higher point of view connecting ourselves more closely with our common author, our feelings assume an even deeper and more anxious character: in the one case, we consider it as a grand era in history, approaching which all is glimmering, beyond which all is dark; we know it only as something that is past and gone, and can never recur again: in the other, we look at it not as a mere isolated tradition, but as one in a series of remarkable events, which, apparently complete in themselves, in reality had reference to a period then remote, and a person hitherto unrevealed. The Christian eye, gifted with intenser brilliancy, sees, in the family thus wonderfully rescued, the ark the instrument of their preservation, the element that assisted in the work, the no less wondrous rescue of a larger family, the possession of a better ark, the co-operation of a holier element: to him, the family-is the family

of Christ; the ark-the faith that is in Jesus; the water-the water of baptism; the lustration once performed, he believes that he is admitted into the community of Christ, and that he will be saved, if he be not neglectful of himself, from those appalling floods man's imagination fails to paint, which will inevitably overwhelm the obstinately hardened and impenitent: in this sense, (connecting the latter part of the twentieth with the twenty-first verse) "the ark" which

was a preparing in the days of Noah, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water," was "the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us"-" by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." The resurrection of our Lord from the dead is the foundation stone on which the whole edifice of Christianity is built up; and, happily for us, to quiet all our apprehensions and remove all our doubts, there is not a single fact

in the entire range of history that is supported on authority better, or even near so good. This is not speaking intemperately; we may challenge any man, let him take all records, ancient and modern, he will not find one that can compare with it; in truth, the greater part of the events of ancient times depend confessedly on a single authority; and as for those of modern, they appear to have a greater body of evidence in their favour, but if we come to look a little closer, we shall generally find a solitary document, from which succeeding annalists have copied one after the other. To authenticate the resurrection of our Lord, we have four distinct writers, all agreeing, where it is natural they should agree, in the main story, and all disagreeing in those minute particulars where, if they did not occasionally disagree, the suspicion of collusion might very plausibly be urged

against them. This fact, then, is incontestably true; therefore Christianity itself is true. Curious inquiry, indeed, prompted, as I am convinced, by no other than conscientious motives, has often subjected this most interesting relation to a severe and rigorous examination; and as often as it has been subjected to such an examination, so often has it succeeded in convincing of its fidelity the most unbelieving and sceptical. Researches of this kind, when conducted with the candour and disinterestedness which become those who are conversant with the investigation of truth, are of the most beneficial service to Christianity, as they rarely fail in eliciting beauties which the less attentive observer would have passed by unnoticed.

But as the mind of every actual believer must be deeply impressed with the personal interest he himself has in this wonderful event, so must it be more

forcibly insisted on to every one who comes, of his own accord, to put on the

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easy yoke," and place upon his shoulders" the light burden" of the Saviour of the world. St. Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, is very full upon this head, thus, (vi. 3,)" Know ye not," writes he, addressing himself to those who had recently received the gospel; "know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father, even so we also should walk in newness of life: for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." The intent and purpose of this is, to point out the inducements to a virtuous life, which was imperatively incumbent on those who had been ad