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CHAPTER XXXV.

THE RESURRECTION.

LEAVING, therefore, the intermediate state between death and judgment, in that obscurity in which revelation has left it, let us proceed, briefly to contemplate those important events connected with our future existence, concerning which the Scriptures speak plainly; I mean the resurrection and judgment The redemption purchased by the merit and death of Christ, respects the body as well as the soul. The redemption of the body is one of those things for which believers wait in hope. Although the threatening, that unto dust it shall return, will be verified; yet, the body itself shall rise again. Christ is "the resurrection and the life." For," " said Christ to the Jews, "the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation." "Since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead; for, as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus.'

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When it is asserted, that all must die, and be raised again, those must be excepted who shall be alive. upon the earth when Christ shall come; for," behold," says Paul, "I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in

the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump," the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

As to the difficulties which reason may suggest in regard to the resurrection of the same body, we need give ourselves no trouble. Let us believe, that "with God all things are possible, and that what he hath promised he is able to perform." "Why," says Paul, in his speech before Agrippa, "why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?"

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE JUDGMENT.

IMMEDIATELY after the resurrection, comes the judgment of men and devils. The time of this event is called, the "LAST DAY," and the "DAY OF JUDGMENT,” (2 Pet. iii. 7.)

"For he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that Man whom he hath ordained." Acts xvii. 31. "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Heb. ix. 27. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive

the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 1 Cor. v. 10. " I charge thee, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing and kingdom." 2 Tim. iv. 1. "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." Jude 6. "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl. xii. 14.

The end of appointing a day of judgment is, that the justice of God may be manifested, in his treatment of his creatures, and that the righteous may be vindicated from all those calumnies which, in this world, were heaped upon them. When the conduct of the wicked shall be disclosed, and all their secret motives and purposes brought to light, it will be manifest to the whole universe, that their condemnation is just, and especially, when it is seen, that punishment is exactly proportioned to the guilt of the offender. But the degree of guilt will not be measured by the enormity of the outward act alone; but the light and privileges enjoyed by some, will give such crimson colour to their crimes, that their punishment will be greater than that of much more atrocious sinners, who lived in ignorance of the truths of God; according to the wo pronounced by our Saviour, against Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, when he says, that it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for the first two cities, and more tolerable for Sodom than for the last.

Every one must perceive the fitness of appointing Christ to be the Judge, since all power in heaven and earth is committed unto him, and he is made head

over all things to his church. As he was arraigned at a human tribunal and unjustly condemned, it is suitable that his enemies should behold him on the throne of his glory. It is on many accounts suitable that they who pierced him should see him coming in the clouds of heaven; and that all those who conspired his death, and who with wicked hands crucified the Prince of life, should be brought to answer for their atrocious crimes at the tribunal of Him whom they maliciously accused, unjustly condemned, and cruelly put to death. Another reason why God manifest in the flesh should be constituted Judge of quick and dead, is, that he can appear visibly in his proper person, which the Father cannot. And as his disciples can only be pronounced acquitted on account of his perfect righteousness, it is altogether suitable that he should be on the judgment-seat to acknowledge them. Their conduct will, also, be exhibited, not as answering the demands of the law, but as evidence of their sincere faith in his name; and also, because the reward bestowed on them will be measured by their good works. Whether their secret sins will on that day be brought to light, has been disputed; but, as the glory of the Redeemer will be enhanced in proportion to the guilt and misery of the redeemed, there is no solid reason why the sins of believers should be kept secret, especially as many of their sins must be known even to the wicked. Those texts which speak of the sins of God's people as blotted out, as buried in the sea, as covered, &c., do all relate to the pardon of sin; but not to its concealment at the day of judgment.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

HEAVEN; OR, THE STATE OF GLORIFICATION.

SOME things are hard to be believed, they are so good and glorious. That such poor, ignorant, imperfect, and unworthy creatures, should ever arrive at a state, in which they shall "know as they are known,” and shall be free from all imperfection in their moral exercises, and shall be continually as happy as they are capable of being, is hard for us in our present state distinctly to conceive of; and therefore the glorious realities of another world make, commonly, but a feeble impression on the minds of Christians. Perhaps a more deep and vivid impression of the nearness and glory of the heavenly state would so absorb their minds as to render them unfit to perform the common business of this life. It is, however, exceedingly desirable, that the children of God should think more of the heavenly state, and have a more habitual impression of the felicity and purity of the celestial world, than they commonly possess. In this brief summary, our object shall be, in the simplest manner, to exhibit, without exaggeration or amplification, what is revealed in the sacred Scriptures respecting the condition of the righteous after the judgment is brought to a close. And may the Spirit of God enlighten our blind minds to perceive the reality, felicity, and glory of the heavenly state!

The righteous, at the day of judgment, will be openly acknowledged and acquitted; and shall re

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