Roman Governor: "Sir, we remember that that "deceiver faid, while he was yet alive, After "three days I will rife again. Command there"fore that the fepulchre be made fure until the "third day, left his difciples come by night, and "steal him away, and fay unto the people, He is "rifen from the dead. So the laft error fhall be "worse than the firft." Pilate grants them full permiffion to employ every precaution that they could devife for their fecurity, and they availed themselves of it to the uttermoft. CC They went "and made the fepulchre fure, fealing the ftone, "and fetting a watch."

THE incredulity, the dejection of the followers of Chrift; their want of concert, of co-opperation, form a complete contrast to all this. They are concerned only about their perfonal fafety. They believed not the repeated declarations of their Mafter. They have given up the caufe as loft. The women went out early on the third day merely to look at the fepulchre, and fome of them provided with "fweet fpices" that they might anoint the dead body of their friend, but without a ray of hope, that they were to pay him living honours. Two of the difciples went down that fame day from Jerufalem to Emmaus, under a full conviction, that their expectations were groundlefs. To the rifen Saviour hinfelf, who joined

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them on the way, but whom in his prefent form they knew not, they fadly detail the ftory of Chrift's fufferings, and of their own defpair. Their eyes being at length opened, they return in hafte to Jerufalem to announce to the eleven what things they had feen and heard, but "neither be"lieved they them." "Afterward he appeared" perfonly unto the eleven, as they fat at meat, "and upbraided them with their unbelief, and "hardness of heart, because they believed not

them which had feen him after he was rifen." One of them was absent at this interview, and he refolutely rejects the joint teftimony of all his colleagues, witneffing the fact: Armed at all points in the mail of incredulity he declares; "Except "I fhall fee in his hands the print of the nails, "and put my finger into the print of the nails,

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and thruft my hand into his fide, I will not be"lieve." What marks of collufion, then, are here? Are these men qualified either to undertake a bold enterprize, or to weave an impofture? Were perfons fo fimple, so timid, fo disunited, fit for ftorming a poft guarded by a band of Roman foldiers; or for contriving a tale which should pass upon the world, at a period fo inquifitive, fo en·lightened, and in a fpot, where all the fagacity, learning and power were engaged on the other fide? Of all believers, the infidel furely is the moft credulous.

While fuch was the fpirit, the views, occupations of the opponents, and of the adherents, of the Lord Jefus, He was in fupreme majesty fulfilling his own purpose and grace, in his own way, in defiance of the hoftility of the one, and independant of all aid from the other. Where is the body of him who was crucified, and which was depofited in the tomb? Let "the chief priefts and "pharifees" exhibit it, if they can, in a state of death, after the third day, and for ever flop the mouth of filly women and credulous mechanics. Ah, they have been "kicking against the pricks," they have been contending with omnipotence, they have prefumed to oppofe human cunning to heavenly wisdom. What fecurity is a cavern hewn out of a rock, a door of flone, a feal, and a watch, against the convulfion of "a great earth"quake," the might of an " angel of the Lord," nay the almighty power of the Lord of angels?

BUT the appearances of Jefus Chrift, "fhew“ing himself alive after his paffion," were neither few nor doubtful. By many infallible proofs" he demonstrated the certainty of his refurrection from the dead, being feen" of many witneffes forty days," and " fpeaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." Let the Apoftle of the Gentiles fum up the evidence for It ftands on the facred page: 1 Cor. xv.

us.

3-8. "For I delivered unto you first of all, "that which I alfo received, how that Chrift "died for our fins, according to the Scriptures; "and that he was buried, and that he rofe again "the third day, according to the Scriptures :— "And that he was feen of Cephas, then of the "twelve: After that he was feen of above five. "hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater "part remain unto this prefent, but fome are "fallen afleep. After that he was feen of James; "then of all the Apoftles. And la of all he

was seen of me alfo, as one born out of due "time." This is the teftimony of one who once. was a declared and furious enemy of the Chriftian faith, and who did all he could to deftroy it; but who both in opposition to it, and in his fupport of it, acted on principle.

Is it nothing, my friends-I was going to make my appeal to the enemies of Chriftianity-Is it nothing, that the truth of the refurre&ion of the Lord Jefus has been admitted by the not leaf: enlightened part of mankind, and has maintained: its ground, during a period of eighteen centuturies? Is the extenfively happy moral influence which it has been exercifing during that period, upon the temper and conduct of them who be- . lieve it, to be accounted nothing? Is it nothing that fo many myriads of human beings, through

fo many ages, have been cheered and comforted; have been stimulated to the performance of painful duty, have patiently fupported painful fuffering, have met the king of terrors with compofure, with joy, animated with those profpects of immortality which the refurrection of Chrift has difclofed to the enraptured eye? Is it nothing to fee, «Rachel, weeping for her children, and re"fufe to be comforted because they are not" by an infusion of this precious cordial revived and ftrengthened? See, the rifes from the ground, wipes away her tears, and is no more fad, becaufe

they are" with Chrift, who will raife them "up at the last day." Is it nothing when I am called to "bury my dead out of my fight," the fon whom I loved, whom I inftructed, whom I' saw increased in ftature, and in favour with God and man, all that parental partiality can picture; and whom I faw pale, and emaciated, and panting, and expiring-is it nothing to contemplate him "entering into peace, refting" with the redeemed "in their beds, walking in his upright"nefs," while the flesh refts in hope? Is it nothing, under the preffure of affliction, the preffure of years, the decays of nature, the gradual and certain approaches of death, to be able to look up and say, “I know that my Redeemer liveth,” He orders my lot, he luftains my drooping head?