the juft. This, therefore, is the great fanction of virtue in christianity, which inculcates upon the profeffors of it, that they are to confider themselves as not of this world, but as citizens of heaven, and only firangers and pilgrims upon earth, in full affurance that, by patient continuance in well doing, they fhall at length, attain to glory, honour, immortality, and eternal life.

We likewife learn, in the gospel, that Chrift is appointed both to raife all the dead, and to judge the world at the laft day. Addreffing himself to the Jews, he fays, John vi. 40. "This is the ❝ will of him that fent me, that every one who "feeth the fon, and believeth on him, may have "everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the "laft day." Speaking to Martha, upon the occafion of the death of Lazarus, he fays, "I am "the refurrection, and the life;" and when he was folemnly adjured by the high priest, at his trial, to fay whether he was the Chrift, he faid, Mark xiv. 62. "I am, and ye fhall fee the fon of "man fitting on the right hand of power, and "coming in the clouds of heaven." Our Lord gives a more particular account of the proceedings of this great day. Matt. xxv. 31. "When the "fon of man fhall come in his glory, and all the "holy angels with him, then fhall he fit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations; and he fhall separate

them

"them one from another, as a fhepherd divideth "his fheep from the goats:" when he will fay to the righteous, "Come, ye bleffed of my Father, "inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the "foundation of the world," but to the wicked he will fay," Depart from me, ye curfed, into "everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his "angels."

The reason why Christ should be appointed by God to act this illuftrious part, is pretty clearly intimated to be his being a man, viz. of the fame rank and species with ourfelves, John v. 22. "The "Father judgeth no man; but hath committed "all judgment unto the Son." And, v. 27. “he "hath given him authority to execute judgment "alfo, because he is the fon of man;" fo that being, with respect to his nature, in all refpects, like ourselves, fubject to the fame infirmities and paffions, we may be well affured, that he will feel for us, and be difpofed to make all the reasonable allowances that our fituation and circumstances fhall require; fo that we can have no reason to complain, or be apprehenfive of unjust severity from our judge. For this reafon, among others, the author of the Epiftle to the Hebrews obferves, chap ii. 10. that "it became him, for whom are "all things, and by whom are all things, to "make the captain of our falvation perfect through "fufferings;" ver. 17. That in all things it

"behoved

"behoved him to be made like unto his bre "thren;" that he should not be an angel, but

of the feed of Abraham, that he might be a " merciful and faithful high-priest for us.”

We are informed that, at the fecond coming of Chrift, the virtuous fhall be raifed firft, and immediately after that, a change, which shall superfede.death, will take place upon all who are alive; in confequence of which, their bodies, as well as those which are raifed from the dead, will become incorruptible, and `not fubject to die any more. These particulars we are informed of in the following paffages of fcripture. 1 Theff. iv. 13. "I "would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, "concerning them who are asleep, that ye forrow "not, even as others who have no hope. For if "we believe that Jefus died, and rose again, even "fo them alfo who fleep in Jefus, will God bring "with him. For this we fay unto you, by the "word of the Lord, that we who are alive and re"main unto the coming of the Lord, fhall not "prevent them who are afleep. For the Lord "himfelf fhall defcend from heaven with a shout, "with the voice of the archangel, and with the "trump of God: and the dead in Chrift shall rife "first then we who are alive, and remain, fhall "be caught up together with them in the clouds, "to meet the Lord in the air: and fo fhall we

66 ever

ever be with the Lord." 1 Cor. xv. 42. “So "alfo is the refurrection of the dead. It is fown "in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: it "is fown in difhonour, it is raised in glory: "it is fown in weakness, it is raised in power: it "is fown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." Ver. 50. "Now this I fay, brethren,

'

that flesh and blood cannot inherit the king"dom of God; neither doth corruption inherit "incorruption. Behold, I fhew you a mystery; "We shall not all fleep, but we shall all be

changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an << eye, at the last trump (for the trumpet shall "found) and the dead fhall be raised incorruptible, " and we fhall be changed. For this corruptible "must put on incorruption, and this mortal must "put on immortality." Hence we may clearly infer, that all bodily imperfections will be removed, fo that every perfon will appear with his full powers of body and mind; but whether any will rife in the ftate of infancy, we are not informed.

SEC

SECTION II.

Of the nature of future rewards and punishments.

THE happiness of the righteous, after the re

Τ

furrection, is expreffed in fuch terms as makes it appear to be the most defirable thing that can be conceived by man; but ftill the terms are general, and give us no diftinct idea of the nature of it. Nor, indeed, was this at all neceffary: nay, our hopes and wishes are, perhaps, more ftrongly engaged without that circumstance.

Sometimes the future happiness is defcribed as a ftate of reft. Rev. xiv. 13. "Bleffed are the dead "that die in the Lord, for they rest from their "labours; and their works do follow them."

But most frequently it is spoken of as a state of indefinite and pofitive happiness. It is faid of the virtuous, in the book of Revelation, ch. vii. 16. that "they fhall hunger no more, neither thirst any 66 more, neither fhall the fun light on them, nor any heat. For the lamb which is in the midst of the throne, fhall feed them, and fhall lead them.

unto living fountains of waters: and God fhall "wipe away all tears from their eyes" Rev. xxi. 3. "And I heard a great voice out of heaven, "faying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with

"men,