judgment, but fuppofes they fhall reign with Christ in heaven, not on the earth: But to account in that cafe for their being compaffed about by Gog and his forces in their place of refidence, requires an effort of genius beyond that of Dr. Burnet.

But the great majority of Christians in all ages have maintained, and I think with reafon, that the first resurrection is a figurative expreffion, intimating, that the faints of the Millennium shall have the spirit of the martyrs, the fame temper and disposition with the most approved followers of Chrift in former ages.

To establish the truth of this opinion, I offer the following arguments'; and I perfuade myfelf, that whoever will weigh them without prejudice or partiality, must be satisfied that the idea of a literal refurrection, however qualified, is erroneous.

1. The language of the Apocalypfe is highly figurative. The refurrection of the witneffes, chap. xi. 11. is figurative, by confent of all found interpreters, which affords a prefumption that the refurrection of the martyrs may be fo

too.

2. The figure is not peculiar to the Apocalypfe. It is used repeatedly throughout the di3 F

vine.

(1) The arguments are taken chiefly from Whitby's Treatife of the True Millennium.

vine word, to denote either a deliverance from outward calamities, as Pfal. cxxxviii. 7. or a renovation of nature, which is a deliverance from the bondage of fin, Eph. ii. 1. Now during the Millennium (as we shall presently fee) prof perity abounds after tedious calamities, righteousness prevails after wickedness is fuppreffed. It is therefore, according to scripture phraseology, fitly represented by a resurrection.

3. They who contend for a literal refurrection, as Mede, Daubuze, and Newton, acknowledge, that the converfion of the Jews will immediately precede that event; and the Apoftle Paul intimates, that the conversion of the Jews fhall be accompanied by an extenfive propaga tion of the gospel among the Gentiles, Rom. xi. 12. But the events are represented both in the Old and New Teftament by a refurrection; while the phrafe is fo qualified that you must understand it in a figurative fenfe. Now, when the Apostle John ufes the fame expreffions to denote the fame times and events, I think it not only reasonable but neceffary on the principles of found criticism, to take them in the fame fenfe, confequently not in a literal, but a figura. tive fenfe.

4. The expreffions in this paffage are fo qua lified, that they militate powerfully against a literal

literal refurrection.

"I faw the fouls of them "that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, "-and they lived." The fcriptures always defcribe a literal refurrection by the revivifcency of the body, but never of the foul; because on the principles of our religion, the foul dies not, the body only requires to be raised and revived. Again, this expreffion readily fuggefts to us, perfons of a similar temper and disposition with the martyrs. John the Baptift is called Elias by the Old Testament prophets, because he would appear in the spirit of Elias. The heretics in the days of the Apostles are termed Antichrifts, because they had the spirit of the great Antichrift foretold; fo the faints, particularly the rulers, during the Millennium, are called the raised martyrs, because they shall be eminently poffeffed of the spirit of the martyrs.

5. The opinion of a literal resurrection, involves in it many tenets inconfiftent with the teftimonies of fcripture, and the genius of the Chriftian religion.

It is inconfiftent with the happiness of departed faints, who enjoy the beatific vision of God in heaven; who "are abfent from the body and prefent with the Lord;"-" who are

through faith and patience, now inheriting "the promises." Shall we efteem it an additional happiness, to quit the presence of the

Lord,

Lord, for the fociety of men? Is it defirable for those who have arrived at their heavenly Father's house to return again to the land of their fojourning? Or fhall we fay, that God conftrains them to return; then is it thus he rewards the integrity of his most faithful fervants, to fubject them to a fecond period of difficulty and trial, while ordinary faints are admitted to uninterrupted happiness at the confummation of the first period: That difficulties occur after the Millennium, is evident from this, That Gog and Magog" compafs the camp of the faints, " and the beloved city," Rev. xx.

It is inconfiftent with the plain directions of our Lord and his Apoftles. He commands us, "not to lay up treasures for ourselves on earth, "but to lay up our treasures in heaven," Matth. vi. 19. The Apostle enjoins, "to set our af "fections on things above, not on things on the "earth," Col. iii. 2. But, if the rewards of Chrift's followers, in whole or in part, were beftowed on this earth, it would be lawful to lay up treasures, and fet our affections on things on this earth.

It is inconfiftent with the accounts given us of the refurrection, and the circumstances that accompany it. The efficient caufe of the refurrection is Jefus Chrift, who fhall then perfonally defcend to the earth. "The Lord himself "fhall

"fhall defcend from heaven with a shout, with "the voice of the archangel, and with the

trump of God: and the dead in Chrift shall "rise first," 1 Thef. iv. 16. "The Lord Jefus "shall be revealed from heaven in flaming

fire," 2 Thef. i. 7. If Chrift defcends not, there will be no refurrection; befides, the Millenarians apply the paffages juft quoted to the first resurrection, and therefore acknowledge his defcent. Now I afk, whether he remains on earth from that period till the general refurrection, or returns to heaven? If he remains on earth, he too muft be compaffed about by Gog and Magog, in the beloved city, which appears to me utterly inconfiftent with his state of exaltation, and the glory in which he would appear. The moft fenfible part of the modern Millenarians, have therefore renounced the idea of his perfonal prefence on earth. If he returns to heaven, he muft defcend again at the general refurrection, which would make three feveral appearances of Christ on earth, in exprefs contradiction to what the Apostle has delivered: "Once hath he appeared to put away fin by the "facrifice of himself,--and unto them that look "for him shall he appear the fecond time, without "fin unto falvation;" Heb. ix. 27, 28. Again, by the refurrection the body is materially changed. "That which was fown in weakness, dif

"honour,