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in a State, wherein no more than temporary Rewards were promiled; at least that after our Entrance into a new Life, after our Profeffion of Chriftianity, we walk invaria bly whereunto we have attained; that we fuffer not our felves to relapfe into our fore mer State, which we relinquished by dying with Chrift; and deprive our felves of the Benefit of partaking in his Refurrection, by a fimilitude in this Life, which might other wife fecure to us a nearer imitation of him by a glorious Refurrection in the next.

Of this the Refurrection of our Lord giveth us the greatest affurance. Without that fignal Confirmation of the truth of the Divine Promises Men would have been prone to disbelieve them. It seemed a mate ter incredible both to Jews and Gentiles, that God fhould after many Ages recollect the scattered parts of a dead Body, and reuniting them into their former Frame, once more animate them with a living Soul. This to fome feemed imposible, to others improbable. But both were refuted by the Example of our Lord's Refurrection which was to that purpose always urged by the Apostles in their Preaching, and is employed by St. Paul as the chief Argus ment against the incredulity of the Corinthians, in the 1 Epift. xv. Chapter. God had promifed as well to raise up Mankind at the Laft Day, as to raife up his Son on the Third Day; and the certain Completion Z a

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XIII. of this latter Promise fecured the Belief of the former; there being no more effectual Argument to perfwade Men to rely upon the Promise of future Benefits, than to demonftrate to them, how all preceding Promifes were infallibly performed. And thus in fome Senfe all Mankind may be faid to rife with Chrift, inasmuch as Chrift being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of them that flept, 1 Cor. xv. 20. That as the whole Mafs is fanctified by the Dedication of the first Fruits; fo all Mankind received an earneft of the Divine Promises concerning their Refurrection, in the Perion of Chrift.

But then in a more particular and proper Manner, all faithful Chriftians may be faid to rife with Chrift. There is a Refurrection to Death as well as Life; a terrible as well as a defireable Refurrection. To rife therefore with Chrift, is the happy Resurrection, and That, as St. Peter tells us, I Epift. i. 4. is to rife to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, referved in Heaven for us. That this will be the Reward of all good and pious Chriftians, the Refurrection of their Lord and Master is fufficient affurance to them. To fuch Christ is a Head; and what more natural than for the Members to follow their Head? He is the Captain of their Salvation; and what more confiftent than for Soldiers to follow their Captain? He is their forerunner; and what more ufual than for Travellers to follow their Leader, a Fore

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runner who is for us entred, Hebr. vi. 20. that is, to take Poffeffion in our Names, and for our behalf; agreeably to what himself had promised to his faithful Difciples, that he departed from them into Heaven, only to prepare Manfions for them; and that where he was, there they should be also.

How bleffed and defireable then fhall the State of the Faithful be after the Refurrection, when they shall be made Companions with the Son of God, and even fhare with him in his present Happiness? A Happiness, which however inconceivable in this Life, is excellently described by the Apoftle in the latter Words of my Text, where Chrift fitteth at the right hand of God. He fitteth to denote the Permanence and Eternity of his Happiness; and at the right hand of God, to fhew the Power, Majefty, and Glory, wherewith he is invested.

Such were the glorious Confequences of our Saviour's Refurrection; and fuch will be the bleffed Effects of our's alfo, if we diligently obferve the Apoftle's Precept, which he inferrs from our rifing with Chrift, That we feek thofe things which are above. If ye then be rifen with Chrift, feek thofe which are above, where Chrift fitteth at the right hand of God. Our Lord after his Refurrection fettled not his abode upon Earth, he ftayed no longer than to inftruct his Difciples in the neceffary Duties of their Million, and convince them that he was really rifen. Even while he remained

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upon Earth, he was far more reserved than before his Refurrection; abstained from a pub. lick and ordinary Converfation, and resumed not the common Offices of mortal Life, fuch as eating and drinking, but only to convince his Followers of the reality of his Refurrction. Not but that he might, if he had pleafed, continued all thefe Actions untill his Afcenfion, with the fame Innocency and and Freedom from Sin, which was infeparable from his whole Life; but he chofe rather to teach us thereby, that after our new Birth and fpiritual Refurrection, we are not to imploy our Care and Affections in the things of this World; but living here as if we lived not, carry our Thoughts much higher, even whither he is gone before us, and fix them upon the Interests of Eternity. Not but that we may, and even ought to take a prudent Care for the Concerns of this World, while we are engaged in it; but that we ought not to rest here, or make this our ultimate End; but make it the great bufinefs of our Lives to fecure thofe more noble Ends, which are propofed to us, the Fruition of God, and Society of Chrift in Heaven. This all will acknowledge to be our far greateft Concern; and then furely our utmoit Care ought to be employed in the Acquifition of it. What we earneftly love, we cannot but diligently feek; it being molt true, That where our treasure is, there will our hearts be alfca

Defire is the Spring of all Actions in us; and whatsoever we perform, even the most trifling Action, arifeth from the defire of fome End to be obtained by it; fo that we cannot be faid fo much as to defire the Joys of Heaven, if we diligently seek not to obtain them, by all thofe means which are poffible to us and propofed by God. If we retain an unlawful Love of the Pleafures of this Life, it is manifest we prefer the Satisfaction proceeding from them, before the Concerns of the next; and how, ever we be faid abftractedly to defire thefe, yet certainly in that Cafe we defire them not in Comparifon of the other; nay, we even quit our defire of them, which we may truly be faid to reject, when we efpoufe an Intereft, which we know to be utterly inconfiftent with it. But far be this from any Christian, to admire and celebrate the Glories of his Lord's Refurrection, and yet refuse the offers of fharing with him in it. We have all already, by our Baptism, and by affuming the Name of Chriftians, profelfed to die with Chrift, and to rife with him; and if we falfifie not thefe Refolutions, we cannot but fet our felves wholly to seek thofe things which are above.

To die is to fufpend, or to cease the ordinary Actions of Life; and if yet the Lufts of the World and the Flesh be retained; if the fame Care be employed on the Con cerns of it, which were before any hopes Z A

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