The next consequence that would follow upon a denial of Christ's resurrection would be, that we should be yet in our sins.
It is the believer's privilege to be free from sin, and to stand in the presence of God without spot or blemish. But this removal of his sins depends upon various circumstances, which are grounded upon the resurrrection of Christ.
In the first place, the removal of our sins depends on the truth of our Lord's mission : and the truth of his mission stands or falls with his resurrection. Our Lord constantly spoke of his resurrection on the third day as the grand proof which should be given of his Divine mission. Whether he spoke to friends or enemies, still this he proposed as the test whereby to try the truth of all he said ; insomuch that his
enemies were peculiarly solicitous to prevent, if pos- sible, the accomplishment of these predictions ; know- ing that, if they should be fulfilled, the authority of his mission would be fully established. Now let us suppose for a moment that Christ had not risen, what must we have concluded? Surely, that he was an im- postor ; that he had deceived his followers by specious pretences ; and that, so far from being able to remove our guilt, he perished under the weight of his own most accumulated wickedness.
Again : The removal of our sins depends on the acceptance of his sacrifice. He offered himself as a sacrifice to God, in order that he might expiate our offences ; and on the acceptance of this, our eternal happiness depends : if God receive it as an offering of a sweet-smelling savour, we may hope he will be propitious to us on account of it ; but if he do not declare himself well-pleased with it, we are left alto- gether without a remedy. Now how shall it be known whether God has accepted it or not ? If we are to judge by the circumstances of our Lord's death, we should rather conclude that the Father took no pleasure in him, since our Lord himself so bitterly complained of the dereliction which he expe- rienced in the very hour of his extremity. We must judge therefore by his resurrection : and that this was to be the test is evident from the sacrifices which were under the law. It was not consistent with the Divine will that the beasts that were sacri- ficed should be restored to life ; but yet this was done in a figure : for one goat was slain to expiate sin by his blood, and another goat was sent away into the wil- derness, laden with the iniquities of all the people. So when birds were offered ; one was slain, and another was dipped in the blood of that which was slain, and then let loose into the air. These were types of our Saviour, who was first to be slain, and then to be raised from the dead, and ascend into the highest heavens ; and if he had not risen, we should have had no proof whatever that his sacrifice was accepted. Yet on the acceptance of this sacrifice the removal