Beveridge on Article IV: Of the Resurrection of Christ

L% 7 HEN the Son of God had assumed our human nature into his Divine Person, our nature so assumed did not always remain in one and the same condition: but there was a double state we are to believe it to have been in; the one of humiliation, the other of exaltation : in both of which lke- wise there were several degrees. In his state of humiliation he was debased, 1, as low as death itself, yea, the death of the cross. Nay, 2, lower than that, even to the grave. Nay, 3, lower still than either of them, even unto hell itself. And so also in his state of exaltation there are the same steps; for he was exalted, 1, so high, as to rise from the dead. Nay, 2, higher than that, to ascend up to heaven. Nay, 3, highest of all, to sit at the right hand of God. His estate of humi- liation, with its several degrees, we have already considered ; having in the second article shewn how he was crucified, dead and buried ; and in the third, how he descended into hell. In this we have the three degrees of his exaltation, his resur- rection, ascension, and sitting at the right hand of God. Of which in their order, as they are here placed. And first there- fore of his resurrection: Christ did truly rise from death. As he did truly suffer, was truly crucified, truly dead, truly buried, and did truly descend into hell; so did he also truly rise again from death. The soul of Christ, being breathed from his body, went down to hell; the body of Christ, being deprived of its soul, was carried to the grave. And here they

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both continued, the one in the grave, and the other in hell, until the third day after the divorce was made: at which time the soul, that went from the body down to hell, comes up again from hell unto the body. And, as it left the body upon the cross, it now finds it in the grave; even the selfsame body that three days before was nailed to the cross; not any way broken, bemangled, or corrupted, but in the same condition the soul had left it in. This selfsame body, which the soul before was forced from, is it now again united to. After which union of the soul to the body, immediately follows the return, or resurrection both of soul and body from the state of death. The separation of the soul from the body had brought (though not the soul, yet) the human nature into a state of death ; the union of the soul to the body brings it back again into a state of life. So that Christ after his resur- rection, as well as before his passion, had all things apper- taiing to the human nature; having the same soul and the same *body, the same flesh and the same bones that he had before, and the same of every thing that belongeth to the per- section of man’s nature. So that whatsoever is essential to the constitution of the human nature, without which he could not be man as well as God, that was the Lord Christ invested with after his resurrection, as well as before his passion. Christ from his birth to his death, from the first moment wherein he was conceived by the Holy Ghost until the last wherein himself gave up the ghost, was a real living man; having not only a soul and body as we have, but a soul united to his body as ours are. But when his soul was separated from his body, for the time he was not a living but a dead man, the union of the two essential parts being as necessary to the making up of a living man, as the parts themselves are to the making up of a man. Whereas, though the soul and body of Christ retained their personal union to the Son of God after his death and before his resurrection, as well as after his birth and before his passion, yet in the meanwhile a Caro enim Christi, quamvis assumpta est de Maria. Ipse enim gloria resurrectionis fuerit magnifiest qui conceptus et genitus, atque cata, et potenter super omnes celos a mortuis suscitatus est per gloriam

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they were separated from one another: one of them was not united to the other, though they were both united to the Divine Person. And therefore as we, when our souls are in heaven or hell, and our bodies in the grave, are not for the present living men, so neither was Christ. He had indeed at that time both parts of the human nature united to him, but yet he had them not united together, but one in one place, and the other in another; but now, when the time appointed comes, these the parts of the human nature, which for a while had been divorced, are joined together again, and so do constitute a perfect living man as they had done before : and being the same parts, they cannot but make the same man too. And this is that which we are to understand when we say Christ rose from the dead, even that the soul and body which Christ assumed being separated from one another, the third day after, they were united again. And so the man - Christ is now alive, who before was dead; so alive as to walk up and down the earth, and to discourse with his disciples as he had done before: and that he did thus rise again from death, scripture is express and reason clear.

And in producing of scriptures for this great fundamental truth, I shall first confirm it from the prophecies of the Old, and then from the histories of the New Testament. The Law foretold the Messiah should, the Gospel relates how Christ did really rise from death. First, from the Old Testament. And verily had we all the scriptures our Saviour himself made use of, when beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself, Luke xxiv. 27, or those whereby St. Paul persuaded his hearers, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morn- ing till evening, Acts xxviii. 23, certainly we should be richly furnished with convincing arguments for this truth. But in the meanwhile let these two or three convince us of it, and confirm us in it. As, first, My flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell ; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption, Psalm xvi. 9,10. That these words were spoken prophetically of Christ is clear, because the same Spirit that here speaks them in the Psalmist David, applies them to Christ by the apostle Peter, Acts ii. 31. And if the

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soul of Christ must not be left in hell, nor his flesh see cor- ruption, they must of necessity rise again; for otherwise the one could not but be left in hell, nor the other but see corrup- tion in the grave. Another place is that, When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, Isa. liii.10. Where the first words plainly imply his offering up himself a sacrifice upon the cross for sin, and the latter his rising from the dead, without which it would be impossible for him after that to prolong his days. Thus it is said also, that of the increase of his government there shall be no end, Isaiah ix. 7; which notwithstanding, if he should not rise again, would be determined in his death.

And what was foretold in the Old concerning the Messiah, is recorded in the New Testament concerning this Jesus, that he was indeed raised from the dead, telling us, that though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God, 2 Cor. xii. 4. And again, For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of dead and living, Rom. xiv. 9. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more, ch. vi. 9. But besides these and the like places, that expressly assert this truth, we have in the gospel the testimonies of several eyewitnesses recorded, that saw him as really alive after his death as they had done before. As, 1. Mary Magdalene saw him at the sepulchre, presently after he was risen, Mark xvi. 9. John xx.14. 2. Cleopas and an- other of the disciples enjoyed his company and his discourse as they were going to Emmaus, Luke xxiv. 13,14; Mark xvi. 12. And again, 3. All the eleven disciples being met the same day, (Thomas excepted, who then was absent,) saw him standing amongst them, heard him speaking unto them, and breathing the Spirit upon them, John xx. 19. And, 4. above five hundred brethren had the happiness to behold him at the same time, 1 Cor. xv. 6. And, 5, after that, James saw him by himself, ver. 7. 6. After that, he was seen of all the apostles, Thomas being present with them, John xx. 26; 1 Cor. xv. ‘7; at which time Thomas, having not seen him before, mistrusted and doubted whether it was he or no, which our Saviour knowing presently convinced him of his

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error, saying to him, > Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands ; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing, John xx. 27; which Thomas doing was forced immediately to ery out, My Lord and my

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Si ergo Dominus legem mortuorum servavit, ut fieret primogenitus a mortuis, et commoratus usque ad tertiam diem in inferioribus terre, post deinde surgens in carne ut etiam figuras clavorum ostenderet discipulis sie ascendit ad patrem. Iren. advers. heres. 1. 5. c. [31. 2. p- 331-] Et quadraginta diebus in terra conversatus, et visus est seepe et locutus cum apostolis, et mandu- cavit et bibit, et vulnera que ad dubietatem eorum tollendam in cor- pore reservarat, et videnda et pal- anda exposuit. Cyprian. de ascens, D. Christi, init. [p. 55.] 30 d€ érav lns amucrodyra Tov pabnriy evvdnoov tov Seondrov ty piiavOpariav, Tas kal trep pds uxns Selkvuoty éavtov Tpavpara €xovta, Chrysost. in Joh. hom. 87. [vol. II. p. 923.] Aca TovUTo avéoTn e€yav Ta onpEia TOU oravpov. Ibid. [p. 924.] “Qamep ovv eml Tay KULaT@Y TeEpiTaTOdYTAa OewpovvTes mpd TOU GTavpov, ov hé- youev GdAns Hicews TO TGpua €keivo aa THs TeTepas’ ovT@ peTa THY dvdotacw avrov 6pavres Tovs TUTOUS €xovra, ovk epodpev aitoy pOaprov eivat ourdy’ Sia yap Tov pabytiy tavra evedeixvuto. Ibid. 30 de,” Apete, mdbev Td BYaodnpov ediwdaxOns ; 16- Gev euabes a knpitrets ; Xpiorov eyn- Adhyoas ws eyo (O@pas); THY xEipa MpoonveyKas ; TOvs TUTOUS Npevvnaas ; Id. «is tov dywov Copav, vol. V. p- 488. Ad rodro kal rumous eSeixvu mAnyov’ Cyril. Alex. de Trinit. c. 17. [vol. VI. ad fin. p. 23.] But St. Ambrose goeth higher, and saith, “ He did not only arise with them, but ascend with them too.” Nam quomodo non corpus in quo manebant insignia vulnerum, ves-~ tigia cicatricum, que Dominus pal- panda obtulit, in quo non solum fidem firmat, sed etiam devotionem acuit. Quod vulnera suscepta pro

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God, ver. 28. After he had touched him, he perceived him to be the same man, and, by consequence, ©God too. He believed him to be the same man, because he could touch him; and God, because that body which he touched was raised from the dead. And so Thomas’s former unbelief maketh much for the confirmation of our faith¢4. But, 7. after this the disciples saw him again at the sea of Tiberias, John xxi. 1, 2, &e. 8. They saw him again immediately before his ascension, Luke xxiv. 36; Actsi.9. And at this time it is observable, the disciples had clear evidences of the reality, not only of his body, but his soul too; for he ¢ate and drank with them, and so manifested his vegetative soul, Luke xxiv. 43 ; he discoursed with them, which he could not do unless he heard them speaking unto him, and so by that he mani- fested his sensitive soul; and he reasoned also with them, saying unto them, These are the words which I said unto you whilst I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me. And again, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the

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noluit, ut Deo Patri nostre pretia libertatis ostenderet. Ambros. in Ducrxxive lib. X. £70. vol. T.-p; 1540.] V. et Gregor. Magn. in evangel. hom. 29. [vol. I. p. 1568. ]

¢ Videbat tangebatque hominem, et confitebatur Deum, quem non videbat neque tangebat. Sed per hoc quod videbat atque tangebat, illud jam remota dubitatione ere- debat. Aug. in Joh. tract. 121. [s. vol. III. par. ii. p. 809.]: and therefore doth St. Chrysostome also bring in St. Thomas, saying, ’E&n- Toca pera Tov SakTUA@Y, Kal TO THs

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4 Non enim propter se tantum hoc operatus est beatus apostolus, sed quod sibi gessit cunctis pro- ficit. Cum suam enim exercuit so- licitudinem fidem omnium confir-

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144 Of the Resurrection of Christ. Art. third day, ver. 44, 46; and this was a clear discovery of his rational soul too. And last of all he was seen of Paul also, as one born out of due time, 1 Cor. xv. 8. And these are the witnesses chosen before of God, which he shewed himself openly unto, Acts x. 40, 41; and of these men it was that Peter saith, One must be ordained to be a witness with the apostles of his resurrection, chap. i. 22. But these were all the friends of Christ, and so their testimony may not be thought perhaps so valid in this case. And therefore, to take away all ob- jections, St. Matthew relates how the very fadversaries of Christ attested this truth; for some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all that were done, Matt. xxviii. 11. And that the things they told them was, that he whom they had crucified the day before the passover was now risen again from the dead, is clear, from the issue of their consultation about the matter, for they gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept, ver.12,13. If the soldiers had not told them he was risen of himself, what need had they to have bribed them to say he was stolen away by his disciples? And thus have we this great truth, that Christ rose from the dead, attested both by his friends and enemies ; both by those that believed in him, and also by those that scoffed at him.

f 4 2) \ D € Awa Tovrovs rovs oTpattwTas O

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erunt igitur illum, et sepulchro quo

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conditus erat custodes adhibuerunt, inter quos etiam ex meis militibus nonnulli erant qui tertio die ipsum a mortuis resurgentem viderunt. Pont. Pilat. Epist. ad Tiber. Neron. Imp. extat in monum. patrum, p. 2. [vol. I. ed. Gryneo.] And Nicodemus, in the Gospel attributed to him, saith, that some of the watch said in the synagogue, Quia nobis custo- dientibus monumentum Jesu facta est terreemotio, et vidimus angelum Dei _quomodo revolvit monumenti lapidem et sedebat super eum, et aspectus ejus erat sicut fulgur et vestimentum ejus sicut nix. Et pre timore effecti sumus velut mortui. Et audivimus angelum dicentem

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And the scripture having left on record the testimony of So many witnesses for the confirmation of this truth, there is nothing left for reason to do in the ease, (it being a matter of fact,) but, first, to shew that the body that those witnesses saw Christ have, after his resurrection, was the selfsame body that he had before his passion; and, secondly, to examine the plea that the high-priest and elders invented to cloak and palliate the business withal. As for the first, that the body which Christ appeared in after, was the same that he had before he was crucified, is clear. First, from Mary’s knowing him by his voice: Jesus saith unto her, Mary: she turneth herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni, John xx. 16. He had no sooner called her by her name, but she knew him by his voice; which is a plain argument that the organs of his body, whereby he spake, were the same now that they were before, and so his body the same; the distinction of our voices proceeding from the difference there is in the organs or instruments of our bodies that we speak by; so that where the organs of our bodies are different, the voice cannot be the same; and where the voice is the same, the organs cannot be different. Secondly, as it appears from Mary’s knowing him by his voice, so also from the apostles’ knowing of him by his visage, John xx. 20. xxi. 12; for this shews that not only the organs or instruments of speech, but the whole shape of his body, and all the lineaments of his face, were the same now that they were before; these being the several marks whereby one man is always known from an- other. Lastly, to name no gmore, this clearly appears from my hands, and my feet, and my side ; from whence the Fathers, as I be- fore have shewed, conclude that the

print and footsteps of the wounds our Saviour had in his hands and

mulieribus ad sepulchrum Jesu, No- lite timere, scio quod Jesum quz- ritis crucifixum, hic surrexit sicut predixit. Venite et videte locum ubi positus erat; et cito euntes di-

cite discipulis ejus quia surrexit a mortuis et preecedet vos in Gali- leeam, ibi eum videbitis sicut dixit vobis. Nicod. Evang. de Pass. et Resur. [Ibid. vol. I. p. 649.]

“ g Another proof of the identity of our Saviour’s body after, with that it was before his resurrection, might be brought from the words of our Saviour to Thomas, Behold

feet and side remained also after his resurrection; by which St. Tho- mas could no longer doubt whether it was the same body or no. Many testimonies of the Fathers I have before cited, to which we may add that also of St. Chrysostome, where he brings in Christ saying to Tho- mas, ‘Qs ére vnmid(av, ev Tals epais xepol avayvods yeypappeva Ta TOU

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the words of the angels to the women, Why seek ye the living among the dead? he is not here, but is risen, Luke xxiv. 5, 6; as also from what the soldiers told the elders, that the body that they watched, being the same body that was nailed to the cross the day before the passover, was now risen out of the place where it was laid. So that the selfsame body that was laid there the day before the passover, the selfsame body was raised thence the day after. But let us now, in the second place, set upon the examina- tion of what the soldiers, being bribed by the elders, reported among the Jews, to hide this so great a mystery from them, that so it might not have any effectual work upon them. Christ, whilst living amongst them, had frequently forewarned them of his resurrection, that he must rise again the third day, Mark viii. 32; and, Destroy this temple, and in three days TI will raise it up, John ii. 19; which and the like expressions stuck foully in the Jews’ stomachs after he was dead. And therefore the chief priests and scribes came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet living, After three days I will rise again. Command there- Sore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead : so the last-error shall be worse than the first. Matt. xxvii. 62,63. Pilate said unto them, You

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h In three days, or after three days, i.e. the third from the day wherein it is destroyed, according to the expression immediately fore- going, he must rise again the third day, counting the day wherein he suffered to be the first. And in this sense also he calls the space he was to continue in the state of death three days and three nights, Matt. xii. 40, though it was but one whole day and two pieces; and herein he

spake according to the dialect of the Jews themselves, to whom he spake. For both the Talmuds, disputing about the three days that the Is- raelites were not to come at their wives before the giving of the law, Exod. xix. 15, say; but R. Eliezer Ben Azariah saith, my 75%) OY My 79193 Ty Msp, “A day and a night make a myy; and a part of a 72\y is accounted as a whole 731».” Schab. per. 9. So here a day and a night make one natural day, and two parts of days are accounted as two whole days. And thus it was that the Fathers loosed this knot. Nam et ipsum triduum quo Dominus mortuus est et resurrexit, nisi isto loquendi modo quo a parte totum dici solet,

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have a watch ; go your way, make it as sure as you can, ver. 65. And so, they having gotten leave of Pilate, they presently went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and set- ting a watch, ver. 66. The watch being set, did faithfully discharge the trust committed to them, watching all night at the sepulchre, that none might steal away the body that lay there. But notwithstanding all their care and watchfulness, in the morning they found the body gone; and that for all that they could do, it did fall out as he had foretold; for he was indeed risen from the dead. Upon this they haste to the chief priests and Pharisees, from whom they had received their command, and acquaint them with the business, which caused them immediately to call a council to consult what to do in this case, who, after some debate about the matter, resolved to corrupt the soldiers with large sums of money, that they might not tell the truth of the business, but to report it about that the disciples stole him away while they slept, Matt. xxvii. 12,13. The soldiers, preferring the money, it seems, before their credit, noise it abroad accordingly, that the disciples of Christ stole him away while they slept: which how unlikely and incredible a thing it is that they should do, let any one judge that doth but consider these following particulars.

First, Is it probable that the disciples, a company of fear- ful icowards, that had all run away from their master when

recte intelligi non potest. Aug. [vol. III. par. ii. p. 135.] De consensu Evang. 1. 3. [66.] Ipsum autem triduum non totum et plenum fuisse ipsa scriptura testis est; sed primus dies a parte extrema totus annume- ratus est; dies vero tertius a parte prima et ipse totus; medius autem inter eos, id est, secundus dies ab- solute totus viginti quatuor horis suis, duodecim nocturnis et duode- cim diurnis. Id. de Trinit. 1. 4. [10. vol. VIII. p. 815.] Hoc solum que- rimus, Quomodo tres dies et tres noctes fuerit in corde terre. Qui- dam srapackevny quando sole fugi- ente ab hora sexta usque ad horam nonam nox successit diei, in duas dies et noctes dividunt, et appo-

nentes sabbatum tres dies et tres noctes «stimant supputandas: nos vero guvexdoxixas totum intelliga- mus a parte, ut ex eo quod éy mapa- okevuj mortuus est, unam diem sup- putemus et noctem et sabbati alte- ram ; tertiam vero noctem, que diei et dominice nuncupatur, referamus ad exordium diei alterius. Nam et in Genesi nox precedentis diei non est, sed sequentis, id est, principium futuri non finis preteriti. Hieron. in Jon. ii. 2. [vol. VI. p. 405.]

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apprehended, should dare to come to steal him away when crucified ; especially when the guard, picked and culled out, it is likely, for the present service, was set to watch, and to watch upon that very account, that his disciples might not steal his body away? Or if they had intended to come at all, why not the night kbefore, when the watch was not yet set? It is said, the neat day that followed the day of the prepara- tion, the chief priests and Pharisees came together to Pilate, &c. Matt. xxvii. 62. And so there was one night wherem there was no guard set to watch it. Is it credible that they should let slip such an opportunity, wherein they might have conveyed away the body without any opposition at all, and venture to attempt it when so strong a watch was set to oppose and apprehend them? But, secondly, suppose the dis- ciples should have put on courage to enterprise such a busi- ness, is it likely that they could steal away his body while the watch slept, and awake none of them at all? There was a 1 great stone to be rolled away, so big, it seems, that the two women that went to anoint the body were consulting by the way how to get it removed from the mouth of the sepulchre, Mark xvi. 3. And could such a stone be rolled away, unless it was by the hand of an angel, and not awake the sleeping watch that sat hard by? Thirdly, suppose the disciples should have rolled away the stone, the watch still snorting on, is it eredible that they could have leisure to have laid his wind-

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Hom. go. vol. II. p. 550. [24.]

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Ai@os éméxerto péyas moAkOv dedpevos xecp@v, Chrysost. in Mat. Hom. go. [Ibid. p. 550. 15.|] This stone the Jews call 552; and there- fore R. Ben Maimon saith, 55); not 32 12> WR DT NON, ** Golal is the covering wherewith they cover the dead,” in Ohol. c. 2. [fol. \zp-] And that it was a great stone, Obadias de Bartenora ex- pressly, 3mM7 TTA yaX ddVaN yVwWoD Toy Jap ob 7] DMMIDw JANT Ms 195, “ Golal is a great and wide stone wherewith they cover the mouth of the sepulchre, upon the top of it, from that place of scrip- ture, They rolled away the stone,” Gen. xxix.‘3:

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ing sheet decently wrapped up in one place, and the napkin, or kerchief, that was upon his head, in another place by itself, as we read they were, John xx. 6, 7? Certainly, at such a time, they must needs have been in more haste than to spend their time in such needless curiosities as they were ; espe- cially, considering that he was wound up in a linen cloth, with beaten myrrh, and cassia, and other spices, which were of a elammy and ™sticking nature, and so would require much time and pains too to strip him of, John xix. 40. Fourthly, suppose the body was indeed gone, yea, stolen away by some that had courage and leisure to do the feat, yet how did they know it was the disciples that did it? They profess themselves that they were asleep, and how could they then “know who it was that so surprised them while they slept? Fifthly, sup- pose further, that it was the disciples that indeed stole him away, is it credible that they durst go and say they did it whilst they slept? When Peter was miraculously delivered out of prison by an angel, the keepers that were set to watch him being examined and found guilty, (though alas! they were as far from being guilty of letting Peter go out of pri- son as these were of letting Christ’s body be stolen by his disciples,) I say, being though upon unjust and false grounds

Quid enim

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n Ecce falsi testes et contra re- surgentem. Quanta autem cecitas in falsis testibus, quanta czcitas fratres ? Solent hoc enim pati falsi testes, ut exceecentur et contra se dicant nescientes, unde appareat

quod falsi sunt testes. illi contra se dixerunt ? Cum dormi- remus venerunt discipuli ejus, et ab- stulerunt eum. Quid est hoc? Quis est qui dixit testimonium? Qui dor- miebat. alibus ego narrantibus nop crederem; nec si somnia sua mihi indicarent. Stulta insania si vigilabas quare permisisti? Si dor- miebas unde scisti? August. in Psa. 36. [ser. ii. 17. vol. IV. p. 274.] Acceperunt pecuniam ut mentiren- tur; dixerunt cum dormiremus ve- nerunt discipuli ejus et abstulerunt eum. Tales autem cexci erant Judei ut crederent dicto omnino incredi- bili. Crediderunt testibus dormi- entibus, aut falsum erat quod dor- mierant, et mendacibus credere non debuerunt; aut verum erat quod dormierunt et quod factum est ne- scierunt. Id. in Psal. 55. [9. Tb.

p- 523-]

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found guilty, they were presently commanded to be put to death, Acts xii. 19. And what could these expect, who were guilty of the like crime, but to be served the same sauce ! And it is probable they feared no less, if they should but report such a thing abroad, that the body was stolen while they slept, from the Pharisees’ words to them, And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him and secure you, Matt. xxviii. 14: which plainly implies, that if the governor should come to hear of it that the watch slept, and suffered the body to be stolen, he would presently call them to an account for it. And is it credible, that they should thus prove their own accusers and hazard their lives, yea condemn themselves out of their own mouths? But we find the con- trary here, for they tell every one they meet, that whilst sleep kept all their senses locked up, there come the disciples and steal the body away they were set to watch; and yet none ealls them into question about it, nor inflicts any punishment upon them for it. Which clearly shews, that there was daubing in the business ; and that, let the soldiers say what they will, he was not stolen away privately while they slept, but was raised up insensibly whilst they watched. Sixthly, if the disciples had stole him away by night, is it likely that they would go up and down the world, and preach obedience to him that had promised indeed to rise again the third day, but before that day came they were forced to take him up, other- wise he had not been raised at all? Certainly it was the mys- tery of his °resurrection that emboldened them to proclaim his name over all the world; which had it not been a real thing, they who were so wise, as appears from their actions, as to put all the learned Jews to it, to call council upon council to suppress them, would never have been so sottish as to have spent their time in persuading men to believe in a crucified Christ, who still lay in the jaws of death, contrary

Rom. Epist. ad Cor. p. 54. “O6ev

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to the promise that he made them, that he would rise again to life. But seventhly, though they might be so much over- seen as to extol and preach obedience to his name a while, is it probable that they would all venture their very lives for him who still lay dead amongst them? Hcclesiastical history P assures us, that there was not one of the apostles, except John, but suffered martyrdom for the sake of Christ. James had the sword of king Herod sheathed in his bowels, and so his blood let out for Christ who shed his blood for him, Acts xii. 1, 2. Peter was crucified with his heels upwards, looking upon himself as unworthy to be crucified like his Lord Christ. Matthew was run through with a sword, or, as others think, he was fastened to the ground with nails or spears. Andrew was crucified by Egeas, king of Edessa. Philip was stoned to death at Hierapolis in Phrygia. Bartholomew was beaten down with clubs as he was preaching in Armenia, his skin being afterwards flead off. Thomas was slain with a dart at Calamina, in India. The other James was cast headlong from the temple, as some think. Lebbeus was slain by Agbarus, king of Edessa. Simon the Canaanite was crucified in Egypt, or, as others think, he and Jude were slain in a popular tumult. Matthias was first stoned, and then beheaded : and John himself, though he did not suffer death for Christ, yet he was cast into burning oil, as it is thought, by Nero at Rome, as some, at Ephesus as others suppose, and suffered no harm thereby ; and afterwards he was banished by Domitian into the isle of Patmos. Now is it likely that all these should suffer such deaths and tortures for one, who their own con- sciences could not but tell them still remained under the power of death, and none of them bewray the matter before they die, but all of them lay down their lives for him? Could grim death himself, in his most ghastly posture, wrest nothing from them? What! live and die too in the same faith, that he that was crucified by men was raised up by God? Who could think that they, of any men in the world, should have had any hand in such a thing! Certainly they might have

[…]

152 Of the Resurrection of Christ. Arr.

fathered their lie and forgery upon any one rather than these, who so unanimously sealed it with their own blood, that it was God himself that raised him from the grave. Lastly, suppose after all this, that yet it was the disciples that stole his body away while the watch slept. Yet how came he to live again? Though they might take his body from the grave, could they put life into his body too? We have read that there were many hundreds that saw him after he was cruci- fied, as really alive as he was before. And this may put the matter quite out of doubt, that it was a mere fable, a down- right he, that was famed abroad, that his disciples stole him away while the watch slept ; and that it is a real truth, that he alone who could call back his soul again into his body, was the person who raised up his body from the grave; and so that Christ did truly arise from the dead.

And this, the foundation of our Christian religion, the Fathers do frequently insist upon, and give their assent to. To begin with Clemens, bishop of Rome, who was contempo- rary with St. Paul himself. 4“ Let us consider with our- selves, beloved,” (saith he,) “how the Lord continually sheweth that the resurrection is to come, the firstfruits whereof he hath made the Lord Jesus Christ, having raised him from the dead.” The next to him is Ignatius, who doth frequently press the belief of this Article; but there is one place in his Epistle to the church of Smyrna more remarkable than any of the rest; where he saith, ’* But I (do not only know by his nativity and crucifixion, that he was really incarnate, but) after his resurrection saw him in the flesh, and believe that he is so still. And when he came to those that were with Peter, and said to them, Take and handle me, and see that I am not an incorporeal spirit, for a spirit hath

not flesh and bones, as you see me have.” Where, I confess,

[…]

ev Of the Resurrection of Christ. 153

what I translate, “I saw him in the flesh,” s others expound, ‘* I know he was in the flesh ;” and I must also acknowledge that St. Chrysostome saith, that he neither saw Christ nor enjoyed any converse with him*. But St. Hierome (and so his interpreter Sophronius) expressly renders the words of Ignatius, * “ But I also, after his resurrection, saw him in the flesh.” And Nicephorus saith, * “ Ignatius, when a child, was one of those little children that our Saviour took up in his arms, when he said, Unless ye become like one of these little children, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

From Ignatius we shall go to Justin Martyr, who tells us, that “the y Lord remained upon the cross almost until the evening, and about evening they buried him ; but afterwards he rose again the third day.” And elsewhere, 7“ But upon Sunday we commonly all meet together, because that was the first day, wherein God turning over the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour upon that day arose from the dead. For the day before Saturday they crucified him, and the day after Saturday, which is Sunday, appearing to his apostles and disciples, he taught them those things which we, for your understanding, deliver unto you.”

And that Christ rose from the dead, Tertullian also ex-

[…]

resurrectionem quoque in carne eum

scio fuisse et credo. And Grotius, Si quis locum Ignatii cum cura inspi- ciat, videbit rectam esse lectionem oida ; neque de visus sensu ibi agi, sed de fide, quam non suo sed ali- orum testimonio confirmat.

[…]

u Ego vero et post resurrectionem eum in carne vidi. Hieron. in Catal. Script. Eccles. “Eye de kal pera THY dvdoracw é¢vy capate avtoy «ido. Sophron. Interp. Hieron. [vol. II. p. 842.)

[…]

Arr.

154 Of the Resurrection of Christ.

presseth, though obscurely and paradoxically, yet very acutely and elegantly: “* The Son of God was born: I am not ashamed of it, because it is a thing to be ashamed of. The Son of God died: this is altogether credible, because it is absurd. And after he was buried he arose again : it is cer- tain, because it is impossible.” And Athanasius doth not only assert the truth of his resurrection, but gives the reason also why he rose no sooner, and why he lay no longer than three days, saying, “ But > he suffered not the temple of his body to remain long (in the grave); but having shewn only that it was dead, by its conflict with death, upon the third day he presently arose, bringing with him his trophies and victories over death, even incorruptibility and impassibility in his body. He could indeed presently after death have raised up his body, and have shewn it alive again; but our Saviour, well foreseeing the issue, would not do it. For then some might have said he was not truly dead, or not fully struck with death, if he had immediately after death manifested his resurrection : and perhaps also, if there had been no interval betwixt his death and resurrection, the glory of his incorrupt- ibility would not have been so manifest. Wherefore, that his body might clearly appear to be dead, the Word tarried one middle day (in the grave); and upon the third day shewed

a Natus est Dei Filius, non pudet

quia pudendum est. Et mortuus -est Dei Filius, prorsus credibile est quia ineptum est. Et sepultus re- surrexit, certum est quia impossibile est. ‘Tertul. de carne Christi, [cap. Wal

[…]

IV. Of the Resurrection of Christ. 155

it incorruptible unto all. That therefore he might manifest death in his body, he arose the third day. Neither would he suffer his body to be longer detained there and corrupted, lest at the last, when he did rise, he should not be believed to have the same, but another body. (For then it might come to pass, that by reason of the length of the time, they would not believe when he did appear, and that the things that were done should be forgotten.) And for that he would not remain longer than three days; neither would he keep those that had ial him foretelling his resurrection any longer in suspense.”

Next to Athanasius comes St. Cyril of Hierusalem ; for this was an article of his faith too, that Christ arose from the dead: “I believe°” (saith he) “ that Christ was raised from the dead. For, for this I have many witnesses, both out of the Divine scriptures, and from the testimony and operation unto this day of him that rose again.” And St. Chrysostome, “ But 4that they may learn, that whilst he was living, what he suffered he suffered willingly ; behold the seal, and stone, and custody, and watch, all could not detain him that was dead, but that one thing fell out alone, that even from thence his resurrection was published abroad.” Yea, so that St. Au- gustine tells us, “ that the resurrection® of Christ, and his ascent into heaven with that body wherewith he arose, is now preached and believed over the whole world; and if it be incredible, how comes it to be believed in all the earth ?”

But these, you will say, are all Christians; and therefore it is no wonder if they avouch all this and more of Christ ; but where is there a Jew that will say as much? Yes, there is Josephus by name, a Jew by nation and religion too, yet

[…]

Loep 107

o

[…]

e Resurrectio certe Christi et in ceelum cum carne in qua resurrexit ascensio toto jam mundo _predi- catur’et creditur. Si credibilis non est, unde toto terrarum orbe jam credita est? Aug. de civitate Dei, 1, 22. c. 5. [vol. VII. p. 659. ]

Art.

156 Of the Resurrection of Christ.

speaketh as much concerning this particular as any Christian hath or can speak: for he, speaking of Christ by the bye, gives us this short but full and true relation of him. “ Butf about this time lived one Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he did many strange and admirable -works, and was the teacher of such as willingly received the truth; and he drew unto him many of the Jews, and many of the Greeks too, to be his followers. This was the Christ : and him did the chief men among us accuse. And after Pilate had crucified him, they that loved him before did not yet forsake him: for he appeared unto them the third day alive again, the divine prophets having spoken these, and a thousand such wonderful things before of him. And unto this moment, the race of the Christians, called so from him, hath never ceased.” Thus we see both scripture, reason, and Fathers asserting the truth of this Article; yea, and the very enemies of Christ forced into the acknowledgment of it : so that he must be worse than a Jew that will not subscribe unto it, that Christ did truly rise again from death, and took again his body, with flesh, bones, and all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature.

Wherewith he ascended into heaven, and. there sttteth, until he return to judge all men at the last day.

Tue selfsame person that was betrayed by Judas, appre- hended by the officers, accused by the Jews, condemned by Pilate, and crucified by the soldiers, being restored again to life, after he had remained three days in the state of death: did as really appear to and converse with his apostles and disciples after this his resurrection, as he had done before his

[…]

vous. Joseph. Antiq. Judaic. 1. 18. c. 4. [3- p- 798]

Iv. Of the Resurrection of Christ. 157

passion. He did not immediately ascend to heaven so soon as raised from the grave, but still continued some time upon the face of earth, the more to &confirm his disciples in this great mystery of his resurrection, and other articles of the faith he had before instructed them in. In which space of time, (to wit forty days,) as he appeared to none but his disciples”, so neither did he appear to them icontinually, but only now and then, that so he might by degrees wean them from his bodily presence, which within few days they were no longer to enjoy: and raise up their minds to the contem- plation of the greater mysteries of the gospel he had revealed unto them.

But as he did not ascend to heaven so soon as raised from the grave, so neither was it long after he was raised from the grave before he ascended up to heaven; for it was but forty days ; and so the same time that he had remained in the wilderness, before his temptation by Satan, the same time he now remains upon earth before his ascension to God; which time being

[…]

obey’ Ibid. [p. 610. 43.]

ART.

158 Of the Resurrection of Christ.

expired, he is now carried up to heaven to be glorified by God, as he was then carried into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. Not as if Christ, as God, thus* ascended from earth to heaven, for as God he never was so in heaven as not to be upon earth, nor so on earth as not to be in heaven at the same time: as God he is included in no place, nor ex- cluded out of any, and so is incapable of descending from an higher place to a lower, or ascending from a lower place to a higher. But though not as God, yet he that was God as well as man, in that nature wherein he was man as well as God, was truly and locally translated from these lower parts of the world where we live, unto those higher regions where the angels and glorified saints reside. So that the body of Christ (was not, according to that wild opinion of some of Ithe heretics of old, left in the sun, but it) was by a true and real local motion conveyed from earth to heaven, so as to be as really and substantially afterwards in heaven, and not on earth, as it was really and substantially before on earth, and not in heaven.

Neither did the human nature of Christ thus ascend from earth to heaven presently to descend again from heaven to earth, but thither it ascended, and there it hath remained for above this sixteen hundred years together ; and there it now, even at this very moment, sitteth at the right hand of God, and there it will sit until his second coming to judg- ment. I say, and there he sitteth at the right hand of God ; which words though they be not expressed here, they are in the Creed ; yea, and in the scriptures it is said, He was re- ceived up into heaven, and sat at the right hand of God, Mark xvi.19; which was no more than what David had long

• Ascendit ergo ad ceelos, non ubi rinO9 did Hs ariyias. Epist. 1. ad

verbum Deus ante non fuerat, quippe qui erat semper in ceelis et manebat in patre, sed ubi verbum caro factum non sedebat. Ruffin. in expos. symb. [p. 25.]

[…]

Cledonium, [vol. I. p. 739.] And the Seleucians and Hermians also, of whom St. Augustine; Negant salvatorem in carne sedere ad dex- tram patris, sed ea se exuisse per- hibent, eamque in sole posuisse, accipientes occasionem de psalmo, In sole posuit tabernaculum suum. August. Heres. 59. [vol VIII.

p- 20.]

| va

EV?

Of the Resurrection of Christ.

ago foretold of him, saying, ™ The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool,

Heb. i. 13.

In which and the like places, by the right hand

of God we must not understand it as if God had any right or left hand, as the words signify amongst us; for God, as I have shewn, is a Spirit, having no body or parts, nor by con- sequence any right or left hand; but by Christ’s sitting at the right hand of God we are to understand (with the ” Fathers)

m This place of scripture some of the Jews themselves expound of the Messiah; ox Ron “wa pW 4 Mw To 2win vad “map ny spn Aw ooTRD CONT “9D 72D, i.e. R. Joden said in the name of R. Hamah, “That in time to come the Blessed One will set king Messiah at his right hand, because it is said, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand.” Midr. Til. Ps. 18. [fol. v.] Indeed it seems that the Jews in our Saviour’s time did generally acknowledge it to be spoken of the Messiah, otherwise some of them surely would have gainsayed it when our Saviour put this gloss upon it, Luke xx. 42; their silence seems to argue their consent to that interpretation. And the place being so clearly to be understood of Christ, therefore doth the Syriac entitle this Psalm, 203]? aA OZetd WX ..o,Xd Zoad20 saw WO poSs) Zes1° bernaado SS i.e. “A psalm of David concerning the sitting of the Lord, and con- cerning his glorious power, and a prophecy concerning the Messiah, and his victory over the enemy.”

[…]

ov THY KaT® xwpav Ondot (as 6 TOUT@Y Adyos) GAG THY mpds Td ioov cxeow, ov capatikas Tov de&i00 apBavo- pévovu (ovT@ yap av tt’ Kal oKatdy én TOU Geod cin) aN ek Tay Timioy Ths mpoeOpias dvoudtay, TO weyadorpemes THs Tepl Tov vioy Tins TaproT@vTos Tov Aéyov. Basil. de Spiritu Sancto [cap. vi. vol. II. p. 302.] Que est autem Patris dextera nisi paterna illa ineffabilisque felicitas, quo per- venit Filius hominis et jam carnis immortalitate percepta. Aug. de Trinitate et Unitate Dei, c. 8. [vol. VIII. p. 632.] °AAN domep ecirav ev be£ia ovK eoxnudticey avTov, GAda TO Opdtipoy ederEe TO Mos TOV Ta- tépa’ Chrysost. in Epist. ad He- breos, hom. 2. [vol. IV. p. 439. 5-] Secundum consuetudinem nostram ili consessus offertur, qui aliquo opere perfecto, honoris gratia pro- meretur ut sedeat. Ita ergo et homo Jesus Christus passione sua dia- bolum superans, resurrectione sua inferna reserans, tanquam perfecto opere ad celos victor adveniens audit a Deo Patre, Sede ad dexteram meam. Maxim. Taurin. de Pente- coste, hom. 1. {Hept. presul. p. 222.| Dextera autem Patris, ad quam idem Filius sedere creditur, non est corporea (quod nefas est de Deo sentire.) Sed dextera Patris est, beatitudo perpetua que sanctis in resurrectione promittitur, id est, sanctze ecclesiz que est corpus Christi: sicut et sinistra ejus recte intelligitur miseria et pcena per- petua, que impiis dabitur. Isidor. Hispal. de Eccles. Offic. 1. 1. c.

[32. p. 591-]

160 Of the Resurrection of Christ. Art.

that glory, happiness, and honour which was conferred upon Christ when ascended up to heaven. Though it was in the human nature that he ascended, yet that nature was there exalted above all other creatures whatsoever; and therefore may well be said to sit at the right hand of God; that being the place which amongst us, who have right and left hands, is accounted the highest. Thither it was that Christ at the first ascended; there it is that he hath ever since remained ; there it is that he now sitteth whilst I am speaking of him, and there it is that he will sit until the time that both quick and dead shall be assembled before him to receive their doom and final sentence from him.

And if we search the scriptures for their testimony unto this great truth, the ascension of Christ into heaven, we shall find them both typically representing and prophetically fore- telling in the Old, and also positively asserting and histori- eally relating of it in the New Testament. First, in the Old Testament we have it typically represented, and propheti- cally foretold. First, typically represented° both in Enoch’s translation and in Elijah’s ascension into heaven; but more fully in the high-priest’s entering into the holy of holies. For the high-priest under the law, being to make atonement for the .sims of the people, was appointed once, and but once, every year to enter into the holy of holies. For the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail, before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark ; that he die not, Lev. xvi.2. And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of the altar once in’ a year with the blood of the sin-offerings of atonements, Exod. xxx.10. This doth the apostle apply to Christ: But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building ; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having

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Lied

EY: Of the Resurrection of Christ. 161

obtained eternal redemption for us, Heb. ix. 11, 12. The Ptabernacle, that did signify the world below, the holy of holies, the heavens above. Now as the high priest did once, and but once, every year pass with the blood of the sacrifice through the tabernacle into the holy of holies; so did Christ, having offered up himself a sacrifice for sin, and with his own blood passed through this world below, he entered into the highest heavens. And this is that which we call his ascension. And as this mystery was typically represented, so was it also prophetically foretold in the Old Testament ; as in that of David, Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in, Psalm xxiv. 7. Which words, though they may have another literal, yet this is the mystical and prophetical sense the 4 Fathers put upon them, even to denote the ascension of Christ, the King of Glory, into the highest heavens. But the clearest prophecy of this so great a mystery is delivered in those words, Thou hast ascended on high; thou hast led captivity captive ; thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell amongst them, Psalm Ixviii. 18. Which place, that it is to be understood of Christ, the same Spirit that dictated it to David certifies us by

[…]

Kabion ev Seta Tov marpos. Just. Dial. cum Tryph. Jud. [36. p. 134.] Try dé cis ovpavodrs dvodoy ddomaav dvexaivice héeywv mdAw, apate mUhas ot apxovtes tay Kal emdpOnre wvdat ai@viot. Athan. de incarn. Verbi, f25. vol. I. p. 69.] Et introibit Rex Glorize, ut ad dexteram Patris inter- pellet pro nobis. Aug. in loc. [vol. IV. p. 105.] Denique quia novus iste ingressus portarum ceeli edituis et principibus videbatur, videntes naturam carnis ceelorum secreta pe~ netrantem, dicunt ad invicem, sic- ut David plenus Spiritu enunciat, Tollite portas principes, &c. Que vox utique non propter divinitatis potentiam, sed propter novitatem carnis ascendentis ad dexteram Dei ferebatur. Ruffin. in expos. symb.

[p. 25-]

M

162 AR?r.

St. Paul, who, speaking of Christ, tells us, Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, Eph. iv. 8. It was Christ who, rising from earth to heaven, sent down his gifts from heaven to earth. It was here that he bought them for us ; but it is from thence that he poureth them forth upon us. And this place must needs be understood (as after St. Paul the Fathers’ generally interpret it) of the ascension of the Messiah, there bemg no other person that ever did so ascend on high, as to lead cap- tivity captive and to give gifts to men, but he who, ascending up to heaven, triumphed over all our spiritual enemies, capti- vating sin, Satan, and death, that used to captivate us ; and after his ascending up to the right hand of God sent such gifts to the sons of men as we shall presently see he did.

We have seen the typical representations and the pro- phetical predictions of this in the Old, we now come to consider the positive assertions and historical relations of it in the New Testament. As for the first, Christ before his ascension asserted that he would ascend: Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father ; and to my God, and your God, John xx. 17. And what our Saviour said he would do, St. Paul asserts he did, saying, that He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things, Eph. iv. 10. As it was Christ that descended, so was it Christ that ascended. But it is the historical relation of this grand mystery that giveth both the greatest light and testi-

Of the Resurrection of Christ.

r “Oru emenpopnrevto TodTo péA- Aew yiverOar vr avrod pera THy els ovpavoy avéhevow avrov, eimov per n0n kal mddw eyo. Eimev ody, aveBn eis typos, nxuahorevoev aiypa- Aooiav, &c. Just. Dial. cum Tryph. [87.] Consummatis etenim his que in terra gerebantur et animabus de inferni captivitate revocatis, ascen- dere memoratur ad ccelos, sicut propheta preedixerat, Ascendens in altum captivam duxit captivitatem. Ruffin. in expos. symb. [p. 25.] Christo ergo sine dubitatione dictum est, Ascendisti in altum, captivasti

[…]

BYR Of the Resurrection of Christ. 163 mony to it. And that we might be throughly confirmed in it, it is no less than three times recorded to us; first by St. Mark, who briefly relates it thus: So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God, Mark xvi. 19. Something more fully by St. Luke in his Gospel, And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lift up his eyes and blessed them. And it came to pass while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up to heaven, Luke xxiv. 50. But fullest of all by the same St. Luke in his history of the Acts of the Apostles, where it is left on record, that this Christ shewed himself alive to his apostles after his passion, and that he was seen of them forty days, at the end whereof he had assembled them together, instructing them in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God; And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by then in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up inio heaven ? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven, Acts i.9—11. In which words we have these things observ- able. First, that Christ did really ascend: he was really taken away from the apostles he was conversing withal, and that upwards, for they saw that he that was talking with them before is taken up from them now. Secondly, that it was into heaven that he ascended ; which that we might be assured of, the inhabitants of that glorious place, the.citizens of that New Jerusalem, come down to acquaint us. The apo- stles saw he was taken up, but whither he went. they could not see; their eyes could reach no further than the cloud

of Moses, who is never read to have

Moses, thou hast led captivity cap- ascended thither. And besides this,

tive, thou hast taught the precepts

of the law;’’ [Ps. lxviii. 19.] yet his own translation is a sufiicient argument against that interpretation, rendering the Hebrew 01909 by yopy>: for if 110) ny, “ Thou hast ascended on high,” be the same with y>p1> xnpdo, “ Thou hast as- cended to heaven,” (as certainly it is,) it cannot possibly be understood

D119 is an expression attributed to none but God; and therefore by this very paraphrast is it rendered ‘2 w xo110, “the highest heavens,” the seat. of God alone, Psalm Ixxi. 19. xcill. 4: so that none can be said to ascend 01795, but only he who is truly God.

M2

164 Art.

he rode in: what afterwards became of him they could not tell. But to resolve them, the great God, as Christ ascended up to heaven, caused two angels to descend down to earth, to sassure them of the place he was carried to, saying to them, This same Jesus that is taken from you into heaven; and so shewing them that it was indeed into heaven that he was taken, and tcomforting them also in this their seeming loss of so good a friend, by telling them that he shall so come in like manner as they saw him go into heaven. ‘Though he was gone, he would come again; though they were for the present deprived of his company, yet it was not long but they should enjoy it again, beholding him come down again from heaven to earth, as they now saw him go up from earth to heaven. Thirdly, it is here observable that the apostles saw him ascend”: they did not see him when he rose from earth, but they saw him when he ascended to heaven. And indeed there

Of the Resurrection of Christ.

8 Eis rov ovpavoy dvadauBaverau’

[…]

¢ >

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IV.. Of the Resurrection of Christ. 165

was no need of their seeing him rising, because they were to see him when risen: but there was need they should see him when ascending, because they were to see him no more as yet when once ascended. And therefore it is that he was not immediately snatcht out of their sight, but ascended * by degrees; for it is said, And while they looked stedfastly towards heaven as he went up, implying that they saw him going farther and farther from them, until he was gone quite out of their sight ; and then had messengers presently sent from heaven to acquaint them with his arrival there. Lastly, it is observable from these words, that Christ did not only ascend to heaven then, but remaineth there now, and there shall remain until his second coming. For it is here said, that when he comes from thence he shall descend as he ascended, visibly and apparently to others. Now it is certain, that he did never yet descend so as he then ascended, and therefore must needs be there still, sitting at the right hand of God until his enemies be made his footstool. Other proofs from scripture might be brought for it, but these may suffice to shew that the same body wherein Christ arose from the grave he afterwards ascended up to heaven in, where he sitteth until he descend to earth again at the last day.

And truly there was much reason that Christ should thus ascend to heaven after his resurrection from the grave. For Christ having undertaken to be a Mediator betwixt God and man, there was a threefold office he took upon himself, as so many parts of his Mediatorship, a Priestly, Prophetical, and Kingly office ; the first respecting God, the other man. As for the two last, his Kingly and Prophetical office, though he did begin them both, he could finish neither of them upon earth. His Prophetical office could not any other way be perfectly performed for us than by pouring forth of his Spirit upon us; it being part of his Prophetical office to make us to understand his Father’s will, as well as to reveal it to us ; even not only to explain it to us, but to instruct us init. Now the only way whereby our understandings are thus enlight- ened by him, is by receiving his Spirit from him: which

x Vident hoc presentes apostoli tollentem. Serm. [in ascen, Dom. et paulatim semetipsum ad superna loc. cit.]

Ure 7a

166 Of the Resurrection of Christ. Aare

Spirit, himself tells us, was not to be given to us until himself was taken from us: For if I go not away, saith he, the Com- forter will not come unto you ; but ff IL depart, I will send him to you, John xvi. 7. So that the Person of Christ was first to ascend from us to God, before the Spirit of Christ was to descend from God to us. And therefore had Christ never ascended to heaven, we had never been instructed upon earth : and so Christ could not have been faithful in discharging his Prophetical office for us, unless he had ascended unto God. No, nor his Kingly office; it being the principal part of his Kingly office to triumph over all his conquered enemies, to gather together his scattered friends, to govern them when gathered, to defend them from their enemies, and to apply those privileges to them which by his own blood he hath purchased for them: all which he could not do till first ascended from them.

We have seen the necessity of Christ’s ascension in order to the discharging of his Prophetical and Kingly office ; and indeed it was as necessary in regard of his Priestly office too. For the office of the high priest under the law was not only to expiate the sins of the people, but also with the blood of the sin-offering to go into the holy of holies, and there to intercede for them too. And so was Christ (the substance of that shadow) not only to make satisfaction to God’s justice for our sins, but also to make intercession to his merey for our souls. Which part of his Priestly office was only to be performed within the veil in the holy of holies, even in heaven : whither had not Christ ascended, the apostles could never have said, We have an Advocate with the Father, 1 John ii. 1: it being only in the court of heaven that this our Advocate was to plead our cause, as before he had shed his blood for us. And hence it is, that supposing Christ to be our Media- tor, and.so our Prophet, Priest, and King, (which no Christ- ian but will grant,) we must needs confess, that he who rose from death ascended up to heaven, and that yhe hath the

y Hic (Jesus) sequester Dei atsemetipso, arrhabonem summe to- que hominum appellatus ex utriustius. Quemadmodum enim nobis que partis deposito sibi commisso, arrhabonem Spiritus reliquit, ita et carnis quoque depositum servat in a nobis arrhabonem carnis accepit,

iV; Of the Resurrection of Christ. 167

pledge of our flesh there, as we have the pledge of his Spirit here.

But now to convince an infidel, Jew or heathen, of this great truth, we must produce our arguments from the miracles which were wrought for the confirmation of it. For as it was by miracles that the gospel was first established by our Saviour in his life, so was it by miracles also that it was pro- pagated by his apostles after his death. It was because he had heard of his miracles that Agbarus%, king of Edessa, sent to Christ for the cure of his sickness. And it was be- cause of the miracles that were performed that so many kings and kingdoms have since believed in him for the pardon of their sins. Mi§racles, I say, wrought by his apostles after, as well as by Christ himself before his passion: as, that men that understood no more than one or two languages at the most should immediately understand and speak all manner of languages whatsoever, Acts ii. 4—6: that a man lame from his mother’s womb should in the name of Christ be raised up to perfect health and strength by them, Acts i. 2, 6, 7, 8: that all sick folks, and such as were vexed with un- clean spirits, should come to them, and be healed by them, Acts v.16; so that by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders done among the people, ver. 12, which were so convineing to the beholders, that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the

et vexit in ccelum pignus totius sum- mee illuc quoque redigende. Ter- tull. de resur. carnis, c. 51. [vol. IIl.]

z This Agbarus’s letter to Jesus, as also Jesus’s answer to him, was found in the place appointed for the keeping of public writings, in Edes- sa, a city of Arabia; which coming to the view of Eusebius, he hath left them on record for us to read; and that it was the miracles of Christ that made way for the entertainment of the gospel, we may see in this letter to our Saviour. ”AySapos rordpyys “Edéocns “Incotd ovarnpe dyabo, &c. “Hxovorai poe Ta Tept gov kal Tay cay tapdrav, ws dvev appdkey Kat Boravay ume gov yivo~

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‘ , > cai ce’ modus S€ pikporary pol €oTt,

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168 Of the Resurrection of Christ. Arr.

least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them, v.15. So that @none can deny but that there were many miracles wrought for the confirmation of this great fun- damental truth, and so for the propagation of the gospel that was built upon it. And truly we cannot but grant that the gospel was propagated by miracles ; for if it had been propa- gated without miracles, that would have been the greatest miracle of ball. That it was propagated none can deny, so many, not only persons, but whole kingdoms and countries, believing in it and adhering to it. And whether it were pro- pagated with miracles or without miracles, be sure it was a great miracle that it was ever propagated at all; especially considering, first, it was a ©new doctrine, and-a new religion never heard of before; yea, a religion contrary to all other religions whatsoever : which being once brought in, all other religions must be thrown out. The Jews must down with their typical priests, their altars, their sacrifices, and their ceremonies ; down with their sabbaths and new moons and passover. The Gentiles must cease worshipping the sun, moon, and stars, believing all their former gods to be no gods, but idols ; and that one Christ that was crucified at Hierusa- lem was the only true God. Secondly, it was a strange doc- trine, beyond the reach of human reason to comprehend, or indeed to conceive: as, that in the Trinity there should be three Persons, and yet but one nature; in Christ two natures, and yet but one Person. That a virgin should bring forth a son, and yet remain a virgin still: that he that made the virgin should be made of her: and he become a man in time

a Nam facta esse multa miracula quee attestarentur ili uni grandi salubrique miraculo, quo Christus in celum cum carne in qua resur- rexit, ascendit, negare non possu- mus. Aug. de civit. Dei, 1. 22. ¢. 8. [1. vol. VII. p. 663.]

b Si ergo per apostolos Christi ut eis crederetur resurrectionem atque ascensionem predicantibus Christi, etiam ista miracula facta esse non credant ; hoc nobis unum grande miraculum sufiicit, quod ea terrarum orbis sine ullis miraculis credidit. Ibid. c. 5. [p. 660.)

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IVs Of the Resurrection of Christ. 169

who had been God from eternity. That this Christ should come into the world to save it, and yet was himself condemned by it, and that his being condemned by it was the way where- by to save it. That he that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life shall find it, even such a life wherein he expects to labour continually, and yet hopes to rest unto all eternity. Nay, thirdly, it was not only a doctrine above reason, but contrary to flesh and blood ; a doctrine that none can truly embrace, but he must forsake all his former sins, and commence holy. The covetous must become liberal; the drunkard sober; the glutton temperate ; the impatient thank- ful; the rebellious obedient ; the malicious loving, not only to his friends, but his very enemies : this, this is the religion that was propagated. And by whom was it propagated ? Even by a company of silly fishermen, 4 who had neither authority to command, eloquence to persuade, nor power to constrain any one into the embracement and profession of it. So that whether we will or no, the premises considered, we must be forced to conclude that there was something more than ordinary in the business; even that Christ, which they had so much success in the preaching of, was faithful to the promise he had made them, when amongst them, to be with them unto the end of the world ; though not in his Person, yet by his Spirit, which being ascended up to his Father in heaven, he sent down to his apostles upon earth, to furnish them with all graces whatsoever requisite for that work they were to be engaged in; and not only thus to enable them to preach the gospel to the world, but also to prepare the world to receive the gospel from them. All which none certainly can think the apostles could do on earth, had they not had continual supplies of grace from Christ in heaven. Which things are ¢a clear argument, both that Christ is risen and

d Jneruditos liberalibus discipli- nis, et omnino quantum ad istorum doctrinas attinet impolitos, non peri- tos grammatica, non armatos dia- lectica, non rhetorica inflatos, pisca- tores Christus cum retibus fidei ad mare hujus seculi paucissimos misit, atque ita ex omni genere tam multos

pisces, et tanto mirabiliores quanto rariores ipsos philosophos cepit. Aug. de civitate Dei, 1. 22. c. 5. Vid. et Chrys. in 1 Cor. hom. 4.

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170 Of the Resurrection of Christ. Arr.

ascended into heaven, and that he there sitteth, governing, protecting, and prospering his church on earth still, as he f enabled his apostles to propagate it at first.

And indeed this is so necessary a truth to be believed, that none can be a Christian and not believe it: and therefore is there scarce any of the Fathers but make mention of it, and give their assent unto it. Let these few speak for all the rest. First, Justin Martyr, who speaks fully both to his ascending into heaven at the first, and his sitting there still. s“ But that God the Father of all was to bring Christ after his resurrection from the dead to heaven, and to detain him there until he had destroyed the devils that were enemies against him, and that the number of the good and virtuous people that were foreknown to him was accomplished, for whose sakes also he hath not yet finished his decree, (for the consummation of all things,) hear the words of the prophet David, which are on this wise; The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy foot- stool.” And before him Ignatius said», “ That Christ rose the third day, the Father raising him up, and conversed with his disciples forty days, and afterwards was taken up to his Father, and sitteth at his right hand, expecting till his enemies be put under his feet.”. And St. Augustine excel- lently to the purpose’; “ For as to his majesty, as to his

ie

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IV. Of the Resurrection of Christ. 171

providence, as to his unspeakable and visible grace, it is ful- filled what was said by him, Behold I am always with you unto the end of the world. But as to the flesh which the Word assumed, as to that whereby he was born of the Virgin, as to that whereby he was apprehended by the Jews, whereby he was fastened to the wood, whereby he was taken from the cross, whereby he was wrapped in linen, whereby he was laid in the sepulchre, whereby he was manifested in the resur- rection, you shall not always have me with you. Why? Because he conversed as to his bodily presence forty days with his disciples; and they accompanying him, by beholding, not by following, he ascended into heaven, and is not here, for he there sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and here he is.” And St. Cyprian to the same purpose saith, “ That after he had spent forty days with his disciples, ‘he was then taken up into heaven, a cloud being spread about him, that the human nature which he loved, which he assumed, which he protected from death, he might triumphantly carry to his Father.” And St. Gregory!; “ But our Redeemer, be- cause he did not put off his death he conquered it, and de- stroyed it by rising again; and manifested the glory of his resurrection by ascending up to heaven.” And not long

after him Isidorus Hispalensis

impletur quod ab eo dictum est, Ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus die- bus usque ad consummationem secult. Secundum carnem vero quam Ver- bum assumpsit, secundum id quod de Virgine natus est, secundum id quod a Judzis comprehensus est, quod kigno confixus, quod de cruce depositus, quod linteis involutus, quod in sepulchro conditus, quod in resurrectione manifestatus, non semper habebitis me vobiscum. Quare? Quoniam conversatus est secundum corporis preesentiam qua- draginta diebus cum discipulis suis, et eis deducentibus videndo non se- quendo ascendit in ccelum, et non est hic ; ibi enim sedet ad dextram Patris ; et hic est. August. in Jo- han. tract. 50. [13. vol. III. par. 11. p- 634-]

k ‘Tunc in celum circumfusa nube

said ™, “ The solemnity of the

sublatus est, ut hominem quem di- lexit, quem induit, quem a morte protexit, ad Patrem victor imponeret. Cyprian. de idolor. vanitate, tract. 4. [p. 16. ]

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m Ascensionis dominice solen- nitas ideo celebratur, quia in eodem die, post mundi victoriam, post in- ferni regressum, Christus ascendisse memoratur ad ceelos, sicut dixit Ascendit in altum, captivam duait captivitatem, dedit dona hominibus. Que festivitas ideo per revolutum circulum annorum celebratur, ut humanitas assumpte carnis ascen- dentis ad dexteram patris in me-

172 Of the Resurrection of Christ. Art. IV. ascension of our Lord is therefore celebrated, because upon that day, after his victory over the world, after his return from hell, Christ is recorded to have ascended into heaven, as it is written, He ascended on high, he led captivity captive, he gave gifts to men. Which festivity is therefore celebrated every year, that the humanity of the assumed flesh, which ascended to the right hand of the Father, might be remem- bered ; whose body is believed to be now in heaven, as it was when it ascended.” And hence we dare not but believe with St. Basil, “ That Christ, after he had risen from the dead the third day, according to the scriptures, he was seen of his holy disciples and the rest, as it is written, and he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, from whence he will come at the end of the world to raise up all men, and to give to every one according to his works.” And so that