He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. 2 Cor. iv. 14. But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, &c. We which are alive shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 Thess. iv. 13-16. Enoch prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, &c. Jude 14. Who will be raised on this awful day? All men who have ever lived-every individual of the race of Adam, both the holy and the wicked. Before him shall be gathered all nations. Matt. xxv. 32. There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. Acts xxiv. 15. We shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. Rom. xiv. 10. Even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Cor. xv. 22. We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ. 2 Cor. v. 10. I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God. Rev. xx. 12. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it. Rev. xx. 13. Our resurrection will be effected by virtue of the resurrection of Christ. I am the resurrection and the life. John xi. 25. By man came also the resurrection of the dead. 1 Cor. xv. 21. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Cor. xv. 22. That we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead. 2 Cor. i. 9. There are several instances of the dead being raised, recorded in Scripture. The translation of Enoch and Elijah has already been alluded to. The widow of Sarepta, or Zarephath's child, raised by Elijah. 1 Kings xvii. 22. The Shunammite's son, raised by Elisha. 2 Kings iv. 35. The dead man who touched the bones of Elisha. 2 Kings xiii. 21. Jairus's daughter, raised by our Saviour. Mark v. 42. The widow of Nain's son, raised by our Saviour. Luke vii. 12. Lazarus, raised by our Saviour. John xi. 43. Tabitha, or Dorcas, raised by Peter. Acts ix. 40. Eutychus, raised by Paul. Acts xx. 9. 12. The bodies of many of the saints arose at Christ's crucifixion, and appeared in the holy city. Matt. xxvii. 52, 53. What will be the portion of the righteous? They will be raised to everlasting happiness, and become the fellow citizens of angels and saints in heaven. In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are Some shall awake to everlasting life.-And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever. Dan. xii. 2, 3. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. Matt. xiii. 43. He shall set the sheep on his right hand. Matt. xxv. 33. The righteous [shall go away] into life eternal. Matt. xxv. 46. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. John iii. 36. They shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life. John v. 29. If so be that we suffer with Christ, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Rom. viii. 17, 18. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the "heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Cor. ii. 9. For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Cor. xiii. 12. He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Gal. vi. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Tim. iv. 8. For so an entrance shall be administered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. i. 11. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more; neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, -shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Rev. vii. 15-17. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. Rev. xxi. 4. Will all the godly be equally glorified? There is reason to think not; but that their blessedness will be apportioned to their different degrees of zeal and holiness. The lowest degree of bliss in heaven will, however, be such, as far to exceed any conceptions we can possibly form. Then he shall reward every man according to his works. Matt. xvi. 27. The servant whose pound gained ten pounds was made ruler over ten cities; while he whose pound gained five pounds In my Father's house are many mansions. John xiv. 2. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. 1 Cor. xv. 41, 42. What will be the portion of the wicked? They will be consigned to everlasting shame and punishment, and will have their dwelling appointed them with devils; by whom, by one another, and by their own consciences, they will be incessantly tormented, so as to have no rest day nor night.* He shall burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matt. iii. 12. Luke iii. 17. Fear him, which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt. x. 28. These shall go away into everlasting punishment. Matt. xxv. 46. Fear him which hath power to cast into hell. Luke xii. 5. The lord of that servant will cut him in sunder, and appoint him his portion with unbelievers. Luke xii. 46. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Luke xiii. 28. Father Abraham, send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. Luke xvi. 24. (See the whole parable of Dives and Lazarus, verses 19-31.) He that believeth not the Son, the wrath of God abideth on him. John iii. 36. And shall come forth; they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. John v. 29. God will render unto them that obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil. Rom. ii. 8, 9. He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. Gal. vi. 8. Them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our "This, it must be owned," says Archbishop Secker, "is not explicit ly mentioned in the Creed. And God had rather that we should be moved to obey him by love and hope of his favour than by fear of his anger. But both motives are implied in this article. For though life in Scripture more especially means happiness;, yet its original sense is only continuance in being, whether happy or miserable: and as the wicked are raised, and judged, in order to suffer what they have deserved, so they must live afterwards for the same purpose."-Lectures on the Catechism, p. 155. The everlasting punishment of the wicked is also a part of the Scripture doctrine respecting "the resurrection of the body." See Dan. xii. 2. Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." See also John v. 29, &c. Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. 2 Thess. i. 8, 9. They shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb! Rev. xiv. 10. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night. Rev. xiv. 11. Cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Rev. xx. 10. But the least Will there be degrees of misery among the damned? It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, That servant which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke xii. 47, 48. How dreadful an idea do these passages of Scripture give us of the state of the wicked after death! Does it not alarm you?-Ask yourself, Who shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Isa. xxxiii. 14. Remember, that the wrath of God will for ever be the wrath to come. 1 Thess. i. 10. How awful! Is it not A fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb. x. 31. Let the terrors of hell alarm you here, lest they torment you hereafter. Death, which will irreversibly decide on which hand of the Judge you are to appear, is not far from you. In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. Eccl. xi. 3. Death will not alter your character. If you live and die unholy, you will be raised again unholy. It should be the business of our lives to be making preparation for that great day, by repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. 2 Pet. iii. 12. Let your mind frequently dwell on these important truths. Follow the example of St. Paul, and be able to say with him, I (therefore) exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men. Acts xxiv. 16. As hell is so dreadful a place, seek earnestly to avoid it, and inquire diligently how you may get to heaven. Read your Bible, in which the way is fully revealed, and attend to the instructions of your minister and teachers, who are desirous of explaining it to you. Bless God for the redemption of mankind by Christ; look to Jesus your forerunner; rely on the merits of his death; and follow him as your pattern. Heb. xii. 1, 2. What does the word Amen mean? It means truly; and its repetition at the end of the Creed expresses our belief in all the articles contained in it. When you repeat the Creed, may you ever feel a due sense of the importance of the truths it contains, and may you always be able to say Amen to it from your hearts. CHAPTER VII. SUMMARY OF THE CREED. ON THE TRINITY. WHAT dost thou chiefly learn in these articles of thy belief? "First, I learn to believe in God the Father, who hath made me and all the world. Secondly, in God the Son, who hath redeemed me and all mankind. Thirdly, in God the Holy Ghost, who sanctifieth me, and all the people of God." What relation, do these three ine Persons bear to us? 1st. "God the Father made us, and all the world." He hath made all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth. Acts xvii. 26. 28. "God the Son redeemed us and all mankind.” For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloo out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and natio |