and this were to be at the coming of the Lord, how is it that a resurrection of the saints is clearly predicted as to be enjoyed at the Millennium, and that in all these passages from the New Testament, speaking of the resurrection at Christ's return, the wicked are carefully excluded, and that our Lord expressly declares that there is an age all are not accounted worthy to obtain, and a resurrection peculiar to the children of God? Are we not compelled to admit that there will be a separate "resurrection of the just," and that this is indeed that "better resurrection," the hope of which animated and sustained the saints of old in torture and in death, (Heb. xi. 14,) and which all the righteous shall obtain? And can it be denied that this will be at the sounding of the seventh or last Apocalyptic trumpet, when Christ takes His great power and reigns?"And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward to Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, small and great," Rev. xi. 18. Does not this imply that "the time of the dead," which is just at the destruction of Antichrist, is the period of their resurrection; and that their "reward" is that which John saw bestowed on those who had been slain for the word of God, and those who had not submitted to the authority of the beast?" and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again till the thousand years were finished. This is the First Resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the First Resurrection." Rev. xx. 4-6.

But, before leaving this part of the subject, fidelity to the divine word requires that we should notice a passage which seems to be regarded as a very doubtful auxiliary, both by those who oppose the doctrine of a separate resurrection, and by some who espouse it: "And many of them," said the expounding angel to the beloved Daniel," And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be 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. 2, 3. That this cannot be the general resurrection is evident not only from the time at which it takes place, but also from the fact that it is not of ALL the dead, but only of " many of them who sleep in the dust of the earth." That it is at

the restoration of Israel is evident from the verse immediately preceding: "And at that time [when the Turkish empire shall be destroyed*] shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; [the days of tribulation immediately after which the Saviour predicted His return, Mat. xxiv. 27;] and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." On the other hand, there is a seeming inconsistency between this passage and those already quoted, which take no notice of any being raised at the coming of the Lord to shame and contempt. Here, however, it is explicitly declared, that, at the restoration of Daniel's people, this will be the awful fate of "some," and we do not feel at liberty either to doubt the fact or overlook the prediction. Not a few, indeed, understand the resurrection " to everlasting life" as at the commencement of the Millennium ; and that to "shame and everlasting contempt" at ils close. This, however, is a distinction which the prophecy does not admit. Both classes rise at the same time; and, united, they make the "many" who "shall awake." The resurrection of "some" to shame and contempt, is therefore as really at the restoration of Is. rael as that of "some" others to everlasting life. Perhaps the seeming inconsistency may, however, be removed, by supposing that the "some" raised to shame will form so small a portion of those who shall then "awake" from the dust, as not to be noticed in the more general statements referring primarily to the hopes of

*It will be seen we prefer the interpretation of the preceding chapter given by Sir Isaac Newton, and generally received, as referring to the Ottoman empire, rather than the application made of it by Mr. Irving to the Infidel Antichrist.

believers and addressed to their faith. And, if we farther believe these to be men who in life were superlatively wicked, it will tend to throw light on some passages of Scripture otherwise obscure.

There are few characters more decidedly reprobated in the Sacred Writings than that of Balaam. Although an acknowledged "prophet," he "loved the wages of unrighteousness." (2 Pet. ii. 15, 16.) He fervently sought to be allowed to curse the children of Israel, that he might receive reward from their enemies. But" it pleased the Lord to bless Israel;" and Balaam being chosen the unwilling instrument of Jehovah's purpose," The Spirit of God came upon him," and repeatedly was he constrained to deliver the unwelcome message from the Lord. His renewed efforts to procure a reversion of the blessing, only occasioned the enlargement of its specifications, and his concluding words to Balak the King of Moab confirm the opinion we are now seeking to illustrate :-"And now, behold, I go unto my people; come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days. And he took up this parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said; he hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the Most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see Him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, [or, 'smite through the princes of Moab,' marg.] and destroy all the children of Sheth. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come He that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. And when looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, that warred against Israel,' marg.] but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever. And he looked on the Kenites; and he took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, and thou puttest thy

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nest in a rock: Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Ashur shall carry thee away captive. And he took up his parable and said, Alas! who shall live when God doeth this?" Num. xxiv. 14-23. These verses thus contain evidence both of the Saviour's premillennial advent, and of Balaam's resurrection at that time. There is little reason to doubt that Christ is the "Star" and the "Sceptre" whom Balaam was to see. He refers not to the vision he then obtained, for it was to be "not now,"-" not nigh," but "in the latter days." Now this Star is to "smite through the princes of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly." This appears plainly to refer to those times immediately before the Millennium, when, as we have already shown, (p. 42,) the Israelites are to spoil Edom and Moab and the children of Ammon; and to the awful destruction by which the world shall then be overtaken Balaam appears to refer, when he says, Alas! who shall live when God doeth this?" ver. 23. Some have indeed supposed David or Solomon to be the Star spoken of, because of their having subdued the countries here mentioned. But this Star, Balaam is to "see," and it is not the subjugation, but the destruction of these nations which is predicted, thus corresponding with other prophecies concerning "the latter days." But as Balaam will not be found among the righteous, his beholding the Saviour at this time is a proof of the premillennial resurrection of some of the wicked-and the finger of Inspiration points to his sin as peculiarly aggravated; it is that of a monster.

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There are other passages which countenance the idea that some whose guilt has been awfully aggravated, will be also raised at the commencement of the Millennium, as monuments of God's wrath. In a passage already quoted, (Is. xxvi.) this idea is distinctly brought before us. Thy dead men shall live; my dead men shall they arise: awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs." This resurrection of the righteous is here contrasted, in its

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happy nature, with what immediately follows. For while they are said tranquilly to arise, and are called to "awake and sing" in holy joy, it is added," And [or, "but'] the earth shall cast out her GIANTS"-for so it appears the word here translated "dead" ought to have been rendered.-Our translators in this, as in some other cases, not perceiving the idea of the text, but certain that the Rephaim must be dead, since the earth is called to cast them out, made that substitution which doubtless must have appeared to them most distinct, but which does not convey the precise idea of the Original. In almost every other instance, this word has been translated giants, (as in Deut. ii. 20. Josh. xii. 4. 1 Chron. xx. 4, 6, 8;) and appears always to signify men either tall in stature or great in crime. When therefore they are to be "cast out" of the earth at the period of the Millennium, in contrast to those who shall "awake and sing," it may be viewed as confirmatory of the opinion that thesome" who shall awake to shame and contempt are the giants in crime-the pre-eminently wicked.

We meet these Rephaim or Giants, in another prediction by Isaiah, of the overthrow of the King of Babylon: "Hell from beneath," says the prophet," is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy coming. It stirreth up the Giants for thec, even the chief ones of the earth." Is. xiv. 9. Although the prophet, in some parts of the prediction, seems to connect it with the fate of ancient Babylon, there are many circumstances which determine its general application to the last Antichrist. In the third verse, we are expressly told that it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give the house of Israel rest from their sorrow and fear, and from the hard bondage they are made to serve. At the destruction of this power "the whole earth is at rest and is quiet, they break forth into singing." ver. 7. His pride and blasphemy are also just what is predicted of Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots: "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God ....I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High." ver. 13, 14. And as in