Bleffed Jefus, "Thou wilt fhew me the path of "life in thy prefence is fullness of joy, at thy

right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Who is there in this affembly, that will not go home this evening with an impreffion more faint or more profound on his heart, in favour of moral excellence, with kinder affections, with a warmer difpofition to what is good, with a more perfect refignation to the will of God, in proportion as the truth of this great leading doctrine of the gospel has laid hold of his mind? May we all" be filled with peace and joy in believing" it; and " rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full "of glory; receiving the end of our faith, even "falvation of our fouls."

THE doctrine of the refurrection of Jefus being established, and, bleffed be God, it is "built upon "a rock, and the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it," then

1. EVERY other particular of the Gospel difpensation is confirmed; every article of doctrine, however fublime and myfterious, is rendered credible, is ascertained; and every other fact ftanding in connection with it is firmly supported. this is the key-ftone of the arch, on which every other bears, which unites all to itfelf, and cements the feveral parts into one folid, harmonious whole. Take this away, and all is disjointed, enfeebled,

ture "

falls to pieces. When therefore, I meet in Scripthings hard to be understood," this fhall refolve my doubts, and check my presumption: "The Lord is rifen; he is rifen indeed." When I am "in heavinefs through manifold temptations," when hope languishes, and faith is ready to fail, I will caft myself on this "foundation of "God" which "ftandeth fure :" Jefus died, and rofe again. For

2. THE refurrection of Chrift infpires the pureft and most exalted delight to the foul of man, as conftituing a proof of its immortality, of a ftate of exiftence beyond the grave. The mind is relieved from the depreffing, the dreadful idea of annihilation. The Saviour paffed from the cross to Paradise, carrying triumphantly with him the companion of his fufferings, while their bodies hung lifelefs on the tree. And the refurrection fenfibly demonftrated that death is not the extinction of being, but the transition from one flate to another; that He who exerted this divine power, has the abfolute difpofal of man in every poffible mode of existence. But the felf fame event opens a profpect the moft melancholy and overwhelming to every unregenerated, unbelieving foul of man. Immortality opens upon him in all its endless, hopeless mifery; a "worm "that dieth not; a fire that never fhall be

"quenched," "-"Everlafting deftruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his "power." May Jefus deliver us all from the wrath which is to come.

3. THE refurrection of Chrift is the foundation of a doctrine peculiar to Chriftianity-the refurrection of the body. This was an idea fo new to the learned Athenians, and, in their apprehenfion fo abfurd, that "when they heard" Paul preaching in Mars-hill, the refurrection of the dead, fome mocked." However the mind might have, pursued its own future exiftence into invifible worlds, the future existence of the body was given up, or rather never thought of by the learned and the unlearned, by the polished Greek and the rude Barbarian. The experience and hiftory of mankind had furnished no ground whereon to rear fuch a fabric. The doctrine, as we hinted above, was indeed laid up in a facred oracle delivered by Mofes, but it was unknown to, or not underfood by, the generality even of the people to whom that oracle was committed, much more was it unknown to the reft of the world. It was referved to the great Teacher to bring it to light, and to put the unbelieving Sadducees to filence, by referring them to what God faid by the mouth. of their great prophet, at the burning bufh, concerning their venerable ancestors, Abraham, and

Ifaac, and Jacob, who, dead to the world, all lived to God, in the whole of their human existence, in their body as well as in their spirit. And what but the belief of this made dying Jacob give it in charge to his fons, to bury him with his Fathers? What but this faith could induce Jofeph to "give commandment concerning his "bones?" But Chriftians, the truth of the doctrine refts not merely on an ancient declaration in the writings of Mofes, but on a fact of unqueftionable authenticity, in the new Teftament. That the dead are to be raised is a truth demonftrated, for Chrift rofe from the dead. And "if "the spirit of him that raifed up Jefus from the "dead dwell in you: He that raised up Chrift "from the dead fhall alfo quicken your mortal "bodies, by his fpirit that dwelleth in you." "Since by man came death, by man came alfo "the refurrection of the dead. For, as in Adam "all die, even fo in Chrift shall all be made "alive. But every man in his own order: Chrift "the first fruits, afterward they that are Chrift's "at his coming."

4. THIS fuggefts another interesting confequence of our Lord's refurrection, constituting another doctrine peculiar to Chriflianity; "Unto "them that look for him fhall he appear, the fe"cond time, without fin unto falvation," To

this grand confummation the eyes of the Chriftian world are directed: "He hath appointed a day, "in the which he will judge the world in righte

ousnefs, by that man whom he hath ordained; "whereof he hath given affurance unto all men, "in that he hath raifed him from the dead." The end of this glorious manifeftation is the most folemn and interefling: "The Lord Jefus fhall "be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

Thus

in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that "know not God, and obey not the gofpel of Jefus "Chrift; who fhall be punished with everlasting "deftruction from the prefence of the Lord, and "from the glory of his power; when hefh all come "to be glorified in his faints, and to be admired "in all them that believe, in that day." great events paft, look forward to great events yet to come, and exercise a commanding influence over all the intermediate duration. And thus the fimpleft dictate of confcience, and the most sublime difcovery of religion point to one and the fame object" Jefus delivered for our offences, "and raised again for our juftification." Jefus coming" in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

5. THE refurrection of Chrift, and the glory which immediately followed, convey to us some idea of a fpiritual and glorious body. He had