DISCOURSE II. ` Igg wonders confirmed his belief that Jesus, who was dead, is now alive. A general Remark on this head.It greatly confirms our holy religion, whenwe hear of these blessed effects of the resur- rection of Christ in other persons; but our own personal hope must be established by feeling these effects in ourselves. En- quire into your own state tinder these four particulars last-men- tioned, Search into your own souls, what have every one of you felt of these blessed and divine effects ; and let not this discourse only confirm your faith, but let it awaken and raise your hearts to a share of holy and perpetual joy. Some general meditations, drawn from the text and dis- course. -1. However it hath been, and however it is, a shameful matter of doubt and enquiry among infidels in a christian land,its our world, whether Jesus, who was put to death, be alive or no, yet it is no matter of doubt or enquiry in the world above, or the world beneath, in heavenor in bell. There his dominion and power are well known : Nor will it be any matter of doubt here- after in oúr world, when he that was dead shall come ha his Fa- ther's name, vested with power, and enthroned in glory, to judge the unbelieving nations, and all the sons of infidelity. He was once unknown in this world, living and dying, but will not be so for ever ; '1 John iii. 1. The great enquiry betweenPaul and his adversaries was about this strange person; it was of one Jesus, who was spoken of as an unknown man. And he was so for a time, but it will not be so for ever. The world once knew him not; John i. 10. but he shall be most remarkably and illustri- ously manifestedone day. 2. How little mention soever was madeof the death and re- surrection of Christ, and especially of the doctrines derived thence, in his own preaching in public while he lived ; yet these are evidently and continually insisted upon in the preachings of his apostles, as things of the greatest moment in christianity. Let not these things therefore be strange or unheard of in our ministration of this gospel, since it is built upon them. It was not proper that Christ should too freely publish these things to the world, when they hadnot been actually transacted amongmen :.nor was it so fit that he should speak so particularly of the consequences and effects of them, when they were not actual facts ; yet hegave sufficient notice to theworld, and much more to his disciples by way of prophecy, that theymight expect them. And as he did not talk of these events freely and pub- licly, so he could not so properly talk of the consequent blessings of them. This was left to be done by his apostles, after those events were come to pass. I have yet many things to say unto you, (says our blessedLord) but zee cannot bear them now; John xvi. 12.
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