the dead only" who are spoken of in the passage. Now, it appears to me that if dead they had been already overthrown. Perhaps the Doctor has a scheme by which he can overthrow them after death! But to the common mind it will appear somewhat mystified: for, as the Doctor remarks, "Four times is that term ('the dead') applied to them, as if to emphasize the fact." This is true; and the wonder is, that in full view of it, he should make it merely an 66 overthrow of persecu

tors!"

But to the main argument: "This is the judgment of the dead, while the general judgment is of both quick and dead." I ask him, will the dead be judged twice? He says: "The latter [general judgment] is to be preceded by the instantaneous change of the living into the immortal state, and by the resurrection of the dead.”— Parousia, p. 156. There is no such thing taught in God's book as a change of the living and resurrection of the dead before the general judgment. I make this issue fearless of successful refutation by Dr. Warren or any other man.

THE TWO ORDERS OF JUDGMENT.

God's judgment, like human tribunals, consists of two parts, as our Saviour said: "Lest thine adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison." The two parts here recognized are, (1) judicial:— examination, or trial, and sentence by the judge; (2) executive :—“ deliver to the officer," and "cast into prison." Just so God sits on the throne of judgment, both in Dan. 7th and Rev. 20th; and before him are the books opened

and the judgment rendered. Christ, "because he is the Son of man," receives authority from his Father "to execute judgment" (John 5:27). Accordingly, after the description of the judgment before "the Ancient of days," the Son of man is brought before him and receives from his Father his royal investiture—as executor of judgment. The resurrection is a purely executive proceeding: for "they that have done good" will come forth "unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation." The absurdity of such a resurrection for the two classes, and then a trial afterwards, stands out so prominently that it is strange that thinking men should ever have entertained it for a moment. To hang a man and try him afterward is not more absurd.

The representation of Scripture is, that at "the voice of the archangel and the trump of God," the saints living and dead are to be immortalized in a "moment," and caught up to meet the Lord in the air to be forever with him. He is coming to gather together his elect. Christ thus describes the separation: "in one bed," "in the mill," and "in the field," side by side-" one shall be taken and another left." There will be no more commingling of saints and sinners for a general judgment.

Then it follows that if there is ever a general judgment of Adam's race it must precede the resurrection of either class, saints or sinners; hence, before the advent. This being the case, clearly the dead and living will not be arraigned in one body, because their states will not admit of it. Therefore, when the judgment scene is presented, it is "the dead" who are arraigned before God. But Dr. Warren says, "nothing of the kind,

[that is, the resurrection,] is mentioned in connection with the judgment before us."

Surely he failed to read the entire passage quoted. For after describing the judicial proceeding before the great white throne, the apostle proceeds to describe the executive proceeding: "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hades delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every man according to his works: " they were judged executively; "whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." This is the exact order of judgment I have indicated: the trial first, then the execution, by the resurrection and execution of the final doom of the wicked in the lake of fire.

DESCRIPTIVE AND CHRONOLOGICAL ORDERS.

The description of the judgment in the 20th of Reveelation presents a view of the proceedings of both branches of the judgment with some detail, without reference to its chronological order, which is given us in Rev. 11: 18, where, under the sounding of the seventh trumpet and at the time the kingdoms of this world are proclaimed the kingdoms of Christ, and that "he shall reign forever and ever," the twenty-four elders declare: "The nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged." Then follows the executive proceeding: "And that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great." So much for the saints of God, who have their reward. So also of the wicked: "And shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth:" i.e., destroy them

from the earth. The chronology of this judgment of the dead is unmistakably fixed at the time of the sounding of the seventh angel, and therefore it is pre-millennial.

As soon as a competent tribunal pronounces a prisoner on trial "not guilty," his release from custody is his right, there being no further cause for his detention. So with the saints-when their names are declared to be found in the book of life, and the works done for Christ determined, they are released from the custody of death into glorious immortality.

It is rarely that in a well-ordered government a prisoner convicted of a capital crime is at once executed. He is sentenced and remanded to prison to be held until the day of execution arrives; and from the time of sentence until the extreme penalty is executed, he is suffering under his sentence. So the wicked, when it is declared by the Judge that their names are not found written in the book of life, and what sins they have committed, receive final sentence; but they are remanded to the prison of hades until a thousand years are finished; when they will live again, and be cast into the lake of fire-the second death.

THE DESCRIPTIVE ORDER.

The question will naturally arise, If the time of the judgment of the dead is pre-millennial, why is its description post-millennial? (1) Because it has pleased God to so order it. This is a sufficient answer. But there is an apparent reason that can be assigned: (2) The Apocalypse is constructed on the principle of a moving panorama, and is exhibited in parts.

The opening of the seven-sealed book, brings us down in that series to the great day of God's wrath, and silence in heaven. Then the seer goes back, takes another series, and reaches once more with the vision of the seven trumpets the day of God's wrath. Again, he takes the seven vials, and brings us down until he points us to the "wine of the fierceness of God's wrath." Then he presents us with great Babylon's judgment and all heaven rejoicing over it. Next comes the marriage of the Lamb, and its ecstatic joy. Then follows the arrangements for "the great battle," and its results, the death of kings and their armies; the taking and casting of beast and false prophet alive into the lake of fire; the taking, binding and casting of the devil into the abyss and shutting him up for a thousand years. This is followed by another scene-the enthronement and reigning of the victors in the war. There is no antecedent for the pronouns they and them-"THEY sat," "judgment was given unto THEM,"-except the King of kings and the armies of heaven of chap. 19. They gain the victory, judgment is awarded them, and they are enthroned and reign for a thousand years. This company embraces the martyrs and all who had not worshipped the beast and his image, which will be all saints. But the martyrs, as having yielded up their lives for Christ, are accounted worthy of special mention. "This " enthroned company "is the first resurrection," or fruits of the first resurrection. But there will be saints who will never die, and therefore never have a resurrection: what of them? "Blessed and holy is he that hath part with (en) the first resurrection." "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." Will