tionable Proof, (nay, Demonftration I may call it) the Refurrection of Chrift doth afford us of the Truth of his Religion; which is the Second Inftance of the Power that is in it, to bring Men over to Holiness and Vertue.

III. But, Thirdly, The Power of Chrift's Refurrection for the making us holy and vertuous, will further appear in this Refpect: Namely, as it is in particular the great Support of our future Hopes; the great Pledge and Affurance of our own Refurrection and Immortality.

For if Chrift be rifen, then may we also be certain that we fhall at laft be raised by him. Because Chrift is not rifen for himself only, but as the first Fruits of them that flept, 1 Cor. 15. good Reafon therefore, had St. Paul to argue as he doth in that Place, If Christ be preached that he is risen from the Dead, how fay fome among you, That there is no Refurrection? On the contrary (as he urges) If we believe that Jefus Christ died and rofe again: Even fo them alfo that fleep in fefus, will God bring with him, 1 Theff. 4. 14.

For how can we defire to be better affured, that our Bodies fhall not for ever fleep in the Grave, but shall at laft be re-united to our Souls, and both Soul and Body live eternally in unspeakable Bliss and Happiness; I fay, How can we have greater Affurance of this, than by what was on this Day brought to pass in Our Saviour?

We have hereby a clear Demonstration, that the Resurrection is poffible. For Chrift, who was once dead, is alive again, and lives in unexpreffible Glory, at the Right Hand of God.

And

And at the fame Time that he rose, he raised up other Bodies alfo of Holy Men, to accompany him in his Triumph over Death.

But that is not all; He that raised up himfelf and them, hath given us his folemn Word and Promile, in as exprefs Terms as is poffible, that he will, by the fame Power, raise up us alfo; and exalt us to the fame Glory that he is poffefs'd of. He hath told us, That he is the Refurrection and the Life: And that whofoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting Life: and he will raife him up at the last Day. There cannot be a ftronger Proof of any Thing, than our Saviour's Refarrection is of the Happiness of good Men in another State.

Which being fo.; How powerful a Means must we needs conclude it to be, for the Reforming the Manners of Mankind, and making them truly Holy and Vertuous?

Since we have thereby fuch a Demonftration given us of a glorious Immortality to be expected by us; what is it that can be able to hinder or divert us from a serious Pursuit of those Things that lead to it? What could God do more, by way of Motive and Argument, towards the Profelyting the World to Religion and Righteousness, than he hath done, by thus Afcertaining our future Happiness, by the Refurrection of his Son Jefus?

To be certain, that if we feriously apply ourselves to a Life of Piety here, we shall be crowned with everlasting Felicity hereafter! To be certain, that if we follow the Steps of

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Our

our Bleffed Saviour, we fhall for ever fhine in the fame Glory and Luftre that he now doth at the Right Hand of his Father! To be able pofitively to fay, I know that my Redeemer liveth; and I know, that if I live as he did, I fhall for ever live with him; and tho' it doth not yet appear what I shall be, yet this I know, that when he shall appear, I shall be like him! O what noble Thoughts, what brave Refolutions is this able to infpire us with? What Difficulties fhall we be afraid of? What Labours

fhall we not willingly undertake? What Temptations fhall we not eafily vanquish in the Profpect of fuch an eternal Crown of Glory, as awaits us, and is fecured to us by our Lord Jesus?

O happy we Chriftians! that have fo clear a Revelation of those Things, which God hath prepared for them that love him! thofe Things which Eye hath not feen, nor Ear beard, neither did they enter into the Heart of Man! Bleffed, for ever bleffed be our Lord Jefus Christ, that hath begotten us again to this lively Hope by his Resurrection from the Dead.

O! what mighty Encouragements have we to fet ourselves against our Sins, and to labour after the Perfection of Vertue, in Comparison of what thofe have who are ignorant of our Saviour's Refurrection, and who know nothing of the other World, but by the uncertain Conjectures of their natural Reafon?

If we had no other Affurance of the Immortality of the Soul, and the Rewards and Punishments of another Life, but what is afforded

forded us by the Light of Nature, and the Deductions. of Philofphy; I doubt we could never expect to fee any great Reformation in =pur Manners.

Some of the Philofophers have, indeed, to their immortal Fame, afferted the Truth of thefe Things: But then others of them have as much made it their Business to run them down. And as for those of them that spoke the best concerning the other World, yet, God knows, their Difcourfes upon this Argument (as will appear to any that reads them) are generally very uncertain, and altogether conjectural.

But admitting their Reasons to be strong and conclufive (as I am far from denying, that the Soul's Immortality is demonftrable by the Light of Nature) yet there are generally thefe Two Inconveniencies in the Arguments they make use of for the Proof of this Matter, which render them in a great Measure ineffectual for the reforming Mens Lives.

First, They are generally of fo great Subtilty, fo Nice, fo Metaphyfical, fo much above the reach of ordinary Capacities, that they are useless to the greateft Part of Mankind, who have not Underftandings fitted for them.

And, Secondly, They have this Inconvenience likewife, that a Man doth not fee the Evidence of them, without actual Attention to a long Train of Propofitions; which Attention, it may be, when a Man most stands in need of their Support, he fhall neither have the Leifure nor the Humour to give.

But

But now the Chriftian Method of proving another Life, is quite of another. ftrain, and wholly free from these Inconveniencies. That Demonftration which Chrift hath given us of a glorious Immortality by his Refurrection from the Dead, as it is infinitely certain and conclufive; fo it is plain and easy, short and compendious, powerful and operative. No Man that believes the Matter of Fact, can deny the Cogency of it: Men of the meanest Capacities may apprehend it. Perfons in a crowd of Bufinefs, and in the midft of Temptations, may at tend to it. And it hath this Vertue befides, that it leaves a lafting Impreffion upon the Spirits of those that do believe and confider it.

Thanks therefore to our Lord Jefus Chrift, for this Excellent Inftrument of Piety, that he hath given us by his Refurrection! Everlasting Praises to his Name, that he hath thus brought Life and Immortality to light, by his Gospel! This very Thing alone, was there nothing else to be faid for the Chriftian Revelation, would fufficiently justify both the Gospel itself, and our Lord Jefus the Author of it, to all Mankind; nay, and effectually recommend his Religion, above all others that ever were taught, to all Perfons, in all Nations of the World.

IV. Fourthly and Laftly, There is ftill a further Bleffing coming to us by our Saviour's Refurrection from the Dead; and in which, indeed, is chiefly feen and expreffed, the great Power of it, for the making us Holy and Vertuous: That is to fay, Unto it we do princi pally owe all that fupernatural Grace and Af

fiftance,