at the last day. '' The hour cometh in the which all that are in the grave shall hear His voice, and shall come forth ; they that have doue good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damna- tion." (John V. 28, 29.) When the trumpet sounds and Christ commands, there can be no refusal or escape. All must appear before His bar in their bodies. And all shall be judged according to their works.
Let us see, furthermore, in this mighty miracle, a lively emblem of Christ's power to quicken the dead in sins. In Him is life. He qiiickeneth whom He will. (John V. 21.) He can raise to- a new life souls that now seem dead in worldliness and sin. He can say to hearts that now appear corrupt and lifeless, "Arise to repentance, and live to the service of God." Let us never despair of any soul. Let us pray for our children, and faint not. Our young men and our young women may long seem travell- ing on the way to ruin. But let us pray on. Who can tell but He that met the funeral in the gates of Nain may yet meet our unconverted children, and say with almighty power, "Young man, arise." With Christ nothing is impossible.
Let us leave the passage with a solfemn recollection of those things which are yet to happen at the last day. We read that " there came a fear on all," at Nain, when the young man was raised. What then shall be the feelings of mankind when all the dead are raised at once ? The unconverted man may well fear that day. He IS not prepared to meet God. — But the true Christian has nothing to fear. He may lay him down and sleep peacefully in his grave. Li Christ He is complete and