SERMON XXIII.

Easter Sunday.

ROMANS vi. 8.

Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.

HE words of my text, which are taken from the

THE

Second Lesson for this day's service, contain a very clear intimation, indeed a direct conditional promise, of a future state of existence with the Lord Christ in heaven. The certainty of a future life after death all Christians have considered to be confirmed by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Indeed, the doctrine of a future life is so frequently and so fully stated in the Gospels, the promise of immortality is so often and so boldly made, that, coupling these statements and promises with the return of our Lord to life after His death on the cross, we must either reject the Gospels altogether as inspired books, or we must accept the doctrine of a future life without reserve.

This firm belief in another and that an eternal life, is one of the great differences between the ancient heathen world and the present Church built up by Christ. The heathens indeed anciently, though they were uninstructed by any direct revelations

Z

sinners commonly work against the Lord for their own downfall. My brethren, there is a warning from our Lord which ought to wake with us every morning, and never should rest till we fall asleep at night," Watch, and pray." Pharaoh followed his own heart, left it uncorrected, and fulfilled the desires thereof; he was drowned in the mighty waters. We may walk in his steps, and leave our hearts worldly, proud, wilful, or careless; and if we do, the example of the King of Egypt will be made manifest in us, for we have before us "the sea of fire."

SERMON XXIII.

Easter Sunday.

ROMANS vi. 8.

Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.

THE

HE words of my text, which are taken from the Second Lesson for this day's service, contain a very clear intimation, indeed a direct conditional promise, of a future state of existence with the Lord Christ in heaven. The certainty of a future life after death all Christians have considered to be confirmed by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Indeed, the doctrine of a future life is so frequently and so fully stated in the Gospels, the promise of immortality is so often and so boldly made, that, coupling these statements and promises with the return of our Lord to life after His death on the cross, we must either reject the Gospels altogether as inspired books, or we must accept the doctrine of a future life without reserve.

This firm belief in another and that an eternal life, is one of the great differences between the ancient heathen world and the present Church built up by Christ. The heathens indeed anciently, though they were uninstructed by any direct revelations

Z

sinners commonly work against the Lord for their own downfall. My brethren, there is a warning from our Lord which ought to wake with us every morning, and never should rest tili we fall asleep at night,—“ Watch, and pray." Pharaoh followed his own heart, left it uncorrected, and fulfilled the desires thereof; he was drowned in the mighty waters. We may walk in his steps, and leave our hearts worldly, proud, wilful, or careless; and if we do, the example of the King of Egypt will be made manifest in us, for we have before us "the sea of fire."

SERMON XXIII.

Easter Sunday.

ROMANS Vi. 8.

Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.

HE words of my text, which are taken from the

THE

Tse word of son for this day's service, contain a

Second Lesson

very clear intimation, indeed a direct conditional promise, of a future state of existence with the Lord Christ in heaven. The certainty of a future life after death all Christians have considered to be confirmed by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Indeed, the doctrine of a future life is so frequently and so fully stated in the Gospels, the promise of immortality is so often and so boldly e, that, coupling these statements and promises

of our Lord to life after His death must either reject the Gospels aled books, or we must accept the re life with

and that an eternal erences between the

present Church built adeed anciently, though

any direct revelations