living at
the right hand of power; nay, that He was with them all the
days--nearer them than ever before, as much their Head and Leader as at
any previous moment. When the shepherd is smitten, the flock is
scattered; and this flock was not scattered, because the Shepherd had
recovered from his mortal wound, and was alive for evermore.

And surely the evidence which sufficed for them is enough for us.
Again and again, in dark hours, when I have longed to have the
demonstration of sense added to that of faith, it has been an untold
comfort to feel that sufficient evidence was given to the Lord's
disciples to persuade them against their contrary expectations and
unbelief; to hold them together in spite of every possible inducement
to disperse, and to transform a number of units into the Church,
against which the gates of hell have not been able to prevail. If they
were convinced, we may be. If their eyes beheld and their hands
touched the body of the risen Lord, we may be of good cheer. Their
behaviour proves that they were thoroughly convinced. They acted as
only those can act whose feet are on a rock. They knew whom they had
believed; and they had no doubt that He would perfect the work which He
had begun. What He had begun in the flesh, He would perfect in the
Spirit.

In after days Peter spoke of Him as the Prince, or File-leader of Life;
and suggests the conception, that through all the ages He is marching
on through the gates of death and the grave, unlocking them for us, and
opening the pathway into the realms of more and more abundant life.
Let us follow Him. It is not for us to linger around the grave: even
John's disciples forbore to do this. But let us join ourselves by
faith with our Prince and Leader, our Head and Captain, as He waits to
succour us from the excellent glory, sure that where He is, we too
shall be; but in the meanwhile we are assured that He is not in the
grave, where loving hands laid Him, but risen, ascended, glorified--our
Emmanuel, our Bridegroom, our Love and Life. "The Lord is my Shepherd,
I shall not want: ... He leadeth me, ... He maketh me to lie down;
... He restoreth my soul.... Though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, ... Thou _art_ with me."

XVI.

Yet Speaking.

(JOHN X. 40-42.)

"Shine Thou upon us, Lord,
True Light of men, to-day;
And through the written Word
Thy very self display;
That so from hearts which burn