A Century of Sermons, Sermon 7
THE SEVENTH SERMON UPON THE RESURRECTION.
MARK xvi. 9.
Now when Jeſus was riſen early the firſt day of the Week, he appeared firſt to Mary Magdalen, out of whom he had caſt ſeven Devils.
ALL that concerns this moſt Chriſtian Feſtival may be referred to two words, Chriſtus reſurrexit, & apparuit; that Chriſt roſe from the dead, and that he appeared after he was riſen. That he roſe from the dead on this day there were good tokens of it, the earth trembled, the Stone was rolled away, the Monument was opened, the Souldiers that kept watch upon the place were diſmayed and fled away, the body was not to be found in the Sepulcher, and Angels of light, heavenly Spirits, that would conſent to no fraud or ſin, miniſtred in the Grave where the body had lain. Who were the Witneſſes that could teſtifie to all this that it was very true? A Catalogue of people, ſome of one condition, ſome of another. The whole Corps du Guard of the Souldiers, though they were corrupted to tell a lie; the Women that brought ſweet Odours and Spices to embalm him; and laſtly, two of his own Diſciples, Peter and John, who ſaw what God had done, and returned from the Monument with ſome little faith, but with great extaſies of wonder and joy, indeed with a concurrence of all theſe paſſions, that no man can well tell what to call it. See, my Beloved, here was the grand Article of Faith come now to the birth, yet all this that was paſſed was not able to bring it forth. It put Chriſt therefore, I will not ſay to the trouble, but to the exerciſe of five ſeveral Apparitions upon this day. 1. He was ſeen of Mary Magdalen. 2. Of Peter, although we meet not with the manner how Peter ſaw him, but the Apoſtle Paul ſays he was ſeen of Cephas, then of the Twelve; it was his happineſs by himſelf alone to behold him alive again upon this day, Luk. xxiv. 34. The Lord is riſen indeed, and hath appeared unto Simon. 3. He manifeſted himſelf to the cluſter of thoſe Women that came to anoint his body. 4. He diſcovered himſelf to thoſe two that were going to Emmaus. 5. He came in the preſence of all the Diſciples at Evening when the doors were ſhut. Theſe were the Cinque Ports, I may ſay, of his ſweet manifeſtation at this ſeaſon. And it falls out very well to my purpoſe, that my Text ſays the firſt that ſaw him after his victory over death was Mary Magdalen. For this will make even with Eve, upon whoſe diſobedience I have preach'd ſo often. I have ſhewed unto you divers times how by a Woman came the firſt vengeance of death; now I ſhall ſhew you (if God pleaſe) how by a woman came the firſt notice of the Reſurrection from the dead; and both hapned in a Garden. In a Garden life was forfeited unto death: And in a Garden life was recovered from death. But death was threatned to Eve towards the darkneſs of the Evening; he that conquered death made ſhew of his victory openly to this holy Woman early in the Morning. And this is Davids Song accompliſhed, Heavineſs may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the Morning. The Text offers much to be ſpoken of, I cannot reach at all, but I will ſelect ſo much only as will ſerve for the continuance of an hour. Firſt, here are circumſtances of time which ſhew a coherence between the Reſurrection and Apparition of our Lord. The Apparition as well as the Reſurrection was upon the ſame day, On the firſt day of the Week, and much about the ſame time of the day, very early in the Morning. Secondly, The Apparition it ſelf was made to Mary Magdalen, who is deſcribed that ſhe had the firſt fruits of Chriſts love for the preſent, he appeared firſt, &c. And 2. ſhe that was the object of his great mercy for the time paſt, for it was ſhe out of whom Chriſt had caſt ſeven devils. Unto theſe particulars are required your Attentiveneſs, and my labour.
To begin then, Theſe great marvels hapned on the firſt day of the Week. We are not thoſe that eſteem one day more than another as it is the mere flux of time, but we are thoſe that muſt remember how God hath glorified himſelf in one day more than another, and never ſo much on any as on this day, The firſt day of the Week. As God the Father upon the firſt day did begin to make this viſible World of Creatures, ſo Chriſt roſe the ſame day from the dead to ſhew the beginning of a new Age. Reſurrectio eſt alterius mundi ſpiritualis creatio, ſays Juſtin Martyr; The Reſurrection is well called a Creation of a new ſpiritual world. On the firſt day of the Week God ſaid, Let there be light, and he divided between the light and the darkneſs. Verily in the ſame ſort upon the ſame day God brought the light of the world out of the darkneſs of the Grave, and the life, ſays St. John, was the light of men. Now this infinite work to tread death under feet, and to bring mankind out of corruption into the ſtate of immortality, being more eximious than to make Adam in a poſſibility to die and periſh, therefore all Chriſtian Churches have deſiſted to meet together at holy exerciſes upon the Sabbath of the Jews, and the firſt day of the Week hath been ſolemnly appointed from the Apoſtles even to this Age, to ſanctifie the name of the Lord in publick Congregations. It is but a fretful queſtion, which is too much agitated now adays, ſince the firſt day of the Week is deſigned to be ſanctified to the praiſe of God from the Reſurrection of our Saviour, what time we may borrow for the uſe of domeſtical affairs, and harmleſs recreations. He that is perſwaded in his conſcience no part of the day muſt be ſpared from Gods Service, let him ſo do according to the reſolution of his conſcience; no man can be offended that he is earneſt for his own part to keep the whole day unto the Lord. Again, he that is perſwaded that the Lord muſt have his due ſervice on that day, but that he is not tied to a ſtrict Sabbatical ſervitude, ſurely his knowledge is good, and he may uſe his liberty, but without ſcandal to his brother. To the firſt I ſay, be a zealous Chriſtian in keeping the Lords day, but be not a Jew in opinion. To the other I ſay, give thanks to God for the freedom to which he hath called you, and that he hath eaſed your ſhoulders from the ſervil burden of the Jewiſh Sabbath, but be not a Libertine in practiſe. And this is the ſum of that which I will ſay to the firſt Point, that this marvellous work was done upon the firſt day of the Week.
Now the Holy Ghoſt hath not only ſatisfied us with the deſignation of the day, but becauſe the more particularity, the more certainty, therefore the Spirit hath condeſcended to name almoſt the hour of the day, ſo that I am ſure we may gueſs near upon the time, for it was early on the firſt day of the Week; which denotes two things, that the Lord made haſte to riſe from the dead to comfort the Diſciples, and that Mary Magdalen made haſte to comfort herſelf with coming to the Sepulcher. Chriſt ſtarted up ſuddenly, out of ſleep like Samſon, before the powers of hell, thoſe Philiſtines were aware of him. To this, it may be, David alluded in Exurgam diluculò, Awake my glory, awake Lute and Harp, I my ſelf will awake right early. Neſcit tarda molimina ſpiritus ſancti gratia. Be not you ſlow in paying your debts to God, God is ever before-hand in fulfilling his promiſes to you. The words in the Second Pſalm which are applied, Heb. i. to our Saviours eternal Generation, are referred by the ſame Apoſtle, Acts xiii. 33. to his Reſurrection. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. I cannot paſs it over, that the Vulgar Latine reads it, Ante luciferum genui te; Before the Morning ſtar have I begotten thee. Very fitly to this Doctrine which I teach, that Chriſt roſe early this day before the Morning Star appeared. Now that one Scripture may not ſeem to fall foul upon another theſe two muſt be reconciled, how he that roſe ſo early ante luciferum, how he can be ſaid to be three days, like Jonas, in the belly of the Grave? The anſwer is, you muſt meaſure theſe three days by a Synechdoche. He was buried towards Evening upon the Jews day of preparation, and ſo lay interred ſome part of Afternoon, and all that night. Upon the Jews Sabbath he reſted in the Sepulcher all day and all night. Upon the firſt day of the Week he continued in the ſtate of death ſome hours of the Morning, and very early he came forth an eternal Victor; he fulfilled the Scriptures therefore, and withal he made haſte to fulfil his Promiſe upon the third day. Euthymius expreſſeth it more elegantly than I can. Quòd citiùs quàm ſit conſtitutum efficitur potentiae eſt, quòd tardiùs imbecilitatis. Chriſtus non ſolùm promiſſum explevit, ſed etiam gratiam velocitatis addidit. To be tardier than our promiſe is a ſign of ſome let and infirmity, to be before hand with a promiſe is a ſign of power and efficacy. The promiſe of the Son of God was that in three days he would build up the Temple of his body again, he did ſo, and more than ſo, ſoon after the third day was begun: Behold the performance of his word, and the ſudden diſpatch of his favour joyn'd unto it: So we have ſeen both his truth in the Promiſe, and his love in the ſpeedineſs of the act doing above his promiſe. Moreover, I would have it be mark'd, that as he roſe early, ſo he was ſought early by Mary Magdalen. The deſire of Chriſt held her eyes waking, and I believe ſhe had took but ſmall reſt ſince Chriſt was crucified; as ſoon as it was poſſible to have acceſs to his Monument ſhe came unto it. I know not whether you are to learn it, but it was not the uſual manner of the Jews to bury their dead within the Walls of their Cities; to a Garden, you know, the Corps of our Saviour was carried, into the Suburbs of Jeruſalem; therefore ſhe was compelled to attend till the Gates of the City were opened, and paſſage being made, ſhe came before the break of day to the Sepulcher. And believe it, ſhe ſped much the better that ſhe was ſuch an early viſitor; do not imagine but the eye of the Lord unto this day is upon thoſe that make haſte to come unto the threſhold of his ſacred Houſe; and they are greatly deceived that think they ſhall find God as ſoon if they come late to Church, as if they come early. I pray you tell me, is there any part of the Service ſo mean and unuſeful that you can be content to ſpare it? Or do you think that God is aſleep, and by that time the Congregation hath rouzed him up, then it will be time enough for you to come in and joyn in Prayer? O ye loyterers, Do you know the hurt of it, when ye loſe the opportunity of one minute to ſerve the Lord? Pliny in his Letters to Trajan reports of the Chriſtians, that they had Ante lucanos congreſſus, they met together before day to read the Scriptures, to pray, and ſing Pſalms. I confeſs, there was great reaſon for it then, becauſe they held their Aſſemblies when their Enemies were in bed, that they might not know of it. But I am ſure, ſince the Apoſtles time, never were ſo many miracles wrought as at thoſe early Vigils. And that I may conclude this Point with one uſe more, Mans life is but a day, and what part of life is the early morning of that day but Youth? If you will do well unto your own ſouls, ſeek out Chriſt betimes, when the Sun of Reaſon begins to diſpel the darkneſs of ignorance in your tender age: Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, and God will not forget thee, nor forſake thee in thy old Age. Some Fiend of hell made that Proverb, Angelicus juvenis ſenibus Satanizat in annis; as if the Child could be taught too ſoon to chooſe the good, and to refuſe the evil, as if young holineſs were obnoxious to become old iniquity. I will ask you, Why do we Catechize the younger of both Sexes in Lent, but to teach them to ſeek Chriſt early againſt Eaſter? I will come to a leſs matter, why do we ever paint Angels with the faces of young men or Children, but that youth is a fit ſtock upon which we ſhould ingraft the heavenly vertues and holineſs of Angels. If Mary Magdalen gained by rouzing her ſelf up early to ſeek Jeſus Chriſt, ſeek him then, I beſeech you, when he may be found, that is, with the moſt timely opportunity.
I have done with the circumſtances, which were but Preambles to the ſubſtance of the Text, that ſubſtance may eaſily be diſcerned from all the reſt, for the Kernel taken out of the words is this, that Jeſus appeared to Mary Magdalen. As it is ſaid of St. Thomas the Apoſtle, ſo of her, ſhe believed more than ſhe ſaw, yet, according to the dimneſs of faith which was in thoſe times, unleſs ſhe had ſeen ſhe had not believed. If Chriſt, as ſoon as he was riſen, had aſcended immediately unto heaven, if no Witneſſes had been left behind, that could ſay they ſaw him, and eat with him, and converſed with him, the words of truth would have wanted credit with the world, becauſe our wiſdom is rather carnal than ſpiritual: Therefore ſays St. Peter, Acts x. 40. God raiſed him up the third day, and ſhewed him openly, not to all the people, but unto Witneſſes choſen before of God. This made the Apoſtles ſet their Seal to the confirmation of it, Luk. xxiv. 34. The Lord is riſen indeed, foreign, as you would ſay, in good earneſt he is riſen, and hath appeared unto Simon. Now let no man contradict it, for Peter hath ſeen him with his eyes. But let me tell you, the bodily eye ought not to come in for his part to peep into thoſe myſteries into which Faith doth ſearch. The ſecrets of the Kingdom of heaven which we believe are inviſible and incomprehenſible. But Chriſt conſidered it was but New Moon with the Church, now it was but Tyrocinium Eccleſiae, the freſh-man-ſhip, I may ſay, of Chriſtian Religion; and the young graft muſt be held with Props from the ſhaking of the winds, which are needleſs to be uſed to an old Tree whoſe root is faſtned. The Apoſtles, and ſundry women, and divers brethren did ſee Chriſt after he was riſen, this was milk for babes, but now we muſt believe that which we have not ſeen, and the viſion of God and of his Son ſhall be the reward of faith in the Kingdom of glory. Laſt of all he was ſeen of me alſo, ſays St. Paul, as of one born out of due time, 1 Cor. xv. 8. Then look not to ſee him manifeſt in his fleſhly preſence any more till he comes in judgment: For the Apoſtle ſeems to me to ſay plainly, that he is foreign, the laſt of all that ſhall ſee him in that manner.
So having ſetled the ground-work, that he appeared, I draw on to conſider by what degrees he appeared; and that is ſuppeditated to us with much variety out of the twentieth Chapter of St. John's Goſpel. The laſt year, you know, I handled that part of ſacred ſtory fit for the day, how this woman having complained to the Diſciples that the body of our Lord was ſtoln away, Peter and John ran haſtily to ſee the wonder, and ſhe would not be left behind, ſhe follows them to ſee what they could make of it; they found it true as ſhe had related, and departed full of great admiration. This poor Wretch alone continues at the Monument, and reſolves not to ſtir till ſhe have better ſatisfaction. Quantum bonum eſt aſſiduitas & perſeverantia? ſays Theophylact; Shall not aſſiduity and perſeverance reap plenteous fruits of comfort? Yes, no queſtion; yet becauſe ſhe was a narrow-brim'd veſſel, obſerve how God pours his favours into her, as it were by ſpoonfuls, that ſhe might not be overwhelmed with the excellency of revelations. She that had often lookt into the Sepulchre, and was ſure the body ſhe ſought was not there, I know not by what divine inſtinct ſhe looks in again. Whether it were as Tully ſaid of Craſſus the Orator, ſays he, we came into the Capitol to pleaſe our ſelves with looking upon that Bench in the Senate, where that famous Citizen was wont to ſit: So ſhe looked in now with a reſolved mind that it would delight her to view the place where her Saviour had been interred, though nothing elſe were to be diſcerned. But loe ſhe ſpied that there ſhe did not look for, two heavenly Miniſters all in white, the Grave which always before was the den of worms, was now become the throne of Angels. And it came ſo to paſs, firſt, to refer us to that which ſhall befall all the Sons of God, our bodies ſhall be buried by the Miniſtry of men, as Chriſts was by Joſeph and Nicodemus, but we ſhall be raiſed out of the duſt at the laſt day by the Miniſtry of Angels. Secondly, ſays St. Hierom in his Epiſtle to Hebidias, this was enough for all parties, if they would think upon it wiſely, that the body of our Lord was not ſtoln out of the Grave by any malicious Adverſaries, becauſe the place was ſo well guarded with the cuſtody of Angels. And thirdly, Jeſus appeared by theſe as by his Proxies, they ſtand in his ſtead for a while to tell Mary, to tell the other women, He is not here, he is riſen.
But behold ſhe looked for a greater than theſe, for him of whom it is ſaid, When he bringeth his firſt-born into the world he ſaith, and let all the Angels of God worſhip him. And with a little motion, with a turning about, he was juſt behind her, and now firſt ſhe got the ſight of him. She got the ſight of him, but loe here is another degree of his appearance before he was clearly revealed, he was preſented to her in ſuch a faſhion, that as yet ſhe knew not that her bleſſedneſs was ſo near her. She miſtook him, it is hard to ſay how, for the Gardener that dreſſ'd thoſe grounds. But how came this ignorance upon her? I do not believe that Chriſt carried a rake and ſpade in his hand like a Gardener, as vulgar Pictures make bold to ſet him out. He might offer himſelf in a poor habit, and without any upper Garment, like one that was not far from home, and being ſo early in the ground, theſe circumſtances would ſuit ſo well to no man as to the Gardener. Very well, this conceit might have taken her if our Lord had been a ſtranger to her knowledge: But this is marvellous, ſhe ſought none but him, ſhe knew no mans perſon in the world ſo well as him, and yet the firſt glimpſe he is any body but himſelf, he is a Gardener. How comes this? I have it for you, I think, out of two Texts of the Goſpel. In the 12. verſe of this chapter it is ſaid, that after Mary had ſeen him he appeared foreign in another form to two of them by the way. Yet concerning the ſame parties we read, Luke xxiv. 16. Their eyes were holden that they ſhould not know him. We may collect thus much out of both theſe put together, that in thoſe forty days wherein Chriſt walked upon the earth after he was riſen, he ſeemed by his Divine power to wear many ſorts of Garments, but he wore none, for a glorified body needs not the coverture of Apparel, and the eyes of thoſe that ſaw him had not the power to perceive who he was, until ſuch time as he ſaw fit to diſcloſe himſelf. And take it for very truth that I ſay, their outward ſenſes had no power to judg of their object, but when he pleaſed; for as I will ſhew in good time by and by, Mary talkt with him, and did not know his voice, till he opened her ears. When he thought it due time, and not before, her eyes and ears recovered their faculties. But I confeſs the queſtion doth yet depend upon a little more reſolution, why Chriſt would let her continue a while deluded, that ſhe knew not who he was. I anſwer, ſhe deſerved not to partake of more favour, ſhe loved much indeed, but we cannot ſay that ſhe believed much: She believed no more than the High-Prieſt would have all the world believe, that his body was ſtoln out of the Sepulcher. Since therefore ſhe was more zealous in her love towards Chriſt than all others, he appeared unto her; but becauſe ſhe would not believe in his reſurrection, no not for the teſtimony of the holy Angels, therefore for a little ſpace he hid himſelf from her, contriving that in his body now, which he doth continually in the ſending of his Holy Spirit, a little love ſhall have ſome reward, but he will come and dwell with them, and be known of them that believe without wavering. As yet he paſſeth with this woman for a Gardener: and that was no unhappy error: it was he that did ſow the ſeeds of faith in her heart, and planted repentance in her ſoul, that it might grow up and proſper to amendment of life. foreign, ſhe ſuppoſed him to be a Gardener, it is true in the allegory, but not in the letter. Take heed that our carnal affections do not impreſs Chriſt into our thoughts otherwiſe than he is. When we are full of earthy, low, flat cogitations, we frame a God of a ſtrange faſhion to our ſelves. As Mary Magdalen giving no truſt to the Angels that he was riſen from the dead, took him for no better than the Gardener. But to ſtrike up this point to the head, whatſoever Chriſt ſeemed to her, he was himſelf without all transformation: he had now a glorified body, he did not change the form and lineaments of his body: it was the poiſon which the Manichaeans ſuckt out of this Text, ſays St. Hierom, that foraſmuch as the Lord ſeemed to this woman diverſe from himſelf, he was diverſe from himſelf, and had a phantaſtique body, not made of fleſh and bone of the ſeed of the woman: ridiculous: he contiued very God, and very man in the unity of one perſon; the ſame man Jeſus Chriſt that was born of the Virgin. But his wiſdom did contrive it ſo as to reveal himſelf to this party by degrees. Firſt by his Proxies the Angels; Secondly by the ſhape of a Gardener; now thirdly he threw the Veil aſide, and ſhewed himſelf clearly as he was unto her, and ſhe that deſired but to find him dead, found him living for ever.
The manner, the manner of it I ſay, is that which is well worthy of a godly eare to mark it: for which I ſtill refer you to the 20. of St. John. Our Saviour when he came in preſence gave her occaſion of diſcourſe on this ſort, woman why weepeſt thou? whom ſeekeſt thou? Good expreſſions both of a moſt paſſionate love, weeping, and ſeeking: Yet to ſeek did befit her diligence, but to weep was out of date at this time, and convinced her of a reproveable weakneſs. It was no day to ſpend tears upon, which offered occaſion of eternal joy, and ſhall ſo continue a day of gladneſs every week while the world endures. But ſays St. Auſtin, ſhe that wept for her Brother Lazarus, and obteined his reſurrection with tears, ſhe makes aſſay, if by weeping ſhe could obtein the reſurrection of Chriſt. But whatſoever may be thought her infirmity in weeping, it was gracious in Gods eyes, when it was joyned with ſeeking. Doubtleſs, ſays St. Paul, God is not far from every one of us, Act. xvii. 27. yea, but he is always near at hand to thoſe that ſeek him: not far from any, but thou Lord never faileſt them that ſeek thee, Pſal. ix. 10. Mary had done as much as diligence could expreſs, ſhe had wept as much as grief could expreſs; now Joſeph could not chooſe but make himſelf known to his Brethren; now Jeſus would hold the woman in ſuſpence no longer, but he chang'd the accent of his voice, and ſpake ſo tunably that ſhe knew him at the firſt word, he ſaid no more but Mary, as God ſaid unto Moſes, Thee have I known by name; and then ſhe turned and ſaid, Rabboni, as who ſhould ſay, I know the voice of my Maſter, and I am thine Handmaid. It ſounded well in her mouth to call him Rabboni or Maſter, now he was alive, for ſhe continued to call him Lord, when ſhe took him for loſt, and that he was no better than one of the dead. When all ignominy had been caſt upon him, when none would own him for a Lord, yet ſhe reſerves his title to him, they have taken away the Body of my Lord. It ſavours therefore of juſtice, that ſhe is the firſt that after his reſurrection profeſt her ſelf his Servant, and ſaid, Rabboni, which is Maſter.
Now in the manner of this appearance three things are eminent among many that may be obſerv'd. Firſt Chriſt was known by the tone of his voice, when this holy Saint miſtook his perſon. Therefore you ſee by this where you ſhall always have Chriſt, ſeek him in his Word, and there you ſhall find him. He ſends us unto them, Joh. v. 39. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye look to have eternal life, and they do teſtifie of me. In the works of nature we may underſtand that God is good; by the criſis of reaſon we may beat it out, that he is a rewarder of them that ſerve him: by the tenour of the Law we may read what Ceremonies will pleaſe him: but if you would meet with Chriſt look him out in the words of that ſweet and bleſſed Covenant of our ſalvation the Goſpel. O how ſweet is that word of God which is the only inſtrument, and none but it, to make us ſee Chriſt our Redeemer. As we have heard, ſo have we ſeen, ſays David; love to hear his word, and then you ſhall ſee him, ſee him here in his Sacraments of grace, and hereafter face to face in his Kingdom of glory. Secondly it lies in his own breaſt, I may ſay, and in the power of his own ſaving grace, when his Word ſhall be effectual to bring us to the knowledg of him. Mark it that Chriſt ſpake more largely, and more diſtinctly, one would think to this pious Matron, when ſhe miſtook him, than when ſhe came to take notice of him: He began thus with her, Woman why weepeſt thou? whom ſeekeſt thou? Was not this Sermon enough to bring her into the right way? yet the darkneſs of her mind continued, and ſhe had no ſtronger faith, but that his ſacred Body was tranſported out of the Sepulcher by ſome malicious injury, and not revived by his omnipotent Divinity: Yet after this he ſpeaks unto her again, ſpeaks but a very little, no more but Mary, and her heart was opened. Like that celebrated piece of Rhetorick which C. Caeſar uſed to his Souldiers, with no long oration, but with one word, Quirites, he drew them to accord, and appeaſed their mutiny. So that there is hope, as we pray, and put our truſt in God, that although ſome have taken arms in this Iſland, and will not lay them down, notwithſtanding much hath been ſaid by way of treaty, much hath been written by way of motive and perſwaſion, yet God knows his own time, and will bring it to paſs, we truſt, when ſome few lucky words, to which the Lord will give his bleſſing, ſhall diſtil down as a joyful rain to bring forth the ſweet fruits of peace and obedience. It is not line upon line, word upon word, but the aſſiſtance of the Divine Spirit with the Word that works knowledg and ſalvation. With a ſhort invitement, follow me, and I will make you Fiſhers of men, Peter and Andrew left their Nets and followed their Maſter. With a little call or beckning rather Matthew forſook the Cuſtom-houſe, and became an Apoſtle: A little was ſaid to Zacheus, and it produced wonders in him: Leſs was ſaid to the Saint of my Text than to any of them all, no more but Mary, and ſhe ſaw and believed. Thirdly, here the doctrin of St. John is verified, chap. x. 14. I am the good Shepherd, and know my ſheep, and am known of mine. Do you not ſpy an excellent order in the words? the Sheep do not know him firſt, but in the firſt place he knows the Sheep, and then it follows, that they know their Shepherd and his voice. So he knew Mary Magdalen, and called her aloud, and then ſhe was brought to confeſs the Lord. St. Paul corrected his own language to keep cloſe to this method, Gal. iv. 9. Now after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, our ſalvation begins at that end, God hath choſen unto himſelf a people zealous of good works, as who ſhould ſay, firſt he knows who are his: but it is very prepoſterous to invert this, as if firſt of all we did our endeavour to be known, that is to be elected of God: and to this is a witty alluſion made Cant. ii. 9. My beloved looketh forth at the window, ſhewing himſelf through the latteſs: As if Chriſt did look through a Grate, and ſaw us when we ſaw not him.
It is enough to have ſaid thus much of the Apparition: The remainder of my Doctrin muſt be raiſed out of the perſon of Mary Magdalen, &c. If this be the ſame Mary that was Siſter to Lazarus of Bethany (many learned Pens contend for it, and let them for me) but if it be the ſame woman, Chriſt hath made good his promiſe to her, and gone beyond it: his promiſe was,Matth. xxvi. 13. that whereſoever the Goſpel was preached, it ſhould be told for a memorial of her, how ſhe had poured an Alabaſter Box of Ointment upon his head to bury him; but far more than ſo, whereſoever the Reſurrection is preached of, ſhe is enwrapt into the ſtory, and extol'd by a kind of ſingularity above all other perſons: he appear'd firſt to Mary Magdalen, a thing which I dare ſay ſhe did not requeſt, neither was that ambition in her to aſpire to ſuch a prayer, that ſhe might ſee the Lord before any of the faithful, but it was a favour that was caſt upon her. Some immoderate zelots to the honor of the Bleſſed Virgin do little leſs than offer violence to the Evangeliſts, for omitting, that Chriſt declared himſelf immediately after he was riſen to his Mother before Mary Magdalen ſaw him. To prove it is impoſſible, therefore to believe it is incredible. None of the Ancients, but Sedulius a Poet, do adventure to affirm that Chriſt made any apparition to his Mother, to ſhew he was no accepter of perſons in way of carnal affinity. He did appear to the Eleven, and to thoſe that were gathered together with them, Luke xxiv. 33. I ſuppoſe ſhe was there at that time, becauſe ſhe was St. Johns charge to take her with him. He did appear to more than 500 Brethren at once, it may conveniently be concluded ſhe was one of that Aſſembly, always preſerving this priviledg to Mary Magdalen, that he appeared firſt to her; ſhe was the firſt that ſaw Chriſt riſen from the dead, and the firſt that preached he was riſen from the dead, for ſhe told it to the Apoſtles. Yet that ye may know what ſoundneſs there is in Traditions, Nicephorus pleads Tradition, that after he roſe to life, firſt he made himſelf known to his Mother. So Rupertus, who allows to Mary Magdalen that ſhe ſaw him firſt inter teſtes praeordinatos a Deo, as a witneſs that ſhould firſt preach him. But the Bleſſed Virgin ſaw him before, as one that did firſt rejoyce in him. Bernard alſo thinks to elude the Scripture with a diſtinction, that his holy Mother did firſt ſee him on this day, non ad confirmationem dubii, ſed ad conſolationem gaudii, not to confirm her faith (ſo he appeared firſt to Mary Magdalen, who wavered and diſtruſted) but no fill her with gladneſs. If theſe things were ſo, why did not the Book of God explain them? if theſe things be not ſo, why do they pretend Tradition without authority? The truth is Gerardus a learned Lutheran hath taught us with more likelihood than ever any before, how ſome unwary Clerks ſtumbled upon this error. Epiphanius in his 68 Hereſ. againſt the Marſalians lapſing in memory, alleageth the words of Chriſt, Touch me not, to be ſpoken to his Mother, when he firſt roſe from the dead, which indeed were ſpoken to Mary Magdalen, and from hence came the miſpriſion, that he appeared firſt to his Mother, when he roſe from the dead.
Not out of deſire to quarrel any thing that might juſtly concern the honour of the Bleſſed Virgin, but for truths ſake I have vindicated this Scripture, that Chriſt firſt appeared to Mary Magdalen, ſhe ſaw his reſurrection in the firſt bud, and not only as others did in the blown flower. You might have imagined this favour would have faln upon his Apoſtles, or upon Joſeph of Arimathea, the Lord of the Soil where he firſt appeared, but he was firſt found of her that firſt ſought him; eſpecially he came firſt to her who gave greateſt attendance to meet with him. She brought a company of women with her to the Tomb before the Sun roſe, they were all vaniſht but her ſelf: She fetcht Peter and John, they came, and lookt in, and ſhrunk away. Their going away commends her ſtaying behind, ſhe held out to the laſt, till at laſt her joy was fulfilled. Reaſon good that thoſe that run longeſt in the race ſhould be firſt rewarded. Our patience I fear is not ſo firm and ſtedfaſt as hers was: if we have not every thing we ask for at the firſt, we think our zeal is prejudiced, and we utterly give over: as if God were not our King, on whom we waited, but our Servant, that muſt come at the firſt call. Whereas you ſhall never ſpeed with a twitch and be gon, but with importunity and pertinacy. The Kingdom of Heaven is gotten by violence, and the violent take it by force. But beſide, as all note, it was her great love to Chriſt that made her partaker of the firſt-fruits of his glory; a love that hath great perfection in it in contraries, in the hardineſs of her courage, and in the ſoftneſs of her mourning. In the hardineſs of her courage: for do you know upon what pikes ſhe run, to ſtay ſo long at the Sepulcher of our Lord. As Thomas noted into what danger our Saviour embarked himſelf when he told his Diſciples Lazarus is dead, and we will go unto him, Let us alſo go and die with him, ſays Thomas. So there were Souldiers abroad to watch the Sepulcher, Spies in every corner from the High-Prieſts, to mark who did confeſs and honour our Saviour; to go to his Tomb, much more to ſtay at it, was in effect to ſay, let us go and die with him, we care not for our lives. But true love eſteems it ſweet to ſuffer for his ſake, to whoſe memory their affection is conſtantly devoted. And ſhe that was thus magnanimous to die for him, was a true woman in compaſſion, and wept exceedingly, becauſe his body was loſt. They were tears miſtaken, as moſt tears are, unleſs we weep for our ſins. As one ſays well, our life is full of falſe ſorrows, and falſe joys; we laugh when we have no cauſe to be merry, and we weep when we have no cauſe to be ſad: So Mary laments that Chriſts body was not in the Sepulcher, which truly known was the greateſt cauſe of rejoycing that ever the world had: No mans injury had brought that to paſs, but his own power and glory; yet certainly her weeping was reputed as an office of love and zeal, becauſe ſhe did it ignorantly out of a pious intention: and we are all ſo addicted to profuſe mirth, that God doth ſeldom make a bad conſtruction of mourning. But alaſs how often do we loſe God by ſin, through our own default, which is the worſt taking away of all, and yet we afflict not our heart at the miſchance, we grieve not for it. O weep for the light of that grace which we often loſe, and the day-ſpring of comfort will riſe again in our conſciences.
But it may be for all this Chriſt would not firſt have appeared to her after he was riſen, but that ſhe was one out of whom in times paſt he had caſt out ſeven Devils. To the letter of the words be thus much ſaid before I come to make application out of them, the ſtory runs concerning this Party, that ſhe had led a very wicked and a ſcandalous life, for which ſhe ſuffered this judgment from the Lord, and very deſervedly, that ſhe was made a prey to the Devil, and ſeven evil ſpirits entred into her, poſſeſt her, wrackt her, and tormented her. But if ſeven evil ſpirits ſhould take up their quarter in every Strumpet, in theſe days wherein they abound, I think their would not be Devils enough in Hell to furniſh them. I know that ſome who dip their Pen too much in allegories, expound it, not as if the very Devils themſelves, but as if the ſeven deadly ſins had taken up their ſeat in her. This is wrong, for Luke viii. 2. we find that there were with Chriſt certain women that had been healed of evil ſpirits and infirmities, among whom was Mary Magdalen, out of whom went ſeven devils. Therefore it is not to be gainſaid, but ſhe was really diſpoſſeſſed of ſeven infernal ſpirits that had entred into her. Upon the account of this benefit ſhe began to turn her heart to the fear of the Lord, and grew up from grace to grace, till no Diſciple of her ſex was more godly in her profeſſion, more ſervent in love, more ſincere in amendment of life. Now out of all the Train that believed in the Name of the Lord, he choſe this convertita, whom he had ſo mightily raiſed up to newneſs of life from the power of Satan, I ſay he ſelected ſuch an one to appear firſt unto her, that the Church might know that ſuch humble ſinners as were partakers of his greateſt mercy, ſhould alſo be partakers of his greateſt glory. And let every conſcience which hath been oppreſt with the burden of iniquity refreſh it ſelf with this hope, that our Redeemer liveth to gather thoſe unto him, whoſe iniquities have been many, but they are waſhed clean in his bloud, and are buried in his Grave. As you have thoſe comfortable words ſounded in your ears before the receiving of the Lords Supper, Come unto me all ye that are weary, &c. But thus Chriſt did as it were celebrate the reſurrection of the body from the dead, and the reſurrection of the ſoul from ſin, in this interview between himſelf and Mary Magdalen. All men ſhall be reſtored to life, good and bad; for the Son of God redeemed the whole nature of man this day from the corruption of the Grave, and the Devil did utterly looſe jus mortis, the dominion of death, becauſe our Saviour being an Innocent was put to death, over whom he had no dominion. But the glory of Chriſts victory was to conquer two at once, Hell and Death. So the Prophet Hoſea cries out in form of triumph, O Death where is thy ſting? O Hell where is thy victory? Hoſ. 13.14.and from his own voice, Revel. i. 18. I am he that liveth and was dead, behold I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of Hell and of Death. So in his own perſon he ſhewed that he had conquered Death; in the perſon of Mary Magdalen that he had conquered Hell. Beloved, this great day is Chriſts Feſtival, and it is the Holiday of every penitent ſinner, becauſe firſt he appeared to ſuch an one, to Mary Magdalen. For our ſakes both the Keys are turn'd, and for our ſakes both the Gates are opened, that our bodies may eſcape the curſe of corruption, and that our ſouls may be delivered from the judgment of Hell, through Jeſus Chriſt the firſt fruits of the dead, and that firſt appeared to an humble Convert. AMEN.