25 years; it will be moderate, therefore, to suppose mankind, in the Millenium, when all the earth is full of peace and prosperity, will double every 50 years. But at this rate, there will be time enough in a thousand years to double twenty times; which would produce such a multitude of people, as that although we should suppose all who live before the Millennium begins, to be lost; yet if all these should be saved, there would be above seventeen thousand saved, to one that would be lost. As may appear from the table below. 1 234567 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Sum total, 2 4 16 In the first column we have the 20 periods, which 1000 years will 8 make, at 50 years to a period. In the second column, we see in what 32 proportion mankind will increase, 64 if they are supposed to double in every 50 years. At the end of the first 50 years, there will two for one. And so on: At the end of the twentieth period, there will be above a million for one. Now sup 128 256 512 1024 2048 4096 8192 16384 32768 65536 131072 pose the world to stand 6000 years before the Millennium; and suppose it in every age to be as full of inhabitants as it will be when the Millennium begins; and suppose, through all the 6000 years, all the inhabitants of the earth to have died off, and new ones come 1048576 | in their room, at the rate of once in 50 years; 6000 years, at 50 years 2,097,150 to a period, will be 120 periods: 120 worlds full; all lost, suppose; 262144 yet by the table we see, that the seventh period alone, (which is 128,) would more than counterbalance the whole : Suppose all before the Millennium lost, 120 2097150 Q. E. D. That is, above 17000 would be saved, to one lost; which was the point to be proved. Therefore nothing hinders, but that the greatest part of mankind may yet be saved, if God so pleases. There is time enough for it, and may be men enough yet born. And if these calculations may serve to clear up this, they answer the end proposed. What proportion of mankind will finally be saved, and what lost, none can tell. It is no where revealed. God was not obliged to save one out of all this guilty, lost world. Hitherto the generality may have perished: and 3. The periods past, that have been so dark, ought to be considered as introductory to this bright and glorious scene, and in various respects as preparatory thereto. -An apostate race, who had joined with the fallen angels in a course of rebellion against the Governor of the universe, might justly have been forsaken of God, and given up to a state of perfect darkness and wo, from generation to generation, entirely under the power of the prince of darkness. What has happened, in dark ages past, may help us a little to realize what might justly always have been the woful state of a fallen world. We have had a specimen of the dreadful nature and tendency of satan's government, in all the idolatry, wickedness, and wo, which have filled the world. And we have seen a little what is in the heart of fallen man, who have slain the Lord's prophets, crucified his Son, and shed the blood of thousands, yea, of millions of his servants. And what has happened may help us to realize a little what must have been the state of a fallen world, if grace had never interposed. At the same time it hath appeared, after the best contrived experiments have been sufficiently tried, that it is not in the heart of fallen man to repent, nor can he be brought to it by any external means whatsoever; whereby the absolute necessity of the interposition of supernatural grace hath been set in the most glaring light. And now, if after all, God should effectually interpose, destroy the influence of satan, scatter the darkness which fills the world, recover mankind to God, and cause truth and righteousness at last to prevail; it would appear to be altogether of God, of his own mere self-moving goodness and sovereign grace. And after so long and sore a bondage, mankind will be the more sensible of the greatness of the deliverance. Nor can it ever be said by a proud and haughty world, "we did not need the influences of divine grace to bring us right;" when all other the Lord is righteous. But who can tell to what a degree God may yet glorify his grace? The holy scriptures encourage us to look for things exceeding great and glorious; even for such events as may put a new face on all God's past dispensations. (See the Sermons on the Wisdom of God in the Permission of Sin.) methods had been sufficiently tried, and tried in vain. But God may justly say," what could have been done more to reclaim mankind, that I have not done? And to what purpose would it have been, to have taken one step further? I tried them enough. There was no hope. Their heart was a heart of stone. Therefore, behold, I, even I, will take away the heart of stone, and give an heart of flesh; and an apostate world shall be ashamed and confounded, and shall never open their mouth, when I shall do all these things for them.” We are apt to wonder why these glorious days should be so long delayed, if God indeed intends such mercy to mẹn, But God, infinitely wise, knows what is best; knows how to conduct the affairs of the universe; knows when is the fittest time to introduce this glorious state of things; knows when matters will be all ripened, and every thing in the moral world prepared; so that this glorious day may be ushered in to the best advantage, in a manner most suited to honour God and his Son, to humble a haughty world, and to disappoint satan most grievously, after all his wily schemes, great success, and high expectations: I say, God knows when this will be. And this is the very time he has fixed upon for this glorious work. 4. It therefore becomes all the followers of Christ, in their several spheres, under a firm belief of these things, to be of good courage, and exert themselves to the utmost, in the use of all proper means, to suppress error and vice of every kind, and promote the cause of truth and righteousness in the world; and so be workers together with God, If one stood at the head of this glorious army, which has been in the wars above these five thousand years, and has lived through many a dreadful campaign, and were allowed to make a speech to these veteran troops upon this glorious theme, he might lift up his voice, and say, " Hail, noble heroes! brave followers of the Lamb! Your general has sacrificed his life in this glorious cause, and spoiled principalities and powers on the cross! and now he lives and reigns. He reigns on high, with all power in heaven and earth in his hands. Your predecessors, the Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, with undaunted courage, have marched into the field of battle, and conquered dying! and now reign in heaven! beliøld, ye are risen up in their room, are engaged in the same cause, and the time of the last general battle draws on, when a glorious victory is to be won. And, although many a valiant soldier may be slain in the field; yet the army shall drive all before them at last. And satan being conquered, and all the powers of darkness driven out of the field, and confined to the bottomless pit, ye shall reign with Christ a thousand years; reigħ in love and peace, while truth and righteousness ride triumphant through the earth. Wherefore lay aside every weight, and, with your hearts wholly intent on this grand affair, gird up your loins, and with all the spiritual weapons of faith, prayer, meditation, watchfulness, &c. with redoubled zeal and courage, fall on your spiritual enemies. Slay every lust that yet lurks within, as knowing your domestic foes are the most dangerous and with gentleness, meekness, and wisdom, by your holy conduct, your pious examples, your kind instructions, your friendly admonitions, spread the savour of divine knowledge all around you, as ye are scattered here and there through a benighted world; labouring to win souls to Christ, to induce the deluded followers of satan to desert his camp, and enlist as volunteers under your prince, MESSIAH. And if the powers of darkness should rally all their forces, and a ge neral battle through all the Christian world come on; O, love not your lives to the death! Sacrifice every earthly comfort in the glorious cause! Sing the triumphs of your victorious general in prisons and at the stake! And die courageously, firmly believing the cause of truth and righteousness will finally prevail." Surely it is infinitely unbecoming the followers of Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords, to turn aside to earthly pursuits, or to sink down in unmanly discouragements, or to give way to sloth and effeminacy, when there is so much to be done, and the glorious day is coming on. How should those who handle the pen of the writer, exert themselves to explain and vindicate divine truths, and paint the Christian religion in all its native glories! How should the pulpit be animated, from sabbath to sabbath, with sermons full of knowledge and light, full of spirit and life, full of zeal for God, and love to men, and tender pity to infatuated sinners! Christ loves to have his ministers faithful, whether the wicked will hear or not. And let pious parents be unwearied in their prayers for, and instructions of their children, and never faint under any discouragements; as knowing, that Christ is exalted to give repentance and remission of sins, and can do it for whom he will. Bring your children and friends, with all their spiritual diseases, and lay them at his feet; as once they did their sick, when this kind Saviour dwelt on earth. Let pious persons of every age, and in every capacity, awake from sleep, and arise from the dead, and live and act worthy their glorious character and high expectations; and in their several stations exert themselves to the utmost to promote the Redeemer's glorious cause. Let this age do their share, as David, although the temple was not to be built in his day, yet exerted himself to lay up materials for that magnificent edifice, on which his heart was intently set; as knowing, that in his son's day it would be set up in all its glory. So let us rise up, and with the greatest alacrity contribute our utmost towards this building, this living temple, this temple all made of lively stones, of stones alive, in which God is to dwell, and which will infinitely exceed in glory the temple of Solomon, that was built of dead timber and lifeless stones. And let this be our daily prayer, an answer to which we may be assured of, whatever other requests are denied us, our Father which art in heaven, &c. for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever, AMEN. |