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and, in no great fpace of time, fubverted. Within about two hundred years after Tacitus had defcribed the Chriftians as the objects of univerfal contempt and hatred, Christianity became the established religion of the empire. And in a letter of Pliny to Trajan on the fubject, we have indifputable evidence, that even in the time of Tacitus, hated, vilified, and perfecuted, as the Chriftians were, their religion fo greatly prevailed, that, in many places, the idol temples were almost deferted.

4. But the proof of the refurrection of Chrift, which is the most important and fatisfactory of any, does not depend upon arguments and historical evidence, with which multitudes. of true Chriftians are unacquainted; but is, in its own nature, equally convincing in all ages, and equally level to all capacities. They who have found the gofpel to be the power of God to the falvation of their fouls, have the witnefs in themfelves. And are very fure, that the doctrine, which enlightened their understandings, awakened their confciences, delivered them from the guilt and dominion of fin, brought them into a state peace and communion with God, and in

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spired them with a bright and glorious hope

of eternal life, must be true. They know that the Lord is rifen indeed, because they are made partakers of the power of his refurrection, and have experienced a change in themselves, which could only be wrought, by the influence of that holy Spirit which Jefus is exalted to bestow. And many believers, though not qualified to dispute with philosophers and fceptics, upon their own learned ground, can put them to shame and to filence, by the integrity and purity of their conduct, by their patience and cheerfulness under afflictions; and would especially filence them, if they were eye-witneffes of the compofure and elevation of spirit, with which, true believers in a risen Saviour, welcome the approach of death.

This is the evidence, which I would principally recommend to my hearers to seek after. If the refurrection of Chrift, be a truth, and a fact, much depends upon the right belief of it. I say a right belief; for though I have offered you a brief view of the external evidence in proof of this point, I am aware that I am not preaching to Jews, or Mohammedans. If I fhould ask you,

Believeft

Believest thou the refurrection? Might I not answer myself, as the apostle did on another occafion, I know that thou believeft *? But fo powerful is the effect of our depravity, that it is poffible, yea very common, for people most certainly to believe the truth of a propofition, so as not to be able to entertain a doubt of it, and yet to act as if they could demonftrate it to be falfe. Let me afk you, for inftance, Do you believe that you shall die? I know that you believe it. But do you indeed live, as if you were really affured of the certainty of death, and (which is equally undeniable) the uncertainty of life? So in the prefent case-If Christ be risen from the dead, according to the scriptures, then all that the fcripture declares of the neceffity and defign of his fufferings, of his present glory, and of his future advent, must be true likewise. What a train of weighty confequences depend upon his resurrection ! If he rofe from the dead; then he is the Lord of the dead, and of the living-then he has the keys of death and hades-then he will return to judge the world, and you muft see him for yourself, and appear at his tri* Acts xxvi. 27.

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bunal-then, it is he with whom you have to do and then, finally, unless you really love, truft, and ferve him, unless he is the beloved and the Lord of your heart, your prefent flate is awfully dangerous and miferable.

But let thofe who love his name be joyful in him. Your Lord who was dead, is alive, and becanje be liveth, you shall live alfo. If ye be riba with kim, feek the things which are abres, where he fitteth on the right hand of Gad And, when be, who is our life, fhall appear, then thall ye also appear with him in

SER

SERMON XLI.

DEATH BY ADAM, LIFE BY CHRIST.

I COR. XV. 21, 22.

For fince by man came death, by man came alfo the refurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even fo in Chrift fhall all be made alive.

ROM Mr. Handel's acknowledged abi

Flities as a and

lities as a compofer, and particularly, from what I have heard of his great taste and fuccefs, in adapting the ftyle of his mufic to the subject, I judge, that this paffage afforded him a fair occafion of difplaying his genius and powers. Two ideas, vaftly important in themselves, are here reprefented in the strongest light, by being placed in contrast to each other. Surely the most folemn, the

moft

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