literal refurrection.

"I faw the fouls of them. "that were beheaded for the witnefs of Jefus, "and they lived." The fcriptures always defcribe a literal refurrection by the revivifcency of the body, but never of the foul; because on the principles of our religion, the foul dies not, the body only requires to be raised and revived. Again, this expreffion readily fuggefts to us, perfons of a fimilar temper and disposition with the martyrs. John the Baptift is called Elias by the Old Testament prophets, because he would appear in the spirit of Elias. The heretics in the days of the Apostles are termed Antichrifts, because they had the spirit of the great Antichrift foretold; fo the faints, particularly the rulers, during the Millennium, are called the raised martyrs, because they shall be eminently poffeffed of the fpirit of the martyrs.

5. The opinion of a literal refurrection, involves in it many tenets inconsistent with the teftimonies of fcripture, and the genius of the Chriftian religion.

It is inconfiftent with the happiness of departed faints, who enjoy the beatific vision of God in heaven; who "are abfent from the bo

dy and prefent with the Lord;"-" who are "through faith and patience, now inheriting "the promises." Shall we efteem it an additional happiness, to quit the prefence of the

Lord,

Lord, for the fociety of men? Is it defirable for those who have arrived at their heavenly Father's house to return again to the land of their fojourning? Or fhall we fay, that God contrains them to return; then is it thus he rewards the integrity of his most faithful fervants, to fubject them to a fecond period of difficulty and trial, while ordinary faints are admitted to uninterrupted happiness at the confummation of the first period: That difficulties occur after the Millennium, is evident from this, That Gog and Magog "compafs the camp of the faints, " and the beloved city," Rev. xx.

It is inconfiftent with the plain directions of our Lord and his Apoftles. He commands us, "not to lay up treasures for ourselves on earth, "but to lay up our treasures in heaven,” Matth. vi. 19. The Apostle enjoins, "to fet our af"fections on things above, not on things on the "earth," Col. iii. 2. But, if the rewards of Chrift's followers, in whole or in part, were beftowed on this earth, it would be lawful to lay up treasures, and fet our affections on things on this earth.

It is inconfiftent with the accounts given us of the refurrection, and the circumstances that accompany it. The efficient caufe of the refurrection is Jefus Chrift, who fhall then perfonally defcend to the earth. "The Lord himself "fhall

"fhall defcend from heaven with a shout, with "the voice of the archangel, and with the "trump of God: and the dead in Chrift fhall "rife firft," Thef. iv. 16. "The Lord Jefus "shall be revealed from heaven in flaming "fire," 2 Thef. i. 7. If Christ descends not, there will be no refurrection; befides, the Millenarians apply the paffages juft quoted to the firft refurrection, and therefore acknowledge his defcent. Now I afk, whether he remains on earth from that period till the general refurrection, or returns to heaven? If he remains on earth, he too must be compaffed about by Gog and Magog, in the beloved city, which appears to me utterly inconfiftent with his state of exaltation, and the glory in which he would appear. The moft fenfible part of the modern Millenarians, have therefore renounced the idea of his perfonal prefence on earth. If he returns to heaven, he must defcend again at the general refurrection, which would make three feveral appearances of Chrift on earth, in exprefs contradiction to what the Apoftle has delivered: "Once hath he appeared to put away fin by the "facrifice of himself,--and unto them that look "for him fhall he appear the fecond time, without "fin unto falvation;" Heb. ix. 27, 28. Again, by the refurrection the body is materially changed. "That which was fown in weakness, dif

“ honour,

"honour, and corruption, fhall be raised in

power and glory, in incorruption: that which "was formerly a natural body, fhall then be a "fpiritual body," 1 Cor. xv. 42, 43, 44. Now, if the bodies of the Martyrs are not raised with these qualifications, the scripture doctrine of the refurrection is contradicted. But if they are raised with these qualifications, the martyrs will have no occafion for, nor find a relish in those earthly bleffings which the Millenarians have treasured up for them.-If it be faid, that they are changed only in part by the first resurrection, and fhall undergo a fecond change at the general refurrection, that opinion likewise contradicts the fcripture; for, "It is appointed unto all men once to die," Heb. ix. 27. but the martyrs would undergo a change fimilar to death twice. Further the Apostle comprehends all that undergo any change by the general refurrection in two claffes; firft, fuch as are raised from their graves; and fecondly, such as are then living on earth, who shall undergo a change fimilar to death. Now, if the martyrs are not included in the firft clafs, they certainly are not in the fecond; for the Apoftle exprefsly declares, that they who fhould be changed are fuch as had not fleeped, 1 Cor. xv. 51. which cannot apply to the raifed martyrs.

In a word, the fcriptures represent the refurrection of the juft, as performed fuddenly. "In

" a

a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the "laft trump, (for the trumpet shall found, and "the dead fhall be raised incorruptible, and "we shall be changed);" 1 Cor. xv. 52. But this representation can by no means accord with the doctrine which makes the day of judgment to continue a thoufand years, and part of the juft to be raised at the beginning, the reft at the end of that period.

There are only two objections that deserve to be examined, against a figurative explication of the firft refurrection. One is taken from these words: "But the reft of the dead lived not a"gain until the thousand years were finifhed," Rev. xx. 5. on which Daubuze obferves, “The "words here, the rest of the dead, fhew that the "perfons before mentioned, as dead and living

again, were really dead." For if they were not, what occafion was there to fay, the reft of the dead?" Here is plainly an opposition, or "rather exception, which admits of no equi"vocation, out of a rule or affertion which "must be of the fame kind; or else what need "is there of fuch exception." The force of this objection is clearly and candidly stated by Newton. "If the martyrs rife only in a fpiri"tual fenfe; then the reft of the dead rise only "in a fpiritual fenfe; but if the reft of the "dead really rise, the martyrs rise in the fame "manner."

(1) Daubuze on the Rev. p. 568.