intimated, much less asserted, that there are any wicked in the resurrection. He gives us only two orders: Christ the first fruits; afterwards, they that are Christ's at his coming. If there be any others, he does not mention them; and there is no information in regard to the matter, save what he furnishes.!

The order of time is marked, however, by three distinct events, and noting these, will confirm what has already been said. 1. The resurrection of Christ, as the first fruits. 2. The resurrection of those who are Christ's at his coming. 3. "Then cometh the end."

Now, observe, that the "end" comes immediately after the raising of those called Christ's. No transaction, of any kind, intervenes between the second and third event of the series. They are represented as immediately consecutive, following in regular order, according to the original plan. And yet the common doctrine separates these two links in the chain of events, which the argument of Paul has bound together, and inserts another totally foreign, and in direct opposition, to the very purpose of that argument, viz., the resurrection of the wicked! As if it were possible for Paul to forget, or omit, a fact of such tremendous importance; and which, if true, would have compelled an entire re-construction of the argument in this part of his Epistle!

'Paul's expression, "there shall be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust," is simply expressive of universality, and not of moral character or condition in the resurrection, as he says elsewhere, "Jew and Gentile," ""bond and free." We have similar phrases, as "high and low," "rich and poor," "good and bad," "wise and ignorant," meaning thereby "all men.' They are used not to describe character but to express universality, completeness.

But the fact of there being only two orders in the resurrection, is farther confirmed by the figure which the apostle employs -"Christ the first fruits." The first fruits were gathered, at the beginning of the harvest, and offered in solemn form to God, with great rejoicings, as an acknowledgment of his goodness, and of the bounty of his providence in the fruits of the earth. Afterwards came the general harvest, of which the first fruits were alike a sample and a pledge. Of course, if the figure of the apostle is well chosen, and to the point, there are but two orders in the resurrection; Christ the first fruits, and then the universal harvest of the dead.

This fact of the first fruits being a pattern or sample of the harvest, is important, and still further confirms the argument that there are only two orders. In verse 20, we have the following: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept," or the dead of every condition and character - not of any particular class; for all die alike, and "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

Now, if we turn to Rom. xi. 16, we have the argument complete: "If the first fruits be holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches." Here the same figure is used with reference to the final ingathering of the Jews, but the fact asserted is what demands attention, viz., that the first fruits are a specimen, a sample of the quality and character of the whole harvest-"if the first fruits be holy, the lump (" the entire mass, the whole harvest,) is holy." And he repeats the thought under an additional figure: "If the root be holy, so

are the branches; i. e., the branches derive their character from the root out of which they grow; and if the root, therefore, be good, then necessarily the branches must be good also."

The argument of these figures, in their application to the resurrection of the dead, is direct and unanswerable. Christ is the first fruits of the resurrection harvest, and is holy; therefore, we know what will be the quality and character of the universal harvest. He is the root, for in him is all our hope of a future life. We are raised from the mortal into the immortal, from the earthly into the heavenly, through him; as the branches are developed, through the life of the trunk or root, into beauty, and bloom, and fruitage. As the branches are after the nature and pattern of the trunk, so are we, in the resurrection life, after the nature and pattern of Christ. As we have borne the image of the earthy here, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly there; for all shall be made alive in Christ. We may not know now what that image is, but it is enough to know that it is in the likeness of Christ. As John says: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." 1 John iii. 2.

So the argument stands thus in proof of only two orders or classes in the resurrection:

Christ is the first fruits of all the dead- if the first fruits be holy, the lump, or the whole harvest, is holy therefore, all the dead in the resurrection will be holy.

If Christ be not the first fruits of all the dead, then there is no proof that those, of whom he is not the

first fruits, will be raised at all, and if not raised, then they are perished; and annihilation, and not endless torment, is the result.

These are the only logical conclusions which can be based on the language of the apostle. He is entirely silent in regard to the wicked in the resurrection; and either there are no wicked when "the end" comes, or they are not raised.' He speaks of those who are Christ's, but makes not the least allusion to those who are not his; and the legitimate inference is, that there are none of this sort, but that all are Christ's, and Christ is God's; and he, as the Father, is all in all. This is the Christian doctrine, and, as Horne truly says: "How beautiful and striking is Paul's use of this figure of the first fruits, in this most consolatory and closely reasoned chapter, in which he argues and establishes the certainty of the general resurrection, from the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and represents Christ as the first fruits of a glorious and universal harvest of all the sleeping dead."

Yes; and the very point of the argument, and the very truth which gives it its consolatory character, is the fact, that in the resurrection, when the end comes, the wicked will cease to be wicked, and all

'DR. BLOOMFIELD remarks, with great naivete, The apostle says nothing about those who are not Christ's, the wicked." Exactly: and that is good reason why we should say nothing about them. It is not well for us to be wise above what is written in this matter. If the apostle had believed that in the resurrection some would not be Christ's, he could not have forgotten, he would not have refused to say so; and as he did not, the proof is conclusive against such a supposition. For the "resurrection to damnation," and awaking to "everlasting shame and contempt," see chapter x.

* Introduction, vol. iii. 288.

souls purified, redeemed, and exalted in Christ, will rejoice for ever more, in the glorious liberty of the children of God. And in confirmation of this view, we shall, in the next section, consider the circumstances under which "the end" here mentioned, is to come, and the time of its coming.

SECTION III.

66 THEN COMETH THE END "-CHRIST'S SAVING POWER CONTINUES BEYOND DEATH, TO THE END.

1

"Then cometh the end," says Paul. 1 Cor. xv. 24. When cometh the end? and the end of what? "Then" implies a specified time, and the apostle points it out, with great precision, in the very next words. "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 till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." And in the words immediately preceding, he connects the end directly with the resurrection, thus: "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order; Christ the first fruits, afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end."

The end spoken of, is the end of Christ's mediatorial reign, of his separate kingdom as a Saviour; which, at the time named, he delivers up to God the Father. And this is not done till all things are subjected to his spiritual rule, all opposing powers and authorities; not till death, the last enemy, is destroy