portions the Proceedings of the laft Day, to the Obfervance of thefe Duties.

2. Confider we again, That it is the Practice of thefe Duties which gives us the greatest Confidence in the Mercies of God; that he will hear our Prayers, and accept our Perfons. A penitent reconciled Chriftian, hath a good Affurance of Pardon and Acceptance from this Text. Go thy Way, first be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy Gift. i. e. then will both thy Gift and thy Repentance be accepted. And to the fame Purpose is the Reasoning of Almighty God, in the firft Chapter of Ifaiah, where God hath been reproving the Jews for their External Shews of Devotion, their vain Oblations, their Incence, their New-Moons, their Sabbaths, and calling of Affemblies, for their Injuftice, their Cruelty, their want of Charity for he tells them, that their Hands were full of Blood, And then he immediately fubjoins the Way, whereby they might attone his Wrath, and engage his Affections towards them. Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the Evil of your Doings from before mine Eyes; ceafe to do Evil, learn to do Well; Seek Fudgment; relieve the Oppreffed judge the Fatherlefs; plead for the Widow. And then it follows, Come now and let us reafon together, faith the Lord; tho' your Sins were

as

as Scarlet, they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as Wool.

And though this Chriftian and Reconcileable Temper, these Benevolent and Charitable Difpofitions of Soul, are always neceffary to recommend us to God; yet they most of all become us, when we bring our Gift to the Altar, and draw near to him in the Holy Sacrament. It is the Wedding Garment required by God in Scripture; it is the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, which is in the Sight of God of great Price. If we do in good earneft believe, that this Sacrament was inftituted by our Lord, in Remembrance of his dying Love, we cannot but feel strong Obligations upon our Souls, to put on (as the Elect Children of God, Holy and Beloved) Bowels of Mercy, Kindness, Humblenefs of Mind,Meeknefs, Long-fuffering, forbearing one another,and forgiving one onother, if any Man have a Quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave us. It was wonderful Love wherewith he loved us, and ought to be had in everlasting Remembrance. And oh that all the Ends of the World would remember themselves, and turn unto the Lord, and all the Kindred of the People worship before him! Oh that the Peace of God might rule in our Hearts, to which we are called in one Body; and that the Love of Jefus might conftrain us to be truly loving and thankful! I 2 That

That after we have perfected Holiness in his Faith and Fear upon Earth, he may at last bring us to compleat our Praises and Thankfgivings, in the great Affembly of Saints and Angels in Heaven for evermore, through Christ Jefus.

Laus Deo in aternum, Amen.

1

SER

SERMON VI.

On Eafter-Sunday.

1 COR. XV. 15.

Tea, and we are found Falfe-Witnesses of God; because we bave teftify'd of God, that be raised up Chrift, whom he raifed not up, if fo be that the Dead rife not.

T

HE Design of this whole Chapter is to prove and establish the Doctrine of the general Refurrection. And in this Part of it, the Apoftle gives all poffible Advantage to the Arguments of Infidelity. He allows all that 13

Jews,

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Jews, or Pagans, or Hereticks, or Epicures, or Atheists can fay againft it, to be Logical and Valid, if the Refurrection be not true. He will readily grant, that if the Dead rife not, then his Preaching is vain, and their Faith is allo vain; then Chriftian Religion is all Artifice and Delufion; the Dream of Enthusiasts, the Project of Politicians, the Craft of Priefts, or whatever else the most black-mouth'd Atheists charged it with. He will grant again, that if the Dead rife not, then they that are fallen afleep in Chrift, are perifhed; that all that Righteous Blood which was fpilt in the defence of the Gofpel is loft; that the Souls of the Martyrs are gone no Body knows whi ther, vanished into the foft Air, or wrap'd up in eternal Darkness. If all this will not do, he will grant yet further, he will own himfelf, and his Brethren in the Apoftolate, to be a Company of notorious Cheats and Impoftors; that they did but diffemble, and abufe Men's Faith, when they acquainted 'em with the important and dreadful Matters of another World; that all their Sermons and Exhortations were but fo much empty Sound, and deceitful Harangue, to cajole the Credulous and the Weak. Tea, and we are found Falfe-Witnelles of God, because we have teftify'd of God, that he raised up Chrift, whom he raised not up, if fo be that the Dead rife not.

In