that we enjoy. For it cannot be, that after thofe Demonstrations of Love, and thofe Means of Improvement, which God hath given us in his Gofpel, he should only expect us to be as good as Heathens: and yet are we not often worfe? But in vain do we call ourselves Chrifțians, if Names and Forms be the whole of our Christianity: In vain do we call the holy Jefus Lord, unless, by doing fuch Things as he commands, we become fuch as he was. To this therefore, if we have any Senfe of Gratitude, the Love of our Saviour must conftrain us to this, if we have any Concern for Happiness, the Fear of our Judge must compel us. For, as the Apostle, just before the Text, hath most truly obferved, none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself: for whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. In both States we are abfolutely his Property, and intirely at his Difpofal. If we obey him, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he will also deny ush. Let us therefore always bear in Mind his own awful Words: I am he, that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen: and have the Keys of Death and of Hell, h2 Tim. ii. 12. i Rev. i. 18. SER

Rom. xiv. 7, 8.

SERMON XVI.

t

ACTS X, 40, 41,

Him God raised up the third Day, and fhewed him openly. Not to all the People, but unto Witnefes chofen before of God, even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rofe from the Dead.

TH

HE Refurrection of our bleffed Lord being the principal Fact, on which he himself put the Proof of his divine Authority; and being that Fact in particular, of which he efpecially appointed his Apoftles to be Witneffes to Mankind; it concerns the Chriftian Cause very nearly, that the Evidence of this Point should be undeniable. And accordingly it is obviously plain, that no Impoftor would ever have appealed to a Method of trying his Pretenfions, that required his being put to Death

Z 4

Death before it could decide any Thing: and that no Enthufiaft would ever have conducted himself in so calm and prudent a Manner, and taught fo rational a Doctrine, as our Saviour did. It is equally plain, that his Followers could never be deceived, and imagine their Mafter alive again when he was not, They could not be deceived by their Hopes and Expectations for they own, they defpaired of it. They could not be deceived for want of Opportunities to find out the Truth: for they declare, that he appeared a great Number of Times, to several of them fingly, to all of them affembled, once to the Number of five Hundred, by Day as well as by Night, in very different and diftant Places, fometimes unexpectedly, fometimes by Appointment: that they not only faw, but touched and handled him; that he walked and conversed, and eat and drank with them; that he gave them these Evidences for no less than forty Days together; and then was vifibly taken up into the Clouds, before their Eyes. If now it be poffible for fo many Persons to be mistaken in all this, it is impoffible for any one to be rationally fure of any Thing.

It

It may alfo be fhewn further, that as they were not deceived themfelves, fo neither did they intend to deceive others in this Matter. There is no Manner of Reafon to fufpect, that they would have done it, if they could. For fuppofing them to think he came from God; they might well conclude that God would take Care of his own Cause, and did not need their turning Cheats to ferve it. And fuppofing they now at last thought him a Seducer; what could there be, either honefter, or wifer, or more likely, for them to do, than to confefs their Mistake; with due Indignation at his having imposed on them so long, and drawn them into fuch great Inconveniences and Dangers? But even if they had been defirous to fet up an Impofture: they had evidently neither Skill to contrive, nor Courage to attempt, nor Power to execute it, They were comparatively but a Handful of Men in all: and they had very lately had full Experience, that they could neither trust one another, nor themfelves: for one of them had betrayed his Mafter; the most zealous Man amongst them had denied him, and all the reft had forfaken him. The whole Weight of Authority, Jewish and Roman, was against

them,

them, careful to watch them, and (as they faw by the Example before their Eyes) determined not to fpare them, if they went on. Then as for the People; they had never oppofed the Magiftrates in any Part of this Affair; they had furiously joined with them in the laft Part; and there was not the leaft Likelihood now, of their undertaking the Defence of a few unknown and mean Men; who taught a Syftem of Doctrine very unwelcome to their zealous Spirits; and built it on a frange Fact, utterly contradictory to their settled Opinions. For as they had no Notion, that the Mefiah was to be put to Death: they could have none of his rifing again. Surely, in thefe Circumftances, if his Difciples had acted on worldly Motives, their Point must have been to provide for their own Safety by Flight and Silence: and thus, for ought that appears, they might have been very fafe. But if they refolved to pretend a Refurrection; their very first Step must be to get the Body into their Power, that it might not be produced against them: and in this, guarded as it was, they must either have perished, or at least have failed. Or had they fucceeded; it must have been notorious, by what Means they had fuc

ceeded;