twofold regard 1. Because of the inseparable Vnion which is between Christ and the Church The first fruits are a part of the whole lumpe and of the same nature with the whole So is Christ and the Church he is the head they are the members of the same body he is the stocke and roote they the branches of the same Vine And therefore the Life which is in Christ the Head is diffused into the Members the iuice which is in the root flowes forth into the branches A liuing head will not bee coupled with a dead body nor will that true Vine beare any withered branches Whence in verse 45. of this 15. chapter Christ the second Adam is called A quickning spirit because of that diuine power which is in him to make aliue both soules dead in sinne and bodies rotten in their graues 2 Because Christs Resurrection hath taken away all impediments of our glorious Resurrection If Christ had bin held in the graue the reason had beene because hee could not ouercome death and make full payment of the price of our Redemption But now Christ hauing broken in sunder the barres of the graue by his Resurrection he hath manifestly declared that our Ransome is fully made Hell Death the Graue ouercome Gods Wrath appeased and therfore that now there is nothing that should hinder our Resurrection to life and glory Even as after the consecration of the first fruits the Iewes might lawfully vse their other store without impediment So Christ hauing dyed and rose againe for this very end to take out of the way whatsoeuer thing might hold vs in death and destruction there is now nothing can haue dominion ouer vs to throw our soules to hell or detaine our bodies in the graue But here a Question arises touching the Resurrection of the wicked at the last day Shall not they arise also and that by the power of Christ I answer They shall arise by the power of Christ. But here we must obserue that Christ is to be considered in a double respect 1. As he is head of the Church 2. As he is iudge of the whole world The godly are raysed by the power of Christ as Head of the Church from whom descends into his members that quickening power which giues life vnto the bodies of the Saints ioyning righteous soules vnto glorious bodies in a blissefull Vnion for euer The wicked arise by the power of Christ as hee is Iudge of the world who hauing all power and iudgement committed to him by his soueraigne command brings together those damned soules vnto their miserable bodies that so he may execute vpon both to the full the iudgement of eternall vengeance Now euen in respect of these Christ may be said to be the first fruits of the dead namely thus That if the Iudge bee risen they must also bee made to rise that are to be iudged This is most excellently expressed by Christ himselfe Iohn 5. 26 27. As the father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath hee giuen to the son to haue life in himselfe namely to quicken by vertue thereof the soules of his Elect in Regeneration and the bodies of his Elect in the Resurrection It followes And hee hath giuen him power also to execute iudgement in that he is the sonne of man Thus he hath also to doe with the reprobate and wicked by his power to pull them out of their graues like roads out of their holes and after to throw their bodies with their soules into the pit of perdition For then it followes Verse 28 29. Maruell not at this for the houreshall come in which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce And they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the Resurrection of life and they that haue done euill vnto the Resurrection of condemnation Let thus much suffice for opening of this Point I come to some Application Vse 1. To strengthen our Faith in the Article of the Resurrection from the dead This is a point which is hardly beleeued and to naturall Reason it seemes incredible But let vs not dispute where God plainely affirmes the matter rest we our selues vpon his power and promise neuer doubting but what hath bin done in the first fruits shall bee done to the whole lumpe The graue hath lost her Victorie ouer the bodie of Christ and shee shall not recouer it against our bodies Vse 2. To teach vs whence to fetch true Consolation vnto our hearts in regard of the hard estate wee are to endure in this present world Christ is risen and we by him shall rise to glory and therefore be our condition neuer so miserable in this life yet happy men we are that are heires to so much blessednesse hereafter Vpon this nayle hangs all comfort and Brethren know that it is fastened in a sure place and will not deceiue vs in time of neede Are we Ministers why let vs as the Apostle speakes 2 Cor. 6. 4. approue our selues as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in prisons in tumults in labours by watchings by fastings by purity by knowledge by long suffering by kindnesse by the holy Ghost by loue vnfained by the Word of Truth by the power of God by the armour of Righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left by honour and dishonour by euill report and good report c. as the Apostle there goes on In all this trauell and painfulnesse let this reioyce our soules Wee serue a Master will see vs well rewarded Christ in whom our hope is he is risen and with him shall we arise also who in that day shall giue vnto vs the crowne of Righteousnesse which is layd vp for vs as the Apostle comforts himselfe 2 Tim. 4. 8. Art thou a priuate Christian walking in thine integritie and faithfully endeauouring to feare God and keep his commandements and doest thou for this suffer contempt is thy soule filled full with the mocking of the wealthy and despitefulnesse of the proud is thy name put out as an euill doer art thou at all hands disquieted by vniust vexations Faint not forsake not thy profession for this but rather glorifie God in this behalfe Looke vnto the recompence of reward and hold fast the hope of eternall life in Christ Iesus Art thou trauayled vnder the burden of sins and afflictions assaulted with continuall temptations and feares yet lift vp thy heart and wait there is a day of refreshing that comes shortly from the presence of God Grieue not to see thy selfe in paine when others wallow in pleasures choose rather to reioyce in that sorrow which will end in ioy than to desire those pleasures whose issue is destruction Thinke it not much to part with thy countrey thy children thy possessions thy life if the world will take them from thee for Christ and his Gospel sake all these and much better than these shall be restored to thee in the resurrection of the iust When Christ requires it spare not to giue that body of thine to the fire which in a short time by sickenesse will fall to the ground know t is as easie for Christ to giue it thee backe againe out of the flames as out of the dust In banishment in prison in pouerty in temptation in death comfort thy heart with the meditation of Iesus Christ risen from the dead and of thy Resurrection by him Say with thy selfe Yet I am not miserable so long as my Redeemer is happy he liues and I shall liue with him these teares will one day bee wiped away though all faile yet Christ will not faile me my hope in him shall neuer bee cut off no not in death Men may take from mee my goods they cannot rob mee of my grace banish mee from my countrey but not from heauen take from mee my life but not my happinesse No my faith my heauen my happinesse all is in his keeping that will safely preserue them for me and me to them My beloued Brethren I beseech you let our hearts bee employed in these thoughts and make we this vse of the present Solemnity Such Meditations fit this day this season all seasons To end grow hence into a firme Resolution to bee faithfull in doing Gods will there is a certaine reward for this to bee patient in suffering aduersity there is a sure remedy and ease for it No euill shall hurt thee now death and the graue and sinne are vanquished for thee no good thing shall bee wanting vnto thee now that Christ by rising from the dead hath brought life immortalitie vnto thee Wherefore in nothing be dismayed but bee stedfast vnmoueable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the LORD FINIS * Arist. Eth. l. 10. c. 9. a Arist. Phys. 7. c. 13. Eth. l. 10. c. 9. b 1 Iohn 5. 4. c 1 Cor. 3. 18. d Arist de interp c. 3. part 6. e Vid. Aquin. 1. 2. q. 109. a 2. ad 1. Arist. ad Eudemum l. 7. c. 14. text 216. f 2 Cor. 10. 5. g Pac. cōment in Arist. de anima cap. 5. sect 5 a Art 17. 32. Plin. l. 7. c. 55. b Luke 24. c Art 2. passim d Chrys. Quod Christus sit Deus Aug. ep 112. c. 3. Scot. in l. 3. Sent. d. 24. q. vnica sect ad primum principium * 1 Cor. 13. 9. a Rom. 4. 21. Col. 2. 2. b 1 Cor. 13. vlt. c Lib. 9. epist. fam ep 1. * Col. 1. 18. He is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning and first borne c.
are as the Verses two 1. An absurditie vpon the deniall of a truth That Christians are of all men in worst condition is an absurd assertion But yet t were true if after this life they had no hope of Happinesse And hopelesse they must needs bee if Christ be not risen and themselues shall not rise If in this life only c. 2. A remouall of this absurditie by an affirmation of the Truth Christians are not vnhappy men for why Christ is risen hauing ouercome sinne and death And this is not for himselfe but for their sakes He is become the first fruits of them that slept that as himselfe by his owne so they by his power shall certainely arise vnto immortall life and glory Of these things in order very plainely The first Instruction I desire you to obserue is this that True Christians are more vnhappy than any other men if their happinesse bee confined to this life only If death bring to an end their liues and their hopes both at once they that beleeue in Christ are in a worse estate than Epicures Atheists and other vngodly persons who while they liue with their fill of pleasures Christians inherit sorrowes and troubles No Profession in the world so discomfortable as that of true Religion take once away from the godly man the hope of Heauen If Christ bee beneficiall vnto him but only till he dye as good t is to bee any thing as a Christian. You may soone see it to bee true if you cast your eyes vpon the state of true Christians in this life Wee are of all men most miserable saith the Apostle Whom meanes hee Wee Apostles and Ministers of the Gospell Or all we Christians that beleeue in Christ He meanes both sorts Ministers and People 1. For Ministers They are more miserable than any other Christians of all others they are most exposed vnto troubles and that in regard of the nature of their Office They by their preaching and Ministry doe bid defiance to the powers of darkenesse they proclaime themselues open Enemies to Sathan and his Kingdome If others be Souldiers they be the Captaines and stand formost in the face of the Enemies and neerest of all to danger Whence it followes That what euer mischief the Prince of the darkenesse of this World or his seruants the children of disobedience can inuent against them they shall bee sure to feele it if force or craft can lay it on them Satan euer aymes at the fairest Smite the Shepheard and t will be easie to scatter the Sheepe Slay a King of Israel and the rest of the Army will soone rout The world hateth mee saith Christ because I testifie of it that the workes thereof are euill Iohn 7. 7. As it hated and persecuted him so it will euer doe to his Ministers and Ambassadours So long as there is in the World a faithfull Minister to reproue sinne and wicked persons that loue to commit sinne there will euer bee malice and despite vsed against them Whence at all times so many discontentments haue bin bred against godly Ministers by froward and disobedient People who louing to doe euill and hating to be reproued haue not spared to the vtmost of their malicious might to heape vexations and sorrowes vpon them by whose Ministry the glad tidings of peace and good things haue bin brought vnto them When Ministers weepe in secret for the sinnes of their People when they poure out prayers and teares for their saluation when they behold their stubbornesse and disobedience against the Word with sad and heauie hearts when they haue spent their strength and life amongst them wasting themselues in labour to doe them good and after in griefe to see so little good done on them what 's their recompense for all their good will but hatred derision a mocke and scoffe some iniurie vniust vexation some malicious accusation or other Woe is mee saith Ieremie in a passion seeing how miserably hee was vsed by his Country-men Woe is mee my mother that thou hast borne me a contentious man and a man that striueth with the whole Earth Ier 15. 10. Poore Prophet what harme had he done them I haue neither lent on vsury nor men haue lent to me on vsury yet euery one doth curse me Wrong'd them hee had not in ciuill dealings in his Ministry hee had faithfully declared vnto them the will of God reproued them of their sinnefull abominations foretold them of Gods heauie wrath ready to fall vpon the whole state was this that for which they curse him rayle at him persecute him count him an enemie to the State and not worthy to liue Yea this was cause enough Doth he fore-tell the destruction of Ierusalem nay then he is a traytor presently hee weakens the hands of the men of Warre hee seekes not the good but the hurt of the People Ier. 38. 4. Mad men that will bee valiant and victorious in spite of God and therefore are ready to slay his Prophet for telling them the truth that God will not helpe them Doth he sharply and boldly reproue the sinnes of the People why that 's not to bee endured Come say the People Ier. 18. 18. Come let vs imagine some deuise against Ieremiah let vs picke a hole in his coate let vs lay a plot to bring him in trouble Is he so free of his tongue nay then Let vs smite him with the tongue reuile him raise some slander vpon him forge some accusation to bring him in question and as for his talke Let vs not giue heede to any of his words What rage and tumult is there if Christ once be preached among the Gentiles what blustring and adoe if a Paul come once amongst beastly Ephesians and learned but idolatrous Athenians Wit nor Vice may not endure his presence Let a Minister that is faithfull to God and true to mens soules plainely yet meekely reproue men for their ignorance pride couetousnesse vsury false dealing adultery swearing c. if they can they will euen make him weary of his life what euer may bee done by bitter speeches vnkinde and iniurious dealing he may bee sure to looke for it Well may St. Paul say Wee are of all men most miserable We Apostles and Ministers of the Gospell are in far the worst case of all men who like Beacons vpon Mountaines tops stand open continually to all tempests raised against vs by wicked men and spirits In all this vexation lighting vpon the faithfull Ministers of Christ Iesus what other comfort in this life haue they but this that what euer ill successe there be in their Ministery whatsoeuer miseries lye vpon their persons yet their Work is with the Lord and their Reward is with their God Take away this hope in Christ for the life to come and yee leaue them the most forlorne men in the world 2 For true Christians they are more miserable than all other men and that in regard of the Nature of true Religion which they
vs in this life Let her bee poore and persecuted driuen into wildernesses and caues of the earth t was so of old when Idolatrous Gentilisme swagered it in glorious Temples by Law and force of sword Be she a few to many meane to mighty t was so euer What if she seeme to bee now driuen into a corner of this westerne World so that the Aduersarie may conceiue hope that now there needes but one push more to thrust her into another Coast or to sinke her in the Sea let vs not for all that iudge the worse of her nor leaue the Temple of God to run ouer to the Temples of Idols and Idolaters For priuate Christians the same Rule must be followed for them also not to iudge them by their state in this life Indeed if we looke vpon them while they are here disgraced as the off-scouring of the world scorned by great men iniurd by all men driuen into obscurity and troden vnder foote from rising vp in the world if we see Daniel lodgd among Lions Paul and Silas in the Stockes and at the whipping Post the Martyrs bodies melting in the flames if we behold them tryed by mockings and scourgings by bonds and imprisâ—nment when wee see them stoned he wen asunder tempted slaine with the sword wandring vp and downe in sheepe-skinnes and in goates-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented wandring in Wildernesses and Mountaines and Dennes and Caues of the Earth as in Heb. 11. 36 37 38. in this case who but would iudge them to bee miserable men Againe when wee see a poore Christian frequent in prayer and hearing strict in his life fearefull to take liberty where others sinne with boldnesse often in fasting to humble his soule and beate downe his body see his heart full of griefe his eyes runne downe with teares for his owne sinnes and for the sins of the Land wherein he liues behold him toyling vnder the burden of sin wearied out with spirituall conflicts in his encounters with Sathan and that sin that still dwels in him And now seems not such a one in thy eyes to bee a contemptible and miserable wretch Well iudge not by the sight of thine eies be not thou a foole to esteem such a one mad though for the present it appeare not what such a one shall bee yet know that when Christ shall appeare he shall appeare with him in glory and therefore whateuer his estate in this life bee yet his end shall bee with honour Vse 2. This teacheth vs in generall that no man is a happy man who lookes for no other happinesse but in this life If in this life onely there be hope Christians be of all most miserable but yet all others also bee miserable too For why their happinesse which here they haue is but for a few yeares and after that comes death then iudgement and euerlasting miserie Ah my Brethren t is a wofull estate for one to be A man of this world whose portion is in this life as it is Psal. 17. 14. When all the happinesse a man cares for or lookes after is this that he hath money enough friends enow store of lands and liuings great honours much ease varietie of pleasures with such other things as serue only to the filling of our bellies and satisfying of a few base and earthly affections Yet this is all which most men desire and whereafter their hearts doe runne all dayes of their liues they neuer looke higher than these lower parts of the world What pitie is it to see a man so noble a Creature borne vnto immortalitie and an euerlasting being yet to spend a fifty or sixty yeares in this life and yet scarce euer thinke seriously of another world till there be no remedie but that he must goe out of this Brethren take we notice of this fault and know wee that this world is not our resting place let vs now forsake it in our affections and let our liues testifie that we be such as seeke after a Country not earthly but heauenly where wee shall haue a more enduring substance than all the treasures of this world Thus much of the first point from the 19. Verse I come vnto the next words wherein the Apostle confutes the former absurditie shewing that godly Christians are not to bee accounted more miserable than all others forasmuch as their hope in Christ is for the life to come as well as this life But now saith hee Christ is risen Yea might they say but what is that to vs Very much for he rose that we might rise He is become the first fruits of them that slept He is the first that rose from the dead and is the cause to raise all others vp The Instruction that briefly wee learne from hence is this that The Resurrection of Christ is the cause of our Resurrection to life and glory This the Apostle intends when he saith iointly together Christ is risen and become the first fruits of such as sleepe i. e. are dead Christ may bee called the first fruits of them that rise from death in a double respect 1. Because Christ was the first that rose from death which we must vnderstand with some limitation for it is certain that others were raised from the dead before Christs Resurrection as we reade of diuers in the Old and New Testament but here is the difference between them and Christ 1. They rose by the power of Christ Christ by his owne power Hee had power as to lay downe so to take it to himselfe againe Beeing God as well as man of himselfe he was able to quicken his own body So could not they 2. Christ rose but dyed no more the others rose vnto life but dyed againe as Lazarus c. who tasted twice of temporall death So then Christ was the first of all the dead that raised himselfe vnto an euerlasting life 2. Because Christ is the cause why all men else rise from the dead This is chiefly intended by the Apostle when he saith Christ is the first fruits of them that sleepe The first fruits were by the Law Deut. 26. 1. seq to be offered vnto the Lord before such time as the Iewes might eate of the rest of their haruest By that oblation the whole haruest was sanctified vnto their lawfull vse as it is Leuit. 23. 14. And therfore the Apostle saith Rom. 1. 16. If the first fruits be holy so is the whole lumpe namely after the consecrating of the first fruits all the remainder might lawfully bee vsed in a good and holy manner From this custome the Apostle drawes the Metaphor calling Christ the first fruits of the dead Namely that as by them all the rest of the store was consecrated so in and by the body of Christ rising out of his graue the bodies of all the Elect shall receiue this power and priuiledge to breake asunder the bands of death and returne to life and blessed immortalitie Which comes to passe in a