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to whom are we indebted for the disposition we have to receive that testimony with joy and gladness? To God himself, and his unmerited grace-it is he and he only who has thus made us to differ. O then, let us humble ourselves in the dust before him, under the consciousness of our own natural depravity and alienation of heart-our natural disposition to reject the best of God's gifts even his own beloved Son. O Christian hearers, our object is to impress it on the minds of those whom we address, that they are in a most perilous state indeed, unless they have Christ within them "the hope of glory"him "whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." O then, while contemplating the subject which has been engaging our attention, "examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves, know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

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I would further observe, that we shall not rightly improve this subject unless we are habitually rejoicing (and that in the exercise of gratitude to God our Saviour) in the anticipation of the future blessedness which is reserved for the Jews. O yes, we should rejoice in anticipation of their coming blessedness and glory, on their own account-we should be prepared to take up the language of the Psalmist and to say with him in the fervent desire and prayer of our hearts, "O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion; when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad." But we ought to rejoice in the anticipation of their coming glory, not on their own account only, but as we regard the welfare and happiness of the world at large-for when God shall have turned the captivity of his people, when he shall again have exalted Jerusalem, and made her a praise in the earth, then will the fulness of the Gentiles-I use the expression now in its ecclesiastical, not in its chronological sense-then will the fulness of the gentiles come in; and then will there be one fold under one shepherd, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Jews and gentiles shall together rejoice in the contemplation of his character who shall be at once a light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel."

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I now leave the subject for your more retired consideration; and in departing from this land to return to that which recently left in the prospect, which has been cheeringly realized, of taking sweet counsel together, and holding delightful communion with my beloved brethren in this country, I commend those from whom I am about to be separated to the mercy and grace of that God who is the God, alike, of the Jew and of the Gentile, and who is rich unto all that call upon him. I would at the same time most earnestly admonish those whose contemplations may, and ought to be directed to the subject which, during the last few days, has been especially engaging our attention, that while they endeavour, so far as God shall enable them, to take an enlarged view of the purposes of his grace, they should constantly bear in mind, that there are in those purposes depths which we cannot fathom-that there are heights which we cannot scale-that "the secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." O then, let the reflection of the inspired apostle, (who, we may well suppose, was far better acquainted with these subjects than ourselves,) be ever present to our minds, and preserve us from incautiously and daringly treading on forbidden ground-let that sentiment be ever engraven on our hearts: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!"

May God of his infinite mercy enrich all whom I have had the privilege of addressing with the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of peace. Remember, that after all that can be said on the subjects which have been discussed, the great matter of inquiry for each individual is this, Am I a Christian? Am I rejoicing in Christ Jesus? Am I rejoicing in him as my Saviour? Am I putting my whole trust and confidence in him? Is he all my salvation and all my desire? O may God bless his word! May he cause that which has been sown in weakness to be raised in power, and to him be all the glory, and all the praise, through Jesus Christ his beloved Son, our ever-adorable Lord and Saviour! AMEN.

CHRIST'S RESURRECTION, THE PLEDGE AND PATTERN OF THE RESURRECTION

OF HIS SAINTS:

A SERMON,

PREACHED IN CORBERRY CHURCH, DIOCESE OF KILDARE,

ON EASTER SUNDAY, 1840.

BY THE REV. FRANCIS HEWSON, A. M.

Curate.

ISAIAH XXV. 8.

"He will swallow up death in victory."

We are assembled, dear brethren, this day, to commemorate the most important of all the great events connected with our redemption. The resurrection of the Lord Christ, is, in fact, that event on which the truth of christianity, as well as the hope of the church, altogether rests. If Christ be not risen, then as the apostle admits, (1 Cor. xv. 14.) "our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain"-in short, christianity is an imposition! and christians the most deceived and miserable of men! Oh! it was an anxious, fearful crisis for the church and the world when divine justice laid hold on the sinners' surety, when the sword smote the shepherd of the flock, and the grave entombed the Saviour of the world-while he lay in the sepulchre of Joseph, the hopes of the church, the destinies of mankind, lay, as it were, buried with him. Had the seal remained unbroken on the tomb-had death succeeded in detaining our Redeemer captive, then would the gates of hell have triumphed and the infidel would be justified in his carnal maxim "let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." But it was impossible that the Prince of life could long be holden, even by the tenacious grasp of death: having ac

complished the purposes for which he tasted death-having obtained eternal redemption for his people-Jesus, our victorious Head, our almighty Deliverer, rose triumphant from the grave, bursting the way before his people, and constituting in his own person the earliest and first fruits of that glorious resurrection of which all who are members of his mystical body shall, in their own order, be partakers.

We are, my brethren, this day celebrating the anniversary of that most blessed and glorious event, which at this season, about 1800 years since, turned the church's mourning into joy, and filled the disconsolate hearts of the disciples of Jesus with exultation too great for utterance or conception, in which all their past sorrow was forgotten. May the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, make us partakers of somewhat of a corresponding joy, while engaged in contemplating the great event of which we are reminded in the services of this day, that we too may be indeed "begotten again into a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

We are furnished, in the striking prediction of the prophet Isaiah which I have chosen for my text, with an in

teresting and instructive reference to | kingdom. Hell found her conqueror

the great gospel doctrine of the resurrection. We find this prediction quoted by the apostle Paul in that sublime passage in the 15th of 1 Cor., when, speaking of what is to take place at the Sounding of the last trump, he says, "behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; (for the trumpet shall sound;) and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is writen. "Death is swallowed up in victory."

in Him who had submitted to be led as captive within her dreadful barriers, he had yielded for the moment, that he might have the more complete and glorious triumph in the end; and having pursued his victories through the regions of the grave-having spoiled principalities and powers, he rose, bearing with him the gates of the infernal Gaza, and bringing life, and light, and redemption to his people. Read the description of the risen Saviour which is given in Rev. 1., when he appeared in glorious vision to his beloved apostle, saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for ever more, amen." In now calling your attention to this Look to what the apostle says of him memorable saying, which as you have in the 14th 15th and 16th verses. just seen, we have the apostle's au- Where is a trace of death to be discothority for referring to the resurrection. vered in that countenance which shineth I purpose leading you to consider as the sun shineth in his strength? first-the fulfilment it has already reAre the marks of the thorns, or the ceived, in the resurrection of Christ, defilement of the tomb, visible on that the first fruits; and, secondly-its future head, the hairs of which are white like and complete fulfilment, in the resurrec-wool, as white as snow? Can the prints tion of those who are Christ's at his of the nails be discovered in those feet coming. that are like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace? No, my brethren, so far as the person of the Redeemer is concerned, the saying is fulfilled— "death is swallowed up in viotory." That blessed body which was wounded for our transgressions-which was extended, bleeding at every pore, upon the accursed tree-which was brought down into the dust of death, and laid in the sepulchre of Joseph-is now exalted to the very throne of God, and beaming with all the glory and majesty of incarnate Deity. Dear brethren, it is well that we should bear in mind, that there is no event recorded in prophane or sacred history which rests on fuller and more incontrovertible evidence than the resurrection of our Lord. We find that the apostle Paul enumerating, in the beginning of 1 Cor. xv.

I. THE FULFILMENT IT HAS ALREADY RECEIVED IN THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, THE FIRST FRUITS. In his own person Jesus, Christ has, my brethren, already fulfilled this prediction, which was uttered by his inspired servant Isaiah, 700 years before His incarnation and appearance in our world; he has already, as far as He himself is concerned, swallowed up death in victory. When Jesus bowed his head and expired on the accursed tree, Satan seemingly had gained his point death had seemingly worsted the Captain of our salvation; but the enemy had but an apparent and momentary triumph. In dying, our invincible Redeemer destroyed him who had the power of death: he overturned like another Sampson, the pillars of Satan's

some of the evidences which existed in his day of the fact of Christ's having risen. Beginning at the third verse, we read:" for I delivered unto you first of all that which I also receivedhow that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he arose 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." There were, then, above 500 witnesses who could testify to the fact of Christ's resurrection, several of whom, having had repeated opportunity of ascertaining "the truth of what they testified, sealed their conviction of it with their blood. Besides the testimony of man—a testimony which was accompanied with every circumstance of corroboration that could entitle testimony to credit. We have also the testimony of God, bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, which constituted his testimony to the truth of what they, in his name, declared and testified respecting Christ. In short, my brethren, not to enter more into detail, (which, I trust, would be needless to you) it is a most certain and blessed fact; resting on evidence which nothing but the most unreasonable scepticism can doubt, that that same Jesus, who died for our sins, according to the Scriptures who was crucified under Pontius Pilate-who was buried, laid in the sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathea, sealed with the seal of the Chief Priests, watched by a guard of Roman Soldiers has risen again the third day; and, after showing himself alive, after his passion, to his apostles by many and infallible proofs, being seen of them 40 days, eating and drinking with them-has as

cended to the right hand of God, where he now waits that time when all judgment shall be given to him, and his enemies shall be made his footstool.We have evidence that must abundantly satisfy every reasonable mind-evidence which, however disposed, the infidel is unable to gainsay or resist; the evidence of man, corroborated by God, attested by the Holy Ghost, sent down from heaven-that our glorious head has risen; that he is alive for evermore ; that in his own person he has swallowed up death in victory, and is now "the resurrection and the life, so that whosoever believeth in him, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in him, shall never die." But having seen how the prediction of the prophet has had its fulfilment in the person of Christ himself, I shall, now, lead you to consider

II. THE FULFILMENT IT IS AWAITING IN THE PERSONS OF HIS BELIEVING PEOPLE.

Christ's resurrection is, my brethren, the earnest and pattern of the resurrection of all who belong to him: death shall be swallowed up in victory, as regards them also. Christ, being raised, is but the first fruits of the general resurrection of his saints, which shall ensue at his coming. If you look to Lev. xxiii. 9, and following verses, you will find the Lord giving the following instructions to Moses, to communicate to the children of Israel : "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, when ye come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the Priest: and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the Priest shall wave it : and ye shall offer that day, when ye wave the sheaf, an he lamb without blemish, of the first year, for a burnt offering unto the Lord"-14th, "and ye shall eat neither bread nor parched corn, nor

green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God." You will observe, that the time when the sheaf of the first fruits-the earnest and beginning of the harvest that was soon to follow-was offered or waved before the Lord, was on the morrow after the sabbath: that is, (as appears from the context,) on the morrow after the sabbath which immediately followed the Passover it was, in fact, the very morning on which the resurrection of Christ was destined to take place, that this typical sheaf was to be waved before the Lord. Thus we see, how Christ is, as the Apostle Paul says, (1 Cor. xv. 20,) "the first fruits of them that slept;" he is risen as the forerunner; and as surely as the general harvest followed the first fruits, so surely shall the general resurrection of his saints follow the resurrection of the Saviour.

Dear brethren, we are destined, in these very bodies in which we are assembled here this day-to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. If we are indeed his people, "when he who is our life shall appear, we also shall appear with him in glory;" " he shall change our vile bodies, that they may be made like unto his glorious body, according to that mighty working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." Nothing will satisfy the desires of the Redeemer, until he has accomplished the full redemption of his people—until, in short, they have their perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in his eternal and everlasting glory-Jesus is, my brethren, the Saviour as well of the body as of the soul. It is not his intention, that death or Satan should retain possession of even the bodies of his saints; they belong by purchase unto him, and he will not forego his right.They may be consigned for a while to the custody of the tomb, but the Redeemer will eventually claim his own; he has the keys of death and hell; and he has already said, with reference to his

people, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction. Every trace of death shall be obliterated, every effect of the fall shall be removed, in those who shall attain unto the resurrection from the dead." That which was sown in corruption, shall be raised in incorruption; that which was sown in dishonour, shall be raised in glory; that which was sown in weakness, shall be raised in power;" that which was consigned to the grave bearing the image of the earthly Adam, shall come forth, transformed into the likeness of the second Adam—the Lord from heaven.— The question naturally presents itself, when shall these things be-when shall the manifestation of the sons of God take place, and the saints of Christ be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy? no doubt, whatever happiness the disembodied spirit is capable of receiving, is possessed immediately by the soul departing from the body to be present with the Lord; but it is not until clothed upon with its glorified body, when mortality is swallowed up of life, that the soul can be supposed to be fully capable of serving and enjoying God. It is to the coming of Jesus that his saints are to look, as the time when all their hopes are to be realized—all their desires fulfilled-when, clothed with immortality, and everlasting joy upon their heads, they shall sit down with the whole company of heaven, and all the family of God at that heavenly banquet, that royal marriage feast spoken of in connexion with my text, which the Lord of Hosts is preparing for all people in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem. My brethren, what a meeting shall take place, when their risen and glorified head shall be manifested to the members of his mystical body! They had heard of him with the hearing of the ear, but they shall then see him face to face; yea, they shall gaze on him who is the chief

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