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death, were all their lifetime subject unto bondage. Christ by his resurrection, hath taken away all power from Satan; so that now he can no more exercise his tyranny against the elect and chosen people of God. For Christ hath taken him prisoner, and taken his weapons away from him, bound him, and so utterly weakened him, that he hath no power at all. And this his victory, he in his resurrection mightily declared, when he led away captive all the rulers of hell; as St. Paul saith, He hath spoiled rule and power, and made a show of them openly, and hath triumphed over them in his own person. Of this victory, Christ also speaks in a certain parable, saying, When a strong man armed watcheth his house, the things that he possesseth are in peace. But when a stronger than he cometh upon him, and overcometh him, he taketh from him all his harness wherein he trusted, and divideth his goods. So likewise the devil possessed the world, and showed his power in maintaining false worshipping of God, and divers kinds of idolatry; and by this he established his kingdom, and greatly increased the swarm of wicked and damned persons, until Christ, who was stronger than he, invaded his kirgdom, and took from him his armour and weapons, that is to say, sin and death, wherewith he overcame the whole world, and made spoil of them, and by this means delivered all the faithful and elect people of God out of his kingdom, and set them free from his tyranny and power.

The sixth fruit of Christ's resurrection is, the preaching of the gospel. For although he preached the gospel to his disciples, and to his countrymen the Jews, before his death, yet gave he out no commission that it should be generally and universally preached to all nations, till after his resurrection. Therefore saith he in the gospel of Matthew, All power is given unto me, both in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore throughout the whole world, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. He that shall believe and be baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned. This is a most noble gift which no man is able sufficiently to express or to esteem For all had been frustrate and void, if it had not beer: published and set forth abroad. For how could we believe on Christ, of whom we had not heard ? As it is written, But how shall they hear without a preacher ? Faith cometh by hearing, hearing cometh by the word of God. Therefore Christ suffered, that victory over death and hell should be gained, and also that his glorious gospel should be published to the whole world, and that all nations through the preaching of the holy apostles and other godly teachers, should be invited, bidden, and called unto it.

The seventh fruit of Christ's resurrection is, that Christ with his rising again from death, hath justified us through faith. For as he by his death hath abolished and put away sin, even so by his resurrection hath he brought unto us righteousness; Paul saith, Christ was betrayed for our sins, and rose again for our justification, and Peter saith, Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, begat us again unto a lively hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death, to an inheritance immortal and undefiled, and that perisheth not, reserved in heaven for you, which are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation. Thus hath Christ by his resurrection, made us godly and righteous through faith, that we should not only by him be made free from sin, but also become holy and righteous in him. If, as Peter saith, we believe in God through him which raised him up from the dead, and gave the glory unto him, that we might have faith and hope toward God.

The eighth fruit of Christ's resurrection is, the glorious blessedness and eternal life of the soul ; which follows o. justification and faith, whereof the holy apostle St. Paul speaks in his epistle to the Ephesians, saying, God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, quickened us together in Christ, (by grace are ye saved,) and raised us up together with him, and made us sit together with him, among them that are in heaven. The prophet Hosea also saith, He shall make us alive after two days, and on the third day he shall raise us up, that we may live in his sight. Hereof comes it that St. Peter calls Christ, the Lord of life. For he that confesses with his mouth, and believes with his heart, that God raised up Christ, he is saved. This life and everlasting salvation, Christ by his resurrection hath purchased and given unto us. Therefore Christ said to Mary Magdalene, that she should tell his disciples, that he would go up unto his Father and to their Father. As though he said, Now we have a common inheritance, one Father, one kingdom, and an everlasting life common to us all. For he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified are all one. The ninth and last fruit of Christ's resurrection is, the glorification and dignity of our mortal bodies. For as Christ in his resurrection cast away from him all weakness of man's body, because from henceforth he should be no more mortal, weak, hungry, thirsty, nor have any other infirmities, but be immortal and without any infirmity and weakness ; so shall our mortal bodies be like unto his glorious body at the resurrection of the dead, and shall ever remain in that glory and honour, world without end. Of this St. Paul speaks, saying, Our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for a Saviour, even the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall transfigure and change this our vile body, that he may make it like to his own glorious body, according to the power wherewith he is able to make all things subject to himself. And in another place, Paul rejoices with all the christians, that we have an everlasting dwelling-place in heaven, although this our corruptible body be destroyed and put away, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then shall God bring them with him that are fallen asleep by Jesus. So shall we be glorified with Christ, as he before was glorified by his resurrection, and made his mortal body immortal, and brought it unto glory. As he also before gave a show of this matter to his disciples in mount Tabor. He that desires to have more of it, let him read 1 Corinthians xv. There shall he abundantly find how Christ rose again, and how manifold and great fruit he hath purchased and gotten for us by his glorious resurrection.

Application.Now forasmuch as we have heard and do perfectly know, what great and singular benefits we have received by the victorious and triumphant resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ;-how he hath overcome sin, death, the devil, and hell, and hath made us not only free and safe from them, but also holy, godly, and righteous through faith, so that we shall have with him everlasting life and a glorified body; it becometh us as faithful children, to take up a new, pure, sincere, uncorrupt, and faultless life ; as St. Paul exhorteth us in his epistle to the Romans, saying, We are buried with Christ by baptism for to die, that sikewise as Christ was raised up from death by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in a new life. Now what other thing is a new life, than to eschew sin, and to do that which is good and godly? As Paul saith, We ought no more from henceforth

for us.

to serve sin. And in another epistle he saith, that Christ died to this end for all men, that they which live, should from henceforth live, not to themselves, but to Him that died for them and rose again. So likewise Paul rejoices that he liveth not, but Christ in him. And he exhorts the Corinthians, that forasmuch as they through faith in Christ are holy and righteous, and yet for the remnants of the unclean flesh are sinners and unrighteous, they would purge out that old leaven. Know ye not, saith he, that a little leaven soureth the whole lump of dough ? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be new dough, as ye are sweet bread. For Christ our Passover is offered up

Therefore let us keep a joyous feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of maliciousness and wickedness, but with the sweet bread of pureness and truth. In which words Paul evidently expresses and requires, that we should leave the old impure life which we have of Adam, and in spirit begin and exercise a new spiritual life, unto which Christ hath brought us ; and that we should from time to time, if we find in ourselves any old leaven of wickedness, purge it out, and utterly cast it away from us. Therefore seeing we are risen again with Christ, let us seek the things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God; that is to say, Let us forsake earthly and transitory things, and aspire and labour forward unto heavenly and everlasting things, that the resurrection of Christ, and the benefits thereof, of which you have now heard, may be fruitful, and full of efficacy and power in us; that by our new life and christian conversation, we may show ourselves thankful unto God, and profitable to our neighbours. Again, that they who are without, and enemies to the christian truth, may, through our godly and honest behaviour, be converted and turn from their idolatry unto the worshipping of God; from their superstition unto God's pure religion; from corrupt and wicked manners, unto holiness and pureness of life ; that by this means God our heavenly Father may be glorified both by them and by us, who unto this end hath given us his Holy Spirit, that in all points, both in body and soul, we, being holy and righteous, may serve him, even the Lord our God, in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. To whom, with Christ our Lord, and the Holy Ghost, be all praise, honour, and glory, world without end. Amen.

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THE

OFFICE OF THE HOLY GHOST.

The Gospel for the Fourth Sunday after Easter.

Jesus said unto his disciples, Now I go my way to Him that sent

me, &c.—John xvi. 5-14.

This is a most noble and excellent gospel. For it treats especially of that high and necessary article for which we are, and are called, christians. If we intend truly to have the profit and fruit that comes by it, we inust diligently exercise ourselves in the meditation thereof. It is also part of that sermon which Christ made after his Last Supper. Christ would have it well beaten into all men's heads, that they should not be offended with his passion and death, nor should take it as a matter of sadness; but that we should rather use it as a confirmation of our faith, and unto the consolation and comfort of our consciences; forasmuch as by this means the tyranny of the devil is destroyed, and the Holy Ghost is gotten and given unto us.

What the Holy Ghost shall do, what he shall bring, what he shall declare and teach, Christ sets forth in these words : “When the Holy Ghost shall come, he will rebuke the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment." Christ, in these his words, comprehends many great things, and saith, that the Holy Ghost shall not only rebuke small companies, certain kinds of men, certain nations or people, but the whole world. He had need be well fenced and armed that will take upon him to have to do with the whole world. For the world is, whatsoever hath grown up from Adam hitherto, monarchs, emperors, kings, princes, no man, no, not of the highest degree, excepted. All these must be rebuked of sin by the apostles, and by the ministers of the word, at the motion of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost, by the preachers, shall rebuke them all of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, none either high or low excepted; not Jerusalem for her holiness, not Rome for her wisdom, &c. All must receive this correction and rebuke of the Holy Ghost, that they may be saved. For

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