SERMON XIII.

JOY IN CHRIST'S RESURRECTION.

For Easter Day.

1 Cor. v. 7, 8.

"CHRIST, OUR PASSOVER, IS SACRIFICED FOR US; THEREFORE, LET US KEEP THE FEAST."

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TO-DAY the Holy Church of CHRIST, parting quickly from the sepulchre, with fear and great joy," doth "run to bring His disciples word" of His Resurrection.' And so impatient is she to proclaim the good tidings, that she waits not for the Psalms and Lessons to tell us of them, but abruptly breaks forth, after the beginning of the service, into the exulting cry, "CHRIST, our Passover, is sa

1 S. Matt. xxviii. 8. Morning Second Lesson, Monday in Easter week.

crificed for us; therefore, let us keep the feast."

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"It is meet that we should make merry, and be glad, for This our Brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."2 This our Brother, WHOм not His own prodigality, for "in HIM is no sin," but our "riotous living" did drive, guiltless into a guilty world, "into a far country," away from HIS FATHER'S Home and Bosom. The LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO "is not ashamed to call us brethren,' was dead, and is alive again; HE saith, "I am HE That liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore. Amen.''5 Yea, "for evermore. Amen." For was it not said, "CHRIST being raised from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over HIM. For in that He died, He died unto sin once; but in that He liveth, HE liveth unto God?" "He was lost," in the flesh, laid down in the new Tomb, hewn out of the rock, with a great stone rolled to the door of the Sepulchre, with the stone firm-sealed, and the

1 See Sparrow's Rationale.

31 S. John iii. 5.

5 Rev. i. 18.

2 S. Luke xv. 32.

4 Heb. ii. 11.

watch sure-set. But it was not possible that He should be holden of death," for long "before the morning-watch, I say, before the morning-watch," HE robbed the Grave of victory, and Death of his sting: and the Tomb itself spake, in which heretofore had been "neither speech nor language ;" and "the string of its tongue was loosed," to proclaim, "CHRIST is risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept." Great and glorious is the day which saw early, when it was yet dark," the SAVIOUR break the bands of death, and march forth "glorious in His Apparel, travelling in the greatness of His Strength!" Great and glorious Day! "The light of its Sun is seven-fold, as the light of seven days." For what light shall be compared with "the . Light of GOD's Countenance," and what sun like unto "the Sun of Righteousness, arising with healing in His Wings ?"4 "This is the Day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."5 "Awake

1 Acts ii. 24. Evening Second Lesson.

2 Isa. lxiii. 1. For the Epistle, Monday before Easter. 3 Isa. xxx. 26. 4 Mal. iv. 2.

5 Ps. cxviii. 24, for the day.

up, my glory; awake, lute and harp: I my self will awake right early. I will give thanks unto THEE, O LORD, among the people and I will sing unto THEE among the nations. For the greatness of THY Mercy reacheth unto the Heavens, and THY Truth unto the clouds. Set up THYSELF, O God, above the Heavens, and THY glory above all the Earth."

Full surely, elect brethren, the Day of the REDEEMER'S Resurrection from the dead is a day "to be much observed unto the LORD;" for "if CHRIST be not raised, your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins." Vain would be the faith in ONE WHO remained "dead and buried, and His Sepulchre with us unto this day,' "4 when "we have heard out of the Law that CHRIST abideth for ever. Vain would be the faith in HIM WHO had promised that "after three days He would rise again.' Vain the faith

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1 Ps. lvii. 9-12, for the day.

2 Ex. xii. 42. Morning First Lesson.

31 Cor. xv. 17. Evening Second Lesson, Tuesday in Easter week.

4 Acts ii. 29. Evening Second Lesson.

5 S. John xii. 34.

6 S. Matt. xxvii. 63. The Gospel for Easter Even.

in His promise to raise others from the dead, when HIMSELF HE could not raise. Vain the faith in His word that HE would HIMSELF, in HIMSELF, pay off the debt of death for every soul which, having, as all have, surely sinned, must "surely die," while HIMSELF remained unredeemed from death. Vain the faith that we should seek, and find, "the living among the dead;" the pledge and earnest of eternal life, in the unretrieved bondage of the grave; the conqueror of death, in a man long since turned to corruption. Then, in truth, our faith would be vain, and we yet in our sins.

"But now is CHRIST risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. 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."

"The LORD is risen!" "While men slept," while none stood by, to hail HIM on His glorious upward course, while all was still, in silence the REDEEMER rose. Men "held their peace," and "the very stones did immediately cry out," amidst the " great earthquake," and the Heavens also were