and his countenance was as the sun shining in his strength. (a)

No wonder even a beloved disciple should fall at his feet as dead! For O, how unlike the man of sorrows! how unlike the prisoner at Pilate's bar? How unlike the criminal that was dragged through the streets of Jerusalem, like the vilest ruffian, nailed to the ignominious cross, and consigned to the silent grave!

HERE we see a ray of that glory which he had with his father before the world was.

Now he could say, All power is given unte

me both in heaven and in earth. I am he that was dead, and, behold, I am alive, and live for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. He dies no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

He can now say, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and believeth shall never die.

"The rising God forsakes his tomb,

Up to his Father's courts he flies;

Cherub legions guard him home,

* And shout him welcome to the skies.'

THERE is a dignity, a heavenly gramdeur in the close of the gospel by St. Mark:

fa) Rev. i. 44, 15, 15.

So after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. (a)

**

3. IN this glorious exaltation, the asto nishing goodness of God appears to the human tat in which we see our nature 3 exalted in Christ, the first fruits of a com ing harvest. By man, it is true, came death, but by man came the resurrection of the dead. Death has a long and dreadful triumph; but the destroyer of that enemy has prevailed. He is risen, the first fruits, and after him shall be a glorious harvest.

ONE glorious battalion arose and accompanied him to glory. (b) And I apprehend another blessed multitude will arise in the millenium, and will set upon thrones, and will live, and reign with Christ during the thousand years of the millenium. (c)

IN this,

appear goodness, infinite goodness, will

appear, yea, it does appear in our exalted Lord, and he confirms it in saying, Because I live, ye shall live also. Human naturè bath sinned; but human nature hath atoned, fully expiated sin; and the victory over sin, death and hell, is obtained through hint who appeared in our nature, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself; and having purged our stains, he rose, the world to justify, and now appears for us in the midst of the throne, with the recent prints

(a) Mark kvir 19. (b) Matt. xxvir 69, (c) Rev. 2. d

of his dying love, making intercession for transgressors. O infinite goodness! infinite love! let the sound of this make the heavenly concave ring to all eternity!

YE angels! ye morning stars of light, ye saw the awful process he passed through! His agony and bloody sweat; his cross and bloody_sweat; passion on the tree. Ye saw him laid in arrest in the silent grave, and tremendous was the sight; but your ravished eyes saw him burst the barriers of the tomb.

"Him ye beheld; our conquering God,** "Return with garments roll'd in blood! "'" Ye and kindled at the sight, bow And 'fill'd with shouts, the realms of light hand With loudest hallelujah's meet,

}" And fell and kiss'd his bleeding feet, "nopeln

1

4. HE comes forth an almighty conqueror, to save such as are looking to him. To save the guilty from their condemning fears. For he rose to deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. He comes to seek and to save that which was lost. He comes into the world to save sinners. But he could not save others unless he saved himself. And as the apostle justly reasons, If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and faith is also vain. There is no foundation for a sinner to hope in. Indeed the whole frame and structure of the gospel is built upon the resurrection, seeing his precious

death avails nothing without it. Therefore the guilty trembling soul may draw near, seeing the great High Priest is entered into the holiest, and by, or with, his own precious blood, he is able, and willing too, to save all that come to him.

To save them not only from guilt and condemnation, but from the nature and inbeing of sin. His blood hath not only atoned, but by the application of the everblessed spirit can purge the conscience from dead works, to serve our God without fear, in holiness and righteousness all our days; it even cleanseth from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and that we may perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord.

5. BE confident and thankful O ye saints, for the victory obtained for you, by him who was delivered for your offences, and raised again for your justification. He has overcome for you, and he is able and willing to overcome in you. Are you tempted? So was he. Are you afflicted? so was he. Are you poor? so was he. Are you despised? He was despised and rejected of men. Have you corruption in you? He is able to save to the uttermost, and he is equally willing. Have you death to face? and does every thing in death look awful and gloomy? Remember, he has been in the silent tomb; and he has conquered the king of terrors, the last enemy, and has triumphed over the powers of dark

ness, so that the saints may sing, In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

6. LASTLY, tremble ye that are stouthearted, and far from righteousness. Will ye despise his agony and bloody sweat? Will ye trample under foot the Son of God? Will ye count the blood that has bought your peace a common thing! Then you will be found among his enemies; this dreadful stone will fall upon you; you make it a stone of stumbling and rock of offence. Take then the consequence; hear what he says to you, I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. Now then submit to your Almighty helper, so shall all his love power and goodness be fully engaged in your behalf; that when he cometh in the clouds, you may with rapture sing, This is our God, we have waited for him, he will save us, save us for evermore.