ticulars that Jesus is the Messiah, that he is the Son of God, that he has finished the work which the Father gave him to do, that there is a future state, that he is Lord of conscience, and that he will judge the world.

First. The witnesses state this fact as a decisive proof of the Messiahship of Christ.

The proper name of our Redeemer is Jesus, Matt. i. 21, by which the evangelists generally call him; his characteristic name is Christ, John ix. 22, a Greek word answering to the Hebrew term Messiah, signifying anointed. The apostles preached that Jesus is the Christ, Acts ix. 22; xvii. 3; that is, the Messiah, whom God had promised. The grand proof which they adduce, that on which they lay the greatest stress, is his resurrection.

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a specimen of Peter's reasoning on this subject in Acts ii. Paul also, who was afterwards called to the apostleship, adopts the same argument in Acts xiii.

Now the strength of this argument will appear, if we consider three things: that in his resurrection the Divine power was illustriously displayed; ancient predictions respecting the Messiah were wonderfully accomplished; and that decisive test was given to which our Lord directed the incredulous Jews in proof of the Divinity of his mission.

1. In his resurrection the power of God was illustriously displayed.

That power which controls the established course of nature must be Divine. None but He who formed the laws of the universe can suspend their operation. Omnipotence only could break the massy gates of death, and loose the prisoner's bands. To raise the dead requires the exertion of an energy, with which no created being is endowed. This

effect comes not within the sphere of finite power. In this stupendous work which no subordinate agent could perform, the power of Deity appears in full splendour. When speaking on this subject, the capacious mind of Paul seems to labour in search of terms sufficiently expressive to convey his sublime ideas of that exceeding grandeur of power, of that energy of the might of strength, which God displayed in raising Christ from the dead. He prayed for the Ephesians, that they might know "what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead," Eph. i. 19, 20.

Now, it is natural to ask, Would the Supreme Being have exerted such unbounded power, in overruling the laws of nature, but for some great and good purpose? What then is this purpose? To give success to a deceiver, by affixing to his scheme the broad seal of Heaven? That cannot be, God will not authorize imposture, by giving it the stamp of truth. This we may safely infer from the acknowledged rectitude and benevolence of the Divine character.

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But if Jesus be not the Messiah, he was an impostor. For this character he claimed. 'I know," saith the woman of Samaria, " that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things." "I," saith Jesus, speak unto thee am he," John iv. 25, 26. For claiming this character he was persecuted as an impostor.

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But, in his resurrection, he was justified from the charge of imposture. A miracle is the voice of God. In this magnificent event, the Author of nature speaks with commanding authority; and

what does he declare? He proclaims, in language which ignorance cannot easily mistake, which sophistry cannot successfully evade, that Jesus is what he professed to be, the Messiah. Thus the great transactions of the illustrious morning of his resurrection authenticated the Divine mission of Jesus.

2. The resurrection from the dead is, in the prophetic writings, one of the characteristic marks of the Messiah.

The prophets spoke, not only of the sufferings of the Messiah, but also of "the glory that should follow," 1 Peter i. 11. In all the pomp of language, they announced his triumphant reign. In the most glowing colours, they described his victories. Of the immortality which was decreed him, of the increase of his empire, and of the perpetuity of his dominion, they speak in the most animated style. Their predictions respecting the future glories of Him who was to make his soul an offering for sin, who was to be cut off, but not for himself, who was to die with the wicked, and be buried with the rich, could not be realized, if the Messiah were not to rise. The spirit of prophecy, therefore, is the testimony of his.

resurrection.

The prophetic representations of the sufferings of Christ, and of the glory that should follow, are strikingly exemplified in the history of Jesus. It is not necessary, therefore, to have recourse to the fiction of two Messiahs, in order to reconcile apparent contradictions in the writings of the prophets. No: for though holy men, who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, were obliged to search what "the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify," 1 Peter i. 11, in those various predictions, his resurrection sheds such light upon them as to render their meaning eminently conspicuous.

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Yes, this great fact elucidates what was obscure, obviates many difficulties, and perfectly harmonizes those accounts which seemed to clash. See how the witnesses reason on this topic from express prediction. The address of Peter to the Jews requires no "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope, because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy counLenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this,

which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ," Acts ii. 22—36. Equally explicit, nervous, and conclusive, is the address of Paul. "We declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise, which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore, he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: but he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins," Acts xiii. 32-39.

3. This is the decisive test to which Christ directed those incredulous Jews, who were not convinced of his true character, by the excellence of his doctrine, the holiness of his life, the splendour of his miracles, and the exact fulfilment of many striking predictions in his person and history.

The captious Jews demanded signs upon signs, and prodigies upon prodigies. Christ confined himself to one as decisive. When "certain of the Scribes and of the Pharisees said, Master we would see a

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