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SERM. into heaven, to take poffeffion in our name, V. and prepare a place for us; that our King is actually enthroned in the heavenly Jerufa

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lem, from whence he difpenfes forth the benefits of pardon and grace, and will hereafter defcend in vifible Majefty to judge the quick and dead, and reward every man according as his work fhall be. Which aptly leads me to the

IV. FOURTH and laft character under which our bleffed Lord is defcribed in the Text, namely, As he is the Author of life. and immortality to Mankind, and has as he fpeaks) the keys of hell and of death.

In his Divine nature as he is God over all, it has been fhewn already how he has life in himself by a neceffary and immutable existence: from whence as he appears to be the fource and fountain of life to the creatures of his workmanship, so it cannot be otherwise but that he should be able either to take away what he has given, or reftore it after it is loft, being one in fubftance and power with the Father himself, and therefore as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even fo the Son quickeneth whom he will.

Yet not only under this confideration as he is God over all, but likewife as he is the Chrift of God, the promifed Redeemer and Saviour of Mankind; as he has all

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power committed unto him in heaven and in SER M. earth, and is ordained of God to be the judge V. of quick and dead, it is manifeft that the keys of hell and of death must be in his poffeffion, who is able to open fo that no man Shutteth, and but that no man openeth. Whilft refident on earth he declared himfelf to be the refurrection and the life, and as a proof of his ftupendous power he raifed Lazarus and others from the dead, who returned to converfe on earth with their former friends and relations. His own Refurrection was a proof fuperior to all, and as he returned no more into a ftate of death, but afcended with his body into heaven, fo is he promised to come again from heaven in like manner as he was feen to go into heaven; to come, namely to judgment, when all Mankind fhall be fummon'd to his dread tribunal, in order to receive according to their works. Then all that are in the graves fhall bear the voice of the Son of God, and fhall come forth, they that have done good unto the refurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the refurrection of damnation *. The Sea Shall then give up the dead which are in it, and death and hell (or the grave) shall deliver up the dead which are in them †, that all the dead may stand and appear before his *John v. 28, 29. + Rev. xx. 13.

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SERM. judgment-feat, who has the keys of hell and V. of death.

After this raifing of their bodies, the most important exercise of his power will enfue, in the application of these keys, for the conclufion of their final state, by receiving them to life, or configning them to mifery. To those who have render'd him the acceptable obedience of faith, he will pronounce this gracious fentence: Come ye bleed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. But to the ungodly and difobedient he will thunder out this dreadful denunciation, Go ye curfed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels.

The sentence pronounced by him must needs be irreverfible. The keys he uses never err, nor ever fail of effect; be openeth, and no man shutteth, he shutteth, and no man openeth.

All men fhall alike revive at his command, but not all in the same order, nor to the fame end and purpose: But every man in his own order (fays the fcripture) fo that the dead in Chrift shall rife firft. Blef fed and holy is he that hath part in this first refurrection; on fuch the fecond death bath no power, but they fhall be receiv'd into a state of endless felicity. The wicked after that "fhall rife again with their own bodies, and

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"shall give account for their own works."SER M. But their doom or allotment shall be wide

ly different. Such torture and anguish' fhall distress them, that tho' their duration be alike endless, and commensurate with that of the faints in light, yet it is not in fcripture esteem'd as a return to life, but only a fubjection to more miferable and eternal death. From hence the Refurrection is fometimes emphatically mentioned as the peculiar privilege of righteous perfons, because to Them only it is attended with joy and comfort, but to the others with fhame and ignominy. Thus our blefsed Saviour mentions it as the advantage of his faithful members, that they have eternal life, and he will raise them up at the last day. And it is mention'd by St. Paul as the great aim and scope of his endeavours, if

any means he might attain unto the refurrection of the dead. He muft intend a refurrection to happy immortality, whereby as he explains it in another Epiftle, the fame body which had been fown in weaknefs and difhonour, shall be raised in power and glory: Since otherwife we are taught to expect, that a future re-union of foul and body will be univerfally the cafe of all Mankind, and there fhall be a general refurrection of the dead, both of the Just and of the Unjuft:

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SERM.

What terror must arise from this reflecV. tion to them who have ungratefully abused the mercy of the Gofpel, and instead of fecuring an intereft in this our Judge and Saviour, by an unshaken faith in him and a fteady obedience refulting from it, have even proceeded by their wicked works and ftubborn infidelity, to crucify the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame! Then fhall they look on him whom they have pierced, and in vain fhall call for rocks and mountains to hide them from the fiercenefs of his countenance, when the day of his wrath is come to take vengeance on his enemies.

How different will be the cafe of them whofe faith has been fruitful of good works, and whofe care has been exerted thro' this mortal life, to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things? They may lift up their heads with comfort and affurance, when they know that their redemption draweth nigh,the redemption of their bodies from the power of death, to a ftate of life and bleffed immortality.

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Let these reflections be applied fo to invigorate our faith, and difpofe us in fuch manner to regulate our practice, that we may entertain a reasonable hope in the article of death itfelf, and take comfort in this remembrance that our Redeemer liveth, that he ever liveth to make interceffion for us; that the fame who is now our Interceffor

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