measurement of prophetic time, these thousand years bear comparison with the thousand generations for which God hath appointed his covenant, though the days of his people shall be as the days of a tree; or with the many generations, during which Jerusalem, which was desolate so that no man passed through it, shall be an eternal excellency on the earth, even for three hundred and sixty thousand years.

If any thing more than another can indicate the spiritual reign of the saints, is it not such a testimony as this, "I saw thrones, and they sat upon them; and the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus-and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.' The souls that cried from under the altar are then upon their thrones.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE KINGDOM, OR REIGN OF THE SAINTS WITH CHRIST.

AND I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them, and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, &c., and they lived and reigned with Christ 1000 years.-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. Rev. xx. 4, 6.

And Jesus said unto them (his disciples), Verily, I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man, &c. Matt. xix. 28-30.

Of these two separate testimonies, the one is literally the word of the Lord, as spoken by his own lips while he tabernacled in the flesh; the other is recorded in the Revelation of Jesus Christ as He sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John, after his ascension into glory. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but His words shall not pass away; his faithfulness can not fail. Whatever men may have said or written about "the millenium," the counsel of the Lord, it shall stand.

That there is an affinity between these scriptures, so that they can not be dissociated in a comparative view of the testimony, is clear from the close ties that subsist between them, which no hand of man could have formed, or can break.

Here, in both passages alike, are thrones, and those who sit on them. In the one scripture, in answer to the affirmation and question of Peter-" We have forsaken all and followed thee: What shall we have therefore?" it is written,

ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, &c. In the other, says John, to whom, as to the rest, these words of Christ had been addressed, "I saw thrones, and they sat upon themand the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus." In both, judgment is given to those seated on the thrones.—In the one, the time is specified by Jesus, i.e., when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory; in the other, he is seen in his reign.—In the one, they also sit upon twelve thrones; in the other, they who sit on the thrones reign with Christ. Not limiting his gracious words to Peter's question, Jesus added, And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, &c., for my name's sake-shall inherit everlasting life-and the response is, on such the second death hath no power.-In the parallel passage of Mark, to that in Matthew, it is added, as said by Jesus, "for my sake, and the gospel's." That has thus its echo also for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God. In Luke, the words are, for the kingdom of God's sake; and Christ connected with his answer a parable, showing to what the kingdom of heaven is like. The reign of Christ, when He shall sit on the throne of his glory, is thus here, as in many scriptures, identified with the kingdom of heaven, or kingdom of God.

To words of Jesus, which shall never pass away, too close attention can not be given; too lowly an homage, in the absolute prostration of all imaginations of man's heart, can not be paid. Here, where these could only darken what the oracles of the living God alone can illumine, this single passage may show how, on comparing scripture with scripture, the testimony is seen to be interwoven as before, in things that shall succeed the consummating judgment, as well as in those that pertain to it.

It

Faith is the substance (confident expectation) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen. is not by a single testimony that truths which it imports the faithful to know are here revealed. In the same chapter in which the apostle urges believers to give heed to the sure word of prophecy, he speaks of the exceeding great and precious promises that are given unto us, that by these ye may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. It is well that

1 See above, p. 178, where the words then spoken by Jesus are compared with these and other scriptures.

these should be laid hold of, by those to whom they appertain; by all who seek thereby to be made partakers of the Divine nature. Needful it is to beware lest, by any private interpretation, other things should be seized in their stead. The apprehension of any carnal notions of an earthly millennium may have startled pious minds from touching the subject, or considering that testimony which is not man's but the Lord's. To recoil from earthliness and from error is the Christian's duty: but not to hear what the Lord hath spoken, is to close the ear against his word, and to shut the eyes against the light which it imparts. There are things which others than the holiest of men-till they be freed from all that is corruptible, and be divested of that flesh and blood which can not enter into the kingdom of heaven --desire to look into. As, in the scripture before us, those that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God, were seen on thrones as they reigned with him; and as the elders were seen and heard by John, ere the book of Revelation was opened, as they fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of saints, and sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth-so are there other precious promises concerning the glory that shall follow the sufferings of those who, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. These, kindred prophecies for such they all are-do not touch; but only to confirm them. Respecting them, the inspired writers of the New Testament appeal to those of the Old, as prophets and apostles combine the testimony of the Spirit by whom they spake.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your

faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace unto you: searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ (till Christ') and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. Wherefore gird up the loins of your minds, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

Prophets diligently inquired into that salvation which is the end of the Christian's faith ;-the things which they revealed were reported unto the primitive Christians by those who preached unto them the gospel, which itself is the gospel of the kingdom; and these things the angels desire to look into, ministering spirits as they are to them that are the heirs of this very salvation. They who had this hope in them greatly rejoiced, even with joy unspeakable and full of glory though manifold temptations or afflictions. assailed them, that the trial of their faith might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Christ which was in the prophets testified the sufferings until Christ, and the glory that should follow. And in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the same Spirit shows the termination of these sufferings, as He that sits upon the throne shall dwell among them, and the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and

1 "Els Xploróveis huépav Xploro"-till Christ-till the day of Christ. Phil. i. 10.-DR. BROWN, on Peter, vol. i. p. 94.

2 1 Peter i. 1-16.