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"and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves After. His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." Mat. xxvii. 51—53. Yet the apostle speaking expressly of the order of the resurrection, (1 Cor. xv. 23,) wholly overlooks these, although the evangelist says they were many: "Every man in his own order," says the apostle, " Christ the first-fruits, afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming." Although, in reality, they were "many," yet the number of these saints who arose immediately after Christ's resurrection was still small compared with that of those who "are Christ's at His coming," and therefore no mention is made of them. So, referring to the Millennial period, the prophet Isaiah (lx. 21,) says, " thy people also shall be all righteous;" although speaking elsewhere of this period, he informs us, that "the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. Is. Ixv. 20. In like manner, then, may there be some raised to shame and contempt, without affecting the general truth, " Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the First Resurrection, on such the second death hath no power," being " accounted worthy to obtain that age and the resurrection from among the dead."* But there is an additional circumstance mentioned by John, in his description of those who are the subjects of the first resurrection. They not only " lived,'' and were "blessed and holy," but he also informs us " they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." By enquiring, then, to whom these privileges are assigned in other parts of the Di vine Word, we shall derive farther confirmation of the views now maintained. Here it is proper to remember, that, although the affairs of this world are represented (Heb. i. 14) as being put by God under the ministration of angels, yet "unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak." * Heb. ii. 5. To his apostles the Saviour said, "Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations, and 1 appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Luke xxii. 28—30. When will this gracious reward be received if not during the Millennium? Or will the distinction of the tribes of Israel be maintained in the future state? This promise of royal authority, thus made by the Saviour to His apostles, is extended by them to other saints as their future reward; "I endure all things for the elect's sake," says Paul, " that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying, For if we be dead with Him we shall also live with Him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him."

* In an essay in the Morning Watch (Vol. II. pp. 329—351.) we have endeavoured, by a minute analysis of the apostle's language, to show that the Heresy with which Paul charges Hymeneus and Philetus,(2 Tim. ii. 10—19,) "who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already," was not what is generally supposed. There is no ground, we maintain, for believing that they substituted the conversion of believers for the resurrection which it is stated they impugned; but, on the contrary, that the sin with which they are charged is the misplacing it in point of time, by asserting that to be " past already" which was and is ilill future,—the resurrection of those whom the Lord knoweth are His, and which introduces to that reign with Christ by the prospect of which the apostle comforts Timothy. In that essay we have also argued fully the premillennial resurrection of "some to shame and everlasting contempt," (from Dan. xii. 2, in connection with the apostle's statement in the 20th verse,! in opposition to some Millenarians who overlook the evidence on this point. We do not however resume these discussions here, but refer those who feel particular interest in the question to the periodical named above.

* The Examinator in the Instructor (p. 528) quotes Paul's statement (Heb. vi. 5,) of the condition of those who should fall away after having "tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come," in order to show that the apostle "speaks of that age to come as already commenced, and as already come." But if at that time it had already come, how could the apostle speak of it as still future, as being still" the world to come?" There is an obvioug distinction between the age itself and the " powers" which shall be enjoyed by those who are "accounted worthy" to obtain it. And, while the age itself was yet distant, "Spiritual gifts" were extensively enjoyed, which may perhaps be regarded as a foretaste of the superior "powers" to be still more generally enjoyed in "the world to come." The apostle in the passage, quoted above, expressly tells u» that the world to come is not put in subjection to the angels, but thii cannot apply to the present age: "Are they not all ministering spirits," he asks in the same epistle, "sent forth to minister for then>> who shall be heirs of salvation.'" Heb. i, 14.

2 Tim. ii. 10—12. And again, anticipating the glorious privilege for himself and all believers, he exclaims, "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at That Day,* and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Tim. iv. 8.

The same apostle,in reproving the church at Corinth for going to law before the unjust, and not deciding their own matters, asks," Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world ?"—to judge being used in the'sense of governing. He adds, "Knowye not thatwe shall judge angels 1 1 Cor. vi. 2,3. The apostle John, contemplating the honour reserved for believers, ascribes glory "unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father." Rev. i. 5,6. And it was the song of the heavenly choristers who bow before the Lamb, on His opening the sealed book of Prophecy, " Thou art worthy to take the book and to open

* Here the apostle, as if to mark that this crown is to be received at" the times of the Restitution of all things," adopts the very form of expression so often used by the prophets in reference to that period—" at that day," when no particular day has been mentioned. In a preceding chapter also he uses the same expression as applied to the period of Christ's return: "For I know," says he, "whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 Tim. i. 12. In that chapter too he prays (or Onesiphorus, whose bounty he had experienced, and whose countenance he had received, while in bonds for the name of Jesus—In the spirit of love end of gratitude, tee apostle prays, " the Lord grant unto him, that he mny find mercy of the Lord in that day." 2 Tim. i. 18. To the same period the apostle Peter refers, and probably more particularly to the First Resurrection, when lie says, " we have also a more sure word of Prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, •until The Day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts. 2 Pet. i. 19. This can be no allusion to the period of their conversion, aa the epistle is only addressed to those who had already " obtained like precions faith" with him. But it is worthy of remark, how judiciously and appropriately these allusions to " that day" are made. Although, when understood, they have a pleasing effect; to many, such allusions would have been incomprehensble. But this, Paul must hare known, could not be the case with him who " from a child had known the holy scriptures" of the Old Testament; (2 Tim. iii. 15,) and Peter addressed those who gave heed to that " sure word of Pro'phecy," from which his allusion was derived.

the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God Kings And Priests, and we shall reign On Thb Earth." Rev. v. 9,10. This high privilege is bestowed upon all who maintain their allegiance and fidelity: "To him that overcometh," says our blessed Lord, "will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father, in His throne. Rev. iii. 21. That this honour is conferred upon them to be really exercised, is evident: "And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to pieces; even as I received of my Father." Rev. ii. 26,27. This serves to illustrate the character of the armies of heaven who follow the Saviour when He comes for the destruction of the Antichristian nations. They are said (Rev. xix. 14,) to be " cloJhed in fine linen, clean and white;" and this (in verse 8) is said to be " the righteousness of saints." And again, speakr ing of those kings who fight against the Lamb, it is stated, "these shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they that are With him are called, and chosen, and faithful." Rev. xvii. 14, To him that overcometh, "will I give power over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron." This is assigned by the Psalmist as matter of especial praise to God: "Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds; let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a sharp twoedged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishment upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron ; to execute upon them the judgment written; This honour is to all His saints. Praise ye the Lord." Ps. clix. 5—9.

We cannot, in this state, form any adequate conception of the honour reserved for those "who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that age and the resurreclion from amongst the dead," as "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." 1 Cor. ii. 9. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." 1 John, iii. 2. But as the honour of being kings and priests, in whatever it may consist, is the privilege of the redeemed, when we find these applied by the apostle John to those who live and reign with Christ we are surely entitled to believe, in accordance with the other Scriptures, that he refers lo the literal resurrection of the just at the coming of the Lord.

SECTION XXI.

PERIOD OF THE ERECTION OF CHRIST'S GLORIOUS KINGDOM.

The Scriptural nature of the doctrine of Christ's personal reign on earth will be still more clearly seen on examination of what is farther revealed concerning the time at which His Kingdom shall be established. The angelic messenger sent to announce to the blessed Virgin the conception of Jesus, declared, in unequivocal language, the erection of His Kingdom, and his posession of the throne of David: "And the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there shall be no end." Lukei. 31—33. Christ has not yet taken possession of the throne of his Father David, but as certainly as the predictions which announced his descent from him have been literally fulfilled, so surely may we rely on the fulfilment in due time of this and the numerous other prophecies of the future possession of his kingdom. The truth and necessity of the resurrection of Christ, the apostle Peter strongly argued from the promises of God to give unto Him the throne of Israel. He distinctly affirms, in language

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