Third. That promoting the public good by personal selfsacrifice is the path to true glory. The Son of Man must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things, and be raised again.

These principles are exemplified in the disciples of Christ, as well as in Christ Himself; only that these principles in Christians operate very feebly, almost imperceptibly in some, and in all with various degrees of manifestation; in none are they perfectly developed. That is, there has been only one being on earth who completely offered up Himself to that end, and only one being on earth who ever reaped the full rewards of self-sacrifice. He suffered, and it is over, He is glorified, and glorified for ever. But before going further, I am anxious to

make one remark.

When we speak of Jesus, we see not only an exemplar, but we see things reaching causes and reaching consequences in a way they cannot possibly do in ourselves. Having made this general remark, I proceed to show,—

First. That the public good is the great end of being. Jesus Christ said, "I must go to Jerusalem, and suffer." What for? Is there any virtue in suffering? Is there any excellence in dying? These things in themselves are evils, and as evils, the Saviour would have avoided them. But He sought not merely the good of Himself, not merely the good of His family, the highest at which multitudes aim, not merely the good of His countrymen or nation, but of His race, of the world. And what did Jesus do for the world? First, He gave it the knowledge of religious truth; and second, He gave to the world. Divine life. Now I wish not, though I am stating great and general principles, to stay at general statements. The Saviour remained six days in Jerusalem before He died, and how did He pass that time? Oh, I see Jesus doing the very best things, using up every moment of His time, uttering the very best words, the very best truths, disposing of every moment of that time for the world. And how did He pass that time? I rejoice to say, In talking. The world has been taught to say, that talking is not doing. But the highest work of an intelligent being is to utter wisdom, the best work of an intelligent being is to utter clear thoughts in intelligible forms. Imagine

the many events that were then taking place in Jerusalem, and still Jesus talked. In the Temple, in the streets, in the fields, in the houses of His friends, He constantly communicated Himself. He was suffering intensely, both mentally and bodily, but yet He continued speaking, and spoke to the last; and the seven sayings on the cross show what He had in His heart, and what He wished us to know, and believe, and be. Are you aware that the principal part of Christ's sermons were uttered at this time, and that the principal part of St. John's gospel is taken up with reference to this very period? But truth, though necessary, is not the only thing we need; hence, in the second place we observe, that Jesus Christ was anxious to bless them with Divine life. The Father hath life in Himself, and He gave the Saviour life in Himself, that is, life to give. It is not expedient now to go into all this thought contains, were we able, but we may just name some of its attributes. is holy, happy, and everlasting. Jesus Christ came to give this life to man; and what is it but a living, habitual conformity to God's law, constant, habitual anxiety to be right and to do right. I know no religion but this. If the Divine life be in us, we are constantly struggling to know the right and to do the right, and we are determined, if our disposition be like our Master's, if necessary to die for the right.

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Now how does this Divine life produce felicity? How can I tell you? First, by removing the cause of misery, both external and internal. This life would soon remedy external evils, by crushing sin which produces them. But there are

internal as well as external evils; there is misery from acts, misery from wicked men, misery from devils, misery from torments within; and these things must be destroyed, and destroyed by the Divine life. Why, my brethren, be strong and clear in understanding, be pure in conscience, be aspiring after the Divine life, and what can the world do to you? What can devils do to you? Have a clear conscience and a vigorous understanding, have life in your conscience, feel that you are walking with God, in His great house, and then let liberty, the flesh, let earth itself pass away, and still you can rise,

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and you can be blessed and happy in God and happy in yourself. Brethren, do you wish for good? You do. But do you wish for good that is to be in you, that lives as long as man lives-a good that is to be in thought, and lives as long as thought lives? If you have it, it is to be found in Christ, and nowhere else. Prize it, and communicate it

to others.

Second. Self-sacrifice is the only means of securing public good. "From that time forth Jesus began to show unto His disciples that He must suffer." More is implied here than is expressed; He showed, He explained, exemplified— “must suffer, and be killed." This was the Saviour's selfsacrifice; hence, He emphatically stated it, "I must go to Jerusalem, and I must suffer."

But now let me reason with you. Why must it take place? Some will tell us it must take place because it was predicted. But why was it predicted? Because it had been showed forth by types and sacrifices. But why was it thus typified? The must is, that there was a moral necessity in the case. One of two things must take place, either Christ must sacrifice Himself to His cause, or His cause to Himself. Either the Saviour must die, or,—I tremble to state it,-lose! Because of the right line of the mediatorial law, which was within His heart, He must either pass through, fearless of all the temporary evil which might proceed from doing so, or He must deviate from the right line of duty, and let the end go. He said to His disciples, "I must go to Jerusalem. I see what man needs. I know how to raise man. I feel his degradation, I see how low he is sunk; but I know how to raise him. If I give up what I have said, I shall lose the enmity I suffer; a union will be made between me and those I oppose, and I shall rise into popularity and public esteem. But I will go to Jerusalem. I will not deviate from one word I have uttered. I have devoted myself to my cause, and I must die."

And what would Jesus have lost if He had not thus suffered? I tremble while I utter it, with all reverence to the Saviour,

but He would have lost His rectitude! He would have lost His excellence! He would have been a coward! He would have lost His influence! "But," said he, "if I must be right, I must suffer." But when His enemies saw how He maintained His cause to the death, they said, "This is the Son of God!" That was the influence of character. He would have lost the end for which He came into the world; He would have lost the smile of God. "But I must go to Jerusalem," He said; and He saved His virtue, and saved His reputation, and saved His influence, and saved His confidence in Deity and the protection of God, and saved the world. Oh, my Saviour! open my eyes that I may see Thy Divinity!

Third. Self-sacrifice for the public good is the path to glory. There is something exceedingly striking in looking at the connection. "I must go to Jerusalem, I must suffer, I must be raised." There was a connection between the raising of Christ and His suffering. Two things go together in every being-sinking voluntarily for good, and rising afterwards, voluntary sacrifice and Divine elevation. You never saw a man in this world who was shrinking for righteousness sake, who kept up his head long. Suffer for righteousness sake, and God will raise you. You may pass through a cloud, may suffer obloquy, misapprehension, perhaps even in your own family and dearest connections, and you may think yourself cast out; but God will take care of you.

This elevation of Jesus Christ's life may be regarded in three lights. As a personal reward, a public triumph, and a prophetic sign. It was a personal reward, and this we must. always regard as teaching a great principle. The body of Christ was raised from the dead, and this was a suitable reward for His past life. There are several elements in His resurrection. His body saw no corruption; a perfect servant of the Spirit, a perfect organ of the Divine Will, His hands, His feet, His head, His whole body, always in perfect conformity to God's law. Then the body of Christ was raised without a change; that was intended to conserve

the identity of His person. as He was put there; the prints of the nails, the wound in His side, were seen after His resurrection, and there was a becomingness, a suitableness, in Christ being thus raised. And then thirdly, the body of Christ was in the grave only a few hours. Why? Because the body of such a being had never been in a grave before; and He was soon raised that He might soon begin His career of glory.

Christ was raised from the grave

God is the God of recompenses. He will not let a good man be lost; He will not let a good act be lost. He will recompense you. Be not afraid to speak out what you believe to be right; do not hesitate to perform whatever conscience discerns to be right. You may, perhaps, suffer-suffer in your family, suffer in your name, suffer in your prospects; but you will be raised by God, and raised-raised before you expect it, raised to purity, raised to influence, raised to public benefit. The Jews said, He wishes to make Himself a king; He is aiming at self-aggrandisement; He is deceiving the multitude. Why, you unconscientious talkers, what has Jesus said to deceive? What has He not said to undeceive? What has He done to increase the misery of the world? What has He not said to free it, to raise it, to save it, to bless it? Do you still persist? Come to the garden. Where is He? There are His bed-clothes, and there His bed, where He sweetly slept for a few hours. Where is He? Oh, said some to the Roman soldiers, here is some money for you; say, some one came and stole Him away while you slept. It has never been believed. No one ever believed it.

And was it not a triumph over the ignorance of his friends? The disciples of Jesus, when He was in His grave, were not very intelligent about anything; and this must have arisen either from not having paid attention, or not having thought of what He said. "We thought this was He who should have delivered Israel." He rose, and dispersed their fears. Mary the mother and Mary of Magdala, dry your tears, He is here, He is risen, He is alive. Thou guilty, doubting, Thomas, He is here, He is alive; and thou trembling, troubled little