ble human limits, has been, to the enemies of reve lation, a pregnant source of objection, and to the friends of revelation a source of error and calamity.

It was a prevalent opinion, even among the immediate disciples of Jesus, that the dispensation of grace was then closing, and that the end of all things sublunary was, literally, at hand. Happy would it have been if a sentiment so derogatory to the Redeemer of mankind had expired with those who lived to see the first dawnings only of that day whose brightness has not even yet beamed on the world. But it did not expire with them; it was handed down in the church, and ultimately became so general that public concernments were neglected and private pursuits suspended.

The practical refutation of this preposterous doctrine, which the lapse of succeeding ages furnished, at length produced a change in sentiment. And Christians are now, perhaps generally, united in the opinion that the Messiah is yet to reign a thousand years on the earth.

This opinion gives a very different aspect to the present state of things, and furnishes no inconsiderable relief to the dark and dismal picture, which this world would othewise present. How different still will be the entire view, should it appear in the sequel, that the thousand years of peace, promised to the church, are prophetic years, and denote, not a single millenary, but a vast duration. Cheering hope! And may we safely indulge it? To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not

according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

It, that is the seed of the woman, shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. This laconic declaration contains the first intimation of a Redeemer, and the terms suggest that his injury will be trifling, and his triumph complete and gloriousterms which ill comport with the idea that the duration of the reign of his adversary on the earth is to be six times as long as the duration of his own reign.

In the œconomy of redemption, four thousand years are spent in preparing the way for the introduction of Messiah, the birth of Christ. Two thousand more, in vanquishing his enemies, and fixing the boundaries of his empire-an empire which is to endure, but a thousand years! Satan triumph in this world six thousand years, Jesus Christ one! Is this consonant to the dictates of reason, or the analogy of Providence? Above all, is it consonant to the word of God?

The types which prefigure, and the prophecies which foretel the kingdom of righteousness, attach vastness to the idea of its duration-a vastness in comparison with which the intervening ages of sin and sorrow sink to nothing, and are annihilated.

"All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom

is the Lord's, and he is the Governor among the nations. For evil doers shall be cut off, and those that wait upon the Lord they shall inherit the earth." And when shall the evil doers be cut off? The prophet shall answer this question. "For yet a

LITTLE WHILE and the wicked shall not be, yea, thou shall diligently consider his place and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." And how long shall the meek inherit the earth? Again the prophet shall answer. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein FOR EVER.*

The prevalence of the wicked, which has continued from the time of the prophet until the present time, and which has still the appearance of further continuance, in his estimation was a momentary prevalence, a little while. Whereas the subsequent prevalence of the righteous is declared to be abiding for ever. The terms here made use of are relative, and if they convey any idea, it is of comparative duration. If then, in the language of the prophet, a little while denotes several thousands of years, for ever must denote a period vastly longer.

You will recollect the memorable vision of Daniel, in which an emblematical representation of future events was furnished him.† Unable to comprehend the meaning of the vision, he asks and obtains an

*Psalm xxii. Also Psalm xxxvi. † See Dan. vij

explanation. He is told that the four beasts which: came up out of the sea, are four kingdoms. That the fourth will be diverse from the rest, and devour the earth. That out of this kingdom ten kings will arise, and that another will arise after them, exalt himself against the most High, and wear out the saints of the most High, who are given into his hand and how long are they given into his hand? The answer is subjoined: Until a time, and times, and the dividing of time. But he who gave the explanation adds, "The judgment shall sit and they shall take away his dominion, and the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High," who "shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom." And how long shall they possess the kingdom? Again the answer is subjoined, For ever, even for ever and ever.*

Here also, the comparative duration of the triumph of the righteous and wicked on the earth is brought into view, and the terms made use of are such as to lead to the same conclusion as in

the preceding passages. Indeed if the terms here adopted do not express vast duration, I know of no terms by which this could have been expressed.

The power spoken of in Daniel, into whose hand. the saints are delivered, is again spoken of in the

* Dan. vii. 18.

revelation of Jolin, and again their sufferings under this power are described. Here also these sufferings are limited to a time, and times, and half a time, or as it is elsewhere expressed to a thousand two hundred and three score days. Whereas the subsequent triumph of the righteous is expressly declared to continue a thousand years.

Could we have any doubt, concerning the comparative duration of two periods, expressed in the same book, the one by twelve hundred and sixty days, the other by A THOUSAND YEARS, it should seem that that doubt must vanish when we consider the terms a little while and for ever, by which these same periods are also expressed; a little while being clearly explanatory of twelve hundred and sixty days, and for ever of a thousand years.

In the language of prophecy, a day is frequently put for a year. Thus we interpret the time, and times, and the dividing of time, which occurs in Daniel. Thus we interpret the forty and two months, which occurs in Revelation, and, not to mention other passages, thus we interpret the thousand two hundred and three score days, which also occurs in Revelation. And why should we doubt whether the same construction is to be put on a thousand years, used to denote the reign of Jesus Christ; whose reign, if the same interpretation be adopted, which is adopted in determining the reign of his adversary, will continue three hundred and sixty thousand years. Such a kingdom rises as we contemplate it, into an importance which gives mean