SERMON XXXVII.

The doctrine of the Refurrection flated and -proved.

Daniel xii. 2. And many of them that fleep in the duft of the earth fhall awake, fome to everlafting life, and fome to Shame and everlafting contempt.

THE do&rine of the refurre &tion of the dead, altho' in fome refpects it is both marvelous and myfterious, yet it is of the ut most certainty, and neceffarily compofes an article of the chriftian's creed. In thefe days of fcepticism, it is denied by many, who tho' they do not entirely renounce the name of chriflian in profeffion, ftrangely allegorife away this as well as fome other distinguishing truths of divine revelation. This will always be the cafe with mankind when they exalt their own wisdom and understanding above the plain declarations of heaven. They will continually be the fubjects of error and delution. When perfons depart from the fimple and obvious meaning of language, the plain relation of facts and things delivered in the oracles of truth, and begin to fpiritualise and allegorile every matter that is spoken, they never fail of falling

into the groffeft inconfiftences and contradictions, and often the final iffue is the most blafphemous infidelity. The vain man, who wishes to be esteemed wife, frequently attempts to mar this glorious doctrine in our text, yet it is a doctrine which will fill be believed by all who adhere to the plain and literal intention of their bibles. It is a doctrine, notwithstanding there may be fome difficulties attending it, yet bleffed be God it contains neither abfurdity nor impoffibility. Some who are ready to fear if there should be a refurrection, they may be of the unhap. py number that fhall arife to everlasting fhame and contempt, would therefore invent objections against the truth, rather than entertain the tormenting thought. But whether they believe it or not, it is equally the fame, the word of God remains true and ftedfaft, and what the Lord hath affirmed fhall infallibly come to pafs. This is a doctrine delivered both in the old Teftament and the new, by the prophets and apoftles and by Chrifl himself, by whom the dead fhall be raised up, therefore thofe who will not believe it, when it enters fo deeply into the whole chriftian fyftem, it is not probable they would believe tho' one came from the dead. This doctrine tho' terrible to the wicked, yet it adminifters great joy and confolation to the people of Ged. In the verfe preceding our text the prophet Daniel is evidently predicting the approach of the gofpel state. When Michael the great prince, that is Jefus Chrift, fhall stand up for the people of God, then will be a time of great trouble to the wicked, to Satan and all the implacable enemies of his kingdom, but it will be a feafon of joy and gladnefs of heart to those whofe names are written in the book of life; for deliverance and falvation fhal! come unto them. Then at the confummation of all things will be fulfilled this declaration, “Ma"ny of them that fleep in the duft of the earth fhall awake, "fome to everlasting life, and some to fhame and everlasting "contempt." They who are fond of oppofing the doctrine of the refurrection, and boldly urge that the old Teftament is filent upon this head, are greatly perplexed with the argument

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contained in this paffage. They vainly pretend these words must be taken not in a literal but in a metaphorical and figu-rative fenfe. They fay, it fignifies no more than the deliverance of the church from the grievous perfecutions of Antiochus the king of Syria, and fleeping in the duft of the earth, was the Jews hiding themfelves in holes and caves, in order to avoid the fury of that cruel tyrant. But it is abundently evident Daniel had concluded his prophefy refpecting the perfecution of Antiochus in the former chapter with these words, "He "fhall come to his end and none fhall help him." Sleeping in the daft is a very unnatural figure to exhibit flying into caves and deferts; and a deliverance from this perfecution would be very aukwardly expressed by being raised to everlafting contempt; and could the happinefs of fuch a deliverance be termed everlasting life, when at beft it could only be a temporal falvation.. But thefe words plainly and most certainly teach, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and numerous are the other authorities in the fcriptures for the eftablishment of this doctrine. The only difficulty in the text is the word many, "Many of them that fleep in the duft." This would seem at first view to imply an exception of fome that should not awake or be raised. But the original word which is here rendered many, is very frequently and and more properly translated multitude, and being thus rendered here ex-preffes the most perfect univerfality. "The multitude of them "that fleep in the duft of the earth fhall awake," that is all the dead without the exception of a single inftance. This text is alluded to and explained by our Saviour when he fays, "All that are in their graves fhall hear his voice and come "forth, they that have done good unto the refurrection of life "and they that have done evil unto the refurrection of damna"tion." Hence the many or multitude of them that shall awake expreffes all, or the most complete univerfality. By fleeping in the duft of the earth is meant the dead, whether bu ried in graves, laid in tombs, burnt to afhes, drowned in the fea,

devoured by wild beafts, or eaten by cannabals. Whereves their remains are or however difpofed of, they fhall all be ga thered up at the laft day. All their duft fhall be collected and reanimated; and every foul be united to his former body, both good and bad. The former will be raised to everlasting life, or confummate felicity in the celeftial world, and the latter to Inifery, fhame and everlafting contempt and torment. This is the manifeft meaning of this text.

In the first place we shall endeavour to establish the do&rine which it contains, or prove that there will be a refunestion of the dead.

Secondly, confider fomething of the manner in which the dead fhall be railed.

First, we are to endeavour further to eftablish the doctrine contained in the text that there fhall be a refurrection of the dead. "The many or multitude of them that fleep in the duft "of the earth fhall awake." It may be here obferved this is a doctrine of pure revelation, which the light of nature could never difcover, but when revealed, reafon is pleafed with it. When known, it clearly contains nothing irrational or inconfitent. Reafon cannot fuggeft any thing against it, for God is infinite in power, wisdom and truth, therefore the refurrection of the dead may be infallibly eltablished from the perfic. tions of Jehovah. While God is almighty none can difpute but that he is able to raife the dead. He who could create worlds by the word of his mouth, and make man at firit of the dult of the ground, and continues unchangeably the fame, furely he mult be able to raife him from the duft again.

We have it fully afcertained that God hath raifed many from the dead; fuch as the fon of the widow of Sarepta,-the Shunamite's fon,-The man caft into the fepulchre of Elifha,

Jairu's daughter, the widow's fon in Nain, Lazarus, Dorcas, &c.-The wisdom and knowledge of the moft high alfo confrms this doctrine. As with him all things are poffible, fo to him all things are known. He knows every particle of human duft and where it lies. Altho' these particles, which were once conftituent parts of the body, have gone thro' ten thousand changes; although perhaps they may have grown up into grafs, this grafs eaten by the beats of the field, and these again by men, a million of times over, yet he whofe omnifcience at once beholds every atom in the univerfe, that ever was or will be, in all its various pofitions and fituations, it is infinitely cafy with him to feparate duft from duft, and replace every particle where it originally belonged.

The great and fpeculative objection offered against this doctrine is, there are whole nations of cannibals who feaf and nourish themfelves on human flesh, andthe particles of one body become nutrition and go to the conftituting of another, or the particles of buried bodies grow up into herbs and are eaten, fo that by one means and another, the felf fame particles may have gone to the formation and fupport of a thousand men. Now feeing this is the cafe, how can thefe thoufand perfons be raised at one and the fame time, fince they never had but the particles of one body among them all? To this I would anfwer, first as Chrift did to the Sadducees of old, who denied this doctrine, and propofed a cafe refpecting a woman who had feven husbands fucceflively, and pertly enquired whose wife the fhould be in the refurrection. "Ye do err fays he, not know.

ing the fcriptures nor the power of God." Fully intimating that if they underflood the fcriptures or the power and wisdom of Cod, they could raife no fuch objection.

Again, let this objection be anfwered by St. Paul, for fome had attempted to threw difficulties in his way on this head, “Some will fay, how are the dead raised up? and with what