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I.

Matt.

13.

Q. What are we Chriftians obliged to believe concern ing the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift?

A. That the eternal Son of God, who was crucified and died for our Sins, did not long continue in the State of Death; but on the third Day, by his infinite Power, did revive and raise himself, by reuniting the fame Soul to the fame Body which was buried, and fo rose the fame Man.

Q. What Proof is there of our Saviour's Refurrection from the Dead?

A. The Teftimony of fufficient and credible Witneffes, which is the only Evidence a Matter of Fact is capable of receiving. And then a Witness may be faid to be fufficient and credible, when he is thoroughly informed concerning the Fact of which he teftifies, and is faithful in the Relation of it.

Q. What Testimony have we of our Saviour's Refurrection?

Mark xvi. A. The pious Woman, which thought with sweet Spices to have anointed him dead, found him alive. xxviii. 9. The Apostles, who converfed with him frequently after his Refurrection, were fatisfied he had a real John xxi. Body, by his eating and drinking with them. St. Thomas did not believe, till he had fearched the Holes that the Nails had made in his Hands, and thruft his Hands into his Side. The reft of the Difciples teftify the fame, to whom he also appeared, even to Five 1 Cor. xv. hundred brethren at once. After that, he was seen of James, appeared to St. Stephen at his Martyrdom, and to St. Paul at his Converfion.

XX. 27.

6, 7. Acts vii.

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IX. 5.

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Q. It is plain the Witneffes were thoroughly informed in the Matter of Fact; bow doth it appear they were faithful in relating it?

A. They being plain illiterate Persons, it is unlikely they should be skilled in the Art of Deceiving; befides, the Doctrine they taught forbad all Falfhood upon Pain of Damnation; fo that the fcaling the Truth of this Fact with their Blood, is a fufficient Evidence of their Sincerity.

Q. The

xxviii. 3.

Q. The Teftimony of an Adverfary is of great Force; do bis Enemies any way confirm this Truth? A. Thofe Soldiers that watched at the Sepulchre, and pretended to keep his Body from the Hands of the Apoftles; they which felt the Earth trembling under them; and fate the Countenance of an Mat. Angel like lightning, and his Raiment white as Snow; they, who upon this Sight did bake and became as dead Men, while he whom they kept, became alive; even some of these came into the City, and fhewed unto the chief Priests all the Things that were done. Q. Is there any farther Teftimony in this Cafe than that of Men?

4.

Mat.

xxviii. 114.

John xx.

A. Yes; the Angels bare Evidence to the Truth of it. One came and rolled back the Stone from the Mat. Door, and fat upon it, faith St. Matthew. Two, faith xxviii. 2. St. John, in white, fitting the one at the Head, and the other at the Feet, where the Body of Jefus had lain, faid unto the Women, Why feek ye the Living 5, 6. among the dead? He is not here, but is rifen.

Q. Why did not our Saviour appear to the whole Jewish Nation for their Conviction, as well as to his Followers?

A. Because it was only of abfolute Neceffity, that those who were to be the firft Publishers of the Gofpel, fhould have the utmost Evidence and Satisfaction concerning the Truth and Reality of Chrift's Refurrection; for by the fame Reafon that he was obliged to have appeared to the Jewish nation, it may be proved that the whole Roman Empire ought to have had the fame Advantage, and that he fhould have fhewn himself to all the feveral fucceeding Ages of the World. Moreover, the Jews, by their malicious Refiftance of the Evidence of our Saviour's Miracles, even of the Greatest, of raising Lazarus from the Dead, had made themfelves unworthy and incapable of so extraordinary a Way of Conviction; and for their obftinate Infidelity, joined

12.

Luke xxiv.

17.

38, 39,

&c. Deut.

with their cruel Ufage of the Son of God, were determined for Objects of God's Wrath.

Q. Why was it neceffary Chrift should rise from the Dead?

A. To fhew the Debt he died for was discharged; 1 Cor. xv. and that his Satisfaction was accepted. If Chriß be not rifen, ye are yet in your Sins. And moreover, to prove himself to be the Melliah, and to evidence the Truth and Divinity of his Doctrine. He had Mat. xii. appealed to it as a Sign of his being a true Prophet, and therefore by the Way of Trial, which God prefcribed the Jews, viz. the Accomplishment of xviii. 21, Predictions, he had appeared to be a falfe Prophet had he failed in it. So that if Christ be not rifen, your faith is vain. God having raised our Saviour from the Dead, after he was condemned and put to Death for calling himself the Son of God, is a Demonstration, that he really was the Son of God; and if he was the Son of God, the Doctrine he taught was true and from God.

22.

39.

Q. How long did Jefus Chrift abide in the State of the Dead?

A. He rose the third Day, before his Body faw Corruption.

Q. How can our Saviour be faid to have been three Days and three Nights in the Heart of the Earth, when there was only Part of two Days, and one entire Day between?

A. That is, three Days, according to the common Computation of Days both ancient and moJohn xi. dern, and particularly in Scripture Reckoning. Thus Lazarus is faid to be four Days dead, though the fourth Day whereon he was raised, was one of them. Eight Days are faid to be accomplished for Chrift's Circumcifion; but the Day of his Birth and Circumcifion too went both into that Reckoning. Q. How is the Refurrection of Chrift an Argu ment of our Resurrection?

Luke ii.

21.

A. Becaufe

20.

A. Because by his rifing from the Dead he became 1 Cor. xv. the Firft-fruits of them that flept; which Firstfruits among the Jews were a Pledge and Earnest of a future Harveft. And this fecures our Refurrection to eternal Life, that he who hath promised to raise us up, did raise himself from the Dead. We are the Members of that Body of which Chrift is the Head if the Head be rifen, the Members cannot be far behind.

Q. Wherein shall the Bleffednefs of the Refurrection of good Chriftians confift?

A. In the mighty Change which shall be made in their vile and mortal Bodies, and the glorious Qualities they fhall be invefted withal. And in the confequent Happiness of the whole Man, of the Soul and Body united and purified.

Q. How did the primitive Chriftians chiefly exprefs their Joy upon this Festival?

A. It was famous for Works of Mercy and Charity. The Emperors were wont by their Imperial Orders to release Prifoners, unless they were detained for very heinous Crimes; and all the rest of the People, both of Clergy and Laity, ftrove to contribute largely and liberally to the Poor; that fuch as begged Relief might be able to rejoice, when the common Fountain of our Mercies was remembered; and herein they are fit Patterns for our Imitation.

Q. What may we learn from the Commemoration of sur Saviour's Refurrection?

A. To eftablish ourselves in the Belief of his holy Religion, which receives the utmoft Confirmation by his Refurrection. To quicken our Repentance, fince we are now affured, that he hath made full Satisfaction for our Sins, and that by believing in him we may obtain Remiffion of them, and the Juftification of our Perfons. To rife from the Death of Sin to the Life of Righteoufnefs,'

that

22.

that being qualified with the Graces of God's Holy Spirit, we may be meet to be accounted Children of the Refurrection. To live under a lively Senfe of that Happiness he hath completely purchafed for us by rifing from the Dead. To fet our Affections upon Things above; to breathe after that State of unfpeakable and endless Joy, that perfect Freedom from Sin and Mifery.

Q. What do ye mean by feeking and fetting our Affections upon Things above?

A. Such a frequent and ferious Confideration of that happy and glorious State which is prepared for good Men in another World, as may engage our conftant and fincere Endeavours in obtaining it. Such a Conviction of the Excellency of thofe heavenly Joys, as may determine our Wills to prefer them before all the Honours and Riches of this World, and wing all the Faculties of our Souls to the fwifteft Profecution of them.

Q. When may we be faid to fet our Affections on Things above?

A. When we govern all our Actions with a Refpect to the next Life, and make it our great Bufinefs to please God, who is the firft and chiefest Rom. vi. Good: For our Fruit must be unto Holiness, before our End can be everlasting Life. When we have a low and mean Opinion of the Enjoyments of this World, in Comparison of those of the next; and are ready to part with what is most dear to us to fecure our Eternal Inheritance. When we are zealous and induftrious in doing all the Good we can, and bear all the Miferies and Calamities of Life with Patience and Refignation, without murmuring, Rom. viii. Without Defpondency, because they are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed. Whenwefrequentlyentertain ourselves withfpiritual Subjects,and embrace all convenient Opportunities of converfing with God by Prayer, and by approaching

18.

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