Q. How ancient is the Observation of this Festival?

A. As ancient as the very Times of the Apostles, as is clear to those who are conversant in the Affairs of the primitive Church. In those purer Times the only Dispute being not about the Thing, but the particular Time when the Festival was to be kept.

Q. What was the State of the Controversy about keeping of Easter?

A. The Asiatic Churches kept their Easter upon the same Day the Jews observed their Passover, viz. the fourteenth Day of their first Month, chiefly answering our March; and this they did upon what Day of the Week soever it fell: And from hence they were styled Quarto-decimans; keeping Easter upon the fourteenth Day after the Appearance of the Moon. The other Churches, especially those of the West, kept Easter upon the Lord's Day following the Jewish Passover. These latter pleaded apostolical Tradition, the Asiatics the Practice of the Apostles themselves.

Q. When was this Controversy determined?

A. In the great Ecumenical Council of Nice, assembled by the Emperor Constantine; wherein it was ordained, that Easter should be kept upon one and the same Day throughout the World, not according to the Custom of the Jews, but upon the Lord's Day; which Decree was ratified and published by the Imperial Letters to all the Churches. Q. What are we Christians obliged to believe concerning the Resurrection of Jesus Christ?

A. That the eternal Son of God, who was crucified and died for our Sins, did not long continue in the State of Death; but on the third Day, by his infinite Power, did revive and raise himself, by reuniting the same Soul to the same Body which was buried, and so rose the same Man.

Q. What Proof is there of our Saviour's Resurrection from the Dead?

A. The Testimony of sufficient and credible Witnesses, which is the only Evidence a Matter of Fact is capable of receiving. And then a Witness may be said to be sufficient and credible, when he is thoroughly informed concerning the Fact of which he testifies, and is faithful in the Relation of it.

Q. What Testimony have we of our Saviour's Resurrection?

Mat. xxviii.

A. The pious Women, who thought with sweet Mark xvi. Spices to have anointed him dead, found him alive. 2 The Apostles, who conversed with him frequently 9. after his Resurrection, were satisfied he had a real Body, by his eating and drinking with them. St. Tho- John xxi. mas did not believe till he had searched the Holes 13. that the Nails had made in his Hands, and thrust his xx. 27. Hands into his Side. The Rest of the Disciples testify the same, to whom he also appeared, even to Five Hundred Brethren at once. After that, he was seen 1 Cor. xv. of James, appeared to St. Stephen at his Martyr-s vii. 55. dom, and to St. Paul at his Conversion.

Q. It is plain the Witnesses were thoroughly informed in the Matter of Fact; how doth it appear they were faithful in relating it?

A. They being plain illiterate Persons, it is unlikely they should be skilled in the Art of Deceiving; besides, the Doctrine they taught forbad all Falsehood upon Pain of Damnation; so that the sealing the Truth of this Fact with their Blood, is a sufficient Evidence of their Sincerity.

ix. 5.

Q. The Testimony of an Adversary is of great Force; do his Enemies any way confirm this Truth? A. Those Soldiers that watched at the Sepulchre, and pretended to keep his Body from the Hands of the Apostles; they which felt the Earth trembling under them, and saw the Countenance of an Angel like Mat. xxviii. Lightening, and his Raiment white as Snow; they, who upon this Sight did'shake and became as dead Men, while he whom they kept, became alive; even some of these came into the City, and showed unto Mat. xxviii. the chief Priests all the Things that were done.. L

11.

2.

John xx. 12.

QIs there any farther Testimony in this Case than that of Men?

A. Yes, the Angels bare Evidence to the Truth of Mat. xxviii, it. One came and rolled back the Stone from the Door, and sat upon it, saith St. Matthew. Two, saith St. John, in white, sitting, the one at the Head, and the other at the Feet, where the Body of Jesus had lain, Luke xxiv. said unto the Women, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.

5, 6.

Mat. xii. 38, 39. &c.

Deut. xviii. 21, 22.

Q. Why did not our Saviour appear to the whole Jewish Nation for their Conviction, as well as to his Followers?

A. Because it was only of absolute Necessity, that those who were to be the first Publishers of the Gospel, should have the utmost Evidence and Satisfaction concerning the Truth and Reality of Christ's Resurrection; for by the same Reason that he was obliged to have appeared to the Jewish Nation, it may be proved that the whole Roman Empire ought to have had the same Advantage, and that he should have shewn himself to all the several succeeding Ages of the World. Moreover, the Jews, by their malicious Resistance of the Evidence of our Saviour's Miracles, even of the greatest, of raising Lazarus from the Dead, had made themselves unworthy and incapable of so extraordinary a Way of Conviction; and for their obstinate Infidelity, joined with their cruel Usage of the Son of God, were determined for Objects of God's Wrath.

Q. Why was it necessary Christ should rise from the Dead?

A. To shew the Debt he died for was discharged; and that his Satisfaction was accepted. If Christ be not risen, ye are yet in your Sins. And moreover, to prove himself to be the Messiah, and to evidence the Truth and Divinity of his Doctrine, he had appealed to it as a Sign of his being a true Prophet, and therefore by the Way of Trial, which God prescribed the Jews, viz. the Accomplishment of Predictions, he had appeared to be a false Prophet had he failed in it. So that if Christ be not risen, your Faith

vain. God having raised our Saviour from the Dead, after he was condemned and put to Death, for calling himself the Son of God; is a Demonstration, that he really was the Son of God; and if he was the Son of God, the Doctrine he taught

was true and from God.

Q. How long did Jesus Christ abide in the State of the Dead?

A. He arose the third Day, before his Body saw Corruption.

Q. How can our Saviour be said to have been three Days and three Nights in the Heart of the Earth, when there was only Part of two Days, and one entire Day between?

A. That is, three Days, according to the common Computation of Days, both ancient and modern, and particularly in Scripture Reckoning. Thus Lazarus is said to be four Days dead, though John xi. 39. the fourth Day whereon he was raised, was one of them. Eight Days are said to be accomplished for Luke ii. 21. Christ's Circumcision; but the Day of his Birth and Circumcision too went both into that Reckoning. 1 Cor. xv. Q. How is the Resurrection of Christ an Argu-20. ment of our Resurrection?

A. Because by his rising from the Dead, he became the First-fruits of them that slept; which First-fruits among the Jews were a Pledge and Earnest of a future Harvest. And this secures our Resurrection to eternal Life, that he who hath promised to raise us up, did raise himself from the Dead. We are the Members of that Body of which Christ is the Head: if the Head be risen, the Members cannot be far behind. Q. Wherein shall the Blessedness of the Resurrection of good Christians consist ?

4. In the mighty Change which shall be made in their vile and mortal Bodies, and the glorious Qualities they shall be invested withal. And in the consequent Happiness of the whole Man, of the Soul and Body united and purified.

Q. How did the Primitive Christians chiefly express their Joy upon this Festival?

A. It was famous for Works of Mercy and Charity. The Emperors were wont by their Imperial Orders to release Prisoners, unless they were detained for very heinous Crimes; and all the Rest of the People, both of Clergy and Laity, strove to contribute largely and liberally to the Poor; that such as begged Relief might be able to rejoice, when the common Fountain of our Mercies was remembered: and herein they are fit Patterns for our Imitation. Q. What may we learn from the Commemoration of our Saviour's Resurrection?

A. To establish ourselves in the Belief of his holy Religion, which receives the utmost Confirmation by his Resurrection. To quicken our Repentance, since we are now assured, that he hath made full Satisfaction for our Sins, and that by believing in him we may obtain Remission of them, and the Justification of our Persons. To rise from the Death of Sin to the Life of Righteousness, that being qualified with the Graces of God's Holy Spirit, we may be meet to be accounted Children of the Resurrection. To live under a lively Sense of that Happiness he hath completely purchased for us by rising from the Dead. To set our Affections upon Things above; to breathe after that State of unspeakable and endless Joy, that perfect Freedom from Sin and Misery.

Q. What do you mean by seeking and setting our Affections upon Things above?

4. Such a frequent and serious Consideration of that happy and glorious State which is prepared for good Men in another World, as may engage our constant and sincere Endeavours in obtaining such a Conviction of the Excellency of those heavenly Joys, as may determine our Wills to prefer them before all the Honours and Riches of this World, and wing all the Faculties of our Souls to the swiftest Prosecution of them.

Q. When may we be said to set our Affections on Things above?