remnant, an elect, and they are saved, to build once more in their
old homes, and to rejoice in the spring, and pour out their songs to
God who made them.


Some say that the seeds grow by laws of nature; the birds come back
by instinct. Be it so. What Scripture says, and what we should
believe, is this: that the seeds grow by the spirit of God, the Lord
and Giver of life; that the birds come back, and sing, and build by
the spirit of God, the Lord and Giver of life. He works not on them,
things without reason, as he works on us reasonable souls: but he
works on them nevertheless. They obey his call; they do his will;
they show forth his glory; they return to life, they breed, they are
preserved, by the same spirit by which the body of Jesus rose from
the dead; and, therefore, every flower which blossoms, and every bird
which sings, at Easter-tide; everything which, like the seeds, was
dead, and is alive again, which, like the birds, was lost, and is
found, is a type and token of Christ, their Maker, who was dead and
is alive again; who was lost in hell on Easter-eve, and was found
again in heaven for evermore; and the resurrection of the earth from
her winter's sleep commemorates to us, as each blessed Easter-tide
comes round, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who made all
the world, and redeemed all mankind, and sanctifieth to eternal life
all the elect people of God: a witness to us that some day life
shall conquer death, light conquer darkness, righteousness conquer
sin, joy conquer grief; when the whole creation, which groaneth and
travaileth in pain until now, shall have brought forth that of which
it travails in labour; even the new heavens and the new earth,
wherein shall be neither sighing nor sorrow, but God shall wipe away
tears from all eyes.