LECTURE XII.

THE RESURRECTION.

JOHN xi. 25, 26.

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believ eth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

THE christian religion is the only religion on earth, which teaches the doctrine of a resurrection of the body. Other systems indeed have conceived of changes after death. We have heard of purgatoria advances in an after life among the ancient heathen, and of the doctrine of transmigration, or changes from animal to animal, among modern idolators; but these all were changes, which they imagined only of the immortal spirit. That bodies should be raised af ter being turned to dust, seems never to have been conceived by the heathen. It is purely a doctrine of revelation. On this

account, therefore, and also because we can conceive nothing of the manner of a resurrection, from any thing we have yet witnessed, it is necessary that we confine ourselves, with great fidelity, to the scriptures, while speaking on this subject. It is of the nature of a future prophecy: no part of it has yet been fulfilled and any thing like speculation, here, would be as presumptuous as to attempt fixing the end of the world.

Carefully attending to these precautions, we hope, however, that the following points of discussion may be safely attempted:

I. The certainty of a bodily resurrection: II. The author, or meritorious and efficient cause of this resurrection ;

Of

III. Something of its mode and circumstances. I. THERE WILL BE A BODILY RESURRECTION. It may be that some of those scriptures, which we are accustomed to quote for this doctrine, had a primary reference to events which were to be witnessed in time. this class is the prophecy in Ezekiel, whereby the vision of a resurrection of dry bonesthe revival of Israel's dead hope, seems to be the immediate object in view. And so also, it may be, in the language of David, in the xvii. Psalm. "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfi

ed, when I awake, with thy likeness." Here, and in some other passages, perhaps, the prophecy is to be understood as first importing some future prosperity of the house of Israel, or of an individual, after a season of adversity; and this is figuratively represented as a resurrection. But an attentive reader of the Bible can hardly fail to see that something more and better is meant. These passages do, undoubtedly, contain a type, at least, of a literal resurrection; and therefore they are usually quoted with that reference.

But we have more unequivocal passages, even in the Old Testament. Job could say, (ch. xix. 25, 26) "For I know that my Redeemer liveth in my flesh shall I see God."

And Isaiah, in one of the most beautiful of all scriptural metaphors, has introduced the Redeemer and the church, as holding the following dialogue: "Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord, thou hast increased the nation; thou art glorified: thou hast removed it far unto all the ends of the earth. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them." (Ch. xxvi. 15, 16.) The Redeemer answers: "Thy dead men shall live," &c. (verse 19;) and filled with joy and anima

tion at the prospect-the church rejoins; "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust; and the earth shall cast out her dead.”

This is the reading given by the great commentator, Vitringa; and if correct, the passage, as well as the other from Job, refers directly to a literal resurrection.

But let us now proceed to the New Testament, where life and immortality are more fully brought to light. Here it will be sufficient, merely to enumerate several passages, and to defend them as we pass along, from erroneous constructions.

Says the Saviour, (John v. 25,)" The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live." And then, lest this work which, thus far, is undoubtedly to be understood of calling dead sinners to spiritual life, should be considered too great for the Redeemer to perform, he informs them, (verses 28, 29,) that the time is coming, when “all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." In another place, (ch. xii. 24,) he says, in reference to his

own death-(and as he is the first fruit of the resurrection, it will apply equally to all his children.) "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground, and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit ;" (i. e.) it shall be raised again, and in greater glory. Our text is also in point; and if we consider the occasion upon which it was said, has great force. "I am, (says the Redeemer, at the grave of Lazarus,) "I am the resurrection and the life." And why did he then say it? It was to comfort the sisters of Lazarus, under the loss of their brother; and having said it, he proceeded immediately to raise the body of Lazarus, in proof and fulfilment of his own declaration. Can it possibly be doubted, then, that Jesus meant to teach the doctrine of a bodily resurrection by this saying?

It is still maintained by some, nevertheless, that we are only to expect some spiritual or figurative resurrection hereafter; and we will suggest further the following considerations :

What is meant by calling Christ "the first fruits of them that slept," and by saying of saints, that they shall awake in the likeness of Christ, if it be not that they shall rise,