to prove the identity of the same natural body. But the object to be obtained was to show, that he had been delivered unto death for our offences, and was risen again for our justification.

Now in order to establish the reality of his resurrection, and to furnish ocular demonstration to confirm this important fact, he appeared to his brethren in the same body for forty days, prior to his ascension. But this affords no proof that flesh and blood necessarily constitute the person of Our Lord, as being the second Adam, the quickening spirit ; for flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of God, neither is it that which is spiritual. And in reference to our Lord's personal glory, it was not then manifested; because he declared at this period that he was not ascended to his Father, and their Father, to his God, and their God. Therefore as yet he had not realized the glory which he had with the Father before the world was. The mystery

of putting off flesh and blood was no more than the mystery of putting it on. The same also may be noticed in reference to Enoch and Elijah, and those who were caught up to meet the Lord in the air at the period of our Lord's second advent, and who were to be for ever with the Lord; and who by their personal translation were changed to the same spiritual condition, as that which all the spirits of just men made perfect personally realized in the invisible state, and which was the ultimatum of a personal resurrection glory,

Now as this event would occur before that generation had passed away, and which would include both a finished salvation, and the personal perfection of all the saints who were then living to realize it, as being the perfect accomplishment of the purpose of God: this important terminus explains many apostolic scriptures which refer to a personal glory, which would result by the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. John saith, It doth not yet appear what we shall be; but when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And Paul saith, Who shall change our vile or degraded 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. Now it

is evident that the Thessalonian brethren, like all others, were big with expectation, and anxious that all their brethren should realize this blessed event; but they seem to have entertained some mistake, or were anxious to enquire about the condition of their brethren who had fallen asleep. Whereupon Paul writes to them, and saith, I would not have you ignorant brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as others who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again: even so them also who 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; (that is, the living saints shall not anticipate, or be before, or have preference to those who had fallen 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; wherefore comfort one another with these words. But of the times and seasons brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night; for when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape; but ye brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Therefore they were not ignorant that this event would occur before that generation had passed away; nor that a translation of the saints who were then living would be the result of that event; because our Lord had distinctly spoken of these particulars, as stated by Mat. xxiv. 34, and also by Luke xvii. 34, who declares that in the day when the Son of man is revealed, that in that night there shall be two in one bed: the one shall be taken and the other shall be left. Two shall be grinding together at one mill, the one shall be taken and the other left. I believe history confirms the fact of the sudden disappearance of a number of human beings at this period; but as we have stated, we have a better testimony

by a more sure word of prophecy for its support, both by the apostle and by our Lord himself. The Thessalonian brethren then, were both instructed and comforted, relative to those who had fallen asleep, and the order of their own translation, who no doubt were intensely waiting this great event, and hasting the day of God for its accomplishment; but if any think otherwise, I ask them to read the 4th and 5th chapters in connection; and as the apostle speaking personally to them, saith, But ye brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. I again ask, what in the name of common sense could overtake these Thessalonian brethren, nearly 2000 years after that generation had passed away; and for an unknown period yet to come, according to some people's imaginary prospective end? We notice then the nature of the grave, from which all the faithful were delivered in experiencing a resurrection of life. The apostle exclaims interrogatively, O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? and then explains the nature of each by an immediate reply. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; therefore as being shut up under it, nothing but that which could remove sin, and make reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousness, could raise them above. it, and give them the victory over its dominion. Hence Zachariah saith, By the blood of thy covenant have I sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water; that is, the grave of the first covenant which was void of the water of life, or a justifying righteousness. If the attentive reader will examine the citation from Hosea xiii. 13, 14, he will find that as a dispensation matter, this death and this grave are immediately connected with the regeneration of the tribes, or the spiritual seed of Israel, under the character of Ephraim, in the gospel dispensation. He saith, the sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him; he is an unwise son, for he should not stay long in the breaking forth of children. I will ransom them from the power of the grave: I will redeem them from death; I will be thy plagues, O grave! I will be thy destruction : repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

The redemption then of Ephraim, and the destruction of this death and this grave, is an act which is void of repentance; and as such, refers to the moral grave in which they lay under the first covenant, see Jer. xv. 1,6; and also refers to the same circumstance as that of the prophecy of Isaiah, chap. xxv. 6, And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, of wines on the lees well refined, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined; and I will destroy in this mountain, (that is, Mount Zion) the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations: he will swallow up death in victory. Therefore the veil that was spread over all nations is a figurative term to represent the ministration of death, in which, as an inclosure or moral grave, Adam's posterity was entombed as a dead body; but which in judgment was finally broken up, and vanished away, as the necessary result of death being swallowed up in victory.

Hence the apostle saith, then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power; for he must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him; and when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Now when the apostle saith, There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus ; it clearly shows, that as all judgment was committed to the Son, because he was the Son of man, that in this character, which was obtained by a relative union with man, he possessed a distinct personal capacity; and as such, exercised an exclusive dominion, as being a third or intermediate party between God and men; but when that exclusive service ended, and which was embodied in Daniel's prophecy, as stated, chap. ix. 24, and fulfilled when his seventy weeks were expired, then that exclusive reign terminated, as being

no longer necessary, the mystery of the revealed will of God in the redemption of man being then accomplished. Therefore when it is said, Then cometh the end when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, that God may be all in all. It does not imply that our Lord has no further interest in that kingdom which is given up, or that the Father is apart, or out of Christ in point of manifestation; but all in all in the full display of his love, by a termination of the service of redemption, as if sin had never existed; and which excludes the necessity of a continued Mediator. Now in respect of the personal glory of our Lord, it remains an eternal truth, independent of his official dignity as Mediator, that in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Hence we find, that he is conjointly associated with the Father, as an object of divine worship when the kingdom is given up, and the acts of Mediatorship have ceased: for John in speaking of the final state, saith, Rev. xxii. 3, And there shall be no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him. And again, Rev. vii. 10, They cried with a loud voice, saying, salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. Thefore our Lord took flesh and blood for the purpose of a temporal dominion in destroying sin and death, to obtain an etrnal triumph in the salvation of an endless seed, throughout all ages.

We also notice, in reference to the pre-existent character of our Lord, that John saith, In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, and the word was made flesh; and as sustaining the character of man by that relationship, he prays, as being the Lord from heaven, that he might be glorified with the same glory which he had with the Father before the world was. The distinct character of Christ then, is founded upon the distinct relationship which he sustains with each party; hence in union with God, he is God, as possessing all his fulness; and in union with man, he is man, because he was made flesh. The glory of union by a personal relationship with God, exceeds that of Sonship, in as much, as by it, all that the Father hath is his; therefore our Lord is