h11s suggested that Mary Magdalene c11rried the body 11way 11nd hid it. Even if we can think the daring deed practically possible, psychologically it is impossible. Such an ugly fraud would certainly have been found out; for still the body would need to be disposed of. But in their despair none of the disciples were in the mood to invent a fiction or a resurrection. Their sudden transformation from despair to joy and con fidence cannot be accounted for on the hypothesis of II fraud. The very lameness of this extraordinary theory, considered as the best that a great imaginative critic can devise, is a proof of the reality of the event he would fain find some means of explaining away. II. CHRIST BAB RISEN IN THE FULNESS or HIS POWER AND LIFE. It may seem to us of little moment that he should have brought his body out of the tomb. If he himseU still lived, if hie soul was still alive, could we not dispense with his body? Here WEI reason about a region of which we have no knowledge. We do not know how a disembodied spirit can act; we do not know what necessity there may be for some bodily instrument to enable it to communicate with other beings. It is enough to know the fact that Christ's full resurrection-life was corporeal as well as spiritual. For us the important truth is that it was and is now a perfect, wakeful, and energetic life. Jesus is no dim shade flitting through the abodes of the dead; he is no sleei,ing soul like those of our blessed dead who, as some think, sleep in him awaiting their resurrection. He has risen into hie perfect life. He is with us now, more truly living than during hie earthly ministry. III. CHRIST'S BZSUBBE0TION 18 A TYPE OP THE CHBISTUN's BESUBBECTION. The physical circumstances must be different in the case of other people whose bodies have long since mouldered to dust, perished by fire, melted away in the sea, or been devoured by wild beasts and cannibals. But the fact of a full and perfect life is what ie alone important. Jesus, the firstfruits from the dead, is the promise of this life for his people. They who sleep in him will awake in his likeness.-W. F. A. Ver.17.-Doubt, as to the Resurrection. If some doubted when they saw Jesus, it is not surprising that some doubt now that it is nearly nineteen centuries since our Lord was on earth among men in visible form. Therefore it is not just or charitable to turn savagely against people who are seriously perplexed. The only right and Christian course is to try to help them. I. TBEBJI: IIUST BB IIUCB HYBTEBY IN RELIGION. It reaches out beyond our every- day experience, and deals with things of God and the unseen world, and therefore we should be prepared to see the clouds gathering over many of its difficult regions. If we look for a mathematicw demonstration or a scientific verification of the facts and doctrines of our faith, we shall often be disappointed. At present, in this world of partial lights, such things are not always to be had on demand. Religion belongs to the region of practical life. If we have enough evidence for a reasonable conviction, this is all that we really need. Absolute freedom from all questions we cannot have; nor do we need it; we are disciplined by our mental difficulties. II. 'fHEBB ARE DIFFIOULTIEB WHICH OUB OWN IGNORANCE WILL ACCOUNT FOB. We do not know why "some doubted." Was our Lord's appearance greatly altered? We cannot for a moment imagine that some one else was personating the dead Christ. The very fa.et that some who saw him doubted about him shows that even the more sceptical Christiana did· Bee the risen Christ. But how mysterious are these vague hints I 'l'hey just show that we have not yet full light. In the twilight there are many obscurities. III. IT IS OUR DUTY TO EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE OF THE RESUBBEOTION, Too often doubt feeds on itself. Some people devour sceptical books, but they have not patience to examine the other side. They give a large welcome to doubts of all kinds, thinking this conduct fair and generous and liberal-minded; but they are very grudging of receiving what is urged in favour of Christian truth. Then there are those who are too careless to think at all seriously. They catch the floating doubts and play with them Indolently-no more. Others are earnest in the pursuit of truth. These people would do well to consider the cumulative evidence for the resurrection of Christ. 1. There is the altern11tive-What became of his body if he did not rise? 2. How could men who had despaired suddenly wake up to a great confidence if no resurrection bad occurred to zevive their faith 1 3. lf one or t-A•o hysterical fanatics might have fancied they had 6'56 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [ou. xxvm.1-20,
11een a flitting ghost in the twilight, is that a reason for believing that A dozen men could have hl\d a similar hallucination-not to mention the five hundred to whom St. Paul refers-m1my of whom he knew to be alive in his own day? St. Paul's undoubted Epistle to the Corinthians eume up the evidence with great force. IV. FAITH IN TIIB RESURRECTION lB LARGELY DEPENDENT ON OUR IDEA OF CHRIST. 'fbie is not merely a question of an historical fact. The resurrection of Christ is not to be compared with the fabled resurrection of Nero. We have first to learn who Christ was. The unique nature of Christ, seen in his eArthly life, prepares us to believe in hie resurrection. It is not merely a resurrection; it is the resurrection of Christ that we a.re to eee, as the crowning of his wonderful life on earth,-W. F. A.