Works, Sermon · Verse 9
And cauſed that he was ſhewed openly.
Verſ. 41 Not to all the people, but unto the witneſſes choſen before of God: even to us which did eat and drink with him, after hee roſe from the dead.
NOw wee come to the manifeſtation of Chriſt his reſurrection. Which is deſcribed, firſt, by the perſons to whom hee was ſo manifeſted: ſet down, 1 Negatively, not to all the people: 2 Affirmatively, but to us who were choſen of God to bee witneſſes. Secondly, by the facts of Chriſt towards theſe witneſſes: which are two, the former in this verſe, in that hee admitted them to eat and drink with him after hee roſe from the dead: the latter in the next verſe, in that hee ſent out his Diſciples with commandement to preach unto the people: and eſpecially to acquaint them with the Article of Faith concerning his comming again to judge the quick and the dead. In which two actions, namely, of ſending out his Diſciples, and judging of the world, his Kingly office doth notably put for…h it ſelf.
And cauſed that hee was ſhewed openly:]
1 It behoveth Chriſt to make open ſhew and manifeſt knowledge of his reſurrection.It was neceſſary that Chriſt ſhould manifeſt his reſurrection, for theſe reaſons.
1 Becauſe as hee had been openly put to death, and openly buried, that none could doubt of the truth of either, ſo this being as main a beam as lyeth in all the frame of our Religion; it was meet that it ſhould bee as ſufficiently cleared, and as lit…le liable to exception, as any of the former: which it had not been, if it had not been as openly confirmed: and therefore he would for the ſpace of forty daies, Act. 1.3. by many bodily appearances to many credible perſons at once; and by many other infallible tokens, make it evident, that the ſame body which was crucified, having the ſame hands, feet, and ſide which were peirced, and wherein the prints yet remained; even the ſame finite and circumſcribed body, which was to bee ſeen and handled, and no other, was now raiſed from the grave, and looſed from all the bands of death.
2 Becauſe ſome things remained to bee done by Jeſus Chriſt, between his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion, which craved his manifeſt preſence. As, 1 Hee was further to inſtruct his Diſciples in the things which appertained to the Kingdome of God; namely, in all the Doctrin they were to teach, and all the Ordinances they were to obſerve, in the external government of the Chriſtian Churches unto the end of the World: and therefore the Evangeliſt ſheweth us, how Chriſt begun at Moſes, and all the Prophets; and opened unto them in all the Scriptures, the things that were written of him, Luk. 24.27, 32. and not onelyonly the Scriptures, but their eyes, and their hearts, to underſtand and bee warmed and affected with the ſame. 2 Hee was to eſtabliſh and ſend out into all the world in his own perſon, the Apoſtles to Preach the Goſpel; which hee pleaſed to defer till this time, when by his glorious reſurrection they might ſee, that all power was given him in heaven and in earth, Mat. 18.19.
3 Hee was to confirm this their extraordinary Miniſtery, by an extraordinary Sacrament, namely, breathing upon them, and giving them the Holy Ghoſt, Joh. 20.22. that is, ſome ſmaller meaſure of gifts, as a pledge for the time; but directing them alſo when and where to expect the plentiful pouring out of the Spirit upon them after his departure: as it was moſt miraculouſly performed in the day of Pentecoſt, after they had a while waited at Jeruſalem for the Promiſe of the Father, Act. 1.4.
4 Hee was by Miracle to confirm to his Diſciples the truth of his Reſurrection, that they might bee the better fitted to the teſtimony of it, as hee did by that miraculous draught of fiſh, whereby they knew that hee was the Lord, Joh. 21.7, 12.
5 In that alſo hee was (according to that which the Scriptures had foreprophecyed of him, and himſelf alſo often foretold) to aſcend up bodily and viſibly into Heaven, whence he deſcended, ſo to ſhew himſelf the Son of God, and our High Prieſt lifted up higher than the Heavens; Luk. 14.33. cum 51.to open Heaven for us, and carry our fleſh before hand thither, where in the mean time hee maketh requeſts for us: it was meet in the preſence of all the eleven, Act. 1.9. and they all beholding, that hee ſhould openly, and according to his body bee viſibly and locally taken up, as the Angels witneſſed, Act. 1.11.
Now though in theſe and other regards, it was meet hee ſhould ſhew himſelf openly, yet would hee not ſo openly ſhew himſelf as to all the people, but only to ſuch as his wiſdome thought fit to behold him.
Queſt. But why did not Chriſt after his Reſurrection, ride in an open triumph before all the People? In all reaſon it would have made much to the confuſion of his enemies, and the comfort of his friends. It could not have been but if he had riſen in the ſight of the Souldiers, and had gone into Jeruſalem among the Scribes and Phariſees, into the Temple among the Doctors, into Pilates Palace; they would all have been ſtricken down, and confounded in the remembrance of their ſo cruel and wicked a fact, if they had been ſo plainly and ſenſibly convinced of it.
Anſw. Wee may not ſuffer our folly to preſcribe to the Wiſdome of God, Chriſt moſt not ſhew himſelf ſo openly as to all the people after his reſurrection, Why.whoſe waies are not our waies. The fooliſhneſs of God, is wiſer than men, and the weakneſs of God, is ſtronger than men. And there bee ſundry juſt reaſons why Chriſt neither would, nor did ſo openly ſhew himſelfe. For,
1 Hee declareth hereby that his Kingdome is not of this World; for then hee would have ſhewed himſelf unto the World, whereas after hee roſe from death, hee would not ſhew himſelf but to thoſe of his own Kingdome. Neither needeth hee for the furthering of his Kingdome the help or witneſs of the great ones in the world: for then would he not have paſſed by the Scribes and Phariſees, the Doctors and great Rabbies, whoſe words would eaſily have been taken, and ſhewed himſelf to a few poor and abject men and women. Neither cometh his Kingdom with outward pomp and obſervation, Luk. 17.21. as Humane Kingdomes do; his triumph is correſpondent to his conqueſt; both of them ſpiritual and inward, not diſcernable but to the eye of the ſoul.
2 The time was now come wherein Chriſt was not to bee known any longer according to the fleſh, 2 Cor. 5.16. the World that had ſo known him before, muſt know him ſo no more; but onelyonly by diſpenſation for the time, that ſuch as were to witneſs of him, might take the better notice of him.
3 The wicked had made themſelves unworthy to ſee him any more: and this was a part of the juſt judgement of God upon them, who had ſo deſpighted him: they ſaw him once, and were ſufficiently convinced by the Scriptures, by his Miracles, his Life, and his Doctrin: all which becauſe they deſpiſed, and wilfully thruſt the Kingdome of God from them, they are juſtly left of God and Chriſt, and permitted to bee further blinded, that they may up-heap the meaſure of their ſins.
4 As for the godly, the Lord would not have their Faith to depend upon the witneſs of the eyes and ſight of the wicked and ungodly; but upon a Divine teſtimony, namely, upon ſuch as were appointed of God for it: and this is a ſure ground of Faith.
5 If Chriſt had openly appeared to all the people, hee had falſified his own word, who had threatned them, that becauſe when hee would have gathered them as an Hen her Chickens under her wing, but they would not, Matth. 23.39. they ſhould not thenceforth ſee him till they could ſay, Bleſſed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord. As if hee had ſaid, from henceforth, namely, after you have crucified me, yee ſhall not ſee me till the end of the world, when I ſhall come again; which coming ſome few of you, namely, that are elect, ſhall gratulate unto me, and ſay, Bleſſed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. And perhaps (as ſome interpret it) all you who now reject me, as a vile perſon; will then, but too late, and to no profit of your own, either by force, or in imitation of the godly, acknowledge me the bleſſed that cometh in the name of the Lord: and to this alſo maketh that. Matth. 26.64. where giving a reaſon of his confeſſion to Pilate, that he was the Chriſt the Son of God; he telleth them, that they ſhall hereafter ſee the Son of man; but not before he be ſitting at the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the Clouds of heaven.
6 It appeareth that many more of the Jewes were more convinced in their Conſciences, and pricked in their hearts for crucifying the Lord of glory, by the preaching and miniſtery of the Apoſtles; than they would have been by the ſight of Chriſt himſelf. In the ſecond, fourth, fifth, and ſeventh Chapters of the Acts it evidently appeareth, how by the Apoſtles direct dealing againſt their ſins, many thouſands were converted at ſome one Sermon: and how many were daily added unto the Church, whoſe faith was farre more ſound in that they attained the bleſſing which Chriſt pronounced upon thoſe that beleeved, and yet had not ſeen.
All which teacheth us, that in matter of Divinity, wee muſt always ſubſcribe to Gods wiſdome, ſhutting up our own eyes; If we have a word to beleeve any thing, or to doe any thing, although our reaſon bee utterly againſt it, though cuſtom, though example, yet muſt we follow our direction, eſteeming the word as our pillar of the cloud by day, and our pillar of fire by night, to guide all our motions, while we are wandring in the wilderneſs of this world; and even till we attain the reſt which is prepared for the people of God.
But unto the Witneſſes choſen before of God,]
Sundry ſorts of witneſſes of Chriſt his reſurrection.We read of many and ſundry ſorts of Witneſſes of Chriſt his Reſurrection, and therefore it is worth inquiry, which of them are here to bee underſtood.
1 There was a Divine witneſſe of the Angels, Luk. 24.6. Why ſeek yee the living among the dead? he is not here, but is riſen.
Secondly, there was a real witneſſe of the Saints that roſe again with him and appeared to many, to the end, that they might teſtifie of his reſurrection, which we doubt not but they did, both by their appearing, and by word of mouth alſo.
Thirdly, there was a forced teſtimony of the Souldiers, Matth. 28.11. They came into the City, and told all things that were done: whoſe firſt report was a main proof of the truth of the thing, howſoever after they were hired to turn their tongues.
Fourthly, there was the witneſſe of the Diſciples and followers of Chriſt: and this was either private or publick. The private witneſſe was of many private Chriſtians, not only men, but women alſo who followed Chriſt, who alſo were by Chriſt vouchſafed to be the firſt preachers of it even unto the Apoſtles themſelves; as wee read of Mary Magdalen, Mary the Mother of Joſes, Salome, Joanna, and divers others. Such was the teſtimony of the two Diſciples who went between Jeruſalem and Emans, Luk. 24. to whom Chriſt made himſelf known the very day of his reſurrection, and yet were no Apoſtles. Thus were many other private Chriſtians undoubted witneſſes of the reſurrection, who no doubt ſaw and heard him in many of his apparitions, as well as the Apoſtles themſelves; in ſo much as Paul ſaith, that hee was ſeen of more than five hundred brethren at once, 1 Cor. 15.6. But the text is not meant of any of theſe ſorts, but reſtraineth it ſelf to the publick witneſſes even the twelve Apoſtles; foreign. What theſe ch…ſen witneſſes were.who were to carry the tidings of this with the other Articles of Chriſtian faith, throughout the whole world, For,
1 Theſe witneſſes are ſaid to bee choſen of God, which word is borrowed from the elections of men, who were ſet apart to their ſeveral offices by laying on of mens hands upon them: even ſo God laid his hands on theſe, that is, Chriſt immediately by his own voyce called theſe to be witneſſes unto him, which was one of the priviledges of the Apoſtles.
2 The Apoſtle in the words expreſſeth himſelf, by limiting them to themſelves; to us, namely, Apoſtles, who ate and drunk with him: not only who before his death lived as it were at bed and board with him, but after hee roſe from the dead, that we might not be deceived in our witneſſe of him.
3 To us, whom be commanded to preach and teſtifie (namely, to the whole world) theſe things, together with his coming again to judgement.
Now for the further clearing of this publick witneſſe of the Apoſtles, wee will conſider three things. 1 That theſe twelve were appointed by Chriſt himſelf to this witneſſe; which the Apoſtle Peter plainly concludeth, Act. 1.22. where ſpeaking of one to be elected into Judas his room, he ſaith, he muſt be choſen of one of them which have companied w…th us all the time that the Lord Jeſus was converſant among us, beginning at the Baptiſm of John unto the day that he was taken up▪ implying, that whoſoever was not thus qualified, he was not fit to be made ſuch a publick witneſſe with them of his reſurrection: becauſe to the making of an Apoſtle, was neceſſary either an ordinary converſe with Chriſt upon earth, or elſe an extraordinary ſight of him in Heaven: by which latter, Paul, who made an honourable acceſſe to that number, proved himſelf an Apoſtle.
T…e ſecond thing is, how they were furniſhed to this witneſſe: By what means the Apoſtles were furniſhed to their witneſsand this was ſu…y ways. 1 By their ſenſes, they ate and drunk with him, that is, were in a familiar ſort converſant with him after he roſe again. 2 By word of mouth, he gave them charge and commandement to doe it: of both which wee are to ſpeak in the text. 3 By a Sacrament or ſign of breathing upon them, he confirmed them to their vocation, ſaying, As my Father ſent me, ſo I ſend you. 4 By adding thereunto the thing ſignified: for he opened their underſtandings, and made th…m able to conceive the Scriptures, and unfold all the Myſteries therein, ſo farre as was behoveful for the Church. 5 By beſtowing ſundry other great gifts upon them, ſending the Holy Ghoſt upon them in the likeneſs of fiery Tongues: whereby they received the gift of Tongues, he gift of Miracles, of caſting out Devils, of healing the Sick by impoſition of hands, of preſerving from poyſon and deadly things, of the Apoſtolical rod, whereby death it ſelf was at the command of their word, either to take place, as in Ananias and Saphira, both ſtruck dead with the word of the Apoſtle; or to give place, as in Dorcas, who by a word of the Apoſtle was raiſed to life being dead. By theſe means the Lord put into the hands of the Apoſtles, great power to give witneſſe of the reſurrection of Chriſt, Act. 4.33.
The third thing is, By what means they witneſſed, or gave teſtimony to Chriſt.
Anſ. Becauſe they were to bee authentical and faithful witneſſes to all the world, and that both in the age wherein they lived, as alſo in all the ſucceeding ages to the end of the world: therefore was it neceſſary that they ſhould give witneſſe two wayes. 1 By zealous and painful preaching by voyce while they lived. 2 Even after their death, by the holy Doctrin left behind them in their Works and Writings: and thus doe they ſtill remain publick witneſſes to us, on whom the ends of the world are come.
Doct. Hence obſerve, that the office of the Apoſtles was to give teſtimony unto Chriſt after a peculiar manner; Acts 1.8. When the Holy Ghoſt ſhall come upon you, yee ſhall be witneſſes unto me, both in Jeruſalem, Judea, Samaria and to the uttermoſt parts of the earth. I ſay, they were to bee witneſſes after a peculiar manner, for theſe reaſons.
The Apoſtles were to bee peculiar witneſſes to Chriſt, and why.1 To diſtinguiſh their witneſs from ours, who are ordinary Miniſters: for every Miniſter is called of God to give witneſs to Chriſt: but properly to ſpeak, they are rather Preachers and Publiſhers of things witneſſed, than witneſſes: or if witneſſes, yet herein they differ from the Apoſtles, that they are not oculate, or ear-witneſſes, nor ſuch ſenſible witneſſes as they were: for this is an Apoſtolical ſpeech, and manner of preaching, not derived to ordinary Paſtors and Teachers, to ſay, That which wee have heard, and ſeen, and our hands have handled, that we teſtify unto you, 1 Joh. 1.1.
2 They were all faithful witneſſes and faithful men; endued with faith and full beleef of the things they wrote and teſtified; as all ordinary Miniſters are not. Whence the Evangeliſt John profeſſeth of them all, that they knew the testimony to bee true, Joh. 21.24. True for the matter: for they delivered the whole Counſel of God, and kept nothing back that was fit to be known, and true for the manner, they all ſpeaking as they were moved by the Spirit of God, 2 Pet. 1.21. and therefore exempted from all error in their witneſs, as we are not.
3 And hence followeth that their witneſs is to bee beleeved, as infallible, being the witneſs of ſuch as with their eyes ſaw his Ma…eſty▪ verſ. 16. who did not at any time deliver any thing, which they either heard not of Chriſt, or ſaw him not doing, or ſuffering: but all other ordinary Miniſters are ſo far to bee beleeved, as they conſent with theſe; and ſo far as they teſtify no other thing than what theſe oculate witneſſes have left in writing.
Object. But Chriſt needeth not the witneſs of any man, hee hath a greater witneſſe than John, or than any Apoſtle: therefore there is no uſe of the Apoſtles witneſs.
Anſw. Chriſt hath indeed three greater witneſſes than the witneſs of his Apoſtles, namely, 1 His Father that ſent him, beareth witneſſe of him. 2 The Scriptures, if they bee ſearched, testify of him. 3 His works that hee did, bear witneſſe of him, Joh. 8.18. & 5.39. & 5.36. but yet howſoever in regard of himſelf, hee need no other teſtimony of man, that wee might beleeve and bee ſaved; hee uſeth the witneſs of men, … John, and the Apoſtles: and of this Divine Teſtimony in the mouth of the Apoſtles may bee ſaid, as Chriſt did of the voice from heaven, Joh. 12.30. This voice came not becauſe of mee, but for your ſakes.
In divine things we muſt lean upon a ſure word.Vſe 1. From this Doctrin wee learn, how neceſſary a thing it is in cauſes of Faith, to lean upon true and certain things, and not upon tottring traditions, or unwritten verities, which are the main pillars of Popiſh Doctrin. Oh how good hath our God been to this Church and Land of ours, in giving us a ſurer word of the Prophets, and Apoſtles, to become a light unto us in a dark place: and a ſure ground whereon wee may build the truth, and certainty of our Faith, and religion; that wee need not bee carried about with every winde of corrupt Doctrin? Theſe witneſſes being ſenſible, faithful and ſo extraordinarily aſſiſted, neither would not could deceive us: yea, and writing in ſuch a time, and the ſame age in which the things were done; if they had written any falſe or corrupted thing, all that lived at that time could eaſily have confuted them. And therefore as Moſes when hee had written the Book of the Law, Exod. 24.7. called all the people to bee a witneſs of the truth of it: even ſo the Apoſtles writing the books of the Goſpel and finiſhing them, appealed to the men of that age for the truth of them: as John the laſt of them all in the laſt end of his book ſaith, wee know, that is, all this age knoweth, that this witneſſe is true.
2 This Doctrin giveth us direction, how to carry our ſelves to the preſent Miniſtry; for ſome man may ſay, as the Devil once did, Paul I know, and Cephas I know, but who are you? Surely even wee are ſent by Chriſt as well as the Apoſtles, Eph. 4.11. Hee gave ſome to bee Apoſtles, ſome Prophets, ſome Paſtors, ſome Teachers. Where it is evident, that he that giveth the Apoſtle, giveth the Paſtor alſo.
Wee being then called by Chriſt to teach this doctrin in the Church, Ordinary Miniſters muſt be received as Apoſtles, while they teach things hea…d ſeen by the Apoſtles.whatſoever our own unworthineſs bee, yet to contemn us ſhall be the contempt of Chriſt himſelf: yet wee being men ſubject to error (as they were not) muſt hold us to our rule, which is Apoſtolical Doctrin: for as the Apoſtles have faithfully performed their parts, ſo our part and duty is faithfully to depend upon them: and then not to depend upon, or depart from us, is to depart from Chriſt and his Ordinance. Wee that are Teachers reſerve to every Chriſtian his priviledge, which is not to receive every thing from us hand over head, nor any thing at all on our bare words, but to try our ſpirits, to ſearch the Scriptures, (as the B…reans.) They have …r ought to have their Bibles, we wiſh them to look and enquire there whether our Doctrin be true or no: and by this note ſhall they know it what it is, according as wee ſhall bee able to ſhew the Apoſtles the ear or eye-witneſſes of it: for elſe are they not bound to beleeve it.
Let any man come with a conje…tural, or probable truth, or any traditionary doctrin, and cannot ſhew which of the Apoſtles heard or ſaw it in Chriſt, no man is bound to beleeve it as neceſſary to his ſalvation. But if any come, and can back his Doctrin thus from the Apoſtles, it is all one as if the Apoſtles did utter it. Let every Miniſter, if hee would bee beleeved, tread in the ſteps of the holy Apoſtles; and ſee hee bee able to clear, that all he ſpeaketh bee ſpoken in their Language, bee ſeen with their eyes, or heard with their eares; which hee is ſure ſo to bee, if it bee contained in their writings. Hereof the Evangeliſt John giveth a notable preſident, The Word, ſaith hee, was made fleſh, Joh. 1.14. here was a great myſtery, and a main principle of Salvation: but how knoweth hee it, is hee ſure of it? yea, that he is: and therefore addeth, we ſaw the glory of it.
Again, it were to bee wiſhed, that hearers would take up their duty, which is, in reverent manner to come to their teachers in things doubtfully delivered, and ask the queſtion; I beſeech you tell me which of the Apoſtles heard, or ſaw this from Chriſt, which you have taught us, that I may beleeve it? for they delivered nothing elſe. To which rule would Miniſters and people frame themſelves, it would bring the Scriptures into requeſt, which for moſt part, are leaſt ſet by in many Sermons; it would make men more careful of their Doctrin, and thruſt out an infinite deal of traſh, and fooliſh conceits of froathy brains: which make it a chief part of their reputation, to ſee with any eies ſave the Apoſtles and ſpeak with any tongues ſave theirs, by which means it commeth to paſs, that Gods own voice is leaſt heard in Gods houſe, in Gods buſineſs, and among Gods people.
3 Hence note alſo, The Lord Jeſus choſe mean and weak men for his witneſſes. Why.What mean and weak men did the Lord chooſe to bee his witneſſes to all the world; not great Rabbies, not Rich, not Worldly-wiſe: (who are not ſo expedite and ready, neither to preach, nor receive the Goſpel) but poor, ſimple, and mean men. For theſe reaſons,
1 That the converſion of men might not bee aſcribed to eloquence, arts, power, or wiſdome of the world: but this treaſure is put in earthen veſſels, that all the power and glory of the work, may redound to God, who commonly, in weak and fooliſh things, putteth forth his admirable ſtrength and wiſdome.
2 That there may bee held a difference between Civil, and Eccleſiaſtical power: the one is outwardly glorious, and ſtately; the other mean and lowly: the Miniſtry which ever brought moſt men to God, was leaſt pompous, and which came the neareſt to the ſimplicity of Chriſt and his Apoſtles: and on which the Sun of the World, for moſt part, as little ſhineth, as it did on Chriſt himſelf and his Apoſtles.
3 It made more for the glory of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles: of Chriſt, in that hee chooſeth illiterate and unlearned perſons, and preſently maketh them wiſe, learned, and intelligent, able by the wiſdome of God, to put t… ſilence the moſt Learned and exerciſed Adverſaries they can meet withall. Earthly Kings and Princes, not being able to give ſuch gifts, are forced to advance ſuch as are wiſe and experienced already; and ſet over their buſineſs, the wiſeſt, moſt learned, and moſt noble that they can finde: Chriſt need chooſe none ſuch, but honoureth himſelf in chooſing fooliſh and ignoble things, to make them wiſe and noble, and every way fitted to his work. Again, herein hee honoureth alſo his inſtruments, who being in themſelves mean and contemptible, yet upon their calling received ſuch a portion of the Spirit, as that they drove the wiſeſt and moſt learned into admiration; and daunted the greateſt and moſt powerful, when they ſaw that no power or glory of this world, could draw or hinder them from the Execution of that Office, to which they were deputed. Hence was it that the wiſe and mighty, Act. 4. ſeeing the freedome and wiſdome of Peter and John in ſpeaking (knowing them to bee unlearned men) they wondred, and knew they had been with Jeſus: and ſeeing the man ſtanding with them which had been healed, they had nothing to ſay againſt them. How great glory won Chriſt hereby to himſelf, and his ſervants?
4 By this choiſe of his, hee putteth a plain difference between his Kingdome, and the Kingdome of Antichriſt. His Kingdome upholdeth the truth of God, which is ſtrong of it ſelf, and well fenced by the power and ſtrength of God watching over it; and needeth not the arm of mans wiſdome, or humane power to lean upon: but if it get ſimple and plain men to carry it through the world, it diſperſeth it ſelf as the light: twelve naked and unlearned men ſhall be enough to overcome all the power and wiſdome that the world can make againſt it.
But the Kingdome of Antichriſt, maintaining nothing but fables and lies, needeth all the colours that wit and learning can deviſe, and all the power and tyranny in the World to maintain it: falſe Doctrin can never ſtand of it ſelf, if it have not the two legs of humane policy, and power to ſtand upon. And what other is it that for theſe many years (eſpec ally ſince the light of the Goſpel was by the mercy of God reſtored to theſe parts of Europe) hath underſhoared that tottering Kingdome, but a flouriſh of wiſe, learned, prudent, and holy Fathers: the profound policies, equivocating tricks, and acute Sophiſtry of their Jeſuites: the cunning practices, powder plots, helliſh attempts of their Prieſts and Diſciples, againſt Kings, and Kingdomes, whoſe power they cannot command: the baſe inſinuations and flattery on the one ſide, and falſe fears and treachery on the other, whereby they hold faſt unto them ſundry other great powers and Kings of the earth? to which adde the inſatiable thirſt of money▪ and their baſe tricks to lay falſe fingers, and put loin goods and lands, which they heap and lay together as the ſands of the Sea, you may take a view of the main props of that Kingdome. It muſt have the wit of men, the ſword of Princes, the ſtrength of arms, the ſupp…rt of wealth, and every way a glorious outward eſtate; elſe down muſt it needs fall like Dagon before the Ark. Chriſts Kingdome hath none of theſe, needeth none of theſe, and yet it propagateth it ſelf, and prevaileth daily, and ſo ſhall do, whileſt this Antichriſtian Kingdome being now in a conſumption already, by the breath of his mouth, ſhall be utterly aboliſhed by the brightneſs of his coming.
4 In that the Apoſtles were choſen witneſſes of God, it is a notable proof of Chriſt his reſurrection, which is the Apoſtles own uſe: for if Chriſt be not riſen, wee are (ſaith hee) proved falſe witneſſes: but that cannot bee for the former reaſons, and therefore hee is ſurely riſen. The like deduction may bee uſed for the confirmation of any other Article of Faith delivered by them, wherein they are no leſs true witneſſes than in this of Chriſts reſurrection.
Who are and drunk with him after he roſe from the dead.
In theſe words the Apoſtle Peter uſeth another argument of demonſtrative force to prove Ch…iſt his reſurrection, Chriſt manifeſted himſelf to be both God and man, after his reſurrection, by two ſorts of actions.who both before his death and after did manifeſt himſelf to bee both God and man, by two ſorts of actions.
1 Such as were miraculous and extraordinary: an inſtance whereof after his Reſurrection wee have formerly mentioned, Joh. 21.11. in the miraculous lading of the net with fiſhes.
2 Such as were more ordinary and familiar: ſuch as in the next verſe of that Chapter is recorded, namely, his dining with the Diſciples. Which was ſo familiar, and ſo open a revealing of himſelf, as wherein they could not bee deceived in the truth of his perſon. And to confirm this truth of our Apoſtle, wee read, that not once or twice, but often, he ate and drunk with his Diſciples after hee roſe from the dead, for hee did not onelyonly eat with ſix of his Diſciples, as Joh. 21.2. cum 13. but with the two Diſciples with whom hee joyned himſelf going to Emaus, Luke 24.30. and with all the eleven gathered together, Luk. 24.33. cum 43.
Queſt. How could Chriſt eat and drink, ſeeing hee was not raiſed to a natural life which hee lived before, and wee now live: but to a ſpiritual life, which cannot bee nouriſhed by corporal means, no more than our bodies ſhall bee after the general Reſurrection?
Anſw. Chriſt did not eat ſeemingly, or in appearance, Cibus hic ad humanae naturae indicium, non ad corporis glorioſi fulcrum pertinuit, & comeſtio poteſtatis fuit nota non neceſſitatis. Tilenus.as one deluding them; but as before, truely both ate and drunk: for elſe this could bee no infallible proof of his Reſurrection unto them, as our Saviour intended it ſhould bee. For when the Diſciples had ſeen his …ands and feet, wondred at the matter, and yet beleeved not for joy, Luke 24.41. for their further confirmation hee called for ſome meat, and having a peece of broyled fiſh, and an hony-comb given him, hee took it and did eat before them.
2 Although Chriſt ate and drunk truely, and indeed, yet was it not neceſſary, as before, for the nouriſhment of his body; which now living a ſpiritual life, took no nouriſhment from it. And as he needed not to eat, Conſiderations of Chriſts eating and drinking after his reſurrection.ſo that which hee did eat, went not through his body as it did before, or as ours now doth. It will bee asked firſt, what became of it; and ſecondly, whether that can bee true eating, where can bee no nouriſhment. To the former I anſwer, that himſelf, when, and as it pleaſed himſelf, diſſolved the ſubſtance of it into his firſt principles, or into nothing after hee had truely eat it. To the latter, that every man hath experience that hee can truely eat many things which never nouriſh him: and ſo will avoid further curioſity, and inquiſition into queſtions ſo needleſs.
But it will bee more materially objected, that this eating and drinking doth not neceſſarily and infallibly prove the point of Chriſt his Reſurrection, ſeeing the Angels have eat and drunk, and yet were no men.
Anſw. As for the Angels which ate and drunk with Abraham, Lot, and others, the truth is that (whatſoever ſome ſpeak to the contrary) they did truely eat as well as they truely walked, ſpake, and indeed had their feet waſhed: all which, though they proved them not to bee true men, yet proved them to have had true bodies, which were aſſumed for the time of their meſſage, and again diſſolved into their firſt nature, as alſo was the meat which they did eat: even ſo our Saviour Chriſt is proved hereby after hee was dead, to have a true, living organical body, which is a ſufficient proof of his reſurrection, and confirmation of our Faith in that Article; eſpecially ſeeing that it was the ſelf ſame body that was laid in the grave, the teſtimony of the Angels, the emptineſs of the grave, the prints of the nails and ſpear, with many other evidences ſufficiently confirm.
1 Note hence, in that our Lord Jeſus, would not only appear once, but very often, and not onelyonly that, but eat and drink ſundry times, and this alſo in the preſence of many authentical witneſſes; To beleeve the reſurrection, is an hard point.what an hard thing it is to beleeve the reſurrection from the dead: yea, if wee ſhould hear it Preached from the bleſſed mouth of the Son of God himſelf. The Diſciples of Chriſt had often heard him, teaching them particularly of his reſurrection the third day; they had ſeen him accordingly riſen; yea, they had handled him with their hands: yet unleſs hee condeſcend to admit them as familiarly to eat and drink with him as before, they ſcarcely beleeve: neither can wee think the Diſciples flower of heart to beleeve than our ſelves are, who are ready to ſay in any thing that our eyes ſee not, with Mary, How can this be? But that neither they nor wee ſhould ſink down in this weakneſs, hee hath pleaſed to condeſcend to our infirmity, to remove all ſcruple from them and us, in this main article of our religion.
His wiſdome ſaw how neceſſary it was, that they who were to bee witneſſes unto him, ſhould bee enabled with much perſwaſion, both by lively voice, and by writing, to aſſure all other beleevers of the certainty of his Reſurrection, till his return to judgement: and therefore to all the other means of manifeſting himſelf, hee added this, to ſit down among them to eat and drink with them: not to feed himſelf by that meat, but their faith, and in them the faith of the whole Church. For what is it that more confirmeth and ſtrengtheneth our Faith, than the boldneſſe and liberty of the Apoſtles, both in their Sermons and Writings? and whence is this but from their own full perſwaſion of the truth, which maketh them bold, and whence is this perſwaſion, but from certain ſenſe and undoubted knowledge, ariſing from their familiar converſe with him after his reſurrection?
Vſe 1. To ſtrengthen this our weak Faith by this conſideration, conceive with thy ſelf that Chriſt ate and drunk with his Diſciples, that thy Faith might bee nouriſhed as well as others: and in that they ſaw him, heard him, handled him, ate and drunk with him, and being faithful witneſſes have Preached, and by writing avouched the ſame to all the world; thy Faith muſt bee as fully aſſured, as if thine own eyes had ſeen him, thine own hands handled him, and thy ſelf had ſit with him at the Table while hee ate and drunk among them: yea, ſo often as thou heareſt, or readeſt, or thinkeſt of any of theſe things; ſo often muſt thou bee renewing and adding ſomething to thy Faith in this behalf; as every new apparition or manifeſtation of Chriſt, added ſomething to the faith of his Apoſtles.
2 In that our Lord after hee was gloriouſly raiſed from the dead, would ſtill for thoſe forty daies depart from his glory, abaſing himſelf to converſe with ſinful men; yea, to eat and drink corruptible creatures; of which his incorruptible body had no need: and would ſtill humble himſelf to condeſcend to the weakneſſe of his Church: wee are to learn the ſame leſſon towards our Brethren, to be of a yeelding diſpoſition, ready to depart with ſome of our right for their good and edification; and carry our ſelves as weak to the weak, and become all things to all men, to ſave ſome.