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Advancement, and a strong Incitement SERM. to prepare and qualify our felves for

VI.

it.

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OUR Lord having taken Poffeffion of the Heavenly Inheritance for us, as our Reprefentative; our Title to thofe Blef fed Manfions is as fure to us, as if we our felves were in actual Poffeffion of them. Thofe everlafting Doors which lifted up their Heads that the King of Glory might come in, will certainly ftand open to his Retinue, even to all true Believers; who may be well af fured not only that they fhall be admit ted, but alfo that the Time of their Admiffion draws nigh; that Chrift will Speedily accomplish the Number of his Elect, and haften their perfect Confum mation in Blifs both in Body and Soul. For if the first Fruits be already ripen'd and confecrated to God, we may fafely conclude that the Seafon of full Harveft is approaching; if the Head be already. glorified, all the Members alfo fhall e're fong rejoyce and triumph; if the Fore

runner

runner be already enter'd, we, for whom he prepared the Way, fhall in due Time follow after him.

WHEREFORE We ought to get ourselves in a Readiness, and to quicken our Preparations for another State; mortifying our Members which are upon the Earth, and feeking the Things that are Above, where Chrift fitteth at the right Hand of God; laying afide every Weight, and frequently afcending thither in Heart and Mind, that hereafter we may continually dwell there, and joyn with the Heavenly Hoft in everlafting Songs of Praise and Thanksgiving to the Lamb that was flain, and is judged Worthy to receive Power and Riches, and Wisdom and Strength, and Honour and Glory and Bleffing..

To Him therefore, with the Father and the Holy Ghoft, Three Perfons and One God, all these be afcribed both now and for evermore.

SERM,

VI.

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Being the Subftance of TWO
SERMONS on that Subject.

CTCOR. xv. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.

Then cometh the End, when he shall have deliver'd up the Kingdom to God, evens the Father; when he shall have put down all Rule, and all Authority and Power. For he must reign, till be hath put all Enemies under bis Feet: The laft Enemy that shall be deftroyed, is Death. For he hath put all Things under his Feet. But when he faith all Things are put under Him, it is manifeft that He is excepted which did put

all

all Things under Him. And when all Things fhall be fubdued unto Him, then fhall the Son alfo himself be fubject unto Him that put all Things under Him, that God may be all in all

T

HE Intention of the Apoftler in

thefe Words is to prove the Cer. SERM. tainty of a future Refurrection. And VII,VIII this he does by citing a Paffage from the cxth Pfalm, in which God engages to fupport the Kingdom of the Meffiah, until all his Enemies fhall be put under his Feet; of which Enemies one is Death. From thefe Premifes naturally follows this Conclufion, That Death, tho' the laft Enemy that fhall be deftroy'd, shall however be deftroy'd at laft, and its Captives fhall be fet free, and tranflated into a State of Incorruption and Immortality.

THIS is evidently the main Defign of the Apostle in thefe. Words, But it is evident too, that he had in this Place fome other Defign in View, and that he

inten

SERM.

vii,viii

intended by the Way to inftruct the Corinthians in fome other Point of Doctrine befides that of the Refurrection. What that Doctrine is, feems no eafy matter to determine; nor have Commen tators as yet given fo fatisfactory an Account of it, but that it may ftill be juftly efteem'd one of thofe Things in St. Paul's Epiftles which are hard to be underftood...

Ir fhall be my Business in the following Difcourfe: Firft, To lay before you feveral Interpretations of thefe Words, which are liable to fuch Objections as feem not capable of a clear and juft An fwer. And,

Secondly, To propofe that which I think to be the true Meaning of the Place; and to ftate, as clearly and dif tinctly as I am able, the Doctrine here taught by the Apostle. From which I fhall in the

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Third and laft Place, deduce fome ufeful Inferences and conclude.

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