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the third day rife again; And they remem- S ER M. bred his words. Further; (3dly,) in order XIII.

to make the Proof of his Refurrection ftill more evident, the Place and Manner and Circumftances of his Burial, were by Providence directed to be particularly remarkable. Mark xv. 42, Joseph of Arimathea, an honourable Counsellor, begged his Body, and wrapped it in fine linnen, and laid it in his own Sepulchre; And this in the presence of several of Jesus's followers ; who thereupon refolving to come and embalm him, were providentially directed to become Witneffes of many Circumstances attending his Refurrection. Laftly, The Method which his Adverfaries themselves took, to find evidence (as they thought) of the Impofture; making the Sepulchre fure, fealing the Stone, and fetting a Watch, (Matt. xxvii. 66;) was by Providence defigned on the contrary, to become a strong Proof of the Truth of his Resurrection; taking away all pretenfe or poffibility of that plaufible Objection, that his Difciples came by Night and ftole him away.

THESE

SERM.

THESE are the principal Inftances, of XIII. the Care that was taken in the Circumftances going before our Lord's Resurrection, to render the Proof of the Fact certain and undeniable. After his Rifing again, the accumulative Evidence of the Truth of his being rifen, is much greater, not only than what Unbelievers, but even than Believers themfelves, without putting together the numerous Circumftances recorded in different places of Scripture, can easily imagine. (1ft,) In the first place, an Earthquake terrified the Watch, and the Appearance of an Angel made them become as dead men, Matt. xxviii. 2. Then, (2dly,) the perfons who came with a defign to embalm the Body, faw likewise an Angel, and were told by him that their Lord was rifen from the Dead, ver. 6. Immediately after this, Jefus himself appeared to them, and comforted them, ver. 9. To which St John adds this particular circumstance, ch. xx. 17. that when one of them embraced his Feet, rejoicing and worshipping him upon his Discovering himself who he was, he faid

unto

unto her, Touch me not, for I am not yet SER M. afcended to my Father. Which words XIII. moft Interpreters fo understand, as if they fignified, Do not detain me Now, as if you thought I was immediately leaving you ; For I fhall continue with you fome time, and am not prefently afcending to my Father. But I think the truer meaning of them is, Do not expect I should continue with you Now; for 'tis expedient and neceffary, that I first afcend to my Father. And therefore he adds in the very next words; But go to my brethren, and fay unto them, I afcend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Tell them, that I am rifen from the dead, never to die any more; that I am about to return to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God, to receive full Power over all things both in Heaven and Earth, and to prepare a place for you; and Then, where I am, there fhall ye be alfo. After This, (3dly,) he appeared to Two of his Disciples going to Emmaus, Luk. xxiv. 13. and talked with them, and expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things VOL. V. X concerning

XIII.

SERM. concerning himself. Then again (4thly,) he showed himself to Peter alone, ver. 34. and 1 Cor. xv. 5. Then (5thly,) to St James, ver. 7. After That, (6thly,) to Seven of the Apostles together, Joh. xxi. 2. Then (7thly.) to Ten of Them, Thomas only being abfent, Job. xx. 19. And, (8thly,) a week after, to all the Eleven, ver. 26. Thomas being prefent with them; whose doubting Faith he vouchfafed to confirm, by fuffering him to handle him; yet at the fame time pronouncing a greater Bleffing upon thofe who should not fee, and yet would believe; Not that Credulity or Believing without reafon, is in any cafe commendable; but, that believing, upon reasonable and good evidence, things not obvious to Sense; fuch as are the Being of the Invifible God, the Rewards and Punishments of a future State which now are likewife invifible, and the Coming of our Saviour to Judgment though he does not prefently appear; are the most valuable Acts of Religious Faith and Dependence upon God. Lastly, After these feveral more private appearances of our Lord to his Apostles,

be

he was feen (faith St Paul) of above five S ER M. hundred brethren at once, 1 Cor. xv. 6. XIII. of whom though fome were fallen asleep, yet the greater part remained alive unto that present time, when St Paul wrote this epiftle to the Corinthians. And in This manner continued he for forty days together, showing himself alive after his paffion by many infallible Proofs, and Speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, Acts i. 3. After which, at mid-day, in the presence of all the Apostles, he was taken up from them vifibly into Heaven, ver. 9. And they were told by Angels, ver. II. what he also himfelf had before told them in his Lifetime, that in like manner as they faw him go into Heaven, fo from thence likewise fhould they fee him come, at the end of the World, with Power and great Glory, even in the Glory of his Father, and all his Holy Angels with him, to judge the Quick and Dead with a righteous and unerring Sentence, rendring to every man impartially according to his Works. Put all This Evidence now together, and let VOL. V. X 2

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