A Century of Sermons, Sermon 8
THE EIGHTH SERMON UPON THE RESURRECTION.
MAT xxviii. 9, 10.
And as they went to tell his Diſciples, behold Jeſus met them, ſaying all hail, and they came and held him by the feet, and worſhipped him.
Then ſaid Jeſus unto them, be not afraid, go tell my Brethren that they go into Galilee, and there ſhall they ſee me.
YOU may call to your remembrance that my ſubject upon Eaſter-day the laſt year was, How Chriſt was firſt ſeen after he roſe again from the dead, of one whom he had raiſed before from the death of ſin, he appeared firſt to Mary Magdalen. And in this Text other women have the next turn to ſee him appear in order of ſtory. That Sex, it is apparent, had the honour of the day, in the firſt and ſecond bout, that the power of God might be ſeen in the weaker Veſſels. The women brought ſweet Spices to embalm his body; and they encounter that which was ſweeter than all the Spices in the world, the Viſion of the Lord, who came forth from the dark places of the dead to life again. There is not the weakeſt capacity among you, but muſt needs obſerve, that the relations of theſe things are very diverſly ſet down in the four Evangeliſts. And there is not the learnedſt capacity among men, that can diſtinctly unfold how they ſhould be reconciled. I ſuppoſe the Primitive Church, I mean, the Diſciples that were taught by the Apoſtles, and other Scholars taught by them, were informed of the true Expoſition, how every thing hapned in its order, but the tradition is loſt. And they who boaſt they have kept the Traditions of the Church faithfully, are not able to give us a clear rule how to refer theſe confuſions to a certain order. St. Paul, 1 Cor. xv. rehearſeth ſundry ways how Chriſt was ſeen of many after he roſe from the dead, yet he utterly omits how he was ſeen of theſe devout women. St. John, Chap. xx. ſpeaks of the famous interview between our Saviour and Mary Magdalen, and no more. Our Evangeliſt in the beginning of this Chapter mentions Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary, that is, the Mother of Zebedees children, he goes no further. St. Mark quotes another woman, that is Salome. St. Luke names alſo one Joanna, ſhe was the Wife of Chuſa Herods Steward; and indefinitely he folds it up, that there were other women whoſe particular cogniſance is not revealed. And divers things are related divers ways of theſe, which may be reconciled as divers ways without jar or contradiction.
The ſtiffeſt knot in the diſſention is, that although St. Luke and St. Mark record, how the Angels appeared to the women, and ſpake unto them of Chriſts riſing, yet they do not ſay that Chriſt was ſeen of them. St. Mark relates that he was ſeen of Mary Magdalen. So doth St. John, they go no further. St. Matthew holds him to Mary Magdalen, and to one other Mary, that is all. Yet he involves at large, that as the women (not thoſe women only) went to bring tidings to the Apoſtles of what they had ſeen and heard, Chriſt did meet them by the way. For the perplexity of theſe Narrations ſome do argue, that none of the women ſaw him this day riſen from the dead but Mary Magdalen, and that when this Scripture ſays that he did appear to the women plurally, yet it is a Synechdoche ſpeaking that of many which was verified but in one, for but one ſaw him inſtead of all her companions. This is not ſo probable; for it would work better if this truth were manifeſted by a multitude of Witneſſes. Others alſo conſider, that Mary Magdalen ſaw him alone, and was controuled at that time not to touch him, therefore it muſt be another Apparition, when divers women did touch him, and worſhip him. Some ſay therefore that in a very little compaſs of time Mary Magdalen ſaw him twice this day (unleſs there were two Mary Magdalens, as St. Ambroſe would have it) firſt alone, and then immediately with her Conſorts. Yet that ſeems not ſo congruous (I can ſay no more againſt it) that two Apparitions ſhould be granted to her in a few moments. Therefore without any pertinacy in rejecting the conjectures of others, I conceive this ſecond Apparition of Chriſt, which we have in hand, to be made to Mary the Mother of James, Joanna, and Salom, with other devout women of Galilee, when Mary Magdalen was lately departed from them to tell her errand to the Diſciples. Laying my ground upon that opinion, I deduct theſe parts out of the Text: Firſt, I will treat upon it what proceeded from the women. Secondly, what proceeded from Chriſt. Touching the women again, I will handle firſt what they did before they ſaw Chriſt; ſecondly, what they did after they had ſeen him. Before they ſaw him they went to tell his Diſciples ſomewhat. After they had ſeen him, 1. They came to him. 2. They held him by the feet. 3. They worſhipped him. That which belongs to Chriſt is contained in his Action, and his Words. His Action is thus expreſſed, Behold Jeſus met them. His Words are firſt a Salutation, All Hail. 2. A Conſolation, Be not afraid. 3. A Commiſſion, Go tell my Brethren that they go into Galilee. 4. A Promiſe, There they ſhall ſee me. Theſe are the ſeveral talents which God hath committed to me in this, and now I will employ them for my Maſters profit.
The women, before they had ſeen our Saviour, went to tell his Diſciples; that muſt be our beginning. They went, and went to and fro ſundry times upon this occaſion. It could not chooſe but be obſerved by the eyes of them that gaze upon Paſſengers, and would quickly reaſon upon it, what make theſe abroad, that they croſs the ſtreets ſo often. It was more infamous with them of the Eaſt, than it is with us, for women to gad openly from place to place. The married woman is deſcribed in Plutarch, foreign, treading upon a Tortoiſe, as an emblem that it was good for her to ſtay at home, and to carry her houſe upon her back. But theſe holy Matrons had a clear conſcience in them, that it could be no blemiſh to their honour to lackey up and down in ſo good an occaſion, and upon the Errand of an Angel. If uncharitable perſons cenſured them, God forgive them, ſtill they went on. Nay, whereas undoubtedly all will ſay that a ſober gate, without much acceleration, doth beſt become that Sex, and eſpecially in publick, yet no pace would ſerve them but a gallop. In the verſe immediately before my Text they did run to bring his Diſciples word. The Heathen paint Mercury with wings at his heels: The Meſſenger of good tidings ſhould make haſte. Neſcit tarda molimina ſpiritus ſancti gratia. God loves quick diſpatch in his buſineſs. When we are ſuſpenſive, and long about that which is good, we loſe the thanks that he would give us; that which is done ſincerely is never done ſlackly. Therefore Jeſus met the women not as they went, but as they ran to tell his Diſciples.
Says the Text moreover, as they went to tell his Diſciples, therefore ſome had put an Errand into their mouth: Even ſo, for it was an Angel that gave them direction what to ſay to our Saviours Diſciples. I take not upon me to gueſs at the reaſon of the ſecret Counſels of God, but a cauſe there muſt be for it, and a great one, that the Angels of heaven appeared above once this day to the Women, and talked with them of Chriſts Reſurrection: And they might have told the ſame news to the Apoſtles, yet they did not, but ſent the women in their ſtead. What! Would not one Angel viſit them in his own perſon? Is it upon diſlike? Becauſe they fled away from their Maſter in the Garden. Or is it a trial upon their big ſpirit, who frequently contended among themſelves which of them ſhould be the greater, whether they would not diſdain that women ſhould exceed them in Viſions and Revelations? For many times Superiours cannot diſgeſt it, that ſuch as are under them ſhould exceed them in the grace of God. But many times he regards the low eſtate of his Handmaids, when the Rich are ſent empty away. The Pillars of the Church, the Apoſtles, are admitted to hear what theſe women ſaw at the Sepulchre, that adventured boldly abroad: But no ſuch glorious Creatures came to them, who were ſhut up for fear at home. And, for my part, I think this was it which did croſs the credit of their Meſſage. The Women told the Diſciples all that hapned, it may be confuſedly, with diſtemper of fear and joy, but they told them the truth, And their words ſeemed to them as tales, Luk. xxiv. 11. For thus they would collect in all likelihood upon the merit and dignity of their Apoſtleſhip: It cannot be that the Angels would appear to ſuch as theſe, and baulk us; this is but a Tale. Thoſe Meſſengers of God would come to us in the firſt place, to us the Servants of the beloved Maſter, and not to the Women. But God ſees not as man ſees. The Spirits of light came to theſe humble Handmaids, and taught them: And afterward by the Orgain of their mouth the Apoſtles were edified, that taught all the World. The Goſpel is not aſhamed of this innocency, and ſimplicity; ask us from whom our principal Doctors were firſt inſtructed, and we anſwer roundly, from a few ſilly women, that the power of ſalvation may appear to deſcend, not from Learning and humane Wiſdom, but from the demonſtration of the Spirit of God. And this was a project to out-reach the providence of Pilate, and the wary conſultations of all the High Prieſts. The Sepulchre was obſtructed with a great ſtone, and as Nicephorus ſays, that a ſtrong Hoop of Iron faſtned it to the contiguous ſtones of the Monument, ſealed alſo with the Governours Seal, that it might be a capitol crime to burſt it open. And ſuch crafty heads would not omit to ſet Spies upon the Apoſtles that they durſt not look abroad; as if the buſineſs were as ſafe as they could wiſh if they were prevented from divulging rumours that Chriſt was riſen from the dead. See therefore how their ſubtilty was out-ſtript, God ſelected Witneſſes whom they ſcorned and diſdein'd; certain Women are inſpired to go and tell his Diſciples. St. Paul expreſſeth this myſtery in his own caſe, 2 Tim, ii. 9. Though I ſuffer unto bonds, yet the word of God is not bound. To which word ſays St. Chryſoſtom, if our warfare were carnal, if we were Souldiers that fought for the inheritance, and glory of this world, our attempts were reſtrained, when our hands were tied with Chains. But fighting the battels of Chriſt a Priſon is no impediment, our tongue ſhall declare the glory of God, nothing can bind it but fear or infidelity: Tie up the hands of the Husbandman, and he cannot ſow his ſeed; but pinion the Seed-man of the Word of God, and his tongue is at liberty. Linguâ non manu ſeritur verbum, quod nullis vinculis ſubjacet; The Seed of the Word is ſown by the Tongue, and not by the Hand. Men may be ſilenced, as the Apoſtles were, for a ſeaſon, but truth cannot be ſilenced. In the defect of other Miniſters the Women preacht the Reſurrection, they went to tell his Diſciples.
This part theſe good Daughters of Jeruſalem acted before Chriſt appeared unto them that I may handle that which concerns them by it ſelf preſuppoſe we that Chriſt met them, and appeared, which I will treat of hereafter, what did they then? Why, as reaſon did require, they intermit their motion awhile of running to the Diſciples, and come unto him. To whom elſe Lord ſhould they go? Is there any thing ſo ſweet as thou art to draw near unto it? If we come not to thee we wander out of the way, and turn aſide from our own happineſs. Whatſoever we are about it is a gain of time to come unto him by the way, and we ſhall arive the ſooner at our own ends if they be juſt and honeſt. And I cannot keep it out of my mind, but that after our Saviour was riſen from the dead, there was ſome courteous accent in his voice, and ſome ſweet invitement in his look, more than people were acquainted with before he was crucified. He called one woman by name, Mary in the Garden, he ſaid no more: And ſhe was inſtantly raviſhed with joy to hear his tongue utter but two ſyllables. So there was ſuch ſweetneſs in the countenance of his immortal body now riſen from the Grave, that though the women were terribly afraid, yet they ſtept forward, and came unto him. Nay, to come unto him in this glorified ſtate Peter girt his fiſhers Coat about him, and caſt himſelf into the Sea, and ſwam unto him. Note it that theſe good women recoiled from the Angels when they ſaw them, and gave back, their countenance was like lightning, and diſmal to the beholders: But when Chriſt was before them they come unto him nearer and nearer. Let them that have a mind to ſuch ſuperſtition talk of Angels and Saints for their Mediators and Interceſſors. But Lord give me leave to come directly to thee, and to thy Child Jeſus, there is my comfort and my confidence. Securtus loquor ad Dominum meum quàm ad aliquem ſanctorum, I think it is St. Auſtins. I can pour out my mind more ſafely unto Chriſt my Lord than to any of the Saints. St. John came too near to the Angel when he fell down to worſhip him: But make up more and more to your Saviour, you can never come too near to him. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden. Whither do you fly away for fear of your ſins? Do you not hear that he calls for us? That fear which keeps you from him is not reverence, but deſpaire, it is not humility, but infidelity. Are you diſtruſtful that you may be too forward? Not a whit, if you believe and repent. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, Heb, iv. 16. Come unto him in this life, ſays St. Chryſoſtome, and he is a throne of grace. Hereafter we dare not come unto him, for then he is a throne of juſtice.
Well, their next action ſhews that they muſt come, and come very near to do that which they did, for they held him by the feet. Hold faſt devout Matrons, you were before like waves of the Sea, toſſed about with ſuſpicions and uncertainties, you were carried hither and thither with doubtful fears whether Chriſt would come again from the dead, as he promiſed, on the third day, but now you have your hand upon the Anchor, upon his feet, hold them faſt, and your faith ſhall no more be ſhaken. You touch his fleſh, you feel the pulſe of his veins, his joynts and bones are under your fingers. You have explored that he is no Phantome, or Deluſion; the true and the ſame body committed to the Sepulchre is alive again. All this your ſenſe ſuggeſts unto you, becauſe you hold him by the feet. But the times of this happineſs are paſſed away, no expectation now of enclaſping him about the feet; but Mitte fidem in coelum, & tenuiſti, ſays St. Auſtin; Extend your Faith into heaven, and you ſhall touch him there. Secondly, They that held him by the feet had the occaſion to honour thoſe parts of his body which had been pierced with Nails for our ſakes upon the Croſs. And I doubt it not, but to ſhew themſelves thankful for his death, they did offer to lay their modeſt lips upon his wounds. As when Paphnutius his right eye was pluck'd out for being a conſtant Chriſtian the Emperour Conſtantine kiſſed the hollow pit from whence the eye was taken in reverence to his ſufferings. Thirdly, Take it in the moſt ſimple and plain ſenſe, to take him by the feet was one of the moſt obſervant forms of lowlineſs that could be expreſſed. So did that Shunamite demean her ſelf to Eliſha, when her ſoul travelled with agony and deſire to have her Son revived to life. Mary Magdalen her penitent and humble proſtration is reduced to this, when ſhe waſhed our Saviour's feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. The moſt expreſſive Poet notes it that it was the beſt garb for a paſſionate Suppliant,Aeneid. 11. Et genua amplectens effatur talia ſupplex. So when the tongue of theſe devout women did cleave to the roof of their mouth in a ſudden aſtoniſhment, and they could not bring out one word, not ſo much as Rabboni; all that Mary Magdalen could ſay ex tempore, yet their dumb actions were inſtead of a voice. There was much Congratulation, and Thankſgiving, and Prayer contained in this geſture, They held him by the feet.
One great ſcruple troubles all Expoſitors upon this Point, why Mary Magdalen was repulſed from him, Joh. xx. 17. with Touch me not, and yet theſe women were not repulſed, but admitted to hold him by the feet. They that make no firſt and ſecond Apparition, but ſay that Mary Magdalen and theſe women did not ſee him at two times, but altogether at once, are confounded very much in their anſwer, and reſolve it that Mary Magdalen did touch him as well as they, (which doth not appear) and that theſe perſons were interdicted when ſhe was, though St. Matthew hath paſſed it over in ſilence; and that is a conjecture which hath no expreſſion in the Word of God. Muſculus, a man of good judgment otherwiſe, hath failed moſt of all in his opinion, I think, for he ſays, that this beavie of good women did not lay hands upon his feet, but offered it; and it is a phraſe of Courtſhip in this Complemental Age, that ſuch as give a viſit of humble reſpect to a great perſon, ſay that they come to kiſs his hand, though they do not uſe that particular Ceremony, ſo theſe ſtooping low to worſhip him are ſaid to hold him by the feet, though they did not go ſo far in their ſalutation, as the Letter expreſſeth. But here is a word too ſtrong for that evaſion, foreign, they held him, it is not foreign, but foreign, not lightly to touch, but to ſeize upon him as ſtrongly as their graſp could hold. Let not the truth then be denied; let two Apparitions be granted, and at the firſt time Mary Magdalen was denied leave to touch him, and theſe had permiſſion to hold him faſt. What was in it that the favour was ſo unequally granted? Why firſt, there was nothing did repugn, but that a mortal hand might touch his glorified body without offence. They that went to Emmaus, and met him by the way, are reported to have conſtreined him to go no further, which imports at leaſt they held him in a friendly manner by the Arm: he invited all the Diſciples to feel if he had not an elementary Compoſition of Body, Fleſh and Bone; and S. Thomas put his whole hand into his Side, and wallowed it there, and Chriſt felt no pain at all. Then ſimply there was no Offence to touch, unleſs ſome circumſtance in the act make it irregular: and ſo it is ſuppoſed, that Mary Magdalen, though a veſſel of great holineſs, yet ſhe had forgot that Chriſt was paſt the times of humiliation, when he was a worm upon earth, now he had taken his Kingdom and his Glory upon him after he was riſen from the dead; and yet ſhe came familiarly to him upon the old acquaintance, and would have given him ſuch a Welcome and Embracement, as ſhe was wont to give him at her Brothers houſe at Bethany, as ſhe was wont to do ſhe called him Rabboni, and as ſhe was wont to do, ſhe would have toucht him; but where there wanted Reverence, Chriſt corrected her mildly, Touch me not: But as for theſe Women that proſtrated themſelves at his feet with Adoration to worſhip him, they had leave to touch becauſe in heart they had taſted the fruit of life. The Ark of God would not endure Ʋzzah's touch, he died for it; but the Prieſts that came near it with holy acceſs, had authority to touch it, and it was the dignity of their Office. Not to roll this ſtone any longer, that good Saint, Mary Magdalen was miſtaken, as if Chriſt lived again no otherwiſe than as her Brother Lazarus did, to converſe in the world as he had done before: Touch him not with the finger of that little Faith. But they that ſaw ſome greater excellency in him than before, and fell low on the ground before him, they may hold him by the feet. Yet there is one Interpretation beſide, which caſts no imputation at all upon Mary Magdalen, and I like it the better: 'tis thus, Chriſt had great uſe of her to diſpatch her to his Diſciples, it being expedient to ſend her upon that errand; yet ſhe was loth to depart, ſurmiſing that ſhe ſhould ſee him no more; therefore when our Saviour would have her to inſiſt no longer in expreſſing her love, ſays he, Touch me not, I am not yet aſcended to my Father; which is to this effect, I am not yet aſcending or going away, you ſhall have more time to converſe with me hereafter, but now it will do more good to my Diſciples to hear I am riſen, than for you to ſtay and touch me; depart, inſiſt no longer in theſe expreſſions of Love, touch me not, I am not quite going away to the Father. But for theſe Women who made no ſuch fond delay, but laid their hands on his feet, and worſhipt him and roſe again, no ſuch Interdict was upon them, as Touch me not: which is the Sum of this Point.
And the next thing they did confirms me that the holding his feet was unblamable, and a ſanctified action, for they worſhipt him. If when the firſt begotten was brought into the world, it is ſaid Let all the Angels of God worſhip, then when the firſt begotten from the dead came into Jeruſalem his excellency proclaims it, let all that behold his glorified preſence worſhip him. The wiſe men fell down before his Cradle and ador'd him, when he lay in a poor and deſpicable manner: and this was their wiſdom to ſee the brightneſs of the Godhead in the dark Lantern of his Humanity. Nay the evil Spirit having poſſeſſed the body of him that lived in the Tombs fell down before him, and with a loud voice ſaid, what have I to do with thee, thou Son of God moſt high? Luke viii. 28. Hell it ſelf is not ſo refractory, but that the Spirits of darkneſs confeſs he is to be worſhipped, and they did it. It was not their own body, but in that body over which they had command, they did that function of their own accord, before they were bidden. Yet it was not thanks-worthy in them, becauſe they executed no more than the duty of the outward geſture. I do highly commend the lowly ſervice and inclination of the body. O let down your body to the very ground before your Maker, as theſe women did: a man cannot be too reverent to his God. And as a Plaiſter of cordial Ingredients laid to the ſtomach, or an Unction well fomented upon the skin without, comforts the ſpirits within, and makes us more chearful in our vital operations, ſo outward reverence helps us greatly againſt the dulneſs and drowzineſs of our heart: the lifting up of the eyes and hands makes a man ask in prayer more paſſionately: the knocking of our breaſt provokes our repentance to a more eager indignation againſt our ſelves: the bowing down the head and knee makes us the better to underſtand the great diſtance between God and us: the uncovering of the head fills us with that neceſſary conſideration in whoſe preſence we ſtand. Glorifie God with your body, 1 Cor. vi. 10. Tertullian and St. Cyprian read it portate Deum in corpore veſtro, Carry God in your body, that is, bear your Religion openly in the obſervance and humility of your body. Chriſt is the Husband of the Church, an Husband to the Soul of every Chriſtian; now this is gained from the ſimilitude that the Wife is the Husband's both in her body, and in her affections: ſo we are Chriſt's as well in our bodily worſhip, as in our ſpiritual adherence to him. But becauſe the act of worſhip, as concerning that which the head, the knee, the hand do execute may be uſed to our ſuperiours in civil demeanor, as well as in religious uſance to God, it is the addition of ſanctity conceiv'd in the heart and mind, which makes it Religious Adoration: for the complete definition of it is thus, adoratio eſt veneratio talis exterior, quae ex corde pio & religioſo procedit; that is, that's the adoration due to God, and to him alone, which with the exterior veneration of the body proceeds out of the pious and religious intention of the heart: If you yield any token of outward obeyſance, and mean it to him who hath created you, who hath given you all that you have, who roſe from the dead that we alſo might riſe with him, then it is raiſed up from civil homage, and it becomes Divine Worſhip. Theſe apprehenſions were in the hearts of theſe women, and thereupon their bodies bowed down in lowlineſs, and ſo it wants not one grain of due weight, but that it was the worſhipping of the Lord Jeſus.
From thoſe things which were perſonally performed by the women I remove forward to all that which was perſonally performed by Chriſt, and that is conteined in his action, or his words: his action is but in this one paſſage, Behold Jeſus met them. foreign is not to overtake one, or to come behind them, but to meet them full but, as our phraſe is; therefore it hath ſomewhat in it diverſe from that Apparition which was made to Mary Magdalen, and it can not be the ſame: for he ſtood behind her, and ſhe turned about to look upon him, but when he preſented himſelf to theſe Women, he met them face to face. They were going to tell his Diſciples and he that was no hindrance to their journey ſtood in their way. Behold and marvel at it, for the hope of the Reſurrection was out of their heads; they came to embalm his dead Body, not to ſee him living: Or ſuppoſe we that the Angels had lately perſuaded them to that Faith that he was alive again, yet to ſpeak indifferently, they had no cauſe to expect him in that place, or any where near to Jeruſalem, for the Angel told them thus in the 7. verſe, Behold he goes before you to Galilee. Was there any cauſe therefore that they ſhould think to bleſs their eyes with him before they had made a journey into Galilee? but behold the Angels had not all the mind of the Lord revealed unto them: Jeſus met the women hard by where the word was ſpoken, and long before they went into Galilee. So it is with all who are dear to God. They look not for the viſion of God till they are dead: for no man ſhall ſee God at any time and live. Yet before we get into Galilee, before the Soul aſcends into heaven, he grants us that bleſſing to ſee him often with the eye of faith. As the place is one part of the wonder, ſo there is another Ecce, another behold in the time, juſt as they were going to tell the Diſciples that an Angel had publiſht at the Monument that the Maſter was riſen, juſt then he met them.Salmeron. One hath made a good note of it, qui communicant Chriſtum aliis ipſum altiùs intelligent. Teach the ways of the Lord to others, and thou ſhalt underſtand them the better thy ſelf: Communicate unto the ignorant what thou knoweſt of Chriſt thy Saviour, and thine own knowledg ſhall increaſe unto thee in the communication. A great encouragement, though the myſteries of faith are deep and inexplicable, yet to preach them as we are able, becauſe we have this hope, that Jeſus the revealer of all ſecrets will meet us by the way. And yet behold again, that Jeruſalem being ſo populous, and at this time of the Paſſover throng'd with all ſorts of ſtrangers, he was deſcerned of none but of theſe women, theſe he meets and ſalutes them. This is their reward that they left their ſoft Couch, and ſome hours before the Sun roſe came to ſeek the Lord. The Servants of God are called generatio quaerentium, Pſal. xxii. This is the generation of them that ſeek thee, even of them that ſeek thy face O Jacob. He ſays in the Prophet Iſaiah, that he was found of them that ſought him not, much more will he be found of thoſe that ſought him. Ask St. Cyprian why many that thought themſelves Eagles could not behold him with their piercing eyes, and that this little Neſt of Sparrows, theſe few women did encounter him, St. Cyprian ſays, quae ardentiùs dilexerunt, quae devotiùs quaeſicrunt, ſuch as loved him more affectionately, ſuch as ſought him more devoutly, they have the bleſſing to enjoy him. But a wiſer than Cyprian, even Solomon, ſays it, Prov. viii. 17. I love them that love me, and thoſe that ſeek me early ſhall find me. In a word, Chriſt meets all thoſe that go in the way of faith and obedience, as theſe women did. And as the Father went out to meet his prodigal Son before his Son did look for him, ſo go on in repentance, in love, in zeal, in holineſs, and you ſhall ſee the unexpected day of the Lord.
After this hear the words which our Saviour ſpake to the women. St. Paul heard his voice from heaven, but did not at firſt ſee him. St. Stephen ſaw him ſtand at the right hand of God, but did not hear him ſpeak, theſe perſons had the bleſſedneſs both to hear him and ſee him, and his tunable voice gave them this ſalutation before they ſpake to him, all hail. It is no queſtion but Chriſt ſpake unto them in the Syrian or in the Hebrew tongue, and their word of love and courteſie to one another when they met, was ſhalom, or peace. And ſo the Syrian Paraphraſt renders theſe words of my Text, pax vobis, peace be unto you. But the Evangeliſt hath kept the Greek form of ſalutation, foreign rejoyce. The Latin tongue uſeth that word which was uſual in the mouth of the Romans, when they gave the wiſhes of a good day unto any, avete, an old Latian word, whoſe meaning themſelves did not know. The Poet Martial was a good Critick that confeſſed it. Exprimere Rufe fidicula licet cogant Ave latinum, foreign non potes Gracum. Now at laſt to deſcend to our language, we expreſs it as you read it, all hail, which is a Saxon ideom for all health. The optative form of the Hebrews was Peace, of the Greeks Joy (they were merry Greeks) of us Engliſh health. The common cuſtom was, that friends ſhould meet friends with auſpicious words, with congratulation of happineſs one to another, whenſoever they came together upon appointment, or incidentary occaſions. Among the Heathen Humanity, and Civility, among us Chriſtians Brotherly love is the original to ſalute one another with a Prayer when we meet. But who is he among an hundred that thinks the name of God, and a Prayer is in his mouth, when he bids a Good morrow, or a Good even to his Neighbour; he hath no perceivance of his all hail, or of thoſe charitable words that come from him. He doth not bleſs his Brother after the meaning of the phraſe, but he talks by rote like a Parrot. And as it is moſt ſupine negligence to mean no good in our ſalutation, and will fall into the condemnation of idle words, ſo it is moſt devilliſh to give the outward ſalute of good words, and to have war in our heart. As Joab ſpake peaceably to Abner, that is ſaluted him, and then ſmote him that he died: as Judas gave all hail to his Maſter, and betrayed him with a ſignal of a courteſie. A familiar thing in this wicked world, to bid God ſave, and God ſpeed to them whoſe deſtruction we covet, and to think of curſing in our heart at the ſame inſtant when the form of bleſſing is in our mouth. Shame be to our diſſimulation that it is but a form. It began to be ſo odious among the Heathen to ſalute out of wanton faſhion, when they meant no kindneſs, that it grew in uſe among them to confirm their Greetings with an oath. In one of Terence his Comedies this paſſage is between two Servants,Hecyra. Salve mecaſtor Parmeno, & tu aedipol Syra, they ſwore they did verily mean them all the good wherewith they ſaluted them. But this would not mend the matter in our diſſembling age, for we have many that will ſalute, and ſwear, and yet intend miſchief to their neighbour, and ſo will mix malice with perjury. I leave them to the bitterneſs of their own ſins, and to have their portion with Hypocrites. I am ſure the ſalutation of our Saviour did really bring peace, and joy, and health to them that were ſaluted. Gaudere eas jubet, quae condemnatae erant ad habendum merorem, ſays Euthymius, womenkind in Eve was condemned to ſorrow, Gen. iii. Now Chriſt bids them rejoyce, and obliterates the handwriting of ſorrow that was againſt them. Avete, foreign; now be merry and joyful, now that you have ſeen with your eys that Chriſt is the reſurrection and the life: the Heavens and all the powers therein, Archangels and Angels, Patriarchs and Prophets, all Saints muſt be glad at thoſe news; all hail to this day, for all the Feaſts and Sundays of the year borrow their feſtivity from Eaſterday. This is the day which the Lord hath made, &c.
It is an eaſie thing to make us break out into carnal and voluptuous joy, but it is not eaſie to make us apprehend ſpiritual joy. Chriſt ſpake the good word unto the women all hail, foreign, rejoyce, There is ſomewhat in original ſin which makes us great miſdeemers: it is not one foreign that will ſet us right: though Chriſt himſelf pronounced it there were ſome ſigns which betrayed theſe parties that they were ſore afrighted, they ſaid nothing for ought appears, and therefore it is likely they were ſtrucken dumb with the aſtoniſhment: their countenance I ſuppoſe changed, and every joynt of them ſhaked when they held him by the feet, and therefore the gracious Lord adds be not afraid. We may put it at large thus, I come as a friend, I have ſaluted you with peace and joy, therefore be not afraid of me as if I were an enemy. So Joſephs Brethren being miſtruſtful of ſome great evil were enheartned by Joſephs Steward, Peace be unto you, fear not, Gen. xliii. 23. The comfort of the ſalutation was reinforced by this conſolation, that there was no cauſe to fear. When reaſon hath repulſed the fallacies of our paſſions by good arguments, fear will diminiſh by little and little. But here's a caſe wherein reaſon could afford no ſuccour; for what could reaſon conceive touching the reſurrection of the dead? It is a dreadful thing to mans wit, let it be never ſo diſpaſſionated, to ſee one come alive out of the Grave: for it is a moſt natural thing for a man to tremble when he ſees an accident far above nature; therefore the exhortation muſt proceed from Chriſt, and ſupernatural grace in ſuch an inſtance as this: Fear not. The Angels ſaid as much unto them before in the ſame ſyllables, he is riſen, and be not afraid. Comfortable ſpeeches indeed, yet they did not take; it required a greater Doctor than they to inculcate that Leſſon. Chriſt preacheth it, and it took effect, they did remit of their fear; for the Angels ſpake unto the ear, and Chriſt unto the heart. And when the conſcience is enlightned by grace, it cannot chooſe but ſee, that the greateſt avoider of fear is to know that Chriſt is riſen from the dead.Job 18.14. Death is called the King of terrors by Job, as being the ſtrongeſt of earthly fears, and yet this is quite aſſuaged in them that have an aſſured hope of joyful reſurrection.Job 19.26. Wy boaſteſt thou thy ſelf thou Tyrant, that thou canſt kill the body, death is not extinction, but an intermiſſion of life: My bones ſhall be covered again, when worms have eat my fleſh, and with mine eyes I ſhall ſee my Saviour. It is the Whetſtone of fortitude in battel, and in all dangers, ſcelus eſt rediturae parcere vitae: who but a baſe mind will daſtardly preſerve that life which ſhall return again? An application of the Holy Spirit will make a good Chriſtian as ſtout as a Lion, ſetting the moſt valiant object of the Reſurrection before him. Though the Phariſees would hate them to death that ſhould teſtifie how Chriſt was raiſed in power; though the Scouts of the High Prieſt were abroad to note them in the black book that travell'd about that errand; though the Souldiers were grim and cruel, and would ſpare none that ſhould refute their falſehood, that the Diſciples had taken away the Body while they ſlept, yet theſe weak women dare do any thing to confront the evil world, ſince Chriſt had ſaid unto them, be not afraid.
After this they have a Commiſſion to diſpatch and depart, Go tell my Brethren: they muſt not ſtay and diſpute it, Lord whither ſhould we go, thou haſt the words of eternal life, ſend us not away from thee, for in thy preſence there is the fulneſs of joy. If the Bleſſed Virgin was not happy that her paps gave him ſuck, but that ſhe heard the word of God and kept it, then it was no happineſs to ſee Chriſt, or to touch his feet, but to do his will and obey it. It was not a time to feed ſtill upon this gladneſs, and to ſtay with him, but go and impart it. There was a ſeaſon when Mary Magdalen was commended for ſitting ſtill at his feet, and chooſing the better part, but now bleſſed are the feet that ſtir and walk upon this errand to bring glad tidings of ſalvation. As the Samaritan Woman did well not to ſtay with Chriſt, but it was better to go into the City, and to tell her kindred that ſhe had found the Meſſias. Beſide, their Commiſſion was a ſpecial dignity to go from him, and to bring a Meſſage to the Diſciples: neither did they pretext as Moſes did, we are ignorant women, (ſlow of ſpeech, let Aaron rather be ſent) unfit for the preaching of theſe myſteries. Chriſt knew what ſufficiency and aptitude was in them better than themſelves, and therefore they muſt undertake to go to the chief Princes of the Church, to them that ſucceeded Aaron in his Biſhoprick. The Apoſtles lurkt at home for fear, ſo that Chriſt was fain to find out new Apoſtles to preach him, theſe Daughters of Jeruſalem. And as their Commiſſion had dignity in it, ſo it was very pleaſing, and full of ſweet addreſs to thoſe that ſat diſconſolate: Go tell my Brethren: they that run away from him, and forſook him, did not look, it may be, for ſo ſweet a Title: No doubt their hearts did catch at it as ſoon as ever they heard it,1 K. 20 33. like thoſe that came from the King of Syria, thy Brother Benhadad. The Angels did not give them this ſtyle, but plainly thus, Go tell his Diſciples; and it was well, conſidering their fault, that they did not loſe the name of Diſciples; but Chriſt exceeds the Angels in loving kindneſs, and is not aſhamed to call them Brethren, Hebr. ii. 11. But the more he advanceth his Servants in title, the more ought they to depreſs themſelves; the more he calls us Brethren, the more let us caſt our ſelves down before him as Servants to the Mighty Lord. This alſo they learnt into the advantage, that now Chriſt was riſen in immortality, he had not put on another body, or chang'd his nature: he is ſtill as we are in his fleſhly ſubſtance, and therefore calls his Diſciples Brethren. And this we are taught likewiſe, that he doth acknowledg them for his Brethren, after he appeared in glory: even as Joſeph claimed kindred of his Brethren in the top of his honour. Haughty men will forget their old acquaintance when they riſe unto promotion; but in true morality, amicitia non diſſolvitur per fortunae acceſſionem, a true friend will perſiſt a friend, though he aſcend to a noble acceſſion of fortune. Chriſt being made the greateſt that ever was upon earth calls theſe Fiſhermen his Brethren.
Laſtly, as their Commiſſion had dignity, and ſweetneſs in it, ſo they were ſent with profitable tydings, to tell the Diſciples they muſt go into Galilee, and there they ſhould ſee the Lord. What ailed them, I may ſay, that they were not already gone into Galilee? for Chriſt had told them, Mat. xxvi. 22. When I am riſen again I will go before you into Galilee. Nay albeit the Women repeated this unto them they did not ſtir. What? though they would not go with him to his Croſs, would not they remove into Galilee when they were warned by Chriſt, and now readmoniſhed by the Women? What might it be that hindred them? ſhall I tell you what I think? they had forgotten what Chriſt ſaid; and the tydings of the women made them keep cloſer to that place where they were. Can it be that theſe women ſaw him in Jeruſalem? then ſurely ſay they the Lord will appear unto us in this City, though we do not travel into Galilee. But why did the Lord appoint the great intercourſe between him and his Diſciples in Galilee? Firſt it was remote from Jeruſalem, where much danger was, there he might diſcourſe with his Diſciples with more privacy and ſecurity. Secondly the Apoſtles were all Galileans, and for their ſakes he did this honour to their Country. Thirdly, to eject Satan out of his poſſeſſion, for it was a place of much ſin, called a place of darkneſs, and the land of the ſhadow of death, Iſa. ix. 2. Fourthly, there were many Diſciples in Galilee, and Chriſt had intended a famous meeting to appear to them all at once, as ſome ſay on Mount Thabor, where he was transfigur'd; and that here it was where he was ſeen of more than five hundred Brethren at once. Be it as it would be, he promiſeth they ſhould ſee him there; and he was better than his promiſe, for upon this day at Even they ſaw him at Jeruſalem. Here is nothing that ſavours of any old grudg or diſpleaſure, no repealing of the former promiſe, becauſe they had forſaken him in the Garden, but a confirmation of all loving kindneſs paſſed, and an exceeding favour ſuperadded: that their ſouls might not be tortur'd with that long procraſtination, not to ſee him till they went into Galilee, he prevented the time, and appear'd to them in their own Chamber before they ſlept. To this Chriſt who is faithful in promiſes, and gracious in loving kindneſs be all glory. AMEN.