world; the resurrection of the just-these are scriptures that speak of those on whom the second death hath no power of those that shall arise to everlasting life, and who shall then inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. These are they that are blessed, for so Jesus calls them; and holy, else they could never enter into the kingdom of God-the righteous seated on his right hand. They have part in the first resurrection. Everlasting life is their portion; the kingdom their inheritance -they live and reign with Christ.

The order may be seen, as revealed, every man in his own and a priority in point of time is recorded. But the time that intervenes, if measurable it were-where the hour is assigned for both in which the just and the unjust shall hear the voice of the Son of God and shall come forth-can not be told except it were also written. For the coming of the Lord shall be instantaneous, as the lightning that shines at once from the one end of heaven unto the other, quick as men even can now send their electric messengers. And in the day of his power, when his people shall be willing, as for it they ever waited and watch to the last, the natural bodies of those of them who are alive at the time shall be changed into spiritual bodies, made like unto his own glorious body, as those of all his saints shall be, in the twinkling of an eye; and, it may be as rapidly, they shall be caught up together with those whom his voice first awakes from the dust, to meet the Lord in the air; and so they shall be ever with the Lord. With this agree the testimonies, The Lord came with ten thousands of saints, from his right hand a fiery law (a law of fire) for them'-He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness; for God is judge himself" -He will beautify the meek with salvation; let the saints be joyful in glory-let a two-edged sword be in their hand, to execute vengeance on the heathen-the judgment written; this honor have all his saints3-the Lord my God shall come, all the saints with thee-behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly com

1 Deut. xxxiii. 2.

2 Ps. 1. 4-6.

3 Ps. cxlix. 4-9.

4 Zech. xiv. 5.

mitted, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.-Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.1 With this agree the words of the Lord, connecting the terrors of all the tribes of the earth with his coming, and that again with the gathering of his elect Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.-Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.

In all these things there is a distinction between things that differ-clear as that between wheat and tares, between sheep and goats, the children of the kingdom and the children of the wicked one, the just and the unjust. There is blessedness and exceeding joy, as there is the presence of the glory of the Lord with those that awake at his voice to meet him in the air and to come with him, that they may sit on the thrones that are set for them. There is the order too of the first resurrection, alone worthy of the name. It is not in Scripture that, here or elsewhere, mention is ever made of a second resurrection. But there is here, as in other recorded terrors of the Lord, the testimony to the second death, which hath no power over such as have part in the first resurrection, even as it can have no power over those who then shall go away into life eternal. Christ cometh with ten thousands of his saints to execute the judgment written to execute judgment upon all; and in harmony with this, before their reign with him is named, it is written in the same vision that judgment was given unto them, even as from the beginning believers in Jesus knew that the saints shall judge the world.

Neither was this their resurrection-even that the saints shall rise first-unknown to believers ere the Apocalypse was written. It is no new doctrine, only then and there revealed. Bound together in one accordant and harmonious 1 Jude 14, 15, 24, 25. 2 Matt. xxiv. 30, 31.

testimony as all scriptures concerning it are, it was seen by John in other visions than in this, as he had learned it from the Lord, and as he finally saw in them all, in order to be shown to His servants, the represented realization of the blessed hope, which is ever the true believer's helmet, while he looks for his own resurrection as for Christ's coming, and so reaches forth and presses forward to exchange, on that day, the helmet of salvation for the crown of glory. Well may he suffer all things for the sake of Jesus, when he knows that he shall see him as He is, and be with him, as he shall be like him at his coming. Well may this be the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. And well may the world be under their feet who shall arise first to judge it.

If men on earth there ever were, who, if not more than any others yet less than none, had the assured and just hope of a part in the first resurrection, they were the chosen apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ: for not only did he say of them that they would sit with him at his table in his kingdom, and on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel; but in the twelve foundations of the wall of the great city, the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God, are the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. In the first resurrection the inheritance that is purchased, and the kingdom that is prepared, is theirs. But they never speak of it as theirs alone; but as set before all the faithful in Christ Jesus, who have a common salvation as a common faith; one Father, even God; one master, even Christ; one home, even heaven.

The resurrection of the saints is, by apostolic testimony, indissolubly connected with the coming and appearing of the Lord. Not only did Jude, after an interval of three thousand years, take up as a matter of faith the prophecy of Enoch, and set it in the Scriptures; but Peter, James, and John, who were with him in the Mount and saw his glory, conjoin the coming of the Lord with the blessedness of his saints." Christ the first fruits, afterward they that are Christ's at his coming," said Paul. Peter testifies of the lively hope, to which the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath begotten the elect, through sanctification of the Spirit" by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you who are

kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time." Writing to believers then, he could appeal to them how greatly they rejoiced in that salvation, even amid manifold temptations, that the trial of their faith "might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory," &c.—He exhorts such to hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.-Bearing as they did the testimony of Jesus, and suffering for the word of God, they were thus charged by the apostle, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."—" For the time that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if FIRST at us, what shall the end (be) of them that obey not the gospel of God?—The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder—and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

2

Looking at once to the condemnation of the wicked and the salvation of the just, the apostle James warns the rich, that used not their talents in the service of the Lord, but oppressed the poor and killed the just, that they "heaped treasure together for the last days," that the cries of the laborers they defrauded "are entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts," and that while they lived in pleasure on earth, and were wanton, they "nourished their hearts as in a day of slaughter." He exhorts believers, "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient-for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.' Beloved," writes the apostle John,

11 Peter i. 3-13.

3

now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that wHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.' Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.

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The apostle Paul, having fought the good fight, having finished the course, having kept the faith, was then ready to be offered up, and the time of his departure was at hand. Henceforth," he then said, 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.' That day of which he speaks is manifestly that, as mentioned in a preceding verse, in which the Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. From the time of his departure the crown was laid up at the appearing and the kingdom of the Lord Jesus it shall be given him. To that day he ever looked, for that prize he ever pressed forward, from the time he had been called from darkness unto light, and had renounced the righteousness which is of the law, for the righteousness which is of God by faith. He who had haled Christians to prison and to death, and who was a pharisee of the pharisees in his zeal for the law, and for the traditions of men, then took up another testimony, and fought another fight. "Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him-that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I may attain unto THE RESURRECTION of the dead. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.-Our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto himself."

3

Doubtless, Paul counted all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ; and, doubtless, he looked 3 Phil. iii. 8-14, 20, 21.

11 John iii. 2, 3.

22 Tim. iv. 8.