might have life are to be raised for judgment.

The doc

trine of a simultaneous resurrection of both classes for judgment before "the great white throne," sadly obscures, if it does not entirely and absolutely neutralize, the distinction on which our Lord insists.

In John vi, our Lord refers no fewer than four times to the resurrection: but in each instance it is to the resurrection of his people; and the terms in which he speaks, are such as intimate that the resurrection treated of, is to take place as their distinctive privilege. "And this is the Father's will.....that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." Also, "that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day." Again, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him : and I will raise him up at the last day." Finally, "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." The "last day" is not, as is popularly supposed, a day of four and twenty hours, absolutely at the close of all things. It is the great closing period, in which God makes manifest the character and results both of man's and Satan's actings, and of his own eternal counsels, as well as of his gracious operations throughout the preceding periods. Just as we have in scripture "the day of the Lord" in contrast with "man's day" and "the day of judgment" in contrast with "the day of salvation," both these being expressive of a lengthened period, so we have "the last day" in contrast with preceding days, or periods, leading on thereto. But the object for which we quote the four passages in which this phrase occurs, is to point out, that the resurrection of the saints is represented as the completion of everything that relates to their position and state. It flows from the gift of the saints to Christ by the Father, and Christ's faithfulness to the charge with which the Father has entrusted him. It is inseparable from the everlasting life which is the portion of every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him. It is the final issue of the Father's drawings, and of that faith in a crucified Saviour which is described as 66 eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of man." True, there is nothing here to distinguish it as to time from the resurrection of the unjust. But this is in itself a point of secondary importance. There is no resurrection treated of in this chapter save that of believers; but no statements

could be uttered or penned, more widely to distinguish it as to its source, its ground, and its character, from the resurrection of the wicked, than those to which our attention has now been directed.

The church has its existence by virtue of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The life by which it is animated is his life, as risen from the death which he underwent for our sins, by the infinite efficacy of which death those sins are put away. In Eph. i, ii, where the Holy Ghost unfolds a truth beyond even this, this truth is most strikingly developed. The truth there specially revealed, and which does pass beyond the subject of our present meditations, is that of the association of the church with Christ, not as risen only, but as ascended also. But ascension implies resurrection; and our participation in Christ's resurrection is, moreover, expressly declared. "The exceeding greatness of God's power to us-ward who believe," is "according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." "God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved :) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Thus even now is the church partaker of the resurrection-life, as well as of the heavenly exaltation of Jesus. The life has not yet been communicated to our bodies, and therefore it is in spirit, not as yet actually, that we are in heavenly places. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." The resurrection of our bodies will place us actually, where our oneness with Christ by the Holy Ghost now places us spiritually, in the heavenly places whither our risen Lord has ascended, and where he has sat down. It is surely, of all importance to have such a testimony, that the resurrection of the church is on a principle common with that of her glorified Head, and by virtue of her association with him in life, in inheritance, and in glory!

What a light does the truth just considered shed on the words of the apostle, " that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead." Acts xxvi, 23. As to the simple fact of restoration to life after death, he was not the first in whom such restoration took place. Instances are recorded both in the Old Testament

:

"In him

and in the Gospels, of persons being recalled to life. But it was to the natural Adam-life that they were restored, and so had a second time to sleep the sleep of death. But as to the life, which exempts its subjects from weakness, dishonour, corruption, and mortality; the life received moreover, by virtue of sin's penalty having been undergone, God's glory manifested and secured, Satan vanquished, and death completely overthrown; as to this life, and resurrection in the power of this life, how evident that Christ was indeed the first that rose from the dead. He who went down under all Jehovah's waves and all his wrath on account of our sins, atonement for which he had undertaken to make he who tasted all the bitterness and felt all the power of death, though himself the Prince of life, and the only begotten Son of God; he was the first to emerge from death's dark dominions, as one on whom death had no claim, and over whom the "It was had no power. grave not possible that he should be holden of it." was life." He had "power to lay down" his "life and power to take it again. He had laid it down, that God might be glorified, his church redeemed, sin put away, Satan overthrown, creation itself delivered,—and that all the counsels of eternal wisdom, holiness, and love might be accomplished. It was sin that had made it needful that at such a cost, in such a way, God should be glorified, and the good pleasure of the Father's will fulfilled. Christ shrunk not from the mighty work. He took flesh and blood that he might accomplish it. While passing on towards it he could cry, "How am I straitened till it be accomplished." When the hour arrived, he was in perfect readiness, and went out to meet those to whom he said "Now is your hour, and the power of darkness." He died. The sun was darkened, the rocks were riven, the temple's vail was rent, the graves were opened. Even at his expiring cry, the domains of death were laid bare; and was it possible that he could be holden of death? No: "raised from the dead by the glory of the Father," and bearing with him the trophies of his victory, "the keys of death and of hades" he came forth, "leading captivity captive;" "having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in himself." But though in the conflict he stood alone, and the glory of the victory belongs entirely to himself, of its fruits we are favoured to partake. He was "the first to rise from the dead," but it was as "the first-fruits," and the abundant harvest is in due sea

son to follow. "He is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence." Col. i, 18. "Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ!"

Το

We have been guilty of no digression, dear reader, in considering thus the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is when the apostle has described the vision that he beheld, of thrones, and sitters upon them, to whom judgment was given; when he has described two distinct classes of risen ones who partake of this glory, and said of them all, that they lived and reigned WITH CHRIST a thousand years; when he has explained that the rest of the dead lived not again throughout this period; it is then that he says of the whole vision, "THIS IS THE FIRST RESURRECTION." And can we contemplate the first resurrection without considering Christ's place in it? Christ, "the first" who rose, "the first-fruits""the first born"-" the first begotten from the dead,” “the first born among many brethren!" No, his place must not be omitted or overlooked! It is in proportion as we understand his place that we shall understand our own. say that it is by his power we shall rise is to say the very least that can be said. It is by his power that even the wicked will be raised for judgment. But as to us, who through grace believe in Jesus and belong to Jesus, it is as given to him of the Father, purchased by his own blood, absolved by his death, partakers even already of his life, nourished by eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood, it is as one with him, members of his body, and co-heirs of his inheritance and glory-that our bodies shall be raised. True, that some will have part in "the first resurrection" who do not stand thus in the intimate relation to him which belongs only to the church, which is his body-his bride: but Christ and the church surely form the chief part of "the first resurrection." The Lord grant to all his people a more profound sense of the riches of his love, the value of his sacrifice, the power of his resurrection.

We hope, if the Lord will, to return to this subject in

our next.

London Manchee, late Campbell, Holborn.

(Price one Penny.)

No. 20.]Plain Papers on Prophetic[Aug. 1854.

and other Subjects.

"THE FIRST RESURRECTION :"

(Concluded.)

The truth of "the resurrection at the last day" seems to have been known among the Jews at the time of our Lord's sojourn on earth. The Sadducees denied it, but with this exception it seems to have been traditionally held by the nation at large. On the occasion of the death of Lazarus, when the Lord had returned to Bethany, but had not as yet entered the town, Martha hearing of his approach, went out to meet him; and in answer to the consolatory assurance "Thy brother shall rise again," she said, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." This was true as far as it went; but our Lord would unfold to her truth of a still deeper and more blessed character. "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 believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" John xi, 23-26. The last day might be far distant: but Jesus would have Martha and her sister to understand, that in receiving him they re. ceived not merely the Raiser of the dead, but the One who is in his own person, "the resurrection and the life." In his absence, sickness had been permitted to enter his beloved retreat at Bethany, and death had followed: the grave itself had received its victim, and the friend of Jesus lay to all appearance secure within its embrace. But the sorrowing sisters were to know,-yea, it was to be manifested to his desponding disciples who had but just said "Let us also go, that we may die with him," and to the Jews who were assembled as the comforters of the bereaved ones-all were to know, that life is essentially in the

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person