The Happiness of the Church, Biblical commentary 13
MAIESTIE IN MISERIE OR The power of Christ euen dying.
MATH. 27. 51.
And behold, the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine, from the top to the bottome; and the earth did quake, and the rockes rent: and the graues were opened, and many bodies of Saints which slept, arose.
IN the lowest depth of Christs humiliation, GOD neuer left him without some euident and eminent testimony of his diuine power. He hangs here on the crosse dying, yea dead; his enemies insulting ouer him, whereis now his God? If he be able to saue vsus, let him saue himselfe. He beares not onelyonly the wrath of God, but euen the reproch of men. Yet euen now shall his Diuinitie appeare, and breake like a glorious Sunne through these clouds of miserie: he rents the vaile, shakes the earth, breakes the stones, raiseth the dead.
These two verses stand gloriously adorned with foure myracles.
1. The vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine. You will say perhaps, the substance of it was not so strong, but an easie force might rend it. But ver. 50. Christ was dead before, or dyed at that very instant. It was aboue nature, that a dying, yea a dead man, crucified in so remote a place from it, should rend the vaile within the Temple.
2. The earth did quake. Say the vaile was of lesse substance, yet the huge bodie of the earth will trie a mans strength. In vaine should silly man contend with that, which shall deuoure him. He cannot moue the earth, the earth shall remoue him; from walking aliue on it, to lie dead in it. Behold the power of Christ; Terram mouet; hee makes the vast bodie of the earth to tremble.
3. The rockes rent. Will any yet say, naturall causes can shake the earth? then let their malicious cauill bee choaked with this third myracle beyond exception; he breakes the stones; not little stones, but huge massie rockes.
4. Lastly to stop the mouth of all aduersaries to his diuine power; he rayseth vp the dead. Suscitare mortuos esepulchro, is onelyonly proper to God. aPsal. 49. 7. 9.No man can giuegive a ransome to God for his brother, that hee should liue for euer, and not see corruption. How much lesse when he is dead, recouer him to life againe. Here was the finger of God. Now to proceede in order with the myracles.
1. Myracle.
The Vaile of the Temple, &c. This Vaile was the partition betwixt the Sanctum Sanctorum, & the Sanctum; as it might be the vpper part of the Quire. bHeb. 9. 7.Into this went the high Priest alone once euerie yeare, not without bloud, which he offred for himselfe, and for the errours of the people. By the renting this Vaile were many things presignified.
1. This serues for a confirmation of that Christ spoke on the Crosse; It is finished. The renting of the Vaile doth actually eccho to his wordes, and indeede fulfils them. Here is an end put to all the Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the law. In the new Testament one onelyonly reall and royall Sacrifice, Christ crucified. This was that obiect whereto all those legall rites looked; & to them all there is now giuen a Consu…tum est. So that now Coremonia mortua, Lex mortifera: Ceremonies are dead, and the typicall law deadly. Nouum Testamentum latet in veteri, Vetus patet in nouo. The Gospell lay hidden vnderunder the law, the law is compleat in the Gospell. cGala. 4. 9.Now after that you hauehave knowne God in his Gospell, how turne you againe to the weake and beggarly Elements, whereunto you desire againe to be in bondage? Gods seruice is now simple and plaine; dIoh. 4. 23.in spirit and truth.
Christ is sayd to be the end of the law: the morrall law he kept himselfe syncerely, and satisfied for vsus soundly. The Ceremoniall was referred to him, performed of him, fulfilled in him, extinguished by him. They had all Vig… a Christo, relationem ad Christum, consummationem in Christo. Hee gaue them their beginning, hee hath also giuen them their end. The Vaile rent, to witnesse the cancelling of that rituall obligation. Christ hath blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against Colos. 2. 14.vsus, nailing it to his Crosse. That moment was their last gaspe; they expired with Christ. But d…d all Ceremonies then vtterly die? No: some were typicall prefiguring Christ: those are dead. Some are for decencie and order, adminicula deuotionis, these are not dead. The law of Iewish ceremonies is abolished: but some must be retained. Christ came not to dissolue order. Men consist of bodies as well as soules; and God must bee serued with both: now bodies cannot serue God without externall rites: the Spouse of Christ cannot bee without her borders and laces. On necessitie there must be some outward obseruances; but thus qualified. That they be for number few, for signification plaine, for obseruation simple: farre from ostentation, farther from superstition. Christ his Spouse must not flaunt it like an harlot, but be soberly attired like a graue matron. Ceremoniae quasi care moniae, wants a carendo; as it were ordained to supply the defects of our nature. Because we could not serue God in that simplicitie we ought, therefore wee hauehave these helpes. Hence it is, that the nearer to perfection, the fewer ceremonies; as it were the more light, the lesse shadow. In the law were abundant ceremonies, in the Gospell far fewer, in heauen none at all.
This condemnes the Church of Rome for a glorious Harlot, because shee loads her selfe with such a heape of gawdy ceremonies: and their masse for meere Idolatry, which they beleeue to bee a reall propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ, made by the Priestes for the sinnes of quicke and dead. This is to build vp the vaile here rent in pieces, and to accuse Christ of falshood in his Consummatum est. Is an end put to them, and shall they still retaine them, yea obtrude them as principall partes of Gods seruice; yea worship them, yea bind mens consciences to them on paine of damnation? Therefore they are liable to Augustines censure; who cals such Impios sepulturae viol…tores; Diggers into the graues of the dead for putrified and rotten reliques. Yea to the Iudgement of God; who sayth, If ye be dead with Christ Colos. 2. 20. 22.from the rudiments of the world: why, as though liuing in the world, are ye subiect to Ordinances? after the commaundements and doctrines of men? They will say, Dicit Papa, sanxit Concilium; thus sayth the Pope, thus decrees the Councell: but wee, Dixit Dominus, non Donatus: wee heare what the Lord sayes, in his Scripture concerning the law of ceremonies.
2. The second thing signified by the renting the vaile is this. The holy of holyes figured the third heauen; where GOD sheweth himselfe in glory and maiestie to his Saints. Salomons Temple hadde in it three Courts; an vtter court whereinto the people were admitted: an inner Court wherein onelyonly the Priests and Leuites entred: an inmost of all, whereinto the high Priest alone, and that but once a yeare; and this was called Sanctum Sanctorum. So there is a threefolde Heauen: Coelum elementarium, Stellatum, Gloriosum. First the Elementarie heauen, wherein are cloudes, windes, raine, dew: and the birds are called the birds of heauen, that is of this elementarie heauen. The second is the Starrey heauen: So the Sunne is sayd to aPsal. 19. 6.goe from the end of the heauen, and his circuite vntounto the ends of it. The last is the Glorious, heauen, the habitation of God himselfe: and this was signified by the Holy of holyes. The vaile signified the flesh of Christ: the renting of the vaile, the crucifying of Christ: by this is made an entrance into that Sanctum Sanctorum, the heauen of glory. So expressely. Heb. 10. Hauing therefore boldnesse to enter into the Holyest by the Heb. 10. 19.bloud of Iesus; By a new and liuing way which he hath consecrated for vsus, through the vaile, that is to say, His Flesh. Heauen gate was shut vp by our sinnes; none but our highest and holyest Priest had passage there: but hee rent the vaile, suffred his bodie to be torne by death, that he might giuegive vsus an entrance. Paul speaking of the legall vse of that Holyest place in the Temple, sayth thus. Heb. 9. The holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the Holiest Heb. 9. 8.of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing. But now by Christ his renting the vaile, Patet alti ianua Coeli, the way of saluation is opened. Let this reach forth to vsus two comforts.
1. There is no feare to be shut out of heauen, if thou hauehave faith in Christ: for to thee is the vaile rent, the separation is abolished, Christ is crucified. For So, sayth Saint Peter, b2. Pet. 1. 11.an entrance shall be ministred vntounto you aboundantly, into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Indeede to vnbeleeuers and hypocrites, to worldly wolues and luxurious goates the vaile is vp still. How should they enter the Sanctum sanctorum, that neuer approched the Sanctum? How shall they see the glory of God, who would neuer entertaine the grace of God? No: to these there are inaccessible barres, and Cherubims with flaming swords, to forbidde their entrance. But to eueryevery good and faithfull Seruant the vaile is taken away; and Christ sayes; cMath. 25. 21.enter thou into the ioy of the Lord.
2. By this meanes we hauehave in this world a free accesse to the Throne of grace by our prayers: the vaile and separation of sinne and wrath is rent asunder by Christ, and a cleare way made for our supplications. The Propitiatory and MercieMercy-seate, the Cherubims of glory shadowing it, the very presence of God, were within the Holyest: and the people might not approach it, but stood without a farre off: Our Sauiour hath torne away this vaile, and opened our petitions a free passage to the Seate of merciemercy in heauen. Hauing such an high Priest ouer the house of God; (sayth Paul immediately after the clearing our way through the vaile) dHeb. 10. 22.Let vsus draw neare with a true-heart, in full assurance of faith, &c. Wee see howe farre our prerogatiue excelles that of the Iewes. They were seruants, we are sonnes, and cry Abba Father: they had Priests, we are Priests: they had a barre, to vsus that vaile is rent away. eHeb. 4. 16.Let vsus therefore come boldly vntounto the Throne of grace, that we may obtaine merciemercy, and find grace to helpe in time of neede. This is singular comfort, that poore subiects may bee sure of accesse to the King with their petitions; yea more, bee heard in all their desires: yea most of all, hauehave an Aduocate at the Kinges right hand to plead their cause. But then remember the Psalmists caution. fPsal. 66. 18.If I regard wickednesse in my heart, the Lord will not heare mee. Let the seruants of Baal cry neuer so loudly, if lewdly; their prayers are not heard. To the cryes of vnfaithfull sinners the vaile is vp still; and like a thicke cloud reuerberates & beats backe their orisons; that they cannot ascend to the Throne of grace. OnelyOnly faith makes a free passage, and a cleare conscience hath a cleare voyce, that can peirce heauen.
3. The breaking downe of this vaile did make the Holyest and the other part of the temple all one. Whereby was signified, that of two was made one, Iewes and Gentiles one Church. gEphe. 2. 14.He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene vsus. So that now those, the Iewes called dogges, eat the bread of the children; yea they are the children: and hGen. 9. 27.Iaphet is perswaded to dwell in the tents of Sem. She is also Beloued that was hated; euen the Church of the Gentiles is the Spouse of Christ. The vaile that hindred, Paul cals the iEphe. 2. 15.Law of commandements, contained in ordinances: this he abolished for to make in himselfe, of twaine, one new man. Heauen gate is no wider open to a Iew, then to a Grecian. kGal. 6. 16.In Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing, nor vncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walke according to this rule, peace be on them, and merciemercy, and vponupon the Israel of God: The Sum of the Gospell, as of the world, is not confined to lighten Iudea onelyonly, but shines vniuersally. There is not one priuiledge, wherein the Gentile hath not as franke a share, as the Iew: the sonnes of Hagar are adopted the sonnes of God; and the free lGal. 4. 26.Ierusalem aboue is the mother of vsus all. All this did our blessed Sauiour worke for vsus by renting the vaile; mEphe. 2. 16.That he might reconcile both vntounto God in one body by the crosse, hauing slaine the enmitie therby.
Oh then let vsus keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Christ hath made vsus at one, let vsus not make our selues twaine. The vaile is rent, why set we vp new; schismes in doctrine, iarres in conuersation? The bill of diuorcement is cancelled: let vsus louelove our husband Christ, and for his sake eueryevery man his brother. Let vsus set vp no more vailes, least we doe it with the curse of building more Iericho's. There is no bond so sure as Religions; no ligaments so strong, as faith and a good conscience. Wretched man, that breakest these t…es, and rentest thy selfe from them to whome thou art by Christ vnited: A mothers, yea a Fathers blessing forsakes thee: and thou buildest vp a new vaile, which thou must looke for no more Christs to come rent asunder.
4. The renting of the vaile teacheth vsus; that when men sinne rebelliously against God, no prerogatiue shall doe them good. The Temple was one of their principallest priuiledges, their glory, their crowne. nIer. 7. 4.The Temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. It was a figure of the Church militant as Solomon the builder was a figure of Christ. For this Temples sake God often spared them. So Daniel prayes; oDan. 9. 17.Cause thy face to shine vponupon thy Sanctuary, that is desolate. Yet when they fall away from God, and crucifie their Messias, this prerogatiue helpes not. For here Gods owne hand rents the vaile, and after giues the whole fabricke a spoyle to the Gentiles. pMala. 2. 2.If ye will not heare, if ye will not lay it to heart, I will send a curse vponupon you, I will curse your blessings: yea I hauehave cursed them already, because you doe not lay it to heart. It lies in mans sinne, to make God curse his very blessings: and to punish the nocent in the innocent creatures.
We see the way, how wee may loose Temples, and peace, and Gospell, and all priuiledges; by running the courses of disobedience. Who can number the blessings we hauehave enioyed by the Gospell? Let vsus beware, least our vngracious and vngratefull liues robbe vsus not of that, with all the appertinent comforts. They that hauehave trauelled the Belgicke Prouinces, can witnesse the miserable footsteps of warre, and the tyrannie of desolation. Churches and Cities hauehave no more monuments, but the ruined foundations to testifie that they were. Sin made way for bloud and massacre; Idolatrie puld downe those wals, which otherwise the most sacrilegious hand should hauehave forborne. If there had beene no enemie to rase them, they would hauehave falne alone, rather then couered so blasphemous impietie vnderunder their guiltie roofes. qPsal. 122. 7.Peace is within our walles, & prosperitie within our palaces; blessed for euer be our God of peace for it. Yet we hauehave a subtle aduersarie, Sacriledge, that incroacheth sore vponupon vsus, and rPsal. 83. 12.hath taken many of Gods houses in possession. We cannot say, sPsal. 74. 8.They hauehave burnt vp all the Synagogues in the land: but they hauehave done very wickedly to the Lords Sanctuaries. The wals stand, and it is well if in many places they do so: but there is not a Leuite to feede the people; alas, how can there when there is nothing left to feede a Leuite? Couetousnes would do as much hurt with vsus, as warre hath done with our neighbours: it would, but I trust in the Lord Iesus, it shall not. Though they hauehave rent away Gods right, tMala. 3. 8.Tithes and offrings: they shall neuer rent away Gods Truth and Gospell: rent themselues from it indeede they are likely to do.
5. Lastly, The Vaile was rent. By renting the part God did threaten the subuersion of the whole. If he spare not the Holy of holyes, then much lesse the rest. Ezek. 9. When God had comanded; Slay vtterly old & young, maides and children; he addes withall, And begin Ezek. 9. 6.at my Sanctuary. If God begin at his Sanctuary, he will not faile to end with the rest: if that shall not scape being profaned, how much lesse houses built for riot & disorder, pride & ambition! If the Temple of praiers, then surely the dens of theeues. uIer. 25. 29.For loe, I begin to bring euil on the citie which is called by my name, & shall ye go vnpunished? sayth God to the Heathen. If the sacredst things defiled by Idolatry shall be subuerted, neuer thinke that your faire houses shall stand, when they are made couerts of oppressions, and convents of superstition! when the better things are not fauoured, the worst hauehave small hope. So Peter reasons; a1. Pet 4. 17.If Iudgment shall beginne at the house of God, what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell? If the strong Cedars in Lebanon be rooted vp, woe to the rotten-rooted poplars. If the dragons taile swoope starres from heauen, what shall become of squalid earthy vapours? The Temple was one of the worlds greatest wonders; as curious a workemanship as sixe and thirtie yeares could make it: it wanted not the art of man, yea the blessing of heauen was added to it. Yet now loe, Etiam periere ruinae; this goodly building by sin was brought to ruine, yea euen the very ruines are perished. Shall then your Forts and Pallaces, worldlinges Paradises: full of rapine, emptie of charitie; stand against all weathers and stormes of iudgement? No, stone shall fall after stone; and ruine shall one day tell the passengers, as GOD threatned of Ierusalem; Here stood a goodly Manner, a sumptuous edifice, a royall Pallace. Or if they fall not downe in themselues, they shall fall to the owners; whose iniquities hauehave defiled them.
God punisheth by certaine degrees; first he rents the vaile, then rents away the Temple: As by Dauids hand he first rent Saules garment, and then rent away his kingdome. God at first toucheth men lightly; in their goods, quiet, health: if these stirre not to repentance, he proceeds against the whole b1. Cor. 3. 16.Know yee not that ye are the Temple of God? If you set vp in this Temple Idoles, lusts, and euill affections, God first rents the vaile, toucheth you with some gentle afflictions: but if you still continue to make this Temple a denne of theeues, the Temple it selfe will be destroyed.
You hauehave heard the first myracle, the renting of the vaile. As the Iewes were wont to rend their garments Theophyl.when they heard blasphemie against God: so it may seeme the Temple tore his garments, rent his vaile in pieces, when it heard those execrable blasphemies against the Sonne of God.
2. Myracle.
The earth did quake. The Philosophers hauehave giuen diuers naturall causes of earth-quakes: as by hote and dry exhalations shut vp in the bowels of the earth, and labouring for vent resisted by the earths solidnes, there ensueth terrae motus, a shaking of the earth, &c. But this was an extraordinary earth-quake; for it hapned exactly at the very instant of Christs death.
It might bee to set forth the glory of the new Testament, and to vindicate it from inferioritie to the olde. The law was both giuen and renewed with an earthquake. Giuen. Exod. 19. to the hand of Moses. The whole Exod. 19. 18.mount quaked greatly. As at the giuing mount Sinai, so at the renewing mount c1. Kin. 19. 11Horeb quaked. As Eliah stood vppon the Mount, there passed by a strong wind, and after the wind an Earth-quake. So when the Lord of the Gospell dyed, the earth shooke: that d2. Cor. 3. 9.the ministration of righteousnesse might not be lesse glorious, then the ministration of death. This myracle shall giuegive vsus a threefolde instruction.
1. To consider the fiercenesse of Gods wrath against sinnes and sinners. For God by shaking the earth did no lesse then threaten the vtter subuersion of those desperate and bloudie wretches. Corah and his confederates were swallowed vp of the earth, for rebelling against Moses the Lords seruant. eHebr. 10. 29.Of much how sorer punishment were these worthy, that had crucified (not the seruant, but) the Son of God! If the mercies of God had not bin greater then their iniquities, they had not escaped.
By this we see how able God is to punish sinners: he shewes what he can doe; it is his merciemercy, that hee forbeares. Some of these were to be conuerted, therefore concussi, non excussi; moued not remoued, shaken but not destroied. Ostendisti populo grauia, saith the Psalmist. fPsal. 60. 3.Thou hast shewed thy people hard things. Shewed, not imposed: shooke the rod, not laid it on. This forbearance of God gRom. 2. 4.should lead vsus on to repentance: if not, it is but the forerunner of vengeance. Though nowe by mouing the earth he scare and spare these Iewes, yet after the earth spued them out, as an offence to her stomacke. O obstinate hearts, that quake not, when the sencelesse ground quakes that beares so vnprofitable a burden. Cannot the earth admonish thee? it shall deuour thee. Si non m…nebit. mouebit. If the almighties hand stirring it, hath not stird thee to repentance; a Sextons hand shall couer thee with moulds; a weake shaker shall doe it. Thinke when God moues the earth, he preacheth to thy soule: if thy heart (so little in comparison of that great vast bodie) will not tremble, know God hath one thing that shall shake thee to peices; death.
2. The nature of sinne is here considerable; so heauie that it makes the very earth to quake. The Iewes sinnes were such a burden, that the earth could not beare them without trembling. The earth is fixed, and standeth fast sayth the Psalmist; as the Center of the world: it is strange that to bee moued; euen so strange is the cause that moues it. It must needs bee a monstrous waight of iniquitie, that totters the earth on her foundations. But why is the earth so quiet now? Doe not innumerable wretches daily crucifie Christ; by their oathes, blasphemies, and rebellions in his head; by their persecutions & oppressions in his members? Is not his word derided, his Sacraments despised, his good creatures abused? Why doth not the earth shrinke and shake at these horred impieties? Be still: he that holds his hand from myracles, wil not hold it from plagues: They are for borne, not forgiuen. God keepes silence, but hee sleepeth not: the earth may spare them, but hPsal. 73. 19.Desolation in a moment shall swallow them. To the Iewes the earth moued, and they stood still: to these the earth shall stand still, and themselues shall be moued.
3. There is nothing on the earth that is not moueable, if the earth it selfe be moueable. iPsal. 104. 5.God hath laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be moued. Yet so, that hee who laid it, can shake it. If the earth, then whatsoeuer Iob 9. 6. He shaketh the earth out of her place: and the pillars thereof tremble.is built vponupon it. k2. Pet. 3. 10.The earth shall be burnt, sayth Peter. What alone? no, the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp. The workes of mens hands, the workes of their brines, their very thoughts shall perish. lHeb. 12. 27.The Lords voyce shooke the earth, and hee hath saide, yet once againe I will shake not the earth onelyonly, but also heauen. O blessed place that is not subiect to this shaking: whose ioyes hauehave not onelyonly an amiable countenance, but a glorious continuance. The things that are shaken shall be remoued, but the things that are not shaken remaine for euer. All the terrours of this worlde mooue not him that is fixed in heauen. Impauidum ferient ruinae. mPsal. 125. 1.They that put their trust in the Lord, shall be as mount Sion, which cannot beremoued, but abideth for euer. But the Tabernacles and hopes of the wicked shall perish together. n1. Ioh. 2. 17.For the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth euer. Whereon sayth August. Quid vis? Vtrum amare temporalia, & transire cum tempore! an amare Christum, & viuere in aeternum? Whether wilt thou louelove the world, and perish with it? or louelove Christ, & liue for euer?
3. Myracle.
The rockes rent. A wonderfull act, to breake stones and rend rockes. This giues vsus two obseruations.
1. This did foresignifie the power and efficacie of the Gospell, that it should bee able to breake the very rockes. As the death and passion of Christ did cleaue those solid and almost impenetrable substances: so the publishing of his death and passion shall rend and breake in pieces the rockie hearts of men. So Iohn Baptist said; oMath. 3. 9.God is able of stones to rayse vp children vntounto Abraham. The hearts of Zaccheus, Mary Magdalene, Paul, were such rockes; yet they were cleft with the wedge of the Gospell. This is that Rod of Moses, able to breake the hardest Rockes; till they gush out with flouds of penitent teares. This is Ieremies hammer, powerfull to bruise the most obdurate hearts. The bloud of the Goate sacrificed, of force to dissolue Adamant. There is power in the bloud of Iesus, to put sense into stones. Blessed are you, if you be thus broken-hearted for him, whose heart was broken for you. For pPsal. 51. 17.the broken heart the Lord will not despise.
2. Obserue the wonderfull hardnesse of the Iewes hearts. The stones rent and claue in sunder at the cruell death of Iesus: but their hearts more stony then stones, are no whit moued. They rend not their garments, much lesse their hearts: when as the earth rent the Stones her bones, and the rockes her ribbes. The flints are softer then they: the flints breake, they harden. They still belch their malicious blasphemies, the rocks relent: the stones are become men, and the men stones. O the sencelesnesse of a hard heart: rockes will sooner breake, then that can be mollified. Euen the hardest creatures are flexible to some agents: flints to the raine, iron to the fire, stones to the hammer: but this heart yeelds to nothing; neyther the showers of merciemercy, nor the hammer of reproofe, nor the fire of Iudgements: but like the stithy, are still the harder for beating. All the plagues of Egypt cannot mollifie the heart of Pharaoh. It is wondrously vnnaturall, that men made the softest hearted of all, should be rigidiores lupis, duriores lapidibus; more cruell then wolues, more hard then stones. I woulde to GOD all hard-heartednesse had dyed with these Iewes; but it is not so. Howe often hath Christ beene here crucified; in the word preaching his Crosse to your eares, in the Sacraments presenting his death to your eyes; thinke, thinke in your owne soules, hauehave not the stones in the walles of this Church beene as much moued? God forbid our obduratenesse should be punished as theirs was: since they would be so stonyhearted, Ierusalem was turned to a heape of stones; and the conquering Romanes dasht them pitifully against those stones, which they exceeded in hardnesse.
Here let the wicked see their doome: the stones that will not be softned, shall be broken. There is no changing the decree of God, but change thy nature, and then know thou art not decreed to death. Stony harts shall bee broken to pieces with vengeance: doe not striue to alter that doome, but alter thy owne stony heart to a heart of flesh, and so preuent it in the particular. Wolues and goates shall not enter into heauen: thou maiest pull starres out of heauen before alter this sentence; but doe it thus. Leaue that nature, and become one of Christes sheepe, and then thou art sure to enter. No adulter… nor couetous person, sayth Paul, q1. Cor. 6. 9.shall inherite the kingdo… of heauen: this doome must stand; but not against thee, if thou bee conuerted. Such were Ver. 11.ye, but ye are washed, &c. You are not such. Had the Iewes ceased to be stones, they had beene spared. God will roote thornes and bryers out of his vineyard: if thou wouldst not hauehave him roote out thee, become a Vine: and bring forth good grapes. God threatens to breake the hairy sealpe of him that goes on in sinne; yet mayest thou ward this blow from thy selfe; Goe no further on in sinne. When God comes in iudgement to visite the earth, to shatter rockes, and breake stones in peeces; thou hast a heart of flesh, mollified with repentance. Let the earth quake, and the rockes teare; thy faith hath saued thee; goe in peace.
4. Miracle.
The graues were opened, and many bodyes of Sanits which slept, arose. Concerning this two questions are moued.
1. Where their soules were all this while before. I answere, where the scripture hath no tongue, we should hauehave no eare. Most probably thus: their soules were in heauen, in Abrahams bosome; and came downe to their bodyes by diuine dispensation, to manifest the power and Deitie of Christ.
2. Whither they went afterwards. I answere by the same likelyhood, that they died no more, but waited on the earth till Christs resurrection; and then attended him to heauen. But these things that are concealed, should not be disputed. Tutum est nescire quod tegitur. It is a safe ignorance, where a man is not commanded to know. Let vsus then see what profitable instructions we can hence deriue to our selues. They are many, and therefore I will but lightly touch them.
1. This teacheth vsus, that Christ by his death hath vanquished death, euen in the graue, his owne chamber. That gyant is subdued, the graues flie open, the dead goe out. This beares ample witnesse to that speach of Christ. rIoh. 11. 25.I am the resurrection and the life: he that beleeueth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he liue. The bodies of the Saints, what part of the earth or sea soeuer holds their dusts, shall not be detayned in prison; when Christ cals for them: as the members must needs goe, when the Head drawes them. He shall speake to all creatures, Reddite quod deuorastis: restore whatsoeuer of man you hauehave deuoured: not a dust, not a bone can be denyed. The bodyes of the Saints shall be raised, sayth August. sIn Enchirid.Tanta facilitate quanta faelicitate: with as much easynes, as happynes. tSen. epist. 36.Desinunt ista, non pereunt: mors intermittit vitam, non eripit. Our bodies are left for a time, but perish not: death may discontinue life, not conclude it. Intermittit…, non interimitur: it may be paused, cannot be destroyed.
2. Obserue, that all the dead doe not rise, but Many, and those Saints. The generall resurrection is reserued to the last day: this a pledge or earnest of it. Now who shall rise with this comfort? none but Saints: as here Christ takes no other company from the graues, but Saints. u1. Thess. 4. 16The dead in Christ shall rise first. Christ is called aColoss. 1. 18.The first borne from the dead: He hath risen, and his shall next follow him. Euerie man in his owne order; b1. Cor. 15. 23.Christ the first fruits, afterward they that are Christs, at his comming. Wormes and corruption shall not hinder: he that sayd To Corruption, thou art my mother: and to the wormes, you are my brethren and sisters: sayd also, I know that my Redeemer liueth, and one day with these eyes I shall behold him. The wicked shall also be raised, though with horrour, to looke vponupon him whom they hauehave pierced. But as Christ did here, so will he at the last, single out the Saints to beare him companie.
3. This sheweth the true operation of Christs death in all men. We are all dead in our sins, as these bodies were in their graues: now when Christs death becomes effectuall to our soules, we rise againe and become new creatures. From the graue of this world we come into the Church, the holy Citie. But thou complainest of the deadnes of thy hart: it is well thou complainest; there is some life or thou couldst not feele the deadnesse. cIoh. 5. 25.The houre is comming & now is, when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God, and they that heare it shall liue. If this word hath raysed thee from death, and wrought spirituall life in thy heart, thou shalt perceiue it by thy breathing, words glorifying God; & by thy mouing, in the waies, & to the workes of obedience.
4 Obserue that these Saints which arose, are sayd to hauehave Slept. The death of the godly is often called a Sleepe. So it is sayd of the Patriarches and Kings of Iudah, they slept with their fathers. So Paul saith, they d1. Cor. 15. 18sleep in Christ. The Coffin is a couch; In quo molliùs dormit, qui benè in vita laborauit, wherein hee takes good rest, that hath wrought hard in the worke of his saluation before he went to bed. Foelix somnus cum requie, requies cum voluptate, voluptas …um aeternitate. It is a sweete sleepe that hath peace with rest, rest with pleasure, pleasure with euerlastingnes. So the godly sleepe, till the Sound of a Trumpet shall waken them, and then eternall glory shall receiue them.
5. Lastly obserue that Ierusalem is called the Holy citie, though she were at this time a sinke of sinne, and a debaushed harlot. Either as some thinke, that she is called holy, because she was once holy. So Rahab is called the harlot, because she was a harlot. Simon is termed the dMath. 26. 6.Leper, for that hee was a leper: and eMath. 10. 3.Mathew the Publican, for that he was a Publican. Or els she was called holy for the couenants sake; in regard of the Temple, sacrifices, seruice of God; and of the elect people of God that were in it. Whence we may inferre, how vnlawfull it is to separate from a Church because it hath some corruptions. Is apostate Ierusalem that hath crucified her Sauiour, called still the holy Citie: and must England that departeth in nothing from the faith and doctrine of her Sauiour, for some scarce discernible Imperfections be reiected as a foedifragous strumpet? But there be wicked persons in it: what then? Shee may be still a holy Cittie. Recedatur ab iniquitate, non ab iniquis. Let vsus depart from sinne, we cannot runne from sinners.
Thus we hauehave considered the Miracles; let vsus now looke into the causes, wherefore they were wrought.
These may be reduced into fiue. In respect of
The Sufferer dying.
The Creatures obeying.
The Iewes persecuting.
The Women beholding.
The Disciples forsaking.
1. In regard of Christ; to testifie not onelyonly his Innocencie, but his Maiestie. His Innocencie, that hee was as Pilates wife acknowledged, a fMath. 27. 19.Iust man. His Maiestie as the Centurion confessed, gMath. 27. 54.Seeing the earth quake and the things that were done; Truely this was the Sonne of God. He seemed a worme, no man: the contempt and derision of the people, forsaken of his confidence: in the midst of all God will not leaue him without witnesses; but raiseth vp senseles creatures as Preachers of his deitie. Est aterni filius, qui illic pendet mortuus. He that hangs there dead on the Crosse, is the Sonne of the eternall God. Rather then the children of God shall want witnesses of their integritie, God will worke myracles for their testimonie.
2. In regard of the Creatures, to shew their Obedience to their Creator: they are not wanting to him, that gaue being to them. These demonstrate, it was their Lord that suffered; and that they were ready to execute vengeance on his murderers. The heauen that was darke would hauehave rained fire on them: the earth that quaked, shooke them to peeces: the rockes that rent, tumbled on them: and the graues that opened to let out other prisoners, hauehave swallowed them quicke. They all waited but his command to performe this revengefull execution. Who shall now dare to persecute Christ in his members? The stones are thy enemies, the earth gapes for thee, hell it selfe enlargeth her iawes: if the Lord but hisse to them, they are suddenly in an vprore against thee. Goe on in your malice ye raging persecutors: you cannot wrong Christ, no not in his very members, but you pull the fists of all creatures in heauen, earth, and hell about your eares: flies from the aire, beasts from the earth, poison from sustenance, thunder from the clouds; yea at last also (though now they helpe you) the very deuils from hell against you. All creatures shoote their malignancie at them, that shoot theirs at Christ.
3. In respect of the Iewes, his enemies; to shame and confound them. The rockes and graues are moued at his passion, not they. Lapides tremunt homines fremunt. The stones rent, the huge earth quakes with feare; the Iewes rage with malice. We see how difficult it is to mollifie a hard heart: harder then to remoue a mountaine, raise the dead, cleaue a rocke, shake the whole earth. It is a great mryacle to conuert a wicked man; greater then rending of rockes. Moses rod stroke a Rocke thrice and did it: ministers hauehave stroke mens rocky harts three hundreth times, and cannot. The graues sooner open, then the sepulchers of sinne and darkenes: the vast earth sooner quakes, then mens hearts at Gods iudgements.
4. In respect of the women that stood by; that their faith might be confirmed. For seeing him on the Crosse, at their merciemercy, whose bowels neuer knew the softnes of such a nature: exposed to all the tyrannie of their hands and tongs: hands that like cruell Chirurgions searched eueryevery part of his blessed body: tongues that ranne nimbly through all the passages of obloquie, till they had ouertaken reproch it selfe, and cast it on him: His body at the full will of the tormenters, and his soule not without intolerable terrors; as they might iudge by strange speech that came from him; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Doth man triumph ouer him, and doth God forsake him? This might breed in their hearts a suspition: either that hee was a deceiuer, or else vtterly cut off. To stifle this doubt in the very birth, hee shakes the earth, and rends the rockes; that as they knew him dying Hominem v…rum, so they might perceaue him doing these myracles not Hominem merum; but the euerliuing God. These wonders; blow the sparke of their faith, almost dying with Christ; and roote in their hearts a deepe and infallible perswasion of their Sauiour. Something there is to keepe the faith of the elect from quenching, though Satan raigne on it showres of discomforts. Though no obiect greets the eye of flesh but discouragement yet there is a secret Sp…it within, that will neuer suffer the faith to faile.
5. In regard of the Disciples; to shame and conuince them for leauing him, Christ had said before, Luk. 19. Luk. 19. 40.Si hitacerent, loquerentur lapides. If these (speaking of his Disciples) should hold their peace, the stones would immediatly cry out. Loe, this saying is here come to passe: the Disciples hold their peace, the stones speake: they forsake Christ, the rockes proclaime him. Such a shame is it for Apostles and ministers of Christ to hold their peace; that if they be silent, the very stones shall preach against them. The walles, windowes, pauements of Churches shall cry out against such Pastors, that vndertake the office of a sheep-heard, and feed Christ his flocke with nothing but ayre. And euen you that come to heare; if no remorse can be put into your hearts at the relation of our Sauiours death: if you hauehave no feeling of his sorrowes, no apprehension of these mysteries, no repentance of your sinnes, no emendation of your liues; know that the very seates whereon you sit, the walles of your Temples, the very stones you tread on, shall beare witnesse against you.
Now the Lord Iesus, that at his death brake the Rockes; by the vertue of his death breake our rocky hearts; that being mollified in this life they may be glorified in the life to come. Grant this O Father for thy mercies sake, O Christ for thy merits sake, O holy Spirit for thy names sake: To whom three persons, one onelyonly wise and eternall God, be glory and prayse for euer.
Amen.