III. THE SANCTIONS OF THE GOSPEL.

This momentous article is distinctly stated by OUR LORD, in his discourse with the unbelieving Jews, at the second pass

regenerated; who worketh in us all good works; and through whom we are led into all THE TRUTH.

IV. "We believe that there is ONE HOLY CHURCH, the congregation of GOD'S ELECT, from the foundation to the end of the world, whose HEAD is JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD; which is governed by THE ORACLE OF GOD, and led by THE HOLY GHOST; in which ALL sincere Christians are bound to converse: for she prayeth without ceasing for ALL; she is acceptable unto GOD, to whom she flieth for succour, and out of which there is no salvation.

V." It is ordained among us, that THE MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH, both bishops and pastors, ought to be blameless in morals and doctrine, otherwise that they are to be deposed, and others to be substituted, to fill their place and office; but that none should assume this honour to himself, unless called by GOD, like Aaron; feeding God's flock, not greedy of filthy lucre, or as domineering over the clergy, but with a ready mind, setting an example to the godly, in speech, conduct, charity, faith, and chastity.

VI. "We confess that KINGS, PRINCES, and MAGISTRATES are MINISTERS appointed by GOD, who ought to be obeyed, for they bear the sword [of justice] to protect the innocent, and to punish the bad and for this cause we are bound to render unto them honour, and to pay tribute. Nor can any one exempt himself from this obedience, if so be that he desire to be called A CHRISTIAN, following the example of our Lord and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST; for He paid tribute, and did not usurp jurisdiction, nor any temporal domination, in that his state of humiliation, exercising only the sword of the heavenly word.

VII. "We believe that WATER in the sacrament of BAPTISM is a visible and outward sign, representing unto us that which is inwardly wrought in us by the DIVINE VIRTUE, namely, the renovation of our spirit, and mortification of our flesh, in CHRIST JESUS, through whom, CHRIST, we are also made members of GOD'S HOLY CHURCH, in which we do shew forth the profession of our faith, and amendment of our life.

VIII. “We believe that the sacrament of the HOLY TABLE, or SUPPER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, is a sacred memorial and thanksgiving for the benefits conferred upon us by CHRIST's death; to be celebrated in the assembly of the godly, with faith, charity, and self-approving conscience: and that by so taking the bread and cup we do communicate with CHRIST's flesh and blood, according as we are taught in THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

IX. "We profess that marriage is good, honorable, holy, and ordained by GOD; to be forbidden to none, unless GOD'S WORD do interpose.

X. "We believe that THE PIOUS, and they that FEAR GOD, will approve themselves unto GOD, so as to have leisure for GOOD WORKS, which He hath prepared to walk therein: and these works are, charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, modesty, temperance, and other works recommended in SCRIPTURE.

XI. "On the contrary, we acknowledge that we ought to beware of FALSE PROPHETS, whose aim is to draw off the people from the religious worship due to THE ONE GOD and LORD, to cleave unto the creatures, and to trust in them; to forsake the good works recommended in SCRIPTURE, and to follow HUMAN INVENTIONS.

XII. "We retain THE OLD and NEW TESTAMENT as the rule of our faith, and we follow the APOSTLES' CEEED.

"Whosoever shall say that we profess other doctrine, we will prove that he is widely

over, which may be considered as the continuation of his discourse with Nicodemus. (See this Vol. p. 100.)

The plenary power, and judicial authority conferred on Him by THE FATHER, is thus represented.

“Verily, verily I say unto you, THE SON cannot do any thing of himself, except what he seeth THE FATHER doing; for what things soever HE doeth, these also THE SON doeth likewise. For THE FATHER loveth THE SON, and sheweth him all things that Himself doeth; and will shew him greater works than these [now wrought before you,] that ye may marvel.

For as THE FATHER raiseth and quickeneth the dead, even SO THE SON quickeneth whom he willeth. "For THE FATHER judgeth no one, but hath given the whole judgment to THE SON; to the end that all should honour THE SON, according as they honour THE FATHER: he that honoureth not THE SON, honoureth not THE FATHER who sent him," John v. 19-23.

Here OUR LORD declares, in the plainest and most express terms, his association with THE FATHER, in power and worship, both positively and negatively, to give it more weight and impressiveness; and in the language of prophecy also, as spoken of the MESSIAH, who is styled "MY ASSOCIATE" by THE FATHER, Zech. xiii. 7, and who declared of himself, "The sacrifice of praise shall honour me; and thereby will I shew him, [my worshipper] the way to the salvation of GOD," Psalm 1. 23. Compare Psalm ii. 12.

Our gracious LORD, the righteous JUDGE of all the earth, in his conversation with Nicodemus, had briefly stated the certainty of the future judgment, by one of those bold figures of rhetoric, prolepsis, or anticipation, (John iii. 18,) which he here repeats.

deceived himself, and deceiving others; provided we may be allowed, by the ordinary judges, [or civil magistrates, not the inquisition."]

For these incomparable articles, striking at the root of the papal idolatry and superstition throughout, in the most guarded and câutious scriptural terms, were the professors persecuted unto death; and for his fiery zeal against them, was Dominick, the first inquisitor general, canonized by the Church of Rome! And even still, at the present day, and in this enlightened age, (as it is called) Romish malignity, with "conscience seared with a hot iron," unblushingly dares to insult the memory of these faithful witnesses of evangelical truth, styling them "THE INFAMOUS ALBIGENSES"!!!

This rendering is warranted by the Sept. Vulg. Syr. and Arab. versions; which, instead of the participle, (Sam,) “ offering,” evidently read the adverb, OW, (Sham,)" there."

"Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on HIM that sent me, hath eternal life, and is not to come into judgment, but hath passed over (uɛraßeßŋkɛv,) from death into life," ver. 24.

He now enters more minutely into the subject of

THE TWO RESURRECTIONS.

It is the peculiar glory of THE GOSPEL, to have unfolded this most awful and awakening doctrine, more clearly, distinctly, and explicitly than the OLD TESTAMENT.

The first resurrection is thus described by OUR LORD.

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Verily, verily I say unto you, the hour is coming, and is now [at hand,] when the dead shall hear the voice of THE SON OF GOD, and they that hear shall live *," ver. 25.

*Lightfoot is the single commentator, perhaps, who rightly interprets this very important verse (25,) of the first resurrection; supposing it equivalent to Rev. xx. 5. All the rest refer it, either to the miracles of raising the dead, in the course of our Lord's ministry, the daughter of Jairus, the widow's son at Nain, and Lazarus; or else, to the saints that arose after our Lord's resurrection, and appeared to many in the holy city, Matt. xxvii. 53.

But neither of these supposed cases seem of sufficient importance for the occasion, nor suitable to the context. 1. They were but few; and the persons restored to life, died again, and saw corruption. 2. The apparitions were transient, and not generally seen; but the resurrection here meant, is to eternal life; as plainly intimated by ver. 26; and by its contrast with the general resurrection afterwards, ver. 28, corresponding with Rev. XX. 11-13. 2. The stated time on which the prevailing opinion is founded, kaι vvV EOTIV, "and is now [at hand,"] admits of considerable latitude. OUR LORD, shortly before, expressed that blessed season of the regeneration, when the pure and spiritual worship of GOD should universally prevail throughout the earth, exactly by the same phrase, as Lightfoot remarks, "the hour is coming and is now [at hand,] when the true worshippers shall worship THE FATHER in spirit and truth," John iv. 23. For the interval, however considerable it may seem to men, is nothing in the sight of GOD, to whom "a thousand years are but as one day," Psalm xc. 4, 2 Pet. iii. 8.

3. Where OUR LORD meant to express a near event, such as the approaching desertion of his disciples, previous to his crucifixion, he clearly marks it by a definite sense, epXETAL wpa kai vvv eλŋλv≈ɛv, “the hour is coming, and hath now come, when ye shall be scattered," &c. John xvi. 32.

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4. The foregoing expression, Kαι VVV εOTI, is explained by Paul, ɛyyvG EOTIV, "THE LORD is nigh," or at hand," Phil. iv. 5; yet he denies that" the day of THE Lord, eveotnkev, is actually impending, or ready to come upon us, until after the appearance and removal of the man of sin, or the lawless one," 2 Thess. ii. 1-8, which was confessedly a distant event. James also, thus exhorts the faithful, parpodvμnoate, "wait patiently, until the presence of THE LORD, because his presence, nyyike, draweth nigh," James v. 7, 8; and so Peter says, "the end of all things, nyytƐ, draweth nigh, be sober therefore, and vigilant unto prayers," I Pet. iv. 7, and yet he represents CHRIST's presence as rather a distant event, in his description of the “new heavens and new earth," 2 Pet. iii. 4-13.

For as THE FATHER hath life in Himself, so gave He also to THE SON to have life in himself; and gave him authority also to exercise judgment, because he is THE SON OF MAN," ver. 26.

The second follows.

"Marvel not at this, [the first resurrection,] for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the tombs, shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation," ver. 28, 29.

The analogy and the contrast in these mysterious passages, is remarkable. In both resurrections, the hour, or season of judgment, is said to be coming, or drawing on; but in the former, is now at hand, or nigh, compared with the latter, which is indefinite. In the former, only some of the dead shall hear, and live, or rise to eternal life, in consequence of the principle of eternal life, vested in THE SON by THE FATHER, and communicated to them, "the just," or eminently righteous dead; "who shall then live by their faith," in CHRIST as their REDEEMER, Habak. ii. 3, 4. as explained Rom. i. 17, Gal. iii. 11, Heb. x. 36-39. Whence, perhaps, OUR LORD styles it, the resurrection of the just, Luke xiv. 14, and calls them the children of the resurrection, who shall die no more for ever, but shall be like angels, immediate sons of God, Luke xx. 36, John xi. 26, Job i. 6.

In this account of the first resurrection, OUR LORD seems particularly to allude to that famous prophecy of Daniel, in which he was styled THE SON OF MAN, and invested with universal and everlasting dominion, by THE ANCIENT OF DAYS, THE FATHER; when he shall come, a second time, with glory, in the clouds of heaven, to establish the kingdom of the saints upon earth, at the regeneration, or restitution of all things; and to gather his elect from the four quarters of the world; when his Apostles, according to promise, shall sit on twelve thrones, judging, or instructing, the twelve tribes of Israel; when Daniel also, written in the book of life, shall stand in his lot, or proper order, at the end of the [1260] days [of persecution.] Compare Dan. vii. 13, 14-27, and xii. 1-13, with Matt. xix. 28, Luke xxii. 28-30, Matt. xxiv. 30, 31, Acts i. 6, 7, iii. 21, Heb. ix 28, 1 Cor. xv. 23.

The fullest comment on Daniel's prophecy, and its duration, is furnished in the visions of the Apocalypse.

“And I saw thrones, and some [the Apostles,] sate thereon, and judgment was given to them. [I saw] also, the souls of the [two faithful witnesses of THE LAW and THE GOSPEL,] that were beheaded for the testimony of JESUS, [under the latter,] and for THE ORACLE OF GOD, [under the former, Rev. xi. 3-12.]- -And they lived and reigned with CHRIST a thousand years. (But the rest of the dead revived not until the thousand years were finished.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; upon such the second death hath no power: but they shall be priests of GOD and of CHRIST, a thousand years," Rev. xx. 4-6.

And this clear and explicit commentary of John, is fully supported by the other Apostles.

Paul calls this first resurrection," the extraordinary resurrection of the dead," to which he himself aspired, Phil. iii. 11; he states that it is to take place at CHRIST's second appearance, 1 Cor. xv. 23, Heb. ix. 28; who is to reign until he has put all enemies under his feet, as foretold by David, Psalm cx. 1, 1 Cor. xv. 25; and he critically distinguishes this, from the end of the world, and translation of his kingdom from earth to heaven, ver. 24.

Peter also, in a highly figurative passage, (which shall be considered hereafter,) expressly states the expectation of the apostolic age; "for, according to CHRIST's promise, we do pect a new heaven and a new earth, wherein righteousness shall reside," 2 Pet. iii. 13. Compare Acts iii. 21.

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The second resurrection, and general judgment of all mankind, is fully explained by OUR LORD himself, in a most awful representation of his coming at the end of the world, with all his holy angels, sitting as KING upon his throne, summoning all nations before Him, separating the sheep from the goats, or

Tηy ežavaorαow. This compound is used only in this passage; the lexicographers reckon it of the same import as the simple, avaσraois, “resurrection," but er is often intensitive in composition, as εIaμbɛw, “to terrify exceedingly." And surely, St. Paul must have aimed at something higher for himself, than the ordinary resurrection at the end of the world, common to all; he who had the first fruits of the Spirit, and waited for the adoption, Rom. viii. 23.