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necessity of living in order to die in him.-

Thus we may see the the Lord, or Christ, in And to live in him, is to have that faith in him, which worketh by love, purifieth the heart, and overcometh the world. To esteem him as the chiefest among ten thousands, and the one altogether lovely. To imitate him in all his imitable perfections. To walk in all his commandments blameless. To have the love of God shed abroad in the heart. To die unto sin and to live unto righteousness. To crucify the old man in the flesh. To put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man, even Jesus Christ. To do good unto all men, especially unto the household of the faithful. To seek peace and pursue it. To feed the hungry, clothe the naked, relieve the oppressed, visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and a life unspotted before the world. And finally to do unto all men as you would wish them to do unto you under a change of circumstances. All this is included and comprehended, in what we understand, or ought to understand, by being converted from sin unto holiness, and being brought out of nature's darkness into God's marvellous light; which are certainly implied in living or dwelling in Christ, which is absolutely necessary, in order to die in him.

2. And as life is very uncertain, no age, sex, or condition in life, exempting a person from the cold arms of death; this also shews the importance of being always prepared for whatever may await us, by constant examination, meditation and prayer, living near to God, not stag

gering concerning his promises, knowing that he who hath promised is not only able but willing to perform.

3. Although it is not certain, but that God may see fit to pour out his spirit and grace, and convert the sinner on a death-bed, or even in a dying hour; yet are we certain that we shall be in a capacity to attend to those gracious calls at such a period as this, when the pangs of death are hanging heavy upon us, and we expecting every moment to launch into eternity; and can see nothing before us but horror and amazement! or if we should be so happy as to embrace the Saviour, even on a death-bed, we should be but a child in knowledge and grace; far behind those who have travelled on from one degree of grace unto another, and loved not their lives unto the death, that they might receive a crown of life.

4. I would not be understood, that any person can go to Christ, live in him, dwell in him, sleep in him, and finally die in him, unless God hath given him eternal life in Christ, not for any works of righteousness that he hath done, or ever can do, but according to his abundant mercy but being assured of this, that is, that God hath given us all eternal life, and this life is in his Son (for there is no respect to persons with God :) Let us therefore, lay hold on the hope which is set before us, and run with patience, and fight valiantly the Christian warfare, that we may come off conquerors through him who hath loved us, and died for us; that we may be to the praise of his glory, even a kind of first

fruits unto holiness, and share the blessings of those who die in the Lord.

II. I come, Secondly, to set forth the blessedness of those who die in the Lord.

And as I am only to speak of the blessedness of the dead, I must pass over the many blessings which the saints enjoy in this life, such as union and communion with God, and a wellgrounded hope, which is like an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast; which entereth into that which is within the vail, where Jesus our forerunner hath entered for us; which buoys them up above all the vanities, afflictions, losses, crosses and disappointments in this life: And finally the comfort and consolation the righteous do enjoy, even when they are brought upon a death-bed, and are about to bid adieu to the things of time and sense; when they can say, "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet, in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me." Job xix. 25-27.

I say, I pass by all these, and begin to speak of the blessedness of the righteous, which commences at their death, and will appear more and more glorious, until the whole counsel of God is carried into effect.

1. Those who die in the Lord are attended by guardian angels, who stand ready to convey their spirits into the realms of bliss, while their bodies are conveyed to the silent grave, the

place appointed for all living. The poor man Lazarus, who lay at the rich man's gate, died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. But perhaps some will say, that this was a parable, and Lazarus, the poor man', referred to the Gentile nation which was carried into the bosom of the gospel by the embassadors of Christ. And this idea, I have no mind to dispute, or deny; but parables are always taken from the similitudes of facts, and the fact itself must exist, or there can be no propriety in the parable.

2. The souls of those who die in the Lord are present with him, and behold his glory, whom they shall see face to face, in those heavenly mansions, until they shall come to reign with him on the earth.

The apostle Paul had a great desire, while he tabernacled in the flesh, to depart and be with Christ, which was far better; which certainly shews that the soul does not sleep with the body, as some good people suppose. For me to live (saith he) is Chirst, but to die is gain; and the reason he gave was, that when he was absent from the body, he should be present with the Lord; which could not be, unless the soul, or spirit, survived the body.

It would be difficult for language to paint out those sublime joys that the spirits of just men made perfect are now possessed of; which are all that some people entertain in the ideas of the fulness of heaven itself; but I must not enlarge here, for this is but a small part of their blessed

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3. All those who die in the Lord, shall be brought with Christ, when he shall come the second time to reign on the earth. "For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." 1 Thess. iv. 14.

The scriptures are very full and plain upon this point. Jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven accompanied with all his saints and the holy angels; the trump shall sound, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, their souls and bodies shall be united, and those who are alive upon the earth (that is, the saints) shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye and be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. "This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years," Rev. xx. 5, 6.

Here is something worthy of our attention. Observe that the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were expired. It will be very hard to accommodate this event to any thing that hath ever taken place, or will ever take place in this life. For although there may be people living on the earth at this time, when Je. sus Christ shall come to be glorified with his -saints, &c. yet I believe that those whom Jesus will bring with him, as well as the dead that lived not until the thousand years were expired, cannot mean any body in the flesh.

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