contains. It contains a glorious proclamation of pardon and salvation to a world of sinners; and shall we continue to neglect, despise, or hate such a Gospel? God forbid ! May we all be enabled to receive this message of mercy, in faith, hope, and love, and may we find it the power of God to our eternal salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ.-Amen. SERMON V. FOR EASTER SUNDAY. "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never Believest thou this ?"-Sr. JOHN xi. 25, 26. live. die. AT the present season of the year, every object around us is calculated to awaken hope, and joy, and gratitude, in our minds. The powers of nature have now shaken off the icy slumber of winter, and are pouring forth their luxuriant treasures, and adorning the surface of the earth, with a countless variety of gay and blooming ornaments: the "lilies of the field," arrayed in a robe of beauty and magnificence, that all the pomp, and glory, and splendour of art can never rival: to adopt the simple and expressive language of inspiration—†“ Lo, the winter is past, the * Matthew, vi. 28, 29. + Canticles, ii. 11, 12. rain is over and gone-the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." Well may this annual resurrection of nature shed its joyful influence on the hearts of the children of nature, and animate them with a lively feeling of gratitude to that bounteous and benevolent Being, "who gives us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." And surely the return of this cheerful season, should awaken still more ardent feelings of joy and gratitude in the hearts of the children of grace, for it brings with it the memorial of the resurrection of the Author of Nature, the glorions resurrection of our Almighty Redeemer. The happy morn is come; Captivity is captive led, Since Jesus liveth that was dead. The precious death of our blessed Saviour, proved his abundant willingness to save sinners; and his glorious resurrection, proves that he is as able, as he is willing to save them. Had our Lord sunk under the weight of sin, which he bore for the salvation of the world-had the eternal Son of God failed to satisfy the divine justice, there would have remained no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation." The light of hope should have been extinguished for ever; and the whole human race have been shrouded in the thick darkness of despair; this world would have been but a passage to eternal misery: for here, as in hell, there should have been no redemption. But "blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." He arose from the grave a conqueror over sin and death." He led captivity captive, and received gifts for men; yea even, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them." Thus the resurrection of our Saviour gives us an infallible proof, that by his death upon the cross, She made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction *Heb. x. 26, 27. † 1 Peter i. 3. § See Communion service. for the sins of the whole world." And it also confirms the truth of his own merciful declaration, that he is the resurrection and the life of all his believing people. He has again planted on earth the tree of life; and has invited us all to eat of its fruit, and live for ever; but like our first parents, we are too easily persuaded by Satan, to neglect the blessing which the mercy of God has placed within our reach, and to taste forbidden fruit-to walk in the path of disobedience, and follow too much the devices and desires of our own corrupt and deceitful hearts. Perhaps some consideration of that spiritual and eternal life, which our Lord confers upon believers, may render us more desirous of obtaining it, and rouse our slumbering souls from this dangerous negligence and the glorious event which we this day commemorate, naturally leads us to the subject. "For now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept." But that we may behold more clearly the fullness of that life which we are offered in the Gospel, we must search the depth of that miserable death which cleaves to our fallen nature: "for as in * 1 Cor. xv. 20. + 1 Cor. xv. 22. |