and directing all the acquirements of knowledge, and the treasures of experience, to the improvement and happiness of men, and the glory of God, under the guidance of pure religious principles, it is far beyond our power to estimate. But the confideration of these advantages, combined with our ideas of the ftriking, or, as we are tempted to say, irrefiftible effects of the miraculous appearances attending the glorious state of the church during the Millennium, leads us directly to the greatest difficulty belonging to the opinion. "How is it poffible to conceive (it is asked) that Satan fhould be permitted to disturb the peace of the world thus purged from sin and mifery?—Or, fuppofing this to be a figurative expreffion, how can we believe, that after they have been fo long accustomed to the habits and rewards of virtue, and convinced by fupernatural evidence of the truths of religion, men should relapse into a state of vice and mifery ?” To those who imagine the Millennium to be a state of univerfal purity and happiness, the objection muft, I think, appear infurmountable; though were this proved to be the Scripture doctrine, we should be nevertheless bound to believe it. But this VOL. II. A a difficulty difficulty will be greatly diminished, if we adopt the fyftem which I have endeavoured to fhow is founded upon express Revelation. We fhall then perceive, that this world will continue to be a state of próbation to all but those who, having well paffed through their trial, fhall arise from the dead, fanctified wholly through the merits of their Redeemer, to enjoy a life of never-ending and increasing happiness and glory, in the prefence of God and of Chrift. Admitted within the veil which fin has drawn between man and the throne of his Creator, many of "the hidden things of God will be made manifeft" to thefe "bleffed and holy" beings. The wisdom of his counfels, the wonders of his works, the kindness of his providence, and the juftice of his judgments, will be dif played in the effulgence of this glorious light and we may fuppofe the world at large will be enlightened by the communication which these "inftructors" will be empowered to make, for the gracious purpofe of more extenfive converfion, and more diffufive happinefs. But if our first parents fell from innocence, when in Paradife allowed an intercourfe with Heaven, what marvel can there be, that their polluted : luted children fhould refufe to liften to inftruction, and "choose evil for good?" When we remember the natural corruption of the human heart-reflect upon the stubborn blindness of the Jews, and the indifference of the Gentile nations to the series of miracles difplayed for a course of ages in the land given to this chofen people, and observe the general indifference of Chriftians themfelves to the truths, the laws, and the promises of their Religion; and confider farther, that during the Millennium the bufinefs and pleasures of life -the traffic of nations-the employments and amusements of fociety-will probably continue to attract and intereft the attention of the world, as well as the ftupendous miracles connected with a peculiar clafs of people; we fhall fcarcely hesitate to I allow it poffible at leaft, that fome part of mankind may refift the force of even these combined advantages, and "following the devices of their own hearts, do evil continually," and draw down punishment fuited to fuch aggravated guilt. The Prophet Zechariah, after defcrib • Zech. xiv. 12, &c. A a 2 ing ing "the plague wherewith the Lord will fmite all the people that have fought against Jerufalem," adds, "And it fhall come to pafs, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerufalem, shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of Hofts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it fhall be that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerufalem, to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, even upon them fhall there be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain, there shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will fmite the Heathen that come not up to keep the feast of the tabernacles. This fhall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to the feast of tabernacles. In that day fhall there be upon the bells of the horses, holiness to the Lord;" that is, every thing in this holy city fhall be fanctified and devoted to God, for there fhall in no wife enter in any thing that defileth." This Prophecy, therefore, ftrongly confirms the opinion, that the world in general will continue to be a state of probation, but that visible rewards and punishments fhall be the immediate " con confequences of obedience or disobedience to God (as when the Jews were under his immediate government), when " the Lord fhall reign on earth." It should be also remarked, that Satan is only permitted to “ go forth among the nations without the City* ; and that as foon as he has 66 gathered them to the fiege," or attempted to disturb the peace of the " camp of the faints," "fire defcends from heaven, and devours these incorrigible finners," and the final judgment, the end of the days of gracethe deftruction of this corrupted world, and fin, and death-the everlasting punishment of Satan, and all his incorrigible followers -and the completion of the happiness of the faints, by their admiffion into everlasting blifs and glory in the heavens, immediately fucceed. But granting for a moment the suppofition, that the fuperior light and extraordinary advantages extended over the whole world during this happy period, in a manner utterly incomprehenfible to us, should gradually effect that total change which is the ground of the objection, it may perhaps |