A Century of Sermons

Thomas noted into what danger our Savior imbarked himself, when he told his Disciples Lazarus is dead, and we will go unto him; Let us also go and die with him, says Thomas. So there was Soldiers abroad to watch the Sepulcher, Spies in every corner from the High Priests to mark who did confess, and honor our Savior, to go to his Tomb was in effect to say, let us go and die with him, we care not for our lives. True love esteems it sweet to suffer for his sake, to whose memory their affection is constantly devoted. And why did she address unto the Sepulcher? A stone was rolled upon the mouth of the Grave, and it was sealed with Pilate's Seal, she could see nothing; but she drew near to that which she loved to see, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , says St. Chrysostom. It did her good to walk in that Garden where the body of the Son of God was laid, such a Garden which enclosed him who was the Flower of Jessai, says the Prophet. This was a Paradise to overmatch that Garden, which was once in Eden, by how much the second Adam risen here from death to life, was better than the first Adam, who fell there from life to death. This was such a place as could not choose but strike her with reverence: as Moses stood before the bush which burnt with fire, and the bush was not consumed; so Mary came to stand before the Sepulcher, where that divine body lay, the first fruits of them that ever rose from the dead, the Spear had entered his heart, the whips and thorns had torn his flesh, yet by his own power he lived again, the bush was not consumed. Think with thyself, if thou wert now kneeling by that Cave of the earth, where thy Savior's body lay, what abundance of tears it would make thee shed for thy sins? What a desire of heaven it would beget in thy soul? What a contempt of this loathsome earth? I do ever rise up from those relations which I read, or which Pilgrims make of those places with a mortified heart. Certainly Helen the Mother of Constantine, St. Jerome, and Paula made an admirable use to enflame their zeal, by frequenting this very place which Mary did. And my knowledge and Religion are in a dream, or else Devotion without superstition is the most heavenly thing in the world. We come into the Capitol, says Tully, only to please our eyes with looking upon that Bench in the Senate; where the renowned Orator Crassus was wont to sit. So Mary Magdalene came with a resolved opinion, that it would give her great consolation to come near that place where Joseph had interred her Savior.

St. John's History is brief, and hath made him omit this clause of the Story, remembered in St. Luke, That they came with Spices which they had prepared; with sweet spices that they might anoint him, says St. Mark. Why Joseph and Nicodemus had bought an hundred pound weight of Myrrh, and Aloes, and wrapped them with the body of Jesus, was not that enough? Pardon them if they over-do their part, Amor non credit satis esse factum nisi ipse faciat, says one; cordial love thinks all is not done that should be, unless itself be at the doing. This chargeable spicing and anointing the dead was in use among the Gentiles, for so they interred their deceased friends, who are men of renown and Nobility. So the Greek Poet reckons this Ceremony in the Funerals of Patroclus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , so Virgil's Misenus, Corpusque lavant frigentis & ungunt. Donatus the Grammarian gave no other reason but this, Ut cadavera mortuorum citiù • flammam conciperent; To make the Carkasses consume to ashes the faster when they were put upon a pile of wood to be burnt. Although others gather out of the Heathen, that they esteemed it Piety to wash away all filthiness from the C • rpses of the deceased; and the Officers that took the care of such things were called Pollinctores quia pollutos ungerent. But, among divine Writers, all do embrace this as a strong conjecture, and indeed not to be denied, that the Servants of God embalmed, and anointed the dead both in the Old and New Testament in honor of the Resurrection. So Joseph commanded the Physicians to embalm his Father: So certain devout Widows washed the body of Tabitha, and laid her forth in an upper Chamber, Acts ix. 37. Let me not omit how Christ himself did approve of that Ceremony while he was living: A woman broke a box of Ointment of Spikenard very precious upon his head; and when some had indignation at it, he forbad his Disciples to trouble her, saying, She is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying, Mar. xiv. 8. That woman spent her cost upon him, when he was alive to give her thanks. Mary came to pour her Spices upon his Grave when she thought he was dead; true Love is munificent to them who are dear unto it when they live, but more abundantly when they are deceased.

Now carry your attention with you to the third part of the Text, that no season was so fit to be watched as this, which the women laid hold of, The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene: This coming was upon the third day after Christ had been laid in the Grave; and it was upon the same day, which from thenceforth was called the Lord's day, wherein our holy Assemblies every week do meet together; these two things are fit to be examined before I leave the Treatise of this Point. From the beginning of the world was there never anything of so great expectation, as the success of this day, whether that, which Christ had so often foretold should come to pass, that he should die, and the third day he would rise again. How busy were the women to come abroad, and try what they could learn? And I verily think the waves of the Sea roll not about so fast in a Tempest as the thoughts of the Disciples beat within their heart, and earned within them between fear and hope, whether the day were like to prove glorious, or uncomfortable; well, God did rather go beyond his own word than come a whit behind it. He made this third day the most memorable Feast that ever the Sun shined upon. It was a third day when Joseph released his brethren out of Prison, Gen. xlii. 18. On the third day in the morning, after the people had come to Mount Sinai, the Law of God was delivered, Exod. xix. 16. On the third day Esther put on her Royal Apparel, and stood before Ahasuerus, and desired him to be good to her Nation, Esther v. 1. On the third day Abraham came to the place where his faith was tried, and Isaac was restored back again alive, when the sacrificing knife had been at his throat, Gen. xxii. 4. To come near to the mark, the third day Jonas was cast safe upon the Land out of the belly of the Whale; and that was the sign which Christ gave to the Jews, able to convince all infidelity, as Jonas was three days and three nights in the belly of the Whale, and then came forth alive, so Christ burst open the Monument the third day, and appeared unto many.

Reason may be busy to inquire why the Son of God prefixed such a space of time for his Resurrection, before he would quicken his flesh, rather than any other. Certainly, there is but one modest conjecture, which is this, he would lie no longer, than some hours of a third day in the grave, lest he should keep the weak faith of his Disciples too long in suspense, yet sooner he would not open his monument, lest his enemies the Jews should pretend, he was but cast into a swoon by the sharpness of pain, and not truly dead. These following I will allow for ingenuous allusions and no more; that our Redeemers body was bereaft of life unto the third day, to appease the offended justice of every Person in Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; to signify that we were dead in sin by thought, word, and deed. To bring unto eternal life them that believed either under the Law of nature, under the Law of Moses, or under the new Covenant of grace. To restore the three parts of spiritual life unto us Faith, hope, and charity. Tria sunt omnia, says another, three days are the sum of man's life both here and forever. A day of labor in this World, a day of rest in the Grave, a day of reward in the Resurrection. If there be any Son of Adam that would have a fourth day Dies otii in hâc vitâ; A day of ease and pleasure in this life, such a one is Lazarus quatriduanus & putet. It may be said of him as the two Sisters said of Lazarus their Brother, He hath lain four days in the ground and begins to smell. Three days are all, labor, rest, and reward, these are allusions, I said, to the Resurrection of Christ upon the third day. One thing is very observable, to match this circumstance of the New Testament, and an accident which fell out in the Old. Even this very day wherein Christ arose, and gate dominion over death, the same day, which was the third day after the eating of the Passover, Moses brought the Children of Israel through the Red Sea unto dry Land, certainly intimating that they went through death to life, and so did Christ.

St. Peter hath a Text, 1 Epist. 1.10. which doth authorize me yet to search further, and more diligently about the time of this Resurrection. Saies he, The Prophets have inquired, and searched diligently, what manner of time the Spirit of Christ did signify, when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory which should follow. And surely, there is a great mystery couched in the circumstance of time, that the Evangelists have differently set down other observations, that concurred upon the Resurrection, but all of them in one phrase do agree in these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that this wonder was wrought upon the first day of the week; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Una Sabbati; The Jews gave such honor to their Sabbath, that every day following had the denomination from it, the first, second, and the third day after the Sabbath, and so unto the sixth. The Latin Church in their Liturgies hath given the same honor to Easter Day, for Easter day by principallity being called Feria, the Holy Day; The Latins from it call the days of the week primam, secundam, tertiam Feriam, and so unto the sixth. Our vulgar English calls the first day of the week Sunday, and all other days following are denominated from some of the Planets, we received such Language in this Island from our Forefathers who were Paynims, and knew not God, but we differ from them in the intention; they did it out of Idolatry to the Sun and Moon, &c. we to signify that God made the Host of Heaven, and all the Stars thereof. Moreover, Una Sabbati literally rendered is not the first, but one day of the Week, because one is the first ground to begin numbering; and Theophilact says the Lord's day is called the one day of the Week, either because it is the only day, from whence the blessing is procured for all the rest; or besides it is a figure of the life to come, Quando una tantum dies est nequaquam nocte interpolata; when there shall be but one day forever, and no night of darkness to interrupt it. Thus much of the words.

The matter of the Point is of a more profitable use. And hence I begin, that as God the Father upon the first day did begin to make this visible world of Creatures; so Christ rose the same day from the dead, to signify that a new Age was then begun. Resurrectio est alterius mundi spiritualis creatio, says Justin Martyr, The Resurrection is well called a creation of a new spiritual world. On the first day of the Week God said, Let there be light, and he divided between the light and the darkness. Verily on that wise on the first day of the Week God brought the light of the world out of the darkness of the Grave, and the life, says St. John, was the light of men. Now this infinite work to tread death under feet, and to bring all flesh out of corruption into the state of immortality, being more eximious than to make man in a possibility at first to die, and perish, therefore all Christian Churches have desisted to meet together at holy exercises upon the Sabbath of the Jews, and the first day of the Week is the day appointed to sanctify out selves unto the Lord, for what reason I will now unfold, and it is a case of no small perplexity.

And let me auspicate from the Text and Authority of Holy Scripture, and these places following do conspire to verify the Truth. Acts xx. 7. Paul abode seven days at Troas, the seventh day of his abode was the first day of the Week, then (and not before it seems) upon the first day of the Week, when the Disciples came together to break Bread, that is, to partake of the Lord's Supper, Paul preached unto them. This seems to approve, that in the Apostles time it was no more in use for their Disciples to meet upon the Sabbath, but as well to honor the Resurrection, as to separate from the Rites and Customs of the Jews, in the Spirit of God they did convene together on the first day of the Week. From Preaching and Administring the Holy Communion, let us come to Collection of Alms. 1 Cor. xvi. 2. Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. How can this be expounded, but that distributions were made to the poor upon the first day of the Week in their most solemn Assemblies? For if the meaning were, that every man should set apart a share of his own gains upon that day in his private Coffers, and not in the public Treasury, when their Congregations were together, then Collections had been to be made from house to house, when Paul was to come, who desires it might be laid up in readiness, as it were in one stock, before. 'It is pity we are fallen from that good order, but in the most ancient Church, I find that they never missed to carry the Poors Box about every Lord's Day, witness this place of St. Cyprian; Locuples es & dives, & Dominicam celebrare te credis, quae Corbanam omnino non respicis? Thou that art rich and wealthy, dost thou imagine thou keepest the Lord's Day as thou oughtest, and dost cast nothing into the Treasury? Thirdly, as the last day of the Week, when God rested from his works, was called the Sabbath of the Lord, so it is of much moment to the point, that the first day of the Week is called the Day of the Lord or the Lord's Day. Rev. i. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, as it appears, Rev. i. 13. John was walking on the Sea shore meditating upon holy things in the Isle of Patmos: Very probable that there was no solemn meeting to praise God, as it ought to have been, among those Pagan Islanders, otherwise John had not betaken himself to solitary Meditations; but see how he was recompensed, Nactus est Doctorem ipsum Deum, quando fortasse deessent quos ipse doceret, when he was disconsolate, because he wanted Auditors to teach, God preached unto him the Mysteries of the Age to come. But to enforce the Text forenamed for an Argument; we have but two things in the New Testament called the Lord's, the Sacrament is called the Supper of the Lord, 1 Cor. xi. 20. and this day of Christian Assemblies is called the Lord's Day, (the Lord's Prayer and the Lord's House are good Phrases, but our own, not the Scriptures) but as we keep the Feast of Passover no more, but instead thereof eat the Lord's Supper; so neither do we observe the Jews Sabbath anymore, but instead thereof we keep the Lord's Day.

Thus far I have pressed the Authorities of Sacred Scripture: The Authority of the Primitive Church, and so downward to this Age, will convince it clearly against any that is obstinate. Ignatius was St. John's Scholar, and as if he had learnt of his Teacher, he writes thus, Let every lover of Christ celebrate the Lord's Day, which is dedicated to the honor of his Resurrection, the Queen and Princess of all days. Justin Martyr commands the same day to be kept holy to the Lord every Week, in his 2. Apolog. So doth Tertullian more than once, and I cited St. Cyprian before. The Council of Laodicea speaks thus resolutely: Anathema to all those that rest upon the Sabbath; let them keep the Lord's Day, when they observe a vacancy of labor, and do as becometh Christians. The great Council of Nice doth not command the first day of the Week to be kept holy, but supposeth in the 20. Canon, all good Christians would admit that without scruple, and then appoints other significant Ceremonies to be kept upon the Lord's Day from Easter to Whitsuntide. I need not reckon downward after the Nicene Council, because, in one word, I have not heard or read that it was opposed by any of the Fathers. They knew that an appointed time must be allotted for every necessary Duty; and certainly upon the abrogation of the Old Sabbath, not Man, but God did appoint a time for so necessary a thing as the religious Service of his Name. Christ made an end of all Sabbaths by his own Sabbath, lying all that day and night in the Grave; and to hold that the Sabbath, which is but a Shadow, is to continue, is to hold that Christ the Body is not yet come; yet that being laid apart, let us allow God a seventh day for sanctification, so much is divine in the fourth Commandment: and what seventh day, but the same which Christ sanctified in his Resurrection, which is the new Creation of the World, the same which the Scriptures point at, the same which the Church hath constantly kept in all successions. Salve festa dies, toto venerabilis anno, says Lactantius; and Origen says that Manna did begin to fall down about the Tents of the Israelites the first day of the Week, and in the same day you are bound to bring your Omer to gather Spiritual Manna in your holy Assemblies, that your Soul may eat and be satisfied. When the Proconsuls of several Provinces inquired who were Christians, to punish them; you shall find in the Acts of the Martyrs this was their Question to descry them, Dominicam servâsti? What, do you keep the Lord's Day? The good man being persecuted answers, Christianus sum, intermittere non possum, I am a Christian, and cannot intermit it.

Do we differ from the Jews then in nothing but exchanging day for day? Yes, Beloved; as in sanctifying God's name we are to go beyond them, because the Spirit is given to us in more abundant measure than it was to them; so in nice Points of rest and cessation from all bodily labor and exercise, we are not tied so strictly as they were. I wonder from whom they had their Doctrine that teach the contrary. I know they will not say they had it from the Fathers, I know they cannot say it justly. I appeal to the best lights of this latter Age. Out of the French Reformed Churches I cite Beza. Thus he: The keeping of the Lord's day is an Apostolical, and a divine Tradition; yet so, that we are not tied (he means by God's Law ) to observe the Judaical cessation from all kind of work, for to observe the Judaical rest were to change the day, and not the Judaism. Imperial Laws, made by Constantine and other godly Princes, did first interdict, that no open and usual buying and selling, or other Merchandise should be used; for it is fit for the better sanctifying of the day that we should sequester worldly affairs, and be altogether vacant to God. Thus far he. Out of the German Reformed Churches I will cite Pareus, This is his Argument; Who first approves that the Lord's day is to be kept with a decent cessation from manual labors, and that it is very scandalous to pollute it with usual secular affairs, but if any will run further, to impose upon Christians the Rites and Ceremonies of the Jewish rest in their Sabbath; thus he convinceth them. The observation of the Jewish rest was figurative and typical; and all those figures of truth were to be kept under pain of severe judgment, because the figure was the pledge and Protestation of the truth which should come to pass; now there being no such figurative dependence upon the sanctification of the Lord's day, we are tied only to such rest as shall adorn and beautify our Worship of God upon that day, I mean both our Morning and Evening Sacrifice. Beware therefore to be a Jew in opinion, but beware to be a dissolute Libertine in practice. Violate not this day, nor any the like in the whole year with Negligence, Idleness, Luxurious Pastimes, or Riot; give thy body rest, that the soul may be more busy in the holy work; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , rest which is not employed in the fear of God is the Mother of all wickedness. I cannot end this Point better than with those words of St. Basil.

Let me adventure with your patience upon the next Point, and I will defer the handling of the last. That which I mean only to speak of is Mary Magdalens expedition, her restless diligence, her watchfulness without all sloth, She came early, when it was yet dark. Every hour seemed seven to this pious Matron, till she came to the body of Christ, the Sabbath of the Jews was but now ended, and she had much ado to refrain coming before it was done. The Stars of the night had not yet run their courses when she set forth toward the Monument, for it is probable she kept the Sabbath at her own Town, and she dwelt at Bethany two miles from Jerusalem, yet by Sun-rising, when it was yet dark, she was come to the Sepulcher, a journey of two miles, and had brought her Spices with her. She had no sleep I believe fell upon her eyes for thinking of her Savior. I am sure she had no leisure to paint her face, to powder her hair, or to dress herself with finical curiosity. We had divers, I confess, that came early this morning to the holy Sacrament, when it was yet dark, I praise them for it. We have others that seldom or never find the way to Church till the Afternoon, you may know by their vain Attire, tricked up in Print, what they were doing all the Morning. At last we have their company scarce with half a thought to please God, but with their whole heart to be praised of fools, and to please such wanton and adulterous eyes that gaze upon them. What a coil is here with this carrion flesh? Ye are but painted Sepulchers, full of rotten bones, and not worthy to come with Mary to the Sepulcher of Christ, much less to come to the Communion of his body and blood. O proud mortality, they that make their Looking-glass all the Text which they take out in the Morning, little think that the Grave may be the Pew in the Church wherein they shall be placed before Evening. Now they walk abroad so strong with sweet smells, that they are able to perfume a Sepulcher with Spices; in less than four days all this delicacy may turn to stink and rottenness. Come early to the Sepulcher, that is, think of death in your young blossoming years, how suddenly ye may be cut off, then leave to fashion yourselves after this French, or that Italian dressing, and spin a poor shrowding sheet which may wrap you up in the earth against the day of the Resurrection.

I hasten. Was it yet dark when Mary came, when St. Mark says punctually it was at the rising of the Sun? What an intricate case some have made of this objection, which is nothing in itself! For the Evangelist doth not mean, it was so dark that the women could not see about them, for then all they reported would be taken to be fancy, and not a known truth: But the Sun newly rising some obscurity of darkness remains in some places, especially it might be so about a Monument which was cut of a Rock in the Earth, and the Monument in a Garden where shady trees do not suddenly admit light, and the Garden perhaps lying under an Hill, and compassed about with a Wall, some dusky darkness may incloud such a place early in the Morning. They shoot wide therefore that expound the darkness figuratively, that the Scriptures were not opened as yet how Christ should rise the third day, and all the World was benighted in the darkness of incredulity. There is no need to strain the Text so mightily; and yet Chrysologus hath invented a more forced Interpretation. Thus he. As the day was shortened at our Savior's Passion, and the Sun did set in an Eclipse a long time before the natural Evening of that season, so at his Resurrection the Sun rejoiced, and was so officious to attend him that he rose certain hours before the natural season of the day. Therefore according to the natural rising of the Sun it was very early when Mary Magdalene came, but if you consider the extraordinary appearance of that glorious Lamp upon the Earth before the time, so the Sun was risen, and yet it was the time of darkness. This is more subtle than solid, my first interpretation was the sure resolution.

I will ask but one question more to clear a doubt, and so conclude. All the Evangelists, no doubt, do purpose to set out the diligence and watchfulness of Mary, that none have omitted to describe what an early Pilgrim she was. Had they no other end in it? Yes surely, to express the timely Resurrection of our Lord. As David sings it, Exurgam diluculo; Awake my glory, awake Lute and Harp, I myself will awake right early. But how can you then inch out the time to say resolvedly, that he lay three days in the belly of the Grave? Beloved, you must measure the days by a Synecdoche. He was buried toward Evening upon the Jews day of preparation, and so lay interred some part of the Afternoon, and all the night. Upon the Jews Sabbath he rested in the Sepulcher all day and night, upon the first day of the week he continued in the state of death some hours of the Morning, and very early he came forth an eternal Triumpher; he fulfilled the Scriptures therefore, and withal made haste to fulfil his Promise, to rise the third day. Euthymius expresseth it more elegantly than I can. Quod citius quàm sit constitutum efficitur potentiae est, quod tardius imbecillitatis. Christus non solùm promissum explevit, sed etiam gratiam velocitatis addidit. To be eardier than our promise is a sign of some let and infirmity: To be beforehand with a Promise, is a sign of power and efficacy. The Promise of the Son of God was that in three days he would build up the Temple of his body again: He did so, and more than so, soon after the third day was begun. Behold the prestation of his Promise, and the acceleration of his favor joined unto it; so we have seen both his truth in the Promise, and his love in the speediness, doing even above his Promise, To whom be honor, praise, and glory forever. AMEN.

THE FIFTH SERMON UPON THE RESURRECTION.

T HE greatest matter which we preach unto you throughout all the year is that of this great Festival, Christ is risen from the dead. All that we preach beside holds of this in chief, score out this line and ye blot out the contents of all the Gospel. St. Paul says it, If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain, 1 Cor. xv. 14. You hear of what great consequence it is to preach of the Resurrection, and yet I cannot tell you from any part of holy Scripture at what moment of time, or after what manner our Savior rose from the dead. Thou knowest it O Son of David, who dost open, and no man shutteth, who dost shut, and no man openeth. He opened the Grave, nor Death, nor Hell, nor Pilate's Seal could shut it against him: He shutteth up this mystery from us, when he came out of the Grave, and no man is able to open it. Is this the reason, because his Disciples, and the very best of his Chosen were incredulous upon this day, and it would not enter into their hearts how he was risen from the dead, though he had often foretold it, and therefore he did punish them to conceal the manner of his Resurrection from them, though no doubt they did much desire to know it? Or was it for this respect, as another says, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , we know not the hour when he rose from the dead, neither is it possible to know the time when we shall rise from the dead? Now it was obscure, when he came again to life, and it will be as much obscure when he will come to judge the world at the general Resurrection. Or was it rather to inform us, that since we receive this principal Article of our Creed plainly, and not examining many needless particulars, so must we receive all the Tenets of Faith naked and uncloath'd from all questions of curiosity.

The secret things belong unto the Lord our God. Yet thus far we may dare to encroach, that the Resurrection of Christ fell out within the compass of the words which I have read unto you. It came to pass very early in the morning on the third day, I told you so the last year at large, now I come nearer to the Point. For all that say anything to the incidency of time agree in this, that about the time the earthquake shook the place, or about the time the Angel descended, or about the time the stone was rolled away, among these Circumstances one or other, he awoke out of a sleep, and came forth of the Sepulcher. Needs then must you hear from hence some good tidings of joy and triumph. The last words of my Text are memorable to this purpose, that the Angel sat upon the stone, Quasi fidei doctor, & Magister resurrectionis, says Chrysologus. Upon these concurrencies, presently the Angel sat down like a Doctor of faith in the Chair of Authority, and like a Master to teach the Resurrection. Where the Angel sits him down to teach, the case you will presume is worth the hearing. The two things generally in which I fix my thoughts are these, motus and quies, a motion, and a quietness. Of motions there are three: 1. The foundations of the Earth opened, and behold there was a great earthquake. 2. The Heavens were opened, for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven. 3. The door of the Grave is opened, He came and rolled away the stone. But albeit these things are turbulent in the doing, great tranquility shall follow. Surely, the earth presently was settled and stood still, for the stone was steady, the Angel composed himself at rest, and sat upon it. To these I will add such explication as God shall give me leave to utter.

An Earthquake was a royal trumpet to proclaim this victory, the greatest that ever was obtained against an enemy. The deep murmur and hollow sound which came from beneath the earth gave notice at one blast to Heaven, and Hell, and to all Judea, that the Son of God about that instant (as I do verily believe) did break the gates of Brass, and smite the bars of death in sunder. It was heard to heaven, and the Angel came down at his qu, as soon as ever that triumphal sign was given, wherein I have given you my opinion, and not mine alone, but of sundry others; that the coming of the Angel was not a cause, but a consequent of the Earthquake. Tremuit terra, non quia Angelus descendit de coelo, sed quia ab inferis dominator ascendit. The ground trembled, not because the Angel descended from above, but because the Conqueror ascended from beneath. And I know not a prettier diversion in all the Scripture to put off that which might be expected than this is. Who would not look that the story should run thus? Behold there was a great Earthquake, for Christ arose from the dead. But the Holy Ghost, to keep that Circumstance out of our knowledge at what time he arose, did divert it in this manner, Behold there was a great Earthquake, for the Angel even at that instant and occasion came down from heaven. And as heaven did partake of this noise when the earth was moved, so I doubt not but the horror of it went down to Hell, and troubled the Spirits that abide in chains of darkness forever. In all likelihood this great body of the world did quake from the Superficies to the Center of the Earth. And Luther was possessed with this pious credulity, that in this Earthquake the ground was parted with a large Hiatus from the Sepulcher to Hell, and in the moment of that concussion of the ground our Savior arose to life, descended visibly to Hell, made show of his Resurrection there that Satan and Death were under his feet, and presently came out of the Pit, which could not shut its mouth against him. As Luther may enjoy his own conjecture, so thus far we may concur, that the terror of the Earthquake did penetrate to the Kingdom of the Devil. And how far the Inhabitants of Judea were affrighted at it, it appears in the most courageous, in the band of Soldiers, who were tumbled to the ground at the noise like the stone which was rolled from the mouth of the Sepulcher; and no marvel, for St. Jerome either by his own persuasion, or by tradition delivers, that the rumbling of the earth was so great, Ut cuncta concuteret, & eversionem terrae funditus minaretur; That it josselled everything together, and threatened the subversion of this Universe.

To what end have I amplified it thus far, but to make you conceive it fell out immediately through the wonderful hand of the Almighty? Philastrius in his 54 Heresy enrolls it for an Heresy, Si quis terram moveri putet naturaliter; If any man shall say, that an Earthquake comes to pass by natural causes; there he went beyond the Line; for it appears evidently in Philosophical inquisitions, that exhalations, and hot air may be instrangled within the bowels of the earth, and seeking a way for a larger room, or else to get forth, it breaks out with a terrible violence, and removes some parts of this heavy Element. To deny this were to put out the eye of reason. Yet in this Earthquake that pertains to my Text, I assent that there was no preparation of natural causes to produce it: For just when our Savior's soul went out of the body at his Passion; and just, I think, at the moment when his soul returned again into the body at the Resurrection; the earth was smitten in a wonderful manner, that the world might take notice that the like was never heard or seen. And as I do resolutely conclude, This motion of the Earth was supernatural, so I hold off from the usual opinion, that the Angel was made God's instrument of the execution, the manner, the consequence of it so great, that I am persuaded it was immediately the work of Christ himself. Leo cubile in quo habitat tremere fecit, says Chrysologus rationally, and elegantly; The Lion roused himself up from sleep, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah roared, and made his own den to quake. Inferior operations are committed to the Creatures, the chief abide in God. When Lazarus was raised from the dead, says Christ to the Disciples, Take ye away the stone, and afterward being come forth of the Cave, Do ye loose him, and let him go. So the Angel was an actor in the noble work of this day, to roll away the grave-stone, to dismay the Soldiers, to comfort Mary Magdalene, and the other women to preach the mystery to all: But it was Christ himself that shook the ground from the Superficies to the Center, this Ecce, this Behold, me seems bids us behold how it came from God, and not from his Minister the Angel, and behold there was a great Earthquake.

I remove forward to that which is more useful to be taught, from the efficient to the final cause, for what purpose was this great trembling and concussion of the earth at the Resurrection of our Savior? I will set forth six reasons:

First, it makes us conceit that there was a great struggling, and a combat between Christ and Death; Death was brought unto the Bar, impleaded before Almighty God, divested by just judgment from all power, found guilty because the guiltless and innocent was slain. It was permitted to seize upon us Prisoners. But it spared not the Judge himself, which is Christ. We that are slaves and servants were put under the dominion of it, and Death presumed to offer violence to our Lord; it was suffered to rage against men, and it was bold to assault God. Death, according to the great Doom, was the wages of sin, how justly is the yoke of its tyranny broken when it became the murderer of righteousness? But how hardly would it lay down the authority which it had so long usurped over all mortal flesh? So many Patriarchs, so many Prophets, Quo Tullus Dives, & Ancus, so many Princes and Kings whose bodies crumbled into dust, and their ashes were never made whole again, and when this Law, which had so long continued, was to be broken, what could be expected but that the earth would groan and struggle against the Resurrection? When I speak of Death, you know that I mean the Devil, who had the power of death, he had deluded himself with this fallacy, Cruce vivus non descendit, quomodo sepulchro mortuus ascendet? Christ came not down from the Cross when he was alive, how will he be able to come out of the Grave when he is dead? He that had so much cunning was best able to deceive himself; but with what resistance and murmuring the Prey was taken out of his mouth it is best set down thus briefly instead of a large description, Behold there was a great Earthquake.

Secondly, It betokens what noise and tumult there shall be in all the Elements at the last and great Resurrection. There is a day to come, when the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain, Isa. xxvi. 21. Then shall the whole earth shake, and be dissolved as when one wipes a dish, and turns the other side, says the Prophet. And therefore Diogenes the Cynic in a flout would be left above ground when he was dead; for one day, says he, all will be turned topside turvy, and then I shall lie right. Haggai, speaking of that great and dreadful day, expresseth it by Earthquakes and Commotions. Yet once is a little while, and I will shake the Heavens, and the Earth, and the Sea, and the dry Land; and I will shake all Nations, and the desire of all Nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory. Such a clashing and perturbation shall precede our future happiness, that the sudden change may the more affect us, from extremity of amazement in the twinkling of an eye to extremity of glory. Instead of many places this of Ezekiel will fit us for all, Ecce commotio, & accesserunt ossa ad ossa; Behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. If it were nothing else but so many Monuments of stone cracking asunder, so many Graves yawning, so many Bones grating one against another, this would make a strange sound in men's ears; how much more when the dust shall be shaken from the very Center, that the Dead since Adam may have all their limbs again? When the Elements shall melt with heat, and the Heavens pass away with a noise; when the Impenitent shall howl, the Unjust skreek out, the righteous lift up their voice of thanksgiving, and the Angels sing Haleluja, all this together in a medley will make a strange commotion, which is prefigured in the antecedent of our Savior's Resurrection, Behold, &c.

Thirdly, It signifies that the Majesty of the Lord was upon the earth to defend his people, that he came down, and trod upon his footstool, that he alone is terrible against all other terrors that may trouble us, that he is present to protect all those that love the coming of our Lord Jesus. When he came down to deliver the Law the earth shook, even as Sinah also was moved at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; the Mountains owed that homage to tremble when the glory of the Lord was upon them. And though it was dreadful, yet so long as God was present in the midst of them the Host of Israel knew they were in safety. So the Monuments did quiver and tremble when Christ did break forth of the Grave in triumph, which did at once beget these seeming contrary passions in them that believe, an awful reverence, and a bold encouragement. This the Fathers collect because Mary Magdalene, and the other devout women were now upon their journey when the Earthquake began, yet they went not back, neither stopped in the way, but advanced with cheerfulness to the very mouth of the Sepulcher. When a blazing Star appeared in the days of Vespasian; says he, It threatens not fatality to me, but to the King of Persia, who nourisheth long locks, like the streaming flame of a Comet: So those holy women did truly apprehend that the buzzling of the Earthquake was their protection, and bad men's confusion.

And here a fourth reason offers itself, the anger of the Lord did roar out of the earth against those Jews who thought to prevail that death should devour him, against Pilate that allowed his Seal to this conspiracy, and against the Soldiers that watched the Sepulcher. An unexpected judgment of which they did not dream that the earth, which is a most dull and silent Element, should burst into many pieces to chide their infidelity. Pittacus the wise man had such confidence in the stability of the earth, that it is delivered for his saying, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , you might trust the Earth, it would do you no harm, but the Sea was not to be trusted. Foolish wise man, that understood not how terrible a vengeance the shaking of the earth is when the Lord is angry. In the fourth year of Nero, which was the twenty seventh year after our Savior's Passion, more than one quarter of the City of Rome was beaten flat with an Earthquake, and all the Inhabitants slain. And six years after that, three the most famous Cities in all Asia were ruined by this judgment, Heraclis, Laodicaea, and Colophe. The same fatality hath swallowed up the Cities of Colossus and Nice; it were endless to rehearse particulars. And although Christ would not interject such sadness with the joyfulness of his Resurrection-day, to procure death and ruin to his enemies by this Earthquake, (we read of no such mischief done by it in the Text of Scripture) yet I believe it is unutterable how this accident did shake and apall the Soldiers. Miseri quos tunc percutit pavor mortis, quando securitas vitae redditur; Unhappy wretches, who at that time were most of all stricken with the fear of death, when Christ did give us this demonstrance to be secure of eternal life. I leave it to you to consider, how an evil conscience diffused chilness and quaking into all their bones. They must needs reel, and totter, and fall down desperately to the Earth who are weighed down with the Plummets of their own guiltiness. And what a miserable folly was this, to tremble because they were loath to die, yet their office was at this time to be mortis satellites, deaths guard, appointed to be adversaries to life, and to hinder the Resurrection?

Now because the Consciences of these evil men were only wounded, and no other harm done by the Earthquake, therefore fifthly some say, that the place round about did rather dance for joy than quake for trembling. As when Israel came out of Egypt, the Psalmist says, The Mountains skipped like Rams, and the little Hills like young Sheep, Surely under that Hyperbole is to be understood that the motion of the Earth did bewray some gladsome entertainment. As the Disciples prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled, Acts iv. 31. It is expounded generally, that the Earth did move with gladness, and reverence, because the Saints kneeled upon it. Horum sub gressibus ergo laeta movetur humus, says Arator. And as the Child sprang within Elizabeth when the Blessed Virgin came unto her with our Savior in her womb, and says she, How is it that the Mother of my Lord doth come unto me? So the Earth did rejoice and tripudiate when our Savior came forth alive out of the belly of the Grave; as who should say, O dust thou shalt be ennobled, and compacted into an incorruptible body. And how is it that my Redeemer comes forth, and lives forever? I will put no more Oil into this Lamp than Beda's words, distinguishing between the two Earthquakes, the one at the Passion of Christ, the other at his Resurrection, Terra quae in passion concussa fuerat horrore, jam prae gaudio exilire videtur. The whole Land of Judea did quake with horror when he hung upon the Cross, but it danced for joy when he rose out of the Grave; so I have rendered the fifth reason.

The Sixth is Allegorical, and thus in brief, that our hearts must be shaken, and inwardly troubled with compunction and repentance before we believe steadfastly in the Resurrection of Jesus. Peter preached, and they that heard him were pricked in heart, and said to him, and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren what shall we do? There was an heart-quake before they believed. Paul and Silas prayed, and sung praises to God, and suddenly there was a great Earthquake, then the Jailor came in trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Here was an heart rent and torn, a commotion in his conscience greater than an Earthquake, and then he believed. When Eve took and eat the forbidden fruit, says an eloquent Father, there was no Earthquake, no horror to affright her. O that the Palsy had possessed her fingers, O that her teeth had chattered, that she might not have eaten, but vitiis semper serviunt blandimenta; All was hush and still, nothing but fair allurements do minister to our vices: But at Christ's Resurrection the sound of an hideous noise was fierce, and terrible to the ear, Virtutibus austera & fortia sunt amica; Harsh and austere occurrencies are best agreeable to virtue. Roul the thoughts of your heart up and down like a tempestuous Sea if you mean to make a fair voyage to heaven; the commotion of a troubled spirit will breed eternal peace. As Paul was smitten down before he believed, so faith must be beaten into us with violence, and therefore behold there was a great Earthquake at the Resurrection of Jesus.

Unto the motion of the Earth I conjoin the next circumstance of my Text, which I called the motion of the heaven; it were like Copernicus his fancy in Astronomy, to think that the Earth did only move, and the Heavens stand still at the operation of this Miracle. No, the everlasting doors were set open, and the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven. Here is one Keeper more than the Jews looked for about our Savior's Sepulcher, one more than Pilate appointed. One mighty Prince of that supernal Host, whose countenance was able to daunt a Legion of the best Roman Soldiers; perhaps there was a multitude with him to celebrate the Resurrection, as there was a multitude that appeared in the fields of Bethlehem to rejoice at his Nativity. But this Angel, I may say determinately, was one of the most royal Spirits that stand before the face of God forever. To make short, I will not defer to give my reasons presently, how sweetly the eternal Wisdom did dispose to let an Angel show himself openly both at this place of the Grave, and upon the celebration of this great day.

First, Those ministering Spirits had been attendants upon all the parts of our Savior's humility, and reason good they should be occupied upon all occasions of his exaltation and glory. Since we read of Angels that gave all diligent attendance at his birth, the holy Spirit of God knew that men would look for their company at the Resurrection, I mean, that we who know him now by faith would expect their mention upon this occasion in the Book of God. Besides, his Resurrection is a birth, not called so because of a resemblance how man is brought to life out of the womb of his mother in natural Generation, but properly in itself according to the phrase of Scripture, Acts xiii. 33. For Paul preaching at Antioch that God had fulfilled his Promise in raising up Jesus again, says he, As it is written in the second Psalm, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. So that these Phrases, it seems, are equivalent, this day have I raised thee up from the dead, and this day have I begotten thee. And surely, as a Father of our own Church says very well, the news of his birth, if God had so pleased, might well have been brought by a mortal man, it was but the entrance into a mortal life: But the news of his Resurrection do become the mouth of an immortal Messenger, because it was an entrance into life immortal.

Secondly, The women came out of doors to embalm Christ's body with a great deal of confidence, they never thought how many difficulties were in their way, and such difficulties as could never have been mastered if the Angel had not been sent to facilitate all things for them. They mind not how the High Priests would excommunicate all those that professed to believe, or do good to our Lord and Savior; they came to touch a dead body, which was pollution by the Law, they stand not upon that: The Sepulcher was guarded with Soldiers, who would permit none to come near it, they would try that. The Grave was sealed with Pilate's, perhaps with Caesar's Seal, which none must cancel on pain of death, they would venture that; The Grave-stone was exceeding heavy, as much as twenty men could move, says Nicephorus, and barred strongly with Iron; and they were out of doors, and far on their way before they thought of that; then they ask, Quis removebit? Who will roll us away this stone? As who should say, God will send us some assistance in so good an enterprise, we will put on, and hope for that; and the Lord, to make their Pilgrimage prosperous, sent an Angel from heaven to remove away the stone. Scipio Africanus besieged a City in Spain well fortified every way, and wanted nothing, and no hope did appear to take it. In the mean time Scipio heard many causes pleaded before him, and put off one before it was ended, to be heard three days after; and being asked by his Officers where he would keep his next Court, he pointed to the chief Cittadel of the besieged City, and told them he would hear the Cause there, in that space he became Master of the Town, and did as he had appointed. He was not more confident to enter into a City rampar'd against him, by his valor, than these women were to enter into a Sepulcher by faith sealed and shut up, but the Lord is present with courageous attempts, and he sent his Angel to assist them.

Thirdly, This shown, says St. Chrysostom, that he who had been buried there was God as well as man, Cum ad sepulchrum tanquam in coelo ubi Deus habitat assisterent, for Angels were as officious at the Sepulcher as they use to be in heaven, which is the throne of God. If men be laid in their Tomb the worms attend them, corruption goes to corruption: But the body of Christ, even when the soul had left it, was still united in one person with the Godhead; as when a bow-string is snapped in twain, yet both parts of the strings do still remain in the nocks of the Bow. So the body of our Savior was holy and venerable, because it retained the personal union of the Godhead, and the Sepulcher where it was reposed deserved the attendance of an Angel.

Fourthly, If not an Angel, who else would be believed in so great a matter as this was? Tell me, who could give testimony beside that would be credited? The Disciples were never so tardy to conceive, never so unapprehensive in anything else as in this; They knew not as yet what the rising from the dead did mean. Observe the talk of Cleophas and the other Disciple, Luk. xxiv. 21. And guess at all the company beside. They confess Christ had been a Prophet mighty in word and deed, whom Pilate and the Rulers had condemned to death and crucified, but we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. As who should say, being he is dead there is an end of our hope, we look for no more redemption from him. God loves to have better witnesses than these in all his works, that we may not say he takes us unprepared, we were not well wrought to credulity. David said it in his haste, what if he had said it upon premeditation, All men are liars? It was not fit so fundamental an Article of faith as this was should be preatcht at first time by lying lips; nay, rather by an Angel who was confirmed in grace that he would not lie. And how little had the authority of any man swayed Mary Magdalene to believe, when albeit an Angel had told her the truth, how Christ was risen, yet she distrusts, and runs to Peter and John with a quite contrary tale, that somebody had taken away her Masters body, and she knew not where they had laid it; and therefore because an Angel could not put that faith into her, Christ took it in hand and disclosed himself.

Fifthly, An Angel appears at the mouth of the Grave after Christ came to life again, who is the first fruits of our Resurrection, which is in effect to promise that we shall be exalted after death to the society of Angels. Thus a worthy Author observed it before me. The finding of an Angel in the place of dead bodies, is for a pledge that there is a possibility and hope that dead bodies may come into the place of Angels. Why not the bodies in the Grave to be advanced in heaven one day as well as the Angels in heaven to be about the Grave this day? And I pray you mark it with me. There are many Apparitions of Angels recorded in holy Scripture, yet this one time and no more (if I be not mistaken) an accurate description is made, what manner of Robe and Garment they did seem to wear. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow in the next verse to my Text. The Holy Ghost would never have instanced in the bright color of the Garment, but to show with what Angelical shapes we shall be clothed in the Resurrection.

6. Lastly, Angels desire to be present at everything wherein mankind is benefited, that they may rejoice with us. No envy, no malignity in them, that we shall be made perfect in both parts of nature both in body and soul, and so in that respect exceed them, who are only spiritual substances. For they that rejoice when one sinner is converted, how much more do they rejoice that all mankind shall be delivered from the Prisons of death, and beautified with immortality? they fought with the Devil about the Body of Moses, they will strive with death and corruption about the restauration of our bodies. For God will send forth his Angels, and they shall gather his Elect from the four corners of the earth; this is meant of their Ministry to rake up our bones and dust together at the great day of the Resurrection. Surgente Christo terrenis redditur coeleste commercium, now Angels came down in bodily shapes, because Christ had exalted frail flesh unto incorruption; now they talk familiarly to God's servants as with the tongues of men, because our tongues shall be made Psalteries of the divine praise forever.

I have done with the Angels descent from heaven, and now I come to the third motion, which was particularly about our Savior's Sepulcher, He came and rolled back the stone from the door. When you hear that the door of our Savior's Sepulcher was a great stone, and a stone rolled upon it, you must not conceive the manner by such Tombs and Monuments as we have nowadays: Neither will I refer you to those types and Medals, which are printed nowadays, and taken from the fashion of the Sepulcher which at this day is to be seen in the Holy City, and is kept by certain Orders of Friars with great reverence. For with what assurance can I say it is the same Sepulcher wherein our Savior lay? when Eusebius says, that in the reign of Constantine the Emperor, the place was nothing but a rude heap of earth, so that there was no memory remaining of our Savior's Burial place. But those of the learned that seem to me to speak probably say thus. Jerusalem was seated upon a rocky place, so that all their chief Monuments were digged out of stony Quarries. Every Family of noble reputation (as the learned Casaubon notes it out of the Rabbies ) had a Sepulcher proper to itself, with a certain number of hollow places, or excavations, to receive the Corpses of that Family: Some say there were wont to be thirteen in every Vault, some say but eight: In such a Vault belonging to Joseph of Arimathaea was Christ laid; a rocky stony Moument it was, lest some should say he was dig'd out by some secret Mine; a new one, wherein never any had been laid, lest they should say not He, but another body rose; a Tomb not belonging to himself but to another man, because he neither died nor was buried for himself, but for us men, and for our salvation. St. Cyril helps us further to know, that the Monuments of the Kings of Judah and Israel were raised a little above the ground, but the Tombs of all others of that Nation who were under the Princely rank, were hewn out seven cubits under ground. Eusebius very directly says of his Tomb it was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Cave; but none so pat as the Prophet Jeremy, Lam. v. 53. They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. An hollow descension into a low place is called a Dungeon. And as we cover a Wells mouth with planks of wood, or with lead, so in sundry places of Scripture it appears, that they rolled great stones upon the mouth of their Caves: And surely Joseph of Arimathaea bar'd this Sepulcher with a stronger stone than ordinary, that our Lord's body might not be abused by the malice of his Enemies. Howsoever it was charmed by God's protection, that man should not meddle with it; a celestial Minister turned it aside from the mouth of the Pit. A Cherubin in the Old Testament shut up Paradise, and stopped the way of joy against us: An Angel in the New Testament opens the Graves of sorrow. He came and rolled back the stone from the door.

'It is certain that the Scripture gives no reason why the Angel did it, but this was one end, to declare the truth of the Resurrection; for after the Stone was cast aside, says he, Come see the place where He was laid, He is not here. It is not from the power of man, but from Angelical help, from Divine grace, that we are led into the knowledge of the mystery of the Resurrection. The Law of Moses, says one, was written in Tables of stone, and therefore was likened unto a Stone, a Milstone, which if Christ did not bear off the weight, would grind us to powder. Now the comfort of Redemption in Christ, his Passion, Resurrection, Ascension, the Coming of the Holy Ghost, are mystically delivered in the Old Testament, but are covered over darkly with the Letter of the Law as with a Stone; but after the resurrection from the dead was well believed, the Stone was rolled away, I assure you, great knowledge of Divine things ensued, never before that time was the substance of faith so perfectly apprehended. Beatus lapis qui non minùs corda aperit quàm sepulchrum, says that Father whom I have often cited upon this Text. Happy stones at whose opening, and rolling away, not only the Sepulcher was unclosed, but our hearts were opened to believe. Beloved, if there be one among you that is dull to conceive, and slow to believe, it is a sign that the Stone is not yet rolled away to him; all is shut up to that poor Soul, and he sees nothing, such a man's Key must be continual prayer, it behooves him to cry out earnestly, Lord take away this stony heart, and give me an heart of flesh, Lord shut not up thy loving kindness in displeasure, send down thy Holy Spirit to remove away all carnal impediments; open mine eyes that I may look into thy Sepulcher, and believe thy Resurrection.

Now the Scriptures assigning no cause for the rolling away of the Stone, but to manifest that he was risen, not that he might rise in his body, when the mouth of the Cave was open: and further as Gregory Nyssen urgeth, the Angel doth not preach, that he rose even now since He came down from Heaven, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , surrexit, he hath risen, he hath departed out of the Grave, as if he spake of a thing that was past before his coming; from whence you may observe what a perplexful question ariseth to be handled, how the Body of Christ being now made alive again, came out of the Sepulcher. I do not find the several opinions collected together by any man, some may escape me, but as many as I have noted, I will rehearse them all. One opinion among the Antient Fathers, and the most general, if [ 1] they be well understood, is thus, That He came forth by his own mighty power, after what sort we cannot tell, for God would not trouble us with those strange effefts, which we are not able to apprehend. So one of our late Writers after much ado concludes, Divino nutu viam sibi aperuit, mirando, & nobis inexplicabili modo; he made way to come forth as he would himself, in a miraculous and unspeakable manner. These are Pareus words. And I put Calvin in this rank, who goes no further, but Christum ante surrexisse quàm ab Angelo sepulchrum aperiretur, Christ rose before the Sepulcher was unbarred by the Angel: but he determined not what way, and it was a becoming modesty in him. I could name a multitude more, but divers have borrowed the words of Musculus. Christ did use the external ministry of Angels to roll away the Stone for us, not for himself. He that rose to life, though death were upon his Body, could come forth into the Garden though the Stone were upon the Sepulcher. But after what sort he came forth, all these put their finger upon their mouth and say nothing. To determine after what manner great mysteries are brought to pass, when the Word of God is silent, hath done more hurt to the Christian Church, by procuring endless Controversies, than all the Persecutions that ever were raised. I concur therefore in mine own judgment with this first rank of Divines, yet you shall hear the second, That he issued out the Stone remaining [ 2] on the mouth of the Grave, creaturae mutatione, non sui corporis; by an alteration caused in the Stone, not in the Body of Christ. So Justin Martyr, he came out by the Stone, even as he made the Seas fit for his own feet, and for Peters to tread upon. No mutation can be said to be in Christ's Body, for the Father says it was corpus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a solid Elementary Body; certainly Peters body also was heavy and earthy, for after a little while he began to sink; yet he at first walked upon the Seas, because Christ stiffned the ways to support him and Peter, like a solid Pavement. So the Stone might be attenuated, and made thin, as easy as air to transmit a body. St. Austin reports of a Ring falln from a woman's Girdle, yet the Ring remaining and the Girlde whole and unbroken: Admit it were true, yet the Ring passed not through the substance of the Girdle, but the one substance passed by, while in a moment by God's power the other gave place unto it. So the place through which Christ's Body passed (admit no rarefaction of the Stone) might be whole and shut by and by, and straight after he passed by it, not in the instant of his passing, that's contrary to the nature of a true body. Some in credulous Jew, when Malchus ear was cut off, and presently on again, might think the Sword had never gone between his ear and his head, yet we are sure it did. In such a starting while, which could not be perceived, might the Stone yield to Christ's Body, and come together again: or if not made thin, parted of a sudden to let him pass by, and in an instant come close together again.

Thirdly, some ancient Writers, and divers moderns hold probably, that Christ made his egress repagulorum cessione, non penetrationum dimensione; not as if one body had penetrated another, but the Stone in the trembling of the earthquake started off from the mouth of the Cave, and closed again, till the Angel rolled it quite away. This is made the more credible from Acts 5.23. the Apostles were shut up in the common Prison, the Angel brings them forth, the Officers being questioned confess, The Prison truly found we shut with all safety, the Keepers standing without before the doors, but when we had opened it we found no man. Therefore this opinion doth thus distinguish, ante devolutum lapidem prodiit, non ante concussum, he passed forth out of the mouth of the Cave, not before the Stone was shaken off with the Earthquake, but before it was rolled away. The fourth opinion I have read in no Author, but I find it cited by one or two, once in the Remish Testament, and again in Estius, potuit prodire per rimam ostii vi subtilitatis; as he came into his Disciples when the doors were shut, so he came out of the Sepulcher when the door was shut, by some chink or crany, where the passage was not stopped close: This I know, that they who speak to this purpose upon other occasions do quote St. Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 44. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body, because a body raised from the dead is called a spiritual body, many do assume that it hath no grossness as our bodies have, but can attenuate itself as a thick piece of gold is malleated and made ductile into a thin leaf, and so to pass through a narrow crevice. Beloved, this opinion is not so simple as some would make, for the learnedst Clerk in the world cannot define what manner of spirituality a glorified body should have, neither shall we understand it, till we come to know in Heaven, even as we are known. Yet I confess I am puzzled when I think, that by this cobweb subtlety Christ must needs lose the figure and lineaments of a manly body: beside Theodoret, Tertullian, and all that wrote against the Marcionites, do stiffly maintain the truth of Christ's Body, to be no aereal, phantastical thing. Beside, I will frame an argument as well against these, who hold our Savior slipped in by a chink of the door, when the doors were shut, as against the Pontificians, who define he came through the wood of the door, and so violated nature: both these Tenants are contrary to that which himself said to Thomas the Apostle, to remove the suspicion that he was no spirit; says he, Handle and see me, for a spirit hath not flesh and bone, as you see me have, this had not been enough to prove the truth of his bodily presence and resurrection in the body, if they had been persuaded he came in as an aereal spiritual substance, or by penetration of the door contrary to nature.

In the fifth place Zwinglius, and Sadael, and some others of the Reformed Churches, conceived there was so much difficulty in all the four opinions which I have run over, and finding no compulsive reason to be driven out of the plain way, delivered their sentence, that the Angel tumbled the stone from the door of the Monument, and then the passage being clear Christ came forth without a miracle. Certainly, as well as I could peruse the Scriptures, though I see nothing in them to favor this opinion, so I see nothing in the Sacred Text to contradict it. I would the Fathers had countenanced it. Leo the Great did, howsoever some would shuffle it: but he proving against the Marcionites, that Christ had no phantastical body, breaks out; Can his substance be phantastical which was nailed to the Cross, lay in the Sepulcher, and the Stone being rolled away rose again the third day? therefore the scruple is, that the general consent of all the Fathers beside bend that way, how the Grave was not unclosed when he rose. Non indigebat ut amoto lapide surgeret sicut Lazarus, says St. Austin, he needed not like Lazarus to have the stone rolled away, that he might come forth: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : St. Chrysost. the Grave was open after he was risen ftom the dead; nay in plain terms he says, the Seal and stone were still untouched. Set aside that reverence which we bear to these glorious lights of the Ancient Church, I see no absurdity which follows, if we said, he rose to life, when the Stone was rolled from the Sepulcher. But in all these opinions nothing is grossly repugnant to Faith or Nature, only I had rather addict myself to the first opinion, which considers not how or which way he came out of the Grave, but says the manner was miraculous and inexplicable.

But I can in no wise digest the sixth and seventh opinions; I must couple the Pontificians and Lutherans together, though the one side be Transubstantiators, the other side Consubstantiators. The Lutherans say boldly and blindly, that his body passed through the stone, so the substance of bread, and the substance of Christ's body are both together in one place in the Sacraments. The Faction of Rome say he went through the stone; but what's that to them? who hold not that the substance of Bread and his Body remain together after Consecration in the Host, but the substance of bread is abolished, and his body remains under the quantitative dimensions of bread: but they infer, if two bodies may be together in one place by Divine power, then one and the same body may be in divers places at once by the same power without a contradiction: For these are equivalent, and of the same capacity. There want not those who deny that the possibility of the one is so probable as the other; but to make haste, I will speak of this Pontifician opinion, as they refer us for the like to other instances in Scripture; and then as they refer it to the Eucharist: their Allegations are, that Mary remained a Virgin after Christ's birth, quem clausa virginitas ad presentem tulerat vitam, clausum sepulchrum ad vitam reddidit sempiternam. Marics virginity was not enclosed when he was born, nor the stone rolled away when he rose. 'It is strange that this was ever urged, when the Holy Ghost applieth that Scripture to our Savior, Luke ii. 23. Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord. And her virginity consisted in this which she spoke to the Angel, virum non cognosco, I know not a man: and truly such a Nativity as they speak of cannot properly be called a Birth. The second instance is very witless, when the Jews would have thrown our Savior down an hill, he passed through the midst of them, and went his way. A most blind inference to say out of those words, his body passed through the midst of their bodies, and as much to the purpose, as to have cited, that he sat in the midst of Doctors at twelve years of age. It avails as little in the third plate to cite St. Paul, Heb. iv. 14. We have a great High-priest that is passed into the heavens. Is this objection of any strength, unless they think the Heavens could not be opened to receive him, of whose opening we read so many times in the Holy Testament? therefore their strength lies only upon one place, Joh. xx. 19. when the doors were shut, where the Disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst. Inde clausus exist, hic exclusus intravit, these two St. Austin makes to be very like; being shut in the Sepulcher he came out by his own power; being shut out of doors he came in by his own power. Well, let it be answered that Christ's body did not penetrate the dimensions either of stone or door, as I told you before, but that a passage was made for him miraculously, so that in a moment, which could not be discerned, they gave way, and made him entrance: and though this answer like not our Adversaries, I am sure they cannot refute it. And is this fair dealing? when St. John doth not tell how Christ came in the doors being shut, from thence to pronounce how Christ is present in the Holy Communion? and see their inference, Christ came in to his Disciples the doors being shut, ergo Christ's body being in heaven, the same body is in the Priests hands in ten thousand places at once, and in every little crumb of the Host his whole body is present. He that understands this consequence is more than a mortal creature.

I will run over their chiefly alleged subtleties, and dispatch all. Bellarmine affirms that the corporeal substance of Christ partakes the spiritual manner of Angelical existence, that is, he is present in the Eucharist substantially, not quantitatively. And yet Aquinas and He himself confess, that the substance of Christ's body is not there naked, or divested of dimensive quantity; it hath quantity there, but is not there after a quantitative manner: to have quantity, but not the nature of quantity, is not this a flat Chimaera: to be in the Host substantially, but not with quantity and local dimensions, I have read it from them a thousand times, but could never found what it should be. And shall I think those millions of godly, but unlearned Souls in the Church must learn such distinctions to obtain salvation? but a late Jesuit would thus illustrate it, the soul of man is an whole soul in every part of the body, an Angel at once in distinct ubities, or places: the thoughts of man may be at once in many quarters of the Earth: God is in Heaven and Earth at once, therefore the body of Christ may be in many Hosts at the same instant. I answer there is not one of these things alleged will fit the purpose: for every Angel is definitively in a place, so that being in one site he removes to another. The soul is immaterial by nature, and the form of the body: the thought of man is an intentional motion and action, and not a corporeal or spiritual thing. God is everywhere, because he is infinite: but Christ's human body is finite, material, limited to certain place and measure, and differeth from all the former things: therefore it hangs not together from the pretence of those instances, that the same identical body of Christ is multiplied in the Sacrament of so many thousand Altars.

Thus their sophistical cavils have compelled me to go with them one mile, and for the last conclusion I will go with them twain. But say those subtle Writers, if God can put an whole Camel in the eye of a needle, may he not put the whole body of Christ in the least part of a consecrated Crum? In this Objection they strain at a Crum, and swallow a Camel. Christ did not say that a Camel continuing in his ordinary quantity can pass through the eye of a needle, but by a supposition, a rich man making Mammon his God may as easily pass to Heaven. But lest we may seem to be averse to God's omnipotency, I go further, that there is a twofold power in God, ordinata & absoluta; one according to the order which himself hath fixed by his Word and Will; the other according to the infiniteness of his Essence, which exceedeth his Will. According to the power of God measured and regulated by his Word and Will it is impossible that a Camel in his gross bulk should pass through the eye of needle, or that the whole body of Christ can be in a bit of bread, or that he is substantively present in many places at one instant. We do not say that the infinite Essence of God could not have ordained these things to be possible, but he hath in every place of Scripture revealed, that He will not have these things to be possible. The power of God is his will, and what He will not, He cannot, is the saying of Tertullian. Now that God will have it possible to have the body of Christ pass through the dimensions, and solidity of the Gravestone He nowhere affirmeth, and therefore I do utterly reject the Pontifician interpretation.

I have finished what I had premeditated upon all the three motions in my Text; at last we see all was composed into quiet, and the Angel sat upon the Grave-stone. But here I will rest myself at this time, and proceed no further. Almighty God roll away the stone of ignorance and stubbornness from within us, and settle all these things in our hearts, for Jesus Christ his sake, who died for our sins, and rose again as this day for our justification. AMEN.

THE SIXTH SERMON UPON THE RESURRECTION.

T Here is no day mentioned in all the Scripture upon which so much business and action is recorded to fall out, as upon this grand day, the day of our Lord and Savior's Resurrection. The holy Evangelists, according to the secret wisdom of the Spirit, write in a confused order the sundry accidents of this day, which with your patience I will set down very briefly everyone in their own place. Mary Magdalene and the other women bought Odours and sweet Spices to embalm the body lying in the Sepulcher, and to that end came forth very early in the Morning. As they hastened on the day there happened a great Earthquake, and the Angel of God rolled the stone from the Sepulcher. The Watchmen who kept the Monument are sore afraid at the sight of the Angel, and at the opening of the Grave; they certify the High Priests all that was done, and the High Priests outface the truth with lying and corruption. Now Mary Magdalene and the women being come to the place where the body had been laid miss it, and wonder at it. Mary runs to Peter and John, and tells them, they have taken the Lord out of the Sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid him. While Mary was gone the Angel comforts the other women that staid behind, fear not, ye seek Jesus which was crucified, he is not here, but he is risen, go tell his Disciples, &c. Yet these women went not far from thence. But in this space Peter and John came to the Sepulcher, and found the Monument empty, save of a few linen clothes. Mary Magdalene also comes back to the Sepulcher, and weeps that her Lord's body was gone, but then Christ appears first unto her, whom she took to be the Gardener. Presently she goes and tells the Disciples she had seen the Lord. The other women who had fled from the Sepulcher, and were amazed, said nothing to any man of that which the Angel before did bid them say, for they are yet incredulous; and then comes in St. Luke's relation, that they looked again into the Sepulcher, and the two men in white whom they saw, said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but he is risen. And as St. Matthew adds, he goeth before you into Galilee, there shall ye see him. Then they returned, and told all these things to the Eleven, but they seemed to them as idle tales. And as these women went to tell the Disciples Christ did meet them according to the Angels promise, and saluted them, and they held him by the feet and worshipped him. These rumors went abroad into every man's mouth, and toward the setting of the Sun Christ adjoined himself to Cleophas and the other Disciple as a waifaring man, and was known of them in the breaking of bread, whereupon they return to Jerusalem and tell the Disciples. Now the Disciples had a message sent them to go into Galilee, and there they should see the Lord, but out of fear and incredulity they durst not move out of doors. Therefore on the same day at Evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the Disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst of them, and said peace be unto you. This was the fourth Apparition which he made on this very day.

A day of so many noble acts and chances that it is able alone to make an history; and a history of that great moment, that St. Paul writes as if a lively and effectual assent to this Article of the Creed, to this one Article, were able alone to make a Christian, Rom. x. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. And although there are other limbs of truth which make up the body of Christian Faith, yet if any man ask me about Faith, as one asked Christ about the Commandments, which is the first and greatest Commandment? So in the Point of belief, if any one shall say, which is the first and great Article of the Creed? I would boldly reply, this before any other, The third day he rose again from the dead. The matter then which it behooves us to speak on at this solemn Feast, for the quality it is the very Essence and Elixar of our faith, and for the quantity so copious, that above all the narrations of the Gospel it is most venerable and delightful for the variety of the story. I have passed already, as the year hath come about, into these Points, how Mary Magdalene and the other women brought sweet Odours and Spices on the first day of the Week to embalm his body, and that as they were on their way three strange motions came to pass, the one in the whole Element of Earth, the foundations whereof were opened, behold there was a great Earthquake; and then the heavens were opened, for an Angel came down from thence; and then the Grave was opened by the rolling away of the stone.

Now follows the Text which I have read in order; wherein is contained this section of the story, the Angel puts on a terrible appearance, and removes away those that would not believe, and so makes room for those that came devoutly prepared. If the Band of Soldiers had staid at the Sepulcher, these godly women durst not approach for fear of violent ravishment, nor durst the Disciples have come near, lest these hirelings should spill their blood. But, to prevent all outrage, the Angel put on a look like lightning, and made the hearts of these miscreants faint, and when they were driven off, the zealous women, and the Disciples were admitted to see this glorious work which the Lord had wrought, and to testify what they had seen to all the world. The two verses which enter us into this part of the story may be thus distinguished: The first is a description of God's Watchman of his coelestial guard, His Countenance was like lightning, and his Rayment white as snow. The second is a description of Pilate's Watchmen, and his Roman Guard, For fear of him the Keepers did shake, and became as dead men. God's Angel is notified by his Visage, His Countenance was like lightning, and by his Rayment, it was white as snow. Pilate's Ruffians are much betrayed by outward fear, for fear of him the Keepers did shake, but the inward damp of conscience was most terrible, they became as dead men. Of these particulars that God may be glorified, and you edified.

You have seen the figures of many Angels and Cherubims about the Tombs of Princes and great men, carved by the Art of the Statuary, but all the histories of the world afford not such an instance, that a very Angel sat upon a Grave-stone, excepting this occurrence at our Savior's Resurrection. St. Luke says, that the women saw two men clothed in white; St. Mark says, it was a young man clothed in a long white garment, but they were not very men that came from the dead, as Moses and Elias were seen in the Mount at the Transfiguration, they were true Angels in the visible shapes of men, who took it now for a dignity to be seen in a body, because our body was exalted to be incorruptible in the Resurrection of Christ. Whether then they be called Angels, or men, all is one; but when St. Matthew mentions one Angel, and St. John reckons two; when St. Mark says there was one young man in white, St. Luke says there were two men in shining garments; Is not this a discord? No not at all. There was but one Angel that spake to the women, now St. Matthew and St. Mark refer us only to that person that was the speaker. St. Luke and St. John labor to tell us the number of those witnesses that were present, and testified of his Resurrection, and they were two. This is no difference, when some write of the singular person of that Angel which spake, and others in the plural person of those Angels that witnessed. You have heard the reason why this Angel is called a man, and why but one is named though there were two in place; now I will put this unto it, that he came to the Sepulcher neither as a man alone, nor as an Angel alone, but as an Angel and a Man. John the Baptist the fore runner of the Nativity came poorly clad, with a vesture of Camels skins, and a leathern Girdle about his loins, his Errand was to witness to the Son of God coming to us in great humility, but this Angel, who is the fore-runner of the Resurrection, assists a work which was most noble, and therefore at all points, Visage and Garment he is exceeding glorious; the Angels that appeared before Abraham and Lot had no eminent note of honor in their outward shape, and so passed for mere men; but Angels at this opportunity would be known to be Angels, and therefore this spiritual Ambassador is not diminished in his Majesty by appearing in the figure of man, for his Countenance was like lightning, &c.

God could, and can send forth his Angels in what form and disguise he pleaseth, and this Messenger is strangely appointed, terrible in the aspect, else all over amiable; there is dreadfulness in his face, and gladness in his garment. And this diversity refers us to seek out, that there were two different effects to be brought to pass, In terrorem reprobis, in blandimentum bonis, says Gregory; here were unbelieving Soldiers to be dismayed, and such a countenance would make the proudest of them all to stoop; and here were faithful women to be comforted, therefore the raiment was like a Bridegroom, that came to call these women like the five wise Virgins into his Chamber. This is the more notable in the observation, because you never read that the women did see this flash of lightning in the visage of the Angel, they saw a young man sitting in white, in a long white Robe, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John have not one word in their context that these good souls saw anything but amiable consolation. But that lightning which sat upon his countenance was an object to daunt the wicked, and was presented only to the Keepers that watched the Sepulcher. In a great passion of anger the eye will look like a forge of wrath, as Tully said of Verres, Ardebant oculi, toto ex ore ejus crudelitas emicabat; and so the Poet of his Alecto, Flammea torquens lumina; indignation did sparkle out of their eyes like fire: Even so this Apparitor that came from heaven did personate vengeance and destruction, which a man may read in this visible evidence, His countenance was like lightning. Consider and make this use of it, if one Angel was so dreadful at the Resurrection of Christ, what fear and astonishment will come upon the wicked at the general day of the Resurrection, when they shall see the Father sit upon his Throne, and thousand thousands of Angels ready to execute vengeance round about him. Alas a flash of lightning is quickly gone and past, but thunder will follow this lightning to cleave the hearts of Infidels in pieces, that worked wickedness, and will not believe. St. Jerome says that this was the Trumpet which kept him waking that he slept not in death, for by the grace of God this meditation sounded always in his ear, Surgite mortui, venite ad judicium, arise you dead out of your graves and come to judgment.

Think what a day that will be when all flesh shall come to answer in their own person before that Bar what they have done in their body, whether good or evil. The Prophet Amos speaks of some that were dispisers of all justice and charity, and yet thought the disquisition of that day would go so well with them that they longed for the trial. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord, to what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness and not light, Amos v. 18. Every good Angel will be an affrighting spectacle to the ungodly, for they shall be known to be the mowers that have the charge to take the Tares, and to burn them in unquenchable fire; and if their presence be unsufferable to the guilty, the Majesty of God which they have so much dishonored will infinitely increase their perplexity. The face of Moses, who was but a Minister of the Law, was not to be looked upon by the Israelites until he had cast a veil before his skin. Who then will be able to endure him who is the Judge of the Law, unless he speak for us to the Father who is the propitiation for our sins? Adulterers, Extorsioners, profane persons live so securely as if they distrusted no such matter as a dreadful reckoning at the second coming of Christ. Apollodorus gave a commonitory supplication to C. Caesar not to be present in the Senate that day when his life was sought by a strong conspiracy, which had he read, the danger had been prevented, but he shuffled the Paper into his bosom, and never regarded it, which cost him his life: So the sacred Scripture is put into the hands of the ungodly, let them read it, if they will, and understand, that vengeance abides those that continue in any grievous crime; the countenance of God's Angels is like terrible lightning, and is set against them to divide them in twain. In Rev. iv. 8. the four beasts, which is by many expounded the four Evangelists, cease not to cry day and night, Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts, which was, and is, & qui venturus est, and which is to come; all this the impenitent shuffle off, till at last destruction shall take them unawares.

Again, the Angels countenance was like lightning, not only to portend that there shall be great terror at the general day of the Resurrection, especially among accursed Reprobates, such as these were that kept the Sepulcher; but beside, lightning is a sudden unexpected glance, to note that the last day of the Lord will come very suddenly, and give no warning. But this is warning enough to a provident man, that Christ says he will come very suddenly, and give no warning. Our Savior's resolutions in all other points of Divinity are very copious, direct, and punctual, yet touching the coming of the Son of man to judge the world; whensoever his Disciples, or any others asked him that question, all that he did ever reply in the Gospel was most unsatisfactory, as I may say, and full of ambiguity. Ut Magister aliquid docuit, ut Magister aliquid non docuit, says St. Austin; that which was fit to be known he taught them like a Master, and that which was fit to be hid, like a Master he concealed it. And he would have that day concealed that it might come unexpectedly like a flash of lightning, for many reasons. For there are some evil servants in the Gospel, that if you persuade them the Lord will delay his coming, will waste and mar all, and beat their fellow-servants; there are others, as St. Paul writes to the Thessalonians, that will be shaken in mind, and troubled if you say that the day of the Lord is at hand. To prevent that neither the one shall be secure, nor the other troubled, we know not when his Apparition in the clouds shall be, but with great suddenness it shall be, as when lightning breaks out of a cloud, and glides from the East unto the West, whereof no man was aware before he saw it. This is one of the privileges of our Lord, who is head of the body, above all the members of the body, that the Scriptures did indigitate he would rise again the third day after his death and burial, but neither day, nor year, nor age is specified of the general Resurrection, when our Carkasses shall be raised up to incorruption. It is a common rule, and best expressed in Bernard's words, Dies ultimus salubriter ignoratur, ut semper praesens esse credatur; It is good and useful to be ignorant of the day of judgment, that we may always think it to be at hand, and imminent. And whereas the custom hath held in all Christian Churches since the Apostles (I know not any custom which hath found less contradiction, for this hath found none at all) to gather all persons that can examine themselves to the Lord's Table at the Feast of Easter, among other sound and fruitful reasons rendered this is one, because it is no imprudent conjecture that God will raise our bodies out of the Grave, about the same season of the year that his own body was brought back again from the dead. It is fit therefore to sanctify our vessel at this time as well to eat his flesh and drink his blood by faith as to make our Lamp ready to meet the Bridegroom. And that he may not come upon us unawares like a flash of lightning, let us send up our prayers unto him with much zeal and strong intercession, as St. Jerome says, like a clap of thunder.

Another varies the meaning why the Angel had this fashion in his countenance on this wise, Aspectus sicut fulgur, quia omnia abscondita erunt clara; This lightning in his Aspect doth betoken that our most hidden sins shall be revealed, and that all things shall lie naked and open before the judgment of Christ. To what purpose doth Adam hide himself in the shade of the Garden? Or Jonas lie concealed under the hatches of the Ship? Or Saul imprivacy himself in a Cave? Or Benhadad run into an inward Chamber? Doth the Adulterer look for impunity that he walks to his stallion by twilight? Or the Thief that he gets his prey in the darkness of the night? Nec teste quisquam lumine peccare constanter potest, says Prudentius. Some have that check of modesty in their blood that they cannot sin with alacrity where there is any light, if there be but a Candle in the room they must put it out; miserable shifts and mists raised before their eyes by the Devil, who can work no greater infatuation among the wicked than to puff them up with this blind error, as if they had Gyges ring upon their finger, that they might walk where they would and never be discerned. But the lightning will pierce into every corner, those eyes of Christ which are likened to a flame of fire, Rev. i. 14. let nothing escape them unrevealed, and as a Burning-glass transmits the beams of the Sun to shine upon those things which it will set on fire, so God's eye is upon all the works of ungodliness both to view them, and to revenge them with everlasting fire. If Elisha could say that his heart went along with Gehazi, when he ran after Naaman to take a bribe, doth not the Spirit of the Lord much more attend all secret compacts of bribery and corruption. If Elias could tell Ahab all the conspiracy that He and Jezebel had closely framed against Naboth, so that Ahab cried out in astonishment, Hast thou found me out O mine enemy? then no innocent blood shall be spilled without witness, no Inheritance craftily wrung from the true possessor, but the God of Elias shall challenge them for it, so that the wicked shall be astonished, and say, hast thou found us out O Lord? and are all our misdeeds before thee? To end this point; let the good Christian say with David, Blessed is the man whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sins are covered; not so covered but that thou O God knowest them all together. St. Jerome says it thus, Peccata deleta per poenitentiam nunquam patefient, they shall not be discovered to our shame before Men and Angels at the public reckoning of all faults, or at least their deformity, and that guilt in them which calls for vengeance shall be covered; and though our sins be known, yet it shall be to our triumph and praise, if we be truly penitent, and detest that in ourselves wherein we have rebelled against a loving Father. And so far on the first point, that the countenance of the Angel was like lightning, which teacheth us, that there will be great terror to the wicked at the solemn day of the last Resurrection, that Christ will come suddenly like the lightning out of the clouds, and that the light will discover the most hidden wickednesses of the Sons of men.

I called, you know this first verse, upon which I entreat, a description of God's Watchman, and by that name Angels are often called in holy Scripture. I saw a Watchman, and an holy one come down from above, Dan. iv. 13. This Angel in the superior parts had an aspect like lightning, and from thence downward his raiment was white as snow. The times are taxed that there are some such who come to Church to see faces, and to look upon gay clothes, I am afraid I may believe it: Why, here is employment in my Text for such Auditors, though they be the worst that can come to a congregation; as we have looked our fill upon the countenance of the Angel, so now I refer you to look upon his clothing. Look over all the Apparitions of Angels in the Old Testament, and in the Gospel till you come to this place, you shall never read that they had apparel, or what kind of apparel they did wear. This is the day for whose sake they took a new Habit, a new Comportment, a new Splendor; and these three things are taught us in this Raiment white as snow, puritas, gaudium, gloria. First that purity belongs to all those that hope for the resurrection of the just. So St. John 1. Ep. iii. 23. We know when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is, and everyone that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure. And although the Angel did personate this purity only in the outward superficies, yet our instruction rests not in that, but refers us to the purity of the heart. The pattern which is set before us is far from a fair semblance without a good inside, no, 'tis extra albedo, intus Angelus, great pulchritude without, and within an Angel. That grace to the outward eye which man saw, is nothing to those internal invisible graces which only God saw. Sometimes one may be compared in holy Scripture to be as white as snow, and yet be impure. Gehazi went out from the presence of Elisha a Leper as white as snow: and therefore David knew that the purity of the inward man must exceed all natural similitudes, lavabis me, & dealbabor supra nivem, thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than the snow. We come into the world odious and defiled, therefore we wash in the Sacrament of Baptism that we may be cleansed, yet again we grow obscene, and wallow in the mire of this world, therefore we do often crave the blood of Christ in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to cleanse and purify our conscience; and after all this he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled, he that useth this world shall be contaminated; therefore repentance, which sometimes I hope brings tears with it, must stand us often instead to purge out the spots of uncleanness, and this is our pureness before God, that we sorrow for our impurity. But remember I beseech you to keep your vessel chaste and undefiled, for as this Angel appeared white as snow when Christ rose from the dead, so let us go to our Graves as white as Doves in innocence and simplicity of heart, that's the color of hope, and purity belongs to all those that have hope of a glorious resurrection.

Secondly this snowy resplendent Vesture in the Angel is the Ensign of great joy, for joy had never so good reason to break out heartily and redundantly as that Christ was risen from the dead. The Sun and Moon in the Firmament do set every day and rise again, no great joy to see those bright Lamps again, because we certainly expect them: but all that retain'd upon Christ, thought when he was crucified, such was their little faith, that he was lost forever: and therefore when he came unto them, and shown them his feet and hands, they believed not for joy, and wondered, Luke xxiv. 41. and afterward being thoroughly persuaded of it, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, v. 52. O Lord who is able to express what triumphs there were in Heaven, when the Souls of the Saints perceived that Death was overcome, that Hell had lost the victory, and that they should be clothed with their bodies forever; on Good Friday the Heaven and the Earth mourned, the Eclipse put all in black: on Easter day the color is changed, Heaven and Angels are all in white. From this great Festival to the end of the next Lord's day, they that were baptized went all in white (for the ancient Church took a delight to be ceremonious in these things) and therefore the next day, called Low Sunday by us, the Low Sunday in respect of this the highest day in all the year, with them was known by this name, Dominica in albis, the Sunday for wearing of white Garments, and this color was so constantly observed for the figurative signification of exceeding joy. When Israel came out of Egypt, and the House of Jacob from a strange language, the Mountains skipped like Rams, and the little Hills like young Sheep, Psal. cxiv, And why is that one of the proper Psalms appointed to be read on this day? because if the joy could not be expressed, but by such strange Hyperboles, when the People of God came out of the Bondage of Egypt, then what unutterable gladness it is that the Son of God broke the bondage of death asunder, and by his own victory brought us all out of the captivity of the Grave forever. It was a Proverb in their Heathen Entertainments 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it is a sign of good welcome when the Porter which lets you in is cheerful: the Cherubims are the Porters of Paradise, in former times holding an Instrument of minacy in their hands to keep us back, now they appear gladsome, and will conduct us with joy to Christ. I told you before that in all the other Evangelists the pious women that came with spices to the Sepulcher to embalm Christ's Body did not see the afrightful rutilancy in the Angels face, but only this fair gladsome Robe, he looked like a Priest to preach Christ's Resurrection, pur âque in vest Sacerdos, a good decorum in the Heathen Poets verse, although some are so foolish now-a-days, that they had as live see lightning, as a white Garment upon his back that supplies the place of the Angel. But the Angel himself were not able to satisfy all such quarrelsome consciences, therefore I let it pass. The use of his coming was to stir us up to joy, to rejoice in God. In the world we shall have tribulation, but this is a blessing of which neither fire nor water, nor any tyranny can prevent us, we shall have a joyful resurrection.

And as the Jews had the Law written in the Fringe of their Garments, so we may read this observation likewise in the long Robe of the Angel, which was white as snow, that it was idaea gloriae, the Idea of that triumphant glory, which shall be in the bodies of the Elect, when they are raised up in immortality. Indeed if no such reason should be assigned, it would be hard to answer this objection, Quid facit indumentum ubi tegendi necessitas non habitat; What should a Garment do where there is no need of covering? neither heat nor cold, Summer nor Winter. Whether they that rise from the dead shall be naked in their bodies is a captious question to be propounded. Nakedness had no shame in it, I am sure, in the days of innocence before Adam fell, and then indubitably it will have less cause to blush in Heaven 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , was the opinion of the Greek Fathers: and therefore the white Robe of this Celestial Messenger was rather figurative of the brightness of our glory, than a description of our Vestments. And the Scripture is constant to that phrase, to make us constant in our expectation. Those few names in Sarda which had not defiled their Garments shall walk with me in white, Revel. iii. 4. and the President of all Patterns, our blessed Savior, at his Transfiguration, in which he shown what manner of Citizens we should be in the Heavenly Jerusalem, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. The Pharisees required a sign, and Christ told them they should have no sign, but that of the Prophet Jonas; for Jonas rose as it were out of the Whales belly to preach destruction against Nineveh; so all that the Soldiers knew by Christ's rising should be lightning to burn them up: but the godly women that saw this Angel over and above the sign of the Prophet Jonas, saw this glorious Apparel to betoken the dainty and delicate part of the resurrection. In these our evil days, our Soul is full of rebellious concupiscence, and therefore our Body is made miserable; hereafter the Soul will be enlightened with all kind of grace, and the Body shall be changed to be incorruptible. Equal or like to the Angels the Elect shall be, Christ hath so promised; and in a mutual assurance these Angels that came in white were made like to us. Like to us I say, but not the same: For howsoever they took upon them this glorious appearance, yet it was nothing to them: they are glorious spirits, we shall be glorified both in body and in spirit; they shall possess the double in their Land, Everlasting joy shall be with them, Isa. lxi. 7. Duplicia possidebunt, this is their double portion, their soul shall be filled with the vision of God, and their body shall be bright like this Angels Garment, yea fairer than earthly resemblance can decipher. And so much for God's Watchman upon the first verse, and for those occurrent meditations which fell out upon it, His countenance, &c.

Against these the next verse opposeth Pilate's Watchmen, Watchmen indeed out of suspicions and infidelity, not out of devotion and reverence. Soldiers they were, and no worse than of a Roman Garison: but Soldiers in a piece of Arras would have served as well. Are these Romani rerum Domini, Roman spirits, whose brave resolution is a Proverb throughout all the world, miserable Keepers that were set to daunt others, and yet themselves shake for fear, and became as dead men. The Doctrine of this point will make up several Propositions to be considered. First, That the stoutest of wicked men have their great fears; for their own heart tells them, that there is one against them, against whom it is impossible to stand. The Philistines are mistrustful, Who is able to withstand these mighty God's? The Aramites are quelled, if they do but think they hear a noise. All the Money-changers of the Temple run away from a little scourge, if Christ take it into his hand. The High Priests Servants armed with swords and staves fall flat to the ground, if He say no more unto them, but whom seek ye? I am He. Non potest stare, quem conscientia destituit, quem impellit reatus. He that hath plummets of sin upon his conscience must sink to the ground, it is impossible his legs should bear him. And do not think this doctrine is less to be credited, because there appears most resolute courage in many blasphemous Ruffians, that are scarce half Christians, that neither fear roaring Seas nor Earthquakes, as the barbarous Celts were wont to say of themselves: for howsoever they are prodigal of their blood, and had rather die than seem to quail; yet if you could see into their breast, it must be that you should find a natural damp there, because the Soul will be inquisitive what shall betide it hereafter, and it is impossible it should speak comfort unto itself. A Wolf is a most adventurous Beast, yet he cannot run a furlong to seek his prey, but he looks about to watch who follows him, because he knows he is hated; so the stoutest of the ungodly is bridled by the terror of an evil conscience in all his pride and glory. I confess that some portion of fear is a passion incident to the righteous and best disposed. Many things may intimidate a good man or woman, for want of instruction, what the Divine assistance can bring to pass, out of a soft complexion, out of a remorse for sin more acute in some than in others, and out of too much love to themselves, and those things upon earth which are most dear unto their love (for such imperfections are in the best) but it is not such a confused malignant fear as the enemies of Christ feel, which makes Judas burst in twain, which makes Arius fall in pieces, which makes Cain surmise everyone that sees him will kill him, which makes Tyrants they dare not trust their nearest Servants, nor their dearest Children, which makes the Keepers of the Sepulcher shake for fear, and become as dead men.

Secondly attend how terror falls upon them that think to terrify Christ's Saints, they that were set to afright the Disciples are more affrighted themselves. 'It is true that the zealous women which came with Odors and sweet Spices to the Sepulcher were much amazed, yet the Angel spake mild and gentle words unto them, and bid them, be not afraid; but the Soldiers were overwhelmed with perturbation, and never comforted. Let Pilate set another Guard upon his Guard, for these are daunted, upon whom both He and the Jews relied to maintain their fact which they had done against God, and Man. But the terrible men are requited with terror. Pharaoh did never threaten Moses so sharply, but before he saw him again he was in a worse perplexity than Moses, for some grievous plague that was fallen upon him. David fled from Saul, and yet Saul was more dejected in his heart than David. Eusebius says upon the resolution of the Martyrs, that their Persecutors were more afraid to see them suffer their torments, than they were to endure it. And some Heathen Historians testify to this, that Julian the Emperor had a device to trouble the Christian Church above measure by allowing and furthering the Jews to build up the Temple at Jerusalem again, but the Workmen and their Taskmasters were let from proceeding, by thunder and eruptions of fire, and many such impediments which came from Heaven. Satan was sent to buffet Paul, but Paul did buffet Satan by morti • ying his body, by praying to the Lord that the rebellion of concupiscence might be taken from him. The poor man in the Gospel possessed with Devils, who fomed and gnasht with his teeth, and was even torn with violence, this man was not so much tormented as the Devils were to be cast forth, and sent headlong to the Sea. Of all stories methinks those are the pleasantest to read, to see a malicious man stewed in his own sauce, burnt in the same fire which he kindled for his neighbor. An invading Enemy driven back with a mighty overthrow; a litigious person cast in Law to his undoing. A merciless man in the Gospel changing places with him whom he cast in prison, Matth. xviii. Haman's plot against Mordecai executed upon himself: the Lions that were kept hungry to eat up Daniel devouring those that accused him; the Soldiers set to scare all the wellwillers of Christ that came to the Sepulcher, and themselves scared out of their wits that their heart was dead within them. The Dogs are sometimes gor'd and pauncht by the Beast which they hunted: and they that meant destruction to the Saints are first destroyed. O Lord let the malice of them that are ill affected to Christ and his Flock be ever so requi • ed.

Thirdly, let it be attended that the fear of death is exceedingly in the hearts of them that do not believe in the Resurrection. Alas they that set all their stake upon this life, and are persuaded when this puff of breath is stopped, that they shall sleep in an eternal night, and never be wakened more, can you wonder if they be infinitely agast upon the summons of death? The Stag when he is at bay, and ready to be plucked down, and torn, sheds tears naturally, and drops of sorrow trickle down from him, because he shall part with his life forever, and be utterly annihilated. So an unbeliever, who knows of no better condition that shall befall him than happens to Beasts, that is not established in faith, that though worms eat this Body in the Grave, yet our Soul shall be clothed with flesh and bone, and enjoy an everlasting union in the highest places; this man looks upon death as the extremity of all evils, in which there is nothing but irreparable loss, a thing that can admit of no consolation. Resurrection is the edge of all valor and fortitude, there can be no courage without it. In assurance of it there is no sting, there is no terror in our dissolution. Says St. Paul,Why stand we in jeopardy every hour? why have I fought with beasts at Ephesus if the dead rise not? as who should say, there's the encouragement of all that endure for the name of Christ. Now these Soldiers whom the Jews obtain'd of Pilate to watch the Sepulcher, were so far from apprehending this comfort, that this Tabernacle of ours, when we lay it down, is sequesterd for a time, till God restore it again out of the dust, that they kept that place on purpose, that there might be no resurrection. According to their great demerits therefore, those that were the most envious adversaries of life did shake for fear, and became as dead men.

Fourthly the Soldiers feared exceedingly, because they had been aiders to the malice of the Jews to crucify Christ; now when they saw the Sepulcher open, the stone rolled away, the Angel sitting upon it, and by these signs the Resurrection declared, that He whom they had put to death most barbarously was greater than death, and Lord of the Angels, their guiltiness must needs shake them to pieces, and extreme horror stare them in the face. When St. Peter came to that verse of his Sermon, Act. ii. 36. God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ. The Jews that heard this, they were pricked in their hearts, and cried out, Men brethren what shall we do? St. Chrysostom says that many of those who had cried out in Pilate 's Judgment-Hall, Crucify him, crucify him were at the Sermon; so perhaps those Soldiers that had cast lots upon his Vesture, and he that thrust the Spear into his side was at the Sepulcher. The greater would be their oppressure of fear, when they had been actors in the Tragedy: They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, Zach. xii. 10. a most melancholy object to his Persecutors. Eusebius says, that the Jews did recall to mind that innocent blood of Christ which they had shed, upon the time that their City was besieged by Titus, and that the thought thereof did so enfeeble their hands, that they could not fight. Although their own Historian Josephus will not impute the calamity of the City to that fault, but confesseth sin did reign in Jerusalem at that time so copiously and prodigiously, as the like was never in Sodom and Gomorrah: but certainly the suspicion of that sin hath debased the courage, and broke the heart of all the Nation of the Jews to this day. St. Paul writing to the Hebrews bids them cast aside 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Heb. xii. 1. the weight of their sin; and I do not remember that he useth the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a weighty ponderous sin to any other but to them. I know we ought all to be sorry and lament that Christ was crucified for our sakes, for those manifold sins that we have perpetrated; and solum peccatum homicida est, therefore we must be crucified with Christ in mortification, and be buried with him in Baptism: but the personal procurers of his death were the capital transgressors, their sin was died in his blood as it were in scarlet. The Son of man must die and be betrayed, but woe unto that man that doth betray him and crucify him. Beware therefore, that we do not crucify to ourselves the Son of God a fresh; the exposition is in the words following, that we do not put him to an open shame, Heb. vi. 6.

Such crimes will leave a sting behind them, that will never cease to wound your conscience, especially at the hour of death. The Gentiles at first could not endure the Sign of the Cross, it called their sins to remembrance; but how will it tear your heart within you, when you call to mind that the ignominy of Christ crucified is in your Soul? The Soldiers saw what abomination they had committed, when an Angel beautified Christ's Sepulcher with his presence, and for fear of him, &c.

Fifthly the Soldiers could not keep Christ's body in the Sepulcher, as they were appointed by Pilate and the High-Priests, therefore they feared those that had commanded them the task: an evil Instrument is ever afraid of those that do employ him. The Pharisees were angry with their Servants and Officers, that they did not bring Christ unto them, and lay hands upon Him, Joh. vii. 43. yet it was not in them to do it, no man could lay hands on him then, for his hour was not yet come. So the Watchmen knew what offense would be taken that Christ's body was taken out of the Sepulcher, yet they could not stop it. No servitude in the world so heavy, so dangerous, so full of fear as to observe a willful unreasonable Tyrant. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Nebuchadonosor put his Chaldeans and Soothsayers to death, because they could not tell him the Dream which himself had forgotten, Dan. ii. 12. It is a just reward of wicked Instruments that they were always suspected, always secretly hated by those that practice with them. And when I have told you but one story in that kind (I could be voluminous) you will say, Ohe jam satis est, it is enough to represent the certain perdition of them that minister to ungodly practices. But thus briefly, Pope Paul the fifth fell out with the whole State of Venice, interdicted all their Dominions, began to raise arms against them for imprisoning the Abbot of Nervase, whose crimes, beside many other foul offenses, were these three: 1. He poisoned his own Brother, and wrought the death of a Prior of St. Austin's Order, and his Servant, because they were conscious of it. 2. He had long time the carnal knowledge of his own Sister, and empoisoned her Maid lest she should betray him. 3. He caused an Enemy of his to be killed, and after that empoisoned the Murderer lest he might accuse him. This is related by no Protestant Pen, but by Friar Paul of Venice, of the Order of the Servites. Nor do I report it to let you know what kind of offender the Pope protected, but to manifest how He brought all those to an untimely end, that had either the privacy, or their parts to work for his iniquity. I do not pity them that may foresee this, and yet will be other men's instruments to facilitate their damnable projects. I do not pity these Soldiers, that would attend the High Priests service against the Lord, and against his Christ, and now are weary of their service; they shook for fear, and became as dead men.

Lastly, to end all, the wicked have fair warnings, these fears and quiverings are good Tutors and admonitions: when the house gives a crack before it falls, the Inhabitants may shift for their lives; and he that will not mend by terror and minacy, let his end be misery. A standing water that is never troubled, hath no commotion in it, must needs corrupt: so an even fortune, that is not acquainted with frowns and afrightments, is most incommodious for a Christian; but he that will make good use of fear, though he shake, and cannot stand, he shall fall into the arms of mercy. But these impious Watchmen were no longer mortified than the Angel looked upon them. There was no serious affection of sorrow in them. Sicut mente alienati expavescunt ad momentum, simul tamen obliviscuntur se timuisse; As a phrentique is awed for a while with his Keeper, but flies out into wild fits, as soon as he turns his back; so this Roman Garrison (who may represent the whole condition of Reprobates, a little terrified, but never amended) they had a qualm of guiltiness came over them, but they did not search into the true cause and original; and as soon as ever they had communicated with the High-Priests and Elders, their impudence was encouraged, their hands bribed, and their tongues bought at a price to publish abroad the most wrongful, the most sinful, the most senseless forgery that ever was invented: therefore since they were no better for that terror which a good Angel struck into them, it is to be much presumed that the Lord did turn them over to evil Angels to be tormented forever. Dearly beloved, that which stands before us this day is not an Angel of the ordinary Hierarchy, but the Angel of the Covenant, Christ our Lord in the Sacrament of his blessed Body, not clothed gorgeously, but in the poor Elements of Bread and Wine. And let us come to these with joy and not with terror; not as dead men, unless it be unto sin, and living unto God: and yet bring store of fear and reverence with you. The Greek Fathers call this Table 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the mysteries of dreadfulness, lest we should not receive them in a clean vessel, and with all due preparation. O I beseech you remember you come to receive Christ who is risen, and sitteth at the right hand of God, wherefore come out of the Grave of your sins, from your long accustomed crimes wherein you have been buried, not four days with Lazarus, but many years, and then we shall encompass Christ in his glory with Troops of Angels for evermore. AMEN.

THE SEVENTH SERMON UPON THE RESURRECTION.

A LL that concerns this most Christian Festival may be referred to two words, Christus resurrexit, & apparuit; that Christ rose from the dead, and that he appeared after he was risen. That he rose from the dead on this day there were good tokens of it, the earth trembled, the Stone was rolled away, the Monument was opened, the Soldiers that kept watch upon the place were dismayed and fled away, the body was not to be found in the Sepulcher, and Angels of light, heavenly Spirits, that would consent to no fraud or sin, ministered in the Grave where the body had lain. Who were the Witnesses that could testify to all this that it was very true? A Catalogue of people, some of one condition, some of another. The whole Corps du Guard of the Soldiers, though they were corrupted to tell a lie; the Women that brought sweet Odours and Spices to embalm him; and lastly, two of his own Disciples, Peter and John, who saw what God had done, and returned from the Monument with some little faith, but with great ecstasies of wonder and joy, indeed with a concurrence of all these passions, that no man can well tell what to call it. See, my Beloved, here was the grand Article of Faith come now to the birth, yet all this that was passed was not able to bring it forth. It put Christ therefore, I will not say to the trouble, but to the exercise of five several Apparitions upon this day. 1. He was seen of Mary Magdalene. 2. Of Peter, although we meet not with the manner how Peter saw him, but the Apostle Paul says he was seen of Cephas, then of the Twelve; it was his happiness by himself alone to behold him alive again upon this day, Luk. xxiv. 34. The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared unto Simon. 3. He manifested himself to the cluster of those Women that came to anoint his body. 4. He discovered himself to those two that were going to Emmaus. 5. He came in the presence of all the Disciples at Evening when the doors were shut. These were the Cinque Ports, I may say, of his sweet manifestation at this season. And it falls out very well to my purpose, that my Text says the first that saw him after his victory over death was Mary Magdalene. For this will make even with Eve, upon whose disobedience I have preached so often. I have shown unto you divers times how by a Woman came the first vengeance of death; now I shall show you (if God please) how by a woman came the first notice of the Resurrection from the dead; and both happened in a Garden. In a Garden life was forfeited unto death: And in a Garden life was recovered from death. But death was threatened to Eve towards the darkness of the Evening; he that conquered death made show of his victory openly to this holy Woman early in the Morning. And this is David's Song accomplished, Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the Morning. The Text offers much to be spoken of, I cannot reach at all, but I will select so much only as will serve for the continuance of an hour. First, here are circumstances of time which show a coherence between the Resurrection and Apparition of our Lord. The Apparition as well as the Resurrection was upon the same day, On the first day of the Week, and much about the same time of the day, very early in the Morning. Secondly, The Apparition itself was made to Mary Magdalene, who is described that she had the first fruits of Christ's love for the present, he appeared first, &c. And 2. she that was the object of his great mercy for the time past, for it was she out of whom Christ had cast seven devils. Unto these particulars are required your Attentiveness, and my labor.

To begin then, These great marvels happened on the first day of the Week. We are not those that esteem one day more than another as it is the mere flux of time, but we are those that must remember how God hath glorified himself in one day more than another, and never so much on any as on this day, The first day of the Week. As God the Father upon the first day did begin to make this visible World of Creatures, so Christ rose the same day from the dead to show the beginning of a new Age. Resurrectio est alterius mundi spiritualis creatio, says Justin Martyr; The Resurrection is well called a Creation of a new spiritual world. On the first day of the Week God said, Let there be light, and he divided between the light and the darkness. Verily in the same sort upon the same day God brought the light of the world out of the darkness of the Grave, and the life, says St. John, was the light of men. Now this infinite work to tread death under feet, and to bring mankind out of corruption into the state of immortality, being more eximious than to make Adam in a possibility to die and perish, therefore all Christian Churches have desisted to meet together at holy exercises upon the Sabbath of the Jews, and the first day of the Week hath been solemnly appointed from the Apostles even to this Age, to sanctify the name of the Lord in public Congregations. It is but a fretful question, which is too much agitated nowadays, since the first day of the Week is designed to be sanctified to the praise of God from the Resurrection of our Savior, what time we may borrow for the use of domestical affairs, and harmless recreations. He that is persuaded in his conscience no part of the day must be spared from God's Service, let him so do according to the resolution of his conscience; no man can be offended that he is earnest for his own part to keep the whole day unto the Lord. Again, he that is persuaded that the Lord must have his due service on that day, but that he is not tied to a strict Sabbatical servitude, surely his knowledge is good, and he may use his liberty, but without scandal to his brother. To the first I say, be a zealous Christian in keeping the Lord's day, but be not a Jew in opinion. To the other I say, give thanks to God for the freedom to which he hath called you, and that he hath eased your shoulders from the servile burden of the Jewish Sabbath, but be not a Libertine in practice. And this is the sum of that which I will say to the first Point, that this marvelous work was done upon the first day of the Week.

Now the Holy Ghost hath not only satisfied us with the designation of the day, but because the more particularity, the more certainty, therefore the Spirit hath condescended to name almost the hour of the day, so that I am sure we may guess near upon the time, for it was early on the first day of the Week; which denotes two things, that the Lord made haste to rise from the dead to comfort the Disciples, and that Mary Magdalene made haste to comfort herself with coming to the Sepulcher. Christ started up suddenly, out of sleep like Samson, before the powers of hell, those Philistines were aware of him. To this, it may be, David alluded in Exurgam diluculo, Awake my glory, awake Lute and Harp, I myself will awake right early. Nescit tarda molimina spiritus sancti gratia. Be not you slow in paying your debts to God, God is ever beforehand in fulfilling his promises to you. The words in the Second Psalm which are applied, Heb. i. to our Savior's eternal Generation, are referred by the same Apostle, Acts xiii. 33. to his Resurrection. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. I cannot pass it over, that the Vulgar Latin reads it, Ante luciferum genui te; Before the Morning star have I begotten thee. Very fitly to this Doctrine which I teach, that Christ rose early this day before the Morning Star appeared. Now that one Scripture may not seem to fall foul upon another these two must be reconciled, how he that rose so early ante luciferum, how he can be said to be three days, like Jonas, in the belly of the Grave? The answer is, you must measure these three days by a Synecdoche. He was buried towards Evening upon the Jews day of preparation, and so lay interred some part of Afternoon, and all that night. Upon the Jews Sabbath he rested in the Sepulcher all day and all night. Upon the first day of the Week he continued in the state of death some hours of the Morning, and very early he came forth an eternal Victor; he fulfilled the Scriptures therefore, and withal he made haste to fulfil his Promise upon the third day. Euthymius expresseth it more elegantly than I can. Quod citiùs quàm sit constitutum efficitur potentiae est, quod tardiùs imbecilitatis. Christus non solùm promissum explevit, sed etiam gratiam velocitatis addidit. To be tardier than our promise is a sign of some let and infirmity, to be before hand with a promise is a sign of power and efficacy. The promise of the Son of God was that in three days he would build up the Temple of his body again, he did so, and more than so, soon after the third day was begun: Behold the performance of his word, and the sudden dispatch of his favor join'd unto it: So we have seen both his truth in the Promise, and his love in the speediness of the act doing above his promise. Moreover, I would have it be marked, that as he rose early, so he was sought early by Mary Magdalene. The desire of Christ held her eyes waking, and I believe she had took but small rest since Christ was crucified; as soon as it was possible to have access to his Monument she came unto it. I know not whether you are to learn it, but it was not the usual manner of the Jews to bury their dead within the Walls of their Cities; to a Garden, you know, the Corps of our Savior was carried, into the Suburbs of Jerusalem; therefore she was compelled to attend till the Gates of the City were opened, and passage being made, she came before the break of day to the Sepulcher. And believe it, she sped much the better that she was such an early visitor; do not imagine but the eye of the Lord unto this day is upon those that make haste to come unto the threshold of his sacred House; and they are greatly deceived that think they shall find God as soon if they come late to Church, as if they come early. I pray you tell me, is there any part of the Service so mean and unuseful that you can be content to spare it? Or do you think that God is asleep, and by that time the Congregation hath roused him up, then it will be time enough for you to come in and join in Prayer? O ye loiterers, Do you know the hurt of it, when ye lose the opportunity of one minute to serve the Lord? Pliny in his Letters to Trajan reports of the Christians, that they had Ante lucanos congressus, they met together before day to read the Scriptures, to pray, and sing Psalms. I confess, there was great reason for it then, because they held their Assemblies when their Enemies were in bed, that they might not know of it. But I am sure, since the Apostles time, never were so many miracles wrought as at those early Vigils. And that I may conclude this Point with one use more, Mans life is but a day, and what part of life is the early morning of that day but Youth? If you will do well unto your own souls, seek out Christ betimes, when the Sun of Reason begins to dispel the darkness of ignorance in your tender age: Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, and God will not forget thee, nor forsake thee in thy old Age. Some Fiend of hell made that Proverb, Angelicus juvenis senibus Satanizat in annis; as if the Child could be taught too soon to choose the good, and to refuse the evil, as if young holiness were obnoxious to become old iniquity. I will ask you, Why do we Catechize the younger of both Sexes in Lent, but to teach them to seek Christ early against Easter? I will come to a less matter, why do we ever paint Angels with the faces of young men or Children, but that youth is a fit stock upon which we should ingraft the heavenly virtues and holiness of Angels. If Mary Magdalene gained by rousing herself up early to seek Jesus Christ, seek him then, I beseech you, when he may be found, that is, with the most timely opportunity.

I have done with the circumstances, which were but Preambles to the substance of the Text, that substance may easily be discerned from all the rest, for the Kernel taken out of the words is this, that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene. As it is said of St. Thomas the Apostle, so of her, she believed more than she saw, yet, according to the dimness of faith which was in those times, unless she had seen she had not believed. If Christ, as soon as he was risen, had ascended immediately unto heaven, if no Witnesses had been left behind, that could say they saw him, and eat with him, and conversed with him, the words of truth would have wanted credit with the world, because our wisdom is rather carnal than spiritual: Therefore says St. Peter, Acts x. 40. God raised him up the third day, and shown him openly, not to all the people, but unto Witnesses chosen before of God. This made the Apostles set their Seal to the confirmation of it, Luk. xxiv. 34. The Lord is risen indeed, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as you would say, in good earnest he is risen, and hath appeared unto Simon. Now let no man contradict it, for Peter hath seen him with his eyes. But let me tell you, the bodily eye ought not to come in for his part to peep into those mysteries into which Faith doth search. The secrets of the Kingdom of heaven which we believe are invisible and incomprehensible. But Christ considered it was but New Moon with the Church, now it was but Tyrocinium Ecclesiae, the fresh-man-ship, I may say, of Christian Religion; and the young graft must be held with Props from the shaking of the winds, which are needless to be used to an old Tree whose root is fastened. The Apostles, and sundry women, and divers brethren did see Christ after he was risen, this was milk for babes, but now we must believe that which we have not seen, and the vision of God and of his Son shall be the reward of faith in the Kingdom of glory. Last of all he was seen of me also, says St. Paul, as of one born out of due time, 1 Cor. xv. 8. Then look not to see him manifest in his fleshly presence anymore till he comes in judgment: For the Apostle seems to me to say plainly, that he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the last of all that shall see him in that manner.

So having settled the ground-work, that he appeared, I draw on to consider by what degrees he appeared; and that is suppeditated to us with much variety out of the twentieth Chapter of St. John's Gospel. The last year, you know, I handled that part of sacred story fit for the day, how this woman having complained to the Disciples that the body of our Lord was stolen away, Peter and John ran hastily to see the wonder, and she would not be left behind, she follows them to see what they could make of it; they found it true as she had related, and departed full of great admiration. This poor Wretch alone continues at the Monument, and resolves not to stir till she have better satisfaction. Quantum bonum est assiduitas & perseverantia? says Theophylact; Shall not assiduity and perseverance reap plenteous fruits of comfort? Yes, no question; yet because she was a narrow-brim'd vessel, observe how God pours his favors into her, as it were by spoonfuls, that she might not be overwhelmed with the excellency of revelations. She that had often looked into the Sepulcher, and was sure the body she sought was not there, I know not by what divine instinct she looks in again. Whether it were as Tully said of Crassus the Orator, says he, we came into the Capitol to please ourselves with looking upon that Bench in the Senate, where that famous Citizen was wont to sit: So she looked in now with a resolved mind that it would delight her to view the place where her Savior had been interred, though nothing else were to be discerned. But loe she spied that there she did not look for, two heavenly Ministers all in white, the Grave which always before was the den of worms, was now become the throne of Angels. And it came so to pass, first, to refer us to that which shall befall all the Sons of God, our bodies shall be buried by the Ministry of men, as Christ's was by Joseph and Nicodemus, but we shall be raised out of the dust at the last day by the Ministry of Angels. Secondly, says St. Jerome in his Epistle to Hebidias, this was enough for all parties, if they would think upon it wisely, that the body of our Lord was not stolen out of the Grave by any malicious Adversaries, because the place was so well guarded with the custody of Angels. And thirdly, Jesus appeared by these as by his Proxies, they stand in his stead for a while to tell Mary, to tell the other women, He is not here, he is risen.

But behold she looked for a greater than these, for him of whom it is said, When he bringeth his first-born into the world he saith, and let all the Angels of God worship him. And with a little motion, with a turning about, he was just behind her, and now first she got the sight of him. She got the sight of him, but loe here is another degree of his appearance before he was clearly revealed, he was presented to her in such a fashion, that as yet she knew not that her blessedness was so near her. She mistook him, it is hard to say how, for the Gardener that dressed those grounds. But how came this ignorance upon her? I do not believe that Christ carried a rake and spade in his hand like a Gardener, as vulgar Pictures make bold to set him out. He might offer himself in a poor habit, and without any upper Garment, like one that was not far from home, and being so early in the ground, these circumstances would suit so well to no man as to the Gardener. Very well, this conceit might have taken her if our Lord had been a stranger to her knowledge: But this is marvelous, she sought none but him, she knew no man's person in the world so well as him, and yet the first glimpse he is anybody but himself, he is a Gardener. How comes this? I have it for you, I think, out of two Texts of the Gospel. In the 12. verse of this chapter it is said, that after Mary had seen him he appeared 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in another form to two of them by the way. Yet concerning the same parties we read, Luke xxiv. 16. Their eyes were holden that they should not know him. We may collect thus much out of both these put together, that in those forty days wherein Christ walked upon the earth after he was risen, he seemed by his Divine power to wear many sorts of Garments, but he wore none, for a glorified body needs not the coverture of Apparel, and the eyes of those that saw him had not the power to perceive who he was, until such time as he saw fit to disclose himself. And take it for very truth that I say, their outward senses had no power to judge of their object, but when he pleased; for as I will show in good time by and by, Mary talked with him, and did not know his voice, till he opened her ears. When he thought it due time, and not before, her eyes and ears recovered their faculties. But I confess the question doth yet depend upon a little more resolution, why Christ would let her continue a while deluded, that she knew not who he was. I answer, she deserved not to partake of more favor, she loved much indeed, but we cannot say that she believed much: She believed no more than the High Priest would have all the world believe, that his body was stolen out of the Sepulcher. Since therefore she was more zealous in her love towards Christ than all others, he appeared unto her; but because she would not believe in his resurrection, no not for the testimony of the holy Angels, therefore for a little space he hid himself from her, contriving that in his body now, which he doth continually in the sending of his Holy Spirit, a little love shall have some reward, but he will come and dwell with them, and be known of them that believe without wavering. As yet he passeth with this woman for a Gardener: and that was no unhappy error: it was he that did sow the seeds of faith in her heart, and planted repentance in her soul, that it might grow up and prosper to amendment of life. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , she supposed him to be a Gardener, it is true in the allegory, but not in the letter. Take heed that our carnal affections do not impress Christ into our thoughts otherwise than he is. When we are full of earthy, low, flat cogitations, we frame a God of a strange fashion to ourselves. As Mary Magdalene giving no trust to the Angels that he was risen from the dead, took him for no better than the Gardener. But to strike up this point to the head, whatsoever Christ seemed to her, he was himself without all transformation: he had now a glorified body, he did not change the form and lineaments of his body: it was the poison which the Manichaeans sucked out of this Text, says St. Jerome, that forasmuch as the Lord seemed to this woman diverse from himself, he was diverse from himself, and had a phantastique body, not made of flesh and bone of the seed of the woman: ridiculous: he contiued very God, and very man in the unity of one person; the same man Jesus Christ that was born of the Virgin. But his wisdom did contrive it so as to reveal himself to this party by degrees. First by his Proxies the Angels; Secondly by the shape of a Gardener; now thirdly he threw the Veil aside, and shown himself clearly as he was unto her, and she that desired but to find him dead, found him living forever.

The manner, the manner of it I say, is that which is well worthy of a godly ear to mark it: for which I still refer you to the 20. of St. John. Our Savior when he came in presence gave her occasion of discourse on this sort, woman why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? Good expressions both of a most passionate love, weeping, and seeking: Yet to seek did befit her diligence, but to weep was out of date at this time, and convinced her of a reproveable weakness. It was no day to spend tears upon, which offered occasion of eternal joy, and shall so continue a day of gladness every week while the world endures. But says St. Austin, she that wept for her Brother Lazarus, and obtained his resurrection with tears, she makes assay, if by weeping she could obtain the resurrection of Christ. But whatsoever may be thought her infirmity in weeping, it was gracious in God's eyes, when it was joined with seeking. Doubtless, says St. Paul, God is not far from everyone of us, Act. xvii. 27. yea, but he is always near at hand to those that seek him: not far from any, but thou Lord never failest them that seek thee, Psal. ix. 10. Mary had done as much as diligence could express, she had wept as much as grief could express; now Joseph could not choose but make himself known to his Brethren; now Jesus would hold the woman in suspense no longer, but he changed the accent of his voice, and spake so tunably that she knew him at the first word, he said no more but Mary, as God said unto Moses, Thee have I known by name; and then she turned and said, Rabboni, as who should say, I know the voice of my Master, and I am thine Handmaid. It sounded well in her mouth to call him Rabboni or Master, now he was alive, for she continued to call him Lord, when she took him for lost, and that he was no better than one of the dead. When all ignominy had been cast upon him, when none would own him for a Lord, yet she reserves his title to him, they have taken away the Body of my Lord. It savors therefore of justice, that she is the first that after his resurrection professed herself his Servant, and said, Rabboni, which is Master.

Now in the manner of this appearance three things are eminent among many that may be observed. First Christ was known by the tone of his voice, when this holy Saint mistook his person. Therefore you see by this where you shall always have Christ, seek him in his Word, and there you shall find him. He sends us unto them, Joh. v. 39. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye look to have eternal life, and they do testify of me. In the works of nature we may understand that God is good; by the crisis of reason we may beat it out, that he is a rewarder of them that serve him: by the tenor of the Law we may read what Ceremonies will please him: but if you would meet with Christ look him out in the words of that sweet and blessed Covenant of our salvation the Gospel. O how sweet is that word of God which is the only instrument, and none but it, to make us see Christ our Redeemer. As we have heard, so have we seen, says David; love to hear his word, and then you shall see him, see him here in his Sacraments of grace, and hereafter face to face in his Kingdom of glory. Secondly it lies in his own breast, I may say, and in the power of his own saving grace, when his Word shall be effectual to bring us to the knowledge of him. Mark it that Christ spake more largely, and more distinctly, one would think to this pious Matron, when she mistook him, than when she came to take notice of him: He began thus with her, Woman why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? Was not this Sermon enough to bring her into the right way? yet the darkness of her mind continued, and she had no stronger faith, but that his sacred Body was transported out of the Sepulcher by some malicious injury, and not revived by his omnipotent Divinity: Yet after this he speaks unto her again, speaks but a very little, no more but Mary, and her heart was opened. Like that celebrated piece of Rhetoric which C. Caesar used to his Soldiers, with no long oration, but with one word, Quirites, he drew them to accord, and appeased their mutiny. So that there is hope, as we pray, and put our trust in God, that although some have taken arms in this Island, and will not lay them down, notwithstanding much hath been said by way of treaty, much hath been written by way of motive and persuasion, yet God knows his own time, and will bring it to pass, we trust, when some few lucky words, to which the Lord will give his blessing, shall distil down as a joyful rain to bring forth the sweet fruits of peace and obedience. It is not line upon line, word upon word, but the assistance of the Divine Spirit with the Word that works knowledge and salvation. With a short invitement, follow me, and I will make you Fishers of men, Peter and Andrew left their Nets and followed their Master. With a little call or beckning rather Matthew forsook the Custom-house, and became an Apostle: A little was said to Zacchaeus, and it produced wonders in him: Less was said to the Saint of my Text than to any of them all, no more but Mary, and she saw and believed. Thirdly, here the doctrine of St. John is verified, chap. x. 14. I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. Do you not spy an excellent order in the words? the Sheep do not know him first, but in the first place he knows the Sheep, and then it follows, that they know their Shepherd and his voice. So he knew Mary Magdalene, and called her aloud, and then she was brought to confess the Lord. St. Paul corrected his own language to keep close to this method, Gal. iv. 9. Now after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, our salvation begins at that end, God hath chosen unto himself a people zealous of good works, as who should say, first he knows who are his: but it is very preposterous to invert this, as if first of all we did our endeavor to be known, that is to be elected of God: and to this is a witty allusion made Cant. ii. 9. My beloved looketh forth at the window, showing himself through the lattess: As if Christ did look through a Grate, and saw us when we saw not him.

It is enough to have said thus much of the Apparition: The remainder of my Doctrine must be raised out of the person of Mary Magdalene, &c. If this be the same Mary that was Sister to Lazarus of Bethany (many learned Pens contend for it, and let them for me) but if it be the same woman, Christ hath made good his promise to her, and gone beyond it: his promise was, that wheresoever the Gospel was preached, it should be told for a memorial of her, how she had poured an Alabaster Box of Ointment upon his head to bury him; but far more than so, wheresoever the Resurrection is preached of, she is enwrapt into the story, and extolled by a kind of singularity above all other persons: he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, a thing which I dare say she did not request, neither was that ambition in her to aspire to such a prayer, that she might see the Lord before any of the faithful, but it was a favor that was cast upon her. Some immoderate zealots to the honor of the Blessed Virgin do little less than offer violence to the Evangelists, for omitting, that Christ declared himself immediately after he was risen to his Mother before Mary Magdalene saw him. To prove it is impossible, therefore to believe it is incredible. None of the Ancients, but Sedulius a Poet, do adventure to affirm that Christ made any apparition to his Mother, to show he was no accepter of persons in way of carnal affinity. He did appear to the Eleven, and to those that were gathered together with them, Luke xxiv. 33. I suppose she was there at that time, because she was St. Johns charge to take her with him. He did appear to more than 500 Brethren at once, it may conveniently be concluded she was one of that Assembly, always preserving this privilege to Mary Magdalene, that he appeared first to her; she was the first that saw Christ risen from the dead, and the first that preached he was risen from the dead, for she told it to the Apostles. Yet that ye may know what soundness there is in Traditions, Nicephorus pleads Tradition, that after he rose to life, first he made himself known to his Mother. So Rupertus, who allows to Mary Magdalene that she saw him first inter testes praeordinatos a Deo, as a witness that should first preach him. But the Blessed Virgin saw him before, as one that did first rejoice in him. Bernard also thinks to elude the Scripture with a distinction, that his holy Mother did first see him on this day, non ad confirmationem dubii, sed ad consolationem gaudii, not to confirm her faith (so he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, who wavered and distrusted) but no fill her with gladness. If these things were so, why did not the Book of God explain them? if these things be not so, why do they pretend Tradition without authority? The truth is Gerardus a learned Lutheran hath taught us with more likelihood than ever any before, how some unwary Clerks stumbled upon this error. Epiphanius in his 68 Heres. against the Marsalians lapsing in memory, allegeth the words of Christ, Touch me not, to be spoken to his Mother, when he first rose from the dead, which indeed were spoken to Mary Magdalene, and from hence came the misprision, that he appeared first to his Mother, when he rose from the dead.

Not out of desire to quarrel anything that might justly concern the honor of the Blessed Virgin, but for truths sake I have vindicated this Scripture, that Christ first appeared to Mary Magdalene, she saw his resurrection in the first bud, and not only as others did in the blown flower. You might have imagined this favor would have fallen upon his Apostles, or upon Joseph of Arimathea, the Lord of the Soil where he first appeared, but he was first found of her that first sought him; especially he came first to her who gave greatest attendance to meet with him. She brought a company of women with her to the Tomb before the Sun rose, they were all vanished but herself: She fetched Peter and John, they came, and looked in, and shrunk away. Their going away commends her staying behind, she held out to the last, till at last her joy was fulfilled. Reason good that those that run longest in the race should be first rewarded. Our patience I fear is not so firm and steadfast as hers was: if we have not everything we ask for at the first, we think our zeal is prejudiced, and we utterly give over: as if God were not our King, on whom we waited, but our Servant, that must come at the first call. Whereas you shall never speed with a twitch and be gone, but with importunity and pertinency. The Kingdom of Heaven is gotten by violence, and the violent take it by force. But beside, as all note, it was her great love to Christ that made her partaker of the first-fruits of his glory; a love that hath great perfection in it in contraries, in the hardiness of her courage, and in the softness of her mourning. In the hardiness of her courage: for do you know upon what pikes she run, to stay so long at the Sepulcher of our Lord. As Thomas noted into what danger our Savior embarked himself when he told his Disciples Lazarus is dead, and we will go unto him, Let us also go and die with him, says Thomas. So there were Soldiers abroad to watch the Sepulcher, Spies in every corner from the High-Priests, to mark who did confess and honor our Savior; to go to his Tomb, much more to stay at it, was in effect to say, let us go and die with him, we care not for our lives. But true love esteems it sweet to suffer for his sake, to whose memory their affection is constantly devoted. And she that was thus magnanimous to die for him, was a true woman in compassion, and wept exceedingly, because his body was lost. They were tears mistaken, as most tears are, unless we weep for our sins. As one says well, our life is full of false sorrows, and false joys; we laugh when we have no cause to be merry, and we weep when we have no cause to be sad: So Mary laments that Christ's body was not in the Sepulcher, which truly known was the greatest cause of rejoicing that ever the world had: No man's injury had brought that to pass, but his own power and glory; yet certainly her weeping was reputed as an office of love and zeal, because she did it ignorantly out of a pious intention: and we are all so addicted to profuse mirth, that God doth seldom make a bad construction of mourning. But alas how often do we lose God by sin, through our own default, which is the worst taking away of all, and yet we afflict not our heart at the mischance, we grieve not for it. O weep for the light of that grace which we often lose, and the day-spring of comfort will rise again in our consciences.

But it may be for all this Christ would not first have appeared to her after he was risen, but that she was one out of whom in times past he had cast out seven Devils. To the letter of the words be thus much said before I come to make application out of them, the story runs concerning this Party, that she had led a very wicked and a scandalous life, for which she suffered this judgment from the Lord, and very deservedly, that she was made a prey to the Devil, and seven evil spirits entered into her, possessed her, wracked her, and tormented her. But if seven evil spirits should take up their quarter in every Strumpet, in these days wherein they abound, I think their would not be Devils enough in Hell to furnish them. I know that some who dip their Pen too much in allegories, expound it, not as if the very Devils themselves, but as if the seven deadly sins had taken up their seat in her. This is wrong, for Luke viii. 2. we find that there were with Christ certain women that had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, among whom was Mary Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils. Therefore it is not to be gainsaid, but she was really dispossessed of seven infernal spirits that had entered into her. Upon the account of this benefit she began to turn her heart to the fear of the Lord, and grew up from grace to grace, till no Disciple of her sex was more godly in her profession, more servant in love, more sincere in amendment of life. Now out of all the Train that believed in the Name of the Lord, he chose this convertita, whom he had so mightily raised up to newness of life from the power of Satan, I say he selected such an one to appear first unto her, that the Church might know that such humble sinners as were partakers of his greatest mercy, should also be partakers of his greatest glory. And let every conscience which hath been oppressed with the burden of iniquity refresh itself with this hope, that our Redeemer liveth to gather those unto him, whose iniquities have been many, but they are washed clean in his blood, and are buried in his Grave. As you have those comfortable words sounded in your ears before the receiving of the Lord's Supper, Come unto me all ye that are weary, &c. But thus Christ did as it were celebrate the resurrection of the body from the dead, and the resurrection of the soul from sin, in this interview between himself and Mary Magdalene. All men shall be restored to life, good and bad; for the Son of God redeemed the whole nature of man this day from the corruption of the Grave, and the Devil did utterly loose jus mortis, the dominion of death, because our Savior being an Innocent was put to death, over whom he had no dominion. But the glory of Christ's victory was to conquer two at once, Hell and Death. So the Prophet Hosea cries out in form of triumph, O Death where is thy sting? O Hell where is thy victory? and from his own voice, Revel. i. 18. I am he that liveth and was dead, behold I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of Hell and of Death. So in his own person he shown that he had conquered Death; in the person of Mary Magdalene that he had conquered Hell. Beloved, this great day is Christ's Festival, and it is the Holiday of every penitent sinner, because first he appeared to such an one, to Mary Magdalene. For our sakes both the Keys are turned, and for our sakes both the Gates are opened, that our bodies may escape the curse of corruption, and that our souls may be delivered from the judgment of Hell, through Jesus Christ the first fruits of the dead, and that first appeared to an humble Convert. AMEN.

THE EIGHTH SERMON UPON THE RESURRECTION.

Y OU may call to your remembrance that my subject upon Easter-day the last year was, How Christ was first seen after he rose again from the dead, of one whom he had raised before from the death of sin, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene. And in this Text other women have the next turn to see him appear in order of story. That Sex, it is apparent, had the honor of the day, in the first and second bout, that the power of God might be seen in the weaker Vessels. The women brought sweet Spices to embalm his body; and they encounter that which was sweeter than all the Spices in the world, the Vision of the Lord, who came forth from the dark places of the dead to life again. There is not the weakest capacity among you, but must needs observe, that the relations of these things are very diversely set down in the four Evangelists. And there is not the learnedst capacity among men, that can distinctly unfold how they should be reconciled. I suppose the Primitive Church, I mean, the Disciples that were taught by the Apostles, and other Scholars taught by them, were informed of the true Exposition, how everything happened in its order, but the tradition is lost. And they who boast they have kept the Traditions of the Church faithfully, are not able to give us a clear rule how to refer these confusions to a certain order. St. Paul, 1 Cor. xv. rehearseth sundry ways how Christ was seen of many after he rose from the dead, yet he utterly omits how he was seen of these devout women. St. John, Chap. xx. speaks of the famous interview between our Savior and Mary Magdalene, and no more. Our Evangelist in the beginning of this Chapter mentions Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, that is, the Mother of Zebedees children, he goes no further. St. Mark quotes another woman, that is Salome. St. Luke names also one Joanna, she was the Wife of Chusa Herod's Steward; and indefinitely he folds it up, that there were other women whose particular cognizance is not revealed. And divers things are related divers ways of these, which may be reconciled as divers ways without jar or contradiction.

The stiffest knot in the dissention is, that although St. Luke and St. Mark record, how the Angels appeared to the women, and spake unto them of Christ's rising, yet they do not say that Christ was seen of them. St. Mark relates that he was seen of Mary Magdalene. So doth St. John, they go no further. St. Matthew holds him to Mary Magdalene, and to one other Mary, that is all. Yet he involves at large, that as the women (not those women only) went to bring tidings to the Apostles of what they had seen and heard, Christ did meet them by the way. For the perplexity of these Narrations some do argue, that none of the women saw him this day risen from the dead but Mary Magdalene, and that when this Scripture says that he did appear to the women plurally, yet it is a Synecdoche speaking that of many which was verified but in one, for but one saw him instead of all her companions. This is not so probable; for it would work better if this truth were manifested by a multitude of Witnesses. Others also consider, that Mary Magdalene saw him alone, and was controlled at that time not to touch him, therefore it must be another Apparition, when divers women did touch him, and worship him. Some say therefore that in a very little compass of time Mary Magdalene saw him twice this day (unless there were two Mary Magdalens, as St. Ambrose would have it) first alone, and then immediately with her Consorts. Yet that seems not so congruous (I can say no more against it) that two Apparitions should be granted to her in a few moments. Therefore without any pertinency in rejecting the conjectures of others, I conceive this second Apparition of Christ, which we have in hand, to be made to Mary the Mother of James, Joanna, and Salom, with other devout women of Galilee, when Mary Magdalene was lately departed from them to tell her errand to the Disciples. Laying my ground upon that opinion, I deduct these parts out of the Text: First, I will treat upon it what proceeded from the women. Secondly, what proceeded from Christ. Touching the women again, I will handle first what they did before they saw Christ; secondly, what they did after they had seen him. Before they saw him they went to tell his Disciples somewhat. After they had seen him, 1. They came to him. 2. They held him by the feet. 3. They worshipped him. That which belongs to Christ is contained in his Action, and his Words. His Action is thus expressed, Behold Jesus met them. His Words are first a Salutation, All Hail. 2. A Consolation, Be not afraid. 3. A Commission, Go tell my Brethren that they go into Galilee. 4. A Promise, There they shall see me. These are the several talents which God hath committed to me in this, and now I will employ them for my Masters profit.

The women, before they had seen our Savior, went to tell his Disciples; that must be our beginning. They went, and went to and fro sundry times upon this occasion. It could not choose but be observed by the eyes of them that gaze upon Passengers, and would quickly reason upon it, what make these abroad, that they cross the streets so often. It was more infamous with them of the East, than it is with us, for women to gad openly from place to place. The married woman is described in Plutarch, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , treading upon a Tortoise, as an emblem that it was good for her to stay at home, and to carry her house upon her back. But these holy Matrons had a clear conscience in them, that it could be no blemish to their honor to lackey up and down in so good an occasion, and upon the Errand of an Angel. If uncharitable persons censured them, God forgive them, still they went on. Nay, whereas undoubtedly all will say that a sober gate, without much acceleration, doth best become that Sex, and especially in public, yet no pace would serve them but a gallop. In the verse immediately before my Text they did run to bring his Disciples word. The Heathen paint Mercury with wings at his heels: The Messenger of good tidings should make haste. Nescit tarda molimina spiritus sancti gratia. God loves quick dispatch in his business. When we are suspensive, and long about that which is good, we lose the thanks that he would give us; that which is done sincerely is never done slackly. Therefore Jesus met the women not as they went, but as they ran to tell his Disciples.

Says the Text moreover, as they went to tell his Disciples, therefore some had put an Errand into their mouth: Even so, for it was an Angel that gave them direction what to say to our Savior's Disciples. I take not upon me to guess at the reason of the secret Counsels of God, but a cause there must be for it, and a great one, that the Angels of heaven appeared above once this day to the Women, and talked with them of Christ's Resurrection: And they might have told the same news to the Apostles, yet they did not, but sent the women in their stead. What! Would not one Angel visit them in his own person? Is it upon dislike? Because they fled away from their Master in the Garden. Or is it a trial upon their big spirit, who frequently contended among themselves which of them should be the greater, whether they would not disdain that women should exceed them in Visions and Revelations? For many times Superiors cannot digest it, that such as are under them should exceed them in the grace of God. But many times he regards the low estate of his Handmaids, when the Rich are sent empty away. The Pillars of the Church, the Apostles, are admitted to hear what these women saw at the Sepulcher, that adventured boldly abroad: But no such glorious Creatures came to them, who were shut up for fear at home. And, for my part, I think this was it which did cross the credit of their Message. The Women told the Disciples all that happened, it may be confusedly, with distemper of fear and joy, but they told them the truth, And their words seemed to them as tales, Luk. xxiv. 11. For thus they would collect in all likelihood upon the merit and dignity of their Apostleship: It cannot be that the Angels would appear to such as these, and baulk us; this is but a Tale. Those Messengers of God would come to us in the first place, to us the Servants of the beloved Master, and not to the Women. But God sees not as man sees. The Spirits of light came to these humble Handmaids, and taught them: And afterward by the Orgain of their mouth the Apostles were edified, that taught all the World. The Gospel is not ashamed of this innocence, and simplicity; ask us from whom our principal Doctors were first instructed, and we answer roundly, from a few silly women, that the power of salvation may appear to descend, not from Learning and human Wisdom, but from the demonstration of the Spirit of God. And this was a project to out-reach the providence of Pilate, and the wary consultations of all the High Priests. The Sepulcher was obstructed with a great stone, and as Nicephorus says, that a strong Hoop of Iron fastened it to the contiguous stones of the Monument, sealed also with the Governors Seal, that it might be a capitol crime to burst it open. And such crafty heads would not omit to set Spies upon the Apostles that they durst not look abroad; as if the business were as safe as they could wish if they were prevented from divulging rumors that Christ was risen from the dead. See therefore how their subtlety was out-stripped, God selected Witnesses whom they scorned and disdain'd; certain Women are inspired to go and tell his Disciples. St. Paul expresseth this mystery in his own case, 2 Tim, ii. 9. Though I suffer unto bonds, yet the word of God is not bound. To which word says St. Chrysostom, if our warfare were carnal, if we were Soldiers that fought for the inheritance, and glory of this world, our attempts were restrained, when our hands were tied with Chains. But fighting the battles of Christ a Prison is no impediment, our tongue shall declare the glory of God, nothing can bind it but fear or infidelity: Tie up the hands of the Husbandman, and he cannot sow his seed; but pinion the Seed-man of the Word of God, and his tongue is at liberty. Linguâ non manu seritur verbum, quod nullis vinculis subjacet; The Seed of the Word is sown by the Tongue, and not by the Hand. Men may be silenced, as the Apostles were, for a season, but truth cannot be silenced. In the defect of other Ministers the Women preached the Resurrection, they went to tell his Disciples.

This part these good Daughters of Jerusalem acted before Christ appeared unto them that I may handle that which concerns them by itself presuppose we that Christ met them, and appeared, which I will treat of hereafter, what did they then? Why, as reason did require, they intermit their motion awhile of running to the Disciples, and come unto him. To whom else Lord should they go? Is there anything so sweet as thou art to draw near unto it? If we come not to thee we wander out of the way, and turn aside from our own happiness. Whatsoever we are about it is a gain of time to come unto him by the way, and we shall arrive the sooner at our own ends if they be just and honest. And I cannot keep it out of my mind, but that after our Savior was risen from the dead, there was some courteous accent in his voice, and some sweet invitement in his look, more than people were acquainted with before he was crucified. He called one woman by name, Mary in the Garden, he said no more: And she was instantly ravished with joy to hear his tongue utter but two syllables. So there was such sweetness in the countenance of his immortal body now risen from the Grave, that though the women were terribly afraid, yet they stepped forward, and came unto him. Nay, to come unto him in this glorified state Peter girt his fishers Coat about him, and cast himself into the Sea, and swam unto him. Note it that these good women recoiled from the Angels when they saw them, and gave back, their countenance was like lightning, and dismal to the beholders: But when Christ was before them they come unto him nearer and nearer. Let them that have a mind to such superstition talk of Angels and Saints for their Mediators and Intercessors. But Lord give me leave to come directly to thee, and to thy Child Jesus, there is my comfort and my confidence. Securtus loquor ad Dominum meum quàm ad aliquem sanctorum, I think it is St. Austin's. I can pour out my mind more safely unto Christ my Lord than to any of the Saints. St. John came too near to the Angel when he fell down to worship him: But make up more and more to your Savior, you can never come too near to him. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden. Whither do you fly away for fear of your sins? Do you not hear that he calls for us? That fear which keeps you from him is not reverence, but despair, it is not humility, but infidelity. Are you distrustful that you may be too forward? Not a whit, if you believe and repent. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, Heb, iv. 16. Come unto him in this life, says St. Chrysostom, and he is a throne of grace. Hereafter we dare not come unto him, for then he is a throne of justice.

Well, their next action shows that they must come, and come very near to do that which they did, for they held him by the feet. Hold fast devout Matrons, you were before like waves of the Sea, tossed about with suspicions and uncertainties, you were carried hither and thither with doubtful fears whether Christ would come again from the dead, as he promised, on the third day, but now you have your hand upon the Anchor, upon his feet, hold them fast, and your faith shall no more be shaken. You touch his flesh, you feel the pulse of his veins, his joints and bones are under your fingers. You have explored that he is no Phantome, or Delusion; the true and the same body committed to the Sepulcher is alive again. All this your sense suggests unto you, because you hold him by the feet. But the times of this happiness are passed away, no expectation now of enclasping him about the feet; but Mitte fidem in coelum, & tenuisti, says St. Austin; Extend your Faith into heaven, and you shall touch him there. Secondly, They that held him by the feet had the occasion to honor those parts of his body which had been pierced with Nails for our sakes upon the Cross. And I doubt it not, but to show themselves thankful for his death, they did offer to lay their modest lips upon his wounds. As when Paphnutius his right eye was plucked out for being a constant Christian the Emperor Constantine kissed the hollow pit from whence the eye was taken in reverence to his sufferings. Thirdly, Take it in the most simple and plain sense, to take him by the feet was one of the most observant forms of lowliness that could be expressed. So did that Shunamite demean herself to Elisha, when her soul travelled with agony and desire to have her Son revived to life. Mary Magdalene her penitent and humble prostration is reduced to this, when she washed our Savior 's feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. The most expressive Poet notes it that it was the best garb for a passionate Suppliant, Et genua amplectens effatur talia supplex. So when the tongue of these devout women did cleave to the roof of their mouth in a sudden astonishment, and they could not bring out one word, not so much as Rabboni; all that Mary Magdalene could say ex tempore, yet their dumb actions were instead of a voice. There was much Congratulation, and Thanksgiving, and Prayer contained in this gesture, They held him by the feet.

One great scruple troubles all Expositors upon this Point, why Mary Magdalene was repulsed from him, Joh. xx. 17. with Touch me not, and yet these women were not repulsed, but admitted to hold him by the feet. They that make no first and second Apparition, but say that Mary Magdalene and these women did not see him at two times, but altogether at once, are confounded very much in their answer, and resolve it that Mary Magdalene did touch him as well as they, (which doth not appear) and that these persons were interdicted when she was, though St. Matthew hath passed it over in silence; and that is a conjecture which hath no expression in the Word of God. Musculus, a man of good judgment otherwise, hath failed most of all in his opinion, I think, for he says, that this beavie of good women did not lay hands upon his feet, but offered it; and it is a phrase of Courtship in this Complemental Age, that such as give a visit of humble respect to a great person, say that they come to kiss his hand, though they do not use that particular Ceremony, so these stooping low to worship him are said to hold him by the feet, though they did not go so far in their salutation, as the Letter expresseth. But here is a word too strong for that evasion, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they held him, it is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not lightly to touch, but to seize upon him as strongly as their grasp could hold. Let not the truth then be denied; let two Apparitions be granted, and at the first time Mary Magdalene was denied leave to touch him, and these had permission to hold him fast. What was in it that the favor was so unequally granted? Why first, there was nothing did repugn, but that a mortal hand might touch his glorified body without offense. They that went to Emmaus, and met him by the way, are reported to have constrained him to go no further, which imports at least they held him in a friendly manner by the Arm: he invited all the Disciples to feel if he had not an elementary Composition of Body, Flesh and Bone; and S. Thomas put his whole hand into his Side, and wallowed it there, and Christ felt no pain at all. Then simply there was no Offence to touch, unless some circumstance in the act make it irregular: and so it is supposed, that Mary Magdalene, though a vessel of great holiness, yet she had forgot that Christ was past the times of humiliation, when he was a worm upon earth, now he had taken his Kingdom and his Glory upon him after he was risen from the dead; and yet she came familiarly to him upon the old acquaintance, and would have given him such a Welcome and Embracement, as she was wont to give him at her Brothers house at Bethany, as she was wont to do she called him Rabboni, and as she was wont to do, she would have touched him; but where there wanted Reverence, Christ corrected her mildly, Touch me not: But as for these Women that prostrated themselves at his feet with Adoration to worship him, they had leave to touch because in heart they had tasted the fruit of life. The Ark of God would not endure Uzzah 's touch, he died for it; but the Priests that came near it with holy access, had authority to touch it, and it was the dignity of their Office. Not to roll this stone any longer, that good Saint, Mary Magdalene was mistaken, as if Christ lived again no otherwise than as her Brother Lazarus did, to converse in the world as he had done before: Touch him not with the finger of that little Faith. But they that saw some greater excellency in him than before, and fell low on the ground before him, they may hold him by the feet. Yet there is one Interpretation beside, which casts no imputation at all upon Mary Magdalene, and I like it the better: 'tis thus, Christ had great use of her to dispatch her to his Disciples, it being expedient to send her upon that errand; yet she was loath to depart, surmising that she should see him no more; therefore when our Savior would have her to insist no longer in expressing her love, says he, Touch me not, I am not yet ascended to my Father; which is to this effect, I am not yet ascending or going away, you shall have more time to converse with me hereafter, but now it will do more good to my Disciples to hear I am risen, than for you to stay and touch me; depart, insist no longer in these expressions of Love, touch me not, I am not quite going away to the Father. But for these Women who made no such fond delay, but laid their hands on his feet, and worshipped him and rose again, no such Interdict was upon them, as Touch me not: which is the Sum of this Point.

And the next thing they did confirms me that the holding his feet was unblamable, and a sanctified action, for they worshipped him. If when the first begotten was brought into the world, it is said Let all the Angels of God worship, then when the first begotten from the dead came into Jerusalem his excellency proclaims it, let all that behold his glorified presence worship him. The wise men fell down before his Cradle and adored him, when he lay in a poor and despicable manner: and this was their wisdom to see the brightness of the Godhead in the dark Lantern of his Humanity. Nay the evil Spirit having possessed the body of him that lived in the Tombs fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, what have I to do with thee, thou Son of God most high? Luke viii. 28. Hell itself is not so refractory, but that the Spirits of darkness confess he is to be worshipped, and they did it. It was not their own body, but in that body over which they had command, they did that function of their own accord, before they were bidden. Yet it was not thanks-worthy in them, because they executed no more than the duty of the outward gesture. I do highly commend the lowly service and inclination of the body. O let down your body to the very ground before your Maker, as these women did: a man cannot be too reverent to his God. And as a Plaister of cordial Ingredients laid to the stomach, or an Unction well fomented upon the skin without, comforts the spirits within, and makes us more cheerful in our vital operations, so outward reverence helps us greatly against the dullness and drowziness of our heart: the lifting up of the eyes and hands makes a man ask in prayer more passionately: the knocking of our breast provokes our repentance to a more eager indignation against ourselves: the bowing down the head and knee makes us the better to understand the great distance between God and us: the uncovering of the head fills us with that necessary consideration in whose presence we stand. Glorify God with your body, 1 Cor. vi. 10. Tertullian and St. Cyprian read it portate Deum in corpore vestro, Carry God in your body, that is, bear your Religion openly in the observance and humility of your body. Christ is the Husband of the Church, an Husband to the Soul of every Christian; now this is gained from the similitude that the Wife is the Husband's both in her body, and in her affections: so we are Christ's as well in our bodily worship, as in our spiritual adherence to him. But because the act of worship, as concerning that which the head, the knee, the hand do execute may be used to our superiors in civil demeanor, as well as in religious usance to God, it is the addition of sanctity conceived in the heart and mind, which makes it Religious Adoration: for the complete definition of it is thus, adoratio est veneratio talis exterior, quae ex cord pio & religioso procedit; that is, that's the adoration due to God, and to him alone, which with the exterior veneration of the body proceeds out of the pious and religious intention of the heart: If you yield any token of outward obeisance, and mean it to him who hath created you, who hath given you all that you have, who rose from the dead that we also might rise with him, then it is raised up from civil homage, and it becomes Divine Worship. These apprehensions were in the hearts of these women, and thereupon their bodies bowed down in lowliness, and so it wants not one grain of due weight, but that it was the worshipping of the Lord Jesus.

From those things which were personally performed by the women I remove forward to all that which was personally performed by Christ, and that is contained in his action, or his words: his action is but in this one passage, Behold Jesus met them. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not to overtake one, or to come behind them, but to meet them full but, as our phrase is; therefore it hath somewhat in it diverse from that Apparition which was made to Mary Magdalene, and it cannot be the same: for he stood behind her, and she turned about to look upon him, but when he presented himself to these Women, he met them face to face. They were going to tell his Disciples and he that was no hindrance to their journey stood in their way. Behold and marvel at it, for the hope of the Resurrection was out of their heads; they came to embalm his dead Body, not to see him living: Or suppose we that the Angels had lately persuaded them to that Faith that he was alive again, yet to speak indifferently, they had no cause to expect him in that place, or anywhere near to Jerusalem, for the Angel told them thus in the 7. verse, Behold he goes before you to Galilee. Was there any cause therefore that they should think to bless their eyes with him before they had made a journey into Galilee? but behold the Angels