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triumph over all the enemies of their salvation, whom he hath already vanquished.

Come then, ye sons of men-for you this glorious Redeemer shed his blood, for you he purchased the almighty succours of his grace-come, thankfully accept the offers of salvation which he extends to you. He is mighty to save you from your sins, which render you obnoxious to the divine displeasure. Trust cordially and supremely in his mercy and grace, and faithfully adore and serve him; and he will exalt you to the glories of his celestial throne.

But if you reject that love which prompted him to undergo such tremendous sufferings, and to achieve such glorious victories for you and for your salvation-if you continue impenitent and unholy, the slaves of sin and the world, when he calls and urges you to return to him-he will open upon you those stores of wrath which he once poured forth on the adversaries which held you in bondage. When he comes, the day of vengeance again in his heart, to execute the fierceness of his displeasure on those who obey not his Gospel, he will trample them in his anger, he will make them drunk in his fury; yes, in the forcible language of inspiration, he will spill their life-blood on the ground.

Finally. The contemplation of this glowing prophetical description of the character and offices of the Messiah should impress us with the sentiments of lively gratitude for his unparalleled condescension and mercy,

Alone he trod the wine-press of divine wrath, and of the people there was none with him. Persecuted by those whom he came to save-deserted

by his disciples, whom he had distinguished by so many acts of love-forsaken, in the hour of his bitter agony, by his God-the Saviour of the world sunk, friendless and alone, under the overwhelming flood of divine justice.

And shall we still, blessed Saviour, withhold from thee our sympathy-still, unmoved, behold thy bitter sufferings, and refuse to commemorate them in the sacrament of thy institution-cruel as thy murderers, crucify thee afresh by our sins? No; unless our souls are dead to the emotions of sympathy, of gratitude, and love.

My brethren, the season has arrived, sacred to the commemoration of the sufferings of our Lord. In the primitive church, the whole season of Lent was devoted to acts of humiliation and penitence in memory of the sufferings of Christ, and the week of his crucifixion was marked by extraordinary acts of devotion. This pious custom is preserved in our church, which provides daily services during this week. Let it not be said that we cannot spare a few hours from business or pleasure to devote to the grateful commemoration of the sufferings of him who devoted his life and his death for us: especially on the day consecrated to the commemoration of his last agonies, in our private devotions as well as in the public service of the church, let us gratefully celebrate the infinite love which induced the Son of God to offer himself up a sacrifice on the cross for our redemption.

And as thou, O holy Jesus, didst, on this day, die to destroy, by the power of thy death, the dominion of our spiritual adversaries, so, by thy grace, may our spiritual death unto sin be this day effected; that thus rising to a new and holy life, we

may be fitted for sharing with thee in the glories of that celestial kingdom to which, as the reward of thy sufferings, thou art exalted, and where thou livest and reignest, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever; to whom be ascribed all honour, power, majesty, and dominion, world without end.

SERMON XXVI.

THE GRAVE OF JESUS-THE SCENE OF THE RESURRECTION.

MATTHEW Xxviii. 1.

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

THE impulse of lively affection only could have directed the footsteps of these females to the place where their Lord lay. No expectation had they that he had risen from the dead; for, in common with his disciples, they supposed that the stone which closed the door of his sepulchre had shut him for ever from the world, and frustrated all the hopes which they had entertained that it was he who should redeem Israel. Well, therefore, might their breasts be agitated with the mingled emotions of fear and joy, when "a great earthquake" proclaimed the descent of a celestial messenger, whose "countenance was like lightning, and whose raiment was white as snow;" and who addressed to them the infinitely momentous tidings-" Ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said, Come, see the place where the Lord lay."

This is the language with which the church addresses us on this sacred festival. It was but lately she called us to contemplate, with sorrow and penitence, the Saviour, as the man of sorrow; his

visage marred through suffering; smitten for our transgressions; bruised for our iniquities; pouring out his soul unto death. In the solemnities of yesterday, she called us to commemorate the descent of his body into the house of silence, to sanctify for us the chambers of corruption, while his soul passed to the prison of departed spirits, to proclaim to them the glad tidings of redemption. This day she calls us to his sepulchre, cheering us with the glad tidings-" He is not here: he is risen. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." "Christ is risen from the dead, and dieth no more." "Death hath no more dominion over him." "The Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel."

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The scene of the resurrection

1. Is an interesting scene;

2. It affords an evidence of the divine power of Christ; and,

3. It is a pledge of his mercy and compassion, and of the glorious hope of immortality.

1. The scene of the resurrection is an interesting

scene.

In the sepulchre rests that divine Personage whose life had been uniformly pure, exemplary, and benevolent, and yet whose life had been a continued series of pain and suffering. Here, at length, he reposes in peace. He has reached a haven where he is sheltered from those tempests that rolled the waves of sorrow over his soul. On the cross he poured forth his soul, and finished the work of suffering. He has become the peaceful tenant of the tomb-of that house of silence where the sorrows of life are forgotten-the wicked cease

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