a second of the same sort, we are constrained to make both either literal or figurative. But the doctrine of two literal resurrections is no where taught in scripture, unless it be taught in this passage; and certainly to select out of the midst of so many symbols, as we find in this passage, one phrase, and make it not only literal and unfigurative, but also to found on it the doctrine of two distinct corporal and literal resurrections, would be a dangerous precedent and without a parallel in sound criticism and good sense-not only in the Bible, but in any other similar composition in the world. Where have we a first and a second resurrection in any other passage of Jewish or Christian scriptures besides this? And where have we a hint of one literal resurrec tion a thousand years before another literal resurrection, from any Prophet or Apostle? I know of none. It appears, therefore, like building a castle upon the ice, to found the theory of two proper resurrections upon such data as this passage affords.

But it is said, "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death," and consequently the second resurrection, "shall have no power." When the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire, they shall not participate with them; and when "the rest of the dead" revive again and wage a new war against the saints, they shall suffer no evil from it: for the Lord will instantly and personally appear to their rescue and deliverance.

It is also said, "Blessed are they who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb;" indicating as here, that when the Lord, in his providence, comes to destroy the beast, his allies and confederates there will be a remnant of the uncompromising and excellent spirits of the olden times, that will not have received his mark, nor paid homage to his authority; and these will partake of the honors and the joys attendant on the prostration and destruction of the son of perditionthat man of sin, of mammoth blasphemies, "whom the Lord will destroy with the brightness of his coming."

It is also worthy of remark, that as the binding and imprisoning of Satan precedes the first resurrection, so the loosing and restoration of Satan from this pit of interment immediately precedes the second resurrection—that is, the revival of "the rest of the dead"-spirits homogeneous with their new Captain.

While on this subject of the proper interpretation of these sacred symbols, I think the whole subject of the interpretation of prophecy may be benefited and improved by a few other specifications of this style; and as they will facilitate our progress in understanding the whole subject of unfulfilled predictions, I will give a few samples of them in my next. A. C.

Ohio River, below Louisville, Steamboat Commerce, Feb. 22, 1841.

THE COMING OF THE LORD-No. V.

I PROMISED in my last farther evidence of the system of interpretation adopted in the exposition of the 20th of the Apocalypse. Since writing my last yesterday, I have just read the "First Report of the General Conference of Christians expecting the Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ, held in Boston, October 14 and 15, 1840: published by Joshua V. Himes." This Report, of 176 pages octavo, is indeed a valuable document on the subject of the immediate personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ. It has a good deal of consistency and inconsistency in it-much strength and a good deal of weakness-much confidence mingled with some doubts-many valuable thoughts and sayings, with others of very questionable shape and tendency. It is, however, worthy of a calm, serious, and grave consideration; and such I have given it, and am thankful to brother Himes for his promptness in sending it to me.

While it oft denounces, in very unqualified terms, certain modes of interpretation, it is nevertheless oft obliged to adopt them; and while decidedly in favor of a literal interpretation of all millenniary passages, it sometimes resorts to the figurative and spiritual. It is to be regretted that it uses the term Millennium in such unscriptural acceptations and associations, and thereby confounds the understanding of the reader at one time condemning, and at another approving of the same thing under a sort of double sense.

With me the term Millennium represents neither more nor less than what is described in the single passage where the thousand years are six times named in four periods. It is not the ultimate and eternal state of the church: it is but a thousand years-literally a thousand years. We have had six Millenniums of the triumphs of infidelity, impiety, atheism almost completed; we have the promise of one Millennium of the same endurance, in which the gospel and its friends shall have the ascendancy. While, then, I concur with much that is said in this Report upon the mistaken views, explanations, and reasonings of the last two centuries in their dreams of millennial bliss, I as decidedly dissent from it in its attempts to make the Millennium eternal life and glory in an eternal inheritance. To make heaven and the Millennium identical terms, or two names for the same state, is too sudden and bold an innovation upon the stipulated signs of our ideas, to be received without a demur. I do not confound the Millennium state with the New Jerusalem state described in the next chapter. John makes them two visions, and I cannot make them one. "Jesus and the Resurrection" is my hope, not my Millennium. It appears as

though they were both the hope and the Millennium of the authors of the Report.

Indeed, the scope of these documents is on the side of no thousand years reigning of Christ's party or cause; no general triumph of Christianity at all. The world, in its common acceptation, will terminate in some three or four years, and the day of final and eternal judgment may be expected to commence in the year 1843. Then the world will be just 6000 years old; and instead of a Sabbath day of a thousand years peace and love, we will have an eternity of bliss. For a Millennium the theory gives us more than three hundred and sixty millions of ages of the triumphs of Christ and his people. To all this I have no objection whatever, provided only we can find the word of the Lord for it.

All my hopes are in "Jesus and the Resurrection;" and if in three years hence we are to have these, and the world as it now is be no more, I shall rejoice; although my desires are to see the gospel bless all the families of the earth, and the glory of the Lord to fill all nations with light and salvation—that "all the ends of the earth may remember and turn to the Lord;" and that as the Lord has promised by Malachi, "from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, his name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered to his name, and a pure offering for his name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts."— This, however, I expect to precede the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But to return to our task:

Israel, House of Jacob, Tabernacle of David, Mount Zion, Jerusalem, &c. &c. are sometimes to be interpreted figuratively in the New Testament, just as much as any of the symbols of the Apocalypse. Indeed, most of the promises made to David, Israel, and the Fathers, as well as those concerning Jerusalem, Mount Zion, "the rest of Canaan," "the seed of Abraham," referred to by the Apostles, are applied not in their original and literal, but in their figurative and spiritual import. We shall at present adduce a few examples.

1st. Gabriel, in the annunciation of the nativity of the Messiah, thus speaks, "He shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Surely this is not the literal and earthly throne of David, nor is it the literal and earthly house of Jacob; nor can it be said, even now, that he has received the kingdom and the throne of God on which David sat on earth; that he has reigned over the house of Jacob ever since, much less for ever; nor will he ever in Jerusalem 17* VOL .-N. S.

sit upon the throne of David; for the earthly city shall never again be built, nor that throne established either on our hypothesis, or on that of the Literalist of the Boston Convention.

2d. Paul has taught us to say that "they are not all Israel which are of Israel;” "neither are the seed of Abraham all children;" "not the children of the flesh, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." He has also taught us to say that "he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh"-"But he is a Jew which is one outwardly; and circumcision is in the heart of the spirit, and not in the letter." Besides, "we are the true circumcision which worship God in spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Thus Israel, the seed of Abrahamn, a Jew, circumcision, &c. are often used figuratively; and many of the promises concerning them and their restoration must be understood figuratively, and not literally, as the sequel may fully demonstrate.

3d. Even the earthly Canaan to Abraham himself was rather a type or a figure, than an inheritance. Paul makes him a spiritualist, rather than a literalist, Heb. xii. 16. Of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob he says, "They confessed that they were pilgrims and strangers in their own land," because they sought a heavenly country, and a city of foundations, whose builder and maker is God." "They plainly declared that they sought not Canaan, but its antitype the heavenly rest." This is the land of promise for all the Israel of God, and the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the great King. If Abraham saw Christ's day, he might see heaven in Canaan, and his spiritual seed in the child of promise.

4th. Once more: The Christian church is by Paul, Heb. xii. 22. called "Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the City of the Living God." Hence we doubt not that many of the ancient promises and prophecies concerning the future fortunes of the seed of Abraham-of Israel the house of Jacob-of Jerusalem-Mount Zion-and the covenanted land, are accomplished or to be accomplished in those who are the children of Abraham by faith in Jesus Christ-the church of God, made up of a remnant of the twelve tribes and of the Gentiles converted to God through the promises announced to Abraham almost four thousand years ago.

We are not arbitrary, then, in supposing that the resurrection, and binding and loosing of Satan, &c. spoken of in the Apocalypse, in the midst of symbols, may be figuratively understood as expounded on a former occasion. I discover that our friends of the Convention regard it as inexplicable on their hypothesis, and consider it a “partial Ml

lennium." They and I agree, perhaps, after all, in what they impro. perly call a general Millennium, although we may differ so widely in that which is particularly now under consideration.

Steamboat Commerce, Feb, 23, 1841.

A. C.

ON LIVING ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT-No. IIL "HAPPY THE PURE IN HEART, FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD,"

THAT the pure in heart, and none but they, shall see or can enjoy God, is a truth as delightful as it is immutable and incontrovertible. Moral affinities, attractions, and repulsions, are just as well established principles in the moral universe, as are chemical affinities, attractions, and repulsions in the material system of nature. Like loves like every where, and at all times. He that delights in a being who is pure, must himself be pure. This is the genius of the skies, and it is the soul of all the holy sympathies of the church on earth, as well as of that in heaven.

Purity of heart is a rare science, and of difficult intelligence to all but the initiated. It presupposes a knowledge of all lawful and unlawful affections, desires, and volitions; and a habitual study and cultivation of holy thoughts and feelings. It allows not a single inimical or unfriendly feeling towards any human being; no selfish emulation, strife, or vain glory; but cherishes the kindest wishes and most benevolent desires for the health, wealth, and prosperity of every one, and suffers not envy, jealousy, revenge, or any kindred feeling to to have an abiding within it. It is a heart impregnated with divine love, which, as a fire continually burns within, and consumes the dross of every unclean passion, affection, and lust, that wars against the soul. It is the fruit of that holy truth believed and obeyed, which reveals the beauties, moral excellencies, and loveliness of God, and assimilates our nature and character to his.

This is the heart, and the only heart under these heavens, in which God is pleased to dwell, or which constitutes a habitation of God through the Spirit. If the heart be polluted with guilt, or desecrated by any unhallowed intimacy with corruption, the Spirit of God, griev ed by its follies and deformities, consents not to abide in it; and cer tainly if the Spirit of God have to forsake such a heart here, it cannot enjoy God's presence hereafter. How, then, shall we set about the cherishing of the spirit of holiness, and preserve that purity within, so