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DISCOURSE XIV.

The Same Subject.

The Same Text.

N the former difcourfe upon this most interesting fubject of our Lord's refurrection from the dead; it was very fully and plainly fhewn you, what numerous benefits we may receive in confequence of this glorious event. Since, as Chrift thereby hath effectually conquered all our deadly foes, in order to refcue us from their dominion; we through faith embrace the bleffings obtained for us, by virtue of this almighty act. Indeed, we may be faid to be rifen again with Chrift to life eternal, inasmuch as we believe that our bodies will be raised from the dead, and glorified in heaven with their Savior. And as the feal or pledge of this inheritance, we do in the mean time partake of the influence of his Holy Spirit in our hearts, by whofe help, as before explained, we are enabled to walk in holiness; in the fear of the Lord; and to fubdue all fuch corrupt and evil affections, as being contrary to the will and pleasure of God, would unfit us for a place in his kingdom.

Now the due confideration of these truths ought to lead us to fhew our faith in time to come, by

walking

walking in newness of life. For what will it profit us, faith St. Peter, (2 Ep. ii. 20, 21.) if after we have efcaped the pollution of the world, through the knowledg of our Lord and Savior Jefus Chrift, we are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end of fuch being worse with them than the beginning; for it would bave been better for them not to have known the way of righteoufnefs, than after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. For by fo doing they come under the defcription of the proverb, The dog is turned to his vomit again, and the fow that is washed to her wallowing in the mire. By this alarming obfervation, the Apostle intends to point out the great danger to which all careless, indifferent, and finning perfons expofe themselves; in that the cafe of those who fhut their eyes against the clear light of the gospel is much worse, than if they had never been converted to it at all; because the ingratitude and perverfeness of an apoftate chriftian, in finning against such plain and happy methods of falvation, muft neceffarily render him more incurable and justly condemnable than any heathen, that was never brought to the knowledge of fuch faving truth. And this likewife maketh good our bleffed Savior's declaration, that to whom much is given, of him will much be required. At the fame time, this argument doth by no means encourage any one, efpecially the chriftian, to continue in ignorance, that he may have no more to anfwer for than the heathen; for God, in the wife order of his providence, hath pleafed to afford the one opportunities, which are denied to the other; and it depends on the former to accept or reject them, which, as he prefers and improves or neglects, will either advance his happinefs or determine his condemnation.

Now the equity of this must be very evident; for furely, it will most justly increase our shame and punishment, after having received a religion that clearly fets before us a free pardon for fin (on con

dition of repentance and ufing the means of grace) if we wilfully return to the exercife of all impure and finful actions. Surely it is the excèfs of folly, after being bleffed with the gift of working out our falvation, to throw it away. It is little fhort of madness to forfeit the title to the inheritance now promised us, by yielding to the foul and fleeting indulgence of fin; which will certainly deprive us of it. Nay what perverse ingratitude is it alfo, when our Savior Jefus Chrift, of his unbounded mercy, has promised to come unto us, and to dwell with us, to refuse the benefit of so blessed a gueft? To grieve his Holy Spirit, by our finful lives and wilful difobedience, and thus to drive him from us? Violently to reject the best friend of our fouls; and instead of the fpirit of all grace and goodness, to prefer our most bitter enemy, even the malicious author of all evil and mifery. If you now refufe the gentle calls of mercy, the preffing invitation of your Savior, who freely offereth of his Spirit to purify and establish your fouls, what is it but boldly to flight the falvation of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft; for where one is, there is the wisdom, power, and goodnefs of God's whole mysterious nature united. Alas! for their fate in the dreadful day of the Lord, who perfift in fo treacherous a denial of the Lord who bought them. Be advised in time; trifle not with the welfare of your immortal fpirits. Never (depend upon it) will any creature be qualified to enter into the joy of the Lord, who defpifes the means, he in his high wisdom and rich mercy hath appointed, during this ftate of trial, to fecure the dignity to which he would in mercy raise them. Will you, through wicked folly, throw away what has been fo dearly purchased for you? Will you remain obftinately blind to the great light that is fhining all around you? Roufe yourselves from this most dangerous lethargy. Take courage. Put on the whole armor of God, that

VOL. II.

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you

you may be able to ftand in the evil day against your enemies, who would fain destroy you by fhaking your trust in Chrift: for in proportion as that is weak, we all fall naturally into the tempter's fnares.

In order to ftrengthen your good refolutions, remember that ye are redeemed from your vain converfation, (that is, the finful ways wherein ye walked formerly) not with filver and gold, or fuch corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, (1 Pet. i. 18, 19, 20.) who verily was fore-ordained, before the foundation of the world, (to this good work) but was manifeft (only) in these last times for you. That is, in fhort, ftrengthen and affure your faith, and hope towards God, by Chrift's rifing from the dead. As, therefore, you have hitherto walked in the vain lufts of your own minds, and fo difpleafed God to the danger of your fouls; fo now like obedient children, that are purified by faith, incline to the ways that God pointeth out to you, that ye may happily receive the end of your faith, even the falvation of your fouls. And as heretofore ye have yielded your members fervants unto uncleanness, and unto iniquity, even now yield your members fervants unto righteousness unto boliness.

All true chriftians will glory in this groundwork, of their faith, that their Lord and Savior is rifen from death to life, and will fhew their belief by following the example of his refurrection in their prefent lives, according to the doctrine of St. Paul, Rom. vi. 4. That as we are buried with bim by baptifm into death*, fo let us daily die to fin,

The original ceremony of a general immerfion in baptifm was to fhew, by the fign of being buried under water, that we were to die to fin. And as Chrift arose from death, to the glory of God the Father; fo by the action of rifing again out of the water, was reprefented our duty of imitating him by walking in newnefs of life. The ceremony of baptifm reprefenting to us, by an outaward wifible fign, the walking away of our original defilement.

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