Conco. 3a}
30. Aug. 1691.
28. Matth. 6.
He is not here: for he is risen as he said: come see the place where the Lord lay. In these words the Angel (1) Declares his Message the Resurrection of Christ (1) Neg: He is not here. i.e. in the Grave (2) Affirmatively. For he is Risen, not stollen away, but Risen, by his own Divine Power (2) He confirms this good newes (1) By our Lords Prediction, as he said (2) By an ocular testimony he offers them, Come see the Place, where the Lord lay (Doctr.) Our on[c]e Humbled wounded & bruised Mediator, has long since been exalted by a Glorious Resurrection. (1. Q.) Why Christ arose? (2. Q.) How Christ arose (3. Q.) Last: For what end Christ arose? (1. Use.) was of Information. To Proceed.
- 2. Use. Exhortation in two or three words.
- 1. Branch: O be perswaded of the truth of this Point viz: the Resurrection of Christ. This is a Point of infinite import, & therefore (as Christ sais in another case) settle it in your hearts, fix it as an undoubted truth: For it is of great moment, many weighty truths depend upon it, as the Resurrection of the Dead, the justification of our Persons &c. 1 Cor. 15. 12—21. And yet it is a truth that naturally we are slow of heart to beleive. Mary Magdalene reports it to Christs friends & followers, but they beleived her not. ult. Mark. 9. 10. 11. Afterwards Christ appears to ye two disciples ye went to Emaus, but neither were they beleived. 12. 13 verses. Nay wn Christ appeared to all ye Disciples, they beleived not for joy, but were surprized with wonderment. 24. Luke. 30—41. And in after times ye whole world stopt their ears at ye report of Christs Resurrection: The Athenians made a mock at it. 17 Acts. 32 Festus accounts Paul a Madman for his mentioning of it. 26. Acts. 23. 24.
To clear this briefly (thô many things might be urged) let us reflect upon Christs sundry apparitions after his Resurrection.72
- 1. Christ appeared unto Mary Magdalene 16. Mark. 9. 10 The Woman was first in ye transgression, & now the woman is the first Messenger of life: She brought the first tydings of Christs Resurrection, wch is ye surest argument of mans Salvation. In the 20. John, we have sundry famous circumstances that this story is adorned with.
- 1. The Time when, early in the morn: 1. v. the first day of the week. When according to com̄on custome she should have been in her bed, she is at ye Grave seeking Christ. She Loved Christ dearly, & therefore she Sought him early. And this commends the souls early seeking after Christ. 12. Eccl. Remember thy Creator in ye dayes of thy Youth. They may well fear that they shall never find Christ, wo will not seek after him, till they have sought after every thing else. 6. Matth. 33. Seek first ye Kingdom of God.
- 2. The Person Mary Magdalene, a woman that had been very infamous. And here note
- 1. She stood at ye Sepulchre. 20. Joh. 11. Others stood by him whilst living, but she stands by him at ye Grave. She makes Christs Tomb her home, wch shews her great love. She loved much, & here she shews it. 7. Luke. 47.
- 2. She stood alone. 11 v. But Mary stood: ye other disciples was gone. 10. v. They came, but they went away, but she stands still. Her staying is commended by their going. She came before them, & she stays after them: which hints out an heat of affection in her, above theirs.
- 3. She stands Weeping. 11. v. How well may we say of Mary as ye Jews did of Christ concerning Lazarus? Behold how he loved him? 11 Joh. 36. Finally.
- 4. She dos not only weep for him, but seeks after him. 11. v As she wept, she stooped down & lookt into ye Sepulchre. Her weeping dos not hinder her seeking. They had lookt before, nay Peter went in, 4. 5. 6. v. And yet for all she will again be looking in. When we are in earnest we will seek again & again. So here dos Mary. And she finds Christ, Christ appears to her. 15. 16. verses
- 2. Christ appeared to Simon Peter. He it seems was one of the two disciples that was travailing to Emaus. 16. Mark. 12.
- 3. Christ appeared to severall of his disciples when they were fishing at ye of Tiberias, where he manifests the truth of his Deity by ye Miracle of fishes, & ye truth of his Humanity by feeding with them. 21. Joh. 1 &c.
- 4. Christ appeared to ten of his Apostles. 20. Joh. 19. 20. 21. Here note severall things
- 1. The time, viz: ye same day of his Resurrection. Christ appeared this very day divers times for a confirmation of this point. 19. v.
- 2. The Place, viz: where ye Disciples were assembled. 19 v. Its most probable in some house of ye Disciples where was a convenient Chamber &c
- 3. The manner wn ye doors were shut for fear of the Jews. Christ comes in among them Miraculously: as he somtimes walked upon the sea.
- 4. The Persons to whom he appears, viz: his disciples shut up for fear of the Jews. And it is Christs usual way to appear to his in streights, especially for Religion. He was with Joseph. Daniel &c. And to these he speaks Peace. 21. v. & shows them his hands & feet for confirmation. 20. 21. v. To say no more
- 5. Last: Christ appeared to all his Disciples. 20. Joh. 26 &c. And this apparition seems to be especially for Thomas his sake. Before Tho: was not with them: & he would not beleive the report of the other Disciples, concerning Christs Resurrection. Well now Christ will convince faithless Thomas himself. Thus we see as a Father pitieth his Children, so the Lord pitieth them yt fear him. 103. Ps. 13 And here in comfort for humble & Penitent sinners. If thou art wicked remember the Publicane: If unclean, remember Mary Magdalene: If guilty of Robbery, remember the Thief upon ye Cross: If a Blasphemer, remember Paul: If diffident, remember Thomas here
Now all these things are written yt we might beleive, yt we might believe this great article of our Faith, ye Resurrection of Christ. 20. Joh. 30. 31.
- 2. Branch of the Exhortation, is to make utmost improvement of this blessed Doctrine of Christs Glorious Exaltation.73
- 1. Improve we this truth in knowing of it. This truth is throughly revealed, & we ought to know it, & to know it throughly, much good & comfort depends upon it: Our justification, Sanctification, & Salvation depends upon it. If this be not true little hope can we have of Resurrection, or Heaven, Of all men we are most miserable yt beleive in Christ, if Christ in whom we believe be not risen again. 1 Cor. 15. 13 &c. Therefore study we well this Point.
- 2. Improve we this truth in way of Meditation. Those Sermons & providences only are beneficiall to us yt we well meditate upon, others are lost, So here, therefore meditate we here upon
- 1. Meditate upon the Reasons of Christs Resurrection. Why is it not to show his Mighty Power, that he is true God, And therefore terrible to those that would not have this man to Reign over them. But it carries infinite comfort to Beleivers assurance of Satisfaction for sin. Christ is our surety. 7. Heb. 22. & as our surety he hath satisfyed: & it carries assurance of Victory over sin, Death, & ye Devil.
- 2. Meditate upon the manner of Christs Resurrection. Why he rose not as a Private, but a Publick Person: & therefore his Resurrection concerns us no less than himself. When Christ rose all the Church rose with him. Therefore may every true beleiver say as Job. I know that my Redeemer liveth &c. 19. Job. 25. 26. 27. And he Rose by his own Power, & therefore can raise us also.
- 3. Last. Meditate upon Christs divers apparitions to his Disciples as hath been hinted. God dos not only send his Angels from Heaven with the good tydings of Christs Resurrection to his sorrowing Disciples, but Christ himself appeares again & again to comfort their hearts.
- 3. Improve we this truth of Christs Resurrection to a raising in our souls a desire & longing after our Risen Saviour & Mediatour.
- Qu: But you may say what is there in Christs Resurrection that should move our Souls to desire after it?
- 1. An: There is somthing in it self
- 2. An: There is somthing in reference to us, that may move us hereto.
- 1. An: There is somthing in it self that makes Christ[s] Resurrection desirable: & that is the Glory, Dignity, & Excellency of the Person raised viz: Christ Jesus: True God, & true man in one Person. A Glorious Person in self considered: but now by his Resurrection, there was an exaltation of this Glorious Person. 2 Philip. 9. God hath highly exalted him. Hereby ye Divine Nature was exalted, namely in a discovery of its Glory, which before lay veiled under ye Humane Nature: And hereby the Humane Nature was really exalted, and transformed into a Glorious body, & so translated to eternal Glory.
- 2. An: There is somthing in reference to us, that may move our desires after a Risen Christ, namely the great benefits that flow to beleivers hereby. As
- 1. The Pardon of our sins. 4. Ro. ult. He rose again for our justification. This was a divine testimony of the vallue of Christs payment: yt he had done what was required, & therefore was set at liberty, & we in him. If Christ therefore be ours, then pardon of sin is ours. 8. Ro. 34.
- 2. The change of our Natures. Oh Sanctification is a blessed fruit of Christs Resurrection. 2. Eph. 5. 6.—He hath raised us up together with Christ. Our first Resurrection is from Christs Resurrection. Would you know how any yt love sin, & hate holiness, come to love holiness, & hate sin? Oh it is from Christs Resurrection. Our souls that were stark dead, by Christs Resurrection, are raised with such a Resurrection as is eternal. 14 Job. 19. 20. But so much at this time.