attended his Refurrection; our Saviour himself, divers times, appeared to his Apoftles, fhewing himself alive after his paffion, by many infallible proofs, being feen of them forty days, and Speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, Act. i. 3. And the holy Apoftles, who were Eye-witneffes chofen before of God, with great power, gave teftimony of the Refurrection of the Lord Jefus, Act. iv. 33. And the Apoftles had fure ground for the Certainty of Chrift's Refurrection, which they preached as their chief Do&trine. For they themfelves would not be perfwaded that Jefus was rifen, until they had feen him, and were convinced by the clear Evidence of their Senfes.

AND the Apoftles being infallibly affured of the Truth of Chrift's Refurrection, have delivered the fame to us in Writing, and confirmed it by working Miracles, and fealed it with their own Blood. But doubtless they would not have laid down their Lives for bearing witnefs to the Refurrection of Chrift, if it had been only forged of themselves. For no Man that is wife, will be so prodigal of his Life and Eftate, as to caft both away without any Confideration of gaining fome greater Advantage in another World. And no fpiritual and eternal Benefit could the Apoftles have hoped for by preaching the Refurrection of Chrift, if it had not been really true. Neither is it probable that God would have endued the Apostles with the Power of working Miracles, to confirm their Teftimony concerning Chrift's Refurrection, if it had been falfe. For it cannot reafonably be imagined that God, who is Truth it felf, and hateth all Iniquity, would fet the Seal of his Omnipotency to a Falfhood. So that we, who believe upon the Teftimony of

S 3

the

the Apostles, have no reafon to doubt of the Truth of Chrift's Refurrection, which they have fo attested.

AND as Chrift truly arose from the Dead; fo he arose that he might enter into his Glory, and demonftrate the Efficacy of his Merits. For Chrift being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him, Rom. vi. 9. But he arofe unto a Life immortal, and he liveth unto God in all Glory and Happiness, and he hath fufficient Power to confer on us the Benefits of his Death. And by his Refurrection he hath given us an affurance, that he hath fully fatisfied for our Sins. For the leaft Sin unfatisfied for, had detained him ftill under the Dominion of Death. And if he had been overcome of Death, he had not finished the Work of Redemption. But because he is rifen from the Dead, 'tis evident that he hath made full Satisfaction for our Sins, and procured for us Peace and Favour with God. For Chrift was delivered for our of fences, and was raifed again for our juftification, Rom. iv. 25.

THE Duties arifing from the Belief of Christ's Refurrection, are these two.

First, THE Refurrection of Christ should move us to arife from the Death of Sin unto the Life of Righteoufnefs, that we may be conformable unto him in his Refurrection. As Chrift died and rofe again for us, fo fhould we die unto Sin, and rife again unto Righteousness: For there must be a fpiritual Refurrection of the Soul from the Death of Sin unto the Life of Grace, before we can refemble Chrift in his Refurrection, and be qualified for a Life of Glory. And when we have put on Christ, and

do

do lead pure Chriftian Lives, we are then rifen with Chrift, and have a true Right to the Promises of Mercy. But they that are dead in Sin, while they live, have no Fellowship with Chrift here, nor fhall have any part with him in Glory. And therefore as Chrift was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even fo we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his refurrection, Rom. vi. 4, 5. But if we have no Part in the first Refurrection, unto Newness of Life, we must needs fall under the Power of the fecond Death.

Secondly, IF Chrift be rifen from the Dead, then we have good ground to hope that we alfo fhall be raised by him, and we may comfort our felves with the Hope of it. The Refurrection of Chrift is the Caufe of our Refurrection: He is the first Fruits of them that flept. And if we believe that Jefus died and rofe again; even fo them alfo which fleep in Jefus, will God bring with him, 1 Thef. iv. 14. And there can be nothing more effectual to comfort us in our Troubles, than the Hope of a glorious Refurrection. For whatever Calamity we fuffer here, yet if we are in Chrift, there is nothing can cut off our Hope of a bleffed Immortality: And this Hope is enough to bear us up, and refresh us in AfAlictions. For the fufferings of this prefent time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us, Rom. viii. 18. And the Expectation and Affurance of that Glory, is fufficient to encourage us to endure with Patience any Croffes which befal us in this Life.

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*T

CHAP. XVII.

of CHRIST's ASCENSION.

CHE fecond Degree of Chrift's Exaltation, was his Afcenfion into Heaven. When our Bleffed Saviour had fuffiSciently proved the Truth of his Refurrection, he afcended vifibly into Heaven in the Prefence of divers Witneffes. The High Prieft entring once every Year into the Holy of Holies, was a Type of Chrift entring into Heaven it felf, Lev. xvi. 2, 3, Heb. ix. 12. And the Afcenfion of Chrift into Heaven was foretold by the Prophet David, Pfal. lxviii. 18. Thou haft afcended on high, thou haft led captivity captive. And accordingly our Lord Jefus, the true Meffias, having attained eternal Redemption for us, afcended on high, and entred into Heaven. For after he had fully inftructed his Difciples in the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, he led them out as far as to Bethany; and lifting up his hands and bleffing them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven, Luk. xxiv. 50, 51.

AND this Afcenfion of Chrift is not figurative, denoting only a more glorious Condition after his Resurrection, but a real and local Translation of his Humane Nature from Earth into Heaven. For as a Man he afcended up really

and

and visibly into Heaven; and he fhall there remain, until he return unto Judgment, Act. i. 11. and iii. 21. And therefore though Chrift, as God, be ftill prefent with us on Earth by his Power, Grace, and Holy Spirit, as he hath promifed, Matth. xxviii. 20. Joh. xiv. 18. Yet according to his Humane Nature, he is abfent from us in Heaven, Matth. xxvi. 11. Heb. viii. 4.

AND Chrift afcended into Heaven, that he might take Poffeffion of his Kingdom, and prepare a Place in Heaven for us. For he was folemnly inaugurated into his Kingdom at his Afcenfion into Heaven: And in Heaven he keepeth his Royal Court, and ruleth as Lord over all in a spiritual manner: And he is exalted to be a prince and faviour, for to give repentance unto Ifrael, and forgiveness of fins, A&t. v. 31. For he is entred into heaven, now to appear in the prefence of God for us, Heb. ix. 24. And when he hath prepared us for himself by his Grace, he will exalt us unto the fame Place, whither he is gone before. For he hath opened Heaven, and hath therein provided a Manfion for all that walk in the way of Righteoufnefs, which leadeth thither. THE Dutics required of us in reference to Chrift's Afcenfion are two.

First, THE Belief of Chrift's Afcenfion into Heaven fhould excite us to live as Strangers here. This World is not our Home, nor have we here any continuing City; but we must seek one to come, which hath Foundations, whofe Builder and Maker is God. For all that are Christ's have their Converfation in Heaven, where their Lord is. And if we belong to Christ, we must, as Pilgrims, feek a better Country, that is, an heavenly, and pass the Time of our fojourning