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"power, by the resurrection from the dead." But there are two things proved by it more particularly.

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1. That his sufferings are accepted by our heavenly Father, as a full atonement for the sins of man. For since God hath loosed the bands of the grave, with which he was holden on our account, it is manifest, that he hath completed the satisfaction owing from us; that he hath" through "death destroyed him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil; and delivered those, who, through fear of it, were all their lifetime "subject to bondage. If, then, we do, by faith and repentance, qualify ourselves to receive the pardon that he is authorized to give, we may boldly say, with the Apostle, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God "that justifieth: who is he that condemneth? It "is Christ that died: yea, rather, that is risen again, who is ever at the right hand of God, who "maketh intercession for us.' ท2

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2. From our Saviour's resurrection, appears the certainty of our own. The promise which he made was, that " every one who believed in him, should "have everlasting life, and he would raise him up "at the last day;"3 and to show the truth of it, he raised up himself from the death which he had suffered for the sins of men. This is a proof, clear and strong beyond all exception or cavil. Since Christ is risen, our resurrection is possible: and since Christ hath promised, it is certain. If, then, "we believe that Jesus died, and rose again," we must believe, too, as St. Paul justly argues, that "them, also, which sleep in Jesus, will God bring "with him. For the Lord himself shall descend "from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the

(9) Rom. i. 4.

(2) Rom. viii. 33, 34.

(1) Heb. ii. 14, 15.
(3) John vi. 40.

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"archangel, and with the trump of God, and the "dead in Christ shall rise first: and they, which "are alive and remain, shall be caught up toge"ther with them in the clouds, and so shall we be ever with the Lord."4 "Blessed (therefore) be "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, "who, according to his abundant mercy, hath be"gotten us again to a lively hope, by the resur"rection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an in"heritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth "not away, reserved in heaven for us." And may "the God of peace, that brought again from "the dead, the great Shepherd of the sheep, "through the blood of the everlasting covenant, "make us perfect in every good work, to do his "will; working in us that which is well pleasing "in his sight, through Jesus Christ: to whom be glory, for ever and ever."6 Amen.

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LECTURE XI.

CREED.

Article VI. He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.

THE first care of our blessed Lord, in consequence of his resurrection, was, to satisfy his disciples fully of the truth of it; the next, to fit them for instructing mankind in his religion, of which it was one principal doctrine and evidence.

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"He

(therefore) showed himself alive to them after

(4) 1 Thess. iv. 14, 16, 17.

(6) Heb. xiii. 20, 21.

(5) 1 Pet. i. 3, 4.

"his passion, by many infallible proofs; being "seen of them forty days: and speaking of the "things pertaining to the kingdom of God." This being done, as he had now gone through the whole of his work on earth, it was proper that he should return to that happy place, from whence his compassion to a lost world had brought him down: according to the words of his own prayer; "Father, the hour is come; I have glorified thee "on the earth; I have finished the work which "thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with the glory which I had with thee, before the world was." There did not remain any further reason for his appearing personally amongst men; till he should "come again "to judge the quick and the dead." Many ages were to pass "before that great and terrible day "of the Lord." It was fit, therefore, that, as St. Peter speaks, "the heaven should receive him, "until the times of restitution of all things."1

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And though the redemption of mankind was completed by him, so far as, in the lower world, it could be, yet, there was left an important part of it to be accomplished above. The Jewish dispensation, as the Epistle to the Hebrews more especially informs us, "was a shadow of good 66 things to come." 992 As, therefore, under this, the great sacrifice of atonement was yearly slain without the sanctuary first-and then the high priest entered alone, with the blood of it, into the most holy place, there to offer it before the Lord, and atone for the sins of the people-so, in the Gospel age, was our blessed Saviour, first, as "the Lamb of God," to be sacrificed for our sins on earth, and then, as the "High Priest of our

(7) Acts i. 3.
(9) Joel ii. 31.

(2) Heb. x. 1.

(8) John xvii. 4, 5.
(1) Acts iii. 21.
(3) John i. 29.

"profession," "to enter with his own blood, "into heaven; the true holy place, of which the "other was a figure; there to appear with it, in the presence of God for us:"5and thus having "offered one sacrifice for sins, he was for ever to "sit down on the right hand of God.”6

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When the time, therefore, was come for this purpose of divine wisdom to take effect-having gradually prepared the minds of his Apostles to bear his departure, he, in the last place, with his usual tenderness, gave them all a solemn blessing; the words of which, indeed, are not delivered down to us: but, probably, they might not be unlike, and, certainly, they could not well be more affec tionate, than those which we find he used for their consolation, even before his sufferings, on a more distant prospect of his being taken from them. "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in "God, believe also in me. I go to prepare a place for you; and I will come again, and re"ceive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do. And I will pray the Fa ther, and he shall give you another Comforter, "that he may abide with you for ever. Peace İ I "leave with you; my peace I give unto you; not

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as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not "your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."7 "It is expedient for you that I go away. For if 66 I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send him unto you, "and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man "taketh from you. These things I have spoken

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unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In "the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of "good cheer; I have overcome the world."8

(4) Heb. iii. 1.

(6) Heb. x. 12.

(5) Heb. ix. 12, 14.

(7) John xiv. 1, 2, 3, 13, 16, 27. (8) John xvi. 7, 22, 33.

Undoubtedly with such like words of grace and affection, which every good Christian may, and ought to, consider as spoken to himself, did our Lord, before his departure, comfort his disciples under the immediate view of that interesting event. “And it came to pass, (the Evangelist informs "us) that as he was yet blessing them, while they "beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received "him out of their sight."

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It is hardly possible to conceive stronger or more various emotions of mind, than those with which the breast of every one of his followers must have been filled, on this occasion of surprise and astonishment at what they had seen-of gratitude and tenderness, in return for what they had heardof grief and fear, concerning their now solitary condition; yet mixed, at the same time, with submission, and hope, and faithful trust in their dear Lord. But, as he himself had told them, "If they loved him they would rejoice, because "he went unto the Father;"1 so, in fact, amidst all the passions working within them, this prevailed above the rest and triumphant gladness of heart was the feeling that took possession, and dwelt with them. "They worshipped him, and "returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and were "continually in the temple, praising and blessing "God."2

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Let us then rejoice, also, in this glorious exaltation of Christ, our head. Let us consider the portunity it gives us of exercising that faith in him, which the Apostle justly calls the "evidence "of things not seen;" and of obtaining a reward suitable to the greater virtue and piety that we show, in conducting aright our understandings, our hearts, and our lives, under a lower, and yet

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(9) Luke xxiv. 51. Acts i. 9. (2) Luke xxiv. 52, 53.

(1) John xiv. 28.
(3) Heb. xi. I.

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