And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain
As before in ( 1
Corinthians 15:14 ) not only the doctrine of faith, but the
grace of faith in Christ; even that faith, which is the faith of
God's elect; the pure gift of his grace, and the operation of his
power; which Christ is the object, author, and finisher of; and
which he prays for, that it may not fail; and to which salvation
is so often promised in the sacred Scriptures; and yet is vain,
than which nothing can be more absurd: it follows,
ye are yet in your sins:
in a state of nature and unregeneracy, under the power and
dominion of sin, being neither regenerated nor sanctified; for
regeneration is owing to the resurrection of Christ from the
dead, and is a branch of the power, virtue, and efficacy of it:
but if Christ is not risen, there never was, is, or will be any
such thing as regeneration and sanctification; things, if ever
wrought by the Spirit, are done by him in virtue, and in
imitation of the resurrection, as well as the death of Christ:
moreover, if Christ is not risen, his people are under the guilt
of their sins; there is no expiation nor remission of them, nor
justification from them; for though he was delivered as a
sacrifice to atone for their offences, and his blood was shed to
obtain the forgiveness of their sins, yet he must be raised again
for their justification, and be exalted as a Prince and a
Saviour, as to give repentance, so remission of sins, or they
will never enjoy these blessings; for notwithstanding his
sufferings and death, if he lies under the power of the grave,
they must remain under the power and guilt of sin, and be liable
to everlasting punishment for it.