and as he commends himself to the Divine protec- tion when he hes down upon his bed, so he commits his departing spirit into his Saviour's hands, and falls asleep in Christ ; and while his body lies mouldering in the dust, his soul is carried by angels into Abra- ham's bosom : but if Christ be not risen, all who from the beginning of the world have fallen asleep in Christ have perished : either their souls have been annihilated at their separation from the body ; or rather they have become the monuments of God's wrath and indignation.
For, in the first place, all that have falle?i asleep i?i Christ, have, o?i a siipposition that Christ is not risen, built their hopes on a sandy foundation. They have relied wholly on the merit of Christ's blood, and expected justification only through his obedience unto death : and, as they have trusted in his righteousness, so have they gloried in his strength ; not going forth against any enemy, but in his name, and in reliance upon his grace : nor have they trusted in any thing but in his continual intercession for maintaining their peace with God. In short, they have made Christ their only foundation, on whom they have built all their hopes. Now if Christ be not risen, that foundation has failed them, and consequently all the superstructure must fall to the ground : so that, notwithstanding all their affiance in him, they are perished ; yea, though they committed their departing spirits into his hands, they were not saved : for he could not help them ; he could not hear their prayer : in trusting to him they trusted only to a broken reed, which now pierces them through with unutterable and ever- lasting anguish.
Again : If Christ be not risen, they are perished ; because, however zealous they were of good works, their works were not sufficient to justify them before God. We cannot indeed conceive more eminent piety than Abraham discovered in leaving his country and sacri- ficing his own son ; or than David manifested in his incessant praises and thanksgivings ; or than Stephen
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shewed when laying down his hfe for Christ, and praying for his murderers. And yet behold what the text asserts ; " they all are perished if Christ be not risen." The reason is plain : they were trans- gressors of God's law ; as transgressors, they were subject to the curse and condemnation of the law ; nor could any thing less than an infinitely valuable atonement remove that curse. In vain they prayed ; in vain they strove ; in vain they endeavoured to do the will of God ; in vain they laid down their lives for his sake ; they were under the curse ; and cursed they must be, if Christ did not become their Saviour. But he could not become a Saviour to them if he did not rise ; and therefore, if he be not risen, they are all, without exception, perished. They are perished ; first, because their foundation failed them ; and next, because, that having failed, no hope remained to them from any thing which they themselves could do. It is now plain, I trust, that the consequences which the Apostle states as follow- ing a denial of our Lord's resurrection are true, and that his argument is strictly just. Having therefore confirmed his argument, we proceed,
II. To improve it —
It will be to little purpose to know the force of the Apostle's reasoning, unless we deduce from it those practical inferences which may bring it home to our hearts and consciences.
First, then. We may see from hence how ignorant they are that seek salvation by zvorks !
The generality of mankind are hoping to be saved for something which they have done, or something which they intend to do : indeed even those who have lived in all manner of evil tempers and sensual indulgences are yet often so bhnd, as to be the most strenuous in contending for the merit of good works, and in crying out against those who speak of salvation by faith. But do these people fancy themselves wiser and better than all the saints of old ? Will any one