Conco. 4. ac ultima}

    30. Aug. 1691

    28. Matth. 6.

    He is not here: for he is Risen, as he said: Come see ye Place where the Lord lay. (Doctr.) Our once humbled, wounded, & bruised Mediator has long since been exalted by a Glorious Resurrection. (1. Use) Was of Information (2. Use) Exhortation (1) To be throughly settled & fixed in ye beleif of this great Point (2) To make utmost improvement of this blessed Doctrine (1) In knowing of it (2) In Meditating upon it (3) In desiring & longing after our Risen Saviour (1) The Gloriousness of ye Person calls for this (2) The blessed benefits of it to us (1) Pardon of sin (2) Change of our Natures. To proceed, Lastly

    1. 3. Life Eternal. For Christ arose again for our Resurrection to Eternal life. All shall arise, but beleivers by virtue of their Relation to Christ; hince they are called the Children of the Resurrection. 20. Luke. 36. i.e. of a blessed Resurrection, worthy indeed to be called a Resurrection, wch ye Holy Ghost calls the better Resurrection. 11. Heb. 35. Now is not this desirable? Therefore let us improve this Consideration to a desiring & longing after an interest in a Risen Saviour. Oh! the Person of Christ, & the benefits of Christ as Risen from the dead, should give wings to our souls to desire after him.
    2. 4. Improve we this truth of Christs Resurrection unto a fixing our Hope upon Christ as risen from ye dead, that we may draw well grounded & comfortable conclusions therefrom. As
    3. 1. Christs Death is mine if Christs Resurrection be mine. They that are interested in Christs Resurrection, are also interested in his Death; there is no severing between these. 6. Ro. 5. If we have been planted together in the likeness of his Death, we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection. Before we rise with Christ, we must depart from Sin. You know Death in Nature precedes Resurrection: So here &c. 1. Isa. 16. 17. Cease to do evil, learn to do well. Christ dyed for sin: Art thou then a Lover of sin, a cleaver to sin; then thou art not interested in Christs Resurrection.
    4. 2. Christs Spirit is mine, if Christs Resurrection is mine: Such as the Apostle sais are quickened by ye same Spirit. 8. Ro. 9. 11. As Christ[s] Spirit raised up his dead body, so it will raise up our dead Souls. It will quicken us
    5. 1. By illumination. This is the first work of the Spirit. As in the first Creation, God first commanded Light. So in the new Creation the first work of ye Spirit is to knock out Windows out of the dark Soul. 5. Eph. 8. There is wrought a speculative knowledge, & an operative knowledge. They know the truth, & they love it, beleive it, & embrace it.
    6. 2. By working Faith. As it holds forth Christ, so it engageth the Soul to embrace Christ upon Gosple termes. There are degrees of Faith, but the least degree is the working in the Soul a panting & breathing after Christ. Christ is the most pretious to all such: 5. Cant. 9. 10.
    7. 3. Last: By Santification. When once ye Soul sees the excellency of Christ by ye Spirit of illumination, & thereupon closeth with him by Faith, now there good virtue [is] out of Christ & healeth yt soul. The same Spirit yt raised up Christ from ye dead, the same Spirit Sanctifyed his humane nature, & sanctifyeth all his Members: so that now they are New Creatures. 2 Cor. 5. 17.
    8. 5. Improve we this Truth of Christs Resurrection to a blessed Conformity to our Risen Mediator. Here we may enquire
    9. 1. Q. Wherein we must conform?
    10. An: In newness of life or vivification. This bears some Resemblance to Christs Resurrection. Christs Resurrection was to a life different to what it was before. So is ours: a new life, as his was
    11. 1. It is a life of a new Principle. Before ye Principle of life was the Flesh, or World, or Devil. 2. Eph. 2. In time past ye walked according to the Course of the world &c. But now we have a new Principle, a Spirit of Holiness & Sanctification, even ye same Spirit yt raised Christ from ye dead, & dwelt in his humane nature. 8. Ro. 11.
    12. 2. It is a life of new actings. As mens principles are, so are their actings. Worldly men are acted by the world, but [a] godly man by his Spirit. 8. Ro. 5. The World is gain to the Carnal man, but Christ is gain to the Spiritual.
    13. 3. It is a life of a new in-come. It is a life that carries in it an income of Power, Grace & light, which ye Soul never had before. Before conversion men, read, hear, Pray, but without communion with Christ, & so without power, life, heat, &c. Hince men read, pray, hear &c. & never the better: whereas in others there is benefit in all these, they feel a divine power helping of them: & hince they highly prize divine ordinances. 84. Ps. 1–10. A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand.
    14. 4. Last: It is a life of another kind, or manner. Before this Vivification, souls are dead while they live. 1. Tim. 5. 6. 2. Col. 13 But now after vivification there is a Spiritual life. 2. Gal. 20.—I live by ye faith of ye Son of God. Also there is an Heavenly life. 3 Philip. 20. Our conversation is in Heaven. Also an Immortal life. 11. Job. 26. He yt Beleiveth in me shall never dye, i.e. He shall never dye a Spiritual death: he shall never come under ye dominion of sin &c.
    15. 2. Q. We may enquire how we may attain to this Conformity?
    16. 1. An: We must wait & attend upon God in Ministry of his Word. This is Gods ordinary means whereby he is pleased to effect vivification: as we see in ye Prophets Vision of dry bones, 37. Ezek. 1. &c.
    17. 2. An: We must labour after com̄union with Christ in every Ordinance. It is communion with Christ in ordinances that will quicken us. The outside are but shells & husks it is Christ in them that is the food &c. This sets a beauty, a quickening beauty upon ordinances. 27. Ps. 4.
    18. 3. An: Last: We must make Christ our Example. Labour we to live as Christ lived after his Resurrection
    19. 1. See we to it that we return no more to the Grave. Have we a care yt we return not to our sins, our vomit &c. 2. Pet. 2. It is possible for Professors to go, far, to reach the clouds (as it were) & yet to fall down to Hell. 6. Heb. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
    20. 2. See we to it that we Evidence our Resurrection, so did our Lord Jesus, he gave many infallible proofs of it, & so should we. 5. Eph. 8. 9. 10. 11. Finally.
    21. 6. Improve we this truth of Christs Resurrection unto a calling upon Christ as our Risen Mediator
    22. 1. Let every one of us pray for an interest in Christs Resurrection. That we may feel ye virtue of it, as the Apostle. 3. Philip. 10. That I may know him, & the Power of his Resurrection. Cry we out: O yt ye same Spirit yt raised up Christ from ye Grave, may raise me from sin! O that ye same Spirit of Holiness, wch quickened Christ, may quicken me also! O yt I may share in all the virtues & blessings of Christ Resurrection!
    23. 2. Let us Praise God for ye Resurrection of his Son, & the blessed benefits thereof. So ye Apostle. 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be ye God, & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, wch according to his abundant Mercy, hath begotten us unto a lively hope, by ye Resurrection of Jesus Christ from ye dead.
    24. 3. Use. Last: May be of consolation to those who are interested in Christs Resurrection. Christians if you are sure of this, you may fully Rejoyce more than if all the world was yours.
    25. 1. Obj: Some may say, what am I ye better for Christs Resurrection.
    26. Ans: If Christ be thine, his Resurrection is thine &c.
    27. 2. Obj. Well! What then? What am I the better?
    28. An: Then all ye benefits thereof are thine. And therefore thou hast no reason to fear. Text & context. 45. Gen. ult.
    29. 1. Is thy Conscience troubled for sin? Here is that which may revive. 1 Pet. 3. 21. The answer of a good conscience towards God (sais the Apostle) is by the Resurrection from the dead. So 8. Ro. 34. Who is he yt condemneth? It is Christ yt dyed, yea rather is risen again.
    30. 2. Art thou afraid of condemnation? Why the Apostle tells us Christ was raised for our justification. 4 Ro. ult.
    31. 3. Dost thou question thy Regeneration? The Apostle tells us ye we are begotten again by ye Resurrection of Christ. 1 Pet. 1. 3. It is hereby we are new-born, Sanctifyed, translated, mortifyed, & vivifyed.
    32. 4. Art thou distressed, oppressed, persecuted &c? The Apostle tells us here is our consolation, in ye life of Christ, the Resurrection of Christ. 2 Cor. 4. 10. 11.
    33. 5. Art thou afraid of falling away? Why Christ hath assured us of this that if he lives, we shall live also. 14. Joh. 19. Yea & that Eternally, as Christ dos. 1. Rev. 18.
    34. 6. Last: Art thou afraid of Death, Hell, & ye power of the Grave? Why remember all these are conquered by Christs Resurrection. 1. Cor. 15 54. 55 56. 57. Christ himself comforts his Church with this consideration. 26. Isa. 19. We see David joying mightily in this consideration. 16. Ps. 9. 10. And holy Job triumphs in this consideration. 19. Job. 25. 26. 27. I know that my Redeemer liveth, & yt he shall stand at ye latter day upon the earth—whom I shall see for my self—1. Thes. 4. 14.

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