they every where wrought, to convince
Men of the Truth of their Doctrine: And
the wonderful Progress is presently made,
notwithstanding its Oypolicion to the Ré:
ligions already in the World, to the Hu-
mours and Projudices of Men, who en-
deavoured to surpress it, and the Prepor-
sessions, and all the fecular Interests of those
who would receive it. These I lay might
be brought in upon this Head, with great
clearness and strength of Realon; but that
I think, those already alledg'd will upon
à suitable Reflection, be found fo very
Cogent, as to supersede the Neceflity of
doing it. !
. Well then, fince 'tis paft Dispute, that
the Resurrection of CHRIST is clearly re,
lated in the Scriptures: Since 'tis evident,
that those who related this were Persons
of unquestionable Knowledge, or were
throughly inforined of, and perfectly
knew the matter of Fact which they re-
lated: And since 'sis more-over evidenti
thar they were honest and faithful in the
Relation of it, the Truth of my Text is
therefore fully made our, to wir, that
God hath raised up YESUS from the

Dead, whereof the Apostles were sufficient : Witnesses. I shall now briefly consider what good

Ule

Ufe may be made of this Doctrine, and fo conclude.'15,

T 0? 1;; - » And Firl, it appeareth from hence, that the Debt which the whole Race of Mankind had contracted by Sin, is fully discharged'; or that Christ by his Death made a full, perfect, and sufficient Sacris fice, Oblation, and Satisfaction for the Sins of all the World. The Sin of Adami derived a Guilt upon all his Posterity; which Guile was an Obligation to endure a Punishment proportionable to char Of fonce :: Bur CHRIST freely undertook to cancel chis Obligation himself by offering to fuffer in our stead; and this he fulfilled by cloathing himself with Humanity, and dying upon the Cross: For God sending bis own son in the Likeness of finfál Pleje; for Sin, condemned Sin in the Flesh CHRIST therefore being our Bonds-män, and suffering Death upon our Account ; God by loosing the Bands of Death, and releasing him from the Prison of the Grave, did thereby openly absolve and acquit him from the Obligation with which he had bound himself, and mani: feltly declare, that his Sufferings were à full Satisfa&tion to Divine Justice and that not only for original Guile, but also for gdualSins. For as the Apoftle says,

Romans

Romans. V, 16, The Judgment was by one that is, one Sin to Condenination; but the Free-gift is of many offences to sufiification... Insive partido a rii * Secondl;; The Resurrection of CHRIST doch likewise manitest the Fruch and Divinity, of lais Religion, and prove him to be chat Propher which was to come in to che World. When CHRIST drove out of the Temple those that fold Oxen, and Sbeep. and Doves, and the Changers of Money, and the like, the Jews asked bim, saying, What Signs fhewejt thou anto us, feeing that thou dof these Things. And be answering, said unto them, Destroy this Temple, and in three Days I will raise it up this be spake concerning the Temple of bis Body. Now if we look into Deua teronomy xviij. 22, and Jeremiab xxviii. 98 we fall find that the Test which God prescrib’d, whereby co discover a true Pro: pbet from a falle: one, wasche Accomplishment of Predictions: Being therefore, CHRIST foretold his rifing from the Dead within three Days, and being he did raise himself from the Dead in thar Space of Tiine, after he was put to Death for calling himself the Son of God; it plainly follows from hence that he really was los and if he really was fo; then the Reli

gion which he instituted must be true and Divine:

Thirdly, The Resurrection of CHRIST confirmech us in the Hope and Expectation of our own Resurre&ion. Christ by rising from the Dead became the Firit-fruits of them that fiept: And there can be uo lurer Pledge of the Harvest which iall be in the End of the World, than that the Firsta fruits of it are already offer'd: No furer Token that we who are the Members of Christ shall rise at the Last-day, chan that Christ our Head is already risen, by our Baprisin we become uniced to CHRIST ; by being united to Christ we become Partakers of God's Holy Spirit ; ånd if the Spirit of him that raised up CHRIST from the Dead dwell in us, then be that raised up CHRIST fromi tbe Dead, hall also quicken our mortal Bodies by bis Spirit that dwelleth in us. · Farthermore, CHRIST by rising from the Dead, destroy'd the Power of Death, and gain'd an entire Victory over the Grave: Hereby he got Poffefsion of the Keys of Death, and so hath Power to deliver from its Prisons all chose that are holden of it: And as certainly as he hath this Power, so certainly will he put it in Execution ;

for

asin Adam all die, fo in and by the Power of CHRIST pall all be made alive.

Fourtbly, therefore and Laftly, The Resurrection of Christ Mould make us rise from the Deach of Sin to che Life of Righteousness. To this purpose St. Paul speaks in the sixth Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, at the fourth Verse; Like as CHRIST was raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also pould walk in newness of Life. Since by che Resurrection of Christ an Assurance is given to us of our own Re. surrection, we must live agreeable to our Holy Profession, otherwise our Relurrection will only complete our Misery. If we would have our Bodies raised to Glory hereafter, we must not abuse thein in any thing base and shameful here; and we must mortify our Members, and not overindulge in the empty Meeting Pleasures that are upon Earth; if we would live in that fulness of Foy, and those everlasting PleaJures which are at God's Right-Hand in Heaven.

Let us therefore not suffer Sin to reign in our mortal Bodies ; but let us yield our felves unto God as those that are alive from the Dead, and our Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God. Let us

E

put