We have, hitherto, been considering particularly what belongs to faith; it follows, therefore, that we now speak shortly of hope.* There is no doubt, that those who preserve the faith inviolate to the end of their lives shall be rewarded. Of this we have already treated in Section xii. of the First Part. Even the very word faith has a reference to futurity; and the justice of God would be overthrown, and his promises, nay, the whole gospel, would be turned into cunningly devised fables, if, after this life, the true Christian had not an undoubted and well grounded hope. Farther, a man is exercised in the ways of godliness, and proceeds in the narrow way of salvation, not with the soul alone, but with the body also; therefore, though by death our body is separated from the soul, and afterwards sees corruption; yet, in due time, it shall arise and be

* Our author has here a reference to a common division of Christian principles, by the Russian divines, into faith, hope, and love. The first ten articles of the Nicene creed, and the seven mysteries, belong to faith; the two last articles of the Nicene creed, to hope; and the ten commandments include the doctrines which belong to love. Hence they affirm, that the faith of the gospel, and the hope of the resurrection of the body and life eternal, ought to incite the believer to love the Lord his God, with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his strength, and with all his mind, and his neighbour as himself; for love is the sum of the ten commandments, and, as our author observes, "the foundation of good works and a godly life." P. 205.

united to the soul again," that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad;" 2 Cor. v. 10; that is, that the whole man shall be either completely happy, or severely punished.

The Holy Scriptures assure us, in plain terms, of the resurrection of the dead. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live, and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation;" John v. 25, 29. Of our resurrection, our Lord Jesus Christ being the author, will also be the finisher; " for all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God," John v. 28. And not only the good shall arise, but the wicked also, believers and unbelievers, as above stated, John v. 29. "They shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation." though it be written, that "the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment," Psal. i. and of the righteous, "believers shall not come into judgment, but shall come from death unto life;" this language is to be understood thus: that though the former shall arise, yet it is not to life; and the

And

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latter shall not arise to the resurrection of con-... demnation.

However, our finite capacities are unable to comprehend the manner in which that body which is mouldered into dust, shall again arise. Hence, the Heathen philosophers, who rested too much upon their own opinions, did not understand the power of the Almighty, for they set bounds to it; and laughed at Paul when he preached the doctrine of the resurrection; Acts xvii. 32. But we who regard the word of God more than all the reasonings of men, without doubt expect the resurrection of the dead. Our duty is to believe in this; and it is the work of God's omnipotence to find out the means of effecting it. If he was able to create all things out of nothing; how shall he not be able to restore from corruption to incorruption? And therefore, the great apostle Paul accuses those of folly who dare to doubt of this truth: "But some man will say, how are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain; but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him ;" 1 Cor. xv. 35, 36, 37, 38. This general resurrection shall take place at the very time of Christ's second coming. Then shall the

Son of man," send his angels, with a great sound of a trumpet, (calling aloud, arise ye dead and come to judgment!) and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other;" Matt. xxiv. 31. By the omnipotent voice of God, the dead shall awake as out of sleep, and in an instant shall be received up into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus appear before the judgment seat of Christ. And those that remain alive till that day shall not die; but in an instant, and in a wonderful manner, shall be changed. "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed;" 1 Cor. xv. 51. This mysterious change in the elect is described in the following words: "It is sown (the body) in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."

From this it follows, that the bodies of the righteous shall be, 1st, Incorruptible and immortal ; they shall never be separated again from the soul, and shall not be subjected to change in themselves. 2d, They shall be glorious, that is, adorned with all gifts, in full maturity, in the perfect bloom of unfading beauty. "Then shall the righteous shine

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forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father;" Matt. xiii. 43. 3d, They shall be vigorous, that is, not subject to any painful feelings. They shall have no sufferings from any kind of diseases, neither be subject to the weaknesses of children, nor to the infirmities of age; so that they shall for ever be strong, healthy, and in one condition. 4th,' The righteous shall have spiritual bodies, that is, not requiring food, drink, clothing, sleep, air for breathing, or light for the observation of things; "For the Lord shall be unto them an everlasting light;" Isaiah Ix. 19. Neither shall there be any more marriage; "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels of God in heaven;" Matt. xxii. 30. Such shall be the glory of the resurrection of the sons of God! After the resurrection, all mankind shall stand before the tribunal of God, of which we have already spoken in Section xxv. of this Part. And after the judgment, rewards shall follow the one class, and punishments the other.

XLI.

Of the blessedness of the Righteous, and punishment of the Wicked.

After the resurrection from the dead, the right