4 2 jefus the Son of God, Vol. I. put toDeath for calling himfelf the Son of God, is a dernonftration that he really was the Son of God; and if he was the Son of God, the Doctrinewhich he taught was true, and from God. And thus I have (hewn you, how the RefnrreElionof Chrift from the dead, is apowerful Demonflration that he was the Son of God. All that remains, is briefly to draw fome practical Inferences from the Confide- rationof our Saviour's Refurre&ion. Ili. To confirm and eftabli(hourMinds in theBelief of the Chriftian Religion, of which the Refurrection of Chrift from the Dead is fo great a Confirmation. And therefore I told you that this one Article is mention'd by St. Paul as the Sum and Abridgment of the Chriftian Faith; If thou [halt confefs with thy mouth the Lord7efns Chrift, and believe in thy heart that God hath railed him from the Dead thou /halt be Saved. The belief of our Saviour's RefurreCtion doth by neceffary confequence infer the belief of his whole Doârine for he who believes that God railed him from the Dead, after he was put to Death for calling himfelf the Son of God, cannot but believe him to be the Son of God; and confequently that the Doctrinewhich he delivered was fromGod. ad/y, The Refurrection of Chrift from the Dead affures us of a future Judg- ment, and of the Recompences and Rewards of another World. That Chrift was railed from the Dead, is a Demonftration Of another Life after this; and no Man that believes the Immortality of our Souls, and another Life after this, ever doubted of a future judgment; fo that by the Refurreftion of Chrift from the Dead, God hathgiven affurance unto all Men of a future Judgment, and con- fequently of the Recompences and Rewards of another World. The Confideration whereof ought to have a mighty influence upon us, more efpecially to thefe three purpofes. ift. To raife our Minds above the prefent Enjoyments of this Life. Were but Men convinced of this great and obvious Truth, that there is an infinite diffe- rence between Time and Eternity, between a few Days and everlafting Ages; would we but fometimes reprefent to our felves, what thoughts and apprehenfions dying Men have of this World, how vain and empty a thing it appears to them ; how like a Pageant and Shadow it looks, as it paffeth away from them; methinks none of thefe things could be a fufficient Temptation to any Man to forget God and his Soul; but notwithftanding all the prefent delights, and allurements of Senfe, we fhould be ftrongly intent upon the Concernments of another World, and almoft wholly taken up with the thoughts of the vafk Eternity which we are ready to enter into. For what is there in this World, this vaft and howlingWil- dernefs, this rude and barbarous Countrey which we are but to pals through, which fhould detain and entangle our Affe&ions, and take off our Thoughts from our Everlafting Habitation, from that better, and that heavenly Country, where we hope to live and to behappy for ever ? idly. The Confideration of the Rewards of another World fhould comfort and fupport us under the troubles and affliftions of this World. The hopes of a bleffed Refurreftion are a very proper Confideration to bear us up under the evils and preffures of this Life. If we hope for fo great a Happinefs hereafter, wemay be contented tobear fome Afflictions in this World ; becaufe the Bleffed- nefs which we expel will fo abundantly recompence and outweigh our prefent Sufferings. So the Apoftle affures us, Rom. 8. 18. We know that the fufferings of this prefent time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that fhallbe revealed in W. The confideration whereof was that which made the Primitive Chriftians to triumph in their Sufferings, and in the midft of all their Tribulations to rejoice in the hopes of the Glory of God; becaufe their Sufferings did really prepareand make way for their Glory. So the fame Apoftle tells us, 2 Cor. 4. 57, 18. Our light Affliliions which are but for a moment, work for Its a far more exceeding and Eter- nal weight of Glory ; whil(l we look not at the things which are feen ; for the things which are feen are Temporal, but the things which are not feen are Eternal. idly,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=