December 11

The first fruits of them that slept.—1 Corinthians 15:20.

THE resurrection of the body is a doctrine confined to the sacred volume of revelation. The ancient philosophers who clearly believed in the existence of the soul after death, never imagined that the body would rise again. There are but few intimations of it in scriptures of the old testament. Job one of the early patriarchs expressed his full confidence in it, when he exclaimed, "Yet in my flesh shall I see God." Jesus clearly taught it, and often referred to the grand and solemn scene, when they that were in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live. It is a doctrine highly cheering to the devout mind. It is a matter therefore of great joy, that its certainty is fully established. God can raise the dead therefore it is not impossible. In nature we see a great many changes, which are analogous to it. See the beautiful morning bursting forth, from the sable blackness of night. Observe the new creation of spring, coming forth from the dreary and sterile scenes of winter. Observe, too, the changes which many of the inferior animals pass through, before they reach the perfection of their existence And why shall we doubt as to the resurrection of the dead. Then God hath said it shall come to pass, and he is ever of one mind; he cannot change, and therefore it must be realized, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. But the grand immoveable basis of our hope is this — Christ lived, and died, and rose again: and his resurrection is a pledge of ours; he is the first fruits of them that slept. As the Lord required the first fruits of the

20 harvest to be brought before him, and as this was the certain pledge of the full crop, so Jesus has arisen in our nature, arisen for our sakes, and so sure as the Lord liveth, his people shall live also. Yes, they shall participate in the benefits of his death, and know the power of his resurrection.