power
• Matt. xvii. 2. Maik ix. 2, 7. ^ John. i. 14. 2 Pet. i. I6— 18.
* Matt. xvi. l(j. John vi. O'y.
power and pollution, of sin^. And the prodigies attending his dissolution Avere such, that the Centurion who attended the crucifixion exclaimed, Truly this was a righteous man, this was the Son of God^]
4. His triumphant resurrection —
[At the precise moment of his resurrection, none were present except the soldiers who were placed to guard his tomb : but within a few hours he was seen by several of his Disciples : and for the space of forty days he appeared to them on a great variety of occasions ^ By these manifesta- tions of himself, the incredulity of the Apostles was over- come s : and much stress was laid upon them by the Apostles in confirmation of their v/ord "".J
3. His glorious ascension —
[Many were permitted to behold this glorious event: and this, together with the descent of the Holy Spirit whom Christ had promised to send down, convinced the Disciples, beyond a possibility of doubt, that Jesus was the Christ. From this time, (the time of the Spirit's descent,) the Apo- stles began to preach Christ as the Saviour of the world : and they constantly founded their testimony vipon the fact of their having been eye-witnesses of every thing that they declared '. Indeed, such stress did they lay on this circumstance, that, in choosing a successor to Judas in the Apostleship, tliey took care to have one who was on a par with themselves in this particular'': and, in speaking of Christ, they dwell on this circumstance with most triumphant satisfaction'. It was for the purpose of qualifying Saul to bear the same convincing testimony, that the Lord Jesus appeared personally to him in the way to Damascus™: and, when his JNIinistry was un- dervalued on account of his svipposed inferiority in these re- spects, he triumphantly appealed to his opposers, " Am I not an Apostle ? Have I not see}i Jesus Christ our Lord ° ?"
If then such a number of faithful witnesses, all concurring in the same testimony, and all qualified to give their testimony from a personal inspection of the things attested, can establish any truth whatever, we must confess that the fact asserted in the text is established beyond the possibility of doubt.]
The fact being proved, we proceed to shew,
II. For
•^ John xix. 34 — 3?. widi 1 John v. 6.
' Matt, xxvii. 54. Mar. xv 3Q. Luke xxiii. 47.
' Acts i. 3. *-' John xx. 24 — 28.
" 1 Cor. XV. 3—8, Acts x. -10, 41 . ' Acts ii. 32, 33, 36.
^ Acts i. 21, 22. ' 1 John i. 1 — 3. " Acts xxvi. 1(5.
" I Cor. Ix. 1.
268 1 joHx, IV. 14. [1189.
II. For what end we bear testimony respecting it —
To set forth Christ as the Saviour of the world was the one labour of all the Apostles. The same also is our employment : and we make that our constant theme, or, at least, the sum and substance of our discourses :
1. That you may have just views of the Father's love —
[We behold the goodness of our God in every thing around us : but not all the creation can exhibit it in so bright a view as the cross of Christ : there, even in the face of a crucified Jesus, shines all the glory of our God. Love, in particular, is there portrayed in its most endearing colours. The gift of God's only dear Son to die for man, was the most stupendous effort of love that ever was, or can be, ex- hibited* It is greater love than was ever shewn even
to the angels themselves'', and, while it brings us nearer to the throne of God than they % it will furnish us with ever- lasting songs in which they can never join "^ ]
1. That you may renounce all erroneous methods of seeking acceptance with him —