CHAPTER IX.

THE ORDER FOR THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD.

We have now to consider the Burial Service of the Church of England.

Its indiscriminate use has, of late, been the subject of much controversy. The Service, however, is allowed on all hands to be Scriptural, and a most fitting benedictory rite of the Church, when used over those of her children who "die in the Lord."

We have then to distinguish between the Scriptural character of the Service itself, respecting which point there is no controversy, and whether such an indiscriminate use of it as prevails amongst us is in accordance with Scripture.

Now, first of all, it will be well to examine in what sense this Service is really Scriptural; because, if it be so, then a very large amount of our public teaching and popular religious literature which touches upon the state of the departed is very unscriptural.

There is a very marked difference between the way in which death and things after death are spoken of in the popular literature of the day, and the way in which these same matters are treated of in the Prayer-book generally, and in the Burial Service in particular.

I think I am neither misrepresenting nor exaggerating the prevailing religious ideas on these awful subjects when I describe them as follows.

The moment after death the true Christian is supposed

to "go to heaven.” His spirit, disencumbered of his body, is supposed to be conveyed at once to the heaven of heavens, where he sees the throne of God, on which the Lord Jesus is now ruling over all things in His glorified Body.

He enters at once into a state of unspeakable and inconceivable bliss, to which such words as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him," are applied as a matter of course. He is supposed to be crowned-to be shining in white apparel like an angel-in a word to be "in glory."

Into this state the souls of converted persons are supposed to be drafted as they die. Once admitted there, they for ever enjoy fulness of bliss in the presence of God.

I would now direct the reader's attention to three matters connected with this view.

First, it is incompatible with any realising belief in the coming of Jesus Christ to judge the quick and the dead. Secondly, it practically ignores any degrees of reward. Thirdly, it almost wholly supersedes the doctrine of the Resurrection of the body.

I do not say that they who hold this popular view deny that Christ will come again, and judge all men, and raise up our bodies, but I say that in proportion as they hold the popular view, in that proportion they will make the Scripture statements respecting the Second Advent, the Judgment, and the Resurrection, a dead letter.

It must be so, for our Saviour teaches us that He is the Saviour of our bodies as well as of our souls. He assures us that "they which are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good to the Resurrection of life." (John v. 28.) He says, "Whose

eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath cternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John vi. 54.) He says to Martha, "I am the Resurrection and the Life" (John xi. 25), and He promises by St. Paul that He will "descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first." (1 Thess. iv. 16.)

Nothing can be plainer than all this; but how is it made to agree with the popular notion which prevails? In some such way as this. The converted person ascends up now to heaven. There he at once enters upon the enjoyment of glory inconceivable. He sees his Saviour. on His throne. He takes part in the anthems of the Seraphim. During the intervals he converses familiarly with apostles and prophets.

Now what can be added to such blessedness? Nothing which we can possibly appreciate; and yet something has to be added to it, for the Resurrection of the Body has not yet taken place. So it is supposed that the saint, having, perhaps for many hundred years, enjoyed the glories of that heaven in which Christ is manifested, is brought back again to earth to go through the form of being judged, and of being welcomed to a place in which he has long been reigning; for this can only be a form in his case, seeing that he has been for centuries enjoying bliss in the highest heaven. Then on his return to earth he is reinvested with his body, which he takes back with him into heaven. We cannot help silently asking, Why this return to earth, and this resumption of the body? If it be said that his happiness and glory will be increased by it, we answer that his happiness has been supposed to be already inconceivably great, seeing that he has long been amidst the glorious sights and sounds of the very court of God. What glory or bliss that we can conceive

can the possession of a body add to the pure spiritual delights which he has been long enjoying?

Not a word more need be said to show how this popular viow practically supersedes the Coming of Christ for Judgment and the Resurrection of the flesh.

But this is not all. The popular teaching respecting death, and things after death, altogether neutralizes another truth insisted on from one end of Scripture to the other that the saints will be rewarded according to their works.

The popular idea of heaven is that of a vast hall or place of assembly, in which the saints are gathered together, engaged in one occupation. Now, in an assembly all men are, so to speak, on an equality. The only difference which an assembly admits of is that one man has a place nearer to the post of honour than another; but the Scriptures from beginning to end represent eternal reward as admitting of every variety of degree.

The difference in the rewards of the righteous is laid down in the parable of the Pounds. (Luke xix. 16.) The servant who made ten pounds of the one lent to him was made ruler over ten cities; the servant who had made five pounds of his one pound was made ruler over five cities.

In accordance with this the future state is in Scripture most frequently designated by a name which implies every gradation of office and rank, and so scope is given in it for every degree of glory amongst those who will finally inherit it. It is called a KINGDOM. Now the idea of a kingdom presents us with the prospect of a sphere for the exercise of our highest powers which the mere assembly certainly does not.

In fact, the reconciliation of such a doctrine, as that men will be really rewarded according to their works, with the prevailing ideas of the future, is practically impossible, and

so the true doctrine has been to all intents and purposes set aside, though no single Scripture truth is more distinctly revealed, or more frequently insisted on.'

The popular view finds its expression in the profane phrase that it is little matter what a man's place in heaven be, provided he gets there.

Let us now briefly consider what the Scripture leads us to look for respecting the future state.

First of all, the abode of the soul between death and judgment is nowhere called "heaven." It is called "Abraham's bosom," "Paradise," the unseen state into which the soul of our Lord "descended "-not ascended; never "heaven.' The soul of the penitent thief was certainly not with our Lord in heaven, because the Lord Himself did not ascend into heaven till forty days after.

It is also expressly stated of one of the greatest of Old Testament saints that he is "not yet ascended into the heavens." (Acts ii. 34.)

Respecting the state of the soul between death and judgment there is very little indeed told us in Scripture.

It is a state of rest. "They rest from their labours." The martyrs are in one vision represented as under the altar, crying, "How long, O Lord ?" and it was said to them that they "should rest yet for a little season;" but to call this state a state of glory is not only to call it by a name which the Scriptures never apply to it, but to connect a thing with death which the Scriptures constantly

The following are a few of the Scripture statements:-Matt. vi. 4; vii. 2, 21, 23; x. 42; xii. 36; xvi. 27; xix. 21; xxiv. 45, 46, 47; xxv. 20, 21, 30, 31-46. Luke xii. 42, 43, 44; xix. 12—25. John v. 29. Acts xvii. 30, 31. Rom. ii. 6, 7, 8, 9; xiv. 10, 12. 1 Cor. iii. 8; iv. 4, 5; xv. 58. 2 Cor. v. 10; ix. 6. Colos. iii. 24, 25. 2 Tim. iv. 1, 8. James v. 9. 17, 2 John 8. Rev. ii. 23; xx. 12.

Ephes. vi 8.

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Pet. iv. 5, §