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he can only be said to be a God to the living soul. On the former, he can only bring to bear his natural attributes, can only exercise mechanical power; while, on the latter, he can turn the full aspect of his moral perfections, can bring his transcendental attributes, the peculiar glory of his character, can bring all his nature into active communication with theirs. Whatever he may do to mere matter, he does to an unconscious object, to a thing which can return him no look of gratitude, no expression of affection; while the soul finds its heaven in his smile, and he beholds the reflection of his image in its face. Wherefore, 'he is not ashamed to be called its God:' by which we are to understand that he glories to be called so; he tells it to the universe; boasts of the relationship; is willing to be judged of by his treatment of his spiritual offspring; is prepared to rest his claims to universal homage on the glorious provision to which he brings them in heaven; is so satisfied with that illustration of his excellence which he beholds in the present condition of the spirits of just men made perfect, that, could we see their blessedness, he would be content to be known only as their God; and, accordingly, one of the titles which he has adopted, and graven on his crown of light, informs us that he is the Father of spirits.'

Another declaration of Christ, to the same import, is his memorable reply to the expiring malefactor, 'Verily, I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with me in paradise.' The sense of this passage has been made by some, indeed, to turn on a question of punctuation. But receiving it in its general acceptation; the only acceptation, we apprehend, which common sense will ratify; we learn from it the capability of the soul to exist independently of the body; the instant transition of the soul, at death, to the state adapted to its moral character; and the fact, that it there immediately enters on its endless portion.

And, thirdly, relation which

II. The resurrection of the body was a dogma already familiar to the Jews; but this doctrine our Lord illustrated, amplified, and confirmed. Aware that it formed the key-stone of christianity, he may be said to have labored out the proof of it, till he brought it to demonstration. 'Ye do err,' said he, to the Sadducees, who denied a resurrection, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God.' Here, first, he dismisses the question of its possibility by placing it at once in the hands of omnipotence. Secondly, he places around the doctrine a guard of divine declarations; thus reminding us, that if God has said the dead shall be raised, the event is as certain as if it had already occurred and become matter of history. he alleges as a reason for the event, the God sustains to his people-he is their God;' and is bound, therefore, by a pledge voluntarily given, to do every thing for them essential to their well-being: but the restoration of their bodies is essential to the integrity of their nature; then his faithfulness is pledged to restore them. Besides, he is the God of the living; but a constituent part of their nature is held in captivity by death, then to vindicate his title as their God, he must effect the redemption of the body, and replenish it, in common with the soul, with immortal life. Agreeably to this declaration, the Savior elsewhere affirms, This is the Father's will who hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.' He was commissioned by the Father to accomplish the work of redemption, in a manner worthy of him whose peculiar distinction it is, that his work is perfect.' He holds himself responsible, therefore, for the re-production of the bodies of all his people: he has set his seal upon each of their graves; and, of all that he holds in trust, he declares that he will lose, not merely not one, but nothing '-not a frac

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tion, not a particle essential to one of the bodies of his saints. During the short period that he himself remained in the grave, he held his person dishonored by the bondage; 'and, till the morning of the resurrection arrive, he regards his people as dishonored: the completion of his engagement, and the perfection of his reward, require that, 'of all which have been given him he should lose nothing. But our Lord did not limit his proof of a resurrection to words; he proceeded to demonstrate the truth by an appeal to our senses. On one occasion, he released an individual whom death had just made his prisoner. On another occasion, he met the king of terrors at the gate of a city, conveying a victim to the grave; and he arrested his march, and reclaimed the prey. And, on a third time, he brought Lazarus forth from the grave, who had been dead four days. On that occasion, he had intentionally delayed to interfere, that the process of decomposition might commence; he had given to death every possible advantage; he had voluntarily kept away, till death should be in full possession, till the monster had not merely seized his victim, but had retired with him into the gloomy dominions of the grave, till he had there closed and barred up the entrance, and fortified himself, as in a strong hold, which none should dare to assail, and where he might reign secure. But Jesus summoned the citadel of death, broke open the enclosure of the grave, and with a voice which compelled submission, demanded, and restored to life, his deceased. friend.

And then, to complete and consumate the proof of a resurrection, he himself arose from the dead. The way in which that grand event demonstrates the doctrine of our resurrection is this-he came into the world in the high capacity of the Son of God, and the Savior of mankind. In that capacity he proclaimed, that, having provided sal

vation for the human race, he would come again when his plans of mercy were completed, to raise the dead and to judge the world. To prove that he was what he claimed to be, and that he would fulfil what he predicted, he announced, that he himself would arise from the dead on the third day after his decease. "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I do these things.'

Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.' He descended into the dreary domains of death; disappeared in the valley of the shadow of death; and for a time a darkness deeper that than which enwrapped the earth at his crucifixion seemed settling down on the prospects of mankind, and turning his tomb into the grave of immortality. But on the morning of the appointed day, he came forth as he had said, stood at the mouth of the sepulchre, radiant with immortality, planted the banner of hope on the citadel of death, and called on the world to behold and share in his triumph. Then he is the Son of God; then he will come again to raise the dead: here are the undeniable stamp and seal of heaven that all his representations of the last great day were true, and will certainly be verified.

III. Among the numerous additions which he made to our knowledge of the doctrine in question, we may name, first, the fact, that he himself will raise the dead. 'Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.' Whether this prediction related to the approaching resurrection of Lazarus and others, or to the tide of spiritual life which was about to flow through the world in the diffusion of the gospel, is uncertain. Perhaps, indeed, his comprehensive

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mind may have looked forward to both; it is evident, however, that the sublimity of the prediction, and the solemnity of the asseveration with which he prefaced it, awoke in the minds of many of his hearers, vast and awful ideas of some impending event, ideas which impressed marks of astonishment on their anxious countenances. Remarking that astonishment, perceiving, by their eager and attentive looks, that they were now prepared to receive a still more stupendous announcement, he continued, Marvel not at this; I perceive that what I have already said has filled you with wonder, and well it might; but attend and you shall hear still greater things than these; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, to the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.' There was a time when no life existed; when the earth, just brought into being, presented one universal blank, no vital motion, no breathing life upon it. But he spake, and it was done; for his word is the seed of universal nature, the principle of all life. His fiat went forth, and instantly whole orders of sentient beings sprang into happy existence. His goodness opened, and burst forth in a creation; and earth was made the receptacle of his vast overflowing life. was heard; and forthwith the surface of the earth teemed and overflowed with an ocean of living forms. 'But by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned!' Since that tremendous catastrophe death has reigned upon earth; there is no reason to believe that his ravages are known in any other part of the dominions of God; this is his native seat and throne; here he keeps court and regal state; God has been constantly replenishing the world with new life; but in every age, death has swept and cleared

His voice

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