beleeues most It vses no helpe of fence but the fence of hearing only Rom. 10.17 It comes by hearing only and what it heares was foreshewne in the typicall body and done and perform'd in the Naturall and reall body of Christ Iesus that it verily beleeues is communicated to His Mysticall body And what it so heares and beleeues it beleeues euidently though it see it not It tasts really though it chew it not It feeles and enioyes substantially though it touch it not nor finger it or els it is not simple but sensuall Another comfort therefore wee must finde for simple Faith in the third Day And S. Chrysostome giues it The comfort Loco sup sayth he that simple Faith in his friends expected and Deuillish malice in his enemies would haue hindered it was that vnseene comfort that S. Paul speakes of 1. Cor. 15.20 1. Cor. 15.20 That Christ rising the third day was manifested to be Primitiae dormientium The first fruits of them that sleepe in hope of Resurrection to life This was the comfort simple faith look't at and the Deuill had good cause not to abide He the first fruites of the mysticall body and therefore as He so all the rest of his kinde and generation with Him And He therefore the first fruites and no other that was raysed from the dead because He only and no other was rays'd the third day Heere was the cause of the Deuils watch and seale Iayrus daughter was rays'd but vpon the first day The widowes sonne was rays'd but vpon the second day the buriall day Lazarus was rays'd but vpon the fourth day The Deuill neither watch'd these nor seal'd their graues Only Christ was rays'd the third day and therefore Hee onely and no other the terrible and comfortable first fruites of them that sleepe Doe you question the reason yet and thinke the argument weake I le resolue you in a word First in the Legall and Typicall first fruites though we finde no expresse Law necessity nor mention of the third day for their offering Yet this Law we read Leuit 23.15 Leuit. 23.15 and a statute for euer that the sheafe of the fruites to be accepted for them was to be wau'd before the Lord the morrow after the Sabbath seuen Sabbaths complete before the feast of Pentecost And this morrow after that Sabbath was iust this third day and houre when Christ only no other was wau'd and lifted vp from the dead the first fruits of all his kinde So the type is sure for vs that He was onely the prefigured first fruits because Hee onely was rays'd vpon this morrow But if this will not serue In this Euangelicall and substantiall first fruits we finde an expresse necessity of this third day according to Gods Oeconomy and Dispensation of grace vnto vs. 1. Cor. 15.21.22 And S. Paul tenders it in the place before nam'd Almighty God of his meere mercy purposing to recouer mankinde from vnder the curse of death so sweetly disposed of it that as by man came death so by man also should come the Resurrection from the dead As by the first Adam whose flesh and bloud we are by generation Death So by the second Adam whose flesh and bone we are by Regeneration Resurrection to life As and So in due proportion and resemblance As therefore in the first Adam the first fruites of all liuing to the world all die and from him Ecclesia morientium a congregation of fallers into death were gathered so in the second Adam Christ the first fruites of all that die to the world all are made aliue and from him Ecclesia resurgentium a congregation of risers to God were gather'd As Adams congregation was gather'd by a rising to fall from life vnto death so Christs congregation was gather'd by a falling to rise from death vnto life As Adam rose and fell and gathered his congregation the third day after life so Christ rose and stood and gathered his congregation the third day after death And heere is Saint Pauls As and So. The full proportion betweene the two Adams whereupon simple Faith in hearing both determines her assent and to the conuiction of all malice gathers this comfort that Christ was indeede the Person in whose name He came Her second Adam her first fruites her perfect patterne and samplar of her nature estate and condition in that He onely and no other was raysed the third day and no other And this was Primitiue Diuinity what S. Paul cals the chaste virgin simplicity in Christ Iesus 2. 2. Cor. 11 3. Cor. 11.3 Nor in the second place The necessity of the third Day in respect of the Person wherein Christ rose does the schoole subtilty at all corrupt this virgin simplicity or obscure this light with any forc'd or false glosses It rather inlightens it more bringing more instruction with comfort to the touch of Faith in respect of the Person wherein Christ rose And thus they reason the third day to Faiths apprehension 1. Cor. 15. siō 14 to 20. Most certaine it is as Saint Paul sayes 1. Cor. 15. that were it not for the resurrection of the dead there is nothing so vaine as the assurance nothing so miserable as the preaching and preachers of Christ Iesus It is onely the hope of the resurrection that makes you serue Christ and vs serue you Now to hope for this it is fit we be fully instructed in it and to be instructed in it fully wee must first bee fully assured both of his Humane Nature that should rise but alone could not and of his Diuine Nature that could not but rise but alone would not without the other For to beleeue our resurrection we must first beleeue our selues to bee partakers of both these Natures Of both together or else no resurrection The Diuine without the Humane needs not the Humane without the Diuine cannot And to beleeue our selues partaker of both these our faith must first be confirmed in the truth of them both in our first fruits our second Adam with whose entire nature we participate by resurrection as with the first by generation Hee must haue both or we cannot if He haue both we want neither To confirme therfore our faith in the truth of Christs Diuine Nature that would die but should not it was necessary He should rise soone To confirme our faith in the truth of his Humane Nature that should rise but alone could not it was necessary He should not rise too soon And this soone for his Diuinity and not too soone for his Humanity was the third Day onely Soone sayes his Diuinity and not beyond the third Day not too soone saies his Humanity not before the third Day hastning his resurrection vpon the third Day it appear'd manifestly there was somthing in his flesh and that bodily that death might swallow with the flesh as a fish doth a hooke or a Hawke casting but death could not hold it
third day wherein Hee rose gloriously from the Dead and fully accomplished our Iustification against the sting of Rom. 4.25 Death our Sinne the strength of sinne the Law the victory of Hell our Condemnation Ouer all which there was Conquest Triumph and perpetuall Dominion both taken in and giuen to our flesh by that his Resurrection the third Day And by that his Resurrection onely I doe not say but I adde too as a master-piece in this great Building by that his Resurrection The third Day Together they went and together Faith must touch a'm as the woman touch'd the Hemme and the Garment together The third Day is a prop and stay to Faith as well as the Resurrection For to keepe my word Let vs leaue now the Left hand touch of Historicall faith That such a thing was so done by such a Persō at such a time which the Deuil that teaches others to disput yet himselfe beleeues conuicted in vnderstanding trembles at the very Hemme of time The Second Touch concerning the Necessity of the third day And come to the Right hand touch of Iustifying and sauing Faith That such a thing was so done by such a Person at such a time for me and you and the whole world to iustifie our conquering satisfaction to God with full power of the Sonnes of God to doe all good and resist all euill either to be done or suffred This vertue and benefit of Christs Resurrection Faith cannot draw from it to the soules rest and stay of the mind vnlesse the assent of Faith to Christs Resurrection be stayd and determin'd vpon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very third Day it was done in and no other Neither the first Day wherein he suffred Nor the second Day the Iewes Sabbath Nor any Day beyond the third Day That Christ may resolue my Faith that he is the Christ and rose againe for me He must not only rise but rise the third Day and no other And to Discouer this Mystery of Godlinesse As these Dayes of Christ are three So I find accordingly three seuerall Dayes of the Church and mysticall body of Christ as also three seuerall Diuinities and Lights of these three Dayes all inlightening the necessity of this Third Day The first is the Diuinity of the Primitiue Day the Good Friday of the Church wherin Christ was persecuted and suffred in his Members mysticall body through Heathenisme and Heresie The light of which day was simplicity of Faith vnto saluation The second is the Diuinity of the Schoole Day what we cal the Popish Day the Iewes Sabbath of the Church wherein the mysticall body of Iesus Christ lay wrapped in the Linnens of Iewish Ceremonies buryed in the New-found Sepulchre of humane inuentions the light of which day was Subtilty of Reasonings where there was not more Mist then Sun-shine vnto saluation too The third is the Diuinity of the Reformed Day the Resurrection Day of the Church when after a darke euening and a little cloudy dawning of trouble and persecution in the beginning of Reformation the Sun of Righteousnes rose gloriously in our Hemisphere enlightēing our wosterne world with the simple subtilty of Saint Pauls foolish wisedome vnto saluation call'd Preaching of the Gospel All these Dayes gaue their seuerall lights to this point in hand and from the same Sunne of Righteousnes though neither with equall force nor in the same measure The first shewes the Necessity of the third Day in respect of the Person in whose Name Christ rose that is Adam The second in respect of the Person wherin Christ Rose that is God and Man The third in respect of the Persons to whom and for whom he rose that is Iewes and Gentiles the sonnes of Adam But let me light a'm vp all The Necessity of the Third Day in respect of the Person in whose Name Christ rose and as our Sauiour wills let me set a 'm vpon the table and in their own order and discourse First the simple Faith of the Primitiue Church both touch'd the Necessity and drew foorth the Benefit of the Third Day vpon the plainest grounds that are lai'd and lai'd open in holy Scripture Tertul. aduer Iud. cap. 13. Athan. de Incar verbi Chrysostome Hom. 89. in Mat. and yet not allneither Tertullian Athanasius and Chrysostome to take the marrow of their simple meaning all pitch their consent vpon these two especially No differring the rising beyong the third Day say they Partly for the Comfort of his friends that expected it should be then Partly for the Conuiction of his enemies that endeuour'd it should not bee then Had he risen any day but the promised third Day all his Disciples and friends would haue turn'd Thomases and as he did haue requir'd another Touch and fingring of him ere they would haue beleeued and taken Comfort Mat. 27.62.63 And had he not risen vpon the appointed third Day vntill which Day the souldiers were appointed by the Priests intreaty and Pilates charge to watch the Sepulchre with the seale vpon it to make all sure for feare forsooth his most fearful Disciples should steale him away who were ready God wot to steale themselues away out of all sight Had he not then risen in the presence and sight of the very souldiers the souldiers had not testified his Resurrection to his enemies as they did Matt. 28.11 Mat. 28.11 His enemies had not beene conuicted by the Testimony Matt. 28.12 as they were and shew'd it by corrupting the souldiers to conceale the truth For that corruption to conceale was a plaine confession that they were indeed onely they would not seeme to be conuicted and taken in their owne snare The spite of His enemies and the Diuell in them was at the third Day onely The comfort of his friends and simple faith in them was in the third Day onely It was the third Day onely that could conuince the one and comfort the other and it did both But why I beseech you and what was this conuiction and comfort of this third Day Was it the bare returne of the naturall body to life againe the third Day that malicious feare would haue hindered Ioh. 11.47 The Diuell indeed was angrie when Lazarus was rays'd to life or was it the bare fruition of his bodily presence and company againe the third Day that simple fayth expected comfort in There was comfort indeed in this Ioh. 11.45 and both comfort and fayth followed Lazarus raysing But this is not comfort of simple but of sensuall Faith In this comfort that is beleeued because it is seene or felt there is a mixture of flesh a composition of sensuall delight from which the Touch of simple faith is most pure and free For simple Faith is an euidence of things vnseene sayes S. Paul Heb. 11.1 And our Sauiour tels Thomas that Beatifica fides The blessed or blessing faith is that that neither sees nor feeles and yet then
not digest it not conuert it into her substance of corruption and putrefaction which begins the third Day and especially in a wounded body She had snatch'd Christs body greedily vpon the Crosse But when shee came to endew it put it ouer and conuert it into her substance of corruption at her due time the third Day it would not doe shee could not chuse but restore him and with him all that by faith in him had any part of the Diuine Nature Could that holy one haue seene much lesse feele any corruption the Diuine nature that dwelt in him bodily had not beene there But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Saint Peter Act. 2.24 Act. 2.24 It was not possible that such a Person should be holden of the paines of death Of Death Hee might be and was for a while true flesh requir'd it true God will'd it But of the paines and penalties of Death the corruption and putrefaction of the third Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was impossible that Diuinitie should be held by a'm So long it was possible but no longer and as so long and no longer was necessary to shew Diuinity was there so so long and no sooner was necessary to shew Humanity was there too A pawse did well for that The first or second day had beene too hasty Hee would not else haue appear'd Man and something that might die His death would haue beene suspected a swound a fit of an Apoplexie perhaps but fayn'd and so all faith vaine and hope comfortlesse Till the third Day therfore he stayes because so long to stay as it was necessary to shew his mortall nature so it was sufficient to shew it For in lesse then that time by many howres no man seemes dead and is aliue but either shewes some tokens of life or dies out right So that in a word To stay so long as the third Day was necessary to shew his Humanity which should not rise any sooner and it did shew it To stay no longer then the third Day was necessary to shew his Diuinity which might stay no longer and it did shew it It was the third Day onely that could giue faith assurance her head and first fruits was such a Person and rose in both the Natures of God and man Nor is it assurance only but Comfort too saies the schoole for in that this Diuine Humane Nature stay'd thus in the graue two whole nights and one whole day it is our consolation saith Thomas Thom. Aqu. q. 53. ar 2. con that Christ by his owne bodily death which in him was all light through the righteousnesse and innocence of his flesh has fully destroyd our two deaths both of soule and body which in vs are all darkenesse through sinne Hos 13.14 Ero mors tua O mors O death I will be thy death was fulfill'd in these two nights Death is now dead and has no more power ouer vs then it had ouer Him but in our death now wee are conformable and subiect to him onely Our head stay'd a while in death but was not detain'd by death as long as He thought it conuenient for our beliefe of His Humane Nature so long He stay'd when He thought it conuenient for our beliefe of His Diuine Nature He rose againe He both stay'd rose at his owne will hauing slaine death with the Diuine Nature for seazing vniustly vpon the innocent Humane Nature To shew that iust so the members partaking with that Head conformable in nature though not equall in vertue and power no more then my toe is to my head yet iust so they die and iust so they are detain'd in death In death they are detain'd but not by death at all or any power of hers but onely by the will of Christ their head so long as he pleases they shall rest in hope and no longer Before he was our head in time which was at the third Day Eph. 1.20.22 Eph. 1.20 22. Death was a darkenesse and a deepe prison and that to them that died in the hope of his first comming But since hee is risen the third Day and hath taken away the darkenes of our two nights the darkenesse of death is taken away Phil. 1.22 Mori mihi lucrum to die is gaine to be in her prison is to bee in liberty to be detain'd in death is to bee in light and life But to whom To those onely that communicate with that Head that rose the third Day because hee was God and could haue risen sooner and yet rose no sooner then the third Day because he was man and would shew that man has now power as to destroy so to dispose of death and as in himselfe so in all his members And thus far the light of schoole subtilty leads vs to the vertue of this Hemme in respect of the Person wherein Christ rose It prooues his Diuine Nature his Humane Nature his power ouer death our liberty in death at his dispose onely and not at deaths at all and so before wee are aware The necessity of the third Day in respect of the persons to whom and for whom Christ rose wee are gotten into the third respect To our selues and those persons to whom and for whom hee rose But wee are but entred only to shew it more fully the light of reformed wisedome remaines now which as in this point it neither opposes nor departs from either primitiue subtilty or schoole subtilty so it is a third witnesse to establish the vertue of this third Day all together will make vp the wise mans triple twisted cord that cannot easily bee broken Our first reason of the third Day for I must make haste as in all points else is that the Scriptures might bee fulfill'd and the word of God be cleare in our eyes and hearts nor is it ours first but S. Pauls first 1. Cor. 15.4 1. Cor. 15.4 And that hee rose againe the third Day according to the Scriptures And when S. Paul names Scriptures as when our Sauiour names a'm hee meanes either the prophesies of the third Day or the types and figures of the third Day or both together and both together I beleeue he meanes for both there were of it and according to both and to fulfill both Christ rose againe the third Day The prophesie we find This prophesie is commended by S. Paul Eph. 2.5.6 which with the whole passage I was forced to cut of for Breuity verba Pauli Conuiuificauit Conresuscitauit Tertul. loc sup Osee 6.2 After two daies he will reuiue vs in the third Day he will raise vs vp and we shall liue in his sight It is not him only but vs and for vs sure and not for himselfe only both the Prophet bespoke it and Christ did it And as it is spoken of the long expected Messias so Tertul. vrges it so strongly against the Iewes as if Christ had risen only the third Day to fulfill this prophesie