there is no adjunct giving any such intimation, and because the literal sense affordeth a fair explication: farther yet, because the Scripture, in the same particular, naming the quick and the dead, sufficiently teacheth us, that it is to be understood of a corporeal death, "Whether we live or die (saith the apostle), we are the Lord's: for to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living." (Rom. xiv. 9.)

Thirdly, Therefore by the dead are understood all those who ever died before the time of Christ's coming to judgment, and by the quick such as shall be then alive: so that the quick and the dead, literally taken, are considered in relation to the time of Christ's coming; at which time there shall be a generation living upon the face of the earth, and before which time all the generations passed since the creation of the World shall be numbered among the dead. And this undoubtedly is the proper and literal sense of the Article,† That Christ shall come to judge, not only those which shall be alive upon the earth at his appearing, but also all such as have lived and died before. None shall be then judged while they are dead; whosoever stand before the judgment-seat, shall appear alive; but those

This is the third exposition of Isidorus Pelusiota : Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλως, οὕτως, κρῖναι τοὺς τότε ζῶντας καταλειφθέντας, καὶ τοὺς ἤδη πρὸ αὐτῶν κοιμηθέντας. Epist. 292. 1. i. Others of the fathers give the second and third explication, leaving it indifferent, and preferring neither; as St. Chrysostom : Ητοι ἁμαρτωλοὺς λέγει καὶ δικαίους, ἤτοι καὶ τοὺς ἀπελθόντας καὶ τοὺς νῦν ὄντας, ὅτι πολλοὶ καταλειφθήσονται ζῶντες. Com.in 2 Tim, iv. 1. Duobus autem modis accipi potest, quod vivos et mortuos judicabit; sive ut vivos intelligamus, quos hic nondum mortuos, sed adhuc in ista carne inventurus est ejus adventus; mortuos autem, qui de corpore, priusquam veniat, exierunt vel exituri sunt: sive vivos justos, mortuos autem injustos, quoniam justi quoque judicabuntur.' S. August. in Enchirid. c. 54. Credimus etiam inde venturum convenientissimo tempore, et judicaturum vivos et mortuos, sive istis nominibus justi et peccatores significentur ; sive quos tunc ante mortem in terris inventurus est appellati sunt vivi, mortui vero qui in ejus adventu resurrecturi sunt.' Idem, de Fide et Symb. c. 8. Inde venturus judicare vivos et mortuos.

Vivos qui super-fuerint, mortuos qui præcesserint. Potest et sic intelligi, vivos, justos; mortuos, injustos: utrosque enim judicat, sua cuique retribuens. Justis dicturus in judicio, Venite Benedicti, &c. Sinistris quid? Ite in ignem, &c. Sic judicabuntur a Christo vivi et mortui.' Auctor 1. i. de Symb, ad Catechum. §. 11. Duobus modis hæc sententia ac

cipitur. Vivi et mortui in anima, item vivi et mortui in corpore. Secundum priorem, judicabit vivos in anima, credentes; et mortuos in anima, fidem nullam habentes: secundum posteriorem, judicabit vivos in carne, quos præsentes invenerit ejus adventus; judicabit et mortuos in carne, quos resuscitaturus est Deus excelsus.' Auctor 1. iv. de Symb. Catechum. §. 8. But although these two expositions were thus indifferently propounded, yet the former ought by no means so to be received as any way to evacuate or prejudice the latter." Quod autem dicimus in Symbolo, in adventu Domini vives ac mortuos judicandos, non solum justos et peccatores significari, sicut Diodorus putat; sed et vivos eos, qui in carne inveniendi sunt credimus, qui adhuc morituri creduntur; vel immutandi sunt, ut alii volunt, ut suscitati continuo vel reformati, cum ante mortuis judicentur.' Gennadius de Dogmat. Eccl. c. 8.

This is the clear interpretation of Theodoret, without the least mention of any other: Νεκρῶν καὶ ζώντων κριτὴν τὸν Κύριον κέκληκεν, ἐπειδὰν καὶ τοὺς νεκροὺς ἀνίσ στησι, καὶ εἰς τὸ κριτήριον ἄγει, καὶ τοὺς κατὰ τὸν τῆς συντελείας καιρὸν εἰςισκομένους ἐξδίων τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν, ἀπαιτεῖ τὰς εὐθύνας. Πάντες γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλα λaynodusda. Com. in 2 Tim. iv. 1. Vivi agnoscuntur, qui in corpore erunt in adventu Domini; mortui, qui ex hac luce migraverunt.' Auctor Exp. Symb, sub nomine S. Chrys.

which never died, shall be judged as they were alive; those that were dead before, that they may be judged, shall rise to life. He shall judge therefore the quick, that is, those which shall be then alive when he cometh; and he shall judge the dead, that is, those which at the same time shall be raised from the dead.

The only doubt remaining in this interpretation is, Whether, those that shall be found alive when our Saviour cometh, shall still so continue till they come to judgment; or upon his first appearance they shall die, and after death revive, and so together with all those which rise out of their graves, appear before the judgment-seat. The consideration of our mortality, and the cause thereof, (that "it is appointed unto all men once to die, in that death hath passed upon all," Heb. ix. 27. Rom. v. 12.) might persuade us that the last generation of mankind should taste of death, as well as all the rest that went before it; and therefore it hath been thought,† especially of late, that those whom Christ at his coming finds alive, shall immediately die; and after a sudden and universal expiration, shall be restored to life again, and joined with the rest whom the graves shall render, that all may be partakers of the resurrection.

But the apostle's description of the last day mentioneth no such kind of death, yea rather excludeth it, "For we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we be ever with the Lord." (1 Thess. iv. 15-17.) In which words, they which "remain unto the coming of the Lord," are not said to die or to rise from the dead, but are distinguished from those "which are asleep" and "rise first;" yea, being alive, are caught up together with them, having not tasted death.

This is cleared by the author of the Questions and Answers under the name of Justin Martyr: Εἰ τὸ τῆς ἀναστάσεως δῶρον πᾶσι τοῖς θανοῦσιν ὁ Θεὸς διδόναι ὑπέσχετο, πάντες ἐκ τῶν τάφων ἀναστάντες τῷ κριτῇ παρίστασθαι μέλλουσι, πῶς πληρωθήσεται τον κρίνειν νεκροὺς καὶ ζῶντας τὸν Κύριον ; πῶς δὲ νεκροὶ κριθῆναι δυνήσονται, ὧν τὰ μὲν σώματα ἐν μνήμασιν ἔῤῥιπται, αἱ δὲ ψυχαὶ τῶν σωμάτων κεχωρισμένοι εἰσίν ; Resp. Οὐ πάντες, φησί, κοιμηθησόμεθα· κρινεῖ οὖν ζῶντας μὲν, τοὺς τότε ζῶντας, νεκροὺς δὲ, τοὺς ἀνισταμένους ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν. Quast. et Resp. ad Orthed. q. 109.

Omnium enim hominum erit resurrectio. Si omnium erit, ergo omnes moriuntur, ut mors ab Adam ducta omnibus

filiis ejus dominetur, et maneat illud privilegium in Domino, Non dabis sanctum tuum videre corruptionem. Hanc rationem maxima Patrum turba tradente suscepimus.' Gennad. de Eccl. Dogmat. c. 7.

This is the observation of Epiphanius, who from these words proves as much; for having repeated the text, he thus infers: ̓Απὸ τῶν συνεζευγμένων ἑκάστης λέξε ὡς ἐστιν ἰδεῖν τὰ ἐπίχειρα. Διαιρῶν γὰς ὁ ἅγιος ̓Απόστολος τῶν δυο τρόπων τὸ εἶδος, εἰς μίαν ἐλπίδα συνήγαγεν, ἀπὸ τοῦ, Ἡμεῖς ἁρπα γησόμεθα ἐν νεφέλαις εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτοῦ· ἵνα δείξῃ ὄντως τοῦτο τὸ σῶμα, καὶ οὐχ ἕτερον παρὰ τοῦτο, ὁ γὰρ ἁρπαγεὶς οὔπω τέθνηκε. Hares. Ixiv. §. 70.

The same is farther confirmed by the apostle, saying, “ Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." (1 Cor. xv. 51.) Which, being added to the former, putteth this doctrine out of question: for the living which remain at the coming of Christ, are opposed to them which are asleep, and the opposition consists in this, that they "shall not sleep ;" which sleep is not opposed to a long death, but to death itself, as it followeth, "the dead shall be raised incorruptible," and we (which shall not sleep)" shall be changed;" so that their mutation shall be unto them as a resurrection.* And the collation of these two Scriptures maketh up this conclusion so manifestly, that I conceive no man had ever doubted or questioned the truth of it, had they not first differed in the reading of the text.t

Nam et in hoc ingemiscimus, domicilium nostrum, quod de cœlo est, superindui desiderantes, siquidem induti et non nudi inveniamur: id est, ante voluimus superinduere virtutem cœlestem æternitatis, quam carne exuamur. Hujus enim gratiæ privilegium illos manet, qui ab adventu Domini deprehendentur in carne, et propter duritias temporum Antichristi merebuntur, compendio mortis per demutationem expunctæ, concurrere cum resurgentibus, sicut Thessalonicensibus scribit.' Tertull. de Resur. Carn. c. 41. 'Sancti, qui die consummationis atque judicii in corporibus reperiendi sunt, cum aliis sanctis qui ex mortuis resurrecturi sunt, rapientur in nubibus obviam Christo in aere, et non gustabunt mortem, eruntque semper cum Domino, gravissima mortis necessitate calcata; unde ait Apostolus, Omnes quidem non dormiemus, omnes autem immutabimur.' Theod. Heracleotes Com. ad loc. apud S. Hieron. ep. 152. al. 9. Apollinarius, licet aliis verbis, eadem quæ Theodorus asseruit; quosdam non esse morituros, sed de præsenti vita rapiendos in futuram, ut mutatis glorificatisque corporibus sint cum Christo.' S. Hieron. ib. “Ο δὲ λέγει, τοῦτό ἐστιν· οὐ πάνω τες μὲν ἀποθανούμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα, καὶ οἱ μὴ ἀποθνήσκοντες· θνητοὶ γὰρ κατ κεῖνοι. Μὴ τοίνυν, ἐπειδὰν ἀποθνήσκεις, διὰ τοῦτο δείσῃς, φησὶν, ὡς οὐκ ἀναστησόμενος. Εἰσὶ γάρ τινες οἳ καὶ τοῦτο διαφεύξονται, καὶ ὅμως οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τοῦτο αὐτοῖς εἰς τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐκείνην, ἀλλὰ δεῖ καὶ ἐκεῖνα τὰ σώματα τὰ μὴ ἀποθνήσκοντα ἀλλαγῆναι, καὶ εἰς àplagolav μETATE. S. Chrysost. Hom. 42. ad loc. So St. Jerome speaking of that place, 1 Thess. iv. Hoc ex ipsius loci continentia sciri potest, quod Sancti, qui in adventu Salvatoris fuerint deprehensi in corpore, in iisdem corporibus occurrant ei, ita tamen, ut inglorium et corrupum et mortale gloria et incorruptione

et immortalitate mutetur: ut, qualia corpora mortuorum surrectura sunt, in talem substantiam etiam vivorum corpora transformentur.' S. Hieron. ep. 149. al. 6. ad Marcell. And St. Augustin, in relation to the same place: Revera, quantum ad verba beati Apostoli pertinet, videtur asserere quosdam in fine sæculi, adveniente Domino, cum futura est resurrectio mortuorum, non esse morituros, sed vivos repertos, in illam immortalitatem, quæ Sanctis etiam cæteris datur, repente mutandos, et simul cum illis rapiendos, sicut dicit, in nubibus. Nec aliquid aliud mihi visum est, quoties de his verbis volui cogitare.' Ad tertiam Quæst. Dulcitii, §. 2. These and others of the ancients have clearly delivered this truth, so that Gennadius, notwithstanding his maxima Patrum turba for the contrary, did well confess: Verum quia sunt et alii æque catholici et eruditi viri, qui credunt, anima in corpore manente, immutandos ad incorruptionem et immortalitatem eos qui in adventu Domini vivi inveniendi sunt; et hoc eis reputari pro resurrectione ex mortuis, quod mortalitatem præsentis vitæ immutatione deponant, non morte. Quolibet quis acquiescat modo, non est hæreticus, nisi ex contentione hæreticus fiat.' De Eccl. Dogm, c. 7.

There have been observed three several readings of that place, 1 Cor. xv. 51. one of the Latin, two of the Greek. Illud autem breviter in fine commoneo; hoc, quod in Latinis codicibus legitur, Omnes quidem resurgemus,non omnes autem immutabimur, in Græcis voluminibus non haberi, sed vel, Omnes dormiemus, non autem omnes immutabimur; vel, Non omnes dormiemus, omnes autem immutabimur.' S. Hieron, ep. 152. al. 9. But there was not one of these three only in the Latin copies, that is the first; but one which

Wherefore being the place to the Thessalonians sufficiently proves it of itself, being that to the Corinthians, as we read it, invincibly confirmeth the same truth, I conclude that the living, when Christ shall come, are properly distinguished from all those which die before his coming; because death itself hath passed upon the one, and only a change different from death shall pass upon the other; and so conceive that Christ is called the Lord and Judge of the quick and the dead, in reference at least to this expression of the CREED. For although it

be true of the living of any age to say that Christ is Lord and Judge of them and of the dead, yet in the next age they are not the living, but the dead, which Christ shall come to judge, and consequently no one generation, but the last, can be the quick which he shall judge. As therefore to the interpretations of this Article, I take that distinction to be necessary,* that in the end of the world all the generations dead shall be revived, and the present generation living so continued, and Christ shall gather them all to his tribunal-seat, and so shall truly come to judge both the quick and the dead.

To believe a universal judgment to come is necessary; first, To prevent the dangerous doubts arising against the ruling of the world by the providence of God; that old rock of offence, upon which so many souls have suffered shipwreck. That which made the prophet David confess, his "feet were almost gone, his steps had well nigh slipped," (Psal. Ixxiii. 2.) had hurried multitudes of men to eternal perdition. The conspicuous prosperity of the wicked, and apparent miseries of the righteous; the frequent persecution of virtue, and eminent rewards of vice; the sweet and quiet departures often attending upon the most dissolute, and horrid tortures putting a period to the most reli gious lives, have raised a strong temptation of doubt and mistrust, whether there be a God that judgeth the earth. Nor is there any thing in this life considered alone, which can give the least rational satisfaction in this temptation. Except there be a life to come after such a death as we daily see, except in that life there be rewards and punishments otherwise dispensed than here they are, how can we ground any acknowledgment of an overruling justice? That therefore we may be assured that God who sitteth in heaven ruleth over all the earth, that a divine

This was well observed by St. Augustin: Si autem in his verbis Apostoli nullus alius sensus poterit reperiri, et hoc eum intelligi voluisse clarum erit, quod videntur ipsa verba clamare; id est, quod futuri sint in fine seculi, et secundo adventu Domini, qui non exspolientur corpore, sed superinduantur immortalitate, ut absorbeatur mortale a vita: huic sententiæ proculdubio conveniet quod in Regula Fidei confitemur, venturum Dominum, judicaturum vivos et mortuos; ut non hic intelligamus, vivos justos, mortuous autem injustos, quamvis judicandi sint et justi et injusti; sed vivos quos nondum exiisse, mortuos autem quos jam exiisse de corporibus adventus ejus inveniet.' Ad tertiam Quæst. Dulcitii. §. 4. And Origen long before did make the same exposition of these words, "that he might be Lord both of the dead and living," Rom. xiv. 9. Ὅρα γὰρ ἐν τούτοις, ὅτι ἀπέθα νεν Ἰησοῦς, ἵνα νεκρῶν κυριεύσῃ, καὶ ἀνέστη, ἵνα μὴ μόνον νεκρῶν ἀλλὰ καὶ ζώντων κυριεύσῃ.

Καὶ οἶδέ γε ὁ ̓Απόστολος νεκροὺς μὲν ὧν πυριεύει ὁ Χριστὸς, τοὺς οὕτω κατειλεγμένους ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους προτέρᾳ (σαλπίσει γὰρ, καὶ νεκροὶ ἐγερθήσονται ἄφθαρτοι) ζῶντας δὲ αὐτοὺς, καὶ τοὺς ἀλλαγησομένους, ἑτέρους ὄντας τῶν ἐγερθησομένων νεκρῶν. Ἔχει δὲ καὶ περὶ τούτων ἡ λέξις οὕτως, Καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀλλαγη. σόμεθα, ἑξῆς εἰρημένη τῷ. Οἱ νεκροὶ ἐγερθήσεις ται πρῶτον. ̓Αλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Θεσσαλονικεῖς προτέρᾳ ἐν ἑτέραις λέξεσι τὴν αὐτὴν διαφορὰν παριστὰς, φησὶν, ἄλλους μὲν εἶναι τοὺς κοιμημένους, ἄλλους δὲ τοὺς ζῶντας, λέγων, &c. I. ii. contra Celsum, §. 65.

Which

exposition is far more proper than that of Methodius: Ἐπὶ τῶν ψυχῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν σωμάτων παραληπτέον· ζώντων μὲν τῶν ψυ χῶν, καθὸ ἀθάνατοι, νεκρῶν δὲ τῶν σωμάτων. Phot. in Biblioth. Cod. ccxxxiv. ad fin. And Ruffinus, Quid autem dicitur ju dicare vivos et mortuos, nisi quod alii vivi, alii mortui, ad judicium veniant? sed animæ simul judicabuntur et corpora, in quibus vivos animas, corpora nominavit.' Expos. in Symb. §. 32.