of his government how are his subjects perpetually to
multiply but in this way ?

Let no man say that this would be derogatory to men
or the race, (not the resurrection saints) transformed
into perfect holiness and made immortal, or to Chkist
reigning over them ; for the objection would bear with
equal force against the very design of Tkinity, in cre-
ating man male and female ; against the command given
to Adam and Eve in innocence ; against the Abrahamic
covenant ; against the incarnation of Christ and the
covenant made with him, and against the increase of
Messiah's kingdom during the millennial agq,. If man
had never sinned, beyond all controversy, the race
would have increased, and never ceased to increase ;
and no man would ever have supposed it would ; and
if through the mediation of Christ the nations inha-
biting the earth at the close of the millennium are
restored to perfect holiness — to unfallen purity and
immortality, and in that state increase for ever
and ever ; will any man, in his daring presumption,
ascend the throne of judgment, and pass sentence upon
the infinitely wise and holy God, and say of him, when
through the redemption of His Son, carrying out his
original infinitely wise and benevolent plans, he is
acting in a way derogatory to himself, he is establish-
ing and supporting a system of carnality and sensu-
ality ? If any should, the judgment is absurd, the sen-
tence is unjust, impious ; for these are only the offspring
of sin, and can have no existence in a state and among



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THE DURATION OP MESSIAH^S KINGDOM. 167

creatures absolutely holy. Nay, if it was worthy of
God to create man male and female at first, and con-
tinue their increase in the way in which he has done in
their fallen condition, it is beyond all controversy much
more worthy of God to continue that increase in their
redeemed, restored state in the glorious kingdom, and
under the holy reign of the holy King Jesus. Repu-
diate this as a carnal kingdom, as a state of things
unworthy of God ! Men may look upon it as such, but
that will not make it what they, in their prejudice and
perverse views, would represent it. 