Acts xxiv. 24. "But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my Father, believing all things which are written in the Law, and in the Prophets and have hope towards God, which they themselve also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust."

In Luke xxiv. 27, it is written, " And beginning at Moses, and all the Prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." 31. "And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight: and they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?" 36. "As they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet; that it is I myself, handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of an honeycomb, and he took it, and did eat before them. And he said unto them, These are the words that I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me."

IN our introduction to this work, we have promised our conscientious readers a prospect of a most gratifying kind, such as has been the result of a long and laborious, yet unwearied, application; but it is necessary that they should take the matter in

their minds, not in parts, but as a whole, and not be astonished, or cast down, or afraid with any amaze

ment, when they are informed that the object of this work is to show that, at the end of the centuries, there will be a restitution of all things, at different distances of time, during a period of days, previous to the day of the consummation of all things; and which will be found to answer to the 2300 evenings and mornings of Daniel, which "concern the daily

sacrifice*, and the abomination of desolation to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot;" to which days, the Prophets have principally all along referred, and wherein the prophecies will have their complete fulfilment. And there will be pointed out, also, the paradise of the blest, the abode of the just in the mean while," which are taken away from the evil to come," who, through the merits of Jesus," after having patiently endured like Abraham, like Abraham will receive the promise," and enjoy the sight of God, yet so as they wait for a further revelation of their glory in the last day.

To these days, St. Peter expressly alludes, when he says, (Acts iii. 18,)" Those things which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your

*It should be observed that the Prophets spoke under the law, and the law had a shadow of future things, as concerning the Bondwoman. St. Paul does not say that the law is done away, (with respect to those who are under the law, to whom sin is imputed,) but he says, "that it is about to vanish away."

sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive until the times of the restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." These days answer to the times or seasons" which regard the restoration of Israel, which, our Lord says, the Father hath put in his own power; to know concerning which the disciples were to be given power, saith the Saviour, after that they received the Holy Ghost, which happened not many days after, when the day of Pentecost had fully come.

Now whoever shall carefully examine the xvth chapter of Corinthians, will probably perceive and agree with me, that St. Paul speaks of the resurrection of the just in a distinct manner from the more general resurrection of the dead. Concerning the just, he says, "But every man in his own order;

Christ the first fruits; afterwards all that are

* In the General Epistle of James, written unto the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, meaning, as I shall show, the

Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom of God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power." Thus we may perceive that the resurrection even of the just is not all at once, but at different distances of time: and this, it is plain, must all take place before the end cometh; for the apostle saith, “then cometh the end:" which will be at the sounding of the last trump" what time the seventh angel shall begin to sound, when the mystery of God shall be finished; and all flesh of man shall be changed, both the living, and the dead."

Afterwards, in the same chapter, St. Paul speaks of a resurrection of a more general kind, in which, as he had before spoken of the just, we must suppose the wicked to be more immediately concerned: the apostle observes, "That some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body

tribes built upon the twelve apostles, answering to the seed according to the promises, it is there said, "of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures."