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ther fear or vain-glory, stubbornness or rage; but the christians in their greatest sufferings expressed magnamity without pride, constancy without fierceness, patience without stupidity, and such an admirable compassion to their enemies, as persuaded some of their tormentors to be companions with them in martyrdom.

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2. The suddenness, and universality of the change effected by the gospel, is a single evidence of the divine power that attended it. The apostle declares (Col. 1.6.) the admirable progress of it in all the world," during his time. In a few years with incredible swiftness it passed through Judea, Samaria, Syria, Greece, and all the parts of the known habitable world. Tacitus acknowledges that in the eleventh year of Nero, great numbers of Christians were at Rome, at a great distance from the place where the gospel was first preached. It appears from the wri-' tings of the primitive christians, that in the second century after the death of Christ, the Roman empire was filled with christian' churches. The world was peopled with a new generation. Now, what secret power produced that sudden and universal' change? How came it to pass that the gospel, contrary to the order of new things, should be so readily received, and in those places where the most insuperable obstacles opposed it? In Corinth, the seat of luxury and voluptuousness; in Ephesus, where idolatry had its throne; in Rome itself, where honours, riches, pleasures were adored. Moses with all his great miracles never conquered one nation to the true God. "The pharisees compassed sea and land to make a proselyte." Mat. 23. But the gospel in a little time converted many nations from their opinions and manners wherein they had been instructed and edu cated, to those that were not only different, but contrary. The wonder in Isaiah was exceeded, "That a nation was born in a day" for the world was renewed as it were in a moment. Such a quickening universal efficacy was joined with the preaching of the gospel, that the power of God was never more visibly mani-' fested in any work. Therefore the apostle mentions it as one part of the great mystery of godliness, that "Christ was believed on in the world." 1 Tim. 3. 16. There is nothing but supernatural, as in the birth, so in the progress of christianity.

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finite power. Philosophy, * though maintained by the successive force of the greatest wits, yet declined and came to nothing. But christianity attended only by its own authority, established its dominion, and raised an eternal empire of truth and holiness in the world. The reason of man cannot inspire into its productions a principle of life; only that power which conveys to man an immortal soul, can derive to its institutions a spirit to animate and preserve them. † And this victorious permanent virtue of the gospel is more admirable in regard it prevailed without the assistance, and against the opposition of all. Nothing could effectually resist the sacred force of naked truth. The more it was oppressed, the more it prospered. It gained credit and disciples by contradiction and persecution; it was multiplied by the deaths of its followers. “The cloud of witnesses” dissolving in a

. “ “shower of blood,” made the church fruitful. For many spectators that saw the christian faith so fiercely persecuted, from a desire to know the cause that made it so hateful, by searching for its supposed guilt, found its real innocence. And thus to discover the truth, the tempests it suffered were more serviceable than the calm it enjoyed. Although some persecutors have boasted of their utter abolishing the christian name in all parts of the empire; yet those inscriptions are the proud monuments of their vanity, not victory. Tyrants are perished, but truth remains for ever. By which it is evident, that as the gospel had a higher principle than what is from below, so it was assisted with more than human power. To sum up in short what hath been amplified; how gloriously was the arm of the Lord revealed in raising the world, that for four thousand years lay in wickedness? What less than a divine power could soften such an obstinate hardness, as long custom in sin brings ? What could pluck up errors that had taken such deep root in the spirits of men, and were naturalized to them, and plant a discipline so austere and thorny to sense? Who but the Almighty could cast out the devil from his empire so universally and long usurped, and with

draw his subjects that were captivated by the terror of laws, and by the delights of the flesh? What invisible power made innumerable of the tender sex, who were not by temper courageous, nor by obstinacy inflexible, nay, who were so fearful that they could not see a drawn sword without affrightment, yet so resolute, as to despise all the instruments of cruelty? What is more astonishing than to see a flock of sheep encounter and overcome an army of lions? This was the Lord's doing, and ought to be marvellous in our eyes. Briefly, the making a crucified person to reign in the midst of his enemies, and to give laws to the whole earth, is a victory worthy the Lord of hosts. The conversion of the world to christianity was the effect of infinite mercy, and equal power.

Lastly, The divine power shall be gloriously manifested in the complete salvation of the church at the end of the world. Jesus Christ as Mediator is invested with sovereign "power in heaven and in earth :” and in that quality he shall exercise it, till our salvation is finished. "For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet." 1 Cor. 15. 25, 1 Cor. 15. 25, "But we see not yet, all things put under him." Heb. 2. 8. Although those persons and things that never degenerated from their original, are entirely subject to him; the angels obey his will, universal nature is governed by his providence; the heavens, the earth, the waters, and all things produced from them, never resist the direction of his hand; yet there are others that fell from their integrity, and some things consequent to man's rebellion, which either oppose the power of Christ, or are not yet actually subdued; and they are the enemies of our salvation, satan, sin, and death. Now the perfect freedom of the church from all these, will be the last glorious act of Christ's regal office. And it is observable, the day of judgment is called the day of redemption, with respect to the final accomplishment of our felicity, that was purchased by the infinite price of his sufferings. The day of Christ's death was the day of redemption, as to our right and title; for then our ransom was fully paid, and it is by the immortal efficacy of his blood that we partake of the glorious liberty of the sons of God; but the actual enjoyment of it shall be at the last day. Therefore the perfection of all our spiritual privileges is referred to that time, when "death our last enemy" shall be overcome. The apostle saith, Rom. 8. "And not only they, but ourselves also,

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which have the firstfruits of the spirit, even we ourselves, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption; to wit, the redemption of our bodies." During the present life, we are taken into God's family, in the quality of his children; but the most solemn act of our adoption shall be at the last day. In this there is a similitude betwixt Christ and his members: for although he was the Son of God by his marvellous conception, and owned by him while he performed his ministry upon the earth; yet all the tes→ timonies of God's favour to him, were not comparable to the declaration of it in raising him from the grave: then in the face of heaven and earth, he said, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." So in this life God acknowledges and treats us as his children, he clothes us with the righteousness of his Son, feeds us with his word, defends us from our spiritual enemies ; but the most public declaration of his favour shall be in the next life, when all the "children of the resurrection" shall be born in a day. Add further, although the souls of believers immediately upon their separation are received into heaven, and during the sleep of death enjoy admirable visions of glory; yet their blessedness is imperfect, in comparison of that excellent degree which shall be enjoyed at the resurrection. As the Roman generals, after a complete conquest, first entered the city privately, and having obtained licence of the senate, made their triumphant entry with all the magnificence and splendour becoming the greatness of their victories: so after a faithful christian "hath fought the good fight," and is come off "more than a conqueror," he enters privately into the celestial city; but when the body is raised to immortality, he shall then, in the company and with the acclamations of the holy angels, have a glorious entry into it. I will briefly consider why the bodies of the saints shall be raised, and how the divine power will be manifested in that last act.

1. The general reason is from God's justice. As the economy of divine providence requires there must be a future state, when God shall sit upon a judicial throne to weigh the actions of all men, and render to every one according to their quality; so it is as necessary that the person be judged, and not one part alone. The law commands the entire man composed of essential parts, the soul and body. And it is obeyed or violated by both of them. Although the guilt or moral goodness of actions is chiefly

attributed to the soul, because it is the principal of them, yet the actions are imputed to the whole man. The soul is the guide, the body the instrument: * it is reasonable therefore that both should receive their recompence. We see the example of this in human justice, which is a copy of the divine. The whole man is punished or rewarded. The soul is punished with disgrace and infamy, the body with pains: the soul is rewarded with esteem and honour, the body with external marks of dignity. Thus the divine justice will render to every "one according to the things done in the body, whether good or evil." 2 Cor. 5. 10.

2. The special reason of the saints' resurrection is their union with Christ: for he is not only our Redeemer and Prince, but our second Adam, the same in grace as the first was in nature. Now as from the first, the soul was destroyed by sin, and the body by death; so the second restores them both to their primitive state, the one by grace, the other by a glorious resurrection, Accordingly the apostle saith, 1 Cor. 15. 21. "that by man came death, and by man came the resurrection from the dead." Christ removed the moral and natural impossibility of our glori→ ous resurrection: the moral by the infinite merit of his death, whereby divine justice is satisfied, that otherwise would not permit the guilty to be restored to eternal life: and the natural, by his rising from the grave to a glorious immortality. For his infinite power can do the same in all believers. It is observable, the apostle infers the resurrection of believers from that of Christ, not only as the cause but the original example. For the members must be conformed to the head, the children to their father, the younger to the elder brother. Therefore he is called "the firstfruits of them that slept," 1 Cor. 15. "and the first-begotten of the dead." Rev. 1. In Christ's resurrection ours is so fully assured, that the event is infallible. Now no less than infinite power is requisite to raise the bodies of the saints from the dust, and to transform them into the similitude of Christ's.

(1.) To raise them. Nothing is more astonishing to nature, than that the bodies which after so many ages in the perpetual circulation of the elements have past into a thousand different forms, one part of them being resolved into water, another evaporated into air, another turned into dust, should be restored to

Animi imperio corporis servitio magis utimur. Sal.