Common Places, Discourses 2 · Sermon 2
An Oration concerning the Reſurrection of Chriſt.
CHriſt in the Prophets is called the Sunne, not onelyonly becauſe it lighteneth, but becauſe it ſetteth & afterward riſeth againe: Ioh. 12. 24.So Chriſt died and roſe againe. He called himſelfe a wheate corne which ſufficeth not to be ſowen, for vnleſſe it be corrupted and deade, it brings foorth no fruite: ſo was it not ynough for Chriſt to be borne, but he would die, that he might bring foorth fruite. We hauehave made mention of his death: now will we ſpeake of his reſurrection. Firſt we ſhall ſée that Chriſt is riſen: Secondlie that we are riſen together with him: Thirdlie what we muſt now doe being raiſed vp.
As touching the firſt, The reſurrection of Chriſt. Matt. 28. 1.Matthew ſaith that the women came earlie in the morning. They ſay that vntounto women was firſt ſhewed the reſurrection, to the intent that they which firſt brought death into the worlde, might firſt bring tidings of the reſurrection: becauſe they be weake, and Chriſt vſeth the miniſterie of féeble things. Leauing theſe allegations, we muſt rather ſay, that they had earneſtly ſorrowed at his death, and for a certaine recompence it was good right that they ſhould firſt reioyce. So do the penitent with ſorrow for the death of Chriſt, eſpeciallie becauſe they crucified him, receiue comfort. Further they ſought Chriſt, and they which ſéeke him, loſe not their labour. Wherefore if we do not finde Chriſt, it is for that we do not repent, and becauſe we ſéeke him not. Theſe women worſhipped him while he liued: alſo they meant to do him the laſt honours, when he was deade. They did not as doth the world, which firſt killeth the ſaintes, and afterwarde worſhippeth them when they be deade. Howbeit if we ſhall ſpeake the trueth, the zeale and feruencie of theſe women was without faith and without a iuſt knowledge. They had heard Chriſt tell them as touching his reſurrection, euen as the Angell tolde them nowe: and yet they carried oyntments & confections, as though he ſhoulde not riſe againe: either they beléeued verie little, or elſe they were forgetfull. They were onelyonly mooued of a certaine affection, but not of faith. Therefore they dealt vnwiſely in their iourney. Mark. 16. 3.At the length came to their minde the rowling away of the graue ſtone: which if they had conſidered of before, they might hauehave brought one or two men with them. So doth it happen, where the wiſedome of faith is not. Mat. 26. 51.So did Peter thinke that hee had doone worthily when drawing out his ſworde, he cut off the eare of the high Prieſts ſeruant. When we deale without faith, manie thinges are fooliſhlie committed, and oftentimes is giuen to God that which he requireth not: as theſe women which vainely carried theſe ſwéete oyntments with them: and as many at this day vſe maſſes, and choiſe of meates, and ſuch other kinde of thinges. An Angel deſcended from heauen, the teſtimonies of men wanted, an Angell was preſent to ſhewe the reſurrection. By one and the ſame worke in the ſelfe ſame thing is ſhewed the ſtate of the life to come. Wee ſhalbe as the Angels of God, and ſhining as the ſunne: Wherefore the Angel did ſhine marueilouſly. There was made an earthquake, becauſe in the reſurrection is inuerted the nature of things. And it behooued that the kéepers were terrified. The women at the ſight of the Angell were afraide, by reaſon of the diſcorde which through ſinne ſprung vp betwéene our nature and the nature of Angels, with whom neuertheleſſe we ought to be familiar, for they be our kéepers. This diſſention will indure vntill we hauehave put off our bodie. The kéepers became as it were deade men, they meant to hauehave kept downe Chriſt in the graue. So woulde princes at this day by armes and councels hauehave the goſpell to be buried. Let mans counſell breake out, it can preuaile nothing againſt God, nay rather all things do happen quite otherwiſe. They meant to terrifie all ſuch as came, and they themſelues were made afraid. They intended to let Chriſt from comming foorth, and they themſelues were let, and became as deade men. The Angell comforteth the women: Feare ye not. The Godly after feare, doe receiue comfort by Angels, becauſe they ſpeake the words of God, and the worde of God doth comfort vsus. The kéepers are not comforted, becauſe they be enimies of God, and in enmitie doe perſeuere. He is riſen, he is not heere. Againſt the vbiquitie of Chriſts bodie.The bodie of Chriſt is not eueriewhere. Tydings is brought vntounto the diſciples. When we hauehave obtained any good thing we muſt communicate it with others. He ſhall goe before into Galile. Yet appeared he vntounto them the viij. dayes together wherein they were to tarry at Ieruſalem by reaſon of the feaſt. They were to returne into Galile, becauſe from thence they came. The Lord was oftentimes conuerſant with them in that place. Acts. 1. 4. &c.Vntill the time of Pentecoſt it behooued them to returne to Ieruſalem: then vponupon mount Oliuet they ſaw him aſcend into heauen, and they were commaunded to tarrie at Ieruſalem, vntill they ſhould be indued with power from heauen. Nowe that the Lord is riſen againe, it appeareth by the teſtimonie of the Angel, of the women, and of the Euangeliſt. But in the olde teſtament whereſoeuer we read that Chriſt ſhal reigne for euer, there is ſhewed his reſurrection. In the oppreſſion and deliuerance of the godly, which is read in the olde Teſtament, we hauehave the death and reſurrection of Chriſt, not in a figure but truely, becauſe Chriſt truelie ſuffereth in his members: As for example, Saule Saule, whie dooſt thou perſecute me? Acts. 9. 4. Mat 12. 40 Pſal. 16. 10Ionas ſhewed both, as Chriſt ſaith. And Dauid ſaith: Thou ſhalt not leaue my Soule in hel, nor ſuffer thy holie one to ſee corruption. Chriſt foreſhewed the ſame: Deſtroy this temple, Iohn. 2. 19.and in three dayes I will builde it vp againe. Mat. 17. 22.And in other places he oftentimes ſpake of betraying the ſonne of man. He prooued his reſurrection by appearing the ſpace of fortie daies. Acts. 1. 3.He ſaith to his diſciples in Emaus, that Moſes, the Prophets, Luk. 24. 26.and the Pſalmes doe beare witneſſe that it behooued Chriſt ſhould ſuffer and ſo enter into his glorie. VntoUnto the Corin. 1. Co. 15. 14If Chriſt be not riſen againe, vaine is our preaching and vaine is your faith. We are founde falſe witneſſes: They that bee deade in Chriſt are periſhed. Neither ſhould Chriſt hauehave béene the Lorde of the liuing and of the deade. And vntounto the Romans it is ſaide vntounto this ende he is riſen againe. This much for the firſt point.
We are riſen vp together with him. For to the intent he might ſhewe this: Mat. 27. 52when hée roſe vp, he had manie bodies of the ſaintes with him which appeared vntounto others. Further he roſe not to himſelfe but vntounto others, vntounto vsus I meane, ſéeing hee is our head. If he himſelf be riſen, the members alſo are raiſed vp with him. Example of thoſe that bee drowned in the waters. Rom. 8. 32.To the Rom. Seeing he hath giuen his ſonne, howe ſhall hee not with him giuegive all thinges? But and if he hauehave giuen all thinges, hee hath alſo giuen reſurrection. Ephe. 2. 1.VntoUnto the Epheſians: When ye were dead in your ſinnes he quickened you together with him, and not onelie quickened you, but alſo made you to ſit together on the right hand in the heauenlie places. And in the ſame Epiſtle to the Epheſians, Ephe. 1. 19.What is the exceeding greatnes of his power towards vsus which beleue according to ye working of his mightie power, which he wrought in Chriſt when he raiſed him from the deade, &c. Furthermore he is riſen vp vntounto vsus, and ſitteth at the right hande of the father and obtaineth for vsus the ſpirite, which was in him the beginning of the reſurrection. For vntounto the Romanes it is ſaide: If the ſpirite of him which raiſed vp Chriſt from the deade doe dwell in you, Rom. 8. 11.hee will quicken alſo your mortall bodies, becauſe of the ſpirit that dwelleth in you. Alſo vntounto the Romanes the ſixt Chapter, Verſe. 11.Likewiſe thinke yee alſo that ye are deade to ſinne, but are aliue to God in Chriſt Ieſus. Weare all dead through Adam, and doe preſentlie taſte of death. Wherefore if we will not make Chriſt to bee worſer than Adam, let vsus ſaie that he alſo gaue a newe life which we maie now preſentlie taſt. Chriſt is the firſt fruits of them that riſe againe, as it is ſaide vntounto the Corinthians. 1. Co. 15. 20Firſt fruites doe not ſo goe before other fruites, but that they be together with them, indéede they be not ripe, but yet they are nowe extant: ſo likewiſe our reſurrection, although it be not ripe, yet is it. And as Chriſt by Baptiſme hath drawen vsus with him into his death and buriall, ſo hath he drawen vsus out vntounto life. This doeth the dipping into the water and the iſſuing foorth againe ſignifie, when we are baptiſed. It is ſaide vntounto the Romanes: Rom. 10. 9.But and if wee confeſſe the Lorde Ieſus to hauehave riſen from the dead, wee ſhall be ſaued. Wherefore the reſurrection of Chriſt pertayneth to our reſurrection. For we cannot be ſaued, vnleſſe we be pertakers of the ſame. Hee was deliuered to death for our ſinnes, and roſe againe for our iuſtification &c. Rom. 4. 25.If ye bee riſen together with Chriſt, ſeeke ye thoſe thinges which are aboue, &c. The minor propoſition muſt bee added. But ye are riſen together with Chriſt, Col. 3. 1. Iohn. 3. 36. Rom. 8. 24.therefore ye ought to ſeeke thoſe things that be aboue. He that beleeueth in the ſonne hath eternall life. By hope wee are ſaued. Howbeit we are yet ſtill after a ſort vnderunder death. Neither doe we ſaie, as doe the Libertines, that the reſurrection is alreadie paſt: wee onelie affirme that it is begunne. For God bringeth not by and by vntounto the high and perfect degrée, he firſt giueth certaine entrances and beginninges. Before that Moſes colde be declared captaine of the people of God, if we ſhall giuegive credite to Ioſephus, he caſt vppon the ground the diademe of Pharao, and trode it vnderunder his féete, he ſlewe an Egyptian, and made peace betwéene the Iſraelites: whereby is declared that hee was partaker of his vocation, although it were not as yet fullie reuealed. Alſo Dauid being a childe ſlew Lyons and Beares, and being a young man killed Goliath: 1. Sa. 17. 34 Ib. ver. 49.whereby he beganne nowe to bée a partaker of the gouernment of the Iſraelites, although he were not declared king. So wee, although we hauehave not as yet obteyned a perfect reſurrection, yet are we conuerſant therein.
Now muſt we ſée wherein this reſurrection of ours ſtandeth. Firſt in good woorkes, which are nothing elſe but enterances and beginninges of eternall life. They are degrées whereby God draweth vsus vntounto a perfect life. They are no merites but pathes and imperfect beginninges. Rom. 8. 12.We are debters not to liue after the fleſhe, but after the ſpirite: for if according to the ſpirite yee mortifie the deedes of the fleſhe, yee ſhall liue. Mortifie your members which bee vppon the earth. Col. 3. 5.And thoſe doeth Paul expreſſe to bee Fornication, couetouſneſſe, and Idolatrie, &c. And our olde man the more he is deſtroied, the more hee is euerie daie renewed. Alſo in the ſeconde Epiſtle to the Corinthians: 2. Cor. 5. 15He died for all men, that hee which nowe liueth maie not liue to himſelfe, but vntounto him which died for vsus. Whereuppon Paul: I liue, yet not I nowe, but Chriſt liueth in mee. We muſt take héede that not onelie we teſtifie in woordes that Chriſt is riſen againe, but to ſhewe that hee is alſo riſen againe in vsus. Chriſt when he was riſen againe, entered into the glorie of the father, that we in this reſurrection begun, might prooue our ſelues to be the children of God, as we bée. Wherefore it is ſaide vntounto the Romanes: Rom. 1. 4.Chriſt is defined or rather declared to bee the ſonne of God, by his riſing againe from the dead. All things are ſubdued vntounto Chriſt: ſo ought we to ouercome all thinges and to faint in nothing. Let vsus ſtande out in temptations and triumph ouer our tribulations. Chriſt is aboue, Col. 3. 1.and let our conuerſation be in heauen. Finallie let vsus perſeuere: For in that Chriſt dyed, Rom. 6. 10.he died once and death hath no more dominion ouer him, &c.