nd will humbly endeavor to present you my views on the immortal
resurrection of the human dead. The ideas I have advanced in my
sermons on the _new birth_, require me to do this. And no one has more
occasion to rejoice than myself, that we are bound by no creeds, and
that the preachers of our order encourage and cherish free
investigation. Among such able and benevolent theologians, I feel
conscious, if I err, that they will endeavor, in the spirit of
meekness, to set me right. I therefore hold no one responsible for the
ideas I am now about to advance. I am by no means in favor of new
theories built upon mere human speculations, nor do I deem it an
enviable task to make innovations on the long and universally
established opinions of the christian community. I shall simply appeal
to the scriptures to sustain me in my present exposition, and by that
standard I am willing my views should be tried, for by that alone,
they must ultimately stand or fall.

From the text we have selected, it might, perhaps, be expected, that
we should proceed to prove the final holiness and happiness of the
human family by showing, that he who is "made alive in Christ is a new
creature"; but as this has, heretofore been done so often and so ably,
we shall confine our attention, principally, to the different
scripture accounts of the resurrection of the dead, and endeavor to
ascertain whether it is indeed, to take place at the end of time and
be general, or whether it is continually transpiring as gradual as the
successive deaths of our race in Adam.

And here I would distinctly remark, that the dead are represented as
being raised at the coming of Christ. This is admitted and believed by
all. But where, I ask, is there in the Book of God _one passage_ to
prove any coming of Christ after the destruction of the Jewish polity
when he commenced his _gospel reign_, called the _judgment of the
world_? This was his _second_ coming; but where but where is there a
_scrap_ of scripture to prove his _third_ coming at the end of time?
For one, I have searched in vain for such testimony. That Christ came
in his kingdom, during the life time of the persons he addressed, and
then commenced the judgment of the world, is certain. This is not,
however, admitted to be that coming of Christ when the dead will be
raised immortal. Where then is revealed that _third_ coming of our
Lord, at the end of time, to raise the dead? I think it will be an
unsuccessful task