may be pardoned and justified: that is, I must believe I am something before I am or can be that thing, believe a lie."-Bishop Hopkins.

which is to

CLASS VI.-Future Prospects of the Church.

The Millenarians are those who, inquiring closely into, and explaining literally, the mysterious Apocalypse, believe that Christ will reign personally upon earth one thousand years, with the saints of the first resurrection, before the general resurrection and judgment. They rely on Dan. vii. 27, And the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him; and Rev. xx. 6, Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. The former of these passages only prophesies the universal extension of the peaceful reign of Christ, or of his Gospel; and the latter, with the preceding verse, the rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years were finished (viz. of Christ's reign with his saints): this is the first resurrection, — evidently contains figurative matter. Whitby, Lowman, and other divines, consider the first resurrection as meaning, "from the death unto sin and the new birth unto righteousness;" and the reign of Christ with his saints, to be a prevalence of the peace and holiness of the Gospel; and the thousand years as a long period of time when the church will flourish in peace. It is difficult to see if these years were to be taken literally, as terminating with the close of a reign of Christ and his saints of the first literal resurrection-how the certain computation of the succeeding judgment could tally with the account of that day as coming like a thief in the night when not expected-when men were eating and drinking, and buying and selling, as in the days of Noah and Lot. The HOUR cometh when ALL that are in the graves shall come forth, &c. John v. 28, 29; that is, the whole who are buried, and the whole at one time.

The Southcotians, Irvingites, &c. are bodies of well-meaning persons, grafting fanaticism upon millenarianism.

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53. On the demoniacs, and alleged injustice to the owners of the swine.

The narrative in Luke (viii. 32) decides that the demoniacs were not persons labouring under mental diseases, as epilepsy, madness, &c.; since these diseases could not enter into the swine, or hold conversations with our Saviour. It shews also, that the devils are under the power of God. There was no injustice to the owners of the swine in the miracle, for swine were prohibited as unclean animals (Levit. xi. 7); and these owners, if Jews, or Gentiles feeding them for Jews, were guilty at the least of partaking of other men's sins (Rev. xviii. 4), and of tempting others to violate the ordinances of the law, still in force, Prov. i. 10, Ephes. v. 11.

54. The Areopagus, or Mars' hill.

The hill of Mars was a small eminence, situated in a northwest suburb of Athens, on which stood the court of Areopagus, Αρειος πάγος, from "Αρευς, -εος, Æolie for "Αρης, and πάγος, either because Mars was tried there, i. e. "Apŋs, a Thessalian prince, for the murder of Hallirhotius, who had offered violence to his daughter; or from a sacrifice to Mars offered by the Amazons, who had encamped on that spot. This court is said to have been established by Cecrops; and the number of the judges seems to have varied from nine to fifty. They were all men of the purest and strictest morality, and took cognizance of blasphemy against the gods, and of murder; whence they sat in the open air. They heard causes and passed sentence in the night; and no oratory was allowed to the pleaders, that the Areopagites might not receive a bias either through their eyes or ears. After the time of Pericles, however, в.c. 430, this court degenerated in respect of the morals of the judges; but its authority was long maintained. Robinson's Archæologia, and Parkhurst.

Hither St. Paul was dragged by the Epicureans and Stoics of Athens, as a setter forth of strange gods, Acts xvii. 18, 19; and here he boldly attacked the superstition and idolatry of the Athenians (ver. 23), and converted to the faith of the invisible and spiritual God, Dionysius, one of the judges, ver. 34.

55. Τελώναι and ἀρχιτελώναι converted to Christianity; of what nation were the Teλvai?

See Art. 15. Matthew, who was converted at the receipt of custom (or table, or booth, which we should call the customhouse) at Capernaum (Luke v. 27), was a reλávne, an inferior publican; and Zacchæus an áрxireλúvns, or chief publican, Luke xix. 2. If the parable of the pharisee and publican was a real story, by the standing afar off of the latter may be signified his being in the outer court as a Gentile; but if so, he was a convert, because justified; which he could only be through faith in Christ.

The apɣireλvai were usually Romans of the equestrian order, though Zaccheus was a Jew, or son of Abraham, Luke xix. 9. The Tελvaι appear to have been Jews, Matt. ix. 9, x. 3. According to Josephus, their dignity was Roman, but their descent Jewish, De Bell. lib. 2; and Cicero says, "Omnes publicanos totum fere equestrem ordinem." Thus, when Jews, they may have been dignified, in order to palliate their obloquy and abate their unpopularity. It may be observed, that the classical writers quoted by Parkhurst (art. Teλúvne) speak only of publicans generally; and we affirm that ápxireλúvns, applied to Zacchæus, when rendered a chief man among the publicans, is an imperfect translation: as though we should say, Burnet or Butler was a chief man among the bishops, not an archbishop. See Wetstein on Matt. v.

56. Publicans and sinners: why joined..

Men revile those whom they hate. Tax-gatherers are not usually much liked, especially when employed by a conquering power; or when, having farmed the taxes, they repay themselves by exaction or extortion, as they often did in Judea, Luke iii. 12, 13. The Herodians refused to pay money to strangers: others, like the Gaulonites, said they had no king but God, and doubted the legality of paying tribute to Cæsar. By these the obnoxious publicans must have been classed and coupled with sinners (Matt. v. 46, 47), and held in dislike as heathens, Matt. xviii. 17.

57. Christ the wisdom of God.

Christ's increasing in wisdom is to be understood of his human intelligence, which was capable of growth to maturity, like his stature; and it is a foolish objection of the Socinians, that if he were God, his wisdom would be incapable of increase. Wisdom is put for Christ in Prov. iii. 19; but as he is there mentioned as the Maker of the heavens and earth, the passage refers to his Divine nature. He is called the wisdom of God, 1 Cor. i. 24; and said to be to us wisdom, 1 Cor. i. 30. But we are to consider the quality in our Lord while on earth as ouveous, intelligence, Luke ii. 47.

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Here, then, is a man, from his earliest years discussing points of religion with the doctors of the law-astonishing them with his understanding and answers (or rather speeches, áñóKρio) confounding, by his conduct and discourse, the wisdom of the wise-explaining prophecy-expounding Scripture carrying all his points without force-introducing a system into the world exactly suited to the moral necessities of mankind, a system of pardon and purification, as a remedy for their spiritual diseases of guilt and frailty; an illumination of their ignorance, a clearing up of their doubts, a guide to their steps; and, in proportion to its extension and reception, a blessing to them in this world and in the next. system which breathes purity, and peace, and good-will, the admiration even of infidels and profligates, the stay of the faithful, the consolation of the afflicted, and the hope of the dying. When we see him promulgating this wise system by the wisest means, not flattering wealth or power, but laying the axe to the root of the tree, preaching to the poor, going about doing good, choosing humble but honest coadjutors, addressing himself to the world, not in a laboured treatise like the Greek philosophers, but in parables and short sayings, interesting and easy to be understood,-the question is a natural one; Whence hath this man this wisdom? Matt. xiii. 54. And when we find that this extraordinary individual is a Jew, brought up in Jewish prejudices and national exclusiveness, of low birth and narrow education, born in an obscure village, working, up to his thir

tieth year, at the trade of a mean mechanic-when we ask, Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? are not his brethren and sisters ordinary peasants? whence, then, hath this man all these things? -- far from coming to the conclusion of his town's-fellows- that of being offended in him (because a prophet hath no honour in his own country) — we shall rather say with the centurion (setting his miracles out of the question, and simply comparing his birth, education, and opportunities, with the astonishing plan, extensive design, blissful tendency, and actual diffusion of his Gospel), —Truly this was the Son of God.

58. Christ and Mahomet.

An impostor, designing to introduce a new religion by means merely human, would calculate the probabilities of success, and consider how far he possessed the secrets of worldly ambition. Let us try Mahomet and Jesus by this test. Mahomet knew himself to be a man of superior birth, honourable rank, powerful family, and large acquired fortune. Jesus was destitute of all the advantages of birth, rank, wealth, or influential connexions. An impostor possessing these advantages would be less solicitous about his personal morals, than studious to gain proselytes by a latitude of indulgence. Mahomet, himself licentious and impetuous, made the virtues pleasing to Heaven those of warfare and violence, called the sword the key of heaven and hell, and promised a sensual paradise. Christ, meek and spotless, inculcated purity even of thought and the hidden man of the heart; came not to destroy men's lives, but to spare them; left a legacy of peace; and offered to his followers self-denial, afflictions, and persecutions, upon earth, to be recompensed by a spiritual eternity.

An impostor would strengthen his cause by feigning preternatural sanctions. Mahomet pretended communications with heaven; but never proved them. Christ was twice declared, by heavenly voices, to be the Son of God: he fulfilled the prophecies; and was himself a prophet of events which happened. Mahomet hardly pretended miracles: Christ wrought them publicly.