DEDICATION.

To them who are on pilgrimage to the better country; " to them who desire to be delivered from this present evil world; to them who hope to obtain a better resurrection to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality and to them who live and believe in Jesus, the Resurrection, and the Life," this work is affectionately inscribed, and the blessing of the Father and the Son and the Spirit invoked upon them and it, by their fellow-pilgrim

THE AUTHOR.

INTRODUCTION.

AS BORN WITH LIFE, BUT BORN TO DIE, the reader will go with me, while we take a view of "the valley of the shadow of death," and speak of the certainty of the "better country" beyond, and, with me, feel a deep personal interest in the contemplation of these solemn and wonderful realities. For life and death are as certain to each of us as the rising and setting of the sun, or as summer and winter.

Life dawns upon us as the spring-time morning, full of promise, and we develop into youthful bloom like sweet and lovely summer blossoms and fruits, beautiful and goodly to behold; but as spring and summer give place to autumn frosts and winter snows, putting an end to the harvesting of grain and fruits, so will the winter-time of life find us all gathered in by the reaper, Death. " And the doors shall be shut in the streets, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets. Then shall the dust' return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." So says the Preacher. .

Death, then, is a separation between the spirit and the body of man; and the body is the earthly house in which the spirit dwells on earth. The body and the spirit together constitute man a living soul. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul;" Genesis.,2:7.

Now, is death everlasting? or, in other words, is the separation between the spirit and the body of mortal man, when one shall return to God and the other to the earth, forever and ever? To living and dying men and women, whom the great Creator thus mysteriously formed and wonderfully endowed with a body and spirit as a living soul or being, this question is all-important; because, if the body were lost by death, then man loses himself.

Therefore this little work is devoted to a careful, prayerful and scriptural examination into the truth of the final resurrection of the God-given body of man, after it shall have returned to the earth. And, so far as the Lord may graciously enable me, it shall be, on my part, a work of faith and labor of love to the household of faith every-where, to whom it is sent forth, and also to every one who may give it favor enough to read it. May God, who made man, bless both the writer and reader, and endue us with wisdom and understanding, that we may glorify him in the truth, and be made free from error.

That a work plainly setting forth, maintaining, and proving the Bible doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is needful, and may be divinely sent to the good of many, is evident; and my mind has been moved to write upon this sublime doctrine, and put it in a book. For, while the friends of God's revealed truth have written many good books upon various other important themes of the holy Scriptures, I know of not one book devoted to a defense of the truth of the resurrection. Only incidentally and partially has it been presented and dwelt upon, either by pen or tongue, outside the testimony of patriarchs and prophets, Jesus, apostles and evangelists. Consequently its great and vital importance has been either dimmed, or quite lost, sight of, in the view of many professing Christians.

Not only this, but unbelief has so far prevailed, that many have spoken, and others have written against the resurrection of the dead, either denying it altogether, or saying it is past already; thereby overthrowing the faith of many. This latter form of unbelief, that the resurrection is past already with all the children of the regeneration and that our mortal and dead body shall never be quickened and made a living, spiritual body, is widely and alarmingly prevailing, until it is accepted generally by some orders who admit the truth of Christianity, and by many of our Baptist people, as the true doctrine of the resurrection.

With this large and increasing class of professing Christians, who believe that only the spirit of man shall be saved in glory, or lost in perdition, the good old time doctrine of our fathers, that the graves shall be opened, and the bodies of the saints which are asleep shall arise, and come out of the graves, and enter into the New Jerusalem, is an exploded belief, and quite out of date. But this new theology was introduced into the churches of the saints in the times of the holy apostles, and they, as princes and judges in the gospel kingdom, vetoed it.

In this is seen the wisdom and good ness of the great Head of the church, by thus arming his true and faithful followers and soldiers with the weapons of divine truth, that they may be able to stand in the evil day against the wiles of Satan. For, every device of Satan, and all false doctrines with which the church of Christ has been attacked and troubled since the days of the apostles, came up and were tried while they were yet on the earth and were met and defeated by them, through Christ, who gave them the victory. This victory is for the church, and is ours. Therefore we may with bold confidence and meek courage withstand the armies of the aliens, as valiant soldiers for the truth of the gospel of salvation.

Then let us turn to the stronghold of Zion, the more sure word of prophecy, the word and testimony of the Lord; for this can not fail, and herein we may safely trust. How thankful we should be that God our Father has been pleased to make known unto his children his blessed word and holy will, that we might have strong comfort and good hope. For without this we should grope in darkness and dismay, doubt and despair. But God has graciously given us the holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wise unto salvation; Where-unto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts."

In this work the divine testimony, as found throughout the grandly sublime volume of God's revealed truth, touching the resurrection of the dead, is faithfully bound up and presented to the disciples of the Lord Jesus, with the single desire that they may be established, strengthened, and comforted in the assurance of The Resurrection From Death.

MAN DIES! He comes forth as a flower, and is cut down as the grass. He returns unto dust, and dwells on the earth no more. Shall he arise, and live again? Job asked this great question. None but God could answer it. Atheists, deists, and infidels deny it. To man it is impossible, and his unbelief says, " There is no resurrection of the dead." There is therefore no hope in man for man. He has sold himself to Death ; and the grave, as a strong prison, holds him fast. Man has no power against death. He is lost. If the angelic hosts in glory might pity our lost race, they could not save a sinner from death. Then, how vain for sinful man to talk of doing any thing to save himself or his fellows from death. Can the dead do any thing by which they may arise, and live again? Impossible.

This must be done, however, if salvation is of works, or conditional on the part of man. But, is there no hope? Must sinful man die, and rise no more? What says the answer of God? Come with me, reader, and let us hear the word of the Lord, "and be not faithless, but believing." For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth ; and he has power over sin and Satan, death and the grave. And the Lord is good and merciful; he is able to save us from the last enemy. Hannah rejoiced in his salvation, and said, "There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none beside thee; neither is there any, rock like our God. " The Lord killeth and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up; " I Samuel., 2.

Death, therefore, is before the resurrection life; and the bringing up of man is from the grave. This was Hannah's song of praise to the Lord, and to him she ascribed this power. Noah Webster gives the following definition: "Resurrection; 1, A rising again; the resumption of vigor. 2, Especially, the rising again from the dead; the resumption of life. 3, The period following a general rising from the dead; "the future state." This is the correct meaning of this word, as it is used in the Scriptures. It simply declares that "the dead are raised up;" so Jesus said to the messengers of John. And it was Jesus who raised the dead, the dead bodies of the children of men.

Do we see any thing in God's Book of Nature analogous to a resurrection of the dead, and typifying it? In answer, walk with me in garden and orchard, field and forest. We are charmed with the beauty of earth's fair and delicate plants and flowers; our appetite is sharpened by the sight of the ripening fruits; sweet fields of living green, and waving harvests of golden grain, ready for the reaper, fill our minds with admiration and delight; we seem little in our own eyes, as we stop in the mighty forest of centuries, and gaze upward, and our souls are inspired with awe and wonder while we contemplate all this beauty, munificence, and mightiness of the beneficent and Almighty Maker of all things.

Yet all this animated nature, now so lovely, fruitful, and grand with the mightiness of life, sprang up out of death at the touch of God's hand! There fell into the earth, from the hand of the Infinite Sower, the seeds of the forest and fruit tree, grain and grass, plant and flower. All this living seed died; but behold, it now lives!

Is not this a mysterious and wonderful resurrection ? Without it the earth would be an uninhabited and desert waste without life, and disrobed of all beauty. As the years and centuries go on, and the generations and ages of plants and trees die off the earth, this rising again, in new and beauteous forms of life, is repeated. And so, God's beautiful book of nature teaches man a sublime lesson that the dead shall arise and live again in the world to come. Job was instructed in this truth, and he therefore poetically says, "For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof Wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth, and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up; so man lieth down, and riseth not; till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. 0 that Thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, Shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands;" Job, 14.

So Job, through faith, answered his own question, that though a man die, yet he shall live again; for he says at the time appointed, his change shall come. And though he asked the Lord to hide him in the grave, yet he desired him to appoint a set time, and remember him; and his faith looked to the end of the heavens, when men, who lie down in death, shall awake and be raised out of their sleep. Job therefore believed in the resurrection of man; yea, of the very man who falls asleep in death, and lies down in the grave. This is mortal man, the body for there is hope of a tree," he says, "if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branches thereof will not cease." Then, truly, there is hope for a man; for Job, though he die. Thus assured in his hope, he would endure his great afflictions, and patiently wait all the days of his appointed time, till his change come from death unto life, and from suffering and dishonor unto rejoicing and glory.

How beautiful is the earth, adorned with all its living vegetable kingdom, its grand forests, its grassy plains and meadows, its fruitful fields, orchards and vineyards; and its crown of flowers of surpassing loveliness, formed by the hand of God, exhaling their delicate fragrance as a sweet incense of praise to their Infinite Author! These myriad’s of animated being, the world around, are witnesses to a resurrection of the dead; and they rebuke the infidelity and unbelief of God's creature man. As you behold and admire the pretty flowers at your feet, they look up in your face, and with silent, potent voice, say, " Behold what God hath wrought! Once we died, and were corrupt in the ground; but lo, we live again!" "Consider the lilies how they grow: they toll not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which, is to-day in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, 0 ye of little faith? " Luke, 12. So speaks the Son of God to his disciples, to enlarge and strengthen their weak faith. God will clothe them with a greater life-beauty and glory than he has given to the beautiful white lilies, and they shall glorify him for all his wonderful works. For if God would so adorn and bless the earth with living beauty, gladness, and glory, by quickening the countless seeds which fall into the ground and die, and causing them to arise in all their wondrous forms of life ; shall he not much more quicken and raise up from the dead the countless millions of his redeemed sons and daughters; "clothe them with the beautiful white robes of salvation, holiness, and immortality; and make heaven transportingly glorious and rapturous, by peopling it with all his saints, and filling its happy mansions with their songs of praise? " Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?"

Certainly he has the power to do this. "For with God nothing shall be impossible," said his angel to the mother of our Lord. And it is as plainly God the Father's holy will to raise up the dead. For said his blessed Son, I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which 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. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day; " John.,6: 38-40. So the Son will do the will of the Father. This authority and power the Father gave him. Then said he, "I delight to do thy will, 0 my God; yea, thy law is within my heart; " Psalm., 40:8. Then, who or what shall prevent Jesus from raising every one of them up again at the last day? For when he had conquered death, and Satan, and the grave, Jesus, the risen Son of God said, " All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth ; " Matthew., 28:8. Yea, he says again, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son,  that thy Son also may glorify thee: as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him ; " John., 17:1, 2.

Now, if the Son of God gives eternal life to them, can death and the grave hold them? Not unless mortality is stronger than immortality. But who were they whom the Father gave the Son? Were they angels? Were they spirits, having nobodies? Nay, verily. Were they the sons and daughters of Adam? People? sinners? So said the angel Gabriel: "For he shall save his people from their sins." This is the united testimony of Moses and the prophets, Jesus and the apostles. Why, almost all the vast volume of holy Scripture testifies of God, and Christ, and man. And Christ is a man, the middleman between God and men, the mediator. "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; " I Timothy., 2:5. Behold God's infinite love toward man, in thus sending forth his only and well-beloved Son in the flesh, to suffer and die as man, and for the children of men, that they should not perish and be lost in sin and death, but live again.

Then, since man is the object of God's love, and also the subject of resurrection and salvation, let us consider him as God made him, and as the Scriptures present him. And first, God made man for his own glory, that his holy name should be praised in the highest forever and ever. The simple statement of this truth carries with it the conviction that man shall be carried over death, beyond the grave, and be perpetuated forever; for if he, as man, drops out of existence in death, and shall not be raised up again out of death, then. only in time, but never in eternity, may he honor and glorify God. Then the joyful song of everlasting praise, the transporting anthem of redemption and salvation would be missing in vast eternity, and the glory, of heaven would be incomplete. This would be one of the doleful results, if the dead do not arise. But God has prepared some better things for us; that we shall dwell in his blissful presence, world without end, and be to the praise and glory of his grace. For the psalmist David says, " All thy works shall praise thee, 0 Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; " Psalm., 145.

" Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" James, ii, 5. The poor of this world, and them that love God, are the children of men, and to them he has promised the everlasting kingdom of his Son; for they are his chosen people. For our God and Father has connected his own glory with the everlasting salvation and happiness of the people of his love.

And now we may notice man and his essential attributes, as God made and endowed him.

Moses says, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created lie him; male and female created he them;" Genesis.,1:26,27. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he Sleep : and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof : and the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man;" Genesis., 2. "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, "saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living; " Genesis., 3. So this sentence from God upon man included Eve and all her children; and the sentence is, Unto dust shalt thou return." Therefore God speaks of man as taken out of the ground, and as dust; and as returning to the ground, and to dust. This is man himself ; for so God says; and " God can not lie." And so also says Paul: " The first man is of the earth, earthy. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy I Corinthians., 15:47,48. Yet this earthy part is not all of man, though an essential part; for God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

This is not said of any other creature, that it became a living soul; but of man alone. In this is man's superiority and preeminence over the beasts; for God made man in his own image. Such, then, is man in his constitution, or nature, as God made him, and these are his inherent and essential properties and attributes, without which he would not be man.

This is the man whom God made, of whom the Bible speaks, and on whom he passed sentence of death. This sentence falls upon the earthy part or nature of man, the body, yet man dies. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground." To this man he said, " And unto dust Shalt thou return." Of this man Moses says, "And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years : and he died;" Genesis., 5:5. It will not do, then, to say the earthy and formed body is not man, or that the body may perish and man still continue as man without the body; for this would deny the word of God, as shown above; because man, as man, was formed of the dust of the ground; and only thus, as God made him, is he man. So when the earthy body dies, man dies; but when this body is raised up out of death, man lives again. Therefore man is joined to, and essentially identified with his body, and can not properly be man without it. For God thus created Adam, the first man, and endowed him with the breath of life ; and these two, body and spirit, are his original and essential parts, without which he can not be man. Because God did not create man an angel, or a spirit, but he made him a bodily being. It seemed good in the sight of God to so make his creature, man. " Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet;" Hebrews.', 2:7,8. Why, even the high and holy Son of God, when the Father sent him forth, was " made of a woman," and found in fashion as a man; "' was a man, and the Son of man. " We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man; " Hebrews., 2:9. And so the Son of God himself was manifested in a body of flesh and blood as a man, and not as the highest angel or spirit from heaven, and in a mortal or dying body, too.

Therefore the body is not just a minor auxiliary or appendage of man, a transient covering to be cast off and lost forever, while man himself still lives on; but rather, the body is the base, or real foundation of man, without which he were not, and with which, if it be lost, he perishes. Paul thus affirms this: " Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished; " I Corinthians, 15:19. That is, if their sleeping bodies rise not, but perish. I would impress this divine View of the origin and being of man as God created him, that the real necessity and importance of the resurrection of the dead body may be perceived by the reader; or else man dies and perishes as the beast. But to admit this would deny the Bible, and establish infidelity. And infidels, who wage war against the Bible, most vehement* attack the doctrine of the resurrection of the bodies of the dead, as one of the chief objections to the Bible. Now, if the dead, or sleeping bodies of the saints shall not awake and arise in a new life, then Paul admits the awful claim of every infidel teacher that Christianity is false, and they who died in the faith were deluded, and are perished.

This shows that the doctrine of the resurrection of the body of man, who dies, is all important; because upon its truth rests the reality and blessed promise of Christianity, the bright and divine glory of the gospel, and every believer's hope of glory and immortality in the world to come.

Man's body was first formed, before God breathed into him the breath of life; and the union of the two constituted man a living soul, a living being, having an erect body of wonderful form, and a rational spirit of grand powers. With the name MAN we always associate these ideas : a human form and spirit united in one, interrelated and mutually dependent. "For as the body without the spirit is dead," as says James, so the spirit without the body is imperceptible and inoperative. I speak of the spirit of man, but not of God or angels. Man is an earthly being, made lower than the angels, yet higher than the most superior beast; and made for God's unending glory, and to be as the angels in the world to come, the eternal home of all the redeemed.

THE SON OF MAN.

MAN SINNIED. Yet God made him upright, and very good. "Sin is the transgression of the law" of God. "The law is just, and holy, and good." "The wages of sin is death." " Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God; " Romans., 3:19. "There is none righteous; no, not one." "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned;" Romans., 5:12. This is the woeful state of man. The whole race must die. As well the infant of a day, as the old man of a century. This is fearful, and it fills the world with lamentation. and great sorrow; but the sin of man brought all this desolation, destruction, and death upon himself. God remaineth righteous and just. His law, too, is the same. The change, the wrong, the fall, is in man. He is become guilty. Alas, his glory is departed. God placed him in the pure and sweet bowers of lovely Eden. Man was innocent and happy then. God made him so. Yea, God exalted him, put him in authority, and gave him dominion' over all the earth. " And God blessed them." But now, lo, man is fallen, is fallen! Satan, Sin, and Death entered Eden, and man yielded himself a willing victim to their monstrous dominion, and destructive power. For this, man was turned out of Eden, and is lost. " Thou shalt die," is the sentence of the righteous Judge. " By man came death." " In Adam all die." The whole history of man from the creation till now, witnesses, to the divine authenticity and truth of these Bible statements, and is a vindication of the oracles of God. Infidelity may Jeer and laugh at the Bible; but death comes with awful warning and terror to every mocker, blanches his hardened cheeks, and strikes him dumb. Thus God, and the Bible, and Truth are vindicated. The whole race of man, having sinned, lie down in the dust of death; and the grave is the common end of all men.

Now, if there be no resurrection of the dead, then how horrible it must be to die. For then, all the nations and families of ,earth would perish in the black gulf of sin and death, and a universal wail of hopeless sorrow and dismal despair would fill all the world. Paul presents this dreadful consequence, which follows a denial of the resurrection of the dead, when he says, "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 found 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 not Christ raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ-are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable; " I Corinthians., 15:13-19. All these horrible things must follow, if the dead rise not. Christians, who believe in Jesus as the Christ, the resurrection and the life, so far from being the most blessed of all men, would be the most wretched and deluded; because all their sacrifices and sufferings as Christians would be in vain. For then Christ, who died, is yet in the grave; and the preaching of the apostles, that God raised up Jesus again, is false. Consequently the curse of the law, the dominion of sin, the power of death, and the victory of the grave would still remain in full force over all who believe in Jesus, as over all other men; and all the dead are perished; so also shall all the living. If such an appalling and hopeless doctrine be true, then, Says Paul, " Let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we may die." And if the dead shall not be resurrected, then we are as beasts that perish, and may live only to gratify our fleshly appetites, as the only good we may expect; as do wicked men, and as do the beasts.

But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak." For, turning away from the shocking results of this monstrous heresy of the Sadducees, as embraced by some in the church at Corinth, Paul, with the relief of joyful assurance, proclaims, "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept!" I Corinthians., 15:20. This is the key-note in the rapturous song of salvation. CHRIST is the Redeemer and Savior, the Resurrection and the Life, of the dying children of men. He is the sure foundation, which God laid in Zion; and upon him rests the eternal redemption and glory of all his Father’s children. It was of him that God spake when he passed the sentence of death upon Adam, saying to the serpent, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel; " Genesis., 3:15. In this is a promise of the Deliverer, and of final victory to the guilty and conscience-smitten Adam and Eve, and her penitent children.

The accomplishment of this victorious and glorious warfare is sublimely presented in Hebrews., 2; " Behold, I, and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil , and deliver them, who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Wherefore in all things it behooved him, to be made like unto his brethren; that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." So then, the children of God, the brethren of Jesus, are people who have sins; for they are partakers of flesh and blood; therefore they were subject to the cruel bondage of sin and death. But God gave them to Jesus his Son, who partook of the same flesh and blood, and in all things was made like unto them, that he might die for them as their merciful and faithful brother High Priest, to make atonement or reconciliation for their sins, and so, through his own death, and by his glorious resurrection, destroy both death and the devil, and deliver them from the last enemy.

Thus our Lord Jesus Christ is shown to be related to and identified with his people and brethren in flesh and blood, as one with them, and therefore as rightfully representing and acting for them, in all he did and suffered, as their near and divine kinsman, their brother mediator. In this sacred and wonderful relationship of Jesus to us in our flesh, and of us to him in his divine nature, is our only ground and hope, dear reader, of redemption and deliverance from sin, death, and the grave; and of entrance into glory, immortality, and eternal life.

Paul clearly and forcibly presents this truth, saying, "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one," (man,) "shall many be made righteous " Romans., 5:19. "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming; " I Corinthians., 15: 21-23. How Strong and assuring this is! They that are Christ's shall be made righteous, though they were sinners; and shall be made alive, though they were dead. And this, because his obedience and death were for them, and are theirs through him; and his righteousness, resurrection, and life are theirs in him. For as we were made sinners by the disobedience of Adam, the first man, and thereby 'brought down into death and the grave through him; so by the obedience and righteousness of Christ, the second man, we shall be made righteous, and be raised up out of death and the grave by him.

Now this participation with Adam in his Sin and death, and with Christ in his righteousness and resurrection, is because of real and vital relationship, without which we should neither die in Adam, nor be made alive in Christ. Because, if we were not in Adam, we certainly could not die in him; and unless we are in Christ, and fall asleep in him, we shall not be, made alive in him. This is evident. Paul not only teaches that death came by the first man, and the resurrection of the dead by the second man; but also that death is in Adam, and life is in Christ. Therefore, we must be in Adam if we die; and so we must be in Christ if we, shall be made alive, or raised up out of death in the resurrection unto life. This is evident and clear. If a tree die, all its off-shoots, branches, and members die also, because they are in that one tree, and of it, and do belong to it. For if they were not of that tree, but had their life in another tree, and belonged to it, a living tree, then they might still live, though the first tree die. They stand or fall in and with the tree to which they are related, and of which they are a part. The same is true of the vine and its branches. And this interesting principle of life and death relationships established throughout the whole realm of nature, and no living creature can escape its far-reaching power and operation. The consumptive and scrofulous taints are a family inheritance, and are imparted in the life of the offspring. So sin and death on one hand, and righteousness and life on the other, are an inheritance to the children of men; and they come to us, and are received by us upon the principle and in virtue of relationship; and this relationship is in the life. This principle and truth are shown and taught in these words of Christ; "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit: but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree can not bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.' Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye Shall know them; " Matthew., 7:16-20.

Now man, the first man Adam, by sinning became as a corrupt tree, that can, not bring forth good fruit; consequently all his offspring are corrupt, sinful, and dying, like himself. Of Adam and his entire offspring Paul says, " As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy." His life and nature, his estate and condition, his mortality and death, are theirs. How theirs? Because he is theirs, and they are his; therefore theirs by him, through him, and in him. For, "In Adam all die;" "By man came death;" " Through the offense of one many be dead; " "By one man's offense death reigned by one;" " By the offense of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; " See Romans., 5. We may not relish this awfully solemn truth, but we can not escape its force. Dying, we shall die. This is relationship with Adam in his life; aye! in his inherited sin. mortality, and death. From this there is no possible escape for the children of men. Paradise was lost by Adam, and we who are his can never enter it again by him. 0 never! God put his good creature man in happy Eden; but for his willful disobedience, " God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man, and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." So the flaming sword of God's broken law will surely cut off every man upon whom sin is found, who attempts to come to the tree of life, and take of it. Yet, unless man can do this, "and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever," he can not save himself from death.

Therefore as related to Adam, all must die, and be lost. God of his own rich mercy, must provide a ransom for man, and send forth a Redeemer to atone for sin, and save from death, and raise up out of the grave or else all must perish. But as it is man who is lost and the children of men who die, and not angels or spirits; therefore, the Savior of men must himself be a child, and a man. And as a man he must die for the sins of the lost, whom he came to save, and be buried, and be raised up again. For he must redeem them from the curse of the broken law, encounter and turn away the flaming sword, and so open the way to the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. He must grapple with the monster Death, go down into the strong prison-house of this last enemy the boasting grave-which holds fast kings, princes, and all men as helpless victims; and then, rising up in the majesty of omnipotent strength, he must quit the tomb, destroy sin and Satan, death and the grave, and open the gates of Paradise, that his people may enter in and be saved. And all this great and mighty warfare,' and complete and glorious victory, the Savior of sinners must accomplish as a man, and for the children of men.

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead." And as death comes to men, so the resurrection shall also come to men-not to spirits. We therefore turn to Christ, the Man of God's right band whom he made strong for himself as our great Deliverer, the Captain of our salvation, and our only hope of victory over death. Let us consider him. " Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house;" Hebrews., 3:1,2. The angel said Of Mary and Jesus, " And she shall bring forth a son, and thou Shall call his name JESUS: for he Shall save his people from their sins." And they shall call his name Emmanuel God with us; " Matthew., 1:21-23. "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever;, and of his kingdom there shall be no end; " Luke, 1:32,33. " And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth; " John., 1:14. His name Jesus expresses a union of God and man in the wonderful person of our EMMANUEL. Jesus is verily God and man, possessing in himself all the fullness of both; the nature and attributes of the holy Godhead, and the nature and attributes of spotless manhood. He is the brightness of God's glory, and the express image of his person." " Being in the form of God," he " thought it not robbery to be, equal with God." Unto the Son the Father saith, " Thy throne, 0 God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy-kingdom." Yet, "Jesus was made a little lower-than the angels," (just as man was made,) "for the suffering of death." He " made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Behold the unspeakable condescension of Jesus! " The high and lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity," is an humble man, meek and lowly in heart, and in the form of a servant. 0 surely, such a personage has come to earth upon a mighty and glorious work, which no other being could perform.

Come with me, reader, and we will still consider this holy Jesus. Philip said to Nathanael. " We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth." " The next day. John," (the Baptist,) " seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world I This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me; for he was be fore me." Andrew said to his brother Simon. We have found the Messias the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus." Paul calls Jesus, the last Adam, a quickening Spirit, and, the second man, the Lord from heaven; I Corinthians., 15: 45-47. We have seen that Gabriel, God's angel, spoke of him to his favored mother Mary, as both the Son of the Highest, and the son of David. For Mary, the mother of Jesus, was by lineage a daughter of King David. Therefore Paul testifies, that " Jesus Christ, our Lord, was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; " Romans., 1:3. So then, Jesus was born KING, both as the Son of God, and the son of Mary; and he was righteously entitled to sit upon the throne of his father David, and his Father God. This royal authority, exaltation, honor, and glory has Jesus by inheritance; for he was born King on earth, and King in heaven. " And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

Now it is highly interesting to us, as sinners of the Gentiles," to examine the fleshly lineage of Jesus, who was a Jew, and "born King of the Jews," and who, said to the woman at the well, " Salvation If the Jews." Now if salvation comes to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, and there is salvation in no other, then he must be related to them in the flesh, as well as to the Jews. Luke traces the fleshly lineage and ancestry of Jesus from his mother Mary up to Adam; while Matthew traces it down from Abraham to Jesus. And the Jewish genealogy shows, that David the king was descended from Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, through Tamar, a Gentile woman of the land of Canaan.

But coming down still nearer, Ruth, another Gentile, leaves her native land of Moab with Naomi, goes to Bethlehem, is married to the rich and noble Boaz, and becomes the renowned great-grandmother of King David. Then, ascending one remove, behold, the grand. father of Jesse, the honorable Boaz, was the son of Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, a Gentile, yet a woman of illustrious faith. Coming back again, between David and. Christ, behold the mother of King Solomon, Bathsheba, doubtless a Gentile woman. And so Perez, the son of Judah, Boaz, the son of Salmon, Obed, the son of Boaz, and Solomon, the son of David, all had Gentile mothers, namely, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bath-sheba.

The scepter of Israel was in the tribe of Judah, the grandson of Isaac, the son and heir of Abraham, the friend of God. Therefore, in the direct line of Judah, and among the mothers of the patriarchs and kings of Israel, we find those four Gentile women, whose blood united with the blood of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Mary and Jesus her son, the Son of God, and the last King of Israel, who shall sit upon the throne of David forever.

And so, as a man, Jesus in his body, his real and immaculate flesh, was as truly and nearly related to the world of Gentile sinners, as to the Jewish house of Israel. And in this we behold the wonderful wisdom and purpose, condescension and mercy of God in providing redemption for the Gentiles, as well as for the Jews. And the fact of those Gentile mothers in the family of David, Mary, and Jesus is the more remarkable, when we consider how religiously and rigidly the Jews were opposed to mingling with the Gentiles. Yet, in his covenant God had promised Abraham, that in him and his seed, (Christ,) should all nations and families be blessed; and his promise can not fail.

Concerning this Paul says, " For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel Shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins; Romans., 11:25-27.

When Simeon saw Mary and the child Jesus in the temple, he took him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, " Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the  face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel; " Luke, 2:28-32. Again, when Jesus was born, God sent his angel to announce the glad tidings to the shepherds : "And the angel said unto them, Fear not : for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which Shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord;" Luke, 2:10,11.

Now all this divine testimony plainly shows both the Godhead and manhood of Jesus; and that, as man, he was alike related to both Jews and Gentiles in the flesh; and that he, as the God-man, the Mediator, is the Savior of men. And he himself says, " I am the resurrection, and the life." That is, he raises up the dead, and gives them life. Now to accomplish this he must needs die ; and then revive and arise out of the grave, and so swallow up death in victory; for his people go into the grave. Then let us follow him from his baptism in bold Jordan's waters to his baptism in the overflowing waters of death. Between these two sublimely solemn and momentous events, our blessed Jesus was known as, The Son of man," and so spake of himself; but as the Son of God he was not known, except to his blessed disciples, to whom it pleased the Father to reveal this divine mystery. And this is true yet; and it is true also of us, as the sons of God; for the world knoweth us not, only as the sons of men. But the words which the Son of man spake, and the works which he did, and the life which he lived in the flesh, witnessed that God was his Father, and that he was given the Spirit of God without measure; for God was with him. His doctrine or teaching was not of men, but of God. He was holy and harmless; God was well pleased in him, for he did always those things which pleased the Father. He learned obedience. To the messengers of John, Jesus said, "Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me . " Matthew., 11:4-6. The Son of man wrought all these great and marvelous works, and so showed forth his power and glory, as the Christ and Savior.

'Now, all those multitudes of helpless and hopeless men, women, and children, whom Jesus saved and blessed, were typical persons; and they truly show the lost condition of his people, whom he shall save from their sins, and deliver from death. For, as to spiritual blessings and eternal life, his people were in all this helpless ruin, woe, and misery; blind, and deaf, and lame ; poor, and sick, and dead. But Jesus and his gospel of salvation bring to them a perfect cure, and a full release from all this frightful evil; and they axe the happy people, saved by the Lord. But when Jesus had finished the work which his Father gave him to do in the flesh and under the law, then he must suffer on the cross, and lay down his life for the sins of his people. "And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again;" Matthew., 20: 17-19.

How remarkable, that both the Jews and the Gentiles united in putting the innocent Jesus to death! He was related to both, and came as their Redeemer; yet they rejected and crucified him, in order to defeat and destroy him. This was the most diabolic deed and damning crime ever perpetrated by hardened and wicked men. But the holy Lamb of God resisted them not; and when daring Peter would have defended him, he meekly told him to put up his sword. He is brought as a, lamb to the slaughter." In his death, as in his life, Jesus was divinely sublime and great. His death was the most solemn, important, and wonderful event of all time; and it will be the wondrous and everlasting theme of blessed eternity. We should ever speak of it with deepest veneration, and tenderest emotion, and profoundest gratitude. " God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us; " Romans., 5: Truly, this was infinite and wondrous love. It was for the suffering of death that the blessed Savior was made a little lower than the angels, partook of flesh and blood, and came into the world; therefore he became obedient unto death, even the cruel death of the cross.

The night of his betrayal he went with the apostles to the retired garden of olive trees, at the foot of Mount Olivet, and said to them, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, 0 my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.' "And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was, as it were great drops of blood falling down to the, ground." 0, how amazing and infinite were the sorrow and Suffering of this holy One! He suffered for all the sins and guilt of untold millions of the children of men. and encountered all the powers of darkness. 0, it was a most fearful conflict! And at first his enemies seemed to triumph; for they led him away, out of the city to Mount Calvary, where they nailed him to the accursed Roman cross, and raised him up on it between two guilty men. Let us sorrowfully follow him with his grief-smitten mother and disciples, to see what the end will be. The blood-thirsty rabble of sanctimonious Jewish priests and scribes, with the heathen Roman soldiers, are excitedly moving about the crosses, defiantly wagging their heads, and rending the air with their mingling hellish laughs, taunts, jeers, horrid imprecations and curses. For three awful hours this mocking scene goes on, when, lo! At noonday the sun is draped in deep mourning, and a pall of great darkness suddenly falls upon Jerusalem, Calvary, and all the land, and continues three fearful hours! And to add to the awfulness of the most solemn scene, the earth quakes and moans fearfully, and the mighty rocks cry out in appalling thunders, as if struck by angry thunderbolts from the blackened heaven! And it seems that the very dead, the old Jewish patriarchs, prophets, and buried saints are about to rise up and witness against this blackest crime of wicked men; for, behold! in all the burying-places about Jerusalem the graves are opened by a power more than mortal! And, lo! the vail of the temple, between the holy sanctuary and the most holy, so strong that it would have resisted the combined strength of many men, is torn in two from top to bottom! It seemed as if God was about to smite and crush the whole world with his just wrath; and the hardened murderers of his holy Son were greatly affrighted, doubtless; but from the cross is heard a pathetic voice, saying, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." And then, near the close, a tender, painful cry is heard from the dying Jesus, saying, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 0, this was the hardest and the last of all his infinite agony and sorrow! which he could not survive; for, thus forsaken, the holy man again cried with a loud voice, " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." He then peacefully said It Is Finished" bowed his head, and died.

The awful battle was fought ; the dreadful conflict was ended; the earth was still again; the darkness was past, and the sun shone out upon the lifeless body of Jesus. He was dead! 0, sorrowful event! The little band of weeping disciples smote upon their groaning breasts, and hopelessly turned away. A cruel sword bad pierced the yearning mother's soul. The deep and solemn sorrow of death was upon them all, and their hope was lost.

To them it seemed that the enemy had triumphed, and that they must perish. Sin had reigned unto death, and the boasting grave was still victorious. But here was the end of sin, and death, and the grave; for sin and death could go no farther, and do no more; and this prisoner, whom the grave has received, shall prove its destruction, and the conqueror of death. Even the Roman officer, in command of the soldiers who crucified Jesus, having witnessed all the wonderful events of his death, was convinced that he was the one he claimed to be, and said of him, "Truly this man was the Son of God." Joseph and Nicodemus honorably buried the body of Jesus in Joseph's own new tomb, hewn in a solid rock, wherein no one had ever been buried. and therefore free from corruption; and they laid a great stone upon the door of the sepulchre.

But after the appalling events of the crucifixion had passed away, the blinded and self-righteous chief priests and Pharisees hardened their hearts, and "came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead; so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, and make it as sure as ye can. So they went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch." Now it shall soon be shown who were the deceivers, and teaching error, whether Jesus, or his enemies. He had openly taught that he should arise from the dead; and that he would also quicken and raise the dead. But his enemies now have him securely locked up in a vault of solid stone, with a great Stone for a door,., and the king's seal upon it, and a strong guard of soldiers to keep it safe. Therefore there was no possible chance for the weak, fearful, and mourning disciples of the imprisoned Son of man to come and steal him away in the darkness of night, which they had no wish to do; and the leaders of the Jews were satisfied that Jesus could not be delivered from the sealed tomb, and the watching soldiers who guarded it. And truly there was no hope of help from man, and no escape from death for the children of men by any thing that the despairing apostles and disciples could do. For he in whom they trusted, the second man, the LAST ADAM, was both dead and buried; and Satan, sin, and death seemed again successful and triumphant, as at first, in the garden of Eden. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of man, is the last hope for man: but he is crucified and buried, and he seemed as weak and helpless in death as any other man, therefore neither his friends nor foes expected him to arise out of the tomb.

But yet, the only hope now for the world is in the resurrection of this Jesus; and unless he has power to take up his life again, and thus break the black seal of death, and come forth out of the grave, a righteous, living, IMMORTAL MAN, the resurrection and the life; then all mankind must perish in death. Therefore the truth of Christianity, the reality of the gospel, the hope of salvation, and the promise of eternal life rest upon the resurrection of the man Christ Jesus, as the sure foundation of all. Then, doubtless, holy angels, as well as wicked men, we're watching the tomb of Jesus; yea, the God of battles himself was near. And so Jesus, spake by the mouth of David, and said, " I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy: at thy right hand there are pleasure's for evermore;" Psalm. 16:11. In this assurance Jesus had died. The' children of Israel in the Red Sea, the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace, and Daniel in the den of lions, were not more securely kept by the power of God than was Jesus in death and the grave. And this is equally true of all the people whom God gave his Son.

Lo, the third morning from the crucifixion dawns upon Jerusalem, and it is the first day of the week, the resurrection day of the Lord. The eye-witnesses will tell us of this glorious rising of the Sun of Righteousness, with life and healing in his wings. " In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: FOR HE IS RISEN, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead, and behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him; lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre, with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came, and held him by the feet, and worshiped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren, that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, Say ye, his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if. this come' to the Governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day Matthew., 28.

0 how transporting was the triumph and joy of the now happy disciples of Jesus! but how crushing the defeat. and terror of his wicked enemies! How infamous the absurd falsehood, that the disciples of Jesus stole his body out of the tomb, while the soldiers on duty slept! This deserves no notice. Why, the disciples themselves were so profoundly astonished at the resurrection of their dear Master, that they could scarcely believe it, so great was the joy. Two of them walked to Emmaus the day he arose, and Jesus walked and talked with them and then revealed himself to them. So great was their surprise that they hastened back to Jerusalem to tell the joyful news to their fellow-disciples ; and they found the apostles and others gathered together, and talking of the risen Lord, who had also appeared to Simon.

And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?" "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honey-comb. And he took it, and did eat before them. And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And he led them out as far as to Bethany: and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God;" Luke, 24.

Now let us take the testimony of the apostles of Jesus, the chosen witnesses of his resurrection, who both saw and heard him after he arose from the dead, and beheld him as he went up into heaven. For to them " be showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." And ten days after the ascension of Jesus into heaven, on the memorable day of Pentecost, the apostles and disciples were with one accord in one place, when suddenly they were all baptized with the Holy Spirit and spake with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. At this the multitude came together, when Peter standing up with the eleven, preached the gospel of Christ to them. And of the crucified Jesus he said, " Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." And quoting the words of David, he said, That God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne." " This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." " Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye crucified, both Lord and Christ; " Acts, ii. God has made the resurrected Jesus strong for himself, the man of his right hand, and his fellow or equal. And thus exalted, Jesus, the risen and glorified MAN, sent down the Holy Spirit, by which Peter thus spake; and he gave great power unto his apostles.

Soon after this, Peter and John found a poor man who had never walked, a beggar, at the gate of the temple, and said to him, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he, leaping up, stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, - walking, and leaping, and praising God." At this all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering." Then Peter said, "The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One, and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And his name, through faith in his name, hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know." Then, after preaching Jesus to them, and exhorting them to repent, he said, "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first, God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. "And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now even-tide. Howbeit, many of them which heard the word, believed I and the number of the men was about five thousand.

"And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexande,, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them," (Peter and John,) "in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole." "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem, and we can not deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly," (strictly,) " threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name;" Acts, third and fourth chapters. 

Peter and John here stood before and boldly confronted the imposing Jewish Council or Sanhedrim, the very men who had bribed the soldiers to report, that they had all gone to sleep on duty, and the few ,crushed disciples of Jesus had come and stolen away his body out of the strong tomb! But not a word of such accusation dared they to bring against these two most prominent disciples, because they knew it was false; but the two humble disciples boldly charged their wickedly religious rulers with having murdered the long promised Christ, the Son of God, whom he had raised up from the dead. And the fact that, in the name and faith of Jesus, the apostles wrought miracles, and thousands of the people in Jerusalem, who knew of these things, believed in the risen Jesus, as the Son of God and Savior, is proof positive that the apostles were neither deceived, nor deceiving the people, and that Jesus was not hidden away in some tomb.

That his very body was made alive again, and left the grave, and was glorified in heaven, has been shown; but it is all important to establish this blessed truth abundantly, and beyond overthrow; for upon it rests the resurrection of all the dead, and the glory and immortality of all the redeemed. So, now, let us again visit Joseph's new tomb, in the garden near to Calvary, 'with the disciples on the resurrection morning, and hear their evidence. "Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? (And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away,) for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young, man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him." "And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled, and were amazed;" Mark, 16.

In his record of the same event, Luke says, "And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. And as they were afraid, and bowed their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre, and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass; "Luke, 24.

The testimony of John is, that Mary Magdalene went first to the sepulchre, and finding the stone rolled away from the door, and the body of Jesus gone, she ran and told Peter and " the disciple whom Jesus loved," saying, "They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him." They both then ran to the sepulchre, and Mary followed them. The loved disciple, John, outran Peter, and reached the Sepulchre first, "And looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie; and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as She wept she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white, sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not: for I am not yet ascended unto my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. "Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut-where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord."

" But Thomas, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed;" John, 20.

Now we have before us all this abundant testimony of the apostles, and other witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus, as related by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; and it all shows that, so far from there being any collusion among the disciples, or prearranged agreement as to what they should report, in order to deceive the people, they themselves were slow to believe, and did not believe one another, and even doubted their own senses, when they saw Jesus, after he arose from the dead. And while there is variety in their testimony, yet there is harmony and unity in the one most solemn and sublime truth. And never were candor, simplicity, sincerity, and honest truth more plainly stamped upon the statements of true men and women. Such a cloud of witnesses, and such a bundle of faithful testimony, would be fully accepted in any court, as sufficient to establish any fact or truth. No historical facts have come down to us better authenticated, and not  the fact of the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth has never been refuted, and can not be; for it is too abundantly established. While the eye-witnesses of his resurrection, the twelve apostles, the faithful women, and other disciples, a harmless and godly company, were still living, and ready to answer for their beloved Lord, and for themselves, their persecuting enemies, the murderers of Jesus, who tried hard to destroy his doctrine, did not once meet them face to face, like true and honest men, and dispute the resurrection of Christ, and accuse the disciples of having stolen his dead body out of the sepulchre. Ah, they dared not! for they themselves had prevented such a possibility, as they well knew, by having the king's seal affixed to the massive door of the sepulchre in which Jesus laid, and a strong guard of Roman soldiers appointed to keep it. Thus Satan overreached and defeated himself ; and the wrath of man was made to praise the Lord.

By the pen of David God spake of 'all this, and said, " Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing ? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee;". Ps., ii. This was fulfilled in the resurrection and glorious exaltation of Jesus, who ascended up to heaven, and sat down on the throne of God. "And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee; Acts, 13:32,33.

In his resurrection, therefore, Jesus is the first-born Son of God from the dead among many brethren "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;" Colossians.,1:18,19. John says, " Jesus Christ is the faithful Witness, and the First-begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth; " Revelation., 1:5. God spake of Jesus as David, and said, " I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: with whom my hand shall be established : mine arm also shall strengthen him." He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation. Also I will make him my first-born, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven; " Psalm.,89:28,29.

Now let us for a moment view Jesus upon the throne of glory. Stephen was the first Christian martyr, and when about to be stoned to death, "he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God;" Acts, 7:55,56. The beloved disciple John was favored also with a view of Jesus in his personal glory, which he describes as overpoweringly majestic and glorious : " I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man," etc. " And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death; Revelation., 1:18.

This was the meek and lowly son of Mary, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of David, and yet David's Lord, the King of saints! To Timothy Paul said, "Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead, according to my gospel;" 2 Timothy., 2:8. Let every gospel minister and believer remember this. Paul again testifies of Jesus Christ our Lord, that he " was made of the seed of David according to the flesh ; and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead Romans., 1: 3, 4. And so, as risen from the dead, the man Christ Jesus is THE SON OF GOD WITH POWER. Yea, he is "the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto: whom no man hath seen, nor can see; to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen;" I Timothy., 6:15,16. No natural man, and no man of him self, can see either the kingdom or the Son of God; but the Father must reveal them. To his loved disciples Jesus said, just before his death, "I will not leave you comfortless : I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also John., 14:18,19. And we have seen that he is entered into his glory in heaven, and lives for evermore.

Now Paul, the last of the apostles, and one of the chosen and inspired witnesses of the resurrection of Christ Jesus, will sum up, and show us how completely and triumphantly the resurrection of the dead is confirmed forever. "Brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed;" I Corinthians., 15:1-11.

And so we, too, believe, Christian reader. 0 how joyfully we believe that our adored Lord is risen from the dead ! and that he will raise up us by his own power. He has swallowed up death in victory. The everlasting doors of heaven were opened wide, and the King of glory entered in. "And let all the angels of God worship him." So spake the righteous Father. And, let us join in the worship, and adore and extol the name of JESUS. Blessed name! " My Lord, and. ,my God." Well might doubting Thomas believe. And though we have not seen the precious Christ with our eyes, as Thomas did, yet we believe. And Jesus said they are blessed, who so believe. 0 how our faith in him is confirmed by all this sublime and touching testimony of so many of his dear and sorrowing disciples! who followed him to the cross; and then saw and knew him, and heard his blessed words of comfort, after he rose from the dead. With them, our faith and hope in their risen Lord are full of joyful assurance. Jesus is now our hope, our life, our joy, and crown. We glory in his cross; and we triumph in his resurrection. He is our salvation. Living and believing in him WE SHALL NEVER DIE.

I AM THE RESURRECTION, AND THE LIFE." So spake Jesus. He was a man, and the Son of man. As a man he died, and his dead body was buried; as a man he arose from the dead, and his living body came up out of the grave. God gave him this power. And so he destroyed sin and Satan, death and the grave, and triumphed over them; for he " spoiled principalities and powers," and is " more than conqueror over all enemies. Therefore he has power to resurrect all the dead, and to call them out of the graves; for all things are made subject unto him. "For" God " hath put all things under his feet; " I Corinthians.,15:27, Now, upon this authority and power of the man Christ depends the resurrection of all the dead, " both of the just and unjust." For "by man came the resurrection of the dead." But if he himself had been held fast in the grave, under the power of death, he could have no power over death, to raise the dead; and therefore there could be no resurrection of the dead. Paul has shown this conclusively, as we have seen.

He affirms and proves the death, burial, and resurrection of the man Christ, as the very gospel or glad tidings which he preached; and then, upon this sure foundation of the gospel, this rock of salvation, he boldly proclaims, that the dead in Christ shall be resurrected at his second coming.

"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?" We may well ask the same question. For Paul absolutely declares, that, "If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen." He therefore connects the resurrection of the dead with the resurrection of Christ, in the certain relation of effect and cause ; and shows that, because Christ is risen, the dead shall also be raised up.

For Christ and his brethren are one and inseparable, whether in defeat or victory, death or life, the grave or heaven. They were dead in their sins, and so he died for their sins; they go down into the grave, and so he was buried. But in his death he made a full and complete atonement and reconciliation for all their sins by the shedding of his blood, and by the righteous obedience of his life on their behalf ; therefore they were all adjudged as dead with him to sin and the law, "Because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then  were all dead;" 2 Corinthians.,5:14. So, then, by the obedience and death of Jesus for his people in the flesh and under the law, sin lost its strength and death its sting, both against him and them; therefore it was not and is not possible, that either he or they should be holden of death. So Jesus the dead revived, arose, and lives again to die no more; and all his redeemed people have part in his resurrection, and shall arise out of the graves, and live for evermore, because he lives; for on them "the second death hath no power." Christ hath redeemed them to himself and to God, and they are his forever. It was in union with them and for them, that "our Savior Jesus Christ abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." And as he was one with his brethren in the flesh, in suffering and sorrow, death and the grave; so shall they be, one with him in the quickening Spirit, in glory and rejoicing, and in the resurrection unto life. "In Christ shall all be made alive." " In him was life ; and the life was the light of men;" John, 1:4. Christ is the life of all his redeemed people; for he gives them eternal life, and they shall never perish; John, 10:28. Paul says of him, "For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you; " 2 Corinthians, 13:4. The apostle thus shows how indissoluble Christ and Christians are joined together, as head, and body, and members; so that he partook of their weakness in the flesh, and was crucified for them, to redeem and free them from death; and they shall therefore know the power of his resurrection, partake of his life and holiness, and live with him by the power of God.

Paul again strongly expresses this fundamental truth of the gospel of salvation in these words: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit;" Romans.,8:2-4. Sin and death shall therefore be purged out of the bodies of all who are joined to Christ, and they shall be made free from both by the, quickening and sanctifying power of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus; and so they Shall be one with him in his holy life, which shall quicken and spiritualize their mortal bodies; and his righteousness shall be fulfilled in them. " So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

His obedience was for the " many brethren; " and so he is their righteousness, because of his unity with them in their flesh, and of their unity with him in his Spirit of life and holiness. And because of this unity and identity of the Son of man with his brethren, in God the Father's covenant of life and peace, their sins and consequent death were imputed to Jesus, as one with his people; and just so, his obedience and righteousness, and consequent resurrection-life, shall be imputed to them, as one with him. And as their sins and death were his personally, so that he himself suffered and died in the flesh, as a man; so also shall his righteousness and resurrection unto life be theirs personally, insomuch that they themselves shall suffer and die with him in the flesh, as the children of men, and then be resurrected in his personal likeness. The following scriptures agree with this, and show it: " For " God " hath made " Christ " to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; 2 Corinthians, 5:21. "For even here unto were ye called:" (to suffer:) "because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed;" I Peter, 2:21,22,24. When the body of Christ was cut off from the living for our sins, by the sacrificial offering of himself without spot unto God, then our sins were cut off and removed forever, and shall no more be imputed to either him or us. Therefore we ourselves, whose sins he bore in his own body, shall also both die unto sins, and live unto righteousness, in our own body. For if not, then the sufferings and death of Christ for our sins, in his body on the cross, and the burial and resurrection of his body, had no relation to us, or connection with us, and were without design or force, and of no avail. Why did he bear our sins in his own body unto the death of the cross, and then arise out of the tomb in his own body, if it was not to put away our sins from us, and redeem and raise up us in our own body, that we should live unto righteousness? Can any one tell ?

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit; " I Peter.,3:18. Certainly it was in the flesh of his dead body that Christ was quickened by the Spirit. None can refute this; because the testimony of the apostles and other disciples, who saw and handled him after he arose, is too abundant and plain to be denied. Well, in. our resurrection from the dead, we shall follow him; for we shall be raised up in the likeness of his resurrection, and bear his image. " For," says Paul, " if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." "

Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him; Romans.,6:5, 8. We have seen what the likeness of Christ's death was; for he died for sin, and unto sin; under the law, and unto the law; and in his flesh, or body. Then, after he died, he was taken down to the tomb, and buried. The same Jesus who died on the cross was buried. His body was laid in the grave. In all this we follow him, and shall be as he was. We die unto sin, and because of sin; we die in the flesh, and our dead bodies are buried. And so we are joined to Jesus our Lord in his death. We are joint-heirs with him in suffering and death. " We shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." The word of the Lord says  we shall; and his word can not be broken.

I need not tell you, reader, what that likeness is; but let us speak of the divine power and excellent glory of the resurrection of our precious Redeemer, that our faith and hope in him may abound unto joy and praise. Then let me once more go with you, in the footsteps of Jesus, the man of sorrow, to the garden, of anguish, the cross of death, and the house of burial. Let us bow our heads and weep here, with sorrowing Mary, " because they have taken away my Lord." She looks into the opened grave again; when, lo, the bright angels of heaven were there! but the dear body of Jesus, which rested so blessedly after the pangs of death were ended, was not there; for it was indeed taken away. Behold the grave, where only death dwelt and reigned, is now become a place of life, triumph, and joy; yea, the very gate of heaven! For, not only the shining angels are there to shed a radiance of glory, and dispel the darkness and mourning from the sacred place; but, turning her face from the tomb, she again looks upon the divine form of the living Jesus, who is also there with the happy angels and joyful Mary, 0, what a hallowed place, and blessed company! We rejoice to be counted worthy to be with them. The bitterness of sin, the shameful cross, the sorrow of death, the dismal tomb, the mourning and weeping, all, are forgotten; and "death is swallowed up in victory." 0, glorious resurrection, and victorious Jesus! 0, blessed Mary, and disciples! It is worth dying to obtain such a victory.

Let us now follow on after the risen Jesus to the room where the disciples were gathered, when he showed them his body, his hands, and his feet, and said, "Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." Now let him lead us out with the dear company of his disciples to Bethany, that with them we may receive his blessing, while his hands are extended over us; then let our eyes follow his living body up into heaven, where Stephen, and John, and Paul saw him in his glory; the same Jesus, the Son of man. We shall be like him; for -we shall see him as he is."

I considered it of the first importance to show, according to the Scriptures, the absolute oneness or unity between Christ and his brethren, whom God gave him, as concerning his and their state and inheritance, both on earth and in heaven. Because it is upon this principle and truth, as a strong and sure foundation, that Paul, in I Corinthians.,15, bases and maintains the certainty of the final resurrection unto life and immortality of all the people and brethren of Jesus our Lord.

In the church at Corinth were some who said, " that there is no resurrection of the dead;" and who unbelievingly asked, " How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?" And therefore Paul, who was set for the defense of the gospel, knowing the blighting and fatal consequences, to the church, of this delusive doctrine of the Sadducees, and that if it could indeed be established as true, then the whole gospel of Christ would be overthrown and proven to be delusive, unreal, and false, boldly and faithfully defended the truth of the resurrection of the dead. He is a pattern for the gospel ministry, worthy to be followed, as he followed Christ. He first declared and proved the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, as a man, having a personal and real body; he called the witnesses of his resurrection, the twelve apostles, and more than five hundred brethren, all of whom saw Jesus after he was risen from the dead, and knew him; most of whom were still living, and could bear witness to the truth of Paul's gospel. And he was also a witness that God had raised up Christ from the dead ; for he had seen and heard Jesus, and believed on him.

Having established the glorious resurrection of Jesus, the Prophet of Nazareth, the crucified Son of man, the one Mediator between God and men, as the precious and sure foundation of the kingdom of Zion, and as the very soul and fullness and glory of the gospel of salvation; Paul then builds upon this living stone and foundation, and with all the assurance of infallibility he triumphantly proclaims the future resurrection of all the dead in Christ, and the translation of all the living saints at his Second coming, and their glorious and everlasting victory over sin, death, and the grave.

This was Paul's gospel; and so he preached, and so the brethren believed. The resurrection of Christ from the dead, and the resurrection of all the dead in Christ, and their eternal glory with Christ, was the very marrow and fatness of the glorious gospel of salvation, which Paul and the other inspired apostles preached. From valley to mountain top, in city and country, in courts of kings and prison cells, wherever they went, and to 'whoever they preached, Jew and Gentile, bond and. free, Paul and his fellow ambassadors in the new kingdom preached Christ and him crucified, and Christ and him risen from the dead, and " through Jesus the resurrection from the dead." And it is no wonder that Paul believed that Jesus was risen from the dead, and preached Jesus and the resurrection of the dead; for the ascended and glorified man Christ had made himself known to him, and said " I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest; " Acts, 22:8.

And when violently taken by a mob of the Jews in Jerusalem for preaching the crucified Christ, Paul said, " Of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question." And in his defense before King Agrippa, Paul asked him, " Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? " Then he said to him, " Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say Should come: that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should Show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles;" Acts, 26. 

When Peter first preached the gospel of Christ to the Gentiles he said, " God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets Witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins; Acts, 10:38-43.

Then, when Paul was sent to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and stood in the midst of Mars-hill, before the learned and great of Athens, he said to them, "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every-where to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that MAN whom he hath ordained: whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead; " Acts, 17:30,31. How solemn and wonderful is this declaration. The resurrection of the man Jesus from the dead is God's testimony and assurance unto all men, that he hath ordained him to be the Judge of quick and dead; and that he hath appointed a great judgement-day, and will judge the world in righteousness.

Therefore God the Father has committed all judgment unto his Son Jesus, and has exalted him from the cross and the tomb to the glorious high throne of heaven, and ordained and anointed him with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and with power and authority, to raise the dead, and judge the world. " But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men;" 2 Peter, 3:7. In his defense before Felix Paul affirmed, " That there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust;" Acts, 24:15.

Now let us hear the testimony of Jesus himself on this point, for he is the Prophet whom God raised up unto his people, and the Preacher of righteousness in the great congregation. He said, " 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. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself ; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation; " John, 5:25-29.

Now this testimony of Jesus and his servants certainly establishes the doctrine of a general resurrection; that is, of all the dead of mankind, both of the just and unjust all that are in the graves. And the power and honor to resurrect all the dead, and to judge the whole world, the righteous and the wicked, is given unto the holy child Jesus, the Son of man, the Son of God. His name is," KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." After he died, and arose from the grave, and destroyed both death and the devil, he said to his chosen apostles, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." This expresses universal dominion, and omnipotent power. Therefore Jesus has absolute power over death and the grave; and he is abundantly able to call forth the dead out of the graves, either to the judgment of life, or condemnation. And since he declares that they shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, who or what shall prevent it? Behold, while he was yet in the flesh on the earth, all diseases and maladies, wicked men and devils, furious winds and angry seas, sin and death, corruption and the grave, all, all were subject to his power, and, obeyed his word. And shall it be thought that this glorious man, who spake as never man spake, has less power now, since he has gone up to heaven, and sat down on the throne of God? 0 no I but we believe that he can do all things, and that there is nothing too hard for the Lord.

But more amazing still than all this power that I have named, Jesus said, Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father; " John, 10:7,18. Never were other words so wonderful as these uttered, and the fullness of their sublime and glorious meaning is unsearchable and unspeakable. It was a man who thus spake, the meek and lowly son of Mary! And God his Father loved him because he laid down his life, that he might take it again. He had power to do both. That is, he had the legal, just, and righteous authority to lay down his holy life, and to take it again. It was the commandment of his righteous Father. It was a power that Jesus had as the COVENANT HEAD of God's people. If it is asked, Why and for whom did he lay down his life? he says, "I lay down my life for the sheep." For he is the good Shepherd of the lost sheep, and they were under the power of death; but he said, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

Now, since the dear, suffering Son of man had power to lay down his own righteous life, and power to take it again, and arise from the dead, victorious over the grave and all the powers of darkness; then, verily, he more abundantly has power to call forth and raise all the dead, and to execute the righteous sentence and just judgment of God upon them.

Moreover, his word shows that he also has the authority to divide the nations, and to  separate the good from the evil, the righteous from the wicked; and that he will do this in the resurrection of all that are in the graves. The angel of the Lord said to Daniel, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt;" Dan., 12:2. And our Lord said, " When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." " Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." " And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal; Matt., 25:31-34,41,46.

"DEPART, YE CURSED." Awful sentence I Let us consider it. The unjust, who have done evil, shall come forth out of the graves, resurrected unto condemnation and the perdition of ungodly men. This is the righteous judgment of the enthroned King, whose word is holy, and shall be fulfilled. Let us not think that it is a hard or cruel sentence; for never -was any other man so full of tender pity, compassion, and mercy, as the meek and lamb-like Son of man, who relieved all the woes of all the afflicted and tormented children of men, who in their helpless need called Upon him. He came into the. world to save sinners, to save the lives of men; but not to destroy them. His very name is Savior; and he is full of grace, and delighteth in mercy. To his disciples he said, "I have compassion on the multitudes." To the Jews who persecuted him he said, "Think not that I will accuse you unto the Father." So let us be persuaded that the King of glory is the Holy One, full of love and pity, and rich in mercy; who saves to the uttermost them that come unto God by him, and says, " Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

Therefore, none but the unbelieving and wicked, his enemies, who have both despised and rejected him, shall be rejected, and depart from him. They would not have him to reign over them, but desired only to be left to their own will; and his word was true of them: "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." All his unbelieving enemies would say of him, "He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." They have neither faith in him, nor union with him.

To them he says, " My word hath no place in you." In his divine nature, his Spirit and life, his holiness and love, the wicked and unbelieving have no part with the beloved Son of God; neither do they desire to be found in him, nor to be clothed with his freely imputed righteousness ; but they esteem and prefer themselves and their own righteousness. Therefore the unrighteous or wicked have no fellowship with the man of sorrow in his suffering for sins in the flesh , neither are they made conformable unto his death to sin and the law; nor do they know him, nor the power of his resurrection unto righteousness and life. And so, as they are not united with Jesus in his resurrected and holy life, they are not therefore justified by him, because he is not their life, and they have no life unity with him, as the vitalized branches of the living and true Vine. So they die out of Christ, and shall not be made alive in him at the last day. To such unbelieving sinners, Jesus said, "Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he," (the Savior,) ye shall die in your sins; John., 8:23,24. And therefore he said unto them, "Whither I go, ye can not come."

Now it is for this cause, that the highly exalted and glorified Son of man shall separate all nations one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats, and shall say to the unholy, " Depart from me, ye cursed." For they have died in their sins and unbelief, under the dominion of sin, and the curse of the law, having no hope in Christ, and without God in the world. They have ever been strangers to heart repentance toward God for their sins, and heart faith toward the Son of God, as dying and atoning for their sins, and rising from the dead for their justification. So then, they were not baptized into the death of Christ, nor washed from their sins in his blood; neither have they died indeed unto sins, nor been quickened together with Christ, and made alive unto God and holiness.

The obedient and suffering death, and the righteous and saving life of the redeeming and justifying Jesus, who died and rose again, have not been wrought and fulfilled in unbelieving Jews and Gentiles; who, therefore, have no part in the first resurrection. So, when they die in their bodies, and go into the grave, they are still in their sins, and under the condemnation of the holy law. Nor have they desired that it should be otherwise; for instead of casting themselves at the feet of Jesus, as did the perishing leper, they have appealed to Moses and the law, as Paul appealed from the Jews to Ceasar. And as Ceasar condemned Paul to death, so does the law condemn, under a perpetual curse, as many as are of the works of the law; Galatians., 3:10-12. Consequently, the unrighteous and unbelieving, who have no faith in the, Son of God, and have not been justified from all their sinful and evil works in the flesh, shall die in their sins; and they shall hear the voice of the Son of God, calling them to judgment, and Shall come forth out of the graves, unto the resurrection of damnation, and go away to dwell with Satan and his angels.

It may be said by some, that this is a severe judgment against the children of men, who have done evil; but it is the sentence of the holy child Jesus, who wept at the grave of Lazarus, and over Jerusalem, and cried out on the cross, saying, " Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." This should convince all that Jesus the Judge of quick and dead, is both merciful and just; and that he judges righteously, and in infinite wisdom. Therefore the resurrection of the unjust, and their everlasting separation from all the justified, and banishment to the abode of all the wicked, are for the glory of God, the honor of his Son, the joy of the saints, and according to the nature and state of the condemned. For they shall have received only that which their own will chose, and which accords with their sinful nature and carnal mind, and far better suits them than would the abode of the saints and holy angels in heaven. Indeed, the glorious and holy presence of God and the Lamb, and of all the hosts in heaven, would be the most intolerable place of torment to all who do not, love God and holiness, but have pleasure in unrighteousness ; and they would desire only to flee away to the place prepared for them in the kingdom of darkness, where their far more suitable kindred spirits dwell.

So then, it is infinitely better for both the righteous and the wicked, that the Son of man, upon the throne of his glory, should separate them from one another, and adjudge them to the far different kingdoms prepared for them; that they may both go to their own habitation. And the goodness and mercy of God, no less than his justice and holiness, will justify the separation and banishment of the wicked from the righteous, where they shall no more trouble and persecute the loving friends of Jesus, who delight in goodness and mercy, and love peace and truth; but they shall dwell with only like envious, malicious, wicked beings to themselves. Truly the Lord is just and holy in all his ways, and righteous in all his works; and all creatures in all places of his dominion Shall honor and glorify him.

As far back as Cain and Abel, the wicked have been found upon the earth with the righteous ; but there has been a radical difference ever existing between them, and a separation in spirit, belief, and worship, insomuch that the one has been hated and persecuted by the other. And this has continued so from the beginning, even until now; and it shall so continue until the last great day, when the King shall say to all the unjust and evil, " Depart from me."

Not withstanding the whole family of man have one common parentage, Adam and Eve, yet how vast the difference which the grace and faith of the Son of God make between them ; as seen in Abel and Cain, Jacob and Esau, David and Saul, John and Judas, Mary and Herodias, and the penitent on the cross and his fellow. The unbelieving have enmity against the believing, which causes the first to oppose, reproach, and persecute the last, because they love the Lord and his righteousness, and have faith and hope in him. This is strange and unreasonable; and it shows the corrupting and hardening effects of man's disobedience and sin, and proves that." the carnal mind is enmity against God."

When man sinned and fell from his exalted state of created natural goodness and innocence, and was turned out of Eden, he not only forfeited and lost communion with his holy Creator, but he also received a spirit of bondage and guilty fear, and became the willing bond-servant of Satan, the enemy, of God and righteousness; and this cruel enmity took possession of man, and enslaved his soul. And in this respect, the unbelieving and self-righteous children of men are of their father the devil, whose lusts they will do, as said Jesus to them. And he says the devil " was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth ; because there is no truth in him." This is also more or less the nature, and spirit of his enslaved children and servants. Therefore Jesus said to them, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father." "And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God, heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honor my Father, and ye do dishonor me. And I seek not mine own glory : there is One that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil; " John., 8. Now this conversation between the holy Jesus and the unbelieving Jews, presents in a Clear and strong light the wide difference there is between the believing children of God and the unbelieving children of men, which is so radical and great that the wicked hate the righteous, and seek to destroy them. Paul clearly expresses this difference between the two classes of men: For they that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." So then they that are in the flesh can not please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God;" Romans., 8. So it is the Spirit of God in Christ, dwelling in, quickening, and leading us, that identifies us as the children of God, and Separates us from the world.

The apostle John also clearly presents the striking difference there is between the children of the kingdom and the children of this world, saying, " In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righte