of justification or acceptance with God, and in point of sanctification too. Every one in whom these characters are found, has a title to heaven, according to the word. It is convenient and profitable to mark such texts for this special use, as they occur while you read the Scriptures, or hear sermons.

The

marks of a regenerate state thus fixed, in the next place, impartially search and try your own hearts. thereby, as in the sight of God, with dependence on him for spiritual discerning, that ye may know whether they be in you or not. And when you find them, form the conclusion deliberately and distinctly; namely, that therefore you are regenerate, and have a title to heaven. Thus you may gather evidences. But be sure to have recourse to God in Christ by earnest prayer for the testimony of the Spirit, whose office it is to bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Moreover, carefully observe the course and method of providence towards you; and likewise how your soul is affected under the same, in the various steps thereof: compare both with Scripture doctrines, promises, threatenings, and examples; so shall ye perceive if the Lord deals with you as he used to do unto those that love his name and if you be going forth by the footsteps of the flock, this may afford you comfortable evidence. Walk tenderly and circumspectly, and the Lord will manifest himself to you according to his promise: "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." But it is vain to think of successful self-examination, if ye be loose and irregular in your conversation.

Lastly, Despatch the work of your day and generation with speed and diligence. "David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep." God has allotted us certain pieces of work of this kind, which ought to be despatched before the time of working be over: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest." "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Reflection, in a dying hour, upon neglected seasons and lost opportunities, cannot fail to disquiet a Christian. Wherefore, whatever is incumbent upon thee to do for God's honour and the good of others, either as the duty of thy station, or by special opportunity put into thy hand, perform it seasonably, if thou wouldst die comfortably.

HEAD III.

THE RESURRECTION.

JOHN V. 28, 29.

"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

THESE words are part of the defence our Lord Jesus Christ makes for himself, when persecuted by

the Jews for curing the impotent man, and ordering him to carry away his bed on the Sabbath; and for vindicating his conduct, when accused by them of having thereby profaned that day. On this occasion he professed himself, not only Lord of the Sabbath, but also Lord of life and death; declaring, in the words of the text, the resurrection of the dead to be brought to pass by his power. This he introduceth with these words, as with a solemn preface: "Marvel not at this," that is, at this strange discourse of mine: do not wonder to hear me, whose appearance is so very mean in your eyes, talk at this rate; for the day is coming in which the dead shall be raised by my power.

Observe in this text, (1.) The doctrine of the resurrection asserted: "All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth." The dead bodies, which are reduced to dust, shall revive, and evidence life by hearing and moving. (2.) The author of it, Jesus Christ the Son of man: the dead shall hear his voice, and be raised thereby. (3.) The number that shall be raised: "all that are in the graves," that is, all the dead bodies of men, good and bad. (4.) The great distinction that shall be made betwixt the godly and the wicked. They shall indeed both rise again in the resurrection. None of the godly shall be missing, and all the wicked shall come forth their vaulted tombs shall hold them no longer than the voice is uttered. But the former shall have a joyful resurrection to life, whilst the latter have a dreadful resurrection to damnation. Lastly, The set time of this great event: there is an hour, or certain fixed period of time, appointed of God for it. We are

not told when that hour will be, but that it is coming; for this, among other reasons, that we may always be ready.

DOCTRINE-There shall be a resurrection of the dead.

In discoursing of this subject, I. I shall show the certainty of the resurrection. II. I shall inquire into the nature of it. And, lastly, make some practical improvement of the whole.

I. In showing the certainty of the resurrection, I shall evince, (1.) That God can raise the dead. And, (2.) That he will do it ;-which are the two grounds or topics laid down by Christ himself, when disputing with the Sadducees: "Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God."

First, Seeing God is Almighty, surely he can raise the dead. We have instances of this powerful work of God both in the Old and New Testament. The son of the widow in Sarepta was raised from the dead, the Shunamite's son, and the man cast into the sepulchre of Elisha. In the New Testament, Jairus' daughter, and Dorcas, were both raised to life, when lately dead; the widow's son in Nain, when they were carrying him out to bury him; and Lazarus, when stinking in the grave.

Can men make curious glasses out of ashes, reduce flowers into ashes, and raise them again out of these ashes, restoring them to their former beauty; and cannot the great Creator, who made all things of nothing, raise man's body, after it is reduced into dust? If it be objected, How can men's bodies be

raised up again after they are resolved into the dust, and the ashes of many generations are mingled together?' Scripture and reason furnish the answer:

With men it is impossible, but not with God.' It is absurd for men to deny that God can do a thing, because they see not how it may be done. How small a portion do we know of his ways, how absolutely incapable are we of conceiving distinctly of the extent of almighty power, and much more of comprehending its actings, and the method of its procedure! I question not but many illiterate men are as great infidels to many chemical experiments, as some learned men are to the doctrine of the resurrection and as these last are ready to deride the former, so the Lord will have them in derision. Shall some men do such things as are wonders in the eyes of others, because they cannot comprehend them; and shall men confine the infinite power of God within the narrow boundaries of their own shallow capacities, in a matter nowise contrary to reason? An inferior nature has but a very imperfect conception of the power of a superior. Brutes do not conceive of the actings of reason in men; and men have but lame notions of the power of angels: how low and inadequate a conception, then, must a finite nature have of the power of that which is infinite! Though we cannot conceive how God acts, yet we ought to believe he can do above what we can think or conceive of. Let our modern Sadducees propose the question, as the ancient Sadducees did in the case of the woman, who had been married to seven husbands successively. We answer, as our blessed Lord and Saviour did: "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the