THE RESURRECTION OF THE UNJUST.

In examining the nature of this important subject, we first notice the distinct denomination which it sustains from that of the resurrection of life, which is attached to the character of the just; and which is termed by our Lord the resurrection of damnation. Now by connecting these terms, life and damnation, as the immediate relatives of the term resurrection, it implies that the judgment of life and death is involved in the act itself. And in agreement with this inference, we find that the judgment of the gospel, either by an obedience, or a disobedience of its testimony, constitutes a dispensation which is declared to be that of life unto life, or of death unto death. Therefore that which begins with life, ends with life; and that which begins with death, ends with death. Hence the unjust, as being the subjects of death from first to last, have no interest in the first resurrection; because the terms quickened, raised up, or being made alive, or passed from death unto life, are never applied to them; but in every instance, the terms relative to life, are exclusively applied to the subjects of faith in Christ Jesus. Therefore those who are quickened together with him, are distinguished as such by this important declaration, Blessed and holy is he that bath part in the first resurrection, on such the second death hath no power.

As we have but two portions of scripture which apply the term resurrection to the unjust, and which are John v. 29, and Acts xxiv. 15, It will be necessary to examine each of these in their respective connection, to ascertain the import of its signification. In noticing the former text, our Lord saith, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that bear shall live. For as the Father bath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and bath given him authority to execute judgment also,

because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the 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 examining this important scripture, we observe a distinction both of times and circumstances, which relate to the subject of the resurrection, both of the just and unjust. In the first part, our Lord saith, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live ; by which it is evident, that as being a present event, it could have no reference to that of animal death; and also that there were those who would not hear, and as such would still abide in a state of death. And which clearly shews, that it refers to the circumstances of these characters, in their relation to the dispensation of the gospel, either as being interested, or not interested in it, as the voice of life. Therefore it proves, that those who were dead, and did hear and live, had previously laid dead under the killing letter of the law, termed a ministration of death; but who would receive the testimony of resurrection life, obtained by the resurrection of Christ, and relatively live, as those who were risen inhim, We also notice in this scripture, the immediate connection between the periodical phrases, The hour cometh, and now is, and that of, The hour cometh, that though it implies an intermediate period for its fulfilment, yet as a connected subject, it shews, that the dispensation of life had already commenced; and would finally result by its completion in the resurrection both of the just and unjust, by which they would receive either the judgment of eternal life, or that of the second death. And further to shew that, The resurrection of damnation refers to the unjust as still being in the same state of death by that event, (and that irrespective of another state of creature existence, it wholly refers to the judgment of a dispensation matter) it is finally said,

And death and hell, were cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. Therefore as the subjects of the wrathful indignation of the Almighty, the final confirmation of the oath that they should not enter into his rest was now fully realized; and which proved, that the judgment of rejecting the record of the gospel, or book of life, was that of death unto death. Finally we notice, that as this scripture declares, That all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and come forth, it is important to enquire, what is the nature of the grave in which these were interred? Now the apostle in speaking of the consummation of the resurrection of life, saith, Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? and then in reply, explains the nature of these, by saying in reference to the former: The sting of death, is sin, and in reference to the grave, the strength of sin is the law. And in agreement with this definition, the prophet Ezekiel, speaking of the spiritual resurrection of Israel, who lay dead in the valley of their economy, saith, chap. xxxvii., Thus saith the Lord God; behold O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel; and you shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it saith the Lord. Again we notice, that Isaiah saith, Thy dead shall, live, together with my dead body shall they arise: Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out her dead. I presume then, that as these dead bad dwelt in dust, from which abode they were now risen by the individuality of the resurrection of another, by which relative event, they were to awake and sing, as being disinterred from this

earthy condition, that it refers to those who were risen in Christ, and who rapturously exulted in a state of justification, being delivered from the weak and beggarly elements of a typical carnal worship which could never give life.

When from babit we have been accustomed to attach certain ideas to certain terms, such as an animal death to that of being dead, and the literal particles of earth, as that which is always attached to dust, and a literal disinterment of a dead body, (as expressed by the earth casting out her dead) to that of a common burial ground; it requires strong evidence to show the fallacy of such literal impressions, and that the scriptural employment of these terms have an exclusive reference to the moral condition of these characters, who by the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, were made free from the law of sin and death. As then we have shown by these scriptures, that the import of the term grave, in its spiritual signification, refers to the resurrection of the just from the elements of the ministration of death: we proceed to show, in what respect the unjust, who were not risen in Christ, came out of this grave. Now as we have shown, that the terms, the dead, the dust, and a disinterment from the grave, by the earth casting out her dead, referred to the Jewish economy; so we intend to show that the coming forth of the unjust from this grave resulted from its dissolution; and which as a disclosing grave by that event, would no longer prove a covering for the dead. Therefore Isaiah saith, chap. xxvi. 21, For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. The Jewish economy is often in scriptural phraseology termed the earth, Isaiah saith again, chap. xxiv. 18, The foundatious of the earth do shake: the earth is utterly broken down: the earth is clean dissolved the earth is moved exceedingly: the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be

removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise up again. Therefore in order to show more fully the nature of the resurrection of the unjust, and that it has no reference to a disinterment of the deceased dust from a literal grave, or to that of a second state of creature existence, I shall compare the testimony of the final judgment, as stated by the prophet Isaiah, chap. xxxiv. 4, with Rev. vi. 13, the former of which reads thus, And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the beavens shall he rolled together as a scroll; and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth from off the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig-tree. Now this scripture precisely corresponds with Rev. vi. 13; and which reads thus, And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places; and the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand. We find then from these scriptures, that upon the occurrence of the second advent of Christ, and which as a day of judgment is termed the great day of his wrath; that at this crisis the inhabitants of this dissolving state, (from a consciousness of guilt) called for the mountains to fall on them, and the hills to cover them; which circumstance olearly shows, that this event must have occurredprior to that of having experienced natural death, for what could rocks and mountains have to do with characters, who at this time are supposed to be rendered supernatural beings, and raised from a literal grave, and passed into another state of creature existence?

We also notice, that as this is termed the great day