A SERMON PREACHED before his MAJESTY at Oatelands, on the 28. of july 1622.  
By EDMUND MASON, his Majesty's Chaplain, and Vicar of NEWARKE in Nottinghamshire.  
LONDON, ¶ Printed by JOHN BILL. M.DC.XXII.   
MATTH. 16.21. The last words of the verse are these. 
The Third Day.  
AS in the Garment of Christ, 
The Nature of the Text.  as well as his Body, so in the Hem of Christ's Garment, as well as the Garment, the woman with the bloody issue, Matth. 9.13. tells us, there is saving virtue: both benefit and comfort for saving Faith, to touch and take, in the very Hemme. His Body wherein He wrought and suffered for us, was that sacred Person of the Divine and Humane nature together, whereof we are members and partakers, by the Touch of that Faith, 
2. Cor. 10.5.  that Saint Paul says, Believes only, and captivates Reason in obedient adoration. His Garments, wherein He was seen and known of us, and for us, were the works and sufferings of that most sacred Person, His active and passive obedience in our flesh to the whole Law, wherewith our imperfect obedience is covered and accepted, by the Touch of that faith, that S. Paul says, does not believe only, 
Gal. 5.6.  but works through love. Lastly the Hemme of these Garments, wherewith the unmeasurable obedience, of this incomprehensible Person, was cut out, fashioned, and confined to us, and for us; This was the needful Circumstances of Time, Place, Means, Manner, with other Virges, and Borders of His works and sufferings: in all which, as He showed, He wrought as Man, and for man, and not as God only; so in, and through them, the Circumstances of our Actions, their times, place, means, manner, gather Holiness and acceptance, by the Touch of that Faith, which Saint Paul says, 
Rom. 12.6.  does not only believe and work, but is the measure and proportion of our Actions to His. Rom. 12.6.  
The Garments of Christ's works, must be hemmed in with Circumstances, or else they cannot be suitable to us, nor for us. Ours they cannot be, unless they be of our Fashion. No more than himself can be Ours, unless He take our Form. And yet the fashion only, does not make them Ours: we must touch a'm too, take hold of a'm, and put a'm on. And that we may do so, the Summe of saving Faith, our Creed tells us, our Faith must touch & gather virtue, from the Hemme, as well as the Garment, the Circumstance, as well as the substance, the manner, as well as the work, that Christ did for us.  
It is not enough to believe He was borne in our flesh, unless we believe the means too, of a Virgin, and the Virgin Mary too: No benefit nor comfort else. It is not enough to believe He suffered for us, unless both the manner, Crucified, the means, Pontius Pilate; the intent, Dead; the extent, Buried; unless all these be touched, faith gathers no virtue. It is not enough to believe, He descended, unless our Faith reach to the very circumstance of place, into Hell. It is not enough to believe He Risen again, unless our Faith touch, and gather virtue from the very Hemme and circumstance of time, The Third Day.  
So we might go on, 
The scope of it.  till He come again to judgement, at the last Day: But here the Third Day stays us. And this Hem of time, requires our Touch, and consideration, not of the work of the day, and the benefit of it; for it is not Easter now; but only of the day of the work, and the benefit of it, the Third Day; for it is the Lords Day.  
And a Hem it is, and no better: an historical and dry circumstance of time only. But it is in our Creed, and that touches us nearly. And in all our Creed, it is the only circumstance of Time there mentioned. Doubtless there is some Redemption in it. With the woman with the bloody issue, let us but touch it a little; there may chance come that virtue from it, that may redimere tempus, 
Eph. 5.16.  as Saint Paul says: at least show, the Redemption of Time, and turn the vanity, and vexation of the Days of Earth, into the certainty and Comfort of the Days of Heaven. For that's the purpose of the Text.  
And according to that purpose, 
The Division  Let us divide our discourse into a twofold touch, and consideration. One, of Historical faith, the spiritual man's left hand, touching the Hem of Time only, that Christ did rise upon a Third Day. Another of justifying, and saving faith, the spiritual man's right hand, Touching the virtue of this Hemme, that, For us it was Necessary, that Christ should rise upon a Third Day, and no other. The Hemme I will touch in a word; the Virtue, by your patience, I will handle, but not in many words: the Discourse, 
The First Touch concerning the verity of the Third day.  and the Text shall be short alike. And  
Touching the Hem of time first, It is touched a little too much. Touched it is, as God would not have his Anointed touched. Angunt dum tangunt. As the multitude touched Christ in jairus house, when the woman with the bloody issue touched him too. But in their touching, Confligunt & afflictant, says Saint Peter: In stead of gathering virtue from him, they throng, and press him, molest, and afflict him with their Touching: And so the old adversary of Faith, the Devil, he has taught many to touch this circumstance. Where he cannot hinder the Touch of Knowledge, yet to corrupt, or hinder the Touch of Faith, he has taught a'm to press it with doubts, afflict it with questions, Disputare malle quam vivere: To dispute with it, to do any thing to it, rather than believe, and be whole. Some dispute the Integrity of three days. Others call the Hours to account, and in their Auditt find not above forty. And yet let either of these be touched with a Tertian Ague, they will confidently say, their fit returned the third day, when it is not yet above forty hours, since the fit departed. A Fever it is, and an evil spirit that vexes these disputers: For the story in the Gospel is clear enough in short. Take we the jews reckoning of time, according to God's measure of a Day in the beginning, Gen. 1. 
Gen. 1.5.  from the beginning of the evening, till the evening returned again; and than it is plain enough, that upon the day of the jews Preparation, whereon Christ suffered, He was both dead, according to the Scriptures, 
Math. 27.46. Mar. 15.42. Luc. 23.54.  and as some gather, buried by joseph and Nicodemus, three hours before Sunset, and that is one day. For I preach to day, though I preach not all the day. Then all the evening and morning, the whole day of the jews Sabbath, He lay in his grave, and that's another day. Then all the evening quite through, until the morning, of the first Day of the week, 
Math. 27.66.  He was sealed in His Sepulchre; And that's the third day, wherein He rose gloriously from the Dead, and fully accomplished our justification against the sting of 
Rom. 4.25.  Death, our Sin, the strength of sin the Law, the victory of Hell, our Condemnation; Over all which, there was Conquest, Triumph, and perpetual Dominion both taken in, and given to our flesh, by that his Resurrection, the third Day.  
And by that his Resurrection only, I do not say; but I add too, as a masterpiece in this great Building, by that his Resurrection, The third Day. Together they went, and together Faith must touch a'm, as the woman touched the Hemme, and the Garment together. The third Day is a prop and stay to Faith, as well as the Resurrection. For to keep my word;  
Let us leave now the Left hand touch of Historical faith, That such a thing, was so done, by such a Person, at such a time; which the Devil, that teaches others to disput, yet himself believes; & convicted in understanding, trembles at the very Hemme of time; 
The Second Touch, concerning the Necessity of the third day.  And come to the Right hand touch of justifying and saving Faith, That such a thing was so done, by such a Person, at such a time, for me, and you, and the whole world, to justify our conquering satisfaction to God, with full power of the Sons of God; to do all good, and resist all evil, either to be done, or suffered: This virtue and benefit of Christ's Resurrection, Faith cannot draw from it, to the soul's rest, and stay of the mind, unless the assent of Faith to Christ's Resurrection, be stayed, and determined upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the very third Day, it was done in, and no other. Neither the first Day, wherein he suffered, Nor the second Day, the jews Sabbath, Nor any Day beyond the third Day. That Christ may resolve my Faith, that he is the Christ, and rose again for me, He must not only rise, but rise the third Day, and no other.  
And, to Discover this Mystery of Godliness, As these Days of Christ are three; So I find accordingly, three several Days of the Church and mystical body of Christ, as also three several Divinities, and Lights of these three Days, all enlightening the necessity of this Third Day. The first is the Divinity of the Primitive Day, the Good Friday of the Church, wherein Christ was persecuted, and suffered in his Members, & mystical body, through Heathenism and Heresy; The light of which day, was simplicity of Faith unto salvation.  
The second is the Divinity of the School Day, what we call the Popish Day, the jews Sabbath of the Church, wherein the mystical body of jesus Christ lay wrapped in the Linens of jewish Ceremonies, & buried in the Newfound Sepulchre of humane inventions; the light of which day, was Subtlety of Reasonings; &, where there was not more Mist than Sunshine, unto salvation too.  
The third is the Divinity of the Reformed Day, the Resurrection Day of the Church, when after a dark evening, and a little cloudy dawning of trouble, and persecution in the beginning of Reformation, the Sun of Righteousness rose gloriously in our Hemisphere, enlightening our wosterne world, with the simple subtlety of Saint Paul's foolish wisdom unto salvation, called, Preaching of the Gospel.  
All these Days gave their several lights to this point in hand, and from the same Sun of Righteousness, though neither with equal force, nor in the same measure. The first shows the Necessity of the third Day, in respect of the Person, in whose Name Christ rose, that is Adam. The second, in respect of the Person, wherein Christ Risen, that is God and Man. The third, in respect of the Persons to whom, and for whom he rose, that is, jews and Gentiles, the sons of Adam.  
But let me light a'm up all, 
The Necessity of the Third Day in respect of the Person, in whose Name Christ rose.  and as our Saviour wills, let me set, I'm upon the table, and in their own order and discourse: First the simple Faith of the Primitive Church, both touched the Necessity, and drew forth the Benefit of the Third Day, upon the plainest grounds, that are laid, and laid open in holy Scripture; 
Tertul. aduer. jud. cap. 13. Athan. de Incar. verbi Chrysostome Hom. 89. in Mat.  and yet not allneither. Tertullian, Athanasius, and Chrysostome, to take the marrow of their simple meaning, all pitch their consent, upon these two especially. No differing the rising beyond the third Day, say they; Partly for the Comfort of his friends, that expected it should be then, Partly for the Conviction of his enemies, that endeavoured it should not be then. Had he risen any day, but the promised third Day, all his Disciples and friends would have turned Thomases, and, as he did, have required another Touch and fingering of him, ere they would have believed and taken Comfort. 
Mat. 27.62.63  And had he not risen upon the appointed third Day, (until which Day the soldiers were appointed, by the Priest's entreaty, and pilate's charge, to watch the Sepulchre, with the seal upon it, to make all sure, for fear, forsooth, his most fearful Disciples should steal him away, who were ready, God wots, to steal themselves away, out of all sight) Had he not then risen in the presence and sight of the very soldiers, the soldiers had not testified his Resurrection, to his enemies as they did, Matt. 28.11. 
Mat. 28.11.  His enemies had not been convicted by the Testimony, 
Matt. 28.12.  as they were and showed it, by corrupting the soldiers to conceal the truth. For that corruption to conceal, was a plain confession, that they were indeed, only they would not seem to be convicted, and taken in their own snare.  
The spite of His enemies, and the Devil in them, was at the third Day only. The comfort of his friends, and simple faith in them, was in the third Day only. It was the third Day only, that could convince the one, and comfort the other; and it did both. But why, I beseech you? and what was this conviction and comfort of this third Day? Was it the bare return of the natural body to life again the third Day, that malicious fear would have hindered? 
joh. 11.47.  The Devil indeed was angry when Lazarus was raised to life: or was it the bare fruition of his bodily presence and company again the third Day, that simple faith expected comfort in? There was comfort indeed in this: 
joh. 11.45.  and both comfort, and faith, followed Lazarus raising: But this is not comfort of simple, but of sensual Faith. In this comfort, that is believed, because it is seen or felt; there is a mixture of flesh, a composition of sensual delight, from which the Touch of simple faith is most pure and free.  
For simple Faith is an evidence of things unseen, says S. Paul, Heb. 11.1. And our Saviour tells Thomas, that, Beatifica fides, The blessed, or blessing faith, is that, that neither sees nor feels, and yet then believes most: It uses no help of fence, but the fence of hearing only: 
Rom. 10.17.  It comes by hearing only, and what it hears was foreshewne in the typical body, and done and performed in the Natural and real body of Christ jesus, that it verily believes, is communicated to His Mystical body: And what it so hears, and believes, it believes evidently, though it see it not; It tastes really, though it chew it not; It feels and enjoys substantially, though it touch it not, nor finger it, or else it is not simple, but sensual.  
Another comfort therefore we must find for simple Faith in the third Day. And S. Chrysostome gives it: The comfort, 
Loco sup.  saith he, that simple Faith in his friends expected, and Devilish malice in his enemies would have hindered, it was that unseen comfort, that S. Paul speaks of, 1. Cor. 15.20. 
1. Cor. 15.20.  That Christ rising the third day, was manifested to be Primitiae dormientium; The first fruits of them that sleep in hope of Resurrection to life. This was the comfort simple faith looked at, and the Devil had good cause not to abide. He, the first fruits of the mystical body, and therefore as He, so all the rest, of his kind and generation, with Him. And He therefore the first fruits, and no other, that was raised from the dead, because He only, and no other was raised the third day. Hear was the cause of the Devil's watch and seal. jairus daughter was raised, but upon the first day. The widow's son was raised, but upon the second day, the burial day. Lazarus was raised, but upon the fourth day. The Devil neither watched these, nor sealed their graves. Only Christ, was raised the third day: and therefore He only, and no other, the terrible and comfortable first fruits, of them that sleep.  
Do you question the reason yet, and think the argument weak? I'll resolve you in a word.  
First, in the Legal and Typical first fruits, though we find no express Law, necessity, nor mention of the third day for their offering; Yet this Law we read Leuit. 23.15. 
Levit. 23.15.  and a statute for ever, that the sheaf of the fruits to be accepted for them, was to be waved before the Lord, the morrow after the Sabbath, seven Sabbaths complete, before the feast of Pentecost. And this morrow, after that Sabbath, was just this third day and hour, when Christ only, & no other was waved and lifted up from the dead, the first fruits of all his kind. So the type is sure for us, that He was only the prefigured first fruits, because He only was raised upon this morrow.  
But if this will not serve, In this Evangelicall and substantial first fruits, we find an express necessity of this third day, according to God's Oeconomy, and Dispensation of grace unto us. 
1. Cor. 15.21.22.  And S. Paul tenders it in the place before named. Almighty God of his mere mercy, purposing to recover mankind, from under the curse of death, so sweetly disposed of it, that, as by man came death, so by man also should come the Resurrection from the dead. As by the first Adam, whose flesh and blood we are by generation, Death; So by the second Adam, whose flesh and bone we are by Regeneration, Resurrection to life. As, and So; in due proportion and resemblance. As therefore in the first Adam, the first fruits of all living to the world, all die, and from him Ecclesia morientium, a congregation of fallers into death, were gathered; so in the second Adam, Christ, the first fruits of all that die to the world, all are made alive, and from him Ecclesia resurgentium, a congregation of risers to God were gathered. As Adam's congregation was gathered by a rising, to fall, from life unto death; so Christ's congregation was gathered by a falling, to rise from death unto life. As Adam rose, and fell, and gathered his congregation, the third day after life; so Christ rose, and stood, and gathered his congregation the third day after death. And here is Saint Paul's As, and So.  
The full proportion, between the two adam's, whereupon simple Faith in hearing, both determines her assent, and to the conviction of all malice, gathers this comfort, that Christ was indeed the Person, in whose name He came, Her second Adam, her first fruits, her perfect pattern and sampler of her nature, estate, and condition, in that He only, and no other, was raised the third day, and no other. And this was Primitive Divinity, what S. Paul calls the chaste virgin, simplicity in Christ jesus, 2. 
2. Cor. 11 3.  Cor. 11.3.  
Nor in the second place, 
The necessity of the third Day in respect of the Person wherein Christ rose.  does the school subtlety at all corrupt this virgin simplicity, or obscure this light, with any forced or false glosses: It rather inlightens it more, bringing more instruction with comfort to the touch of Faith, in respect of the Person wherein Christ rose. And thus they reason, the third day to Faiths, apprehension. 
1. Cor. 15. sion 14 to 20.   
Most certain it is, as Saint Paul says, 1. Cor. 15. that were it not for the resurrection of the dead, there is nothing so vain, as the assurance, nothing so miserable, as the preaching, and preachers of Christ jesus. It is only the hope of the resurrection, that makes you serve Christ, and us serve you. Now to hope for this, it is fit we be fully instructed in it, and to be instructed in it fully, we must first be fully assured, both of his Humane Nature, that should rise, but alone could not, and of his Divine Nature, that could not but rise, but alone would not without the other. For to believe our resurrection, we must first believe ourselves to be partakers of both these Natures: Of both together, or else no resurrection. The Divine without the Humane needs not, the Humane without the Divine cannot. And to believe ourselves partaker of both these, our faith must first be confirmed, in the truth of them both, in our first fruits, our second Adam, with whose entire nature we participate by resurrection, as with the first by generation. He must have both, or we cannot; if He have both, we want neither. To confirm therefore our faith in the truth of Christ's Divine Nature, that would die, but should not, it was necessary He should rise soon. To confirm our faith in the truth of his Humane Nature, that should rise, but alone could not, it was necessary He should not rise too soon And this soon for his Divinity, and not too soon for his Humanity, was the third Day only. Soon, says his Divinity, and not beyond the third Day; not too soon, says his Humanity, & not before the third Day. hastening his resurrection upon the third Day, it appeared manifestly, there was something in his flesh, and that bodily, that death might swallow with the flesh, as a fish doth a hook, or a Hawk casting: but death could not hold it, not digest it, not convert it into her substance of corruption and putrefaction, which gins the third Day, and especially in a wounded body.  
She had snatched Christ's body greedily upon the Cross; But when she came to endue it, put it over, and convert it into her substance of corruption, at her due time, the third Day, it would not do; she could not choose but restore him, and with him all, that by faith in him had any part of the Divine Nature. Can that holy one have seen, much less feel any corruption, the Divine nature, that dwelled in him bodily, had not been there. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, says Saint Peter, Act. 2.24. 
Act. 2.24.  It was not possible that such a Person should be holden of the pains of death. Of Death, He might be, and was for a while; true flesh required it, true God willed it: But of the pains and penalties of Death, the corruption and putrefaction of the third Day, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it was impossible that Divinity should be held by a'm.  
So long it was possible, but no longer, and as so long, and no longer, was necessary to show Divinity was there; so, so long, and no sooner, was necessary to show Humanity was there too. A pause did well for that. The first or second day had been too hasty: He would not else have appeared Man, and something that might die: His death would have been suspected a swound, a fit of an Apoplexy, perhaps but feigned, and so all faith vain, and hope comfortless. Till the third Day therefore he stays, because so long to stay, as it was necessary to show his mortal nature, so it was sufficient to show it. For in less than that time, by many hours, no man seems dead, and is alive, but either shows some tokens of life, or dies out right. So that in a word, To stay so long as the third Day, was necessary to show his Humanity, which should not rise any sooner, and it did show it; To stay no longer than the third Day, was necessary to show his Divinity, which might stay no longer, and it did show it. It was the third Day only, that could give faith assurance, her head, and first fruits was such a Person, and rose in both the Natures of God and man.  
Nor is it assurance only, but Comfort too, says the school; for in that this Divine & Humane Nature stayed thus in the grave, two whole nights, and one whole day, it is our consolation, saith Thomas, 
Thom. Aqu. q. 53. ar. 2. con.  that Christ by his own bodily death which in him was all light, through the righteousness, and innocence of his flesh, has fully destroyed our two deaths, both of soul and body, which in us, are all darkness through sin. 
Hos. 13.14.  Ero mors tua O mors, O death I will be thy death, was fulfilled in these two nights. Death is now dead, and has no more power over us, than it had over Him; but in our death now, we are conformable and subject to him only. Our head stayed a while in death, but was not detained by death: as long as He thought it convenient for our belief of His Humane Nature, so long He stayed: when He thought it convenient for our belief of His Divine Nature, He rose again: He both stayed & rose at his own will, having slain death with the Divine Nature, for seizing unjustly upon the innocent Humane Nature. To show that just so the members partaking with that Head, conformable in nature, though not equal in virtue and power, no more than my toe is to my head; yet just so they die, and just so they are detained in death. In death they are detained, but not by death at all, or any power of hers, but only by the will of Christ their head; so long as he pleases, they shall rest in hope, and no longer.  
Before he was our head in time, which was at the third Day, 
Eph. 1.20.22.  Eph. 1.20, 22. Death was a darkness, and a deep prison; and that, to them that died in the hope of his first coming. But since he is risen the third Day, and hath taken away the darkness of our two nights, the darkness of death is taken away. 
Phil. 1.22.  Mori mihi lucrum, to die is gain; to be in her prison, is to be in liberty; to be detained in death, is to be in light and life. But to whom? To those only that communicate with that Head, that rose the third Day; because he was God, and could have risen sooner, and yet rose no sooner than the third Day; because he was man, and would show that man has now power, as to destroy, so to dispose of death, and as in himself, so in all his members.  
And thus far the light of school subtlety leads us, to the virtue of this Hemme, in respect of the Person wherein Christ rose: It proves his Divine Nature, his Humane Nature, his power over death, our liberty in death, at his dispose only, and not at deaths at all, and so before we are ware, 
The necessity of the third Day in respect of the persons to whom and for whom Christ rose.  we are gotten into the third respect, To ourselves, and those persons, to whom, and for whom he rose.  
But we are but entered only: to show it more fully, the light of reformed wisdom remains now, which, as in this point, it neither opposes, nor departs from, either primitive subtlety, or school subtlety: so it is a third witness, to establish the virtue of this third Day, & all together will make up the wise man's triple twisted cord that cannot easily be broken.  
Our first reason of the third Day (for I must make haste, as in all points else) is, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, and the word of God be clear in our eyes and hearts: nor is it ours first, but S. Paul's first, 1. Cor. 15.4. 
1. Cor. 15.4.  And that he rose again the third Day, according to the Scriptures. And when S. Paul names Scriptures, as when our Saviour names a'm, he means either the prophecies of the third Day, or the types and figures of the third Day, or both together; and both together, I believe, he means; for both there were of it, and according to both; and to fulfil both, Christ rose again the third Day.  
The prophecy we find, 
This prophecy is commended by S. Paul Eph. 2.5.6. which with the whole passage I was forced to cut of for Brevity. verba Pauli Conuivificavit Conresuscitavit. Tertul. loc. sup.  Osee. 6.2. After two days he will revive us, in the third Day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight: It is not him only, but us; and for us sure, and not for himself only, both the Prophet bespoke it, and Christ did it. And as it is spoken of the long expected Messiah; so Tertul. urges it so strongly against the jews, as if Christ had risen only the third Day, to fulfil this prophecy, and remember the jews of it.  
The reviving, the raising, the life, the universal benefit, the whole prophecy, they saw all fulfilled to the very expected hour, and by none else, but by Christ only, and at no time else, but the third Day only. They fulfilled the prophecies, in killing their Messiah, but would not believe their Messiah, in fulfilling the prophecies. But, as the fashion is, they killed the Prophets, and buried all the prophecies. And let us let the prophecy pass, and perish with our Sermons, and make nothing of it, as the jews did.  
That they could forget a prophecy, when they could kill a Prophet, it is so ordinary amongst us, as it is no wonder in them. But yet their beloved remembrancers, 
2. Cor. 1.22.  whom S. Paul says they loved above all things, that is, Types, signs, and figures, as they could not kill a'm, so it was very strange they could not remember a'm, and this third Day put a'm in mind of.  
Amongst many other, had they but remembered either Isaac among their fathers, or joseph amongst their brethren, or jonas amongst their ministers and servants this very third Day had been argument enough, that the Riser the third Day was their full Messiah, both King, Priest, and Prophet. Both their Isaac, and Priest to sacrifice, and be sacrificed for them: their joseph and King to feed, save, and comfort them: and their jonas and Prophet, to teach and instruct a'm in the right way, and all because He rose the third Day. First Isaac going with his father to be sacrificed for him, 
Gen. 22.4.  Gen. 22.4. Until the third Day, he was no better than a dead man, neither in his father's opinion, nor his own condition: But the third Day he was revived and raised again from the dead, and made the first fruits of the blessed seed, 
16.18.  at the 18. verse. Then joseph until the third year, was a poor prisoner in the stocks, 
Psal. 105.18.  the iron entered into his soul: But in the third year, he was delivered, and made the governor and commander of all Egypt, 
Gen. 41.1.  Gen. 41.1. Lastly, jonas, for three days was in the Whale's belly, 
jon. 2.10.  and what better than dead? But then the fish could not hold him, but cast him up on the dry land, and he became the great Prophet of the Gentiles, and Preacher of Repentance to them.  
Now all these foretold Christ, or who but He? The jew will not name another; and all this Christ only fulfilled, or who but He? Can the jew tell us? And when did He fulfil all this, but upon the third Day? But the jew will not believe it. What virtue therefore the jews would not gather out of this Hemme, let it flow unto us of the Gentiles, to whom the promise, and the Hem reaches. That Christ rising the third Day, according to these Scriptures; it is Christ, and none else, that is our Isaac, both our sacrifice for sin, and yet our first fruits of the blessed seed. It is Christ, and none else, that is our joseph, both the bondservant that was sold by us, and for us, and yet our only Lord and releever in all want. It is Christ, and none else, that is our jonas, both our pledge punished for us, and yet our preacher of amendment to safety. The sacrifice in fear, the foundation of hope, the freedom in bondage, the succour in want, the pledge in danger, the guide in error: all this Christ is, and therefore is, because it pleased him to rise our Isaac, our joseph, our jonas, our King, Priest, and Prophet, our full Messiah according to the Scriptures, the third Day.  
Thus He fulfilled His Father's word, in being raised the third Day, according to that word; and for that, faith is emboldened, to take His father's word, and give credence to his bare word. And next to His father's word, which is our next reason, to fulfil his own word and prediction of Himself, and purchase faith to it too, He kept the day too. 
Athan. loc. sup.  This was Athanasius reason before us, but we make it fuller, and find more virtue in it. He rose the third Day, because He had said, He would; and my text is the first word, that ere He gave for it: and therefore He will keep his word with us, whatsoever He has promised. This was Athanasius reason and comfort, He is a man of his word. And 'tis much this, but 'tis not enough. He had said, He would rise the third day, and He did so, and He put it into my Creed; and in all my Creed there is no circumstance of time but only this: therefore He will not only keep His word with us, as well as Gods; but He will keep His time with us to a minute. He will not only pay the full sum He has promised, but He will pay it at the day; He will not break an hour. This is the comfort and virtue that faith sucks from the third Day, and from no particle in the Creed beside.  
When the Angels at the Sepulchre, Luc. 24.6. said to the women, Why seek ye the living amongst the dead? He is not here, but is risen; He adds too; Remember, how he spoke unto you, when he was yet in Galilee, saying. The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third Day rise again. It is remember 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not what only, but how, not the matter, but the manner; Remember that. He will keep it, though He die for it; and though He die for it, He will rise again the third Day, to keep it to a minute. Please you, see one reason yet, why, of all the actions of Christ for us, recorded in the Creed, only this action of rising, though of all the most difficult, yet it is to be believed with the circumstance of time, and no other; it is to show, that be the doubt, the difficulty, the danger, the improbability, the impossibility, in respect of the means, what it will, yet whensoever He has promised, He keeps that, aswell as whatsoever He has promised.  
And, howsoever familiar custom, has brought both the exercises and ordinances of godliness, into such contemptuous neglect, as there is scarce any reverence to a divine presence, to be found in divine service; Yet when you pray, when you are baptised, when you receive, when you hear, when you confess, when you are absolved, when you relieve, when you forgive, when you entertain, defend, or advance the Prophets: Dixit? Hath He promised any thing at these times? Factum est; it is done at those times. Why? Upon what Article of my Creed is this grounded? Why, remember the third Day. He that was crucified, dead, buried, sealed up, and watched in his grave, and in all eyes, it was impossible He should keep either word or time: And yet then He kept both, and to the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the strictest manner; as we say in our Baptism, Doubt you not therefore, but earnestly believe, when you are baptised, He than regenerates, when you pray together, He is then in the midst, when you receive the Communion; it is then his body and blood, when you hear the word, He than speaks, when you confess your sins, you then confess to him, when you are absolved by the Keys, He than absolves you, when you relieve, He than receives, when you forgive your enemies, He than forgives, when you entertain, defend, or advance the Prophets, you then, even then, entertain, defend, and advance even Christ himself. And this is some virtue more, that our times are certain, and at his appointed times: let the means be dead, and all reason and probability buried and sealed up from us, yet we are sure of Him, He is there then, and He keeps his time duly. But yet this is not all He has done for our times; we are not yet come to times full redemption.  
To conclude all, as I began, and to keep time too. Touch the Person of Christ jesus we must, with that Faith only, that believes only, and adores the mystery of grace, so are we justified in Him, made members of Him. Touch the Garment of his works we must with that Faith only, that does not only believe, but works thorough and resembles his love; so are we sanctified in him, and covered with His righteousness. Touch the Him of His garment, the circumstances of His works we must, with that Faith only, that does not only believe and work in gross, but is the measure and proportion, fashioning our conversation to His in heaven, our time, place, means, manners, to His only, so are we glorified in Him, with the glorious liberty of the sons of God.  
Now to show in some sort this measure and proportion betwixt Christ & us, S. Paul tells us, 
1. Cor. 15.23.  1. Cor. 15.23. There Ordo Resurgentium, An Order of Risers, erected by Christ himself, and himself is the precedent of that order. First Christ, and then they that are Christ's in order: and this, I dare say, is Gratus sermo, an acceptable saying: For all men desire to be of this order. It is neither scandal to greatones, nor imputation to meaner in King's Courts, to say, we courteirs would all verygladly rise, and be installed in this order of risers. But if you would do so, you know, there is a credit and a Creed to be remembered; To get into this order, you must follow your Prince & precedent; And to keep order with him, you must keep his times duly, his very days, and those are but three days now, & no more; for I have yet another mystery to tell you.  
Abbreviatum faciet Deus opus super terram: 
Thom. Presat. in decal.  So the old ones read that place of Esay, cited by S. Paul, Rom. 9.28. which we read thus, Ashort work will the Lord make upon earth: and this short work, say they, is the work of our redemption from eternal evil, 
Phil. 2.7.  with restauration into eternal good. Wherein as God the son, our Lord, abbreviated the equality with God, into the fashion of man, and that man, the meanest of men, a poor Minister and servant, to redeem the division between God and man, and make the Highest God, and the lowest man, at one again: so the same Lord, & servant, has wrought out and perfected this redemption, and union amongst men by abbreviation only, and making short work in all. Generations, persons, place, words, time, all the measures, by which, either the kind, condition, content, knowledge, or the actions of men are differenced, and divided, they are all now abbreviated and made shorter: we are redeemed now from distinctions of kindred, and all generations are abbreviated into the Newbirth in the laver of regeneration, wherein we are all now of one kind and blood: we are redeemed now, from distinction of condition, for all persons are abbreviated into the Person and body of Christ, wherein we are all members of one Person, of one suffering and honour: we are redeemed now from all distinctions of contents; for all places are abbreviated into the Church and Communion of Saints, wherein, meum is tuum, and tuum is meum; Our desire the same because our possession and content is one and the same: we are redeemed now from distinction of knowledge, & division of understanding; for all words are abbreviated into these three, faith, hope, and charity: These are all our study, and the study of all alike, for the measure of all knowledge. Lastly, we are redeemed now from the distinction of endeavours, and division of will and choice in doing; for all time, the measure of all actions, is abbreviated in these three days of Christ, the Preparation, the Sabhath, the Resurrection. And as we have no kindred to derive to, but the Newbirth, no condition of honour, but in the Person of Christ, no content in place, but in the Communion of Saints, no words to study, but faith, hope, and charity: So we have no time to observe for the measure of all our a●tions, but only these three days, and we have no actions at all, to will, choose or do, but what are measured and fitted to these three Days; the Preparation, the Sabbath, the Resurrection. These are the measure, sampler and pattern, to our days, or else of Christ's order we cannot be.  
The days of our life, must be our day of Preparation, our Good Friday, as was Christ's, and as it was His, and no otherwise. In it, we must labour against sin and Satan, as Christ did, we must suffer from sin & Satan, as Christ did, we must die in conquest of sin & Satan, as Christ did. And now, how like the order? But be not dismayed; for after this will succeed our jewish and Typical Sabbath, the day of our rest in the grave, as Christ did, in the hands of Christ only, and not of deeath at all, no more than he did. And then will yet follow, the spiritual and heavenly Sabbath, the Lords day, and the day of Lords, the day of resurrection unto life, and full enstallment in this order.  
This the order: Both habited, armed, and timed like your Precedent you must be; and then, as in other orders, it is a fellowship, as well as an order. 
August. in 29 Psal.  Hoc sperate mea membra quod in capite praecessit, says Saint Augustine; and 'tis the Word & Motto of your order: What the Head enjoys, let the member expect; what is gone before in the Head, according to his virtue, let the member expect in his measure and condition. As, let our first day be troublesome, as Christ's was; yet it shall be short, and the shortest of the three, as Christ's was. Let our second day of death be longer by many hours, as Christ's was; yet it shall be as long in rest, as Christ's was. Let our third day be long before it come; yet it will come, and come early, as Christ's did, and when it does come, it shall never know evening, as Christ's did: And that's a further comfort yet in this third Day.  
The time of the member of Christ, is redeemed and is abbreviated into three Days only, and but two of those Days have nights belonging to a'm. The third Day has no night, but is ever day, as Christ's was. In these three Days His state, and condition is by succession, first trouble with the Cross, than rest in death, than happiness in Heaven. First trouble with the Cross, for which he has the Grace of Faith, both begun, and perfited here, to lead, and defend him all his first day. But faith has a night, and dies with him and his Cross. Then comes his rest: for which he has the grace of hope begun here, to assist faith, but perfited in death, to establish him in comfort, all his second day. But hope has a night too, and leaves him, when he leaves to rest in death. Then comes his happiness, for which he has the grace of love, begun here, to make faith and hope active, continued in death, to sweeten hopes rest, but perfited in eternal life, with God that is love in esse, with whom there is no night, but always day without either end or change: And then time is redeemed into eternity.  
And now you, most Honourable, and blessed order of Risers, may it please you, value your order, with the honour and rule of it, as you are regenerated in Christ, members of his body, Saints by Communion, students of faith, hope, and charity, and of the order of the Resurrection to life. The blood that runs in your veins, is Sanguis Dei, the blood of God: And then S. Peter's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is your Charter of Privilege, against all power of death. You die not, when you die, but only to end your troubles, and show you are of a mortal nature; you shall rest in peace, as Christ did. Impossible it is, but the blood of God should rise. But ah the misery! The servant is not above his Lord, the Disciple is not above his Master, the member is not above the Head. And rise we cannot, possibly, but as our Head did, upon a third Day. And to rise upon a third Day, it is impossible, unless two days go before it. Nay, nor rest can we possibly upon a second day, unless the first day go before it. So it is ordered now, and there is no breaking of it: No skipping to the Resurrection day, without both the Sabbath, and preparation: No, nor any getting to the Sabbath, without we take our rise at the preparation. The rise both to rest, and rising is here only. Is there no rise here at combat with the cross? Why then no rest in death, and then no happiness in the resurrection. Is there no fight faith with base and dishonourable temptations? why then no resting hope, and then, no rising love. Had not Christ resisted unto death, He had not died in conquest; and had He not died so, He had not risen in triumph and glory. But all this our Prince and Precedent must do, and did for us, and all this we must do for him. And if all this we do, and in this order; If faith feel a good Friday, and have so fought with the Cross; as at the hour of death, though faith die, yet hope and love stand conquerors above all temptations. Then as sure as Christ our head, conquered upon the preparation, rested upon the Sabbath, and rose again upon the third day; so sure shall our hope rest secure and sweetly in death, our second day, and after death our love shall rise in triumph upon the third Day, to enjoy that happiness, that faith fought for here, hope rested in, in death, and love only enjoys without night or fail. To which happiness, He bring us, that, to purchase it as dearly as gloriously for us, was crucified, dead, buried, and rose again the third Day, jesus Christ the righteous: To whom, with God the Father, and God the Holy Ghost, one true, eternal, everliving, only wise God, be ascribed, as is most due, all honour, praise, power, glory, dominion and thanksgiving, the first, second, and third Day, and for ever.  
FINIS.   

LONDON, ¶ Printed by JOHN BILL. M.DC.XXII.