O! How marvellous the expression of this love -he gave-nothing less than himself to be my teacher and example only-? No, but to be my substitute, my ransom; to bear my sins in his own body on the tree. And all this goodness regards unworthy, unlovely me.

Did he love me, and shall I not love him? Has he given himself for me, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savour-and shall I be unwilling to give myself to him a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is my reasonable service? And O my soul, rejoice in him. What may I not expect from his hands? What will he deny, who did not withhold himself.

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DISCOURSE XI.

THE FINAL CHANGE.

(EASTER.)

Behold, I shew 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: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. -1 Cor. xv. 51, 52.

t

HERE a scene opens upon us, in comparison with which, every thing else becomes worthless, little, uninteresting. And let me

tell you

It is a transaction in which you will be, not merely spectators, but parties concerned. It is an event the most certain.

It is a solemnity that is continually drawing For while I speak you die-and after

near.

death the judgement! Does not this subject therefore deserve, as well as demand your most serious attention?

The chapter before us regards the resurrection. But those only can be raised who are dead die-what shall become of those, who at this awful period shall be alive? Behold, I shew 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: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Here we may observe, first, the union there is among the followers of the redeemer. Christians however distinguished from each other, are inhabitants of one country, brethren of one family, members of one body. They are influenced by the same spirit, and are travelling the same road. Diversity of circumstances, peculiarity of religious discipline, remoteness of situation, distance of time do not affect the relation that unites them all together.-The apostle looks forward to the end of all things, and says, we who are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them who are asleep. Then we, who 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. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.

Of the number of this universal church, some die, but the representation that is given us of their death is very pleasing-they sleep. Death is often an alarming subject, even to christians: to reduce this dread they would do well to endeavour to view it under those images, by which the scripture has expressed it a departure a going home-a sleep. Man is called to labour. He goes forth in the morning, toils with some little intermission all the day, and in the evening retires and lays himself down to sleep-and the sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much. And such is every christian. They have much to do; and they must do it while it is to day, for the night cometh, wherein no man can work. Death brings them repose; they rest from their labours. Sleep is a state from which you may be easily awakened. You look at the babe in the cradle; he neither sees you, nor hears you; but you feel no uneasiness on this account; by and by the senses will be unlocked, and he will be taken up smiling and refreshed. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, says the Saviour, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep. And he called, Lazarus come forth, and though he had been dead four days, he

heard and came. From his throne in glory, Jesus the resurrection and the life, looks down upon the mansions of the dead, and at the appointed time he will say to the heavenly hosts, our friends are sleeping in the dust-attendof go to awake them out of sleep and lo! all that are in their graves hear his voice, and come forth!

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1:

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Thus far the laws of mortality prevail. Death is the way of all the earth; yes and of all the righteous too; and this will continue to be the case to the end-but then many will be found alive. The language of the apostle is instructive. The present system is unquestionably to be destroyed, but it will not wax old and perish through corruption. All the productions of the earth will be as fair as ever, The inhabitants of the earth will not be gradually consumed till none are left. The world will be full, and all the common concerns of life will be pursued with the same eagerness as before. And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Many of the Lord's people too will be found alive, and perhaps