330 CHRIST'S GRAND ADVENT. shall resound through creation, and bring joy to his friends, and strike terror in his foes. He shall come "with the voice of the archangel." Michael shall probably be his precursor or attendant, and his voice shall give the signal to the shouts of the descending hosts. He shall come “with the trump of God." This is the last trumpet, whose sound shall reverberate through all the earth, and which all the dead as well as all the living shall hear. As the trumpet was sounded loud throughout Judea in time of war, to' gather the hosts to battle, so the sound of this trumpet shall gather the whole world before the judgment-seat of Christ. The result to the righteous dead." The dead in Christ shall rise first." The dead in Christ are not here contrasted with the dead out of Christ, but with the living in Christ. Their rising mentioned is not their rising from the grave -that is presupposed, and will be simultaneous with the wicked-but their rising refers to a period after the judg ment is past, and refers to their rising from the earth before the living in Christ. After the decisions of the judgment are over, the glorified righteous, once dead, shall rise first up into the air; then the living in Christ shall rise, and the whole shall ascend with Christ like a cloud of splendour to the mansions of eternal day. JULY 20. Ascension of the Saints. "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."-1 Thess. iv. 17. HERE we have the saints caught up-their happy meeting with Christ-and their parting no more. The saints caught up.-This vast company shall consist ASCENSION OF THE SAINTS. 331 of the dead in Christ, now raised to life, judged, acquitted, glorified. Then it will be seen that death was no disadvantage to them; for though their sleep in the grave appears so long to us, yet, to themselves in glory, it will seem but a night; and they shall rise first up into the air. It consists also of the living in Christ who were on the earth when Christ came to judgment. After having been, like the others, judged and acquitted, they shall be changed and made to resemble them, and then they shall be caught up together with them. This ascension of all the saints shall be accomplished by the power of Christ, by the ministry of angels, and by the spirituality of their own bodies. He who raised them from the dead, and changed them, shall raise them up into the air. Their happy meeting with Christ.-"To meet the Lord. in the air." Christ shall be the grand centre of attraction. His glory shall attract every eye, and every one shall reflect that glory. What an extraordinary meeting! Saints, from all countries and of all ages, shall encircle the Lord of glory, and know and love each other. But why shall they meet in the air? and how long shall they remain there? They shall meet there, and remain there, probably, till "the earth and the works that are therein shall be burnt up till "the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness" shall be created out of the materials of the old. Then shall be realized the vision of John: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea." And then shall be realized all that is revealed of the new Jerusalem in the twenty-first chapter of Revelation. Their parting no more." So shall we ever be with the Lord." All the saints shall enjoy the immediate presence of Christ. "Where I am, there ye shall be also." "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." There shall be different degrees 332 ASCENSION OF THE SAINTS. of glory among them. As there is difference of splendour in the heavenly bodies, so shall there be difference of glory among the redeemed. The apostle Paul will have greater glory than the Christian who never converted a sinner from the error of his ways. They shall be with Christ for ever. Their happiness shall not only be complete, but it shall be without interruption, without diminution, and without end. They shall live and reign with Christ for ever and ever. JULY 21. The Doctrine of Christ. "He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son."-2 John, 9. THE doctrine of Christ-our duty regarding it-and the privilege enjoyed, are worthy of consideration. The doctrine of Christ.-This doctrine includes the great truth, that he has come in the flesh. He is "Emmanuel, God with us." He is "God manifest in flesh." He is God, and proved to be so by voices from heaven, by his own words, and by his wonderful works. He is man, having a body and a soul; and, when on earth, was hungry, fatigued, grieved, and dead. This doctrine includes the great truth, that he made atonement for sin. He came into the world for this very end, and his obedience and death constitute a satisfaction that was well-pleasing to God, and ought to be well-pleasing to all men. This doctrine includes the great truth, that he is a common Saviour to the human race. His gospel is to be preached in all the world, and to every creature. All are invited and encouraged to come to him, and no one is excluded. Our duty regarding it.-"He that abideth." This means that we are to believe in the doctrine of Christ. It is divine truth, attested by miracles-numerous, public, THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST. 333 and benevolent; verified by prophecies fulfilled and fulfilling, and evidenced by the change which it produces on individuals, and, through them, on the world. The religion of Jesus is a religion of facts, and all its doctrines arise out of these facts, and claim immediate and implicit faith. We are to continue in the doctrine of Christ. Religion cannot be taken up like a book, and laid down again. It seizes upon and transforms our moral nature; hence we must abide in it for life, for ever. "Hold fast the form of sound words." "Hold fast that thou hast." "Let us hold fast our profession." We are to practise it. The hold which the doctrine of Christ has on us is to be seen in our conduct: "By their fruits ye shall know them." The privilege enjoyed." He hath both the Father and the Son." This is an invaluable possession. If we have the Father as our portion, and the Son as our Saviour, we have all, and abound for time and for eternity. We have this possession as present and certain. It is not at a distance, and it is not doubtful. It brings us present comfort, sweet communion, and bright prospects. It is a possession of which we cannot be deprived. No one can pluck us out of the Father's hand. The wicked may take away our goods, and our liberty, and our life; but they cannot touch our souls, nor break up their connection with the Father and the Son. JULY 22. God's People Tried. "And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, The Lord is my God."—Zech. xiii. 9. THINK of the trials of God's people-their exercise under them and the gracious result. 334 GOD'S PEOPLE TRIED. The trials of God's people.-"I will bring the third part through the fire." Though many of those who profess to be on the Lord's side should be cut off for their sins, yet those that remain will be tried and purified, for all the people of God must expect trials. "Ye must through much tribulation enter the kingdom." Those who reach the wealthy place must come through fire and water. These trials are designed to improve and purify them. The worker in silver sits as a refiner, and watches the silver in the crucible till it reflects his face. The worker in glass subjects his glass again and again to the action of fire until it is transparent. They are designed to establish and confirm, just as gold is tried by the fire, to ascertain whether it is pure or mixed with alloy. Their exercise under them.- "They shall call on my name, and I will hear them." They know that their trials are from God. His hand is discerned in them, and they acknowledge that they are deserved. They know that he who sent them is alone able to remove them, and give them relief. They are earnest and importunate in prayer for relief, as God enjoins them: "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." "Is any afflicted? let them pray." God pledges himself to hear them; and however poor and needy, they will not be overlooked when they cry. Surely he who hears the raven's cry and the lion's roar, will hear the groanings of the prisoner! The gracious result.—They become the Lord's property: "It is my people." They are his by sovereign choice, and they are his by their own consent. He owns them as his: "I will say." They will have the witness of this in their own hearts, and others will know and take knowledge of them, that they have been with Jesus. Each one claims and appropriates God to himself: "The Lord is my God." This is a specimen of personal covenanting, and there is |