they every where wrought, to convince Men of the Truth of their Doctrine: And the wonderful Progress is prefently made, notwithstanding its Oppofition to the Re ligions already in the World, to the Humours and Prujudices of Men, who endeavoured to furprefs it, and the Prepoffeffions, and all the fecular Interests of those who would receive it. Thefe 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 a fuitable Reflection, be found fo very Cogent, as to fuperfede the Neceflity of doing it.

Well then, fince 'tis paft Difpute, that the Refurrection of CHRIST is clearly re lated in the Scriptures: Since 'tis evident, that those who related this were Perfons of unquestionable Knowledge, or were throughly informed of, and perfectly knew the matter of Fact which they related: And fince 'tis more-over evident, that they were honest and faithful in the Relation of it; the Truth of my Text is therefore fully made out, to wit, that God hath raised up JESUS from the Dead, whereof the Apostles were fufficient · Witnesses.

I shall now briefly confider what good

Ufe

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

And Fir, 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 fufficient Sacri fice, Oblation, and Satisfaction for the Sins of all the World. The Sin of Adam derived a Guilt upon all his Pofterity; which Guilt was an Obligation to endure a Punishment proportionable to that Offence. But CHRIST freely undertook to cancel this Obligation himself by offering to fuffer in our ftead, and this he fulfilled by cloathing himself with Humanity, and dying upon the Crofs: For God fending bis own Son in the Likeness of finful Flesh, for Sin, condemned Sin in the Fleft: CHRIST therefore being our Bonds-man; and fuffering Death upon our Account; God by loofing the Bands of Death, and releasing him from the Prifon of the Grave, did thereby openly abfolve and acquit him from the Obligation with which he had bound himself, and manifeftly declare, that his Sufferings were a full Satisfaction to Divine Justice: and that not only for original Guile, but allo for actual Sins For as the Apoftle fays,

Romans

影

Romans v. 16, The Judgment was by one, that is, one Sin to Condemnation ; baut at be Free-gift is of many Offences to Fuftification Jade vi douw id-data Secondly, The Refurrection of CHRIST. doth likewife manifeft, the Truth and Dis vinity of his Religion, and prove him to be that Prophet which was to come in to the World. When CHRIST drove out of the Temple thofe that fold Oxen, and Sheep. and Doves, and the Changers of Money, and the like, the Jews asked bim, faying, What Signs fhewest thou unto us, feeing that thou dof thefe Things? And be aufwering, faid unto them, Destroy this Temple, and in three Days I will raise it up, this he spake concerning the Temple of his Body. Now if we look into Deuteronomy xviii. 22, and Jeremiab xxviii. 9. we fhall find, that the Teft which God preferib'd, whereby to discover a true Prophet from a falle one, was the Accom plishment of Predictions: Being therefore, CHRIST foretold his rifing from the Dead within three Days; and being he did raise himself from the Dead in that Space of Time, after he was put to Death for calling himself the Son of God; it plainly follows from hence that he really was fo and if he really was fo; then the Reli

gion which he inftituted must be true and Divine

Thirdly, The Refurrection of CHRIST confirmeth us in the Hope and Expectation of our own Refurre&ion. CHRIST by rifing from the Dead became the Fir-fruits of them that flept: And there can be no furer Pledge of the Harveft which fhall be in the End of the World, than that the First fruits of it are already offer'd: No furer Token that we who are the Members of CHRIST fhall rife at the Laft-day, than that CHRIST our Head is already rifen, by our Baptifin we become united to CHRIST; by being united to CHRIST We become Partakers of God's Holy Spirit; and if the Spirit of him that raised up CHRIST from the Dead dwell in us, then be that raised up CHRIST from the Dead, fhall alfo quicken our mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in us.

.

Farthermore, CHRIST by rifing from the Dead, deftroy'd the Power of Death, and gain'd an entire Victory over the Grave: Hereby he got Poffeffion of the Keys of Death, and fo hath Power to deliver from its Prifons all thofe that are holden of it: And as certainly as he hath this Power, so certainly will he put it in Execution;

for

as in Adam all die, so in and by the Power of CHRIST fhall all be made alive.

Fourthly, therefore and Laftly, The Refurrection of CHRIST fhould make us rife from the Death of Sin to the Life of Righteoufnels. To this Purpose St. Paul fpeaks in the fixth Chapter of his Epiftle to the Romans, at the fourth Verfe; Like as CHRIST was raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father, even fo we alfo fhould walk in newness of Life. Since by the Refurrection of CHRIST an Affurance is given to us of our own Refurrection, we must live agreeable to our Holy Profeffion, otherwife our Refurrection will only complete our Mifery. If we would have our Bodies raised to Glory hereafter, we muft not abuse them in any thing bafe and shameful here; and we muft mortify our Members, and not overindulge in the empty fleetingPleasures that are upon Earth; if we would live in that fulness of Joy, and thofe everlasting Plea Jures which are at God's Right-Hand in Heaven.

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

E

put