fore, his disciples should be held too long in doubt, or any persons, after many days, should question whether he rose with the same body; and, further, that he might show himself alive while the soldiers were actually watching at his grave, and his crucifixion being yet in the mouths of all the people; hence, there was good reason why he would not stay many days before he

rose.

The particular length of the time is determined on the THIRD DAY. Now, in settling our opinions about the exact point of time, we cannot be governed by any surer rule, than our Lord's own prediction before his death, and the Apostles' language after his resurrection, Three times in the Gospel of St. Matthew he declares that he was to rise on the third day. Him God raised the THIRD day (says the Apostle), and showed him openly. We are therefore to receive this part of the article, agreeable to the language of Scripture, applied to other cases, where certain times are computed according to common acceptation of speech.- Now, from the Scripture account, Christ suffered on the sixth day, being on Friday, between nine and three in the afternoon; he rose on the first day, now commonly called Sunday (and, from this actual circumstance, most properly styled the Lord's Day); consequently, he was dead part of Friday, all Saturday, and part of Sunday,

The Jews reckoned their day from the evening; so, Saturday night, six o'clock, the first day of the week began, or the day after the sabbath. When we say, such an event happened three days ago, we usually reckon the day when it positively took place, and the day on which we speak: we never reckon according to the exact number of hours, and the revolution of the earth in that time. Thus, in the case of cireumcision, the male child, when eight days old, was to be circumcised, in which they counted the day on which the child was born, and the day the ceremony took place; and, that it must be so, is clear from what is confessed by all, viz. that Christ rose on the first day of the week, and consequently died on the sixth day before; for, if he had died on the fifth, in order to make out the strict reckoning of three whole nights, he had risen, not on the third day after his death, but on the fourth, as Lazarus did. It is certain, then, that our Lord rose on the third day, because, according to the constant language of the Greeks and Hebrews, he cannot be said to rise to life on the third day, who died on any other day, between which, and the day of his resurrection, more than one day has passed. For example, if any of us were to die this night (Sunday), and to rise again on Wednesday, we could not properly be said to rise the third day,

Having discoursed very fully to you upon the proof of these outward signs or seals of our redemption, through the certainty of Christ's resurrection; and having, I hope, afforded you such abundant evidence as is sufficient to convince your understanding; it is time we should consider the valuable effects of these first fruits upon the inward man, they being no less than an earnest of the Spirit that is to lead and preserve us in all truth. Hence, then, the divine authority of our blessed Lord is confirmed beyond all contradiction; for, by Christ's resurrection, he was declared to be the Son of God with power.-Upon the morning of the third day did these words of the Father establish a most important truth, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Hereby, likewise, the truth of our religion is perfectly secured; for, though he was crucified through weakness (that is, in consequence of the infirmity of that natural body he condescended to put on), yet he liveth by the power of God (i. e. his own power); and though we are weak in him, though we likewise walk in the flesh, that is, are clothed with this imperfect body, yet we shall live with him by the power of God towards us. We do not war after the flesh; we have a better weapon for our warfare than any mere human exertions could supply; for our weapons are mighty, through God, to the pulling down of

strong holds. Further, we are hereby assured, that the price of our redemption is fully paid by Christ; (Rom. iv. 25,) he having been delivered for our offences, and raised for our justification. By his death, we know he suffered for sin; by his resurrection, we are equally certain that the sins for which he suffered were not his own. Had not all men been sinners, he had not died, therefore he is said to have died for ALL; had he been a sinner, he had not risen again. Lastly, herein is the strength of our hope, here is the pledge or earnest of our faith, that as Christ was raised from the dead, so shall our mortal bodies be quickened also, by the Spirit of God that dwelleth in us. (viii. 11.) For, as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. And, in this last view of the power of Christ's resurrection, we are not only to consider the justification of our persons at the general resurrection, but how far we have obtained, through his grace, to be planted in the likeness of his death here; that is, that we have died to sin in the body, that we may rise to the life of righteousness, which is the only valuable sense in which we can be planted in the likeness of his resurrection; for this is an everlasting truth, and which should dwell in all our minds, that to whom we yield ourselves servants to obey, his we are whom we obey. Nor can we ever be mistaken whether it

is unto sin, or obedience.-The faith in Christ's resurrection, my brethren, must work effectually in our lives; for it is no less a powerful principle to purify our souls, than it is a sure sign of the revival of our bodies. For, when we were dead in sins, God quickened us together with Christ; and as Christ was raised from the dead, by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life. To continue in the grave of sin, while Christ is risen to procure for us grace and power to renew our carnal mind, would be to deserve the angel's rebuke, Why seek ye the living among the dead? To walk in wilful, habitual sin, is either to deny that sin is death, or that Christ is risen from the dead to give us life. Let not any Christian bury him, that is, be backward to apply for his help, who rose from death that he might live. Awake then, all ye that sleep (who are dead in your sins), arise from the deadly slumbers of your fallen nature, and Christ shall give you life. Let us impress this truth deep in our hearts, my brethren, that there must be a spiritual resurrection of the soul, before there can be a comfortable resurrection of the body. O, let us labour so to live, through the gifts of Christ's blessed Spirit, that ours prove not the resurrection to damnation! May we be found among the blessed and holy, who have part in