SECT. VII. Of joying in Jesus in that respect.

7. LET us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurrection. This is the great gospel duty, we should "rejoice in the Lord, and again rejoice," Phil. 4: 4, "yea, rejoice evermore," 1 Thess. 5:16. A Christian estate should be a joyful and comfortable estate, none have such cause of joy as the children of Zion, "Sing, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Jerusalem, be glad and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem," Zeph. 3: 14. And why so? A thousand reasons might be rendered; but here is one, a prime one, "Christ is risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept," 1 Cor. 15:20. A commemoration of Christ's resurrection hath ever been a means of rejoicing in God.

Some may object, What is Christ's resurrection to me? Indeed, if thou hast no part in Christ, the resurrection of Christ is nothing at all to thee; but if Christ be thine, then art thou risen with him, and in him; then all he did was in thy name, and for thy sake.

Others may object, supposing Christ's resurrection mine, What am I better? How, do not all the privileges of Christ flow from the power and virtue of his resurrection, as well as his death? Tell me what is thy state; what possibly can be the condition of thy soul wherein thou mayest not draw sweet from Christ's resurrection? As,

1. Is thy conscience in trouble for sin? the apostle tells thee, "The answer of a good conscience towards God, is by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," 1 Pet. 3:21.

2. Art thou afraid of condemnation? The apostle tells thee, "He was delivered for our offences, and he was raised again for our justification," Rom. 4:25.

3. Dost thou question thy regeneration? The apostle tells thee, "He hath begotten us again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," 1. Pet. 1:3.

4. Art thou distressed, persecuted and troubled on every side; the apostle tells thee wherein now consists thy confidence, comfort and courage; to wit, in the life of Christ, in the resurrection of Christ, "We always bear about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus might also be made manifest in our body. For we which live, are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh," 2 Cor. 4:10, 11. And thus Beza interprets those following words, "Knowing, that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise us up also by Jesus," verse 14, (. e.) unto a civil resurrection from our troubles; Paul was imprisoned, and in part martyred; but by the virtue of Christ's resurrection he foresaw his enlargement. And this interpretation Beza grounds on the words following, and foregoing, wherein Paul compares his persecutions to a death, and his preservation from them to a life, as he had done before also, Chap. 1, ver. 9, 10.

5. Art thou afraid of falling off, or falling away? Why, remember, that the immutable force and perpetuity of the new covenant is secured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, "I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David," Isa. 55: 3, this the apostle applies to the resurrection of Christ, as the bottoming of that sure covenant, "And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David," Acts 13:34.

6. Art thou afraid of death, hell, and the power of the grave? Why, now remember that Christ is risen from the dead, and by his resurrection death is swallowed up in victory; so that now thou mayest sing, "O death!

where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? Now thanks be to God, which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. 15:55, 57. It is the voice of Christ, "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise: awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead," Isa. 26:19. David was so lifted up with this resurrection, that he cries out, "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth, my flesh also shall rest in hope; for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption," Ps. 16:9, 10. But especially Job was so exceedingly transported with this that he breaks out into these ecstacies," that my words were now written. O that they were printed in a book! that they were graven with an irou pen and lead, in the rock for ever! for I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms shall destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me," Job 19:23, 24, 25, 26, 27. No man, ever since Christ did speak more clearly of Christ's resurrection and his own, than Job did here before Christ. Observe in it, O my soul! Job's wish, and the matter wished his wish was, That certain words which had been cordial to him, might remain to memory; and this wish hath three wishes in one. 1. That they might be written. 2. That they might be registered in a book, enrolled upon record as public instruments, judicial proceedings, or whatsoever is most authenticated. 3. That they might be engraven in stone, and in the hardest stone, the rock! records might last long, yet time might injure them, and these words he would have last forever; O that they were graven in the rock for ever! Moses and Job are said to have lived at one time; now Moses writ the law in stone, and considering that these words were gospel, there was no reason the law should be in tables of stone, and the gospel in sheets of paper; no, no; it were fit that this should be as firm and durable as that; "Oh! that my words were written, O that they were printed in a book," &c.

2. The matter wished, or the words he would have written are these, "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall live again." Here is first, his Redeemer, and his rising. 2. His own rising, and his seeing God. O! this was the matter of his joy, his Redeemer must rise again, and he must rise too, and see his Redeemer, it was a point that exceedingly ravished and revived Job, and therefore he iterates the same thing over and over, "I shall see God, and I shall see him for myself, and I shall see him with my eyes, and not for others." As Christ said of Abraham, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad," John 8:56. So it appears of his servant Job, he saw Christ's day, both his first day, and his latter day, and he rejoiced and was glad.

Away, away all scrupulous, doubtful, dumpish thoughts!* Consider what joys were of old at the foresight of Christ's resurrection, but especially what joy was all the world over, when he rose again from the dead; then came the angels from heaven, and appeared in white; then the sun danced for joy, (so it is storied,) or shone sooner, and brighter than ever it did before. Then (I am sure) the disciples were exceeding glad when they saw the Lord, yea, so glad, that they believed not for joy," Luke 24: 41. It is worthy our observing, to see how all the primitive saints were effected with

Greg. hom. in pas. ca. John 20: 20.

Apostoli die Dominico exhilerati non solum ipsum festivissimum esse volucrunt verum etiam per omnes hebdomadas frequentandum esse duxerunt, Juno Cent. 1. Epistad. Decent. 11. 4.

this news, and because of it, with the very day on which Christ rose; some call it "the first day of joy and gladness, and because of the joy occasioned on this day, the apostles, say they, devoted the first day of the week to the honor and service of Jesus Christ." Augustine applies the words of the Psalm unto this day, "This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us be glad and rejoice in it," Psa. 118:24. Ignatius who lived in the apostle's age, and was John's disciple, calls it "The queen, the princess, the lady paramount among the other weekly days." Chrysostom calls it a "royal day," and Gregory Nazianzen, Orat. 42, saith, "it is higher than the highest, and with admiration wonderful above other days." Certainly, the Lord's day was in high esteem with the ancient church, and the principal motive was because of Christ's resurrection from the dead. O that on these days we could rejoice in the Lord, and again rejoice; it is observed, "That many Christians look upon broken-heartedness, and much grieving and weeping for sin, as if it were the great thing that God delighted in, and requireth of them; and therefore they bend all their endeavors that way, they are still striving with their hearts to break them more, and they think no sermon, no prayer, no meditation, speeds so well with them, as that which can help them to grieve or weep; but, O Christians! understand and consider, saith my author, that all your sorrows are but preparatives for your joys, and that it is a higher and sweeter work that God calls you to, and would have you spend your time and strength in. 'Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart,' Psa. 37:4. Never take your hearts to be right, till they be delighting themselves in their God: when you kneel down in prayer, labor to conceive of God, and bespeak him, that be may be your delight; do so in hearing, and reading, and meditating, and in your feasting on the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ at his supper. Especially improve the happy opportunity of the Lord's day, wherein you may wholly devote yourselves unto this work."* O spend more of this day in spiritual rejoicing, especially in commemoration of Christ's resurrection, yea, and of the whole work of redemption; or else you will not answer the institution of the Lord.

SECT. VIII. Of calling on Jesus in that respect.

8. LET us call on Jesus; that is to say,

1. Let us pray that Christ's resurrection may be ours, and that we may be more and more assured of it. Let us say with the apostle, "O that I may know him and the power of his resurrection," Phil. 3: 10. O that I may find the working of that power in my soul, which was showed in the resurrection of Christ from the dead! O that the Spirit of holiness, which quickened Christ from the dead, would by the same glorious power, beget holiness, and faith, and love, and all other graces in my poor soul! O that Christ would by his resurrection, apply bis active and passive obedience to me! O that he would be to me the Lord of the living, and Prince of life! that he would overcome in me the death of sin, and that he would regenerate, quicken, renew, and fashion me by the power of godliness to become like himself. O that all the virtue, power, privileges, and influences of Christ's resurrection might be conferred on me, and that I might feel them working in me every day more and more.

2. Let us praise God for Christ's resurrection, and for all the privileges flowing from Christ's resurrection into our souls, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath begotten us again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," 1 Pet. 1:3. Christ is risen, and by his resurrection he hath justified, sanctified, quickened, saved our souls,

*Baxter's method for a settled peace.

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and therefore "blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ;" surely God requires a thousand, thousand hallelujahs, and that we should bless him upon a thousand-stringed instrument: here is fuel enough, the Lord kindle a great fire in every one of our hearts to burn out all our lusts, and to inflame all our hearts with a love to Jesus Christ. Can we ever too much praise him for all his actings in our behalf; are not all God's creatures called upon to rejoice with us, and to bless God for his redeeming of us? "Sing, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth, break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein, for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel," Isa. 44: 23. This is the duty we shall do in heaven, and I believe we are never more in heaven, while on earth, than when we are in this exercise of praising God, and blessing God for Jesus Christ. Come, let us praise God for Christ, and especially on this day called therefore the Lord's day, because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ: it is the design of God to glorify Christ redeeming us, as much, or more than he glorified himself creating us: and therefore he purposely unhinged the Sabbath from the last day to the first day of the week, that it might be spent as a weekly day of praise and thanksgiving for the more glorious work of our redemption, that love might not only be equally admired with power, but even go before it. It is the advice of a godly divine, that we should “improve the happy opportunity of the Lord's day, wholly to devote ourselves to his work." * And he adviseth ministers and others, "That they spend more of those days in praise and thanksgiving, and be briefer in their confessions and lamentations; that they would make it the main business of their solemn assemblies on those days, to sound forth the high praises of their Redeemer, and to begin here the praises of God and the Lamb, which they must perfect in heaven for ever. That they would spend a greater part of those days in psalms, and solemn praises to their Redeemer; and that some hymns and psalms might be invented, as fit for the state of the gospel-church and worship, to laud the Redeemer, come in the flesh, as expressly as the work of grace is now expressed." O that these directions were put in practice! O that our churches and families would make our streets to resound with the echoes of our praises! O that this were the burden of each duty on these days! "Now blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

SECT. IX. Of conforming to Jesus in that respect.

9. LET us conform to Jesus in respect of his resurrection. In this particular I shall examine these queries. 1. Wherein we must conform? 2. How this conformity is wrought? 3. What are the means of this conformity as on our parts?

For the first, Wherein we must conform? I answer in a word, in our vivification. There is a resemblance of our vivification to Christ's resurrection; and if we would know wherein the analogy or resemblance of our vivification to Christ's resurrection doth more especially consist; the apostle's answer is very express, "Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father: even so, we also should walk in newness of life," Rom. 6:4. Christ's resurrection was to newness of life: it was a new life, a life different from that which he lived before, and so is our vivification a new life; it is a life of a new principle, of new actings, of a new state, of a new relation, of a new income, and of a new kind or manner. 1. It is a life of a new principle: before vivification, our principle was

* Baxter's method of peace and comfort.

the flesh, or world, or devil, "In time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience," Eph. 2:2; but now we have a new principle, a Spirit of holiness or sanctification, the Spirit of God, even the same Spirit which dwelt in the human nature of Christ, and raised him, "If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you," Rom. 8:11; it is an indwelling Spirit; even as the soul dwells in the body, so doth the Holy Ghost dwell in the soul of a regenerate person, animating, and actuating, and enlivening it. This is the new principle that God puts in us after vivification.

2. It is a life of new actings. According to our principle so will be our actings, "They that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit," Rom. 8: 5. If some men hear of a good bargain, they mind it, they find their souls going on with much activity; there is something in them proportionable to that which is propounded; but if they hear of divine love, and of the riches of grace, they find their souls flat, immoveable, and dead, they mind no such things: now, on the other side, they that are vivified, according to their principle, they put forth their power more or less; if they hear of the glorious things of the gospel, they find inward workings, (unless it be under a temptation) they find their souls drawn out to close with the goodness of the thing propounded, "They mind the things of the Spirit," i. e., they muse and meditate, and think on these things, they affect them, and love them, and like them, they care for them, and seek after them with might and main, they "live in the Spirit, Gal. 5:25. They walk in the Spirit, they are led by the Spirit, Rom. 8:1, 14. They serve in newness of the Spirit," Rom. 7:6. How might we try our vivification even by these actings of our principle within? What, do we mind the things of the Spirit? Do we find things heavenly and spiritual, to be sweet and savoury, and best pleasing to us? Is the Sabbath our delight? Do we long for it before it come? Do we rejoice in it when it is come? Do we consecrate it as "glorious to the Lord," Isa. 58: 13. Do we come to the exercise of religion, whether public or private, with much delight, and with cheerfulness as to a feast? What is this but the life of God? But if these things be harsh and unpleasant, if the Sabbath be a burden, if holy exercises be irksome and tedious, if in attending on the word we are heavy and drowsy, and we find no relish, no sweet, no savor, in the ointments of Christ, no goings out of the soul with an activity to the things propounded; O then deceive not ourselves; we have no good evidence of our vivification.

3. It is a life of a new state: before vivification we are in an unjustified estate; sins are unpardoned, we are unreconciled, "And such were some of you, (said the apostle to his Corinthians,) but now ye are washed, now ye are sanctified, now ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God," 1 Cor. 6: 11. This justification denotes a state, and is universal and unalterable. I know Armenians deny such a state, for as by their doctrine, no man can be absolutely elected till he die, so neither absolutely justified; for (say they) he may fall into such sins, as that though formerly justified, yet now he may be condemned; yea, to-day he may be justified, and to-morrow thrown out of that estate. But again, this we hold, that those that are once justified, are never again cast out of God's favor. As Christ once died, but rose again never to die more, death hath no more power over him; so a justified man once allied to God through Jesus Christ, doth from that time forward, as necessarily live, as Christ himself by whom he doth live; there is an immortal and indissolvable union betwixt Christ the head and every believer; our justification depends not on our own strength, but it is built on Christ himself, who is the same