necessary to prove His demise, and to fulfil the Divine appointment. The moment He turned as it were on His couch, death was compelled to relinquish his victim, and let the prisoner free. He came up exclaiming, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death." Death's chains were snapped asunder; his power was for ever broken. When we now approach Him, we approach a living Saviour. "Death hath no more dominion over him."

This was a joyful day to the disciples, and to all the world. In prospect of this grand event, the Psalmist says, "This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it." The world never saw such a day before; there was joy in heaven, and joy on earth; a morning then dawned which is to be followed by no evening; a brighter sun arose upon the earth which is to set no more; a day began which shall never end, and night and darkness departed to return not again. On the results of this resurrection, we may remark

1. That hereby the truth of Christ's mission was fully confirmed. This is the broad seal of heaven affixed to His credentials-the sign of the prophet Jonas to which He alluded. He was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. He was publicly demonstrated to be the Son of God, by the immediate power of the Holy Ghost, avowed in the face of the world, and freed from all suspicion of being an impostor.

2. The sufficiency and acceptableness of His sacrifice were hereby acknowledged. The apostle truly argues: "If Christ be not risen, ye are yet in your sins," under the guilt and power of your sins condemned for ever; since they could not be taken away but by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If He had not risen, there could not be proof that He had taken them away. But "the Lord is risen indeed." The God of peace hath brought again from the dead the Great "Shepherd

of the sheep;" for He was "delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification."

When He was discharged from the prison of the grave, God declared in effect that the ransom price was paid; the full penalty of the law, which required death, was borne; justice was entirely satisfied; reconciliation was made; and pardon and peace were procured through the blood of

atonement.

3. The resurrection of Christ is the cause of our spiritual resurrection from the death of sin, to the life of righteousness. This is the "first resurrection." We are virtually dead in trespasses and sins, and are quickened by the Spirit, and raised into newness of life. The descent of the third Person to earth was dependant upon the resurrection and ascension of the second Person into heaven, consequently when He comes to infuse spiritual life into the hearts of His people it is because Christ ever liveth to intercede for us. The apostle declares this in the chapter before us. The burden of his argument is that our release from sin is contingent to this.

4. The resurrection of Christ affords to believers a certain pledge and infallible assurance of their joyful resurrection to eternal life. The one is inseparably connected with the other. They stand or fall together; so says St. Paul, "But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ; whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is Christ not raised. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." Jesus Christ rose as the forerunner and representative of His people. He arose as a mighty conqueror over death. His resurrection was graced with the resurrection of many of the bodies of the saints, who appeared to their friends at Jerusalem, to testify the great event, Christ was the "firstfruits of them that slept;" and as surely as the

firstfruits were gathered, so surely shall the whole harvest be safely collected. Of all that are given to Christ, the bodies of His saints included, nothing shall be lost. He has engaged to raise them up; for they are the children of the resurrection.

Beloved brethren, how are we affected by the resurrection of the Saviour? The disciples were surprised by and wondered at the event. The fact is familiar to us; so that the relation of it may not occasion wonder. But are we satisfied as to the certainty of it? If it be not true, there is no truth in the Christianity which we profess. If it be true, then is Christianity also true. The religion of Christ stands upon this firm foundation. This establishes the relations recorded in the blessed Scriptures. This ratifies all the doctrines of the Bible. This fixes Christ's authority to rule and govern the Church. This obliges us to believe that He will fulfil all His promises to His people and threatenings to His enemies, and this especially strengthens our faith in the belief of the general resurrection at the last day. "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead," "why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?" So if we know Him and the power of His resurrection, "When this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." Then shall all the ransomed throng unite to exclaim, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"

"With joy, like Christ, shall every saint,

His empty tomb survey:

And rise with his ascending Lord

To realms of endless day."

296

Easter-day.

EVENING SERVICE.-Second Lesson: Exodus xiv.

Verse 13.-" And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever."

WHEN the children of Israel were in a strait, they "cried unto the Lord," but their crying was not of the right sort, or they would not at the same time have murmured against Moses, whom the Lord had instructed to place them in the position in which they were then situated. If their prayer had been accompanied by faith, they would not have manifested such a disposition; consequently their fears only urged them to cry, whilst their inclinations led them to oppose the Divine authority. We cannot wonder at their crying when we think of the critical circumstances in which they were placed. The Red Sea was in their front, insurmountable obstacles on each side, the infuriated Egyptians in close pursuit in their rear, humanly speaking there was no way for escape; but nothing is too hard for God. He effected their deliverance, not because they cried, as they did not cry in faith, but because He had determined to lead on the hardened Pharaoh and the Egyptians to their ruin, and because He had His purposes to accomplish in the fulfilment of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is the prayer of faith alone that is heard and answered. However thoughtless and profligate persons may be in safety and prosperity, we generally find, that like the Israelites, they cry unto God when placed in imminent danger! their prayers, however, are of no avail unless they are offered up in faith; if God be

pleased to deliver them it is not because they cry, but because He wills it in mercy. It is the confident submissive cry

which is heard and answered. The man who can look danger in the face with humble confidence in God, is the man who rides out through the storm in perfect composure. Moses encourages the Israelites to exercise this faith in God: "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew you to day." Trust in God, and you have nothing to fear. In yourselves you are helpless; in resistance to that vast army in pursuit, there is no hope; to overcome the natural obstacles, before and each side, is impossible. "Stand still," what you cannot do, God will. He will not even ask you to be "workers together with him" in this case; look and admire, and you shall

see the salvation of the Lord." Salvation is entirely of God. He will do all the work, and He will have all the glory.

There are two things which prominently present themselves in the text. First, Salvation on the part of God is the work of power; Secondly, Salvation on the part of man is the work of faith.

God is the work of power. It
He is the author of it. He is
finisher of it. He planned
He perfects it. Salvation

I. Salvation on the part of is the salvation of the Lord. the promoter of it. He is the it, He wrought it, He applies it, is deliverance, and on the part of God it may be considered to be both physical and spiritual. In either case Divine power is absolute; there are obstacles to be removed, and acts to be done, which cannot be effected except by the active energy of Divine power. We may apply this

1. To temporal deliverances. Instances of such deliverances are numerously recorded in God's Word. But the one with which our text is connected is held up as a monument of the most striking display of God's power and goodness. Whether we regard the preliminary judgments on the Egyptian king and people, by which the way was paved for the