a higher Degree of Perfection as it fhall be at this future Converfion. But this is giving fuch a wretched Sense of them, that by the fame Way of interpreting we may explain away every Promife of future Happiness in all the Scriptures: nor indeed will the Words of St. Peter bear this Senfe of them, or allow us to understand them of any thing antecedent to the Coming, as there exprefs'd, of the Day of God. Whether therefore we take up with one, or the other of thefe Expofitions, we find ourselves pinch'd and gravell'd with many Difficulties, and a certains Something within us reimonstrates this is not the Sense of them. Anew Hea

ven and Earth, and fuch as wherein dwells Righteousness, and a much more: perfect State than any in. this World, feems plainly here foretold by the Apoftle, a State belonging to the Juft in general, and in every Age and State of the Church whatever.

C

Let us then take the Words in this moft natural Senfer of them, and instead of applying them to St. John's Millennium, let us go on to apply them to a State ftill future; and we may then understand them in the fulleft Senfe of them, and at the fame Time free ourfelves from much Perplexity. For St. Peter has nothing to do with St. John's Millennium, nor was it to his Purpose to

concern

concern himself with it, or to take Notice of any other Scripture Promises than such as relate to the Righteous in general; but it being the Province of St. John to treat of the Christian Church in every Stage of it from first to laft; he first defcribes its Oppreffion under Antichrift; then its Deliverance in the first Refurrection, or the millennial Reign of the Saints; and then after he has placed the Judge on the Throne of Judgment, and rais'd the Dead at the End of this Millennium, he introduces at laft the new Heavens and Earth of St. Peter, but without either Gogs or Magogs to raife Disturbances, or any limited Time of Duration, and leaving the Juft in the happy Poffeffion of this new World, he then closes the Scene as St. Peter had done before him, and drops the Curtain on the Fate of Man.

This is what appears to me to be the Scripture Syftem, and to agree with the Letter of Scripture the best of any and as it helps us fo eafily over the principal Diffi culties, we must not complain if fome little ones ftill remain, or fome few Phrafes that we can't fee the full Senfe of. Nay, it is fo far adapted indeed to every Party, that it gives them every Thing the most valuable in their feveral Systems, or that they can think it worth while to contend for.

If it

is

is earnestly pleaded by fome, that St. John's. Millennium means only a more profperous, State of the Church in this World: it is here explain'd according to their: Liking. If others infift on the literal Senfe of certain Scriptures, as containing a Promise the Just fhall inherit the Earth, and all the Joys of the divine ferufalem: it is granted them here in the fulleft and propereft Senfe of it. And if others, difdaining all temporal and tranfient Enjoyments, pant after the eternal Delights of Heaven and Paradife, or the Enjoyments of God, and Chrift, I and Saints, and Angels: the new Heavens and Earth of the Scriptures have all that they with for; nor can even their own favourite System, prefent them with more.

The Church: fhall reign, as is foretold, in this World, and the Power of Antichrift be crush'd and broken. The Delivererfball come out of Sion, and shall turn away ungodlinefs from Jacob; he shall restore the Kingdom to the House of Ifrael, and reign as King on the Throne of his Father David; and not only be own'd and rever'd as the King of the Fers, but as the Prince of the Kings of the Earth. All the Prophecies fhall receive their Accomplisliment, and the once fuffering Chrift hine the gloriously reigning Meffiah. See then here a millenial King

dom!

dom! but not of the Dead; but of Saints as yet living in this World: and a Millen nium fo far from hurtful to Christian Princes, that it fhall be the Strength and Glory of their feveral Kingdoms! A Kingdom typical of one yet more glorious, and of a much more perfect Renovation of all Things e're long to fucceed, when he that fits on the Throne fhall fay, I make all Things new: -And he that overcometh fhall inherit all Things, and I will be his God, and be fhall be my Son. When the Meek fhall inherit the Earth, (the new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness,) and fhall delight themselves in the abundance of Peace. And the new Jerufalem fhall defcend from Heaven, the continuing City to come, [Heb. xiii. 14.] the Jerufalem which is above, [Gal. iv. 26.] and which cometh down out of Heaven from God, [Rev. iii. 12.] and the Tabernacle of God fhall be with Men [xxi. 4.] And there fhall be no more Curfe: but the Throne of God and of the Lamb fhall be in it; and his Servants fhall ferve him. And they shall fee his Face; and his Name fhall be in their Forc beads. And there shall be no Night there, and they need no Candle, neither Light of the Sun; for the Lord God giveth them Light: and they fhall reign for ever and ever. [xxii. 3, 4, 5 5.] This fome fay indeed, is the millennial

City, or a City that shall come out of Heaven to grace the Millennium: while others contend it is only that earthly Jerufalem, that shall be rebuilt at the Jews Reftoration. But if it is not meant of the final Seat of Happiness, or the future Habitation of juft Men made perfect, it will be hard I imagine to find where this is treated of, or where the Scripture promifes any Thing more magnificent, than what is apparently comprehended in this Jerufalem. For it is apparently join'd with the moft glorious Promifes of enjoying the Prefence of God, and that for ever. The Wicked of all Kinds are excluded out of it, and affign'd their Portion in the Lake of Fire, which is exprefly declar'd to be the fecond Death. It is twice proclaim'd that these Sayings are true and faithful. And as it is declar'd on one Hand, which feems to prove it of univerfal Concernment, Blessed are they that do bis Commandments, that they may have Right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in thro' the Gates into the City: So it is exprefly declar'd, on the other Hand, that if any Man fhall take away from the Words of the Book of this Prophecy, God fall take away his Part out of the Book of Life, and out of the holy City, and from the Things which are written in this Book. But how is this to be done if we

have