SER M. ford. Heb. x. 23-25, Let us hold fast thereI. fore, the Profeffion of our Faith without Wavering (for he is faithful that promised) and let us confider one another to provoke unto Love and to good Works: Not forfaking the aflembling ourselves together as the Manner of fome is; but exhorting one another; and fo much the more, as ye fee the Day approaching.

There are many other Inferences that would flow from the Doctrine of Christ's Refurrection practically improved: But as I have afferted it in this Difcourfe as a naked Fact only. I have therefore in this Conclufion only infifted on it as it is the Foundation and Seal, or Security of our Faith; conformably to which I fhall now conclude with an apt and excellent Collect of our Church.

Almighty and everliving God, who for the more Confirmation of the Faith didft fuffer thy holy Apostle to be doubtful in thy Son's Refurrection; Grant us fo perfectly, and without all doubt, to believe in thy Son Jefus Christ, that our Faith in thy Sight may never be reproved. Hear us, O Lord, through the fame Jefus Chrift, to whom with thee, and the Holy Ghoft, be all Honour and Glory, now and for evermore. Amen.

SERMON

[19]

SERMON II.

Chrift the Firft-Fruits of them that

flept.

I COR. xv. 20.

But now is Chrift rifen from the Dead, and become the First-Fruits of them that flept.

T

For

HE Resurrection of Christ, and of them that are Chrift's at his fecond Coming, are the two Subjects which St Paul treats of in this Chapter. My Text is a Tranfition from one to the other, and therefore bears a Relation to both. the Apostle having proved at large in the Verfes foregoing the Refurrection of Jefus, he here, in the first Place, afferts it as a Conclufion neceffarily flowing from the Premifes produced; and then affumes it as an Argument or Foundation, whereon to build the Resurrection of them that fleep in Jefus, which is the Point he purfues through the whole Remainder

C 2

SER M. Remainder of this Difcourfe. The Subject II. therefore of my Text is the Refurrection of Chrift, but confidered in a double Refpect or View, viz.

t

First, As it is a Certainty, or Matter of Fact, with Regard to himself: But now is Chift rifen from the Dead. And,

Secondly, As it is a Pledge, an Earneft, or Security, with Regard to us: But now is Chrift rifen from the Dead, and become the FirstFruits of them that flept.

The first of these Heads, I prefume has already been fufficiently fpoke to, upon the late (Return of our great and) folemn Christian Jubilee. It will be the Bufinefs therefore of this Difcourfe to pursue the Subject of the,

II. Second Head which my Text points out, and to confider our Saviour's rifing from the Dead as the First-Fruits of them that fleep, or as confecrating, by virtue of his Refurrection, all that do or shall hereafter fleep in him, to rife again, in due Order and Time, to all the Privileges which He, as the First-Fruits, has already received: And to do this in as clear a Method as I am able, I fhall,

First, Premife that Chrift was the First SERM. that ever properly arofe from the Dead: And II. then,

Secondly, I fhall fhew that when he arose, he arose not in a private, but in a publick Capacity; in the Name, and on the Behalf, of all that are his, who accordingly fhall rife hereafter in their Turn, in Virtue and Confequence of his Refurrection,

First, then, I am to premise that Chrift was the First that ever properly rofe from the Dead. And this is neceffary, because unless it can be fhewn that he was the First that truly arofe, it will be difficult to prove how he could ftrictly be the First-Fruits. For the very Name of Firft-Fruits implies that none were raised before him. And yet we know, the Bible mentions feveral that had been dead and lived again, and fome of them many Ages before our Lord's Refurrection. For fo we read in the Hiftory of the Old Teftament, 1 Kings xvii, 22. that the Widow of Sarepta's Son was restored to Life by Elijah. 2 Kings iv. 35. the Son of the Shunamite by Elisha, and Chap. xiii. 21. the Man that was let down by the Moabites to be buried in Elifba's Grave, only by touching the Prophet's Bones.

II.

SERM. In the New Testament again, we have an Account of the Son of the Widow of Nain, Luke vii. 15. of the Daughter of Jairus, the Ruler of the Synagoue, Chap. viii. 41. and of Lazarus the Brother of Martha and Mary, John xi. 43. who were all raised from the dead by our Lord Jefus before his Crucifixion, and confequently before his own Refurrection.

But now there is a wide difference to be made between their Refurrection and the Refurrection of Jesus: For these were only revived for a Time to die again: Whereas (faith the Apostle) Rom. vi. 9. We know that Chrift being raised from the dead, dieth no more, Death bath no more Dominion over him. The reft, it is true, were called back to Life after they had been dead; and so far Chrift was not the first that was dead, and then alive again; But ftill he was the first who, after he was dead, lived again to die no more; the first that arose to an immortal State; the first that revived to Life eternal. Whereas the Life the reft were raised to, was but the fame frail, mortal Life, they lived before: Though they escaped out of the Jaws of Death for a Seafon, it was only a Reprieve, and not a Release They could fly no further than the Chain of Mortality gave them leave, which held them

faft,