in ruins for ages; but it will be built up again in beauty and glory. Then death will be done away, and our bodies will be as imperishable as our immortal spirits; for they are companions; and will be united to all eternity. Thoughts like these, built upon the divine promises, are sweetly consolatory in our deepest sorrows. Die we must; but we shall rise again. The grave is a dark house; but we shall come forth into the light of day. It is a gloomy abode; but only a temporary residence. We quit it for ever at the resurrection.

But the resurrection will be a terrible event to unholy men, who have lived in sin, and died without repentance. What an awful moment will that be to them, when the trumpet shall sound, and when all who are in their graves shall come forth! It is utterly impossible to describe their feelings when the Judge appears, and when they are summoned to his bar. Their past conduct will be recollected with pain; the frowns of the Judge will meet their eye; and they will be filled with horror and deep despair. Every thing they now do is in an embodied state; and every thing which they will then feel will be in an embodied state. Their eyes will then behold objects of horror; their ears will hear terrible sounds; and their hearts will tremble with terror and amazement. They would gladly lie buried in their graves; they will call on rocks and mountains to hide them;

but they must come forth at the sound of the trumpet. The agonies of that moment, to all the enemies of God, cannot be imagined; much less can they be described in their nature and full extent by any human being. Eternity is before them; and it is an eternity of suffering. They have suffered in the intermediate state; but now their sufferings will be awfully increased. Save me and my readers, blessed Lord God, from a resurrection to damnation!

VI. We conclude this subject by the following general observations.

First, the resurrection of the dead will be accomplished in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. This moment all the nations of the dead are asleep in the ground; the next they all come forth to meet the Judge. This is a proof that the Almighty can execute the greatest work in the shortest time imaginable. Our works are slow and imperfect; but his, when it pleaseth him, are quick, and always complete. It pleased him, for wise reasons, to employ six days in the creation of the world; but he could have made it in a moment, in all its perfection, had he seen fit.

Secondly, the bodies of the saints will undergo a delightful change. They are sown in corruption; but raised in incorruption; and of course are immortal. They are sown in dishonour, which is a sad effect of sin; but raised

in glory, through Jesus Christ. They are sown in weakness, which yielded to death; but raised in power, in complete vigour and strength. They are sown natural bodies, gross and earthly; but they are raised spiritual bodies, refined and heavenly. 1 Cor. xv. 42-44.

Thirdly, it is not revealed what kind of bodies the wicked will have after the resurrection of the dead; but if we may judge by the state in which they will rise, they will not have any glory or honour; and yet they will be immortal. It is highly probable that their appearance will be frightful; and a real picture of their inward sufferings. How different is the appearance of a condemned criminal to that of an innocent man who is acquitted! The one is sad and sorrowful; but the other is cheerful and gay. But how the wicked will appear must be left till the day of the Lord.

Fourthly, Christian believers, who have died in the Lord, will rise first. Then those who are found alive will be caught up with them, to meet the Lord in the air; but living believers will be changed, like Enoch and Elijah, without seeing death. 1 Thess. iv. 17. Afterwards the wicked will be brought forth, and appear with fallen angels, at the left hand of the Judge. There they will stand, with horror, to receive their final sentence.

Fifthly, it is a pleasing thought, that the earth will not be burned up, while the dead

body of a saint remains in it; but when the saints are raised, and meet the Lord in the air, the earth will soon be burned by raging fire. Thus, when Lot was in Sodom, the angel of the Lord urged him to make his escape to Zoar, saying, "I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither." Gen. xix. 22.

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CHAPTER XIX.

THE CONFLAGRATION OF THE world.

The Heathens had some idea of the general conflagration— The Bible makes it fully known-When it will happen is not exactly known-It will be accomplished by the Lord-It will be followed by a new earth-We should make good practical uses of this awful subject.

WHEN We examine the regular course of nature, we are not able to perceive any thing that indicates a dissolution of the material heavens, or the earth which we inhabit. They seem to be fixed in their existence, and calculated to endure, in their present form, for ever. But when we examine divine revelation, we learn that they will undergo a great change, and pass away from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne. Rev. xx. 11; xxi. 1.

I. It was the opinion of many learned men in the heathen world, that the earth and the heavens would be destroyed by raging fire, in some future and distant age.

The Epicureans, Stoics, and other philosophers, were of this opinion. This might be shown, if it were needful, by many quotations from their writings. That "passage in Ovid is well known, where he speaks of a time determined by the fates, in which the sea, the earth,