1st. The apostles, as individuals, apart from their public capacity as inspired teachers, were subject to the common preju- dices of their age and nation, and only gradually were brought to the full knowledge of the truth. During Christ's life they ex- pected that he would establish his kingdom in its glory at that time, Luke xxiv, 21 ; and after his resurrection the first question they asked him was, " Wilt thou at this time restore the king- dom to Israel ?"
2d. In their inspired writings they have never taught that the second coming of their Lord was to occur in their life-time, or at any fixed time whatever. They only taught (1.) that it ought to- be habitually desired, and (2.) since it is uncertain as to time,, that it should always be regarded as imminent.
3d. As further revelations were vouchsafed to them, they learned, and explicitly taught, that the time of the second advent was not only uncertain, but that many events, still future,. must
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450 SECOND ADVENT.
previously occur, e. g.y the anti-Christian apostasy, the preaching of the gospel to every nation, the fullness of the Gentiles, the con- version of the Jews, the rnillenial prosperity of the church, and the final defection, Kom. xi., 15-32 ; 2 Cor. iii., 15, 16 ; 2 Thess. ii., 3. This is clear, because the coming of Christ is declared to be attended with the resurrection of the dead, the general judg- ment, the general conflagration, and the restitution of all things. See below, question 9.
7. What is the Scriptural doctrine concerning the millenium ? 1st. The Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testament,
clearly reveal that the gospel is to exercise an influence over all branches of the human family, immeasurably more extensive and more thoroughly transforming than any it has ever realized in time past. This end is to be gradually attained through the spir- itual presence of Christ in the ordinary dispensation of Providence, and ministrations of his church, Matt, xiii., 31, 32 ; xxviii., 19, 20 ; Ps. ii., 7, 8 ; xxii., 27, 29 ; lxxii., 8-11 ; Is. ii., 2, 3 ; xi., 6-9 ; lx., 12 ; lxvi., 23 ; Dan. ii., 35, 44 ; Zech. ix., 10 ; xiv., 9 ; Eev. xi., 15.
2d. The period of this general prevalency of the gospel will continue a thousand years, and is hence designated the millenium, Rev. xx., 2-7.
3d. The Jews are to be converted to Christianity either at the commencement or during the continuance of this period, Zech. xii., 10 ; xiii., 1 ; Rom. xi., 26-29 ; 2 Cor. iii., 15, 16.
4th. At the end of these thousand years, and before the com- ing of Christ, there will be a comparatively short season of apos- tasy and violent conflict between the kingdoms of light and dark- ness, Luke xvii., 26-30 ; 2 Pet. iii., 3, 4 ; Rev. xx., 7-9.
5th. Christ's advent, the general resurrection and judgment, will be simultaneous, and immediately succeeded by the burning of the old, and the revelation of the new earth and heavens. Confession of Faith Chapts. XXXII and XXXIII.
8. WJiat is the view of those who maintain that Christ's com- ing will Jje " premillenial," and that he xoill reign personally upon tjie earth a tlwusand years before the judgment f
1st. Many of the Jews, mistaking altogether the spiritual char- acter of the Messiah's kingdom, entertained the opinion that as
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the church had continued two thousand years before the giving of the law, so it would continue two thousand years under the law, when the Messiah would commence his personal reign, which should, in turn, continue two thousand years to the commence- ment of the eternal Sabbath. They expected that the Messiah would reign visibly and gloriously in Jerusalem, as his capital, over all the nations of the earth, the Jews, as his especial people, being exalted to preeminent dignity and privilege.
2d. The majority of the early fathers of the Christian church adopted this view in its essential elements, adapting it to the literal interpretation of Eev. xx., 1-10. They held, 1st. That after the development of the Anti-Christian apostasy, at some time very variously estimated, Christ was suddenly to appear and commence his personal reign of a thousand years in Jerusalem. The dead in Christ (some say only the martyrs) were then to rise and reign with him in the world, the majority of whose inhabitants shall be converted, and live during this period in great prosperity and happiness, the Jews in the mean time being converted, and restored to their own land. (2.) That after the thousand years there shall come the final apostasy for a little season, and then the resurrection of the rest of the dead, i. e., the wicked and their judgment and condemnation at the last day, the final conflagra- tion, and new heavens and earth.