equally exclude you from the glorious light of heaven. Angels, we read, were standing at the entrance of the tomb, to welcome the Redeemer's triumph over death and hell; standing prepared to receive him as he rose. And angels will be no less pleased to witness your revival from death to life, your escape from darkness into marvellous light, your deliverance from the power of Satan into the favour of God: for "are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of salvation?" And is there not "joy among them over one sinner that repenteth ?"

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Till you have thus repented, and are converted, and have given yourselves up to your Redeemer, his resurrection is no cause of joy to you; neither is it any cause of joy that you must rise yourselves,-far, very far otherwise; for to what will you rise again? To hear him say, Depart from me, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels;" "depart from me, I never knew you, ye that work iniquity." Well may we believe what he has likewise said, "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

2. Not so those who SLEEP IN JESUS.

"The

dead in Christ" shall rise to an everlasting kingdom, where they shall ever be with the Lord : shall be with him where he is, and see him face to face. Yes, my brethren, so he has himself declared. In that his last prayer on earth for his disciples, we read, "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me." And again he says, "Where I am, there shall also my servant be."3 There shall they be, honoured with a crown, a crown of life, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give them at that day." There too shall they be, exalted to a kingdom. Christ will grant them to sit with him on his throne, and will delight them with approbation like this : "Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." And he shall admit them with this solemn proclamation : "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

And all this for ever. Were it not for ever, all would be comparatively of little worth. The

2 John xvii. 24.

3 John xii. 26.

very thought of leaving it would embitter the greatest enjoyment. How it mars our best delights on earth, to know that they are fading and dying like a flower in our hands! Study frequently, study thoroughly that word, ETERNITY! Surely if the sinner would reflect upon this word, it would startle him out of his deepest sleep. Surely if the believer in Christ would reflect on it, it would strengthen him against his sorest temptation, it would cheer him in his bitterest

sorrow.

Such is a slight glimpse of that blessedness to which all will hereafter rise, who sleep in Jesus. But, alas! how impossible to speak of it as it deserves! Yet surely there is enough to kindle your desires, and quicken your endeavours. Proceed then in your contest against the inward and outward enemies of your salvation; persevere in your diligence to learn, in your resolution to practise the things which belong unto your Pray without ceasing," that you may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ." Do not attempt to drive death and judgment from your thoughts; rather bring them often steadily before your minds. Let

peace."

me repeat once more, that the blessings which the apostle speaks of, are only to them that sleep in Jesus; and that you must live in his faith, if you are to die in his faith; must" abide in him," as a branch in its parent tree, to your latest hour. Be sure then that you are so his, as to be "found in him" when your summons comes. Then, what is death? It is not even a sleep, for your soul shall never lose its consciousness of happiness; it is a peaceful rest from trouble and temptation, out of which you shall only be awakened in order to take possession of everlasting glory.

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EASTER DAY.

SERMON XIV.

THE GRAVE DEPRIVED OF ITS VICTORY.

1 Cor. xv. 55-57.

"O grave, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

THE scriptures are not a mere collection of truths and precepts, as beforehand we might have been likely to expect they would be. They are so contrived as to exhibit to us the

habits, and sentiments, and

feelings of those

who lived under the influence of the revelation

which they contain.

This is especially valuable in the case of St. Paul's epistles. They explain to us, not only what principles and rules of conduct are presented to the Christian for his adoption, but they show us how Paul himself, as a Christian,