from incipient corruption life comes forth renewed in all its healthfulness and vigor. In the resurrection of the "bodies of the saints" there is still an additional feature of striking import. These "bodies" had been long entombed; the flesh had moldered back to dust; the dry bones and scattered dust only remained. But, behold, under the quickening power of the resurrection of the Son of God, these are restored to life. They come forth the type and the demonstration of a universal resurrection. It was the demonstration that Death was now crushed forever beneath the arm of the Almighty. It was the demonstration "that a power existed that could recover the plundered spoils of Death, could re-embody the parted spirit, could restore it to the fullness of its prerogatives as the quickening principle of an immortal frame."

One more fact-the resurrection of Christ-and our chain of argument will be complete. Even skepticism itself can ask no more. "Why, then, should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?"

But this theme-the resurrection of Christ-viewed first as a matter of fact, and secondly as the pledge of ours, is a theme so wide in its range, so full in its details, and so momentous in its bearing upon the general resurrection of the dead, that we must reserve it for a separate theme of discussion. In the mean time, let us be thankful that we have found so firm footing on which to plant our feet, as we have felt our way along in our search after truth. Even now, looking upon the cold form of death, we may say:

'Yet through these rigid limbs once more

A nobler life, erelong, shall pour;

These dead, dry bones again shall feel

New warmth and vigor through them steal;

Re-knit and living they shall soar

On high, where Christ lives evermore."

(From the Ger. of N. Hermann.)

X.

RESURRECTION OF CHRIST THE PLEDGE OF OURS.

"This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.' ACTs ii, 32. "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?" 1 Cor. XV, 12.

THE resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ has ever been regarded by the Christian Church as a doctrine of vast importance. It derives its importance not merely from its relation to the scheme of redemption-illustrating the office, character, and triumph of Christ-but also from its important relation to the general doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. The two things are closely allied by the apostle: "If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen;" and, on the other hand, "If Christ be not risen," then is our faith in the resurrection vain, and also they "which have fallen asleep in Christ are perished." In fact, so close is the connection between the resurrection of Christ and the final resurrection of those of whom he has "become the first-fruits," that those who admit the former will find little ground to question the latter.

It was a dark and gloomy hour when the Lord of life and glory-the hope of Israel-lay the victim of death, the tenant of the grave. How could the apostles ever have gone forth to preach salvation through a Savior still held by the bands of death? How could they have preached the resurrection of the dead, while he, through whom was the

promise and the hope, was still shrouded in the dark prisonhouse of the tomb? His resurrection was, therefore, an essential element of their faith, and an essential feature of their ministry. To them the assurance of his resurrection was like the dawning of a new day upon a night of darkness and sorrow. They received it as the final confirmation of the Divinity of his mission-the demonstration of the doctrines he taught. They regarded it as completely annulling all those heresies that denied to man a future state, and placing upon an indestructible basis the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. And in this light has the resurrection of our blessed Lord been viewed by the Church in all ages.

We shall make two points in this discussion; namely, 1. That the resurrection of Christ is strongly confirmed by circumstantial evidence, extraneous to the testimony of the direct witnesses of the fact; 2. That the fact of his resurrection is fully confirmed by direct, competent, and positive evidence.

I. CIRCUMSTANTIAL OR CORROBORATING EVIDENCE OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

Our position here is, that the circumstances connected with the case—circumstances assented to by the Jews as well as by the disciples-strongly corroborate the direct testimony, and can be satisfactorily accounted for on no other hypothesis than the actual resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The establishment of this proposition, it is true, will not demonstrate the certainty of the resurrection; but it will show us that all those coincident facts which might be reasonably looked for in connection with such an event do really exist, and that they are such facts as can not be accounted for on any other supposition. The consideration

of them will, therefore, prepare our minds to weigh with cando and to feel the force of the direct testimony by which the resurrection of Christ is established as a fixed fact, in history and in religion.

1. There was such a man as Jesus Christ. This proposition lies at the very foundation of our faith. For if no such person ever existed, then all the narrations concerning him are forgeries or fictions. But, on the other hand, if it be shown that he actually lived and died as the Scriptures record of him, then have we a first presumption that all they record of him is true.

Here, setting aside for a moment the sacred narrative, we remark, that the reality of the life and death of Jesus Christ, in the earlier ages of Christianity, was universally conceded by both friend and foe. The only questions at issue related to his character and doctrines. Josephus, a bigoted Jewish historian, who witnessed the siege of Jerusalem, and who wrote within the first century of the Christian era, acknowledges that Christ "did many wonderful works," "won many to his persuasion," and, "at the instigation of the Jews and by Pilate's sentence, was suspended upon the cross," and that to the day in which he wrote "there remained a sect of men, who, from him, have the name of Christians, and who believed in his resurrection from the dead." The account of his death is mentioned by both Tacitus and Lucian. The facts of his trial and execution were communicated by Pilate to the Roman Senate; for both Justin Martyr and Tertullian appeal to the acts of Pilate, then extant, to corroborate their testimony concerning Christ.* Nor do they refer to them in an indefinite

*Modern research has brought to light the following curious relic: Sentence rendered by Pontius Pilate, acting Governor of Lower Galilee, stating that Jesus of Nazareth shall suffer death on the cross.

In the year seventeen of the Emperor Tiberius Cæsar, and the 24th day of March, in the city of the holy Jerusalem, Annas and Caiaphas being high-priests, sarrificators of the people of God. Pontius Pilate, Governor of Lower Galileo,

and obscure manner, or among those who had not the means of refutation. The former, who lived only about a century after our Savior's death, and who suffered martyr dom at Rome, boldly asserts the fact in a letter to the Emperor Antoninus Pius, and refers him to the acts themselves for confirmation. The latter in his Apology, written about fifty years after Justin Martyr, affirms that Tiberius, the Emperor, was so struck with the accounts received from Palestine concerning Christ, that he would have deified him had had the the Senate assented, and even challenges the Senate to consult their records-consulite commentarios vestros!--for confirmation of the fact. This certainly was very rash on the part of these men, were they not borne out by the facts in the case. But again, Julian the apostate, Celsus, and Porphyry-all violent enemies to Christianity

sitting in the presidential chair of the Prætory, condemns Jesus of Nazareth to die on the cross between two thieves---the great and notorious evidence of the people saying:

1. Jesus is a seducer.

2. He is seditious.

3. He is an enemy to the law.

4. He calls himself falsely the Son of God.

5. He calls himself falsely the King of Israel.

6. He entered the Temple followed by a multitude bearing palm branches in their hands.

Orders the first Centurion, Quilius Cornelius, to lead him to the place of exe cution.

Forbids any person whomsoever, either poor or rich, to oppose the death of Jesus.

The witnesses who signed the condemnation of Jesus are:

1. Daniel, Rabboni, a Pharisee.

2. Joannes Rorobable.

3. Raphael, Rabboni.

4. Capet, a citizen.

Jesus shall go out of the city of Jerusalem by the gate Struennus.

The above sentence is engraved on a copper plate. On one side are written these words: "A similar plate is sent to each tribe." It was found in an antique vase of white marble while excavating in the ancient city of Aquilla, in the kingdom of Naples, in the year 1850, and was discovered by the Commissioners of the arts of the French armies. At the expedition of Naples it was inclosed in a box of ebony, at the sacristy of the Charlatrem. The French translation was made by the mombers of the Commissioners of arts. The original is in the Hebrew language.