"walk by Faith and not by Sight." If we knew that we were to be put in possession of an Empire, a Kingdom, a Principality, or an immense Estate, at that period, we should have a clear conception of the good fortune which awaits us, and look forward to the approaching period with the brightest expectations. But "an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved for us in the heavens," makes but a feeble impression upon our minds. To counteract the force of those impressions which are made by every object around us, and strengthened by every concern in which we engage, it has been my custom to avail myself of those opportunities when the mind is a little detached from the world, and accessible to such reflections, to lay before you the Scripture account of the Happiness of the Righteous at the Resurrection. To recall your attention to the subject, and by one expres sion to raise up a train of associated ideas, I observe it is all which is expressed by the words Eternal Life. It Satisfaction, and "Ye are come, دو is a state where Peace, Now the first part of the Punishment of the wicked will consist in an Exclusion from this state of inconceivable bliss. What other ideas can we affix to the images, "the door was shut; outer darkness; the punishment of that period, or continued punishment; fire; death; perdition; shall not see life; and 1 and the destruction of that period, or protracted destruction, from the presence of the Lord and his glorious power?" To this we know will be added extreme mental anguish, arising from the consideration of what these Victims of Divine Justice have lost, and the consideration of the trifling value of those objects for which they lost it; from the stings of Conscience, and the company of only wicked and miserable beings. "There will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth." Surely this state may be denominated Death; and all the texts which threaten Death are easily and naturally explained, without supposing that Death means an Eternal Sleep, or a total Extinction of being. This it was shown it never means; it is contradicted by the plainest expressions in Scripture; and one one great design of the Gospel seems to have been to correct this ill-founded opinion. But it is highly probable that this state of Punishment will be terminated by Death; that the wicked will actually die again; and thus the second Death, which is mentioned in Scripture, after which Evil will be no more, is to be taken literally. Being assured by Revelation of a future state, the whole analogy of Nature; the changes that Insects undergo; the necessity of Rest or Repose after labour, would lead us to infer, with a high degree of probability, that Death, which is always in Scripture represented as a Sleep, was a natural and necessary process from a mortal to an immortal, from a corruptible to an incorruptible state. The Scripture more than intimates this. Besides, the expression of St. Paul, "Thou "Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die," our Lord assures us, that "the Righteous," those who are admitted into his kingdom, 46. 66 shall die no more;" from which we may conclude, that the wicked will die again; and he himself says, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth fruit." The question applies as well in the next state as in the present, Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?" The attributes of God continue the same; his Government will be carried on on the same principles; and upon this supposition every text in Scripture is to be taken in its most obvious sense. But though all will be thus restored to virtue, and finally be admitted to the enjoyment of everlasting Happiness, the wicked will have lost all the Happiness of |