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"in the firft refurrection: on fuch the fecond "death hath no power, but they fhall be priefts " of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with "him a thousand years."

Some have fuppofed that Chrift himself will reign in person upon earth, and that the martyrs will actually rife from the dead and live with him; but confidering the figurative language of prophecy, it is more probable, that the revival of the caufe for which they fuffered is, in reality, the thing denoted by it. Befides, it is contrary to the clear fenfe of many paffages of scripture, that any perfons, however distinguished by their virtues, or fufferings, fhould receive their reward before the great day of judgment, after the general resurrection. Dr. Whitby has also advanced other very fufficient arguments against the literal interpretation of the millenium, which was adopted by fome of the antients, and, with fome variations, hath been patronized by several modern divines, especially Mr. Joseph Mede, and bishop Newton.

The circumstance which makes this paffage look the most like the literal defcription of an event is its being said, that "the rest of the dead shall not "live again till those thousand years be ended." But if the refurrection of the martyrs may only denote the revival of their cause, the rest of the dead, may fignify their enemies, and their refurrection may denote the recovery of their power also.

VOL. II.

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As a day in the prophetical language is generally, and I think very justly, supposed to stand for a year, I do not fee why we should not follow the fame rule in the interpretation of these thousand years; as it seems to me that nothing but the very great length of that period has induced interpreters to acquiefce in the literal fenfe. But it fhould be confidered, in favour of the figurative interpretation, that, with respect to knowledge, and improvements of all kinds, the world is yet but in its infancy, and will probably continue to be fo feveral centuries more. Even the extent of it is not yet known; the greatest part, and perhaps the very beft part of it, is yet in a manner uninhabited; and far the greatest part absolutely uncivilized: not to say that even the best policied states abound with so many abfurd inftitutions, by which the many are miferably enflaved by the few (which is fo unfavourable to the happiness of the whole) that, compared with what human society is naturally capable of, they hardly deserve to be termed better than barbarous.

Now, if we confider how very flowly mankind has advanced in political, and all kinds of improvements, how gradual has been the progress of all difcoveries in fcience, and of excellence in the arts, we can hardly imagine (though this progrefs be evidently more rapid at present than it has been in any former age of the world, and though there is no reason to apprehend any more great interrup

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tions in valuable improvements, and therefore we may expect them to go on with an accelerated progrefs) that a thousand years can be fufficient to bring the present fyftem of the world, and the prefent race of mankind, to any thing like what may be called their mature ftate; and till this be attained, it cannot but appear improbable, that an end fhould be put to their existence. And, allowing a period of manhood, in proportion to this long infancy of the human fpecies, three hundred and fixty thousand years will not be deemed a disproportioned age of the world.

As to the fabulous tradition of the Jews, that the world is to continue feven thousand years, viz. four thousand before the Meffiah, two thoufand more before the millenium, and one thousand afterwards, which feems to have weighed much with bishop Newton and others; befides, that it cannot be pretended to have any other than Rabinical authority, it appears upon the very face of it, fo very idle and chimerical, that I wonder it fhould have met with any regard from chriftians.

That the Jews fhall return to their own country, about the time of the commencement of the millenium; that they fhall poffefs it many years in peace, and be a very flourishing nation, seem to be most distinctly foretold in many prophecies of the Old Teftament, which plainly refer to a return of this people, after a much longer, and more complete difperfion of them, than that which attended

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the Babylonish captivity. Befides, several of these. prophecies were delivered after their return from Babylon, and therefore must refer to another return, fubfequent to it, and which therefore has not yet taken place. Alfo the restoration of the ten tribes of Ifrael is fpoken of, as well as that of Judah; and the ten tribes cannot be faid to have returned from captivity at all yet. In proof of this I fhall recite a few of the more exprefs of these prophecies, by which it will also appear, that this nation is still to be diftinguished by God, and to be the medium of his communications to the rest of the world.

Jer. xxx. 3. "For lo, the days come, faith "the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity "of my people Ifrael and Judah, faith the Lord, " and I will cause them to return to the land that "I gave to their fathers, and they shall poffefs it." Ver. 10. "Therefore, fear not thou, O my fer"vant Jacob, faith the Lord, neither be dismay❝ed, O Ifrael; for lo, I will fave thee from afar, " and thy feed from the land of their captivity, " and Jacob fhall return, and fhall be in reft and << quiet, and none fhall make him afraid. For I "am with thee, faith the Lord, to fave thee: "though I make a full end of all the nations "whither I have fcattered thee, yet will I not "make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee "in measure."

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The calamities of the Jewish nation are to bear but a small proportion to their profperity after their return from their laft captivity, with refpect to its greatness, or duration, as we may infer from If. liv. 7, 8. "For a small moment have I forfaken "thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. "In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a "moment; but with everlasting kindness will I "have mercy on thee, faith the Lord thy re"deemer." If there be any truth in this reprefentation, what we call the millenium, must be of much more than a thousand years duration. For, the defolation of Judea has now continued more than one thousand seven hundred years. For this period to appear wholly infignificant, as we are here taught to conclude it will be, with respect to the flourishing state of that country, the latter muft be of great extent indeed.

Zechariah, who wrote after the return of the Jews from Babylon, diftinctly points out the fame event, intimating, with many other prophets, that it will be attended with great calamities to thofe nations who shall oppose the settlement of the Jews in their own country, and also that they will bitterly repent of their fin in murdering Christ.

Zech. xii. 6. "In that day will I make the "governors of Judah like a hearth of fire among "the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; "and they shall devour all the people round about, P 3

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