himself in the goepel of grace; and by his Spirit he appears to souls. Methinks we should not hear a sermon of Christ's resurrection, but we should imagine as if we saw him, "Whose head and hairs are white like wool, as white as snow, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, whose feet are like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, whose voice is as the sound of many waters," Rev. 1:14,15. Or, if we are dazzled with his glory, methinks, at least, we should hear his voice, as if he said, "Fear not, I am the first, and the last, I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen," verse 17,18. q. d. Come, cast your souls on ine; it is I that have conquered sin, death, and hell for you; it is I that have broken the serpent's head, that have taken away the sting of death, that have cancelled the bond of the hand-writing against you, that have in my hands a general acquittance and pardon of your sins; come, take it, take ine, and take all with me; see your names written in the acquittance that I tender, take out the copy of it in your own hearts; only believe in him who is risen again for your justification. O my soul! what sayest thou to this still sweet voice of Christ? Shall he who is the Saviour of men, and the glory of angels desire thee to believe, and wilt thou not say Amen to it? Oh! how should I blame thee for thy unbelief? What aspersions doth it cast on Christ? He hath done all things well, he hath satisfied wrath, fulfilled the law, and God hath acquitted him, pronounced him just, saith he is contented, he can desire no more; but thou sayest by unbelief that Christ hath done nothing at all, unbelief professeth Christ is not dead, or at least not risen from the dead, unbelief professeth that justice is not satisfied, that no justification is procured, that the wrath of God is now as open to destroy us as ever it was. Oh! that Christ should be crucified again in our hearts by our unbelief; come, take Christ upon his tenders and offers, embrace him with both arms.

SECT. VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect.

6. LET us love Jesus, as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurrection: surely if we hope in Christ, and believe in Christ, we cannot but love Christ; if Christ's resurrection be our justification, and so the ground both of our hope and faith, how should we but love him, who hath done such great things for us? She that had much forgiven her, loved much; and if by virtue of Christ's resurrection we are justified from all our sins, how should we but love him much? But that I may let down some cords of love, whereby to draw our loves to Christ in this respect, let us consider thus:

Love is a motion of the appetite, "by which the mind unites itself to that which seems good to it." You may object that Christ is absent, how then should our souls be united to him; but if we consider that objects, though absent, may be united to the powers by their species and images, as well as by their true beings; we may then be said truly to love Christ as raised, though he be absent from us; come then,stir up thy appetite,bring into thy imagination the idea of Christ as in his resurrection; present him to thy affection of love, in that very form wherein he appeared to his disciples; as gazing upon the dusty beauty of flesh, kindleth the fire of carnal love, so this gazing on Christ, and on the passages of Christ in his resurrection, will kindle this spiritual love in thy soul: draw near then, and behold him, "Is he not white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousands? Is not his head as the most fine gold, are not his locks bushy, and black as a raven, are not his eyes as the eyes of doves by the rivers of water, washed with milk, and fitly set? Are not his cheeks as a bed of

f

spices, as sweet flowers?" Sol. Songs 5:10,11,12,13. Thus I might go on from top to toe; but that thou mayest not only see his glory and beauty wherein he arose, but that thou mayest hear his voice; doth he not call on thee, as sometimes he did on Mary, on Thomas, on Peter, or on the twelve? As the angel said to the woman, "Remember how he spake, when he was yet in Galilee," Luke 24:6. so say I to thee, remember how he spake while he was yet on earth; surely "his lips like lilies dropped sweet smelling myrrh," As thus:

1. In his apparition to Mary, Jesus saith unto her," Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?" John 20:15. Were not those kind words? and hast thou not had the like apparition? Hast thou not heard the like sweet words from Jesus Christ? How often hath thy heart sobbed and sighed out complaints, "O where is he whom my soul loveth? I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that ye tell him I ain sick of love," Sol. Songs 5:8. And then was not Christ seen in the mount? Was not thy extremity his opportunity to do thee good? Did not he bespeak thy comforts with these words, "Sweet soul, Why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? What wouldst thou have that I can give thee? And what dost thou want that I cannot give thee? If any thing in hea ven or earth will make thee happy, it is all thine own? Wouldst thou have pardon, thou shalt have it, I freely forgive thee all the debt? Wouldst thou have myself? Why, behold I am thine, thy friend, thy Lord, thy hus band, thy head, thy God." Were not these thy Lord's reviving words? Were not these the melting, healing, ravishing, quickening passages of Christ's love?

2. In his apparition to the ten," Jesus stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you," John 20:19. Lo, here more words of love, in midst of their trouble Christ stands in the midst, speaking peace to their souls? And hath not Christ done the like to thee? Hast thou not many and many a time been lapt in troubles, that thou knewest not which way to turn thee? Hast thou not felt the contradiction of men, rail. ings of Rabsheka's? And hast thou not sometimes shut thy door upon thee for fear of such Jews? And then, even then, hath not Christ come to thy spirit with an olive branch of peace, saying to thy restless soul, "Peace, and be still?" Hath he not wrought wonders in the sea of thy restless thoughts? Hath he not made a calm? And more than so, Hath he not filled thee with joy and peace in believing? Hath he not sent thee away from thy prayers and complaints with a peace of heaven in thy soul, so that thou wast forced to conclude, "Surely this is the peace of God, which passeth all understanding?"

3. In his apparition to the eleven, Jesus saith to Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing," John 20:27. O sweet condescending words! how far, how low would Jesus stoop to take up souls? And my soul, are not these the very dealings of Christ towards thee? He that called Thomas to come near, hark how he calls on thee," Come near, poor, trembling, wavering, wandering soul; come, view the Lord thy Saviour, and be not faithless, but believing; peace be unto thee, fear not, it is I." He that called on them who passed by, to behold his sorrow, in the day of his humiliation, doth now call on thee to behold his glory in the day of his exaltation; look well upon him, Dost thou not know him? Why, his hands were pierced, his head was pierced, his side was pierced, his heart was pierced with the stings of thy sins, and these marks he retains, even after his resurrection, that by these

marks thou mightest always know him; is not the passage to his heart yet standing open! If thou knowest him not by the face, the voice, the hands; if thou knowest him not by the tears, and bloody sweat, yet look nearer, thou mayest know him by the heart, that broken healed heart is his, that dead revived heart is his, that soul-pitying, melting heart is his; doubtless it can be none but his, love and compassion are its certain signatures. And is not here fuel enough for love to feed upon? Doth not this heart of Christ even snatch thy heart, and almost draw it forth of thy breast? Canst thou read the history of love any further at once? Doth not thy throbbing heart here stop to ease itself? if not, go on, for the field of love is large.

4. In his apparition to the seven, "Jesus saith to Simon Peter, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? And he said to him the second time, Simon, son of Jonas lovest thou mc? He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas lovest thou me," John 21:15,16,17. Oh the love of Christ in drawing out man's love unto himself: how often, O my soul! hath Christ come to thy door and knocked there for entrance? How often hath he sued for love, and begged love, and asked thee again and again, "Ah soul! dost thou love me more than these? Come, tell me, dost thou love me, love me, love me? Come, wilt thou take me for thy Lord? wilt thou delight in une as thy treasure, thy happiness, thy All?" Oh fy! shall Christ raised, a glorious Christ, thus woo, and sue, and call, and wilt not thou answer as Peter did?" Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. Yea, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee." Nay, art thou not grieved that Christ should ask the third time for thy love? Art thou not ashamed out of thy stupidity, and forced to say, O my blessed Lord, I have been too proud, too peevish, but thy free grace, and undeserved love hath beaten me out of all my pride, so that now I fall down at thy foot-stool, and lay myself flat before thee; at first I wondered to hear preachers talk so much of Christ, and I was bold to ask my friends, What was their beloved more than another beloved? But now I wonder that I could be so long without thee; truly Lord, I am thine, only thine, ever thine, all that I am is at thy command, and all that I have is at thy disposing, be pleased to command both it and me.

I might thus go on to consider other passages in other apparitions, But are not these enough to draw thy love? Oh! what love was this? Oh! what humility was this? That Christ, after his resurrection, should converse with men during the space of forty days? Worthy he was after so many sorrows, sufferings, reproaches, after so cruel, ignominious, and bitter a death, immediately to have rid in triumph to glory; and for the confirmation of his disciples' faith, he might have commanded the angels to have preached his resurrection; oh! no, he himself would stay in prison, he himself would make it out by many infallible proofs that he was risen again; he himself would, by his own example, learn us a lesson of love, of meekness, of patience, in waiting after sufferings for the reward.

Methinks a few of these passages should set all our hearts on a flame of love; we love earth, and earthly things; we dig into the veins of the earth for thick clay: but if Christ be risen, "Set your affections on things above, and not on things on the earth," Col. 3:1,2. Oh! if the love of Christ were but in us, as the love of the world is in base worldlings, it would make us wholly to despise this world, it would make us to forget it, as worldly love makes a man to forget his God; nay, it would be so strong and ardent, and rooted in our souls, that we should not be able voluntarily and freely to think on any thing else but Jesus Christ; we should

not then fear contempt, or care for disgrace, or the reproaches of men; we should not then fear death, or the grave, or hell, or devils, but we should sing in triumph, "O death! Where is thy sting? O grave! Where is thy victory? Now thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord," 1 Cor. 15:55,57.

SECT. VII. Of joying in Jesus in that respect.

7. LET us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurrection. This is the great gospel-duty, we should “rejoice in the Lord, and again rejoice," Phil. 4:4. "yea, rejoice evermote," 1 Thes. 5:16. A Christian estate should be a joyful and comfortable cstate, none have such cause of joy as the children of Zion, "Sing, O daughter of Zion, shout O Jerusalem, be glad and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem," Zeph. 3:14. And why so? A thousand reasons might be rendered; but here is one, a prime one, "Christ is risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept," 1 Cor. 15:20. A commemoration of Christ's resurrection hath ever been a means of rejoicing in God.

Some may object, What is Christ's resurrection to me? Indeed if thou hast no part in Christ, the resurrection of Christ is nothing at all to thee; but if Christ be thine, then art thou risen with him, and in him; then all he did was in thy name, and for thy sake.

Others may object, supposing Christ's resurrection mine, What am I better? How, do not all the privileges of Christ flow from the power and virtue of his resurrection, as well as his death? Tell me what is thy state; What possibly can be the condition of thy soul wherein thou mayest not draw sweet from Christ's resurrection? As,—

1. Is thy conscience in trouble for sin? the apostle tells thee, "The answer of a good conscience towards God, is by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," 1 Pet. 3:21.

2. Art thou afraid of condemnation? The apostle tells thee, "He was delivered for our offences, and he was raised again for our justification," Rom. 4:25.

3. Dost thou question thy regeneration? The apostle tells thee, "He hath begotten us again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," 1 Pet. 1:3.

4. Art thou distressed, persecuted and troubled on every side; the apostle tells thee wherein now consists thy confidence, comfort and courage; to wit, in the life of Christ, in the resurrection of Christ, "We always bear about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus might also be made manifest in our body. For we which live, are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh," 2 Cor. 4:10,11. And thus Beza interprets those following words, "Knowing, that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise us up also by Jesus," verse 14. (i. e.) unto a civil resurrection from our troubles; Paul was imprisoned, and in part martyred; but by the virtue of Christ's resurrection he foresaw his enlargement. And this interpretation Beza grounds on the words following, and fore going, wherein Paul compares his persecutions to a death, and his preservation from them to a life, as he had done before also, Chap. 1. ver. 9,10.

5. Art thou afraid of falling off, or falling away? Why, remember, that the immutable force and perpetuity of the new covenant is secured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, "I will make an everlasting covenant with

you, even the sure mercies of David," Isa. 55:3. this the apostle applies to the resurrection of Christ, as the bottoming of that sure covenant, "And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David," Acts 13:34.

6. Art thou afraid of death, hell, and the power of the grave? Why, now remember that Christ is risen from the dead, and by his resurrection death is swallowed up in victory; so that now thou mayest sing, "O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? Now thanks be to God which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. 15: 55.57. It is the voice of Christ, "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise: awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead," Isa. 26:19. David was so lifted up with this resurrection, that he cries out, "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth, my flesh also shall rest in hope; for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy holy One to see corruption," Ps. 16:9,10. But especially Job was so exceedingly transported with this that he breaks out into these ecstasies, "O that my words were now written. O that they were printed in a book! that they were graven with an iron pen and lead, in the rock for ever! for I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms shall destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me," Job 19:23,24,25,26,27. No man, ever since Christ did speak more clearly of Christ's resurrection and his own, than Job did here before Christ. Observe in it, O my soul! Job's wish, and the matter wished: his wish was, That certain words which had been cordial to him, might remain to memory; and this wish bath three wishes in one. 1. That they might be written. 2. That they might be registered in a book, enrolled upon record as public instruments, judicial proceedings, or whatsoever is most authentical. 3. That they might be engraven in stone, and in the hardest stone, the rock! records might last long, yet time might injure them, and these words he would have last for ever; O that they were graven in the rock for ever! Moses and Job are said to have lived at one time; now Moses writ the law in stone, and considering that these words were gospel, there was no reason the law should be in tables of stone, and the gospel in sheets of paper; no, no; it were fit that this should be as firm and durable as that: "Oh! that my words were written, O that they were printed in a book," &c.

2. The matter wished, or the words he would have written are these, "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall live again." Here is first, his Redeemer, and his rising. 2. His own rising, and his seeing God. O! this was the matter of his joy, his Redeemer must rise again, and he must rise too, and see his Redeemer, it was a point that exceedingly ravished and revived Job, and therefore he iterates the same thing over and over, "I shall see God, and I shall see him for myself, and I shall see him with my eyes, and not for others." As Christ said of Abraham, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad," John 8:56. So it appears of his servant Job, he saw Christ's day, both his first day, and his latter day, and he rejoiced and was glad. Away, away all scrupulous, doubtful, dumpish thoughts!* Consider what joys were of old at the foresight of Christ's resurrection, but espe

Greg. hom. in pas. ea. John 20: 20.