a Redeemer, who reigns in the immortal world! My finest imaginations, my highest prerogatives, my most exalted wishes, are the beholding of a reigning Redeemer in the world to which I go; the sight of him sitting on the throne of his Father; the seeing of "the four living creatures, and the four and twenty "elders, falling down before him, and casting their "crowns at his feet," Rev. iv. 9, 10. the hearing of the melodious voices of the triumphant hosts, saying, "Glory be unto him that sitteth upon the "throne," ch. v. 13. The most ravishing object, that can present itself to my eyes in a sick-bed, espepecially in the agonies of death, when I shall be involved in darkness that may be felt, is my Saviour, looking at me, calling to me, animating me, and saying, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit "with me in my throne." But what would all this be? Jesus Christ will do more. He will give me power to conquer, and he will crown me when the battle is won. May God grant us these blessings! Amen.

SERMON VIII.

The Resurrection of JESUS CHRIST.

PSALM CXviii. 15, 16.

The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doth valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doth valiantly.

WOMAN! why weepest thou? John xx. 13, 15. was the language of two angels and of Jesus Christ to Mary. The Lord had been crucified. The infant church was in mourning. The enemies of christianity were triumphing. The faith of the disciples was tottering. Mary had set out before dawn of day, to give vent to her grief, to bathe the tomb of her master with tears, and to render funeral honours to him. In these sad circumstances, the heavens opened, two angels clothed in white garments descended, and placed themselves on the tomb that inclosed the dear depositum of the love of God to the church. At the fixed moment, they rolled away the stone, and Jesus Christ arose from the grave loaden with the spoils of death. Hither Mary comes to see the dead body, the poor remains of him who should have redeemed Israel, Luke xxiv. 21. and, finding the tomb empty, abandons her whole soul to grief, and

bursts into floods of tears. The heavenly messengers directly address these comfortable words to her, Woman! Why weepest thou? Scarcely had she told them the cause of her grief, before Jesus puts the same question to her, Woman! Why weepest thou? And to this language, which insinuateth into her heart, and exciteth, if I may venture to speak so, from the bottom of her soul every emotion of tenderness and love of which she is capable, he adds, Mary!

This is the magnificent, this is the affecting object, on which the eyes of all the church are this day fixed. This is the comfortable language, which heaven to-day proclaims. For several weeks past, you have been in tears. Your churches have been in mourning. Your eyes have beheld only sad and melancholy objects. On the one hand, you have been examining your consciences, and your minds have been overwhelmed with the sorrowful remembrance of broken resolutions, violated vows, and fruitless communions. On the other, you have seen Jesus, betrayed by one disciple, denied by another, forsaken by all; Jesus, delivered by priests to secular powers, and condemned by his judges to die; Jesus, sweating, as it were, great drops of blood, Luke xxii. 44. praying in Gethsemane: O my Father! if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, Matt. xxvi. 39. and crying on Mount Calvary, My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken me? chap. xxvii. 46. Jesus, lying in the grave: these have been the mournful objects of your late contemplation. At the hearing of this tragical history, conscience trem

bles; and the whole church, on seeing the Saviour entombed, weeps as if salvation were buried with him. But take courage, thou tremulous conscience! Dry up thy tears thou church of Jesus Christ! Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter› of Sion! Isa. lii. 2. Come, my brethren! approach the tomb of your Redeemer, no more to lament his death, no more to embalm his sacred body, which hath not been suffered to see corruption, Acts ii. 27. but to shout for joy at his resurrection. To this the prophet inviteth us in the text; "the voice of re"joicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the "righteous: the right hand of the Lord doth valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted: "the right hand of the Lord doth valiantly,"

I have not questioned, whether the psalm in general, and the text in particular, regard the Messiah. The ancient Jews understood the psalm of him; and therefore made use of it formerly among their prayers for his advent. We agree with the Jews, and, on this article, we think they are safer guides than many Christians. The whole psalm agrees with Jesus Christ, and is applicable to him as well as to David, particularly the famous words that follow the text: "The stone, which the builders refused, is be

come the head-stone of the corner. This is the "Lord's doing, it is marvellous in our eyes." These words are so unanimously applied to the exaltation, and particularly to the resurrection, of Jesus Christ, in the books of the New Testament, in the gospel of St. Matthew, in that of St. Mark, in that of St. Luke, in the book of Acts, in the epistle to the Romans,