nigh, may be expected to be multiplied with the pass ing years; what will not the present growing, though infant ameliorating energies of a gracious philanthropy not effect in a hundred years, and even in fifty, if God continues to bless their efforts? The means now in operation to spread the Gospel, in a short time will effect wonders not yet conceived of, in reference to a preparation for the introduction of the seventh Chiliad of the world. The Lord hasten it in his time, the time to cleanse the sanctuary, the time to give to the saints the kingdom, the great jubilee, the Sabbath of creation, the victory of Christ, the time to bind Satan a thousand years, the renewal of the paradistical state, the glory of Messiah's kingdom on earth, which will afford undescribed happiness and assurance for a thousand years. Will represent the probable state of the incorrigible and wicked part of mankind, just previous to the commencement of the Millennium. In this division will be given an account of Pagan Rome and of Papal Rome, which subjects are hinted at by the Revelator, in his 13th and 17th Chapters. When Noah built the Ark, in the first age, ! It is probable that the most popular idea about the commencement of the Millennium, is, that there will be a gradual reformation, from year to year, until the whole of mankind, generally speaking, shall be favourably disposed towards religion; when a general morality shall prevail throughout the world. Such a state as this, is also supposed by many, will be the condition of the world during the Millennium. But if Christ, relative to the Church, in the days of St John, expressed himself as abominating all luke warm souls, and threatened to spue them out of his mouth, or cast them down to hell, as I understand it to mean; how, then, in the Millennium, when it is expressly stated that all shall be holy, can it be consistent that there then shall be any mere moralists to nauseate the bosom of ১ 1 the millennial Church? Again, if it is at all scriptural to expect there will arrive a time, when the sanctuary, which is nothing else but the Church of God on the earth, shall be cleansed, then we may calculate from this, as from an immoveable data, that all such as are merely moral only, shall be cast out at the time of that cleansing. If this shall not be the fact, how is it that Mount Zion is to become finally the joy of all the earth? How is it that this Zion, which is the king's daughter, is to be all glorious within, if there shall, in the Millennium, be any sinners at all? The very genius and nature of salvation, commenced by a competent Saviour, contemplates such an effect over his enemies. If such shall not be the fact, how then are the saints to take the kingdom, if a part of the inhabitants, at that time, belong to the kingdom of Satan. But we resume the other idea, which is, that it is not probable the millennial state is to be brought on by the slow advances which real piety is supposed will make, so as to overcome all opposition. Far enough from this, it is to be feared, will be the horrible fact. Man is a free agent, and we have no precedent, in the dealings of God with man, to fix upon, as data, from which to calculate a suspension of that free agen cy, so that he should become incapacitated thereby, to follow the will of his own mind. Hence, we_conclude, that such shall not be the fact: therefore, man shall continue to exercise this power, (given) till the final period arrives, when all free agents, who are sinners, shall have that gracious, yet wonderful gift taken away. See Matt. xxv. 28, 30. : Therefore, I perceive no peculiar reason, why the whole world shall absolutely become more religious this side the Millennium, than at any period which is past. But that while the Gospel shall pour itself like a river, over all heathen countries, and lift them up from their low and degraded state, it is much to be feared, that infidelity will follow hard after, to subvert the gracious designs of the Gospel. This has been the constant procedure of Satan, the destroyer, ever since the promise to the woman was made, that of her seed a Redeemer should arise. Of this John, (Rev. xii. 12.) had a view, when he cried, Wo to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea, for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time; who will not cease his opposition till he is shut up in the bottomless pit. -See Rev. xx. 3. Of this spirit, who had passed from a holy and happy nature, to a vile and sinful one, it is said, that when he saw he was cast out in the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the man child. This man child by some is supposed to mean the Christian Emperors, beginning with Constantine the Great, who espoused the Gospel, and were caught up to God and his throne; i. e. caught up to sit on the throne of the Roman Empire, and from thence to rule the nations with a rod of iron: this, say they, the Christian Roman Emperors have done. Others suppose the child to mean Jesus Christ, who would have been devoured by the dragon, Herod, when an infant, but was finally caught up to God and his throne at his resurrection, and from thence rules the H* wicked nations with a rod of iron, or signal judg ments. But the vile spirit called Satan, soon seduced to his purposes the whole race of man, with but few exceptions, which is evident when we examine the history and end of the nations before the flood. And afterward, when the race of man was renewed from the family of Noah, the same wicked spirit all along till Christ, by corruptions and abominations among the people, manifested himself to be the enemy of God and his Church in the earth. He prevailed among the nations to adopt the vile and unnatural service of dumb idols; and animals, with many kinds of reptiles, the sun, moon and stars, and herbs of the field were the objects of their adoration: and mingled with these, in their assemblies, were the abominable rites of of obscenity. But notwithstanding all the opposition of a combined world, the promised seed of the woman, step by step, came on, conquering and to conquer, till he stood, finally, on Mount Calvary and made expiation for sin. Since that time, the modes of attack practiced by Satan, have been extremely various; among the Jews he bas ever been malicious and cruel towards this seed of the woman; among the heathen he has been the blackness of darkness, confusion and error, that they should not see this seed, who is the desire of all nations; for such is the fact, there has been no nation but in some way have looked for a Mediator. Sometimes he has been seen upon the throne of nations with sceptre and crown, as in the person of Constan-. tine the Great, who espoused the Christian cause, from 1 |