Pilkington Mayor, etc.  
Martis xuj. die April. 1689. Annoque Regni Regis & Reginae WILL. & MARIAE Angl. etc. Primo.  
THis Court doth desire Mr Mariott to Print his Sermon Preached at Guild-Hall Chappel, on Easter-Day last, before the Lord Mayor, and Aldermen of this City.  
Wagstaffe.   

Imprimatur.  
April 26. 1689. Carolus Alston, R. P. D. Hen. Episc. Lond. à Sacris Domesticis.   

A SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable THE Lord Mayor AND ALDER MEN OF THE CITY of LONDON.  
At GUILDHALL Chappel, on Easter-Day, 1689.  
By THO. MARIOTT, M. A. and Rector of Little Canfield in Essex.  
LONDON, Printed for Walter Kettilby, at the Bishops-Head in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1689.   

TO THE Right Honourable Sir Thomas Pilkington, Kt Lord Mayor OF THE CITY of LONDON.  
My Lord,  
AS your favourable Acceptance of this Discourse was more than I could reasonably expect, being conscious to myself of my own Weakness: so, your Command is the only reason of its appearing in public. There is sometimes a Resurrection of the Body Politic, when it hath been as it were dead and buried under Oppression and Tyranny, which our Nation (through the Infinite Mercy, and by the Almighty Power of God) hath lately Experienced; a Mercy not only above our Deserts, but Hopes: of which I am assured, not only your Lordship, but all True Protestants are deeply sensible; and for which they are hearty thankful. But it is another Resurrection which is here treated of, the Resurrection of the Saviour of Mankind, and of our own Bodies by virtue of his: no circumstantial, indifferent point, but the great Fundamental of our Christian Religion, and in that respect (I hope) of more general use. That you may have part, with all good Christians, in this Resurrection at the last Day to Immortality and Glory, and Enjoyment of your Lord in Everlasting Bliss, is, and always shall be the Prayer of,  
My Lord, Your most obliged and obedient Servant, THO. MARIOTT.   

A SERMON Preached before the Lord Mayor, etc.  JOHN xx. 9 
For as yet they knew not the Scripture, That he must rise again from the dead.  
THese words are part of the Gospel appointed by our Church, for this Day; guiding us to speak concerning the lofty Mystery of Christ's Resurrection; Easter-Day being kept by our Church, as a solemn Festival Day, and day of Rejoicing for the Miracle of Christ's rising from the dead. Among our Festivals this seems to carry the brightest splendour of Antiquity upon it, it having been the practice of the Church from the Apostles days downward, to keep this day in a more than ordinary solemn manner. It is the opinion of no mean Divines, that what the Apostle saith to the Corinthians, Let us keep the Feast, 
1 Cor. 5.7, 8.  doth look to the special and Religious Solemnisation of the Feast of Easter, having immediately before made mention of Christ our Passover.  
Great difference there was among the Primitive Christians about Easter, but this, concerning the time, not the thing. Some kept the Passover, or Easter, at the same time as the Jews kept theirs; others afterwards, so that this occasioned no small stir in the Church: yet here it may not be unworthy of your observation, that although they differed in their Opinion and Practice, 
Of the time of keeping Easter. Vid. Epiphan. count. Haeres. lib. 3. Tom. 1. cont. Sect. Audianotum.  concerning this particular, the Eastern Church keeping Easter with the Jews before the Spring Solstice, the Western Church after the Spring Solstice, or Equinoctial; they did not in the early days, next the Apostles, separate from each other, but, as occasion served, Communicated together. This point was in the Council of Nice determined, that the Christians should not symbolise with the Jews, nor with them keep the Passover before the Spring Solstice, or Equinoctial, which was afterwards confirmed by the Synod of Antioch, 
Syn. Antioch. Can. 1.  and so this difference was composed. And I pray God send us as happy a composure of these unhappy differences at this day among Protestants, as there was in the Primitive Church of the difference relating to the Feast of Easter. By what hath been said of this early difference in the ancient Church, concerning the time of keeping Easter; it is so much the more evident, that it always hath been the practice of the Universal Christian Church, to keep Easter Day with a special Solemnity, in memory of Christ's Resurrection.  
It was no ordinary Piety, strictness, devotion, with which the Primitive Christians were wont to keep this Solemnity, by extraordinary fasting sometime before, the better to humble their Souls for their Sins, and prepare them for so joyful a Feast; and great things do they speak of this day. A Great Council calls it, 
sin. 6. in Trullo. Can. 90, 91. Greg. Naz. Orat. 42.  The great Sabbath. Gregory Nazianzen calls it, The Feast of Feasts, and Solemnity of Solemnities, as much excelling the rest of the Feasts, as the Sun doth the rest of the Stars. And in the same Oration calls it, the greatest of days. S. Chrysostom goes so far as to tell us, 
S. Chrysost. Tom. 5. Serm. 34. de Resur. Christi.  that this Solemnity is not only a Feast on Earth, but a Feast in Heaven. To day (saith he, speaking of Easter-Day) there is Joy on Earth, to day there is Joy in Heaven: And he gives this reason of it, For if there be Joy in Earth and Heaven, for one Sinner that repenteth; how much more will there be Joy in Heaven on this Day, when the whole World was extorted out of the hands of the Devil?  
From the Birth of Christ, the World began to expect great things from a person so born and attended with such notable Signs and Wonders; and still as he grew up, and gave Evidence of his Virtue and Power, the expectations of men were more raised and strengthened: But when he began to Preach, and work such mighty Miracles as he did, how must men's Hearts be affected and filled with hopes of great designs to be carried on by such a Person? but see how the Scene was altered, a little while was it, and he on whom all their Eyes and Hearts were fixed, was betrayed; by the vulgar abused, by the Governors condemned, by their Instruments Executed, his Hands and Feet nailed to the Cross; the Sun was under a Cloud, the object of the World's Hopes and Joy expired, gave up the Ghost, died, was buried, and lay for a while in the Grave, as other weak frail Mortals. What a disappointment this was, and how they did lament it, you may partly see by the Speech of the two Men going to Emmaus, 
Lu. 24.21.  We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel; and besides all this, to day is the third day since these things were done: by which it doth appear, how the Friends of Christ were pierced in his piercing, and their hopes buried in his Sepulchre. Blessed Day was it now when the Lord arose, the Sun, though set a while, appeared again: a new Face came upon the World, the Enemies were brought under a Cloud, the Disciples and Friends of Christ revived, their hope before (as it were) dead and buried, was again raised together with their Lord and Master, who risen again, according to the Scriptures, though for a while, even the Disciples themselves understood not those places, which spoke of his Resurrection. For as yet they knew not the Scripture, That he must rise again from the dead.  
As to that part of the Text which relates unto the Disciples not knowing the Scriptures, at that time which referred unto Christ's Resurrection: We might from thence draw several Observations not unuseful for us, but that we purpose to apply ourselves wholly to the point of the Resurrection, the proper subject of the Day; concerning which, we consider three things.  
I. That according to the Scripture, Christ was to rise from the dead.  
II. That Christ did truly and really rise from the dead, according as the Scripture had foretold: for this is that which Saint John believed, and which he doth designedly prove in this place.  
III. That there was a necessity Christ should rise again from the dead; which you have in the word must: for so the Scripture did declare, that he must rise again from the dead.  
I. The first thing we enter upon, is to show, That according to the Scripture, the Messiah was to rise from the dead. The Types in Scripture are many to this purpose. So long ago as Adam this was typified, of whom we read, that soon after his Creation he was cast into a deep sleep, whilst the Woman was taken out of his side, and then awaked again: Thus the Second Adam Christ, of whom the first was a type, slept the sleep of Death, and sleeping, his side was wounded, whereout came Water and Blood (which gave being to his Spouse the Church) and then after a while he awoke, revived, and risen again.  
You read how Isaac was laid upon the Altar with the Wood: Now Abraham's Sacrificing his Son thus in Will, was a type of God's giving his Son to be a Sacrifice in very deed: but Isaac for all this, came off, and was preserved alive; a Figure, that our Isaac the Lord Jesus, though really sacrificed, yet should rise again, and Death should have no power over him.  
Many were the Conflicts of Samson with the Philistines, vanquishing them time after time; of whom we read how he carried away the Gates of Gaza, Posts and all, up to a high Hill; in all this a type of Christ, who was to have many sharp conflicts with the World and the Devil for us, and that he should at the last, carry away the Gates of Hell and Death, that none could hold him. Sad was the condition of Ionas when he fled to Tarshish, when followed with a Tempest, when cast into the Sea, when in the Jaws of the Whale, when in the Whale's Belly, but yet he gets out in a small time, and appears again upon dry land. What was this but a type of Christ coming to Tarshish in his Nativity, followed with a perpetual and dreadful storm in the Ocean of this World all the while he lived, swallowed up of Death, lying in the Grave, and rising again the third day? Truth itself so expounds it, we may believe him.  
Besides which Scripture-types, many are the Scripture-Prophecies that Christ should rise from the dead. The first Scripture which gives notice of a Christ, doth not only mention him as suffering and dying, but as rising, and victorious. If Thou shalt bruise his heel, 
Gen. 3.15.  noted his sufferings; yet, He shall bruise thy head, was a Prophecy of his Victory, and made good when he risen from the dead. When the Patriarch Jacob blessed his Sons, he thus Prophesieth concerning Judah, 
Gen. 49.9.  Judah is a Lion's Whelp, from the prey, my Son, thou art gone up, he stooped down, he couched as a Lion, who shall rouse him up? Judah was the Tribe of which Christ came; and here is, even by the Confession of the Jewish Doctors themselves, a Prophecy of the Messiah: Christ it is that is here resembled unto the Lion's Whelp: in that it is said, he stooped down, he couched, therein is set forth his suffering, when he bowed the Head, and gave up the Ghost: but this Lion is roused, and there's the Prophecy of his Resurrection, and in that it is said, Who shall rouse him up? 
Isid. Hisp. Com. in Gen.  thereby is noted (as Isidore expounds) that no Man should do this but himself. When Balaam Prophesied of a Star that should arise out of Jacob, he plainly foretold, not only the setting of this Star in his Passion, but the rising of it again when he came out of the Grave. And if the Book of Job was written by Moses (as the learned conclude) than Job's saying, 
Vid. Armach. Annal. p. 17. several testimonies.  I know that my Redeemer liveth, is another Prophecy out of Moses' Writings concerning Christ's Resurrection.  
From the Writings of Moses let us proceed to the Book of the Psalms, where, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, is undoubtedly a Prophecy of the Resurrection of the Messiah; for so Saint Paul interprets it, and shows, that hereby was declared and manifested, on the day of his Resurrection, 
Act. 13.33.  That Jesus was the true and eternal Son of the most high God. And, as when it is said, 
Ps. 110.7.  He shall drink of the brook in the way, his Sufferings are foretold: So, when it is said, He shall lift up the head, his Resurrection is signified unto us. And again, 
Ps. 16.10.  Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption, is a clear place to this purpose; for David cannot herein speak of himself, who died and saw Corruption, as others; but he doth foretell how Christ, that holy one, should not lie in the Grave till he saw corruption, as others: nor his Soul continue in Hell, but his Soul should be brought back, and united unto his Body, and his Body raised out of the Grave. And in another place, where the Psalmist saith, I am as a man that hath no strength, thereby is noted the suffering of Christ, and his lying in the Grave; but then the following words, free among the dead, do show his rising again from the dead; for he is said to be free among the dead, 
S. Cyp. in Symb. Apost.  because he could not be holden of death, as St. Cyprian expounds it.  
The Prophet Isaias in many places speaks of Christ's Resurrection; for whenas he brings him in born in this manner, Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and then afterwards saith, 
Isa. 9.6, 7.  that Of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end: he doth suppose his rising from the dead, for had he continued in the Grave, there had been an end of his Government; and therefore did he describe him by the name Wonderful, not only in respect of the wonderfulness of his Nativity and Death, but because of the wonderfulness of his rising out of the Grave. And when the same Prophet, having spoken at large of his Sufferings, his Death, and Burial, doth tell us, that notwithstanding all this, 
Isa. 53.10.  he should see his seed, and prolong his days; it hath a necessary reference to his Resurrection. Nay, so punctual are the Writings of the Prophets, that they foretell the very time when Christ should rise, even on the third day. After two days will he revive us, 
Hos. 6.2.  in the third day will he raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. And in that the Prophet speaks in the plural number, it refers to those also who did rise with Christ, and attended upon him for the greater Solemnity of this day. By all which we see, that according to the Scriptures, Christ was to rise again. I proceed now to  
II. The second point, which is to show, That Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary, who was Crucified and Buried by the Jews, did most really and truly rise again from the dead, according as these and many other Scriptures had foretold. Let us see what Witnesses we can produce to prove this. The very same day he risen, he appeared several times to several persons. First to Mary Magdalene, then to Mary Magdalene and the other Marry, as they were going together from the Sepulchre, then to the two Disciples going to Emmaus, then unto St. Peter alone by himself, then unto the Disciples as they were together, Thomas being absent. To these add his Apparitions at several other times. Eight days after his Resurrection, he appeared to his Disciples, Thomas being present: After this to seven of his Disciples as they were fishing at the Sea of Tiberias: Again unto the eleven Disciples as they were upon a Mount of Galilee. He appeared unto above five hundred of the Brethren at once, after that he was seen of James apart. The day of his Ascension he was seen to the Apostles on the Mount of Olivet, when he was taken up into Heaven; Lastly, He was seen of St. Paul: and these were Witnesses chosen before of God to bear record of his Resurrection, as St. Peter tells us. True Witnesses were they, no Deceivers, as the Keepers of the Sepulchre falsely reported, saying, His Disciples came by night, and stole him away whilst we slept. See what an unhappy Dilemma St. Austin doth run these Keepers into: either it was false that they slept, and so, Liars are not to be believed: or it was true, and then how could they tell what happened? Foolish madness, if they were awake, why did they suffer it? If they were asleep, how did they know it? Enough is there in the story to evince their Falsity, and to clear the Disciples Innocency. And in that Christ was not seen to one alone, but to several together, even to a great multitude, it shows they could not be deceived in this matter. If any one shall say, these were his Disciples and Friends, and therefore their testimonies not full enough to settle our Faith in this point, to these we might add the testimonies of Enemies. Let Pilate be the first, who was the Man that delivered him to the Jews to be Crucified; 
Vit. Tiberii.  for after these things thus passed in Judea, Pilate, who was Governor of Jerusalem, under the Roman Emperor, wrote Letters unto Tiberius (in whose Reign Christ was Crucified) wherein he advertised the Emperor of the Death of Christ, of the manner of it, of the Miracles he had done in his Life, as also of his Resurrection, to the end that he should advise and determine, whether Christ should not be held as a God, and worshipped as a God. So that here is the testimony of Pilate to the Resurrection, who, no doubt, being their Chief Governor, had the best means to inform himself of the truth. To this add the testimony of the Watch. These, most likely, were choice busy Fellows picked out on purpose for such a design, (as let the design be never so bad, some will be found to carry it on) and what say they? 
Mat. 28.11.  Some of the watch came unto the City, and showed unto the chief Priests all the things that were done. They came, as it were, thunder struck, looking like so many Ghosts, with their hair standing an end, and tell all the story of the Angels descending and rolling away the Stone, and Christ's rising; for this is that which was done, and this is that they tell them: which was so plain, that neither could the Chief Priests any way resist the Evidence, but only through desperate wickedness hire the Soldiers, with money, to blaze a notorious lie to cheat the common people with. So that here is the express testimony of the Watch, and the implicit testimony of the High-Priests themselves, to the truth of Christ's Resurrection. And was not Saul, (afterwards called Paul) for some time, a notorious Enemy of Christ? yet afterwards proved he a most courageous Witness of his Resurrection? Now, though the Friends of Christ might have been supposed not to speak the truth, yet, when his most desperate Enemies witness the same, it must be acknowledged, that Christ did according to the Scripture, rise again from the dead. If such a multitude of Earthly Witnesses, Men, Women, Rich, Poor, Friends, Foes, Jews, Gentiles, be not enough; yet at least the testimony of Heavenly Angels ought to be believed. Whose are those words? He is not here, but is risen: are they not the words of a Heavenly Angel? and, if it may be more convincing, St. Luke makes mention of two Angels who assert this: though these be enough, yet we add to these the testimony of the Spirit sent down upon the Apostles, on purpose to empower them to be Witnesses unto the Resurrection of Christ through the World.  
And who can think all this should be to give testimony to a Resurrection that was not every way true and real? Some Heretics in the Primitive Times, had the impudence so to teach, 
Against this opinion. Vid. Aug. lib. de Ago Christiano. cap. 24.  that as Christ died in appearance only, so he did rise only in appearance; it will therefore be convenient in this place to show, that Christ did truly and really rise from the dead in the very same Body, Flesh, and Bones, which was Crucified, and what ever tended to the perfection of the human nature. Those unto whom he appeared, 
Aq. p. 3. q. 55. a. 6.  knew him to be the same who had conversed with them before. The verity of Christ's Resurrection, doth Aquinas show by many Arguments, both in respect of his Body and Soul. That it was a true solid Body in which he risen, no fantastic, aerial Body, is evident, because he offered it to be seen and felt; now, a Spirit hath no Flesh and Bones, as they saw and felt he had. And that it was a true human Body, was evident to them all by the shape of it. And that it was the very same humane Body in which he lived and died, he evidenced by she wing them the prints of the Nails in his Hands and Feet, and of the Spear in his side. If any wonder at this, that Christ should rise again from the dead with Scars, they are to know, that this was not for any weakness, or inability to cure them, but for the advancement of his own Glory, who therefore carries them as perpetual badges of his own Victory and Triumph. 
S. Aug. Epist. 49. quasi si quisquam vir fortis pro patria dimicans, etc.  As if some valiant Man, who had received Wounds in the War for his Country, having a Skilful Chirurgeon that could cure them without Scars, should desire him so to cure them, that the Scars might remain as Badges of the service he had done his Country. 
Leo. Serm. 1. de ascensione Dom. ut non dubiâ fide, sed constantissima scientia teneretur eam naturam in Dei Patris concessuram throno, quae jacuerat in Sepulchro.  The Scars would Christ have to remain also, that hereby the Hearts of the Disciples might be confirmed in the Faith of his Resurrection; and therefore showing them to Thomas, he saith, Be not faithless, but believing. And this is so ordered (saith Aquinas) that the damned, at the day of Judgement, may hence perceive how justly they have the Sentence passed upon them, when they shall see him whom they have pierced. Of the humane Soul reunited to his Body, he gave Evidence, after he arose, by the Operations of it. This reality of Christ's Resurrection in the very same numerical Body which was Crucified and Buried, with the same humane Soul united unto it, which did before animate it, is well expressed, by our Church, 
Eccles. Angl. Art 4.  in the Book of Articles in these words, Christ did truly rise again from death, and took again his Body with Flesh and Bones, and all things appertaining unto the perfection of Man's nature. In which last words we are taught how his humane Soul was united to the same numerical Body which had been laid in the Grave; this in a special manner belonging to the perfection of the humane nature.  
This real Resurrection did Christ effect by his own power, as the Text shows, and the Scriptures foretold; for the Scriptures did not only foretell, that he should be raised from the dead, but that he should Rise again from the dead, which shows it to be his own Act. When the Psalmist saith, He shall lift up the head, it is to the same sense as those words of his own, Destroy this Temple, and I will raise it up again. This was the Evidence (and a sufficient one) that he was the true Messiah, the Son of God, and Saviour of the World. But than it is to be understood, that this was not after the Socinian Mode, who hold, that God the Father raised Christ to Life, and Christ being restored to Life, did lift and raise his Body out of the Grave, as the Man sick of the Palsy raised himself from the Bed, or as we shall raise ourselves out of our Graves at the sound of the last Trump. And they tell us, this was all that Christ could do; but if this was all, Christ might as well have said, Destroy this Temple, and any one of you may raise it up; for when God had restored life unto it, any one of them might have lifted it up, and raised it out of the Grave, and have showed it alive. We deny not but sometimes in Scripture the Resurrection of Christ is attributed to the Father, and sometimes to the Holy Ghost, but it is also attributed to himself, who, as he freely laid down his Life for us, so did he, by his own Power, raise it up again; he was not only passive in it, but active: Nor let any object and say, What then needed the Angel to be sent before to roll away the Stone, if he could raise himself out of the Grave? 
Chrysol. Serm. 75. Angelus revolvit lapidem, non ut egredienti Domino praeberet aditum, sed ut Dominum mundo jam resurrexisse monstraret: conservis ad credendum daret fidem, non ad resurgendum Domino praestaret auxilium.  for the Stone was not rolled away, by the Angel, so much to give his Body passage out, as to give his Disciples passage into the Grave, to behold the reality of his Resurrection; otherwise, he who came in while the door was shut, could as well have came out while the Grave was shut. Elizeus raised another, not himself: the Apostles raised others, yet cannot raise themselves: 
Vid. Bern. Serm. 1. de Festo Sanctae Paschae.  but Christ raised himself by his own power, which shows the Excellency of his Resurrection above the Resurrection of others. By all which you see our second point fully cleared, that as the Scripture had foretold Christ should rise, so did Christ really rise, and in the same manner.  
III. We have one point more, That there was a necessity Christ should thus rise from the dead; intimated in the word must. For so the Scriptures did declare, not only that there was a conveniency that he should rise, that it may be he would rise, it may be not, but that he must rise again from the dead. Besides, the fulfilling of all the Scriptures foretelling it, a double necessity there was of Christ's rising from the dead, namely, in respect of himself, and in respect of us.  
First, In respect of himself, it was necessary, that hereby he might evidence himself to be the true Messiah, who was to come, and no Impostor, as the Jews blasphemed. This was a special sign of him who was to be the true Messiah, and therefore when the Pharisees called upon him for a Sign, he instanced in his Resurrection, which was enough to convince them; and from hence Saint Peter draws his Conclusion, 
Act. 2.36.  Therefore (namely, because he hath raised him from the dead) let all the House of Israel know, that God hath made that same Jesus both Lord and Christ. Part of the office of Mediatorship, was Executed on Earth, but part thereof was to be Executed in Heaven; he ought to be Priest, Prophet, and King, not only a little while here on Earth, but for ever, his Kingdom was to be an Everlasting Kingdom; now, in order to the execution of that part of his office of Mediatorship which was to be done in Heaven, necessary was it that he should rise from the dead.  
Secondly, This was necessary in respect of us, were it but to remove from us the scandal of the Cross. Unto the Greeks nothing seemed more ridiculous, than that men should profess to rely upon a Crucified Christ for Salvation: and to the Jews this was a great stumbling-block: how could this great offence, arising from his ignominious death, be removed, had he not rose from the dead? Religion had been left in a bad case, if Christ had not risen. The Gentiles Religion, at that time, was no better than Irreligion: the Jewish Religion was now grown such a Yoke and Burden, that the World grew weary of it, and 'twas thought by the wisest, that it was high time there should be an end of that Yoke: so that, had not Christ risen, the Christian Religion, which was now to be the standing Religion, had been but tottering, and all the Professors of the same would have sneaked away when they saw the Founder of their Religion conquered by death, and not able to rise again. Had not Christ risen, our Faith and Preaching had been in vain. What profit had there been in his Blood if he had not risen? Surely none, but we had still been in our sins; that therefore the cost of his Blood might not be in vain unto us, necessary was it that he should rise again. As also that we might have a testimony of the Father's satisfaction. Christ undertook to be Man's Surety, to discharge his Debts, and thus made himself the Debtor (as you heard very well explained last Friday) so long as the Debtor is in Prison, it is a sign the Debt is not satisfied: therefore, that we might be assured the Debt is fully satisfied, the Prisoner must be let out, Christ must rise, the Surety being set at liberty, now we are begotten unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead. And necessary it was Christ should rise, as the first fruits of our Resurrection, in which respect one of the Fathers well calls Christ, 
Just. Mart. Q. & Resp. ad Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Leu. 23.10. etc.  The Captain of our Resurrection, leading the way to us that are to follow. The Law concerning the First-fruits is set down in Leviticus, in which we may observe, that the lifting up the Sheaf before the Lord, did note Christ's rising out of the Grave: and, as those Fruits had the name of First-fruits, because they were the first that were gathered; so was Christ the first that risen from the dead, the first that risen in Incorruption, the first that risen unto present participation of Glory: 
S. Cyp. lib. de resur. Dom. Just. Mart. Q. & R. ad orthod. q. 85. Bern. Ser. 1. de festo S. Pasch.  for all who, we read, were raised before him, did die again to take a larger Draught of that Cup they had before but tasted of: so that their Resurrection was imperfect and incomplete, but Christ was the first that ever risen by a full, complete, and perfect Resurrection unto the present participation of Glory. But that is not all, the First-fruits had a special reference unto all the rest, so that all the Sheafs in the Field were holy by the acceptation of that; and in that Christ is said to be the First-fruits of them that slept; it shows, that he risen for us, that our dust might be sanctified, our Mortality consecrated to Eternity. Christ's Resurrection hath an influence upon us in order to a twofold Resurrection; a Resurrection from the Grave of Sin unto the Life of Grace, and to the Resurrection of our Bodies; for, besides, that it is a strong argument for the possibility of our rising (the same power that raised Christ, being able to raise us) it hath the influence of an efficient cause upon our Resurrection, he rising not as a private Person, but as a public Principle; if the Head be raised, the Members shall also rise.  

INFERENCES.  
If Christ be risen, according as the Scriptures declared there was a necessity he should, then will he undoubtedly come to Judgement; for why risen he, but to receive all Power in Heaven and in Earth. Know this, 
Act. 17.31.  That God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the World by him, whom he hath raised from the dead. Than which nothing can be more terrible to such who are the Enemies of Christ, and lead an ungodly Life; he whom Death and Hell could not hold, how shall any thing hold him from revenging himself to the full, upon such who shall be found his Enemies? If he were in the Grave, than you might swear and curse, and be intemperate and unclean, and break all his Commands, dreaming of Impunity; but consider, O Christians, 'tis not a dead but a living Christ you thus dishonour, who will come to call you to an Account; who, as he will be a bountiful Rewarder of them that serve him, so will he be a most powerful Revenger of the Injuries offered him!  
We will not enlarge upon so sad a Meditation at this time, 'tis a day of Joy, and much comfort is there in Christ's Resurrection, especially to those who believe in his Name. If on any day you lift up yourselves with Joy, then on this day when Christ did rise, and lifted up his Head out of the Grave, the Jubilees in old time were the Figures of the Joys in this acceptable time; for by the Resurrection of Christ every true Believer is set free from the hands of his Enemies, his Trespasses forgiven, he is restored again to his interest in that Heavenly Possession which was lost in the transgression of Adam. Here is comfort against the fear of Death; how may you triumph over Death and the Grave? O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? Assure yourselves, Death can have no Victory over you. 
Tertull. lib. de Resur. Caro salutis est cardo, etc.  Tertullian doth excellently and comfortably treat upon this point. The Body (saith he) is as it were the Hinge of Salvation; as we see in Baptism, the Flesh is washed and sprinkled with Water, that the Soul may be cleansed. And when the Holy Ghost was given by laying on of hands, the Body was shadowed by laying on of hands, that the Soul might be enlightened with the Holy Ghost. Thus in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the Body eats and drinks the Bread and Wine, Christ's Body and Blood Sacramentally, that the Soul may feast upon Christ, and be satisfied. It cannot therefore be imagined (as the same Father well argues) that the Body and Soul being thus joined in the Acts of Religion, should be separated in the Reward. Nay, we may further take notice, that where the work of Grace is truly wrought, the whole Man is renewed, the Body as well as the Soul; so then, if the Body be not raised, the new Man should be destroyed, the Soul alone not making the new Man, but in conjunction with the Body. Suffer not therefore any to shake or unsettle you in this great Foundation-Doctrine of the Resurrection. Though Heathens and Epicures may laugh at this as an old Wife's Fable, 
Vid. Min. Fel. Oct. de id●l●rum ●vanit.  though Atheists and Heretics may scoff at it as a Childish Vanity and Madness; yet, be not shaken, though it be a Doctrine above reason, it is not against reason. The Apostle so argues before King Agrippa, Why should it be thought a thing unreasonable with you, that God should raise the dead? God's word must be made good, for he is as infallible in his word as in his nature; now, his word is, That all who are in the dust shall awake, and all that are in the Grave shall hear Christ's Voice, and come forth. As for those who talk of I know not what Vehicle of the Soul, to which it shall be then joined at the great day, other than the Body, in which it here dwelled in this World, and which is laid in the Grave, it is not only contrary to the Scripture, but to the Doctrine of the ancient Church 
* Epiphan. count. Haeres. lib. 2. Tom. 1. item in lib. Anchorat. fusè. Aeneas Gazaeus theophra. Tertull. lib. de Resurr. cap. 56. Dion. Areop. de Eccles. Hierarch. lib. cap. 11. , which constantly teach, that the same Body which is laid in the Grave shall be raised, which can no way be said of that imagined Vehicle, which never was in the Grave. For your farther confirmation, consider the point of Justice and Equity, if it doth not require that there should be a Resurrection of the dead, in the very same numerical Bodies, for how else should every one be rewarded according to his Works? How can it stand with the rule of Justice, that one Body should serve God, and suffer for God, and another Body should be rewarded; that one Body should Sin, and another Body should be damned? As Christ did rise in the same Body which died, so shall all men rise in their own Bodies.  
Many indeed are the vain Scruples of Atheistical Spirits against this Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body, as, how it is possible, 
This is answered by Aeneas Gazaeus, in his Theophrastus. By Justin. Mart. Q. & R. ad Graecos. In also Q. & R. ad orthod. q. 3. Athenag. de resur. p. 43.  when crumbled into dust, and one Man's dust mixed with another; nay, it may be, one Man devoured by another, and turned into his substance: How it is possible, that a Man being eaten by Fishes, those Fishes again eaten by Men; that after so many mutations, changes, mixtures, alterations of men's Bodies, they should be raised the very same Bodies, and every one have his own Body? But if you be Christians who have such thoughts, give me leave to ask you what the first Article of your Christian Faith is: Is it not this? That God is Almighty? If you believe this, it will be easy to believe the Resurrection of the dead after never so many changes, since that to Omnipotency all things are possible. And certainly 
* Aug. de Civ. Dei. lib. 10. cap. 30. quanto honestius creditur reverti semel animas ad corpora propria, quam reverti toties ad diversa?  this Doctrine concerning the rising of the same Body, is far more reasonable than their Opinion who held transmigration of Souls, or the passing of Souls into several Bodies, as St. Austin argues.  
But why should we deny that power to God, which we see, (in a manner) in the Creature? Lay a heap of all sorts of dust together, Dust of Gold, Silver, Tinn, Wood, Iron, apply the Loadstone to this heap of dust, and it will sever the Dust of the Iron from all the rest, and draw it to itself: and shall we not believe, that God can know every Man's peculiar Dust, and separate it from the rest, yea, and raise it up to Heaven? Look again into Nature, and you may see enough to strengthen your Faith in the Resurrection of the dead. Consider the daily Resurrections in the World, and you may see our Resurrection shadowed in the Day and Night: The Sun sets and riseth again; see you not the Fruits of the Field, Herbs, Plants, Trees? do they not die, as it were in the Winter, and live again in the Spring? 
Theoph. Patriarch. Antioch. ad Autol. lib. 1.  doth not the Corn Men sow, die and rise again? Theophilus' Patriarch of Antioch, follows this Argument at large. St. Ambrose, 
S. Amb. Hexaem. lib. 5. cap. 23.  and several others of the ancients urge the Phoenix to prove the Resurrection; which instance is so common, I need not spend time in relating it. Let us observe the workings of God in ourselves, and we shall have no cause to doubt the Resurrection of our Bodies. Consider of what a small beginning, at our Conception, God raiseth so goodly a Structure as our Bodies, and you must acknowledge him able to raise them again. Nay, of what did God make Man at first? Did he not make us of nothing? Now, consider, whether it be an act of greater power to raise a Body at the last day, of some matter yet remaining, or at first to make it of nothing. Therefore, with Polycarp, 
Polyc. Ep. ad Philip.  we may look upon him who denies the Resurrection of the dead, as the first begotten, and eldest Son of the Devil.  
What Enemies need Believers fear, if Christ be risen? He that was too hard for Death, will be too hard for any of your Enemies. He who hath overcome the great Goliath for you, can he not overcome the lesser Philistines? What Calamities or Miseries can you fall into, but you may fetch comfort out of Christ's Resurrection to support you under them? He that raised himself from the dead, hath power to deliver us from all evil. This was Job's Comfort in all his Afflictions, the sum of whose Argument is this, God will raise me up at the last day, therefore undoubtedly he is able (if it stand with his own Glory, and my good) to lift me up from this Dunghill again.  
Have you parted from Believing Relations? there is no reason to mourn as those without Hope, since Christ is risen, and will raise them again to Life. And why should we trouble ourselves overmuch at the Frailty and Infirmities of these Bodies? Christ is risen, according to the Scripture, and this corruptible shall put on Incorruption, this mortal shall put on Immortality.  
To conclude all, Is Christ risen? Let us every one look into ourselves, and see what power the Resurrection of Christ hath had upon our Hearts. Risen he is, but is he risen in our Hearts? What share have we in his Resurrection? Good Christians feel the power of his Resurrection quickening them unto Holiness. If we can truly say, he hath quickened us together with Christ, that would be something to the purpose. There is a Resurrection of Souls here, and of Bodies hereafter; 'tis the Resurrection of our Souls here from the death of Sin unto the Life of Grace, that is, the Fruit of Christ's Resurrection in all who are for Eternal Happiness. He that hath part in this first Resurrection, the second Death shall have no power over him. Let us learn to live as those who believe Christ's Resurrection, seeking those things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. It is the most unbecoming Frame for a Christian to be Earthly minded; for a Man to be grasping after the World; to have his Heart set upon his Covetousness, to be loading himself with thick Clay, to be still crying, Give, give, never to be contented with these outward things, with the Hog to be rooting in the Dunghill, and wallowing in the muck and mire of the World; Is this to live as becometh one who professeth himself to be risen with Christ? No assuredly. If we be Christians, let us not inordinately mind these things, let our Hearts be where our Head Christ Jesus is, let us seek the Mansions Christ hath prepared for us. For our Hearts to be panting after Christ as the Hart panteth after the water Brooks, every day to have our set times of Communion with God and Christ, to be angry at what ever draws our Hearts aside from Heavenly things, to be frequent in Holy Contemplations, pondering in our thoughts the weightiness of that Crown of Glory prepared for us, to be in daily longing expectations of the coming and appearing of our blessed Saviour; this is to live as becomes those who believe Christ is risen, according to the Scripture: To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all Honour and Glory, now and for evermore. Amen.   
FINIS.   

Books lately Printed for Walter Kettilby.  

Mr Hesketh's Piety, the best Rule of Orthodoxy, 8ᵒ.  
— 's Serious Exhortation to frequent Communion, 8ᵒ.  
— 's Case of Communicating unworthily, 8ᵒ.  
The Faith and Practice of a Church of England Man. The third Edition, 12ᵒ.  
Religion the Perfection of Man, 8ᵒ.  
An Exposition on the Church Catechism. By way of Question and Answer, 8ᵒ.  
Mr Stainforth's Sermon, Jan. 30. 1688/9. at York.  
Mr Lynford's Sermon before the Lord Mayor, Feb. 24. 1688/9.  
Dr Scott's Sermon at the late Lord Mayor's Funeral, March 27. 1689.  
The Oration of Cicero for M. Marcellus, done into English. With an Appendix relating to the Prince of Orange, 4 to.