before you
into Galilee, there shall ye see him: lo,
I have told you."

3. A third evidence by which the resurrection of Christ is incontestably demonstrated, is, that he shewed himself alive, by infallible proofs, to a great number of persons who knew him before his death.

During the course of the forty days that intervened between the resurrection and ascension of our blessed Lord, no less than ten different appearances are recorded by the inspired historians. He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. Thus, as the woman was first in the original transgression, so a woman was first in proclaiming the fact of the promised Messiah's resurrection,-the foundation stone on which stands the doctrine of the believer's justification. His next appearance was to two other females, another of the Marys, and Salome, whom he met as they were charged with the angels' message to the disciples, and addressed them in words of strong consolation. "All hail-be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

He next appeared unto Peter, to whom the angels had sent a particular message. The circumstances of that interview are not indeed recorded; but the event was particularly mentioned by the eleven to the two disciples, after they returned from Emmaus; and it is also expressly noticed by the apostle Paul. The same day he appeared to two disciples as they went to Emmaus, seven or eight miles from Jeru

salem, with whom he held a long and interesting conversation. This was his fourth appearance. His fifth, on the evening of the same day, was more public than any of the preceding it was to all the apostles assembled together, except Thomas. A week afterwards, at the close of the feast of unleavened bread, he appeared again to the eleven, Thomas being with them. This interview seems to have been with a particular view to the conviction of that unbelieving apostle. This incredulous disciple.

would not believe the fact of the resurrection from any evidence of others. He presumptuously required conviction from his own senses. He declared that he would see, before he would believe; and that unless he put his finger into the print of the nails which had been used in the crucifixion of Christ, and thrust his hand into his side which had been pierced by the soldier's spear, he would reject all other evidence. He remained in his darkness and unbelief for a whole week, when the Lord again appeared, and having declared his affectionate regard for all the disciples present, he particularly addressed Thomas: "Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless but believing." Thomas ashamed, humbled, and convinced, now exclaimed with rapture, faith, and astonishment,

My LORD and my GoD." After this the eleven travelled into Galilee, depending upon their Lord's promise, that they should see him there. Here Jesus appeared to seven of them, as they were fishing

on the sea of Tiberias. The eighth appearance was by appointment on a mountain in Galilee, where upwards of five hundred of his disciples, emphatically called brethren, saw him at the same time. This was a most incontestable demonstration of the truth of the event. Of these, more than five hundred witnesses, the majority were living, and were appealed to as such, more than twenty years afterwards, when the apostle wrote his first epistle to the Corinthians. The next appearance of the risen Saviour was to James, and is mentioned by St. Paul. His tenth and last manifestation was to his apostles at Jerusalem, forty days after his resurrection, a little before the feast of Pentecost. Here he conversed with them, and gave them commandment concerning the things which pertained to the kingdom of God. Here he gave them his commission to go forth to preach and baptize. Here he informed them that all power was given to him both in heaven and earth; and that he would be with them, and their successors in the ministry, even unto the end of the world. Here he commanded them to stay at Jerusalem, till they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost, which he assured them should take place in a few days. He then led them out to Bethany, or Mount Olivet, about two miles from Jerusalem, conversing with them as he went, in his usual affectionate manner. And "he lifted up his hands and blessed them; and while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven."

"Twice twenty days he sojourned here on earth,
And shewed himself alive to chosen witnesses
By proofs so strong, that the most slow assenting
Had not a scruple left. This having done

He mounted up to heaven."

4. Another evidence of the resurrection of Jesus arises from the institution and continued observance of the Lord's day.

The disciples of Christ, immediately after his resurrection, solemnly set apart a day, the first day of the week, for his worship, and also instituted a religious ordinance in commemoration of the death and resurrection of their Lord; and this returning day, with its significant ceremony, has been constantly observed from that time to the present. On account of the important event of our Saviour's resurrection on the first day of the week, they called it the Lord's day; and it is clear, not only from the testimony of the writers of the New Testament, but also from other evidence, that the Christian converts in general united in solemnizing this day. The most ancient writers in the Christian church coincide in bearing testimony to the circumstance, that the observance of the first day of the week constantly prevailed in the earliest ages of the church. Ignatius calls it the "queen of days." Justin Martyr, Turtullian, Clemens Alexandrinus, and many others, testify that the christians regularly held their assemblies on that day; and Pliny, a few years after the death of St. John, speaks of it as the sacred day of the christians. Now can it be imagined that so many thousands of persons at Jerusalem and elsewhere

would have united in observing a weekly day, in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, if they had not been convinced of its truth? Suppose a deist were to address a Jew, and were to say, “You maintain that all the first-born of the Egyptians were destroyed in one night by an agent who received his commission from God, and that the first-born of the Israelites, who lived among them, were all miraculously saved. I believe the whole to be a forgery— prove it if you can." If the Jew understood the nature of commemorative evidence, what would be his reply?"We observe a solemn festival to this very day, to commemorate the fact of the destruction of the Egyptians, and the salvation of the Israelites. Our nation celebrates an annual passover, which received its name from the event, and which was instituted expressly in commemoration of it; and can you imagine that a nation, consisting of two millions of souls, could have been induced to institute such a commemoration if no such event had taken place?" Every one who understands the nature of credibility from commemorative facts, would see the validity of the Jew's argument, and the impossibility of making a rational objection to it. In this point of view, the resurrection of Christ stands upon the same foundation of credibility. Here are two facts, each of which is incontrovertible: the one is supported by an ANNUAL commemoration of the nation interested in it, from the time the event took place to the present day; the other is evidenced by a WEEKLY commemoration, commenced by thousands, and continued by