affent from the living. But had he understood, that the fame God, who not only understood the state of mankind after death, by what he had feen touching them that were already departed this life, but alfo perfectly knew the mind and purpofe of his Father touching mankind, fhould have come in the flefh, and manifeft his felf to be the Son of God; and that he came to acquaint mankind with his Father's counfel and purpofe touching the future ftate of mankind, he would have defired no other meffenger to acquaint his brethren therewith. 2. Chrift did not only declare, and profefs himself to be the Son of God, a teacher fent from God; nor did he only publify this great declaration and difcovery touching the future state of mankind, and that he was fent into the world on purpose to acquaint the world with his melfage; but alfo he did, by the plaineft and greatest evidence imaginable, or that could poffibly be defired to acquire credibility, manifeftly declare and prove that his miffion and mefiage was unqueftionably true; namely, by the miracles he did, by the holiness of his life, and by dying to atteft and affert it. 2. The great and admirable work of his own refur. rection, did give an invincible evidence of the truth as of all other his doctrines, fo efpecially of thefe touching the Immortality of the Soul, the Refurrection, and the future ftate after death; and the Refurrection of Chrift hath a double force, evidence, or conviction in this refpect: 1. This Refurrection of Chrift was indeed the greatest and crowning miracle of his whole life; and as his other miracles did atteft the truth of hismiffion anc doctrine, fo this being the moft fignal and weighty of all, upon the effecting or not effecting whereof, the whole credit of his milicn and doctrine depended, and alfo being of the highelt nature of any of the reft of his miracles, did moft effectually and confum mately mately feal the truth of his miflion, and the very divinenefs and credit of all his other miracles: for he was declared the Son of God with power, by the Refurrection from the dead. And hence it is that there is no one thing in the Gofpel hath more evidence of fact to prove the truth and reality, nor greater weight laid upon it, than that Chrift was really dead, and did really rife again from the dead. 2. But further the Refurrection of Chrift feems to be in a moft fpecifical and appropriate manner applicable and applied to prove the Refurrection of the dead, and future eltate of nankind after death; it is the great ftumbling-block in the way of the faith of men, to think, how there fhould be a life after death. The Athenian Philofophers mocked, when they heard of it, as a thing incredible 1. And if men would be but conquered from this difficulty, the greatest difficulty were overcome. And indeed the Refurre&tion of Christ seems to be the greatest pledg· imaginable, not only of the poffibility of a future ftate after death, but the real existence of it. And therefore that excellent fermon of Paul to the Athenians, lays the great weight of the truthof the judgment to come, and the future uate of rewards and punifhments, upon this: Because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteoufnefs, by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given affurance unto all men, in that he hath railed him from the dead.' As if he fhould have faid, Ye Athenian Philofophers, it is appareat that one of the great obftacles of your belief of the judgment to come, and the future ftate of good and evil, after death, is, that you doubt whether the foul be capable of fruition or pallion without the body; and you cannot believe it poffible, that there can be a retreat from a full and complete feparation of the body to life again; your philofophical princip oppofe it. Behold! I tell you, that God hath ap. 1 Acts xvii. 82. 2 Acts xvii. 22. z 3 pointed pointed to judge the world by Chrift; the fame Chrift hath faid fo in that Gofpel which I come to publish to you; and, at once to feal and evidence the truth he fo declared, and to convince you of your vain confidence in your philofophical perfuafions, that the fame Chrift was dead, died a violent death, his blood poured out upon the ground, and lay in the grave till the third day, that all the world might afcertain that he was fully dead, and that of fuch a death, that if any were incapable of reviving again, he was, his blood, the vehicle of life, fpilt upon the ground: yet this Chrift lived again the third day, to affure the world of the truth of his word, that he would judge the world; and of the poffibility and truth of your refurrection and mine, by the divine power: He is rifen from the dead, ⚫ and become the firit fruits of them that sleep'.' 11 Cor. xv. 20. ON ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST, ACTS, ii. 1. &c. AND WHEN THE DAY OF PENTECOST WAS FULLY COME, &C. In this great and miraculous diffufion of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, these things are very obferva ble: I. The time, when it happened. II. The place, where it happened. III. The perfons to, and among whom it happened. IV. The kind and manner of the miracle itself. I. Touching the time or feafon wherein it happened. It was upon the day of Pentecoft, next enfuing the Paffion, Refurrection, and Afcenfion of our Lord. The People of Ifrael had feveral folemn feafts, inftituted by Almighty God; and many of them had a threefold use: namely, 1. Hiftorical, in commemoration of fome fignal thing fit to be remembred. 2. Religious, or ceremonial, for fome special fervice to be performed unto Almighty God in thofe times. 3. Typical, and in fome kind prophetical of fome eminent obfervable relating to the Meffias that was to come; and carrying fome eminent prefiguration of fome eminent occurrence that should be found in, or concerning the promised Meffias. Thus the great wisdom of Almighty God in these institutions, involved and complicated these feveral uses and ends. Among |