laid reverently down for its solemn, and, as seemed probable, its long repose; the priests have been at Pilate about a guard; the official seal, used by the proper person, has been placed upon the wax and the tape at the entrance. All is done, and the Roman. sentinel paces heedless, or, if he thinks of the matter at all, smiling at the vanity of imagining that the dead man inside could ever rise again, or that these contemptible Galileans should ever attempt to steal a corpse thus watched. But another lesson is taught him soon. Suddenly, with no forewarning, the great stone, so firm and sealed, rolls from its place, untouched by mortal hand, and the tenant issues from the grave, not like Lazarus, bound in its hideous trappings, but with all traces of mortality thrown aside, in the beauty of perfected humanity.

Already, the events connected with the crucifixion had staggered Christ's enemies, and had arrested the further eclipse of faith among His disciples, although they had not yet wrought its restoration. Presently, the rumour of the resurrection is abroad. The disciples, though in terror, were at once at the sepulchre. What could all these things mean? There is torturing perplexity. Was their Beloved, this altogether lovely One, was He truly the Chief among ten thousand? Was He the Messiah? Was He still their King? Was death now subdued by Him, or had He bowed down under death? What was this? What would they do? What should they believe? Many, excited, tearful, incoherent were the utterances of the disciples, when they looked into an empty grave, and heard of a risen Lord. Earnestly did they pray that these doubts would end.

That morning Christ had spoken to Mary, but a

day passed before He spoke to the assembled apostleship. Only one day passed, however, and even before that sun set, as two troubled men journeyed to Emmaus, He overtook them. They did not then recognise Him, but He, knowing them and their sorrow, felt for them. Then, beginning at Moses and the Prophets, He expounded the things concerning Himself; and as He spoke their misery passed away, and their hearts burned.

Having recognised Him, at length, with gladness, late in the night they hurried back to Jerusalem, for they would give no sleep to their eyes, nor slumber to their eyelids, until the others should know the joyous tidings. Scarcely, however, had they narrated the astounding facts, before Christ Himself stood in the midst of them. Terrified and troubled, He bade them look at His hands and feet. Then, when the truth seemed too marvellous and blessed for easy credence, He asked for meat, ate of the broiled fish and the honeycomb, and, as they grew calm, He so opened their understanding that they might, and that they did, understand the Scriptures.

Three times on the resurrection-day Christ appeared to various of His friends; but, their greatest suspense being ended, a week passed before they saw Him again. And then, in all likelihood, they were again full of anxiety, while, as we have already seen, Thomas professed utter incredulity. He had not been in his place on the previous first day of the week, but he was with the rest on the next. This was the man who, but a few days before, had said, "Lord, we know not whither Thou goest, and how can we know the way?" He was an asker of questions. Except he should see the print of the nails; except he could

touch them with his fingers; except he could put his finger to the spear-wound, he would not believe. Such was his decision, and nothing less would satisfy him. Suddenly, as before, the Master is in the midst of them, solemn, calm, beautiful. Far be the thought of lightness from every heart as we say, that the marvellous picture which rare genius has drawn of one, supposed to have visited another world, but who had, for a brief hour, returned, seems better than other pictures with which we are acquainted, in some measure, to give us the look of this Mighty One, now victorious over more than the grave:—

"Nae smile was seen on Kilmeny's face;
As still was her look, and as still was her ee,
As the stillness that lay on the emerant lea,
Or the mist that sleeps on a waveless sea."

"Reach hither thy finger," was Christ's command, and Thomas, a doubter no more, exclaimed, as we exclaim with him "My Lord, and my God!"

CHAPTER X.

CHRIST'S SYMPATHY WITH THE TEMPTED.

EMPTED! There is a red terror in the word. Who, possessed of the common attributes of humanity, cannot recall some point in his career when this word described him? Temptations may have been many or few, strong or weak, prolonged or brief, coarse or subtle, but he who has never known temptation has yet to prove his right to a place among the intelligent of our race. Each carries peccability about with him; events inevitable tempt each, ever and anon. And One only of the sons of men has ever passed through this ordeal without sin. To Christ only belongs the praise, that, although tempted in all respects as we are, He, nevertheless, was so tempted, without sin. Bengel says, "As regards the understanding, our Saviour's mind perceived temptations far more keenly than we who are weak; as regards the will, He repulsed their onsets as quickly as fire does a small drop of water." Temptation was part of His sacrifice; part of that total by which He was finally qualified for the mediatorial office. "It became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings."

The experience thus gained placed Christ in the fittest attitude for commiserating the erring, and intensified, if it did not originate, that readiness to succour such, which overcame all dissuasives. We know all what kindred experiences do; and we are told that Christ could not have been so fitted for His work as He was, had He not been conscious of that, of which all He worked for are conscious. The nature of angels did not fit the Redeemer of men. The Redeemer of men must know men, though sinless, as men may know one another; and the Bible teaches that the experience thus acquired gave Him a profound interest in those, to whom temptations brought, not simply the inevitable agony of resistance, but, too often, the profounder woe of transgression.

Some of Christ's temptations are named, and others are indicated. First, we are informed of the mysterious forty days, and we are told, further on, that the devil left Him only for a season. All through His after career this prince was on His track. Satan thrust sore at Him, when, speaking of His approaching trial and death, Christ said, "Now is My soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour! But for this cause came I unto this hour." And the assault was vain; Christ presently adds, "Now is the judgment of this world. shall the prince of this world be cast out." At Gethsemane there was a renewal of this great and bitter strife; and again Christ rose supreme over that misery. On the cross it is once more renewed, and the victory is achieved.

"Ill wast thou shrouded then,
O patient Son of God, yet only stood'st
Unshaken."

Now