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has a different meaning; and though the same word is used, it by no means necessarily follows that the same place is specified; and, doubtless, the error of supposing that our Lord, at his death, rose and ascended into the paradise in the third heaven, has arisen from confusing the paradise in hades, to which he descended, with the paradise also called "the third heaven," to which Paul was "caught up."

The paradise mentioned in Rev. ii. 7 appears neither to mean the paradise in the heart of the earth, nor the paradise in the third heaven, but that blissful place in the new earth, at the times of "restitution of all things," where the elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands" (Isaiah lxv. 22). While the wicked is driven away in his wickedness, going down to the chambers of death, finding too late that God is a consuming fire;-blessed be God! the "righteous hath hope in his death." The redeemed of the Lord, on being "unclothed" of the body, will be furnished with a change of raiment,-new robes, washed and "made white in the blood of the Lamb. Death is not to them the king of terrors; they do not taste of death; they pass from death to life. It was during their stay in the body that they were dying daily;" now they experience the full meaning of those gracious words of their Redeemer, "Because I live, ye shall live also: " "He that liveth and believeth in me, shall never die."

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The believer, carried by angels into Abraham's bosom, will sweetly "sleep," or rather rest," in Jesus," till the "resurrection of the just." "There the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest: there the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor: the small and the great are there, and the servant is free from his master." They are still and quiet-they rest. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them."

Perhaps the word* which we translate "sleep" might better be expressed by that of rest; for to sleep, ordinarily implies torpor and insensibility; though, if we really consider our state in sleep, the mind is surely in full vigour. Reasoning by analogy, we may suppose that the intellectual faculties will be perfectly active in the state of separation of soul and body; indeed, even far more so than with us now, when waking. While asleep, our mental faculties are all alive, but clouded and confined from the many indistinct images which are presented to the mind, encumbered, as it now is, with this" vile body."

The parable of Dives and Lazarus, which we have been considering, is very clear on this point; and the expressions, "Send

, to lie down, to rest, be at quiet, is also used in the sense of lying down, as in a grave or sepulchre."-Parkhurst.

Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue," shew that the intermediate state is not so shadowy and unsubstantial as some might suppose. John had a view of the invisible world opened to him, and saw under the altar the souls of those who were "slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held" (Rev. vi. 9). We find that the souls which John saw, so far from being in a quiescent, dormant state," cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth." Here, as in the parable just noticed, is not only expostulation, but action; for "white robes were given to every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants and brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

Taking, then, the foregoing statements of Scripture as our guide, we may say "So man lieth down, and riseth not, till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep." It is idle to say, this is only spoken concerning the body, which we leave in the grave to see corruption. Besides, the fact will not bear us out. This vile body, crumbling to its kindred dust (dust it was, and to dust it returns), is in a very little while scattered and disposed of, so that no place for it is found when the spiritual part had quitted it. Man, always inclined to reverence the outward form and neglect the spirit that ennobled, has among other devices, contrived for the dead mausoleums, catacombs, &c. But vain is human ingenuity to immortalize the perishing clay. As if to pour contempt on efforts of this kind, the enterprizing traveller, Belzoni, tells us, as he walked along the chambers appointed for the dead of his crushing mummies which had for untold centuries been preserved, but sooner or later were compelled to mingle with their kindred dust. Indeed, it would seem, that this "vile body," when put off, for ever perishes; for "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption."

But if some will be contentious, and say, as of old, " How are the dead raised up, and with what body do they come?" the only reply to be given must be in the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. xv. 37: "That which thou sowest is not quickened except it die; and that thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or some other grain; but God giveth it a body, as it hath pleased him." And the Lord Jesus says, John xii. 24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. The Apostle Paul followed the same line of reasoning, as we have seen, and goes on to observe," All flesh is not the same

flesh; but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds; there are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and of the terrestrial another.... One glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, &c.... So also is the resurection of the dead. It is sown 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 there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."Let any one observe a common bean. The bean, sown in the ground, in time appears reft asunder, and is seen adhering to the stalk soon it decays, it falls off, and is forgotten: but it was from this perishing bean that a beautiful plant has arisen and flourishes. The bean enclosed the living plant (as this body of clay does our soul), in what manner we know not, but so it is. The tree destined to rear its lofty head towards heaven, first deeply "takes root downwards," ere it can bear fruit upwards (2 Kings xix. 30; Isaiah xxxvii. 31): so the "trees of righteousness," of God's own planting, "must first rest in "the dust" (Job xvii. 16), with " the clods of the valley," ere they "blossom and bud" in the "paradise of God" (Rev. ii. 7), and bear fruit to life eternal.

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"The first man is of the earth, earthy; so are the sons of fallen man. "The second Man is the Lord from heaven" (1 Cor. xv. 47, 49). "And as we have borne the image of the earthly, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly." But it is absolutely necessary, though in the land of Bibles, to enter with some minutiæ into the meaning of the fact of the resurrection. "Man dieth and wasteth away; yea, he giveth up the ghost, and where is he?" From the testimony we have been considering it clearly appears that our Lord, as Head of his body the church, "died for us, and was buried;" so also is it believed that he went down into hell (hades). See the Third Article of the Church of England.

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Article IV." Christ did truly rise again from the dead and took again flesh, bones, and all things pertaining to the perfection of man's nature." This took place on the third day after his death, as he himself declared to his disciples (Luke xviii. 33), when he revealed to them that he should be "scourged," and put to "death," and the third day" rise again." This happened, according to his prediction (Luke xxiv. 5), when the two men in shining garments" rebuked the women at the sepulchre of our Lord, saying, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? 'He is not here, but is risen ;' desiring them to remember his words, which were express, that he should be "crucified, and on the third day rise again." It is common to confound the resurrection of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, with his ascension into heaven, which event did not take place till forty days after

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his rising from the dead. At the risk of appearing tedious, we cannot but pause to consider the vital importance of receiving the Scripture truth of the resurrection of our Lord; our all is concerned in it. We "believe in Jesus Christ," we say what is it that we do believe? Let us take heed, that, while we profess our belief that "Christ hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God," He being delivered for our offences," that we keep ever in view, that he was "raised again for our justification;" for the resurrection of the Lord is the confirmation of the stupendous plan of Infinite Wisdom in the redemption of the elect by the blood of the Lamb. The Apostles preached "Jesus and the resurrection;" and it would be well if all preachers of righteousness would do the same. "I delivered unto you," says Paul," first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried" (mark the separation of soul and body, for his soul was not entombed with the lifeless clay); "and that he rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures." "Now, if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith also vain: yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up if so be that the dead rise not. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." But, blessed be God! our hope is sure and stedfast; it maketh not ashamed. "Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept: for since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead: for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." But before we dwell more largely on the glorious theme of the resurrection of the body, with which we design to conclude, we must first offer some remarks on a subject which has forcibly suggested itself since this discussion has been commenced: we allude to the frequent connection in Holy Writ between dying, and passing through the deep waters. Indeed, if our hypothesis be correct, it is not easy to evade the inference, that the soul, on quitting the body of clay, would pass through the waters of the abyss*, or deep pit [avooos], to the place of safe-keeping in the

"In the very remarkable story that is related by three of the Evangelists concerning the man possessed in the country of the Gadarenes, it cannot escape the notice of an intelligent reader, that St. Luke, who relates it more at large than the rest, says, The evil spirits entreated our blessed Lord that be would not command them to go into the (abucco,) abyss, (the cavity without bottom); and that this cannot possibly mean the sea, although our common translation has it "the deep; " because they did in reality, in one sense of the word, go into the sea almost directly, in consequence of their own voluntary mischievous inclinations."-King's Morsels of Criticism.

heart of the earth. In that beautiful allegory, the Pilgrim's Progress, Christian is represented as literally passing the river Jordan, as typical of the pains of death. The allusion is entirely scriptural; as it seems universally admitted that the passage of the children of Israel through the river Jordan (which name is full of meaning; it imports "the river of descent to judgment by the suffering of death") is a figure of the death of the saints; and the land of Canaan, of Paradise. The Ark is a type of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; by whom, and through whom, though Jordan overfloweth his banks all the time of harvest, the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan. In other words, the believer, partaking of the "holy priesthood," holding in the arms of faith a crucified Saviour, will, through faith in Jesus, safely pass the "swelling of Jordan," whatever those words may imply. We should be guilty of absurdity in attempting to comprehend how the soul, unclothed of this mortal body of flesh, can move or act; for no human being can know till "absent from the body." And here it may be as well to pause, and consider one fair and reasonable objection to our hypothesis, of dropping altogether, and for ever, at death, the outward form which is now animated

It will be said, that the Lord Jesus did resume the very body which hung upon the cross for man's redemption, when he arose from the invisible world. Possibly for this reason: he was without sin; holy, harmless, undefiled; and his body could not see corruption, as ours will. In much we are to resemble him, though "in all things he is to have the pre-eminence." Peter says (1 Peter i. 14), "Shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has shewed me." Again (Heb. ii. 17), "In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren." There is therefore a conformity in death between Christ and his redeemed. "Man giveth up the ghost,

and where is he?" In the text we have been considering (Matt. xii. 40), we have the answer respecting the abode of our Lord and Saviour, that it was in the "heart of the earth: " hence we infer that all flesh will follow, and rest their appointed time, till the resurrection of the body; by which expression it appears that the rising again of the soul body is meant. Our Lord's words are very remarkable (Matt. xii. 39, 40): "No sign," he says, "shall be given to the evil and adulterous generation who seek one, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." The latter part of this verse we have already discussed, but there is much in the "sign" given which merits serious attention. Let us turn to Jonah (chap. ii.), and we find that the

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