them from all their iniquity, whereby they have finned against me, and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have finned, and whereby they have tranfgreffed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor, before all the nations of the earth, which fhall hear all the good I do unto them; and they fhall fear and tremble for all the goodnefs, and for all the prof perity, that I procure unto it. These verfes need no comment; they speak for themselves.

Almoft the whole of the fifth chapter of Micah fpeaks of the manner in which the Jews fhall be considered by other nations, when Chrift is king among them. The fecond verse mentions the birth of Christ. In verfe third, it is mentioned, that the Jews fhall be given up until the whole of the twelve tribes return; verse four, that then Christ shall feed them in the ftrength of the Lord; and at that time, which means the thoufand years, it is faid, verfe 7, 8, 9, "And the remnant of Jacob fhall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grafs, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the fons of men. And the remnant of Jacob fhall be among the Gentiles, in the midst of many people, as a lion among the beafts of the foreft, as a young lion among the flocks of fheep; who if he go through, both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. Thine hand fhall be lifted up upon thine adverfaries, and all thine enemies fhall be cut off." This chapter, and efpecially thefe three verfes, give us an idea of the ftate of the Jews in that day, which exceeds all that ever has yet come on them fince they were a nation. To their friends they are to be as the dew and rain, these things men cannot be happy without. To their enemies they are to be like a lion among the beafts of the foreft, who is king among them, and like a young lion among flocks, who if he rife up against them, there is none to deliver.

I will mention what two other prophets have faid concerning the honorable state the Jews fhall be in in the view of other nations; these are Zephaniah and Zechariah. The first fays, chap. iii. 20, "At that time will

I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise among all peo. ple of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, faith the LORD." Zechariah viii. 13, "And it fhall come to pass, that as ye were a curfe among the heathen, O houfe of Judah, and houfe of Ifrael; fo will I fave you, and ye fhall be a bleffing, fear not, but let your hands be ftrong.

Both of thefe prophets speak of the return of the Jews from their captivity in the fame chapters where they mention the name the Jews fhall have among the na tions, in the thoufand years of Chirft's reign among them.

To look over that happy period which shall last one thousand years on earth, affords peculiar joy to me in the prefent ftate, having a hope through grace, that I fhall attain to the refurrection of the dead; to have a part in the first resurrection, which will be one thousand years before the rest of the dead are raised. If the belief of this glorious fubject affords fo much pleasure, what must be the joy of thofe who live and reign with Christ at that time? More will be done at that time than we can now afk or think.

At the first view of this glorious fubject, we are ready to fay, why is it limited to one thousand years? Why does it not continue forever? This must end that a more glorious ftate may commence, never to end. After all this glory, fatan will be let loose to deceive the nations of the earth before the last judgment, and the utter deftruction of the wicked in the lake of fire; which will put an end to fin in this world, and make way for the new heavens and earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, which we, according to his promife, look for. All these things will be attended to in their order.

SERMON XIII.

WE HAVE ALSO A MORE SURE WORD OF

PROPHECY," &c.

NOTWITHS

OTWITHSTANDING the glory of the thoufand years, when Chrift will be king over all the earth; when all nations. fhall meet at Jerufalem from year to year, to worship the king,the Lord of hofts; yet it must have an end, and will close; and awful scenes will follow it; by which the way will be prepared for the eternal overthrow of all the wicked, and to bring all the followers of the Lamb, to behold his glory in the new Jerufalem, world without end.

Rev.

This is particularly mentioned in the fame chapter where the refurrection of the juft is mentioned, and the reign of Christ on earth for one thousand years. IX. 7, 8, 9, "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan fhall be loofed out of his prifon, and fhall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them to battle; the number of whom is as the fand of the fea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compaffed the camp of the faints about, and the beloved city, and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them."

Here are feveral important particulars worthy of our

notice;

1. The thousand years are to expire....2. Satan will be loofed out of his prifon....3. He will deceive the nations all over the earth, and gather them together to battle....4. They will compass the camp of the faints, and the beloved city....5. A fire

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from heaven will devour them all....6. Satan will be caft into the lake of fire, and there be referved until the last judgment. I fhall make a few remarks on the above particulars. 1. The thousand years of Christ's reign on the earth will end.

When we look over this glorious ftate of the nations for one thousand years, and view their glory under the MESSIAH, when Jew and Gentile fhall all unite in love, when wars fhall cease to the ends of the earth; when all nations being of one language, fhall meet at Jerufalem from year to year, to pay their homage to their king, and to be taught his ways; at first thought we cry out, "O that this state might continue forever !" But whoever reads and believes what is to follow all this, when the new heaven and earth are created; will fee why this glorious ftate muft expire. The day the Apoftles faw was glorious beyond what ever had been fince the world began, when the churches had reft, and were of one heart, one mind, one foul, and one judgment. Who would have thought that there would ever be any to fall from that truth which made all free, who knew it? Yet the apoftles affured their brethren, there would be a falling away from their order which was to them fo pleafing. As many after the apostles fell from their own ftedfatnefs, being led away by the error of the wicked, fo it will be after the thousand years are expired.

How can I leave the delights of the thousand years, to attend to a subject, where rebellion, terror and def truction are its confequences? But these things follow after this glory; I muft wade through it to higher, greater, and more lafting glory, which thall never end.

2. At the clofe of the thousand years Satan will be lofed -out of his prifon, to deceive the nations.

During the time of Chrift's reign on earth, before the day of judgment, Satan who walks about like a roaring lion, will be bound a thousand years; this is recorded. Revelations xx. 2, 3, "And he laid hold on the drag. on, that old ferpent, which is the devil, and fatan, and bound him a thoufand years and caft him into the bot tomless pit, and fhut him up, and fet a feal upon him

P

that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thoufand years fhould be fulfilled; and after that he must be loofed a little feafon."

It is knowledge and obedience to God among men, which prevents being deceived by fatan, fo long as men are the children of light, fatan is bound by that light, & that wicked one toucheth them not. Thofe who have known the way of righteousness and then rebel, or turn from the holy commandment, are fuch as fatan leads captive at his will.

When fatan is loofed out of his prifon, or not prevented from deceiving the nations; what an amazing change will take place in the world! O how different from that when all obeyed the Prince of Peace.

3. He will deceive the nations all over the earth, and gath er them together to battle.

At the first view of this particular, we are led to ask how it is poffible for the nations who are under the gov ernment of the glorious Meffiah to be deceived by fatan, to that degree that they fhall engage in a war against him?

Those who are the most ignorant of fatan's devices, are the most easily deceived by him. This was the cafe with EvE; fhe had never known any thing but righteoufnefs, and when the temptation came, "Ye fhall be as Gods," the thinking it would be fo, immediately tranfgreffed the law of heaven, which food exactly oppofite to the temptation. By this we may fee how one or many under a righteous government may be deceived and become rebels. It is likely to me that when fatan is loofed, he will put it into the hearts of the nations, that if they rebel against the Meffiah, they will be raised higher, than they are in obedience to him; this will lead to: a war against the lamb.

Some one may afk, where all these enemies who are deceived will be found, if in the thousand years allpeople on earth are righteous? Obferve, this deception is to take place after the thousand years are finished. Allowing that at the end of the thoufand years all people are righteous; and from that day all who are born fhould