{ t 81. The Certainty, and the Blednt f of Vol.11, after our Saviour's Time, in the 18th Book of his'Yemifn Antiquities, tells us, that Chrifl etas crucified, and that he appeared to his Followers the :third Day, rifn from the Dead. Now thiscannot in Reafon be laid to be done only in Appearance, and to be a meer Illufionof Mens Senfes, as fome ancient Hereticks pretended ; becaufe that which may be an Evalon in any Cafe, is to be admitted in none. For what greater Evidence is poffible of any ones riling from the Dead, than the Circumflances of our Saviour's Refurre&ion? That therewas a great Earthquake, and that the Stone was rolled away from the Grave, and the Grave-Clothes found there, and his Body gone ; and that after this he appeared, and con- vers'd fo often with fo many, to whom he was well known when alive, and entertained longDifcourfes with them, and did eat and drink with them, and permit them to handle his Body, and to put their Fingers into the Wound of his Side ; and all this exa&ly agreeing with his own Predi&ion. So that if we believe the Providence of God, we cannot think it to be fo little vigilant, as that Men`after their utmoft Care, mu(t needfully be deluded in a Matter of fo great Confequence. Norb I fhall Chew, that the Death and Refurre&ion of Chrift is a very good Argument of our Refurre&ion. a Cor. 15. 20. Chrifl is laid to be rifn from the Dead, and become the frfi Fruits of them that feep. Not that he was the firft that was railed from the Dead; for Elijah and Elifha railed fome, and fo did our Saviour himfelf in his Lifetime: But the Apoftle here alludes to thefrfl Fruits among the Yews, which were a Pledge and an Earneft of a future Harveft. In like manner the Refurre&ion of Chrift is call'd the Firfl-fruits of them thatfiept, becaufe it is an Earneft of that general Harveft, which thould be at the End of the World, when the Angels, the Reapers', (hall come to gather the Elea from thefour Winds. But the Refurre&ion of others before Chrift; was no Earneft of this, be- caufe they were railed, but Chrift is laid to rife from the Dead by his ownPower. And in this Senfe he is truly laid by St. Yohn, Rea. t. 5. to be the Firfl-begotten from the Dead. And this fecures our Refurre&ion to eternal Life; becaufe he who bath promifed to raite us up, did rail himfelffrom the Dead. And that Chrift intended to lay great Strefs upon this Argument, appears in that he foretold it fo often, as the great Sign that he would give to the Yews, to convince their Infidelity. John 2. 18, 19. The Yewsfaid unto him, What Sign fsewefl thou unto us ? Yefìas anfinered, Defiroy this Temple, and I will rail it up in Three Days ; f Baking of the Temple of his Body. And, Matth, 12. 39, 4o. he tells the Yews, that he would give them no other Sign, but the Signof the Prophet Jonah, that as he was Three Days and Three Nights in the Whale's Belly, fo fhould the Son of Alan be Three Days in the Bowels of the Earth. Now the Refurre&ion of Chrift from the Dead, and, which was confequent upon it, Ms Afcenfion into Heaven, does firlt give us Satisfa&ion in general of another Life after this, and an Immortality after Death; and then of his Power to raite us from the Dead, becaufe he raifid himfelf; as the Apoftle argues, Rom. 8. I r. If the Spirit of him that rail-id up jefesfrom the Dead dwell inyou, he that railed up Chrifl from the Dead, fiall alfa quickenyour mortal Bodies, by his Spirit which dwelleth inyou. And then, Laftly, it fecures us of his Truth and Fidelity, that he will perform what he bath promifed us. He could not have promifed any Thing more improbable than this, that he himfelfwould rife again the Third Day; and therefore lince he kept his Word in this, there is no Reafon to di- ftruft him in any Thing elfe that he bath promifed. By his own Refurre &ion from the Dead he wrought fuch a Miracle, as is the moft proper to confirm us in the Belief of our Refurre&ion to eternal Life: Rev. I. 18. 1 am he thatliveth, and tras dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen, Amen. What is that ? We have it explain'd, Rev. g. r4. where he Pays of himfelf, I am the Ansen, the Pitiful and true Witnefs. This very Thing that Chrifrwas dead, and livesagain, makes him the Amen, the true and faithful Witnefe. I proceed to the Third and La/l Thing, viz. Wherein the Bleflednels of the Refttrretlionof the Jail (hall confift 5 namely, in there two Things: I. In
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