fiftance, by which we are enabled to vanquish our Corruptions, and to live up to the Precepts of our Religion.

As Chrift by his Refurrection did oblige us to lead new Lives; as Chrift by his Refurrection did demonftrate the Truth of the ChriIftian Religion, which is wholly in order to our leading new Lives; as by his Resurrection he cleared up to us the Certainty of our future State, and thereby gave us the greatest Motive and Encouragement to lead new Lives: So, in the last Place, by the fame Refurrection, he acquired a Power of conferring Grace, and Strength, and Influence upon us; by the Vertue of which, we are in Fact enabled to lead new Lives.

Though Chrift by his Death reconciled us to God, and procured a Pardon of Sin for us; yet the actual Benefit of this Reconciliation, the actual Application of this Pardon, did depend upon our Performance of certain Conditions: Which Conditions were, that we should mortify all our evil Affections, and frame our Lives fuitable to the Laws of the Gofpel. But now the Grace and Power by which we are inabled to do this, was not the Effect of Chrift's Death, but of his Resurrection.

It was when he afcended up on high, and led Captivity Captive; that is, when he had vanquifhed Death, which had vanquished all the World before: It was then, (as the Scripture. affures us) and not 'till then, that he was in a Capacity of giving Gifts unto Men. It was not 'till he was glorified, as St. John obferves, that the Holy Spirit was given.

Hence

Hence it is, that we every where find the Apoftles attributing the Bufinefs of Man's Fuftification and Salvation, as much, or more to Chrift's Refurrection, than to his Paffion, If Christ be not rifen (faith St. Paul, 1 Cor, xv.) Jour Faith is in vain, ye are yet in your Sins. Indeed, if Chrift had perifhed in the Grave, we had ftill had all the Load of our Sins upon us; because we had no Affurance, that God had accepted the Atonement and Propitiation which he had made for them. And much lefs could we have promised to ourselves, that we should have been affifted by any Divine Power, for the Subduing of them.

Again, the fame St. Paul tells us, Rom. iv. that Christ was delivered for our Sins, and raised again for our Fuftification. Chrift's Death was the Sacrifice, the Satisfaction for our Sins. But it was by the Means of his Refurrection, that that Sacrifice and Satisfaction is applied to us, and we, for the Merits of it, become Justified before God.

Laftly, To name no more Texts, Who (faith the fame Apostle, Rom. viii.) ball lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect? It is God that juftifieth; Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is rifen again; who is even at the Right Hand of God, who also maketh Interceffion for us.

Here then is the great Power of our Saviour's Refurrection to make us Good. Chrift being rifen from the Dead, hath all Power given him both in Heaven and in Earth. God, as St. Paul expresseth it, hath put all Things under his Feet,

and

and hath given him to be Head over all Things to the Church, Eph. i. 22. Now in the Fulness of that Power that he is invefted with; as he doth on one Hand, with never-failing Efficacy, make continual Interceffion for his Church, and every Member of it; fo he doth on the other Hand, out of the Fulness of that. Power, derive and communicate fo muchStrength, and Grace, and Affiftance of the Divine Spirit to all Chriftians, that if they make a good Use of it, they shall not fail to perform all those Conditions of Faith, and Repentance, and a Holy Life, that are required of them, in order to their being made actual Partakers of all those unfpeakable Benefits, which he purchased for Mankind by his Death and Sufferings.

Chrift by his Resurrection is become both our High-Priest and our King; both our Advocate and our Lord. By that Power which he then obtained as our Priest and Advocate, he doth with Authority recommend us and all our Concernments to his Father. As our King and Lord, he Rules and Governs; he takes Care of us; he Provides for us; he repreffes the Infults of his and our Enemies, and defeats all their Attempts against us; And, Laftly, he fupplies us from Time to Time, with fuch a Measure of Grace, and Strength, and Influence of his Divine Spirit, as he fees is needful or proper for our Condition.

If all this now that I have faid, be the Effect of our Saviour's Resurrection, as it certainly is; must we not needs own, that there is a mighty Power in it for the making us

Good?

Good? What can any Man among us, that profeffeth to believe that Jefus was raised from the Dead, fay for himself, if he leads a wicked Life? What Apology can he make for the continuance in his Sins? Will he fay, that the Temptations to Sin are too ftrong for him; that he wants Grace, and Strength to overcome his evil Habits; and that through the Corruption of his Nature, he muft of Neceffity remain a Slave all his Days to his Paffions and Appetites, whether we will, or no? Why, in faying this, he forgets that Chrift is rifen from the Dead: For if he did remember that, he would remember alfo, that there is a Vertue and Power, above that of corrupt Nature, which he, as a Chriftian, may easily come by, if he feriously feek after it Namely, the Grace and Strength of the Holy Spirit of God, which I have been speaking of, which Chrift upon his Refurrection obtained the Disposal of; and which he never fails to fend down upon every Soul that heartily prays for it; and whenever he gives it, he gives it in fuch Measures, that a Man muft certainly, by the Influence thereof, overcome all his evil and corrupt Affecti ons; or if he do not, it fhall be intirely his own Fault.

:

Oh, what a mighty Comfort and Encouragement ought this to be, to all thofe that heartily defire and endeavour to be Good! All fuch may with Boldness approach to the Throne of Grace, and confidently open their Wants, not doubting of fuch Relief, as is moft convenient for them.. Our Saviour is rifen,

and

and fits at the Right Hand of God. He that loved us fo dearly as to die for us, is now entred into his Kingdom, and is able to grant us whatsoever we ask.

Do we find ourselves burdened with our Sins? Do we want Strength to resist Temptations, and to mafter our ftrong Corruptions? Our Saviour is rifen, and now ever liveth to make Interceffion for us. Let us fly to him for Succour, let us beg a portion of that Grace and Holy Spirit he hath purchased for us.

We

may reft fatisfied he will hear our Prayers, and derive fuch Vigor and Influence upon our Souls, that we shall, in due Time, by the Means thereof, vanquish and triumph over every Thing that oppofeth us.

We cannot in any wife doubt of his Power; for God by raifing him from the Dead, hath made him both King and Prieft, hath exalted him to the higheft Authority and Dignity both in Heaven and Earth. We cannot doubt of his good Will; for he that underwent fo many Difficulties and Agonies for us in the Days of his Flesh, cannot forget those whom he hath ranfomed with fo great a Price, nor fuffer that Power which God hath given him, to lie by him un-imployed.

To conclude, Let us not faint; let not our Hearts be troubled; let us not defpair of any Thing. Our Saviour is rifen. Our High-Priest is entred within the Vail, hath taken Poffeffion of the highest Heaven, where he continually makes Interceffion for us. Such a HighPrieft as is Kind, and Compaffionate, and Tender