2. The city. Not "Jerusalem that now is, and is in bondage with her children," "but Jerusalem that is above, and is free, and is the mother of us all." Gal. iv. The "New Jerusalem, which cometh down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Rev. xxi.

It is the city for which the patriarch Abraham looked, (Heb. xi. 10,) "which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." For this city he looked as the promised inheritance of the land of Canaan. And a city twelve thousand furlongs, or fifteen hundred miles square, as is the city described in Rev. xxi., would require all the territory promised Abraham, for its location. And if all the saints of God are to "have right to the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the city," such a city would be none too large for their ample accommodation. This is "the city of the living God;" the tabernacle of God which shall be with men, in the NEW EARTH.

Until that time comes, Jerusalem is to be trodden down of the Gentiles, even until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled; or until the great image is dashed in pieces, and no place is found for it, and the stone fills the whole earth. Then there will be a race at Jerusalem who shall say, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." They will be the redeemed from the east, west, north and south, who shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of God; while the unbelieving Jews will be cast out into outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

VIII. THE SAINTS OF GOD WILL BE FELLOW-HEIRS WITH CHRIST.

The inheritance, by purchase and by promise, belongs to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. "But as many as receive him, to them he gives power or privilege to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." God sends forth the spirit of his Son into their hearts, crying, Abba, Father. And the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God; and because children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. Rom. viii.

Christ is the head, and the church the body composed of the members of Christ. He is the true vine for whom the goodly vineyard, the land promised to Abraham, and once occupied by the men of Judah, (see Isai. v.) was prepared, and to whose use it is now soon to be devoted; his believing people are the branches of that vine, and with the vine and root, or good olive tree, they will be transplanted into that holy soil, to flourish in immortal bloom and vigor forever and ever. In the explanation of the vision of the four beasts, (Dan. vii. 18,) it is said, "But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever." Also, in the 27th verse of the same chapter, "The kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High." Again, (Matt. xxv. 34,) "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom." These constitute the seed of Abraham. "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the

promise." Gal. iii. These, too, constitute the house of Jacob, over whom Jesus Christ is to reign forever and ever. Luke i. 33. They will reign with Christ as his subjects, and assist, under him their king and head, in the government of the kingdom; and enjoy all its immunities. The kingdom will be the same as when God originally gave it to Adam and his family. They had dominion, but Adam, by virtue of his relation to them, was their superior and head; but they were all children, and were to reign with him. "Let them have dominion." Christ is the last Adam, and sustains a similar relation to the church as Adam did to the race. Adam gave them mortal life; Christ eternal life. Now if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him.

IX. THE TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL BE SET up.

1. It will be when the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled. The governments of the Gentiles, shadowed forth in the great image, (Dan. ii.) have certain predicted changes to pass through, and cannot pass away until they have fulfilled the prediction. When they have done that, the stone, Jesus Christ, will demolish them, and the God of heaven set up [or cause to stand] his kingdom.

2. It will be when one like the Son of man shall come with the clouds of heaven. "I saw in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him, and there was given him dominion,

and glory and a kingdom," &c. Dan. vii. 13. This kingdom is not to be given to the Son of man until he comes in the clouds of heaven. He cannot set up his kingdom until it is given him. But he has not yet come with the clouds of heaven. Hence, his kingdom is not yet set up. But it will be when he so comes.

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3. It will be when the seventh trumpet sounds. The seventh is the last trumpet; and at it the dead are to awake. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we be changed." 1 Cor. xv. Thus also the Revelator, chap. xi. 15: "The seventh trumpet sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." Saying, we give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty," "because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned; for the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great, and shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth." Until that time comes, Christ is not to receive the kingdom.

4. It will be when the Nobleman (Christ) who is gone into a far country to receive a kingdom, returns. The object of the parable, (Luke xix. 11) -27, was to correct the false notions of those who "thought the kingdom of God should immediately appear." The parable taught them that Christ, the nobleman, would first go away and re