even when it was done, could fcarce believe. So wild and improbable a Story, ought to be fupported, as the High Priests in their Wisdom thought, by fufficient Witneffes, to make it pafs current: and indeed they hir'd Such,as were exactly fuited to the Tale they were to fwear to; for the Soldiers convincing Proof of the Matter of Fact was, that at that time the Deponents were indeed afleep. If any thing more material, or that carry'd any manner of Likelihood or Appearance of Reafon, could have been objected against our Saviour's Refurrection, the High Priefs wanted not Malice to have urg'd and improv'd it; nor would the Holy Treasury have been backward to Disburse, nor the Soldiers to Receive, the Price of a more Plaufible and Coherent Perjury. But out of their own Mouths, are the Enemies of the Resurrection condemn'd; while the groffness of their Diabolical Lyes, adds further Luftre to Divine Truth; and had we lefs Affurance of it than we have, from the most undoubted and facred Relations, yet the Weakness of whatever has, or can be, invented against it, were fufficient to make us conclude, That the Lord is Rifen indeed.

I will only take notice, on this Head, of one Thing further, for which the Word Ts, indeed, here in the Text, gives a fair Occafion which is, That our Lord, as he

fuffer'd

fuffer'd in a true and proper Body; fo with the fame true Body, that was Nailed to the Cross, he again rofe from the Dead. For, tho' after that laft Enemy, which was to be Defroy'd, which was Death, had been by our Saviour overcome, and he now being Rifen once, to Dye no more, his Body receiv'd an infinitely greater Perfection of Brightness and Glory, than ever before hisDeath; much more, than even at the Transfiguration on the Mount, where his Face did shine as the Sun, and his Garment was as white as Light. Tho' it was fo pure and refin'd, as to appear or vanish out of their Sight, whenever the Lord pleased; and even when the Doors were fhut, came in and ftood in the Midst of them; in fhort, tho' it was a Glorify'd Body, it was nevertheless a True Body, and that very Body, which hang'd on the Tree; as the Wounds of the Nails and the Spear, which he offer'd to be handled and felt, manifeftly did convince. Quomodo enim non Corpus, faith St. faith St. Ambrofe, in quo manebant Infignia Vulnerum &Veftigia Cicatricum,que Dominus palpanda obtulit? How could that be other than a Body, in which were still remaining, the Marks of the Wounds, and the Prints of the Nails, which the Lord offer'd to be felt, and handled by his Difciple? Which, as that Father in the fame place piously obferves, fhould be of Force, not

only

only to confirm our Faith, but withall to ftir up and exalt our Devotion; by confidering, that even in That glorify'd Body with which he defign'd foon after to afcend to Heaven, he would wear the Marks of our Deliverance, and choose to carry up, as a well-pleafing Sight to his Father, imprinted on Himself, the Price of Mankind's Redemption. Now the right Understanding that this Body, wherein our Saviour rofe was Real, and no Fantom, or Shadow, or affum'd Shape, as fome Hereticks have vainly imagin'd, is of further Ufe, for our Inftruction how we should believe that Article in our Creed, which concerns the Refurrection of our own Bodies. For, as fure as Chrift's was, fo fure fhall our Bodies be, rais'd also ; and if we are further Inquifitive, as the Corinthians were, How are the Dead rais'd, and with what Body do they Come? if this Inquifitivenefs proceeds from any Difbelief of the Subftance of this Article of our Faith, as it is plain theirs did, (for there were among them, that faid, the Dead Rife not again) we deserve that quick and fevere Return, which St. Paul makes to such an Enquirer, Thou Fool; and receive InftruЄtion from Him in that admirable Chapter, the 15th of the first Epistle to the Corinthians; where from Natural and Obvious Examples, he abundantly proves and illu

ftrates

ftrates our Refurrection.

But if we are, as

we ought to be, fully affur'd and confirm'd in the main Truth of this Article, and are curious only to pry a little farther, and know the Manner and Form in which this must be; the only fafe Way in this Speculation, is always to have regard to what we have learn'd, concerning our Saviour's Refurrection, and with what Manner of Body he arose. For his Rifing from the Dead, as it is the Earneft, fo it is the Example also, of what Ours must be. And therefore, we fhould reft fatisfy'd with what the Apostle tells us in the 3d Chap. of the Philippians and the last verfe, He ball change our vile Body, that it may be like his glorious Body, according to the Working whereby he is able to Subdue all things to Himfelf.

I come,Secondly, to fhew the Benefits that accrue to us by the Resurrection of Chrift. But what is it that I undertake? what thought can conceive the Excellence, or comprehend the Value? what Tongue can exprefs the Nature, or reckon up the Number of the Bleffings, that flow from this our multiply'd Salvation? This is the Groundwork of our whole Faith, the Affurance of all our Hopes, the Perfection and entire Confummation of the Redemption of Mankind. By his Crofs and Paffion, his Death and

and Burial,and Defcent into Hell, was fhewn the Love of the Son of Man; but by overcoming all these, and rifing again, was demonstrated the Power of the Son of God. He could have defcended from the Cross, when the infulting Jews challeng'd him to fhew, that Proof of his Divinity. But, it was a far greater thing, to Deftroy Death for ever, by Rifing up from the Grave, than to Save his Life once, by coming down from the Crofs. Tho' on the Crofs our Salvation might have been compleated, for That was the High Altar, on which was offer'd that Spotless and Compleat Sacrifice, which was of Virtue enough, to attone for all Sin, and Reconcile Mankind to God; On That a Price was paid of Value enough, to fatisfy the extreameft Rigour of Divine Juftice; On That was fhed that Blood, each Drop of which, was of Merit enough,to be a fufficient Ransom for the whole World; nay, for more Worlds, if there were more, than are Sinners in this: Yet, where could our Faith have found affurance of this Satisfaction, or apply'd it to ourselves? where could our Hopes have had any hold or fupport, if Chrift had still remain'd in the Grave? 'Tis not therefore faid by His Death, but By the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift from the Dead, we are begotten again to a lively Hope, 1 Pet. 1.3. This Resurrection of our Saviour it was,

Thar