bliged to expect the second and glorious coming of
the Son of Man in the clouds, before that generation was totally
extinguished, which had beheld his humble condition upon earth, and
which might still be witness of the calamities of the Jews under
Vespasian or Hadrian. The revolution of seventeen centuries has
instructed us not to press too closely the mysterious language of
prophecy and revelation; but as long as, for wise purposes, this error
was permitted to subsist in the church, it was productive of the most
salutary effects on the faith and practice of Christians, who lived in
the awful expectation of that moment, when the globe itself, and all
the various race of mankind, should tremble at the appearance of their
divine Judge.

Chapter XV: Progress Of The Christian Religion.--Part IV.

The ancient and popular doctrine of the Millennium was intimately
connected with the second coming of Christ. As the works of the 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,
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 mind 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 the 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