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and Dominions, thro' which he made his Victorious Progrefs, as exactly as if we had taken an actual Survey and Map of them yet we may with Affurance enough take up a Triumphal Song and Hymn of Praise, to receive and welcome him in his miraculous Return from thofe difmal Regions of Darkness; being by Divine Authority certify'd, that He there by Death had overcome Him that had the Power of Death, that is, the Devil. And what should more enflame us with the most ardent Expreffion of Love and Gratitude, than to contemplate_further, that this cruel Conflict, this difficult Exploit, and laborious Warfare, confummated in Entire and Everlafting Victory was undertaken not for Himself, who was Immortal, God blessed for Ever, but for Us wretched Men that were Dead? Every way Dead, Dead in our Sins, and for them defervedly given Up for ever to the second Death, to the Power of Hell and tormenting Spirits, had not the Seed of the Woman thus crush'd the Serpent's Head, and no longer left any Sting to Death,or Victory to the Grave. How cautious then fhould we be of offending against fuch unexampled Goodness, how fearful of committing any thing that may make us unworthy of this great Salvation, fo dearly purchas'd for us, how apprehensive of the dreadful Confe I 2 quences

quences and deftructive Nature of Sin, how full of Devout Hatred and ftedfaft Refolution against that, which as it involv'd all Mankind in that deplorable State, from which no Power lefs than that of the Son of God could have refcu'd them, so if again Entertain'd and Cherifh'd, can ftill, as to our part, defeat all the Advantages of Chrift's Glorious Victory, and plunge us yet deeper than we were; whence there are neither Hopes nor Poffibility of a new Redemption! How fhould the Confideration of what Wonders have been wrought for Us, engage us with all our Powers and Facul ties both of Body and Soul, to endeavour to live up to the most Holy Rules of our Lord, knowing that tho' he is Rifen and Afcended, it is but in Order to come again in Glory to Judge that World whofe Refurrection he atchiev'd? For what will all these noble Contemplations of the greatnefs of thefe his Victories for us, fignify? what Confola tion will it be to know, that when we put off this troublefom Flefh, we fhall not fleep Eternally, but rife and behold the Glory of our Lord coming with Thousands of Angels in the Clouds? nay rather, what Confufion, what Terror, what infupportable Dread muft it create, if reflecting upon our felves, we find that we are fo ill prepar'd for the Lord's fecond Coming, that it had

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been happy, nay, much happier for us, that the First had never been? What Satisfaction or Comfort is it likely to afford to an imprison'd Malefactor, or notorious Criminal, to entertain him with Difcourfes of the mighty Pomp and glorious Solemnity in which he that is to give Sentence upon him shall appear? what Support or Relief can be expected from fuch a Ones Contem plating on the great State of his Trial, and the Majefty of his Condemnation? Certainly they who live like Sadducees, tho' they call themselves Chriftians, altho' Chrift is risen, nay, because he is rifen, are of all Men moft miferable. To them, and to Them only, is the Resurrection of Christ a matter of Joy and Unspeakable Confolation, over whofe whole Lives and Conversations, over all whofe Thoughts and Words and Actions this Belief has fo Powerful an Influence, as to keep 'em in a conftant and reverential Awe of the great Majefty of their Judge, as well as in a perpetual Course of Gratitude and Praife and Love to their Redeemer.

To whom with the Father and Holy Spirit be all Honour and Glory and Praife both now and for evermore.

Amen.

13 SERMON VI.

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SERMON VI.

ROM. VI. 21.

What Fruit had ye then in thofe Things, whereof ye are now afbam'd? For the End of thofe Things is Death.

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S our First Parents were they from whom all Mankind was propagated, and as thro' the whole vast

Family of the World, there are vifible Marks of our Relation one to another, and a common Likeness wherein we all agree; So their Sin was the Parent of all the Sins that have, or are, or fhall be Committed to the End of the World; and This unhappy Offspring too, tho' so infinite in Number and Variety, do

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all

agree

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