hast neither part nor portion in this Saviour Oh then bethink your selves that God is a Preserver The Rabbines tell us of a City of Refuge God had appointed in the time of the old Law that there should be a City of Refuge and that the man-slayer should flee thither and there was a care had that at every turning of the way there stood an hand pointing out every particular passage to the City of Refuge and written at the end of the hand REFUGE as if it should have said Fly man-slayer for thy life thou hast the way before thee What truth is in it I know not yet it is an excellent representation of every one that are sinners we are in the case of man-slayers all of us and God hath appointed at every turning of the way a finger at every corner of the City there is a voice that calls upon us Refuge Refuge to save our selves while the enemy is at our back the Devil follows us with might and main at the committing of every sin that he may reach us before we get to the City God hath his voice and his finger to point us thither it must be our wisdome to go while the finger points and the voice calls We know not how long we shall hear the voice of God in our Churches let us bestir our selves as they that fly for their lives let us hear the voice of God and gird up our loins we see by every dayes example the uncertainty of life let us fly to him that is the refuge of sinners he that had his arms this day spread on the Crosse to save all will not refuse thee and that he may shew us his mercy who is the Preserver of men God of his mercy grant us for his Sons sake for his mercy sake Amen And thus this sweet Singer of our Israel this ravishing Nightingale or if you will this Dove did groan forth unto you the Passion of his Lord he like a dexterous Physician did clap a plaister of warm bloud to your souls and I hope it will prove like the bloud of Goats qualifying you that you will afford plyable hearts to God and obedient hearts to him and charitable hearts to your brethren seeing you have a share in this Preserver But there lies no comfort in the death of Christ if we hear not of his Resurrection What is it to hear of a Saviour dead if he be not risen What is it to have our Surety to be in prison but he is out Hence breaks the day both of his triumph and our comfort that this Sampson hath carryed away the gates of brasse this rod of Aaron hath devoured all the other rods this God though he overcame not at the first yet he overcomes at the last this Jonah is now cast on the shore and this happy tidings an Angel of our Church brought from another Angel and his Text was in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew chap. 28. verse 6. A Sermon Preached by Dr Thomas Morton Lord Bishop of Durham at the Spittle on Monday April 26. 1641. before Sir Wright Lord Major Right Honourable Worshipful and beloved in Jesus Christ hearken I beseech you with reverence to the Word of God as it is written in the holy Evangelist Saint Matthew Chap. 28.6 He is not here for he is risen THese are the words of the Angel of God unto two devout women that came to visit the Sepulchre of our Saviour declaring unto them the Resurrection of Christ from the dead a Fundamental point of Christianity and the argument of these three dayes Festivity is the Resurrection of our Saviour and this Feast hath obtained from Gregorie Nazianzen this acclamation Oh Feast of all Feasts Oh Festivity of all Festivities Oh Celebrity of all Celebrities And therefore beloved we are so much the more bound to the discharge of our duties for a solemn and deliberate commemoration of it and you to a diligent devout and reverent attention unto those four points and parts which are deduceable out of this Text He is not here for he is risen The parts are these The first is Logical the second Historical the third Analogical and the fourth Moral The Logical thus from the word and particle for He is not here for c. Secondly Historical in the words following he is risen a declaration of the Resurrection it self Analogical from the person he in the relation that Christ hath as Head unto all Christians that shall be raised again unto everlasting life as the members of Christ The Moral that dependeth upon the same words he is risen because it doth challenge of every Christian man a conformity of life in rising unto newnesse of life conformable to that Resurrection of Christ as the Apostle will tell us afterwards I begin with the Logical He is not here for c. His assertion is Negative He is not here the proof of it for he is risen This for is a causal term which if it be turned into an illative it stands thus He is risen therefore he is not here As if a man should say the stars they are not seen for the Sun is up Verte the Sun is up therefore the stars are not seen The conclusion therefore of the Angel should be this Christ cannot be in the grave and out of the grave not here and there not in two places at once and that is our present Theme This doctrine that I teach unto you it was the confession and profession of this our Protestant Church alwayes it was written in Rubrick in the bloud of the Martyrs in the days of Queen Mary both Bishops and others whensoever they were called to that murderous rack of Interrogation among the Papists asking them this question What say you to the bodily presence of Christ in the Sacrament They answered he is not there bedily they proved it for he is risen he is ascended into Heaven a reason as you see Angelical this being granted that the body of Christ is not in two places at once then is the foundation of all the Romish Masse utterly ruined dissolved into rubbish and dust for then farewell the bodily presence the feigned and forged Transubstantiation the grosse oral and bodily receiving of it the sacrilegious sacrificing of it and that which is the last and worst the idolatrous adoring of bread in stead of the person of the Son of God Christ himself Neverthelesse we may not imagine that the Doctors of that Church make no answer to this consequence of the Angel He is not here for he is risen Their answer is this that he spoke not these words Doctrinally but onely Morally secundum modulum according to the capacity of the women who might think peradventure that he was risen not out of the grave but in the grave a transparent falsity as will be proved now to the contrary As this holy Evangelist He is not here could he walk in the grave to Galilee for he is risen look
to take it up again lay down my life by dying to take it up again by rising as easie to take it up as to lay it down to lay down my life as man to take it up again as God Even as he said of the same body to the Jews Destroy you this Temple I will raise it up in three dayes Destroy it then its destructive but raise it up in three dayes there 's his Godhead Thus he spake once let us put them together God and Man Man and God How prove we it The Apostle proves it Heb. 1.1 of Christ thus he was declared mightily to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead Whereupon Saint Austin Oh miraculum miraculorum This is a miracle of miracles the Sun of all Suns never the like that one dead should raise himself from the dead this could not be man but God it must needs be as the Apostle to the Colossians The Godhead dwelling in him bodily which raised himself from the dead now beloved from hence it must follow that it was impossible for him to be detained in the grave and S. Peter saith Acts 2. it was impossible for Christ to be detained in the pangs of death it is a word taken from women travailing in child when the throwes and pangs are upon her she cannot contain her burden it must go out Well said Chrysologus of this burden Concepit mortuum peperit vivum Here is a difference then between this womb and all the rest of the world conceiving dead and bringing forth alive and indeed so it must needs bee when Omnipotency is the Midwife as it was with Jonas a type of Christ swallowed up of the Whale the stomach could not digest it it must be cast out Of what use must this be to us the same power that raised him from death to life the same power will give us resurrection to life everlasting even our bodies So the Apostle Phil. 3. He will change our vile bodies and make them like unto his glorious body So much for the second point that I call it an Omnipotent truth The next is that it is also a triumphant truth there are two triumphings of Christ that we read of in Scripture and they are admirable the one is of his Passion and the other not of his but of the general Resurrection the one is an Introduction to the other of his Passion thus Col. 2. He having spoiled principalities and powers made a shew of them openly and triumphed over them on the Cross Here is his triumph he becomes a conquerour over principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly he spoiled them there 's the conquering sold them openly there 's the preparation for the triumph of the people and to look upon all as a conquerour there 's his triumph this triumph thus spokes of it hath allusion unto the triumphs of the world and especially that of the Romane State wherein there was first presented a multitude of Trumpeters sounding out the victory and resounding then came in chariots of spoils spoils of armour spoils of riches the conquerour he sits in the midst looking back unto those noble slaves that came behind their wives their children and all their hands bound about them I will passe no farther in the story enough for application Now I beseech you extend your mind as much as you can that we may behold at least some glimpse of this great victory of our Saviour Christ and of his conquest Here now where was his sight of Majesty he was now giving up the ghost upon the Crosse and behold a triumph why God and Man the Deity never forsook the Manhood no not in his death the vertue of his death was the crucifying of the Devil and all his powers And now I come to the slaves of this triumph the principalities and powers namely the greatest powers that can be conceived in creatures and who should deal with them but he that is above all power Christ our Saviour What doth he spoil them of of all their designs be they never so mischievous he spoils them of all their wiles and prevents them they can do nothing never any thing to the prejudice of the children of God regenerate never any thing that shall work to his overthrow This is that spoil and he leads them as it is here in the other Text open in view he goes not out of sight So that this point is contemplative here is no Cherubims or Seraphims Angels or Archangels but whatsoever can be seen in the world by the mortal eyes that was visibly performed by Christ Thus much for that second triumph and so it shall be in the general resurrection 1 Cor. 15. Oh death where is thy sting Oh Hell or Grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God who hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Thanks be to God that he hath given us victory in Christ our Lord. Now mark I beseech you the manifold circumstances of this victory in the day of the resurrection of the holy Saints and Martyrs What will become of the Law the Law of God it shall be cancelled no more Law here and the Law it is the strength of sin for if there were no law there were no transgression the law being taken away there is no more sin and as for sins past they are either pardoned or punished in the day of the resurrection Well then but sin it is the sting of death what becomes of death Death it is swallowed up in victory Death 's dead no more giving up of the ghost Come to the Grave Grave where is thy victory When the Trumpets sound and the Angel gives his voice arise ye dead and come unto Judgement they come out of their Graves the Graves are empty But the great enemies are Hell and the Devil Hell where 's thy victory The conquest being before as you heard concerning the passage of the souls of men the gates of Hell are shut up no ingresse nor egresse but all is shut they are all detained as the Apostle saith in the chains of darknesse and torments for ever And this is our victory Thanks be to God that hath given us victory in Christ Jesus our Lord Amen Thus have I ended the Historical point which concern'd us in the evidence of this truth that you have heard that he is risen and of the power thereof All this while we have not learned the causes of this resurrection that belongs to the third part which I said was Analogical and this hath three considerations The first is this Christ here in the Text is to be considered in the first place as the general cause of the Resurrection of the world of men The second consideration is this That he in this Text is the special cause of the resurrection of all the souls everlastingly blessed The third consideration of
and the work left undone The best Comment upon prophecies is the fulfilling of them Look upon some other Texts of Scripture What should they do that are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not up again Because of the Angels the women must be modest Saint Austin did not know it and that 's in regard of the Scripture We know but in part Thirdly in regard of the subject what we know we know after an imperfect partial fashion and therefore it is Beloved that Faith should be embraced by us because we believe that we cannot understand Hence it is that we have but an opinion of many things in the world If there were certain knowledge what needed opinion Fourthly because we do admire all things there 's no admiration but where there wants understanding Thus it is in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 displayed unto you I might proceed further in several kindes of knowledge among Heathens and Christians among Heathens they do worship an unknown God there was an Altar in Athens dedicated with this Inscription To the unknown God Acts 17. They do worship they know not what as our Saviour speaks to the Samaritan woman You worship you know not what and they do feel and grope after God if perhaps they can finde him There was one Antonius that having read Platoes Works of the Immortality of the soul and having often read them used these words Nescio c. I know not how but when I am reading I give assent when I have laid aside the Book all slips from me so doting is our knowledge for the earthly man the carnal man discerns not the things that are Gods nay for the best they see but through a glass they see but in part Thus you see the points laid open unto you I will bring it home to your Consciences a little in the application and then I shall conclude Some there are that do oppose this truth others that pervert it Some there are that oppose it and those are our adversaries the Romanists First in setting up the infallibility of the Pope and secondly in crying up the Fathers and the Councels for our Faith How can this be but false if this be true that we know but in part First therefore for the infallibility of the Pope who will sit like an Emperour and take up any controversie Beloved we know controversies on foot which he cannot decide between the Franciscans and Dominicans about the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the like either he cannot or dares not end them for fear of losing either side but we know but in part Have not some of their Popes been pronounced Hereticks by General Councels and yet these men must know all things One of them could not read Saint Matthews Gospel and yet these must be saved they would pluck out their own eyes and see by other mens and how can this be if as Saint Paul saith we know but in part And then again they will cry up the Fathers and Councels but when all is done they do but abuse us and the Fathers will be found to erre when all comes to light Were there not some of them that held dangerous and Heretical opinions But I am loth to uncover our forefathers nakedness If I must I will take you off from adoring it rising up to it and too much reverencing it Cyprian was for rebaptization Saint Austin was once of opinion that children should receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as well as others of age and Origen was of opinion that Spirits had hands and flesh and eyes and Justin Martyr but I rather cover them in silence but that the Papists do incite us the Fathers were but a partial no infallible rule Again as some do oppose this point so some do pervert it So the Papists they pervert it and say Because we know but in part therefore we must have Traditions for we know but in part as Saint Paul saith In this they do but as we say bring coals to New-Castle or light a candle to the Sun by bringing their Traditions to be proved by this Scripture Secondly the Anabaptists they pervert it and conclude from hence because we know but in part therefore we will look for revelation from above and thereupon they cast by the Book of God and look for revelations from Heaven God forbid we should countenance any such spirits as these are for what is there to be known but what is fetcht out of Gods Word Thirdly others forsooth that are lazy Christians will say If I turn over the Book of God never so much I shall know but in part therefore I will know nothing at all Like little children if you take away one of their trinkets they will throw all the rest away Or because one man gives me a box on the ear therefore I will sue him and because I may not have five hundred pounds damages therefore I will have nothing at all This is like the Hangman that first blindes the malefactors eyes and then turns him off This was it made the Jews crucifie the Lord of life for had they known it they would not have done it The candle must be put out or else put into the dark Lanthorn say the Papists we must not see what mischiefs are towards This ignorance must needs be the way to Hell to utter darkness If we know but in part First let us follow men but in part Turn over Antiquity borrow authority from the Fathers they will be good moral perswasions and inductions to bring us to the truth but bring all to the Scripture weigh it by the ballance of the Sanctuary whether it be good or no. And where they speak that which is contradictory to the Word of God let us prefer Truth before the Fathers Christ saith not I am Antiquity or I am Custome but I am Truth Secondly if we know but in part let us add some cubits to our knowledge Knowledge is like unto Heaven it is very glorious if we could see it and we must first know the will of our Father before we can do it This is the first step to know what God is and to know what our selves are First begin with knowledge then go on with practice First know the truth and then adhere to it and then defend it to the death Let us add knowledg unto our knowledg but as we know but in part let us be wise also take heed of entring roughly into the cabinets of God we must not gaze too high I do not say but that we should search the mysteries of the Word of God and study them freely but what mysteries God hath reserved unto himself meddle not with them we know but in part And then again make amends for thy want of knowledg by thy faith believe if God hath said it set thy seal of faith unto it He saith Luther that will be wise in Aristotle is a fool in Christ And a Pope did once say that Piscatores and not Philosophers were to be believed they that say they know much know nothing saith Solomon and Saint Paul The emptiest hogsheads sound most and the shallowest waters make the greatest noise Non est c. This is no true knowledg but a swelling and excrescency In the sixth place we must practise what we know if we know but in part let us make amends for our partial knowledg in practising what we know and whatsoever else you know be sure to know those things that concern your eternal salvation What is it for men to be scrupulous in leaving out H in Homo and yet will take away a man This is the onely true Arithmetick to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome that 's the true Astronomy This is it indeed that we must discourse of What is it then to deserve our Supremacy in Logick to be overcome in Arithmetick to talk of Generation and have not Regeneration It is not enough to know but we must practise If you know these things happy are you if you do them Beloved how many Sermons have been lost in this place and in divers other places of this Kingdome what will you hear and devour all and bring forth no fruit at all for shame make it up by your practice he that practiseth what he knows God will make him to know more some know to instruct others that 's charity some know to practice and that 's piety some know for affectation and that 's pride Knowledge makes a man worse rather then better unless he practise Knowledg like the Unicorns horn doth well in a mans hand but ill in a beasts head A man that 's ignorant he carries Uriah's letters in his own bosome They that know and do not practise shall be beaten with many stripes What canst thou say in excuse of thy self thou seest the Sun-shine of the Gospel thou art not in darkness as many are if thou dost not practise it woe be unto thee We have had the light of the Gospel above these threescore years and what excuse can we make Lastly let us hunger and long after that place where we shall see God face to face where there shall be no darkness without nor darkness within where the walls are made of chrystal and the gates of pearl There is no need of the Sun nor of the Moon nor of the Stars God is the Light and the Lamb is the Light of it and to that place God of his mercy bring us for his mercy sake for his Sons sake and for our Saviour Jesus Christ his sake Amen FINIS