the Apostle makes to every Christian: and how difficult the duties which our profession imposes. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above; not on things on the earth for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."..." Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth ; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry"..." Put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another."..." Put ..."Put on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved," bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful." t

When we read precepts such as these, as the necessary practical results of the events, which we this day celebrate, we shall surely feel that, if we have much reason for thank

t Col. iii. 1-15.

fulness, we have much reason also for serious reflection. Our joy will be tempered with dread. This is peculiarly the day which the Lord has made: we will therefore rejoice and be glad in it but we shall rejoice with fear, and be glad with a holy reverence. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us; therefore we will keep the feast: but we shall keep it, "not with the old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness: but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."u We shall exult in that, "Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more:" and shall likewise reckon ourselves "to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." x

X

u 1 Col. v. 7.

* Rom. vi. 9, 15.

LECTURE XIX.

THE POWER OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN AND EARTH.

Matt. XXVIII. 18.

Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me, in heaven, and in earth.

When our Saviour had completed all the prophecies of the Old Testament, and those which he had himself delivered, by his resurrection from the dead, he was seen of his disciples forty days, and shewed himself alive by many infallible proofs. Some of the deeds, which he then performed, and some of the precepts which he delivered, have been recorded for our instruction; and their study will form an appropriate sequel to the reflections suggested by the resurrection of our Lord.

Among the words which Jesus thus spake, those in the text are some of the most remarkable. "Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me, in heaven Áll

a

and in earth."—No words can be more plain to be understood than these; and few words contain more important information. They are delivered with calm dignity, as by one having authority. There is no effort, no ambiguity. Consider who it was who uttered them. It was no ordinary man. It was not only a prophet, such as those inspired persons, who were raised up, from time to time, to declare the will of God. It was more than a prophet.. It was "Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God.... by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him in the midst” of Israel. It was he, who, "being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God," was taken, and by wicked hands was crucified and slain. It was he, moreover, whom God had "raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." All that Jesus had ever said had been accomplished, in his life, and in his death, and in his rising again. He was then going in and coming out among his disciples; satisfying them that it was he himself, by the very proofs which incredulity demanded; eating and drinking in their presence; still exerting his miraculous power; greeting them with the blessings of peace;

a Acts ii. 22.

b

b Acts ii. 24.

opening their understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures: declaring that he would send the promise of the Father upon them; which also he did. He it was, who in the words of truth and soberness declared, "All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth."

I. Now, observe how perfectly this emphatic declaration agrees with other parts of Scripture. St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Philippians, after having expatiated upon the humility of Christ, who "took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men;" thus declares his glorious exaltation. "Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." d The same Apostle, writing to the Ephesians, expresses himself in terms equally decisive. When he raised Christ from the dead, he " set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places; far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not d Phil. ii. 7, 9, 10, 11.

e Luke xxiv. 45.