Thirteen Sermons, Sermon 12
SERMON XII. Preached at HAMPTON-COURT: Before the King and Queen. August the 7th. 1689.
Acts XXVI. 8.
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the Dead?
THESE words are part of the Excellent Defence, which S. Paul made for himself before King Agrippa, and the Roman Governour for embracing the Christian Religion. And if it were so desirable a thing to have heard S. Paul Preach, (as one of the Fathers of the Church thought it, when he parallel'd it with seeing Christ in the Flesh) it was especially at that time, when before so great an Audience, and upon so Solemn an occasion, he was to give an account of himself touching all the things, whereof he was accused of the Jews, Ver. 2. There had been a long and implacable Hatred both in the Rulers, and People of the Jews against him, above any other Apostle, having had greater advantages of Education among them, and being more remarkably zealous for preaching up that Doctrine, which himself had furiously opposed, and that upon a Principle of Conscience, as he saith, Ver. 9. I verily thought with my self, that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth. And such a Conscientious Persecutor would not do that which he accounted the work of the Lord, negligently, as he shews Ver. 10, 11. But that the same Person should on a sudden quit all his Hopes and Expectations among the Jews; and not only betake himself to a Sect so much hated and despised, as that of Christianity was; but, to be so active in all places for the promoting it, was a thing which did both surprize and enrage them. Insomuch, that when he came up to Jerusalem, a popular Tumult was soon raised against him, which had like 21. 27, 30.to have cost him his Life, if the Roman Officers, had not rescued him from their Fury. But after he had made several Defences of himself, to the People, 22. 1. 23. 1.to the Council, to the Roman Governour, and found their Rage and Malice 24. 1.against him to continue still, when Festus would have sent him to Jerusalem 25. 9, 10.to be tried, He appeals to Coesar; and during this Appeal, when Agrippa came to visit Festus, hearing of this remarkable Cause, and the vehement Prosecution of it, he had a Desire to hear what S. Paul had to plead for himself.
But before I come to the particular Matter of his Plea, in these words, there are 2 things observable concerning him.
1. That although he knew he could not suffer in a better Cause, and had a Prospect of his Sufferings before he went to Jerusalem, and went thither with a Resolution to undergo any thing for the sake of Christ, yet he quitted no advantages which the Law gave him. 20. 23, 24.For, when the Officer would have scourged him, he pleaded his Freedom as a Roman Citizen; and all such were 22. 25, 28.exempted from Scourging by the Porcian and Sempronian Laws. And when he found the Design was laid to carry him back to Jerusalem, and there to make him a Sacrifice to the Rage of the Jews; he makes use of the Privilege of the Roman Laws, and before Sentence made his Appeal to Coesar. So little did he think it inconsistent with the Christian Doctrine, of Suffering to make use of Legal Privileges for his own Defence, against unjust Violence.
2. That in all his Defences he insisted on the Resurrection as the main Point. For although the true Ground of the violent Hatred and Malice of the Jews against him, was his constant and zealous Preaching Jesus and the Resurrection, Acts 17. 18.as he did at Athens and other places; yet those who persecute Men for the sake of Truth, always pretend some other Reason for it; and nothing is more common and plausible than that of breaking the Laws. And the Jews now thought they had this Advantage against S. Paul; for they charged him with profaning the Temple by carrying …1. 28.a Gentile into it; but the Matter of Fact was mistaken; however, this served for a popular Pretence against him, and that was all they sought for, (Malice working most mischief under a Disguise.) And this took presently, and spread so suddenly, That it is said, All the 30.City was moved, and the People ran together, and they took Paul and drew him out of the Temple. When Tertullus pleaded against him, he faintly urged his going about to profane the Temple; but the main of his Accusation, was, That he 24▪ 6.was a Ringleader of the Sect of the Nazarens; 5.therefore S. Paul in his Answer in short, saith to the other things objected, That they could not prove them; 13.but as to the Way which they c…lled Heresie, i. e. owning the Doctrine of Christ, he was so far from denying it, 14.that he professed it before them all. And as he declared his Faith freely, so he did his Hope too. And have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a Resurrection 15.of the dead, both of the just and unjust. This was the Point S. Paul reduced all to. Touching the Resurrection of the 21.dead, I am called in question by you this day. And so here to Agrippa, And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the Promise made of God unto our Fathers; unto which Promise our twelve Tribes 16. 6.instantly serving God day and night hope 7.to come, for which Hopes sake, King Agrippa I am accused of the Jews. And then immediately follow the words of the Text, Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Wherein we have the Strength of the Apostles Argument, to prove the Truth of this Mysterious Doctrine of the Resurrection; although artificially couched by way… of Insinuation and Address.
(1.) It is not a vain thing to suppose it, because God had Promised it. For no Tradition of Fathers, no Conjectures of Philosophers, no Power of Nature could be a sufficient Foundation to build such an Article of Faith upon; nothing short of the Promise made of God.
(2.) It is not a new thing started by him, to disturb and perplex the Minds of Men; it was a Promise made to our Fathers, i. e. it was involv'd and implied in the great Promise of the Messias, and the Happiness to come by him; which was not with Respect to this World, but the World to come; the full and compleat Enjoyment whereof must suppose a Resurrection of the dead.
(3.) It is not an unreasonable thing; which appears by S. Paul's putting it to them in such a manner, Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Wherein the Apostle hath shew'd us the true Method of asserting and defending the Mysteries of the Christian Faith, viz. not to undertake to demonstrate things by natural Reason, which are uncapable of it; but first to prove them to be of Divine Revelation; and then to shew that there is no Objection from Reason, which can make that Revelation incredible.
And this I shall endeavour to make out, as to the Subject here mentioned; and that
(1.) In General, with respect to the Doctrine of the Resurrection.
(2.) More particularly, (1.) As to the Resurrection of Christ, (2.) As to the Resurrection of the Dead at the great Day.
(1.) In General; as to the Doctrine of the Resurrection.
It is no unreasonable Method of proceeding with Mankind, to suppose some general Principles agreed on, before we undertake to prove particular Doctrines. For when we go about to reason at all, we must suppose the Foundations of certainty; without which it is to no purpose to undertake to convince any Man of any thing. When we prove that there is a God, we must suppose something that is without our selves, in the Frame of this visible World; and from the order of Causes, the variety of Effects, the nature of successive Beings we justly infer, that it could not be always just as it is; and therefore, it will be produced by a Being Superiour to it, whose Power must be Infinite, as giving Being to that which had none, and disposing things in such a manner as we see them. For as nothing can be without a Cause, so it is most unreasonable to suppose, that which once was not, should put it self into Being; or a blind and unactive Cause should produce such admirable Effects.
An infinite Power being then necessarily supposed, as to the Production of the World, it cannot be unreasonable to apply it to a particular Effect, although above the power of natural Causes, if it be such a one as is agreeable to the infinite Wisdom of God. It is an unreasonable thing, to suppose any absurd Doctrine to be true, because God's Power is infinite. For he doth not imploy his Power, but in a way most agreeable to his Wisdom; and his Wisdom is discovered in the suitableness of the End, and the clearness of Divine Revelation.
It is as possible for God now to raise the Dead, as at the great Day; but we have no reason to believe it, because it doth not now answer the great End of the Resurrection, which is in order to an eternal State. Therefore altho' there be an equal Possibility in the thing, yet there is not an equal Credibility; because this doth by no means come up to the declared Purpose of God's raising the Dead; which is of very great moment for Mankind to believe and expect.
If I could believe it possible, for the Body of Christ to be in ten thousand places at the same time, (which I cannot) yet if it were not to attain some great and spiritual End, which cannot be carried on another way, I have the same reason to think it incredible, as I have to believe that God will not imploy his infinite Power, as often as a Priest shall think fit, by repeating the words of Consecration. And we never find in the whole History of Scripture the infinite and miraculous Power of God, tied to a certain Form of words; and that to no spiritual End, viz. either for the Conviction, Conversion, or Sanctification of Mankind; to which other means more proper and agreeable are appointed.
But in the Case of the Resurrection of the Dead, our Saviour hath sufficiently declared the End and Design of it to be such, that we may justly suppose, that if God will imploy his infinite Power, it would be for such a Purpose: The hour is coming, saith Christ, in which all that are in the Graves shall Joh. 5. 28, 29.hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life, and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation.
Can we imagine the Power of God to be imployed for a more suitable End, to the Design of his Providence than this? It is not to make them capable of acting over again all that Folly, and Vanity and Vice, which they live in now; it is not meerly to shew his Power over all the scattered Atoms of our Bodies; and that he can when he pleases fetch them of their secret Repositories, and dispose and unite them so, as to make the same Bodies; it is not to convince then the unbelieving part of Mankind, when they see that effected, which they before thought incredible; for, they who will not believe now, upon the Evidence which God hath given, so as to prepare themselves for that great Day, shall then be forced both to believe and tremble.
Altho' then we do own, that without God's infinite Power we look on the Resurrection as impossible, yet this ought to be no disparagement to the Doctrine, since the End of it is such, as doth so fully agree with the Wisdom and Design of Providence.
It's true, the ancient Fathers who discoursed much to the Heathens, upon the Argument of the Resurrection, which they thought one of the most incredible Parts of the Christian Doctrine, do make use of many comparisons and Similitudes from natural Causes and Effects. But we are not to look on them as strict Proofs, but as handsome Illustrations, being designed to take off the Scorn and Derision, with which the Heathens entertained the Doctrine.
Thus they speak of a Diurnal Resurrection, viz. Of the Day dying into Night, and being buried in Darkness; and in the Morning springing out of its Grave of Obscurity and Silence, with a fresh Glory and Splendour; of an Annual Resurrection; when the Trees begin to have a new Life in them; and the precious Liquor which shoots up into the withered Body and Branches, and so brings forth new Leaves and Flowers, and Fruit. But after all, we know, that such a Revolution of Days and Nights, and the several Seasons of the Year, depends upon certain and natural Causes, viz. the Diurnal and Annual Course of the Sea. All that can be proved hence is, that things may not always remain in the same State of Darkness and Inactivity; but that the same God, who hath appointed the Times and Seasons for other things, may if he please restore Mankind, after a long Night, and cold Winter in the Grave, to a State of Life and Vigour, Clem. ad Cor. p. 34. Tertul. de Res. c. 13. Ambr. Her. l. 5. Cyril. Catal. 18. &c. Herod. l. 2.at the Day of Resurrection.
The Story of the Phoenix so often mentioned by the Ancients, holds well enough against the Authors of it (for the Christians had it from the Heathens,) viz. to prove there is no Absurdity in believing the Possibility, that Life may Sen. Ep. 42. Plin. l: 10. c. 2. Tacit. An. l. 6.be restored after the Corruption of the Body; and that they had no reason to deride Christianity for a Doctrine, which themselves owned in their famous Tradition of the Phoenix.
But when they argued strictly about Athen. p. 43. Tertul. Ap. c. 48. De Res. c. 11. Justin. Apol. 2. Lact. 7. c. 23. Ambr. de Fide Res. c. 11. Prudent. inSyr. l. 2. Aug. de Civ. Dei, l. 21. c. 7. 22. c. 10. 21. In Psal. 62. 139.this Matter, they resolved it into the same infinite Power of God, whereby he made the World. And according to the due order of our Creed, we must first believe in God the Father, Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth, before we are to believe the Resurrection of the Body.
And although the Matters of Faith be not capable of strict Demonstrations; yet we have this strong Evidence to convince Mankind of the Credibility of it, viz. If they do believe that God made the World, and the Bodies of Mankind at first, they can have no reason to question his Power to new make them; if they do not, they must believe something far more absurd than the Doctrine of the Resurrection, viz. that this World should make it self, and that all things should fall into that admirable Order they are in, without the Power and Management of an infinitely Wise Creatour. And setting aside the Consideration of infinite Power, such Persons ought not to find fault with asserting the Possibility of the Resurrection; for why may not the same Particles of Matter in a long Tract of time hit together again, to make up the same Body, as well, as such are at first supposed to have made up not only the visible World, but the wonderful Fabrick of any single Body of Mankind? Why should it be more incredible, that a dead Body should be raised out of its Grave, than that the Body of a Man should spring out of the Earth at first from a meer Fermentation of Matter? So that the most Atheistical Persons have no reason to reject the Doctrine of the Resurrection, as a thing incredible to them.
But yet there are some Difficulties, which deserve to be cleared, to remove any Temptations to Infidelity; and those relate,
(1.) To the quantity of the Matter to make up such a number of Bodies.
(2.) To the sorting and Distribution of it for the making so many distinct Bodies, as were before.
(1.) As to the quantity of Matter; not as to the main Body of the Earth (out of the dust whereof Man's Body was framed at first) but as to that which makes up the Bodies of Men as now they are. And I think one Observation is sufficient to clear the Difficulties which relate to this: that what passes away from us by insensible Transpiration, was once as really a part of our Body, as that is most visible and discernible in us now, or will be when our Bodies corrupt in the Grave, and are turned into Dust. I need not run to the Statick Experiments to prove the vast quantity of Matter belonging to our Bodies, which passes continually away from us; for there is one thing which sufficiently proves it, and no Body can doubt of; and that is; we find all Persons grow and shoot up till they come to such a Stature; and when they are attained to it, all the Art and Contrivance, and Nourishment they can use, cannot make any addition to it. To what a prodigious height would Mankind grow, if every seven years they should shoot up in Proportion to the first Seven? And if those parts which receive Nourishment did not spend themselves, all Men, when they cease growing upwards must have a vast Bulk. For they take in greater Nourishment, than when they shot up so fast. But we find it otherwise in Mankind, and therefore those which were once the real parts of the Body do insensibly go off and spend themselves, and others come in their room. And those which were the substantial Parts of the same Body, are scattered up and down in our Atmosphere, being wholly indiscernable by us, but yet they are not annihilated, nor lost to infinite Wisdom; who ranges and disposes those minute Particles of our Bodies in such order, that he can command them together, as he pleases, and so make up the same Body again. But this carries me to the second Difficulty.
(2.) As to the sorting and distribution of these dispersed Particles, into so many distinct Bodies again. It is but a mean Representation of the Possibility of this, which the Chymists boast off, viz. that they can reduce some Metalline Bodies to their own shapes, and natural appearances from those wonderful Disguises they can put them into. But from thence we may infer, that the infinitely Wise God knows all the secret passages of Nature, and every small part of a Body, and can trace it through all its Changes and Shapes, and bring it back again to unite, with the other parts of the same Body. The truth is, we are mighty Strangers to the invisible Kingdom of Nature; we make a shift to talk and reason a little about the Frame and Contexture of gross and visible Bodies; but for those innumerable Parts which are out of the reach of our Senses, we know they must be, and are somewhere, but in what Order and Variety we know not. But this we know, that the most minute parts we can discern by the help of Glasses, although they appear rough and deformed to our naked Eyes, as the Moss which grows upon the Earth, yet when it is more narrowly searched into by the help of Glasses, is found to have in it admirable Beauty and Curiosity. And it is very observable that the more we look into the Works of Art, the less we admire them; but the more we search into, what we account the most disorderly and confused parts of Nature, even the least and most contemptible, the more we are surprized with admiration. Which shews the infinite Wisdom of the Maker of all things, who hath all those things in due Order, which seem to us impossible to be sorted or numbred. And since God hath declared it to be his Design to raise the Bodies of the Dead, we have no reason to question, but that he disposes the several parts of them so, as none shall be either lost or mislaid. The Psalmist speaks of a Book in God's keeping, wherein all our Members are written, which in continuance were Psal 139. 16.fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. And he hath a Book too, wherein all the scattered parts of the Body are enter'd, which he knows exactly, and so can easily bring them together. We all know, that if the leaves of a Book are scattered up and down thro' many hands, and carried to the most distant places; if the Author of it knows where they are, although they were bound up in other Books, yet he can easily find out the several parts of it, and put them together again, so, as to make the same entire Book which they were before. If therefore, God certainly knows and disposes the several parts of our Bodies (for although they are under many Disguises to us, they are under none, to him) he can much more easily gather them and joyn them together, as his Wisdom and Power is infinitely greater than ours. But Suppose the parts of one Body be turned into the Substance of another, as in those who eat Man's Flesh, how is it possible there should be distinct Bodies, when the Substance of one goes into the Substance of another?
This hath been thought by some a terrible Objection, against the Possibility of the Resurrection; but, according to the Principles I have already laid down, it will admit of a clear and distinct Answer. For,
(1.) The Difficulty would appear much greater, if there were any such Cannibals in the World, as lived wholly upon Man's Flesh. It cannot be denied, that there are Instances of People so rude and barbarous, as to account it a piece of Gallantry to devour their Enemies, whom they have taken in Battle; and of others, who by extremity of Famine have been driven to it. But such extraordinary Instances have no force against a general Doctrine; unless it be proved to be impossible by them; for, against extraordinary Cases, extraordinary Care may be set to make up the parts of those Bodies. But,
(2.) It is but a very inconsiderable part of one Body, which in such Cases goes into the Substance of another. That which may stop a ravenous Appetite, may go but a little way towards increasing the Substance of the Body. How little of what we take into our Stomachs, is united to the solid parts of the Body. The Flesh is dissolved into a spirituous Liquor, which at last turns to a Nourishment; but after many Passages and refinings in the several Vessels for that purpose, the grosser part, and far greater quantity going off. So that according to the most received Doctrine of Nutrition, suppose the Body of a Man were eaten by Cannibals, a very small part of it, would pass into the Substance of their Bodies.
(3.) Suppose there were more, yet there cannot be so much as is already gone off from the Body of the same Man. If a Man lives to thirty or forty years, his Body hath undergone many new Repairs in that time, and all the old Materials were as true and real parts of the Body, as the new ones; and yet it is the same Body, in the sense of all Mankind. Why should it not be then the same Body at the Day of Resurrection, if some of the parts before consumed, be taken to make it up, as well as those very individual parts which a Man had at the time of his Death. Suppose a corpulent Man to fall into lingring Diseases, or a gradual Consumption of all the parts of his Body, must this Man at the Day of Resurrection, have no more as belonging to his Body, than he had left upon him at the hour of his Death? Would it not be the same Body, if it were made up of the parts he had at the beginning of his Consumption? If it be, then the same Reason will hold as to other times of his Life; and so this mighty Objection from the Cannibals devouring those parts of the Body, which a Man had at the time of his Death can be of no force to overthrow the Possibility of the Resurrection.
(2.) Having thus endeavour to clear the Notion of the Resurrection in general; I come to the particular Consideration of it,
(1.) With respect to the Resurrection of Christ; which St. Paul had here a regard to; that being the chief Point contested at that time between the Jews and the Apostles; as the Foundation both of the Faith and Hope of Christians. 1 Cor. 15. 14.For, saith St. Paul, If Christ be not risen, then is our Preaching vain, and your Faith is also vain. And St. Peter, 2 Pet. 1. 3.That they are begotten again to a Rom. 1. 4.lively Hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It was by Act. 5. 31.this, saith St. Paul, That he was declared to be the Son of God with Power: It was by this, saith St. Peter, that God exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. And therefore the Apostles after the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon them, insist chiefly upon this Point; and that not in distant places at first, where Circumstances could not be known or examined; but at Jerusalem, while all things were fresh in their Memories, and all Matters of Fact might be strictly examined. Thus St. Peter on the Day of Pentecost, standing up with the eleven said, Ye Men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, Act. 2. …. 14.hearken unto my words. And then follows his Charge upon them for the Death of Christ; Jesus of Nazareth a 22.Man approved of God, him have ye taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. And what then? Whom God hath 23.raised up. This might seem incredible to them at first hearing; but St. Peter 24.goes on, and having proved it foretold by David he saith again, This Jesus 32.hath God raised up: But how doth this appear? Whereof, saith he, we all are witnesses, i. e. We that stand here before you, and are ready to undergoe any Trial of our Sincerity in the Matter; we do not tell you of Witnesses that live at a great distance, but we whom you see and hear, testifie what we have seen and heard. If you are unsatisfied go and search the Monument, where his Body was laid; examine the Soldiers that were to guard it; go to the Council and let them search into the bottom of it; here we stand and are ready to give our utmost Testimony to the Truth of it. Not long after, as Peter and John were going into the Temple, and a great number of People were gathered together upon a Miracle wrought by them, St. Peter again tells them, That they had killed the Prince of Life, whom God hath raised up from the Dead, whereof we are Witnesses. This extremely 3. 15.galled the Priests and Sadduces present, as 4. 1, 2.appears afterwards, and they seized upon them, and the next day a solemn 5.Council was called to examine them. But do they flinch from their Testimony then? No; so far from it, that St. Peter speaks more boldly to them; Ye Rulers of the People, and Elders of Israel: be it known unto you all, and to 8.all the People of Israel, that by the Name 10.of Jesus of Nazareth, whom ye crucified whom God raised from the Dead, even by him doth this Man stand here before you whole. Could any thing be spoken, with more Freedom and Plainness than this? The Person whom ye crucified God, hath raised from the Dead; and thereby hath demonstrated your Wickedness and Folly; he whom ye slighted and killed, even now he works Miracles among you; for by him doth this Man stand here before you whole. Could any thing be more provoking to them than this? Why was not the Matter at first examined. And if there had been any occasion to suspect them, never were men more concerned to lay open an Imposture than these were. Why were not other Witnesses produced against them, and the whole Contrivance then laid open to prevent any farther mischief? But like guilty Men they durst not go farther into it; only they endeavoured to stop their mouths, and charged them not to speak at all, or teach in the name of Jesus.8.
But this would not do their Business; for they answered, They could not but 20.speak the things which they had seen and heard. After this, we find them brought 5. 27.before the Council again; and then they severely rebuked them for breaking their command, to which the Apostles answered with great Temper and Constancy, 28.We ought to obey God rather than Man, and immediately tell them the same 30.things, The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a 32.tree. And we are his Witnesses of these things. No wonder that it follows, 33.that when they heard it, they were cut to the heart; for nothing is so cutting as a true Charge of Guilt; when Persons cannot answer it, nothing can be more uneasie than to be told of it. And instead of examining the Matter farther, they take Gameliel's Counsel, and let them alone.
This I the rather insist upon, because the Matters were then fresh, the Persons were alive, who were most concerned to disprove them, and the Apostles urged them before that Council, which had not long before contrived and porcured the Death of Christ, and took great Care to prevent the taking away of the Body when it was in the Monument.
And now, Why should it be thought by any, a thing incredible that God should raise the Dead? When there were such early, and such constant Witnesses of it; who offered the Proof of it to all sorts, and wrought Miracles to confirm their Credibility. What can the most incredulous Mind suggest towards the taking away the force of their Testimony? There are but two ways to do it,
(1.) To suppose them honest and well meaning Men, who were deceived by their own Fancies.
(2.) To suppose them, cunning and designing Men, who went about to deceive the World, with what they did not believe themselves.
(1.) To suppose them deceived themselves. All that hath been suggested in this Cavilling and Sceptical B. S. Ep. 23. 25.Age to this Purpose, is that the Scripture it self owns, that some good Men have been deceived in the same manner; as Abraham and Lot taking the Gen. 18. 6. 19. 3.Angels for Men, and believing that they did eat. But I will make it plain, that there was a vast Disparity in the Case. For,
(1.) Here was a true and real Body without Dispute, for it is not denied that Christ did really suffer on the Cross, and was dead and buried. But what became of the true Body of Christ? In the other Cases, either there was no real Body at all; but the Angels assumed such Matter for the time, which had all the appearances of Humane Bodies in speaking, walking, and eating; or if the Bodies were real, yet we read nothing as to any such Circumstances, of dying and being buried, as there are about Christ's Body. And there are some remarkable Circumstances as to the Body of Christ, which ought to be observed.
1. That there was infallible Proof, that he was really dead; by the Testimony St. John gives of his seeing the Soldier pierce the Pericardium with his Joh. 19. 34.Launce; which all agree to be a mortal and incurable Wound, if there had been Life before, and he adds it because there were then some, who denied that he really died on the Cross.
2. That his Body was laid in a new Sepulchre, cut out of a Rock; which is taken notice of by three Evangelists; Matth. 27. 60. Mark 15. 46. Luk. 23. 51.because it was not liable to any suspicion of Practises by his Disciples, as to the conveying away of the Body by any other way, than by the mouth of the Sepulchre.
3. That the mouth of the Sepulchre was closed up with a Stone; which Matth. 27. 66.was Sealed▪ and had a Watch set to Guard it, so that here was all imaginable Care taken to prevent any taking away the Body out of the Sepulchre.
(2.) The Proofs as to the Truth of Christ's individual Body, after the Resurrection are quite of another Nature from those of the Angels appearing to eat with Abraham and Lot, for this was a sudden Action of theirs, and not the main thing intended by them: It was only to introduce the Message they had to declare; but in the Case of our Saviour, the great business was to assure them of the Truth of his Resurrection. Therefore it is said, That he shew'd himself Act. 1. 3.alive after his Passion by many infallible Proofs, being seen of them forty days. Among these Proofs St. John Joh. 20. 20.insists upon his shewing them, his Hands and his Side; but this would not satisfie Thomas, but he must thrust 27.his Hand into his Side. Could there be greater Proof of the same Body than this? So that either we must give over all Evidences and Proof of the same Body; or we must allow that it was given in the Case of Christ's Body. And nothing but obstinate Infidelity can make any objection against the way of Proof, supposing the Matter of Fact to be true, as the Evangelists relate it.
(2.) But if that be not allow'd, then they must be charged with a Design to deceive and abuse the World, To which I shall only say at present these two things:
1. That endless Sufpicion is a very unreasonable thing; where there is no Foundation for it; as none can be assigned as to the Apostles, either as to this World or another; since they declare no hopes of recompence hereafter, and no Compensation to be expected here.
2. That some Proof of Sincerity must be allow'd; and they offer'd the fairest; and that is the true. Reason why Christ appeared to them, and not to his Enemies.
(1.) The Disciples themselves were asraid of being deceived this way; and Luk. 24. 37.therefore could not be convinced, till by many infallible Proofs as St. Luke Act. 1. 3.calls them, they were satisfied it was the real Body of Christ. If it had been only a sudden and transient Appearance, there might have been some cause to have suspected it; but this was so far from it, that he conversed among them forty days at several times; he shew'd them his hands and his feet, his Luk. 24. 39. Joh. 20. 20, 27.flesh and bones, and the very holes in his side which the Spear had made. And what Proof can be given of the Truth of a Body greater than this? If they had pretended, that after his Resurrection, his Body was pres…nt, but after the manner of a Spirit, i. e. after an invisible, impalpable, unintelligible manner, the World would have despised their Testimony, and there had been no need to have said more for rejecting it, than that if Body and Spirit be to be known asunder, it must be by the different Properties; and therefore to confound them, is to confound our knowledge of them.
(2.) It was necessary that there should be such Witnesses, who would attest what they saw; which his Enemies and Murderers would not have done, if he had appeared to them. Can we imagine, that the High Priests and Elders, and his other implacable Enemies, who had Blasphemously attributed his other Miracles to the Power of the Devil, would immediately have been convinced upon the sight of his Body after the Resurrection? No doubt, by the same Reason they would have concluded it to have been an Apparition of the Devil.
(3.) There must be some Proof of the Honesty, and Sincerity of Mankind allow'd; and the Apostles gave the greatest that ever Men did; by their Self-denial, Unanimity, Courage, Patience, Constancy and Perseverance. They almost all laid down their Laws to attest this Truth, and all underwent great Persecutions for it, when the Discovery of the least Fraud would not only have set them at ease, but gained them a plentiful Reward. And therefore, Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise his Son from the Dead?
(2.) We must consider this, with Respect to the general Resurrection of the Dead. What Reason can we have to think, that incredible, when God hath already given such an Evidence of the Possibility of the thing by the Resurrection of Christ? He that can raise up one Body, can raise the rest, since the difficulty lies not in the number of Bodies, but in the Nature of the thing. Some have ridiculously question'd, whether the Surface of the Earth would be large enough to hold all the Bodies of Mankind upon it at the Day of Resurrection. But an ingenious Person Sir W. Petty's Essay in Political Arithmetick. Postscript.hath demonstrated the Folly of such an Imagination.
And it cannot be thought a needless Exercise of Divine Power, when it is in order to the general Judgment, and the Resurrection of Christ was intended as a Pledge and Assurance to the World, not only of that day to come, but that Christ is appointed to be the Judge. Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness, by that Man whom he hath Act 17. 31.ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men, in that he hath raised him from the Dead.
What remains then, but for us to think it our greatest Concernment to live as becomes those, that believe we must not only die, but be raised from the Dead, by the mighty Power of God; and that in order to our appearing before the Judgment Seat of Christ, that we may receive according to to things done in the Body, whether good or bad. What manner of Persons ought 2 Cor. 5 10.we then to be in all boly Conversation 2 Pet. 3. 11.and Godliness? What fruit had ye then, saith St. Paul, in those things whereof ye Rom. 6. 21.are now ashamed? As though the bare Reflection of a Man's own Conscience were enough to make him sensible of the Folly of Sin. But what then is it to consider, That those things which will not bear a severe Reflection at home, shall be laid open before the Judgment Seat of Christ? We are now to palliate and disguise, and conceal our Follies, and Weaknesses here, as much as we can from our selves, as well as others; we would fain keep upon good Terms with our selves, and use too many Arts to blind and deceive our own Consciences. But alas! How vain and foolish a thing is it, for us to deceive our selves to our own Destruction? If the Judge at the great Day would judge just as we do, it would be the best Argument in the World …or deceiving our selves. But he will judge the World in Righteousness. Act. 17. 31.Not according to the vain Opinions Men have of themselves, not according to the rash Censures, or indiscreet Flatteries of others, who cannot be able to judge of us, as we may do of our selves. And this is a Matter of the greatest Importance to us; since God is pleased to leave it so much to our own Judgment, That if we judge 1 Cor. 11. 31.our selves, we shall not be judged. Let us not therefore do it carelessly, partially and ineffectually; but deal fait… fully, and sincerely with our selves; searching for our most secret and beloved Sins, and proceed against them in such a manner, as we shall wish we had done when we appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Think with your selves then, how shall we then abhor those Sins of the Body, which will expose both Soul and Body, to the eternal Vengeance of God? How shall we be ashamed to have yielded so much, and so easily to the Inclinations of it, against the Convictions of Reason, the Checks of Conscience, and the plain Commands of Scripture? And therefore, the thoughts of that day should have the most powerful Influence on us, to keep our Bodies in subjection to our Minds, and to subdue the irregular Appetites that come from them. For these Bodies of ours now, are not so much Companions, as Traitors to our Souls; holding a Correspondence with their greatest Enemies, suggesting Counsels which tend to their Destruction; and the Temptations which arise from them, are so many and so bewitching, that without a constant Care, our Bodies may prove the ruin of our Souls. And those who have the greatest Command over them, have enough to do, to keep under the Passions that arise from them; which may grow troublesome when they cannot Govern; and like discontented Persons be very uneasie when they are not gratified to their own Desire.
It is therefore, a great satisfaction to the Minds of good Men, to think, there is a Day of Resurrection coming, when their Bodies shall no longer be an …ncumbrance, or a Temptation to their Minds; they shall neither hinder their Happiness, nor draw them from it. Thus all the dark Temptations, and cloudy Vapours, and disturbing Passions, which arise from our Bodies now, shall be scattered and dispersed; and there shall be nothing but Purity, Serenity and Clearness in that State. For, Then the righteous shall shine forth Matt. 13. 43.like the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father; when the glorious Light within shall break through the Passages of the Body, and cause as great a Splendour in it, as the Sun it self would have within so narrow a Compass. Thus it is said of our Saviour upon his Transfiguration, That his …ace did shine as the S…; and yet his Body then, had the Matt. 17. 2.same Qualities that our's have now. But after the Resurrection, the glorified Bodies shall be so purified and refined, by a Divine Spirit and Power, that they shall become as Spiritual as Bodies 1 Cor. 15. 42.can be; i. e. without corruption and decay; without Weariness and Pain; without any of those Infirmities, which make Life so uneasie here. Sometimes here the Mind hath such a load upon it, that makes the Body sink under its weight; but there the perfect Ease and Tranquility of the Mind, will give a new Life and Vigour to the Body. Here the most refined Pleasures of Life, are such which arise from a brisk and uniform Motion of the Animal Spirits; but then the Spirit and Joy of another World, will afford such Delights as infinitely exceed our present Imagination. Such Delights which shall be pure and constant, without Interruption, and without End. For in that glorious Presence of God, there is fulness of Joy; and …sal. 16. ….at his right hand are Pleasures for evermore.