natural man never will know or discern. Though surely, if nature teach any religion, it is the Christian; if she preach any doctrine, it is this resurrection and change. And was not the book of nature, as well as that of grace, become a sealed book, what man, that ever travelled with the earth through the vicissitudes of a year, could deny a resurrection? Ask the furrows of the field, and they shall tell thee. For except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.' The parts of the seed cannot spring afresh, till they have been first dissolved. It is true, the husbandman soweth only bare grain; but it arises, clothed upon' with a beautiful verdure. And if God so clothe the grass of the field,' how much more shall he clothe your mortal bodies with a glorious immortality, O ye of little faith? But why need we take the compass of a year? Every twenty-four hours there is a rehearsal, in nature, of man's death and resurrection. Every evening, the day, with its works, dies into darkness and the shadow of death. All colours fade, all beauty vanishes, all labour and motion cease, and every creature veiled in darkness, mourns, in solemn silence, the interment of the world. Who would not say, 'It is dead-it shall not rise! Yet, wait only a few hours, in faith and patience, and this dead and entombed earth, by the agency of heaven upon it, shall burst asunder the bars of that sepulchral darkness, in which it was imprisoned, and arise, and be enlightened, and its light shall come; the dayspring from on high shall visit it, and destroy the covering cast over all people,' and array universal nature with a robe of glory and beauty, raising those that sleep, to behold themselves and the world changed from darkness to light, and calling them up, to give glory to God and think of the resurrection. Happy are they who make this use of it! God shall help them, when that morning appeareth, of which every morning has been to them a blessed prelude: to such, day unto day uttereth the word of the everlasting gospel, and night unto night showeth the knowledge of salvation. They understand how the heavens declare the glory of God' in the felicity of his chosen, and furnish us with some ideas of our approaching glorification. Nothing earthly can fully represent that which is changed from earthly to heavenly; for the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.' There is one glory of the Sun of righteousness, another glory of the moon, his church, walking in the brightness she receives from him, and another glory of the stars, his saints; for here also one star differeth from another star in glory. All stand in their order, in shining circles, round the throne of the sun. There these morning stars sing together unto the Lord a new song, and all the sons of God, even the children of the resurrection, shout for joy; for they rest not day or night, making one sound to be heard through all the heavenly courts-Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come! Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord, Most High! Wherefore, my beloved brethren, seeing these bodies of ours are to become instruments of glory hereafter, how ought they to be instruments of grace here? for grace is the dawn of glory, as glory is the meridian of grace. Seeing we are to have such bodies, what ought our souls to be, for whom such bodies are prepared? And how ought we to spend our short moment of probation in cleansing ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God!' The consideration of our glorious change cannot but make our hearts to burn within us. And then is the time to reflect, that blessed is he, whose soul is changed from grace to grace, for his body shall be changed from glory to glory. And if the soul of a Christian be ever transformed by the renewing of his mind,' it must be, not while he is in the hurry and vanity of the world below, but when he leaves the world, and, following the steps of his dear Lord and Master, ascends, by faith, to the mount of transfiguration, and is on his knees before God, remembering it is written, 'While he prayed, he was transfigured.' Blessed, therefore, is he who breaks away from idle and vain conversation, to meditate in the law of God day and night; to commune with his own heart, and in his chamber; to call his past ways to remembrance, in the bitterness of his soul; to confess his wickedness, and be sorry for his sin. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth,' says the world. Blessed are they that mourn,' says he, whom the world crucified. Let those, therefore, who enjoy a life of perfect leisure, and are continually complaining how heavy time hangs upon their hands, consider, whether they could tell, if God should call upon them at this moment, when they ever freely and voluntarily withdrew for one hour, to attend the business of changing their souls from sin to righteousness, that so their bodies may be changed from dust to glory? And if this question, from the mouth of the all-seeing Judge, will strike the unprofitable servant speechless at his footstool, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Let us consider this, and be wise unto salvation, and, in every thought, word, and action, remember our latter end. Let us remember, that our Redeemer liveth, and that he shall indeed stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after our skin, worms destroy this body, yet in this flesh shall we see God.' And may we so look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,' by the eye of faith, that when we see him as he is, he may 'change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself.' |