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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85735	A demonstration of the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and therein of the Christian religion. Very usefull for the further satisfaction and confirmation of all good Christians; as likewise for the confutation and conviction of those that have a Jewish or atheisticall spirit in them. / Written by Richard Garbutt, Bachelour in Divinity, sometimes fellow of Sydney Colledge in Cambridge, and afterwards preacher of the Gospel at Leeds in Yorshire [sic].	Garbutt, Richard.; Jackson, Nathaniel, d. 1662.; Cartwright, Christopher, 1602-1658.	1656 (1656)	Wing G207; Thomason E1693_1; ESTC R202150	67,066	193

makes much of it so long as it keeps its place and also for convincing of Atheists and unbelievers with whom it deals upon their own terms viz those of reason and in this tottering age declining so fast to Scepticisme and Atheisme there is need of both But I will not deteine the reader from the worke it selfe which will best speake for it selfe wishing every Christian a rationall and fiduciall knowledge of the truth and an experimentall knowledge of Christs Resurrection EDW. BOWLES A DEMONSTRATION OF THE Resurrection of Christ 1 Cor. 15.20 But now is Christ risen from the dead the first fruits of them that slept CORINTH was a famous Church if any other planted by the Apostle himself residing among them a whole yeare and an halfe for the preaching and setling of the Gospel Acts 18.24 and afterwards watered by Apollo an Eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures but though it were thus planted thus watered yet not many years after there crept in many abuses into that Church for the reforming whereof S. Paul spends most of this Epistle and the two chiefe abuses a dangerous schisme and a dangerous heresy He picks out purposely one to be medled with first of all and the other last of all because things spoken first and last take best impression and nothing he desired to take deeper impression then dehortation from schisme and haeresy the one breaking the bond of charity the other the bond of faith Their schisme that one said he was of Paul another of Apollo another of Cephas another of Christ is confuted thorowout the four first chapters Their heresy that some among them denyed the resurrection is with great vehemency and contention of reasoning confuted thorowout his fifteeth Chapter and good cause that the Apostle should so bestirre himself in confirming the doctrine of the resurrection it being the very knot and tye of all Religion and all Religion falling asunder without it deny the Resurrection and the world would soone be as bad as hell it self if the dead rise not again let us eat and drinke for to morrow we dye but affirme the Resurrection and beleeve it perfectly aright and the world would be almost as holy as Heaven it selfe Acts 24.15.16 My hope towards God is that there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of just and unjust and herein do I exercise my selfe to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men therefore good reason that the Apostle should so bestirre himself about this point The Resurrection of the dead is the Christians confidence Fiducis Christianorum Resurrectio mortuorum Tertull Now he proves the Resurrection first more directly by plaine arguments unto the 35. vers Secondly more indirectly and underhand by answering the surmised doubts that might be against it But some will say How are the dead raised up c This how is not an how of enquiry for then he should not have answered thou foole but thou curious fellow but an how of objection against the very matter How how is it possible that the dead putrified body should rise again that every one should have his own body being eaten perhaps of the beasts or the fish or the fowle and turned into their substance how also is it convenient that these vile bodyes of ours that were nothing but clogs and troubles to us here should be restored to us and this is the implyed Objection How are the dead raised up c. which the Apostle answers in all the parts of it shewing it first not to be impossible because wee see the like dayly in the seed sowne it dyes and quickens again and also no feare of the impossibility because it is God that doth it and cannot he restore the body and the same body too he can tell how to sever the flesh of men from the flesh of beasts c. And secondly he shewes it not to be inconvenient because it shall be the same body for substance yet not for irksome conditions but as celestial and terrestriall bodies differ a great deale for glory and excellency so it from it self dying and being raised up again It is sowne in corruption it is raised in incorruption and in shewing this glorious change thereby answering the surmised objection of inconvenience he spends most of the rest of this Chapter from the fortyeth verse unto the end Now for the direct proofe of the Resurrection in the former part of the Chapter it beares it selfe especially upon this argument That Christ is risen and therefore we shall rise again too and after that he hath a long time tossed and touzed and waved and argued it up and down with a great deale of zeale that Christ is undoubtedly risen for it is the thing that he is long and earnest about and troubles him most the other That we should therefore undoubtedly rise would easily follow none would much gainsay it After therefore he hath so belaboured the point of Christs Resurrection thereby to inferre ours in my text he casts up the summe of all shewing what all his former reasoning had amounted unto namely to this to tall But now is Christ risen from the dead c. There are two things First That Christ is risen Secondly Not so onely but risen as The first fruits to sanctify and hallow unto his father all the faithfull that sleep in Christ assuring them by his Resurrection of their blessed Resurrection at last too As the whole harvest was blessed and sanctified and halloved in a little handfull of the first fruits dedicated to God that blessed and hallowed the whole harvest so Christs Resurrection blesseth and warrants all ours And First That Christ is risen But what you will say needs any proving of this point There are no Painims here to deny the Resurrection there are no Thomasses here to doubt of it we all beleeve the article of the Creed The third day he rose again from the dead Beloved I would it were so but let me tell you what our Saviour saith Luke 18.8 When the son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth and what S. Paul saith 2 Thes 3.2 Non omnium est fides all man have not faith to beleeve that Christ by his Resurrection is the Resurrection and life to others is a matter that may well have a Beleevest thou this set upon the head of it let me tell you it is not for nought that the Gospels every one of them are so large in the Demonstration of the truth of Christs Resurrection by variety of circumstances and variety of apparitions and that the Acts are written in effect for no other end as Chrysostome wel observes Hom. 1. then to prove Christs Resurrection by his powerfull sending of the holy Holy Ghost by his powerfull endowing them with gifts of miracles with gifts of a more then man-like courage and fortitude to preach stoutly the Gospell notwithstanding all opposition by the

maid their lurkings and underhand meetings both before and a while after the Resurrection meeting but onely for feare of the Jews in private places and in the night and with the doores shut upon them these show how timorous otherwise they were What transformed them therefore from such hares and harts into such stout Lions as afterwards they showed themselves but onely this power of the Holy Ghost coming on them This made them that before ran away and hid their heads in corners to be bold afterwards to preach Jesus of Nazereth to all the people to all the priests and rulers to all comers that would hear them in the publick Temple Act. 5.42 teaching and preaching Jesus Christ See what difference there is between their former fearfulness and their then boldness Act. 2.14 But Peter standing up with the eleven lift up his voice c. all things make purposely for expressing their stoutness and boldnes The standing up the lifting up the voice the forme of words themselves Yee men of Judaea c. words of meer authority words for emperours to speake so verse 22. ye men of Israel c. and 36. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly See here their boldness and their former timorousness and none would take them for the same men at most but other men in the same skins Ay but this is but a flash before the people before that the rulers have medled with them dare they be so bold also before them See whether they dare or no. Chap. 4. v. 5. They are apprehended kept in hold a night convented the next day before an assembly that might have struck terrour into them And it came to passe on the morrow that their Rulers and elders c. were gathered together Here was greatness enough to have dashed them but what sayes the Story But Peter filled with the Holy Ghost Act. 4.8 Not without good cause is this preface otherwise such great looks had been enough to have daunted such two poore sneakes But Peter filled with the holy Ghost said c. Words of such stoutness and boldness that those great ones wondered such sneakes should be so bold When they saw the boldness of Peter and John they marvelled verse 13. boldness to say Bee it known unto you all vers 10 11. c. whom yee Crucified c. set at nought by you builders c. Object Ay but this was the first time before they had tasted of the whip they had nothing but threats and great words given them there durst they do so the second time and after they had smarted Sol. That the second and third time too they durst do so you have it Chap. 5.17 and 29. and also after they had smarted being well beaten with rods you have it verse 42. dayly in the Temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ Secondly Grace of promptness of speech whence had they it but from this power of the Holy Ghost coming upon them it could be nothing but this that loosed the tongue of those stammerers that made those lispers speake so plaine that made those poor fishermen as mute otherwise almost as the fish they caught to become on the sudden the worlds oratours to extemporize before assemblies and congregations upon every occasion to argue with Jew and Gentile with Pharisee and Philosopher and so to argue as their adversaries were driven to answer as Stevens did him to leave reasoning and go to suborning Act. 6.9.11 Then there arose certaine of the Synagogue c. and they suborned men c. Act. 9.29 Or as Pauls him He spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Graecians but they went about to slay him Whence could these mute fishermen have had this promptness and presentness yea and wisdom of speech but onely from the power of the Holy Ghost coming on them Ps 8.2 But out of the mouth of Bades and sucklings hast thou perfected praise And I will give you a mouth and wisdome Luke 21.15 which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist Job 12.20 These let you see what did the deed He removeth away the speech of the trusty c. so he giveth sometime the speech to the stammerer Job 32 8● but there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Act. 4.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John c. It was strange that they should speake so roundly and profoundly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom it could not have been expected as being unlearned and ignorant men that they could have gone on above five words together without hacks and hawes about matters so out of their element Thirdly Grace of extraordinary diligence whence had they it but from this power of the Holy Ghost if you consider that they had neither profit to draw them on to take that pains for silver and gold have I none not so much as to give a beggar his almes said he that was the chiefe of them And these hands have ministred to my necessity said he that was not his inferior no profit therefore to draw them on No honour neither for they were therefore counted the filth of the world and the offscowring of all things If you consider also that their breeding was a private countrey-breeding and a quiet retried life led upon lakes and rivers not made to be the worlds posts to trudge from City to City from nation to nation from people to people from Kingdome to Kingdome and there still to have no rest to their flesh 2 Cor. 7. but be troubled on every side fightings without fears within besides their assiduity in preaching in season and out of season privately and publickly If you consider withall how well their successors now a dayes love their ease when they need not trudge up and down the world as they did to preach the Gospel it were well if they would but reside at their own cures and take a little pains there If you consider all these whence can you say they had this extraordinary diligence but from the power of the Holy Ghost it could be nothing but this that made them so diligent that the rulers of the Jews could say of them in a short time Behold you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine Act. 5.28 so diligent that as it is in the same Chapter dayly in the Temple and from house to house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ so diligent that Peter is made as is were an Ubiquitary As Peter passed thorowout all quarters Act. 9.32 c. so diligent that Demetrius could say of one of them namely Paul Sirs ye see and heare that not alone at Ephesus Act. 19.26 but almost thorowout all Asia this Paul hath perswaded and turned away much people so

huge army of tall souldiers well appointed and runing with their naked bodies in the thick of them should deale their blows so fast and so bestirre them that they should kill some wound others lead others away Captive vanquish all and themselves receive no harme would not all say that this were a work Divine What were the twelve silly Apostles but these twelve men unskilfull of warre c what was the whole world but a huge huge army of tall souldiers well appointed against them what was the running of those twelve men with naked bodies into the midst of the army but the venturing of the Apostles upon the pikes point in the midst of the world up in arms against them what was the bestirring themselves so of those twelve men killing some c. but the bestirring themselves so of the twelve Apostles in the world as to subdue a great part of it upon the field and to foile all the rest that they could not withstand them what was the receiving no harm of those twelve themselves in the midst of all that garboile but the continuing of the Apostles so long undestroyed amidst all the uproare and garboile of the world against them Having obtained help of God I continue unto this day continue in spite of all the worlds being in an uproare against me witnessing both to small and great c. And Act. 26.22 We have this treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4. that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us What was the Apostles subduing the world and casting downe every high thing that exalted it self against the knowledge of God but the silly Rams horns making the high walls of Jericho fall downe flat Joshua 6.20 or Gideons silly Barley cake tumbling in the hoste of Midian and overturning the tent Judges 7.13 And therefore to put all together whence but from the power of him that was risen from the dead sending the power of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles and their labours could such a Doctrine to such a world by such twelve or thirteen men to adde Paul to the dozen have beene effectually preached surely he that was set at the right hand of the Father had remembred what he had said John 15.16 I have chosen you and ordayned you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine And this this was that did the deed else what hope that they should have gone and brought forth such fruit in the conversion of the Gentiles such plentifull fruit such lasting fruit Not without good cause for one part of the mystery of Godliness is this 1 Tim. 3.16 God believed on in the world not without good cause that Paul calls the worke of the Gentiles-conversion the opening of a doore Act. 14.27 1 Cor. 16.9 2 Cor. 2.12 Act. 12. Chrys Hom. 34. and 76. in Matt. Hom. 7. in 1 Cor. if God had not miraculously opened this doore as he made the Iron gate to open to Peter of its own accord the Gentile had stood without for ever Fourthly Whence had the primitive Christians and Converts such extraordinary grace of holiness of life but from the power of him that was risen from the dead sending the power of the holy sanctifying spirit upon them Act. 2. Consider those three thousand first converted Act. 4. And the five thousand Consider their extraordinary piety unity community Their extraordinary piety ' towards God testified by their zeale in religious exercises They continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine c. Their extraordinary Vnity or agreement among themselves And all that believed were together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much in place for three thousand one place would hardly receive them as in affection they were of one heart and one Soul Act. 4.32 Lastly their extraordinary community for communion of all things to the mutuall help one of another and had all things common c. See but the backwardness now adays in these Christian duties and acknowledge their forwardness in the same to have been the very finger and worke of Gods spirit They continued stedfastly or indefatigable in the Apostles Doctrine c we perhaps are but quarterly or monthly or fortnight men or women herein or if weekly then forenone people onely or if so good as afternoone people too yet our yawnings our nods yea and perhaps our Naps too argue our sluggishness in these duties but they continued indefatigable c. Again they even the multitude of them that believed which is signanter spoken signanter that a multitude and a multitude of raw converts should be so were so united and knit in one that they had all as 't were but one heart and one Soul but one heart and one Soul to act and move so many many bodies three thousand Chap. 2. nay five thousand Chap. 4. Whereas we run division so that it were a very wonder to see now but three or five men to be that which three nay five thousand men were then even to have but one heart and one Soul laughing and weeping all together nilling and willing all the same things nay rather for five of us our Saviours words what if they proved true that five should be divided three against two and two against three but they even the multitude of them that believed being about five thousand were of one heart and of one Soul Again for outward fortunes they had all things common They that had goods and possessions sold them and they sold them not to retaine the money in their own hands to give a little as they listed but they laid it down at the Apostles feet alienating away the right of it from themselves to serve for the common stock wholly and this they did when they could looke for no other but present persecution that money in their purses in their flight when they were persecuted would have done well This they did also without the Apostles exhorting them thereto as is intimated by the phrase laid it down at the Apostles feet namely the Apostles being unwilling to receive it and plainlier expressed by that of Peter to Ananias While it remained was it not thine own c. This Lastly they did having no doubt some of them wives and children to take care for of their own and were they thinke you without affection to their own that had such affection to every Christian Let our own hearts now tell us whether this that they did could well be any thing else but the very finger and worke of the spirit this that whereas the world huncheth to give a little of that they have they gave all whereas the world huncheth to give these little in time of peace they gave their all when nothing but persecution could be looked for whereas the world not with all the exhortations that can be used they without exhortation at all whereas the world thinkes wife and children

tormenting anxious feares for our owne deaths as being assured that Christ is not onely risen from the dead but risen as the first fruits to ensure the glorious Resurrection of all those that belong to him This use of thankfulness for so great a blessing the Apostle makes Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 which hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead And here St. Paul in the present Chapter O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ And indeed he that considers what death is backed with sin and the unalterable Law of God can easily be moved to thankfulness for victory over it through our Lord Jesus Christ and his death and Resurrection Seventhly if Christ be risen as the first fruits c. then let these bodies of ours be sacred and holy to him here which we looke should be glorious and happy in him hereafter in him as glorified members of him a more glorious head he will never make him a glorious member that is not first a holy member never deliver him from the bondage of death that does not seeke first to be delivered of sin never deliver him from the corruption of the grave that does not seeke first to be delivered from the corruption of lust If it were possible that any member of Christ in Heaven should either be a sinfull member or a poor contemptible member sooner should it be a poor contemptible member then a sinfull member our Saviour sometimes here upon earth had a vile contemptible body but never a sinfull body looke we therefore that these bodyes of ours should be happy and glorious in him hereafter let them be sacred and holy to him here Think with thy selfe when gluttony and drunkenness dishonours thy body is this drunken body fit to be a member of Christs glorious body when filthyness and uncleanness defiles thy body is this filthy body fit to be a member c thinke with thy selfe when violence bribery injustice cozenage and trading Legerdemanie cleaves to thy hand is this hand fit to be a member of Christs glorious body c when pride envy avarice adultery sits in thy eye is this eye fit to be a member of Christs glorious body c when profane and cursed speaking horrible swearing slandering backbiting c. furres thy tongue is this filthy furred tongue fit to be a member of Christs glorious body c How does the Apostle reason against the abusing of the body by the sinne of fornication 1 Cor. 6.13 Now the body is not for fornication but for the Lord and is it fit that that body that is the Lords body looks to be raised up a glorious member of him already a glorious head is it fit that body should be for filthyness and fornication If we will needs so dishonour our selves as to make our bodyes the members of harlots let us know that Christ will not so dishonour himselfe as to make the members of harlots his own members If therefore Christ be risen as the first fruits c. he will not have like Nebuchadnezzars image the head to be of gold and any of the members though the very feet the lowest to be of base clay and dirt Eighthly If Christ be risen as the first fruit then let us be bold to venture these bodies of ours be it unto the death in behalfe of him and his glory who dyed for us and rose againe to ensure the glorious Resurrection of these bodies our bodies are not so sure our owne now that we have them and are clothed with them as when they are off at his bidding he does but lay them up in a sure wardrobe to restore us them again far better then we doft them off so much deceived were those heathenish persecutours that burning the Christians gathered up the ashes of their bodies and threw them into the river Rhone to be carried away who knowes whither that they might make the Christians without all hopes of the Resurrection but little knew they that they had a head in Heaven that as those bones by prophecying came together bone to his bone so by but speaking unto them could make all those ashes come together were they never so scattered with the four winds Euseb 5. see how this the ensurement of our glorious Resurrections in and by Christ is made a speciall ground and motive in Scripture for our sufferings 2 Cor. 4.14 Act. 20.20 1 Cor. 15.32 Gal. 6.12 so we believe and therefore speake speake without concealment of any part of the truth of the Gospel though thereby we procure our selves great persecution at the hands of the Jews and what is the ground of his boldness Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus so 1 Tim. 6.13 Exhorting Timothy to constancy in the Gospel whatsoever befell upon it 2 Tim. 2.8 upon what ground does he it sc this Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead Rev. 2.8 c. so the Lord exhorting the Church of Smyrna to endure tribulation for his names sake upon what ground does he it sc this these things saith the First and the Last which was dead and is alive c. And so though you dye in his cause feare not he will make you alive againe if therefore Christ be risen as c. Ninthly If Christ be risen as the first fruits let us while we are in these bodies of ours be constant and abundant in all good works knowing that our labour none of it all shall be lost but a day shal come when if we could be sorry for any thing it should be especially for this that we have slugged it so much in the work of godliness Let not thine heart envy sinners Prov. 23.17 18. for surely there is an end even that end 1 Cor. 15.24 and thine expectation shall not be cut off And have hope towards God Act. 24.15 16. that there shall be a Resurrection c. and herein do I exercise my selfe to have a conscience alwayes void of offence both towards God and man And here in this Chapter after the Apostle hath sufficiently proved Christs Resurrection and also our glorious Resurrection in him This is the very use he makes of it in the last verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore my beloved be ye stedfast setled grounded confirm'd in the infallible faith of Christs and your Resurrections and unmoveable not onely setled but unmoveably setled that nothing be able to shake you from that stedfastness not the violence of Tyrants persecuting you not the subtilty of Philosophers seeking to circumvent you and if you continue thus stedfast and unmoveable in this your faith what will then follow but that you should abound not be spare and scanty but abound and that not when you are ready to lay downe these bodies of yours onely but alwayes Abounding alwayes in the work of the Lord. FINIS