Redemption from eternal Death. We may, therefore, well glory in the Crofs of our Lord Jefus, for God hath for ever wiped off the Ignominy thereof by his Refurrection; he hath freed him from all those Afperfions that were thrown upon him, his Doctrine, and Miracles, thus God glorified his Son.

2dly, Since God hath raised our Saviour from the Dead, and hereby given his Servants and Disciples the fure Hope of immor tal Life, and Happiness to be enjoyed in the Re-union of Soul and Body, let all of this Character by Profeffion live and act worthy of their Faith and Hope. Tis not fufficient to have the fpeculative Belief of this weighty Truth, or to be able to answer all Gainfayers and Oppofers, tho' it will be no fmall Satis→ faction to be able to give the Reafon of the. Faith and Hope which is profeffed; yet this Knowledge in the Theory will not be of any faving Advantage; there must be a rifing from the Death of Sin to the Life of Righte oufnefs. As Chrift was raifed again by the Glory, that is, by the glorious Power, of the Father, fo we muft walk in Newness of Life; our Hearts and Affections must be raised from Earth to Heaven, from the Love and Power of Sin. What can be more unfuitable or inconfiftent than to believe that Chrift is rifen from the Dead, and to profefs the

Hope

Hope of a glorious Refurrection to immortal Life by virtue of his, and yet ftill to have our Hearts adhering and cleaving to Earthly Things? See how the Apostle reasons with the believing COLOSSIANS, and enforces an heavenly Temper and Conversation on them by this very Confideration, COLOSSIANS iii. 1, 2. If ye then be rifen with Chrift, if from the Resurrection of Chrift, your Head and Saviour, you who are the Members of his myftical and spiritual Body and Church, derive your Hopes of a Refurrection to eternal Life by virtue of your Union to him by Faith; it follows, feek thofe Things which are above, where Chrift fitteth on the Right Hand of God: Set your Affections on Things above, not on Things on the Earth. Verfe the 4th, When Chrift who is our Life fhall appear, then Shall ye alfo appear with him in Glory. The Death of Chrift, if we rightly confider and meditate on the End and Defign of it, will engage all to mortify their Sins; and his ReJurrection will engage to a heavenly Temper and Converfation. See how the Apostle argues to this Purpose, ROMANS vi. 5, 6. If we have been planted together in the Likeness of his Death, we shall be alfo in the Likeness of bis Refurrection; knowing this, that our old Man is crucified with him, that the Body of Sin might be deftroyed, that henceforth we should not ferve Sin. The Death of our Lord should

excite

1

er;

excite us to crucify the Flesh, with its Affections and Lufts, and to die to Sin, as he died for it; and fince he is rifen by the Power of God, we should be raised in our Hearts from Earthly, and have them fixed on Spiritual Things, and invifible eternal Objects. He who is crucified with Chrift by dying to Sin, will rife with him to Newness of Life. Such will be daily endeavouring to make a practical Improvement of their Lord's Death and Refurrection; defirous of knowing more of Chrift's dying Love, and his living Powthat by the former they may weaken and destroy Sin, and by the latter be quickened to a Spiritual Life. This was the Endeavour and Prayer of the great Apostle St. PAUL, Philip. iii. 10. That he might know him, the Power of his Refurrection, and the FellowShip of his Sufferings, being made conformable to his Death. No Perfon had better Improvements in this practical Knowledge than he, yet none more defirous of fill making greater. Who can conceive the Glory, Honour, and Power of our rifen and exalted Saviour? A Ray of his Glory ftruck perfecuting SAUL and his Company to the Ground. When St. JOHN faw him, he fell at his Feet as dead; he laid his Right Hand on him, that is, he supported and strengthened his frail Nature, and faid, Fear not, I am the first, and the last; I am he that liveth and was

dead,

dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, and have the Keys of Hell and of Death; that is, all Power in the invifible World of Spirits, Revela. i. 17, 18. Chrift being raised from the Dead, dieth no more; Death hath no more Dominion over him: For in that he died, he died to or for Sin once; but in that he liveth, he liveth to God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed to Sin, but alive to God, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Thus you fee how the Apostle teaches all Chriftians to make the proper Ufe of Christ's Death and Refurrection; and they who do so, by the Affiftance of the Holy Spirit, fhall be entitled to, and fitted for, a Refurrection to eternal Life and Happiness : For if the Spirit of him who raised up Chrift from the Dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the Dead fhall alfo quicken our mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth

in us.

Finally, this Doctrine may well fill the Hearts of Chrift's Difciples with Joy and Hope. The Difciples were glad when they faw the Lord rifen from the Dead; and there is fufficient Ground for the most reviving Hope and Joy to be derived from it : This gives a fure Foundation for the Hope of the everlasting Inheritance of Glory. If the Thoughts and Belief of Chrift dying for

our

our Sins adminifters Hope of the Remiffion of Sins, furely the Belief of his Resurrection may, and ought to, ftrengthen our Hope. This will alleviate all the Burdens of Life, and allay the Horrors of the Grave, and give Foy unspeakable and full of Glory. It has been thought that it was common with the Primitive Chriftians to comfort their Brethren, when any way difconfolate, by putting them in remembrance of their Lord's RESURRECTION. Let it be our conftant Care to act fo that there may be an Harmony and an Agreement between our Faith and our Practice. Let us make the fame Improvement that the Apostle does, & exhorts others to do, after he had treated of our Lord's Resurrection, and the Certainty of the Refurrection of those who fleep in him: My beloved Brethren, be stedfaft, unmoveable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, forafmuch as you know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord,