far from having about it the hopelessness which marked the heathen world. 5. For, stretching far away in the future, there was the hope of a resurrection at the last day. 'l'his was involved in God's words to MoseR, "I am the God of Abraham," etc. Many, perhaps tho mass, of the people might not see that. But our Lord assures us that tho doctrine is wrapped up there. 6. Consequently, there was no reason to justify n hapless, hopeless wail in the presence of death. Whence our subject for meditation is suggested to us- THERE ouanT TO BE A GilEAT DIFFEilENCE BETWEEN GoD's PEOPLE AND OTHER8 IN THE PIIESENCE OF DEATH. In one sense, indeed, there is none; or, a.t leaat, none which can be discerned. One event cometh alike to all, even to the righteous and the wicked, and the house of the good man may be as frequently darken<ld by" the shadow of death" as that of another who fears not God. But still, when death docs come, there may well be a very wiile difference between those who are the ehildnn of God and those who are not, especially when the departed one is a member of" the whole family in heaven and on earth" (and such cases only do we note in thig Homily). When the Christian expositor is opening up the principle contained in these verses, he can do so from much higher vantage-ground than one who confines himself to the O!d Testament teaching. Some such main lines of thought as the following will be the Christian unfolding of the principles so long ago laid down. 1. There is a blessed relationship between God and his people. It is initiated in the new birth by the Holy Ghost. 'l'hose thus born anew are children of God-not merely under a national covenant, as sharing a common privilege, but as brought into a personal covenant through the impartation of a new life. The mark of this new birth is the saving reception of Christ by faith, and the effect of it is to transfer men from the region of darkness to that of light," from the power of Satan unto God," and from being subjects of a kingdom, to their being citizens in God's city and sons in God's family-" fellow-citizens of the saints and of the household of God." 2. This blessed relationship is sealed and made sure by "the blood of the everlasting covenant." They are redeemed with the " precious blood of Christ." 3. It is ratified by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is the First- born out of the dead, and has "opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers." 4. This blessed relation continues undisturbed by the accident of death. "Christ died for us, that whether we wake or sle_ep we should live together with him;" "whether we live or die, we are the Lord's;" "Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord of the dead and of the living." 5. The resurrection of Christ's 01vn will as surely follow his as the harvest follows the firstfruits. "Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the Firstfruits of them that slept." 6. The distinctive features of the resurrection of the body are laid down for us by the Apostle Paul in l Cor. xv. Of these there are four. (1) That the body, as the seed, must be buried before it can rise again. (2) That the body sown is not the hotly that shall be. (3) That to every seed there is its own body. (4-) That the precise relation or connection between the body that is sown and the bodv that will be raised is a secret in the mind of God. "God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him." Theso things we know: we know no more. If we let our affirmations go beyond the statements of Scripture, we shall plunge our- selves into inextricable difficulties, and we shall be even risking the credit of Scripture, since many will think that, in disposing of our affirmations, they demolish the teaching of the Book. In confining ourselves to the four points named by Paul in his great nrgument, we shall be remaining on ground that will ever be firm, and that can never be invaded. No physical science can affirm or deny either one or the other. There never lived, there never will live, the man who on scientific grounds can weaken either of them. Our holy and glorious faith is beyond such reach. 7. Therefore the reason for avoiding the hopeless sorrow of the pagan worlu is even vastly deeper and stronger than it was under Moses. If Israel might not sorrow as those without hope when they had the assurance," I am the Goll of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," how much less should we, when earth has seen the Firstfruits of the great resurrection from the dead I How much light is thrown by Christ's grace and love inlo the portals of the grave, and what a hallowed and hallowing calw may pervade the cLawber of death if our Lord is with us there! Yea, there is no real death to the believer. "Our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished death." He hath said," If a man keep my sayings, he shall never taste of death." Then we may well bless our God that, amid the changing 240 THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [en. xiv. 1-29,
~cenes of earth, we stand on ground which oan never be shaken. There ariseth light ln t.he darkness, " Wit.h joy wo tell the scoffing age, He the.t we.e dead he.e left hie tomb: He lives above their utmost rage, And we are waiting till he oome."