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• 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 raise it up;' but only a Part of the first 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 refted the fabbath-day, according to the commandment.' Chap. xxiv, 1. 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.'

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The hardest and sharpeft 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 sustain his infirmity; but a wound. ed spirit 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 last Day.

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EXPLICATION.

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Chrift's Exaltation belongs to the Promife of the Covenant of Grace, to be performed to him by the Father: J. 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 fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obe'dient 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 Ŏffice: Luke xxiv. 26. Ought not Chrift to enter "into his glory?' Phil. ii. 9. above cited. verf. 10. II. 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."

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The first 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: I Cor. xv. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. For 'I delivered unto you firft of all, that which I al'fo received, how that Chrift rofe again the third day according to the fcriptures: And that be '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

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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 raise it up.' Rom. viii. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jefus from the dead, dwell in you; he that raifed up Chrift from the dead, fhall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.' It is afcribed to the Father, as the Judge discharging him from Prison, 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 controversy, great is the myftery 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 Prifon of the Grave, was an Angel's defcending from Heaven, and opening the Pifon-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 said unto them, Deftroy this temple, and in three days I will

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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. iii. 18. ' Chrift was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.' He rofe the third Day after his Death, I 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 hi'ther thy hand, and thruft it into my fide and 'be not faithlefs, but believing.' And it had not been corrupted there in the leaft: Acts xiii. 37. He whom God raised again, faw no corruption. The Change made on Chrift'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.' 1 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 dishonour, it is raised in glory it is fown in weakness, it 'is raised in power.'

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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, As i. 3. He tarried fo long on Earth, after his rifing from the Dead, to afcertain the

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Truth of his Refurrection: He afcertained it in that Time, by his frequent appearing to, and converfing with his Apoftles, during that Time: And in these Conversations with them, he taught them the Things concerning his own Kingdom: Acts i. 3. To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and fpeaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.' It was in his human Nature that Chrift afcended from Earth into Heaven; not in his divine Nature, because it is always every where prefent. The Place of the Earth from which he afcended, was the Mount of Olives, Acts i. 11. 12. It is obfervable concerning that Place, that there Chrift's Humiliation began to come to an Extremity, Luke xxii. 39. The Heaven he afcended into, was the highest Heaven, Eph. iv. 10. Chiift's Soul and Body, then, are now no more on Earth, but in the highest Heavens: Acts iii. 21. Whom the heavens must receive, until the times of reftitution of all things.' Compared with Eph. iv. 10. He that defcended, is the fame alfo that afcended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.' He a fcended in a visible and triumphant Manner as a Conqueror: Acts i. 9. While they beheld, he was * taken up, and a cloud received him out of their fight.' Pfal. xlvii. 5. God is gone up with a fhout; the Lord with the found of a trumpet.' The Action of the Father in that Step of Chrift's Exaltation, was the receiving him up into Heaven, Mark xvi. 19.

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The third Step of Chrift's Exaltation, is his fitting at the right hand of God the Father, Mark xvi. 19. God the Father hath neither right nor left

Hand,

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