The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 29
THE XXIX. LECTVRE, OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST.
MATTH. CHAP. XXVIII.
verse 5 But the Angell anſwered, and ſaide to the women, Feare yee not: for I knowe that yee ſeeke IESVS, who was crucified:
MARKE CHAP. XVI.
verse 2 Therefore, earlie in the morning, the first day of the weeke, they came vntounto the ſepulchre, when the Sunne was now riſen.
verse 3 And they ſaide one to another, Who ſhall roll vsus away the ſtone from the doore of the ſepulchre?
verse 4 And when they looked, they ſaw that the ſtone was rolled awaye (for in was a verie great one)
verse 5 So they went into the ſepulchre, and ſawe a young man ſitting at the right ſide, clothed in a long white robe: and they were ſore troubled.
IOHN CHAP. XX.
verse 1 Nowe the first daye of the weeke, came Marie Magdalene, earlie, when it was yet darke, vntounto the ſepulchre, and ſaw the ſtone taken away from the tombe.
verse 2 Then ſhee ran, and came to Simon Peter, and to the other Diſciple whome IESVS loued, and ſaide vntounto them, They hauehave taken awaye the LORDE out of the ſepulchre, and wee knowe not where they hauehave layed him.
THe Reſurrection of Ieſus (Beloued Brethren) was without any witneſſes; no man ſaw Him riſe: therfore, the foure Euangeliſts recorde not that anie man or womā ſaw the Lord riſe out of the graue: for ſo it pleaſed the Lord to ariſe from the dead, that He would not hauehave neither man nor woman in this world ſeeing Him riſe. The Teſtimony of the foure Euangeliſts, is, That after He was riſen without any witneſſes, then His Reſurrectiō was known & made manifeſt to ye world by many witneſſes. They ſet down two occaſions of ye Reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt: The firſt occaſion was thorow the womē, Mary Magd. & Mary the mother of Iames, who after they had ſeene Him buried, returned home to buy odours to embalme the dead body of Ieſus, where He lay in the graue. Now whē the Sabbath had paſſed by, the womē buyes the ſweet odours in the night time, which proceeded the Lords day, as we term it: & in the night time they confect them, yt in the day they might enbalme the precious body of Ieſus. Theſe womē (in the dawning of the day, before the Sun roſe) wēt out of ſet purpoſe to anoint the Lord. There is ye firſt occaſiō how his reſurrectiō came to light. The other occaſiō: As theſe womē came, the Angel of the Lord came down: his purpoſe is to teſtifie to theſe women yt came out of the Towne, that the Lord was riſen. Now followes the manifeſtatiō of His Reſurrection: The Angell preuents the women, and rolles the ſtone from the graue, and abides ſtill there, to teſtifie to the women, that the Lord Jeſus was riſen frō the dead. After this, the Lord Ieſus Himſelfe appeares to the womē, and confirmes the Teſtimony of the Angel. The women hauing receiued theſe two manifeſtations of His riſing, they get this honour to be made the firſt preachers of the Reſurrection before all men: yea, euen before th' Apoſtles themſelues: and this preaching of the women is the third manifeſtation. Then after the women had teſtified to His Apoſtles, that He was riſen, the Lord appeares Himſelf to the Apoſtles, and confirmes their Teſtimony, that verily He was riſen from the dead. Now Brethren, it is to be knowne firſt of all, cōcerning theſe womē, who next after the Angels were made witneſſes of the Reſurrectiō of Ieſus Chriſt, yt they came not all to the graue in one cōpany, but as it appeares wel of the Hiſtory, there has bin two cō panies of thē, one cōpany yt came firſt to the graue, & wēt out of Ieruſalē before ſun riſing: another company yt came out after this company, & came to the graue of the Lord before the other companie. If wee marke not this difference, wee will ſee well howe the foure Euangeliſts aggree in that Hiſtorie of the Reſurrection of IESVS CHRIST. As for the firſt company: There were two women eſpecially, named Marie Magdalene, and Marie the mother of James, not excluding the reſt: but they are named, becauſe among all the reſt they were moſt notable, and beſt knowne to the Apoſtles. Marke notes three to bee in the firſt company, theſe two, and one Salome. Luke notes none, but calles them certaine women, who followed Ieſus out of Galile, vnderſtanding theſe ſame women. Iohn names none, but one, Marie Magdalene, (not excluding the reſt) becauſe ſhe was beſt known for her louelove, for her zeale, for her faith, and for her affectiō to Chriſt, her name is regiſtrate. Brethrē, the laſt day we heard ſomething of the firſt company, & the time whē they came, in the dawning of the day before the Lords day, which we cal Sunday. Now we heard, as they came out of Ieruſalē, the Angell of the Lord deſcē ded from Heauē, with a great earthquake: No queſtion the women were afraid at this: but being ſtrēgthned with the Spirit, they came forwarde: as they were comming to the graue, they fell in queſtion about the rolling away of the ſtone frō the doore of the graue: they foreſaw not this impedimēt ere they came frō home: but being carried with an earneſt deſire to anoint the Lords dead body: they were not mindfull of any impedimēts. We know whē a man or a womā, would faine hauehave a thing done, they will not forecaſt for all perils: but it is better to prouide & foreſee in time ye impedimēts ere thou begin the worke: Yet a man or a womā who hath the worke of the Lord, ſhould not caſt for all perils: for if he put not his hand to the work of the Lord, except he ſee al impedimēts remoued, he will neuer do any thing to the glory of God: for in performing of ye Lords work, we muſt not think yt He will remoue all impedimēts at ye firſt, as theſe womē foūd al impedimēts to be takē away. Now theſe women came forward, & as they came, they perceiued the ſtone to be rolled from the graue. Marie Magdalene ſeeing the ſtone away, ſhe ran back, & ſhewed the matter to Peter & Iames, in Jeruſalem, where they laye lurking ſhe brings in her conceit euill tidings to them, & ſaies, The body of the Lord is ſtollē away out of the graue & we know not where they hauehave layed him. So Brethren, in this Text yt we hauehave read, we hauehave firſt a particular Hiſtorie of Marie Magdalene, regiſtrate by Iohn: Thē we hauehave the Hiſtory of the reſt of the women: As concerning Mary Magdalene, wee note of her theſe foure thinges out of the Goſpel of Iohn: Firſt, her outcomming: Next, what ſhe ſees when ſhe is come, to wit, the ſtone rolled away: Thirdly, what ſhee does when ſhe ſees the ſtone remoued▪ ſhe returnes to Peter: & fourthly, what ſhe ſaies: ſhe brings no good tidings to Peter and Iames, but ſhe ſaies, They hauehave ſtollen away the body of the Lord, and I know not where they hauehave layed him. Touching the going out of Marie, I ſtay not on it, for ſhe came out with the reſt of the firſt cōpany of womē: only this, if any mā would aske wherfore the women got this honour aboue men, ye euen the Apoſtles, to be made firſt witneſſes of this Reſurrection of Chriſt? I anſwere, So it pleaſed the Lord yt directed thē: & this only one cauſe makes their witneſſing alſo to be autentik, yt no man ſhould except againſt it. Ye ſee in ciuil things womē are not admitted to be witneſſes: but here ye ſee in this ſpiritual m…tter they are made witneſſes before all the world: & their teſtimony is ſo autētik, yt if Iohn or Peter or any of th'apoſtles had refuſed this teſtimony, they had hazarded their part & portion in the reſurrectiō of Ieſus Chriſt: & if thou reject their witneſſing this day, thou ſhalt neuer hauehave part of His reſurrection. To come to the Text: What ſees ſhe, & the reſt when they come to the graue? They ſee the ſtone rolled away, & ſo they are relieued of yt care yt troubled thē by the way. Mary Magd. & the reſt, came of a great zeale to the graue, to anoint the Lords dead body: yet I wil not cō mend this purpoſe, becauſe they had no warrand of the word of the Lord: for He told He would riſe the third day: & therfore they ſhold not hauehave come out to anoint Him ye third day. Yet whē they go out the third day to anoint Him, ere they came to the graue, they find ye impedimēt to be takē away, the ſtone to be remoued. Mark this well: If they ye came to this action without any warrande, got all impedimēts remoued: How much more, if any man or woman of zeale to God, & to His glory hauehave a good purpoſe, & hauehave an expreſſe warrād of His word, ſhal they find al impedimēts to be takē away? God is the ſame to vsus now, yt He was to thē then. Yet I ſee again, it is not to be too wiſe in the work of the Lord: but aſſoon as we know what is the Lords will, we ſhuld addreſſe our ſelues to perform the ſame, & commit the ſucceſſe to Him, who can remoue al impedimēts: for in ſo doing thou honoureſt God, & giueſt Him the glory, yt is due to Him, when vnderunder hope againſt hope thou beleeueſt, as Abrahā did, Rom. 4.18. But ye will ſay, Albeit Marie Magd. foūd the ſtone rolled away, yet ſhe foūd not the body of the Lord, which ſhe meant to anoint with odours: I anſwere: ſhe foūd not the thing ſhe ſought: but what loſt ſhe? She found a better thing than ſhee ſought: ſhe ſeekes the Lord among the dead, and ſhe findes Him among the liuing: the faithfull who ſeeke the Lord, ſhall neuer be diſappointed: if thou miſſeſt that thing that thou ſeekeſt, thou ſhalt get a better thing, & if thou ſeekeſt this life (if thou be in the Lord) if thou looſe it: what looſeſt thou? thou ſhalt finde a better life. Marie ſeeing ye ſtone rolled away, ſhe goes not forward but returnes home again. Now certainly I cānot deny, but this came of zeal, but I will not excuſe her but ſhe ſhuld hauehave ſtayed with ye reſt, & hauehave looked into ye graue, to heare the Angels informatiō, but on a ſuddenty ſhe returnes. Brethren, this falles out in ye beſt & moſt godly, they will oft times be miſcaried for a while, not yt there is any fault to be found with their zeale, or wt their affection to ye Lord: but ye haſtie & ſudden doing, comes more of a blindnes & ignorance than of zeale: & therefore marke ye leſſō: Who euer would be zealous in a good cauſe, & would vtter their affectiō toward ye Lord, ere they begin, they ſhuld beware & know well what they are doing: let knowledge goe before, & let it be borne as a torch, to ſhew the way, & then let zeale follow, for if zeale follow not, I wil not giuegive a penny for thy knowledge, zeale without knowledge is better thā knowledge without zeale: a great zeale wt a ſober meaſure of knowledge is better thā al ye knowledge in ye world without zeale: knowledge without zeale ſerues for nothing but for damnatiō: if yu vnderſtood, & couldeſt tel ouer ye whole Bible, without zeale that ſerues thee for nothing: I had rather hauehave one yt can ſpeake two words wt zeale, than hauehave all thy knowledge: litle knowledge wt zeale wil ſaue thee, but if yu hadſt all ye knowledge in ye world, without zeale it wil not ſaue thee. Now ye laſt thing concerning Marie: whē ſhe hath returned back to Peter & Iohn: here ſhe begins to make a ſad narratiō, & cōplaines, & ſayes, alas, They hauehave ſtollen away the body of the Lord, & we know not where to ſeeke it, ſpeaking in the plurall nūber: ſhe makes a mone & looke to ye affectiō of the woman toward ye Lord: ſhe could not be ſeparate frō Him, whē He was dead in ye graue (alas ſhe had another kind of louelove to Him, thā we hauehave now: but now, albeit He be now glorified in ye Heauens, we will ſuffer our ſelfe eaſily to ſunder frō Him without a cōplaint or mone: but if we foūd either ye force of His death, or yet the force of His life & glory, we would neuer be glad vntill we were joyned wt Him▪ Now when ſhe ſayes, they had taken away ye Lord, albeit ſhe ſpeakes not ye trueth, yet I will not ſay, ſhe made a lie, but ſhe failed in ignorance, ſhe ſpake as ſhe thought, but ſhe knew not yt the Lord was riſen. Ignorāce is a ſore thing: for whē once any mā cōmits a ſin through ignorance, he goes forvvard frō one ſin to another: ſo ſhe makes an euil report to ye Apoſtles: ſtriue therefore to get this miſty cloud of ignorance remoued frō thee: for if thou takeſt pleaſure to ly in it, ye end of it ſhall be vtter darknes. Brethrē, marke ye mercy of God: ye Lord layes not this to her charge: it is ſaid commonly, louelove hides a multitude of ſins: ye Lord vvhen He loues a perſon, He caſts ye mantle of His mercy ouer his ſins, & hides them: He vvill be loth to reuile them vvhom He loues: a man vvil not ſhame another whō he loues vvel, much leſſe will ye Lord doe it: No, He vvill caſt ye cloak of His mercy vpō them yt they appeare not before ye judgemēt ſeat of His Father. Now, I ſee further, albeit thoſe things were not true, yet by them ye Lord brings good to ye diſciples: for they were lying in ſluggiſhnes, & ſo wakens them: ſo He works light out of darknes, yet yt is no vvarrand for thee to do euill. Let no man doe euill, that good may come of it, Rom. 3.8. Marke laſt cōcerning this womā Marie, I ſee ſhe comes to ye knovvledge of ye reſurrectiō of Ieſus with great paine, for ſhe waked ye night before wt care: ſhe comes out early in ye morning to ye graue, & goes home wt great care & heauines. It is not a litle thing to come to Chriſt in His glory: thinkeſt yu to ſtep in at the firſt, to ſee God in His glory: thou vvilt not get leaue to ſee ye glory of a King at ye firſt, & thinkeſt yu to come to Chriſt at the firſt: No, yu muſt come to Chriſt, & ye ſight of His glory vvith many teares, & great paine But what if thou ſhouldſt paine thy ſelfe all thy lifetime if thou get a ſight of this reſurrection in glory, & if thou getteſt a blencke of yt countenance, if it vvere at thy laſt end, it ſhall ſvvallovv vp in a moment all thy diſpleaſure & paine: if thou ſhouldeſt ſuffer martyrdome, yet yt ſight of His glory ſhall furniſh ſuch joy, as ſhall ſwallovv vp all diſpleaſure, the ſight of that eternall weight of glory makes vsus to count all the afflictions of this preſent life to be but light and momentanean, when we looke not to the things that are ſeene, but to the things that are vnſeene. Thou thinkeſt the time here to be longſome, but once thou getteſt a ſight of that glory, thou ſhalt think it but a moment. Novv leauing Marie Magdalene, I come to the reſt of the vvomen yt were at ye graue, of whō we hauehave theſe four things ſhortly, firſt, what they do, they enter into ye graue of ye Lord, for it was large, not an hole: ſurely they behoued to louelove Him well in whoſe graue they went. Next, whē they enter in the graue, we hauehave ſet down what they ſee: they ſee an Angell in the ſhape of a young man, clothed in a faire white robe ſitting in the graue: thirdly, we hauehave how they are terrified; and laſtly, wee hauehave the ſpeech of the Angell to the women. Then firſt, comming to the graue, they runne not away, as Marie Magdalene did, but enter in the graue, ſeeking the LORD: and in this point, they goe beyond Marie, ſhe went backe, but they goe forward: otherwiſe ſhe went beyond them, for louelove zeale, and faith in Chriſt. No, not one of the diſciples ſurpaſt Marie Magdalene in louelove, faith and zeale, yet they ſurpaſſe her in this point, and as they excell her in going forward, they get ſure information of the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt, for their reward. Marke the leſſon, they who are inferiour in ſpirituall graces, in ſome duties will excell them who are ſuperiour: and when the ſuperiour falles backe, they will goe forward: and this lets vsus ſee, that it is the LORD who makes the difference? Haſt thou moe graces than thy companion: Hee that preferred thee at one time, will plucke His hand from thee, another time, and put them before thee, and to this end, that thou who glorieſt in thy graces, may glorie in the Lord: for thy grace is not in thy ſelfe, but in His Hand. This for the firſt thing, followes the next: What ſee they? They ſee in the ſhape of a young man an Angell, cled with a long robe, from top to toe. I take this Angel to be ye ſame of whō we ſpake ye laſt day, who firſt remoued away the ſtone, and then ſate downe on it, his eyes burning like lightening: and cled in white rayment. Novve this Angell withdravves himſelfe, and hides him in the graue, vvhen hee ſavv the vvomen comming neere, leſt he ſhould hauehave frighted them away, he goes in the graue, but he ſate on the ſtone, firſt, to terrifie the men of warre, leſt they ſhould trouble the women: & beſides this, there is another cauſe, why hee goes in the graue, beeing to teſtifie the Reſurrection, he chuſes the commodity of the place, that when he ſhould get the women in the graue, that the Lord was riſē in the graue, he might inſtruct them better by the emptineſſe and roomeneſſe of the graue, that the Lord was riſen from the dead. Well, that ſame Lord that terrifies the wicked with His looke, that ſame GOD is mercifull to His owne: and that Angell, that terrifies the men of warre, he is a miniſter of merciemercy to the godly women. I ſay more, at that ſame time, whilſt as He chaſes away the wicked, in doing of that, He ſhewes merciemercy to the godly, and He terrifies the wicked, that they ſhould not bee a ſtoppe or terrour to the godly: all the terrours and judgements of the wicked, as they ſerue to the glorie of God: ſo they ſerue for the well of His owne: for the LORD hath not only His owne glory before His eyes: but alſo of the …ell of His owne. Then conſider againe the circumſtance of the place, wherein the Angell teaches theſe women, the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt. The Father of Heauen is very carefull of eueryevery circumſtance, that ſerues for the teſtimonie of Chriſts Reſurrection: firſt, Hee is carefull of the firſt witneſſe of His Reſurrection: Hee will not hauehave a man to be witneſſe, but an Angell. Then He is carefull to whome this Angel ſhould tell His Reſurrection: He will not hauehave him teſtifying it to the men of warre (He wil not hauehave pearles caſten before ſvvine) but to the vvomen: The LORD is carefull of the place vvhere His doctrine ſhould be taught: He vvill hauehave the vvomen to goe to the graue, to the ende they ſhould receiue the doctrine of Reſurrection the better, that by the emptineſſe of the graue, the Angell might the better demonſtrate, that the LORD was riſen. Thinke yee novv, that the LORD hath caſten off that care He had then: That care He had of the perſon of the Preacher, of the perſon to vvhome He ſends Him, of the place of preaching? No, that ſame LORD hath the ſame care yet, and He vvill louelove them vvell, to vvhome He concredites His glorious Euangell: He loues them vvell, vvhom He lets attentiuely and carefully heare His glorious Goſpell, and the LORD hath a care vvhere a man may moſt commodiouſly ſpeake for edification, and vvhere men & vvomen may heare Chriſt pointed out commodiouſly. This for the thing they ſavv: vvhat follovves? The ſillie vvomen are terrified▪ as the guard of the men of vvarre vvere terrified: I ſee then, in the perſon of theſe vvomen, the preſence of GOD is terrible to the godly: and more I ſee: vvhen men and vvomen are ſeeking Ieſus Chriſt, the firſt ſight they get of Him is terrible. The ground of this is not only that terrible Majeſtie, that no creature can bee able to looke on, (and why ſhould not all fleſh ſtoupe at the preſence of that glorious GOD: but this is not the onelyonly ground: but becauſe in the moſt godly man or vvoman there is a remanent corruption: therefore they are afraide at the preſence of GOD. Feeleſt thou it not now, thou ſhalt feele it ere thou go. This remanent corruption can not abide the ſight of that glory: a ſpot of vncleanneſſe cannot ſtand in the preſence of that Holy Majeſtie: yet I ſee a greater difference betweene the women and the guard: for the men of warre vvere terrified to the death, but ſo vvere not the vvomē. Where fro came this difference betweene the vvomen and the Guarde? That Guarde vvas but a companie of prophane bodies, vvithout God, vvithout grace, vvithout faith, vvithout hope, vvithout louelove, & vvas full of ſinne, & of an euill conſcience: But the vvomen, ſuppoſe they were ſinfull, & had partly an euill conſcience (for where ſin is, there is part of an euill cōſcience) yet in a part they were purged frō ſin, & thorow the death of Ieſus Chriſt they had their conſcience ſprinkled with His blood: & as that euill cōſcience terrified them, ſo that good conſciēce held them vp. Suppoſe ſo long as we remain in this body we cānot be quit & free of ſin & corruption: ye well is ye ſoule yt in the blood of Ieſus findes their ſins forgiuen them: for ſuppoſe it be terrified, yet it wil not deſpaire. Now I come to the ſpeach of the Angell to the women: The Angell ſeeing thē terrified, he ſpeaks and encourages them firſt, and ſaies to them, Feare yee not: and then he begins to teſtifie of the Reſurrection of Christ: & laſt, he giues them a commandement, to tell the Diſciples ▪ Firſt hee ſaies to the women, Feare not. He ſpake not ſuch a word to the Guarde, but let them lye ſtill, till they gathered their ſpirites, and roſe vp, and ran home: for, for all the world they durſt not tarrie there. There is another difference betweene the godlie and the wicked: When the Lorde hath caſten the wicked down, He will not giuegive them a word to comfort them, but will let them lye ſtill. Woe to them! nothing within them to raiſe them vp, no faith, no hope, no part of good conſciēce: they are full of ſin: nothing without them: no, the Lord ſhall not vouchſafe a good word on them: He will neither giuegive thē an inward nor an outward comfort: and at the latter day, the Lord ſhall ſpeak one joyfull word to them: but He will ſay, Goe your way ye curſed companie to be tormented with the Deuill and his angels. Woe to the eſtate of them yt ſhalbe foūd out of Ieſus Chriſt. Albeit yt now theſe things ſound not in thy eares, & now thinkeſt Heauē & Hell to be but matters of jeſts: yet one day, though thou be a king, thou ſhalt find theſe things to be earneſt, & thou ſhalt wiſh, whē thou waſt made a mā or a womā, thou hadſt bin made a ſtock or ſtone. But by the contrary: The Lord holds vp ye godly, not only inwardly by a piece of good cōſcience, but alſo by outward means, He ſpeaks comfortablie to them: And He will ſay to them by His Miniſters, Feare not. Marke further: He will not only holde them vp, but that ſame thing yt terrified the wicked, He will make it to cōfort them: He makes this ſame Angell, that terrified the men of vvarre, to comfort and encourage them. More than this: Hee will not onelyonly free and relieue them from terrour, but He will poure in joye: And no queſtion, this worde had a powerfull force to raiſe them vp, & comfort thē: And then beſides this, He miniſters joye, by telling them of yt glorious reſurrection. So not only feare is put away, but the glorious Reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt is tolde them, whereof there ariſes an vnſpeakeable joye. Well Brethren: albeit we feele not this joy for the preſent: yet hold ſtill thy eare, & heare on continually, howbeit with pain: for it thou get grace to hold ſtill thy eare, & heare: I promiſe thee in the name of God, thou ſhalt get ſuch a joye in the ende as ſhall make thee to thinke all thy paine to be nothing. Now one word ere I end: Mark how the Lord prepares His own to heare theſe tidings: He will not hauehave them to come with a light diſpoſition of heart, as wee vſe to doe, without any ſight & premeditation of ſin & miſery. Thou wilt come in, & not once think thou haſt neede of the preaching of the glorious Reſurrection of Chriſt. But look the preparation of theſe women: Ere euer the Lord will hauehave the Angel ſpeaking one word, Hee will hauehave them terrified: & no queſtion they were exceedinglie affraid: As euer thou wouldeſt look for joy, thine heart muſt be prepared with terrour, & in ſome meaſure caſtē down, ere euer the Lord ſpeake one cōfortable word to thee: And therfore, let no man take hardily with the terrours of the word. This is the firſt. Thē the next poinct of preparation is, Whē thou art caſten downe, ere He begin to ſpeak to thee the glad tidings of ſaluation, He will raiſe thee vp, He will ſay to thee who art caſten down thorow the ſenſe of thy ſin, Be not terrified, but be of good comfort. And if the Lords ſpirit accōpany this word, it will encourage thee, & it will raiſe vp thy dead ſoule. Then when the ſinner is raiſed vp to heare gladly, then hee comes on to the gladde tidings of ſaluation. Ieſus is come into the world for thy ſins, & this Ieſus is crucified, dead and buried for thy ſins: and this ſame Ieſus is riſen, and aſcended vp to the Heauen, to bee an euerlaſting Aduocate for thee. What more? This ſame Ieſus ſhall come to judge the world, and to take thee with Him one day, and to make thee partaker of His glorie. This is the vvhole ſumme of the Goſpell. The Lord giuegive vsus grace to bee partakers of that joy vvhichwhich the glorious Goſpell offers in this IESVS CHRIST: To whom vvith the Father, and the Holie Spirit, bee all Praiſe and Honour for euermore: AMEN.