here is as you shall anon perceive as well a Funerall Sermon as a Resurrection If the Dead rise not at all {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} A Text I confesse full of dificâ—lties the H. Fathers agree not in their Comentaries and our modern Interpreterâ— do more violently dissent Their Opinions are for the most part Orthodox and yet so variable that you would wonder to heare so good an Harmony and yet so little Concord to find them almost all agreeable to the analogy of Faith and yet scarce one subscribe to an other I might acquaint you with the tenoâ— of these severall varieties did I not think the repetition of them would be as tedious as the search troublesome Besids an exact Narration would be more injurious theâ—profitable for I should thereby wrong your expectations and instead of a Sermon present you with a Commentary Yet pardon the discourse which disdain suggests who would not be impatient to see a Text abused forced to speak what the Author himselfe knew not The Iesuits out of this place conclude a Purgatory so the more ancient of the Schools and after them Bellarmine in his 1. lib. de Purgatorio cap. 4. understands the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} de Bapâ—ismo lachrimarum paenitentiae of Baptisme of Tears and Affliction and so brings in mine Apostle discoursing like himselfe If the dead rise not at all why do men fast and pray why do they mourne and afflict themselves for the deliverance of the Faithfull deceased whome they desire to set free from the paines of Purgatory Good wits you see thâ—t can extract Fier out of water those Flames out of this word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Surely these men think the world bound to be cheated by their Sophismes else they would never hope to perswade us that the Sea burns But the Gospel it selfe gives countenance to this Exposition Mat 20.22 Can you drink of the Cup that I shall drinke of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and Luke 20.50 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} saith our Saviour and what is thereby meant but Affliction But their own Estius on the Text derides the Argument and 't is plain by him such Italian tricks are not allowed at Doway For suppose we grant this it confirms not their Commentary for That afflicting Baptisme was necessary and imposed by others theirs voluntâ—ry and undertaken by themselves Had mine Apostle intended their sence he should not then have said Why are they baptized by others but why do they baptize them selves Besids 't is plaine our Saviour by that phrase of Speech understands his Death they then should die themselves to redeeme their Brethren But no doubt the Cardinall would rather have renounced their Purgatory then suffer his Robes to be washed in such a Baptisme Again admit their interpretations and the Corinthians might as easily have satisfied mine Apostel's Argument as we may Bellarmines For suppose his Readers Papists and S. Paul inditing like a Iesuitâ— If the dead rise not why baptize ye that is why are ye afflicted why do ye pray for the dead your actions therefore shall be your Judges your own deeds confirm a Resurrection What Corinthian though he never saw Athens would not deride the weakness of his fond opposition they might soone reply It concluds not for we pray not for the body but that his soule may be freed from Purgatory We are indeed baptized for the dead but 't is the Soule only our devotions imply no Resurrection VVe reject then the metaphoricall acception of this word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and accuse that gloss as well of weaknesse as of falsehood Nor dare I joyne my selfe to their opinion who conceit that this Scripture aims at the Sacrament of Baptism and therefore do thus interpret it Why are they then baptized for the dead that is why are they baptized into the Faith of the Resurrection of the dead For that were to bring in a Maxime to confirm it selfe and to use that for a proofe which is indeed the Question Neither is it probable my Apostle would have argued in the third person but in the first {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Why are we baptized For Ananias had made him partaker of this Baptisme Act. 9.18 Besides it weaken's mine Apostle's argument for the answer would then be obvious Why are they baptized for the dead yes for their souls sake though their bodies should eternally perish To omit Tertullian's Vicarium Baptisma uséd by the Marcionites as he tels us lib. de Resurrect Carnis there is yet a third more naturall acception of the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} most usuall among the ancient Greeks and not altogether infrequent among the Pen-men of the Holy Ghost it signifies to wash and purifie by washing To omit others in this sense S. Marke useth it cap. 7. vers. 4. The Iewes when they come from market {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} And in the same place they observe {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for the vulgar washing of Cups And mine Apostle Heb. 9.10 speaking of the Iews Their Sacrifices stood in Meats and Drinks and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} divers washings According to wch acception of the word this Scripture as I take it is to be interpreted If the dead rise not at all to what end are your Funerall solemnities Do men give respect where there is no hope If the Corps shall for ever perish to what end do you wash them weak Corinthians is there more faith in your Cerimonies then in your selves Do you Act and yet not Believe a Resurrection Pagans indeed in the performance of the last Rites may be transported with by-respects and affect nothing but to give life to their owne glory by the death of others but this stands not with the simplicity of your Christian profession your Cerimonies must serve as handmaids to your Faith they must both teach others and confirme your Faith too Or downe then with these Funerall solemnities or else confess a Resurrection Thus he who took occasion to preach Christ from the Inscriptâ—on of an Alter in Athens knew as well how to prove that our bodies shall rise againe by a Cerimony in Corinth An Interpretation both agreeable with the structure of the Text and very consonant with the History of those elder Times For the Text you may either with Beza take the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the middle voyce and so render it Cuâ— Ablutione utuntur or else take the word Passively and then by a Hebraism understand in the Verb Substantive of the same signification Cur baptizantur Baptismate super mortuos why are they then washed with the washing men use over the dead Or lastly with Paraeus and others who come nearer our English Translation and render the Praeposition {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}
of her warfare are â—â—range she is bound to fight with her opposits and yet she must not offend them nay she loseth the field if she destroy her enemies She is to give no scandall neither in unlawfull things nor matters of indifferency neither in sins nor in Cerimonies Innocency must guide her life and Charity her Carriage The end of the war is peace that Christians may agree among themselves and Iewes and â—entiles may be the Church of God You see now a Precedent be ye now followers of it be firme in the faith and then as much as in you is have peace with all men Give no just offence in unlawfull things let not your sinnes make your lives scandalous and in things indifferent let not your scandals make you sinfull let your conversation be still found spotlesse and your whole carriage charitable that they who will needs be without our Church may still be too without an Apology And Thou O Three and yet one God unite our great distractions take the Vaile from the eyes of the Iewes and blindness from the Gentiles Teach the Errors of our Time to submit to the Truth and Factions to thy peace that so there may be one Sheep-fold and one Shepheard that all may be one Church of God under one Son of God and then Come Lord Iesus come quickly Amen Amen {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} A SERMON Preached on EASTER Day The Text S. MATTH. 28.6 Come see the place where the Lord lay THE powers of the Grave are shaken and now Death it self is become Mortall She seemed to take a â—oile from some former assaults as when Eliah restored the Widdows son c. but these againe being led captive in the bonds of corruption were no abatement but luster to her strength for opposition adds glory to a Conqueror Only now she received a fatall overthrow Christ can die no more and in his Resurrection all Mankind becoms victorious She met with an Adam here too one whose goodness was as diffusive as the first mans sin In him we all Died in this we all Live againe He was the Author of her strength this of her destruction And iâ— not all yet finished Christ hath â—vercom Death and remains there any enemy beyond the last yes the strangeness of the Victory hath raised a new war and now mankind is as mortally threatenned by Infidelitie as formerly by Death Olim vitio nunc remedio laborat The Remedy is so admirable that it confounds the patient and maks health it self appear as fabulous Christ is Risen But who knowes who believes it The Disciples remember not what was so often foretold but are as ready to forget their Masters words as before to forsake his Person The Woman more officious then faithfull prepares Spices and sweet Odors complements 〈◊〉 for his Funerall but not his Resurrection Their Ceremonious piety hath brought them to the Sepulchre and there instâ—ad of a Corps they finde an Angâ—ll Heaven had now dispatched a Champion who was to incounter with their unbelieving thoughts and that with such a winged diligence that he makes answer before he be questioned I know ye seek Iesus believe me He is Risen or els believe him He is Risen as he said If your distrust remaines yet unsatisfied behold a further testimony my strength hath removed the stone my countenance the Watchmen Now come and see the place The Grave it selfe is become an Evangelist and seems to speak without an Epitaph Ipsa evidentia vox est saith S. Austin It is so evident a token of Christs rising from the dead that it turns vocall Each circumstance is articulate and seems both to challenge and to constrain beliefe Siste gradum viator and see more in an empty Sâ—pulchre then when the Corps was in it For those things which before were but the Ensignes of Death are now become the Trophies of the Resurrection Come see the Napâ—in that bound his head the Cloaths which inwrapped the sacred body and then smile at the Iewish purchases who as if sinne were the only merchanâ—dise buy Treason of Iudas Forgery of the watchmen They must report â—hat The Disciples have stollen him away But say then what mean these Lâ—nnen cloaths is it possible they would leave them behind In the midst of so many Souldiers dare they now stay to unwind him who before did scarce dare to follow him Thefts are still done in hast and do as much hate delay as light it self Ask your own Barabbas if he purpose to steal a Iewel will he stay to unfold the paper iâ— lieth in The difficulty here was farre greater these Cloathes were spread with Myrrh then which no â—itch is more tenacious it glewes cloathes to the body Suppoâ—e the Disciples should attempt to unwrap him for Nicodemus his cost had made the body much heavier yet they would soon leave that which they found extream difficult and choose rather to undergo the trouble of a greater burthen then to adventure the hazard of a longer delay Look yet with a more curious eye the Napkin is wrapped up by it selfe in â— place {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Text saith It was wrapped up with diligence Say Iew would the Disciples stay too that they might leave the Grave-cloaths handsome or was this circumstance brought forth by hap only They are both equally credible that either these men should be so grossly simple or that chance it self should become industrious You see the Grave hath filld her mouth with Arguments and is become as apt to Teach as before to devour The Cloathâ— the Myrrh the Nâ—pkin do not more evidently witness that he was once dead then now that He is risen againe Their silent eloquence is able to convince the most spightfull Iew much more these women and the Disciples too My Text thâ—n in generall hath proved a Resurrection A part it affords thus much variety 1 An Action intreated shall I say or injoyned {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Come and see 2. The Object before a spectacle of mortality but now oâ— power {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The place The Grave you hear is described by a Periphrasis and where the Text is pleased to expatiate each word must needs be Doctrinall Consider then with me 1. The Sepulchre it self {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The place 2. The Person included {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Lord 3. The Timé of his abode {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Lord did lie there Comâ— and see There is nothing more injurious to the Power of God then not to know his Power For it is true what Minutius hath observed Non minoris est sceleris Dâ—um ignorare quam laederâ— Because he that knows not the might of his Creator must needs rob him of that glory he deserves by it To prevent so great a sinne God hath shewed himselfe no less ready to manifest then
to use his power 1. He hath given us his scriptures the most faithfull Commentaries both of his strength and Wisdom and lest that unbeliefe should keep us stil worse then ignorant he makes it self its Agent that so by the testimony of so familiar an Inâ—ormer his Word may appeare as full of probability as salvation He might have done by Christ as he did by Moses both have interred his Corps and hid his Sepulchre nor yet could the Disciples then have challenged him of concealing the Truth They had variety of Prophecies their Masters own word confirmed by so many miracles all joyntly witnessing That it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise again the Third day Yet such were the Riches of his Goodnesse that he vouchsafed a more apparent testimony This Angel cals their eyes as Iudgeâ— and the Grave gives in so clear an evidence that neither Hatred nor Art can avoid it Do distracted thoughts prevent thy Faith and in despite of Scripture make thee almost deny Then come and see 2 The heavens declare the glory of God â—nd the Firmament sheweth his handy worke Sicut vocibus ita et rebus Prophetatum est saith Turtullian He hath made each Creature a Prophecy and this Article of the Resurrection as legible in the least hearb as in the Word it selfe Had the Athenians as well imployed their Eyes to discover Truth as their Eares to receive Novelties the Resurrection might have found more serious entertainment For throughout the whole Frame of Nature what more visible Come and â—â—e Philosophers Flowerâ— fade and live againe Seeds are not quickâ—ned â—xcept they dye and their destruction is the chiefe cause of their continuance Dies in noctem moritur as the sâ—me Tertullian speaks Each night is the last dayâ—s Funerall and then what is the Morning but a Resurrection Is it not a shame for Athens that Rome should afford more subtle Naturalists For Sâ—neca did there find out this very observation and from his sight concludes Mors intermittit vitam non eripit venieâ— itâ—rum qui nos in lucem reponet diâ—s 't is in the later part of his 36. Epistle Death is an intermission only no loss of life there shall come a day of Restauration and thâ—se eyes shall enjoy their former light With how setled a countenance would this man have harkened to the Resurrection of the dead whom sight it self had made thus Orthodox T is true then sensible speculations may serve as hâ—lps to Faith and have their uses as well in the Schoole of Christ as in that of Nature For Religion admits â—o Sceptickâ— She is indeed a Mistress to sense but not an Enemy Let Rome reâ—ounce her eyes and call the Host the â—ery Body of Christ when yet she sees â—ought but Bread We find no such diâ—ection For what shall we leave off to See that we may Believe or to be Men that we may become Christians We grant Religion to be above our Nature but yet not against it She may Exceed we confess but not contradict our Senses For look here these two are â—t perfect unity The Angel joyneth Gods word and our Senses together and that to the proofe of a divine conclusion He is Risen as he said and yet Come and see too For it is the same God of Peace who is the Author both of our Faith Sight and who dares say that his workes are at variance Had our eyes beene stark blind in these out-sides of Religion Christ had not so often appealed to a deâ—eitfull testimony Go tell Iohn what ye have heard aâ—d seen Matt. 11. Handle me and see a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Luk. 24. You hear he himself imploys sense in many Articles as first to confirme his Office and then his Resurrection Not that I maintaine these meaner faculties to bee either the Authour or Rule of Faith No we must Believe more then we See and our Faith must issue from a higher fountain otherwise we may know perhaps but we cannot Believe For this Vertue is still Royally descended and acknowledgeth no father under a Deity Sencâ— indeed may beget Knowlâ—dg and that in a most eminent and high degree {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} saith the Philosopher proofs of sense command our assent A Demonstration may be more artifitiall perhaps yet not more powerfull but Faith proceeds from the inward operations of the Holy Ghost and relies only upon the Scriptures Authority yet must we understand what Valentia hath observed Sâ—nse may concur with Faith and so may the same object be both knownâ— and believed and the rather believed because it is known Simeon might both See and believâ— the Messias and the rather Believe because he â—aw him As the meat may nourish though not beget a man so sense may confirme our Faith though not producâ— it And therefore that Text in S. Iohn Because thou hast seen me Thomas thou hast believed Calvin doth thus interpret Non quòd solo aspectu adductus est Thamas ut crederâ—t sed quòd expergefactus This Disciple had before received the Mysteries of salvation only the stormâ— of the late troubles had laid his beliefe asleep T is one thing then to beget Faith another to awaken Faith this may come from our eyes perhaps that from the Word alone Again is it true of sense only as if that brutish faculty were of it selfe able to confirme our Beliefe No t is Ego animus as S. Aug. speaks per sensus corporis mei 'T is I my soule but yet not without my senses Quae per naturalem rationem innotescunt saith Thomas non sunt Articuli Fidei sed praeambula ad Articulos Humane helps are but preparations to Religion and beget rather Introductions of Faith then Articles To behold this goodly Fabrick of the Woâ—ld may soon force a Pagan to confess that there is a Deity But to know that this God is both Three and One or that of these Three One was incarnate here nature is blind and requires help from a clearer light Or that I may instance in our owne circumstances to see the Grave open the Earth trembling the Angels attending did no doubt perswade the Watchmen themselves that Christ was Risen But to believâ— that he rose both God and Man oâ— that his Resurrection was the cause oâ— ours this proceeds from the spirit alone who only can inlighten them that sit iâ— darknes In a word our domestick abilities may some way prepare us to entertainâ—Faith when t is received they may perhaps confirm or awaken it but we must confess the Author of it to be the Holy Ghost alone and the Word his Instrument Notwithstanding where thou mayâ—t use their help neglect not the benefits of such outward testimonies For though Faith come by Hearing yet let Christians be Spectators too and learn as well to see God in his Works as to Believe him in his Scriptures Know that he who made thine
Eyes as well as thy Soule exacts a tribute no lesse from thy Sâ—nse then from thy Reason These lower powers were made for his glory and when they are imployed to viler ends remember that thou dost not more abuâ—e thy selfe then wrong thy Maker Religion hath use even of these faculties For He who doth nothing in vaine that he might manifest the Truth of his glorious Resurrection tooke order that his Disciples should injoy the â—enefit of a sensible assurance and thereâ—ore besids his Word he left his Sepulchre â—hich is my second part {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The place To describe the Sepulchre by our moâ—ern relations might injure your attenâ—ion For I should shew you a Tomb indeed full of state and Beauty but yet 't is â—carce The place where the Lord lay because Art hath gone beyond her Commission and almost abolished Nature instead of adorning it So that when I read the Sepulchre described with such magnificence me thinks it stands like a Grave Matron in a loose Attire who may win thereby more eyes Perhaps but not more respect How it is beautified with the purest Marble hang'd round with burning Tapers and the like I purposely omit choosing rather to insist upon those circumstances which the Text delivers For we shall find more true state in that first simplicity and perceive that we need not require more helps of Art to make the Grave see me Glorious T was made by Ioseph of Arimathea one who wanted neither wealth nor honor for he is called by my Evangelist A Rich man and by S. Marke an honorable Counsellor he caused it to be hewnâ— out for his owne use It seems it should as well teach him to die as receive him when he was Dâ—ceased How our Saviour got possession S. Iohâ— hath told us in the last verse of his 19. chapter There laid they Iesus therefore because of the Iews preparation day for the Passeover was nigh at hand It seems had their Sabbath beene more remote the Disciples had not here interred him but it was so ordered by a higher hand that as Malice had provided his Death so Conscience should a Sepulchre The Cross had put an end to all shame and disgrace when he himselfe pronounced the Epilogue {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} It is finished His Glory was now to enter and in despite of the powers of Death his first honour must be the Grave it selfe He must be buried like a Prince although he die like a Malefactor For so we read his Funerall was attended by Nobles Nicodemus a Ruler of the Iewes Ioseph a Senator his Corps inclosed and inwrapped in a costly composition Myrrh to perfume Aloes to preserve it and then laid in a new Tomb hewn out of a Rock â—Monument therfore the fuller of honour because so durable Sure now if ever did this place deserve a Religious Worship when these goodly Ceremonies were so latly performed and yet t is the voice of an Angel Come see only but not adore it No such superstition is of a later birth and so far from his Angles patronage that Men are scarce so bad as to defend it For Bellarmine speaks in this point as Bassianus did when he had slaine his Brother Geta Intelligi mavult quam audiri He is still willing that such Reliques should be worshipped and yet it stands not with his Art plainly to say so lest while he instructs his friâ—nds he might Perhaps give advantage to his Enemies But how grosse the Romish practice is let that of Danaeus testifie of his owne Countri-men the Fountaine of Monks who in their publik Liturgies did insert this Petition Sancte Sudari ora pro nobis Holy Napkin pray for us If they did this Worship to the Cloath only that bound our Saviouâ—s head how think you would they have adored the Sepulchre a substance sure fitter to make a God of because of a more lasting Nature and therefore would more resemble an Eternity But peâ—haps they quarrel with mine Author if so they may consult their own Breviaries where they shall find a solemâ— Prayer to the very same Relique only iâ— another respect namely to the print â—f Christs Visage which they say was â—eâ— in the Napkin nay and that Prayer penned by a Pope too Iohn the 22. with a promise of a 10000 daies pardon to all that repeated it The Bookeâ— saw seemed Ancient and the Rubricks were English I might remember you of many such Oraisons from the testimony of their own Authorities did I not think these vain superstitions as unfit for your ears as for your imitation That Reliques are to be honoured with a Divine Worship the Carâ—inall denies in words when yet indeed he doth but sophisticate For throughout the passage of his whole discourse he still intimates that The respect we give must be Religious and more then Civil VVhat 's this but to be learnedly sacrilegious to rob God of his honour and then to blind men with a fond distinction For if it be more then Humane it must needs take part of that Worship which he cals Divine and so he takes â—hat is due to the living God that he may superstitiously adde respect to these dead Remembraces But the Grave must be honoured For so 't is written say the Iesuits Isay 11.10 There shall be a root of Iesse to it shall the Gentiles seek and as the Vulgar reads it His Sepulchre shall be glorious The word is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Quievit It signifies a place of abode wherein we delight as well as rest not a Grave then properly for there may be rest indeed buâ— yet not delight The Septuagint agree with our Translation and render it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rest Pagnin and Vatablus Requies whereupon the most sound Interpreters expound it not of the Grave but the Church of Christ according to the Psalm 132. There shall be my rest for ever Here will I dwell for I have a delight therein But grant that the word may signâ—fie a Sepulchre must it then needs be Worshipped because it is called Glorious A good Apology for Idolaters for ye know it is also written There is one Glory of the Sunne and another of the Moone 1 Cor. 15. I conclude then of these superstitious Votaries what in like case was falsly objected to the elder Christians by that Pagan in Minâ—tius Id clount quod merentur Their devotions are a direction to Iustice and shew they deservâ— a Gravâ— that worship it Nor may we approve of their ungrounded zeale who are not content that God hath made this life a pilgrimage except they make it so too as if this Angels words had beene as proper to these times as to that of the Resurrection Come see the place But a weake understanding may descry a difference and perceive that the Grave hath now quite lost her former eloquence