ftrates it to be the will of God, that we fhould in every thing give thanks; for hereby he hath expreffed the most tender regard for us, and fhewn how averse he is from our destruction, and how defirous of our happiness. If the works of creation and providence call for thanksgiving, much more doth a revelation of the will of God demand it and if a revelation by Mofes, a fervant; much more one that is made by Christ Jefus, a Son, and the only begotten Son, who is in the bofom of the father. By Chrift Jefus God hath given men truer and jufter notions of himself than ever they had before. By Chrift Jefus he hath more fully instructed men in their duty towards himself and one another, and prefented them with stronger motives to the practice of it. By Chrift Jefus he hath propounded a moft perfect example to our imitation. We may learn of Christ to be meek and lowly, pure and peaceable, kind and merciful, contented and patient, heavenly-minded and fpiritual. He hath gone before us in the paths of holinefs and virtue; and if we follow him, we cannot poffibly err. Now this is a clear demonftration that it is

the

the will of God that we should in every thing give thanks; fince he hath given Chrift Jefus to be our guide, who is an infallible teacher, and hath declared to us the whole counsel of God, and directed us how to behave ourselves in every relation and in every condition.

for

Again: The death of Chrift demonftrates it to be the will of God, that we fhould in every thing give thanks that is the meritorious caufe of our pardon and falvation. He was wounded for our tranfgreffions; he was bruifed for our iniquities; the chaftifement of our peace was upon him, and with his ftripes we are healed. God was in Chrift reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trefpaffes unto them. If Chrift had not died for us, we must have died in our fins; but now, through death he hath deftroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. For the fake of what he hath done and fuffered, God acquits us from the pu nishment which is due to our fins, receives us into his favour, and accepts of our imperfect obedience, provided it be fincere.

Again: The refurrection of Chrift from the dead demonftrates it to be the

will of God, that we should in every thing give thanks; for this gives virtue and efficacy to his whole doctrine, which would otherwife have been an impofture. For if God had not raised him from the dead, it would have appeared, that he was not the perfon he pretended to be; for it could not be thought that God would fuffer his own Son to perish, or cause him to remain under the power of death, whom he had appointed to be the author of life, and the captain of our falvation. We could hardly conceive fuch a thought as this, if we were left wholly to our own judgment: but when we look into the word of God, and find it there predicted concerning the Meffiah, that God would not leave his foul in hell, nor fuffer his holy one to fee corruption, but would fhew him the path of life; then it appears ftill more unreasonable and abfurd. If he had been held under the power of the grave, it would have been evident, that he was not the Son of God; but now he is declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the refurrection from the dead. And this is a very good reason why we should in every

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thing give thanks: for we should be glad to find a religion to be true which is fo beautiful and amiable, which redounds fo much to the glory of God and our own happiness, and affords fo much comfort under the moft melancholy and afflictive circumstances of life.

But the refurrection of Chrift is a ground of thanksgiving, not only as it was a confirmation of his whole doctrine but also as it put him into a capacity of bestowing more favours upon us. If he had remained for ever under the power of the grave, we fhould have felt no more effects of his love; for when perfons are dead, they cannot any longer do kind offices for their friends. But our Saviour being raised from the dead, afcended up on high, led captivity captive, and received gifts for men ; the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghoft which were poured out upon the apostles and first chriftians, for the more speedy propagation of the gofpel thro'out the world; and the more common and ordinary gifts which chriftians in all ages receive, and whereby they are enabled to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, and to walk in all the commandments and ordinances of

the

the Lord blameless. That the gift of the Holy Ghost is a fruit of Christ's refurrection and afcenfion, we learn from Peter's fermon to the Jews, Acts III. 32, 33. This Jefus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses; therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promife of the Holy Ghoft, he hath shed forth this which ye now fee and hear. But the greatest advantage which accrues to us by Chrift's refurrection is, the affurance which it gives us of our own; for he who raifed up the Lord Jefus, will raife up us also by Jefus. The glory of Chrift's undertaking would be eclipsed, and the defign of it frustrated, if believers were to remain for ever under the power of death: for God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but to obtain falvation through our Lord Jefus Chrift; who died for us, that whether we wake or fleep we should live together with him. In his father's houfe are many manfions; and he is gone to prepare a place for us; and he will come again and receive us to himself, that where be is, there we may be aljo.

be

All these things fhew, that it is the will of God in Chrift Jefus, that we Should