A Century of Sermons, Sermon 5
THE FIFTH SERMON UPON THE RESURRECTION.
MAT. xxviii. 2.
And behold, there was a great Earthquake, for the Angel of the Lord deſcended from heaven, and came and rolled back the ſtone from the door, and ſate upon it.
THE greateſt matter which we preach unto you throughout all the year is that of this great Feſtival, Chriſt is riſen from the dead. All that we preach beſide holds of this in chief, skore out this line and ye blot out the contents of all the Goſpel. St. Paul ſays it, If Chriſt be not riſen, then is our preaching in vain, 1 Cor. xv. 14. You hear of what great conſequence it is to preach of the Reſurrection, and yet I cannot tell you from any part of holy Scripture at what moment of time, or after what manner our Saviour roſe from the dead. Thou knoweſt it O Son of David, who doſt open, and no man ſhutteth, who doſt ſhut, and no man openeth. He opened the Grave, nor Death, nor Hell, nor Pilates Seal could ſhut it againſt him: He ſhutteth up this myſtery from us, when he came out of the Grave, and no man is able to open it. Is this the reaſon, becauſe his Diſciples, and the very beſt of his Choſen were incredulous upon this day, and it would not enter into their hearts how he was riſen from the dead, though he had often foretold it, and therefore he did puniſh them to conceal the manner of his Reſurrection from them, though no doubt they did much deſire to know it? Or was it for this reſpect,In Catenâ Graec. Pat. foreign. as another ſays, foreign, we know not the hour when he roſe from the dead, neither is it poſſible to know the time when we ſhall riſe from the dead? Now it was obſcure, when he came again to life, and it will be as much obſcure when he will come to judge the world at the general Reſurrection. Or was it rather to inform us, that ſince we receive this principal Article of our Creed plainly, and not examining many needleſs particulars, ſo muſt we receive all the Tenets of Faith naked and uncloath'd from all queſtions of curioſity.
The ſecret things belong unto the Lord our God. Yet thus far we may dare to incroach, that the Reſurrection of Chriſt fell out within the compaſs of the words which I have read unto you. It came to paſs very early in the morning on the third day, I told you ſo the laſt year at large, now I come nearer to the Point. For all that ſay any thing to the incidency of time agree in this, that about the time the earthquake ſhook the place, or about the time the Angel deſcended, or about the time the ſtone was rouled away, among theſe Circumſtances one or other, he awoke out of a ſleep, and came forth of the Sepulcher. Needs then muſt you hear from hence ſome good tidings of joy and triumph. The laſt words of my Text are memorable to this purpoſe, that the Angel ſate upon the ſtone, Quaſi fidei doctor, Homil. 74.& Magiſter reſurrectionis, ſays Chryſologus. Upon theſe concurrencies, preſently the Angel ſate down like a Doctor of faith in the Chair of Authority, and like a Maſter to teach the Reſurrection. Where the Angel ſits him down to teach, the caſe you will preſume is worth the hearing. The two things generally in which I fix my thoughts are theſe, motus and quies, a motion, and a quietneſs. Of motions there are three: 1. The foundations of the Earth opened, and behold there was a great earthquake. 2. The Heavens were opened, for the Angel of the Lord deſcended from heaven. 3. The door of the Grave is opened, He came and rouled away the ſtone. But albeit theſe things are turbulent in the doing, great tranquility ſhall follow. Surely, the earth preſently was ſetled and ſtood ſtill, for the ſtone was ſteady, the Angel compoſed himſelf at reſt, and ſate upon it. To theſe I will add ſuch explication as God ſhall give me leave to utter.
An Earthquake was a royal trumpet to proclaim this victory, the greateſt that ever was obtained againſt an enemy. The deep murmur and hollow ſound which came from beneath the earth gave notice at one blaſt to Heaven, and Hell, and to all Judaea, that the Son of God about that inſtant (as I do verily believe) did break the gates of Braſs, and ſmite the bars of death in ſunder. It was heard to heaven, and the Angel came down at his qu, as ſoon as ever that triumphal ſign was given, wherein I have given you my opinion, and not mine alone, but of ſundry others; that the coming of the Angel was not a cauſe, but a conſequent of the Earthquake. Tremuit terra, non quia Angelus deſcendit de coelo, Paraeus. Chryſolog. hom. 74.ſed quia ab inferis dominator aſcendit. The ground trembled, not becauſe the Angel deſcended from above, but becauſe the Conquerour aſcended from beneath. And I know not a prettier diverſion in all the Scripture to put off that which might be expected than this is. Who would not look that the ſtory ſhould run thus? Behold there was a great Earthquake, for Chriſt aroſe from the dead. But the Holy Ghoſt, to keep that Circumſtance out of our knowledge at what time he aroſe, did divert it in this manner, Behold there was a great Earthquake, for the Angel even at that inſtant and occaſion came down from heaven. And as heaven did partake of this noiſe when the earth was moved, ſo I doubt not but the horror of it went down to Hell, and troubled the Spirits that abide in chains of darkneſs for ever. In all likelihood this great body of the world did quake from the Superficies to the Center of the Earth.Gerardus harm. de Reſurrect. c. 2 And Luther was poſſeſſed with this pious credulity, that in this Earthquake the ground was parted with a large Hiatus from the Sepulcher to Hell, and in the moment of that concuſſion of the ground our Saviour aroſe to life, deſcended viſibly to Hell, made ſhew of his Reſurrection there that Satan and Death were under his feet, and preſently came out of the Pit, which could not ſhut its mouth againſt him.Salmeron traci. 8. tom. 1. As Luther may enjoy his own conjecture, ſo thus far we may concur, that the terrour of the Earthquake did penetrate to the Kingdom of the Devil. And how far the Inhabitants of Judaea were affrighted at it, it appears in the moſt couragious, in the band of Souldiers, who were tumbled to the ground at the noiſe like the ſtone which was rouled from the mouth of the Sepulcher; and no marvel,Hier. qu. 6. ad Hedibiam. for St. Hierom either by his own perſwaſion, or by tradition delivers, that the rumbling of the earth was ſo great, Ʋt cuncta concuteret, & everſionem terrae funditus minaretur; That it joſſelled every thing together, and threatned the ſubverſion of this Univerſe.
To what end have I amplified it thus far, but to make you conceive it fell out immediately through the wonderful hand of the Almighty? Philaſtrius in his 54 Hereſie enrolls it for an Hereſie, Si quis terram moveri putet naturaliter; If any man ſhall ſay, that an Earthquake comes to paſs by naturall cauſes; there he went beyond the Line; for it appears evidently in Philoſophical inquiſitions, that exhalations, and hot air may be inſtrangled within the bowels of the earth, and ſeeking a way for a larger room, or elſe to get forth, it breaks out with a terrible violence, and removes ſome parts of this heavy Element. To deny this were to put out the eye of reaſon. Yet in this Earthquake that pertains to my Text, I aſſent that there was no preparation of natural cauſes to produce it: For juſt when our Saviours ſoul went out of the body at his Paſſion; and juſt, I think, at the moment when his ſoul returned again into the body at the Reſurrection; the earth was ſmitten in a wonderful manner, that the world might take notice that the like was never heard or ſeen. And as I do reſolutely conclude, This motion of the Earth was ſupernatural, ſo I hold off from the uſual opinion, that the Angel was made Gods inſtrument of the execution, the manner, the conſequence of it ſo great, that I am perſwaded it was immediately the work of Chriſt himſelf.Homil. 77. Leo cubile in quo habitat tremere fecit, ſays Chryſologus rationally, and elegantly; The Lion rouzed himſelf up from ſleep, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah roared, and made his own den to quake. Inferiour operations are committed to the Creatures, the chief abide in God. When Lazarus was raiſed from the dead, ſays Chriſt to the Diſciples, Take ye away the ſtone, and afterward being come forth of the Cave, Do ye looſe him, and let him go. So the Angel was an actor in the noble work of this day, to roul away the grave-ſtone, to diſmay the Souldiers, to comfort Mary Magdalen, and the other women to preach the myſtery to all: But it was Chriſt himſelf that ſhook the ground from the Superficies to the Center, this Ecce, this Behold, me ſeems bids us behold how it came from God, and not from his Miniſter the Angel, and behold there was a great Earthquake.
I remove forward to that which is more uſeful to be taught, from the efficient to the final cauſe, for what purpoſe was this great trembling and concuſſion of the earth at the Reſurrection of our Saviour? I will ſet forth ſix reaſons:
Firſt, it makes us conceit that there was a great ſtrugling, and a combate between Chriſt and Death; Death was brought unto the Bar, impleaded before Almighty God, diveſted by juſt judgment from all power, found guilty becauſe the guiltleſs and innocent was ſlain. It was permitted to ſeize upon us Priſoners. But it ſpared not the Judge himſelf, which is Chriſt. We that are ſlaves and ſervants were put under the dominion of it, and Death preſumed to offer violence to our Lord; it was ſuffered to rage againſt men, and it was bold to aſſault God. Death, according to the great Doom, was the wages of ſin, how juſtly is the yoke of its tyranny broken when it became the murtherer of righteouſneſs? But how hardly would it lay down the authority which it had ſo long uſurped over all mortal fleſh? So many Patriarchs, ſo many Prophets, Quo Tullus Dives, & Ancus, ſo many Princes and Kings whoſe bodies crumbled into duſt, and their aſhes were never made whole again, and when this Law, which had ſo long continued, was to be broken, what could be expected but that the earth would groan and ſtruggle againſt the Reſurrection? When I ſpeak of Death, you know that I mean the Devil, who had the power of death,Salmeron. tom. 11. tract, 3. he had deluded himſelf with this fallacy, Cruce vivus non deſcendit, quomodo ſepulchro mortuus aſcendet? Chriſt came not down from the Croſs when he was alive, how will he be able to come out of the Grave when he is dead? He that had ſo much cunning was beſt able to deceive himſelf; but with what reſiſtance and murmuring the Prey was taken out of his mouth it is beſt ſet down thus briefly inſtead of a large deſcription, Behold there was a great Earthquake.
Secondly, It betokens what noiſe and tumult there ſhall be in all the Elements at the laſt and great Reſurrection. There is a day to come, when the earth ſhall diſcloſe her bloud, and ſhall no more cover her ſlain, Iſa. xxvi. 21. Then ſhall the whole earth ſhake, and be diſſolved as when one wipes a diſh, and turns the other ſide, ſays the Prophet.Di…g Laert. And therefore Diogenes the Cynick in a flout would be left above ground when he was dead; for one day, ſays he, all will be turned topſide turvy, and then I ſhall lie right.Hag. ii. 6. Haggai, ſpeaking of that great and dreadful day, expreſſeth it by Earthquakes and Commotions. Yet once is a little while, and I will ſhake the Heavens, and the Earth, and the Sea, and the dry Land; and I will ſhake all Nations, and the deſire of all Nations ſhall come, and I will fill this houſe with glory. Such a claſhing and perturbation ſhall precede our future happineſs, that the ſudden change may the more affect us, from extremity of amazement in the twinckling of an eye to extremity of glory. Inſtead of many places this of Ezekiel will fit us for all,Eze. xxxvii. 7. Ecce commotio, & acceſſerunt oſſa ad oſſa; Behold a ſhaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. If it were nothing elſe but ſo many Monuments of ſtone cracking aſunder, ſo many Graves yawning, ſo many Bones grating one againſt another, this would make a ſtrange ſound in mens ears; how much more when the duſt ſhall be ſhaken from the very Center, that the Dead ſince Adam may have all their limbs again? When the Elements ſhall melt with heat, and the Heavens paſs away with a noiſe; when the Impenitent ſhall howl, the Unjuſt skreek out, the righteous lift up their voice of thankſgiving, and the Angels ſing Haleluja, all this together in a medley will make a ſtrange commotion, which is prefigured in the antecedent of our Saviours Reſurrection, Behold, &c.
Thirdly, It ſignifies that the Majeſty of the Lord was upon the earth to defend his people, that he came down, and trod upon his footſtool, that he alone is terrible againſt all other terrors that may trouble us, that he is preſent to protect all thoſe that love the coming of our Lord Jeſus. When he came down to deliver the Law the earth ſhook, even as Sinah alſo was moved at the preſence of the Lord, at the preſence of the God of Jacob; the Mountains owed that homage to tremble when the glory of the Lord was upon them. And though it was dreadful, yet ſo long as God was preſent in the midſt of them the Hoſt of Iſrael knew they were in ſafety. So the Monuments did quiver and tremble when Chriſt did break forth of the Grave in triumph, which did at once beget theſe ſeeming contrary paſſions in them that believe, an awful reverence, and a bold encouragement. This the Fathers collect becauſe Mary Magdalen, and the other devout women were now upon their journey when the Earthquake began, yet they went not back, neither ſtopt in the way, but advanced with chearfulneſs to the very mouth of the Sepulcher. When a blazing Star appeared in the days of Veſpaſian; ſays he, It threatens not fatality to me, but to the King of Perſia, who nouriſheth long locks, like the ſtreaming flame of a Comet: So thoſe holy women did truly apprehend that the buzzling of the Earthquake was their protection, and bad mens confuſion.
And here a fourth reaſon offers it ſelf, the anger of the Lord did roar out of the earth againſt thoſe Jews who thought to prevail that death ſhould devour him, againſt Pilate that allowed his Seal to this conſpiracy, and againſt the Souldiers that watcht the Sepulcher. An unexpected judgment of which they did not dream that the earth, which is a moſt dull and ſilent Element, ſhould burſt into many pieces to chide their infidelity.Diog. Laertius. Pittacus the wiſe man had ſuch confidence in the ſtability of the earth, that it is delivered for his ſaying, foreign, you might truſt the Earth, it would do you no harm, but the Sea was not to be truſted. Fooliſh wiſe man, that underſtood not how terrible a vengeance the ſhaking of the earth is when the Lord is angry. In the fourth year of Nero, which was the twenty ſeventh year after our Saviours Paſſion, more than one quarter of the City of Rome was beaten flat with an Earthquake, and all the Inhabitants ſlain. And ſix years after that, three the moſt famous Cities in all Aſia were ruin'd by this judgment, Heraclis, Laodicaea, and Colophe. The ſame fatality hath ſwallowed up the Cities of Coloſſus and Nice; it were endleſs to rehearſe particulars. And although Chriſt would not interject ſuch ſadneſs with the joyfulneſs of his Reſurrection-day, to procure death and ruine to his enemies by this Earthquake, (we read of no ſuch miſchief done by it in the Text of Scripture) yet I believe it is unutterable how this accident did ſhake and apall the Souldiers. Miſeri quos tunc percutit pavor mortis, Chryſol. Serm. 74.quando ſecuritas vitae redditur; Unhappy wretches, who at that time were moſt of all ſtrucken with the fear of death, when Chriſt did give us this demonſtrance to be ſecure of eternal life. I leave it to you to conſider, how an evil conſcience diffuſed chilneſs and quaking into all their bones. They muſt needs reel, and totter, and fall down deſperately to the Earth who are weighed down with the Plummets of their own guiltineſs. And what a miſerable folly was this, to tremble becauſe they were loth to die, yet their office was at this time to be mortis ſatellites, deaths guard, appointed to be adverſaries to life, and to hinder the Reſurrection?
Now becauſe the Conſciences of theſe evil men were only wounded, and no other harm done by the Earthquake, therefore fifthly ſome ſay, that the place round about did rather dance for joy than quake for trembling. As when Iſrael came out of Egypt, the Pſalmiſt ſays, The Mountains skipped like Rams, and the little Hills like young Sheep, Surely under that Hyperbole is to be underſtood that the motion of the Earth did bewray ſome gladſome entertainment. As the Diſciples prayed the place was ſhaken where they were aſſembled, Acts iv. 31. It is expounded generally, that the Earth did move with gladneſs, and reverence, becauſe the Saints kneeled upon it. Horum ſub greſſibus ergo laeta movetur humus, ſays Arator. And as the Child ſprang within Elizabeth when the Bleſſed Virgin came unto her with our Saviour in her womb, and ſays ſhe, How is it that the Mother of my Lord doth come unto me? So the Earth did rejoyce and tripudiate when our Saviour came forth alive out of the belly of the Grave; as who ſhould ſay, O duſt thou ſhalt be ennobled, and compacted into an incorruptible body. And how is it that my Redeemer comes forth, and lives for ever? I will put no more Oyl into this Lamp than Beda's words, diſtinguiſhing between the two Earthquakes, the one at the Paſſion of Chriſt, the other at his Reſurrection, Terra quae in paſſione concuſſa fuerat horrore, jam prae gaudio exilire videtur. The whole Land of Judaea did quake with horror when he hung upon the Croſs, but it danced for joy when he roſe out of the Grave; ſo I have rendred the fifth reaſon.
The Sixth is Allegorical, and thus in brief, that our hearts muſt be ſhaken, and inwardly troubled with compunction and repentance before we believe ſtedfaſtly in the Reſurrection of Jeſus. Acts ii. 37.Peter preacht, and they that heard him were prickt in heart, and ſaid to him, and to the reſt of the Apoſtles, Men and brethren what ſhall we do? Acts xvii. 27.There was an heart-quake before they believed. Paul and Silas prayed, and ſung praiſes to God, and ſuddenly there was a great Earthquake, then the Jaylor came in trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and ſaid, Sirs, what muſt I do to be ſaved? Here was an heart rent and torn, a commotion in his conſcience greater than an Earthquake, and then he believed. When Eve took and eat the forbidden fruit,Chryſol. homil. 74. ſays an eloquent Father, there was no Earthquake, no horror to affright her. O that the Palſie had poſſeſs'd her fingers, O that her teeth had chattered, that ſhe might not have eaten, but vitiis ſemper ſerviunt blandimenta; All was huſh and ſtill, nothing but fair allurements do miniſter to our vices: But at Chriſts Reſurrection the ſound of an hideous noiſe was fierce, and terrible to the ear, Virtutibus auſtera & fortia ſunt amica; Harſh and auſtere occurrencies are beſt agreeable to vertue. Roul the thoughts of your heart up and down like a tempeſtuous Sea if you mean to make a fair voyage to heaven; the commotion of a troubled ſpirit will breed eternal peace. As Paul was ſmitten down before he believed, ſo faith muſt be beaten into us with violence, and therefore behold there was a great Earthquake at the Reſurrection of Jeſus.
Unto the motion of the Earth I conjoyn the next circumſtance of my Text, which I called the motion of the heaven; it were like Copernicus his fancy in Aſtronomy, to think that the Earth did only move, and the Heavens ſtand ſtill at the operation of this Miracle. No, the everlaſting doors were ſet open, and the Angel of the Lord deſcended from heaven. Here is one Keeper more than the Jews look'd for about our Saviours Sepulchre, one more than Pilate appointed. One mighty Prince of that ſupernal Hoſt, whoſe countenance was able to daunt a Legion of the beſt Roman Souldiers; perhaps there was a multitude with him to celebrate the Reſurrection, as there was a multitude that appeared in the fields of Bethlem to rejoyce at his Nativity. But this Angel, I may ſay determinately, was one of the moſt royal Spirits that ſtand before the face of God for ever. To make ſhort, I will not defer to give my reaſons preſently, how ſweetly the eternal Wiſdom did diſpoſe to let an Angel ſhew himſelf openly both at this place of the Grave, and upon the celebration of this great day.
Firſt, Thoſe miniſtring Spirits had been attendants upon all the parts of our Saviours humility, and reaſon good they ſhould be occupied upon all occaſions of his exaltation and glory. Since we read of Angels that gave all diligent attendance at his birth, the holy Spirit of God knew that men would look for their company at the Reſurrection, I mean, that we who know him now by faith would expect their mention upon this occaſion in the Book of God. Beſides, his Reſurrection is a birth, not called ſo becauſe of a reſemblance how man is brought to life out of the womb of his mother in natural Generation, but properly in it ſelf according to the phraſe of Scripture, Acts xiii. 33. For Paul preaching at Antioch that God had fulfilled his Promiſe in raiſing up Jeſus again, ſays he, As it is written in the ſecond Pſalm, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. So that theſe Phraſes, it ſeems, are equivalent, this day have I raiſed thee up from the dead, and this day have I begotten thee. And ſurely, as a Father of our own Church ſays very well, the news of his birth, if God had ſo pleaſed, might well have been brought by a mortal man, it was but the entrance into a mortal life: But the news of his Reſurrection do become the mouth of an immortal Meſſenger, becauſe it was an entrance into life immortal.
Secondly, The women came out of doors to embalm Chriſts body with a great deal of confidence, they never thought how many difficulties were in their way, and ſuch difficulties as could never have been maſtered if the Angel had not been ſent to facilitate all things for them. They mind not how the High Prieſts would excommunicate all thoſe that profeſſed to believe, or do good to our Lord and Saviour; they came to touch a dead body, which was pollution by the Law, they ſtand not upon that: The Sepulcher was guarded with Souldiers, who would permit none to come near it, they would try that. The Grave was ſealed with Pilates, perhaps with Caeſars Seal, which none muſt cancel on pain of death, they would venture that; The Grave-ſtone was exceeding heavy, as much as twenty men could move, ſays Nicephorus, and barred ſtrongly with Iron; and they were out of doors, and far on their way before they thought of that; then they ask, Quis removebit? Who will roul us away this ſtone? As who ſhould ſay, God will ſend us ſome aſſiſtance in ſo good an enterpriſe, we will put on, and hope for that; and the Lord, to make their Pilgrimage proſperous,Gellius Noci. Att. lib. 6. c. 1. ſent an Angel from heaven to remove away the ſtone. Scipio Africanus beſieged a City in Spain well fortified every way, and wanted nothing, and no hope did appear to take it. In the mean time Scipio heard many cauſes pleaded before him, and put off one before it was ended, to be heard three days after; and being asked by his Officers where he would keep his next Court, he pointed to the chief Cittadel of the beſieged City, and told them he would hear the Cauſe there, in that ſpace he became Maſter of the Town, and did as he had appointed. He was not more confident to enter into a City rampar'd againſt him, by his valour, than theſe women were to enter into a Sepulcher by faith ſealed and ſhut up, but the Lord is preſent with couragious attempts, and he ſent his Angel to aſſiſt them.
Thirdly, This ſhewed, ſays St. Chryſoſtome, that he who had been buried there was God as well as man, Cum ad ſepulchrum tanquam in coelo ubi Deus habitat aſſiſterent, for Angels were as officious at the Sepulcher as they uſe to be in heaven, which is the throne of God. If men be laid in their Tomb the worms attend them, corruption goes to corruption: But the body of Chriſt, even when the ſoul had left it, was ſtill united in one perſon with the Godhead; as when a bow-ſtring is ſnapt in twain, yet both parts of the ſtrings do ſtill remain in the nocks of the Bow. So the body of our Saviour was holy and venerable, becauſe it retained the perſonal union of the Godhead, and the Sepulcher where it was repoſed deſerved the attendance of an Angel.
Fourthly, If not an Angel, who elſe would be believed in ſo great a matter as this was? Tell me, who could give teſtimony beſide that would be credited? The Diſciples were never ſo tardy to conceive, never ſo unapprehenſive in any thing elſe as in this; They knew not as yet what the riſing from the dead did mean. Obſerve the talk of Cleophas and the other Diſciple, Luk. xxiv. 21. And gueſs at all the company beſide. They confeſs Chriſt had been a Prophet mighty in word and deed, whom Pilate and the Rulers had condemned to death and crucified, but we truſted that it had been he which ſhould have redeemed Iſrael. As who ſhould ſay, being he is dead there is an end of our hope, we look for no more redemption from him. God loves to have better witneſſes than theſe in all his works, that we may not ſay he takes us unprepared, we were not well wrought to credulity. David ſaid it in his haſte, what if he had ſaid it upon premeditation, All men are liars? It was not fit ſo fundamental an Article of faith as this was ſhould be preatcht at firſt time by lying lips; nay, rather by an Angel who was confirmed in grace that he would not lie. And how little had the authority of any man ſwayed Mary Magdalen to believe, when albeit an Angel had told her the truth, how Chriſt was riſen, yet ſhe diſtruſts, and runs to Peter and John with a quite contrary tale, that ſome body had taken away her Maſters body, and ſhe knew not where they had laid it; and therefore becauſe an Angel could not put that faith into her, Chriſt took it in hand and diſcloſed himſelf.
Fifthly, An Angel appears at the mouth of the Grave after Chriſt came to life again, who is the firſt fruits of our Reſurrection, which is in effect to promiſe that we ſhall be exalted after death to the ſociety of Angels. Thus a worthy Author obſerved it before me. The finding of an Angel in the place of dead bodies, is for a pledge that there is a poſſibility and hope that dead bodies may come into the place of Angels. Why not the bodies in the Grave to be advanced in heaven one day as well as the Angels in heaven to be about the Grave this day? And I pray you mark it with me. There are many Apparitions of Angels recorded in holy Scripture, yet this one time and no more (if I be not miſtaken) an accurate deſcription is made, what manner of Robe and Garment they did ſeem to wear. His countenance was like lightning, and his rayment white as ſnow in the next verſe to my Text. The Holy Ghoſt would never have inſtanced in the bright colour of the Garment, but to ſhew with what Angelical ſhapes we ſhall be cloathed in the Reſurrection.
6. Laſtly, Angels deſire to be preſent at every thing wherein mankind is benefited, that they may rejoyce with us. No envy, no malignity in them, that we ſhall be made perfect in both parts of nature both in body and ſoul, and ſo in that reſpect exceed them, who are only ſpiritual ſubſtances. For they that rejoyce when one ſinner is converted, how much more do they rejoyce that all mankind ſhall be deliver'd from the Priſons of death, and beautified with immortality? they fought with the Devil about the Body of Moſes, they will ſtrive with death and corruption about the reſtauration of our bodies. For God will ſend forth his Angels, and they ſhall gather his Elect from the four corners of the earth; this is meant of their Miniſtry to rake up our bones and duſt together at the great day of the Reſurrection. Surgente Chriſto terrenis redditur coeleſte commercium, now Angels came down in bodily ſhapes, becauſe Chriſt had exalted frail fleſh unto incorruption; now they talk familiarly to Gods ſervants as with the tongues of men, becauſe our tongues ſhall be made Pſalteries of the divine praiſe for ever.
I have done with the Angels deſcent from heaven, and now I come to the third motion, which was particularly about our Saviours Sepulchre, He came and rolled back the ſtone from the door. When you hear that the door of our Saviours Sepulchre was a great ſtone, and a ſtone rolled upon it, you muſt not conceive the manner by ſuch Tombs and Monuments as we have now adaies: Neither will I refer you to thoſe types and Medals, which are printed now adaies, and taken from the faſhion of the Sepulchre which at this day is to be ſeen in the Holy City, and is kept by certain Orders of Friars with great reverence. For with what aſſurance can I ſay it is the ſame Sepulchre wherein our Saviour lay?Lib. 3. de vit. Conſtantini. when Euſebius ſays, that in the reign of Conſtantine the Emperor, the place was nothing but a rude heap of earth, ſo that there was no memory remaining of our Saviours Burial place. But thoſe of the learned that ſeem to me to ſpeak probably ſay thus. Jeruſalem was ſeated upon a rocky place, ſo that all their chief Monuments were digged out of ſtony Quarries. Every Family of noble reputation (as the learned Caſaubon notes it out of the Rabbies) had a Sepulchre proper to it ſelf,Caſa…b. Exercit. 16. Num. 99. with a certain number of hollow places, or excavations, to receive the Corpſes of that Family: Some ſay there were wont to be thirteen in every Vault, ſome ſay but eight: In ſuch a Vault belonging to Joſeph of Arimathaea was Chriſt laid; a rocky ſtony Moument it was, leſt ſome ſhould ſay he was digg'd out by ſome ſecret Mine; a new one, wherein never any had been laid, leſt they ſhould ſay not He, but another body roſe; a Tomb not belonging to himſelf but to another man, becauſe he neither died nor was buried for himſelf, but for us men,Catech. 13. and for our ſalvation. St. Cyril helps us further to know, that the Monuments of the Kings of Juda and Iſrael were raiſed a little above the ground, but the Tombs of all others of that Nation who were under the Princely rank, were hewn out ſeven cubits under ground. Euſebius very directly ſays of his Tomb it was foreign, a Cave; but none ſo pat as the Prophet Jeremy, Lam. v. 53. They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and caſt a ſtone upon me. An hollow deſcenſion into a low place is called a Dungeon. And as we cover a Wells mouth with planks of wood, or with lead, ſo in ſundry places of Scripture it appears, that they rolled great ſtones upon the mouth of their Caves: And ſurely Joſeph of Arimathaea barr'd this Sepulchre with a ſtronger ſtone than ordinary, that our Lords body might not be abuſed by the malice of his Enemies. Howſoever it was charm'd by Gods protection, that man ſhould not meddle with it; a celeſtial Miniſter turn'd it aſide from the mouth of the Pit. A Cherubin in the Old Teſtament ſhut up Paradice, and ſtopt the way of joy againſt us: An Angel in the New Teſtament opens the Graves of ſorrow. He came and rolled back the ſtone from the door.
'Tis certain that the Scripture gives no reaſon why the Angel did it, but this was one end, to declare the truth of the Reſurrection; for after the Stone was caſt aſide, ſays he, Come ſee the place where He was laid, He is not here. It is not from the power of man, but from Angelical help, from Divine grace, that we are led into the knowledg of the myſterie of the Reſurrection. The Law of Moſes, ſays one, was written in Tables of ſtone, and therefore was likened unto a Stone, a Milſtone, which if Chriſt did not bear off the weight, would grind us to powder. Now the comfort of Redemption in Chriſt, his Paſſion, Reſurrection, Aſcention, the Coming of the Holy Ghoſt, are myſtically delivered in the Old Teſtament, but are covered over darkly with the Letter of the Law as with a Stone; but after the reſurrection from the dead was well believed, the Stone was rolled away, I aſſure you, great knowledg of Divine things enſued, never before that time was the ſubſtance of faith ſo perfectly apprehended.Chryſol. homil. 77. Beatus lapis qui non minùs corda aperit quàm ſepulchrum, ſays that Father whom I have often cited upon this Text. Happie ſtones at whoſe opening, and rolling away, not only the Sepulchre was uncloſed, but our hearts were opened to believe. Beloved, if there be one among you that is dull to conceive, and ſlow to believe, it is a ſign that the Stone is not yet rolled away to him; all is ſhut up to that poor Soul, and he ſees nothing, ſuch a mans Key muſt be continual prayer, it behoves him to cry out earneſtly, Lord take away this ſtony heart, and give me an heart of fleſh, Lord ſhut not up thy loving kindneſs in diſpleaſure, ſend down thy Holy Spirit to remove away all carnal impediments; open mine eyes that I may look into thy Sepulchre, and believe thy Reſurrection.
Now the Scriptures aſſigning no cauſe for the rolling away of the Stone, but to manifeſt that he was riſen, not that he might riſe in his body, when the mouth of the Cave was open: and further as Gregory Nyſſen urgeth, the Angel doth not preach, that he roſe even now ſince He came down from Heaven, but foreign, ſurrexit, he hath riſen, he hath departed out of the Grave, as if he ſpake of a thing that was paſt before his coming; from whence you may obſerve what a perplexful queſtion ariſeth to be handled, how the Body of Chriſt being now made alive again, came out of the Sepulchre. I do not find the ſeveral opinions collected together by any man, ſome may eſcape me, but as many as I have noted, I will rehearſe them all. One opinion among the Antient Fathers, and the moſt general, if they be well underſtood, is thus, That He came forth by his own mighty power, after what ſort we cannot tell, for God would not trouble us with thoſe ſtrange effefts, which we are not able to apprehend.Paraeus in Matth. 28. So one of our late Writers after much ado concludes, Divino nutu viam ſibi aperuit, mirando, & nobis inexplicabili modo; he made way to come forth as he would himſelf, in a miraculous and unſpeakable manner. Theſe are Paraeus words. And I put Calvin in this rank, who goes no further,Calvinus in harm. Muſculus. R. Steph. Ma…loratus. but Chriſtum ante ſurrexiſſe quàm ab Angelo ſepulchrum aperiretur, Chriſt roſe before the Sepulcher was unbarred by the Angel: but he determined not what way, and it was a becoming modeſty in him. I could name a multitude more, but divers have borrowed the words of Muſculus. Chriſt did uſe the external miniſtry of Angels to roll away the Stone for us, not for himſelf. He that roſe to life, though death were upon his Body, could come forth into the Garden though the Stone were upon the Sepulchre. But after what ſort he came forth, all theſe put their finger upon their mouth and ſay nothing. To determine after what manner great myſteries are brought to paſs, when the Word of God is ſilent, hath done more hurt to the Chriſtian Church, by procuring endleſs Controverſies, than all the Perſecutions that ever were raiſed. I concur therefore in mine own judgment with this firſt rank of Divines, yet you ſhall hear the ſecond, That he iſſued out the Stone remaining on the mouth of the Grave, creaturae mutatione, non ſui corporis; by an alteration cauſed in the Stone, not in the Body of Chriſt. So Juſtin Martyr, he came out by the Stone, even as he made the Seas fit for his own feet, and for Peters to tread upon. No mutation can be ſaid to be in Chriſts Body,Qu. 17. for the Father ſays it was corpus foreign, a ſolid Elementary Body; certainly Peters body alſo was heavy and earthy, for after a little while he began to ſink; yet he at firſt walkt upon the Seas, becauſe Chriſt ſtiffned the waies to ſupport him and Peter, like a ſolid Pavement. So the Stone might be attenuated, and made thin, as eaſie as air to tranſmit a body. St. Auſtin reports of a Ring falln from a womans Girdle,Civ. Dei. lib. 22. c. 8. yet the Ring remaining and the Girlde whole and unbroken: Admit it were true, yet the Ring paſſed not through the ſubſtance of the Girdle, but the one ſubſtance paſſed by, while in a moment by Gods power the other gave place unto it. So the place through which Chriſts Body paſſed (admit no rarefaction of the Stone) might be whole and ſhut by and by, and ſtreight after he paſſed by it, not in the inſtant of his paſſing, that's contrary to the nature of a true body.Fulk. Rem. Teſt. Matth. 28. Some in credulous Jew, when Malchus ear was cut off, and preſently on again, might think the Sword had never gone between his ear and his head, yet we are ſure it did. In ſuch a ſtarting while, which could not be perceiv'd, might the Stone yield to Chriſts Body, and come together again: or if not made thin, parted of a ſudden to let him paſs by, and in an inſtant come cloſe together again.
Thirdly, ſome antient Writers, and divers moderns hold probably, that Chriſt made his egreſs repagulorum ceſſione, non penetrationum dimenſione; not as if one body had penetrated another, but the Stone in the trembling of the earthquake ſtarted off from the mouth of the Cave, and clos'd again, till the Angel rolled it quite away. This is made the more credible from Acts 5.23. the Apoſtles were ſhut up in the common Priſon, the Angel brings them forth, the Officers being queſtion'd confeſs, The Priſon truly found we ſhut with all ſafety, the Keepers ſtanding without before the doors, but when we had opened it we found no man. Therefore this opinion doth thus diſtinguiſh, ante devolutum lapidem prodiit, non ante concuſſum, he paſſed forth out of the mouth of the Cave, not before the Stone was ſhaken off with the Earthquake,R…miſ…s in 28. Matth. …us lib. 4. Senten. diſt. 8. but before it was rolled away. The fourth opinion I have read in no Author, but I find it cited by one or two, once in the Remiſh Teſtament, and again in Eſtius, potuit prodire per rimam oſtii vi ſubtilitatis; as he came into his Disciples when the doors were ſhut, ſo he came out of the Sepulchre when the door was ſhut, by ſome chink or crany, where the paſſage was not ſtopt cloſe: This I know, that they who ſpeak to this purpoſe upon other occaſions do quote St. Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 44. It is ſown a natural body, it is raiſed a ſpiritual body, becauſe a body raiſed from the dead is called a ſpiritual body, many do aſſume that it hath no groſſeneſs as our bodies have, but can attenuate it ſelf as a thick piece of gold is malleated and made ductile into a thin leaf, and ſo to paſs through a narrow crevis. Beloved, this opinion is not ſo ſimple as ſome would make, for the learnedſt Clerk in the world cannot define what manner of ſpirituality a glorified body ſhould have, neither ſhall we underſtand it, till we come to know in Heaven, even as we are known. Yet I confeſs I am puzzled when I think, that by this cobweb ſubtilty Chriſt muſt needs loſe the figure and lineaments of a manly body: beſide Theodoret, Tertullian, and all that wrote againſt the Marcionites, do ſtiffly maintain the truth of Chriſts Body, to be no aereal, phantaſtical thing. Beſide, I will frame an argument as well againſt theſe, who hold our Saviour ſlipt in by a chink of the door, when the doors were ſhut, as againſt the Pontificians, who define he came through the wood of the door, and ſo violated nature: both theſe Tenents are contrary to that which himſelf ſaid to Thomas the Apoſtle, to remove the ſuſpicion that he was no ſpirit; ſays he, Handle and ſee me, for a ſpirit hath not fleſh and bone, as you ſee me have, this had not been enough to prove the truth of his bodily preſence and reſurrection in the body, if they had been perſwaded he came in as an aereal ſpiritual ſubſtance, or by penetration of the door contrary to nature.
In the fifth place Zwinglius, and Sadael, and ſome others of the Reformed Churches, conceived there was ſo much difficulty in all the four opinions which I have run over, and finding no compulſive reaſon to be driven out of the plain way, deliver'd their ſentence, that the Angel tumbled the ſtone from the door of the Monument, and then the paſſage being clear Chriſt came forth without a miracle. Certainly, as well as I could peruſe the Scriptures, though I ſee nothing in them to favour this opinion, ſo I ſee nothing in the Sacred Text to contradict it. I would the Fathers had countenanced it. Leo the Great did, howſoever ſome would ſhuffle it: but he proving againſt the Marcionites, that Chriſt had no phantaſtical body, breaks out; Can his ſubſtance be phantaſtical which was nailed to the Croſs, lay in the Sepulchre, and the Stone being rolled away roſe again the third day? therefore the ſcruple is, that the general conſent of all the Fathers beſide bend that way, how the Grave was not uncloſed when he roſe. Non indigebat ut amoto lapide ſurgeret ſicut Lazarus, ſays St. Auſtin, he needed not like Lazarus to have the ſtone rolled away, that he might come forth:Hamil. in Matth. …. foreign: St. Chryſoſt. the Grave was open after he was riſen ftom the dead; nay in plain terms he ſays, the Seal and ſtone were ſtill untoucht. Set aſide that reverence which we bear to theſe glorious lights of the Ancient Church, I ſee no abſurdity which follows, if we ſaid, he roſe to life, when the Stone was rolled from the Sepulchre. But in all theſe opinions nothing is groſly repugnant to Faith or Nature, only I had rather addict my ſelf to the firſt opinion, which conſiders not how or which way he came out of the Grave, but ſays the manner was miraculous and inexplicable.
But I can in no wiſe digeſt the ſixth and ſeventh opinions; I muſt couple the Pontificians and Lutherans together, though the one ſide be Tranſubſtantiators, the other ſide Conſubſtantiators. The Lutherans ſay boldly and blindly, that his body paſſed through the ſtone, ſo the ſubſtance of bread, and the ſubſtance of Chriſts body are both together in one place in the Sacraments. The Faction of Rome ſay he went through the ſtone; but what's that to them? who hold not that the ſubſtance of Bread and his Body remain together after Conſecration in the Hoſt, but the ſubſtance of bread is aboliſhed, and his body remains under the quantitative dimenſions of bread: but they infer, if two bodies may be together in one place by Divine power, then one and the ſame body may be in divers places at once by the ſame power without a contradiction:Aretius. For theſe are equivalent, and of the ſame capacity. There want not thoſe who deny that the poſſibility of the one is ſo probable as the other; but to make haſte, I will ſpeak of this Pontifician opinion, as they refer us for the like to other inſtances in Scripture; and then as they refer it to the Euchariſt: their Allegations are, that Mary remain'd a Virgin after Chriſts birth, quem clauſa virginitas ad preſentem tulerat vitam, clauſum ſepulchrum ad vitam reddidit ſempiternam. Marics virginity was not encloſed when he was born, nor the ſtone rolled away when he roſe. 'Tis ſtrange that this was ever urg'd, when the Holy Ghoſt applieth that Scripture to our Saviour, Luke ii. 23. Every male that openeth the womb ſhall be called holy to the Lord. And her virginity conſiſted in this which ſhe ſpoke to the Angel, virum non cognoſco, I know not a man: and truly ſuch a Nativity as they ſpeak of cannot properly be called a Birth. The ſecond inſtance is very witleſs,Luke iv. 30. when the Jews would have thrown our Saviour down an hill, he paſſed through the midſt of them, and went his way. A moſt blind inference to ſay out of thoſe words, his body paſſed through the midſt of their bodies, and as much to the purpoſe, as to have cited, that he ſat in the midſt of Doctors at twelve years of age. It avails as little in the third plate to cite St. Paul, Heb. iv. 14. We have a great High-prieſt that is paſſed into the heavens. Is this objection of any ſtrength, unleſs they think the Heavens could not be opened to receive him, of whoſe opening we read ſo many times in the Holy Teſtament? therefore their ſtrength lies onelyonly upon one place, Joh. xx. 19. when the doors were ſhut, where the Diſciples were aſſembled for fear of the Jews, came Jeſus and ſtood in the midſt. Inde clauſus exist, hic excluſus intravit, theſe two St. Auſtin makes to be very like; being ſhut in the Sepulchre he came out by his own power;Auguſt. de Temp. Serm. 159. being ſhut out of doors he came in by his own power. Well, let it be anſwered that Chriſts body did not penetrate the dimenſions either of ſtone or door, as I told you before, but that a paſſage was made for him miraculouſly, ſo that in a moment, which could not be diſcern'd, they gave way, and made him entrance: and though this anſwer like not our Adverſaries, I am ſure they cannot refute it. And is this fair dealing? when St. John doth not tell how Chriſt came in the doors being ſhut, from thence to pronounce how Chriſt is preſent in the Holy Communion? and ſee their inference, Chriſt came in to his Diſciples the doors being ſhut, ergo Chriſts body being in heaven, the ſame body is in the Prieſts hands in ten thouſand places at once, and in every little crumb of the Hoſt his whole body is preſent. He that underſtands this conſequence is more than a mortal creature.
I will run over their chiefly alleaged ſubtilties, and diſpatch all. Bellarmine affirms that the corporeal ſubſtance of Chriſt partakes the ſpiritual manner of Angelical exiſtence, that is, he is preſent in the Euchariſt ſubſtantially, not quantitatively.Lib. 1. de Euchar. c. 4. 3 P. Qu. 76. ar. 4. And yet Aquinas and He himſelf confeſs, that the ſubſtance of Chriſts body is not there naked, or diveſted of dimenſive quantity; it hath quantity there, but is not there after a quantitative manner: to have quantity, but not the nature of quantity, is not this a flat Chimaera: to be in the Hoſt ſubſtantially, but not with quantity and local dimenſions, I have read it from them a thouſand times, but could never found what it ſhould be. And ſhall I think thoſe millions of godly, but unlearned Souls in the Church muſt learn ſuch diſtinctions to obtein ſalvation? but a late Jeſuit would thus illuſtrate it, the ſoul of man is an whole ſoul in every part of the body, an Angel at once in diſtinct ubities, or places: the thoughts of man may be at once in many quarters of the Earth: God is in Heaven and Earth at once, therefore the body of Chriſt may be in many Hoſts at the ſame inſtant. I anſwer there is not one of theſe things alleaged will fit the purpoſe: for every Angel is definitively in a place, ſo that being in one ſite he removes to another. The ſoul is immaterial by nature, and the form of the body: the thought of man is an intentional motion and action, and not a corporeal or ſpiritual thing. God is every where, becauſe he is infinite: but Chriſts humane body is finite, material, limited to certain place and meaſure, and differeth from all the former things: therefore it hangs not together from the pretence of thoſe inſtances, that the ſame identical body of Chriſt is multiplied in the Sacrament of ſo many thouſand Altars.
Thus their ſophiſtical cavils have compel'd me to go with them one mile, and for the laſt concluſion I will go with them twain. But ſay thoſe ſubtle Writers, if God can put an whole Camel in the eye of a needle, may he not put the whole body of Chriſt in the leaſt part of a conſecrated Crum? In this Objection they ſtrain at a Crum, and ſwallow a Camel. Chriſt did not ſay that a Camel continuing in his ordinary quantity can paſs through the eye of a needle, but by a ſuppoſition, a rich man making Mammon his God may as eaſily paſs to Heaven. But leſt we may ſeem to be averſe to Gods omnipotency, I go further, that there is a two-fold power in God, ordinata & abſoluta; one according to the order which himſelf hath fixed by his Word and Will; the other according to the infiniteneſs of his Eſſence, which exceedeth his Will. According to the power of God meaſur'd and regulated by his Word and Will it is impoſſible that a Camel in his groſs bulk ſhould paſs through the eye of needle, or that the whole body of Chriſt can be in a bit of bread, or that he is ſubſtantively preſent in many places at one inſtant. We do not ſay that the infinite Eſſence of God could not have ordeined theſe things to be poſſible, but he hath in every place of Scripture reveal'd, that He will not have theſe things to be poſſible.Contra Pranean. The power of God is his will, and what He will not, He cannot, is the ſaying of Tertullian. Now that God will have it poſſible to have the body of Chriſt paſs through the dimenſions, and ſolidity of the Graveſtone He no where affirmeth, and therefore I do utterly reject the Pontifician interpretation.
I have finiſht what I had premeditated upon all the three motions in my Text; at laſt we ſee all was compoſed into quiet, and the Angel ſat upon the Grave-ſtone. But here I will reſt my ſelf at this time, and proceed no further. Almighty God roll away the ſtone of ignorance and ſtubbornneſs from within us, and ſettle all theſe things in our hearts, for Jeſus Chriſt his ſake, who died for our ſins, and roſe again as this day for our juſtification. AMEN.