session of both. 66 But Jesus Christ has redeemed the whole man, body as well as soul, and has promised to exalt both "to glory, and honour, and immortality." For wise reasons he permits the earthly house of this tabernacle to be dissolved, so that the bodies, even of his saints, must return unto the dust from whence they were taken; yet, their "flesh may rest in hope;" for he has ransomed them from the power of the grave. And when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in them that believe," the dead in Christ shall rise." For thus saith the Lord, Thy dead men shall live together, with my dead body shall they arise. Awake, and sing, all ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs; and the earth shall cast forth her dead." What a different appearance will they assume! These vile bodies shall be changed, and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. "Sown in corruption, they shall be raised in incorruption. Sown in dishonour, they shall be raised in glory. Sown in weakness, they shall be raised in power. Sown natural bodies, they shall be raised spiritual bodies. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that it is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." And then shall the risen saints exclaim in triumph, "O death, where is now thy sting! O grave, where is now thy victory!" And they shall sit down in the everlasting kingdom of the Lord Christ, and shall abide with him for evermore. This is the ultimate object of their expectation on earth; and, doubtless, amid the glories of heaven, they never lose sight of it. We may inquire, Thirdly-Into the original source of their blessedness. We are not for a moment to suppose that those who attain this blessedness, have in themselves any thing which gives them a claim to the favour of God, and to the happiness they enjoy: on the contrary, the Scriptures lead us to conclude that they owe all to the grace of God. There was a time when they were dead in trespasses and sins, stained with many crimes, and as unmeet as they were unworthy to enjoy the bliss of heaven; "but they are washed, but they are sanctified, but they are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." They washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. That is the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness, where the vilest may wash and be clean. Each redeemed inhabitant of heaven can adopt for himself the language of the poet "There is a fountain fill'd with blood, Even their coming to that fountain, they must ascribe to the grace of God. "God, who is rich in mercy, of his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ". "for by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." In heaven all is ascribed to grace. The sinner that has reached in safety the shores of heaven, and looks down upon the abyss of misery from which he has escaped, surveys the troubled and tempestuous ocean upon which he has been sailing, and beholds the countless wrecks of immortal souls with which its surface is strewed, cannot but re-echo, with heartfelt gratitude, the expression of St. Paul, "By the grace of God I am what I am." "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord." Let us, then, desire above all things to ascertain, on scriptural grounds, what title we have to this blessedness. This is not a matter which admits of indifference: the con cernments of eternity are connected with it. If we die in the Lord, we enter into the joy of heaven; if we die without Christ, we die without hope. How wise, then, was the determination of Paul to "know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified "-how prudent his desire to "be found in him, not having his own righteousness, but the righteousness which is by faith." Let us flee to Christ as unto a city of refuge, and in him hide ourselves from the avenger of blood; in him alone can we find security in the day of vengeance. Come now, my people, enter into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast; for behold the Lord cometh out of his place, to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her dead, and shall no more cover her slain." Let us contemplate the approach of our own dissolution with feelings of calmness and holy joy. Is it desirable to see Jesus-to dwell in his presence to meet the spirits of the justto be free from pain, suffering, and sin? then may we say, "Lord, how long !""Oh, that I had the wings of a dove, that I might flee away and be at rest!" I Let us not mourn over those who have gone before us, as those who have no hope. They |