Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 18 · Section 6
He roſe againe the third daie, he aſcended into heauen, he ſitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie.
21 If Chriſt that onelie ſonne of God, Looke the dialog De vtraque in Chriſto natura. The reſurrection of Chriſt, the triumph of our faith. A ſimilitude.which came downe vntounto vsus, and for our ſaluation was ſlaine by a moſt bitter death of the croſſe, had ſhroonke, or not béene able to hauehave ſuſteined death; and being cloſed in the ſepulchre, had taſted the force of corruption, as other men doo: how might we hauehave confidence to be ſaued by him, that had not béene able to ſaue himſelfe? In like maner, as if a man that would proffer his helpe to one periſhing in the water, leapeth with a good courage into the water: neuertheleſſe, he himſelfe, whiles he indeuoureth to ſaue another, periſheth, being ſwallowed vp in the déepe of the water; can he that periſheth himſelfe, bring anie helpe to him that is periſhing? Vndoubtedlie no other commoditie can come thereof, but that the loſſe groweth to be double; if vntounto the death of the firſt, there is alſo added the death of a ſecond, who by his death ſhould bring ſo much the more loſſe, in how much his life was more pure and holie. So then it altogither behoued, firſt, that for our ſaluation Chriſt ſhould deliuer himſelfe from death: then, to perſuade vsus moſt fullie, that by faith in him ſaluation is obteined for vsus. Wherefore, they which beheld him hanging vponupon the croſſe, did reprochfullie caſt him in the téeth with theſe things; Matt. 27, 42Let him ſaue himſelfe, and we will beleeue him; he ſaued others, himſelfe he cannot ſaue. And he roſe againe from death: wherein he expreſſed foorth a greater power, than if he had then deſcended from the croſſe. He ſtroue in ſuch ſort with death, as he mightilie conquering and deſtroieng the ſame, might not be reteined thereby. For this cauſe doo we here confeſſe, that he was raiſed vp the third daie, according to the ſcriptures; and that by his fathers decrée he aſcended into heauen, and that he ſitteth at the right hand of the father. By which article of our faith we now ſucke out moſt ſwéet comfort; to wit, Two worthie things to be noted, in the reſurrection of Chriſt. The glorie of Chriſt.that Chriſt is exalted for our ſaluation. And here fall out two things moſt worthie to be noted; the firſt is, what maner of exaltation and new glorie of Chriſt the ſame was; the ſecond, what profit may redound to the faithfull therby.
22 Whoſoeuer is deſirous to perceiue aright, vntounto what a heigth Chriſt is raiſed vp; firſt it behooueth him to weigh, vntounto how baſe an eſtate he firſt of his owne accord humbled himſelfe for our ſakes. This dooth Paule in his epiſtle to the Philippians contriue in few words; Phil. 2, 7.He (ſaith he) made himſelfe of no reputation, and tooke on him the forme of a ſeruant, and was made like vntounto men, and was found in ſhape as a man, hee humbled himſelfe, and became obedient vntounto death, euen to the death of the croſſe. In like maner alſo, as we hauehave more at large ſhewed before, Chriſtes ſpirit ſeparated from his bodie.his bodie was cloſed vp in the ſepulchre; but his ſoule had proofe of that ſtate, which the ſpirits of men enter into, when they be ſeparated from their bodies by death. The viler therefore and more abiect that theſe things were vntounto the ſhew, ſo much the more honourable it was to diſpatch himſelfe from hence, and to mount vp vntounto things méere contrarie. And ſéeing that mankind is ſubiect eueryevery where to ſundrie miſeries; thoſe doubtleſſe are no ſmall miſeries, which euen they commonlie ſuffer, who abounding in riches, ſéeme to hauehave obteined the more happie ſtate of life. Yet the miſeries of the poore be more gréeuous: but when they ſerue in bondage, they be much more extreame.
A ſimilitude.Howbeit, if ſo be that a man, which is of a couragious & noble mind, be deliuered into the bondage of ſuch his enimies, as not onelie are of baſe calling among men, but alſo of naughtie and wicked behauiour; his lamentable and miſerable ſtate ſéemeth then to be moſt intollerable. Yet verelie, all theſe things happened vntounto Chriſt, who as he vndoubtedlie put on the true nature of man, ſo was he a ſeruant, not onelie vntounto his diſciples (vntounto whome he ſaid; that He came into the world, Mat. 20, 28.not to be miniſtred vntounto, but to miniſter vntounto others, which the thing it ſelfe declared, when as he humbled himſelfe euen vntounto the ground to waſh their féet: Ioh. 13, 5.) but that which is a great deale harder, he declared himſelfe as a ſeruant, euen to his owne enimies; namelie, vntounto the wicked, and vntounto them which were wholie couered in the ſinke of wickednes; towards whom he ſo executed the parts of a ſeruant, as for the ſafetie of them he ſpent his owne life. And this is it, that Paule writeth in his epiſtle to the Romans; Rom. 5, 6. 8. & 10.When as (ſaith he) wee were yet but weake, ſinners, enimies, and wicked men, Chriſt died for vsus. He therefore being ſo humbled and abaſed, as he is called by the prophet A worme and no man; Pſal. 22, 7.ſéeing he mounted vp from ſo baſe a ſeruitude, vntounto ſo high and noble a degrée of dignitie; from an earthlie condition, vntounto a celeſtiall glorie; out of a place ſubiect to manie infirmities and tribulations, vntounto a ſtate ſure and frée from miſeries; from mortall fleſh, vntounto an immortall bodie; finallie, when as he being ſo thruſt downe, aſcended neuertheleſſe vntounto the higheſt ſtate of the moſt excellent monarchie: dooth it not appeare to you, that he hath béene verie honourablie lifted vp on high?
23 And that he being raiſed vp from the dead, The ſublimitie of Chriſt.hath atteined chiefe principalitie; Paule dooth aptlie teach in his epiſtle to the Epheſians, ſaieng; Ephe. 1, 20.Whome God placed at his right hand in heauen, far aboue all principalitie, and power, and might, and domination, and aboue euerie name that is named, not onelie in this world, but alſo in the world to come. And he hath put all things in ſubiection vnderunder his feete, and hath appointed him ouer all things to be head to the Church. The verie ſame things alſo dooth the ſame apoſtle put vsus in mind of, Phil. 2, 7.in his epiſtle to the Philippians, where by Chriſts voluntarie ſubmiſſion of himſelfe, euen to the time of his glorie, he gathereth profitable and excellent doctrine in theſe words, ſaieng; For that he ſubmitted himſelfe, and became obedient vntounto death, euen to the death of the croſſe; therefore GOD hath highlie exalted him, and giuen him a name that is aboue euerie name, that in the name of Ieſus euerie knee ſhould bow, both of things in heauen, and of things in earth, and things vnderunder the earth. Which ſaieng in verie good right is agréeable to him, according to the rule preſcribed by himſelfe in an other place; Mat. 23, 12.He that will humble himſelfe ſhall be exalted. Whereby alſo it may be gathered, that the glorie muſt be high and magnificent, according as the ſubmiſſion is voluntarie.
And ſéeing there neuer was, nor neuer ſhall be, anie voluntarie ſubmiſſion ſo abiect as the ſame that appeared in Chriſt: it followeth therby, that of a moſt deſerued right, he is aduanced aboue euerie creature that is moſt high. Many afflictions and miſeries did he ſuffer, while he liued here amongſt men: now he inioieth moſt bleſſed reſt, and is ſafe, as well in bodie as in ſoule, from all trouble and diſquietneſſe. He ſo paſſed from the moſt ſhamefull and ignominious death, vntounto the moſt excellent life, as he is now all wholie bleſſed and immortall. Wherefore the apoſtle, in his epiſtle to the Romans, ſaith; Rom. 6, 9,that Chriſt being raiſed vp from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more power ouer him. Now then, if he be altogither frée from death, he muſt of neceſſitie alſo be rid from all infirmities and ſufferings, which in like maner be the miniſters and ſoldiers of death. There is none, but dooth ſufficientlie vnderſtand, how far diſtant heauen is from earth. In like maner alſo muſt we conſider, that the ſame high ſtate, vntounto the which Chriſt is now carried, dooth euen as much differ from that ſtate, to the which he ſubmitted himſelfe, while he liued here among men.
24 And albeit that difference betwéene the earthlie and heauenlie ſtate may ſéeme to be ample, this neuertheleſſe is certeine, that I procéed not ſo far in theſe words as Paule doth; who, in the firſt epiſtle to the Corinthians, calleth that bodie, which ſhall be reſtored to vsus, in the laſt reſurrection, not celeſtiall, but ſpirituall; It is ſowen (ſaith he) a naturall bodie, and ſhall be raiſed vp a ſpirituall bodie. 1. Co. 15, 44He meaneth not, that Chriſt and the reſt of the ſaints, which ſhall riſe with him, ſhall not hauehave fleſh, bones, bloud, diſtinct members, and finallie a true bodie. For without doubt, the truth and propertie of humane nature ſhall ſtill remaine: but he calleth it a ſpirituall bodie, bicauſe that ſame noble nature and forme, vntounto the which it ſhall be reſtored, ſhall not flowe from an earthlie originall, ſuch as humane ſéed is; but from the power of Gods ſpirit. Furthermore, the bodie being raiſed vp, ſhall be adorned with new qualities, which ſhall drawe néere vntounto the nature of the ſpirit, and not vntounto the nature of the earth; and for that cauſe ſhall iuſtlie be called ſpirituall. Wherefore, he that rightlie ſhall weigh the words of the apoſtle, while he nameth it a ſpirituall bodie, will not alledge the ſame againſt a corporall bodie, but againſt an earthlie, mortall, and corrupt bodie. Wherefore he addeth theſe words; It is ſowen an infamous bodie, it riſeth a glorious bodie; it is ſowen in weakeneſſe, it riſeth in power; it is ſowen a naturall bodie, it riſeth a ſpirituall bodie. In a bodie raiſed vp, be no infirmities or naturall motions to reſiſt the ſpirit; & no heauines or groſeneſſe ſo great, but that it chéerefullie obeieth the right affects of the ſpirit.
Howſoeuer it be, it is ſufficientlie confirmed by thoſe things, which hauehave béene ſpoken; that the name of ſpirituall dooth in verie good right apperteine vntounto the bodie of Chriſt, being raiſed vp; bicauſe it is ſomewhat more, than if thou ſhouldſt ſaie, Heauenlie: for ſo much as Chriſt, after his reſurrection (as it is added in this Créed) not onlie aſcended into heauen, but alſo was carried aboue heauen, & there ſitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie. The right hand of God, and what is ment thereby.Which maner of ſpéech, ſéeing it laieth before our eies a certeine humane forme, we muſt diligentlie ponder from whence it is deriued. I ſay therfore, that no others are placed at the princes ſide, but thoſe, whom princes fauouring hauehave exalted to ſome high degrée of dignitie. And among thoſe, which be indued with this honour, no others are placed at the right hand, but thoſe which are aduanced to the higheſt roome of honour or power next the prince. But this, which héere is declared touching Chriſt, we muſt vnderſtand to be altogither figuratiuelie ſpoken of Chriſt; ſéeing God is without bodie, hands, & ſides: neither hath he right hand or left. But by this maner of ſpéech, we be giuen to vnderſtand, that Chriſt, in that he is man, is by God indued after the reſurrection with ſuch honor & dignitie, as there is nothing in his whole empire, that not onlie cannot be preferred aboue him, but not compared with him.
25 But this being now declared; namelie, The fruit of the reſurr…ction and …lorie of Chriſt.vntounto what high glorie Chriſt by his reſurrection aſcended, and the ſame being ſet foorth as plains as the capacitie of them, to whom theſe things be written, will beare, and as the occaſion of mine owne leaſure would giuegive me leaue; it ſhall be verie neceſſarie to adde what profit the ſame may bring vntounto vsus; whereby alſo we ſhall vnderſtand, vntounto what vſe we ought to referre the ſame. For, ſéeing there is no action of Chriſt, that is not of verie great importance, to the furtherance of our ſaluation; this we ought to account with our ſelues, that by this action, which eaſilie appéereth among others, the greateſt and chéefeſt commodities doo redound vntounto vsus. Wherfore let this cogitation firſt enter into our mind, that ſéeing Chriſt could not be ouercome of death; he is able now the better a great deale to reléeue our neceſſities, and that by the fauour and power of his father, vntounto whom he hath alwaies (as it hath béene ſaid) ſo familiar acceſſe, and to whom he continuallie offering praiers of ſingular efficacie for vsus, winneth vsus his fauour, and procureth vsus ſuch ſtrength, as otherwiſe we could neuer obteine to our ſelues. Moreouer, Chriſt being raiſed from death, The hope of our reſurrection. A ſimilitude.who is our head, we alſo are raiſed in him. Tell me (I beſéech you) will you not iudge him to hauehave eſcaped the danger of death, which falling into a ſwift riuer, holdeth vp all his head aboue thoſe déepe and dangerous waters; notwithſtanding that the reſt of his members be as yet drowned in the ſame? Euen ſo we, which be one bodie in Chriſt; ſéeing he, which is our head, hath eſcaped from the excéeding depth of death; whie alſo of good right are not we ſaid to be raiſed vp from death, howſoeuer we as yet in this mortall ſtate be couered with the ſame? For otherwiſe doubtleſſe we ſhould denie him to be our head. And if we profeſſe our ſelues to be the members of him, we muſt of neceſſitie alſo acknowledge, that our reſurrection is after a ſort begoone in his reſurrection.
A ſimilitude.If in the winter time we ſée a bare trée without leaues, flowers, and fruit, ſo that by the outward rind it may be taken as withered, and yet ſo long as the root ſticketh faſt in the ground, it is aliue, and is not counted dead. But if a man cannot perſuade himſelfe thereof, let him expect till the ſpring of the yéere, and then the truth of the matter will appeare by the leaues and flowers which ſpring foorth. For by euident effects it will be well knowne, that the life of that trée laie hidden before. Euen ſo we, which here ſéeme to be as it were the bootie of death, and in whom no tokens of ſound life doo appeare: if we be ingraffed in Chriſt, which is our root, who liueth, & for our ſakes is raiſed vp againe, wherefore doo we now doubt of our reſurrection to come? And this is it that Paule writeth in the epiſtle to the Coloſ. Col. 3, 3.Ye are dead (ſaith he) and your life is hidden in Chriſt with God: when Chriſt, which is your life, ſhall be made manifeſt, then alſo ſhall ye be made manifeſt with him in glorie. Further, The gift of the ſpirit.Chriſt departing into heauen, gratified vsus with that ſingular gift of the ſpirit: to whom, as the originall & life of our ſoules, and beginning of chriſtian regeneration is chéeflie due; ſo is it alſo of the reſurrection of our bodies: as Paule teſtifieth in his epiſtle to the Epheſians; Epheſ. 1, 19.to wit, that We be led vntounto faith through the effectuall woorking of his ſtrong power, which God ſhewed foorth in Chriſt, when he raiſed him from the dead, and ſet him at his right hand in heauenlie places.
Séeing therefore we hauehave the firſt fruits of the ſpirit, by the vertue whereof Chriſt roſe againe from the dead, who (as we knowe) hath atteined vntounto that glorious end, wherevnto he indeuoured to come; we muſt be of a chéerefull mind, and confirme our ſelues in that gift, which he hath granted vntounto vsus. For what ſo great diſquietneſſe of ſtate ſhall happen vntounto vsus in this life, that can kéepe vsus in ſadneſſe and heauines of mind? For (as Paule ſaith in the epiſtle to the Romans; Rom 8, 32.) We are now ſaued by hope. Aſſuredlie, it is not to be counted a ſmall gaine, that we by Chriſt are deliuered from death: Rom. 8, verſ. 32, &c.ſo that we may now boldlie triumph, not onelie againſt it, but againſt all other miſeries and miſfortunes, which be as it were garders of the ſame. And we may comfort and chéere vp our minds againſt the violent motions of the fleſh, the which being conſtreined by ſuch miſeries, dooth continuallie murmur; ſéeing there is not onelie a promiſe made vntounto vsus of a new life, but we hauehave alſo a certeine and ſure pledge of the ſame in Chriſt.
26 Furthermore, Chriſts reſurrection furthereth our ſaluation.that noble reſurrection dooth out of all doubt further greatlie our ſaluation. For, albeit that ſinnes be forgiuen by the death of Chriſt, and by that onelie and moſt acceptable ſacrifice; and that in his fleſh faſtened vponupon the croſſe all our faults hauehave béene puniſhed: yet neuertheleſſe, the forme of that ſpirituall life (wherein we muſt liue no longer vntounto the fleſh, but vntounto the ſpirit; not vntounto old Adam, but vntounto Chriſt; not vntounto our ſelues, but vntounto God our father) is not perceiued thereby. But this did afterward appeare in that life, which Chriſt receiued by his moſt mightie reſurrection. And therefore Paule writeth in his epiſtle to the Romans; that Chriſt died for our offenſes, Rom. 4, 25.and was raiſed vp for our iuſtification. Indéed, by the death of Chriſt we were reconciled vntounto God: howbeit, therein is not diſcerned anie paterne of our ſtate to come, The reſurrection of Chriſt is the fountaine of our ſanctification.but doubtleſſe in the reſurrection it ſhall ſhine moſt perfectlie. For it was not beyond nature, that the fleſh of Chriſt (which was ſubiect to the ſame infirmities that we be) ſhould die: but his reſurrection ſo went beyond nature it ſelfe, as when the fleſh of it ſelfe was inſtructed in no vertue, whereby it might aſſure it ſelfe of a new life, that wholie was giuen to it by the méere grace and bountifulneſſe of God. We alſo, as far as apperteineth to that new and iuſtified regeneration, can compaſſe the ſame by no vertue or deſert of our owne works; but God, of his grace and goodneſſe, gaue it vntounto vsus without anie reſpect of our owne merits. Further, euen as Chriſt, being riſen from the dead, aſcended into heauen; ſo we, being iuſtified by his grace, it is méet for vsus, in all our whole life, to thinke no more vponupon earthlie, but vponupon heauenlie things. This dooth Paule teach vsus in his epiſtle to the Coloſſians; If ye be riſen (ſaith he) with Chriſt, Col. 3, 1.ſeeke ye the things that be aboue, and not earthlie things.
Beſides this, as Chriſt being riſen from the dead, dieth no more; ſo he that is regenerated by faith, let him take héed, that he doo not fall againe into miſerable and dangerous infidelitie. For which cauſe Paule admoniſhed Timothie, that he ſhould remember, 2. Tim. 2, 8.that Ieſus Chriſt was riſen againe from the dead. For the remembrance of the ſame reſurrection of Chriſt, is of no ſmall ſtirring vp to the leading of a godlie and innocent life; that in ſuch ſort we may followe Chriſt, who dieng once, deliuered himſelfe from death for euer. So we, being for his ſake fréed from ſinne, it is not conuenient, that we ſhould intangle our ſelues againe vnderunder the yoke of ſinne. And hereof dooth the ſame apoſtle, in his epiſtle to the Romans, verie well admoniſh vsus; Rom. 6, 4.Euen as Chriſt (ſaith he) was raiſed vp from the dead vntounto the glorie of the father, ſo we alſo ſhould walke in newneſſe of life. And vntounto this ought we, with all indeuour, to applie our ſelues, continuallie going forward, as Paule in the epiſtle to the Philippians ſpeaketh of himſelfe; Phil. 3, 14.namelie, that Forgetting thoſe things, which were behind, and indeuouring to that, which ſhould be before, we might followe hard towards the marke, for the price of the high calling of God, whither he was not yet come. This verelie was to knowe Chriſt, and the ſtrength of his reſurrection. And he ſaid a little before; verſe. 11.I will trie if I may by anie means atteine to the reſurrection of the dead.
Herein ſtandeth the whole ſumme of chriſtianitie, that inwardlie we ſhould be euer renewed, and that outwardlie, as far as lieth in vsus, we ſhould pleaſure and benefit our neighbors: ſéeing Chriſt, being raiſed from the dead, hath ſo greatlie indued vsus with his benefits, by giuing from that time vntounto his children that pretious gift of the holie Ghoſt; and firſt went vntounto his father, where he continuallie beholdeth vsus, and offereth moſt acceptable praiers vntounto GOD for vsus. Life being renewed in him by his reſurrection, he bountifullie and in heaped meaſure increaſeth his gifts in his elect. He being exalted vntounto that moſt excellent power, dooth now protect vsus from all euill, and filleth vsus with all goodneſſe. Wherefore, our part is to bend all our care and diligence vntounto that end, that we may honor him after a godlie ſort: not with earthlie ceremonies, or with ſundrie inuentions of men; but with ſpirituall worſhipping, and with that which may be agréeable vntounto that heauenlie and ſpirituall ſtate, wherevnto Chriſt is now receiued. Before that he was come vntounto vsus, and ſo long as he was conuerſant in the world after an humane ſort, the ſhadowes and figures of the lawe, corporall worſhippings, and worldlie ceremonies were in force: but now, we being raiſed vp with Chriſt, it is méet, that euen as we behold him both in the place and degrée, wherein he is ſet; ſo alſo, that we ſhould with lifted vp eies of our mind, faſten our hope vponupon him.