proper and important, not only as it has been more than once referred to in the preceding work; but as it appears not to be believed by many; and not to be well understood by more; or attended to by most, as an important event; full of instruction; fuited to fupport, comfort and encourage chriftians, in the present dark appearance of things, refpecting the intereft of Christ, and his church; and to animate them to faith, patience and perseverance in obedience to Chrift; putting on the hope of falvation for an helmet. And to excite them more earnestly to pray for the advancement and coming of the kingdom of Christ: Of which kingdom, as it is to take place in this world, or of chriftianity itself, there cannot be fo clear, full and pleasing an idea, if the scripture doctrine of the Millennium be kept out of view. In the first three centuries after the Apostles, the doctrine of the Millennium was believed and taught; but fo many unworthy and abfurd things were by fome advanced concerning it, that it afterwards fell into difcredit, and was opposed, or passed over in filence, by moft, until the reformation from popery. And then a number of enthufiafts advanced fo many unfcriptural and ridiculous notions concerning it, and made such a bad improve, ment of it, that many, if not most of the orthodox, in oppofing them, were led to disbelieve and oppose the doctrine in general; or to fay little or nothing in favour of the doctrine, in any sense or view of it. But few of the most noted writers of the last century in Britain, or in other parts of the proteftant world, have said any thing to establish or explain this doctrine: And they who have mentioned it, do appear, at least the most of them, not to have well underftood it. In the prefent century, there has been more attention to it and the fcriptures which relate to it, have been more carefully confidered, and explained by a number of writers; and it has been fet in a more rational, fcriptural and important light, than before. Dr. Whitby, has written a treatise on the Millennium. And Mr. Robertson, and Mr. Lowman, have afferted and explained it in fome meafure, in their expofition of the book of the revelation by the Apostle John; especially the beginning of the twentieth chapter of that book. And the late President Edwards, attended much to this fubject, and wrote upon it more than any other divine in this century. In the year 1747, he published a book, entitled "An humble attempt to promote ex ! And plicit agreement, and visible union of God's people, in extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion, and the advancement of Chrift's kingdom on earth, pursuant to fcripture promifes and prophecies concerning the last time.” In which he produces the evidence from scripture, that fuch a day is yet to come. in a pofthumous publication of his, intitled "A hiftory of the work of Redemption," this subject is brought into view, and particularly confidered. There is alfo extant, a fermon on the Millennium, by the late Dr. Bellamy. And other writers have occafionally mentioned it. And this subject appears to be brought more particularly into view in the public prayers and preaching, and in conversation, in this age, than in former times; and the doctrine of the Millennium is more generally believed, and better understood. This is rather an encouragement to attempt farther to explain. and illuftrate, this important, pleafing, useful subject, in which every chriftian is so much interested, than a reason why nothing more fhould be faid upon it. The fubject is far from being exhausted; and as the church advances nearer to the Millennium ftate, we have reason to think the predictions in divine revelation respecting it, will be better understood; and the minds of chriftians will be more excited to great attention to this subject, and strong defires to look into thofe things, and to earnest longings and prayers for the coming of the kingdom of Christ, as it will take place in that day. And all this is to be effected, by means and proper attempts and exertions. "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge fhall be increased." The prophecies of events which are yet to take place, cannot be fo fully understood before these events come to pafs, as they will be when they are fulfilled; and there is great danger of making mistakes about them. And it is certain, that many have made mistakes, fince they have made very different and oppofite conftructions of the fame predictions; and therefore all cannot be right. So far as the prophecies which respect the Millennium of which there are many, can be understood, and the real meaning of them be made plain, by a careful and diligent attention to them, and comparing them with each other, men may go on fafe ground, and be certain of their accomplishment. And whatever is a plain and undeniable confequence, from what is expressly predicted, is equally revealed in the prediction, as an event, or cir cumftance cumftance of an event, neceffarily included in it. But every opinion refpecting future events, which is matter of conjecture only, however probable it may be in the view of him who propofes it, ought to be entertained with modesty and diffidence. The following treatise on the Millennium, is not defigned fo much to advance any new fentiments concerning it, which have never before been offered to the public, as to revive and repeat those which have been already suggested by some authors, which are thought to be very important, and ought to be understood, and kept constantly in the view of all, in order to their having a proper conception of the church of Chrift in this world, and reading the fcriptures to their beft advantage, and greatest comfort: Though perhaps fomething will be advanced, refpecting the events which, according to scripture, are to take place between the present time, and the introduction of the happy state of the church, which have not been before fp particularly confidered. SECTION SECTION I. In which it is proved from Scripture, that the church of Chrift is to come to a flate of profperity in this world, which it has never yet enjoyed; in which it will continue at least a thousand years. THE first revelation of a Redeemer, in the prediction spoken to the serpent, may be confidered as implying the deftruction of the kingdom of the devil in this world, by the wifdom and energy of Christ. "He fhall bruife thy head, and thou shalt bruife his heal."* Satan has bruifed the heal of Chrift, in the fufferings and difhonour he has been inftrumental of bringing upon him, and in the oppofition he has made to the intereft and church of Chrift, in this world. And it is natural to suppose, that Christ shall bruife his head in this world, by deftroying his intereft and kingdom among men, and gaining a conqueft over him, in the struggle and war which has taken place between the Redeemer and feducer of men. And by the Redeemer's bruifing the head of the ferpent, is fignified that he will not destroy him. by the mere exertion of his power, but that by his fuperiour wifdom, he will confound and defeat fatan, in all his fubtilty and cunning, on which he depends fo much, and by which he aims to disappoint Chrift, and defeat him in his defigns. And by this he will make a glorious difplay of his wifdom, as well as of his power, while he difcovers the craftiness of fatan to be foolishness, and disappoints him in his devices, carrying all the counfel of this cunning froward enemy headlong. If all this could not be gathered from this paffage, confidered by itfelf; yet that this is the real meaning, will perhaps appear, from what has already taken place in accomplishing this prediction; and from other prophecies respecting this, fome of which are to be brought into view in the sequel: Without which the full meaning of this first promife could not be known. B In In order to bruife the head of the ferpent, in this sense, most effectually; and turn his boafted wifdom nnd cunning into foolishness, and entirely defeat him in this way, he must have opportunity and advantage to try his skill and power, and practise all his cunning, in opposing Chrift, and the salvation of men. And in this way be overcome and wholly defeated, in the ruin of his intereft and kingdom among men; fo that all his attempts fhall turn against himself, and be the occafion of making the victory and triumph of the Redeemer greater, more perfpicuous and glorious, in the final prevalence of his kingdom on earth, by drawing all men to him; and deftroying the works and kingdom of fatan in this world, and fetting up his own on the ruins of it, and fo as to turn all the attempts and works of the devil against him, and render the whole fubfervient to his own interest and kingdom. And thus the coming and kingdom of Chrift will be, "As the light of the morning, when the fun rifeth, even a morning without clouds ; as the tender grafs fpringing out of the earth by clear thining after rain." When the fun rises in a clear morning, after a dark night, attended with clouds, rain and storms, the morning is more pleafant, beautiful and glorious, and the grass fprings and grows more fresh and thrifty, than if it had not been preceded by such a stormy night. So the profperity and glory of the church, when the fun of righteousness fhall rife upon it, with healing in his beams, will be enjoyed to a higher degree, and be more pleasant and glorious, and Chrift will be more glorified, than if it had not been preceded by a dreadful night of darkness, confusion and evil, by the wickedness of men, and the power and agency of fatan. The words above cited, are the last words of David the Prophet, and sweet Pfalmift of Ifrael, and are a prophecy of the glorious event now under confideration. "The Spirit of the Lord fpake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel faid, the Rock of Ifrael spake by me. He that ruleth over men must be juft, ruling in the fear of God. morning, when the fun rifeth, even a as the tender grafs fpringing out of the earth, by clear fhining after rain." The first words may be rendered fo as to give the true fenfe more clearly. "He who is to rule over men (i. e. the Mefliah) is juft, ruling in the fear of God." The words must bo, 2 Sam. xxiii. 2, 3: 40 And he shall be like the morning without clouds; in |