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the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle. These nations, like their type, the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel, shall "go up upon the breadth of the earth, and compass the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city," and then fire coming down from God out of heaven shall devour them. And the devil that deceived them shall be cast into the lake of fire. And when this is accomplished, the second resurrection and judgment will take place.

CHAP. XXXIII.

First and Second Resurrection.

An accurate understanding of what the Scriptures reveal of the first and second resurrection, is very necessary for assisting the inquiry into the things of the second advent. Each resurrection is attended with a judgment of the ungodly. But the loose way in which the judgment of the wicked is spoken of by many writers, has induced a general persuasion, amongst those who follow the opinions of men, that there is only one resurrection and judgment. When the Lord Jesus cometh in the clouds of heaven, the dead will be raised, and judgment will be passed upon them, as every one seems to acknowledge. But it is clear that all the dead will not then be raised, for some shall not live again till after the end of the Millennial dispensation-" until the thousand years are finished." If, therefore, the Lord indeed cometh at the commencement of the Millennium, as before contended for, it follows that there must be two judgments, for He himself executes judgment at His coming, and there is to be another resurrection, and another judgment after the end of the thousand years.

The Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 25, declares that Messiah must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet and in the parable of the Ten Servants, (Luke xix. 11.) the first act of the Lord after having received the kingdom, and after having reckoned with His own servants, is to command that His enemies, who would not that He should reign over them, should be brought and slain before Him.

The Lord Jesus will judge the quick and the dead at his coming, but it is certain from Scripture, that he will not then judge all the dead; and regarding those who are in the flesh, it seems to be upon them a judgment only in the flesh; for it is not intimated, that any are then changed to receive judgment in their spirits, according to the things done in the body. The prophet Daniel, speaking of that day, says, that many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt; thus expressly shewing, that all shall not rise; and that amongst them who do rise, there shall be wicked ones, raised unto condemnation. The parable of the Sheep and the Goats, (Matt. xxv.) shews a resurrection of the wicked in that day; and the context will not allow the parable to be referred to any other time than that of the second advent. The blessed of the Father are called to

inherit the kingdom prepared for them; consequently, the thousand years are not fulfilled; for these blessed ones of the Father are brought into possession of their kingdom, at the commencement of the Millennium.

When Messiah takes the rule, there shall be no more Canaanite left in the land, as the Psalms also declare. "All the wicked shall be cut off"--but it is not said that all the wicked shall then receive their final doom. The enemies of Messiah are to be judged "they who have pierced him;" amongst whom may principally be reckoned, they who have persecuted and destroyed his people; for he is the Head, and his people are members of one mystical body-The Church and therefore he said to Saul of Tarsus, Why persecutest thou me?" Acts ix. 4.

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An inaccurate view will be formed of Messiah's judgment, if the idea of it is restricted to the mere wreaking of vengeance upon the ungodly. Although the day of Messiah is called in Isaiah Ixi. 2. day of vengeance of my God," and in that sense it is called his judgment, yet in many passages of Scripture that word signifies rule, government, and the declaration and establishment of truth, to the over

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throwing of lies and falsehood. Truly, the righteous judgment of God by Messiah, must reprove every one, without exception; for it will detect and make manifest the refuge of lies, in which each individual has more or less rested and delighted. It will be found that all have departed from the truth, and that every son and daughter of Adam has come very far indeed short of the glory of God. This, in many places, is the obvious sense in which the word is used, although, in other passages, and perhaps more generally, it is used to signify condemnation. But the judgment of God in this matter, as well as in executing wrath, is evidently committed to the Son, that men should honour his judgment, even as that of the Father.

The first resurrection and judgment are then those of Messiah, The Prince. He executes vengeance upon his enemies as he finds them, whether in the flesh, or asleep in the dust of the earth; and he reveals the righteousness of God to the confusion of ungodly men. He will, moreover, rule and judge his people in righteousness, during the glorious times of his reign, which it is unreasonable to consider as being limited to a thousand years, such as years are now; inasmuch as the accuracy of Scripture is at an end, if we assume that the words year and day, are used as

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