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in the power of God to restore them, to cure Ezekiel of his distrust, God convinces him by a still greater miracle. He gives him, as a sign, the restoration of those from whom breath and life and moisture had departed. "O, ye dry bones," saith he, "hear the word of the Lord, -thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; behold I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live." And Daniel, who, of all men, had the clearest revelations both when and how the Redeemer should come, he too exults in this his greatest triumph; and prophesies that many of them, that sleep in the dust, shall awake; some, to everlasting life; and some, to shame, and everlasting contempt." " And, unless some such promise had been made to the holy prophets, and to those other worthy men, who looked for the salvation of Israel, we cannot readily conceive what reward they looked for; or what advantage they derived from the future coming of the Messiah. If Abraham, if Isaac, and if Jacob, after a life of labour and wandering, had descended to the silent tomb, never to be roused again; and never to hope, that their long sleep would be broken by the morning beams of righteousness; it was little profit to them, that" in their seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed." Abraham could not

1 Ezekiel, xxxvii. 4, 5.

2 Daniel, xii. 2.

then have seen the day of Christ, or when he saw it, have been glad. Little reason had Daniel to rejoice in the multitude of his revelations, if he were to die a captive in a foreign land, without hope of witnessing the future glories of Sion. Far different, however, was that comfort which he received, when he was promised to share in all the mercies that were foretold to him: when God said, "Go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”1

Still, however, this life without end, this immortality of body and soul, was never promised even to these great and good men, but as the freegift of God, through the merits of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Job, whom I have mentioned, hoped for future life, only because he knew that his Redeemer lived: nor is there any promise of eternal happiness, in Scripture, on any other grounds, than His merits and mercy. I trust, indeed, you have not so far forgotten my discourses of last Sunday and Friday, as to imagine that any services of men could deserve so high a reward. The first covenant, which was made with Adam, was, so far as we know, nothing more than enjoyment of earthly happiness, so long as he continued obedient: and, in the law of Moses, no rewards were openly pro

1 Daniel, xii. 13.

posed, but peace, and plenty, and length of days. The enjoyment of years without end, and happiness without a possibility of falling, is purchased for us, only by the merits and the obedience of Christ.

And, by a due consideration of these truths, we not only understand the infinite value of Christ's sacrifice, but also the illustrious effects which it has produced in our favour. For to shew that His resurrection was for our advantage, as well as for His own glory;-to shew that He then received the power and the office of Captain of the salvation and resurrection of all mankind,-He displayed it in raising, even before the regular time, many bodies of the Saints who slept; who appeared, by His order, to many in the city of Jerusalem. Well, indeed, might it be expected, that He who, when in human shape, and clothed, in part, with the imperfections of mortality, had called the widow's son from his bier, and Lazarus from his grave where he had four days lain,-it might well be supposed, that, in the very moment of His own triumphant resurrection, He should call up others, as the first fruits of His victory; and should enter into the kingdom of God, as the first born of many brethren.

It appears, then, that the resurrection of Christ is of advantage to us: first, as confirming

the truth of all His doctrine, and as proving that He had both power and will to reward all those who had followed Him, and should follow Him, in faith, and, as far as human infirmity will admit, in love, and in obedience. Secondly, that we Christians have, as our particular leader and governor, One, who knows how to pity our infirmities; One who, having been Himself a man, will aid us against those passions, with which He Himself once struggled; and will dry up those tears, which He Himself has shed. But, in the third place, these advantages, great as they are, are transcended by the spiritual privileges thus obtained;-repentance, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is this, which makes the Christian covenant more perfect and more merciful, than any which went before it. If Adam, for instance, had remained in Paradise, yet his continuance would not have made us strong; and with the same risk of falling, we could only have expected, if we fell, death without opportunity of repentance, death of body and soul. Now, if we sin, [and who is there that sinneth not?] the door of repentance stands open; and the Holy Spirit is ever urgent with us, to guide and to strengthen us in our return to happiness. And if such be the difference of the assistance afforded us, how much greater is the excellence of our reward! For mere animal life, for mere worldly

prosperity, we have the happiness of angels held out to us; and every thing which Almighty power and love can bestow.

And are not these enjoyments worth striving for? is not this a salvation, which may well call forth all our strongest efforts, though the gate may be narrow, and the way steep and uneven? What do we behold, what do we hear, which can draw us aside from so glorious a journey, or persuade us to desert our Heavenly Guide, who is leading us forward to happiness and victory? Can this world, of which we all complain, though we all of us love it too well, can it furnish any pleasures, any hopes, which can equal those which God has revealed and promised—those unutterable glories, which were seen by St. Paul, and by St. John? And, on the other side, can a little foolish laughter, or the bad examples of weak and wicked men, [for these trials, and trials like these, are the principal which we have to encounter,] can they be more dreadful, than the curse declared upon impenitent sinners, the lake, which burneth with brimstone and with fire?

For, do not forget, there are threatenings in the Gospel, as well as promises! Do not suppose, as some false teachers would tell you, that, because Christ has done so much, nothing remains for us to do;-that, because He is victorious, our warfare is brought to an end.-The greater the