which must not trace back its virtue to His having died; the just for the unjust; once for all, and alone for all; that by His own righteousness, the effects of Adam's one offence might be redeemed, and men be brought nigh unto God, be brought again into a state of acceptance, and capacity of obedience.

Without any the least derogation therefore to the infinite and alone all-sufficient merits of Christ's precious bloodshedding, we ascribe great things unto His resurrection, even the strength to do what He puts it into our hearts to will, even the grace to follow His most holy steps, and live as the children of the Resurrection.

Christ is risen ;

Therefore Death hath found his master:

But Death was Sin's consequence;
Therefore Sin itself is done away.

Done away in its imputation utterly; faith in Christ being imputed to us for righteousness instead. Done away in its dominion also, by the gift of the Holy Ghost, Who enableth us to will and to

do of His good pleasure; to be the servants of holiness, instead of the slaves. of sin.

Enableth us, be it observed, does not compel us. We have our choice of obedience or disobedience just as much as Adam had, though the power of obedience which he forfeited is restored to us by the merits of Christ's Sacrifice. But if we have the ability to will and to do, what remaineth but that we seek from Him, Who obtained that ability for us, the grace to act upon it? But that is the substance of this day's Collect; even that by God's continual help we may bring to good effect the good desires which His preventing grace puts into our minds. With this prayer then in our hearts, and bearing in mind the mighty truths which it involves, let us go on our way rejoicing, yet not without fear; press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, which is set before us, even the redemption of the body from the grave, and its exaltation to the glory

which Christ Jesus has merited for us, "according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself."

Philipp. iii. 21.

SERMON V.

EASTER DAY.

JOHN XX. 19, 20.

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you! And when He had so said, He shewed unto them His hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

THIS appearance of our Lord is reckoned by St. John among the "signs" which Jesus did after His Resurrection. There was, then, something miraculous in it. And, if we examine it closely, the only miraculous particular in the narrative, as given by him, is the suddenness of His appearing in the midst of them, "the doors

being shut." To say, then, that our Lord entered by opening the doors, is to do away with the miraculous feature of the occurrence, and contradict the Apostle's description of it, as one of the "signs which Jesus did."

Our Lord came, and was suddenly made manifest, standing in the midst of the assembled company; the doors all the while being fast closed. And He came in the reality of His risen human nature. For we read the same thing thus in St. Luke: "As they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you! But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have. And when He had thus spoken, He shewed them His hands and His feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He