sary that should be convinced, in order to render our religion a reasonable service.

St. Luke prefaces his Gospel with this authority-that he had a good understandi g of all the things concerning which he was writing, and mentions even the benefit of relating them in ORDER: that is to say, he was clear as to the truth of what he related, from the conviction of his understanding. And St. Paul justly exalts the riches of the full assurance of understanding (Col. ii. 2), as contributing even to the comfort of the heart.

First, then, let us inform and strengthen our minds with the Scripture account of these things. I shall follow the method I have hitherto adopted, in affording you a substantial information on the subject in question; first, by producing the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, and then by referring to the positive testimony of the Evangelists and Apostles concerning the fact. This article, indeed, is so essential to the establishing of the Christian faith, that nothing of it should be omitted; and the doctrine is so clearly conveyed in these few words, that nothing need be added. It consists of three particulars: 1. The action itself—Christ rose again: 2. The truth, reality, and propriety of it he rose from the dead: 3. The circumstance of time or distance from his death to his rising again-THE THIRD DAY.

Now, as to the types or signs, they are very significant of our Lord's death and resurrection. 1. Let us observe, that the person of Joseph, who was ordained to save his brethren from death, who would have slain him, doth plainly prefigure the Son of God, who was slain. for us, and yet dying, saved us. His being in the dungeon, was the type of Christ's death; his delivery from it represents his resurrection; and his being raised to power, even next to Pharaoh, signifies Christ's sitting at the right hand of God.-Isaac is another type of Christ's condemnation to death, and resurrection; for Isaac was to be sacrificed by the command of God, and the intention of Abraham, but was yet saved, to show that Christ should truly live again; for Abraham's faith thus led him to offer up his son, accounting that God was able to raise him again even from the dead, from whence also he received him in a figure; his own age, and Sarah's time of life, rendering his very birth a miracle. That which was the purpose of our father Abraham, though not performed, was the resolution of our heavenly Father, and fulfilled. And thus the resurrection of our Saviour was represented by types, and by them was it shown Christ was to rise from the dead.

Let us now attend to the prophecies relating to this fact.

As the Messias was to be the Son of David

according to the flesh, so was he not only particularly typified by David, but promised to him. In Psalm ii. 2, he is foretold and described in these words, which express David's own case in a worldly sense-The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed; meaning his Christ. And with this you may observe the Apostle's account (Acts, iv. 27, 28) doth exactly agree: For hence it came to pass, that against the holy child Jesus, whom God had anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together, to do whatsoever the hand and counsel of the Lord determined beforehand to be done. But, notwithstanding all this persecution, it was further spoken of David, and foretold of the Son of David, in the second Psalm (vi. 7), Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion: I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. The comparison therefore holds just-for, as David's troubles were followed by God's establishing him in his kingdom; so, as the persecution of the Messias ended in death, his exaltation mentioned in the prophecy, denotes his resur→ rection, because he who rises from the dead, begins, as it were, another life; therefore, when God said of his Anointed, Thou art my Son, this

day have I begotten thee, he did foretel and promise, that he would raise the Messias from death to life.

But lest any one should object to the prophecy being somewhat obscured by the figurative expression, as applied to David himself; therefore, the Spirit of God hath removed all doubt, by such words of the same Prophet as are applicable, not to the person in common only, but to the seed, or the Son of David: (Psalm xvi. 9,) My flesh shall rest in hope; for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (in that place, as before explained, where the souls of men remain till they rejoin their bodies); neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One (the Messias, the blessed Jesus) to see corruption: that is, his body shall not perish, or become nought, like that of other men. And the proof of this prophecy being most properly and immediately applicable to our Saviour, is the certainty (as the Apostle affirms), that the patriarch David is both dead and buried, and his flesh decayed in his sepulchre ; but, as he continues (Acts, ii. 30, 31), he being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit upon his throne, he seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that HIS soul was not left in hell, neither HIS flesh did see corruption.

They were both to be separated for a time, by the effect of actual death; but neither the body to continue in the grave, nor the soul in the place allotted it during its absence from the body, but to meet, and, being reunited, form again a true and living person.

But to take away all possible suspicion as to the nature and value of this resurrection, that the Messias was not to die after he was risen again, there was a further prophecy to secure the truth of it. Attend to the words of Isaiah, lv. 3, where God gives this promise to his people -İncline your ear, and come unto me and hear, and your soul shull live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the SURE MERCIES OF DAVID. Exactly descriptive of Christ's temporal passion is another part of Isaiah, chap. liv. ver. 8, and also this assurance: In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment (predictive, doubtless, of Christ's bitter expression on the cross); but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. Whereby no less is plainly declared, than that Christ, who was first given us in a weak and mortal condition, in which he was to die, should afterwards be restored to us in an unchangeable state; and that, after his natural death, he should rise again to eternal life. These sure mercies of David, then, are not con