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of this union, the church is represented by the metaphor of a woman, Rev. xii. 1. During the reign of Antichrift, this woman is "hid in the "wilderness;" that is, the church as a community is invisible in the world. But the period of her state in the wilderness, being limited to 1260 years, this implies, that at the clofe of that period she shall again be visible as a community, confequently united in the use of the fame government and ordinances.

Again, the Millennial church fhall be formed chiefly by the ministry of the converted Jews; "for out of Zion fhall go forth the law, and "the word of the Lord from Jerufalem," Ifa. ii. 3.; and they fhall form the feveral churches converted by them, upon the plan of their own national church, being the model they received from God in the wilderness. This circumstance was one great caufe of the union which prevailed in the primitive church. All the Gentiles were converted by Jews, and when it is repeated immediately before, and during the Millennium, it fhall occafion a fimilar union at that period.

The feveral texts which intimate that the Gentiles fhall flow into Jerufalem, Ifa. ii. 2. and lx. 1.-7. imply, not only that they shall be admitted members of the church, but likewife that they fhall confider the Jewish church

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as a centre of union, to which all controverfies fhall be referred, and to whofe decifions they fhall fubmit. This was another circumftance which prevented divifion in the primitive church, as appears from the reference of the controverfy respecting circumcifion, Acts xv. 22.-30.

The reality and neceflity of fuch an union among the members of the Millennial church, is afferted by Zechariah, chap. xiv. 16, 17. “ And "it fhall come to pass, that every one that is " left of all the nations which came againft Je«rufalem, shall even go up, from year to year, "to worship the King, the Lord of hofts, and

to keep the feaft of tabernacles. And it fhall "be, that whofo will not come up of all the fa"milies of the earth unto Jerufalem to worship "the King, the Lord of hofts, even upon them "fhall be no rain." To keep the feaft of tabernacles at Jerufalem, according to the Mofaick inftitution, at that period in which the church. extends over all the earth, is obviously impoffible, because of the great distance of many places from Jerufalem. By the feaft of tabernacles, we are to understand in general, the gofpel-ordinances, fo called, not only in allufion to the Mofaick inftitution, but in regard the Jews actually dwelt in tabernacles, in the wildernefs of Affyria, when the knowledge of these ordinances is communicated to them, Hofea 3 H

xii,

xii. 9. That "all the families of the earth "fhall come to Jerufalem to obferve this feast." fignifies, that the feveral nation of the world fball obferve thefe ordinances, according to the plan delivered to the Jewish church; and the threatening to withhold rain from thofe who do not comply, intimates, that the influences of the Spirit, (Pfal. lxxii. 6.), by which alone these ordinances are rendered profitable to the fouls of men, fhall be withheld from any people or party, who fhall prefume to difpenfe thefe ordinances in any other manner. The friendly intercourse and fpiritual communion which actually subsist betwixt the various members of the Millennial church, in confequence of their union with each other, and with the Jewith church as their centre, is reprefented, Ifa. xix. 23.-25. "In that "day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Affyria, and the Affyrian fhall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Affyria; and the

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Egypians fhall ferve with the Affyrians. In "that day fhall ifrael be the third with Egypt, " and with Affyria, even a bleffing in the midft "of the land; whom the Lord of hofts fhall "blefs, faying, Bleffed be Egypt my people, "and Affyria the work of my hands, and Ifrael "mine inheritance."

III. The

III. The fupport of civil government is another ingredient in the happiness of the Millennial church. It is exprefsly promifed, "Kings "fhall be thy nurfing fathers, and their queens

thy nurfing others," Ifa. xlix. 23. "Their "kings fhall minifter unto thee," chap. Ix. 10.

Civil government has in fome measure fupported the church, ever fince Chriftianity became the established religion of the Roman empire. But I apprehend, that a material change will take place in the nature of civil government at the Millennium; that it fhall be animated by the spirit of Christianity, fo that the fupport afforded by it shall be more effectual for the welfare and profperity of the church, than it had been at any former period. In all ages and nations, (except among the Jews during the time they were governed by a theocracy) the civil government has been animated by a fpirit different from the fpirit of the church. The fpirit of civil government is fubmiffion to the civil ruler. The fpirit of the church is fubmiffion to God in Chrift. The end of the former is, to make men good members of fociety in the prefent life; that of the latter is, to qualify men for being inhabitants of the city of God in a future life. By the former, theft, robbery, disobedience to government, are feverely punished, while atheism, infidelity and

blafphemy

blafphemy are overlooked. It is obvious, that in thofe times, when civil government was moft friendly to the church, as in the age of Conftantine and at the Reformation, ftill it was animated by a different fpirit. But at the Millennium, civil government shall be animated by the fame spirit with the church of Christ, and shall hold the fame ends in view, the glory of God, the honor of the Redeemer, and the eternal interefts of mankind, maintaining peace and good order in fociety, as means fubfervient to these ends. The language of civil government to the church, when most friendly, has been hitherto no more than this: "Form laws againft what"ever is inimical to the enternal interefts of the

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fubject, enforce thofe laws, if it is neceffary, "I will fupport you." But the language of civil government at the Millennium will be: "I "am the ordinance of God, and the minifter of "God, for good, I will form laws against what"ever is inimical to the eternal interefts of the

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fubject, I will enforce those laws', ferve God "in your deportment, preach the word, difpenfe "the ordinances." But how does it appear, that

civil

(1) The blafphemer, (Lev. xxiv. 11.) and the Sabbath breaker, (Numb. xv. 33.) were both brought before Mofes, as the civil Magiftrate. Their fentence was pronounced by him, and their punishment executed by his orders.

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