shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people, and there shall be a time of trouble, (cf. Jer. xxx. 7,) such as never was, since there was a nation, even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many from out of the sleepers-dust of the earth-shall awake; these to everlasting life, and those to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Dan. xii. 1,2.) This resurrection then is said to be cotemporaneous, that is, at the same general epoch, with the overthrow of the Antichrist, and the deliverance of the Jewish people, and is therefore pre-millennial. After much reflection, and a careful examination of the different interpretations which have been given to this difficult passage, I am on the whole inclined to adopt the following: "And many FROM OUT OF the sleepers, etc. shall awake: THESE (i. e. the many who awake, shall be) to everlasting life; and THOSE (i. e. the rest of the sleepers, those who do not then awake, or as St. John expresses it, Rev. xx. 5, “the rest of the dead," those who are left in their graves, at the time of the first resurrection, shall be) to shame and. everlasting contempt."*

* The following remarks of Mr. Habershon are certainly very plausible, and well worthy of attentive consideration. Possibly they may contain the true key to the explanation of the difficulty. After citing Dan. xii. 2, 3, Mr. H. observes: "In language as plain as it seems possible to express it, the Jews are next informed of a new scene of wonders that will succeed to the marvellous events above described in a partial RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD! "Many," or according to the more just and exact translation of the Hebrew, "Multitudes of them that sleep in the dust of the ground shall awake!" and those,. both of the righteous and of the wicked: "some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." These words then reveal several important truths: 1st. The certainty of the resurrection of the dead; in regard to which I would observe, that death is here called a sleep, which also in the New Testament is the common name for it. The dead therefore are only sleeping! 2d. That the future state of both the righteous and the wicked to which they shall rise, is here declared to be eternal, of perpetual duration: everlasting life

We come therefore to the conclusion, that there will be a literal resurrection of the bodies of the saints, at the personal and pre-millennial coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; the dead being raised from their graves, and the living

on the one hand, and everlasting shame and contempt on the other. 3d. That' these two respective conditions of the righteous and the wicked are therefore to be the very opposites of each other—the former to be that of perfect happiness and glory, and the latter that of perfect shame, contempt, and misery. On the former the prophet most delightfully dwells, while he only speaks generally of the latter they that be wise, he goes on to say, shall shine as the brightness or splendor of the firmanent, exalted to the highest place of distinction; and they that turn many to righteousness shall be as the stars forever and ever; which points out the duration of their happiness in the strongest language that can express eternity. "The glories of the future world," observes Wintle on this 66 passage, are adumbrated in Scripture by the loftiest and most splendid images in this; but after all, so inadequate is language, and so inferior the conceptions of the human mind, to this great subject, that the finest description of the joys of eternity is that negative one of St. Paul's, which he hath in some measure borrowed from Isaiah: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (See Bishop Lowth on Isaiah Ixix. 4.). 4th. We have it here likewise revealed, that there shall be more than one resurrection, for that here spoken of is but partial. MANY, or multitudes of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Not all. Besides which, I consider the resurrection as having, pursuant to the declared object of the vision, a more special reference to the Jews; and accordingly that it is intended to express, particularly in the second verse, that many of them (the Jews) that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Not that this resurrection will be exclusively confined to them any farther than as it regards the wicked; for, as we shall hereafter notice in the Revelation, as well as by what appears from some of St. Paul's Epistles, the dead in Christ, under the Christian dispensation, shall likewise at this time awake from the dust: "Christ, the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." (1 Cor. xv. 23; see likewise 1 Thess. iv. 13-17.) So that it appears to be God's special appointment, that, of those who lived under the Jewish dispensation, multitudes both of the righteous and the wicked shall arise in this resurrection; while of those under the Christian dispensation, this will be confined to the righteous. "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had re

changed in the twinkling of an eye; that is to say, all will be raised and changed who have a share in the first resur rection.

Who then are partakers in this glorious privilege? After what has been already said, a word will be sufficient to answer the inquiry.

From the passages which have been cited from St. Paul's first epistle to the Thessalonians, it appears that all the saints who are then sleeping in Jesus, and have existed from the beginning of time up to the second advent, both Jews and Gentiles, will have a share in this blessed consummation.

The saints in the flesh, who are then alive on the earth, will also have a part in it. The promise of the Savior to every true believer is, "I will raise him up at the last day." In the 9th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, at the 28th verse, St. Paul says: "UNTO THEM THAT LOOK FOR HIM, shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." And in 2 Tim. iv. 8, he says that a crown of righteousness shall be given in that day by the Lord, the righteous Judge, unto all them that love his appearing. Their bodies shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and made like unto the glorious body of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the mighty working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Thus to the righteous of the last generation, the generation alive at the coming of our Lord,

ceived his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." (Rev. xx. 4, 5.) Habershon's Dissertation on the Prophetic Scriptures, pp. 371-373, London edition, 1842.

Mr. Begg also is of the opinion, that some of the wicked will be raised at the time of the first resurrection. But Mr. Cuninghame, and the generality of the writers on this subject, maintain that the righteous alone will then be raised.

*

there will be an instantaneous and perfected salvation, both of soul and body.†

Dear brethren, would you ensure a place in the first reresurrection, you must have the character of those who partake of it. None but the holy participate in its glories. For "blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection." My hearers, you must be born again— through evil and through good report, you must bear a faithful testimony for the absent King-you must love the appearing of your dear Lord and Savior, that when he cometh in his glory, you may be prepared for his arrival, and receive from the lips of the Bridegroom a hearty wel. come to the marriage feast. For "unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Heb, ix. 28.) May that time soon comemay the morning of the first resurrection soon dawn on this benighted and sinful world-may we all have a share in its glories, and be found among those who are both loving and expecting the appearance of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." "Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find watching."

When I speak of it as instantaneous, I refer to their being suddenly caught up in the clouds, in their changed and glorified bodies, for the purpose of being immediately judged and rewarded--although this judgment, which is for the manifestation of God's justice, wisdom and glory, before that portion of the universe then assembled, may occupy a considerable time. (See Part II. Lecture IV.) The great battle of Armageddon appears to be subsequent to the rapture, into the air, of the living saints. (See Lect. IV. ib.) They are caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord, and after being judged according to their works, descend with him and take their station on the Mount of Olives. Zech xiv. 4, 5.

See McNeile on the Advent,

LECTURE IV.

THE JUDGMENT, IN THE GREAT DAY OF THE SECOND ADVENT.

19

"BECAUSE HE HATH APPOINTED A DAY, IN THE WHICH HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS BY THAT MAN WHOM HE HATH ORDAINED.' Acts xvii. 31.

Introduction-the common idea respecting the Day of Judgment-The Scriptural characteristics of a judge-Office of the Hebrew judges-The nature of the office not changed when the Israelites desired a king.-The Lord Jesus Christ is to be the Judge.-The glorified Saints.-The meaning of the word "day."-What is the Day of Judgment ?--2 Tim. iv. 1.-The morning of this great day ushered in by a judgment of the living and the dead. Who are the dead that are judged at the beginning of this day? Who are the quick or living ones?-Note, a misrepresentation guarded against.--Supposed order of events. Various passages examined.-The conflagration.-The new heavens and the new earth in 2 Pet. iii. compared with Is. lxv. 17-25.-Note, extract from Chalmers.--The conflagration, and the new heavens and the new earth pre-millennial.--The earth replenished with man and beast.-The judgment at the close of the great day. Conclusion.

The idea which most persons entertain respecting the day of judgment is, that it is a short period, of perhaps twelve, or twenty-four hours, in which is held a grand assize; all the righteous, and all the wicked being then tried by the Messiah, and receiving a reward according to their works. This however is very far from the description of that day, as given in the Bible.

The Scriptural characteristics of a judge are, not merely to hold an assize, but to deliver the people, to take vengeance on their enemies, and to exercise all the functions