ey see his saints and holy
angels raised from the slumber of infamy, and, together with the
Christians who remained alive at that day, be exalted with him in the
air. [See Matt. xxiv:30, 31--Mark xiii:26, 27--Luke xxi:27, 28, and
Rev. i:7.] In these passages he is represented as "coming in the
_clouds_ with his angels," who "gathered, with a great sound of the
trumpet, his elect," and raised them to honor in his kingdom. And let
me add--this is all the _change_ Christ has ever said should take
place in the living at the sound of the Trumpet. I have no doubt that
the Apostle had his eye upon the above words of our Lord when he said,
"we shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." It
will here be plainly seen in what sense those who had died in the
cause of Christ were _first_ raised. They are represented as coming
with him at the destruction of the temple, and after that event the
whole "body" was exalted together. The "vile body" of Christians on
earth (vile indeed in the eyes of their enemies) was then "fashioned
like unto his glorious body" of saints and angels in heaven who had
died in his cause.

That we have given a correct exposition of 1 Thess. iv:15, 16, 17, is
evident from Paul's words 2 Tim. iv:7, 8--"I have fought the good
fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth
there is laid up for me a _crown of righteousness_, which the Lord,
the righteous Judge shall give me at _that day_," &c. The phrase
"_that day_" means not the day of Paul's death, but the day Christ
should appear in the clouds of heaven at the end of the Jewish age.
His _crown was merited_ for having "fought the good fight and kept the
faith." The crown means that exalted honor he should then receive for
having "turned many to righteousness." And not only himself, but all,
"who love the appearing of Christ," should shine as the brightness of
the firmament and as the stars forever and ever in his gospel kingdom
among men. We this day look upon the martyrs and apostles as the
lights of the Christian world and as occupying, on the sacred page,
stations far more exalted than any ever conferred upon the greatest
men of the universe. They are "made priests and kings to God" for
dying in his cause, and thus establishing the truth of Christianity.

This was the "first resurrection," and these were the persons who had
a part in it, which no subsequent christians can ever can have. Rev.
xx:6--"Blessed and holy i