pulchre, that none fhould come and take him away, were yet by the Evidence of the Truth forc'd to own and declare the things that were done, tho the Chief Priefts and Elders brib'd them with Money to fay, that his Difciples came by Night and ftole him away whilft they flept, as we read, Mat. 28. 11, 12, 13. Which Story confutes itfelf; for how could they know or teftify what was done when they were afleep? which fhews it at best to be but a Dream of Delufion.

Upon the whole then, if we fum up the Evidence, and confider the many Circumftances that are brought to fortify it, we may fafely conclude, that no matter of Fact ever was or can be more fubftantially prov'd, and no rational Man can have any caufe to doubt or disbelieve this great Truth, that has not a falfe Byafs of Atheism and Infidelity to draw him from it. From whence I proceed to confider,

Secondly, The Time of his Rifing again from the Dead, which both our Text and Creed tell us was the Third Day: he rose again the third day. The Prophet Jonas's lying three Days and three Nights in the Whale's Belly before he was render'd up; and Chrift's faying of the Temple of his Body, Destroy this Temple, and in three Days I will raise it up: hath given us the precife time of his Refurrection. But here the Difficu ty will be how to affign these three Days and three Nights; for Chrift being put to death on the Friday, and coming to Life again on the Sunday-Morning, there could be but one whole Day, and two whole Nights.

This Difficulty may be foon remov'd, by confidering the common way of fpeaking in fuch Cafes, which is by a Figure call'd Synechdoche, taking a Part for the Whole; and fo taking the Friday on which he fuffer'd for the first day, the Saturday following for the fecond, and the Sunday on which he rose for the third Day, 'twill eafily make the reckoning right.

This way of Computation is very ufual and frequent in Holy Scripture, for the time of Circumcifion is fix'd on the eighth Day; in computing whereof, the Day of the Birth is reckon'd for one, and the Day of Circumcifion for another: fo that there can be but fix whole Days, the other two must be taken Synechdochically; that is, Part for the Whole, to make up the full number.

Sa

So likewife in the time of Pentecoft, which is the fiftieth day to be numbred from Eafter, where Eafter Day is to be reckon'd for the firft, and the Day of Pentecoft (which is our Whit funday) for the laft; in which therefore there are but forty eight whole days, but taking the first and the laft figuratively, as before, completes the whole number.

Befides, Mofes, in the Hiftory of the Creation, making the Evening and the Morning the first Day, fhews the foregoing Night in the Scripture-account to belong to the following Day; and confequently taking the preceding Night to belong to Good Friday, on which Chrift dy'd, there will be three whole Nights and two whole Days: and coming to Life the next, he may be truly and properly faid to rife again the third day.

All that needs to be farther obferv'd concerning his Rifing the third day, is the Change of the Jewish Sabbath, which was on the feventh, by that means into the Lord's Day, which is the firft day of the Week; for Chrift's lying in the Grave the Saturday, which thereby became a day of Mourning and Sorrow, was in a manner the Burial of the Jewish Sabbath.

And his Rifing again the next day reviv'd it again on that day, and turn'd it into a day of Jubilee and Rejoicing. The Apoftles and Difciples meeting together at that time folemnly to celebrate the Praises of our Maker, and the Honour of our Saviour; and the Chriftian Church, from their Example, continuing to do the fame ever fince; is a good Foundation for our obferving that Day for those Purposes.

But how did Christ rise again from the Dead? Why,

1. This was done by the Divine Power, which was alone able to effect it; for no created Agent can animate or quicken a dead thing, and no lefs Power than that which gave Life at firft, can reftore it when 'tis gone: and therefore tho Chrift as Man underwent Death, yet he was rais'd again by the fole Power of the Godhead; which made him fay, I have power to lay down my Life, and I have power to take it up again: which no mere Man could ever fay or do.

2. Chrift's Refurrection was exactly in that Way and Manner in which it was promis'd and foretold the Meffias fhould rife again, as will evidently appear to any who will compare the Prophecies about it, with the Event and Accomplishment of them.

But

But what were the Ends of Chrift's Refurrection ? Why, many and weighty.

1. His Refurrection was neceffary for his own Juftification, to prove him the true Meffias, and to justify the Doctrine deliver'd by him; which could not be without his rifing from the dead, for he had appeal'd to it as a fign of his being a true Prophet, Mat. 12. 38, 40. He had often told them of his Refurrection, and the Language of his Enemies was, We remember that this Deceiver faid, that after three days he would rife again. Now if he had fail'd in this point, he had prov'd a Deceiver indeed, and none would have believ'd on him; and therefore to juftify himself and his Doctrine, it was neceffary he should rife again.

2. His Refurrection was neceffary for our Juftification too; fo the Apostle tells us, he died for our Sins, and rofe again for our Fuftification: he died as our Surety, and was made Prifoner in the Grave for our Debts. Now a Prifoner, we know, is not wont to be releas'd till the Debt is paid, or Satisfaction made; and if Chrift had been detain'd in the Grave, it could not have appear'd that our Debt was paid, or that he had fatisfy'd for us, and therefore his Refurrection was neceffary to fhew our Discharge. Indeed the Price of our Redemption was paid by his Death, but no Acquittance feal'd or given till his Refurrection; and therefore we are faid to be juftify'd by that: and the Apoftle lays the whole ftrefs of our Salvation chiefly upon his Refurrection; Who is be that condemneth (faith he) it is Chrift that died, yea rather that is rifen again.

But what are we to learn from Chrift's Refurrection? Why, fundry, great, and weighty Leffons.

1. As his Death fhew'd the Verity of his Manhood, fo his Resurrection may affure us of the Truth of his Godhead; for which reafon the Apoftle tells us, That he was declar'd to be the Son of God with Power, by his Resurrection from the Dead.

2. Chrift's Death and Refurre&ion may affure us of the Immortality of the Soul, and the Refurrection of our Bodies. Our Saviour's Soul exifting apart from his Body in Hades, fhews that ours too may remain in a ftate of Separation; and the re-uniting of Soul and Body again in his Perfon, may affure us of the like Re-union and Refurrection of ours, for he rofe as our Head and Reprefentative. And

as

as in Adam all die, fo in Chrift fhall all be made alive; for which reafon he is ftyl'd, the First-born from the Dead, and the First fruits of them that fleep: and we are faid to be thereby born again to a lively Hope of an eternal Inheritance referv'd in Heaven for us; 1 Pet. 1. 3.

3. Chrift's Refurrection affords us matter of great Joy and Rejoicing. His Birth was glad Tidings of great Joy to all People, but his Refurrection was much more fo; for by the former he came to fuffer, by the latter he is gone to triumph; by the firft he partook of the Infirmities of our Nature, by the other he has freed us from them, and made us Partakers of his Divine Nature. And fure if any thing can, this is a matter for Joy unfpeakable and full of Glory; and therefore we are to remember that Jefus Christ, of the Seed of David, was raised from the Dead, as a matter of great Joy, and a juft ground of the firmeft Hope, Trust, and Confidence in him.

Laftly, Let us learn to exprefs the Power of Christ's Refurrection, by rifing from the Death of Sin to a Newness of Life. God hath quickned us (faith the Apostle) together with Chrift, that like as he was rais'd by the Glory of the Father, so we should walk in Newness of Life. He was rais'd to blefs us, by turning every one of us from our Iniquities; and we are to be planted in the Likeness of his Refurrection by the renewing of our Minds, and the reforming of our Lives, that we fhould not henceforth live to ourselves, but to him who died and rofe again for us. I fhall conclude this, as our Apoftle does in the Clofe of this Chapter; Wherefore, my beloved Brethren, be ye stedfast, &c.

DISCOURSE XIX.

EPHES. iv. 10.

He that defcended is the fame also that afcended up far above all Heavens, that he might fill all things.

W

E have feen the first Step of our Bleffed Saviour's Exaltation, viz. his coming forth of the Grave, and rifing again from the Dead the third Day, the Subject of the fifth Article of our Creed: I come now

to the

Sixth, which will lead us to two Steps more of his Exaltation, viz. his Afcenfion into Heaven, and his Sitting at the Right Hand of God; both which are contain'd in those words: He afcended up into Heaven, and there fitteth at the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty. I begin at prefent with the first of them, which is the fecond Step of his Exaltation; to wit, His Afcenfion into Heaven. And because the firft Inquiry must be into the Perfon that is affirm'd to have afcended, our Text in anfwer to it tells us, that he who defcended into Hell, is the fame Person that is here believ'd to have afcended up into Heaven, yea, far above all Heavens, that he might fill all things. In treating whereof, I must,

First, Explain the Nature, and fhew the Truth of his Afcenfion.

Secondly, I must confider the Time, Place, and Manner of this great Action. And,

Lastly, What we are to learn from it. For the

First, By Chrift's afcending into Heaven, we are not to understand only a metaphorical Tranflation from a low and mean State to a higher and better Condition, which is frequently call'd Afcendi; nor yet fuch a figurative Elevation of the Soul, whereby it is faid to mount up to Heaven upon the wings of Prayer and Meditation, for fo all Christians

may