded as identical.

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It is farther to be observed that when this temple is built, there shall in an eminent degree be "peace" in Palestine : 66 and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord." Without insisting on the force of the expression, we would merely remark, that it seems rather to belong to that class of promises which relate to the Millennial period than to any preceding age. That it is to the premillennial advent of the Saviour this prophecy refers, appears farther ob

1

vious, from the commotions and changes by which it is preceded and accompanied: "I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land, and I will shake ALL nations, and the Desire of all nations shall come." As we shall afterwards have occasion to revert to this prophecy, we confine our attention at present to the shaking of all nations. At the Saviour's first appearance there was nothing which can with propriety be considered as a fulfilment of this extensive prediction. But it corresponds perfectly with all the predictions concerning the troublous period of the Saviour's premillennial coming; and in this respect also corresponds with his own prediction already referred to. His Return is to be at a time of "distress of nations with perplexity." (Luke xxi. 25.) From these various circumstances, the prophecy must be considered as predicting the future erection of a Temple, the splendour of which will, by the more profuse use of silver and gold, not only excel that of the second Temple, which, in the eyes of those who had seen the first, was "in comparison of it as nothing;" but which shall transcend the glory even of the first, the remembrance of whose superiority over the second called forth their pious regret.

To this Temple and its ordinances the prophets make frequent allusions when speaking of Millennial times. Such is the case in the following prediction by Jeremiah: "For thus saith the Lord, David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt-offerings and to kindle meat-offerings, and to do sacrifice continually." Jer. xxxiii. 17, 18. "Shall never" from the period to which the prophecy relates, and this is when "Judah shall be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely;" when the seed of David shall "sit upon the throne of the House of Israel," and the Branch of Righteousness "shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land." ver. 15, 16. These are clearly the characteristics of the Millennial age; and from this period the priests shall continually offer sacrifice. The temple shall no more thence be thrown down, the altar no more defiled. The priests shall "do sacrifice continually," and these sacrifices shall consist both of "burnt-offerings and meat-offerings."

But the fullest account which we have of this Temple, and

of its ordinances, is contained in that remarkable prophecy with which the book of Ezekiel concludes, and to which we have repeatedly referred. In it, the size and situation of the House are declared, its ground-plan and elevations minutely described, its varied ornaments graphically delineated, its ministering priesthood appointed, and its ritual formally prescribed. The account of these occupies several chapters, of which the most eminent Antimillennarian commentators decline giving any exposition, considering them as inexplicable; while all admit that they have not hitherto met their accomplishment, but refer to future times.* Now the great source of the difficulty experienced is, a disbelief of the truths these chapters contain. They will not admit the re-erection of the Temple, and to those who deny this it is not wonderful that a plain declaration of the fact, and a minute detail of its circumstances, should appear incomprehensible. But to any who are not prepossessed with an opinion of the correctness of a system with which any interpretation of these chapters must be incompatible, their statements will appear remarkably precise. They bear internal evidence of being the very directions according to which the Temple is to be built and its institutions regulated.

Some commentators have indeed exercised their wonted ingenuity in vainly endeavouring to transform, by the process of spiritualization, all the parts of the building described, and all its enjoined institutions, into something pertaining to, and extending over the whole Christian Church. This however is a violation of every principle of decorum in the

It is due to the eminent Mr Faber to state, that while he strenuously opposes the doctrine of Christ's personal premillennial advent, he does not deny the literal re-erection of the Temple. He even goes the length of admitting, that, "during the Millennian period, there may possibly shine forth, as of old, the glory of the Shechinah in the temple of the restored and converted Jews at Jerusalem. To this supposition, as a conjecture," he continues, "I am not disinclined though its truth, I apprehend, is incapable of antecedent demonstration. We can only say, that, as various prophecies may seem to intimate some such matter: so it would in itself, be perfectly agreeable to the analogy of the two former dispensations. Patriarchism and Judaism, each during its earlier period, had the permanent glory of the Shechinah. Whence we might infer that Christianity, during its best and most triumphant period, would not want the same perpetual and sensible attestation of the divine presence," Sacred Calender of Prophecy, Vol. III. p. 475.