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ral religion. If there had never shone er than that the individuals judged, and on me the beams of the Gospel, and if the individuals recompensed, must be I could only gather my arguments from the very individuals who have here what I felt within myself, and from what moved and acted, the sons and the I saw occurring around me, I might ad- daughters of humanity. But how can vance, step by step, through some such they be? The soul is not the man. process as the following. I am not There must be the material, as well as wholly a material thing. I can perceive, the immaterial, to make up man. The and reason, and remember. I am con- vicious person cannot be the suffering scious to myself of powers which it is person, and the virtuous person cannot impossible that mere matter, however be the exalted person, and neither can wrought up or moulded, could possess be the tried person, unless body and or exercise. There must, then, be with- soul stand together at the tribunal, in me an immaterial principle, a some- constituting hereafter the very person thing which is not matter, a soul, an which they constitute here. And if nainvisible, mysterious, powerful, pervad- tural religion know nothing of a resuring thing. And this soul, I feel that it rection-and it does know nothing, the struggles after immortality. I feel that resurrection being purely an article of it urges me to the practice of virtue, revelation-we hold that natural relihowever painful, and that it warns me gion must here be thrown out of all against the pursuit of vice, however her calculations, and that confusion and pleasant. I feel that it acts upon me by doubt will be the result of her best motives, derived from the properties of searchings after truth. a God, but which lose all their point I see that if there be a judgment and power, unless I am hereafter to be hereafter, the individuals judged must judged and dealt with according to my be the very individuals who have obeyactions. And if natural religion have ed here, or disobeyed here. But if the thus enabled me, at the least, to conjec- material part be dissolved, and there reture that there shall come a judgment, main nothing but the immaterial, they and a state of retribution, what is it are not, and they cannot be, the very which puts an arrest on my searchings, same individuals. The soul, we again and forbids my going onward to cer- say, is not the man. And if the soul, by tainty? We reply without hesitation, itself, stand in judgment, it is not the death. Natural religion cannot overleap man who stands in judgment. And if the grave. It is just the fact of the bo- the man stand not in judgment, there dy's dissolution, of the taking down of is no putting of the obedient, or the this fleshly tabernacle, of the resolution offending being upon trial. So that of bone, and flesh, and sinew into dust there is at once an overthrow of the -it is just this fact which shakes all reasoning by which I had sustained my calculations of a judgment, and the expectation, that the future comes throws a darkness, not to be penetrated, charged with the actings of a mighty round "life and immortality." 2 Tim. jurisdiction. I cannot master the mys1:10. And why so? Why, after show- teries of the sepulchre. I may have ing that I am immaterial-why, after sat down in one of the solitudes of naproving that a part of myself spurns ture; and I may have gazed on a firfrom it decay, and is not necessarily mament and a landscape which seemed affected by the breaking-up of the body to burn with divinity; and I may have -why should death interfere with my conviction of the certainties of judgment and retribution? We hold the reason to be simple and easily defined. If there shall come a judgment, of course the beings judged must be the very beings who have lived on this earth. If there shall come a retribution, of course the beings rewarded or punished must be the very beings who have been virtuous or vicious in this present existence. There can be nothing clear

heard the whisperings of a more than human voice, telling me that I am destined for companionship with the bright tenantry of a far lovelier scene; and I may then have pondered on myself: there may have throbbed within me the pulses of eternity; I may have felt the soarings of the immaterial, and I may have risen thrilling with the thought that I should yet find myself the immortal. But if, when I went forth to mix again with my fellows-the splen

did thought still crowding every cham- resurrection and the life." He went ber of the spirit-I met the spectacle down to the grave in the weakness of of the dead borne along to their burial; humanity, but, at the same time, in the why, this demonstration of human mor- might of Deity. And, designing to tality would be as a thunder-cloud pour forth a torrent of lustre on the passing over my brilliant contempla- life, the everlasting life of man, oh, he tions; and I should not know how to did not bid the firmament cleave asunbelieve myself reserved for endless al- der, and the constellations of eternity lotments, when I saw one of my own shine out in their majesties, and dazlineage coffined and sepulchred. How zle and blind an overawed creation. can this buried man be judged? How He rose up, a moral giant, from his can he be put upon trial? His soul may grave-clothes; and, proving death vanbe judged, his soul may be put upon quished in his own stronghold, left the trial. But the soul is not himself. And vacant sepulchre as a centre of light to if it be not himself who is judged, judg- the dwellers on this planet. He took ment proceeds not according to the ri- not the suns and systems which crowd gors of justice, and, therefore, not ac- immensity in order to form one brilliant cording to the attributes of Deity.

cataract, which, rushing down in its And thus the grand reason why na- glories, might sweep away darkness tural religion cannot fully demonstrate from the benighted race of the aposa judgment to come, and a state of re- tate. But he came forth from the tomb, tribution, seems to be that it cannot masterful and victorious; and the place demonstrate, nay rather, that it cannot where he had lain became the focus of even suspect, the resurrection of the the rays of the long-hidden truth; and body. The great difficulty, whilst man the fragments of his grave-stone were is left to discover for himself, is how the stars from which flashed the imto bring upon the platform of the fu- mortality of man. ture the identical beings who are shat- It was by teaching men that they tered by death. So that unless you should rise again, it was by being himintroduce "the resurrection," you will self "the resurrection," that he taught not make intelligible "the life." The them they should live the life of imshowing that the body will rise is in- mortality. This was bringing the missdispensable to the showing, not indeed ing element into the attempted demonthat the soul is capable of immortality, stration; for this was proving that the but that her immortality can consist, complete man shall stand to be judged as it must consist, with judgment and at the judgment-seat of God. And thus retribution. We contend, therefore, it is, we again say, that the combinathat the great clearing-up of the soul's tion of titles in our text makes the pasimmortality was Christ's combining the sage an intelligible revelation of the titles of our text, "I am the resurrec- soul's immortality. And prophets might tion and the life." Let man be assured have stood upon the earth, proclaiming that his body shall rise, and there is an to the nations that every individual end to those difficulties which throng carried within himself a principle imaround him when observing that his perishable and unconquerable; they body must die. Thus it was "the re- might have spoken of a vast and sosurrection" which turned a flood of lemn scene of assize; and they might brightness on "the life." The main have conjured men by the bliss and the thing wanted, in order that men might glory, the fire and the shame, of neverbe assured of immortality, was a grap- ending allotments: but doubt and unpling with death. It was the showing certainty must have overcast the futhat there should be no lasting separa- ture, unless they could have bidden tion between soul and body. It was the their audience anticipate a time when exhibiting the sepulchres emptied of the whole globe, its mountains, its detheir vast population, and giving up the serts, its cities, its oceans, shall seem dust remoulded into human shape. And resolved into the elements of humanthis it was which the Mediator effected, kind; and millions of eyes look up from not so much by announcement as by a million chasms; and long-severed spiaction, not so much by preaching re- rits rush down to the very tenements surrection and life, as by being "the which encased them in the days of pro

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bation: ay, prophets would have spo-ed from death? And if, yet further, in ken in vain of judgment and immortali- addition to the pardon of sin, there ty, unless they could have told out this have been imparted to man a right marvellous leaping into life of whatso-to the tree of life," Rev. 22: 14, so ever hath been man; and never could that there are reserved for him in heathe cloud and the mist have been rolled ven the splendors of immortality; is away from the boundless hereafter, had not the terrible wrenched away from there not arisen a being who could de- death? But is not sin pardoned through clare, and make good the declaration, the blood-shedding of Jesus; and is not "I am the resurrection and the life." glory secured to us through the interNow we have been induced to treat cession of Jesus? And where then is on the inspiriting words of our text by the tongue bold enough to deny, that the consideration that death has, of late, death is virtually abolished unto those been unusually busy in our metropolis who believe on "the resurrection and and its environs, and that, therefore, the life ?" Oh, the smile can rest brightsuch a subject of address seemed pe- ly on a dying man's cheek, and the words culiarly calculated to interest your feel- of rapture can flow from his lips, and ings. We thank thee, and we praise his eye can be on angel forms waiting thee, O Lord our Redeemer, that thou to take charge of his spirit, and his ear hast" abolished death." 2 Timothy, 1: can catch the minstrelsy of cherubim ; 10. We laud and magnify thy glorious and what are these but trophies-conname, that thou hast wrestled with our querors of earth, and statesmen, and phityrant in the citadel of his empire; losophers, can ye match these trophies? and that, if we believe upon thee, death of "the resurrection and the life?" has, for us, been spoiled of its power, so that, "O death, where is thy sting, O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Cor. 15:55, may burst from our lips as we expect the dissolution of "our earthly house of this tabernacle." 2 Cor. 5: 1. What is it but sin, unpardoned and encouragement. Christ, when in his wrath-deserving sin, which gives death agony, did not strengthen others: he its fearfulness? It is not the mere se- needed an angel to strengthen himself. paration of soul from body, though we But if there be not ecstasy, there is that own this to be awful and unnatural, composedness, in departing believers, worthy man's abhorrence, as causing which shows that "the everlasting him, for a while, to cease to be man. arms," Deut. 33: 27, are under them and It is not the reduction of this flesh into around them. It is a beautiful thing to original elements, earth to earth, fire to see a christian die. The confession, fire, water to water, which makes death whilst there is strength to articulate, so terrible, compelling the most stout- that God is faithful to his promises; hearted to shrink back from his ap- the faint pressure of the hand, giving proaches. It is because death is a con- the same testimony when the tongue sequence of sin, and this one conse- can no longer do its office; the motion quence involves others a thousand-fold of the lips, inducing you to bend down, more tremendous-a sea of anger, and so that you catch broken syllables of waves of fire, and the desperate anguish expressions such as this,

We look not, indeed, always for triumph and rapture on the death-beds of the righteous. We hold it to be wrong to expect, necessarily, encouragement for ourselves from good men in the act of dissolution. They require

come, Lord of a storm-tossed spirit-it is on this Jesus, come quickly;" these make the account that death is appalling: and chamber in which the righteous die they who could contentedly, and even one of the most privileged scenes upon cheerfully, depart from a world which earth; and he who can be present, and has mocked them, and deceived them, gather no assurance that death is fetand wearied them, oh, they cannot face tered and manacled, even whilst graspa God whom they have disobeyed, and ing the believer, must be either inaccesneglected, and scorned. sible to moral evidence, or insensible

And if, then, there be the taking to the most heart-touching appeal. away of sin; if iniquity be blotted out One after another is withdrawn from as a cloud, and transgression as a thick the church below, and heaven is gathercloud; is not all its bitterness abstract-ing into its capacious bosom the com

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pany of the justified. We feel our loss, it can no longer injure; if the enemy when those whose experience quali- be abolished when it does the work of fied them to teach, and whose life was a friend, and if the tyrant be abolished a sermon to a neighborhood, are re- when performing the offices of a sermoved to the courts of the church vant; if the repulsive be destroyed above. But we sorrow not, even as when we can welcome it, and if the others which have no hope," 1 Thess. odious be destroyed when we can em4: 13, as we mark the breaches which brace it; if the quicksand be abolished death makes on the right hand and when we can walk it and sink not, if on the left. We may, indeed, think the fire be abolished when we can pass that "the righteous is taken away from through it and be scorched not, if the the evil to come," Isaiah, 57: 1, and poison be abolished when we can drink that we ourselves are left to struggle it and be hurt not; then is death dethrough approaching days of fear and stroyed, then is death abolished, to all perplexity. Be it so. We are not alone. who believe on the resurrection and

He who is "the resurrection and the the life:" and the noble prophecy is life" leads us on to the battle and the fulfilled (bear witness, ye groups of the grave. It might accord better with our ransomed, bending down from your natural feelings, that they who have in- high citadel of triumph), "O Death, I structed us by example, and cheered will be thy plagues; Ó Grave, I will be by exhortation, should remain to coun- thy destruction." Hosea, 13: 14. sel and to animate, when the tide of "I heard a voice from heaven"—oh, war swells highest, and the voice of for the angel's tongue that words so blasphemy is loudest. We feel that we beautiful might have all their melodiouscan but ill spare the matured piety of ness-"saying unto me, write, blessed the veteran Christian, and the glowing are the dead which die in the Lord devotion of younger disciples. Yet we from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, will say with Asa, when there came that they may rest from their labors, against him Zerah the Ethiopian, with and their works do follow them." Rev. an host of a hundred thousand and three 14: 13. It is yet but a little while, and hundred chariots, "Lord, it is nothing we shall be delivered from the burden with thee to help whether with many, and the conflict, and, with all those who or with them that have no power; help have preceded us in the righteous strugus, O Lord our God, for we rest on thee, gle, enjoy the deep raptures of a Mediaand in thy name we go against this multitude." 2 Chron. 14 : 11.

tor's presence. Then, re-united to the friends with whom we took sweet coun"The resurrection and the life," these sel upon earth, we shall recount our are thy magnificent titles, Captain of toil only to heighten our ecstasy; and our salvation! And, therefore, we com- call to mind the tug and the din of war, mit to thee body and soul; for thou only that, with a more bounding throb, hast redeemed both, and thou wilt ad- and a richer song, we may feel and vance both to the noblest and most celebrate the wonders of redemption. splendid of portions. Who quails and And when the morning of the first shrinks, scared by the despotism of resurrection breaks on this long-disdeath? Who amongst you fears the ordered and groaning creation, then dashings of those cold black waters shall our text be understood in all its which roll between us and the promised majesty, and in all its marvel: and then land? Men and brethren, grasp your shall the words, whose syllables mingle own privileges. Men and brethren, so often with the funeral knell that we Christ Jesus has "abolished death:" are disposed to carve them on the cywill ye, by your faithlessness, throw press-tree rather than on the palm, "I strength into the skeleton, and give am the resurrection and the life," form back empire to the dethroned and de- the chorus of that noble anthem, which stroyed? Yes, "the resurrection and those for whom Christ "died and rose the life" "abolished death." Ye must and revived," Rom. 14: 9, shall chant indeed die, and so far death remains as they march from judgment to glory. undestroyed. But if the terrible be de- We add nothing more. We show you stroyed when it can no longer terrify, the privileges of the righteous. We and if the injurious be destroyed when tell you, that if you would die their

death, you must live their life. And, our text, "he that believeth on me, conjuring you, by the memory of those though he were dead, yet shall he live; who have gone hence in the faith of and whosoever liveth and believeth the Redeemer, that ye "run with pa- in me shall never die; believest thou tience the race set before you, Heb. this ?" God forbid there should be one 12: 1, we send you to your homes with of you refusing to answer with Martha, the comforting words which succeed "yea, Lord, yea."

SERMON VI.

THE POWER OF WICKEDNESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS TO
RE-PRODUCE THEMSELVES.

"For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."-Gal. 6 : 7.

You may be all aware that what is and its productions may be traced as termed the argument from analogy has pervading the appointments of revelabeen carried out to great length by tion. It were beside our purpose to go thinking men, and that much of the at length into demonstration of this strongest witness for christianity has coincidence. But you may all perceive, been won on this field of investigation. assuming its existence, that the furIt is altogether a most curious and pro- nished argument is clear and convincfitable inquiry, which sets itself to the ing. If there run the same principle tracing out resemblances between na- through natural and spiritual things, tural and spiritual things, and which through the book of nature and the Bithus proposes to establish, at the least, ble, we vindicate the same authorship a probability that creation and chris- to both, and prove, with an almost geotianity have one and the same author. metric precision, that the God of creaAnd we think that we shall not over- tion is also the God of christianity. I step the limits of truth, if we declare look on the natural firmament with its that nature wears the appearance of glorious inlay of stars; and it is unto having been actually designed for the me as the breastplate of the great highillustration of the Bible. We believe that priest, "ardent with gems oracular," he who, with a devout mind, searches from which, as from the urim and thummost diligently into the beauties and mim on Aaron's ephod, come messamysteries of the material world, will ges full of divinity. And when I turn find himself met constantly by exhibi- to the page of Scripture, and perceive. tions, which seem to him the pages of the nicest resemblance between the Scripture written in the stars, and the characters in which this page is writforests, and the waters, of this creation. ten, and those which glitter before me There is such a sameness of dealing, on the crowded concave, I feel that, in characteristic of the natural and the trusting myself to the declarations of spiritual, that the Bible may be read in the Bible, I cling to Him who speaks the outspread of the landscape, and the to me from every point, and by every operations of agriculture: whilst, con- splendor of the visible universe, whose versely, the laws obeyed by this earth voice is in the marchings of planets,

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