Two Treatises on Death and Judgment, Treatise · Application 9
Uſe 9.
FRom the Enmity of Death, and the neceſſity of a Conqueſt, we may ſee what a wonderful mercy the Reſurrection of Chriſt himſelf was to the Church, and what uſe we ſhould make of it for the ſtrengthening of our Faith. It was not only impoſſible to man to conquer Death by his own ſtrength, and therefore it muſt be conquered by Chriſt; but it was alſo beyond out power to believe it, that ever the dead ſhould riſe to life, if Chriſt had not riſen as the firſt fruits, and convinced man, by eye-ſight, or certain teſtimony, that the thing is poſſible and already done. But now what a pillar is here for faith? What a word of Hope and Joy is this, that [Chriſt is riſen?] With this we will anſwer a thouſand Cavi's of the Tempter, and ſtop the mouth of the enemies of our faith, and profligate our infidelity. As unlikely as it ſeems to fleſh and blood, ſhall we ever doubt whether we ſhall riſe again; when the Lord came down in fleſh among us, that he might die and riſe again himſelf, to ſhew us as to our faces that we ſhall riſe? This is the very Goſpel which we preach, and by which we muſt be ſaved; that Chriſt dyed for our ſins according to the Scriptures, and was buried, and that he roſe again the third day according to the Scriptures; and that he was ſeen of Cephas, then of the Twelve, and after that he was ſeen of above five hundred Brethren at once, of whom the greater part remained alive, when Paul wrote this, who was the laſt that ſaw him, 1 Cor. 15. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Read over this Chapter again and again, where our Reſurrection is proved by the Reſurrection of Chriſt.
No wonder therefore that the Church in all ages ever ſince the very day of Chriſts Reſurrection, hath kept the firſt day of the week, as a holy feſtival, in remembrance of it: wherein, though they commemorated the whole work of our Redemption, yet was it from the Reſurrection as the moſt glorious part, that the Spirit of Chriſt did chuſe the day. This hath been the joyful day to the Church this 1625 years, or thereabouts: in which the ancient Chriſtians would aſſemble themſelves together, ſaluting one another with this joyful word, [The Lord is riſen.] And this is the day that the Lord hath bleſſed, with the New-birth, and reſurrection of millions of ſouls. So that it is moſt probable that all the ſix dayes of the week have not begot half ſo many ſouls for Heaven, as this bleſſed day of the Lords Reſurrection hath done. Let Infidels then deſpiſe it, that believe not Chriſts Reſurrection; but let it ſtill be the Churches joyful day. This was the Lords doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes: This is the day which the Lord hath made: we will be glad and rejoyce therein, Pſal. 118. 23, 24. In it, Let us ſing unto the Lord, let us make a joyful noiſe to the Rock of our ſalvation. Let us come before his preſence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noiſe to him with Pſalms, Pſal. 95. 1, 2. Every day let us Remember the Lords Reſurrection: but on this day let the joyful commemoration of it be our work.
We may ſee by the witneſs of the Apoſtles, and their frequent preaching the Reſurrection of Chriſt; as if it were the ſumm of all the Goſpel, that this is a point that Faith muſt eſpecially build and feed upon, and that we muſt make the matter of our moſt frequent meditations. Oh what vigour it addeth to our faith, when we are encountred by the ſight of Death, and of a grave, to remember ſeriouſly that [Chriſt is riſen.] Did he take fleſh purpoſely that he might dye and riſe, and ſhew us how he will raiſe his members? and will he after all this, break his promiſe, and leave us in the duſt for ever? It cannot be. Hath he conquered Death for himſelf alone, and not for us? Hath he taken our Nature into Heaven, to be there alone, and will he not have all his members with him? Remember then, Chriſtian, when thou lookeſt on thy grave, that Chriſt was buried; and hath made the grave a bed of reſt, that ſhall give up her truſt, when his Trumpet ſounds: And that his Reſurrection is the pledge of ours. Keep therefore thy riſing and glorified Lord continually in thy eye. If Chriſt were not riſen, our preaching were vain, and your faith were vain, and all men were miſerable, but we moſt miſerable, that ſuffer ſo much for a life which we had no ground to hope for, 1 Cor. 15▪ 14, 17, 19. But now we have an Argument, that Infidelity it ſelf is aſhamed to encounter with; that hath been the means of the converſion of the Nations unto Chriſt; by which we may put even Death it ſelf to a defiance; as knowing it is now a conquered thing. If it could have held Chriſt captive, it might alſo have held us. But he being riſen, we ſhall ſurely riſe. Write it therefore, Chriſtians, upon your hearts; mention it more in your conference for the encouragement of your faith; Write it on the grave-ſtones of your friends, that [CHRIST IS RISEN,] and that [BECAUSE HE LIVETH WE SHALL LIVE ALSO,] and that [OUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD] though we are dead; and when he ſhall appear who is our Life, we ſhall alſo appear with him in glory,] John 14. 19. Col. 3. 3, 4. Though we muſt be ſown in corruption, in weakneſs, and diſhonour, we ſhall be raiſed in incorruption, ſtrength, and honour, 1 Cor. 1. 15. 42, 43. While our ſouls behold the Lord in glory, we may bear with the winter that befalls our fleſh till the ſping of Reſurrection come. [Knowing that he that raiſed up the Lord Jeſus, ſhall alſo raiſe us up by Jeſus—For which cauſe we faint not; but, though our outward man periſh, yet the inner man is renewed day by day,—while we look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen: For the things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are eternal, 2 Cor. 4. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.] As we are riſen with Chriſt to newneſs of life, ſo we ſhall riſe with him to glory.