MILLENNIUM.

"Give us your entire views of the Millennium," is cried in my ear, very frequently, since I have borne public testimony in Cincinnati. "The doctrine is new and strange to the people, they do not understand it."

I will endeavour to give my views of the Millennium. Blessed Jesus, I believe thou wilt help me! And rather than leave room for unbelievers in the orthodox, scriptural, and reasonable scale of redemption completed, and universal restitution made, by the personal appearing of Jesus Christ to reign on the earth one thousand years, to cavil at my testimony after I leave the United States, and am gone to the wilderness, I will venture on farther expense, by issuing a second number of Millennial Tidings. Blessed Jesus I will trust in thee, and go on.

And 1. My view of the subject itself is, that as to its age, millennium in scripture record is only six days younger than this terrestrial globe. "God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it."-2. As to its being "new and strange" to the people, I believe it is their own fault.

But persons say, "we believe in Millennium as much as you do; but we believe it is a 'spiritual affair.""

Answer. So do I. I sincerely believe that "God is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth." I believe too in his triune manifestations, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and "these three are ONE. I believe in the second manifestation of God, even the Son, that he is the centre of unity in the Godhead; and that in him is hid all the trea

sures of wisdom and knowledge-wisdom and knowledge, infinite and eternal. All things were made by him, and for him; and by him all things consist.” The Son is God! the Son is man; and great is the mystery.* "God manifest in the flesh-beyond controversy!!!"

I believe that this manifestation of God is represented in Scripture, as answering to three grand purposes of the immutable God over all, blessed for evermore. 1. To seal his own glory in the sight of all his intelligent creation. 2. To make man holy as his Maker; and third, to make him as happy as God is happy, according to the measure of a being proceeding from, and born of God. In this way, I believe that Christ is all in all!

I believe that all scripture, from Genesis, the first chapter, to the end of the Apocalypse, is testimonial of Christ. That the meaning of scripture is two fold, as Christ is certainly two fold-Son of God, Son of man; that the meaning of scripture is both literal and spiritual-that to discard the natural, is to reject Christ's manhood-that to disbelieve the spiritual, is denying his Godhead. My God! preserve me from scepticism! I believe now, O may I hold fast thy sacred word!

As to the prophetic parts of scripture, I believe in their entire fulfilment, some both literal and spiritual, as for instance, "He shall come down like the rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth." Read the second chapter of Acts, particularly the 2, 3, 4, 38-47 verses-a grand exhibition of the spiritual fulfilment of a glorious branch of prophecy, which has been often repeated since that day, though in smaller measure, since

* 1 E. to Tim. 3. 16.

+ Psalm, 72. 6.

apostolic faith failed from among the children of

men.

For the literal fulfilment of this prophecy, I refer to the following plain scripture testimony.

1. He shall come down. Not that he shall at that time be born of a virgin-do not suffer your minds to be diverted from the proper object set forth in the 72nd Psalm. It is a millennial song; and as the royal prophet touched the faithful cord, "let the whole earth be filled with his glory, Amen and Amen," he testified that "the prayers of David, the son of Jesse were ended," which implies, that as a servant of God, he could desire no more, and as a type of Christ (the anointed) intercession ceased, and glory began. But to the words, "He shall come down."

Read our Lord's declaration, recorded by three Evangelists.

"And then shall they see the SON of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

Compare this grand passage with the 7th verse of the 1st chapter of Revelations, and both with the testimony of two shining ones recorded by Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, first chapter, eleventh

verse.

Here are three remarkable witnesses, together with the personal declaration of the Son of God, that old time prophecy should be fulfilled in a direct, literal manner; viz: two angels and the Holy Ghost.

2. He shall come down like the rain upon the mown grass; and as showers that water the earth. I refer you to the testimony of the Apostle James, concerning the effect of the great event before us-see his sermon, recorded in Acts 15. 16. I

refer you also to Peter's doctrine-see Acts 3. 19 -21. and to Paul, see 2 Thess. 1. 10.

I shall add something more concerning my views of the scriptures, as they are intimately connected with my sentiments on Millennium.

I believe that they are "lively oracles," and not a dead letter that "the words are spirit and life" -that "the prophecies are of no private interpretation"-that the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which he sent by his angels unto his servant John, was never sealed up, except the seven thunders-I appeal to the angel who commanded John to leave them unsealed. I believe that the prophetic testimony by Daniel is opened in the Apocalypse, also Ezekiel, Isaiah, Zechariah, Habakuk's, &c. &c. &c. &c.

I believe that the scriptures are comprehended and rightly understood, by the Spirit which indited them that faith in Christ Jesus is a distinguished agent of that spirit, in producing benefit to man from reading and studying the scriptures-that the understanding of man is the object operated upon, when light appears on prophecy-that the scripture is unchanged-I believe that God will punish every stroke of innovation, every attempt at interpolation, the least degree of subtraction, as well as careless reading of, or neglect to study them, except repentance is exercised, and reformation succeeds repentance. I believe that the scripture is a true standard and will prove spirits. Let our sentiments, our impressions, and our desires, bend to its testimony, while we earnestly, sincerely, devoutly, and with all perseverance, cry to him who was dead, but is alive and liveth for evermore.

"Open thou mine eyes, that I may understand the wondrous things that I read in the scriptures."

We may assure ourselves that God will be true to his word, in the full accomplishment of the whole body, and every part of it. Not one shall fail of all his promises, or his threatenings; for his mouth hath commanded and his spirit will gather them.

I believe that the spirit of truth will never apply the key of David to an old rusty lock of nature's making, that opens a heart but little better than a pit of hell. And here I would ask the question, when did the Bible appear to my christian reader like a new book, before, or after, the exercise of repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ? Call to mind the sweet hours of your first love!!!

I believe that compulsory measures are not used by the Holy Ghost, in his bountiful work of enriching the mind with millennial treasures; or I am certain that powerful testimonies, founded on the broad basis of "Thus saith the Lord,' would not be rejected as they are at this day. Jesus Christ said to the Samaritan woman at the well, that true worshippers shall worship God truly, not by constraint, but willingly, because of their being prepared to do so; but the Blessed One, in his address to that woman, laid before her the truth, and left her free to act. acknowledged him the Messiah in the day of her visitation, and was blest herself, and made useful to others. Jesus Christ taught his disciples to ask, that they might receive, signifying that the Holy Spirit would be given in answer to prayer. But I shall be accused of circumlocution and tediousness in giving my views of Millennium. Well, wellit will be no new thing to me to be accused by the Gentiles.

She

I have, (you may understand, if you give proper attention to the foregoing pages,) commenced my