believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting " "-but we wish to be certified of it. Then it is that these Easter tidings Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept—fall upon our listening ears as the greatest, the most comforting, the most awakening news that can be told us.

For if this be true, all curious doubts, all anxious misgivings, are set at rest. We know what we most wanted to know: we have an anchor for our soul, sure and stedfast.

And, first, let me observe that the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the general resurrection of all men stand or fall together-St Paul puts it very strongly -If the dead rise not then is not Christ raised-and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins... then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished!

Try to take in the full force of his argument-If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is not Christ risen! There are some persons, no doubt, of whom, if we were told that, this life ended, they would exist no more, we should hardly feel it shocking-persons who are so entirely earthly in their character that, apart from revelation, we should hardly expect that they would survive the grave.

But are there not others, with whom it is just the contrary? Have we not all known those whose life on earth was such, that the bare thought of their having perished is not to be endured?

O, brethren let me send you back to the most cherished memories that your hearts retain. Think of

the beloved ones who are gone from you think of those whom you loved most justly-with whom you took the sweetest counsel-whose advice, you felt, was always right-whose presence among you brought with it an atmosphere from heaven. Think of the friend who, of all you have known in this world of petty strifes and jealousies, lived clearest of blame-never behaved himself unseemly- never sought his own-was not easily provoked-in whom were found met to the greatest degree, the marks of Christian wisdom-who was pure, peaceable, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits. -think of such an one, and of his trust in God, and of the calm peace in which he died-and suppose for a moment, that they are right who deny that there is any resurrection -who affirm that death finishes our being that your friend, like all the rest who have preceded him, is gone for ever!

Does not the bare thought sadly trouble you? Does not your heart sink within you at the terrible suggestion that one blank fate awaits all-that not even piety, not even goodness—not the best and purest of our kind shall survive the grave!

But if we cannot bear to think this even of a man like one of ourselves—if nature revolts at the idea of their having perished who have fallen asleep in Christ, how shall we endure to be told that not even the Lord Himself is an exception-that He, too, has followed the generation of mortal men, and is sleeping the sleep that knows no waking? And yet, brethren, this is the conclusion to which we are driven if we once let go our belief in the doctrine of a resurrection-If the dead rise not,

then is not Christ raised-and if Christ be not risen, all that has been built upon His resurrection falls to the ground-Then is our preaching vain then is your faith vain also ye are yet in your sins! also-ye

I have purposely described, as plainly as I could, the misery and gloom that gathers over our mind, at the bare idea of there being no resurrection. The pain that comes of such a thought compels us of itself to struggle against it. Not easily will we resign ourselves to the belief that we are not better than the beasts that. perish. Not easily will we give up the hope with which we have been used to comfort ourselves at each inroad of death upon our homes, that the separation is but for a time, that we and ours shall meet again-not easily will we sit down and acquiesce in this most blighting, most enervating doctrine of those who say that there is no resurrection !

No, but we will look out for evidence to the contrary -we will look to what God has shewed us on this great subject. Nor shall we look in vain-we shall find both from what is written in the book of nature, and in His revealed word, many intimations, many proofs that the dead do rise.

For instance, we see how, after the deadness of winter, the earth comes as it were to life again—we see how the corn-the "bare grain" of wheat dropped in the furrow last autumn, issues forth the next summer, clothed with a new and more glorious body-we see the butterfly that flitted about for a day and died, come forth out of its chrysalis to a renewed life-we see these and many more hints of a resurrection in the outward world around us.

I grant that these analogies, as they are termed, in

nature, are not sufficient in themselves to satisfy us: they are, as I said, but hints of a resurrection. What is wanted to make our hope secure is, that we should be able to point to a man, who was dead, and is now alive-one who, with body, parts, and passions like any of us, has been in very truth among the dead, and yet has come back again-gone down to the grave, and passed out of it.

And, blessed be God! we can do this-we have every proof that can be desired to make us sure of this, that Jesus Christ both died, and rose, and revived.

They have told us who were living at the time-who were much with Jesus before He suffered-who themselves saw Him dead-to whom He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs.

Their evidence cannot be impugned. They were ready at the time to seal it with their blood. And since their day it has been sifted and searched by the acutest intellects, and no flaw found in it. It stands recorded in a Book to which all have access,-which is plain to read, and easily understood. We go to that Book, we consult its pages for ourselves, and if we go to it unprejudiced, we are convinced by it.-We come away saying-The Lord is risen indeed! It is as He said, beforehand,After three days I will rise again—the prophet's words are true-Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, neither shalt Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption!

And now let us mark the momentous consequence of this to ourselves,-what follows from the established fact of Christ's resurrection.

His rising again, proves His Divine mission.-It sets the seal of truth upon all His words to us in the Gospel. Those words do, indeed, in a great degree, carry their own authority with them. We feel as we read themNever man spake like This Man-but we are doubly sure that they are God's words, the words that shall judge us -the words that shall never pass away-now that the Speaker of them, Jesus our Lord, has been raised from the dead, God having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be holden of it.

Again, if Christ be risen, then is the work that He took in hand accomplished, then is it proved that He is stronger than the strong man.-Then is Satan's power not what it was-then can he no longer lead us captives at his will.

Do think of this also, brethren.-Do look to your risen Lord for strength to have victory. He died for your sins, and He rose for your justification. He died to slay your enemies-sin, the flesh, and the devil-He rose to conduct you forth by the right way; to fill you with the fruits of righteousness, and so to fit you for His Father's kingdom.

But it is

Surely this is not enough remembered-We dwell on the Lord's sacrifice for sin, as if that were everythingas if once pardoned we were sure of heaven. not so, there must be a fitness for heaven. No unclean thing can enter there. We must first put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. And this we can only do by the help of