our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body," Phil. iii. 21. So St. Paul. And, says another apostle: "It does not yet appear, what we shall be: but this we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is," 1 John iii. 2.

3.) In the day of his second coming, Christ will be glorified in the number and great multitude of his saints. He himself once spoke of his disciples and people, as a "little flock," Luke xii. 32. It was so then indeed. Few there were that believed in him; fewer still, who had the courage to own him publicly, and before the world. Most men were then ignorant of him, or offended at him: and oftentimes his professed visible people have made but a small and inconsiderable appearance, in comparison of the rest of the world: but in that day, the number of his redeemed ones will appear to be a great multitude; when all who have held the faith of Jesus, or died in the hope and expectation of him, in any age, shall be gathered together from all the ends of the earth, and shall come from the east and the west to meet their triumphant Lord. Says St. John in the Revelation: "After this I beheld, and lo a great multitude, which no man could number, out of all nations and kindreds, and people and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. And they cried with a loud voice, saying: salvation unto our God, which sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb," Rev. vii. 9, 10.

If Christ's people and followers should not then appear to be so numerous, as those who have not known him, or not obeyed him; yet they may, as they certainly will, be a great number, exceeding what the contracted charity, or the melancholy apprehensions of some now admit of and suppose. There may be many among his saints, not only out of all nations and people, but also out of all sects and parties; some of which were far from being very conspicuous or renowned on this earth.

There will be many of all ranks, of different gifts and attainments: some, of great learning, and the most exalted capacity; who preferred the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and him crucified, above all other science, as best suited to secure the practice of virtue, and advance it to the greatest perfection; and to support the mind under the afflictions of this life. Others there will be, of meaner capacities, unable by the exercise of their own reason, to trace out the principles and obligations of religion and virtue, or to comprehend the abstruse speculations, and pro

found reasonings of the philosophers; who from the doctrine, miraculous works, great example, conspicuous and well-attested death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, have learned the nature and obligation of true religion, as consisting in the love of God and our neighbour, and the certainty of future recompenses; and have been engaged thereby to perfect holiness in the fear of God. Some there will be in this number, who had gone far from God, and been greatly entangled in the snares of an evil world, and were in the utmost danger of everlasting perdition; who having been pierced with a sense of sin, and drawn by the gracious invitations of the gospel, became sincere penitents, and eminent saints. Others, who having been educated in the principles of the christian doctrine, and having been from the beginning under the impressions of them, continued to walk with Christ in white, and kept their garments clean, unspotted from the world. There will be here a glorious appearance of such as bought the truth, and would not sell it; who took the kingdom of heaven by violence, and chose the narrow path of virtue that leads to the sight of God and the heavenly life: when they, who should have animated and encouraged them by their counsel and example, laid obstacles in their way, and would have persuaded them rather to seek the ease, riches, honours and preferments of this present world. Some there will be of large minds, who studied the principles of reason and revelation, and were well acquainted with the mind of Christ; who here earnestly recommended general benevolence, promoted peace and friendship among men, and happily prevented contentions and divisions. These will have distinguished honour in that day: and some others, possibly, shall not miss of the divine favour, who from false apprehensions, and a mistaken zeal, had been here too apt to reject some, whom they should have received as brethren in Christ, and heirs of the heavenly inheritance. There will be some, who in this state of trial had done honour to religion, by a cheerful, as well as steady obedience. They had a comfortable persuasion of the divine favour and acceptance, and they rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. They could say: "The life, which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me," Gal. ii. 20. They will triumph and exult, when Christ, the judge of all, shall confirm the testimony they had in their minds, that they were the children of God. Others there will be, men of true simplicity and integrity, but dejected and low-spirited. They hoped, but

could never fully clear up to their satisfaction, that they loved God; nor arrive at a settled persuasion, that they were loved of him; who, when the " books shall be opened, will know, to their unspeakable joy, that "their names" also" were written in the book of life," Rev. xx. 12. There will be a great number, who here on earth were despised of men, and lived in mean condition; who will be owned by Christ for his people, as having been resigned, contented, thankful in the circumstances allotted them by Divine Providence. There will be many, who had honoured the Lord with their substance, who "clothed the naked, fed the hungry, visited the sick," and spoke comfortably to those who were cast down. There will be many, who had gone through great tribulation, who laboured and did not faint; a noble and numerous company of martyrs and confessors, who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, or laid down their lives in testimony to the truth.

Will not this multitude of such persons reflect honour upon him, by whom they were redeemed; through whose means they were carried safe through the temptations of this world, and were enabled to persevere to the end, notwithstanding the difficulties they met with? If it be true, as it certainly is, that " they who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever," Dan. xii. 3. how glorious is Jesus, the source of this wisdom, the spring of this zeal for truth and virtue!

2. Secondly, we are to consider, what perfections in Christ will then be glorified, and appear illustrious and it is reasonable to suppose, that his wisdom, his power, and his faithfulness will then be very conspicuous.

1.) His wisdom. The preaching of the cross has appeared foolishness to many in this world: but then it will be manifest, beyond the possibility of farther doubt and question, that "the foolishness of God," 1 Cor. i. 25. that divine dispensation, which many had despised, was wiser than all the wisdom of men. Some indeed, yea, not a few, do now perceive and acknowledge it to be a well-laid design, admirably suited to the weakness and degeneracy of the human nature: and they are ready to say with the apostle: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!" and that " God hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence." But at that time, the contrivance of this dispensation will appear still more wonderful. It will be manifest, particularly in the great number of the saints then collected, and brought together

in one, from the several parts of the world; to whom "Christ has been made of God, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30.

It is indeed a vast and delightful scene of contemplation, which will then lie open to the saints; to observe the original design, several steps, continued progress, and final completion of the recovery and salvation of so many frail and sinful men, by Jesus Christ; and to observe the extent of his government of the church, and the world in genera in the several parts and ages of it, from the time of his exaltation to the right hand of the throne of God, to that great and glorious day, when all mankind are brought before his tribunal.

2.) At that time the power of Christ will be glorified. It will appear great and wonderful in the resurrection of the saints, just performed by his word. This is what our Lord spoke of, as so marvellous, in answer to some cavils of the Jews: "For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doth: and he will show him greater things than these, that ye may marvel: for as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will

Marvel not at this, for

the hour is coming, in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation," John v. 20—29.

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3.) Another perfection, to be glorified at that time, is the truth or faithfulness of Christ. This is the day for the full accomplishment of all his promises, upon which his people have depended, and by which they have been animated in the whole of their course. Here he delivered rules of life, and made gracious promises to such as obeyed them. He encouraged men to forsake all earthly goods for his sake and the gospel's, assuring them of abundant recompense hereafter. In his conference with Nicodemus he useth these expressions: Verily I say unto thee: we speak what we do know, and testify that we have seen." John iii. 11. In his preaching he publicly declared with the greatest solemnity: "This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day and this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day," John vi. 39, 40. Once more, he says to his disciples: "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told

you," ch. xiv. 2. Upon the ground of a clear conviction of his divine authority and character, which he claimed; and a persuasion of the truth of all his declarations and promises, his people have acted as they have done. They have given themselves up to him, and obeyed him. They have been induced to seek principally such things as are now distant and unseen; and not to prefer, but oftentimes to forego the pleasures, possessions, and honours of this present world, and every thing desirable therein, in hope of being raised up by him to immortal life and everlasting happiness. So they have acted: so they have believed, and trusted in him: and now his truth is manifest in the event. Those things, which were once the objects of desire and hope, are possessed and enjoyed. His faithfulness was believed before, and there was good evidence of the truth of all he said; and they who depended upon it, acted wisely and reasonably: but now it is even seen. Not one jot or tittle of his word has fallen to the ground, but all is fulfilled. Not one of those little ones whom men despised, has perished; whom he had assured, that it was the good pleasure of the Father to give them a kingdom. Not one of those, whom the Father had given him, is wanting, but all his sheep are placed at his right hand.

His truth and faithfulness may be farther illustrated, at that time, by the peculiar degrees of honour and glory conferred upon those, whose virtue has been eminent, and tried by great difficulties and sufferings here. Many indeed, and great are the encouragements, which he gave in the course of his ministry to those who should be eminent, steadfast, and constant in virtue; and future rewards will certainly be answerable to those encouraging declarations, and the hopes he has raised by them. "Blessed are ye," says he," when inen shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil of you, falsely, for my sake: rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven," Matt. v. 11, 12. When the disciples desired to know, who should be "greatest in the kingdom of heaven," ch. xviii. 1, 4. he did not deny that there would be distinctions therein but intimates, that he who should be most humble, and for the sake of truth and the good of mankind most abase himself, would in the end be most exalted, and be "greatest in the kingdom of heaven." When the two disciples petitioned, "to sit, the one on the right hand, and the other on the left, in his kingdom," he did not grant their request; assuring them it was not a thing to be determined by him, upon the ground of any personal regards and considerations. Nevertheless