Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

prophets have not your fathers perfecuted? and they have flain them which fhewed before of the coming of the juft One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.'

He fo humbled himself after his Death, in refpect of his Body being buried: 1 Cor. xv. 3. 4. For I delivered unto you first of all, that which • I also received, how that Chrift died for our fins according to the fcriptures: and that he was buried,' &c. He was buried in a Garden: John xix. 41. 42. Now in the place where he was cru'cified, there was a garden; and in the garden a

new fepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jefus.' What his being buried in a Garden had a particular Eye to, was Man's firft finning in a Garden.

He fo humbled himfelf after his Death, in refpect of both Soul and Body, continuing under the Power of Death for a Time: Rom. vi. 9. Chrift being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.' He continued under the Power of Death for a Time, in fo far as, for a Time he continued in the State of the Dead, his Soul and Body remaining feparate: Acts ii. 31. He [David] feeing this before, fpake of the refurrection of Chrift, that his foul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did fee cor ❝ruption." That is expreffed in the Creed, in thefe Words, He defcended into Hell. The Place where his Soul was, during its feparate State, was Paradife: Luke xxiii. 43. To-day fhalt thou be

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

with me in Paradife. The Time he continued under the Power of Death, was three Days Matth. xii. 40. As Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly: fo fhall the

[ocr errors]

Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.' Yet not three Days compleat; Matth. xvi. 21. From that time forth began Jefus to fhew unto his difciples, how that he must-be raised again the third day." Compared with John ii. 19. Jefus answered and faid unto them, Deftroy this temple, and in three days I will raife it up;' but only a Part of the firft Day, the whole fecond, and a Part of the third; Luke xxiii. 54. And that day was the preparation, and the fabbath drew on.' verf. 56. And they rested the fabbath-day, according to the commandment.' Chap. xxiv. I. Now, upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the fepulchre. verf. 6. He is not here, but is rifen.'’

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

The hardest and fharpeft of all these Steps of Chrift's Humiliation, was his undergoing the Wrath of God in his Soul: Prov. xviii. 14. The fpirit ' of a man will fuftain his infirmity; but a wounded fpirit who can bear? The lowest of them was his continuing for a Time under the Power of Death, in the State of the Dead: Pfal. xxii. 15. Thou haft brought me into the dust of death."

Queft. 28. Wherein confifteth Chrift's Exaltation?

Anf. Chrift's Exaltation confifteth in his rifing again from the Dead on the third Day, in afcending up into Heaven, in fitting at the right Hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the World at the laft Day.

EX

EXPLICATIO N..

[ocr errors]

Chrift's Exaltation belongs to the Promife of the Covenant of Grace, to be performed to him by the Father: . lii. 13. Behold, my fervant fhall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.' And it is the Reward of his Humiliation, for himfelf: Phil. ii. 8. 9. And being found in fafhion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. • Wherefore God alfo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.' Chrift's Exaltation was neceffary, that he might fully execute his Offices, especially his kingly Of fice: Luke xxiv. 26. Ought not Chrift to enter into his glory? Phil. ii. 9. above cited. verf. 10. 11. That at the name of Jefus every knee fhould bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue fhould confefs, that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.'

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

The firft Step of Chrift's Exaltation, was his rifing again from the Dead, 1 Cor. xv. 4. That Chrift rofe again from the Dead, appears from the Scripture-prophecies of it, and the Teftimony of Hundreds, who faw him with their Eyes accordingly rifen again: 1 Cor. xv. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. For I delivered unto you firft of all, that which I alfo received, how that Chrift rofe again the third day according to the fcriptures: And that he was feen of Cephas, then of the twelve. After that, he was feen of above five hundred brethren at once. After that he was feen of James; then of all the apoftles. And laft of all he was feen

of

[ocr errors]

' of me alfo, as of one born out of due time.' The raifing of Chrift from the Dead, is in the Scripture afcribed to the Father, to himself, and to the Holy Spirit: Eph. i. 20. Which he [the Father of glory] wrought in Chrift, when he raised him from the dead.' John ii. 19. ' Jefus answered and faid unto them, Deftroy this temple, and in three days I will raife it up.' Rom. viii. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jefus from the dead, dwell in you; he that raised up Chrift * from the dead, fhall alfo quicken your mortalbodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.' It is afcribed to the Father, as the Judge difcharging him from Prifon, as having fully paid the Debt he was laid up for: Acts ii. 24. Whom [Jefus of Nazareth] God hath raised up,having loofed the pains of death; because it was not poffible that he should be holden of it.' 1 Tim. iii. 16. And without controverfy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was juftified in the Spirit,-received up into glory.' A legal Evidence of his being, by the Authority of Heaven, discharged from the Prison of the Grave, was an Angel's defcending from Heaven, and opening the Prifon-door, by rolling away the Stone: Matth. xxviii. 2. The angel of the Lord defcended from heaven, and came and rolled back the ftone from the door, and fat upon it.' It is afcribed to Chrift himself, forafmuch as he, by his own divine Power, calling back his Soul into his Body, took his own Life again, and came forth of the Grave: John x. 18. I have power to lay it [my life] down, and I have power to take it again. Compared with Chap. ii. 19. Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, Deftroy this temple, and in three days I will

[ocr errors]

<

[ocr errors]

'raife

[ocr errors]

raife it up.' Mark xvi. 6. Jefus of Nazareth is rifen, he is not here.' It is afcribed to the Holy Spirit, inafmuch as by him Chrift's Soul and Body were reunited: 1 Pet. ii. 18. Chrift was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.' He rose the third Day after his Death, 1 Cor. xv. 4. forecited. That Day was the first Day of the Week: And he rose about the Dawning of the Day: Matth. xxviii. 1. 2. In the end of the fabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week,' &c. He rose in the very fame Body he laid down in the Grave: Luke xxiv. 39. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myfelf: handle me, and fee, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye fee me have." John xx. 27. Then faith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my fide: and ⚫ be not faithlefs, but believing.' And it had not been corrupted there in the leaft: Acts xiii. 37.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

He whom God raised again, faw no corruption.' The Change made on Christ's Body in its Refurrection, was, that it rofe immortal and glorious: Rom. vi. 9. Chrift being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.' I Cor. xv. 20. Now is Chrift rifen from the dead, and become the firft-fruits of them that flept.' verf. 43. It is fown in difhonour, it is raised in glory: it is fown in weakness, it is raised in power.'

[ocr errors]

The fecond Step of Chrift's Exaltation, was, his afcending up into Heaven, Eph. iv. 8. 10. The Time of his Afcenfion was forty Days after his Refurrection, Acts i. 3. He tarried fo long on Earth, after his rifing from the Dead, to ascertain the H

Truth

« FöregåendeFortsätt »