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him. But when they drew near your religion has vanished and and faw the pitiable reverfe of your wickedness is made manifeft, his condition, and this affecting attefted by the judgments of God. fpectacle of human mifery, they For remember I pray thee, who ever were ftruck dumb with altonish perished being innocent? or where ment, and continued with him were the righteous cut off? &c. feven days, filent, penfive and fad. To this addrefs, Job, abforbed in Denied the confolation which | grief, replies, chap. vi. vii. Ia he expected from the fympathy anfwer to the obfervations of Job, of his friends, the fpirit of the | Bildad fpeaks, chap. viii. Job good man could no longer fuftain | replies to him, chap. ix. x. his infirmity ; he opened his phar anfwers Job, chap. xi. Job mouth and curfed his day. This replies to Zophar, chap. xii. xiii. awaked his friends and ended xiv. This reply of Job brings their filence. Not comprehend- | Eliphaz again on the ftage, chap. ing the ways of God with men, xv. Job anfwers him, chap. xvi. they concluded from the divine xvii. Bildad again speaks in redifpenfations, and his unadvifed ply to the obfervations of Job, expreffions, that his religion was chap. xviii. To him Job anfwers, fuperficial, and addreffed him as a chap. xix. Then Zophar again fpecious hypocrite. Here a dif- fpeaks in reply to Job, chap. xx. pute commences and here the ob | Then Job, chap. xxi. Then Elifcurity of the book begins. This phaz, chap. xxii. Then Job, difpute is fupported by Job on chap. xxiii. xxiv. To him Bildad one fide, and by his friends on the replies, chap. xxv. Job makes other. Of this debate the real | anfwer to him, chap. xxvi. and character of Job is the particular growing ardent in the debate, fubject, his friends affirming that continues his difcourfe, chap. his piety was effentially defective, xxvii-xxxi. afferting his innoand he afferting his fincerity with cence with that strong affurance full affurance. This difpute be- which filenced his friends, and a gins with the fourth and concludes folemn pause enfued.-Elihu, who with the thirty-firft chapter. The had been an attentive hearer of dispute or dialogue is conducted the whole difcourfe, warmed with with decorum, each of the fpeak- holy refentment against Job for ers appearing in his own place, affertions which appeared to him and performing his part with fpir- rafh and arrogant, and against his it until the fubject is exhausted. friends, because they found no anIn this view let us begin and pro- fwer and yet had condemned Job, ceed with them to the end.-The after apologizing for interfering difpute or conference is opened by in the difpute with an amiable Eliphaz, by an addrefs directed modefty, he addreffes and reafons immediately to Job, Chap. fourth. with Job, from the greatness and If we effay to commune with thee majefty of God and the inferiority wilt thou be grieved, but who can and worthleffness of man, with an forbear Speaking? Behold thou hast energy which brought him to foinftructed and comforted many-ber reflection, chap. xxxii-iii.but now it (affliction) is come upon In the mean time the heavens are thee and thou fainteft-Is not this clothed with blackness, lightnings thy fear, thy confidence and the up-flash, thunders roar, and from the rightness of thy ways? and now midft of the whirlwind God him

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self speaks, and reafons with Job. | By this divine addrefs Job is convinced, humbled and brought to repent in duft and afhes.-Now the fcene begins to change. Recovered to a proper temper, God now expreffes his approbation of Job, and his displeasure with his friends; directs them to apply to Job to intercede for them, and promises to accept him.-While Job is executing the honorable office of an interceffor for his friends, the Lord turns his captivity. Now the fcene is completely reverfed, and Job comes from this furnace like gold purified and refined; his former hon. ors and comforts are doubled, and

he enjoys them for the extended term of an hundred and forty years, when he gives up the ghoft in a good old age, full of days, riches and honor.

fubjects, the unfearchable ways of God in his works, and the fublim. ity of the ftyle, obferving alfo that the speakers fometimes digrefs, that by amplifying, they may exhibit the subject to greater advantage, why is not the book of Job as intelligible and inftructive as any other part of the infpired writings? How emphatically does it imprefs on our minds the obfervation of the apoftle already referred to; Te have heard of the patience of Fob, and have feen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy.

QUESTION.

Is the first refurrection mentioned Rev. xx. 5, 6. to be taken in a literal or figurative sense?

Such is the admirable ftructure FOR the following reafons I

of this wonderful book. It begins with a relation of events which affect all the tender and fympathetic feelings of our hearts; as it proceeds it interefts and engages us by the gravity and importance of its fubjects, till we are anxious for the iffue, and then by an unexpected change diffipates the gloom which it fpread over our minds, and concludes with ufhering in a fcene which fills us with joy and rapture. As hath been obferved, it is a folemn climax, which begins very tenderly and feelingly, as it proceeds becomes more grave and folemn, till it affumes an inexpreffible majefty and grandeur, and then by a fudden reverfe and contraft banifhcs our anxiety and grief, and fills us with pleafure and delight.-If this be the original plan of the book or poem; if we peruse it according to its native form, confidering the depth of its

am induced to believe, that the refurrection in queftion is to be understood in a figurative sense.

1. This fenfe best comports with the general ftrain of the book of the Revelation, and with this chapter in particular. This book is a continued allegory from beginning to end, with very few exceptions. There is no book in all the bible fo replete with figu rative representations as this. A train of emblems is a proper characteriftic of it: fo that the general rule, that a literal interpretation of any paffage of fcripture is preferable to a figurative one, is not applicable here; for it would be a departure from the ufual tenor of these writings. So that on the firft enquiry into the fenfe of any párticular paffage in this book, the prefumption is, that it is to be underflood in a figurative: fenfe; and this fenfe ought to be admitted, unless there are special reafons to the contrary.

The

Revelation is divided into a vari- | this priority of resurrection cannot

admit of a fpace of a thousand years, between that and the following ref urrection: but the evident meaning is, that at the general refur

had died before that period, shall rife from their graves, and then those who fhall be living on the earth, fhall join with them in afcending to meet the Lord in the air. This therefore cannot be parallel to the one in question, nor afford any additional proof, that the latter is to be understood literally-which may appear more evident,

ety of diftinct periods, in each of which a number of interefting events are defcribed. This 20th chapter contains one of thofe periods. The events in the prece-rection, the former faints who ding periods are exhibited by ftriking images; fuch as a book with feven feals, the founding of feven trumpets, the pouring out of feven vials. Included within these general divifions are a great variety of particulars, all reprefented by apt figures; the whole of which together constitute a prediction of future events, reaching to the day of judgment. This very chapter, which fpeaks of the firft refurrection abounds with these figures. Thus the angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomlefs pit and a chain in his hand, and his laying hold of the dragon, and binding him, and fetting a feal upon him, are to be underftood not literally but figuratively.

From this view of the matter, unless there be fome extenfive reafon for interpreting the firft refurrection in a literal fenfe, the figurative fenfe is the most natural, as it belt comports with the general ftrain of these writings. But

2. There is nothing in any other part of the fcriptures, which speaks of a firft refurrection, before the general one, in a literal fenfe. The one in queftion, if that is to be fo taken, is a folitary inftance. It ftands alone in the bible, to teach a doctrine which is taught no where elfe. This is fufficient to make us doubt whether the literal fenfe be the true meaning, especially if it will eafily bear a different one. Any important doctrine is commonly fupported by more than a fingle text. True, it is elsewhere faid, that "the dead in Chrift fhall rife firft." But

3. From a confideration, that in other places in the fcriptures, the term refurrection is sometimes to be taken in a figurative or fpiritual fenfe. Eph. ii. 5, 6. "Even when we were dead in trefpaffes and fins, hath quickened us together with Chrift, and hath raifed us up together, and hath made us fit together in heavenly places in Chrift Jefus." Similar to which is Col. iii. 1. "If ye then be rifen with Chrift, feek thofe things which are above,”

&c.

A fpiritual and myftical refurrection is defigned to be reprefented, by the vifion which Ezekiel had of the valley of dry bones, raised and brought to life, chap. xxxvii. Agreeably to the analo gy of fcripture therefore, the refurrection in Rev. xx. may be conftrued in a figurative fenfe. A univerfal revival of religion, confequent upon an antecedent fpiritual death, may be compared to the refurrection of the ancient martyrs, and celebrated faints. And

4. Correfponding with the idea of a first refurrection," this living of the reft of the dead", will aptly harmonize. The firft refur

of in this chapter, Firft, Thofe who had been beheaded for the witnefs of Jefus, who rife at the be

ondly, Thofe of the rest of the dead, who fhall rife at the clofe of the millennium. Thirdly, Those who ball rife at the end of the world. The two first of these are figu

rection being mentioned, a fecond is implied. Who are the reft of the dead", who lived not till the thousand years were finished"?ginning of the millennium. SecThe fubjects of these are manifeftly put in contraft with thofe of the first refurrection; and there are a thousand years diftance between these several refurrections. It is urged, I think, by the advo-rative; the laft is the general refcates of the literal firft refurrec-urrection, when Chrift fhall come tion, that if the said refurrection to judgment. That the two first be figurative, the second muft be are figurative, is apparent from fo allo. This I am ready to al- the reafons already given, and low, and suppose, that by "the which may ftill be given. The reft of the dead, who lived not laft is literal because the scriptures till the thousand years were fin- abundantly speak of fuch a refurifhed", means, that at the clofe of rection at the end of the world, the term, the perfecuting enemies exactly anfwering to the account of the church, of whom we have here given. an account, that they were flain, at the end of the preceding chapter, fhall revive or come to life again; i. e. their spirit fhall revive in their fucceffors, as the fouls of the martyrs revived in their fucceffors: fo that both the first and fecond refurrections are figurative, and perfectly correfpond one with the other. That by "the rest of the dead" are meant, thofe nations in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, whom Satan is per. mitted to deceive, is very probable. These fhall, as it were, rife again after they had been once flain, and act their old part over again. It is not to be fuppofed that there will be nations in the world at this time under the literal name of Gog and Magog, but fuch as refemble them in their fpirit and conduct. The rest of the dead reviving at the end of the thousand years, is to be taken in a figurative fenfe; which adds weight to the argument, that the firft refurrection is alfo to be taken in a figurative fenfe. There are three refurrections taken notice VOL. IV. No. 2.

5. According to fcripture there is not to be a proper literal refurrection till the day of judgment. See 1 Cor. xv. 23, 24. compared with verfes 51, 52. But every man in his own order; Chrift the firft fruits, afterwards they that are Chrift's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he fhall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he fhall have put down all rule and all authority and power-Behold I fhew you a mystery, we shall not all fleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the laft trump, (for the trumpet fhall found) and the dead fhall be raifed, incorruptible, and we shall be changed." If we look through this chapter it will appear, that the apoftle has his eye principally to the refurrection of the faints, and it will not take place till Christ shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father, and fhall put down all rule, &c. which is incone fiftent with his reigning with them a thousand years on earth. From these words too, it appears, that H

the refurrection fhall be when the trump fhall found at the end of the world. That is the time when, according to the apoftie, the faints are to be raised, and not a thousand years before. If the faints were to be raised at the beginning of the millennium, they would not have to be raised at the final judgment; for they would be already raised, and would have nothing to do but to afcend and meet the Lord in the air, as all thofe who fhall be then living on the earth fhall do. And very different is the idea of a refurrection, which fhall take place at the end of the world, in a moment, and in the twinkling of an eye, from one which had taken place a thoufand years before. Parallel to the forecited text in Corinth. is 1 Theff. iv. 16, 17. "For the Lord himself fhall defcend from heaven, with a fhout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Chrift fhall rife first, then we which are alive fhall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." Here again the refurrection fynchronizes with the end of the world, when the Lord fhall defcend from heaven, with a fhout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. Before this all the faints who had lived on the earth were faid to be asleep, i. e. in the ftate of the dead, and were then to be raised out of this fleep, that they might join those who were living on the earth; that they might all in one company be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. This feems not to be compatible with the fuppofition that they were already raised, and had been fo for a thoufand years. To be afleep, and at the fame time to live and reign

with Chrift, is a palpable inconfiftence.

6. If we are capable of judg ing any thing concerning the confequences of this matter, it appears, that a fpiritual and figu rative refurrection is more defirable, and will be more for the common benefit of the church, than a proper refurrection of ancient faints, to live again for a term in this world. As for the departed faints, they are already unspeaka bly happy in heaven. There is no reason to think they would be happier, were they to be brought again into this world, and have another term of limited exiftence here; efpecially if they are to be affailed, towards the clofe of this period, by numerous enemies. This refurrection therefore would be of no fpecial benefit to them. But if there might be a fpiritual refurrection, and thoufands and millions of new converts added to the church, and if religion fhould be univerfally prevalent over the whole earth, agreeable to many ancient prophecies, in this way the Redeemer would fee and reap the good fruits of his travail and fufferings. Antecedently to this millennial state, Satan is unbound, and feems to have made a prey of the moft of mankind, whilft Chrift's flock was but a little flock. If it is always to be fo, as long as mankind are to be propagated on earth, who in the iffue will get the advantage, Chrift or Belial? who will have the greatest number in their refpective kingdoms? Will not Satan triumph after all? Will not thefe evil confequences enfue on fuppofition the millennial refurrection is to be underflood in a literal fenfe? But which will be avoided if it be taken in a figurative fenfe.

Finally, we conceive we have

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