particles of dust, to re-animate the same. clay, to combine, as before, the relics of mortality contained in the ocean and the grave. The bones of buried nations are spread out before him, and "thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord."*

This is what the saints of God, the chosen of Christ, may look forward to with confi dence and hope. Nor is this doctrine without its practical effects in this world; for surely such as wait in expectation of the precious promises of the gospel will look upon their mortal bodies as vessels of honour, dedicated to the service and the praise of God both here and hereafter. These are the bodies which shall be "sown in corruption" to be "raised in incorruption;" these are the bodies which shall be "sown in dishonour" to be "raised in glory;" which shall be "sown in weakness" to be "raised

Ezek. xxvii. 6.

in power." Purify them then as heirs of incorruption; reverence them as heritors of glory; esteem them as instruments of power to be employed to the honour of the Almighty. Let not any one's pollution here belie his hopes of purity hereafter, but let him so rule the desires and affections of the flesh, as to descend into the tomb with a joyful expectation, in Christ Jesus, that, in that day when "all that are in the grave shall hear his voice and come forth," he shall be found ranked among "those that are Christ's," bodies raised to incorruption, and a holy and blessed immortality.

LECTURE X.

ENTRANCE INTO GLORY-CHRIST IS GLORIFIED.

JOHN XVII. 24.

Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me.

SINCE it is a matter of scriptural certainty that Christ shall, at "the end," "by his spirit which dwelleth in us," raise up the bodies of those that are his in incorruption and immortality, to be quickened by a soul everlastingly redeemed from sin and purified from guilt, it becomes a subject of momentous inquiry, to what these newly created beings are reserved. Are they, as analogy might lead us to infer, to be placed, like the first of human race, in a world, fair

Or,

and beauteous indeed, but where their obedience is to be subjected to the same trial as before, and where, if they fall, we can have no hope but that they must fall, like the angels, never to rise again? rather, may we not conclude that the probation, which it seems necessary, according to the purposes of God, that every creature must undergo ere he is finally established in his eternal destiny,* is mercifully permitted to terminate in this life, and that they will be raised by Christ to receive that which he is ready to give according to the measure of his love, and to give it for ever, an inheritance which passeth not away?

It is quite evident that, apart from a scheme of merciful redemption, the advantages of a probation intended for moral discipline and improvement imposed on his creatures by a just and holy God, can only be secured by strict obedience to his prescribed law; but it is also as evident that if such discipline and improvement be necessary to final happiness, constituted as we now are, such a probation is only equivalent to condemnation. With respect to probation, the benefit we obtain by the sacrifice of Christ is this: The probation intended for Adam to exalt and stablish him, is still carried on, through Christ, to the same end, although the parties proved are not obedient. Through him our best efforts, made under the use of means ordained by himself, are allowed to work to the same effect as perfect obedience would have done, had it been found in man when he was capable of obeying his Maker's holy law.

Jesus Christ himself thus speaks of the benefits of redemption which he is permitted. to bestow on those that are his own, "Father glorify thy Son that thy Son also may glorify thee. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him."* And then, knowing that his prayer was answered that he should be glorified, and that eternal life was in the presence of that glory, he declares how he will exhibit his power, Father, I will that those also whom Thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold the glory which Thou hast given me.' This it is then which we are to look forward to for the saints which sleep in the Lord,† they are to be with Christ and to behold his glory; and this is to be throughout eternity, for it is "eternal life;" we are to look forward to the participation in that which

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* John xvii. 1, 2.

+ By those whom God hath given unto Christ, and whom he willeth to take with him into glory, are meant, not only the apostles, but all who are led to believe in the name of Christ throughout the world. And this is evident from the twentieth verse of John xvii., in which he includes in his prayer for the saints, all that shall believe on him through the word of the apostles.