"Shall come to be admired in his saints, and to be glorified in all them that believe." (m)

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As

Hence, since the most exalted hopes of a Christian, the most animating doctrines of his religion, have for the basis, the fact of the RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ; it is requisite that his faith in that fact be firmly "rooted and grounded." And, happily, the general evidences in confirmation of so important an event flow from various and satisfactory sources. from the predictions of Jesus Christ, that at a certain time he should raise himself from the dead. From the fact that, at this precise time, his body was not to be found in the sepulchre, although the most effectual precautions had been taken to prevent its removal. From the positive testimony of many, that after this time they saw him, conversed with him, the most incredulous touched and felt him, to remove their doubts, and all received from him those instructions on which they acted in promulgating his Gospel. From the clumsy and self-destructive story invented by the Jews in contradiction of this fact. (n) And from the success which attended the preaching and declaring that he was "crucified and raised from the dead."

(m) 2 Thes. i. 10. It may also be observed that so indissoluble is the connection between one fact and another revealed to us in the New Testament, that the admission of one, by necessity involves the admission of the rest. Thus, by proving the resurrection of our Lord, you establish,-1. His death and burial. 2. The occasion and benefits of his death. 3. His promise of the Spirit. 4. His ascension (for, if he did not ascend, what became of him?) 5. His ever living in heaven. 6. The objects which he there incessantly carries on.

This suggests an important train of argument, at which I now merely glance, and leave it to be pursued by others.

(n) Matt. xxviii. 13, 14.

It is not my intention to enlarge upon these various sources of evidence; but merely, assuming (as I may now, I trust, fairly do) the genuineness of the first four books of the New Testament, to describe, briefly, the leading circumstances of Christ's resurrection, and several appearances previous to his ascension; and then to adduce a few general, though, I hope, unanswerable arguments, in favour of this extraordinary

event.

The circumstances of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the subsequent appearances, as they may be collected from the accounts of the several Evangelists, have been related, with slight variations, by dif ferent authors. The order I shall adopt appears to me as free from objection, and as little exposed to the cavils of unbelievers, as any I have met with. To render this history the more perspicuous, it may be proper to begin with reminding you, that, when Jesus Christ was led to be crucified, a great company of his friends and acquaintance followed, bewailing and lamenting him. (0) Among the rest was his own mother, who, with two more of her name, and the apostle John, stood so near him, that he could speak to them. While he was nailed to the cross, he consigned his mother to John's care, it appearing that she was then a widow. This beloved disciple, probably, took her immediately to his own home, before the three hours' supernatural darkness, (p) that she might not be there to see him expiring. But the other two women continued there

(0) Luke, xxiii. 27.

(p). John, xix. 25-27.

still, as well as many more who stood farther off. When the darkness was over, and our Lord had yielded up his spirit, they were there still; and all of them attended till he was buried. (q) It should seem, also, that the two Marys (r) waited later than the rest, till all was over, and he was laid in the sepulchre. (s) A considerable company of the women seem to have agreed to embalm their Lord's body early on the third day; they therefore that evening prepared what time and circumstances would admit, and rested on the sabbath, conformably with the commandment.(t)

Not so the priests and pharisees. With all their pretended zeal for the sabbath, they were very busy on that day, consulting, arranging, preparing an address, waiting with it on Pilate, obtaining a guard, sealing the stone, and setting all safe. This was their sabbath-employment. (v) By the end of the day all was as safe as they could make it. But very early on the following morning, the first day of the week, i. e. about the break of day, or a little earlier, an angel descended from heaven, came and rolled back the stone from the entrance of the grave, and sat upon it, regardless of either seal or guard. The keepers or guards were terrified at his appearance, and became as dead men. (w) Recovering themselves a little, however, some of them went to the chief priests, and related what had happened: the chief priests and

(9) Matt. xxvii. 55, 56. Mark, xv. 40, 41. Luke, xxiii. 49, 55. (r) Namely, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the wife of Cleopas, and mother of Matthew, James, Simon, and Jude.

(s) Matt. xxvii. 61. Mark, xv. 47. (v) Matt. xxvii. 62-66.

(t) Luke, xxiii. 56.

(w) Matt. xxviii. 2—4.

elders "

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gave large money to the soldiers," saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him "while we slept." (x)

About the time of the earthquake which occurred on the descent of the angel, the two Marys were preparing to go, very early, to see whether all about the sepulchre was safe, before the rest of the company could go. (y) Either they called on Salome, or met her in their way; (*) and as all three passed on towards the sepulchre, being desirous, probably, to begin to embalm the body before their friends arrive," they "said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the "stone from the door of the sepulchre?" All this time they knew nothing of the guard, or of the opening of the grave: but as they came near the sepulchre "at the rising of the sun," they looked forward, "and 66 saw that the stone was rolled away; for it was very "great." (a) This, as was natural, caused a multiplicity of varying emotions in their minds. Mary Magdalene, being at once warm in her affection, and anxious in her disposition, concluded that the body was stolen; and would therefore go no farther, but hastily ran back to tell Peter and John what she had seen, and what she thought: those two zealous disciples, therefore, hastened thither to ascertain the truth of her relation. (b) But while she ran back, the other Mary and Salome approached nearer to the sepulchre. The angel, who formerly sat on the stone to terrify the guard, had by this time moved into the sepulchre; for

(x) Matt. xxviii, 11—13. (*) Mark, xvi. 1.

(y) Matt. xxviii. 1.

(a) Mark, xvi. 2—4.

(b) John, xx. 1—4.

Christ rose and went out as soon as the stone was rolled away: and though the women were near enough to see the stone, they could see no angel upon it before Mary Magdalene ran back. Mary and Salome thus advancing, they found no obstruction, and resolved to ascertain whether the body was taken away or not. Just entering, therefore, into the sepulchre, they saw the angel, who invited them farther in, to "behold "the place where the Lord had lain." But they were affrighted: so the angel told them "the Lord was "risen," directed them to go and inform his disciples, and Peter, and to tell them, moreover, that they should see him in Galilee; as he had assured them previous to his crucifixion. (c) The women, under the joint influence of fear, joy, and amazement, ran away, saying nothing to any one, but fled trembling. (d) They were just gone when Mary Magdalene arrived the second time, with Peter and John, though it was yet early. These two disciples, before they reached the sepulchre, ran quicker than Mary: the angel having now disappeared, the two men went into the sepulchre, found the body was not there, but saw the grave-clothes lying folded up, indicating that there had been no indecent haste. John believed "the Lord

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was risen: but they both soon went away home without seeing him. Mary Magdalene now tarried behind, to weep alone, appearing in much doubt as to what had become of the body of Jesus. While in this mournful, anxious state of mind, she stooped

(c) Matt. xxviii. 5-7. Mark, xvi. 5-7. Matt. xxvi, 32. (d) Mark, xvi, 8.