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Nor are they the former Ages only which have committed fuch prodigious Mistakes; even in our own Age we have no lefs eminent Inftances of unaccountable Corruption of Understanding in fome Men, which because they are ordinary and common we cease to wonder at; but in truth had the Ancients by Revelation forefeen them, they would have no lefs admired the Folly of fubfequent Ages, than we now do the Errors of precedent Times.

To name only one now among many; Who could have then believed, that in the latter Times of the World there fhould exist a large Society of Men, who should pretend to eat their God, to devour his Body ten thousand times, and yet retain it whole; to divide it into as many Parts, every one of which fhould be equal to the Whole; and infinite other like Abfurdities? And yet this we know the Papists do.

Upon the Whole, it ought not to be concluded, that because fuch a Perverseness of Will or Corruption of Judgment cannot be well conceived by us, or feems incredible to us, judging according to the Nature of the Things themselves; that therefore it is impoffible Mankind fhould be ever guilty of them, For it doth appear, that there is no Error fo grofs, no Mifcarriage fo enormous, which Man may not commit. And that if the Jews had feen and handled the Body of Chrift after his Refurrection, it is more than possible,

that

that they who had rejected fo many antecedent Proofs, would have been infenfible of this alfo; but it is most certain, that they were not worthy, to whom fuch a Favour fhould be granted.

It remains, that I fpeak to the Third and Laft Confideration, That notwithstanding our Lord vouchfafed not to the Unbelieving World, the vifible Presence of his Body after his Resurrection; yet that he hath by other Methods offered to Mankind fufficient Arguments of reafonable Conviction of the Truth of it. This was abfolutely neceffary, not only in relation of the reft of the World, who had not feen his precedent Miracles; but also in regard of his Undertaking to the Unbelieving Jews, whom demanding a Sign from him, he had referred to his Refurrection from the Dead after three Days continuance in the Grave. And this he hath effectually performed by the Teftimony of unexceptionable Witneffes, his Apostles and other Difciples; who as they were well affured of the Truth of it themfelves, fo they were fitted and enabled to testify it to the World, beyond all Contradiction.

They had feen and familiarly converfed with their Lord after his Refurrection, handled his Body, clearly perceived that a rational Soul was united to it, and the Divinity to both, as before his Refurrection. They were afterwards enabled to testify this to all Nations of the World by the Gift of Tongues; F f 4

and

and to do it fuccefsfully by the Power of working Miracles, not only conferred upon themselves, but upon whomfoever they laid their Hands for that Purpofe. They confirmed the Truth of their Teftimony by voluntary laying down their Lives, by undergoing all the Hardships of Life; the Perfecution of the Jews, and the Contradiction of Heathen Philofophers; all which none can be fuppofed to have been done, without an inward Conviction of the Truth of what they preached. And if they were indeed fo convinced, it is impoffible that in forming their Judgment of it they fhould have been mistaken. Or if it can be imagined, that any fhould be fo vain-glorious, as to forego the Pleasures of Life, and fuffer a Death in defence of what they knew to be falfe, yet are we not in this Cafe permitted to believe it, by reafon of the many and wonderful Miracles wrought by them, by the various Operations of the Holy Ghoft working in them, and communicated by them; by which God himself gave a concurrent Testimony to the Refurrection of Chrift preached by them, and fet to his Seal, that what they taught and affirmed was true. But of this Head, I need add no more, having more largely treated of it in my Difcourfe upon Eafter-Day, which I will not repeat.

SER.

SERMON XIX.

Preach'd on the 1st of June, 1690. at Lambeth Chapel.

MARK xvi. 19.

So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into Heaven, and fat on the right Hand of God.

WE

E lately celebrated the Memory of the Afcenfion of our Lord; and the Offices of our Church direct us to employ our Thoughts upon it, in this intermediate Time between that and Whitfunday. To do this, we are not only induced by that near Relation which it bears to Chrift, who by it took his last Farewel of his Disciples, and entred upon the Poffeffion of his Kingdom; but also by thofe eminent Benefits, which the whole Church received from it,

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the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, the Confirma-
tion of Faith, and the Increase of Hope.
In difcourfing of it, I will confine my
felf to thefe Three Confiderations,

I. The Neceffity and Convenience of the Afcenfion of Chrift.

II. The Truth if it.

III. The Advantages and Benefits which we receive by it.

I. That it was neceffary our Lord fhould leave the Earth, and afcend into Heaven, himfelf often declared, and in John xvi. 7. gives the primary Reason of it. Neverthelefs I tell you the Truth; it is convenient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will fend him unto you. The Miffion of the Comforter, that is, the Holy Ghost, was abfolutely neceffary, and the Neceffity of it confeffed by the Disciples of Chrift; yet could not this be effected, until Chrift fhould afcend into Heaven. It was convenient for the Apoftles that the Comforter fhould be fent, as by whom they received a moft invincible Confirmation of their Faith and their Hopes.

What greater Confolation can be imagined to Difciples afflicted for the Departure of their beloved Lord, than to receive fuch an infallible Affurance of his being placed in Power and Glory in Heaven, as did arise

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