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SERMON I.

Chrift rifen from the Dead.

I COR. xv. 20.

But now is Chrift rifen from the Dead, and become the First-Fruits of them that flept..

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OW different, my Brethren, is this Day's Solemnity from those which lately called us to the "House of God! How happy the Change, "from Lamentation, and Mourning, and Woe, the Tragedy of a bleeding and dying Saviour, to Joy and Gladnefs, the Tri

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umph of a living and victorious one! This "is the Day which the Lord hath made [as we "have fung in one of the proper Pfalms,] he "hath made it high, he hath made it high a"bove the rest, by rifing on it from the Dead,

by being born a fecond Time, born from "the Womb of the Earth, born now not to cc prove himself Man but God. This is that "most mysterious Day that turned our SaviVOL. III.

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"our's

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SERM." our's Crofs into a lafting Trophy, and his "Crown of Thorns into a Ray of Glory; "that brought Honour to the once accurfed “Tree, and by a wonderful Effect produced

Stanhope.

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Immortality out of Death, and everlasting "Renown out of Shame and Contempt. Let

us be glad therefore and rejoice in this "Chriftian Jubilee, fince Death, the last and "moft formidable of our Enemies, is now "under the Power of one that can deftroy "him: All his Attempts upon the Captain "of our Salvation were weak and vain, and "therefore all his Force cannot prevail a

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gainst those who fight under our victorious "Leader. For this is our Security, this our

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rejoicing, that the Lord is rifen, yea, the "Lord is rifen indeed: Chrift is rifen from "the Dead, and become the First Fruits of "them that flept: The Lamb who was flain, now liveth again, and behold, he is alive for evermore, Amen; and hath the Keys of "Hell and of Death."

With fuch pious Strains an elegant Pen of our own Church begins his Meditations upon the Gospel for this Day: And fuch like holy Extacies of Joy did the Apoftles first, and after them all the Churches of God discover at the Approach of this triumphant Morning,

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