possibility of an event because he cannot solve all its difficulties, nor comprehend how it can take place; whereas, even the ordinary productions of earth exhibit a process which illustrates the subject; for the seed sown in the ground does not vegetate except it corrupt and die. Some modern infidels have maintained against the apostle that the seed does not die in vegetation, but that the germ lives, and expands itself, and only the er traneous matter dies. But, in fact, the seed, as such, does die; it ceases to be a grain of corn, though a part of it springs, as it were, into new life, by a process which we can no more fully comprehend than we can the manner of the resurrection. The body sown is not the same which will exist when it has sprung up and produced the full corn in the ear, but a bare grain of wheat, barley, or any other corn. This, after corrupting in the earth, by the wonderful power of God, springs up, and produces an increase; and He gives that increase a body as it pleaseth Him; yet, whatever else is changed, He always gives to every seed its own body, and so preserves a complete distinction between the different kinds of vege table productions. And thus, the bodies of the faithful, after corrupting and turning to dust, will be raised in a new and more glorious form, not in every respect the same as they were, but far superior and more excellent. This will be done in the Infinite Wisdom, according to the sovereign will, and by the Almighty power of God, but after a manner inexplicable to us. The identity of the particles of matter, as necessary to the resurrection of the same body is nowhere mentioned in the Scripture, and this chapter strongly militates against that opinion. God has many other ways of preserving personal identity. Exactly the same particles do not constitute our bodies for two hours together, in any part of our lives; yet we are the same persons, both in body and soul, from childhood to old age. There is no necessity to clog the doctrine with this difficulty, which furnishes infidels with their most specious objections against it. *

The apostle goes on to describe the resurrection of the body. As one celestial body differs from another in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown *Scott, on 1 Cor. xv, 35-38.

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. The body, during its mortal state, is subject to corruption, dishonour, and weakness: but when raised, it will be incorruptible, glorious, and powerful. It is sown a natural, or animal body: it resembles the bodies of animals in its wants, appetites, pains and diseases; and after death it returns to earth as they do; but hereafter it will be raised a spiritual body, capable of the spiritual employment, worship, and happiness of heaven, entirely refined from all sensual, gross, and low desires; needing no more food, rest, sleep, nor recreation; no longer capable of desiring or relishing animal pleasures; and no more a clog to the soul, but a helper to it in all holy exercises. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly and as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Behold, I show you a mystery! The event will most assuredly take place; but as to the manner in which it will be effected, that is one of the secret things which belong unto God.

III. But how, and in what order will the dead rise ? The apostle tells us. Every man in his own order :Christ, the first-fruits; afterwards, they that are Christ's at His coming. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that 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 with 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 ever be with the Lord: 1 Thess. iv, 14--18. As the apostle uses the pronoun we, some have been led to suppose that he expected to live till that day; but this was not the case, because he elsewhere speaks of himself as one of those who should be raised up by Jesus. The apostle

therefore only meant to speak of himself as belonging to that one family, of whom the far greater part would die and be raised again, and the rest would be changed. This great event did not take place in the apostle's day; it has not come to pass yet; but we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

THE RETURN TO ZION.

ISAIAH XXXV, 10.

"And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

VERY excellent things are spoken of the Israel of God. Although all the seers prophesy evil against the daughter of Zion on account of her sins, yet they all brighten up

as they approach the end of their respective utterances, and pronounce her blessed. It is especially so with Isaiah. He who begins his vision so abruptly :-" Hear O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken:-I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me." He who so sharply rebukes Judah and Jerusalem for their haughtiness, idolatry, hypocrisy, and manifold transgressions, and her trust in Egypt and Assyria, and her consequent captivity, foretels also her restoration, and the joyous day when the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it; the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall go up thereon, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads. The prophet took so much interest in this jubilant return that he introduces it again in nearly the same words: chap. li, 2. How full of intense interest are the life and times of this prophet! As he prophesied in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, what scenes he would behold in his own land, and what terrible tidings he would hear from the kingdom of Israel! And what was then the political state of the nations of the earth? The first monarchy in the world stood at the summit of its grandeur in Nineveh. Egypt was still advancing in greatness under her native rulers; the Greek states were in their infancy, and the kingdom of Macedon but rudely formed; Corinth, and Athens, and the Macedonian ports being but comparatively maritime villages; and the Roman families were first united, and were building, on the banks of the Tiber, that city which was destined to extend over the seven hills, and to be the mistress of the world. Such was the state of the world when Isaiah

foretold the captivity of his people, and their future joyous return to their own land, and their yet more distant scattering abroad, and their ultimate restoration in the latter day; and also the joy of the innumerable company, and church of the first-born in heaven: the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with everlasting joy.

I. What are we to understand by Zion? Mount Zion, the ancient castle of the Jebusites, was taken by the men of David when he reigned king in Hebron; and around it he rebuilt the city of Jerusalem, called also the city of David; and upon this Mount Zion-the Mount Moriah, where Abraham took his only son Isaac to offer as a burnt sacrifice-did Solomon, the son of David, build the temple of the Lord. Zion and Jerusalem denote also the church of God. "For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace; and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. Awake, awake! put on thy strength, O`Zion! put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world-Say ye to the daughter of Zion,—Behold, thy salvation cometh! behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him; and they shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord; and thou shalt be called Sought out, a city not forsaken. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion; build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love thee."

Zion and Jerusalem are also types or figures of that city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God; the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven; that Mount Zion, that city of the living God, where there is the innumerable company of angels; the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and God, the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant; that heavenly Jerusalem, whose foundations are precious stones, whose gates are pearls, and whose streets are of pure gold, like unto clear glass, and through which flows the pure river of