a blessed Resurrection let us labour to belong to the first fruits It is strange that we should thinke to continue nothing but very tares and stinking weeds in Gods field and thinke at harvest time to be carried home into his barne as the best Corne. Beloved however it prove with us that many a tare and filthy weed may be brought home among the good Corne and many a good eare of Corne left behind in the field yet at that harvest the end of the world not one tare in Gods field shall be brought home into his barn nor one eare of good Corne left behind to rot in the field Let us therefore strive to belong unto the first fruits if we look to be blessed in the first fruits Secondly If Christ be risen as the first fruits then let this confirme all them that belong unto the first fruits in the assured blessed hope of their undoubted glorious Resurrection if the poorest despised member of Christs body shall not rise again to glory then Christ himselfe is yet in the power of death death gnawes upon him It is the Apostle himselfe that is thus bold But if there be no Resurrection from the dead 1 Cor. 15.13 then is Christ not risen the Head is not in Heaven if any of the members shall for ever rot in the earth Observe how still the Scripture makes the blessed hope that is in us of our Resurrections to rest and build it selfe upon Christs Resurrection Job 19.25.26 so Job I know that my Redeemer liveth is one that death hath no power over and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and what then Job what if thou knowest that why I know then that I shall not alwayes be wormes meat but though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God So the Apostle having prayed that God would give the Ephesians enlightned minds to know the excellency of the happiness that awaits them in Heaven in these words That yee may know what is the hope of his calling Eph. 1.18 and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Lest they should thinke But how should wee ever attaine this happiness wee poore mortall corruptible creatures that dayly dy and rot and putrify in the grave and no signe of any such ensuing glory therefore he prayes withall that they may know the greatness of Gods power in raising up Christ from the dead as an assurance that he will also raise up them And that ye may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead verse 19.20 because as it follows he raised up Christ to be the Head over all things to his Church which is his body the fulness of him which filleth all in all and therefore Christ is maimed and imperfect without his body His body therefore doubtles shal be assumed at last to him body and head to make one perfect man and one full Christ Till we all come in the unity of the faith Eph. 4.13 and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man c. what firmer hope therefore of our Resurrections then that wee are thus to be the fulness of Christ who should otherwise be a maimed Christ an imperfect Christ a halfe Christ a head without a body Further for this point makes that which the Apostle hath Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the power of his Resurrection to me ward to raise mee up also by an influence of the head upon the members after all my fellowship with him in his sufferings 1 Pet. 1.21 Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God sc nothing doubting but that he would also raise you up having raised him up your first fruits Rev. 1.18 I am he that liveth and was dead and have the keyes of Hell and of death have the keyes he slipt not out onely himselfe deceiving the keeper but he came out powerfully with keyes in his hand to let out also whomsoever of his he would he did not indeed as Samson did with the door of the gate of the City Gaza carry away the door and all that whosoever would might go forth but onely tooke away the keyes of the door to let out and lock in still whom he would Thirdly If Christ be risen as the first fruits then let this comfort us against the feare of death if we reckon of a day wherein he that dyed for us and rose again will for that which is sowne in corruption raise it again in incorruption which is sowne in dishonour raise it in glory sown in weakness raise it in power which is sowne a naturall body raise it a spirituall body Why should we much be afraid of death death doâ—s but spoil us of our rags to give us robes does but pull downe our old ruinous house to reare up a new one and a stately one in the roome We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved 2 Cor. 5.1 we have a building of God a house not made with hands he that now fears death much hath but either a little faith or an ill conscience and no marvaile if these two be afraid to dye the one looking at death as an end of all his hopes and the other as the beginning of all his misery But a good faith and a good conscience will not feare that which it knows can neither hold it nor hurt it it knows that Christ is risen as the first fruits and it knows that it belongs to those first fruits it knows what that means John 6.39 This is the Fathers will that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And that and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin Rom. 8.10 but the spirit is life because of righteousness And that Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death the Divell He knowes that that which was spoken in a figure to the Jews shall in the very letter be performed to him and all Christs members Esay 26.19 Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing yee that dwell in dust c. and that which was a parable to them shall be a truth to the Saints That the valley of dry bones that were very dry Ezek. 37.5 the four winds shall blow upon them and breath shall come into them and they shall live and stand up upon
crucified both Lord and Christ but presently they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest men and brethren what shall wee doe It made their hearts pant to thinke they had offended him that now being risen from the dead was made both Lord and Christ and so able to take what terrible revenge he would of them Consider what is written in Matt. 21.44 There our Saviour bringing out the 118. Psal a Psalme of the Resurrection cites this text The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the Corner he adds that whosoever shall fall on this stone through disobedience offend and stumble against it shall be broken it shall worke commonly his rume and confusion for this world but on whom soever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder on whom soever Christ at his second coming shall with all the weight and might and vehemency of indignation fall he shall then make powder and meere mish-mash of him Comparate vos cum Judaeis illi contempserunt pendentem in ligno vos contemnitis sedentem in coelo Aug. de verbis Domini 45. If therefore Christ be risen you now speake not a word nor doe a deed against the son of man but against him that is declared to be the Son of God Compare your felves with the Jews they contemned him when he hung upon the crosse you contemne him when he sits in Heaven Obs 2 Second Observation That Christ is not onely risen but risen as the first fruits to sanctify and ascertiane our Resurrection as the first fruits under the law being offered to God were for the sanctifying and procuring a blessing upon the whole harvest now this that Christ is risen as the first fruits by his Resurrection to sanctifie and warrant our Resurrections divers things confirme it First The example of those that he actually brought with him from the dead when himselfe rose Matt. 27.52.53 And the graves were opened and many bodies of Saints which slept arose this little rast before hand showes what his Resurrection shall be powerfull unto hereafter even unto the raising of the dead bodies of the Saints that sleepe he set but two or three prisoners free but the goale-delivery of all his he will performe hereafter as he is powerfull to execute so he is wise not to precipitate and hasten counsels but stay the fulness of time Secondly The vertue of his life and Resurrection to revive us diverse speeches of himselfe show as that As the living Father hath sent me John 6.57 and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me live by me so that I will raise him up at the last day as foure times in that Chapter he repeats that phrase Againe that speech to Martha talking with him about her brother Lazarus his death I am the Resurrection and the life c. Also that Now is the bour come that the Son of man should be glorified John 11.25 verily verily John 12.23 except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much fruit Thirdly The vertue of his life and Resurrection to revive us two speciall appellations of his in Sciripture show namely the appellation of an Head and the appellation of a Captaine of a head he being as a head unto his Church and the Church the very body and members of him their head if the body and members shall not be revived there is no life in the very head it selfe the head would derive life unto the body hence from this union betweene the head and members are we said to be already quickned together with him raised together with him Eph. 2.5 nay set down together with him in heavenly places Col. 2.12 The other appellation is of a Captaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that he is called the Captaine of life yee killed the Captaine of life whom God had raised from the dead Act. 3.15 c. It became him for whom are all things Heb. 2.10 to make the Captaine of their Salvation perfect through sufferings if Jesus therefore be a Captain of life and Salvation he is not onely to save himself but his Companies also that follow his colours he is not a Captaine of life and Salvation but of death and dectruction that lets his company perish in the field though himselfe come safe off without any hurt Fourthly So enfolded one in the othe◠is Christs Resurrection and our Resurrection that the one is made to imply the other so when the Apostle preached especially Christs Resurrection yet the Priests and Sadduces tooke it so as preaching our Resurrection through him As they spake unto the people Act. 4.1.2 the priests c. came in upon them being greived that they preached through Jesus the Resurrection of the dead So St. Paul in his Apology before the Pharisees and the Sadduces instead of making his Apology for Christs Resurrection turnes it into the generall about our Resurrection as indeed the one enfolding the other so he might set the Pharisee and Sadducee together by the ears that so while the Wolves fight the Lambe might escape Act. 23.6 Men and brethren I am a Pharisee of the hope and Resurrection of the dead c. Lastly To name no more authorities consider the very next verse of my text and there you have Christ made the author of life and Resurrection as Adam of death for since by man came death by man came also the Resurrection of the dead And in the five and fortieth verse you have another comparison that as the first Adam was made a living Soul sc to become the fountaine of naturall life to all his posterity So the second Adam Christ was made a quickning spirit sc to become the fountaine of spirituall or Heavenly life to all his The first Adam was made a living Soul the secend Adam was made a quickning spirit Now before we come to the Uses a question or two is not unseasonable to be made and answered Qu. 1 First How Christ is the first fruits of all that slept 1 King 17. seeing the widow of Sareptaes son was raised to life by Elias 2 Kings 4. and the Shunamites son and a dead man by touch of Elisha'es bones 2 Kings 13. and three by our Saviour himselfe in his life time sc Jairus his daughter in the chamber uncarried out the widows onely son upon the biere carried out at the gates of the City and Lazarus having been four dayes in the grave how therefore was Christ the first fruits seeing these and those also as it may seeme Matt. 27.52 were raised before him Ans 1 For Answer Observe first That for all them that were raised to life except perhaps those Matt. 27. there was no proper Resurrection not such a Resurrection as we professe in our Creeds not such a Resurrection as that
Matt. 22.30 In the Resurrection they neither marry not are given in marriage but are as the Argels in Heaven not a Resurrection to a state of immortality but onely to the state of their former naturall life subject to death again But as for our Saviours Resurrection he rose so as now no more to returne to corruption Act. 13.37 and death now to have no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 and as himselfe saith Rev. 1.18 now to be alive for evermore I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Ans 2 Secondly For those Matt. 27. either they rose not till after Christs Resurrection as most thinke so that the graves indeed opened at his death but the dead bodies arose not till after Christs Resurrection And the graves were opened c. sc those there abouts in Mount-Calvary or else if they rose before his Resurrection then they rose either upon dispensation onely for a time to lay down their bodies again or if to retaine their bodies for ever as glorious bodies then Christs Resurrection was in order of nature though not of time before theirs because through the power and vertue of his Resurrection they were raised seeing as he is said in the Councell and foreknowledge of God to be a Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world and therefore nothing hinders but that Christ was the first fruits because all that rose before Christ either rose onely to a naturall life or if not yet onely upon dispensation for a time to lay down their bodies again or if to retaine their bodies for ever yet by the power and vertue of Christs Resurrection preconceived in Gods counsell as the fountaine and cause of their life and Resurrection And so wee may see Act. 26.23 how Christ was to be the first that should rise from the dead and here the first fruits of them that slept and the first borne from the dead Col. 1.18 because he rose onely by his own power I have power to lay it down c. and because never to return to corruption again Qu. 2 A second question is about the wicked whether and how they are to be raised seeing Christ cannot be said to be their first fruits whether and how therefore are they to be raised whose Resurrections are not hallowed and consecrate in Christ 1 Cor. 15.22 in whom are all to be made alive Ans 1 First That they shall rise there is no question John 5.28 29. The houre is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall heare his voice and shall come forth c. Act. 24.15 and have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and of the unjust Ans 2 Now secondly How they shall be raised whether in and by Christs Resurrection or no For this we are to know that Christ by his Resurrection was made Lord and onely Potentate of every creature Act. 2.36 and therefore received power over quick and dead Phil. 2.11 that he might be able to bring again from the dead all the wicked and disobedient as their judge to punish them and all his own as their Saviour to glorify them Wherefore by Christs Resurrection both the wicked and the godly shall be raised but the wicked as the members of Satan onely to be damned the godly as members of his own body to be saved The wicked by a power upon them onely from without the godly by a power upon them from within inhaerent in them as his own members as the head by an inward influence quickens the body whereas the wicked shall be quickned by an outward influence onely upon them as the sun by an outward influence upon putrified slimy matter animates and quickens frogs and toads and therefore those that he quickens by that inward influence he shall make glorious like himselfe whereas those that he quickens by an outward influence only shal not participate of his glory like as those creatures which the sun quickens though the sun be a glorious body yet they are not so but filthy abominable wretched creatures frogs toads c. Well then for the cause of our Resurrections consider first a morall judiciall cause sc the justice of God requiring that we should all receive in our bodies according to that which we have done in our bodies and therefore that we should be raised again And secondly a physical effecting cause sc the Lordly soveraigne power of Christ risen from the dead effecting the Resurrection of the wicked as their judge to make them comformable in torments to the Divell their head and effecting the Resurrection of the godly as their Saviour to make them comformable in glory to himselfe their head and of these he is onely said to be the first fruits because he shall onely hallow and dedicate these unto God in a glorious Resurrection like unto his owne bringing the whole harvest of them without losing one eare into the same barne and Heavenly repository whereunto he the first fruits is already come And therefore where it is said here that all shal be made alive in Christ it is meant onely of his own members that by an inward quickning influence upon them from him their head shall be revived to the same glorious kind of life with himselfe Matt. 25.46 Rom. 6.23 and 8.13 which indeed is onely in Scripture phrase the proper life and the other but an eternall living death And that these are onely meant the next verse showes where these all that are to be made alive in Christ are called Christs but for the wicked they are none of his he owns them not they are the limbs of the Divell and none of his members Vse First If Christ be risen as the first fruits to ensure the glorious Resurrection of his then let this admonish every one of us as we desire to be made partakers of this glorious Resurrection so to endeavour to belong unto these first fruits sc to Christ the first fruits doe not blesse the tares and cockell and darnell and all filthy weeds that grow among the Corne but onely the good Corne If we would be blessed therefore in Christ the first fruits let us not be tares c. in Gods field the Church but let us be good Corne otherwise the parable will read us our destinies Gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burne them in bundles to burne them there is the destiny of the tares Matt. 13.30 But gather the wheat into my barne the wheat is blessed in the first fruits but the tares their lot is to be burned they are nothing belonging to the first fruits to be blessed and ensured in them no man when he offered God his first fruits desired a blessing upon the tares and weeds that grew in his field but upon the good Corne as therefore wee desire to have
their feet an exceeding great army he knowes that that of Esdras though it be Apocryphall writing yet it is Canonicall truth 2 Esd 4.40.42.43 Go thy way to a woman with childe when she hath fulfilled her nine moneths if her wombe may keepe the birth any longer within her For as shee that is with childe hasteth to escape the necessitie of the travell so do these places haste to deliver those things that are committed unto them That which thou desirest to see shall be shewed thee from the beginning and therefore if Christ be risen the first fruits what need I feare that that can neither hold me long nor hurt me at all that can neither end my hopes nor can begin my miseries Fourthly If Christ be risen as the first fruits then let this comfort us against immoderate griefe and sorrow for the death of friends Why should we immoderately grieve for the death of friends whose death for their Souls is their present gaine and for their bodies but onely a casting of the seed into the ground to rot and rest there for a while that it may sprout and spring up a farre more glorious body greene and fresh and a goodlier body then it fell in as is intimated here in verse 37 And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body which shall be c. but God giveth it a body as it pleaseth him a greene and fresh a statelyer and goodlyer body by farre then it was sowne and so for their Soul death is their present gaine if so be they can say with Paul to me to live is Christ for then it will follow Phil. 1.21 to me to dy is gaine Againe except it be no gaine to be delivered out of a sinfull and miserable body yea a sinfull and miserable world and carried into a holy and happy place where sin and misery never peept in It is our weakness and errour to thinke of our friends departed as Jacob of Joseph Joseph was in great honour in Egypt and Jacob when he saw his bloodied coat thought that surely an evill beast had devoured him and Joseph was not but Joseph what bids he his brethren tell their Father to comfort him You shall tell my Father of all my glory in Egypt So wee when wee see the bloodied coats of our friends as 't were Gen. 45.9 2 Cor. 5.4 their dead bodies I meane the garments of the Soul we are ready to thinke that death that evill beast hath made an end of them and they are not but tell my Father c. So let us thinke of all the glory that they have in Heaven and be comforted Why should we therefore immoderately grieve for our friends whose death for their Souls is their present gaine c Wee that do so immoderately grieve for the death of our friends do we not mind what is the first thing used to be read at their burials I am the Resurrection and the life and while the earth is cast upon the body Forasmuch as it hath pleased c. do we not mind these things If we mind these things certainly we have either little faith in us to believe the glorious Resurrection of them that dy in Christ or little hope in us to perswade us that this our friend is dead in Christ or little patience in us under the good will and providence of God wisely ordering all things If it be impatience in us let us consider Job and what he said when among other things God had taken away his seven Sons and three daughters at once Job 1.21 The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away Blessed be the name of the Lord. If it be because that we have little hope that our friends are dead in Christ why do we not then grieve for them when wee see that our friends do not live in Christ this griefe would be profitable it would make us seeke their amendment If lastly it be because we have little faith in us to believe the glorious Resurrection of them that dye in Christ Let us consider that if Christ be risen the third day then all that dy in Christ shall as undoubtedly rise the last day If we believe sayes the Apostle that Jesus dyed and rose againe even so them also which sleep in Christ will God bring with him also 1 Thes 4.14 If therefore Christ be risen c. their graves are but their beds to rest their wearied bones in a while till the day of the Lord dawne and that great trumpet sound to waken them out of their sleep and who now that loves one another dearlyest mournes when he bids him Good night to go lye downe in his bed till next morning Fifthly If Christ be risen as the first fruits Let this comfort us against the present frailties and weaknesses and vileness of these bodies of ours bodies that are so soone puling and complaining for a little excesse of cold or heat a little defect of meat or drinke bodies that are so soone wearied and tyred out with a little labour and pains in the Course of ones calling bodies that are so often vexing us with cramps and aches and sundry sicknesses bodies that are soone withering and waxing old and mouldring away bodies every way so vile that some have irked to have any pictures made of their bodies as but the picture of their shame and indeed were it not that they are our own bodies and that every one have bodies alike they would soone be seene how irksome they are but if Christ be risen c. these corruptibles shall put on incorruption and these mortalls shall put on immortality and thus Job comforted himselfe when he was so struck with sores and boils from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head and so spent and wasted in his body with the heat and inflammation of those burning boils that he was even escaped with the skin of his teeth had no more left almost upon that poore carcasse of his then on his very teeth where is nothing at all yet being in that case he thus comforted himselfe I know that my Redeemer liveth and though after my skin as having almost nothing now on this back but a little withered skin worms destroy this body this poore torne tattered rent spent carcasse of mine yet in my flesh shall I see God And thus St. Paul also intimates comfort against the vileness and abjectness of these bodyes of ours by considering the glory they shall have at the Resurrection Phil. 3.21 who shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body c. Sixthly If Christ be risen as the first fruits c. then what thankes owe we to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for so great a blessing so great a blessing as affords this comfort against all the present frailties and vileness of our bodies against all excessive greife for the death of our friends against all
factum est nescierunt in Ps 55. Stulta insania si vigilabas quare permisisti si dormiebas unde scisti in Ps 36. and so lyars are not to be believed or it was true and then how could they tell what hapned foolish madnes if thou wast awake why didst thou suffer it if thou wast asleep how didst thou know it Secondly it is more then too incredible they would do it would they that being Jews knew well what God and Religion meant have dared to have father'd such a grosse forgery on God it is the argument one of them which our Apostle here instanceth in If Christ be not risen then are we found false witnesses of God which some might thinke irreligious and profane wretches that they are to be no such great argument yet weigh it well in these persons the Apostles and a forcinger argument cannot be brought for how canst thou imagine that the Apostles who being no such fooles as appears well enough by putting the wise Jews so to it to call councell upon councell against them would of themselves without Divine warrant have attempted so foolish a thing as the preaching of obedience up and down the world to a crucified man no otherwise risen from the dead then by stealing his body out of the grave what hope could ever they have of any successe No hope from him whom they preached whose own consciences told them he was yet in the power of death no hope from God whom they so foully belyed no hope from any thing in themselves not from eloquence and excellency of speech to perswade they were but rude and illiterate men not from wealth and riches to corrupt shoos on their feet and a staff in their hand was most of that they had not from authority and greatnes to awe and prejudice they were but contemptible fishermen the like not from number and multitude to overrun and subdue they were but eleven silly sneaks that had all run away when their Master was apprehended no hope therefore from any thing in themselves no hope further from any docibleness and inclinabliness of the parties to be perswaded not any inclineableness of the Jew Not him but Barrabas and Crucify him Crucify him was the loud and joynt cry of the Jew the Jew was hardned therefore against any such Doctrine it had been as easie for these fisher men the Apostles to have spoken to the fishes of the Sea to have made them follow them on the dry land as to have spoken to the people of the Jews to have made them follow them in the Doctrine and beliefe of Christs Resurrection upon their own bare word they that cared not for all Christs miracles when he was alive but Crucified him were they likely to have believed the bare assertions of fishermen for his Resurrection Not any inclinableness again in the Gentile Act. 17.32 it was that they mocked at when they heard of the Resurrection it was that that Paul was glad to qualify with this argument of insinuation in the beginning when he was to speake of it to the Gentile Act. 26.8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead be it a thing never so hard why should it be thought above Gods ability to do It was that also that when Paul was in the earnestness of his speech about the assertion of it Act. 26.24 made Festus break out with a loud voice and say Paul thou art beside thy selfe was the Gentile therefore likely to be inclinable to this Doctrine especially Christs suffering being publick and all seeing it and his Resurrection being private and underhand and but a few supposed witnesses of it and those few opposed almost by all that nation the nation of the Jews that if there had been any such thing should have brought the knowledge thereof unto the Gentiles would they therefore that were no stark fooles have gone about a thing of so great folly wherein they had no hope of successe from him that they preached as not risen no hope from God as belyed by them no hope from any thing in themselves as being without eloquence without riches without authority without multitude no hope from any inclinableness in the parties to be perswaded Jew or Gentile as being utter enemies the one to the mention of the name of Jesus of Nazereth the other to the mention of the Resurrection Either therefore they were very Idiots and stark fooles and why then were the wisest Jews so put to it by them to lay heads together and to assemble councel after councel or else they were wise enough and why then should any thinke they would attempt such a foolish thing without good ground and reason But suppose they had been so overseene as not to have considered these things at first yet would they not when the storme once begun to fall on them and the world rise up in armes against them seeing the impossibility every way of making their Legend their lying Legend take would they not then have desisted would not fair nor foul means have made one of them at least at last have bewrayed the whole busines but that all their life long in spite of what the world could do they should continue every one of them in most constant asseveration of the Resurrection certainly had they been nothing but deceivers it is not imaginable that the world could have a pack of such except they had been very incarnate Devils but their writings and much more their lives shewed them to have been rather incarnate Angels Again if they would have done this they should either have taken our Saviour for an impostor deceiving them of his promise that he promised them he would rise again the third day and so they should rather have hated him as an Impostor then preached him as Saviour or else should have taken him as the true Saviour indeed though yet deteined in the grave and so they would never have gone about to have preached him that was Truth by meere lyes and falshood they could not thinke that the true Saviour would thinke well of false Apostles and therefore it is too incredible they could it is more then too too incredible they would preach the Resurrection as Meere Deceivers Secondly Not as deceived with any fantasme or apparition Diabolicall For first They were sure the body was not in the sepulchre their own sense and the sense of all the Jews viewing the empty sepulchre confirmed them of that Secondly They were sure none had privately stollen the body away and laid it elsewhere because of the Watch that kept the sepulchre and because of the grave-cloaths left behind and the napkin that was upon his head wrapt up alone none would have carried away a dead Ghastly body and that so full of wounds and gored blood and Ghastly visaged for the Napkin of his head also was taken off none would have carried away a dead body in such
cut a whet-stone a funder with a rasor for a vestal virgin to draw water in a sive for another to pull a ship up Tyber with her girdle when with Cables all the company besides could not make her stir for Mahomet to make the moon seeme to come in at his sleeve c. Such wonderments toyish wonderments does the Divell ordinarely work but where are his mercies his curing the sick c indeed sometimes he cures some sick Postquam definunt laedere curasse creduntur Tert. Apol. but it is but una eademque manus c. but healing where he hurt when they cease to hurt they are thought to heale as if I should ease by pulling away the pin that I thrust into another sides it is but thus healing where he hurt or else in some lesser diseases perhaps that are within his skill healing sometimes that he may hurt wounding the Soul to the heart through healing the ripled skin of the body And thus it appears that the miracles of the Apostles had some specialness in them and were done by no other Magick then that of our Saviours Yet shall receive power of the holy Ghost c. And if so then that our Saviour is not in the grave but risen indeed that could send this power of the holy Ghost upon them I will end this point with St. Austin If any say that these speciall miracles were not indeed wrought by the Apostles to confirme Christs Resurrection and ascension Hoc nobis unum grande miraculum sufficit quòd ea terrarum orbis sine ullis miraculis credidit This one great miracle sufficeth us that the world believed these things without miracles There are these incredible things sayes he One that Christ is risen from the dead and ascended bodily into heaven Another that the world should have believed so incredible a thing A third incrediblest of all that a few silly obscure meane fellows should perswade the world to this beliefe either therefore they wrought some speciall miracles to perswade the world thereunto Et Eloquia persuadentium mira fuerunt facta non verba and their perswasive arguments were wondrous works not words or else this is the miracle of all miracles that the world should believe those few silly men without miracles De civitat 22.7 Quisquis ergo adhuc prodigia ut credat inquirit magnum est ipse prodigium qui mundo credente non credit 22.8 John 3.2 and 12.37 Aug. de Civit. Dei 21.6 Vide quandam auream catenam apud Chrys in 1 Cor. Hom. 7. Whosoever therefore doth yet require miracles that he may believe he not believing when the world believeth is himself a great miracle Thirdly Whence had the Apostles that extraordinary grace of such happy successe in their preaching in so short a time to draw almost the world after them to bring all to their lure to make all dance after their pipe whence but from this power of the holy Ghost coming on them and making their words to be very charms unto the people verily verily sayes our Saviour to his Disciples he that believeth on me John 14. the works that I do shall he do also and greater works then these now what are these greater works Our Saviour he cured all diseases and cast out Divils he raised the dead what greater works did the Apostles yes the conversion of the world and the subversion every where of his Kingdome that is called the Prince of the world were greater works a farre greater work to raise up the dead world then one dead Lazarus Lazarus had been four dayes in the grave and was ready to stinke the world had stunke many and many years together in the grave of all Idolatries impieties lusts wickednesses c. a farre greater work to cast out Satan every where out of his Temples out of his worship out of the hearts of men that every where he possessed then out of the bodies of a few Corporally possessed whence therefore could the Apostles do these greater works but from the power of the holy Ghost from the reason rendred in that text because I go unto my Futher c. because I cannot be deteyned in the grave but rise again to have all power given me both in Heaven and in earth Now consider with me from some particulars the greatness of his worke by twelve men such as they were to convert a World such as it was to embrace a Doctrine such as they preached Consider the greatness of this work and then say my text is proved But now is Christ-risen from the dead else this work could never have taken that such a doctrine to such a world by such twelve men should have been effectually preached First such a Doctrine a Doctrine that might have offended as a new Doctrine an incredible Doctrine a Doctrine too high for the world wallowing in flesh and blood a Doctrine bringing the crosse and persecution after it a Doctrine that for the enduring the crosse and for the crucifying their flesh and blood gave no present promises but the promises to envite unto the Gospel were future and in another world a Doctrine that might have offended thus many wayes First as a new Doctrine that should have overturned all their old Religion no more the same rites the same Ceremonies the same Altars the same Temples the same Gods that they and their predecessors had so long time worshipped but all must be cashierd and a new upstart tother-day Religion about one Jesus of Nazareth never heard of before forsooth must come in the roome away with such new Doctrine Novelty that in other things is pleasing to the nature of man is odious in Religion The Divell knowes what he does when he seekes to cast upon us by our adversaryes the aspersion of novelty of a new Gospel and new Gospellers new Bibles and new every thing even the very old cobwebs in the Temple are sacred and superstition is loth to have them brushed down though they have venemous spiders in them and webs of lawne might be hung in their roome so odious is Novelty in Religion and therefore first it might have offended as a new Doctrine Secondly as an incredible Doctrine what credibleness that life and Salvation should be preached in the name of a pretended God borne but of a poor Jewish woman brought up like a poor Carpenters son crucified like a wicked malefactor dead and buried like a weake man and affirmed by almost the whole nation of the Jews to be yet under the power of death when as but two or three obscure fishermen and the like talke of his Resurrection What credibleness in this Doctrine Is it credible that he that was so borne so bred so crucified so dead and buried and no talke but by a few obscure Galilaeans of his Resurrection that he should be the onely God blessed for ever principalities and powers and thrones and dominions and all the renowned Gods up
argument is this that the Jews saw they must either deny the Resurrection or necessarily grant that he was the Messias and therefore they tooke the best way they could for hindering any supposedness of it confessing that if the Resurrection was once probably blazed abroad the last errour would be worse then the first Matt. 27.64 and 42. Come downe now from the crosse and wee will believe said the chiefe Priests and elders Come up from the dead and wee will believe they could not but have confessed this to have been an argument much stronger and therefore Christ was the right Messias Vse 5 Fifthly If Christ be risen from the dead then he will undoubtedly also come to judgment for why rose he from the dead but to receive all power in heaven and in earth Matt. 28.18 and to have every knee bow unto him Phil. 2.10 And why received he this power but to execute it and make every knee bow unto him and where as yet appears this execution when there are so many stiffe-knees yet that will not bow unto him I meane disobedient ones that will not obey him and therefore certainly he will come one day to judgment when he shall make all them that will not bend now breake that will not bow now under his mercy bow then under his justice that will not now kisse the top of his golden Scepter reached out in grace and loving kindness be crushed by that Scepter-bruising them in displeasure see the connexion which Scripture usually makes usually joyning or subjoyning judgment to the mention of the Resurrection him hath God raised up the third day Act. 10.40.42 c. and what then and commanded us to preach unto the people c. so Act. 17.30.31 but now he commandeth all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world by him whom he hath raised from the dead so 1 Thes 1.10 and to wait for his Son from Heaven and why what assurance for it why the assurance of his Resurrection whom he hath raised from the dead there is the assurance If therefore Christ be risen from the dead he will certainly also come to judgment he will not suffer the world alwayes to run so upon wheels to be so disorderly and full of confusion man rebelling against his maker the godly trampled under foot by the wicked servants riding on horseback and Princes going a foot the tayl standing where the head should be c. he will not alwayes suffer this confusion but those times of the restitution of all things shall come Act. 3.21 when every thing shall be restored to its own place when all gimmels shall be right when all disorder and confusion shall flee away when all things that offend shall be taken out of his Kingdome Vse 6 Sixthly If Christ be risen from the dead then sin is conquered for the sting of death is sin so long therefore as death had this deadly sting in it death could not have been conquered by any son of Adam every son of Adam being obnoxious to death by vertue of morte morieris thou shalt die the death though he had no sin in him actuall or originall but onely the imputation of Adams disobedience that Christ therefore a son of Adam rose victoriously from the dead victoriously never to returne thither again Act. 13.34 or death to have no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 for otherwise Lazarus and others were raised from the dead but it was to returne thither again it must needs be that sin was conquered by him See the Scripture making this use of Christs Resurrection the foil and conquest of sin Act. 13.38 so Paul after he had urged and proved Christs Resurrection what infers he thereupon Bee it known unto you therefore that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins so he was delivered for our sins and was raised again for our Justification Rom. 4.25 our Justification from sin is especially given to his Resurrection because by his Resurrection he did Demonstrate and make it plaine that sin was conquered his death would have done us no good if it had been possible that he could have beene holden by the power of death so Who is he that condemneth Rom. 8.34 it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again what is the reason of this correction of this yea rather c was not Christs dying enough to free us from any condemning by sin yes but it was because it was the death of him that had power also to rise again c. and therefore the redemption of us from our sin appeared especiall in his powerfull Resurrection So in the present Chapter If Christ be not risen 1 Cor. 15.17 then are we yet in our sins implying that his Resurrection is the conquest of sin we have therefore what to answer all the infernall powers of Hell challenging us of sin even to answer them with the Apostle Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again c. Vse 7 Seventhly If Christ be risen from the dead then Piety and Religion comfort your selves that hope is in a strong redeemer and one that can deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies he that was too hard for death will be too hard for any of your enemies he hath slaine the great Goliah and is he not able then to put any weaker Philistim to flight for you he hath broken the barres of death and is he not able to breake the barres and gates of all the other enemies be comforted therefore against all feare and terrour Not a haire of your heads can perish without his providence and if it be his providence it is no great matter though yee lose your heads too they that can take your heads from off your shoulders cannot take your crownes from of your heads they may tumble your bodies into the grave they cannot seale the graves mouth upon them Well said St. Paul in comfort against all his enemies and all his afflictions 2 Timo. 1.10 and 12. I know whom I have trusted sc him that being risen from the dead hath abolished death and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against that day If Christ therefore be risen yee know whom yee trust even him that being raised from the dead hath abolished death and is able to keepe that which you commit unto him against that day Vse 8 Eighthly If Christ be risen from the dead then profaneness and irreligion beware your selves your disobedience is against as strong a revenger and one that is of as great power to confound his foes as to save his servants Their terrified hearts knew this Act. 2.36.37 who no sooner by St. Peters Sermon were they perswaded of the Resurrection and that God had made that same Jesus whom they
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