fequently before it's being restored to the Body at the Refurrection, it shall be prefent with the Lord, in fuch an immediate and glorious Manner, that the nearest Communion with him we enjoy, here on Earth, may be comparatively regarded as a State of Abfence from the Lord. And hence dying Stephen applied to the Lord Jefus to receive his Spirit, just as our Lord himself committed his Spirit into the Hands of his heavenly Father, to be received by him into Bliss and Glory. See and compare Acts vii. 59. with John xvii. 5.

But, if we fpeak of the Happiness of good Men, in it's full Completion, and in it's most perfect State of Blifs, it is reprefented as commencing at the Refurrection. And there is fomething inexpreffibly noble and fublime in the Account that is given us, in the New Teftament, of the Glory of that Day: We are there affured, that then our Lord Jefus Chrift fhall come in his own and in his Father's Glory, and all the holy Angels with him: That, the Lord himself Ball defcend from Heaven with a Shout, with the Voice of the Archangel, and the Trump of God: That all that are in their Graves fhall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and fhall come forth; but that the Dead in Chrift shall rise first: That, in a Moment, in the Twinkling of an Eye, at the last

Trump,

Trump, the Dead fhall be raised incorruptible, and those good Men that shall then be found alive upon the Earth fhall be changed; fo that this Corruptible fhall put on Incorruption, and this Mortal fhall put on Immortality: And that then thofe who are alive and remain, being thus gloriously changed, fhall be caught up, together with the rifen Saints, in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air. Thus, when Christ, who is our Life, fhall appear, we shall also appear with him in Glory. Col. ii. 4. For he fhall then come to be glorified in his Saints; and to be admired in all them that believe. 2 Theff. i. 10. Thus fhall every Thing concur to heighten the joyful Solemnity of that great Day. The refplendent Appearing of Chrift himself, in his own wonderful Perfon, arrayed in his own and in his Father's Glory! The Pomp and Splendor of his illuftrious Retinue, innumerable Myriads of holy and mighty Angels, in. their feveral bright Orders and Degrees! The folemn awful Voice and pompous Sound heard through Heaven and Earth! Millions of Saints rifing at once from their Graves in their incorruptible shining Bodies, and spreading Joy and Glory all around! The Bodies of the good Men, that fhall then be living upon the Earth, by a like wonderful Exertion of the Divine Power, changed in a Hh 2 Moment,

Moment, and putting on a new and glorious Form! And both the one and the other caught up in the Clouds, to meet and welcome their defcending Lord and Saviour, when he shall come to judge the World; and then, at the Conclufion of that great Day, after having been openly acquitted in Judg ment, and after having heard the joyful Sentence pronounced upon them by the great, the univerfal Judge, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World, afcending again, with their glorious Lord, in blissful Triumph, together with the bright Hofts of attendant Angels, and there preJented, before his heavenly Father, with exceeding foy, a glorious Church, not having Spot or Wrinkle, or any fuch Thing; and thenceforward to be for ever with the Lord, perfectly happy in the Vifion and Enjoyment of God, and in the most blissful Exercifes and Entertainments, to all Eternity !

Such are the Discoveries that are made to us, in the Gospel of Jefus, of the Nature and Greatnefs of that Glory and Blef fedness, which God hath, in his infinite Grace and Goodnefs, prepared for good Men in the heavenly State. And must it not be acknowledged, that they far tranfcend not only any Notions of thefe Things we could have attained to by the Light of Nature,

I'

Nature, but any Difcoveries that were made in any former Revelation? And therefore it may on this Account be justly faid, that our Lord Jefus Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to Light by the Gospel.

It remains that I fhew, that our Lord Jefus Chrift hath alfo given the clearest and beft Directions, as to the Way and Terms upon which that future Happiness is to be obtained: But the Confideration of this must be reserved to another Opportunity.