Others of them have declar'd their Diffent to this Erroneous Tenet, whereby the Reft have fo loofen'd the Reins and Obligations to Duty, by tak ing away the Apprehenfions of Future Punishments, thofe Terrors of the Lord, which the Apostle thought fuch a Power2 Cor. v. full Argument to Perfwade Men.

11.

We have now feen what Degrees of Beleif and Disbeleif this Doctrine has met with in different States and Ages; but it would be Tedious to examine the Particular Principles on which the Oppofers of it have grounded their Errors, and feverally apply Anfwers to each of them: Therefore if I can make good, in what is to follow, the Certainty, and Univerfality of the Refurrection (with the Same Body,) it will be a work of far easier Dispatch, and comprehend them All. In the mean time for the Close of this Difcourfe, I fhould, by way of Reflection on what has been faid, earnestly exhort you to Praise and Thankfulness to Almighty God, who whilst he has suffer'd many Others to walk in Darkness, has gracioufly open'd to us the Light of the Gofpel; and has therein clearly discover'd to Us, that it is the Purpose of his Will, to Raife up Our Bodies from the Grave, by his Son Jefus Chrift, who will make them like

.

unto

anto His Glorious Body; And fhould confider the great Obligations we have from thence to Holynefs and Purity of Life; together with the great Confolation it may afford us, both under the Miseries of Life and Terrors of Death. But I referve the Prosecution of these Practical Heads to the General Conclufion of the whole Design.

176

SERMON VII.

The Second Sermon on the Refurrection.

JOHN V. 28, 29.

Marvel not at This; for the Hour is coming, in the which All that are in the Graves fhall hear his Voice;

And fhall come forth; They that have done Good to the Refurrection of Life; and They that have done Evil, unto the Refurrection of Damnation.

H

Aving fhown under my First General, that the Resurrection was altogether Unknown to the Heathens; and by the Jews but imperfectly understood, and but Corruptly Beleiv'd to this very Day; And that

even in the Gospel-times, fince it has been fully Reveal'd, it has yet met with much Oppofition from Particular Perfons and Sects; I now come in the

IId Place to fhow the Certainty of the Refurrection.

When we ftand at the Brink of the Grave, there to take a Sorrowful Farewell of our Departed Friends, we Comfort ourselves with This, that it is in Sure and Certain Hope of the Refurrection that we commit their Bodies to the Ground. To examine therefore whereon we build this Certainty of our Hope, we must confider what is requifite to make a Certainty, and to give us Full Affurance of any Event.

We have been taught by Philofophy, which is nothing else but Reason drawn out into Theoremes,) that all the Voluntary Actions of Free-will Agents must be the Joint-Refult of Will and Power: For an Agent may have the Will, but may be Impotent and cannot act; Or else he may have fufficient Power, but may have Contrary Inclinations and Will not Act: Therefore if in God, the Mighty Agent by whom we expect our Bodies fhould be Rais'd, there fhould be found wanting either N

of

of these, This might very justly pall our Confidence, and we fhould have reason to fufpect the Foundation of our Hope: But if it fhall appear, that God has Determin'd to Raife the Dead; and that his Power cannot be wanting to the Execution of his Will; we may from thence conclude what is thereby to be Prov'd, that our Hope of the Refurrection is not in vain. God's Power and Promife is a Sure Foundation; a Foundation on which we may fafely build a Sure and Certain Hope of the Refurrection. Therefore for the making That Foundation Good, I must now show

.

1. That in the Holy Scriptures, (which are the word of God,) we have his Promife for it, that he Will Raife the Dead. and

2dly, That his Power is Able to perform it.

In

God the Holy Scriptures we have

God's Promife for it, that he Will Raise the Dead.

It was the Ignorance, or Inconfide ration of Both thefe, the Will and Power of God, on which our Saviour fo truly charged the Sadducees Disbeleif of

the