3. Apocalypse Rooted in the Prophets.

In treating of the causes which operated the rapid progress of the gospel in the first two hundred years of our era, the historian of the '‘Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” thus expresses himself with reference to the great subject matter of the Apocalypse. “The ancient and popular doctrine of the Millennium,” says Gibbon, “was intimately connected with the second coming of Christ. As the works of creation had been finished in six days, their duration, in their present state, according to a tradition which was attributed to the prophet Elijah, was fixed to six thousand years. By the same analogy it was inferred that this long period of labor and contention, which was now almost elapsed (as they supposed), would be succeeded by a joyful Sabbath of a thou­sand years; and that Christ, with the triumphant band of the Saints and the elect who had escaped death, or who had been miraculously revived, would reign upon earth till the time appointed for the last and general resurrection. So pleasing was this hope to the minds of believers, that the New Jerusalem, the seat of this blissful kingdom, was quickly adorned with all the gayest colors of the imagination. A felicity con­sisting only of pure and spiritual pleasure would have appeared too re­fined for its inhabitants, who were still supposed to possess their human nature and senses. A garden of Eden with the amusements of pastoral life, was no longer suited to the advanced state of society which pre­vailed under the Roman Empire. A city was therefore erected, of gold and precious stones, and a supernatural plenty of corn and wine was bestowed on the adjacent territory; in the free enjoyment of whose spontaneous productions, the happy and benevolent people was never to be restrained by any jealous laws of exclusive property. The assur­ance of such a millennium was carefully inculcated by a succession of fathers, from Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, who conversed with the imme­diate disciples of the apostles, down to Lactantius, who was preceptor to the son of Constantine. Though it might not be universally received, it appears to have been the reigning sentiment of the orthodox believers; and it seems so well adapted to the desires and apprehensions of man­kind, that it must have contributed in a very considerable degree to the progress of the Christian faith. But when the edifice of the church was almost completed, the temporary support was laid aside. The doctrine of Christ's reign upon earth was at first treated as a profound allegory, was considered by degrees as a doubtful and useless opinion, and w as at length rejected as the absurd invention of heresy and fanaticism. A mysterious prophecy (the Apocalypse) which still forms a part of the sacred canon, but which was thought to favor the exploded sentiment, has very narrowly escaped the proscription of the church.”

This is the impartial testimony of a man who was well acquainted with the literature of the times contemporary with, and immmediately succeeding, those of the apostles; and who conceived that the propaga­tors of Christianity were deceived, and of such low morality that they did not hesitate to invent and promulgate lies to gain their ends. This was doubtless the case with the Babel builders of what Gibbon calls “the church;” but it is a gross calumny when insinuated against those “servants of God” to whom the Apocalypse was “sent.” Gibbon’s testimony, however, is important and useful in this:

1. That it proves that the nearer we approach to the times of the

Apostles, the stronger and more universal was the belief of the Apocalyptic teaching concerning the Millennium, and reign of Christ and the Saints upon the earth;

2. That it was well adapted to the desires and apprehensions of man­

   kind;

3. That so long as it continued the reigning sentiment, the faith rapidly progressed;
4. That when the edifice erecting by the Sons of Balaam and Jezebel

5. was almost completed, the doctrine of Christ’s reign began to be abandoned;

6. That when they had completed the Apostasy, the doctrine was re­

7. pudiated as heresy and fanaticism; and

8. That the Apocalypse itself had a narrow escape of being expelled

9. from the canon of inspiration.

   But here we beg leave to remark, that the doctrine of Messiah’s reign with the Saints on earth for a long season did not originate with the Apoc­alypse. It is the burden of all the prophets from Moses to Malachi. Moses teaches that the seed of Abraham shall be a great nation; that that nation with Abraham and his Seed, the prophet like to him, shall possess the Holy Land for ever; that all nations shall be blessed in them; and that then the whole earth shall be full of Jehovah’s glory. This is the future state which Moses preached as the gospel to Israel. Nor was the preaching confined to him. The proclamation was amplified in all the prophets. The “Songs of Jehovah” are full of it. Isaiah an­nounced it in glowing terms, and tells us that in vision he saw the King upon his throne, who is to reign in righteousness, on Mount Sion and in Jeru­salem gloriously in the presence of his Ancients, or Saints, whose death shall be swallowed up in victory—ch. 6 : 1-5 ; 32 : 1 ; 24 : 23 ; 25 : 8. Jeremiah testifies to the same effect, telling us that Jehovah will raise up to David a Righteous Branch; that this man shall be King of Israel, reigning and prospering, and executing judgment and justice in the earth; that in his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; that He shall be for the righteousness of the nation; that then Jerusalem shall be called the Throne of Jehovah, that all nations shall be concentred to it as the throne of empire; and that they shall all be enlightened, and blessed in their king, who shall be called “The God of the Whole Earth”—ch. 3 : 17 ; 23 : 5, 6 ; 33 : 5 ; Isai. 54 : 5.