But the gospel carries our faith into higher regions. It not only brings immortality to light; it farther teaches, that our very bodies shall not lie in the grave; but shall hearafter take a spiritualized form, and be united to our fouls. As these articles of faith therefore were new, fome new evidence feemed requifite to enforce them. And what could be fo proper as for the author and finisher of this faith to prove it by his own refurrection from the dead?-In fact, it was a kind of evidence, which had more weight than any other, with honeft, unprejudiced minds, though the hardened heart was able to refift it. FROM these premises then it follows, firft, that our Saviour by no means defigned to speak lightly, in the parable before us, of the evidence of a man raised from the dead: fecondly, that fuch evidence was well fuited to the chriftian, though unneceffary to the jew-and lastly, that it was a mode of evidence well calculated to give the firmest support to the christian faith. XXXVII. Aroake thou that fleepest, and arife from the dead, and Chrift fhall give thee light.-Ephefians v. 14. J THE apoftle St. Paul having been warning his Ephefian converts against falling again into the impurities of their heathen neighbours, breaks out into this noble apoftrophe, which is the application indeed of a paffage of Ifaiah to the times of Chrift*. The words may be applied to thofe, who fleep in life; and to thofe, who fleep in the grave. To the fleepers of this world Religion calls: Awake thou, who art immersed in the pleasures, and business of life. Thou art afleep. Thou art in a dream. Awake. Recollect where all this tends. Wouldeft thou spend thy whole life in a dream? Arife. Set about the great work before thee. Rife from the dead-from the death of this world-The world is thy distemper-seek relief fly to Chrift; and he will give thee light. * ISAIAH lx. 1. 438 HINTS FOR SERMONS: Again, when this world is over, the same awful voice will found through the regions of the grave: Awake, thou that fleepeft, and arife from the dead. Chrift fhall judge thee; and if thou art among thofe, who were roufed from the dream of a mortal life, Chrift will indeed give thee light, and thou shalt be removed into manfions of eternal glory. END OF THE HINTS FOR SERMONS. G. Woodfall, Printer, 22, Paternoftér-row, |