¢8o Jefusi the Son of Goda Vol. I. ternal Life; as the Apoftle plainly tells us, in that remarkable Text; Rom. If the Spirit of him that raifed up Jefus from the dead dwell in you, he that raifed up Chrifl from the dead, [hall alfoquicken your mortal Bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth to you. 1 have been the longer upon'this, becaufe it ferves fully to explain to us thofe obi-cure Phrafes, of the Seal and Earned, and fir.ft Fruits ofthe Spirit, which many have miftaken to import fome particular and fpiritual Revelation or Im- preflion upon the Minds of goodMen, affuring them of theirSalvation. Where- as the Apoftle intended no more by them, but that the Spirit of God which dwells in Believers, enabling them to mortie the deeds of the Flefh, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, is a Pledge and Earneft to us, of a bleffed Refur- re&ion to eternal Life by the Power of the Spirit of God which now dwells in us, and is the fame Spirit which raifed up Jefus from the dead. And in this Chapter, the Spiritof God is Paid, v. 16. To bear witnefs to our Spirits, that is, to affure our Minds, that roe are the Children of God ; that is, that we are his Chil- dren now, and confequently Heirs of a glorious Refurre&ion to Eternal Life: For fo it follows in the next Words, and if Children, then Heirs, Fleirs of God, and joint Heirs withChr Jl if fo be that we After with him, that we may alfo be glo- rified together., And this being glorified together with Chrift at the Refurre tiòn, he calls, v. 19. the manife.fiation of the Sons of God. Thus you fee how in Con- formity to the Son of God, our elder Brother, we are Paid to be the Sons of God, becaufe we are now regenerated, and (hall at the laft day be raifed up to Eternal Life, by the Power of the Spirit of God. I proceed to the Second Thing I propounded to fpeak to, for the clearing of thefe words, namely, in what Senfe Chrift is faid to be declared, or Demonfirated to be the Son of God by his Refitrretlion from thedead. By which the Apoftle means thefe two things. I. That by his Refurref ion from the dead he was approved byGod to be the true Meffias, and vindicated to the World from all Sufpicionof being a Deceiver and Impoftor. And confequently in the 2. Place, That hereby God gaveTeftimony to the Truth and Divinityof his Doltrine. a. By his Refurreftion from the dead, he was approved by God to be the True Meffias, foretold by the Prophets, andexpe&ed at that time by the Jews, and fuf- ficiently vindicated to the World to be no Deceiver and Impoftor. And for our fuller Underftanding of this, we are to confider thefe two Things. (a.) What the Apprehenfions and Expeûations of the Jews were concerning the Meffias. And (2.) What the many Crimes were which they laid to our Saviour's charge, and for which they condemned him. (a.) What the Apprehenfions and Expeftationsof the Jews were concerning theMeffias. And it is very plain from the Evangelical Hifiory, that they ge- nerally apprehended thefe two things of him : That the Meffias was to be the Son of God, and the King of Ifrael ; and therefore that our Saviour, by affirm, ing himfelf to be the Meflias, did call himfelf the Son of God, and the King of Ifrael; John; r. 41. Andrew tells his Brother Simon, We have found the Mef- fias. V. 45. Philip tells Nathaniel, we have found hint, of whom. Mofes in. the Law, and the Prophets did write; that is, the Meffias. v. 49. Nathaniel upon Dif- courfe with our Saviour, being convinced that he was the Meffias, owns him in thefe Terms; Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Ifra- el. John 6. 69. Peter declares his Belief that he was the Chrift, or the Meffias, in thefe Words, We believe and are fare that thou art the Son' of the living God. This appears likewife from theHigh-Prieft's Queftion to him, Mattb. 26. 63. Art thou the Chrifl (that is, the Meffias) the Son of the living God; or as it is in St. Mark, the Son of the Blfed; compared with Pilate's Queftion, Art thou the King of the Jews? . And when he was upon the Crofs, fome reviled him under the Notion of the Son of God, of Matth. 27. 40. - If thou be the Son
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