April 22

1 Corinthians xv.—1. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand:

2. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures;

5. And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve;

6. After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7. After that he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

9. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10. But by the grace of God I am what I am:

The resurrection of Christ is the truth upon which Christianity itself hinges. By this he was proved to be the Son of God; by this his life was attested as an incarnation; by this his death was interpreted as an atonement; by this his triumph over death and hell, and the complete redemption of our humanity, were assured. Yet this sublime fact lies so beyond the grasp of man's philosophy, that mere rationalism cannot receive it. The Sadducees among the Jews, the Epicureans among the Greeks, mocked at the resurrection, as a thing impossible. But they were materialists, and believed neither in a spiritual existence nor in an hereafter. Some believers of the gospel were so staggered at a literal resurrection, that they spiritualized the idea, and rejected the fact. It

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

O Lord God, Father of mercies, the Fountain of all comfort and blessing, who fillest heaven with thy glory, and earth with thy goodness; to whom the heavens sing praise, and all their powers, with the earth and sea and all that are therein! we praise and bless and glorify and give thanks to thee. Thou broughtest us out of nothing; and when, by our disobedience, we were fallen, thou didst raise us up again to an inheritance in thy kingdom. For these and all thy mercies we give thanks to thee, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, henceforth and forevermore.

We bless thee for the sabbath, and pray that we may rightly improve its holy rest and the worship of thy holy house. May we have in lively remembrance the resurrection and ascension of our blessed Lord; by faith in him, be lifted above the power of sin, above the fear of death; and, being

and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

11. Therefore, whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

12. Now, if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13. But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen;

14. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

16. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

17. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

18. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

is such doubters whom the apostle is addressing in this grand argument for the resurrection. How strong, how invincible, is the evidence concerning Christ! He was crucified in open day; he was pronounced dead by the official guard, and then pierced to the heart by the spear of a Roman soldier; he was buried in a new tomb cut from the solid rock; the door was sealed, and put under guard; he afterwards appeared in a body which was at once recognized by those who had known him intimately for years; he appeared to them again and again, speaking and acting as a man; and they were ready to die as witnesses to that fact. Yes, Christ rose from the dead; and therefore there is redemption for our sins, and there is hope for our resurrection.

Prayer.

[Nos. 79, 80, 94.

risen with Christ, may we set our affections upon things above, and look with joy for his appearing! [May these children delight in the Lord's day, and love to speak and sing of Jesus!] We pray for the whole Church of Christ, that she may possess all the gifts of thy Holy Spirit; for all Sunday schools, — oh! hear the hosannas of children, and show to them the love of Jesus their Saviour. We pray for the poor and needy, the sick and afflicted, for widows and orphans; for all whom thou hast given to be near and dear to us. Give them thy blessing, O Lord! for Christ's sake.

Accept, we beseech thee, O Lord! these our praises and supplications, and look graciously upon this family; and so assist us by thy grace, that we may be fitted for that kingdom where all shall be joy and peace in the Holy Ghost; to whom, with thee and thy Son, be all glory forever. Amen.