sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”* We shall cease to wonder at the relative importance assigned by the apostles to this soulstirring doctrine, when we briefly glance at three, out of the many glorious truths, which cluster around it. I. It was the public token of the Father's acceptance of the work of Christ. God, by thus raising Him from the place of the dead, and not suffering Him to see corruption, expressed His full and unqualified satisfaction with the great atoning Sacrifice. At the commencement of His Son's ministry, He had given public attestation to His divine mission by the heavenly voice and the descent of the dove. He would now at its close, give visible demonstration that the crowning oblation was accepted, and that the expiring cry, "It is finished," uttered on earth, had been heard and ratified in Heaven. "Christ *Heb. xiii. 20, 21. was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father." The demands and penalties of the law having been discharged and fulfilled by His obedience unto death, it was now consistent with the honour of the Father's name, that "His Beloved should be delivered," that "He should save with His right hand and hear Him." The Surety-Substitute descended into the lonesome prison-house of the grave. The new tomb enclosed Him within its rocky cavern. If one single sin had remained unatoned for, the stone would to this hour have remained sealed, and the hopes of untold millions been buried along with the Captive. Death stormed the citadel. For a moment its walls trembled under the assaulting foe, and the Divine Vanquisher seemed the vanquished. But it was only His heel the serpent touched-no more! He had completed the work which the Father had given Him to do. He could not be holden of death. The superincumbent stone (befitting * Rom. vi. 4. + Ps. lx. 5. symbol of a violated law) has been rolled away, and two white-robed angels are seated in the deserted tomb, to tell the glad news, "The Lord is risen!" The believer can now triumphantly exclaim, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."* Satan, death, and hell, are chained as trophies to the wheels of His conquering chariot. He leads these "captive multitudes captive;" taking from them all the armour wherein they trusted, and dividing the spoils. As we behold Him, on that early morning of a new dispensation, carrying in his hand the iron crown of the King of Terrors,—a voice proceeding from the excellent glory seems to repeat the old assurance, "This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." + "Lord of Life and Glory," says Bishop Hall, "is there any weak soul that makes doubt of Thy plenary satis * I Pet. i. 3. + Matt. iii. 17. faction for his sin; of the perfect accomplishment of the great work of man's Redemption: Thou raisedst Thyself from the dead: quitting that prison of the grave whence Thou couldst not have come, till Thou hadst paid all.” Or as Bishop Reynolds similarly expresses it, "Therefore the Lord sent an angel to remove the stone from the mouth of the Sepulchre; not to supply any want of power in Him, who could Himself have rolled away the stone with one of His fingers; but as a judge, when the law is satisfied, sendeth an officer to open the prison doors to him who hath made that satisfaction, so the Father, to testify that His justice was fully satisfied with the price which the Son had paid, sent an officer from heaven to open the doors of the grave, and, as it were, to hold away the hangings, while his Lord came forth from His bed-chamber." II. Almost identical with this view, and arising out of it, the Resurrection of Jesus was a pledge of the believer's complete justification. In mani fold passages of the New Testament a 'oneness' is represented as existing between Christ and His Church. Every notable official act in the Incarnation was performed by Him in His federal character, as our covenant Head and Representative. When He died, it was reckoned as if His people had died with Him. "I am crucified," says the apostle, "with Christ."* "Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin." And when the buried Saviour rises victorious from the grave, the Church, His mystical body, is represented as rising with Him. "Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him, through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead." And again, to the same effect, believers are spoken of, as being "quickened together with Christ." § As our adorable Redeemer left behind Him in His tomb the mementoes of victory, so the believer, by virtue of this union with his Lord, * Gal. ii. 20. + Rom. vi. II. |