fuffered fo much, after this is to fuffer no more for ever, but to enter into eternal glory. God the Fa ther neither expects nor defires any more fuffering. This refurrection of Chrift is the moft joyful event that ever came to pafs; becaufe hereby Christ rested from the great and difficult work of purchafing redemption, and received God's teftimony, that it was finished. The death of Chrift was the greatest and moft wonderful event that ever came to pafs; but that has a great deal in it that is forrowful. But by the refurrection of Chrift, that forrow is turned into joy. The head of the whole church, in that great event, enters on the poffeffion of eternal life; and the whole church is, as it were, "begotten again to a "lively hope," 1 Pet. i. 3. Weeping had continued for a night, but now joy cometh in the morning, the moft joyful morning that ever was. This is the day of the reigning of the head of the church, and all the church reigns with him. This is fpoken of as a day which was worthy to be commemorated with the greatest joy of all days: Pfal. cxviii. 24. "This is the "day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice " and be glad in it." And therefore this above all other days is appointed for the day of the church's fpiritual rejoicing to the end of the world, to be weekly fanctified, as their day of holy reft and joy, that the church therein may rest and rejoice with her head. And as the 3d chapter of Genefis is the most forrowful chapter in the Bible; fo thofe chapters in the evangelifts that give an account of the refurrection of Chrift, may be looked upon as the most joyful chapters in all the Bible: for thofe chapters give an account of the finishing of the purchase of redemption, and the beginning of the glory of the head of the church, as the greatest feal and earnest of the eternal glory of all the reft. It is further to be obferved, that the day of the gofpel moft properly begins with the refurrection of Chrift. Till Chrift rose from the dead, the Old Teftament difpenfation remained: but now it ceafes, all being fulfilled that was fhadowed forth in the typical ordinances of that difpenfation: fo that here moft properly is the end of the Old-Teftament night, and Christ rifing from the grave with joy and glory, was as the joyful bridegroom of the church, as a glorious conqueror to fubdue their enemies under their feet; or was like the fun rifing as it were from under the earth, after a long night of darkness, and coming forth as a bridegroom, prepared as a strong man to run his race, appearing in joyful light to enlighten the world. Now that joyful and excellent difpenfation begins, that glorious difpenfation, of which the prophets prophefied fo much; now the gofpel-fun is rifen in glory, "and "with healing in his wings," that those who fear God's name, may "go forth, and grow up as calves "of the ftall." II. Chrift's afcenfion into heaven. In this I would include his fitting at the right hand of God. For Chrift's afcenfion, and fitting at the right hand of God, can fcarcely be looked upon as two distinct things: for Chrift's afcenfion was nothing elfe, but afcending to God's right hand; it was his coming to fit down at his Father's right hand in glory. This was another thing whereby Chrift was put into a capacity for the accomplishing the effect of his purchafe; as one that comes to be a deliverer of a pecple as their king, in order to it, and that he may be under the beft capacity for it, is firft inftalled in his throne. We are told, that Chrift was exalted for this end, that he might accomplish the fuccefs of his redemption Acts v. 31." Him hath God exalted. "with his right hand, for to give repentance unto "Ifrael, and the remiffion of fins." Chrift's afcenfion into heaven was, as it were, his folemn enthronization, whereby the Father did fet him upon the throne, and inveft him with the glory of his kingdom which he had purchased for himself, that that he might thereby obtain the fuccefs of his re-demption in conquering all his enemies: Pfal. cx. I. "Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine ene"mies thy footftool." Chrift entered into heaven,. in order to obtain the fuccefs of his purchase, as the high priest of old, after he had offered facrifice, en-tered into the holy of holies with the blood of the fa-: crifice, in order to obtain the fuccefs of the facrifice which he had offered. See Heb.ix. 12. He entered into heaven, there to make interceffion for his peo-ple, to plead the facrifice which he had made in or-der to the fuccefs of it, Heb vii. 25. And as he afcended into heaven, God the Father did in a visible manner fet him on the throne as king of the universe. He then put the angels all under him, and subjected heaven and earth under him,, that he might govern them for the good of the peo-ple for whom he had died; Eph. i. 20. 21.-22. And as Chrift rofe from the dead, fo he afcended! into heaven as the head of the body and forerunner of all the church; and fo they, as it were, afcendi with him, as well as rife with him: fo that we are: both raised up together, and made to fit together in: heavenly places in Chrift, Eph. ii. 6. The day of Chrift's afcenfion into heaven was doubtlefs a joyful, glorious day in heaven. And as heaven received Chrift, God-man, as its king, fo doubtless it received a great acceffion of glory, and happiness, far beyond what it had before. So that the times in both parts of the church, both that part which is in heaven, and alfe that which is on earth,, are become more glorious fince Chrift's humiliation than before. So much for thofe things whereby Chrift was put into the best capacity for obtaining the fuccefs of re... · demption. I PART II. Now proceed to fhow how he accomplished this fuccefs. And here I would obferve, that this fuccefs confifts in two things, viz. either in Grace, or in Glory. That fuccefs which confifts in the former, is to be feen in thofe works of God which are wrought during those ages of the church wherein the church is continued under the outward means of Grace. That fuccefs which confifts in the latter of these, viz. Glory, has its chief accomplishment at the day of judgement. SECT. I. WOULD first confider the former kind of fuccefs, confifting in God's grace here; which mainly appears in the works of God during the time that the Christian church continues under the means of grace; which is from Chrift's refurrection to his appearing in the clouds of heaven to judgement; which includes the three former of thofe great events of providence before mentioned, which are called Chriji's coming in bis kingdom. In fpeaking of this fuccefs, I would, 1. Mention thofe things by which the means of this fuccefs were established after Chrift's refurrection ; and, 2. Confider the fuccefs itself. § I. I would confider thofe difpenfations of provi dence, by which the means of this fuccefs were eftablifhed after Chrift's refurrection. 1. The abolishing of the Jewish difpenfation. This indeed was gradually done, but it began from the ine of Chrifi's refurrection, in which the abolition of it is founded. This was the first thing done to wards : wards bringing the former ftate of the world to an end. This is to be looked upon as the great means of the fuccefs of Chrift's redemption. For the Jewifh difpenfation was not fitted for more than one nation it was not fitted for the practice of the world in general, or for a church of God dwelling in all parts of the world: nor would it have been in any wife practicable by them: it would have been impoffible for men living in all parts of the world to go to Jerufalem three times a-year; as was prefcribed in that constitution. When therefore God had a defign of enlarging his church, as he did after Chrift's refurrection, it was neceffary that this difpenfation fhould be abolished. If it had been continued, it would have been a great block and hinderance to the enlargement of the church. And befides, their ceremonial law, by reafon of its burdenfomeness, and great peculiarity of fome of its rites, was as it were a wall of partition, and was the ground of enmity between the Jews and Gentiles, and would have kept the Gentiles from complying with the true religion. This wall therefore was broken down to make way for the more extenfive fuccefs of the gofpel; as Eph. ii. 14. 15. II. The next thing in order of time feems to be the appointment of the Chriftian fabbath. For though this was gradually established in the Chriftian church, yet those things by which the revelation of God's mind and will was made, began on the day of Christ's refurrection, by his appearing then to his difciples, John xx. 19.; and was afterwards confirmed by his appearing from time to time on that day rather than any other, John xx. 26. and by his fending down the Holy Spirit fo remarkably on that day, Acts ii. 1. and afterwards in directing that public affemblies and the public worship of Chriftians fhould be on that day, which may be concluded from Acts xx. 7. 1 Cor. xvi. 1. 2. and Rev. i. 10. And fo the day of the week on which Chrift rofe from the dead, that joyful day, is appointed |