Laws, that in depofing Matters of Fact, Witneffes give the Security of their Honour, or their Oaths, or fome great Pledge to be forfeited by them in cafe they abuse and impose upon the Faith of Men. Now never did any Men give greater Security of their Truth than thefe Witneffes of the Refurrection did. They took it upon their Deaths; it was their dying Teftimony; they Sealed it with their last Blood. For Ecclefiaftical Hiftory informs us, that all the Apoftles were carried out of the World in the Fiery Chariots of Perfecution, fave one; and he (as 'tis faid) efcaped by a Miracle; True indeed it is, that fome have fuffered for. profeffing Opinions that were falfe; but then they believed them to be true; but fure never any died in the Defence of an Opinion which he knew to be false; fo that these Things considered, I think I may fhut up this Particular and withal conclude, that from the Foundation of the World to this very Day, there never was any Matter of Fact more credibly and fufficiently attefted than this of the Refurrection of our Saviour; and by confequence that the Apostles were true Witneffes. Our Faith therefore, in this Article is firm, and built upon a Rock; Jefus Chrift was that true Meffias, which was to die for the Sins of the World, and to rife again for their Juftification; he now fits at the Right Hand of his Father, to hear our Prayers, and to make Interceffion for us. And at the End of the World to all thofe that wait for him in Faith and Patience, he

K

Mark 16.

20

he will appear a fecond Time to Salvation. And fo I pafs on to the Second Thing under this Head, viz.

2. That the Apostles back'd their Evidence with all poffible Means of Conviction, that they were not Falfe-witneffes and Deceivers, and that was the Power of Miracles. For in Confirmation that what they faid was true, they verified it to the Reafon, to the Senfe and Experience of the World, by the mighty Virtue of his Name. Thus we read of the Apoftles, in their Travels for the Propagation of the Faith. They went forth and preached the Word every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the VVord with Signs following. And again, with great Power the Apostles gave Acts 4.33.Witness of the Refurrection of the Lord fefus. And alfo at Iconium, the Lord gave Teftimony to the Word of his Grace, and granted Signs and Wonders to be done by their Hands, All which Things, being Recorded in an Age, wherein, had they been the Arts of Magick, or the Slights of Hand, they might easily have been difprov'd; it had been the wildeft Project in the World, to have pretended to them, had they not been notorioufly, and beyond Exception, true. So that by the Miraculous Works, which the Apoftles did by the Power of Chrift, they convinced the Reafon, courted the Senfes, and in effect, thus bespoke the Attention of Men.

"Look

"Look here, you unbelieving World you fay Chrift Jefus is dead in the Grave 5f we are his Witheffes, that he is alive, and rifen. How is it that you will not receive our Teftimony and be convinced? Behold, and fee the vital Operations, he puts forth by us, his poor and defpifed Difciples. We "profefs our felves to be Men of like Infir"mities and Paffions with you; but no fooner do we invoke the Name of our "Great Mafter, and implore his Aid, but "we are presently enabled to perform "Things beyond the Laws and Courfe of "Second Caufes; Try if you will, the Ex❝periment; bring to us a Clinick, or a Lu"natick, or a Demoniack, and we will in

ftantly restore him Sound, and in Health, "without any other Conjuration, and Charm, $5 than that of his Powerful Name; we raife "the Dead; we lay Chains and Fetters up

on the Devil; we reftore Eyes to the Blind: "Speech to the Dumb, and we make the "Lame to Walk; And is not this as plain a "Demonstration of his being alive, as if he "was now ftanding in the Midft of you: "If he was Dead (as you imagine) he could "not act in us as you fee him do; and there"fore if you will not credit our Teftimoif ye will not believe our Word; be"lieve us for the very Work's-fake, for they "plainly teftify to your Eyes, that he is not "dead but rifen. Thus the Apostles back'd their Evidence with all poffible Means of ConK 2

" ny,

viction

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viction. And thus I have done with the Third Head of Difcourfe, viz. thar the Teftimonies they gave of the Refurrection were plain and full, and abundantly quitted them from the Charge of Impofture and Deceit; we have teftifyed of God, that he hath raifed up Chrift. Come we now in the Fourth and Laft Place.

IV. To fee what may be the particular Force and Application of this Doctrine, to make Men live Holy and Religious Lives. And,

1. It is the greatest Engagement to this, inafmuch, as it gives us the Affurance of living again in another World. The great Motive to a good Life amongst the Heathens, was no more than the naked Satisfaction of Virtue; that they thereby approved themselves to the Laws of Reason, and Natural Confcience, which brought some confiderable Delight, and Support to their Minds. This, I grant, is a rational Motive, but it is a weak and infufficient Principle of Piety. For though I will not deny, but that there may be produced, fome brave and commendable Inftances of Morality, of Fortitude and Patience in the Heathen World; Men who have been Just to their Disadvantage; Temperate and Chaft àgainst the Inclinations of Nature; Warlike and Valiant without any Hope of future Reward; yet these are very few and where they are

found,

found, it proceeded either from an extraordinary Courage, and Generofity of Mind, or from the tickling Pleasure of Fame and Glory. But Almighty God, wifely confidering the Temper, and Affections of Human Nature, has, in the Refurrection of our Saviour, encouraged-Men to be Religious by Arguments much more powerful and weighty, viz. by an everlasting Reward at the End of this Life. For though 'tis true, that there is no Satisfaction in this World comparable to that Ease, that Chearfulness, and Serenity of Mind, which you find refulting from Virtuous Actions; yet alas! These are nothing to the Satisfactions and Delights of Heaven; they are all Mixt and Imperfect, Troubled and Muddy; they have various Paroxifms, and conftant Changes; afflicting Providences many times intervene; Diftrefs of Fortune, Lofs of Friends, Melancholy of Body, Anxiety of Thought; or which happens moft, the Sting of Guilt, disturb these good Reflections; fo that few Men rightly know; and fewer live under the constant Confolations of a good Confcience. But in Heathe Place where we are to live for ever, we shall always perceive the Communications of the Divine Love, we fhall always enjoy the ravifhing Feaft, the inexhauftible Comforts of our Godly Living.

ven,

2dly, From this Doctrine of the Refurrecti on, we may learn, duly to value, the Price of Chrift's Death for us, and to put a juft Estimate upon the Work of our Redemption;