bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to that mighty power by which he is able to fubdue all things to himfelf. Phil. iii. 21. As the Father hath life in himfelf, fo bath be given to the Son to have life in himself. John v. 26. We have been contemplating a striking proof of this. As his call brought Lazarus to life; fo will it, hereafter, bring to life you and me, and all mankind. At his coming the fea fhall give up the dead that are in it, and death and the invifible ftate fhall give up the dead that are in them. He fhall fit on the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations to be judged according to their works.-He fhall feparate them as a fhepherd divideth his sheep from the goats-The righteous he shall place on his right hand; the wicked on his left. To the former he will fay-Come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. To the latter, Go, ye curfed, into everlasting fire.-God grant, fellow Chriftians, that we inay be prepared for this folemn time. A step more may bring us to it. Death is preffing hard towards us; and when it comes, the curtain will drop which hides from our view another world, and these scenes will open upon us. The intervening time of lying amongst the dead, our imaginations are apt greatly to mifreprefent. There may be, to our perceptions, ceptions, no difference, whether it is four days, as in the cafe of Lazarus, or a thoufand ages. Let us then be ftedfaft in every good purpofe, never, while in the way of our duty, defponding under any troubles, or weeping as without hope, forafmuch as we know that our Redeemer liveth, and will ftand at the latter day on the earth; and that though our bodies must putrify in the ground, and worms devour them, yet in our flesh we shall fee God. Job xix. 26. And now, before I difmifs you, let me de fire you to join with me, in taking one more view of what paffed at Lazarus's grave. It is pleafing, in the highest degree, to fet before our imaginations that fcene.-Chrift declares himfelf the refurrection and the life and then walks to the grave. In his way to it (obferving the forrow of Lazarus's friends, and reflecting on the calamities of human nature) he falls into tears. When arrived at it, he orders the stone at the mouth of it to be taken away; and (in answer to Martha, who objected that the smell would be offenfive) he says, that if she believed, she fhould fee the glory of God-He folemnly addreffes the Deity, and thanks him for hearing him-The fpectators ftand around big with expectation-He cries with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth-Immediately he came forth, and fhewed himself alive. Con ceive, pro ceive, if you can, the aftonishment this duced. Think, particularly, of the emotions of Lazarus's friends. What delight must they have felt? How joyful must it have been to Martha and Mary to receive their beloved brother from the dead? With what ecftacies must they have embraced him, and welcomed him to the light of life? How, probably, did they fall down before Jefus in gratitude and wonder? But let not our thoughts ftop here. Let us carry them on to the morning of the univerfal refurrection. What happened now was a faint resemblance of what will happen then.-How gladly will virtuous men open their eyes on that morning, and hail the dawning of an endless day? With what rapture will they then meet, congratulate one another on their escape from danger and trouble, and unite their voices in praising their Deliverer? What will be their joy to exchange corruption for incorruption, and weakness for power; to take leave of fin and forrow, and lofe all their maladies; to throw off their fetters, recover perfect health and liberty, mount up on high to meet the Lord in the air, and draw immortal breath? Oh! blessed period!-Come Lord Jefus. Come quickly. And when thy voice shall hereafter awake all the dead; may we find this L2 SERMON VI. Of the Chriftian Doctrine as held by all Chrift ians. 1 TIMOTHY, i. 11. THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL OF THE BLESSED GOD. WE are all agreed in applying to the religion we profefs, the character of it given by St. Paul in thefe words. It is the glorious Gofpel of the bleffed God. It is a heavenly gift, important and interefting in the highest degree. Nothing, therefore, can be more proper than that we fhould examine it carefully, and endeavour to understand clear its nature and contents. All our attachment to it without this must be unmeaning and abfurd. My prefent defign is to give you fome |