IV.

The bearing of the whole of this argument upon the nature and peculiarities of the Evangelical Economy, must be obvious to all. There are persons, who, in interpreting the New Testament, fix, exclusively, upon the doctrine of immortal life, and the assurance of a resurrection from the dead, as if this constituted the glory of the book and the characteristic distinction of the system. That Christianity has established the fact of future existence is readily admitted; but, still we should say, that, if it had done nothing more than this, it would not have done much; and that to do this, it was not necessarily required; for, we have seen that the doctrine was understood before Christ appeared, and that at his appearance it had become a confirmed and vulgar expectation. The resurrection of the dead could be believed, and was believed, independently of the testimony and example of Christ. As the sentiment seems thus to have been entertained from very early ages; as it could easily have been confirmed by a mere proposition from God; as, in fact, it was thus, apparently, propagated and encouraged; it seems by no means likely, that the preparatory arrangements of the ancient eco nomy, the long array of prophets and pro

mises, the intense" searching" of inspired seers, into what the spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, the earnest looking of devout men towards the "desire of all nations," "the appearance of Christ, and the glory that should follow ;"-it seems unlikely, that all this should relate, merely, to the more complete developement of a doctrine, which was already known with such clearness, as, in a very great degree, to sustain the hope and invigorate the virtue of those who received it. Therefore, we infer, that there was some other end to be answered by the appearance of Christ, superior to his resurrection from the dead; and that his resurrection itself is important, in some other sense than that in which it is seen to be the pattern of ours.-As future life is nothing without it be happy; and the discovery of the fact nothing to us, unless we are taught how it may become so; that sacrifice, by which "he, who knew no sin, was made sin for us,"—by which, an ample foundation being laid for the consistent exercise of mercy, hope is imparted to the guilty as well as to the dying;-this is to us the peculiar and inestimable truth, which invests the gospel with its distinctive character, and makes it a message of "glad tidings of great joy." Here was the accomplishment of something, which a species of beings, apostate as well

as mortal, emphatically wanted; something, which could not have been conveyed in a mere proposition as the discovery or confirmation of immortality might have been, but which required the actual appearance of the person " by whose stripes man was to be healed."-Moreover, "As Christ died for our sins, so he rose for our justification." As he expired a sacrifice, so his resurrection assured us of its sufficiency and acceptance. Thus, in the nature he had assumed and in which he suffered, he was capacitated to enter into "the holiest of all," and to "appear in the presence of God for us." Hence, his resurrection partakes a new character, and is recommended by more affecting considerations, than when nakedly regarded as the mere type or representative of our own. "For this cause, then, Christ both died, and rose again, and continues to live," that he might be the "Saviour" of them that believe; "for, if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."

SERMON IX.

SENTIMENTS SUITABLE TO STRANGERS AND
PILGRIMS.

HEB. XI. 9, 10, 13-16.

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

ABRAHAM, as we have seen, was first called to leave his native country, and to journey towards

another, uncertain of what might await him there; and this he did, sustained by a sublime sentiment of perfect confidence in the guidance of God. Then, when he arrived in that land to which he was led, he was called "to sojourn in it as in a strange country," and to dwell in tents as a passing traveller without acquiring actual possessions; and this he did also, animated by the same sentiment expanding and enlarging itself, till it rose superior to the hope of every terrestrial inheritance, and looked "for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

It is farther stated by the apostle, that the immediate descendants of the patriarch, who became "heirs with him of the same promise," became, likewise, heirs with him of the same faith. That they imbibed the same principle to the same extent; interpreted the promises in their most remote and exalted acceptation; unequivocally acknowledged, in the very land secured to them, that they were "strangers and pilgrims on the earth;" and thus "plainly declared" that they sought another country, "even an heavenly." They confessed, observe, not only that they were "strangers and pilgrims" in a particular land, but that they were strangers and pilgrims "on the earth." They thus excluded every land within the limits of that earth