4. The Scriptures teach that when Christ comes the second time without sin unto salvation, then the Church shall enter on its everlasting state of exaltation and glory. Those in Christ who have departed this life shall be raised from the dead and be clothed with their spiritual bodies, and those who are alive shall be changed in a moment, and thus they shall be ever with the Lord. According to this theory, instead of heaven awaiting the risen saints, they are to be introduced into a mere worldly kingdom.1
5. It is inconsistent with all the representations given of the glory and blessedness of departed saints, to assume that at the resurrection they are to be brought down to a lower state of ex- istence, degraded from heaven to earth. The millennium may be a great advance on the present state of the Church ; but, exalt it as you may, it is far below heaven. This argument bears, at least, against the patristic doctrine of the millennium.
6. The view presented by pre-millennarians of the kingdom of Christ on earth is, in many respects, inconsistent with the Scrip- tural account of its nature, (a.) It is to be a worldly kingdom. (6.) Its blessedness is to consist largely in worldly prosperity. Although the modern advocates of the doctrine have eliminated the grosser elements included in the theory of many of the fathers on this subject, nevertheless the essential earthly character of the kingdom remains. Men are not to be like the angels. Births and deaths are to go on, not only during the millennium, but without end. Not that the glorified believers who have been raised from the dead are to marry and be given in marriage, but the race of men is to continue indefinitely to increase in the future as it has increased in the past.2 (<?.) The Bible teaches
1 It is true that pre-millennialists differ very much on this point. The common opinion in the early Church was that the risen saints are to live and reign a thousand years with Christ on earth : but some say that the glorified believers are to be in heaven ; others, that they are to appear from time to time on earth, as Christ did, during the forty days which intervened between his resurrection and ascension ; and others appear to teach that glorified saints are to rule over unglorified humanity without being revealed to those over whom they reign.
2 See passages cited from distinguished millennarians on this point in Rev. David Brown s Christ's SecZd Coming, pp. 167-173. Mr. David N. Lord devotes to this subject two chapters of his book on ThI Coming and Reign of Christ. New York, 1858 He says fr. 151), that the Scriptures teach that the earth is « to continue forever and that mankind are forever to occupy it, and multiply in an endless succession of generations; and that it is to be the scene of Christ's everlasting kingdom and reign." He argues this from t he cove- nant made with Noah; from the promise made to Abraham ^^rt***^™ possess the land of Canaan; and from the promise made to David ^^.J"*"^"' on his throne and reign forever. This perpetuity of the human ™ »*««**•■* ™ the flesh, he considers one of the most clearly revealed purpo ses of God co ncern og th family of man. Instead of the number of the redeemed being nearly made up, he holds that they are to go on multiplying through all eternity.
864 PART IV. Ch. IV. — THE SECOND ADVENT.
that the distinction between the Jews and Gentiles is abol- ished in the kingdom of Christ. This theory teaches that after the second advent that distinction is to continue and to be made greater than ever before. The temple at Jerusalem is to be re- built; the sacrifices restored; and all the details of the Mosaic ritual, as described in Ezekiel, again introduced. (^.) The Bible teaches that after the end of the world, as described in 2 Peter iii. 10 and in the Apocalypse, there are to be a new heavens and a new earth. This theory teaches the " earth's eternal per- petuity." 1 " The dissolving fires of which Peter speaks," we are told, " are for 4 the perdition of ungodly men ; ' and not for the
utter depopulation and destruction of the whole world
Men and nations will survive them and still continue to live in the flesh." 2
7. This theory disparages the Gospel. " The more common opinion," says Dr. McNeile, " is, that this is the final dispensa- tion, and that by a more copious outpouring of the Holy Spirit it will magnify itself, and swell into the universal blessedness pre- dicted by the prophets, carrying with it Jews and Gentiles, even the whole world, in one glorious flock under one shepherd, Jesus Christ the Lord. This is reiterated from pulpit, press, and plat- form. It is the usual climax of missionary exhortation, or rather missionary prophecy." 3 " The universal prevalence of religion hereafter to be enjoyed," says Mr. Brooks, " is not to be effected by any increased impetus given by the present means of evangel- izing the nations, but by a stupendous display of Divine wrath upon all the apostate and ungodly." 4 Wrath, however, never converted a single soul, and never will. " The Scriptures," ac- cording to Mr. Tyso, " do state the design of the Gospel, and what it is to effect ; but they never say it is to convert the world. Its powers have been tried for eighteen hundred years, and it has never yet truly converted one nation, one city, one town, nor even a single village." 6 In the work of Rev. David Brown on the Second Advent,6 abundant evidence is advanced from the writ- ings of Mr. Brooks, Dr. McNeile, and the Rev. Mr. Bickersteth, to show that those gentlemen teach that the Scriptures " are to be superseded " in the millennium. Other means, probably, as they
1 The Last Times and the Great Consummation. By Joseph A. Seiss, D.D. Philadelphia and London, 1866. p. 73. On p. 75, the author says, " The earth shall not pass away."
2 Seiss, ut supra, p. 211.
8 Lectures on the Prophecies Relative to the Jewish Nation, 1st. edit., 1830, p. 72.
4 Elements of Prophetic Interpretation, pp. 227, 228.
« Defence of the Personal Reign of Christ. 1841. pp. 41, 42. 6 pp. 311-315.